The Brave Newspaper - October 2017

THE BRAVE

A Student Led Publication

Vol. XVII, No. 2 ∙ October 20th, 2017 ∙ St. John Bosco High School 13460 S. Bellflower Blvd, Bellflower CA ∙ Bosco.org

HOMECOMING NOMINEES

Getting to Know You!

Gia Quintero feels blessed to have been a part of the Saint John Bosco and Saint Joseph community for twelve years, shaping her to be the young lady that she is today. She enjoys horseback riding, drawing, and cheering on her Bosco brothers. She also hopes to see more memories made between both schools before graduation.

Saint Joseph and Bosco have a bond that is like no other; she is lucky to have brothers and sisters that I know will always be there when needed. What she enjoys the most about our schools is that we are able to join together creatively, athletically, academically, and socially through extra curricular activities.

The SJ and SJB community has helped Brianna Avila to become not only a woman of faith and intellect, but to become a better person.

She enjoys cheerleading, writing, eating hot cheetos, and watching netflix. She hopes to increase her bond significantly with her fellow Braves and Jesters, all while enjoying it while it lasts.

"The only person you should “Creativity is intelligence “You are enough, you are so try to be better than, is the having fun” enough, it is unbelievable person you were yesterday."

- Albert Einstein how enough you are” -Inky Johnson - Sierra Boggess Brianna Lopez believes that being a part of St. Joseph and St. John Bosco, means taking part in a community that has molded us into who we are today. She enjoys lemonade, dancing, drawing, volunteering, and watching vines. She hopes that before the year ends, she will get to see both schools doing the unexpected.

“God sends His toughest challenges to His strongest soldiers.”

Being a leader in a community has allowed Sonia C a nt ò n the opportunity to be everything of which she is capable of alongside her brothers and sisters. She enjoys hanging out with my friends and thanks those people around her for the motivation to work harder and she is looking forward to having a lit time at Homecoming and a spooky Halloween.

“During hard sleepless nights of AP homework: "pain is temporary but GPA Lauren Yuniskis is honored is forever, sleep is for the to be a part of the SJ and weak."

SJB community to take part in all their long standing traditions. She enjoys yoga, listening to Bryson Tiller, binge watching The Office, and driving down PCH. Before the year ends she hopes to see all the sports teams have an amazing season and especially the cheer and song teams succeed at nationals!

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”

Lauren Yuniskis

Veronica O’ Connor

Samantha Noriega loves being a part of a school community where two schools come together and create memories. She enjoys going out to do things like swimming, trying new foods, and going to out to do fun things. She hopes that we have great and fun Senior activities so that we can create memories with our last few months together.

“The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of them all.”

- Walt Disney

The Journey

Let us take a second to remember what our strenna is for this year - “As a Brave family, let us listen and walk together on our journey.”

As stated previously, we are called as a Bosco community to accompany others on this journey, which centers itself on the community – here at Bosco and at home, God, and the youth. It is in the Strenna that the mission of the Salesian Family – to make of the world a home – that we can build a big family playground of friends, family, and encounters with God. So how do we nurture and foster our Bosco brotherhood to model that of our strenna? Seeing as this week was the culmination of Homecoming, which has been special as we continue the completion of a tradition, introduced about 40 years ago,

by Mr. John Gonzales in the early 1970’s. Since its introduction, the schedule of Homecoming Activities has remained consistent and true to the tradition, despite slight variations in the delivery of activities, as the events are like a template.

The Homecoming Tradition conveys the theme of unity in not only our currrent Braves and Jesters, but all of those across the board. It provides us an opportunity for current and past Braves to connect, as well as St. John Bosco students to bond with the students of St. Joseph’s. Alumni return to reminisce over their past experiences, while the current students of St. John Bosco and St. Joseph’s create new memories at the Homecoming Game, crowning of the Queen, and Dance. Homecoming, is literally what it means - a time to come home.

So as our community grows and continues this Journey that we set in motion beginning with Triduum, let us continue to listen, let us continue to pursue a year that involves everyone, not just those that we “know.”

Raymond Rojo

Editor-in-Chief Senior ‘18

A New Band Director at Bosco

By CADEN SANTIAGO Journalist | Senior ‘18

Gia Bianca Quintero

Brianna Lopez

Miranda Figueroa

Sonia Paz

Samantha Noriega

Brianna Avila

Mr. Fabiero has joined Bosco this year to teach students concert band, advanced band, marching band, and jazz band. Before spending his last 10 years teaching in Catholic schools, Mr. Fabiero obtained an undergraduate degree in Music Education and spent most of his career traveling and performing professionally.

For most of his life, Mr. Fabiero has toured the world, playing in concert halls, orchestras, jazz bands, Broadway shows, and television appearances. As a college student, Mr. Fabiero moved to Germany to complete graduate school at the “State Conservatory of Music,” where composers such as Bach and Beethoven studied. Going to graduate school in Germany allowed Mr. Fabiero to secure orchestral jobs. He had the opportunity to live and work in several [SEE WELCOME TO BOSCO, A7]

NEWS

A2

October 20, 2017

A Congress Designed for Deadlock

By MARK MCDERMOTT Editor-in-Chief

Senior ‘18 [EDITORIAL] The debacle of the repeal and replace for Obamacare has underscored the dysfunction of the individuals currently holding power in Congress.

That the Republican Party had almost eight years to devise a replacement policy for Obamacare and did not is absurd, as is the Democratic Party policy to immediately reject anything loosely associated with Donald Trump.

Most people mistake this for a flawed form of government that makes it too difficult to pass laws.

But, in reality, Congress’s current state is exactly what the Founding Fathers had hoped for: that in a time where the nation was too polarized and divided, that the government would slow function until both sides were willing or needed to cooperate.

If it is too easy to pass legislation, severe dissent and even separatism emerge from opposing groups. In the U.K., for

By JOAQUIN MEDRANO Journalist

example, an extremely narrow majority chose to leave the European Union.

Even though Scotland in particular was strongly against Brexit, the main population center, England, succeeded in dragging Scotland along by a few percentage points. As a result, support for Scottish independence is increasing, and it is likely that Scotland would chose to leave the U.K. if another referendum was offered.

This separatism and dominance by certain population groups is the issue inherent in government where it is far too easy to pass major policy measures. Although President Trump did gain the presidency by a minority vote, he has certainly not been able to dictate truly significant policy changes because of the legislative deadlock.

Returning to the heart of the matter: although Congress is designed to freeze when the nation is so harshly divided, the solution to this is the cliché compromise. It is tragic that the avocation of compromise has become a

cliché, because it indicates just how often the nation has urged lawmakers to use it without success.

Looking at Obamacare, as the framework crumbles – be it under its own weight, the President’s actions, or both – senators remain fixed upon maintaining ideological absolutes. But in a system that represents 50 far-flung, economically and culturally diverse states, a bill that is perfect to each senator’s goals is impossible. Millions of people will be damaged when the system fails and premiums increase further – both economically and physically, when they cannot pay their medical bill.

In tax reform, policy on immigration, and in health care, Congress is unwilling to consider the human cost of their continued inaction in the lives and businesses that will be disrupted and irrevocably changed.

Change for change’s sake is never a good thing, but as the current issues continue to metastasize, the need for change is all the more urgent.

No one solution will be

perfect; in a nation of over 330 million people, there will always be some who are damaged by change.

This is the reason for compromise and why balances of power are important: to be sure that when these risky changes are passed, they are supported by as much of the nation as is possible.

Eventually, inaction is no longer sustainable, remedial bills are passed, as occurred in the Great Depression when Roosevelt implemented massive government stimulus programs to help undo the damage of Hoover’s failure to act.

When the impending disaster can be foreseen, as it is now with health care and the budget, such critical damage can be avoided by working together for the common good – at the end of the day, it would be hard to find an ordinary citizen who didn’t want lower prices for their medications.

Start on the common ground that is shared, and if our politicians truly want the best for the nation, the details to achieve that goal can be compromised to

reach it. This is why the populists of Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders are rising: they hit the core of the issues facing Americans in a way that is real to them. The establishment is too detached, too set in an ideology to be able to compromise.

Midterm elections are one year away for much of Congress, in which some of the Bosco community, including myself, will be voting for the first time.

Naturally, look for a candidate that represents your values, but also look for the voice of reason, not just the one strongest in his or her ideology but the one who feels a commitment to fulfill the needs of the country. That person is the candidate who can compromise and work to achieve what is best for the nation.

Journalist Assassination

Freshman ‘21

As history and present events show, many journalists are targeted for violence because of their job. This is often because they talk about serious topics like corruption in political affairs, and present harsh opinions on topics related to criminal organizations.

It is very sad to think about how lives can change for doing what one loves and because of one's job.

Journalists just want to talk about their opinions on subjects that affect our daily lives, sometimes regarding how other people try to

control our movements or even open our eyes in a corrupt world.

In countries like Mexico, unfortunately, it is common to read about journalists who were killed by criminal organizations. Candido Rios Vazquez is one tragic example. Vazquez was killed in a shooting in the Mexican state of Veracruz on August 22nd of this year. It is even more tragic and ironic because he was involved in a program to protect journalists in the Mexican country.

Just days before he was killed, on August 13th, Vazquez posted a fifteenminute video where he denounced a suspected corruption network in Hueyapan de Ocampo,

accusing several officials of illegally using government money and cheating in past elections.

Rios was assassinated because of his point of view, for doing his work by giving an opinion about a corruption network. His family was devastated after hearing the news, saying that he was a good person who died doing his work and his story should help to make others realize on the corruption that political association have.

Mexico is not the only country where journalists are killed: the U.S, the land of the free, also has sad stories about the subject.

Between 1980 and 1990, five Vietnamese-American Journalists were killed.

All five people worked in different locations and companies. They were all killed for the same reason: they wrote stories related to the communist view on things that were going on in the USA, and were killed by members of an anti-communist society, the VOECRN. The assassination of Vietnamese journalists for political opinions of the writers caused fear in the Vietnamese-American community about the free expression of ideas and opinions.

Around 68 journalists are killed each year around the world, meaning that in a month, about 5 journalists are killed. 5 families each month have to suffer

because they lost a relative doing work valuable to making a free society. We must take action to help prevent the killing of people who just want to do what they love and who see their dreams vanish because of corrupt organizations or governments.

NEWS

October 20, 2017

The Call For a Black Student Union

By RJ JOHNSON Journalist Sophomore ‘20 [Op-Ed]

St.​ ​John​ Bosco​ ​is​ ​one​ ​of​ ​the​ ​most​ ​ diverse​ ​Catholic​ ​schools​ ​in​ ​Southern California​ ​and​ it ​extends​ ​the​ ​idea​ ​of​ ​ acceptance​ ​to​ ​all​ ​of​ ​its​ ​students. ​​With​ ​ the school​b​ eing​so diverse, i​t must ask questions about what is going on in the outside world about these issues: Is​​ everyone’s​ v​ oice​ b​ eing​ h​ eard​ e​ qually?​ Do​ ​certain​ ​groups​ ​feel left​ ​out?​ To help answer these questions,​​ the idea of​ ​a​ ​Black​ ​Student​ ​Union​ ​ came​ ​about.​ ​In​ ​an interview​ with our Activities​ ​Director, ​Mr.​ ​Jaramillo,​ ​ I​ ​asked​ ​if​ ​there​ ​has​ ​been​ ​previous efforts​ ​to​ ​get​ ​one​ ​started.​ ​“There​ ​has​​ only​ ​been​ ​one​ ​request​ ​by​ ​our​ ​former​ ​ Varsity Basketball​ ​Coach​ ​Taylor​ ​but​ ​ was​ ​never​ ​followed​ ​up​ ​on.​ ​It​ ​also​ ​ needed​ ​to​ ​be​ ​backed by​ ​students​ ​like​ ​ everything​ ​we​ ​start​ ​at​ ​Bosco​ ​is.”

Mr.​J​ ​​stressed​​the​​importance​​of​​ the feelings of the students. Having been​ ​a part​ ​of​ ​a​ ​black​ ​student union​ ​ himself in college​ ​in​ ​San​ ​Diego,​ ​he​ ​ believes​ ​it​ ​could​ ​potentially “bring​ ​ social​ ​and​ ​cultural​ ​awareness.”

This illustrates that people of all races are welcomed into a BSU and that the importance of it is to educate on the ethnic background of others. A​​ Black​S ​ tudent​U ​ nion​w ​ ould​b​ e​t​errific​​ for our​ ​school​ ​and​ ​what​ ​we​ ​believe​ ​ in​ ​as​ ​a​ ​community because we​ ​need​ ​ knowledge ​​of​​it​​all that is going on in our world today. Many​​parents​​in particular feel​ t​ hat​ t​ oday’s​ y​ outh​ e​ ither​

isn’t​ ​being​ ​informed​ ​or​ ​just​ ​blatantly not​ ​paying​ ​attention.​ A​ ​BSU​ ​could​ ​ be​ ​that​ ​constructive​ ​piece​ ​to​ ​bring​ ​all​ ​ of​ ​everyone’s​ ​question and​ ​concerns​ ​ together.

Do​ ​they​ ​watch​ ​the​ ​news​ ​and​ ​see​ ​ the​ ​treatment​ ​towards​ ​someone​ ​they​ ​ can relate​ t​ o?​ O ​ n​ F ​ ebruary​ 2​ 6th,​ 2​ 012,​ 17​-​year-old​ ​Trayvon​ ​Martin​ ​was​ ​ fatally​​shot. George Zimmerman was acquitted by a jury, but this​​set​​of​​a​​ chain​ o​ f​ e​ vents​ f​ or​ t​ he​ b​ etter​ o​ r​ w ​ orse.

As a response to this acquittal, the​​ Black​ ​Lives​ ​Matter​ ​movement​ ​was​ ​ started. ​​Started​ ​on July​ ​13,​ ​2013​ ​​by​ Alicia​ ​Garza,​ ​Patrisse​ ​Cullors,​ ​and​ ​ Opal​​Tometi, Black Lives Matter​​ (BLM) is​ ​a​ ​call​ ​to​ ​action​ ​and​ ​a​ ​ response​ ​to​ racism wherever it is found.

A​l​ot​o​ f​p​ eople​t​hat​a​ ren’t​e​ ducated​​ on​ ​the​ ​movement​ ​believe​ ​that​ ​BLM​ ​is saying​ ​that​ ​“Only​ ​black​ ​lives​ ​matter.”​ However, most members of BLM are simply trying​ ​to​ ​get​ ​the​ ​point​ ​across​ ​ that​ ​all people matter, not ​​just​ ​African​ -Americans but​ t​ hose​ o​ ther​ m ​ inorities​ that​ ​feel​ ​targeted​ ​also.​ ​If​ ​everyone​ ​is​ ​ viewed​ ​equally, there​ ​is​ ​so​ ​much​ ​that​ ​ we​ ​could​ ​do​ ​together​ ​as​ ​a​ ​people. As with many organizations, there are fringe elements that have advocated for terrible and immoral things. In spite of this, the general message of the movement against racism is important and powerful.

This​ ​is​ ​another​ ​point​ ​that​ ​Black​ ​ [SEE BLACK STUDENT UNION AROUND BOSCO, A6]

BOSCO LAMPOON

A COMIC BY L.S. | ‘18

A3

Current Events Today North Korea warns the U.S. of an “unimaginable strike” - North Korea is lashing out again, issuing a new threat of military action against the United States. The country’s state-run media said Thursday that Americans should expect an “unimaginable strike” at an unexpected time.

Obama to hit campaign trail for first time since leaving office - Former president Barack Obama is set to return to the campaign trail Thursday for the first time since leaving the White House. The 44th U.S. President is scheduled to attend a rally in Richmond for Virginia’s Democratic gubernatorial candidate Ralph Northam.

Uranus can be viewed by the naked eye tonight - It could be bright enough to see with a naked eye, NASA said. If not, binoculars should do the trick. Those with a telescope could see Uranus all month.

Afghan army base destroyed by Taliban suicide bombers - At least 43 Afghan soldiers have been killed after two suicide bombers in Humvee trucks targeted a military base in the southern province of Kandahar. Nine were wounded with six missing and ten militants reported to have died.

Divers Remove ‘Toxic’ Experimental Reef off California - Hundreds of used tires and plastic waste were deliberately dumped in 1998 in a (failed) attempt to help the ocean ecosystem.

OPINION

A4

October 20, 2017

iPhone X - The Apple of 2017 Is this beginning of the end to ‘Think Different’?

By Kevin Mwangale Journalist Senior ‘18

With announcement of the iPhone X, people are hyped and pre-orders are being taken. However, one important thing not many people are asking is if the new iPhone is even worth buying.

Everyone gets excited when a new iPhone comes out, even though they don’t actually need it. People are so excited and thrilled to the point that they are willing to camp out for several days just to be the “first person” to get the new iPhone. They do this and completely ignore that they have a perfectly fine phone that they own already.

Yes, your new phone will do everything faster, and it does look nicer. However at its core, your old iPhone can do the exact same thing that your new iPhone can do. Daily things such as texting, calling, playing games, watching shows, and

watching movies will not be changed just by buying another iPhone.

The thought that you need a new iPhone is more of a want than a need.

The reason we think that we need a new iPhone is because we are bombarded with advertisements and technology to make the iPhone more of a status symbol where you always need to be up to date on the latest in technology. This thought process is what hooks everyone in and keeps Apple and other phone companies in business.

Now with another release of a new iPhone, Apple should have something different that actually has some big changes, especially considering Apple releases a new phone almost every year, claiming that it is better than the last one. They aren’t wrong about it being better than the previous one, but by how much? The iPhone X is about $300 dollars more than the iPhone 8, so it should have some astounding new features never seen before.

It provides facial recognition which can be used for the locking system, wireless charging, a slightly bigger screen, and 2 hours of extra battery life.

These are definitely new features, but they aren’t that much better than what the iPhone 7 and 8 already have.

At its core, the iPhone X is no different than the iPhone 8 and 7. Yes, these new features are nice to have but, they definitely aren’t worth the extra $300 dollars in price.

This shouldn't be the sole reason to get a new iPhone, and Apple has used this trend for previous phones as well. For example, when you compare the iPhone 8 to the iPhone 7, the primary difference between the two is that the iPhone 8 has a better chip model. Other than that they are almost identical, yet people are acting as if they are completely different versions.

Today, Apple is starting to create more gimmicks to make it seem like the iPhone X is the best phone

out there. They have created something new with their FaceID but that's about it, and it accomplishes basically the same thing as TouchID. Everything else that Apple offers is already done by other phone companies, such as wireless charging, or are very minor changes.

A small thing that Apple has decided to change has hurt them more than help.

Apple has decided to change the model of the iPhone X for the worst. Instead of having a home button, they decided the entire surface has to be glass and have no black or white frame. The signature home button is gone and they have instead replaced it with a black notch that takes up a small part of the screen.

The problem with this notch is that the notch completely ignores the screen shown. So if you’re playing a game, watching videos, using FaceTime, or even taking a picture, the notch will be covering part of the screen. The screen will act as if the notch isn’t even

there blocking your view. If you take a picture the notch won’t be accommodated for. Even the simple task of reading any text online will have the notch covering part of it. So you have to accommodate for the fact that the notch is blocking whatever you're doing.

Another thing that the notch has done is that it has made the iPhone X look like any other smart phone.

The iPhone’s signature look has always been the border around the screen and the home button. Not only that, but the iPhone has similar models to Samsung and Xiaomi. Taking away these things have just made the iPhone look like every other smartphone on the market allowing the iPhone to lose its identity and its iconic look. There is no real visual difference between the iPhone and its competitors.

However, Apple has decided that both the notch and the new model are here to stay - leaving some users asking, “why?”

Should college athletes be paid?

By: TOMMY FIERRO Journalist Junior ‘19

Since 1923, the image of college athletes, while remaining good reputations, does not respect or treat their athletes appropriately.

College athletes are unpaid which has caused quite the controversy. Along with the appearance of being unappreciated, they are also misinformed about their education.

It is sure that one can argue they receive a free education, but are they?

Atlanta Falcons 1st round pick Takkarist McKinley (former DE/OLB for the UCLA Bruins) has stated that he was constantly and heavily suggested to take an easy major in order to find more time for the gridiron. By majoring in gender studies, McKinley

was not taking a major worth exploring, and it would affect him if he chose not to pursue professional football, suffered a horrific injury, or post-career.

As opposed to the average UCLA student pursuing a Bio-Medical path, business, law, etc. and are ready to take on the world! You can argue they have a choice, and they do, but college athletes are being trained “sports first”, which contradicts what your coaches and teachers have taught you up to and through high school.

Colleges recognize the amount of profits that the players bring in and take advantage of situations (jerseys and other sports related products) to find success and comfort for themselves, rather than the players actually doing the work. Last year the NCAA as a whole accumulated 6

BILLION DOLLARS!!!

But the athletes didn't receive or even see a dime of that.

They put their careers and health at risk but receive no compensation.

The college football playoffs acquired the NCAA an excess of 600 million dollars. Yet only some of the players have full ride scholarships, meaning about 20 million of the 600 million covers scholarships, while the NCAA (a nonprofit) pockets the money and distributes it to schools and further organization operations.

Michael Beasley, the New York Nicks Forward (yes, the guy who said, “I’m your favorite player’s favorite player”) when asked about college athletes pay said, “my jerseys, they sold my jerseys,” he said. “Not just me, what about Kentucky

and Anthony Davis?

What about USC and O.J. Mayo? What about Western Kentucky and Courtney Lee? We bring a lot to these schools and we can’t even park in front of the arenas in games. They still make us, as freshman, park two parking lots away from the dorms in the freezing cold.”

While the players have their take and opinions on this subject, coaches are ready to take the next step as well. Rick Pitino, the basketball coach for Louisville, was recently fired for the paying of players. This is essential in proving the time for players to be paid is well overdue, and even the coaches are starting to and have already recognized this ideology.

By continuing to keep the players from profits [Cont’d on COLLEGE ATHLETES, B11]

IMAGE FROM THEATLANTIC.COM

The Life of A Brave

October 20, 2017

A5

The Life of A Student: Pressure

By CONNOR CARTLEDGE Journalist Senior ‘18

As we approach the most intense parts of the school year, students, as well as teachers, are now working in full swing. However, as we get further and further into the school year, more activities and distractions are also presented to us, leaving little time for relaxing and embracing our teenage years.

The reality of the educational environment is that there are simply not enough hours in the day to complete everything. From project deadlines to midsemester exams, students are packed down with multiple hours of homework for each subject daily.

If you had 45 minutes of homework for seven classes each day, that would translate

to over five hours of total homework a day. Then you have to factor in a plethora of different activities and extracurriculars that a student may be involved in: practice after school and a conference for a club/ organization can take up an estimated two to three hours of the day. When taking time to spend with your family, prepare for the next day, and having dinner into account, the average high school student could easily be matched with nine hours of homework and activities each night.

Matthew Pennala, a fouryear varsity sport player and Principal’s Honor Roll recipient, is involved in a number of extracurricular activities after school.

“I referee volleyball games at my elementary school right after school," he says.

"From there I go to my club volleyball practice. By the

time I get home, it is around 10pm, and I have to do my homework. Being a studentathlete, it is challenging to manage time between academics and athletics. As much as it might be a pain, I have to push myself and honor my commitments. ” Without factoring in the time that it takes to get home, students must dedicate an immense amount of time to meet the responsibilities of their busy lives. Now of course this doesn’t mean every student has the same schedule; students can be either overloaded with AP work or worn out from two practices a day, or both.

While every student has a different schedule and lifestyle, it is certain that a majority of the student body have a heavy weight on their shoulders.

Mr. Corkhill, the AP environmental teacher and alumni, has experienced

the workload of a studentathlete firsthand here at Saint John Bosco.

“Being a student-athlete forces you to organize your life. It is stressful at times, having to prioritize your schedule and organize your workload, ultimately developing mature habits,” Mr. Corkhill said.

When Mr. Corkhill was at Bosco, block schedule was every day, which he felt made the workload easier with ample time to complete his assignments between classes.

Being a two-sport athlete and a middle school coach, there were times when Mr. Corkhill had to go straight from school to coach, back to school for football practice, and then rush over to club volleyball practice.

Having minimal time for studying and homework, he had to sacrifice playing football in order to keep up in the classroom.

“Sometimes you have to choose a Friday night of studying over hanging out with your friends and be ok with it,” he said.

While things have changed since Mr. Corkhill was in high school, they have not changed drastically enough that we do not have to learn to adapt as he had to. Sometimes, sacrifices must be made in order to get what is necessary done.

Time management and organization are essential parts of life, and critical in our teenage years.

Regardless, do not let academics dictate your life. While they may be an important part in your future success, take some time away from the books and enjoy a football game with friends or a vacation with your family.

While it may be challenging to find a balance and a time for everything, it is essential that you enjoy what you do.

Talking College: Student Loans

By JUSTIN VARGAS Journalist Senior ‘18

You just got accepted to the school of your dreams.

Time to go on a shopping spree for spirit gear and celebrate four years of hard work that payed off.

Meanwhile, reality doesn't celebrate with you; instead, it asks, how are you going to pay for college?

According to the Federal Reserve, the U.S. alone has accumulated 1.4 trillion— that's right, with the "T"-dollars in student debt.

More specifically, the average Californian in college is carrying a heavy deficit of $22,191 in student loans.

Almost all debt, except in special circumstances, is expected to be paid back within 10-25 years after graduating.

If you're like me, you probably fear hearing the word “loans” and “college” … and it's also the last thing you want to deal with. I get it. But to ease it up a bit, provided below will be a variety of

private scholarships that can be obtained so that you never take out a loan because, as you will see, they should be a last resort type of thing. In any case, before we consider loans as an option, we need to know what a loan is and why they are important.

A federal student loan is defined as, “borrowed money to pay for college or career school education made through a loan program administered by the federal government.”

There are two federal loan programs students can borrow money from: “The William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program” and “The Federal Perkins Loan Program."

Borrowing means exactly that, you will eventually have to pay it back with some percentage of interest. The Direct loan is divided into three sublevels depending on individual circumstances.

These three sub-levels are the Direct Subsidized Loans, Direct Unsubsidized Loans, and Direct Plus Loans. Halloween is around the corner, but don’t let the names spook you; its simpler

than it looks.

D.S. Loans are available for undergraduates with financial needs. The way they work is that the school you are admitted to will set a quantifiable amount they are willing to let you borrow, but the government lends the actual money.

For the first sixth months after graduating, you will be given a grace period, or a time where the government pays the interest (4.45%) and you will not have to make any payments. The maximum amount to take out annually is $5,500.

Then, there is the Direct Unsubsidized Loan. This type of federal student loan is available to undergraduate, graduate, and professional students, and the school sets the amount they are willing to loan. The main distinction is that no financial need is required and under certain criteria such as grade level, a loan of up to $12,500 as an undergraduate can be taken out.

However, there is no grace period so you're stuck with paying the interest rate of 6%.

Direct PLUS loans are less known, but they can be helpful if you are planning to be a graduate student looking to pay for college. If your credit is good enough, the federal government will loan you an amount formulated by cost of attendance minus any other federal aid received. This loan has a killer interest rate of 7%.

Last but not least is “The Federal Perkins Loan Program.” This loan is available for undergraduates and graduates who have financial need. Unlike the previous loans, the school provides the loan instead of the government. The maximum loan that can be taken out is $5,500 with an interest rate of 5%.

If you are planning to be one of 42 million Americans with a student loan, make sure you have exhausted all other options, such as private scholarships and grants. Remember, loans will drag on 10-25 years after you graduate so you must be aware of the financial strains that result from student loans.

AROUND BOSCO

A6

A Mac DeMarco Concert ~ Arts and Entertainment ~

Joshua Orellana

Caden Santiago

The show was one that was very unique and included many people full of excitement that came to see an upcoming artist in the "indie" rock genre. The show took place on October 7th, at the Shrine Expo Hall in Los Angeles California.

About 3,000 people attended the show, ranging generally from the ages of 17 to 26 years old. The majority of the audience was very young, and was this way because Mac is a new face to the indie rock genre. Young people that listened to some songs from him felt inspired by his lyrical messages and taste in guitar sways going along with a keyboard.

When Mac came to play, he performed songs from all across his albums “This Old Dog,” “Salad Days,” “2,” and “Another One.” I personally had a good experience with the show and was very happy with the performance. I got to see a lot of the songs that I wanted to see.

Being relatively familiar with concerts since I have been going to shows since I was 8 years old, I knew what to expect. It was a loud venue with a rowdy crowd and good music, and this show delivered all of what I was expecting.

As someone who has never been to a concert, a Mac DeMarco concert for a first is not a bad idea. From the looks of it, it was a full house. Knowing that you’re going to be in a room with about 3,000 people with absolutely no room to move can seem a little annoying at first, but when you realize that you and those 3,000 people have the same interest in music as you, you find out that it's not so bad. By the time Mac plays his second song, you and the people around you will find yourselves all singing together.

A majority of the songs played that night were from his four albums.

Songs that got the crowd hyped were, “Freaking out the neighborhood” and “Salad Days.” As soon as Mac started to play these songs the crowd went wild and started to mosh. Mac Demarco also used a quite funny and dramatic entrance: before Mac got on stage, the Star Wars theme song started to play, hyping the crowd even more for Mac and his crew to show up.

Mac opened up his show with a song from his newest album “This Old Dog” and from then on out Mac continued to play songs and the crowd would almost always sing

Eligio Marquez When thinking of people who exemplify what a Brave indeed is, the name Eligio Marquez immediately comes to mind. What makes him stand out from the rest of his peers is his immense motivation to succeed in all aspects of his life. This translates into his desire to perform best academically while being able to help everyone around him as much as he could.

However, what motivates him the most is his family. He believes that with enough conviction and hard work you will able to reach your dreams.

This leads to his desire to make his father as proud as he can be by being a charitable and caring individual for all people. Through Youth Ministry, he can help all Braves making him one step closer to his desire of being a charitable individual. This motivation, however, is not restricted to noble service, but also to perform his best academically and athletically.

Due to the unfortunate absence of his father, he has to play as a second father figure for his siblings. He assists his mother carry the family on their shoulders through providing the essentials for his siblings while being

By CALVIN ZABALA Journalist

Senior ‘19 able to comfort them in their times of need and express the notion of love to them. This responsibility plays a major part in his life as all of his desires to strive to be his best all hinge on making his family proud. Due to his integral role in his family, he has a unique outlook on life which is that all actions matter as you are both a mentor and role model for those who rely on you.

As a reminder to all Braves he states to “remember that no matter what you are going through, you are not alone. The brotherhood within the Bosco community will always be there in your times of need”.

In retrospect, Eligio Marquez possesses the titles of Scholar, Athlete, Serviceman, and Caretaker. Together, the aspects encompass who is his and what it means to be a Brave. This importantly makes his status as a Brave indisputable due to his inspiring actions and achievements. With that said, best wishes to Eligio and that he may continue to define what it means to be an authentic Brave from Saint John Bosco high school.

October 20, 2017

A JOINT PIECE BY JOSHUA ORELLANA & CADEN SANTIAGO Journalists Juniors ‘19

along. During Mac’s second song or so, a fellow Brave, Daniel Serrano, threw sunglasses at Mac for Mac to put on. The first time Daniel threw the shades it passed Mac Demarco, but the second time around he threw it, Mac caught it, which then had the crowd going crazy. Right after Mac had put on the shades, it had Red, Daniel, and I joining the whole crowd in screaming, laughing, and going crazy a bit more.

For Mac’s closing, Mac closed with a song from his album “2”, and the song he chose to play was “Still Together”. While singing, he was hitting the very long notes which got the crowd hyped again and after about 5 minutes of prolonging the song, he ended finally the song and went off stage.

Black Student Union

By RJ JOHNSON

|

Sophomore ‘20

[Cont’d from NEWS, A3]

Student​ ​ U nions ​ ​ s trongly​ ​ supports because​ o​ f the​ n​ eed​ for​ e​ quality and an​ e​ quitable​ opportunity​ ​for​ ​everyone.

One​ ​person​​who feels​​ strongly​ ​about this​ ​is​ ​Ms.​ ​ Shields, known to the Bosco community as Mama Shields.​ ​She believes​ ​that​ ​ African​-Americans​ ​should​ ​ be​ ​able​ ​to​ ​“begin​ ​to​ ​claim​ ​ their​ ​identity and​ ​be​ ​able​ ​ to​ ​connect​ ​native​ ​groups​ ​ with​ ​Africa.” ​ ​She​ ​wants​ ​ everyone​ ​to​ ​be​ ​able to​ ​claim​ ​ their​ ​identity​ ​and​ ​be​ ​who​ ​ they​ ​truly​ ​are.​ ​You​ ​should​ ​ not​ h​ ave​ t​ o​ h​ ide​ w ​ ho you​ a​ re​ ​ but​ ​embrace​ ​it.

“It’s​ s​ o​ s​ ad​ t​ hat​ a​ fter​ h​ ow​ ​ much​ ​we’ve​ ​been​ ​through​ ​ as​ ​a​ ​people,​ ​we​ ​all don’t​ ​ accept​ e​ ach​ o​ ther,” she says.​ Mama​ ​Shields​ ​believes​ ​the​ ​ reason​ ​for​ ​this​ ​is​ ​the​ ​lack​ ​ of knowledge​ ​on​ ​the​ ​other​ ​ person’s​ ​background.​ ​When​ ​ she​ ​lived​ ​in​ ​New Orleans,​ ​ she​ ​felt​ ​that​ ​it​ ​has​ ​that​ ​ welcoming​ ​feeling​ ​that​ ​she​ ​ wants​ ​the​ ​rest​ ​of​ ​the United​ ​ States​ ​to​ ​have.

Not​​just​ordinary people are standing up for what they believe in.​ ​There​ ​are athletes​ ​who​ ​are​ ​now​ ​using​ ​ their​ ​voice​ ​to​ ​state​ ​their​ ​ frustrations.​ ​ I ndeed, the​ ​ Golden State​ ​Warriors​ ​even declined​ ​their​ ​invitation​ ​to​ ​ visit​ ​President​ ​Trump​.

One​ ​of​ ​the​ ​best​ ​players​ ​ in​ ​the​ ​NBA​ ​right​ ​now​ ​even​ ​ went​ ​as​ ​far ​as​​ ​to​ call​​ ​the President​ ​a​ ​“bum.” ​ ​This is not so much a lack​o​ f​r​ espect​​ for​t​he​o​ ffice​b​ ut​for h​ ow​i​t’s​​ ran.

Journalist

The​ ​kneeling​ ​during​ ​the​ ​ National​ A ​ nthem​ i​ n​ t​ he​ N ​ FL is another example. ​Many people, including substantial numbers of veterans, ​see​​is​​ it​ a​ s​ d​ isrespect​ t​ owards​ t​ heir country or the military,​​but​​ in fact it is​ ​the​ ​opposite.​​ These advocates want​ the full measure of ​what​ ​they​​ have​ ​worked​ ​so​ ​hard​ ​for​ by being​ ​appreciated​ ​and​​ treated​​properly.

This all connects strongly to the need to get a Black Student Union started. It could bring a lot of culture from different ethnicities together for us to better understand and grow as a community by working past these differences. We could work together for a better all-around environment for now and the future.

The BSU would ultimately UNITE rather than divide, making us all feel equally important and have purpose to make a change. The​​best​​ way​ ​to​ ​change​ ​minds​ ​for​ ​the​ ​ better​ ​is​ ​to​ ​talk​ ​to​ ​people​ ​ in​ ​a​ ​way they​ ​understand.​​ Knowledge​ i​ s​ u​ nderstanding, and understanding will help bring unity.

IMAGE FROM SGA.FSU.EDU/BSU.SHTML

October 20, 2017

AROUND BOSCO

A7

Welcome to Bosco Mr. Fabiero!

[Cont’d from Cover]

countries, such as Japan, England, Spain, Germany, Canada, and the U.S.. Unfortunately, Mr. Fabiero suffered from some health issues about ten years ago. As he explained, “To play at that level all the time, I’m on my horn about 10-14 hours a day...and it caught up with me.”

Mr. Fabiero comes from a family of musicians. His father was a musician along with his grandparents, who were his first piano teachers, and his great grandfather was a composer.

“You can say it’s in the blood,” Mr. Fabiero stated. But, most importantly, Mr. Fabiero loves music. He is inspired when he picks up an instrument and he plays even when there’s no reason to play. He couldn’t think of anything else that he would want to do other than music.

He started playing piano, worked his way to playing wind instruments, and was ultimately able to teach music.

Mr. Fabiero says a lot of people inspire him to teach music, but one person, Abbie Conant, was one of his greatest mentors. She was the first female principal trombone of the Munich Philharmonic,

a German symphony orchestra located in the city of Munich. Mr. Fabiero said she was a completely inspiring woman and he was lucky enough to study with her. All of Mr. Fabiero’s high school teachers and instructors inspired him as well because the experience they gave him motivated him to teach music.

One thing Mr. Fabiero looks for in a band is soul, the identity of the band. He looks for a cohesive unit and for people who are willing to work not only with each other but for each other. “You don’t have to be the best musicians to be a good band. I’ve rarely had the best musicians all in one room and somehow we’ve managed to make decent bands. It’s because they wanted to do it,” he says.

All Mr. Fabiero asks for from a band is for people to give their best and to have a good time.

The opportunity of teaching at Bosco fell in Mr. Fabiero’s lap. He

Day of the Dead

Bosco’s Día De Los Muertos The Day of the Dead, otherwise known as Día de los Muertos, is a time to celebrate the lives of loved ones who passed away. For the students and faculty of St. John Bosco, it is a special time where the community will celebrate all family members who died. Festivities will take place in the St. John Bosco Quad on November 1 from 5:30 to 8:00 pm.

The Spanish teachers of the language department have held this celebration every November 1st for the past four years. As part of a tradition, the Spanish teachers and their students will create special altars with unique themes. But what is most important to the event every year is the celebration of a passed loved one. A prayer service will be held at 7:00 and it is encouraged to bring pictures of relatives who have died and white

candles.

“I have an aunt that passed away so I’ll be honoring her on Día de Muertos. And a way that we honor them is by having a picture of the person that passed away.

I’ll have a message and I’ll bring something that she liked so that this she can be with me on that special day,” said Mrs. Aguilera, who helps coordinate the event.

This year's Día de los Muertos will include a variety of traditional Mexican dishes, a Mariachi band, and tons of dancing. The food is not free and you will not be disappointed.

“Last year was a great change of menu. We had a taco truck and burritos, which was great, but there’s always great snacks and pan dulce and churros and hot chocolate and a lot of other displays

wasn’t looking for a job; he had a job teaching at another Catholic high school where he literally built the band from scratch.

They started out with nothing, not even a room for the band.

Mr. Fabiero discovered that there was an opening here for a new Band Director, he remembered several years ago that the band program was starting to develop, and he knew the teacher who had taught in 2008, Mr. Rivas.

He said that while it is exciting to develop a new program, it is even more exciting to continue to develop the momentum of Bosco’s program with the band room and plenty of instruments available.

His vision for the band program is seeing us as a whole group. He wants to provide an experience that allows students to have common ground as they go off to college and have shared stories and interests with those they meet. He also wants to create an excellent marching band program that colleges will recognize on students’ resumes. Mr. Fabiero would like to develop musicians, not necessarily music majors, by giving them an opportunity to play in any group and not feel left out when they leave Bosco.

By RYAN LINGSANGAN Journalist Junior ‘19

and presentations from various communities around Bosco,” said Mr. Liu. Because of that, this year will feature more of the traditional food that is experienced less.

Día de los Muertos also provides opportunities for service hours. A Bosco student, Julian Sandoval, has participated in this event for two years and will again this year.

“We usually help set up the event, which counts for about two to three hours of service.”

Día de los Muertos offers service hours that are simple to get and a chance to eat good food.

But remember, this event is a time for celebration with loved ones and the Bosco community.

Contributing to Día de los Muertos in any of these ways will help everyone have a good time.

Most importantly, Mr. Fabiero would like people to know that he’s excited to be here. He’s excited to become part of the Brave family and he is working hard to give back to this school.

He wants the band program to be something the school and its students are proud of.

“We have many successful things at this school, I want the band to be one of those things.” He would like to thank everyone for being very welcoming, and he’s excited to get this project on its way.

Football Stadium?

By ETHAN PIECHOTA Journalist

Junior ‘19 Everyone’s tired of having to drive to El Camino College and other locations for school sporting events. Not everyone can make it or get a ride, and the atmosphere at these stadiums doesn’t give off a “home” vibe or feeling.

How can you have your own homecoming at a different school?! That’s not the “high school experience!” Alumni want to go back to Bosco to experience their past, not some random college. This is fortunately soon to change with the building of the new athletic stadium at St. John Bosco high school.

The athletic stadium being built will replace and take the area of the old athletic field currently not in use. It is projected to be able to support all field sports, such as football, soccer, rugby and lacrosse.

With the growing popularity

of sports at St. John Bosco, the facility will be able to hold a significant amount of people comfortably, while maintaining a modern and advanced look from the outside.

“The total project cost is 7 million dollars. The school has now raised all that money, [and] we have all the public permits,” says school president Dennis Mulhaupt.

The cost is staggering for this project, but it is ultimately for good use and is something that most people would agree upon investing in for the school.

With the school just recently earning final approval from the Salesian orders to officially begin construction on the stadium, the goals for its completion are still firmly intact.

“Our hope would be to have it ready for football season next year. For the team to practice in the stadium over summer, and available for the first game [would be the goal],” says Mulhaupt.

OP-ED

A8

An Anthem Protest These past couple of weeks have seen political tension between President Donald Trump and the National Football League.

On September 23, Trump held a campaign rally for Republican Senator Luther Strange in which he stated, “Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, ‘Get that son of a ---- off the field right now. Out! He’s fired. He’s fired!”.

Trump went on with his protest against the NFL, claiming that TV viewership has significantly declined over the past few years and encouraging his supporters to leave any NFL game if players kneel during the national anthem.

This form of protest began in 2014 when former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick knelt down during the national anthem in protest against the racial violence and unjust killings of African American men. During week 4 of the current season, athletes from almost every team kneeled or stood in protest, with arms locked, during the national anthem.

One of the most notable protests against the national anthem was carried out by two beloved teams, the

Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens. The Steelers remained in their locker rooms during the national anthem while the Ravens kneeled and bowed their heads. These acts have left NFL fans distraught, annoyed, and in disbelief.

Players and fans alike have expressed the way they have felt about the national anthem protests. Many of these NFL players, who are making millions of dollars to play a game of football, protest against the killing of black people by white police officers. Their complaints have spawned negative reactions from fans across the range of 32 teams. Most fans believe that football should be a game of fun and heart. Politics, in their view, does not fit in with sports.

While these protests have unified team members, they have left fans in discontent and disappointment.

To many the flag symbolizes freedom. It is a staple in American society that represents the core values of what it means to be American--to be able to exercise one's rights freely, including to protest against the flag even though it is regarded as a very unjust act. Hopefully, these million dollar athletes realize how privileged they are to be playing in a league giving them a huge check and that they have it easier than the rest of the world. These players are living in their own bubbles, cut out from the problems of society.

For those of you Braves returning next school year, be prepared for a whirlwind of change. Love it or hate it, this alteration would fundamentally alter the way you would approach both your academic and athletic plans. This is the implementation of the new four by four schedule. Some of you may ask, “What is this four by four schedule to begin with?” or “How in the world would this schedule drastically affect you as a student?”

The 4 by 4 schedule consists of taking four subjects each semester rather than the traditional seven.

This condenses the time for a student to complete a two-semester course down to just one. For example, if I were to take a math course such as Geometry for the first semester and achieve a passing grade, I would be finished with it the following semester and would pick another subject or elective to take in its place.

Those of you who

By JAKOB FIERRO Journalist Junior ‘19

October 20, 2017

Haircuts

By RJ JOHNSON Journalist Sophomore ‘20

Hair! Long, short, facial, and even dyed. Almost all of us have it. Different races, such as Latinos, African Americans, and Pacific Islanders all have different hair textures. Not everyone’s hair is accepted in society the way it should be. The majority of African American hairstyles are even deemed unprofessional or assumed to be unkept. This poses a lot of questions and sparks curiosity. What exactly is “professional?"

Whatever it is, are these rules and regulations fair at all? Should we even choose to follow them?

Bosco has been struggling with these rules and regulations for years. St. John Bosco High School is a very diverse place that enables people who don’t exactly look alike to come together in one environment. As Dean of Students Mr. Fernando explained, "The goal is for all students to have an equitable opportunity." This is a great thing; in fact, it is amazing. However, there is still room for much needed improvement.

In the workplace there are ways that certain genders and races are supposed to present themselves. Dress code is expected to be followed and it should.

Many believe such policies aren’t rules or regulations, but rather discrimination, not just not only based on race but also on age and religion. Although legislators have put in place very blunt anti-discrimination laws, such laws are often disregarded. For example, in Fredericksburg, Virginia, two African American female correctional officers were almost fired for wearing well-kept cornrows and dreadlocks in spite of the fact that those are the hair styles of choice for many black people. They were informed that their hairstyles were considered “extreme." Even though company policies specifically forbid those hairstyles, are such policies justifiable?

In a lot of workplaces, employers make certain races use damaging hair products and even force them to straighten their hair just to meet society’s “norm." This affects women even more so than men because deals a huge blow to their self-confidence. Many women who have curly or wavy hair are sometimes required to straighten it for job interviews, internships, or normal workdays, which can cause them to be frustrated with themselves and those around them.

Latinos and African Americans are also not allowed to dye their hair in most environments.

Farryn Johnson, a waitress

at a Hooters in Baltimore, Maryland was fired for this very reason. Johnson told Maryland’s CBS News affiliate that she was let go from her job as a waitress at Hooters due to “improper image” after the 25-year-old refused to remove blonde highlights from her dark brown hair. Johnson has reportedly filed a racial discrimination complaint w it h t he Mar y l and Commission on Civil Rights.

Will any of this ever raise the enough concern for change, or will these huge corporations continue to lack understanding?

The battle for our identity has become overwhelming, and it needs to end so that everyone can be themselves and feel comfortable in their own skin. We hope for a better tomorrow in which society refuses to pass judgment based on matters that are so small that they are ultimately inconsequential.

A Schedule Change…

Say what now? currently know about the schedule, especially those planning to take AP’s next year, may be worried about your academic and athletic reputation as the difficulty of all classes would increase.

This is because, at face value, the schedule would increase the workload for all subjects by significantly reducing the time to complete the course.

However, the worry many of you Braves have towards the new schedule is to be alleviated as the Vice Principal of Academic

Affairs, Mr. Salmingo states, “The schedule was created with the student in mind throughout the process. I believe the schedule change immensely benefits those with busy schedules, especially those who participate in sports.

This would make missing some classes much more manageable. Another benefit is that the schedule closely follows ones that are present in universities, which makes transitions to such institutions much smoother

By CALVIN ZABALA Journalist Senior ‘18

for Bosco students. I believe this schedule would be good for the students as I believe they would see the benefits of this schedule much more so than the current one.”

To all Braves, this new schedule change is to be anticipated with excitement as no previous student has arguably met such immeasurable changes in Saint John Bosco High School’s history. With that said, go Braves!

October 20, 2017

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

“These Shining Lights”

By JOSHUA ORELLANA Journalist Senior ‘18

“These Shining Lights” takes place in the 1920’s and 1930’s and is focused on women in the workforce.

Specifically women on watches and alarm clocks that are made with radium and how it affects their health as time goes on. The play showed for two weeks consisting of a cast built up of the underclassmen with a few juniors and seniors.

The play was a St. Joseph production with actors and actresses from both schools directed by Larry Van Deventer and assistant directors Anthony Flores and Sophia Flores.

The play demonstrates women of courage and how it’s not just about them as victims, but what they do when hard times come and how they are able to handle it.

The assistant directors of the play were very helpful during the play, whether it is working on lights, audio, setup, or acting during rehearsal or during the show. Anthony and

Sophia have been apart of the theater program for 4 years, with this performance being Anthony’s 11th show and Sophia’s 7th. Mr. Van Deventer, Anthony Flores, and Sophia Flores put together an amazing play and are excited to do more for the theater program in upcoming plays.

The cast did an amazing job displaying the hardships and cruelty that women were faced with in the 1920’s. While women were recently able to vote in this time period, trying to work was another challenge as they were faced with the discrimination by men.

However, the leading roles that portrayed the women in the work force demonstrate how these ladies made their challenges they faced improvements in their lives.

“The whole cast is amazing,” Mr. Van Deventer says “They work very hard and give it their all on stage and could not be happier with their performance.”

“Working on this play was very enjoyable and I'm glad I got to see what the

IMAGE COURTESY OF JOSHUA ORELLANA

Blade Runner

By CALEB WILEY Journalist Junior ‘19

With the sci-fi classic “Blade Runner” being so beloved and Ridley Scott being the great and successful director that he is, Denis Villeneuve had big shoes to fill in directing the sequel “Blade Runner 2049”.

He did not disappoint, delivering a beauty that might very well be another classic, and even surpass the first one.

freshman brought to the table,” Anthony Flores says “I'm very happy to be the assistant director of this play.”

The ladies in the play, who are employed painting watches, face many hardships. As Mr. Van Deventer said, he chose this play as a way to show how women should stand up to opposition and feel empowered even when the odds aren't in their favor. This is what St. Joseph tries to teach the young ladies at school and is the main reason why Mr. Van Deventer really appreciated the way it turned out as the actors had showed true emotion while displaying the cruelty women were faced with.

“Being assistant director required me to be very organized, a lot of time commitment, and much more responsibilities on my shoulders,” Sophia Flores says. “I appreciate the memories and friendships that I got to make when working on this play and hope to work with these people for future shows.”

The movie was one of the best thrillers of the year, with enough action to complement the story.

The cast was very talented and did a wonderful job.

Amazing scenery and imagery, that did not overdo itself by seeming too futuristic, made the audience believe that this is what the near future may look like.

The movie takes place 30 years after the first motion picture with a young LAPD blade runner, Officer K, played by Ryan Gosling.

The blade runner's mission is to “retire” old bioengineered human android “duplicates” who have disobeyed their orders. The duplicates are created by a very powerful character named Niander Wallace, acted by Jared Leto.

He acts very godlike, calling his duplicates “angels” and his most trusted duplicate “love”.

Leto’s character was a insane, industrial leader, and making duplicates better was the only thing he cared about. When he found out that a duplicate had a child with ex-blade runner Officer Deckard (Harrison

A9

Art Profile Caden Milligan

By CADEN SANTIAGO Journalist Senior ‘18

For those who do not know Caden, he is a senior here at St. John Bosco and is currently involved with Marching Band, Jazz Band and Drumline, carrying the role of Drum Major. Caden plays a handful of instruments starting at saxophone, drums, piano, baritone and more.

As the drum major in the band, Caden carries the responsibilities of leading some rehearsals and being the leading instrument in some parts of music, as well as carrying out the orders of the band director. Getting to know Caden over the past few years has been a fun experience.

Caden is the type of person who does not give up after receiving a difficult task. Caden is musically talented, smart and a good friend. I got to meet Caden freshman year in Mandarin class and did not get to really know him until my sophomore year when we both joined drumline.

Caden spends most of his time doing something that involves music, it’s what Caden loves doing most. He hopes to get into the music program at the University of North Texas.

Caden became interested in music during elementary school. During his fifth grade year, Caden got exposed to the arts, and he had the choice of choosing band or chorus, “I thought chorus was going to be less exciting, so I chose band.” While in the band during fifth grade, he played the trumpet for a year then switched on over to the baritone and continued to play the baritone during middle school as well as beginning to play the saxophone occassionally.

Caden’s four years at Bosco have been good, and he says he has learned a lot here. “My four years here at Bosco has been a lot of fun. I think having Mr. Briones a few years ago as the band director made me start to like jazz more,” and jazz has been a large part of his musical experience. As well as being in the other groups here at Bosco have certainly helped Caden learn a bunch of other new things.

Last year presented some challenges as drum major, but Caden says, “Being at the Bosco games is always fun and conducting the alma mater and national anthem was a cool experience.” After finishing college, Caden plans to join a military band to help pay for his college fees and after that he plans to become a music director.

Some words of wisdom from Caden Milligan: “It takes 10,000 hours of practice to master something.”

Ford), he was obsessed with finding it because duplicates are unable to have kids. His objective for the whole movie was to capture the child to study it and find out how it came to be.

Director Villanueva did a great job of implementing the aspect of what’s real and what’s not, what makes you a person. In one scene, the LAPD chief made a comment about duplicates not having a “soul”.

Officer K is given a mission to “retire” the child of the duplicate, for if the public would find out such a thing society would goes

insane. Throughout the movie, as Officer K finds clues that would point that he is himself the child, he begins to worry that he would be running for the rest of his life.

In another scene, as the Officer K finds out whether or not he is the child, one duplicate says that all the duplicates wishes they were the child of the duplicate.

This shows how desperate they are just to feel human rather than engineered. This goes back to the point of what makes you human: is it being created the natural way and being able to feel.

SPORTS

B10

October 20, 2017

Sports Columnist & Editor: Ethan Piechota ‘19

Bosco Sports Update: Football It’s been a wild season so far for the St. John Bosco high school football team. Injuries, quarterback changes, and much-improved Trinity League counterparts have challenged the Braves heavily to start their season. So far, they’ve fought hard through adversity and established themselves as contenders for another state championship going forward.

The Braves traveled to Florida to take on nationally ranked St. Thomas Aquinas high school for their first game of the season, losing a heart-breaker in overtime. They followed the tough loss up with 4 straight dominating wins to round out their preseason, including a comeback victory against St. John’s high school in Washington DC. In the game against St. John’s, sophomore top-recruit quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei took over and led the Braves to victory. D.J. entered the game, going 5/8 in completions for 92 yards and throwing for a touchdown.

He followed up this game with a tremendous performance in the league opener against

Orange Lutheran, totaling close to 200 yards and throwing for 3 touchdowns, splitting the playing time with senior quarterback Re-Al Mitchell in the 42-21 triumph.

The Braves received tough news when it was announced that Mitchell would not be able to suit up for the Mater Dei game the following week due to an undisclosed injury, meaning Uiagalelei would be on his own in an effort to lead the team past top-ranked rival Mater Dei. He had made some mistakes but performed extremely well under the national spotlight, throwing for 257 yards and 2 touchdowns in the gut-wrenching 31-21 loss.

states offensive coordinator Chad Johnson when speaking of his young quarterback. “I thought he did really well [in the Mater Dei game] in the first half. In the second half, we all could’ve been better.”

The Braves are widely considered to be a top defensive unit in the nation by many experts, and they’ve lived up to that name for the most part. “We’ve been really good. I think we’ve been solid all around, but the defense has been really good,” said junior defensive end Cole Aubrey.

“Overall I think we did a good job. We just have to come out next game [having] no mental mistakes,” said Uiagalelei about his team’s performance.

The Braves currently sport a 5-2 overall record, ranking 3rd in the state of California and 6th nationally by MaxPreps.com. The expectation for the team is still a state championship, which is very likely as the team continues to grow and mature.

The young quarterback has emerged onto the scene, showing tremendous poise and confidence. Uiagalelei has greatly brightened the future of the Braves football team for the next 2 seasons. “I’m very proud of [D.J.],”

Bosco will round out its season with its Homecoming game this week at home against Santa Margarita and two road games following that against Servite and JSerra before beginning competition in the playoffs.

Water Polo

The year for St. John Bosco water polo has been full of ups-and-downs. This is understandable given the circumstances and adversity the team has faced in the first half of the season.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MR. ED TORRE

Cross Country

St. John Bosco’s cross-country team is off to a blazing start in their 2017 season. Coming into the year, the team was poised for a breakout season just two years removed from losing their streak of 25-straight Trinity League championships in 2015.

The roster is jam-packed with senior star runners and upcoming juniors, and is well-rounded and poised for another run at a Trinity League title and return to dominance. “There’s been a couple of ups-and-downs. We won our first league meet by one point which is really exciting. We’re trending upwards and ready for the playoffs,” says senior star runner Colby Corcoran.

The Braves are currently coming off a 2nd place team finish in the Sunny Hills/Wayne Walker Cross Country Invitational on September 23rd, where senior

Co-written by: Caleb Wiley ‘19

Diego de la Torre posted a 1st place finish in the 3-mile run with a time of 15:13. Following up that performance was just four days later with a 1st place finish in their Trinity League Preview showdown on September 27th. Corcoran and de la Torre both posted top-five finishes in the event, as the Braves pulled out a close victory by one point over JSerra, generating tremendous optimism for the remainder of their season and a chance at a league title.

Most recently, the Braves earned a gritty 5th place team finish at the Clovis Invitational on October 7th in Fresno, California – the highest out of any Trinity League team participating. The team looks promising and are optimistic for their chance to return a league championship to Bosco. The Braves next match is this Saturday, October 21st, in the Riverside Invitational event.

Injuries, inexperience, and increased competition level have all been factors of the season the team is having this year. Even with all these obstacles the team has shown will and perseverance throughout the year.

Thus far, the team sports an 8-15 overall record, and is currently sitting at 0-3 in league play. The season hasn’t gone as expected, but that can be expected in a transitional and rebuilding year for many of the players.

Head coach Jeff Powers states, “Record-wise it might not be the best year ever, but it's not the worse year ever, we are learning and getting better.”

Recently, the squad took a huge blow, losing senior captain Gabriel Cloutier-Chaine to a strained rotator cuff. He has been out of action now for two weeks.

“Gabe is one of our best defenders,” Coach Powers states.

“I can put him on any player and can trust he won’t get scored on.”

The loss of Cloutier-Chaine's defensive presence is definitely another obstacle the team has had to overcome. However, they have collectively shown great character since he left.

The team really showcased this newfound character and determination in a recent tournament. They managed a 6th place finish in this tournament with a record of 2-3, showing unbelievable commitment and heart to each other. With some of their players dealing with other sports and injuries, the team was short-handed from the start.

“Unfortunately, there were some guys doing some other things... but it is what it is. The guys that were there never gave up [and] never complained… [they] just stuck with it,” said Coach Powers. The team showed great fight whilst only having one sub for the whole second day of the tournament.

Overall, the season clearly hasn’t been a complete disappointment. With almost everyone returning next season, this season has been a learning curve for the future. The juniors are learning from their mistakes and hopefully next year can make a run to compete for a CIF title.

“I can’t lie, it's been a little rough, but there is that silver lining that guys are learning and gaining experience for the upcoming years,” said Powers.

With the season coming to a close, the team has three more games against JSerra, Cyprus, and Servite. The team is feeling optimistic and hopes to finish their season with a hard-fought league record of 3-3.

October 20, 2017 Written by Jusitn Perry ‘19

Australia Volleyball Match

In recent years, many volleyball teams have battled harrowing traffic as they ran the gauntlet of the Southern California freeways to battle against the mighty Bosco Braves.

However, that pales in comparison to the nearly 13,000 mile journey that the senior volleyball squad from St. Laurance’s College in Brisbane, Australia, traveled on their twentyhour flight to Manhattan and their five-hour flight to Los Angeles as part of their biennial globehopping tour.

As the varsity squad from Australia entered Bosco’s gym on Thursday, September 21, with several players well over six feet tall, the Bosco volleyball team wondered what Coach Sid had gotten them into. After the national anthems of both countries were played, an evening of spirited competition began.

With a few practices under their belt as opposed to the seasoned teams from Australia, both JV and varsity prepared to put forth their best team effort. Overcoming initial setbacks and anxiety, both teams pulled themselves together and prevailed against the visiting Aussies.

Following the games, the two teams gathered together for a round of photos taken by family and fans. In the MPR, the players from Bosco and St. Laurance’s enjoyed a meal together while engaging in

causal conversation about school, sports, and social life. This presented a truly unique opportunity for the Braves to get to know more about their peers who live a half a world away. For instance, St. Laurence’s College is not a college in the American sense; rather, it is a school comprised of grades 5-12 organized according to a trimester system.

Several unique sports, like cricket, are offered each term. Since their seasons are opposite, they are on “summer” break from late November to late January. Unlike Spanish for Angelinos, the preferred second language is Mandarin.

Not only did this friendly meal allow the Braves to broaden their perspective, but it also provided them an opportunity to make friendships for life after volleyball.

As usual, all good things must come to an end. After exchanging social media accounts and bidding the Aussies farewell, the volleyball program remains focused on the future. Although the performance and hospitality of our Braves undoubtedly impressed our foreign competitors, the program will face more challenging Trinity League opponents next spring.

Not wanting to wait until season starts, practice and preparation have already begun.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JUSTIN PERRY

SPORTS

B11

Written by Tommy Fierro ‘19

College Athletes [Cont’d from OPINION, A4]

generated by them, payoffs will continue and ...the fairness of the sports will be affected.

The main cause for such problems is that the athletes don’t have representation.

Once a college athlete hires a personal representative in the form of an agent or management, he or she is considered professional and must give up scholarships and amateur status.

It is usually assumed that few have heard of the NCPA (National College Players Association) as it is not as involved as the pro basketball or football NPAs. Without much say and the excuse of free education makes the players powerless.

You’re probably thinking the players can go on strike.

The professional sport leagues still draft players, and the NCAA takes a huge blow until it compromises with the players. But it’s not that easy, as colleges may revoke scholarships. All the college players can really do is threaten the NCPA to take

more action or they will form or find a new association.

The fight and time can be lengthy, but without any action this cycle and athletes will be continuously be taken advantage of.

If you look at the salaries of college coaches of the top athletic schools and the salaries of the highest officials, it even becomes more apparent that the rift among college athletes and the schools that profit off them will only get wider.

Money in college sports is so important, that even revered coaches like Rick Pitino have allegedly jeopardized their careers and legacy over wins and losses and possible championships.

We all know what happened at Penn St. with their football program. It has been alleged that Joe Paterno, one of the most recognized coaches in college football, helped to hide the scandal.

If true, what would make an assumed future hall of fame coach consider covering up such horrific acts? The only answer is protecting the football program and his legacy.

Thus it can be reduced to wins and losses and further reduced down to recruiting high level high school players which can be further reduced to success of a football program which only means two things: money and prestige, and college presidents, deans, and coaches are not being paid in prestige.

In closing, the longer we keep college athletes from being PROPERLY compensated, the longer it will take to reduce scandals and rule breaking. It will allow college athletes to have a sense of security in the event they are injured or not drafted as highly as their expectations, or possibly not at all.

It will even the playing field amongst high level college programs and reduce the need for illegal payments and profits. It will put more onus on the coaches’ ability and responsibility, and in my opinion, it will reduce the amount of college athletes that fall by the wayside each year and struggle throughout the rest of their lives.

NFL: Demand More Pay for Brain Injuries

Recent studies by the Journal of the American Medical Organization, also known as JAMA, had found that 99% of deceased NFL Players suffered Chronic Trauma Encephalopathy, or CTE. A CTE is described as “a progressive degenerative disease which afflicts the brain of people who have suffered repeated concussions and traumatic brain injuries, such as athletes who take part in contact sports, members of the military and others.”1 Today, CTE is diagnosed post-mortem but there are many scientific studies attempting to find a way to diagnosed CTE while players are till alive. Aaron Hernandez was just 27 when he died from suicide earlier this year.

A recent analysis of his brain by researchers at Boston University's

CTE Center showed that Hernandez had "stage 3 out of 4" CTE, with stage 4 being the most severe. This is particularly extreme for someone his age — his brain showed the type of damage that is typically seen in profootball players in their 60s, according to The New York Times.

Players, not only in the NFL but also in boxing, MMA, and similar sports, are obviously at risk in regards to health but are getting played substantially less compared to what the owner makes by taking no health risks on the field.

This past year, an average NFL owner made around $80 million, while the highest paid player made about $25 million, which was not even all guaranteed money. This is considered unacceptable by many players such as Le’Veon

Bell, who is attempting to change the market for running backs by showing they deserve higher pay.

In fact, CTE has scared players into retiring early.

For example, A.J. Tarpley, a former Buffalo Bills linebacker, was 23 when he retired. This can also be found in high school football participation, which has steadily decreased since the 2008-09 season.

The most recent report shows a 2.5 percent drop, or about 28,000 fewer players than nine years ago (NBC).

This controversy also leads into college sports, as they aren’t payed at all and are still enduring health risks, especially CTE. With new studies evoking different responses, early retirement and higher contracts may be more relevant.

References 1.) ProtectTheBrain.org

Vol # 17

2017-2018

St. John Bosco High School Presents

The Brave Newspaper

A Student Led Newspaper

Celebrating 77 Years of Academic Excellence

Editorial Staff Journalists

Christopher Abarquez Connor Cartledge RJ Johnson Isaak Gonzalez Miles Lacey

Editors

A&E - Calvin Zabala Sports - Ethan Piechota

Editor-in-Chief Raymond Rojo Mark McDermott

Executive Editors Senior - Justin Neff Junior - Justin Perry

Faculty Advisor

Mr. Michael Bartelt

Journalists

Ryan Lingsangan Emmanuel Medina Joaquin Medrano Kevin Mwangalo Joshua Orellana Caden Santiago Justin Vargas Caleb Wiley Sean Wilk