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

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Upon entering the students' grades into the computer, Sr. Mary Sulko observes a demonstration by Mr. Ken Johnson. Sister's attitude showed she truly loved her work. College Counselor, Mrs. Mary O'Neil looks over information con- cerning preparation for higher learning. She also served as a math teacher and regular counselor. 158 Academics H ...Mmm E Stepping Away From The Ordinary Hurdling to get to class on time was the daily exercise for more than a few students. However, not every class en- tailed improving reading, writing and arithmetic skills. Courses for rejuvenation and sometimes relaxation of the mind were also offered. The Physical Education Depart- ment offered two different courses: the mandatory freshman P.E. class and Ad- vanced Physical Education. For many, this was a wel- come break from the normal- ity of a school day. It gave students a chance to run off all their aggressions on the track or release all their frus- trations through the pass of a softball. A P.E. class was the only class in which a student did not have to sit attentive- ly at his or her desk. Stu- dents were encouraged to discipline themselves by tak- ing care of their bodies. All did not especially en- joy the classes during fresh- man year. Besides the fact that students were required to take this class, it was often hard to get ready fast enough to make it to the next class on time. When it was scourching hot outside, freshmen braved the sun. They then had to race into the locker room and put their dress code clothes back on after showering. There was an addition to the curriculum-girls' Athle- tic Conditioning. It offered a chance for girls who played sports to get extra condition- ing. Unlike the boys' Ad- vanced P.E., the girls were not required to be on a varsi- ty team. Students grew to know each other well during P.E. classes. Most of the friend- ships established in fresh- man P.E. classes were des- tined to be long-lasting. The friends I made in P.E. freshman year are friends that I still have. They are some of my closest friends, stated senior Diane Hayden. Miss Patti Groff explained her duties as the department Mickey Velasco fails to block France Car- reon attempt to score. Sportsmanship was important in freshman P.E. classes. chairperson: I designed classes for the new year, made up the curriculum for both boys' and girls' sports, and arranged this year's cal- endar for sports events. She also said, It's a great deal of fun working with different teachers and students. The Physical Education Department was essential for helping students maintain healthy bodies to accompany healthy minds. It also taught the importance of physical fitness for everyone.

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Ns' i assess. it nior Michelle Alba points out a familiar face to iior Julie Selvaggio. The crowd cheered to see d hear the well known artists. CAIVIFEL Brings Reassuring Message CAMFEL, Campus Fellowship, ad- vocated a message of inspiration on No- vember 19. The lively presentation en- couraged students to project confidence in one's individuality. The specific theme of the production was Shades , symbolizing the way young people con- ceal their true personal uniqueness by striving to be hidden within a crowd. It stressed the importance of being com- fortable with onets own image, defined by attitudes and values. The concept be yourself can often be a boring, worn out, topic to discuss. However, CAMFEL presented the mes- sage with an unprecedented, modern approach. Most viewers could relate to the situations discussed by people their own age. The program also included clips from recent movies such as Top Gun , Space Balls , Project X,', Blind Date , and Back to Schoolv. Music by such popular artists as Bon Jovi, Level 42, Club Nouveau, and Bryan Adams, accompanied the visuals. As the stars and movie clips flashed across the three giant screens, popular music blasted from the huge speakers and the audi- ence cheered and clapped for their fa- vorites. Freshman Bill Higgins said, I liked the way they combined the things that are 'in' today with a good theme . For the past few years, CAMFEL has s ---' - 'tt' ,- ' I 1 i s r r . Cameron Troxell ligion, Foreign Lan- age appreciate most their iiegness to do tasks in ich they might not see r meaning. l also appre- te their cheerlulness and iir creativity. 'Vhat do Mr. Fred Vartanian Science, Mathematics, Head Coach Cross Coun- try, Track .. their sincere effort to do their best in the big races. Miss Teresa Velasco Social Studies Miss Christi Velasco Counseling, Mathemat- ics, Social Studies, Ac- tivities l appreciate students who talk to me in the classroom and outside the classroom about anything at ali. I ap- preciate being greeted and thanked. brought to the campus a familiar, yet sometimes tough to live by, message. They have been reminders of the im- portance of self confidence and courage to make your own decisions. This year's message was, Wear your own shades, not someone elses, because expressing your true individuality is what makes you uniquely you! This theme was something all students could compre- hend. Sophomore Ariel Benaraw com- mented, I thought it was a better way of presenting the message than through a boring lecture. Speaking on the tradition of the CAMFEL presentation, Mr. David Me- dina said, We have them come each year because they have a message for us. CAMFEL presented the Christian morals in a different way than in the classrooms. Adding an enjoyable sup- plement to the Christian message pre- sented to us at Bishop Amat, it coin- cided with the ideas conveyed to stu- dents during their yearly class retreats and during religion classes. In the fu- ture, the plans are to give a pre-presen- tation of the CAMFEL message in reli- gion classes. The production proved to be a hit just as it had in the past years, and students anxiously anticipated the arri- val of the CAMFEL presentation for the following year. . kkkk .. .e g wg, . , I li V 1 L 'k-l ,, 'lie 3 . 1 K K e. 5 .. 'xr of ,qi K git 1. 'sf ' f- A R t . . its s so as . its ' f 'r ease- - i . 'tis Mr. Richard Wiard Computer Science, Busi- ness, Head Coach N Basketball and Frosh Baseball Mr. Anthony Victoria Data Processing, Com- puter Science D.C. I find it reassuring that the majority of the stu- dents are aware ot the pressing social and moral issues confronting us in this present day. l havent any misgivings about the future being in their hands someday. you appreciate most about students? Off-Campus!CANlFEL 157

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Keeping The Lines Open 's. Paula Sheldon, discusses moral issues with r class. When teaching, she covered the con- rns of young people, and when counseling, she oke on a more personal level. -S -...- .ss- ..... esss will me 5: f:i? m535'K ff' 1'f'.E:!!::s J J liifi zial Studies . . my wardrobe, espe- ly my ties. ogg Ms. Ellen Ybarra Science, Christian Ser- vice, Campus Ministry . . . the disease of MDS. Keeping the lines or means of com- munication open was the most impor- tant aspect of being a counselor. Giving advice and listening to students was not the only hard work the counselors had cut out for them. For Mrs. Paula Shel- don, Mrs. Mary O'Neil, Sr. Mary Sulko, Miss Christi Velasco, Miss Cindy An- dries, and Mr. Chris Spohn who worked as counselors, several other responsibil- ities made for a busy schedule. Head counselor, Mrs. Paula Shel- donls job consisted of coordinating the Counseling Department, overseeing the five other counselors, handling the re- registration proceedings, scheduling students and guiding them on their per- sonal, career, and academic goals. This, coupled with teaching two Christian Vocation classes kept her schedule full. When asked about her Views of the Counseling Department she responded, Problems are natural, and people do need help at times. I just hope they know that they have a place to turn and even though we can't cure the problem, we can offer them some affirmation. College counselor, Mrs. O'Neil, pro- vided students and the other counselors with information on colleges. She as- sisted the counselors and faculty by giv- ing them instructions on writing schol- arship and college recommendations. As the financial aid consultant, Mrs. O'Neil explained the complicated array of financial aid forms and scholarship material to students and parents. Mrs. OlNeil attended conferences in order to keep up on college requirements and changes in their programs. She also commented, I enjoy a student's excite- ment when they are accepted into the college of their choice. Some of Mrs. O'Neil's biggest projects were planning college night and publishing a newslet- ter to acquaint juniors and seniors with opportunities after high school. The counselors worked with students according to homerooms. Their job in- cluded working with schedules, pro- gress reports, and report cards. Aside from performing these tasks, they were also on the faculty roster as teachers. They always found time to try to meet the personal needs of the students de- spite the shortage of time in a day. Personal and academic counselors worked hard for the students' best in- terests. They tried to teach them how to make their own decisions by carefully balancing emotions and practicality. Ultimately, the counseling experience was beneficial to both sides. Sr. Mary Sulko explained, Through working with the students I learned one of the most important aspects of counseling . . . affirmation. Rev. Roland Mrs. Virginia Ashdown Mrs. Pat Buccola Mrs. Gerri Dawson Zimmerman Receptionist Secretary to the Princi- Attendance Office Athletic Chaplain pal llhat is too serious to be joked about? Physical Education!CounseIing 159