Bishop Amat High School - Tusitala Yearbook (La Puente, CA)

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It' A Matter Of Choice X58 1526 siting the table for Mount Saint Mary's, senior ancy Nicoloro picks up some pamphlets on the allege. Private as well as public colleges and iiversities were represented. . Alex Acosta m., Boys' Dean, Sci- ce, Head Coach Bas- tball Miss Cindy Andries Counseling, Mathematics x V . . the way they work with each other. lllhat do Caught in a swarm of classmates and parents, students investigated prospec- tive colleges. The student body was giv- en a chance to meet with representa- tives from universities and colleges of all types. On November 12, the gym was the site of the annual College Night. The night was a great success, said Mrs. Mary O'Neil, the event's organiz- er. An attendance of over 500 students and parents was reported. In past years, College Night was strictly a senior affair. Contrary to this, underclassmen also appeared at the school function. Some students attend- ed the event after already determining their college possibilities or even their final choice. For others, College Night provided a major source of information on an assortment of schools located in California as well as out of state. It was a real learning experience. It gave us a chance to meet with other school repre- sentatives which without this event, would have been impossible, stated senior Marlon Singleton. Many parents said that it was a rewarding experience. They were touched by their children's enthusiasm to learn about institutions of higher learning. Various universities, colleges, and Armed Services were represented. The California State University representa- tive stated, This is in every respect the Mr. James Black Mathematics Fr. James Anguiano Campus Ministry, Reli- gion, Volleyball , . the spirit ot the stu- .. being absent! dents here at Bishop Amat. They are always filled with so much joy! The energy from the students empow- ers me to keep going. best of the college fairs I have attend- ed. He added, It was a chance to relax and talk with representatives as well as students and parents. In addition, 20 independent colleges from all over the United States had booths set up in the gym to provide information. A spoke- sperson from Azusa Pacific, went on re- cord as saying, Your students are a step above most I've seenf' Armed Services and out-of-state uni- versities and colleges came from afar. Recruiters and representatives were present to answer the questions of those who were interested in continuing their education away from home, sometimes thousands of miles away. At the time of entrance into high school, the main objective of most stu- dents was to graduate. The ultimate goal for many was to go on to college. College Night provided an opportunity for students to plan their future. It was a chance to get a feel for a college or university before applying. For those who were unable to visit an out-of-state university like Pennsylvania State, or even a community college like Rio Hondo, this night offered a chance to see what they truly wanted in a college. College Night allowed students to look toward their futures in a setting that was close to home. M 1 .5 Mrs. Xiomara Blanco Mrs. Teresa Bonnville Foreign Language Foreign Language . . kindness and re- . . their real enioyment spectfulnessf' of lite, their warm-hearted ness, and their openness. you appreciate most about students? Administration!ColIege Night 133

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Mrs. Mary O'NeiI gives advice about college selection to seniors Naomi Walker and Sarah Tanchoco who are confused by the many colleges represented. Twenty-one college representatives were present to provide information for interested college-bound students. Junior Lani Masatsugu and her fa- ther inquire about qualifications for colleges. Students from all grade levels were invited to the annual event. I ,, . 'fi sm., While students were en- joying their summer vaca- tion, the administration was assiduously at work. Admin- istrators contributed their days to reviewing applica- tions, devising a budget, set- ting up schedules, and plan- ning the year. On their shoulders fell the responsi- bility of helping 1,773 stu- dents achieve a full year of growth in knowledge, disci- pline, understanding and so- cial development. As principal, Mr. Merritt Hemenway was responsible for everything that occurred during the school year. My goal, said Mr. Hemenway, was to implement a better understanding between the teachers and students and to improve facilities. Mr. Ken Johnson, the vice principal, organized the supervision Honoring U and evaluation of the facul- ty, their inservice days, the overall academic program, and constantly monitored the budget. The deans managed the various facets of life on cam- pus. The vice principal of studies and Academic Dean, Sister Julie, was in charge of scheduling students into proper classes and monitor- ing their academic perfor- mance. Sister Julie declared, I love dealing with young people and watching them improve and succeed. As the Deans of Discipline, Mr. Steve Hagerty, Mr. Alex Acosta, Mrs. Kathleen Cha- vez, and Ms. Pat Tereschuk helped students to develop a sense of responsibility. If a rule was violated in any way, these deans made sure that disciplinary procedures were Preparing for a new day, Mr. He- menway and Mrs. Pat Buccola plan upcoming events. Their work was essential to the functioning of the school. nsung Heroes implemented. The office of Director of Student Services was estab- lished to oversee and coordi- nate any activity that in- volved the students. This new position was filled by Mr. Chris Spohn, whose du- ties included students athlet- ics, counseling, campus min- istry, and other various ac- tivities. Mr. Spohn felt that the versatility of his job made it all the more unique.l Under Mr. Hemenway's guidance, these and the oth-, er administrators successful- ly formed the backbone for the entire school. Studentsj sometimes took the adminis- trators' work for granted,i when in fact, their accom-l plishments were extraordi-l nary. Thus, the administra- tors were truly unsung he- roes. I l 132 Academics

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With the help of a friend, Fr. Jim Anguiano lectures the seniors in his religion class. His job was to make sure that the students understood how to apply Christian philosophy to everyday life. Freshmen listen to Miss Diana Oli- vera as she teaches Spanish. Their casual dress often confused new teachers who were not yet familiar with dress code. 134 Academics .ala IVlore Than Knowing Grammar The English department attempted to bring students into the world of drama and literature. In the past, the ususal emphasis was on learning how to use punctua- tion marks or the memoriza- tion of hundreds of vocabu- lary Words. These aspects of the subject were still present in the curriculum, but the emergence of increased read- ing was also characteristic of the total program. The curriculum included a wider scope of reading mate- rial. Reading lists were es- tablished at all levels to in- sure proper preparation for learning. Masterpieces such as The Scarlet Letter and Huckleberry Finn were specific books read by stu- dents. There was a concen- tration on writing skills. All grade levels were taught to express themselves with pen and paper. Each student be- came an individual with the tools to insure proper com- munication with the world around him or her. Participation in out-of- school activities also wi- dened the students' horizons. There was no better way to open new doors of learning than through drama. The de- partment therefore orga- nized outings to attend plays and literature in action. In the month of December, 40 students and three teachers went to an educational the- ater production of five classic short stories held at UCLA. During the latter part of the school year, the classic King Lear was viewed in Los An- geles. Sophomores and sen- iors were shown video pro- ductions of Shakespearean works such as Romeo and Juliet and Macbeth. Stu- dents realized that there was more to the English language than simple sentence con- struction. Of course, the main objec- tive of the English depart- ment was to teach the lan- guage at the appropriate lev- el to each individual. The foundation of the program was not changed drastically because it followed specific standards. Mrs. Maria Gover, the department chairperson stated, The de- partment objectives c0uldn't be taught much differently from the norm. Basic Eng- lish does not change in a matter of a few years. This fact applied to both the cur- riculum and the practical us- age. What the department members did was make the learning more interesting to as many students as possible. The increased reading re- quirements and the educa- tional outings contributed to the modified and improved curriculum.