THE GEAR MONTHLY PARENT NEWSLETTER

ISSUE 42

DECEMBER 2014

BOSCO TECH’S 2014 CROSS COUNTRY VARSITY

& JUNIOR VARSITY TEAMS (SEE PAGES 8 & 9)

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A CHRISTMAS PRAYER FOR YOUR FAMILY

The faculty and staff of Bosco Tech join me in wishing you and your loved ones a joyous

Christmas season. Please know that you are in our thoughts and prayers during the holidays.

The light of the Christmas star to you

The warmth of home and hearth to you

The cheer and good will of friends to you

The hope of a childlike heart to you

The joy of a thousand angels to you

The love of the Son and God’s peace to you. —An Irish Prayer

With warmest wishes,

Mr. Xavier Jimenez and the faculty and staff of Bosco Tech

EAST COAST COLLEGE TRIP —BY MR. ROBERTO DIMAS, DIRECTOR OF GUIDANCE AND COLLEGE COUNSELING

Bosco Tech’s Counseling Department took a group of 20 students on an East Coast college tour in mid-

October. The students, accompanied by Mr. Roberto Dimas and Mr. A.J. Pimentel, toured Boston University,

Northeastern University, Harvard, M.I.T, Brown University, Yale, Columbia, and Marist College. In addition to

the colleges, the group took time to see the new 9/11 Memorial Museum, the Statue of Liberty, Times Square,

and historic Boston.

Junior Brian Camero stated, “The trip was amazing. I didn’t expect to find my future school in such a remote

and beautiful area. It was definitely worth it and I was very glad to explore the beautiful state of New York.”

“As a parent, this college trip was well worth the investment, “said Robert Sainz. “The exposure to some of the

best universities in the country was motivational and inspirational.”

Our college tour for next year has been scheduled for September 20-24, 2015, for the Pacific Northwest. We

are tentatively scheduled to visit Oregon State University, University of Oregon, University of Washington, Wil-

lamette University, and

more. Please contact Mr.

Dimas at rdimas

@boscotech.edu for

further information.

(Touring students visited

Brown University (left) and

MIT (right).)

FROM THE SALESIAN DIRECTOR

Hello Bosco Tech Family and Friends!

I hope this message finds you in good spirits with all the holy men and women of

God. Let me take a moment to remind all of us about November, before moving into

December and the traditional Christmas celebrations.

November is a month, in the Catholic Church, when we remember those who have

gone on before us. We continue to remember our loved ones with a sense of thankful-

ness and ask them to bring our prayers to God. We also celebrate Thanksgiving at the

end of November. Giving thanks is always appropriate!

As we now move into the season of Advent, let us examine what it really is. Advent is

known as a time of waiting and anticipating, but for whom? Jesus is the answer; His

coming into our lives and world and his returning as a judge for our redemption.

We often hear “Jesus is the reason for the season.” How true is that statement for you? Jesus is the Word of

God’s wisdom and revelation.

So, what is Christmas and why are we celebrating it? Too often we allow our vision to be limited by what we can

see in this world. We define our lives according to our everyday responsibilities, challenges, and problems rather

than lifting our eyes to heaven. Look beyond these distractions to see Jesus who is the foundation for our ‘home.’

He is Emmanuel—God is with us! Jesus is our love, peace and the light to guide our ways. May the celebration of

Christmas this year bring you a sense of peace for the journey.

Yours in Jesus Christ and Don Bosco,

Fr. Chinh Nguyen, SDB

Salesian Director

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NHHS SUPPORTS CITY OF HOPE BREAST CANCER AWARENESS —BY BOSCO TECH JUNIOR ERICK MENDOZA

Kudos to members of the National Hispanic Honor Society who recently participated in the City of Hope’s Walk

for Hope 5K. Led by Mrs. Antonia Elenes, the NHHS moderator, juniors Alexis Ortiz, Christian Apanecatl, Je-

sus Alvarado and Erick Mendoza walked to raise awareness and money for the prevention of women’s cancers,

primarily breast cancer.

The City of Hope is leading the fight against cancers unique to women through research, treatment and educa-

tion. The Bosco Tech group walked alongside other participating groups, met volunteers and were introduced to

cancer survivors.

It was so nice to see the survivors all cheerful, seeing the amount of sup-port they are receiving from various com-munities.

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STUDENTS INDUCTED INTO HONOR SOCIETIES

In mid-November, Bosco Tech proudly inducted the newest members of the prestigious National Hispanic

Honor Society and National Honor Society. Students are invited to join the esteemed groups because of demon-

strated excellence in scholarship, leadership, service and character. Both societies emphasize providing service

within Bosco Tech and to the surrounding community. Congratulations to the 2014-2015 Bosco Tech inductees.

BOSCO TECH BLACK & GOLD GALA ENTER GALA RAFFLE TO WIN ‘FREE PASS’ ON SERVICE HOURS

Save the date now for the 2015 Black & Gold Gala, the kickoff to our 60th anniversary celebration and festivi-

ties. The Gala, which will feature dinner, dancing and fabulous auction items, is Saturday, March 28, 2015, at

Montebello’s beautiful Quiet Cannon Country Club. Tickets are $75 each.

Enter now for a chance to win a ‘free pass’ on service hours. The parent with the winning raffle ticket, an-

nounced at the Gala, will be exempt from service hours for the 2015-2016

school year. The value of this prize is $1,500. Drawing tickets are $25 each or

five for $100.

Contact Mrs. Cathy Rivera at crivera@boscotech.edu or (626) 940-2028 for

Gala tickets, raffle tickets, general information, and for event sponsorship and

donation information.

Rambert Acero Angel Ajanel Jesus Alvarado Christian Apanecatl Henry Ayala Nicholas Dialani Alex Escobar Everson Cruz Hector Cruz Anthony Figueroa

Edwin Flores Luis Gamboa Ruben Guerra Ezequiel Hernandez Adrian Hurtado Noah Jimenez Joshua Martinez Alan Mason Alfonso Magallon Erick Mendoza

Fernando Munguia Alexis Ortiz Diego Ortiz Richard Rangel Ricky Rodriguez Edward Rivera GianCarlo Samayoa Rene Vega

National Hispanic Honor Society Inductees

National Honor Society Inductees

Reiley Akkari Justin Bueno David Casillas Edward Castro Norris Chen Zhao Chen Kyle Chiang Everson Cruz Christopher Diaz Alex Escobar

Anthony Figueroa Darrian Gardea Elias Hosseini Noah Jimenez Joshua Jimenez Dustin Kelso Anthony Lopez Alan Mason Mario Mijangos Ryan Navarette

Richard Rangel Maynor Rodas Daniel Vallejo

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FRESHMAN REMINDS US OF THOSE LESS FORTUNATE WHILE SPREADING THE GOOD WORD ABOUT BOSCO TECH

Freshman ambassador Grayson Wade is honoring the Salesian directive of help-

ing those less fortunate through his mission project. Grayson is very involved with

the Operation Christmas Child project that annually distributes shoeboxes stuffed

with toys and personal items for children around the world. The organization, run

by the Samaritan’s Purse organization, has been offering spiritual and physical aid

to hurting people around the world since 1970.

Grayson visits local community organizations, like Rotary International and

Kiwanis International, to publicize the program and encourage others to get in-

volved. He also goes door to door asking for donations and has collected boxes in

schools and businesses around the community. The resourceful young man even has

local shoe stores saving empty boxes.

When he goes out, he proudly wears his school uniform and not only shares the

importance of the program, but also how proud he is to be a Bosco Tech student.

Currently, Grayson has several high schools and clubs involved in packing

shoeboxes and raising money to fill more shoeboxes; this year, with more

than 100 local young people helping him, he filled over 400 boxes.

“Grayson’s an amazing young man,” says Bosco Tech Admissions

Coordinator Olivia Kelly. “We’re so proud of him and the other young

men who are spreading the good word about Bosco Tech while positively

impacting their communities.”

Visit samaritanspurse.org for more information about Operation

Christmas Child.

DIA DE LOS MUERTOS PROJECTS REMEMBER LOVED ONES

BILINGUAL SPANISH CLASS RESEARCHES CULTURE & HONORS FAMILY

Students in Bosco Tech’s Bilingual Spanish class are learning cultural lessons while remembering and honor-

ing loved ones who have passed away. A key component of the class is the study of culture and traditions and

during recent Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) com-

memorations, the class’ altar project celebrated the lives of

loved ones who are no longer with us.

As in past years, the students presented the altars they have

lovingly and carefully constructed. Displaying photographs

and remembrances of family members makes it an often emo-

tional time of sharing.

“It’s an important and often sensitive time for the students

to share and to pay respect to their loved ones,” said Antonia

Elenes, Languages Other Than English Instructor, who also

heads the International Club, the NHHS, and the Spanish

Club.

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BOSCO TECH WEBSITE & MARKETING VIDEO

Bosco Tech’s website is sporting a fresh look that reflects the

school’s STEM-based, college-prep focus. Take a moment to check

out the new site at www.boscotech.edu.

In addition, a new admissions marketing video is featured on the

homepage of the website. To see the longer version of the video, go to

YouTube.com and type “Who we are...Bosco Tech” in the search box.

Please share the website and video on social

media. Help us get the word out about the

impressive things happening on campus!

STUDENTS REDESIGN SCIENCE LAB AQUARIUM

Bosco Tech senior Randy Perez and freshman Peter

Richards took the initiative to redesign, clean, and restock

the science building’s 300-gallon fish tank to create a more

attractive and biologically balanced environment.

The tank was previously a saltwater tank. The science de-

partment had been considering converting it to fresh water

since last year, but Randy and Peter’s proposal and efforts

made it a reality. The project involved redesigning the filter

system, adding live aquatic plants, optimizing the lighting,

and monitoring the water chemistry.

“We’re proud of Randy and Peter and their work which

applied STEM principles of biology and chemistry to create

a balanced, low-maintenance, and beautiful aquarium,” said Science Department Chair Eric Tom. “Students can

now see biology in action as bubbles of oxygen gas form on the surface of the plants as a result of photosynthesis

and a greater diversity of fish enjoying the new ecosystem.”

INTERESTED IN HOSTING AN INTERNATIONAL STUDENT?

Bosco Tech has established a homestay program for our international students and is looking for families in-

terested in hosting a young man in their home. A contracted company, Gateway, is responsible for each young

man’s guardianship and academic progress. Gateway also conducts background clear-

ances, home visits, and prospective host family interviews, as well as training interested

families.

This is an opportunity to help students achieve their educational and language goals

while providing a family setting away from their home. It is also a chance to share tra-

ditions while host families learn about different cultures. Interested families should

contact Admissions Coordinator Olivia Kelly at okelly@boscotech.edu or call

626-940-2011.

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IDEA AWARDED BOEING & FIRST ROBOTICS GRANTS

Bosco Tech’s newly established Integrated Design, Engineering & Art

(IDEA) FRC Rookie Techmen Robotics Team has been awarded start-up

grants from Boeing ($5,250) and FIRST Robotics ($6,000). The grants will be

applied toward competition registration and start-up kit fees. Boeing is also

providing branding guidelines to help the team promote their involvement.

The school’s Computer Science & Electrical Engineering (CSEE) technol-

ogy is already a part of the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) league; now, IDEA

will be a part of the brother organization, FIRST Robotics Challenge (FRC)

league. Although both participate in FIRST, the two leagues (FRC and FTC)

have different emphasis that align with the CSEE and IDEA curricula.

“While many high schools do either FTC or FRC, Bosco Tech will be one of very few schools doing both,”

said Instructional Dean of Technologies Stan Shantar. “These unique dual programs further differentiate Bosco

Tech from all other schools in the San Gabriel Valley.”

The FRC FIRST Robotic kick-off event is scheduled for January 3; the competitions are March 11 to 14. Mr.

Rene Romero will moderate the IDEA FRC team. Go IDEA robotics!

GET YOUR SON’S PHOTO IN THE YEARBOOK CROWDSOURCING LETS YOU PROPOSE CONTENT & PROVIDE IMAGES

The yearbook is a permanent reminder of your son’s years at Bosco Tech. Don’t let the photos you take of the

homecoming dance, sports events, club photos or other memorable moments stay on your phone doing nothing;

send them to the yearbook staff to be included. We are crowdsourcing the yearbook and that means that you can

be part of the process and get your son and his friends represented.

Submit photos to Facebook, Google+ (Plus), Gmail, Picasa, Imgur (Image-ur),

Flikr (Flick-er), Twitter and even Youtube.com. Send to (HASHTAG) # Like-

ABosco or @LikeABosco. If you have questions, contact Yearbook Editor

Gabriel Gonzalez at ggonzalez@boscotech.edu or 626-940-2133.

KAIROS SENIOR RETREAT IS 12/9-12/12

Please remember in your prayers the members of the Bosco Tech senior class who will attend Kairos 80 on

Tuesday, December 9 through Friday, December 12, at Green Oaks Ranch in Vista.

Kairos is a respected Catholic retreat program for high school and college students. The name, taken from the

Greek term for ‘opportune time’ is adapted to mean ‘the Lord’s time.’ The four day retreat’s purpose is to pro-

vide participants the chance to consider God's role in their lives.

Under the direction of faculty, the retreat is led primarily by trained

seniors. The students will focus on defining their personal relationship

with God during quiet days of discernment and discovery. During this

long-standing Bosco Tech tradition, a sense of community develops

among the participants that they then bring back to campus.

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SPORTS UPDATE —By Athletic Director Chris Shockley, JV Defensive Coordinator Carlos Plantillas

and Bosco Tech Sportswriter Brad Stolz

Varsity Football—The Bosco Tech football team ended the season

against two tough opponents, Mary Star of the Sea and St. Genevieve. The

Tigers played both games extremely hard and with a lot of fight.

The Mary Star game did not end the way we would have wanted it to,

but the team played well. It was a cold night in San Pedro, and being Hal-

loween, it was a little exciting. The Tigers came out strong and played

their best game of the year.

Next, came St. Genevieve. The Tigers played all four quarters with all

they had. It was a tough night against the very good and ranked Valiants,

but the Tigers never backed down.

On the bus ride home, Coach Shockley praised the boys and told them,

“I am extremely proud of every one of you tonight. You all played with a lot of heart and passion. You showed a lot of guts

and character and made your school, your parents, and me very proud. You all are winners in my book. To get up every

day, put those pads on and give what you guys gave all season, made you nothing short of winners!" So, after a long ten

weeks of hard fought battles, the season came to an end. Thanks, Tigers, for making your school proud!

JV Football—Another season is over and as the

2014 JV football team walked off the field on No-

vember 7, the crowd applauded their efforts. The

team made everyone proud with their performance,

effort and commitment to the game, to their coaches

and to their school.

The team started with fourteen players and, by the

end of the season, grew to nineteen players. How-

ever, only five players had experience playing con-

tact football.

The team did remarkably well, considering there

were so few players with so little experience. The

team had its share of challenges, but they also had

many successes. The team consistently fought the good fight, refusing to quit. In fact, they played with more fire and ex-

citement in the second half of the season and that gave them more confidence every week.

Overall, they improved in strength, speed, conditioning and knowledge of the game. The offense ran the ball efficiently

and eliminated the numerous turnovers they had in the beginning of the season. The defense also improved through recog-

nition of formations, tackling, creating turnovers and playing together. As they began to play better as a team, their confi-

dence grew and the Tigers began to look as if they had been playing together all their lives. They became a band of broth-

ers who came ready to fight every week.

These nineteen young men became friends and formed a tight brotherhood, formed through countless hours of work and

sacrifice. Although we would like to win every game, it is important to remember that it doesn’t matter if you win or lose,

but how you play the game. It has been an honor and a privilege to be associated with a group of young men who improved

and played the game so well all season long.

Cross Country - The Bosco Tech cross country team recently finished their regular season with two noteworthy meets. In

both, the team demonstrated tremendous growth in speed, ability, and experience.

The Mt. SAC Invitational is considered the largest cross country race in the U.S. with the toughest course in California,

and possibly, the country. Most runners run a two- or three-minute slower run at this challenging meet, but in the JV event,

sophomore Matthew Lewis matched the same time as his previous fastest race. (continued on page 9)

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SPORTS UPDATE (CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8) —By Athletic Director Chris Shockley, JV Defensive Coordinator Carlos Plantillas

and Bosco Tech Sportswriter Brad Stolz

(Cross Country continued) — In the varsity race, senior Mikey

Gonzales did very well, passing many runners to finish in the top

ten of what is considered a high-level invitational.

The last regular season race was the Del Rey League Finals at

Santa Fe Dam in Irwindale on November 4. While all the team

did well, there were two outstanding runners. Freshman Luis

Celis, running in his very first meet, outran all our other runners

in the JV race! We are certainly looking forward to seeing him

run for us in track.

Senior Mikey Gonzales again had a great varsity race and fin-

ished fourth, qualifying him to run in the CIF Southern Section

Prelims and made him one of the 10 Del Rey All League run-

ners. At the prelims, Mikey was running against many of the top

runners in Division 4 and finished second with a respectable

time of 15:48 for the extremely tough three mile race. This made

him a CIF Southern Section finalist.

On November 22, again at Mt SAC, he raced in the Southern

Section finals against all the top runners in Southern California,

trying to qualify for the state championships in Fresno on No-

vember 29. Unfortunately, he missed qualifying by seconds. We

are very proud of him, though, because he is now one of the top

20 runners of Division 4 in all of Southern California.

This team worked hard all season with 6 a.m. practice every day in the summer, and tough, long workouts dur-

ing the regular season. Most logged over 500 miles, and several even logged more than 1,000 miles and will re-

ceive special shirts commemorating these accomplishments. Our team finished fourth in the most competitive

division in the state. Great job, cross country runners!

PREP PROGRAM IMPROVES TEST RESULTS

Initial results are in on this semester’s junior class Princeton Review SAT prep course. On average, our

students showed an overall marked increase of 6.6 percent on scores between the first administration of the prac-

tice SAT in September and the second in October. The third practice test was taken in November. Results of the

first two tests have been sent to parents’ email addresses and you should have recently received the results of the

third test. We are very proud of the accomplishment of our juniors and the fact that their efforts in the campus’

test prep course have shown such immediate gains.

————

Freshman and sophomore parents are encouraged to attend standardized testing

results meetings on Monday, January 12. Freshman parents meet at 6 p.m. and sopho-

more parents at 7 p.m. These informative sessions will explain the testing methodol-

ogy and break down your son’s scores (ACT Aspire for freshmen and PSAT for

sophomores).

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BOSCO TECH MUSIC NEWS

—BY MR. RICHARD RANGEL, BAND BOOSTER

Football Season Ends; Concert Band is Next

The Bosco Tech Marching Band

performed for the final football game of the

2014 season on Friday, November 7.

Although the football season has ended, the

marching band continues to be a working

ensemble at other events throughout the

school year.

One of their regular appearances took

place on Sunday, November 9, as the band

performed at a special Mass celebrated at St.

Peter’s Italian Church in downtown Los An-

geles. The Bosco Tech boys are frequent

guests at St. Peter’s and the congregation

always gives them a warm welcome.

The band also performed at the Fall Open

House on November 23, delighting both prospective students and alumni. Bosco Tech’s Concert Band will be

the next ensemble to begin rehearsing, with their first major event already on the calendar: the 2014 Winter

Concert on Tuesday, December 16th. The Winter Concert will also include performances by the Music Appre-

ciation class and Musical Gear-Up students. More information about the concert will follow in early December.

We hope you can join us!

SECTION SPOTLIGHT: Percussion

The percussion section is a critical component

of the Marching Band, providing the timing and

the cadences that the other musicians follow.

This year's Bosco Tech percussion section is

comprised of freshmen Dan Hosseini and An-

thony Reyes, sophomores Devin Cornair,

Bumjoon Kim and Andres Varela, and senior

Aaron Blankenbaker, who is a four-year vet-

eran of the Marching Band. All of the students

in the percussion section are also planning to

participate in the Concert Band ensemble.

ATTENTION, PARENTS!

Our school’s music program offers several opportunities for your son to excel. Knowledge of an instrument is

not required. The Concert Band will be starting up this winter, followed by the Jazz Band in the spring. You are

invited to check out the band's YouTube channel, DBTI Music at www.youtube.com/dbtimusic. For more infor-

mation about the band program, contact music director Daniel Almanza at dalmanza@boscotech.edu or dbtimu-

sic@gmail.com.

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BOSCO TECH SPONSORS Bosco Tech would like to thank the following businesses for their support. For information about sponsorship

levels and commitments, contact Mrs. Cathy Rivera at crivera@boscotech.edu or (626) 940-2028.

We are grateful to our generous sponsors!

PARENTS’ ADVENT REFLECTION TAKE A BREAK FROM DAILY LIFE

Before the season becomes hectic, please join Fr. Chinh Nguyen, our Salesian Director, for a few quiet hours of much needed peacefulness, prayer, and discussion. Take a break from the holiday rush to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas. The Advent Reflection is on Sunday, December 7, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on the Bosco Tech campus. All parents are welcome (friends, family, and alumni). The day’s agenda will consist of:

- Presentations and reflections - Refreshments and lunch are provided * - Mass will be celebrated to give thanks and conclude Invite family and friends to participate. Contact Fr. Chinh at cnguyen@boscotech.edu or 626-940-2939 to reserve your spot. *Donations will be accepted to assist with the cost of lunch.

DECEMBER 2014 Please note that these dates and events are subject to change. Check the school’s full calendar at www.boscotech.edu

(click the General Calendar link on the far left-hand column) for the latest updates on important events.

Mon.-Sat. 12/1-12/6 Varsity basketball tournament

Tuesday 12/2 #12 Test and College Prep sessions from 2:15 to 3:45 p.m.

Parent Council meeting at 6:30 p.m.

Saturday 12/6 SAT (off campus)

Sunday 12/7 Parents’ Advent retreat from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Monday 12/8 Liturgy for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception/

Salesian Spirit Games (relaxed dress)

Tues.-Fri. 12/9-12/12 Kairos 80

Tuesday 12/9 Japanese class field trip to Japanese American Museum

Wednesday 12/10 Alumni Association board meeting at 6 p.m.

Saturday 12/13 ACT (on campus)

Incoming freshmen interviews from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Tuesday 12/16 Band Winter Concert at 7 p.m.

Wed.-Sat. 12/17-12/20 Varsity Soccer Winter Tech Classic

Wed.-Thur. 12/17-12/18 Advent prayer services & confessions (by Theology class)

Thursday 12/18 Summer Engineering, History, Art & Architecture European Tour information meeting in

ACE at 6pm.

Friday 12/19 Locker clean out for all grade levels

Dance

Sat.-Sun. 12/20-1/4 Christmas break (school resumes on Monday, 1/5)

Mon.-Tues. 12/22-12/23 School office hours are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Wed.-Fri. 12/24-12/26 School office closed

Wednesday 12/24 Midnight Mass in the Father Felix Penna Chapel begins at 11:55 p.m. All are welcome

Thursday 12/25 Christmas Day (Merry Christmas!)

Fri.-Sat. 12/26-12/27 JV basketball tournament (continues Mon.-Tues. 12/29-12/30)

JV soccer Winter Tech Classic

Mon.-Tues. 12/29-12/30 School office hours are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

JV basketball tournament concludes

Wed.-Fri. 12/31-1/2 School office closed

Thursday 1/1 New Year’s Day (Happy New Year!)

Monday 1/5 School resumes

Tuesday 1/6 Parent Council meeting at 6:30 p.m.

Friday 1/9 Winter sports assembly

Saturday 1/10 Technology selection day for current freshmen from 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon

Gear Up #1 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon

Monday 1/12 Freshman parents standardized testing results meeting at 6 p.m.

Sophomores parents standardized testing results meeting at 7 p.m.

Wednesday 1/14 Alumni Association board meeting at 6 p.m.

Thurs.-Fri. 1/15-1/16 Technology exams

Thursday 1/15 Club photos

Friday 1/16 Technology rotation #3 ends

Locker cleanout for freshmen

Saturday 1/17 Incoming freshmen interviews

Music program walk-a-thon

Monday 1/19 Martin Luther King Jr. holiday (no school)