TheSquire2021Issue2

The Squire

VOLUME 4 ISSUE 2

Summer 2021

ARCHBISHOP RIORDAN HIGH SCHOOL Graduates collect another chapter of memories bound in Lance yearbook

By Jason Dubriwny Grade 6, Holy Name School

Kannon Wood Grade 7,

and Theo Wood

Grade 6, Davidson Middle School

On July 21, half of the Class of 2021 returned to the Riordan campus once more to pick up their yearbooks.

The afternoon also included pizza, chocolate chip cookies, and blondies, but also time for the recent graduates to sign each other’s books and chat.

Hosted by yearbook adviser Viggen Rassam ’87 and Rizlin Jew ’22, editor and designer of the cover art, the afternoon was a success, as many students stayed three hours in the library talking and laughing.

Rassam said, “It was rewarding to give the seniors an opportunity to be with each other again before they go their separate ways again—forever.”

Jew said, “We’ve come a long way and it’s really exciting to see everyone come together and enjoy the yearbook after such a tough year. Just seeing everyone enjoy it is worth all the effort.”

She added, “I’m very grateful to have the opportunity to design the first coed yearbook.”

Photo by Joseph Zuloaga ’23 Lance Editor Rizlin Jew ’22 hands a 2021 yearbook to JT Torrea ’21.

The recent graduates were happy to see the yearbook and happy to see each other. Jeremy Sherron ’21 said, “It’s really amazing, considering what we went through, but it made it one of the most memorable years of my life.”

Anthony Rissotto ’17, who was on campus for the summer programs, noted the importance of yearbooks, saying, “In this digital age, I believe hard copy yearbooks are still very important, because it gives me something physical to remember my memories with.”

While many picked up

their 2021 yearbooks, others collected yearbooks from the past for their fathers, uncles, and brothers.

Angelica Balingit ’21, the first female Riordan graduate, was happy to take home yearbooks for her father, Christopher Balingit Sr., who graduated in 1995. Her brothers Christopher Jr. and Matthew graduated in 2019.

As renovation continues through the summer, hundreds of old yearbooks that were never

Please see “Yearbooks” continued on page 4

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Staff

Summer 2021 The Squire Archbishop Riordan High School

Scan this code to read this issue of The Squire online, as well as previous issues.

Staff members of The Squire consisted of fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students as reporters, and Riordan students as photographers and editorial assistants.

The Squire Staff Reporters Liam Colon Jason Dubriwny Lucy Galvin Myles Jaurigui Veronica Juarez Anthony Modeste Vincent Modeste Alex O’Driscoll Amber Oneto Antonio Siopack

Joseph Soegiharto Joelle Vargas-Azucar Nathan Walber Kannon Wood Theo Wood Editorial Assistant Andrea Abraham ’24 Adviser Susan Sutton, CJE

Note: The name of the Camp Crusader newspaper was changed from The Crusader Junior to The Squire in 2018. A squire is “an attendant to a knight before becoming a knight.”

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Finance class pays off for students in interesting ways

By Antonio Siopack

Grade 8, St. Finn Barr School

The Finance class is about improving skills at money management, financial planning, consumer debt, and how money flows. All of these skills will be helpful for any career students may choose in the future.

In 2021, more than ever before, it is very important to know how to invest and manage money.

Brian Davis, Riordan math teacher and summer Finance class teacher, said, “When getting a credit card, remember to pay back the loan amount in time Photo by Andrea Abraham ’24 because the money is loaned, not free money.” He also added that Brian Davis, Riordan math teacher, explains how credit card interest works. paying off one’s bills is important because the debt consumers need to pay will increase year by year.

Matthew Aranas, an 8th to be older than 18 or start also change over time, depending grade student of St. Anne School, an account with a parent or on the market.

Teacher’s assistant Aaron said that the Finance class is guardian’s permission. else to Abraham ’22 said in this class, important and he would take Something it again next year because he remember is that inflation is a he learned “how to read a band learned valuable information. “A common problem when the price check, how to invest, what to look tip from the finance class is to pay level rises up in an economy over out for when investing and what a time, but investing early will trading floor looks like.” off your bills on time,” he said.

He chose this class

Davis added that finance is increase the chances of adding a valuable skill to learn and in the to the original amount because because, “I knew this class taught long run, it is important. He also when the money sits there, it very valuable lessons, lessons added that as people grow up, they gains interest—although that can that I can take with me in life.” need to learn how to invest even though it doesn’t look important now.

According to Davis, teens should start investing for their college savings account.

Robinhood is a good investing app -Aaron Abraham ’22 for beginners. In order to start an investing account, one would have

“This class taught valuable lessons I can take with me in life.”

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Campus News

Summer 2021

The Squire Archbishop Riordan High School

“Yearbooks,” continued from page 1 picked up had to be discarded because there is no room for them anymore. But, more than 100 were saved.

Brandon Ramsey, Director of Facilities, said, “In part of our effort to reorganize, we have created two separate archive areas. One is dedicated to our history, with many moments, including all of our yearbooks, since the school opened.”

Ramsey added, “We also have created another archive area which holds important documents and records. We currently carry at least three yearbooks per year so in the future we can create digital copies.”

Other alumni took advantage of the chance to recover lost yearbooks, such as Gustavo Garrard ’88.

“Yearbooks are like a time capsule that allow us to go back and look at all the memories and photos during those four years at Riordan,” Garrard said. “They include faces and photos we may have forgotten over the years, and the books allow us to go back and recapture those.”

Khalil Jones ’24, who was on campus for summer basketball workouts, found his dad’s yearbooks among piles destined for the recycling bin.

He said, “My Dad is going to cry happy tears. Plus, now I have these old photos to hold over his head.”

Finally, Aaron Abraham ’22, a summer program teacher’s assistant, said, “Almost anyone can access anything on the internet, but a physical copy of the yearbook feels like you’re taking home a piece of Riordan with you.”

Photo by Joseph Zuloaga ’23 Rizlin Jew ’22 designed the cover of the 2021 Lance yearbook.

Photo by The Squire staff Khalil Jones ’24 points to his father’s (Douglas Jones ’96) yearbook photo.

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Apples for the teachers!

Flat screens equipped with Apple TV to replace projectors in classrooms

By Joseph Soegiharto

Grade 6, Lawton Alternative School and

Liam Colon

Grade 8, Saints Peter and Paul School

As the days to the opening of the fall semester inch closer, the classroom renovations continue to move forward.

This huge project, which includes several classrooms, was made possible by fundraising and donations.

Workers first started remodeling the classrooms late June by removing furniture and decorations. Then came the process of removing the carpets and abating the room for asbestos.

According to Brandon Ramsey, Director of Facilities, “As of now the floors have been abated, new white boards have been installed, painting will be done next week and then new blinds will come soon after.”

As with most construction projects, this one was not without delays. Ramsey said that the COVID-19 pandemic affected labor and shipping because “many factories are not working at full capacity.”

However, the carpet that was to be delayed until September, will now arrive on time, pushing the project closer to completion.

One exciting addition to the new classrooms is the upgraded technology, which

Photo by The Squire staff Director of Facilities Brandon Ramsey discusses the installment of the new flat screens with Technology Assistant Tre’jon Bolden ’12.

includes 75 inch flat screen Apple TVs. Each one weighs approximately 90 pounds and will be mounted to the front classroom wall where the projection screens used to be.

The facilities and technology teams will work together on the installations.

John Wu, Director of Technology, said, “With Apple TV/TV setup, it’s better than the projectors because you can mirror both images and sound from Apple devices or other devices (with the right software) or play content directly from the Apple TV.”

As for future work, Wu said, “We are working on a new

WiFi system and a new PA system.

It’ll help with increasing the bandwidth and overall speed for the users. For us, it’s going to help clear and restructure our network infrastructure to be more efficient and streamlined, which means future upgrades to lines and hardware will be easier and more modular (plug and play).

Ramsey also hinted at the future, saying, “Give it another year and you will be seeing a school with all of its classrooms renovated, freshly painted hallways and hopefully another surprise or two in the process.”

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Arts & Entertainment

Summer 2021

The Squire Archbishop Riordan High School

Art class sparks creativity, encourages confidence

By Amber Oneto

Grade 8, All Souls School The art class sparks creativity for the children of Camp Crusader at Riordan High School.

The art class, taught by Mark Alvarez ’16, gives students the opportunity to work creatively, artistically, and individually. This gives the students the artistic freedom to express themselves through their creations.

Here, they have the ability to work with clay, colored pencils, lead pencils, paint, cameras, and more. Students see it as a great way of combining creativity and discipline. For example, while having creative freedom, there are still rules and certain ways to accomplish the daily task that Alvarez assigns.

It can be educational in creative ways, such as learning how lighting can affect a photo, how cameras and film work, and how to create a self portrait.

The class teaches students to be confident in their work and that everyone has unique creative abilities. It also teaches them how to be optimistic with their work while it is in progress.

Madison Walsh, who is currently taking the art class, said she likes the class because she is “able to create something I can use in my daily life and get to show my creativity.”

She added, “Art class is

Photo by Andrea Abraham ’24 Students in the art class create drawings with pencils. basically a creative outlet where you can take things from your mind and insert them, and turn them into real life things.”

The class is an enjoyable one that is available to all students, and the environment is safe and friendly so that students can express themselves and their creativity.

It is also a way for students to be imaginative, innovative, and creative, and students learn to value creativity and the creative process through the class.

Kasey Walsh said, “I like getting to glaze and paint my

objects; I like to paint.”

Alvarez said, “I find working here extremely fun and I find it very rewarding and I like doing art.”

He added, “I always wanted to do art as a career, so doing it and teaching it is very, very rewarding.”

“People think their drawing abilities are an extension of themselves so they are really hard on themselves,” Alvarez said.

“I like to teach them that it’s not about that, it’s about practicing and about the process to get there.”

“I can use [art] in my daily life and get to show my creativity.”

-Madison Walsh

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Viewers deem ‘Luca’ a sea monstrously good tale

By Alex O’Driscoll Grade 5, Stuart Hall

“Luca” is a 2021 animated film set in a little town in Italy called Portorosso, about a young boy named Luca Paguro who lives underwater and is secretly a sea monster who dreams about going to the surface even though his parents do not want him to.

The animated film is produced by Pixar, and distributed

by Disney. Viewers can watch the movie via streaming on Disney+.

When his parents threaten to send him to live with his crazy uncle, he escapes to land and meets a boy named Alberto Scorfano and they become friends.

They go to a nearby town called Portorosso to hopefully find a way to get a Vespa, the vehicle that they both really want.

There, they find Ercole Visconti, a boy with a shiny red Vespa who turns out to be a bully.

They also meet a fish delivery girl named Guilia Marcovaldo, whom they become friends with, and they join her team in the local triathlon. Together, they have some cool adventures, including the triathlon.

Jason Dubriwny, a 6th grader at Camp Crusader, said, “ I like how they did the animation.”

He also added, “I liked all the characters except Luca because he was kind of awkward.”

“Luca” is available on Disney Plus.

Veronica Juarez, a 5th grader from St. Peter’s School, said she enjoyed seeing the movie, and she would pay money to see it in a movie theatre because it

was so good. She said, “My favorite part is probably when he first goes on to land.”

Veronica and Jason would both give it an 8 out of 10.

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Campus News

Summer 2021

The Squire Archbishop Riordan High School

What’s in a name? Naming venues on

By Lucy Galvin

Grade 6, Hillsdale School

At Archbishop Riordan High School, venues are named to honor alumni and benefactors as well as to raise money for the school.

The process of naming buildings, fields, rooms, and gates at ARHS is by auctioning them or naming them after people who donated gifts or money to the school. When an area is being renovated, the Development Office raises money for the project and people who donate large amounts may be eligible to bestow a name on that facility.

Development Director Simon Chiu spoke about the minimum cost for naming something, saying, “It really depends on the project. Right now, the minimum cost for naming something is $20,000.”

He added, “When we work to renovate a classroom or build a new football field, the school needs to raise funds to do that work.

Donors who help us with those project costs can have certain facilities named for them.”

According to Chiu, “The major athletic facilities are named (gym, football field, fitness center, weight room). Many of the classrooms are also named for certain people or foundations who helped the school to fund the project.”

Some of the areas named to honor donors or much loved alumni include: Mayer Family Field, Ron Isola Dugout, Carl

Photos by The Squire staff Riordan baseball players exit Herrera Gate after summer workouts.

Gellert and Celia Berta Gellert Athletic Complex, Daniel J. and Mary Moriarty Press Box, Hannah and Catherine Moriarty Fitness Center, Cazahous Gate, Herrera Gate, Kevin Restani Court, and Tyrone McGraw Way

to name a few.

Athletic Director Jay’Sen Morris ’07 knows (or knew) three of those whose names adorn a Riordan facility: Ron Isola, Steve Herrera, and Tyrone McGraw. He said, “I was very fortunate to

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campus honors past and present legends know Tyrone McGraw ’06. I met him in grammar school as we both attended St. Paul’s before Riordan.

We played football together, and were both a part of the Achieve program here at Riordan.”

Morris added, “I think it’s extremely important for students to see the names of alumni around the school. It creates a connection and hopefully demonstrates that they can also make an impact on the Riordan community. All the alumni who have a space named after them started their journey to honor as a Riordan student.”

Chiu said, “Naming gifts are a way to honor the donor when he or she supports the school in a significant way. Sometimes, donors use it as an opportunity to honor someone special to the donor and they will name a facility after someone else (a relative, a teacher).”

The names of those who were part of Riordan’s past or present help to shape the future.

Morris concluded, “I find it very inspiring, and a reminder of the impact each of those people had and currently have on the Riordan community and even myself. With Tyrone not being here with us anymore, seeing his name as I enter the parking lot every day gives me motivation and a reminder of why I am here at Riordan.”

The court at the Crusader Forum is named after Kevin Restani ’70.

Some of the newly renovated classrooms are named in honor of alumni.

“I find it very inspiring, and a reminder of the impact each of those people had on the Riordan community.”

-Jay’Sen Morris ’07

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Campus News

Summer 2021

The Squire Archbishop Riordan High School

Sports medicine class aims to widen career choices for students

By Anthony Modeste Grade 8 and

Vincent Modeste

Grade 5, St. Stephen School

A new sports medicine class is teaching students the basics of the profession, and how it can be an enjoyable and successful career.

The class is taught by Anthony Rissotto ’17, a trainer at Archbishop Riordan High School.

Sports Medicine is a branch of healthcare that deals with treating and preventing injuries related to sports and exercise.

People employed in this profession can be trainers, and physicians.

The fields of employment include collegiate, professional, and high school sports, and they can also work in medical clinics and hospitals.

“In sports medicine we learn how to do different kinds of taping and splints, which can be fun and enjoyable,” Alex O’Driscoll, one of the students in sports medicine, said.

They learn how to tape various joints and bones such as wrists, and fingers. The type of splints they use are ankle splints, leg splints and arm splints. They also learn how to wrap an ice bag on someone.

Overall, they are coming into touch with what it is like to work in sports medicine and what the job would involve.

Photo by Andrea Abraham ’24 Sports Medicine teacher Anthony Rissotto ’17 shows students how to properly pump air into a leg splint.

“The goal of this class is to give the students another career option as they get older.”

-Anthony Rissotto ’17

This class began in the first session of the 2021 Riordan summer camp and continued on to the second and last session of the camp. Many hope to see this class continue next year, in an effort to bring a fun and wholesome experience to many new people.

Rissotto stated, “The goal of this class is to give the students another career option as they get older.”

He also noted, “This is a great opportunity to get to know some good people and to have fun while doing it.”

Sports

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Volleyball camp bumps skills to higher level

By Joelle Vargas-Azucar Grade 8, Children’s Day School and

Veronica Juarez Grade 5, St. Peter’s School

This summer, in the Riordan gym, players and coaches are working hard to build their skills in volleyball.

With volleyball workouts happening this summer, players are getting better and better by putting in lots of hard work.

With a grand range of skill levels, players work hard to be their very best, putting in many hours of practice with each coming week.

Volleyball instructor Coach Stephanie Lee said, “Being a part of the first volleyball team at Riordan is amazing! It is so awesome to be a part of this historical event. We had such a huge turnout during the ’20’21 season and the coaches were so happy to get so many young women involved. ”

Coach Lee has much experience in volleyball, both playing and coaching. She stated, “I played high school volleyball all four years at SHC. I also played a year of club for Cal Poly SLO before starting my coaching career.”

Photo by The Squire staff Isabella (Bella) Espinoza prepares to bump the volleyball.

Coach Lee is making sure all players are working hard, growing their skills, and most importantly, staying positive

One player, Ceejae Minell de Lumen ’24, said, “My favorite part is just being able to see my friends and create new memories.”

Ceejae added, “I usually try to enjoy every part of it but I would have to say my least favorite part of it is conditioning but I know it will make me stronger so it’s worth it.”

So even with the new friends and memories, volleyball does have parts that players enjoy less.

Players have all sorts of different experiences that differ throughout the team.

Silas Garcia said, “I’ve been playing for one year, and yes, I’ve played volleyball, basketball and soccer.”

Coach Lee is not only teaching players the basic rules of the game, but also great teamwork skills.

Coach Lee said, “The best part about volleyball is the teamwork. It is so exciting to see the progress that a team makes from the beginning to the end of the season.”

“The best part about volleyball is the teamwork.”

-Coach Stephanie Lee

Features

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Teachers give bobbleheads nod of approval

By Nathan Walber

Grade 8, Leroy Greene Academy

The first bobbleheads were created in the 1920s. Bobbleheads are dolls with a head that jiggles around. It works by shaking it or moving it a little. Then, the head will start bobbing.

Bobbleheads can be famous people or people can design one on their own. They can really be anything.

Math teacher Mary Datoc said, “I have only one bobblehead in my classroom. It is a Hello Kitty wearing a Giants jersey.”

Sometimes bobbleheads can be really important to people.

English teacher Diana Assereto said, “The most important one I have is a replica of Mr. Ron Isola who was our former athletic director, teacher, coach and much more. His dedication to the school and his friendship has always meant so much to me.”

Math teacher Mary Ann Datoc’s Giants’ Hello Kitty bobblehead is sentimental and educational.

Photos by The Squire staff English teacher Diana Assereto’s bobbleheads feature Riordan legend Ron Isola and Giants’ all-star Brandon Crawford.

There are different reasons why bobbleheads are important to a person. To Datoc, it represents her childhood. She said, “I have this because I grew up with Hello Kitty items and the Giants are my team.”

Bobbleheads are also collectables, which means an item valued and sought by collectors.

Some people collect these because it can be fun or exciting, and even educational.

Bobbleheads can also involve math and science. Datoc said, “When I see the bobblehead, I think of Geometry and Statistics.

Just look at the shape and angles of the field or analyze the batting average and RBI for each player.

Watch the movie, ‘Moneyball,’ and

you will understand.”

Susan Sutton, English and journalism teacher, has two in her classroom: Edgar Allan Poe and Mark Twain. She said, “I like the whimsical nature of bobbleheads and both Poe and Twain were not only famous writers, but started their careers as journalists.”

She has dozens of Giants’ bobbleheads, and is thinking of adding a Jane Austen or Ida B. Wells to her classroom collection.

Bobbleheads can be educational, profitable, or hold sentimental value.

Sutton said, “Even if the ones I have can be sold for a profit, I would not sell them because they add character to my classroom and reflect my own character.”