Bishop Montgomery High School
Knightlife December 12, 2014 • XLVIII • ISSUE 3
Turkey Day Written by Theresa Sitter, Caroline Cusolito. Above: Mrs. Moreau’s newborn baby, Roxie, is dressed in a turkey outfit for her first Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving
We all know that the Pilgrims, after a terrible and harsh winter, first celebrated Thanksgiving to celebrate their good harvest with the Indians. Their appreciation created a lasting tradition that would br celebrated throughout the country for years to come. But you can thank good ol’ Abraham Lincoln for getting you that day off of school. On October 3, 1863, Lincoln announced that the last Thursday in November would be dedicated to celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday. Due to the disgruntlement and Civil War between the North and South at the time, Lincoln hoped that Thanksgiving would create a sense of unity throughout the nation. One could say Abe’s idea worked! While Thanksgiving may just bring up thoughts of turkey and stomach aches for some people, Bishop students have their own special traditions with their families. Sophomore Cat Valdovinos says,“Every Thanksgiving, my extended family comes over to my
house. My uncle brings his guitar, and we all sing Latino songs in a circle.” Junior Megan Martis answers, “My family, transfer friend from Korea, and I went to my cousin’s house for Thanksgiving. We ate a huge dinner, played with my little cousins, watched football, and went Black Friday shopping. It was wonderful!” Many events, both nationally and locally, celebrated the festivities of Thanksgiving this year. In our own hometown of Torrance, a whopping 4,500 people ran or walked the annual Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning. Not only did the three mile run allow family members and friends to socialize with each other, it also was a great excuse for people to stuff themselves with turkey at dinner later! Of course Thanksgiving itself would be incomplete without the famous Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Taking place in New York City, the parade was yet again a huge hit. Featuring Idina Menzel, KISS, Lucy Hale, Sting, Nick Jonas, and Meghan Trainor, the show was a symphony for the ears as well. Ma-
Above: Trevor Toia ‘15 is thankful for an enormous turkey for Thanksgiving dinner.
cy’s also introduced six new floats to the parade including the Paddington Bear, Pikachu, Pillsbury Doughboy, Red Mighty Morphin Power Ranger, Skylanders’s Eruptor, and Thomas the Tank Engine. This Thanksgiving’s festivities were certainly some to remember!
Black Friday
We all love to go shopping on Black Friday, but do we know exactly how this special day came to be? Starting in the 1960s, the day of “Black Friday” started and soon became very popular as it marked the start of Christmas shopping. The term “Black Friday” came to be as stores started to make a significant profit in their sales. When accounting used to be done by hand, a red mark indicated a decrease in sales and a black mark indicated an increase in sales. So, the title Black Friday came from the profits made that were showed by the black ink. The history of Black Friday does not usually cross people’s minds as they are enjoying the chaotic day full of
Worldly Views
shopping. However, this unofficial holiday allows people across the United States to think of their loved ones during the holiday season. This day of shopping and coming across amazing discounts benefits both the shoppers and stores, which are able to sell their products before Christmas. Many stores open early in the morning and recently have had Black Friday sales going on throughout Thanksgiving week. Some popular stores for Black Friday include Macy’s, Nordstrom, Best Buy, and Toys R Us. Clothes, jewelry, hats, shoes, and outdoor products are all sold for discounted prices. Black Friday is the perfect opportunity to shop for the holidays and make large purchases that one normally wouldn’t. Many malls such as our local Del Amo Mall, The Grove, Irvine Spectrum, and various other stores in the South Bay witness many customers going in and out of their stores with bags full of purchases. With many stores and products to choose from, anyone can find the perfect gifts for their families and friends this holiday season!
Written by Manaka Sato. Photographed by Knightlife Staff
Above: Marc Falcon ‘15 and Lily Fraga ‘15 are participating in the Buddhist ritual before entering to the main temple.
On November 4th, Mrs. St. James’s Religions of the World classes skipped a day of classes and took the annual field trip to Hsi Lai Temple, a Buddhist monastery, and Guru Ram Das Ashram, a Sikh temple, to further expand their knowledge of and ap-
by thousands of Bodhisattvas, Arhats, and Buddhas, the students immersed themselves into the Buddhist religion while experiencing Chinese culture. The temple even allowed the students to look at the small museum of old and precious Buddhist artifacts. There were several people visiting the temple to worship and meditate that day, and the students observed the Buddhists’ worshipping methods and found similarities to that of Christianity. Though many of the worshipers were of Chinese descent, there were also people of many cultures. At the end of the trip at Hsi Lai Temple, the seniors ate a vegetarian buffet lunch, which was provided by the temple. After their lunch, Mrs. St. James and her classes headed to Guru Ram Das Ashram, a Sikh temple situated in Los Angeles. Before entering the temple, the students were required to take off their shoes and put on headscarves. Although it was significantly smaller than Hsi Lai Temple,
preciation for other faiths. At Hsi Lai Temple, located in Hacienda Heights, the students took a tour of the 15-acre traditional Chinese Buddhist mountain monastery. The seniors were able to ask questions and experience meditation in the main shrine. Surrounded 5430 TORRANCE BOULEVARD, TORRANCE, CA 90503 • WWW.BMHS-LA.ORG
it was still filled with spiritual artwork. Two women sat down to talk to the students about the Sikh religion, from its origin in India to a reading of the Guru (the Sikh religious text). Many of the Sikh philosophies reflected ideas found in Christianity like treating others with respect. Like all Sikhs, the seniors sat on the floor because Sikhs believe that all people are on the same level. The people at the temple were quite diverse, ranging from AfricanAmerican to Indian to Caucasian. Like at the Hsi Lai Temple, people came in the temple to worship and pray. Juli Papilla ‘15 said, “This particular field trip was very unique compared to any other field trip I’ve been on. It opened my eyes to see that there are a lot of different people in the world. Visiting the different temples expanded my knowledge on different religions of the world.”
Sports: Spotlight on Students
Football Senior Night
Written by Josh Villalta. Photographed by Danielle Julifs. The imminent end to every football season is marked by senior night, a football team’s last guaranteed home game. The Knights had worked up to earning a spot in competing for the South Catholic League title against Cantwell-Sacred Heart by defeating both Verbum Dei (3027) and St. Bernard (42-14). It was 6:30 and the seniors’ parents were waiting at the 50 yard line to receive their cap and flowers. Seniors and their parents all took pictures, but the Knights had to get focused; it was
game time. The Knights and the Cardinals were neck and neck headed into the end of the first half, but with six minutes remaining... BLACKOUT. All of the lights, scoreboard, and speakers went out. There was panic and confusion everywhere. Talks of rescheduling and forfeiting were discussed but the CIF said the game must be played on that night. It took Edison half an hour to bring the lights back up and even with nearly all of the crowd gone, the game went on. The Knights fought hard but due
to several unfortunate turnovers, the Cardinals won by a score of 56-34. Carter London contributed with 100 rushing yards and one touchdown. Junior Patrick Smith, added 175 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Chris Hughes added 84 receiving yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Despite the loss, the Knights still got a share of the title, being tied with both Cantwell and Verbum Dei, and advanced for their fifth consecutive year to the playoffs. The Knights were to face Nipomo High School on the road the following week that resulted in a loss with a score 58-7. The Knights’ season did not end with disappoint-
ment though. Seniors Austin Garbe, Carter London, and Chris Hughes all had over 1,000 all-purpose yards each and we’re proud of the effort their teammates gave. When asked, Carter London ‘15 said, “I am so surprised these past few years have gone by so fast. It’s been a great four years. I’ve grown as a person and as a player alongside my teammates and I will definitely miss this next year.” Chris Hughes ‘15 added, “Football is my passion and it’s going to suck not being able to play anymore, but my team did their best and that’s all you can really ask for at the end of the day.” Now that the 20142015 season is over, the football team is hopeful to have an even better season next year and anxious to get into shape during the offseason. Go Knights!
Far Left: Wyatt Figgord ‘15 gets a hug from his family on senior football night. Left: Dante DeGuzman ‘15 gets a quarterback sack for a loss of yards.
Full Speed Ahead Written by Emily Blair. Photographed by Emily Blair.
Above: Alec Rupp ‘17 sprints to the finish line.
The last sound of the starting gun fires, the last feelings of prerace butterflies, the last Nilla Wafer gone, and the last bus ride home become the bittersweet moments for the Bishop Montgomery’s 2014 cross country team as they finish the season. On November 4 at the dry, hot
Santa Fe Dam, the cross country team completed their last race. The girls’ varsity team raced against Bishop Amat, La Salle, St.Joseph, and Pomona Catholic. Muriel Clapp ‘17, Lauren Mitchell ‘16, and Hannah Lopez ‘18 came in together taking 22nd, 23rd, and 24th spots.
Pump It Up!
Shortly after arrived Alexis Mendoza ‘17 and Caterina Valdovinos ‘17 taking the 26th and 27th spots. Overall, the girls varsity ended with an average time of 22:14.66 with all athletes receiving a time of sub 23 minutes, and placing fifth in the Varsity Del Rey League. Of the girls’ junior varsity team, Bella Pillon ‘18 was recognized with a medal at the ending award ceremony, with all the other teams, for finishing in 10th place. The boys’ varsity team finished in sixth place with an average time of 18:11.04, racing against Bishop Amat, Salesian, Cathedral, Don Bosco Tech, and La Salle. David Aguilar ’17 finished in 29th with a time of 17:57.7 and Captain Zachary Hayes ’15 finished in 31st with a time of 18:08.1. Although the season is over, many of the teammates still look back with happiness and thoughts of improvement for the next season. Muriel Clapp ‘17 says, “We have a lot
of potential. I think we can be really great. We just have to want and work for it.” Top runner for the girls’ varsity team Olivia Pope ’18 reflects, “At first it was to stay in shape, but then I was surprised at how much I loved it... For the future, I hope to keep getting better and faster. I also plan to do track and more 5ks to keep my body in shape.” Not only is the girls’ team preparing to improve for next year, but also the boys. Christopher Arce ’17 states, “I feel like we have all tried really hard to do our best this season and improve.” Next year, the sophomore says he hopes “to improve my time so that I can help the team, as a whole, to make it to CIF at Mount S.A.C.” Congratulations on a season well-done to the Cross Country team, and good luck next year!
gomery’s Song Program. Although there was a power outage at Friday’s game, the clinic participants along with the Song Teams were able to keep the crowd and football players
pumped up and excited!
Written by Kassandra Madrigal. Photographed by Libby Hadnett. Last school year, the BMHS Song Team held a clinic for junior high students during basketball season. This year they added a clinic for football season (in addition to the basketball clinic next semester) and there were about 20 participants! During these clinics the Varsity and JV Song Teams taught junior high and Bishop students dance techniques, stretches, and skills. The girls learned how to do turns, toe touches, and kicks. All of these new skills were put to use in a routine that incorporated the techniques they learned. Varsity Songleader Maya Mimura ‘16 remarked, “I was delighted to teach the junior high girls so that they could experience the things we do in song and have a fun time.” At Friday night’s Varsity
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Football game, the clinic group sat in the bleachers and watched the Song Teams perform cheers and chants throughout the game. They also helped cheer on the Songleaders during timeouts and sideline performances. At halftime, the clinic girls performed on the field with JV and Varsity Song to Ike and Tina Turner’s fun and upbeat “Proud Mary.” Of course the crowd went wild and cheered on the girls for their amazing performance. “The clinic was a great experience that will definitely help me for next year’s song tryouts,” exclaimed Mariana Madrigal ‘17, a Bishop student who participated in the clinic. Both Song Teams hope this event helped the junior high girls get to know the Songleaders and get a feel of what it really means to be a part of Bishop Mont-
Above: Varsity and JV Song Teams help with Clinic Participants after the halftime football game performance.
Clubs:Spotlight on Students
Club corner
Written by Caitlyn Kester, Kayla Albes. Photographed by Sebastian Contreras. Interviewed by Jordan Bell. American Red Cross is getting ready for the holidays! With December rolling in, American Red Cross has been busy with projects for the holiday season. They have been working on the Homeless Walk and Christmas Cards for Soldiers. Their goal this month is to help others feel the Christmas spirit! The first event, the Homeless Walk, took place November 15th and club met at eight o’clock in the morning. The event was a 5k run and 5k walk. The money raised in the run went to helping homeless people. It was a success and raised awareness and support towards homeless people. This run/walk was a perfect way for people to appreciate how much they have and raise money for those who are in need; it was a perfect event for the Thanksgiving season! The second activity coming up is the Christmas Cards for
the Soldiers. This will help soldiers away from home in foreign countries feel love and appreciation during Christmas. Make sure to hurry and help American Red Cross in Room 310 with their Christmas Cards. You can decorate and design as many cards as you want! Already, the new year has started off great with the new members contributing to the charitable club. American Red Cross meets every Wednesday in Room 210 with Mrs. O’Connor, so come check it out! Volunteer sign ups will be in the room for any of you who wish to join the club and donate your time to the great events!
Above:Vivian Vu ‘15 and Kim Serrano ‘15 explain the history of the Red Cross to its club members.
pg.3 Knightlife
Entertainment/opinion
Above: An Nguyen ‘18 and Renai-Lee Ika ‘18 enjoyed watching Jennifer Lawrence in “MockingJay.”
The Mockingjay Lives Written by Jackie Pistole and Erin Hall From The Hunger Games to Catching Fire to the finale of the beloved series, the long-anticipated Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1 was finally released on Friday, November 21. Jennifer Lawrence returns as the admired Mockingjay, Katniss Everdeen. Her co-stars include Liam Hemsworth as the steadfast Gale Hawthorne, Josh Hutcherson as the traitorous Peeta Mellark, and Julianne Moore as the committed President Coin. The movie continues off of Katniss’s rescue from
Thanksgiving Art by Samantha Peralta
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Catching Fire’s Quarter Quell. Peeta, Johanna Mason, and Annie Cresta are being held captive by the cold-hearted Capitol. Now in hiding underneath the supposedly destroyed District 13, Katniss becomes the Mockingjay -- the leader of an army of rebels ready to lead a revolution against President Snow and the Capitol. Both the violent struggle for liberation and inspiring sense of hope among the united Districts of Panem captivate the viewers into wanting to join Katniss
and for what she stands. The scenes of desperation and subsequent rebellion that join the districts together are what really move the viewers of the story. In particular, when Katniss sings The Hanging Tree, she perfectly portrays the overwhelming sense of unity prevalent throughout the film. This newly united Panem is determined to rise up against the oppressive Capitol while having a Mockingjay to lead them. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1 was fairly successful the first weekend of its release, bringing in $123 million. However, this is not the amount that was anticipated by Lionsgate. It could not quite measure up to last year’s Catching Fire, which brought in $158 million or even to 2012’s Hunger Games, which ended its premiere weekend with $152.5 million. However, internationally, Mockingjay outperformed the first two movies, taking in $152 million, versus Catching Fire’s $146 million. This puts Mockingjay’s combined total at $274 million, one of the best showings of the year. Although most responses to the new movie were positive, critics and moviegoers had mixed feelings about Mockingjay. According to CinemaScore, the movie received a fan rating A-, compared to an A rating given to the last two movies in the Hunger
Games series. In a Metacritic survey, critics had completely different opinions, some giving it a 91 out of 100 possible points, and others giving it a 25 out of 100 possible points. On Fandango, over 11,000 fans gave the movie a positive four and a half stars rating. Critics reviewing for Rotten Tomatoes gave Mockingjay a 66% rating on the Tomatometer. Mockingjay scored lower than both the original Hunger Games and Catching Fire with 84% and 89%, respectively. Students at Bishop Montgomery also had different feelings about the new movie and the translation of the novel to the film. Freshman Emi Doyle. thought that “Mockingjay was okay, but I think Part 2 will have most of the action and will be more exciting.” Another 9th grader, Jacen Castillo. had a different opinion on the film, saying “it was more depressing than the book and the ending made me feel sad.” He also commented that “Although the book was very boring, the movie stayed true to the book and added some interesting things.” Ending on a cliffhanger, Mockingjay: Part 1 has everyone wondering what will happen in the final movie of the series. Expected for release on November 20, 2015, people will be waiting to see what Mockingjay: Part 2 will bring to the table.
Entertainment/opinion
A Star Studded Event Written by Sara Awad and Shelby Richardson With 22 Awards to be given, the 2014 American Music Awards aired November 23rd on the ABC network. Hosted at Los Angeles’ Nokia Theatre, probably the most entertaining night out of all 42 years that the awards have been taking place. The nominees are privileged because, of course, the AMA”s are the world’s largest fanvoted award show. ARTIST OF THE YEAR Iggy Azalea Beyonce Luke Bryan Eminem Imagine Dragons John Legend Lorde One Direction Katy Perry Pharrell Williams NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY KOHL'S 5 Seconds of Summer Iggy Azalea Bastille Sam Smith Meghan Trainor SINGLE OF THE YEAR Iggy Azalea Featuring Charli XCX "Fancy" John Legend "All of Me" MAGIC! "Rude" Katy Perry Featuring Juicy J "Dark Horse" Pharrell Williams "Happy" FAVORITE MALE ARTIST – POP/ ROCK John Legend Sam Smith Pharrell Williams
FAVORITE FEMALE ARTIST – POP/ ROCK Iggy Azalea Lorde Katy Perry FAVORITE BAND, DUO OR GROUP – POP/ROCK Imagine Dragons One Direction OneRepublic Having the host as Pitbull, they started off the show with the performance from Taylor Swift singing “Blank Space.” She played a actual fairytale performance with poisoned fruit, flaming roses, pyro, and more Phantom of the Opera props. Charli XCX starts off singing “Boom Clap” as a prom queen then turns into a Goth and amped-up bad girl singing “Break The Rules.” Next MAGIC! and Wyclef Jean sing “Divine Sorrow” and “Rude” turned into a medley. A reggae legend and a Fugee dueting. 5 Seconds of Summer polished and took out their karaokestyle to sing “What I Like About You.” The next performance was strummy and deep played by Imagine Dragons singing “I Bet My Life.” The flawless and all stunning Sam Smith takes the stage to sing “I’m Not the Only One,” with A$AP Rocky jumping along the performance. Iggy Azalea and Charli XCX killed the audience with their fanciness singing “Fancy,” and after Iggy made them beg for it with her stunning performance singing “Beg for It.” Taking it up on her own to perform “Yellow Flicker Beat,” Lorde’s bracing
Directioners Unite!
Written by Libby Hadnett , Photographed by Simon Tran
Above: Alexis Mendoza ‘17, Kirsten Cazares ‘17, Mariana Traversa ‘17, Muriel Clapp ‘17, and Nora Ward ‘17 are One Direction’s biggest fans.
One Direction is WatchMojo. com’s 7th best boy band of all times. The band had swept the nation after being put together by Simon Cowell on the X Factor UK in 2010. They finished in third pace and shortly after, their cover of Forever Young was leaked onto the internet. Simon heard the song and signed a $2 million dollar contract with Syco Records. Since then, the boys have had four albums, Up All Night(2011), Take Me Home (2012), Midnight Memories (2013), and Four (2014), and one movie. One Direction has a worldwide fan base and has very little competition among other bands. 5 Seconds Of Summer is their biggest competitor. One Direction came out with their new album, Four, on November 17. I am a huge fan of this album, but it sounds extremely familiar. All of the songs sound like their last
Above: Jason Spears ‘18 likes to “Shake it Off” to Taylor Swift at the AMA’s. weirdness didn’t surprised anybody. The favorite performance of the night was when Ariana Grande feat. The Weeknd sang “Love Me Harder,” and then the amazing girl vocalize sings “Problem” and “Break Free” solo. To get the audience up on their feet, Pitbull sings “Don’t Stop the Party,” “Fireball,” and “Time of Our Live” with Ne-Yo accompanying him. The very serious ballad that Selena Gomez sings “The Heart Wants What It Wants,” brings her to tears. The five very special boys of One Direction sing “Night Changes” in all black. Lil Wayne and Christina Millian sing “Start A Fire” and Nicki Minaj and Skylar Grey sing “Bed Of Lies,” dressed in white. Fergie did a outstanding performance with YG singing “L.A. Love (la la)” which brought up the mood of the whole stadium. With everybody clapping along Garth Brooks singing
“People Loving People,” getting the crowd to sing along. The legendary Mary J. Blige takes out her amazing vocals while singing “Therapy.” The three most beautiful and mind-blowing ladies, Jessie J, Ariana Grande, and Nicki Minaj perform “Bang Bang.” Ending the over-filled night, Jennifer Lopez and Iggy Azalea sing “Booty.” Over all 2014 American Music Awards was fantastic and the performances were all amazingly enjoyable and attention grabbing.
I bet you are all excited over the fourth entry to the Super Smash Bros. franchise. Super Smash Bros. came out on 3DS on October 10th and its Wii U version is set to come out November 21st. Super Smash Bros. is a 2D fighter game in which you play as your favorite Nintendo character and fight other characters. The basic fighting mechanics are relatively the same between all fighting games, but Smash has various items and powerups. Super Smash Bros. 3DS and Wii U boast whole new game modes, game mechanics, characters and more! This is the first time Super Smash Bros. is on Nintendo’s mobile platform. The 3DS and Wii U versions are drastically different and it is very clear that the Wii U version will have practically all of the new features. Let’s start this off with the characters coming to Super Smash Bros. for 3DS and Wii U. According to the Nintendo website, the new characters are the villager from Animal Crossing, the Wii fit trainer, Rosalina and Luma from Super Mario Galaxy, Little Mac from PunchOut!, Greninja from Pokemon X and Y, Palutena from Kid Icarus, Robin and Lucina from Fire Emblem, Shulk from Xe-
noblade, Mega Man, Pac-Man, Bowser Jr, the dog from DuckHunt, and Miis. The characters left out of Super Smash Wii U/3DS that were in Brawl are Ice Climbers, Lucas from the Japanese exclusive Mother 3 (Earthbound 2),Snake from Metal Gear Solid , Wolf from Starfox, and the Pokemon trainer. Finally there are the amiibo figurines. Amiibo figurines are basically like Skylanders figurines in which you put your amiibo on the lower left hand side of the Wii U tablet and they scan into the game. According to Nintendo, “ Super Smash Bros for Wii U can read your Amiibo and transform them into what we call "figure players" that will join the battle with--or against--you! Figure players will be able to fight on their own and will grow in ability. Depending on how they're taught and raised, the capabilities and even the personalities of figure players will change, making each amiibo uniquely your own. Also, amiibo figures can learn from their opponents in battle; for example if the enemy uses a shield when the figure is attacked, it uses its shield and then attacks.” Overall, Super Smash Bros. looks like an action-packed game for everyone to enjoy.
album, Midnight Memories. Many say that since the band is at the top of the music world, they simply did not want to show the world anything new and did not try on this album. It seems as though, One Direction has run out of new ideas so they are reusing the same melodies and tunes with new words. While many hate the album for being too similar to other bands and their previous music, I really like it. Their songs Written by David Carrol, are extremely catchy and fun. Photographed by Simon Tran There are quick repetitive songs, or slow relaxing songs that can fit any mood. One day after the release date, the song Steal My Girl is already in the top 10 list on iTunes. Yet the song Night Changes is the most popular Four song on iTunes. Four is also USA Today’s album of the week. Even though the album is close to previous Above: Alec Rupp ‘17, Vicenzo Schiappa ‘17, and Christopher Arce ‘17 albums and songs, it is still very show their enthusiasm for the new Super Smash Bros. game. popular.
Smashing Fun
pg.5 Knightlife
campus life
The Perfect Score - Part II Written by Natalie Pistole and Alex Rodriguez Every school year, millions of teenagers wake up early on a Saturday morning, trudge to their local high schools, half asleep, and take the dreaded test that virtually every college uses to evaluate an applicant’s preparedness for college. Two options exist: the SAT and the ACT. While the SAT breaks up its main components of Math, Reading Comprehension, and Writing into ten short sections, the ACT, which has been gaining popularity since its establishment in 1959, instead contains four long sections of Math, Reading Comprehension, Writing, and Science. The grading scale ranges from a 1 to a 36, with only a handful of talented test-takers earning the magic 36. For 2014, out of the 1,845,787 students who took the ACT, only 1,407 may boast about inclusion in the top 0.08% of the country. This September, BMHS senior David Kim made the entire BMHS community proud -- he earned a perfect score on his first try. But, David is not much of a boaster. A friendly, soft-spoken, and hard-working student, he attributes his success to lots of practice, the support of his loved ones, and God. When asked how he studied for the exam, he says he “tried many practice tests,” which he found helpful since he believes that the test-makers “have patterns that they use” with the tests. In regards to his exam, he adds “Honestly, when
I finished the test, I thought the exam was a bit easier than practice tests. But, I did not expect I would be blessed with such a high score. In fact, I never got a perfect score during practice tests. So, I was pretty shocked when I checked my score in the morning at my house, and I had to re-check it at school library to make sure it was still there.” Kim balances a rigorous curriculum, volunteerism, clubs, and even another perfect score (more about that later). When asked how he does it all, he remarks “For me, I think prioritizing on urgent and important stuff helps me to stay on track. Whenever I have so many things to do on my agenda, I initially panic. But, I soon rank those things in order of importance and urgency, and I try to handle them accordingly. Besides, many great people around me, including teachers, friends, and my family members help me to stay motivated and pursue something greater. Also, when I feel greatly burdened by something that I cannot handle myself, God is always there to relieve me from stress and anxiety.” David has been an active member in our school newspaper, Knightlife (what you’re reading right now!), since his junior year; he helped the club make progress, was named Outstanding Journalist of the Year for the 201415 school year, and now serves as the Executive of Graphic Design. Also during his junior year, Kim was
Above: David Kim was surprised and happy by his perfect ACT score. inducted into National Honor Society and has been recognized as an NHS Member of the Month (September) for completing over 400 service hours in the 2014 spring semester! In addition to Knightlife and NHS, David founded the new Model United Nations Club here at Bishop. However, this is not Kim’s only perfect score - he has also earned a perfect score of 800 on the Math Level 2 SAT Subject Test! He joins fellow senior Samantha Nishimura in elite company: Nishimura earned a perfect score of 2400 on her SAT in December 2013. With a graduating class full of passionate scholars, athletes, artists, servant-leaders, and devoted friends, it is difficult to not feel the
motivating force behind both our everyday successes and our accomplishments. With this sense of determination, as Knights, we all strive to reach our full potentials as, to quote Ms. Libbon, “unrepeatable” individuals.
The Question Corner Questions by Caroline Egekeze, Photographed by Danielle Julifs
“What is most stressful about college app process?”
Michelle Aquino ‘15 “The most stressful part of the app process was writing the essay portion.”
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Entonyous Bernaba ‘15 “The most stressful part of college app time is waiting for your acceptance/rejection letter. Because that small letter is a huge part of the rest of your life.”
“What is your dream college?
Russell Chang ‘15 “My dream college is UCSB because it's a beautiful campus and their academics is also very high.”
Emily Tapanes ‘15 “My dream school is either USC or Chapman. I want to study film production, and they both have amazing programs. I love both their campuses and the activities that they have available for students to participate in.”
Treats From the Tavern
Campus Life
Written by Isabella Bacoka and Matthew Cusolito. Photographed by Samantha Nishimura. Interviewed by Kathryn Graz. Drama Lab’s second play Sally to the broad spectrum of of the year sure was a hit! Mr. emotion expressed by the VagaMasters, director and coordinator bond. Audience member Kim Serof BMHS Drama Lab, calls The rano ‘15 says, “The fact that the Tavern “one of his favorites” and play contained so many unique participated in productions of the characters made the show exshow multiple times. The show tremely entertaining and kind of is set in a tavern during a danmind-boggling, but in the best gerous storm, with the landlady way possible!” After constantly Freeman (Emily Tapanes ‘15) and asking all who have seen the her son Zach (T.J. Balaschak ‘15) show which character was their and hired servants Sally and Wil- favorite, all answered, in their liam (Sarah Geltz ‘17 and Colin own ways, that each character Severely-Ortiz ‘17). A series of obviously put in 100% of their interesting events ensue when a talents and efforts to make it the cast of odd characters arrive to show it was: intense and purely the tavern including a vagabond fantastic. This show also featured (Matthew Cusolito ‘15), a mysteri- new freshmen that were finally ous woman (Cassi Crakes ‘17), given the chance to show their and the governor of the state true streaks of talent. A fantastic (Sean Dela Pena ‘15). With a performance was given by Cassi very short time to rehearse and Crakes ‘17, Sarah Gletz ‘17, and build a set for this show, the acColin Severely-Ortiz 17. With an tors and actresses really pulled of intricately designed set, memoa great show. rable cast, fantastic crew, and an Such an interesting story aware director, the masterpiece captured each audience memleft a positive impression that will ber, from the crazy screams from never be forgotten.
Above: Taio Adetola ‘16 and Daniel Krynen ‘15 act out their scene in “The Tavern.”
Schoolin’ the Teachers! Written by Stephanie Trelease. Photographed by Milanne Izawa.
Mr. Bitto excitedly acts out a funny improvised scene while Mr. Lee cheers him on in the back.
Ephram West ’15 and Mrs. Rudder prepare for the next improv game.
On Friday, November 7th, students and teachers alike gathered in TMH to experience the annual Students v. Teachers Improv Match. Seven of BMHS’ finest improvisers faced off against eight of their teachers, with both teams attempting to outscore the other and win improv glory. To achieve this goal, the teams went head-to-head playing various improv games to entertain the audience and gain their applause. Ms. Bagnell, Mr. Bitto, Ms. Egan, Mr. Fitz, Mr. Lee, Mr. Masters, Ms. Meehan, and Mr. Nguyen all participated in the match, eager to beat the student team, which consisted of Tayo Adetola ‘16, Harrison Cook ‘17, Cassie Crakes ‘18, Gianni Pajaron ‘15, and Stephanie Trelease ‘17, led by captains Will Reed ‘15 and Ephram West ‘15. Ms. Rudder, moderator of the Improv Team, served as the referee, and she awarded points based on audience applause for each round. Despite the teacher team’s dire threats that no extra credit would be awarded if they lost, the audience seemed to favor both teams equally. The score proved this, as the two teams were neck and neck for both halves, and even tied occasionally. Ultimately, the students won, 39 to 38, barely beating the teachers with their one point victory. Although the teachers lost, the audience was very impressed with their performance. One of the highlights of the match came in the second half, when the teachers delivered an award-worthy game of “Countdown.” The premise of the game was to perform an original scene in two minutes, then recre-
ate it in even less time. Mr. Bitto and Mr. Masters started the scene on a date at the junkyard until Ms. Meehan appeared and demanded they get out of her yard. Things escalated when Mr. Lee appeared, accusing Mr. Masters of cheating on him, and the madness culminated with a dance battle between Mr. Bitto and Ms. Meehan. This scene was very popular among audience members. Sophomore Carlos Bernal exclaimed, “Both the teachers and students were hilarious! It’s great to see a side of our teachers when they are out of the classroom. My favorite scene was ‘Countdown.’” The way they played it off was hilarious.” Sophomore Rachel Alvarez agreed, stating, “I thought the teachers were hilarious, and they did a really good job. My favorite scene was definitely ‘Countdown.’” Overall, the match was a fun experience for both the performers and the audience. Mr. Bitto called the match “exciting,” saying, “It was fun to be able to play with the pros.” Junior Tayo Adetola, one of the student performers, said, “The teachers performed really well! They really brought it out for the match.” Although the teachers performed admirably, it looks like they could learn a thing or two from the students. For now, the students are the reigning improv masters, but there’s always next year!
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Bright and early on the morning of November 15th, students from all levels of our Latin program here at Bishop made their way to Woodbridge High School in Irvine for the annual SCRAM (Southern California Regional Amici Madness). “Amici” means “friends” in Latin, and the students were certainly making new ones the entire day. The convention kicked off with an opening ceremony and academic testing in several categories, including Derivatives, Vocabulary, Daily Life, Mythology, and more. After the tests, students were free to roam around the sprawling campus, participating in sports such as track, soccer, and fugepilam (literally translating as “dodgeball”). Faculty moderators and Woodbridge students alike held various workshops and activities the entire day, and students enjoyed themselves at Roman Cookie Decorating, Roman Writing Workshops, Certamen Competitions (which is similar to a Jeopardy!-style trivia contest, based on the Latin language and Roman culture), Roman Speed-Dating, and more. Students also participated in a Scavenger Hunt, in which they searched for famous historical figures around campus and took selfies in order to prove that they found them. The entire campus was decked out in Roman columns, graceful banners, and famous scenes from mythology. At the Carnival, students “fed” Cerberus by throwing bean bags and
Campus Life
Resurrecting the
Dead Language
Written by Samantha Nishimura. Photographed by Danielle Julifs
Above: Kienan Taweil ‘15, Jackie Nkansah ‘15, Kira Coyne ‘15, Sam Nishimura ‘15, Sabrina Supapkooha ‘15, and Ms. Egan represent Bishop Montgomery High School at the Southern California Regional Amici Madness.
“destroyed” the Temple of Athena with a bowling ball and pins. Kienan Taweil ‘15 exclaims, “This was my fourth year going to SCRAM and my favorite activity this year was the Latin trivia. It was fun to spend time with my classmates and participate in fun Latin-related activities with
students from other schools. Every year has been a new experience for me but it’s always fun!” Lunch was a delicious burger from In-NOut, along with assorted snacks such as chips, cookies, and apples. In addition, Woodbridge students manned a snack shack the entire
day, selling muffins, hot chocolate, Cup of Noodles, and much more. The atmosphere at the school was lively and enthusiastic, as students walked around making new friends and challenging each other to show off their hard-earned Latin skills.
‘Tis The Season Written by Anna Leoncio, Photographed by Danielle Julifs
KNIGHTLIFE STAFF The Knightlife newspaper is published by the Knightlife Club of Bishop Montgomery High School, 5430 Torrance Blvd., Torrance, CA 90503.
Carter London ‘15 and the campus ministers celebrate Ms. Libbon’s birthday. The Christmas Spirit finally arrived at Bishop Montgomery on Thursday December 11, and boy, did it take the campus by storm. Beginning in the morning, students and faculty arrived on campus decked out in holiday flair. Everywhere you looked were bright Christmas colors in the forms of sweaters, shirts, hats, and even socks! All these colors came together in a plethora of reds and greens during the annual Christmas Mass. The Christmas Mass has always been a favorite on campus. The Advent and Christmas season add a certain charm and extra sense of community that is apparent during the entire Mass. As usual, Music Ministry did not fail to deliver with songs such as “Do They Know It’s Christmas”, “Joy to the World”, and “Ave Maria” soloed by Sarah Geltz ‘18. The Christmas spirit continued onwards to lunch with ASB planning the first ever Santa’s Village. The lower field became an image right from the North pole as festively
Knightlife pg.8
Ms. Behen, Santa (aka your boy Joe Vicelja ‘15), and Mr. Flores discuss who’s naughty and who’s nice. dressed ASB members handed out candy canes to the students. If students walked down the red carpet, they could even take photos with Santa Claus (Joe Vicelja ‘15) who was on campus just in time for the holidays! The main event, however, was the school wide ugly Christmas sweater contest. Student and faculty members alike were chosen to partake in the Christmas fashion show, and the chosen winners each received a $5 Jamba Juice gift card. Bishop’s Christmas celebration ended with the annual Barnes & Noble Book Fair which featured a Christmas performance by the BMHS band and free gift wrapping courtesy of clubs on campus. The proceeds from this year’s Book Fair go to both a local charity and the BMHS band and color guard. With finals, Christmas, and a new year and semester fast approaching, all of us on Knightlife want to wish all of our readers good luck and HAPPY HOLIDAYS! See you in 2015!
Opinions expressed in this paper are not a reflection of those of Bishop Montgomery High School. Knightlife 2014 - 2015 Board Editors-in-Chief: Alexander Rodriguez & Samantha Nishimura Vice Presidents: Lourdes Lidzbarski & Anna Leoncio Photography Executives: Milanne Izawa & Danielle Julifs Secretary: Aimee Myers Art Executives: Kira Coyne & Jackie Nkansah Treasurer: Manaka Sato Media Manager: Sam Thompson Graphic Designer Executive: David Kim This issue: Graphic Designers: David Kim, Jesus Vazquez, Yidan Yuan Peer Editors: David Macareg, Carolyn Egekeze, Aimee Myers Staff Writers: Aimee Myers, Alexander Arucan, Alexander Ray, Anna Leoncio, Ariana Rupp, Briana Tucker, Caitlyn Kester, Caroline Cusolito, Carolyn Egekeze, Emily Blair, Erika Akyeah, Erin Hall, Hallie Coyne, Isabella Bacoka, Jackie Nkansah, Jackie Pistole, Jasmine Shin, Joshua Villalta, Kathryn Graz, Kayla Ables, Kira Coyne, Libby Hadnett, Lourdes Lidzbarski, Manaka Sato, Matthew Alcado, Matthew Cusolito, Milanne Izawa, Natalie Pistole, Nathan Quast, Rose Park, Sara Awad, Sebastian Atashi, Shelby Richardson, Stephanie Trelease, Theresa Sitter, Yidan Yuan Staff Artists: Anna Leoncio, Erin Hall, Hallie Coyne, Jackie Nkansah, Jasmine Shin, Kira Coyne, Michael Romero, Nathan Quast, Samantha Peralta, Yidan Yuan, Staff Photographers: Alexander Arucan, Danielle Julifs, Emily Blair, Erika Akyeah, Isabella Bacoka, Joshua Villalta, Kassandra Madrigal, Kathryn Graz, Libby Hadnett, Lourdes Lidzbarski, Matthew Alcado, Milanne Izawa, Sabrina Supapkooha, Sara Awad, Sebastian Atashi, Sebastian Contreras, Shelby Richardson, Simon Tran, Stephanie Nwaiwu Staff Redactors: Aimee Myers, Alexander Arucan, Anna Leoncio, Ariana Rupp, Briana Tucker, Caroline Cusolito, Carolyn Egekeze, David Macaraeg, Jordan Bell, Lourdes Lidzbarski, Manaka Sato, Matthew Alcado, Natalie Pistole, Nathan Quast, Sara Awad, Stephanie Trelease, Theresa Sitter Staff Graphic Designers: David Kim (1-3), Jesus Vazquez (4-6), Yidan Yuan (7-8) Peer Editors: Carolyn Egekeze (1-3), David Macaraeg (4-6), Aimee Myers (7-8) Staff Interviewers: Alexander Arucan, Caitlyn Kester, Caroline Cusolito, Erika Akyeah, Isabella Bacoka, Jackie Nkansah, Jordan Bell, Joshua Villalta, Kassandra Madrigal, Kathryn Graz, Kayla Ables, Kira Coyne, Libby Hadnett, Matthew Alcado, Milanne Izawa, Sara Awad, Sebastian Atashi, Shelby Richardson Staff Advertisers: Caroline Cusolito, Jordan Bell, Kayla Ables, Manaka Sato Matthew Cusolito, Sara Awad Advisor: Mr. Hong Proofreaders: Mr. Marafino, Ms. Vigon-Morffi Publisher: Ms. Libbon