Fat Tuesday - JSerra Catholic High School

The
Paw Print
JSerra Catholic High School
Volume 30 • February 2015
Fat Tuesday
JSerra’s Online
Correspondents
by Katia Bergstrom
Fat Tuesday is known as the day before Lent begins, where people
celebrate by throwing huge celebrations, mostly with food, games, and dancing,
in preparation for when Lent begins and Catholics all around the world fast for
forty days, to symbolize the
forty days Jesus spent fasting
in the desert.
There are four ASG
members helping with the
organization and development
of the celebration: Kate
Bondi, Maxine Burke, Parker
Noriega, and Sierra Short.
Kate said that they, “plan the events, like the rides, games, and
food. We mostly put stuff in that’s popular from last year.” Maxine said
that they get the games and other items from, “Party Pells.”
On explaining how they felt to be serving the school and doing
this project, Parker summed it up by saying that it makes them, “feel
accomplished.” Kate said they, “Get to see it all after, see it happen.”
Fat Tuesday symbolizes the, “Last day for whatever before Lent
and fasting.” Maxine is happy that, “Everyone has a fun time,” during the
celebration.
There are some new editions to the celebration. For example,
Parker says she’s excited for the, “Zion Balls. You can go in the ball and
walk around and run in it.”
Maxine said, “We try to make everything new, and there’s a lot of
updated versions of everything.”
The Fat Tuesday celebration will hopefully
bring us all together as a community in the forty
days that lay ahead for Lent.
JSerra Catholic High School • 26351 Junipero Serra Road
by Zoe Kaffen
JSerra students feature a variety of
talent, and three JSerra Journalism students
have already begun to make a name in two of
the major on-line publications in our county.
Julia Sanchez, junior, who writes for the
online L.A.Times: High School Insider, describes
her job as “giving the online Times a high
schooler’s view on world-wide and local news
that affects our community.”
Megan D’Souza, junior, also writes for
High School Insider. Megan began journaling for
the L.A.Times because she,“believed that it was
a great opportunity that provided first-hand
experience in journalism that would help me in
college and help me pursue a career in social
media in the future.”
Katia Bergstrom, senior, writes for the
online Orange County Catholic newspaper, which
“really attracted me because I would be able to
write faith-related articles for a Catholic newspaper
that would also help me grow as a writer.”
These three ladies were presented this
special opportunity to showcase their talents
by teachers who recognized their special
abilities and recommended them for the job.
“Mr. Kahl and Mr. Plaia heard about
the online correspondence opportunity
continued on page 2
San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675 • (949) 493-9307 • JSerra.org
Page Two
Online Correspondents
continued from page 1
through the school and recommended me
and a few others for the job,” says Julia, who
has now written five articles that have been
posted on the High School Insider web page.
Megan D’Souza comments on the changing
landscape of journalism when she says,“eventually
newspapers will not be as widely read as online
news, which is easier and faster to access
information, and this online correspondence with
the L.A.Times will give me great experience with
this new social media interaction.”
Despite the changing landscape of
journalism, Katia Bergstrom has always loved to
write, online or off, and she says, “Journalism is
a gift to others. When you’re doing journalism,
you’re writing about another person. It’s not
about you, it’s about telling a story for the
public and giving them the truth.”
If you want to read their published works
check out the L.A.Times online high school page
(http://jserrahighschool.latimes.com/) and the
Orange County Catholic website, (http://www.
occatholicnews.com/?s=Katia+Bergstrom). Keep up the good work, girls!
The
Paw Print
Staff
Katia Bergstrom
Sydni Brown
Olivia Coyle
Megan D’Souza
Michael Elsanadi
Connor Ferrell
Mary Kaffen
Zoe Kaffen
Emma McClellan
Garrett Prendiville
Julia Sanchez
Ryan Sánchez
Jenny Woo
Mr. Jeff Kahl, Advisor
Friday the 13th
by Julia Sanchez
17-21 million people in
the U.S. suffer from a fear of Friday
the 13th, according to the North
Carolina Stress Management Center
and Phobia Institute. The number 13
has always been cursed or associated
with bad luck. Friggatriskaidekaphobia,
as the phobia is known, comes
from “Frigga,” the name of the Norse goddess for whom Friday is named.
Triskaidekaphobia keeps people from performing everyday tasks or even
leaving their homes.
There is no written evidence of the fear and superstition of Friday the 13th
before the 19th Century, but the fear of the number 13 dates back to 1700 BC.
The number 13 has been considered cursed around the world. One long-standing
myth related to Friday the 13th and the number 13 goes back to Jesus and the Last
Supper; Jesus dined with the 12 apostles prior to his death, giving people the
idea that if you dine with 13 people, one of you will die. A popular Norse myth
tells of the god Odin and his eleven friends dining together, only to have Loki,
the god of evil and turmoil, show up, making the party of 12 into a party of 13.
In spite of efforts to prove that 13 is just superstition, buildings do
not have a thirteenth floor, cities and towns do not have a 13th street, airports
usually do not have a 13th gate, and even some hospitals avoid labeling rooms
with the number 13. Some people so extensively believe in the bad luck of
Friday the 13th and the number 13 that they don’t even leave their beds.
A few popular myths and superstitions regarding the Friday the 13th are:
1. If you cut your hair on Friday the 13th, someone in your family will die.
2. If a funeral procession passes you on Friday the 13th, you will be the next to die.
3. Do not start a trip on Friday the 13th or you will encounter misfortune.
4. If you break a mirror on Friday the 13th, you will have seven years of bad luck.
5. A child born on Friday the 13th will be unlucky for life.
6. Ships that set sail on Friday will sink.
For those who don’t believe in the popular superstition, Friday the
13th will go on like every other day, not even realizing what day it is. For those
who believe in the tales that come along with Friday the 13th, their day will be
spent staying in bed out of fear for what could happen.Will you fall for it?
Page Three
Latin Class
by Katia Bergstrom
Most high schools don’t offer Latin, but if you do take it, it will be
a memorable and beneficial experience for you. Many students take Latin,
because, as Sonia Clinkinbeard put it, “I didn’t want to take Spanish.” But
Latin contains many benefits.
“You learn a lot about Western culture and you also learn a
lot about the English language,” Mr. Alvarado, JSerra’s Latin teacher, said,
Alden Hagopian said it helped him in “English class last year since we did
roots in the vocabulary.”
Mr. Alvarado enjoys Latin because, “I feel like I teach a subject and
information that a lot of students don’t learn. Like, you learn about the
Romans, but not about the culture, so it’s cool to see their reactions to
that. And Latin to me is like a puzzle, and I like doing that and figuring it
out.”
In Latin class, you participate in many projects, such as writing a
story book in Latin, or making a video based off of a Roman or Greek
character. As Alden Hagopian described, his favorite Latin memory was
going to, “James Brady’s house and we did the Latin video.” You also learn
the Latin vocabulary and how to translate from Latin to English and from
English to Latin.
Each November students participate in SCRAM, where they meet
Latin students from all over the state and interact and play games, most of
them Latin related. Christian Molfetta said that from SCRAM, he learned
that, “Latin students from other schools do not know the proper rules to
dodgeball. Other than that, it was fun.”
As for myself, I’ve been taking Latin since the seventh grade,
so when I entered JSerra, I knew it was the language I wanted to study.
There is something about Latin class that excites me. It’s not just that I’m
learning another language. It’s the fact that, especially as I went into Latin
3 and AP, I felt a sense of community. We’re like a little Latin family. Even
though we all have different interests, Latin connects us and we interact
with one another more freely, talking not only about Latin, but about
different things in our lives as well. I could not be happier that I chose to
take this language.
If any of you are interested in taking Latin, visit Mr. Alvarado in
room 3109.
Social Media
Equals
Anti-Social?
by Sydni Brown
Social media has been around for less
than a couple decades and it’s already having
lasting effects. Some people are so attached
to their phones that they get nervous if its
not on their immediate person...whereas
others have come to believe that “If it isn’t
online, it isn’t real.”
Studies have even shown that
increased social media use can lead to a
decrease in empathy in young adults. So,
who’s to blame and how can we fix this?
Honestly, I don’t think it’s
technology’s fault that teenagers have
become so consumed by this virtual world—
it’s merely an outlet that teens view as
freedom from their daily lives. I think it’s the
lack of freedom today that has forced teens
into cyberspace.
Take, for example, the decrease
in teenagers getting their driver’s licenses
on time. This isn’t because of laziness, it’s
because driving no longer provide the same
freedoms it used to. One can’t simply go for
a drive without being tracked on GPS or
Find My iPhone, and the prospect of leaving
the phone at home is simply too much to
bear.
Teenagers aren’t addicted to social
media; they’re addicted to each other and
the only way to get around the confines of
today’s society is through the internet.
Campus Ministry
Photo Students Befriend Mary
by Olivia Coyle
Adorning the walls of Building One’s second floor
are art pieces ranging from paintings to photographs to a
particular collage dedicated to a homeless women named
Mary. She has inspired and impacted a number of lives here
at JSerra. The collage has pictures of a smiling Mary holding
gifts and cards she received from a handful of students from
Ms. Stehney’s photo classes. Words printed at the top of the
collage quote Mary saying,“I feel the love, thank you so much.”
Mary is twenty-eight and lives in South Orange
County. Only five short years ago she was enrolled in college,
had a stable job, and had a bed to sleep in. Today, she has no
home and wanders around state park beaches with her dog
and a cart to carry the few things she owns. Mary has no family,
as her mother is incarcerated and her father abused her.
Mary said, “it was my birthday last week and I
missed the party.”
Despite the challenges and hardships she has been
confronted with, she endures through her struggles with a
smile on her face that truly manifests the virtue of love.
Mary’s story was brought to the attention of
students during prayer one morning.
Ms. Stehney says, “After prayer you could hear a pin
drop it was so quiet.”
Students immediately asked how they could help.Within
twenty four hours, students responded with gifts such as prayer
books, scented soaps, beads, toys for her dog, and snacks. Students
also gave her cards filled with messages that affirm the love of
Jesus and words to let her know that she is special and beautiful.
Sophomore, Delany Day, gave her a warm, blue coat,
which you can see her wearing in the photo collage displayed
in the hallway. Not only was Mary thrilled with her coat, she
was so excited and surprised that someone knew her favorite
color is blue. She cried tears of joy and said she will feel the
love of the students when she wears the coat all day and night.
Ms. Stehney said “her hands grasped that coat like
it was a life jacket! God blesses all our good works!”
It’s fair to say that it truly is her life jacket.
Mary sets a Christ-like example as she endures her
struggles and has offered so much love and light to students.
Her appreciation for the few things she has and the gifts she
received reminds us just how blessed we all are. Ms. Stehney
and her class brought Mary exactly what she needed, and I
believe that is the work of the Lord.
Campus Ministry
A Look Back at Kairos 29
by Garret Prendiville
Every year, seniors have the opportunity to go on
Kairos, a four day retreat in which students grow closer to
God and their peers.While many of the activities on Kairos
are kept a secret, a majority of students attend this highlyanticipated retreat. Here is a glimpse of some of the fun
that took place during the latest February Kairos, Kairos 29.
Andrew Vandenberg,
Maddie Davis & Jordan Strnad
Molly Freudenberger
Mrs. Desmond’s Small Group
Father Damien &
Liam Dugard
Slip-Sliding Away
Mr. Meyer’s
Small Group
Chase Hansen & Parker Edwards
Fine Arts
Tales of Shakespeare
by Mary Kaffen
TheTales of Shakespeare is the Drama Department’s
newest production, comprised of pieces from various
Shakespearian plays. I asked Ms. Ybarra, who is in charge of
the play, a few questions about The Tales of Shakespeare.
What is The Tales of Shakespeare about?
“TheTales of Shakespeare is a student-produced play
that shows a group of teenagers’ different interpretations
of various Shakespearian plays. “
Is this your original play?
“The cast writes their own scripts with
Shakespearian language, but it is an original play.”
When will the play be performed?
“The performance will be in the Black Box, here, at
JSerra, the first week of March.”
Is this a theatre class offered at JSerra?
“Actually it’s not. Rehearsals are after school and
during lunch. The students are doing this all on their free
time. “
How many people are in the cast?
“We have eight people in the cast. We wanted to
keep it very small so that the cast members could really
connect with the other cast members and collaborate as
writers and performers.”
Did the cast have to audition for the play?
“They did have to audition. They also had to
completely read and understand and analyze Shakespearian
text and write their own scripts.”
How do you practice for the play?
“The cast members bring their own scripts to
rehearsal and the actors play with it. They add things and
subtract things that don’t work so most of the leg work has
been done by the cast members.”
How do you write your own script using
Shakespearian text?
“We created a format of the introduction and the
closing of the number and then created a format of who
was going next in Shakespearian shows that would make
the flow understandable. A lot of the tragedies we have
clumped together and a lot of the comedies we have clumped
together, and the interaction between the individuals really
shaped the script.We also have two professional improvists
and a director who works on Shakespearian shows to help
the students write the script as well.”
How are you combining Shakespearian plays?
“For each scene we have a different Shakespearian
show. So scene one is Hamlet, the next scene is Romeo
and Juliet, then it goes into Taming of the Shrew, Julius
Caesar, and each act is the players interpretation on the
Shakespearian show. So they get ten minutes to explain a
three hour long show.
Where will you get the costumes for The Tales of
Shakespeare?
“I make all the costumes for the JSerra productions.
For the Tales of Shakespeare the students are going to design
their own costumes and we’re going to work together to
Fine Arts
collaborate so I can make what they’re envisioning. This
is all made by the students and worked through with
professionals so that it becomes a tailored
show.”
Is JSerra the first high school to write its
own play?
“It’s very unique for a high school. And we
are giving them an experience that sometimes
even college students don’t get to do. They get
to write, produce, and preform in their own
play that is professional quality.”
The Tales of Shakespeare is sure to make a
splash when it opens the first week of March.
The theater program is very proud of their
students for creating an original play, illustrating
the constant evolution and change present in
the world of drama.
Student
Art
Brody Barrett
Adobe Illustrator
Marina Daroca
Color Pencil
Elie Nguyen
Photography
Alyssa McConkey
Mixed Media
Kate Evans
Acrylic
Sports
JSerra Surf Team
by Jenny Woo
Waking up before sunrise, paddling into bonechilling waters, and riding colossal waves seems like an
impossible feat for some people (like myself…I can barely
wake up in time for
school!). However,
the members of
the JSerra Surf
Team don’t have a
problem with this at
all as this morning
routine has become
an everyday thing.
If you didn’t know
already, Mr. Garner
is
our
Marine
Biology instructor, as well as the Surf Team’s coach. I
interviewed Mr. Gardner about his role as the Surf coach
and his expectations for this year’s team.
The surf team was initially established back in 2010 as
a club, which quickly turned into an official sports team once
Elise Lauricella
it became popular among students interested in surfing. Mr.
Gardner is currently the team’s coach and organizes all the
practices and competitions in which the students compete
throughout the year. On top of arranging the practices
and competitions, he also documents the conditions of
the waves and the weather best suited for surfing. He
mentioned that the team is usually in the water at around
6:15 in the morning, sporting warm wet suits paired with
their
boards,
and usually surfs
at Lost Winds
beach in San
Clemente.
Mr. Gardner
says, “I’m really
impressed
by
Bri Hagan and Katarina Shultz
how well we’ve
done against team versus team, we’ve beaten nearly every
team we’ve been against and, individually, each and every
one of the members are exceptionally fantastic.”
Mr. Gardner claims that this year’s team has been
doing a “stellar” job in their competitions, beating almost all
Sports
Liam Galligan
of the surf teams in the county, even taking
home the win against the Laguna Beach
High School surf team.
I also interviewed the Galligan
twins, Liam and Sean, two of the few
remaining founding members of the team,
and asked them about their worst or scariest surfing
experience and what tips they would give to newcomers.
Lia Deuker
Sean Galligan replied, “One time I was
in Mexico surfing in the water full of
jellyfish—I hate jellyfish now—and it
stung me behind the leg! I was paralyzed
and couldn’t move.”
Sean started surfing when he was
only 2-years-old when his dad took him
long boarding, and he’s been surfing ever
since.
I then asked Liam Galligan what tip
he would give to newcomers who want to start to learn how
to surf and he replied, “You just got to practice. That’s it. Put
your heart and soul into
it and eventually you’ll get
where your mind is set.
Just stand up and let the
wave do the rest.”
The
next
competition is scheduled
at the end of February
(either February 29th
or 30th) in Huntington
Beach, so come and
support the amazing
JSerra Surf Team!
Jacob Jaworski
Entertainment
Agent Carter
by Megan D’Souza
The iconic Marvel’s “Agent Carter” premiered
A g e n t
Tuesday, January 6th on ABC, garnering a staggering seven
Carter
gives
million viewers in its first night. Set in 1940s America, Agent
viewers the chance
Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) maintains a secret job assisting
to
experience
the post World
War II era in
terms of society’s
norms and gender
roles.
Although
dramatized,
because indeed it is
for entertainment,
the overall message
of the Captain
America spin off
Howard Stark (Dominic Cooper) in clearing his name while
is that of female
she poses as an officer with the Strategic Scientific Reserve.
empowerment.
The show explores the tribulations of a single
Peggy
Carter
woman in the male-dominated task force of 1946. When
shows
that
interviewed,
Atwell
although women
explained her (Carter’s)
have many day-tosuperpower is “the
day struggles, this cannot stop them from being exceptional,
fact that other people
especially in such a difficult workplace filled with demeaning
underestimate her. And
male authorities.
she often uses that to
The show sheds light on many different female
her advantage, because
lifestyles, such as stay-at-home mothers in comparison to
she doesn’t have super
working women. Each are depicted in a positive light to
strength.”
show that there is nothing shameful about wanting to stay
However, Atwell
at home to focus on a family or travel the country to focus
flawlessly emulates Peggy
on a career.
Carter’s inner strength
Overall, Marvel’s Agent Carter has brought about
by performing dauntless
a positive change in entertainment, venturing outside of
tasks more effectively
the male superhero norms and promoting an exceptionally
and successfully than the
brilliant female lead who can do her job just as well as her
men on her team.
male counterparts.
Entertainment
The Rise of Netflix
by Garret Prendiville
Netflix has come a long way since its inception in
These shows
1997. Netflix was initially conceived as a way for customers
are highly successful
to receive rental DVDs by mail. However, as technology
for many reasons,
evolved, so did the company.
among them the
In 2008, Netflix
brilliant acting and
began
offering
the developed plot
thousands of titles
lines. However, one of
to
stream
via
the significant reasons
TV,
computers,
for the popularity of
gaming
consoles,
these two shows is
and smart phones.
the freedom offered
By offering such
by the format of
easy access to TV
Netflix. The company
shows and movies,
is able to bypass FCC
Netflix has dominated the entire industry. There is a good
rules and regulations
reason behind Netflix superiority; Netflix offers greater
because the shows are strictly streamed and never
accessibility and is more personalized than regular TV or
broadcast on regular television. Therefore, shows
other rental methods, such as RedBox.
produced by Netflix are able to have more mature story
Now that they have cultivated a loyal clientele,
lines and language.
Netflix has started to create its own original content,
The recent success of Netflix has left people
such as new TV shows and short films. Two of Netflix’s
wondering if video streaming could surpass TV as the norm
shows have taken the
of watching new television shows.Well-known broadcasting
nation by storm, creating
companies such as NBC, ABC, and CBS have struggled to
hours of binge watching
find solid TV shows to televise. Still, as the competition
and strong fandoms. The
rises, these companies have been more adamant about
political drama “House
putting their trust into new shows. In addition to this,
of Cards,” and comedybroadcasting companies have put too much faith into oncedrama “Orange is the New
popular shows as seen with the decline of ratings for the
Black,” have earned a total
NBC show, “The Office.”
of seven Emmys combined
Due to these two factors, people have flocked
since 2013 in categories
to watch TV shows now available on Netflix; the shows
including
“Outstanding
the service offers have been described as new, fresh, and
Casting for a Drama Series”
revolutionary. Netflix has taken an industry that has been
and “Outstanding Casting
established for decades and employed the latest technology
for a Comedy Series”.
to dominate its competitors.
Opinions
The opinions expressed here are those of the student journalist.
They do not reflect the views of the JSerra faculty, staff or administration.
Keystone Pipeline
Recently,
the
Poplar
Pipeline
in
Montana spilled
50,000 gallons
of crude oil into
the Yellowstone
River. This 700mile ecosystem
by Michael Elsanadi
houses plants,
animals, and humans.The spill damaged
valuable crops and livestock and made
tap water undrinkable for schools,
hospitals, nursing homes, and families.
This “reliable and safe” pipeline
illustrates its destructive potential
and is just one many examples of the
negative implications of the additions
to the Keystone Pipeline.
Supporters argue the pipeline
will create thousands of jobs; but
after two years of construction, the
workers will face unemployment again.
Proponents believe the pipeline will
help the American working class; in
truth, the pipeline will only create 35
new permanent jobs. Supporters say
that it would transport oil safely. Do
they mean safe for the construction
workers and surrounding properties,
or safe for the environment?
Regardless, a pipeline is not the
safest manner of transporting oil. This
pipeline will not only jeopardize the
environment but also threaten the jobs
of nearby farmers and businesses.
A Dark Day
for Europe
Greece
has
struggled
with
massive
national
debt
and
crippling
austerity
measures
for
years.
These
conditions have
by Ryan Sánchez
led to unrest
and political extremists gaining power,
made evident by the recent Syriza party
victory in last month’s elections.
Also known as the “Coalition
of the Radical Left,” the party usurped
the ruling centre-right New Democracy
party and took 39% of the vote. The
extreme-right party, Golden Dawn, placed
third, gaining 6% of the vote and 17 seats
in parliament. Golden Dawn’s leading
members have been in prison the last
few months on suspicion of “operating a
criminal gang” after one of its members
shot and killed a leftist rapper last year.
With an even more leftist
government in power, we can expect
more unrest and possibly a Greek exit
from the European Union, with dire
consequences for the entire continent.
Letters to the Editor
The Paw Print welcomes reader feedback. Letters
must contain your full name and grade level, or if a
non-student, your full name and city of residence.
Please e-mail Mr. Kahl at [email protected] with a
subject heading of “Letters to the Editor.”
Trivia Crack
The new
hit game, Trivia
Crack, is quickly
rising to the top
as one of the best
apps around the
world. You can
play this addicting
game at home, on
by Mary Kaffen
your computer,
or carry it with you on your iPhone.
The game contains a wheel split
into seven sections. Six of these sections
represent the different categories of
Art, Science, Sports, Entertainment,
Geography and History.When the wheel
lands on one category the player must
answer a question pertaining to that
subject correctly. The seventh section is
a “special” crown and if a player lands
on this category they have the option
of challenging their opponent for one of
their characters or answering a question
to get their own character.
The objective of the game is
to obtain all six characters featured on
the wheel.To win a character the player
must correctly answer three questions
in a row and the first player to gain all
six characters wins the match.
Trivia crack has fun animations
and a ton of questions for each category
to challenge both the sports fan and the
history expert. You can challenge your
friends to see who is smarter, or in
most cases, who’s the better guesser.
Opinions
The Green Light Grey’s Anatomy The Music Industry
In The Great
Gatsby, by F. Scott
Fitzgerald,
Jay
Gatsby watches
the green light
across the bay
from his mansion.
The green light
symbolizes hope
by Katia Bergstrom
for him, the
intense hope that Daisy is across the other
side and that he will see her someday.
In a similar way, the green light
is like God and we are like Gatsby. God,
like the green light, is shining out across
the bay to us. We have to have the hope
that as He shines upon us, that we can
reach out, like Gatsby, and take all the
light that he is offering to us. Gatsby
was reaching out towards the green light
night after night, each night the hope
and faith he had growing more intense.
When we reach out for the light God is
sending to us, we should be filled with
hope and faith in Him, with each passing
day, our trust, faith, and hope in Him
growing. Every day God shines his light
to us, and it’s up to us to watch for the
light and to reach out and grasp it.
If we are like Gatsby and have
hope in our hearts, if we all reach out
towards the light that God is shining
to us, and we use the light for good
and spread it to others, we will be the
embodiment of hope to the world,
that we can trust in God and in others.
With its recent
mid-season
premiere,
Grey’s Anatomy
fans have been
buzzing about
the end of its
eleventh season.
Rumors
are
by Megan D’Souza
circulating that
lead actress Ellen Pompeo (Meredith
Grey) will be quitting acting for good
after this season of the medical drama.
Personally, being a devoted fan
of the show, I think that despite the
strong story lines and backgrounds
of the other characters, the show will
lose its momentum without Pompeo.
Granted, there are other characters
who have developed so strongly over
the past two seasons that there is
much potential for their story lines.
However, there is a foreseeable
decrease in the fan base if the rumors
of Pompeo’s retirement ring true.
Hopefully, Ellen will return for what
may be the twelfth and last season of
Grey’s Anatomy to give fans closure.
The downward
plummet in music
quality
today
has become a
cliche. Despite
people
who
acknowledge this
unfortunate state
of
mainstream
by Olivia Coyle
music, no one
seems to do anything about it. Radio
stations continue to play mediocre songs,
somehow receiving enough profits to
continue playing the same sub-par music.
I’m not saying all mainstream
music is mediocre, but there are not
enough times that I hear a decent song. So
many talented artists’ music may never be
heard simply because they do not believe in
buying their way to the top. Record labels
often corrupt artists into fulfilling the image
that will make the most money for the
label. The corporate motivations of many
record labels dilute the musicians’ potential
and give the music industry a bad name.
Music has so much more to offer
than the songs that are made available.
As someone who enjoys music, I find it
discouraging from the consumer end to feel
limited to finding worthwhile music. For me,
finding music has become a tiresome search,
and I can understand how some people
simply settle with radio blur. I believe that
music should be viewed and valued as so
much more than generic background noise
to fill quiet spaces and awkward car rides.
Opinions
Traveling
The World
At school we
learn about the
numerous and
unique cultures
around world.
But
learning
about them in
a
classroom
by Zoe Kaffen
thousands of
miles away is
not quite the same as experiencing the
foreign atmosphere for yourself.
Family vacations are fun, but
most of the time is wasted sleeping in
late and going out to nice restaurants for
an early dinner. I think it’s important that
at some point in our lives we make it a
goal to journey to a different country and
actually experience the art, history, and
atmosphere of the foreign culture.
What better way is their to foster
understanding and peace between different
nations and peoples? Education is essential
for a good life but experience is what
creates true knowledge. Having never been
out of the country myself, I have made it
a goal to backpack around central Asia
and New Zealand. The world is so full of
interesting and beautiful things that we cant
just experience from our TVs. There are
thousands of new places to discover and
millions of new people to meet.
The world is not so small
after all.
Kneeling at Mass
Get Vaccinated!
Every
We d n e s d a y
each member of
JSerra kneels at
Mass. But many
sitting in the
stands can’t seem
to take their
minds off of how
by Jenny Woo
painful and sore
their knees are during the Eucharist.
But, since we are privileged
enough to celebrate Mass during the
school week, we should remember the
reason we are kneeling. Most forget how
painful Jesus’s crucifixion was when he
died on the cross for us. With bloody
hands and feet, with nails protruding into
the bones and flesh of a body, we can
imagine the unbearable and indescribable
pain that Jesus lived through.
But why? Because Jesus loves
us. And because Jesus loved us enough
to go through that, why can’t we seem
to kneel in respect for him for less than
a minute? Yes, it is exhausting and aching
at first, but looking at this from another
point of view, the minute will go by faster
knowing we are kneeling for a reason.
So the next time you find
yourself grumbling about how painful
it is to kneel during mass, think about
how painful it was for Jesus when he
died on the cross for us, and try to
appreciate how we didn’t have to go
through with the pain He faced.
Over the
last few months,
Disneyland has
been
plagued
with something
much
more
severe
than
obnoxious
toddlers and an
by Garrett Prendiville
endless sea of
strollers. As of now, Disneyland has
confirmed that at least 70 visitors
during the holiday season have caught
measles, five of them being employees.
As the flu season is in full
swing, it is very important to stay
healthy, and one of the most effective
ways to do so is to get the necessary
vaccinations. This includes getting a flu
shot once a year and vaccinations for
more serious illnesses such as chicken
pox, measles, and whooping cough.
Some parents refuse to get their
children vaccinated for various reasons,
such as wanting to stay “organic,” but
that runs a major risk. If a child does not
have the proper vaccinations, they not
only serve as a target for themselves, but
also have a higher chance of spreading
the illness to fellow peers.
Contrary to what some
people think, vaccinations are safe
to use and have had a nearly 100%
success rate. Making sure everyone
is vaccinated is a vital component of
avoiding the 2015 flu season.
Opinions
SAT/ACT
SAT and
ACT tests are
now
being
administered
to millions of
frustrated and
stressed juniors
throughout the
country. Along
by Connor Ferrell
with the normal
work-load a junior must carry, they find
themselves thrown into a bigger pit of
tutoring, practice tests, and cramming for
one of the most important tests these
they will ever take, with scores ultimately
determining what colleges they will get into.
Juniors already juggle a hectic
workload, leaving students sleep-deprived
and exhausted. And many students take
these tests not once, but up to four or five
times to improve their scores. And while
these two very different tests examine
the knowledge gleaned from 12 years of
education, they can never really determine
the true knowledge of the test taker.
Many students struggle with
tests, finding it hard to complete all the
questions in the time given. For some,
these exams do not accurately reflect
the scope of their academic ability.
Students who work more slowly don’t
get a chance to show all they know.
I think it’s unfair to judge
intellect via a standardized test which
simply measures one’s ability to pass a
test they will never think about again.
Letter to the Editor
JSerra Catholic High School
26351 Junipero Serra Road
San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675
NON-PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
Mission Viejo, CA
Permit No. 5724
e
t
a
D
e
h
t
e
v
Sa
Father Spitzer • JSerra Speaker Series
“Physics, Evolution & Aliens:
The Intersection of Faith & Science”................................February 19
JSerra Center Room
XLT........................................................................................February 23
JSerra Center Room
Sophomore Retreat.....February 25-27
Oakbridge Young Life Camp
SAT Exam...............................March 14
Various Locations