Alemany’s female wrestlers, Gelpi and Mata, take the classic wrestler’s stance in the dance room in the wrestler’s workout corner.

Senior Shannon Gebhard decorated cups with the kids on Alemany Amigos day.

One acts create laughs

Alemany Amigos: Forming new friendships

Women among menThe Bishop Alemany High School Warriors’ Student Newspaper

It’s the time of year when Bishop Alemany High School’s theater students have their one act plays. The drama cub and advanced theater class perform the plays, and both the groups performed two plays on two different nights, giving the audience more of a variety.

The plays, which were on January 27 and 28 and February 4 and 5, were surprisingly great and entertaining. Even people who aren’t big fans of school plays, like myself, could appreciate the one acts. I thought they were great. To me, the cast members looked like they knew what they were doing, although some of the actors, like senior Patrick Ayala, admitted they messed up. But they were able to overcome those mistakes and give a strong performance.

“Even I mess up. When I forget a line, I just think of one of the words in the line to link me back to what I am going to say,” said Ayala.

This surprised me because I thought it looked like the performances were flawless and none of the cast messed up. Their acting skills make them excellent at concealing mistakes, and this makes their improvisation outstanding.

If I had noticed any errors, I would still have had no negativity toward the play because of the short time period the cast was given to memorize the lines. The cast only rehearsed for three weeks, said Ayala, which is an incredibly short time to memorize lines because of all the other schoolwork and activities the cast members have.

The short rehearsal time didn’t hinder the play’s overall quality. But if the play ever happens to fall apart, the cast can blame senior Sam Barnett for bringing bad luck to the stage.

“I like to say the name Macbeth before I go on stage because you’re not supposed to say it before a play,” said Barnett.

According to superstition, if a person uses Macbeth’s name before or during a play, bad things will happen to the whole(Continued on next page)

Every other month, Key Club members of Bishop Alemany High School help out with Alemany Amigos. Alemany Amigos has been here for five years and benefits underprivileged kids. The event was recently held on January 15, and for those involved, it was a memorable, enjoyable and unforgettable event.

“Alemany Amigos is so much fun; it’s great helping out little kids,” said junior Jennifer Estrada, a member of Key Club.

This event is done for kids who aren’t fortunate to live in a good community; usually these kids live in bad areas and can’t play or interact with other kids in a safe environment. This is a chance for those kids to enjoy themselves, have a good time, and participate in many activities. Alemany Amigos includes an art section with coloring books, painting supplies for those kids who are more artistic, and sport activities for more athletic kids. There are plenty of activities, so all the kids are entertained and get to do something they like. Many of the little kids appreciate when students give them a little bit of attention, which most of them don’t receive regularly. A bit of attention makes a big difference in their lives.

(Continued on next page)Wrestling is wrestling, no matter what gender. Although people commonly think of it as a male sport, there are two girls on Bishop Alemany High School’s wrestling team who prove that the sport doesn’t discriminate.

Once people grasp this little known fact, their next thought might be, “Who are they?” Well, they are both Alissa: freshman Alissa Mata and junior Alissa Gelpi. Although they share the same name, their reasons for joining wrestling are different.

“It was different and it looked challenging,” said Gelpi. “My first couple of matches were the ‘I don’t believe I’m actually doing this,’ kind of thing.”

And Mata didn’t always have her eye on wrestling. She considered other sports for a long time, without giving wrestling more than a passing thought. Once she witnessed wrestling firsthand, though, her opinion changed.

“I wanted to do martial arts,” she said.

“Then I went to a wrestling tournament. Just watching it, there was so much adrenaline.”

Both girls are in the 119-pound weight class and compete against guys in the same category. At first, wrestling guys was a bit ...different for them, though it soon became normal.

“After the first couple of days of practice, I got used to it,” said Mata. “And to be honest, I forget we aren’t both the same sex.”

Gelpi had a similar experience, describing it as awkward at first. But then the awkwardness faded and she stopped thinking about the gender difference as much. Even the guys don’t seem to notice the difference anymore.

“We’re not scared to treat them the same as the other guys on the team,” said Eric Cortez of the JV-1/Varsity wrestling team. “It’s cool to know that girls like the sport and want to be on the team.”

But people don’t forget about the stigma that guys are naturally stronger than girls. One subject of concern is whether the girls worry if they will ever be out-muscled by their male

(Continued on page 6)

February 28, 2011 Volume 48, No. 2

By Andrea Alejandre

By James Vasquez

By Hillary Smith

The band has played at a couple of popular local venues, including The Guitar Merchant and Whiskey A-Go-Go.

Jordan Murray played various parts in the one act plays.

The Hip Hop Team performed during half time at football games.

2

Campus NewsOne Act Plays Cont.Alemany’s teen band sets the stage

Alemany Amigos Cont.

3

Features

Hip hop wows audience

Ragonese shares musical vision

practicing again.” That starstruck feeling has kept

Torres playing since fourth grade, and it’s a big part of the band’s sound as a whole. Torres’ playing adds a huge kick and impact to songs such as “Mock Epic,” a Navy Blue Regiment original. Here, all four members make the song what it is – a fast beat, one-of-a-kind rock and roll frenzy.

Regardless of the song, they seem to agree on their music’s genre, explaining that it’s modern rock with an authentic old rock and roll influence. Some of that influence is heard loud and clear in the bass.

“I started to play bass because of the importance bass has to a song. That and because it looks fun as hell... I mean look at Flea!” Kelso said, referring to the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ bassist.

Kelso’s funky bass lines give Navy Blue Reigment that same kind of RHCP sound.

Pronovost, who got into guitar because of his favorite musician, can trace his influence back to Woodstock’s rock and roll craze and its revival in 1994.

“I saw the footage of Woodstock ’94 where Green Day performed and Billie Joe owned the crowd,” Pronovost

said. “That Christmas I got a guitar that reminded me of Billie Joe’s. But it wasn’t until I was 16 that I started getting into it. I saw Rien Kelso playing a lot, and I thought it would be fun to play.”

Garcia’s influence, on the other hand, comes from a couple of well known artists like Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix. His main influence and favorite musician is jazz drummer Buddy Rich, but it was Ritchie Valens who really got him into playing the drums.

“Ever since I heard Ritchie Valens, I thought if he could make it, so could I,” said Garcia.

When Garcia pounds the drums, a unique energy enters the song. Whether he’s hitting fast and hard or slow and soft, it’s his energy that keeps the songs alive.

“When they perform, you can feel the energy in you that they put into their music,” Baylis said.

The band, though, has even picked up a fan outside of Alemany. Amy Bautista, a senior at West Ranch High School, recently tagged along with a friend to see Navy Blue Regiment live.

“They were great,” said Bautista. “I loved listening to them. The singing … I think it was Rien Kelso. He imitated someone when he did the song and that got everyone pumped.”

At a recent practice, the band exuded that same kind of energy. It seems that these guys can only do things one way – full throttle.

“Texas Chili Bowl,” a fast, guitar-driven song, saturated the walls of Garcia’s room as the band laid down a heavy beat. The drums in this song scream as the guitar rhythm easily flows past you, but then the sounds turn around to shake you up. “Silver Moon Lining,” a Kelso-penned tune, created a dreamlike mood with a gentle and almost creepy sound.

But there was more. “Saving California” offered up popping guitar licks, powered by piercing drums. It was as if all four members were conversing in their own musical language.

Navy Blue Regiment is an electrified, teenage rock and roll band that’s worth seeing. Their energy and variety has gotten them six gigs and counting.

“Our favorite was the Whiskey A-Go-Go gig because it was the night that all of our friends were there,” said Pronovost. “We had so much support and we flew right through our set list to perfection. We had so much energy and the crowd had so much energy … it was amazing.”

production. Barnett, though, throws caution to the wind and puts his humor into the superstition. Perhaps because our actors are so skilled, or perhaps because God is watching over this particular Catholic school, I bet this silly superstition won’t affect Alemany’s stage.

Superstitions and acting skills aside, though, the costumes were another cool aspect of the play. They allowed each actor to adopt a new persona and delve more deeply into the character.

“It’s fun dressing up. It’s fun putting on costumes to be a fun new character, and it also helps get you into character,” said senior Megan Baylis.

Since the cast enjoys dressing up and becoming a new character, the plays are more realistic, and that makes a play worth watching. Sometimes the cast members are so engrossed in their characters that I forget some of the actors are really my friends.

The one act plays are well produced and humorous, which makes going to them a must. The one act plays are performed every winter in the theater, and the performance has turned into a tradition at Alemany. The cast really does deserve a round of applause. The actors and directors should be very proud.

“Alemany Amigos is a very special event,” said Key Club secretary

Nicole Arroyo, a senior. “A lot of the kids consider us their role models.”

Although Alemany Amigos is held for kids from ages seven to eleven, Alemany students have as much fun as the kids who attend it. The Alemany students’ job is to have fun and play with the kids. And there isn’t a student who attends who doesn’t have fun; they all interact and connect with the kids. The students are the main reason this event is organized. Without their help, Alemany Amigos wouldn’t happen every month.

‘’Students participate a lot in this event,” said club moderator Robert Waren. “They put everything together.”

Every Alemany Amigos is important because it’s put together by Alemany students and offers them a chance to give back. Many of them leave knowing they not only made a difference in the kids’ lives, but in their own as well.

A regiment is a unit of ground forces. And Alemany’s “Navy Blue Regiment” attacks with funky bass lines, frantic drums, two screaming electric guitars and vocals that break into song with raw force.

This rock and roll band consists of four Bishop Alemany High School seniors: Rien Kelso on bass, Kenny Torres on lead guitar, Brian Pronovost on rhythm guitar, and drummer Danny Garcia. And there are two things that set them apart from other teen bands: their connection as a group and their versatility.

“Our goal is to make good music we are proud of that people can listen to and enjoy as a truly good rock song - not as a catchy mainstream hit,” he said. “It makes us happy because we’re best friends and we love making music together, said Garcia.

All four members have different inspirations that got them into music, and the result makes for some colorful songs.

Torres said his guitar passion was fueled heavily by ACDC’s Angus Young.

“When I first started [playing guitar], I quit because I thought it was too hard,” said Torres. “But a year later, I was watching a video of Angus Young playing live, and I said to myself that I want to do that. So I picked up the guitar and started

never been a problem. After traveling across the country from her hometown in New Jersey at age 21 and forming a band in hopes of becoming a singer, she learned to deal with all the dramas and thrills that come along with playing in a band. These include the mutual agreement she and her band mates had on strictly playing 80s rock. Her band, Scarlet Fever, played at historical venues in Hollywood, such as the Troubadour, where local up and coming bands still play today.

What set Ragonese apart from other aspiring artists and musicians in Los Angeles during that time was her drive and ardent desire to gain credibility. She had been striving to become a singer since she was 12 years old, when she played at the beach and at parties just to fulfill her longing to do what she loved best. Ragonese’s understanding of the major impact a song or band can have on a person or group of people is a driving force behind the liturgy band›s success.

“Music brings people together, it gives people a common ground because it breaks down barriers,” said Ragonese.

She has taken this idea into account at home as well, inspiring her children to take their own musical route; her son is majoring in jazz studies and her husband and daughter play the bass and guitar. Their bond has led them to have regular jam sessions at family parties and at home.

“I love when people get involved, I always encourage different instruments, the more the better,” said Ragonese.

Saying that music brings people together is an understatement, Ragonese has not only instilled confidence and teamwork in her students and family, she has given them a clear understanding of the pleasures that music offers.

discover that he enjoyed dancing and felt a connection with it.

This is the first year Alemany has had a coed Hip Hop Team, and these dancers devote intense after-school hours to perfect their routine. The dancers started off the 2010-2011 hip-hop season dancing at a cheer camp during the summer. And during the year, they practice every Tuesdays, Wednesday and some Saturdays preparing for hip-hop tournaments or performance events. On top of the usual practice time, Pierce and Rivera put in extra time preparing for their benefit show performance.

Pierce and Rivera have a great deal of support from their parents and coach, and their duet’s routine was mainly choreographed by Coach Bonnie Segraves. These two students have taken all the support around them and evolved into talented dancers. When Coach Segraves proposed the recital and the opportunity to perform individual solos, Pierce began looking up music and planned the duet’s essential theme. She later asked Rivera, and he jumped on board to create the routine with Pierce.

High expectations are set for the young talented dancers. On February 19, at a regional competition for USA to qualify for Nationals, Pierce and Rivera’s hip-hop duet took first place at Saugus High School. Alemany can anticipate much from them as their dancing careers unfold. For now, look out for Pierce and Rivera at the next Alemany pep rally on March 2.

On January 16 the Bishop Alemany High School’s Hip-Hop dancers spent their Sunday dancing the night away. The “First Annual Benefit Show” fundraising event concluded in success. By opening night, the event was sold out and the dancers were set to give their audience a show.

Although every performance was amazing, senior captains Lauren Pierce and Gus Rivera blew away everyone’s mind. Pierce and Rivera’s duet followed the story of a boy and girl facing relationship struggles. The routine starts off with soft and flowing choreography. As it precedes, the song transitions to a hard and fast beat; they hit strong with the transition.

“We started off as a couple; she is kind of oblivious and the story goes on. And at the end of the dance, we are happy when I propose,” said Rivera regarding the dance’s theme.

Throughout the duet, they expressed lust, anger, and passion. At the end, they finished with a happy ending and kiss, which left the crowd in awe.

“It was really good, cute, adorable and amazing,” said senior Angeloise (Angel) Legaspi.

Pierce and Rivera had a different start in the dancing world, but both easily say it is their passion. Pierce started dancing when she was small and had an “on and off” relationship with the art. But she later committed to it when she joined the Alemany dance team her sophomore year. Rivera started dancing three years ago, after he

Music is strongly associated with teenagers in the US. It’s the favorite pastime teens have grown to appreciate and love in some of their darkest and happiest times. For some though, such as liturgical band leader and religion teacher Ellie Ragonese of Bishop Alemany High School, music has always been her calling.

Since this is only Ragonese’s second year at Alemany, some may assume that she is new to the music scene, but she has plenty of resources on her résumé that may surprise her students. She has a lot to bring to the table, such as her pleasant singing, and her skills on the bass, guitar and piano.

Anyone can see that Alemany’s Liturgical Band has been on top of its game since Ragonese entered the picture one year ago. The students’ performances have excelled and their stage presence has proven great, time and time again. They have incorporated the ukulele and harmonica in past performances, which gained positive reception during chapel masses.

Perhaps Ragonese’s musical history is responsible for the band’s success, although Ragonese thinks otherwise. She thinks especially highly of her band mates, allowing them to lead and direct the band. They are eager about practices and decide when they should be held. Ragonese is also open and receptive to students’ various musical approaches and methods. Her taste in music hasn’t changed much - she prefers folk rock and blues - but hearing her students’ selection allows her to take a different approach with the liturgy music. Eventually, the two styles form a unified whole.

“I would like to mold their style to my style,” said Ragonese.

Her understanding of teamwork has

By Alexa Horta

By Jennifer Argueta

By Hillary Smith

Mumford & Sons recently performed at the Grammys with Bob Dylan.

The Grilled Cheese truck can be followed on Facebook, where people can look for information about its location.

Senior Alex Salas and junior Chloe Corpuz matched in color, for the dance.

4

Arts & Culture

Food truck delights

Mumford & Sons

Dawn Treader: Narnia voyage continues

5

Arts & Culture

Stan Lee: America’s Comic Author

Dance draws record attendance

Food trucks have become a staple of Los Angeles dining. Usually the types of food trucks we see parked on the sides of roads sell tacos or fast food. But over the past decade, food trucks have evolved into something more than just fast food: They have began serving gourmet food.

Gourmet food trucks travel all over Los Angeles, delivering customers with restaurant-style food for those who have no time to sit down and eat. Recently, I visited two gourmet food trucks to find out if the food was as great as the hype.

The first truck I visited was called the Grilled Cheese Truck. As you might have guessed, it serves grilled cheese sandwiches. Although grilled cheese sandwiches are not your average gourmet food, this truck does not sell your typical

Sons live, this is what they are given. The sweat Kobe Bryant generates during a big game has nothing on these guys.

“Music is live. And music has always been live,” said Marshall in an interview with JT.com. “And there’s nothing like playing live. It’s the most electrifying experience I’ve ever known.”

The band members open more than their voices to the crowd – they open an opportunity for everyone in the venue to feel each song as it was created and to grasp the lyrics’ emotion and tone. The outcome is nothing short of bliss. It’s as if the musicians let out a part of their souls in their jaw-dropping vocal solos and then went right back to playing like nothing happened. They are good at that. “There are performing artists, there are recording artists, people have their different things,” said Lovett, in the same interview with JT.com. “But we strive to be a good live band. That’s who we hope to be as Mumford and Sons.”

The album does have its slow side in songs such as “Sigh No More,” “Winter Winds” and “After the Storm,” but that only adds to its versatility.

Mumford & Sons has made its first mark on American music with “Sigh No More,” and America has dubbed it a success. So while awaiting the next Mumford and Sons take-over, picking up the album “Sigh No More” is advised.

emotive harmonies of the chorus in which all four members join in and mesh together is a style found in no other artist on the Billboard Top 200.

Another reason Mumford & Sons is so loved in a society that praises artists like Lady Gaga and The Black Keys could be the originality that the band members offer. Besides Marcus Mumford, the band includes Ben Lovett (vocals, keyboard, acordian and drums), Winston Marshall (vocals, banjo and dobro) and Ted Dwayne (vocals, string bass and drums). This assortment alone displays individuality.

But let’s get back to the heart of why “Little Lion Man” and other tracks on the album have made it so far into the center of American radio stations. Energy is something fans seem to feed off of at concerts, and for people lucky enough to catch Mumford &

The band also garnered two Certified Golds for the album and the hit song “Little Lion Man.”

“Little Lion Man,” a strikingly refreshing song with simple but enticing guitar riffs thrown into the same pot as an acordian and banjo, compells listeners to sing along with heart, just as he is singing to them. He is Marcus Mumford - the guitar, drums, mandolin and vocals of Mumford & Sons. His raspiness intimidates and mesmerizes listeners at the same time, and that is a big part of the band’s unique sound.

It’s difficult to limit the band’s alluring nature to one reason.

To start, though, the musicians’ four-part harmonies allow no chance of boredom. The transition from the gentle and liberating verses in “Awake my Soul” to the

Think opposite of autotune. Then think acordian, acoustic guitar, electric banjo (yes electric), mandolin, dobro, string bass and a kick tamborine. Now think vocals so raw and free that there is no other choice than to listen again….and again.

This is Mumford & Sons, an English folk-rock band from London, whose album “Sigh No More” recently climbed its way to The Billboard Top 200, breaking the Top 20.

“Sigh No More,” the band’s album, was released in the U.S. in February 2010, offering America 13 tracks of anti-mainstream music, pure London accents, and harmonies unlike any other.

The band received two Grammy award nominations- one for Best New Artist, and one for Best Rock Song.

Edmund and Lucy returning to Narnia without Peter and Susan but instead with their whiny cousin Eustace. They meet up with Prince Caspian (now King Caspian) on board the Narnia ship the Dawn Treader. The Pevensies are unsure why they are there, but they soon find themselves on an adventure to battle a mysterious force that threatens Narnia. In their journey, they face slavers, dragons, temptations and serpents, and they learn to become greater than they ever thought they could be. The movie ends with Aslan saying goodbye to the Pevensies, and he tells them that this will be the last time

any of the Penvensies will return to Narnia.

“I’m a big fan of Narnia, but I’m a little sad that the Pevensies won’t be part of the Narnia movies anymore. I’m also excited to see what will happen next,” said junior Christine Awad.

Overall, “Voyage of the Dawn Treader” is a powerful addition to the fantasy genre, a great film for the entire family and the type of film that belongs in December and should be watched time and time again by young and old alike.

As movie critic Diana Seanger summed it up, the movie is “adventure and fun for the entire family, with an easy to follow story.”

books won’t be disappointed to see the movie brought back to life. The cast includes Georgie Henley as Lucy Pevensie, Skander Keynes, who plays Edmund Pevensie, Ben Barnes as Caspian, and Will Poulter, who plays a new character, Eustace Scrubb. The movie received positive reviews for obvious reasons.

“Simple and satisfying; the best of the three,” said critic Jackie K. Cooper, in an article for Entertainment Insider.

The movie centers on

The Narnia adventure continues. Those who enjoyed the two previous Chronicles of Narnia movies , “The Lion the Witch and Wardrobe” and “Prince Caspian,” will definitely enjoy the third installment, “The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.” And for those who haven’t seen the previous movies, this movie is sure to entertain and leave people wanting more of the series.

“The Voyage of the Dawn Treader” is 113 minutes of fantasy and adventure. Fans of the

Many people came out on the morning of January 4 to see renowned producer, publisher, writer, and actor Stan Lee receive the 2,428th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Lee has influenced comic culture and created heroes for all ages through his work. He has published many stories starring characters from Marvel Comics, co-writing for Captain America in the early 1940s to Doctor Strange’s first appearance in “Strange Tales” in the early 1960s. Lee is currently working as executive producer for the new Spiderman movie, scheduled for release in 3D in 2012. Lee’s successful career has impacted the lives of many fans. Children see their heroes appear in television, books, and the cinema. His stories inspire people. Lee’s success has been praised by many, and his characters, from Ironman to X-Men, have portrayed heroism for all ages. “They inspire me by being heroic when they don’t have to be. Tony Stark has tons of money but doesn’t try to live fancy; he wants to help people. And with X-Men too, lots of people just think they’re freaks, but they try to help those people,” said Alemany senior Beltane Howden.

Behind it all, Lee can be seen as the true hero, for he represents his moral standards through his characters. His desire for good to persevere is seen through the characters’ personas. In X-Men, the mutants struggle and fight through the segregation imposed on them, as they long to be accepted and to live in harmony with society. As for Captain America, his representation is the true American Hero fighting for the good of all. Captain America and Spiderman wear masks that they present to the world, and behind them lurk heroic characters that personify Lee’s desire to be a hero.

“I always felt that if I had super powers, I would immediately run out to the store and buy a costume,” said Lee in a magazine.

As for where his career is going, filming for Thor is a finished production and is set to be released later this year. Although he is 88-years-old, Lee has no plans to slow down. “I don’t really see the need to retire as long as I am having fun,” said Lee in a magazine interview in 2006. Overall, Lee is a role model for anyone who enjoys reading the heroism presented in his work. Lee’s productions are highly anticipated, and his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame represents his achievement.

grilled cheese sandwich. The Grilled Cheese Truck lets you design your own grilled cheese sandwich, starting with the bread, cheese and extra ingredients.

Although it doesn›t sound exciting, the Grilled Cheese Truck’s extra ingredients are what really make the sandwiches unique. Choices of extra ingredients can be as original as bacon or sliced tomatoes and as wacky as peanut butter or Nutella.

The main attraction of the Grilled Cheese Truck, though, is its signature sandwich: the Cheesy Mac and Rib. It contains melted sharp cheddar, macaroni and cheese, caramelized onions and barbeque pork. The ingredients of the Cheesy Mac and Rib all blend together to create a unique sandwich, mixing the smoky sweetness of the barbeque pork with the tangy, cheesy macaroni and sharp cheddar to create a flavor unlike any other I have tasted.

The creative grilled cheese sandwiches served at the Grilled Cheese Truck are not only different from any others but also mouth-watering and delicious. It is worth paying it a visit more than once.

The second truck I visited was Shrimp Pimp. This gourmet truck sells, yup, you guessed it, shrimp. Shrimp Pimp serves shrimp in many different entrees, like wraps, sandwiches, and salads. Shrimp Pimp’s shrimp tacos are one of the best items on the menu. The shrimp is sautéed and served with an aromatic ginger sauce on a corn tortilla. The tacos make for a perfect quick bite, combining delicious gourmet cooking with the convenience of street food.

Shrimp Pimp’s best item on the menu is the Victoria Sandwich. The sandwich contains sautéed shrimp, smoked salmon, red bell peppers, avocado, baby greens and a spicy dressing.

The Victoria Sandwich looks and tastes as if it should be served on a plate in a seafood restaurant. The smoked salmon, sautéed shrimp, and vegetables give it a gourmet taste, whereas the avocado and spicy dressing add a spicy sweet flavor to the sandwich causing an array of flavors jump in your mouth. The sandwich is the borderline between gourmet and street food.

Shrimp Pimp’s unique style of combining gourmet seafood into its dishes really makes for a unique street dining experience that is unforgettable.

The Grilled Cheese Truck and Shrimp Pimp are just two of the many gourmet food trucks that drive around Los Angeles every day looking for business. For just a couple more dollars than you would spend at a fast food restaurant, customers can get a quality meal, along with the short wait time of fast food. These gourmet food trucks post their locations everyday on their Twitter accounts and Facebook pages.

It is no doubt that the owners of Shrimp Pimp and the Grilled Cheese Truck are real cooks, loving what they do, coming up with their own original recipes and unique flavors. The phenomenal food served is one of a kind and can be found in no other place except this beautiful city.

I highly recommend you go and treat yourself by stopping one of these food trucks. You will not regret it.

The Grilled Cheese Truck and Shrimp Pimp menus and locations can be found online at shrimppimptruck.com and thegrilledcheesetruck.com.

Check them out for yourself, and happy eating!

The red carpet was rolled out for the evening and students were anxious to enter into an unforgettable night. Lights sparkled on February 11 as ASB hosted Bishop Alemany High School’s “Big City, Bright Lights” winter formal. The night twinkled with tiny lights decorating inside and outside of the Dining Hall.

The anticipated dance encouraged all students to get dolled up, especially since there was a special performance by New Boyz. Girls became glamorous by wearing what was “in” this season; many were seen dancing it up with strapless and sequence dresses. And boys fancied up by coordinating their ties and colors with their dates.

The winter season brings out “the fashion” in everyone. Popular styles in dresses included one shoulder, strapless, sequined, sparkled and even the classic mini black dresses. Although it’s winter and a bit chilly outside, girls go all out and express their uniqueness through their different styles. “To me it’s always so much about shopping for a dress; this year I went with a black dress. I think everyone always looks good in black dresses,” said junior Leticia Ortiz. For many, finding the perfect dress was time consuming and a bit over-priced. Nonetheless, plenty of nice and affordable dresses can be bought at JC Penney, Macy’s, Nordstrom and Windsor. Each store has a variety of styles and trends. If you’re looking for something reasonably priced and in your budget, these stores are the perfect place to shop. “It’s always fun shopping for a

dress, especially one in your budget. My favorite store is Windsor, and I know I can always find an affordable and pretty dress there,” said senior Melissa Rango. Strutting down the red carpet and dancing with a phenomenal dress is a huge factor for the night; however, there were other things to anticipate as well. For the first time, Alemany had the honor of having New Boyz perform for the evening. Having these special guest performers broke the attendance record: more than 600 students attended the dance. The New Boyz got the crowd in a party mood by playing some of their most popular songs. The music for the evening was better than previous dances, too. Hardly anyone was sitting down, although ASB added comfortable lounge chairs for people to relax their dancing shoes. ASB added other special treats, including Menchies Yogurt and tons of food. This year the whole Dining Hall was

used as the dancing area and the outside tent had all the casino games, similar to the 2010 homecoming dance setting. “It had a night club feel,” said junior Kaitie Smith, an ASB member.

All in all, “Big City, Bright Lights” was memorable. Everyone came out, looked their best, and danced the night away.

By Andre Barrios

By Hillary Smith

By Andrea Alejandre

By Jen Argueta

By Andrea Alejandre and Jennifer Argueta

During a game against Chamanade, senior Alec Berryman hustles down the court in pusruit of a score.

Alemany’s varsity goalie helps her teammates by blocking the opponent’s shot.

EditorialsTeens awaken to snow in SCV

Facebook: The new teen issue

Homework is common among high school students. We all get it, and we all procrastinate some way or another while working on it. The most common way to procrastinate nowadays is going on Facebook.

Facebook was founded in 2004 and was originally only for Harvard college students. The site grew to support many more colleges and then finally became available to everyone. Since its public debut, most people have Facebook accounts. And that means almost everyone can use it as an excuse to not get work done.

Most students find it hard to stay off Facebook because checking their news feeds is addictive. While doing homework, students inevitably end up on Facebook. You may think you’re going on Facebook for a few minutes, but once you’re on it and you stumble onto a conversation, you can be on for hours. If you don’t plan your day right, Facebook could consume your time, causing you to stay up late so you can finish your homework.

Schools have caught on to the evils of Facebook and have blocked students from having access to it on the school’s computers. Students are so addicted, though, that they outsmart the firewalls. And even if schools end up shutting down their Internet connections, students still

Winter break has come and gone and now we’re in our second semester of school. As vacation was ending, the Santa Clarita Valley, or as the city likes to call it “Awesome Town,” got its first snow fall in 20 years. Although it snows occasionally in the SCV, it melts before it hits the ground. But this snow fall lingered and made the end of Christmas break exciting.

The day it started snowing, I got text messages from my friends telling me that it was snowing. At first I didn’t get excited because I knew it would melt, but then when I got up and looked outside my window, my excitement kicked in because my whole backyard was white. As I got my extra warm clothes on and ran outside, I realized that could be the last time I see snow in my neighborhood in a while, so I spent my day going around SCV, playing and sledding in the snow.

Seeing my neighborhood in the snow was amazing. I have never seen snow that close to home in my life. Before I could even think about playing in

the snow, I had to take pictures and videos of how my house and neighborhood looked with a blanket of snow on it. Since that may be the last time I ever see snow on my house, I had to make memories. Then after I took pictures, I drove off on the slippery roads.

Driving was the scary part; every driver on the road crept along. It took me a while to back up my car because my driveway was full of snow and the road full of ice. Although people were going slowly, no one was complaining because the snow was so new to us and no one really knew how to drive in it.

Seeing the SCV covered in snow was amazing. I thought I was in another city most of the time. Seeing the places I pass by every day covered in snow was like seeing a new place. I have never enjoyed seeing the beauty of the SCV before. The city is already beautiful with all of its grass and trees but the snow just made it better.

When I went sledding, I went up on a hill that I never thought I would ever care about playing on. The hill was under Cal Arts and the sledding was amazing. I met up with my friends, and by

the time we were done sledding, my pants were muddy and my hands so cold that I felt like they were on fire.

My friend’s neighborhood had so much snow on the street that I had to park down the street just to get to her house. All the cars were covered so much that I couldn’t see them. While snow ball fighting, we were just grabbing snow off the cars. There is nothing quite like enjoying a flavor-free snow cone after you scoop snow off cars.

Building a snowman was hard and took so long to make that we just ran over to other snowmen and claimed they were ours. People are very creative with snow and the snowmen and huge snow balls we saw were awesome to see. Most of my neighbors had a snowman on their front lawn, decorated with props and everything.

The next morning I woke up and was sad to see that all the snow had melted. The only remaining snow left were surprisingly the snowmen on my neighbor’s lawns. It was like magic was keeping them from melting.

Experiencing snow in my neighborhood and hometown was one of the most amazing events of my life. I hope that it snows again soon the way it did that last Sunday of Christmas break. For that one Sunday, Awesome Town was truly Awesome, and it’s a day that I will never forget.

Editorial Board

Editor-in-Chief Hillary Smith Copy Editor Jennifer Argueta

Photo Editor Mary Papenthien Journalism Advisor Catharine Snider

Sword & Shield Policy Statement

Published monthly, the student newspaper of Bishop Alemany High School is a public forum, with its student editorial board making all decisions concerning its contents. Unsigned editorials express the views of the majority of the editorial board.

Letters to the editor are welcome and will be published as space allows. Letters must be signed, although the staff may withhold the name on request. The paper reserves the right to edit letters for grammar and clarity, and all letters are subject to laws governing obscenity, libel, privacy, and disruption of school process, as are all contents of the paper.

Opinions in the letter are not necessarily those of the staff, nor should any opinion expressed in the public forum be constructed as the opinion or policy of administration, unless so attributed.

The Sword & Shield 11111 North Alemany Drive Mission Hills, CA 91345

Staff Writers

Andrea Alejandre, Andre Barrios, Alexa Horta, Stephanie Magee, and James Vasquez

Freelance Writers

Valerie CabanbanBen Mullich

have Facebook on their phones. As much as schools try to keeps students away from Facebook, they will always fail. Teachers and administrators can only shake their heads and lament the fact that students exert more effort into getting on Facebook than they do their homework.

Facebook isn’t entirely bad, though. It can sometimes be a lifesaver for students, rather than a mere distraction.

Facebook can be used as a way of doing homework, for example. People share answers for assignments over their walls and can help each other figure out what homework assignments they have to do. I go on Facebook and always see people asking what the homework was for the night or when an assignment will be due. Their questions always get answered. School clubs and teams can also make groups on Facebook. I’m in a group for robotics, and the team constantly updates the group with cancellations, news, and additional meetings. So Facebook is both good and bad when it comes to schoolwork.

Until the day Facebook closes down, which will most likely never happen, students will always get caught up in it while doing homework. Let’s hope it brings more positive tools than negative distractions and excuses to not work.

By James Vasquez

By James Vasquez

6

Wrestling Cont.

Warrior redemption

Warrior Sports

Girls water polo requires unity

Since last year’s season, the boys basketball team has come a long way. Bishop Alemany High School had a terrific season last year but ended up losing to rival Crespi last year in the CIF championship. This year, though, they are ranked 4 out of 237 teams in the California Division IV ranking, making them one of the best teams in the Mission League.

This success is a result of the boys’ hard work and laser focus. And with 18 wins and 10 losses, the team is in prime position to redeem itself in the 2011 CIF championship.

With the help of point guard Max “Geezy” Guercy, power forward and center Marqueze “The Beast” Coleman, guard Jerico “LL Cool J” Richardson, forward shooting guard and shooting forward K.J. Moffett, and the sharp-shooting graduating senior Jordan Fuller, a shooting guard, Alemany’s basketball stars are on the rise. The head coach and the team captains, Guercy, Moffett, and Filip “Serbs” Labovic, are confident that they can win a title this year.

“Our team likes playing with shear speed and agility – so when we get the chance, it increases our opportunities to score and win games, regardless of who we may be playing,” said head coach Tray Meeks.

With motivation, confidence, and wins over elite teams such as Crespi, Chaminade, and Harvard–Westlake, the chances of the Warriors winning the CIF Championship this year are stronger than ever.

With eight years of coaching experience and his sixth season as varsity head coach, Meeks says he “understands his players and what obstacles they are facing.”

Not only is the talent pool better this year, but Alemany is also a smarter and tougher team. Playing in one of the toughest league in the state plays a big part in preparing the Warriors for their CIF battles.

When asked if they were intimidated by any teams in the league, without hesitation Coach Meeks and the basketball team declared “absolutely not.”

(Continued on page 8)

competitors. If people see the girls wrestle, they will see that this is no longer an issue for them.

“You just remember it’s all mental toughness and technique, not so much muscles and strength,” said Mata.

Gelpi said she would sometimes fall into the trap of thinking guys could overpower her muscle-wise, but said “then I remember that just because I’m a girl doesn’t mean I’m not as strong as them.”

This mind game is part of the pre-match rituals the girls have to get them in the zone. The rituals help them prepare for each match with a toughness that rivals any of their male opponents.

“I just remember how I work during practice, make sure I give it my all in the six minutes of wrestling,” said Mata. “And I imagine myself winning and pinning the other person. I focus on

just thinking positively, and sometimes I get a bit angry to get the aggressiveness going.”

The more a person learns about the sport and watched wrestling, the more he will realize that it takes a lot of motivation and force of will. The wrestlers themselves learn this lesson, too, and sometimes their strength and skill surprise them.

“You’re only as tough as you are mentally,” said Mata. “You can take more than you think you can.”

If this is true of anybody, this is true of the wrestling team. Practice is every day after school from 4:30pm to 7:00pm. First is warm up: Running to the top of Odyssey Drive and back. Then they hit the weights for an hour. After that, they wrestle for the remainder of practice. There must be an immense amount of dedication to the sport in order to go through the grueling practices.

“It’s all you do,” said

Mata. “You eat, sleep and go to practice.”

Out of the 21 sports offered at Alemany, nine of them are all-girls sports and five are co-ed. So why wrestling- what makes it worthwhile for these girls?

For Gelpi, the adrenaline rush she gets when she steps on the mat motivates her to pursue wrestling over any other sport. Mata, on the other hand, likes the feeling that comes after a match.

“It’s a mixture of the hard work and feeling of accomplishment once you have something down that you have been practicing,” said Mata.

And both girls agree that the wrestling team’s sense of family has a hold on them. The girls, their coaches, and the boys on the team are close. They are there for each other and have fun together. They are more than just a group of athletes.

“If we see someone is doing something wrong, we go and help them. We

motivate each other,” said Gelpi. Gelpi and Mata enjoy seeing other girls go after something people don’t expect them to do, and Gelpi and Mata are setting the stage for other girls when they step onto the mat with courage and strength. Perhaps when other girls see Mata and Gelpi, they will be inspired to do something challenging too. For now, these female wrestlers have definitely earned their coach’s respect. “It just shows that anything is possible. They [Gelpi and Mata] have the biggest heart on the team,” said Coach Ricardo Garcia of the Alemany wrestling team. “Women in wrestling is growing more and more. From the time I worked here, ten years, it’s grown probably 60%. They’ve [Gelpi and Mata] held their own water,” said Coach Richard. “It gives them confidence off the mat and makes them think they can do anything.”

Water polo is an intense sport that combines the endurance skills of a swimmer, the aggressiveness of a football player, and the ball handling skill of a basketball player.

The physicality of the sport scares many girls away from playing water polo, but the 25 Bishop Alemany High School girls water polo players have come to enjoy the sport.

“I love the adrenaline rush I get during a water polo game,” said senior Liz O’Hara, varsity co-captain.

The purpose of the game is to get a yellow ball about the size of a soccer ball into the goal. The seven players per side are never allowed to touch the bottom of the pool, so they must remain in constant motion, treading water for each eight minute quarter, with no break. They don’t wear goggles, and they must wear helmets to protect themselves.

The players constantly sprint back and forth, following the ball, like in basketball, and so they need incredible endurance.

Many of the water polo players are also on the swim team, which helps them stay in shape during water polo’s off season. It also means they never get a break.

“There is no off season in water polo,” said senior Melissa Pinlac, co- captain.

Water polo is a big commitment, and the girls who join have to be willing to do off-season endurance training and weight lifting and practice during summer. However, no previous water polo experience is required to join the team.

In fact, almost all of the players did not play water polo before they joined Alemany’s team. And in the end, hard work pays off more than prior skill.

“You just have to be willing to be on the team and to make a commitment,” said Katarina Vidal Cueva, sophomore and varsity

player. Their lack of

experience, though, means the team isn’t as strong as many of its competitors in the competitive Mission League. Despite that, the girls have managed to beat Flintridge Sacred Heart twice this season.

The team members are all very close, and they cheer for each other during

the games. Team work is important because all members must work together to swim and pass the ball from one side of the pool to the other.

The team work defines how the girls feel about the sport.

Julia Ortiz, a freshman and junior varsity player, summed it up simply, saying, “I love the sport.”

By Stephanie Magee

By Mary Papenthien

7

Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, has more than 200 million members on his social network.

8

A handful of Bishop Alemany High School’s most talented musicians are gearing up to compete with students from across the country at the Heritage Music Festival in Anaheim, California. But before the competition, their supporters watched them showcase their skills at a recital in Alemany’s chapel.

These virtuosos captivated and entertained fellow students, friends, and faculty on January 7 by performing complex masterpieces by geniuses such as Copeland, Bach, and Mozart.

The night was not only for entertainment, however. It was a fundraiser for the band and orchestra Spring Tour in March. They have many fundraisers, such as selling food at football games and having a lottery, but

Campus News/Continuations

Music recital showcases Alemany’s talentBy Mary Papenthien

this was the one fundraiser that showcased the school’s musical talent.

The Spring Tour is a huge competition in Anaheim, California, where hundreds of schools from around the country compete and are ranked. Alemany’s orchestra and band are so skilled that they typically place around second or third out of hundreds of schools. These competitions are for band what games are for sports teams, so participating is important.

The evening began with the fast and furious fingers of Freddy Lee. He wowed the audience with a beautiful piece by Bach, and he followed that with a fast and exciting piece called “Cat and Mouse” by Copeland.

Calvin Huang followed, mesmerizing the audience with a beautiful piece by Potstock. His little sister, Casey Huang, followed him with a classic piece by Bach. Everyone was amazed by Huang’s skill at such a young age.

Ryan Davidson played an interesting piece on violin next. He’s only an eighth grader, but he has been playing violin for nine years. Jennifer Bellusci, his violin teacher and Alemany’s band and orchestra teacher, told him about the recital, which

motivated him to participate in it. He might not need much practice because despite the 135 person crowd, he said he wasn’t nervous.

Next was junior Grace Vasiknanonte’s turn to wow the audience with her amazing piano playing skills. She played two pieces: a pretty, fast-paced piece by Bach and a slow and beautiful piece by Chopin. Vasiknanonte plays with a lot of passion, and she leans into the piano when she plays. Two of her friends, Jennifer Marcelino and Oleah Olaguera, juniors, came to support her. They came away impressed with all of the performers, and Marcelino thought that all of them did their best that night.

“I think they are all musical geniuses, and they all have potential to do well in the music industry,” commented Olaguera.

Wayne Kuang, a freshman, followed Vasiknanonte’s performance with a stunning violin performance of Concerto in G Major, Allegro, by Mozart. He enjoyed sharing his talent with others.

“I thought it was nice to be in the spotlight,” said Kuang.

Jennifer Dalpathado, junior, followed him with another wonderful violin

performance, a long, creative piece by Rieding.

She was followed by Haeni Oh, a senior, who played a complex and interesting piano piece. Her fingers flew along the keyboard. This was her first performance, and even though she said she was nervous, no one would have guessed because she played beautifully.

A non-Alemany student, also a student of Bellusci, followed with an amazing violin piece.

Kuang was followed by Kyle Terhar, junior, the recital’s only guitarist. Terhar is so dedicated that he couldn’t play his instrument for a week afterwards: His fingers were cramping because he practiced so much leading up to the performance.

Lee closed out the night by playing two more amazing piano pieces.

The evening was wonderful, and the audience left with a new respect for the classical musicians who had the courage to play in front of everyone.

“I am very proud of all the performers and all their hard work. It takes a lot of courage to get up and play a solo,” said Bellusci.

Basketball cont. “If anything, the other teams that

we play help us improve on our plays and prepare us for our next game,” said Guercy.

And the players may not have hit their peak yet. They will become more mature basketball players, but Coach Meeks definitely has faith that his entire team will be up for the CIFchallenge, through excellence in teamwork, leadership, and maintaining a balanced act on and off the court. The players know their strengths and use them to their advantage. According to Coach Meeks, the team’s biggest strength is speed, and the players recognize this.

“Not only are we quick, but I feel like teamwork and being on the same page with each other on the court are our biggest strengths as well,” said Labovic.

The team has great talent, from its lockdown zone defense to sharing the ball in order to make the best shot possible. With Coach Meeks by their side and a clear cut strategy executed with precision, the boys basketball Team will provide Alemany with the perfect GPS system on this road to redemption.

Girls basketball team makes Alemany proud

Congratulations to Alemany’s girls basketball team for making it to the CIF playoffs. We are proud of your skills and achievements this season. Go Warriors!