Paw PrintThe

JSerra Catholic High School Volume 40 • May 2016

JSerra Catholic High School • 26351 Junipero Serra Road San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675 • (949) 493-9307 • JSerra.org

Who Do You Wish You’d Gone on a

Date With?

Seniors, What Would You Tell Your Freshman Self?

“Ryan Johnson because he’s funny and listens to good music.” – Zoe Kaffen

“Haley Kempf, because she is so sweet.” – Armaan Zabihi

“Anthony Labruna...because he was supposed to take me to an Angels’ game...and never did!” – Cat Hendrick.

“Ryan Johnson because he always makes me laugh.” – Ashlyn Underwood

“Lauren Labruna.” – Nader Gasmi

“Sydni Brown.” – Jerome Catalino

“Mary Kaffen, because she’s good at tennis and better than Zoe.” – Garrett Sciortino

“Garrett Sciortino, because he has cool shorts.” – Mary Kaffen

“Friends are forever, boys aren’t.” – Olivia Coyle

“Take high school more seriously.” – Andrew Ikalowich

“Do all your homework.” – Nick Valdez

“Take all the hard classes first.” – Kathy Guo

“Find some real homies and stick with them, be yourself.” – Kyle Adams

“Start socializing before junior year.” – Bryce Dougherty

“Take more classes with Mr. Kahl.” – Damjan Kertesz

“Take SAT classes so you can do better...because I didn’t...I was too lazy.” – Michael Zabran

“Dress up more for the spirit days.” – Naomi Buenrostro

“To not care what other people think.” – Taylor Dunlevie

“Get more involved with school activities...sports...spirit.” – Peyton Clifton

I remember my heart starting to beat erratically when I put down the deposit for Whittier College just a few weeks ago after declaring a major in English and a minor in Theatre and Communicative Studies. It was this explosive combination of

excitement and fear: excitement for what the future has in store, and fear of leaving the place I had so lovingly sought out as comfort for the past four years. That same stinging feeling resurfaced when Mr. Kahl asked me to write a sort of goodbye letter to JSerra. Writing this, I felt the melancholic beauty of my journey here threatening to spill down my cheeks. But one of the most important things I’ve learned in the past four years is that we shouldn’t be afraid to feel. So one last time, let me thank JSerra for the gift of happiness it has given me since freshman year. To the administration: thank you for working tirelessly to make JSerra feel safe. I speak for myself when I say this, but there is absolutely no other school I would be more proud to say was my home for four years of my life. To my teachers (you know who you are): I love you dearly.

Every one of you has played a crucial part in shaping the person I am today. I’m going to make it a point to live the rest of my life in a way that I know would make you proud. I want you all to know that the moment my cap goes sailing into the air: You did that. You made that happen. Your legacy

as teachers will live on through me, I’ll make sure of it. My future students will be so lucky if I ever live up to become half as incredible as you each are. Thank you for feeling more like home than any four walls ever will. And finally, to my friends—you’ll be with me forever, I just know it. I’m sure

I’ll see the same light from your eyes in other smiles one day, or hear lyrics that strike me in the deepest part of my heart. Even if life doesn’t go the way we planned and our kids don’t get to meet each other, I’ll tell them about you. Thank you, all of you who are reading this. I’ll tell my kids about JSerra, I’m sure. And I hope they find

people just like you to help them through life, because it sure is a journey impossible to travel alone. “There are moments where the words don’t reach; there is a grace too powerful to name.” –Hamilton the Musical

Farewell Seniors

Staff

Paw PrintThe

Ivan AltamiranoEmily Gloyne

Molly HarmonHanna McCutcheon

Julia SanchezRyan SánchezJadyn Zielinski

Mr. Jeff Kahl, Advisor

History Has Its Eyes On Youby Megan D’Souza

Senior and Former Paw Print Staff Writer

Spring Musical

Farewell Seniors

By Julia Sanchez Next year all the familiar faces I have become accustomed to seeing will be gone, spread out all over the country, some all over the world, and I don’t know how I feel about that. After taking our senior college sweatshirt picture in the gym, I looked around and got to see where all my classmates will be next year. It feels like just yesterday I was a scared, unassuming freshmen who had no idea what was going on. Over these past four years we’ve all changed and gotten to know who we really are. My dad always told me that college is fun and it is the most formative four years of your life, but high school friends and memories last a lifetime. His best friends aren’t his college roommates or his baseball teammates. His best friends to this day are the guys he met during his first days in high school and stuck with him through everything. I remember talking about how I just wanted high school to end, to move out, move on and start life as an “adult.” If I could tell my young, scared freshmen self something, I would tell her to slow down and enjoy these four years, they go by quickly. I would also tell her that once you enter the Bistro, you’re on your own. Fight for that last chocolate chip cookie. I never thought twice about being able to get in my car and have all my closest companions within a twenty mile radius. JSerra has given me time to make bonds that will last a long time and lessons that I would never have been able to learn anywhere else. In my four years at JSerra, I’ve learned a lot. I’ve learned that your teammates end up being some of your

closest friends, no matter what grade they’re in. I’ve learned that no matter what, boys come and go, but a true friend will be there to make fun of him with you. I also learned that,

yes, Mrs. Desmond will catch you and your short skirt eventually, so don’t forget to do a ‘precautionary unroll’ before walking around break and lunch. Now that I’ve thought back on my time in high school, I realized that there isn’t anything I’d take back. I’m not saying the past four years were all rainbows and sunshine. I fought with my parents on grades, argued with my friends, got my fair share of skirt violations, and I definitely had some days in class where I wondered when any of the formulas I learned would apply

to life outside the classroom. After all that, I still wouldn’t take back any of it. I’ve realized that every good day and every bad day I’ve had over the years have made me into who I am today. While writing this reflection, memories have come flooding back. I keep turning to my left to talk to one of my closest friends about how emotional just writing it all down makes us. If just writing it down makes us emotional, we’re going to be a wreck at graduation. Now that graduation is looming and planning for our senior prom begins, talk about leaving everyone behind as we move on is making everyone around me emotional. My group of friends has taken on an idea of “carpe diem,” trying to make these last months together the best of our lives. We still have the summer together, but that’s only a couple months. Good luck to all the seniors and wherever their lives take them. Remember, you are loved.

Bye Felicia

Farewell SeniorsCh-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

Turn and Face The Strange...

Farewell Seniors

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 jkahl@jserra.org with a subject heading of “Letters to the Editor.”

Letters to the Editor

The opinions expressed here are those of the student journalist. They do not reflect the views of the JSerra faculty, staff or administration.

Risk vs. Regret

by Molly Harmon

Experience of a Lifetime

by Hanna McCutcheon

You would think that the impact us 40 kids made on Puira would be more sufficient, but that’s wrong. The impact that Peru had on me out weighted the impact I made on them by an indescribable amount. I will be honest and admit I was intimidated and scared to go on this trip. But retrospectively, I shouldn’t have had any fear because the experience I would have would be life changing.

Going to Peru and doing all the work we did made me the happiest I have ever been in my life. I thought a brand new car and designer clothes would satisfy my needs but no, going and helping those people in Puira and in the villages surrounding did. The day-to-day cons were unnoticeable compared to the pros. A smile and a simple “gracias” the people would say to me made everything worthwhile. Building homes, fiestas, playing volleyball and “kiwi,” driving around in the back of a pick-up truck, passing out clothes and food, and dancing at the orphanage were only some of the great activities we experienced. My friends and I all being together also made the trip more incredible because we were able to share amazing memories

while on this trip. I will be forever grateful to have been given the opportunity to go to Peru and will no doubt go again. I will never forget the experience I had and how much the people in Puira changed my life for the better.

Throughout my high school career I have learned one very important lesson: living with regret lasts longer than the rejection that can accompany risk. Some of my favorite memories from high school involved taking a risk or two. Whether it be asking someone to formal or applying for a job, I’ve learned a lot more from taking risks than playing it safe.

I made a promise to myself freshman year that I would live without regret. I wasn’t about to let my fear of failing control my life. Even though I knew that high school wouldn’t necessarily be the best four years of my life, I was aware that my moments of adolescence were limited. I’m the kind of person who constantly thinks of the future and I didn’t want to tell my future kids that I had zero memories from my teenage years. Sometimes in life, things won’t work out perfectly. But that shouldn’t stop you from trying new experiences and putting your heart on the line. Without getting rejected once in a while, I don’t think you can fully appreciate when things go your way. Thankfully, this mind-set brought many positive moments to my life. As I now enter my freshman year of college, I can confidently say that I appreciated high school to its fullest extent. I joined a speech and debate class that helped me overcome my fear of public speaking, applied for the Nordstrom BP Fashion Board and was accepted, and made genuine friendships. If I had avoided opportunities because I was afraid of a negative outcome, I wouldn’t have been able to make memories that have shaped me as a person. I owe my current happiness to both the rewarding and disappointing moments of my high school career. Without them, I would still be making choices based on shielding my heart, rather than feeding my soul.

Farewell SeniorsKeeping in Touch

by Julia Sanchez

Now that my time at JSerra is coming to an end, a popular topic of discussion is staying in touch next year. For some people it’s all talk and they know they will not be keeping in touch. They want to move on and leave high school in the past, and there’s nothing wrong with that. After moving from New Jersey during the summer before my eighth

grade year, I kept in touch with my childhood best friends. I wouldn’t say I kept in touch with everyone and there’s a reason for that. We did not put in the effort to preserve the friendship. The girls I met in the third grade are still some of my closest confidants to this day because we make an effort to keep in touch. My parents’ closest friends are all in New Jersey and when we go and visit them it’s like no time has passed since the last time we saw them. As a senior, I know that next year all my friends will be spread out across the country. Some are staying in California while others venture off to Michigan, Texas and Pennsylvania. There’s nothing like sitting down at your lunch table surrounded by your friends talking about what happened last weekend or the test you took earlier. I don’t know about everyone else, but I don’t plan on letting those friendships wallow away into memories. With technology being what it is today, there are so many different ways to keep in touch. FaceTime, texting, emails, the list goes on and on. Plain and simple, next year the people you hear from are the people that really cared about you and your friendship. Those you don’t hear from don’t want to make the time to catch up. I know that sounds harsh, but that’s just how it is. We spent four years of our lives building up these friendships. You can’t choose your family, but you can choose your friends, and in the end these people became my family.

Looking Ahead:Senior Year

by Emily Gloyne

Realizing that I am closer to my graduation date than the first day of freshmen year is an exciting and nerve-racking thought. I am incredibly excited for my senior year. Senior year provides senior privileges, creates memory-creating moments, and allows students to leave their final mark in high school. With that being said, I am also anxious about college

and dreading the obnoxiously long and difficult process to get in. When I was younger, the amount of times I heard the cheesiest line in the book, “high school passes you by in the blink of an eye,” was uncountable. However, the start of freshman year to the start of senior year really has seemed like the “blink of an eye.” The college search has already begun and before we all know it, our class will be dispersed across the whole country and no longer a freeway exit away. Next year I am looking forward to all the “class bonding” activities, especially in the beginning of the year. A few that come to mind are painting senior parking spots, the senior sunrise, Kairos, trip to Catalina, and honestly, the nicest aspect is getting to park on the academic side and not fight for a decent parking spot every morning. I really want to cherish my last year at JSerra before all the familiar faces and class conversations with students I will probably never see again fade away. This is the last year the class of 2017 will be in the same place ever again. Graduation and going off to college will be an incredibly bittersweet time. I know I will be anxious to see where life takes me and the rest of my classmates. Everyone has bright futures ahead of them, but it will also be sad to say goodbye to the memories and friendships I have made along the way.

Farewell SeniorsFreshman Year is

Over.........No Invite To Prom?

No Problem.

by Ivan Altamirano

As my freshman year is coming to an end I’m excited to not be a freshman anymore. My freshman year was really fun but I am ready to take harder courses. Freshman year consisted of making new friends, growing in faith, and making memories that would last a lifetime. One of the many highlights of my freshman year was

the freshman retreat. I made many new friends and I grew closer to God. All the things we did during the retreat were very fun and I learned a lot during the retreat. It was a really fun experience and I recommend that next year’s freshman class goes. I really had a good first year at JSerra and I am looking forward to another three years at this school. Next year I plan to attend the sophomore retreat. This year I also enjoyed being a part of the swim program. It was a great experience to be a part of a team and compete against other schools. Through swim I made a ton of new friends that I know will last a lifetime. Also, by participating in swim, I got to see my old friends on the other teams and that was fun. I plan to continue swim for the next three years and I am excited to see where the sport will take me. I am also excited to see what all my friends end up doing in the next three years. A lot of change is probably going to happen and I am looking forward to it. Even though some people do not typically enjoy high school I personally think that it’s a very important part of your life and you make a ton of memories in high school. I can’t wait to see what happens next year and I am looking forward to it!

As the year comes to an end Prom is the final dance before ending the school year. Yet many underclassmen do not get the opportunity to attend Prom since they aren’t allowed. This leaves underclassmen bummed about not being able to attend the “main” event. Many students would still enjoy attending one last event for the year.

A great idea would be to have a casual Spring Dance. Spring Dance would be very similar to the Welcome Back dance at the beginning of the school year. It could either be held in late March or early April, in the Pavilion, with a specific theme for people to dress up. The students could suggest which type of theme during school. After suggesting them, we could create a poll of the different theme choices and have the students vote on the one they want. In this way JSerra students could choose something they want to see within the dance. This would increase the amount of attendance of people coming to the dance as they selected the theme themselves. We could also hold a contest that if a certain amount of students came to the dance, we could do a special event or prize when we get back to school. These special events or rewards could be like free dress, jeans day, or an early day out. The difference between the Spring Dance and the Welcome Back Dance is that you get to hangout with all the friends you’ve meet this since the beginning of the year. It’s a phenomenal way to enjoy your time with your all friends all in one place. The Spring Dance would be a great way to finally end the school year with a bang before going on to the freedom of summer.

by Jadyn Zielinski

Farewell SeniorsIt’s That Time of Year

by Jeff KahlPaw Print Advisor

The school year is nearly over and that usually brings a time of reflection. For seniors, they begin to assess the sobering reality that, as the years go by, they will see a lot of their friends less and less.....and less. The good news for them is social media. When I graduated high school, I had two choices in which to stay in touch: a phone call or a letter. I could never have dreamed of a thing like the internet and, with it, e-mail, Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat. But friendship depends on shared experience and as the years passed I lost any reason to stay in touch. Happily, we build new friendships, fall in love, marry, create families, forge careers, and, one day, we look back, not with sadness, but with a wistful smile. And maybe, just maybe, a bit of relief! For teachers, the end of the year becomes a looping movie of the year before...and the year before that. We will miss our “favorite” seniors, the ones who showed us that our work is not in vain...or the ones that helped us to crack a smile on a day when we felt a bit “out of it”...even the ones who helped us see that perhaps we could approach our teaching methods in a better way. We say farewell and good luck to them all, expecting perhaps a visit or two over the years, but not much more. And that’s probably the way it should be. Most of all I want to say I have missed Mr. Orion Gardner these past few months and all the chit-chats we have about music, philosophy, travel, even the YouTube videos I “just had to see.” We both came to JSerra at the very beginning—me, as a founding member of the Fine Arts department, and Mr. Gardner, as a founding member of the California Conservatory of the Arts, an after-school program which helped to establish our artistic excellence here. I wish him a robust recovery from his current health problems and look forward to seeing his youthful, handsome face back here in the fall. We love you, Orion.

“Pay Gap” Exposed

by Ryan Sánchez

Every day, feminists and politicians talk about the “gender pay gap” and the ever-so-common statistic that “women make 77 cents for every dollar a man makes.” While this is partially true, it is misleading to simply parrot this fact without any explanation. This statistic, which is taken from the US Labor Department,

does not mean that employers pay somebody 23% less just because they are a female; if that was the case then everybody would just hire women and save a lot of cash. Instead, it compares the median incomes of all men and women in the country, not taking into account job choice, education, hours worked, experience, or other variables. In other words, the average woman tends to go into a career that pays less than the average man’s. If one looks at which gender is going into which field, one would find that STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) majors are dominated by males, while females tend to go into fields such as education and nursing. Since we do not live in a communist country, elementary school teachers are not paid as much as engineers. It is no surprise, then, that the average wage of women is below that of men. So, how are we supposed to close this gap? Paying all teachers six figures a year is never going to happen, and we cannot force women to go into STEM careers. We must make sure that all people are given the tools to succeed and reach their full potential, and prevent people, especially women, from being pressured into a certain career path. I firmly believe that men and women have innate differences and different needs in life. That is why I think that forcing “equality” on people that have different capabilities and desires is unnatural, and will only lead to strife and unhappiness.

Farewell SeniorsClass of 2016

by Jenny WooSenior and Former Paw Print Staff Writer

It’s finally the time that we’ve all been counting down from day one of our freshmen year. Graduation. Some of us are ready to begin a new journey into the “real” world while some are hesitant to take another step forward into the future. For me, I can’t wait to take the next step in my life: a life where I can’t depend on

my parents for everything, a life where I can choose what I want to do in a day, and finally, a life of my own. But I can’t help but feel reminiscent when I think about leaving my friends who I’ve spent four years with, the teachers I kiss up to when I don’t do my homework, or even the people in the administration office who have always been on my side when I disagree with my dad on certain topics. I didn’t realize that I have so many special memories of these people in my life during the four years I’ve spent at JSerra. I remember Mrs. Vandenberg, my partner

in crime in Peru. I remember Mrs. Taylor, Mrs. Ortega, and Mrs. Hurtado, who have always looked after me as their own daughters. I remember Mr. Plaia who took care of me during our school abroad trip to Germany when I broke my ankle. I remember laughing, running away from Mrs. Desmond so she wouldn’t see my skirt. And especially Mrs. McClellan who not only was a teacher to me but also a mentor of faith and life. I remember my best friends: Natalie who never fails to laugh at everything I do or say, Jessica who brings out a crazy side of me that I never knew I had, Ashlyn who has been through it all with me from day one, as well as so many other people that I can’t recognize here. All these people have their own important role in my life that has made me the person I am today.

I’m scared. I’m scared to see what my future beholds, who I will meet or marry in the future, what job I’ll have, where I’ll be living, and plenty of other worries. But I know that when life gets hard and I’m left to wonder what has gone wrong in my life, I know that my family here at JSerra will always have my back. So thank you teachers, staff, friends, and family for everything you’ve done for me. I will never forget JSerra. #ClassOf2016

Farewell SeniorsReflect Yo’self

by Molly Harmon

It’s finally here, the end of senior year. My overwhelming sense of nostalgia has now caused me to rhyme in the opening line of my last article for the Paw Print. When I was a freshman, I had dozens of ideas of how my life would be near the end of my high school career. Looking back, I had no idea how much I would learn about myself within a span of four years. Some of those lessons were harsh, others blissful, but all of them were rewarding. If I could give my unassuming, fifteen-year-old self one piece of advice, I would tell her that high school is what you make of it. Dance the night away with your friends at prom, dress up for the football games (even though you have no idea what’s happening on the field), and pursue your passions without fear of being condemned for it. These moments might seem pointless now, but when you’re looking back on your high school career, you’ll be thankful that you made those memories, no matter how cliche they might be. Over the last four years I’ve learned the importance of family. When I was a freshman, spending time with my parents was at the bottom of my priority list, and I would dream about the day I got to move into my own dorm room. As I got older, however, I soon realized that I wouldn’t always be able to ask my mom where my favorite pair of shoes was, or eat burgers that my dad made for Sunday night dinners. When I’m halfway across the country next year, I won’t be able to have my sister as my partner in crime. We’ve been attached at the hip our entire lives, and the

thought of only being able to talk to her on Skype, for the most part, makes me sick to my stomach. Now that the much-anticipated moment of living on my own is approaching, I wish I cherished some of those times more. I know that it’s impossible to see every moment as something you’ll reminisce on at one point, but it doesn’t change the fact that I’ll miss my parents and my sister more than I could have possibly

imagined when I was fifteen. My high school experience has also taught me the impact of friends and the power I had to decide what kind of people I wanted around me. Surrounding myself with people who wanted what was best for me and brought out the best in me, instead of the worst, is one of the hardest lessons I had to learn throughout high school. I hope to stay close with my good friends from high school for the rest of my life, but I know that is easier said than done. We’ve cried, laughed, and acted like idiots together. After becoming accustomed to constantly seeing each other at school and every weekend, suddenly spreading out across the country is going to be really hard. One thing in particular has guided me through this loop-the-loop that is high school: my faith. Since stepping foot on JSerra’s campus for the first time, my relationship with God has grown into an essential part of my life. I feel so blessed to be able to say that I went to a school that shaped my love for God and supported me in becoming a confirmed Catholic. The retreats and the RCIA program have helped me foster relationships with my classmates and Christ. I will never forget their impact on my life.

Farewell SeniorsMost Embarassing

MomentDream Job

“Travel photographer–so I can travel the world and not pay for it.” – Kaitlyn Johnson

“Software engineer.” – John Michael Gross

“Pro bass fisherman.” – Davis Wendzel

“The GM of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.” – Andrew Swanson

“A professional magazine photographer so I can travel the world and do what I love.” – Adam Keehn

“Rapper.” – Shane Sears

“Billion-dollar DJ.” – Will Payne

“Physical Therapist for the Anaheim Ducks.” – Mary Kaffen

“ESPN broadcaster.” – Cat Hendrick

“E! News host.” – Natalie Walker

“Princess at Disneyland.” – Nicole Blair

“Orthopedic surgeon.” – Brad Anderson

“Don’t procrastinate.” – Matt Karzak

“Jewelry designer.” – Cielo Xi

“Pyrotechnic...I’ve always been interested in making explosions.” – Mark Summers

“I tripped on the stairs when I was walking to get the class award freshman year.” – Joey Santoro

“I fell through the roof of the mission during the Peru Trip.” – Karlie Mariboho

“When I forgot how to play the intro to, ‘This is Amazing Grace’ at mass.” – Johnathan Somayajuju

“I tripped on one of the steps in mass and fell in front of the whole school.” – Nick Harris

“When I was kneeling on the bleachers at mass and my left knee slipped and I fell down.” – Kyle Adams

“I was talking in mass so I had to go walk in front of the whole school and stand with Mr. Holligan.” – Austin Shackleford

“I completely blanked out the first minute of my Supreme Court speech in U.S. Government.” – Johnathan Sears

“Having to rescue my twin sister from the blood drive with Julia Sanchez. We had a tennis match later that day and my coach told me that she wasn’t allowed to donate because then she couldn’t play in the match later on. We burst into the blood drive right as she was about to donate the blood. Our coach was really mad at us but we won anyway.” – Mary Kaffen

“The snow ball fight.” – Malaki Malupe

“Kairos.” – Bryce Dougherty

“Scoring my first goal in a water polo game sophomore year.” – Will Macfee

“Kairos, growing in faith and growing closer to people I didn’t know.” – Sam Ramirez

“Beating SM in football last year.” – Gemma Hartigan

“Junior Homecoming.” – Will Payne

“My very first Snow Day; it was so unexpected.” – Brad Floome

“Painting our senior parking spots.” – Garrett Sciortino

“My first day of Spanish 2 freshman year with Julia Sanchez. She told me to go to the bathroom. Our teacher had a rule that if you went to the bathroom you had to yell “Yo lo hice” when you get back. I had to yell it seven times. I was kind of mad at Julia at first, but now we’ve been really close for four years.” – Zoe Kaffen

Most Memorable Moment

JSerra Catholic High School26351 Junipero Serra RoadSan Juan Capistrano, CA 92675

NON-PROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDMission Viejo, CAPermit No. 5724

Spring Dance Concert.................................................................May 13 Laguna Hills Community Center

Senior Camino Walk • Catalina Trip • Mass/Awards/Lunch.....May 16•17•18 St. Michael’s Abbey • Catalina Island • JSerra Pavilion/Center Room

Prom............................................May 19 Marconi Automotive Museum

Baccalaureate Mass....................May 27 JSerra Pavilion

Graduation..................................May 28 JSerra Pavilion

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