Bishop Montgomery High School
Knightlife November 4, 2014 • XLVIII • ISSUE 2
School Spirit
Written by Rose Park, Carolyn Egekeze, Stephanie Trelease, and Caroline Cusolito. Photographed by Danielle Julifs and Stephanie Nwaiwu. Class Color Day The thrilling combination of fierce class competition, tons of spirit, and school-wide unity make Homecoming Week one of the highlights of the Fall Semester. This year’s homecoming week was no different. The busy week began on Tuesday with Class Color Day. Although there was no unity mass this year, classes still showed their spirit by wearing their respective class colors. Instead of the usual uniforms, vibrant colors filled the halls. Students helped their class earn spirit points with seniors in green shirts, juniors in blue, sophomores in purple, and freshmen in red. Campus ministry tallied the number of colored shirts for each grade, and thanks to the advantage of senior shirts, seniors won the class color day. Spirit Games Students could hardly contain their excitement on Wednesday, the first day of spirit games. In the gym, freshmen faced off with the seniors. The Class of 2018 stood in the bleachers of the gym, waiting, unsure of what to expect. Suddenly, the gym was filled with screams and the Class of 2015, the seniors, rushed inside. A giant sea of green, the seniors showed the ultimate class loyalty: Carter London dressed up as Hulk, Joe Vicelja yelled himself hoarse, and the entire class decked head to toe in green to prove to the freshmen what spirit week is all about. The first game was an exciting opener, with a goal of passing a ball using pairs of people holding towels. For both teams, this game was an adventure from start to finish. The seniors took a more methodical approach, with each pair swinging the towel back and forth and working together to pass the ball. The freshmen, who’ve never done spirit games before, were seemingly too enthusiastic and couldn’t quite keep up. The first game saw a senior victory. Continuing their winning momentum, the seniors thrived in the second game, the two-legged race. Paired up once again, the teams had to maneuver through a zigzag pattern while tied to their partner. This game was slightly more evenly matched, but with the enthusiasm of winning the first game and their speed and agility, the se-
niors earned another win. Senior Christian Oshita commented humorously, “The freshmen came in talking mad smack, and we just had to show them who the top dogs really are.” On the field, purple and blue gathered on opposing sides of the bleachers to cheer on their respective classes. The teams ran onto the field to massive cheers, and the competition began. The juniors easily defeated the sophomores in the first game, much to the delight of their class and the dismay of the sophomores. However, the sophomore team, rallied by the chants and cheers of their supporters, came back swinging in the second game. Victory for the purple team looked guaranteed, but a trip in the last leg of the game gave the juniors the crucial seconds it took to defeat the sophomores and advance to the gym to vie for first place. On Thursday, the final day of spirit games, the freshmen and sophomores made their way out to the field to compete for third place. Sophomore Julia Urquizo expressed her class spirit by competing as a spirit team member: “It was very nerve-racking but very exciting. I definitely felt more involved and had more team spirit! I made our team uniforms, too. It was fun to be a part of.” Bolstered by their previous defeats, both teams cheered loudly to show their continued support of their class. As the first game progressed, the sophomores cheered the loudest as their team took an easy victory over the freshmen. The second game proved to be a more challenging matchup, but the sophomores ultimately won, defeating the freshmen 2-0 and taking third place overall for the spirit games. Meanwhile in the gym, the juniors and seniors battled for first place. With each side hoping to prove their dominance, the competition was fierce. From the start, the senior and junior spirit teams were evenly matched. Seniors narrowly beat out the juniors in the first event,
top: The Song Team Girls perform on the lower field at lunch, eliciting cheers and applause from the student body audience bottom left: Trevor Toia’ 15 concentrates on bringing home the senior victory in one of the last legs of the Seniors vs. Juniors spirit game. bottom right: Paige Tokuhara ‘18 raps out a quick verse during Thursday’s FaceOff. and juniors captured a win in the second event after some controversy. Both sides cheered wildly in support of their teams and displayed great spirit. The tie was severed in the third game, where seniors fast-walked to victory while balancing a ball on a racquet. Much to the dismay of the junior class, the seniors emerged as champions, defeating the juniors 2-1 and earning their second spirit games title. After the game, junior Maya Mimura said,
“I was a little upset that we lost, but I’m glad the seniors won because it was their last year and they are the ‘dream team’. But I hope that we work hard next year to bring home the win as seniors!”
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Black and Gold Breakfast Friday commenced with the tradition of the Black and Gold Breakfast. Students, teachers, and staff gathered around the lunch tables to enjoy pancakes and sausage or a breakfast burrito as the exciting day began. While eating breakfast and anticipating the exciting pep rally at the end of the day, the JV and Varsity Song teams performed in front in of their teachers and classmates. After their performance, students were invited to dance with the song teams as music played until the bell rang for classes to begin. The Black and Gold Breakfast allowed for students and teachers to enjoy the excitement of homecoming and to see which
Sports
Serving Up Wins: Girls Varsity Tennis takes home league title and more Written by Sara Awad and Samantha Nishimura. Photographed by Danielle Julifs and Coach Angel.
With team CIF already starting in a few days, the Girls’ Varsity Tennis team has had an amazing season. This season’s Co-Captains were seniors Zeina Awad’15 and Danielle Pastor’15. By working together they kept our Bishop girls in shape and helped the new members of the team feel right at home. Their season started late August with tryouts and then twohour practices each day. When asked about her decision to join the tennis team this season, Detriana Bodden ‘18 exclaimed,“I am beyond happy about being on the team. The girls are so amazing and we all treat each other just like family. It’s like they have all been my long lost sisters.” Although they had secured the league title the past eight years, the girls worked hard to improve. Chloe An ‘16 says, ““For my first season, I wasn’t as good at tennis as this year. However, this season, because I got to know few members of the tennis team from last year, practices and matches were so much more exciting and fun!” By the time of their first match against St. Joseph, the team was confident and ready for another stellar season. They won this first match 11-7, with a strong set of starters, mainly seniors. Even though they started off the season well, the girls were determined not to let up. Kaya Fiamengo ‘15, doubles player with Kelly Hugo ‘15, says, “I feel as though I improved in the accuracy and placement of my volleys.” Playing at the net is especially important in doubles, and Kaya and Kelly certainly showed off their skills this season, sweeping all the teams they encountered. The girls’ next match against Ramona Convent was a particularly nerve-wracking one, for this was a team new to the league, and our varsity players weren’t sure how they measured up against these unfamiliar players. However, they performed admirably once again, beating Ramona Convent 14-4. Last year, the Varsity team’s biggest opponent was La Salle, so going
top: The Girls Varsity Team shows off some fierce team pride with seniors in front, game faces on bottom left: Danielle Pastor ‘15 serves up an ace on Senior Night, at the Girls’ match against Bishop Amat. bottom right: Carla Mas Machancoses ‘15, a transfer from Spain new to the team this year, waits for an opportunity to poach at the net and hit a winning volley. into this match on September 25, the girls were sure this would be a tough match. However, the girls pulled through and beat La Salle 12-6, with Nnena Nadozie ‘17, Samantha Nishimura ‘15, Kelly Hugo ‘15 and
Kaya Fiamengo ‘15, Lauren White ‘15 and Danielle Pastor ‘15, and Zeina Awad ‘15 and Adela Henry ‘17 sweeping all their sets. The Varsity Team continued with win after win, snatching the Del
Rey League Championship title for the ninth year in a row. Carla Mas Machancoses ‘15 was a new addition to the team this season, a senior transfer from Spain, who says that “It couldn’t have been a better season! Joining the tennis team made my integration in the school much easier as I am new this year. I had a lot of fun and unforgettable times with all the members.” The girls certainly created an unforgettable season; Noelle Philipose ‘17 says, though, that she doesn’t have one particular favorite moment, but rather, “My favorite moment on the team was the circle we made before matches where we would pray or say things that popped into our mind and then cheer KNIGHTS!” Several people came out to support the last home game of the season, the senior girls’ senior night, and as a “fun” surprise, Coach Wooten switched doubles and singles. After a lot of initial shock, the girls pulled through good-naturedly and swept Bishop Amat 14-4. On Monday, October 27, the team’s starters proceeded to Del Rey League Preliminaries, and Nnena Nadozie ‘17, Samantha Nishimura ‘15, Kelly Hugo ‘15 and Kaya Fiamengo ‘15, and Lauren White ‘15 and Carla Mas Machancoses ‘15 made it to the semi-finals on Wednesday. These six starters swept their semi-final sets, making the finals of the Del Rey League Individuals an all-Bishop Montgomery affair. Singles Nnena Nadozie ‘17 and Doubles Lauren White ‘15 and Carla Mas Machancoses ‘15 placed first in the league, while Singles Samantha Nishimura ‘15 and Doubles Kelly Hugo ‘15 and Kaya Fiamengo ‘15 placed second. These six girls will all proceed to CIF Individuals. All together it was a fantastic and extraordinary season yet again for the Girls’ Varsity Tennis Team. They have achieved so much physically and emotionally, creating the strongest of family bonds and the best of friendships along the way. Congrats, Knights!
Hit the Ground Running Written by Emily Blair.
above: Cross Country members wait with excitement and nervous anticipation at their first meet of the season. The 2014 season has been an exciting one for Bishop Montgomery’s Cross Country team. After the most recent league meet, at Hollydale Park, the team will begin to prepare for their last league meet at the Del Rey
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League Finals at Santa Fe Dam in Irwindale. On November 4th, Bishop’s girls’ varsity team will be racing against Bishop Amat, La Salle, St.Joseph, and Pomona Catholic; boys’ varsity against Bishop Amat, Cathedral, Salesian, Don
Bosco Tech, and La Salle. Although this was the first time the teams raced at Hollydale Park, it proved to be a success and many new personal records were reached. Freshman Olivia Pope was first for the girls team, running 20:52.7 and coming in 21st, and right after her was sophomore Muriel Clapp running 20:57.9. Overall, the girls’ team finished fifth in league and plan to beat St. Joseph in the future. Stated by Alexis Mendoza ‘17, they follow their motto “If you see orange, pass em.” Sophomore Sebastian Atashi placed 26th and was the first runner to come in for boys’ Varsity at 17:18.0. Following Sebastian was captain Zach Hayes ‘15, finishing in 17:20.7. The boys team finished sixth overall. As they prepare for the notoriously hot Santa Fe Dam, many of the runners are going to use this final week to their advantage. “The team is going to use this upcoming week wisely. We are going to do speed workouts throughout the week to ensure for a quick race. We
will also run longer, slower paced runs to provide a ‘rest day’ for our muscles,” said Mendoza. Not only are workouts on their minds, but so are their goals. When asked what their team goals are for this upcoming race, Angelo Pasco ‘17 believes, “Our team definitely has the endurance to finish a race, but could do better with maintaining our pace. We would be cutting minutes off our times if we ran each mile as fast as the last.” With the end approaching to the Cross Country season, all of the runners begin to reminisce about their efforts this year. Muriel Clapp ‘17 states that, “My favorite part of the season is getting to know new people and being able to have friendly competition with them. There is never a dull moment with this team.” With strong potential, competitive goals, and success, the Bishop Montgomery Cross Country team shows they are ready to tackle Santa Fe Dam.
Sports
Friday Knight lights Written by Manaka Sato and Joshua Villalta. Photographed by Stephanie Nwaiwu.
Although the heat has lingered, summer of 2014 is long gone. School’s back, we’ve slowly settled into our “school mode.” Although there are bound to be some nostalgic feelings for those fun-filled nights of summer, fall is inevitably here. It’s crunch-time for seniors who frantically battle to conquer the seemingly impossible task of college apps; it’s a new beginning for juniors who are experiencing their first days as upperclassmen. It’s a time of rejoicing for the sophomores who survived their first year of high school. Finally, it’s the start of the high school journey for our incoming freshmen. As daunting as a new year may seem to be, there is one thing that our school has been anxiously anticipating: Friday Night Lights! Our Varsity Football team practiced and conditioned hard all summer long and their season has finally come. Their hard work definitely pays off. Whenever the guys are on the field, they have a good time. Captain Chris Hughes ‘15 has many favorite moments from the season. He says, “I like it when Carter London ‘15 decides to catch
the ball, and when Jared Backner ‘15 gets run over. The pre-game hype is always awesome.” The Knights are very optimistic about their season. Captain Quinton Collier ‘15 says, “I’m loving this season. We’re on the road to becoming a very successful team.” It’s been a tough season, but the Knights have bounced back with victories against Westchester with a score of 7-0, Mary Star with an impressive score of 35-13, Don Bosco Tech with a stunning score of 49-0, and Verbum Dei with a close score of 30-27. Always creating a positive vibe within the team with his battle cries, defensive player Dante DeGuzman ‘15 says, “The key to a winning season is focusing on one opponent at a time. Winning one week at a time. Never look back, and never look ahead.” Equally as spirited as Dante, senior Joseph Vicelja encouragingly says, “I think we have improved as a whole offensively. We’ve stepped it up this season.” Our Homecoming Game was filled with so much entertainment! The game was super close with a three point difference. Chris Hughes ‘15 carried the team on his
Bump, Set, Spike!
back, scoring three touchdowns. Captain Carter London ‘15 excitedly says, “My favorite moment from the year was definitely the win at the Homecoming Game. It was definitely one of the most competitive games we’ve played all year. We stayed together as a team and raised each other up when someone was down on themselves, and I think that was a big part in the win.” The ceremony for the Homecoming Court and the coronation of the king and queen was dazzling as always. Varsity and JV Song and Shortflags performed for the first time together on the field. Junior Maya Mimura says, “Although rolling in wet grass and mud was unpleasant, it was still a fun experience as always!” Senior Kayla Whitney reminisces on her past Homecoming games and bittersweetly says, “My last Homecoming game was so amazing, and I love being part of it. I’m truly going to miss it next year.” Congratulations to our Homecoming King and Queen, Carter London ‘15 and Kira Iwai ‘15! Kira had an interesting experience when she was chosen. She recounts, “Before Mrs. McDermott
called my name, all I was focusing on was making it to the restroom after the ceremony. But then she called my name, and I was completely shocked and surprised! I did not expect it at all. I even felt a little frazzled after she called my name, thinking I was either going to faint or fall and trip on my dress! But overall, it was such a fun day! Everyone on court looked absolutely stunning!” As a football player, Carter had a busy night being a key player on his team and being King. He shared his experience, saying, “When I heard my name when they announced Homecoming King, I was so excited. Honestly though, it was a weird thing because as excited as I was, I knew we still had a game to play. I tried to not let my emotions get the best of me to the point where I’d be distracted, so I focused on what we had to do in the second half to win the game. I let myself enjoy the whole Homecoming Court and king scene at the actual dance on Saturday night.”
It’s that time of the year again! The girls’ volleyball team is heating up the court, donning their pink breast cancer awareness ribbons to show support. This year’s team is headed by seniors Tessa Allen, Taylor Rudeen, and Christina Parks. Throughout the season, the girls have proven that their team dynamic works well, and they have been constantly on top, working their way to victory. Tessa Allen remarked, “It’s awesome, we’ve been doing a lot better than we expected, and we plan on continuing to kill it. Right now we are undefeated in league so we have a good chance at going far this season. As a senior, I would personally like a ring to commemorate my last year, so we’re just going to keep doing what we do best.” The girls have indeed been doing extremely well and cur-
rently sit at first place on the Del Rey standings, with their record of 6-0. Impressively, in the Southern Section Division 1AA Volleyball Standings, the girls are placed 8th, just under Mira Costa High School, truly holding their own. They started the league season by defeating Serra 3-0, and continued to win their league matches against St. Joseph 3-0, La Salle 3-2, and Bishop Amat 3-0. Their team spirit was displayed during their Senior Night, October 13, against Bishop Amat. The three seniors were presented with their parents and the girls swiftly won the game. The team will continue to play league matches and hopefully, as the seniors want, move forward enough to get a ring. Good luck girls!
Written by Rose Park. Photographed by Milanne Izawa.
pictured: The Girls Varsity Volleyball team celebrates on the court, showing off their team spirit.
pg.3 Knightlife
Club Corner
Clubs
Written by Isabella Bacoka, Natalie Pistole, and Kayla Ables. Photographed by Stephanie Nwaiwu.
above: Kristin Paragas ‘15 and Samantha Peralta ‘15 work on their latest art project at a Handicrafts club meeting.
Give ‘em a Hand: Handicrafts Club
Bishop is home not only to volunteer and academically-based clubs, but also clubs that celebrate creativity and encourage their members to pursue their own projects within the club. Starting this year, the Handicrafts club is doing exactly that, through the expression of handmade crafts. President Yoon Seo ‘15 decided to start the club when she realized that Bishop did not have the sort of art club that appealed to her. She states that the club’s purpose is “to share our experiences and skills of handicrafts and to meet new friends who have the same interests.” Indeed, joining a club dedicated to one’s favorite hobbies is a perfect way to make new and unexpected friends. As Vice President of the Handicrafts club, senior Charis Pang explains that she finds solace in making crafts because the activity “is a way I can slow down, concentrate,” and “cooperate with people.”
Fellow vice president Linying Santo agrees that craft-making helps her forget her stress, and she adds that one of the club’s main goals is to get everyone to enjoy the process of creating art, hopefully getting at least three projects done this school year. Already, members have engaged in crafts like origami and making paper flowers at meetings. Additionally, President Yoon actually brought in craft material from Korea, so that club members could participate in making traditional Korean plates, which Linying found “very cool.” The meetings usually take place every other Monday in Mrs. Rodriguez’s room, 114, and will always be announced in the bulletin. The officers encourage anyone who has an affinity for craft-making and enjoys fun company to check out the Handicrafts club!
above: Watch Film Club co-presidents Emily Tapanes (left) and Isabella Bacoka ‘15 (right) as they describe some of the exciting new projects in store for the school year on the Film Club webpage!
Behind the Spotlight: Film Club Co-Presidents Emily Tapanes ‘15 and Isabella Bacoka’15 wanted to bring something different to the club world at Bishop. Along with moderator Mrs. Moreau, the two presidents will introduce film to students interested in the behind the scenes work. They have planned many studio tours to places like Universal Studios, Warner Brothers, and Disney. Workshops will also be held on campus in room 306 to introduce some filmmaking basics, such as proper lighting, editing materials, and proper cameras, etc., to educate students without any experience to get them involved. Then with these skills, students can participate in short film contests held by the club by assigning certain guidelines, like different film genres, and certain scripts, etc, to follow for each contest. The winner will be posted on the Bishop Film Club website linked on the Bishop Montgomery website homepage.
The club presidents are also planning some yearly projects including something called Knights of Bishop where they will be documenting the lives of students outside of school who do amazing activities that don’t usually get recognized. Starting a vlog- like documentary series based off of The Great Gatsby is also on the agenda for this year. These projects will also be posted on the Film Club website for the whole student body and faculty to watch and enjoy. Monthly movie nights will also be held featuring different genres of unknown classic films, which everyone is invited to. For all those interested, keep your ears open for announcements. For more information, check out the Film Club introduction video on the Bishop Film Club webpage on Bishop Montgomery’s website.
NHS Member of the Month: Briana Tucker ‘15 Written by Nathan Quast.
Along with high levels of academics, Bishop Montgomery students are always held to a high standard of citizenship and service. Clubs and organizations like NHS, Key Club, Concordia, and ASB stress the importance of community service and generous citizenship, expecting the most out of their members on a regular basis. Commissioner of Community Service, Brianna Tucker ‘15, helps oversee all the community service projects in which the Bishop Community is involved. As Commissioner, Briana exemplifies the model of citizenship that is set by the school’s motto, and Bri said, “As this year’s commissioner of community service, I seek to fully embody our school’s philosophy: ‘to seek justice, speak truth, and to SERVE with honor.’” Bri places great value on community service and giving back. She told us: “ I have always had an interest in helping people in any way that I can, and I found that I could use this passion to become more involved in my community through
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active volunteerism.” Like many students and leaders at Bishop, Bri is very active in her own community, serving others in her own capacities, not just those provided and planned by school organizations as well as creating and coordinating service opportunities. “One of the major organizations that I volunteer with,” she said “is the Volunteer Center Youth Coalition, an organization that gives teens like me the chance to collaborate with other youth volunteers to coordinate service projects to bring about change in the community.” Bri has a clear passion for service, a quality that will take her far in life and open many opportunities in college and beyond; however, Bri has a genuine passion for her work in the area, not simply for the hours she collects. “One aspect I love about community service is that is the coming together of separate individuals, each with a similar vision and passion to give back that manifest itself into a collaborative efforts. When I volunteer with others, I feel
that we are united in such a way that we contribute more meaningful acts of service for the betterment of the community as a whole,” she said. “The emotions I experience when I volunteer are indescribable because knowing that I helped one more kid, one more person, or one more family, and was able to put a smile on their face really makes me feel that no matter how large or how small my contributions are, I have made a lasting impact on those I serve.” As commissioner, Bri works to collaborate and coordinate service projects in the Bishop Community. “Volunteering,” she said, “gives teens like you and me the opportunity to address serious needs in the community, to put our words into acting, to be more hands on in promoting and advocating for change.” For Bishop students looking to become more involved in their respective communities or the Bishop Community, people like Bri would be the best to ask for advice or information on available opportunities. “If you are a Bishop student who is looking
to get more involved in the community I would advise you to identify your passion, whether it be animal rights, gender equality, medicine, working with children, or helping the homeless, and discover the various opportunities available to you to get involved in your community,” she said. She went on to suggest: “If you aren’t sure where to start, no worries! I am looking to host an informational meeting for all students interested in volunteering, to educate you on the many different activities, projects, and organizations you can be a part of.” Whether you work at a beach clean-up, a soup kitchen, your church, a childrens’ center, an animal shelter, a hospital or health clinic, or just for the betterment of your neighborhood, you will be doing the community good in your own way. No matter of service is too small, and Bri gave this quote from Ghandi: “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”
eNTERAINMENT/OPINION
The iPhone 6: Is it Worth the Hype? Wow! Has technology finally made phones bendable? Written by David Caroll. Photographed by Milanne Izawa. In case you haven’t heard, Apple has released two new phones, the iPhone 6 and 6 plus, and the hype surrounding these phones is unprecedented. According to the Los Angeles Times, Apple released both models of the iPhone 6 on September 19th and sold 10 million during the first three days of release, beating Apple’s sales for the iPhone 5 of nine million units sold in the first week. Due to demand, various sources sold out of the phones and some pre-orders became backed up until November. The main question is “Do the new phones live up to all the hype?” The iPhone 6 has a new shape, which many people have said is more natural to hold and more comfortable compared to that of the iPhone 5. The Apple website states that the iPhone 6 is slimmer and wider than its predecessor with a 4.7 inch screen and has some minor improvements in all areas including a better resolution. In addition, the iPhone 6 plus competes with Samsung’s Galaxy S5. There are many new aspects to the iPhone 6. According to Apple, there is a new camera, which can take videos at 60 frames per second, and now has improved auto adjust, and better low light and high light functions. When it comes to software and overall processing power, the iPhone 6 is a relatively good device. According to Amazon, the iPhone 6 has a built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery which can last an average of 10 hours for most functions such as watching videos and browsing the internet. An anticipated new feature is Apple Pay. Apple Pay is a pay system in which you put your credit card on your phone and use your virtual copy to pay for products online and on site.The way it works is that you would use your fingerprint to activate your card and hold it over the credit card scanner. There are many people reviewing the
iPhone 6 and according to Apple’s website sales pitch, “iPhone 6 isn’t simply bigger — it’s better in every way. Larger, yet dramatically thinner. More powerful, but remarkably power efficient. With a smooth metal surface that seamlessly meets the new Retina HD display. It’s one continuous form where hardware and software function in perfect unison, creating a new generation of iPhone that’s better by any measure.” On Businessinsider.com, a tech news site, there was a comparison of the iPhone 6 and the Samsung Galaxy S5. Their conclusion was that it was equal to the Samsung Galaxy S5 in many ways but each device excels in certain areas the other is weak in. I think something is fishy because in the iPhone 6 reviews on Amazon.com, 146 out of 189 customers gave the phone a 1 star rating out of 5 stars. The majority of the complaints were about the the iPhone 6’s lack of durability and power . A major outrage broke out recently about the iPhone 6 bending in people’s pockets. Many people took to social media with #Bend-gate. Youtube users posted videos of themselves bending the iPhone 6 with their bare hands. According to Consumer Reports on CBS News, Apple stated that only nine customer complaints were received regarding the bending. Consumer Reports then tested the iPhone 6 and its competitors in a stress test. The results showed that at least 70 pounds of pressure were needed to bend the iPhone 6. They concluded that the iPhone 6 was one of the “most bendable” on the market, but it was suitable for normal use. This is obviously quite a blow to Apple’s brand name. Another incident happened recently in which there was an update to fix a few minor bugs. However, this update damaged the phone so that the fingerprint ID match system was rendered useless. This prevented people from making phone calls and distorted
above: Jessica Meraz ‘15 shows off her shiny and new iPhone 6. the many iPhone 6 users’ phone plans. According to Fortune.com, one of the most recent blights of the iPhone 6 is #hairgate. This issue is simply that people’s hair and men's facial hair is getting caught in the gaps between the phone’s screen and casing. Yet again many people swarmed to social media to rage on the hair catching situation. What is interesting is that Gillette Co. was turning this issue into an opportunity to market its products. Also the majority of iPhone 6 users have said that they do not have these problems at all. It could be Apple haters who simply want to ruin Apple. Who knows? It is very clear that Apple consumers go to the iPhone for the good software and iOS, not the hardware. If Apple keeps tripping over itself, customers may lose interest in iPhones due to the
low durability and bad support. This may then lead the makers of popular Apps, investors, and other important backers of the phone to go onto other more powerful phones which are more reliable. In the end, does the iphone 6 live up to the hype? Its software and hardware live up to the hype, but its durability and its company’s post-launch support do not. We should wait to see if Apple can make a come back and improve the situation with the iPhone 6. Until then, we should wait and see how the whole situation turns out. It is probably just a single misstep in all the years of great successes for Apple. Only time will tell the fate of the iPhone 6’s future and that of Apple’s mobile sector.
Trick or Treat Artistically crafted by Samantha Peralta.
pg.5 Knightlife
Entertainment/Opinion
A Trip To 1989
Written by Theresa Sitter, and special thanks to Amy Van Natta! Photographed by Kathryn Graz and Milanne Izawa.
pictured: (top) Alyssa Martinez ‘17, Grace Culley ‘17, and Margarita Herrera ‘17 and (bottom) Bella Bautista ’15, Taylor Peabody ’15, and Jesse Alverez ’15 all pose excitedly for Taylor Swift’s much anticipated album, 1989.
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Who’s excited for Taylor Swift’s newest album 1989? We definitely are! We can’t wait for her new songs and transition from a country to pop artist. Swift named the album 1989 after her birth year, and drew much of her inspiration from late 80’s pop-synth top hits. Delving into its bold and catchy beats, the release of “Shake It Off,” the debut single from the album, received a diverse variety of opinions: Krystine Bernas, ‘16, says, “I personally didn’t mind the shift to pop. I think the song is really catchy and fun to listen to. The rap section wasn’t the best, but I thought it was funny and fit her personality.” Sophomore Muriel Clapp, however, states, “I think Taylor Swift is an incredibly talented musician, but ‘Shake It Off’ was a step down for her. The song is so meaningless and irrelevant to everything else she has written, in my opinion. I just hope her whole album isn’t like that.” Ironically, the song is all about being unfazed by negative opinions. ‘Shake It Off’ has relatable lyrics for people who have ever experienced unnecessary criticism, alienation, or simply those who don’t want to be weighed down by others’ judgement. And ‘Shake it Off’ is only one of thirteen tracks that show Swift’s boldness in testing new waters, while still keeping her extended metaphors and unique lyricism intact. Released on October 27th, 1989 has already received outstanding reviews from credible sources such as Rolling Stone, Billboard, and Time, all of which have given her an average rating of 4.4 stars, which comes to no surprise for Swift and all her die-hard fans. “I
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know it’s the best album I’ve ever made. I’m sure of that,” she tells BBC Radio 1 during her Live Lounge session. Some tracks deserving recognition are Blank Space, Wildest Dreams, and Clean. Blank Space is intended to be her next single off the album, and is cleverly written in the perspective of the psychotic facade of a girl the media has painted her out to be in the past few years. Lines like “Find out what you want; be that girl for a month” show just how fed up Swift is, but also that she’s willing to make herself the butt of the joke. Wildest Dreams gives a great example of the shift she’s taken from genres. The song holds slightly more mature lyrics than before, and nothing about it sounds like the America’s Sweetheart we knew in her album Speak Now. Lastly, Clean is a deeply personal song that will touch people beyond what Swift may have originally planned. She writes about lost love and moving on, comparing it to recovering from addiction. It accurately depicts the struggle, battle, and survival for anyone who’s been through any sort of addiction in their life, physically, mentally, or emotionally. For those of you who have been patiently waiting on this new era and the exciting new things it’ll bring: you won’t be disappointed. For those who think that the new pop-Taylor will take away from her overall emotion and talent as a songwriter: you’re in for a pleasant surprise. For the haters who are “gonna hate, hate, hate,” you’re still talking about her and getting her name out there. And that’s exactly what she wanted.
opinion + Campus Life
with regard to the bag’s durability, material, labeling, heavy metal content, and, with regard to reusable grocery bags made from plastic film.” For a year, businesses will be allowed to sell reusable grocery bags made of these materials. On July 1, 2016, California will require these bags to be made of recycled material. Recycled paper bags are prohibited unless the store sells the bag for no less than $0.10. Compostable bags must also be distributed for no less than $0.10. Certain retailers provide an incentive for consumers to bring and reuse their own bags by providing credit for using their own bags, since the cost can lead to financial issues. This new bill is receiving both positive and negative feedback. Some people are welcoming the new bill freely because of the effort to make a difference in our environment. Others oppose this new Written by Caitlyn Kester. Photographed by Milanne Izawa. bill because of the burden to carry their bags to the store Recently, Governor Jerry 1, 2015 because of Califorsupposed to use to carry their themselves. Although these Brown has signed off on Sennia’s new Senate Bill. On July purchases? The bill affirms ate Bill Number 270. This bill 1, 2015, California will ban all that “a reusable grocery bag [is opinions are debating these pertains to plastic bags. On single-use plastic bags. This to be] sold by certain stores to new requirements, the bill is average, the United States law was passed in an effort to a customer at the point of sale currently only to be enforced uses one hundred billion plas- help with the litter situation, to be made by a certified reus- until 2020. tic bags a year. This number specifically in waterways. able grocery bag producer and will soon be going down July So what are shoppers to meet specified requirements Below: Sam Hayes ‘18, Emi Doyle ‘18, and Markus Raad ‘18 recycle their bags to help the environment.
Plastic Bantastic
School Spirit - Continued from Page 1. Black and Gold Breakfast cont. class would earn the most amount of points for attending the Black and Gold Breakfast. Pep Rally Spirit week continued on Friday with the much anticipated Homecoming Pep Rally. The rally was centered around the Spirit Week theme of “Disneyland Park,” and the gym was adorned with huge paintings of the class characters and the park itself. The annual skit started with a bang when Minnie Mouse, played by Ms. Gilker, was kidnapped by the evil Maleficent, played by Mrs. McDorman. This sent Mickey Mouse and Walt Disney (Mr. Skelley and Mr. Masters) around the park to search for her. They encountered the freshmen Chip and Dale in Mickey’s Toontown, the sophomores Luke and Leia in Tomorrowland, the juniors Tarzan and Jane in Adventureland, and finally met the seniors, Cinderella and Prince Charming, in Fantasyland. Prince Charming helped save the day by defeating Maleficent in a dance battle, rescuing Minnie and once again making Disneyland the Happiest Place on Earth. While on the journey to save Minnie Mouse, the JV and Varsity Song teams performed, as well as Color Guard, Band, and Short Flags. Our fall sports teams were introduced and applauded for all their hard work this season, including football, boys’ and girls’ cross country, girls’ tennis, girls’ golf, and girls’ volleyball. ASB worked hard to turn the gym into the Disneyland Park and performed an exciting and fun flash mob for the crowd. The 2014 homecoming court came out in pairs
to perform small skits that humored and awed the students. The homecoming court consisted of ten senior princes and ten senior princesses. The 2014 homecoming princes were Austin Garbe, James Han, Zach Hayes, Spencer Higgins, Carter London, Justin Matthews, Blake Miles, Shane O’Donnell, Alex Rodriguez, and Stephen Thompson. This year’s senior princesses were Christina Beacham, Vanessa Cicchini, Kelly Hugo, Jenna Hou, Danielle Ireland, Kira Iwai, Chelsea Lidy, Cassandra McGill, Alyssah Rivera, and Kimberly Serrano. Each pair of prince and princesses performed pre-planned skits that revolved around asking the other to homecoming in creative ways. The gym was filled with cries of joy at each couple’s cute expression of their proposal. On being picked as a princess and the excitement of the pep rally, Cassandra McGill said, “When I found out I was picked for court I literally just sat there with my mouth wide open. I was ecstatic, but definitely was not expecting it. My partner, Shane O’Donnell, and I had the perfect idea for our skit, but every time we practiced, I would slip. We were both pretty nervous, but everything went perfectly. It was a great experience and I wouldn’t trade it for anything!” As the pep rally came to a close, Walt Disney (Mr. Masters) invited all of the students, teachers, faculty, and parents to sing the alma mater to show our school pride and spirit. Homecoming BBQ/ Homecoming King and Queen After the long, exciting day, from the Black and Gold Breakfast to the Pep Rally, Bishop’s school spirit was overflowing, and the excitement just kept going. To kick off the night, food trucks came to school
and provided fun and interesting food before the football game. One truck served specialty macaroni and cheese sandwiches, another served fancy hot dogs, the third served new style cajun food and the last was a much needed dessert truck. Alumni from all years came to the game as well as teachers and their families, and the stadium was packed. The game mimicked the energy level seen over the entire day, with the Knights pulling ahead at the beginning and eventually took the win, 30-27. During the halftime show, the homecoming court was presented, and last year’s King and Queen, Matthew Kurata and Rachael Quast, passed on their crowns to the new King and Queen, seniors Carter London and Kira Iwai. Overall, the week brought the school closer together and kicked the Fall Semester into high gear. Freshman Jordan Bell
enjoyed the festivities of the week and said, “Spirit week was a fun way to start off freshman year. Playing at the pep rally in the band was a cool experience that I will look forward to next year. I hope the class of ‘18 is successful in our next spirit games!”
Below: Ephram West ‘15 (as Prince Charming) battles Mrs. McDorman (as Maleficent) in a dance-off during the pep rally.
pg.7 7 Knightlife
the spilled ink Creative corner
Plot Twist By Anonymous (Trashcan).
“Coral?” The girl’s single flashlight flickered on and off in a quick second, her only beacon of hope faltering. It’s strange how different everything looked when engulfed in the night. Willow roamed these school halls every single day, yet standing here in the dark it seemed to be none other than a foreign maze. She wouldn’t even be able to pick out her locker if she tried. But she didn’t want to try. She didn’t want to be there in the first place. It was all because of… “C-Coral?” Her voice broke through, sounding like that of a child that stood much shorter than she. The flashlight shut off for a split second but her palm hit it back into purpose. San Jose’s High School was a true monument, ancient. Even Willow’s own parents had attended when they were her age. So when she heard the creak far forward and to the left, she did her best to convince herself that it could just be a faulty area of building. The wind blew through
Knightlife pg.8
the empty halls and slightly opened up a door. That, or it could have been… “Coral?” She called out once more in hopes that the other would proceed to show herself. Rattling sounded out behind her, but before Willow could turn, two hands were placed on her shoulders. A shriek slipped out from between her lips as the girl spun with her light in hand. Laughter echoed through the halls as the flashlight revealed the suspect. Blood rushed to Willow’s face as Coral fell to the floor in her own little fit, repeating the words, “Your face!” Coral Ziegler had gone to the same school as Willow since their preschool days and there hadn’t been one day that Willow did not despise her presence. In eighth grade, she was given the superlative of Class Clown, but Willow “Most-Likely-to-Succeed” Zimmer liked it better as Class Nuisance. Unfortunately, Willow had no voice to say anything about it to her, and more unfortunately, when they were
The Spilled Ink Club is Bishop’s creative writing club and we’re showcasing a member’s work for the first installment of the Spilled Ink Creative Corner.
both enrolled into the same high school without any other kids from their previous class, Coral had latched onto her as if they had been best friends forever. The worst part about it was that Coral wasn’t as dumb as Willow had originally thought her to be, so her plan to escape her with the use of AP’s fell flat. And to add to that, Coral’s last name put her in the seat directly in front of Willow, as well as her locker right next to hers. Everywhere she looked, Coral was there. There was no escape from her avid pull, especially when one lacked the social skills that Willow did. “Hey, Space Cadet, float back down to earth.” The chipper voice called to Willow, “We’ve gotta do what we’ve come here to do.” She stood with her own light now turned on and with the usual cheeky grin plastered on her face. Willow’s own light flickered again and she hit it. “W-what are we here to d-do again?” She asked, wishing
that her stutter had somehow disappeared overnight. “You never really t-told me that part.” “Didn’t I, though?” Coral replied in a matter-of-fact tone. “Didn’t I? See, you can’t just listen to what I’m saying. You have to listen to what I’m saying.” She just said the same word twice, was all Willow could think, but she let her “friend” continue. “Remember when I told you today in Mr. Benson’s class that I thought I deserved a better grade on the last test? I’m gonna get that better grade.” The words came out as a whisper, but Willow could see that Coral heard, “You’re going to poison Mr. Benson?” ...To read the rest of this student-authored scary story, go online to www.bmhs-la.org and go to Spilled Ink’s club site under the Campus Life tab.
That’s the Spirit!
Campus Life shows are a hit with the students as they make their way to TMH to enjoy watching their classmates create witty and hilarious scenes on the spot. Annaliza Balila ‘16 states, “It’s always a joy to see the clever remarks students have when cracking puns in scenes.” The improv team also looks towards battling it out with other schools and performing in Drama
Lab’s end of year revue. With the year ahead, improv can always be counted upon. Students enjoy sharing stories and creating characters with the support of the team and their moderator, Ms. Rudder. “Improv is a great way of opening up to new things, plus it’s fun and you can always get a good laugh out of it,” remarks Rachel Alvarez ‘17.
Written By Matthew Cusolito, Kathryn Graz, Jackie Pistole, and Erin Hall. Photographed by Yearbook Great things are in store for a hit! BMHS Drama Lab! Their first A great amount of positive show of the year, That’s the Spir- reviews for That’s the Spirit! were it!, premiered early this month. A shared around the school. Anna murder mystery set in the HolQuast ‘18 expressed her positive lywood Hills, a woman must find thoughts about the play by comthe murderer of her aunt with the menting on the excellent perforhelp of a group of psychics and mances of the actors and acother mysterious characters. “It tresses. She states that Juan the was a lot of fun being surrounded Hermit was her favorite character. by so many individuals who “He was really funny even though aren’t afraid to be themselves,” he scared you sometimes.” Quast says sophomore Alyssa Heisen, was not the only one to admit who brought the character Anne that in addition to its humor, the Boleyn to life. Lauryn Crudele ‘17 play did have some frightening states, “It was scary and absomoments. Colin Sevely-Ortiz ‘18, lutely hilarious. Definitely one of expressing his utmost approval my favorite plays!” Mr. Masters and enjoyment of the That’s the commented that it was “a great Spirit!, declares, “I loved it. It was way to start off the year.” Also, he funny, scary, and just all around especially enjoyed “when people a good time.” Freshman Julija jumped” and “when you could see Garunkstis calls That’s the Spirit! the glowing eyes of the ventrilo“excellent,” and even admits, quist dummy.” Following in late “It kept me on the edge of my November is Drama Lab’s newest seat the whole time!” That’s the show, The Tavern. Set in a tavSpirit!, a play that was entertainern during a dangerous storm, a ing, funny, and even sometimes mysterious figure knocks on the scary proved that the Drama Lab Above: Lilly Douglas ‘15 and Natalie Pope ‘15 during the show. door, setting the show for mystery is ready for a successful year of and suspense. Mr. Masters calls plays and musicals. this show one of his favorite plays The Bishop Improv team is of all time, so it’s destined to be flourishing as well! Their improv
A Rosy Bowl with the Bishop Band Written By Jasmine Shin and Yidan Yuan
Below: The BMHS Band and Colorguard at the Rose Bowl.
BMHS’ band and color guard have made a long journey since 2012. Once a small group of music geeks, they are now a large group of knight musicians. This year, with both new and old members, they have marked their latest initiation at West High School’s band competition. This year’s theme was “home of heroes,” and there were many steps that band and color guard had to take in order to become American heroes. They practiced marching, posture, playing, and synchronizing with teammates each day since summer. They even practiced on Friday afternoons, when they wanted to rest. Sean Ward ‘15 said, “I didn’t really enjoy it, but I knew it was necessary that we practice so that we would do as well as we possibly could. I’m proud to have done my best.” On September 27th, their hard work was ready to be shown to an audience. The Knight heroes gathered at West High School and had practiced their work for last time until their 4:30 p.m. District Number Two performance. After their performance was over, they went to the stands to cheer for other high school
bands and to learn from their performances as well. Nia Liggins, class of 2014, commented, “It is always a great experience. Observing other schools’ bands is the best part since you can gain inspiration for future performances and see the different forms of dance, conducting, and marching that you might not normally see.” The Awards Ceremony took its place that night. Drum majors Yidan Yuan ’15 and Nia Liggins ’15, the drum line captain Harry Davilla’ 16, and color guard co-captains Ceara Winters ’16 and Janet Pineda ’15 represented the Knight band and Color Guard and received awards. The Awards Ceremony marked the end of the South Bay Invitational Field Tournament, but didn’t mark the end of this season of marching band. Despite having only one competition this year, band still has a busy schedule. On October 4th, along with song team and short flags, our band went to the UCLA band day held at the Rose Bowl, performing during the halftime show with the UCLA marching band and two thousand students from 35 different high schools. The day of performance was exceedingly long due to a one hour drive to the
Rose Bowl, endless practice and the extremely hot weather as everyone needed to be under the sun at 2 o’clock in the afternoon, wearing black, marching and rehearsing the music that was going to be used. The music selections of this halftime show include the UCLA fight song called “The Mighty Bruins,” “Get Lucky” by Daft Punk, and “Happy” by Pharrell Williams. As each song was performed, everyone was impressed by the harmonious and beautiful sounds of the music, acknowledging that the practice was truly worthy and effective, as freshman Jordan Bell stated, “Although it is a lot of work, the UCLA band day is still considered as my favorite band events so far because it is just so cool that when you are putting two thousand people together and making them play at the same time with a college band. It is also a great opportunity to make new friends, get involved and feel the exciting ambiance of football games. Generally speaking, I love everything of that day.” Besides the two big events, band is still going to participate in the Homecoming pep parade in late October and in the San Pedro Christmas parade on December 7th. Additionally, this year,
we are still going to work with people from Serra, Loyola, Chaminade, and many other Catholic schools here in LA to form the Los Angeles Catholic School Band and join the Hollywood Christmas Parade. Even after the marching band season, there are more interesting activities such as the Winter Ensembles, Indoor Drumline, and Winter Guard. When we look back, it is always surprising to see how far the band has come. Every member’s dedication, diligence, and persistence helped form a team that is constantly improving and challenging itself to be better, and the most important thing is not only the feedback but also the process. As Mr. Hankey concluded, “I’m really proud of all of you and all of [the performances] were fantastic. We took a huge step and we will keep working to develop ourselves. It is not what we do, but how we do it.” Let’s look forward to another great musical season, and good luck to Knight musicians!
pg.9 Knightlife
Magical Proposals
homecoming 2014
Interviews by Alex Arucan, Sara Awad, Shelby Richardson. and Matthew Alcedo Photos by Alex Arucan
Above: Senior Brandon Wong “kills” the Homecoming proposal game with his punny volleyball-themed ask for Christina Costa’15.
Above: Senior Rose Park accepts Senior Derik Bessler’s proposal to Homecoming in their AP Physics class.
These seniors above had some “magical” Homecoming proposals - what did some of the juniors and sopohmores do for their HC Proposals? Ray Hadnett ‘17 & Rebecca Tapanes ‘17 Q: How long did it take to plan? RH: It took me one week. Q: What was your idea and how did you come up with it? RH: My idea was to put red solo cups in the volleyball net to spell out “homecoming” and have the question mark in volleyballs. I wanted to incorporate volleyball because the girl I asked is on the JV Volleyball team. Did you need to ask anyone for help? RH: Yes, I did. I had to talk to Ms. Featherstone to see if I could get the net set up early and I asked some volleyball players to help me. I also asked my friends to help me with the cups and volleyballs. A big thanks to Mr. Masters for letting me keep the cups and volleyballs in TMH. Peo-
ple also kept an eye on the girl I was asking to make sure she didn’t get there too early. How did it feel asking in front of your friends? RH: It was exciting and nervewracking because I didn’t think there would be so many people there! I got really nervous but then relaxed when I realized my friends would think it was cool. What made you want to ask in such a big way? RH: I really wanted to do something that would be exciting, unique, and fun. RT: Ray asked me by putting “HC” in red solo cups on a volleyball net and put volleyballs on the floor in the shape of a question mark. And he was holding flowers and a sign. I was really surprised because I had no idea how or where, so it was really fun.”
John Brunac ‘17 & Mikaela Frichtel ‘17
Christian Dycoco ‘16 & Krystine Bernas ‘16
How did you ask Mikaela to Homecoming? JB: I gave her a really beautiful poem that had revelations to apples, so I wrote on an apple: “Homecoming?”
Did you have any idea before the asking took place? KB: I was actually completely surprised with how I was asked.
Did anyone help you with the actually asking? JB: My friend Katie found the poem the night before and right when I saw it, it clicked perfectly into place. Mikaela, how did you feel when he asked you? MS: I honestly was surprised being asked, especially because I wasn’t even planning on going to Homecoming. It was pretty cool being asked because I could tell that a lot of thought had been put into asking me, which was really sweet. Being asked in front of all of my friends was a tiny bit awkward, mostly because when I got to my locker they were all just standing there quietly. But in the end, it was nice having them there to show that they cared.
Did anyone help with the secret plan? KB: My friends hinted that something was going to happen that day, but I had no idea what it was. I found out later that my friends had been helping the guy all week plan the ask. So explain the actual Homecoming ask to me. How did you feel? KB: At first I was confused by what was happening because I just kept receiving roses from friends without knowing who they were actually from, but in the end I thought the idea was really sweet and thoughtful. Being asked in front of all my friends was almost embarrassing because all the attention was focused on me and I still wasn’t sure who was going to ask me, but I thought it was really cool how they all helped out and were happy that I got asked.
A Magical Knight Written by Sara Awad
“Nothing less than extraordinary,” Detriana Bodden’18 describes the 2014 Homecoming Dance at the Renaissance Los Angeles Airport. An amazing night lasting from seven o’clock in the evening till ten o’clock at night. The dance included an appetizing dinner, dance floor, and lively music that created an amazing and enjoyable atmosphere. Michelle Deveruex’17 claimed that the dance, “was by far a success, with everything being perfect.” Coming from a guys’ point of view, Eric Dockery’15 thought that, “It was an amazing night. I
Knightlife pg.10
loved spending it with my date and friends. This is one of those nights you don’t forget.” The vibe was exciting and the dance floor was on fire with Giovanni Meza’16 saying, “Personally, I danced the whole night! I was disappointed that it ended at ten o’clock, I still had a couple hours of dancing left in me. With everyone seeming to be having a great time it just gave a lot of energy on the dance floor.” Bishop Montgomery students were stunning in their attire. The beautiful princesses and handsome princes went along with the spirit week
theme of Disney characters. The homecoming characters were as follows: the seniors were the gorgeous Cinderella and Prince Charming, juniors were Tarzan and Jane Porter, sophomores were Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia, and freshmen were the hilarious chipmunks Chip and Dale. Nnaemeka Nadozie’17 said, “I am not a fan of Disney, but the pep rally and all the performances were actually very enjoyable.” Cheers to a Magical Knight and Spirit Week!
Photos can be found on the next page!
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1. Junior Jonas Bretana and Junior Emily Blair (Photo by Niel Bernas) 8. Homecoming King Carter London ‘15 and Queen Kira Iwai ‘15 dance. 2. The Senior Homecoming Court stands in front of Homeoming’s guests. 9. Nico DiGenova’17 and Alexis Cecere’17. 3. Krystine Bernas 16’ and Christian Dycoco ‘16 (Photo by Niel Bernas) 10. Students dancing along to the DJ’s music at the Homecoming Dance. 4. Seniors Alex Rodriguez, Jazmine Franco, Danny Castaneda, Danielle Pastor, 11. Matthew Cusolito’15 dances in the midst of a corwd at the dance. Brandon Wong, and Christina Costa. 12. Juniors John Nonato and Anna Leoncio (Photo by Niel Bernas) 5. Seniors Titus Naeole, Mitchell Meyer, and Tim Bever being cool. 13. A group of students and alumni pose. (Photo: Kaycee Photography) 6. A group of juniors and seniors poses for a picture before Homecoming 14. Eunice Gonzalez ‘16 and Kyle Anderson ‘16 (Photo by Niel Bernas) 7. Nnena Nadozie ‘17, Detriana Bodden ‘18, Carla Mas Machancoses ‘15, and Michelle Deveruex ‘17 take a picture during the dance
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Campus Life
Cosplay, Origami, and Kung Fu, Oh My!
Written by Jasmine Shin and Yidan Yuan. Photographed by Ariana Rupp
Above: Mr. Meyette demonstrates a simple Tai-ji movement to his class. All members of Bishop Montgomery are unique, and every one of us possesses different tastes and hobbies. These hobbies vary from indoor to outdoor activities, which can be enjoyed by yourself or with your friends and families, and there are no limits to what we can do. One of our fellow Knights has a fascinating hobby that is a combination of both indoor and outdoor activities. Senior Jane Lee has been attending comic conventions for a while, and in January, she was inspired by other amazing cosplayers and decided to try her hand at the activity. Cosplaying is a form of art in which you can turn a two-dimensional character into
a real life figure through costume. A cosplayer can dress up as his or her favorite character of either the male and female gender. It takes a lot of skill to cosplay for opposite gender characters, since it require for a cosplayer to emphasize opposite sex appeals, but Jane cosplays for both female and male characters well. Jane has brought lives to many characters, amongst which is Haku, who is one of main characters in the animated movie Spirited Away. Although Haku is a male character, Jane appears more masculine when she cosplays. Her next plan is to cosplay for one of her favorite characters, Juri Han from the video game Street Fighter. She
advises those who want to cosplay to just have fun with it and to not think too hard about trying to outdo other people’s costumes, and to do what you want. In addition to our fellow students, Bishop’s faculty members can express their definition of “uniqueness” by practicing interesting skills. For Mr. Meyette, doing math in his own “calculator-like” brain is not his favorite hobby all the time, as he would definitely prefer to practice origami. As a Geometry teacher who has a passion for finding the beauty behind all different shapes, he discovered the joy of doing origami by a complete coincidence in 2010, when he still lived in Colorado. “It was winter time,” he recalled. “The cold weather forbade me to go outside and annoyed me a lot. As a result, one day I went to the library, hoping to find some books to spend my time. Then, I just saw a book about origami. As I picked up the book and began to read, the whole process fascinated me so much that I decided to learn it, which eventually becomes one of my hobbies.” In order to promote this interesting entertainment and relate it to his coursework, he usually spends some of his class time teaching his students how to fold little objects such as hearts and cranes. “It might
get confusing at the beginning, since you don’t know the ways of folding. However, it will make sense and become easier after practicing.” As he explained with a nice paper bird displayed on his desk, “The hardest part is probably the memorization since it takes time for you to remember the order of your actions. I can memorize about twelve origamis now.” Mr. Meyette’s other hobby is even more unique: a traditional Chinese kung fu called Tai-ji that utilizes calm and slow movements. He began to learn Tai-ji in 2011, after observing many practices in the park. When being asked why chose to do this, he answered, “I just found it interesting enough to learn, since the movements are not as quick as other type of kung fu. I later found out that it can help me calm down and promote a kind of ‘inner peace’ within my mind. This situation, I believe, is actually the whole idea of this exercise.” He still practices Tai-ji sometimes, and used to teach his classmates some simple movements as well. He stated that his unique hobbies all result from his willingness to learn something new. “You never know what you might like to do,” he says. “In my opinion, trying different things could satisfy your curiosity and bring more to your life.”
TEAM USA!!
Varsity Song Members to Dance in Tokyo Written by Manaka Sato. Photographed by Yearbook
KNIGHTLIFE STAFF The Knightlife newspaper is published by the Knightlife Club of Bishop Montgomery High School, 5430 Torrance Blvd., Torrance, CA 90503. 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
Above: Maya Mimura’16 and Kaelyn Jefferson’16. Two of our Varsity Songleaders, junior Maya Mimura and sophomore Kaelyn Jefferson, have been invited to represent Team USA in an international dance competition in Tokyo, Japan during the summer of 2015. Team USA is an All Star Dance team that represents the United States at this annual international dance competition. The team consists of “hand picked” dancers from various dance teams across the nation. All competitors have been invited to compete by a selection committee that travel to several competitions across the U.S. and select dancers to invite based on their performances. Jefferson enthusiastically exclaims, “It’s an honor to be asked to participate! I’m not really sure what to expect, and I’m nervous, but overall it’s something new and exciting!” Mimura, who is of Japanese descent, gratefully said, “I’m so excited to be invited to go to Japan and dance with my best friends! I am privileged to receive such an amazing opportunity and thank everyone who helped me get there!” Maya and Kaelyn will represent the United States in their solo routines as well as compete with the Team USA in group routines. Varsity Song Team
Knightlife pg.12
coach Felicia Vann enthusiastically says, “I am very proud and excited for these two girls. It is a huge honor and amazing opportunity for them.” Their Varsity Song teammates are just as excited for them. Senior Stephanie Durbano exclaims, “I’m proud of them and all that they have achieved in dance. They are like my little sisters, and I love them so much. I hope they have tons of fun!” Maya and Kaelyn spend many hours outside of Bishop Song dancing at their dance studio, Precision Dance Studio, as company members. Knowing that, senior Lauren Tolin passionately says, “They’re bomb and deserve to win. JAPAN AIN’T READY.” Seeing Kaelyn and Maya’s talents, efforts, and potentials, sophomore Maya Scott feels that “This is an amazing opportunity for their dance career. They deserve all that has come to them.” Varsity Song has been together for a long time, and senior Kayla Whitney sees that “They have improved so much throughout the years. It’s great to see that they’re being recognized for their amazing talents.” Varsity Song would like to wish Kaelyn and Maya the best of luck and hope that they have fun on their dance endeavor to Tokyo.
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), Lourdes Lidzbarski (9-10), Anna Leoncio (11-12) Peer Editors: Carolyn Egekeze (1-3), David Macaraeg (4-6), Jordan Bell (7-9), Aimee Myers (10-12) 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