The Pride Volume 2 Issue 1

SEPTEMBER 2015

ST. PIUS X - ST. MATTHIAS ACADEMY

VOLUME 2: ISSUE 1

The First  PMA Student  Newspaper NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK

VOLUME 2: ISSUE 1

MEET OUR NEW   FACULTY AND STAFF

FRANCE AND SPAIN TRIP FIND OUT ABOUT OUR FIRST TRIP TO EUROPE

COLUMNS SUCCESS, POP CULTURE AND FASHION

THE PRIDE BACK TO SCHOOL ISSUE The new school year began with tremendous changes: new faculty and staff members, new uniform color, laptop program, revamped website, our very own app, and new students: the Class of 2019, transfer and international students. Welcome to the school year’s first issue of THE PRIDE!

QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, IDEAS? EMAIL: NEWSPAPER@PIUSMATTHIAS.ORG

SEPTEMBER 2015

ISSUE 1

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK Mr. Delgado is the new Director of Marketing. He expressed, “It’s been great. It is a welcoming, warm-felt place. My biggest obstacle was to get to meet the students, but now that I’ve interacted with the students it’s encouraging to go out there and recruit for the school. His job as Director of Marketing involves admissions and marketing: “The admissions side is the intake, the process, the applications, and the financial aid. The other side is the marketing, messaging, and branding. The idea is to tell the story of our school.”His main objective is to bring the PMA community closer together. “I think there’s a lot of good stories to tell, being at this small school. I feel like we have a lot to offer to prospective families, from parents to students. It’s more about getting people involved.” Mr. Delgado also shared his plan for recruiting students this upcoming school year. He plans on doing this by, “keeping things personal, and having people feel comfortable. It's about letting people know we’re personal, we’re reachable , getting to know our administrators, our students. I think it's a team effort, involving the whole school.”

Mr. Sedano is the new athletic director and teacher. Though he has only been here for the past mont, has grown to love the spiritual environment. He commented, “I like the spiritual environment that has been created here. I think the motto is a great message that we’re holding everyone accountable to. Everyone is very friendly and welcoming, and there is a true spirit of caring, respect, and appreciation.” As Athletic Director, he plans on making new improvements to the athletics department.“I want to ensure that we have a vibrant athletic program that is focused on nurturing our students’ talents to be involved in programs that they would like to take part in. Football has been a big thing here. The reason I wanted to start with a flag football team was so that all of our kids that are interested in that can have a chance to do that. I think it's more developing and implementing, so that we’re addressing everyone's likes and concerns.” He also plans on adding some new sports this year. “We’re looking at having our baseball team, and ensuring that we have a baseball team. I also want to look at what ideas the ladies here have for implementing other programs for them as well, or maybe looking at sports that consist of co-ed teams. At the end of the day, it's all for the students to have the best high school experience.”

Meet the 2015  Pride Staff

Co-Editor In Chief My name is Nicole Valdenor Biley. My life revolves around dance. I have been dancing since I was 4 years old. I am an ambitious and high achieving person. I don't dream about success, because I work for it.

Co-Editor In Chief Hi, I'm Jasmeen JOY Santos and I am a senior here at PMA... but I still look 12. I'm a very happy and joyful person and I love to make people smile. I like to keep myself busy with Netflix, hanging out with friends, ASB, and dance. I always like to have someone with me by my side. I take pride into what I do and appreciate every day I wake up breathing and alive.

Interviews and photos by Josie Armendariz, class of 2018

SEPTEMBER 2015

ISSUE 1

SUCCESS COLUMN by Nicole Biley, class of 2016 "When you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe, then you will be successful," - Eric Thomas Everyone wants to be successful, and everyone has his/her own definition of what "success" is. The first step to becoming successful is to figure out how you will define success. To some people, it's having millions of dollars in the bank, and to others it's settling down and having a family. Once you've figured that out, it's time to come up with your game plan. 100% of the time, there will be challenges and there will be barriers. Some of them are physical, but more often than not those challenges and barriers are going to be in your head. Doubt is an example of a mental obstacle and it crushes more dreams than failure ever will. You can either be your #1 fan or your worst enemy: the choice is yours. It's okay to fail, but it's not okay to stop trying after you've failed. Keep on failing until you finally succeed. Michael Jordan said, “I have missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I have lost almost 300 games. On 26 occasions I have been entrusted to take the game winning shot, and I missed. I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team. If he stopped playing basketball after he was cut, he would have never gone down in history as one of the best

basketball players of all time. You have to be able to pick yourself up after you've fallen because let me tell you, nothing hurts more than looking back and thinking "I wish I didn't give up" or "I should have tried harder". If you're not giving your all, then what's the point? Don't stop until you're truly proud of yourself. Your journey may take weeks, months, or even years but that should not keep you from being successful. When working toward your goals, you must be aware of the inevitable arrival of success. You will cry. You will feel pain. People will doubt you. You will even begin to doubt yourself. You will fail numerous times before you succeed, but it will all be worth it once you're finally able to say "Momma, I made it."

Staff Writer My name is Denia Ramos. I enjoy writing, singing, and acting, reading. I’ve been in sports since 4th grade like volleyball, basketball, softball etc. I try to always stay busy but have free time and have time management. Overall, I have been in academics and athletics all my life but I still love to have free time to do write and read.

Staff Writer My name is Lexi Hernandez. I’m fifteen years old and I am a sophomore at PMA. My hobbies include collecting comic books and reading. I love to be active, but at the same time I love to watch Netflix. I am a big fan of Marvel Comics and DC Comics. My favorite thing to do is hang out with friends and family. Not Pictured Josie Armendariz  Natalia I. Garcia

SEPTEMBER 2015

ISSUE 1

MEET THE NEW TEACHERS "It's like being a new kid in high school but this time I'm in charge of grading," says the new theology teacher. Dr. Fisher is getting to know our school environment and is enjoying it. He likes to put himself in other people's shoes to understand them. "I may not like what you do but I will try to understand it.” One fun fact people don't know about him is that he speaks German! He even went to Germany as an exchange student. In addition to Germany, Dr. Fisher also went to India. The first time he went was on a six-week sponsored trip in 2012. A group of scholars studied and wrote a paper on Jainism, which is the study of an ancient religion from India. According to this religion, the way to liberation and bliss is to live a life of harmlessness and renunciation. Six months later, he traveled back to India to conduct field research. Dr. Fisher is unique because he does not teach people what to think, but instead teaches people how to think. A quote he lives by goes like this, "Harden not your heart against the world". This quote from the Old Testament means that you know bad things will happen in life, but if you make it to the other side still living a Christ-like life then you've done alright. Dr. Fisher has three theology degrees: bachelor’s degree in theology, master’s degree in systematic theology, and a doctorate in philosophy of religion and theology. He received his BA and MA at Marquette University and his PhD at Claremont University. In 2004, Dr. Fisher decided that he wanted to get a PhD, and it took him 11 years to earn it. For anyone out there planning to get a PhD, Dr. Fisher advises you to get your academics done first so you can play later. If you want to get to know Dr. Fisher, make sure to stop by and say hello!  by Nicole Biley, class of 2016 One of the new faculty members is Mr. Nicdao, the sophomore and junior English teacher. So far, Mr. Nicdao is having an amazing time enjoys the company of the students and faculty. “ I like meeting everyone, and I usually shake their hand when they come in the classroom. It allows you to be a person for a while and to get into the groove of teaching.” One of Mr. Nicdao’s favorite activities is working out. He was a gym rat and would go to the gym all the time. Now that he has children, Mr. Nicdao is into the P90X3 program and has three little girls whom he loves very much. “My girls are a part of who I am. I just love them. I try to be at their events, and I try to be the dad that’s present relationship-wise and not just the one that functions and makes the money, but also the one that’s at their ballet recitals and back-to-school nights.” “The best thing that ever happened to me was marrying my wife.” When Mr. Nicdao first met his wife, he was in his first year of college and he had agreed to be her date as a favor for a friend. At the time, Mr. Nicdao began studying to become a priest so they broke up. Ten years passed, and in that time he realized the priesthood wasn’t for him. They met up and hit it off right away. Within the next year, they were married. It was just meant to be! In the short time I spoke to Mr. Nicdao, I got to know him at a personal level. I believe that he will be a great teacher this year because he shows commitment to his job and understanding in his classroom.   by Lexi Hernandez, class of 2018

Staff Writer Hello my name is Valentino Orihuela and I'm a freshmen from Pius X Matthias academy. I was born on December 13 and always enjoyed playing video games and watching anime! I have great ambition but can be extremely lazy at times but I try to push myself! I prefer things straight forward and simple but complex things are good every so often. I plan to grow up and become a computer engineer.

Staff Writer Hi, my name is Arianna Villegas, and I am a freshman here at PMA. I have a passion for writing, and I think being part of Newspaper will be an exciting thing to do this year. I enjoy watching movies, reading books, crocheting, playing the violin, singing, and spending time with family and friends. I hope to get good grades these next few years at PMA, and would like to attend a university in the future. I am looking forward to a great year here at PMA!

Instructor: Ms. Nicdao

SEPTEMBER 2015

ISSUE 1

NERDING OUT WITH NATALIA This summer brought a few blockbuster hits to the big screen. While some of these movies thrived in the box office for weeks, others failed opening weekend. June brought "Jurassic World", the fourth installment to the Jurassic Park series. The sequel made $981.3 million in just two weeks and became the biggest Thursday release movie topping both Avengers films and Furious 7. Some theaters are even bringing it back because of popular demand. While the film didn’t have the characters we loved from the first films, it was still a hit with fans and even people who hadn’t seen the first few films. Because of its popularity in theaters, there's even talk of Jurassic World 2, so let's see what they can come up with. July saw the classic Marvel comics hero Ant-Man come to life. Although fans of the comics were concerned upon learning the movie would revolve around Scott Lang instead of the original Hank Pym, most were pleased with the outcome as it made $55 million opening weekend. The movie was one of Marvel's more humorous films, but there were still plenty of serious scenes the fans definitely appreciated. Not to mention, an epic fight between Lang a certain soon-to-be Avenger that fans loved. Scott Lang even has a confirmed appearance in the upcoming movie "Captain America: Civil War" as a part of Captain America’s team. He will be fighting alongside Bucky Barnes aka “The Winter Soldier”, Hawkeye, Sam Wilson aka “Falcon”, Sharon Carter, and Captain America himself. August gave us a superhero fail. The Fantastic Four reboot had fans of the comics skeptical from the moment the cast was announced, maybe even before then. With the release of stills and trailers, people continued to be skeptical and the movie sure made a lot of people talk about it. Unfortunately, that talk didn’t make people want to see it. It made $26.1 million at almost 4,000 theaters nationwide opening weekend and still has only made about $49.7 million to this day. The only superhero movie to have done worse opening weekend is Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance. The movie has an 8% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, yet it's been confirmed for a sequel. In television news, Marvel's Agent Carter starring Hayley Atwell and James D'Arcy as Peggy Carter and Edwin Jarvis respectively has been confirmed for season 2. The show about Peggy’s life after World War II as a double agent was a huge hit not only with fans of the Captain America franchise but many other people who had no idea who she was beforehand. Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D has also been confirmed for season 3 and fans are hoping this season will give us hints of the upcoming Inhumans film. Season 9 of Doctor Who comes out this fall marking 52 years of the show. All three shows will be premiering towards the end of September. So while summer seemed to bring a lot to the plate, fall seems just as eventful so be sure to stay tuned.

DOWNLOAD   THE PMA   APP!

Download the PMA app on iTunes or Android Store. Subscribe on Notifications as a student and receive up to date news on Events and Announcements.

TECHNOLOGY  ANNOUNCEMENT  ALL STUDENTS must have a laptop device ready in class.   No exceptions.   If you do not have a device or it is broken, please see Ms. Nicdao immediately.

by Natalia I. Garcia, class of 2018

SEPTEMBER 2015

ISSUE 1

ARIANNA’S FASHION CORNER

UPCOMING EVENTS • Blood Drive 9/16 • Senior Parent Night 9/17 (Mandatory) • Freshman Retreat 9/18 • Cross Country Meet   9/18 (Irvine) • NO SCHOOL 9/21 • Club Day 9/25 • SPIRIT WEEK  9/28-10/2 • Volleyball Game 10/1 • FIRST FLAG FOOTBALL GAME  Home: 10/1 at 4pm

There are many new, up-to-date fashion trends that you should know about. The first new thing this season are bright colored dresses. Summer colors are now turning into winter colored outfits as it becomes fall. Bright colored dresses have become the new trend that you often see people like Gigi Hadid and Kendall Jenner wearing. New fall colors will change, but as of now, bright dresses are what you should be wearing if you’re going out. Crop tops are another trend that you see people wearing, and will often be paired with shorts and all white Converse to pull off a comfortable, but savvy look. As the weather gets cooler, you’ll probably want to get back into the habit of wearing outfits to keep warm. Flannel plaid shirts or other long- sleeved pullovers with a pair of denim jeans and some sneakers could be a good way to bring in the new fall season. Lace-up boots could also be a good shoe choice to join with any of your outfit combinations. Another thing that could add “toughness” to your cute outfit would be a military jacket. One more ensemble to stay warm with would be a chunky ribbed sweater, as opposed to last year’s trend of large printed cardigans. Small printed backpacks have also become a fashion must-have. Cute little printed backpacks have become a fashion statement. Finally, that leads to one more interesting thing you might not have seen. The charms that people are putting on their zippers to accessorize their purses have become a popular trend. These new charms, or keychains are used to create a pop of color in people’s outfits. That’s all for this month. Wait for next month’s issue about new trends and fashion!   by Arianna Villegas, class of 2019

• Flag Football 10/2  vs. Vistamar • Welcome Back  DANCE 10/2 • NORCAL College Trip 10/7-10/9 • PSAT: 10/14 • PROGRESS REPORTS 10/15 • Parent Tech Night 10/22 and 11/12

SEPTEMBER 2015

ISSUE 1

FRANCE AND SPAIN TRIP 2015 On June, 2015, a group of girls along with Ms. Rudolf-Dib and Ms. Arias took over France and Spain! They were experienced things that most of us only get to see in pictures. These young ladies visited famous monuments,   ate exotic foods, and take tons of selfies. Andrea Cabrera, 2016: “I took way too many to count, most of them on Ms. Arias’ phone with Priscilla.”     Rosemary Hernandez ,2016: “I think I took about 25-30 selfies… I’m not a selfie person.”

DIRECTORY Power School  See Ms. Arias

IP Address/Hardware  Mr. Castaneda  (@Server Room)

Student Life/Campus Ministry  Mr. Raymundo

Melissa Castellanos, 2016: “I think I took at least 300 selfies just to get the right one.” The young ladies visited beautiful cathedrals, including the Notre Dame and enjoyed these amazing views for over a week. Nevertheless, they admitted to being homesick. I asked the ladies, “What was the funniest thing that happened on the trip?” Senior, Andrea Cabrera shared, “The funniest part of the trip were my roommates, Jacky, Priscilla, and Melissa. Our water fight and definitely the time when we broke the bed.” Senior, Rosemary Hernandez added, “All the funny and embarrassing things probably happened to me… I fell in all 3 places and I also went into the wrong room.” Next summer, PMA will take over Florence, Italy! Don’t hesitate to find out more information and see Ms. Rudolf-Dib. To see some pictures from the France and Spain trip, log onto Instagram and search up this hashtag: #PMAtakesEurope2k15 by Jasmeen Santos, class of 2016

Eligibility and Grades, Think Tank  Mrs. Graciano

Tech Issues  Ms. Nicdao

SEPTEMBER 2015

ISSUE 1

INSECURE (A CREATIVE WRITING PIECE) by Denia Ramos, class of 2018 I sat at my desk as my teacher continued with her lesson. I sat there quietly waiting for this class to end, only hearing the clicking of my classmates’ computers. It was irritating to say the least. Although I love having a computer in school, the noise was becoming something I needed to get used to. I couldn’t focus because of the fact I had my audition today for AMDA. This audition is my last chance to get into AMDA. If I do this I could pursue my career in acting. I was still in seat, my leg jumping bouncing as I waited for the last bell to release us to our outside lives. “We’ll be having our quiz on-” My teacher spoke as the bell rang, cutting her off. “-Monday.” She says as we all walk out the class. I look around frantically wanting to find the quickest way out of the school. I see a path on the outer edge of the crowd in the hall. “Hey Alyssa!” My friend Maycie comes up to me. I turn around my nervousness rising as she spoke. “Do you know when we have our test for Calculus?” She asks politely. “Not sure. I gotta go, Bye Macycie!” I say turning around and speed walking away. I am so going to be late like always. I race over to my car which was on the other side of this school. I finally reached my car and roared the engine to life. “Anything is possible and I believe in you!” I sang along with the radio off key as I drove to my audition. I felt my stomach crunch as I drove down the road getting closer to AMDA. I was so nervous. What if I forget my monologue when I go up there? What if I’m too scared to even enter the building?! I finally got to my destination. I was trembling as I got out of my car. I felt myself slowly begin to walk after I locked my car. I walked to the building and took a deep breath. I can do this. I walked in towards the front desk and there sat a polite looking woman. She had long brown hair kept in a tight bun on the back of her head and glasses laid on the bridge of her nose. “Hello, I’m Alyssa Brooks. I’m here for an audition.” I say as the receptionist looks down into her computer. “Oh well, it says here that you canceled your audition.” she says looking up at me and I feel my heart drop. I never canceled any audition. “You must be mistaken. I never canceled my audition.” I laugh uncomfortably and she furrows her eyebrows. To be continued….