On Friday, Holy Redeemer Middle School science teacher Beth Cohen organized a unique event for the students, a Reverse Science Fair.

The fair featured scientists who presented ideas and experiments to the students while the students took notes.

The scientists gave various demonstrations from astronomy to biology and from physics to engineering.

“It is so exciting to see all kind of science,” said Cohen. “I hope our children will walk out of the fair with new ideas to try at home. I want them to think, ‘I wonder if I …’ and then go and try it.”

The scientists that participated in the event were from JPL, Caltech, the Los Angeles Park Rangers, the Glendale Police Department, Huntington Medical Research Institute and St. Francis High School.

The event was designed to introduce the students to people who use science in their every day lives. Holy Redeemer encourages students to consider math and science as majors in college and careers in life.

Contributed by Tricia FLYNN

Contributed by Tricia FLYNN

Students at St. James Elementary and Holy Redeemer Middle schools, touched by the tragedy in Japan, chose to “jump” in and help. The children created a “jump-a-thon” that would raise funds that would then be sent to relief agencies in the devastated nation.

Each student received a sponsor chart to get flat rate pledges for their jumps. On a warm Wednesday, the students jumped for 30 minutes nonstop, with each student keeping track of how many times they jumped.
In a show of true teamwork the fourth graders helped the kindergartners and then jumped themselves. At St. James – kindergarten through fourth grade – the children had a combined total of 65,747 jumps for their half hour. Over at Holy Redeemer, the students had a combined 86,699 jumps, a stellar effort that they enjoyed.
Efforts were not limited to students. Principal Susan Romero lent a hand, turning the rope so students could jump together. Even Math teacher Richard Triquart, in his suit and dress shoes, was seen bouncing for the cause.
For their efforts everyone received water and popsicles. At the end of the day, the schools together raised $2,985.68 that will be donated to The Diocese of Sendai to support the assistance efforts in Japan.

By Brandon HENSLEY

One by one, the Holy Redeemer cafeteria began to fill up with middle school kids late Friday afternoon, April 1, who were talking nervously but excitedly to one another, each asking the same question:

Hey, how did it go? How did you do?

The reason for their inquiries as well as their fancy attire – the girls looked ready for a spring dance, some boys were dressed in suits – was simple: jr. high students from five Catholic schools around the foothills converged at Holy Redeemer in Montrose for the Regional Speech and Debate Tournament.

The competition, held two to three times a year, is part of a Catholic school league of sorts. Speech and debate teams from Holy Redeemer, St. Philip’s in Pasadena, St. Rita in Sierra Madre, Our Lady of Lourdes in Tujunga and St. Luke’s in Temple City are all in on the fun together.

In all, 95 students competed Friday. There is no team award, only individual prizes given out afterward.

There were three rounds for each category. Students participated in speech, debate and acting categories, such as interpretive speech.

“It amazes me that these kids, sixth and seventh graders – what are they, 10, 11 [years old] – they get up there and they memorize these eight-minute [speeches],” said Lina Palomo, one of the St. Philip coaches.

Palomo said some kids memorized all of Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech while others were doing an interpretation of a Monty Python sketch.

High school students from Alverno, Loyola, Crescenta Valley, Flintridge Sacred Heart, St. Francis High School and Immaculate Heart volunteered as judges.

Palomo pointed out that some of the judges were once in this tournament, so they are especially qualified to handle this competition.

The judges place their votes individually from one to three. If there are ties, judges use a point system based on the student’s poise, clarity and subject matter.

“They’re developing something that they’re going to use forever: making coherent arguments, convincing and persuading people,” said Holy Redeemer coach and parent volunteer Stephen Webb. “And in speech, you learn to speak fluently and be able to not be nervous.”

Webb was busy on this day, down in one of the classrooms tabulating votes after each competition. A never-ending line of kids was behind him to hand in their papers and wait for Webb to direct them to which classroom they would compete in next. Webb, who has a daughter on the Holy Redeemer team, took over the main coaching duties this year after the two parents who were in charge last year left the school.

“I didn’t realize it was going to be this much work,” he said. For all their hard work, the volunteer coaches at least got to have some free pizza and soda.

Webb coaches the debate part, although he said he is more of a theatre person.

What is his main point to relay to the kids?

“When you’re dealing with middle schoolers, a lot of it is teaching what the idea is behind the category and how to do it.”

The hosting duties of each school rotate each season. But because some of the schools in the league are much smaller, they opt not to host. Holy Redeemer will likely host again next year, said Webb.

The important part is that the tournament prepares students for the future. Once kids grow, they may have to do a lot of public speaking.

“This prepares them to get over that fear,” Palomo said.

For now they can still enjoy being young, playing dress up, and talking excitedly amongst themselves after a big speech.

Last Saturday evening, Holy Redeemer parents Michael and Eugenie Nogueira opened their home to fellow parents and supporters of Holy Redeemer Middle School for the school’s annual wine tasting event.

The evening included dinner, a dessert and coffee bar, and a variety of wine – some of which was brought by the 60-plus guests – who also enjoyed listening to entertainment provided by the group Thursday’s Child.

The event was a fundraiser for the school’s graduation breakfast and, according to organizer Bridget Mousseau, raised about $1,800.

Among the guests was principal Susan Romero who praised the teachers and parents who have been so supportive over the past year when the two campuses of St. James and Holy Redeemer merged. She noted that the academic excellence of the schools has not been compromised with the changes, referencing the recent achievement by the school’s academic decathlon team, which placed eighth in the Superquiz.

By Robin GOLDSWORTHY

The girls of the Holy Redeemer Middle School Cheer Squad took time last Saturday, Jan. 8 to participate in a cheer camp at St. Joseph High School, an all girls school in Lakewood.

The girls are preparing for their competitions in March and hoped the camp would help with their skills. While there, the girls learned three new cheers and a dance routine. They worked hard with the St. Joseph cheerleaders for two hours learning new moves. The coaches of the cheer squads at this camp were invited to a meeting to also get prepared for the upcoming competitions, which will take place at St. Joseph in March.

The girls were able to show off their new skills to the parents at the end of the camp and also perform the new dance routine.

The Holy Redeemer girls are now practicing two days a week and next month will practice three days a week to be ready for their events on March 5, 6, and 26.

Contributed by Tricia FLYNN

By Mary O’KEEFE

Arguing with a preteen or teen is like riding a rollercoaster. Emotions range from, “I hate you” mad to “You don’t understand” indignation. Imagine a world where teenagers debate, not argue, where logic supersedes teenage angst. That world is the Holy Redeemer Catholic School debate team.

The team was formed two years ago and in a recent regional debate competition took first, fourth, and fifth in debate and fourth in oral interpretation.   The teens and preteens do their research on their given topic and work with their partner to debate all possible points.

“The hardest thing is the research,” said Reagan Hesse. The students debate in two person teams and learn to depend on each other. There are three girls on the team. When asked if girls debate differently or have an advantage, the overwhelming response was, “Girls are more emotional.”  However the reigning champion of regional debate was a girl from another school.

“But the last time we got first place,” Gabriel Buzzelli said.

This year the team beat the regional champion. The debate was held at St. Regis. There were 19 teams competing and at one point a Holy Redeemer team had to debate in front of an audience of over 200.

“Remember to keep your cool,” said John Mousseau. The students have to stay calm and not allow the debate to turn into an argument although sometimes that is difficult.

“I called a girl crazy one time,” said Buzzelli. That loss of cool will haunt him for a long time, mostly because his fellow teammates will never let him forget it.  The team also must put away their teenage text-talk and present their points in the formal English language. There are times, however, when no matter how much research the team does, there is that one moment when they must reach into their imagination.

“There are times where you have to make up a fact. A fact that makes you seem right,” admits Mousseau. They take the foundation of the truth and exaggerate it.

“We could be good politicians,” joked student Stevie Celi.

The team has fun but takes its research and program very seriously. All students agree that the benefits outweigh the amount of hours they need to prepare.  It helps with high school resumes and writing speeches gives you confidence for public speaking, said Nicholas Zamora.

The team is preparing for its next debate on Feb. 12.

The Cheer Squad at Holy Redeemer School has been a tradition for many years. There are 13 girls on the squad who have worked over the summer training and continue to do so throughout the school year, preparing for pep rallies, cheering at football games, and most importantly, three competitions. The squad also has very strong links to its local community participating in the Montrose Christmas Parade. The school is proud of the girls’ achievements and the hard work of the many parents connected with the squad.

The squad has placed at competitions in the past and they hope this year to do so again this year. However, there are many expenses connected with these competitions and the squad relies on its own fundraising events and the support of local businesses to help offset these costs.

Typhoon Heating and Air Conditioning, owned and operated by St. James parent Ralph Arellano, has made the commitment to sponsor a portion of these expenses.

The Cheer Squad is working on fundraising to help their efforts as well. A rummage sale and bake sale was held on Nov. 6 at Holy Redeemer that raised $555.

Contributed by Tricia Flynn

By Michael YEGHIAYAN

As two of the premier Catholic schools in the area, St. James  and Holy Redeemer Catholic schools offer the highest level of instruction for kindergarten through eighth grades. The two campuses provide a strong dedication to learning and morality with a respected teaching staff that works to promote excellence in its students.
As the same school on two campuses, both St. James and Holy Redeemer are Catholic schools under the
same pastor. Sharing a focus on
long-term growth and the mutual benefit of greater resources and space, having two campuses establishes a positive impact on the students and a more proactive environment for learning.
With a student body of around 220 students, the school is able to offer a more individualized approach to learning. Additionally, there is a stronger student to teacher ratio, with approximately 25 students per classroom in junior high and 20 in grammar school.
As principal of St. James and Holy Redeemer, Susan Romero is a strong advocate for the educational philosophy held by Catholic schools.
“We meet the needs of all learners,” said Romero. “Our curriculum is designed to promote engaged learning.”
This philosophy allows for an expansion of the traditional teaching methods of grammar school and junior high school. Spanish is offered in the fourth grade, orchestra and theatre arts are strongly promoted to the students, and the curriculum calls for a heavy science and math emphasis. Additionally, the school promotes its students moral development through Catholic teachings.
“Our schools prepare our students for the future, from the tools to succeed in high school and college to building a practical foundation for success later in life,” said Romero. “At the core of our educational system are Catholic values.”
As a private school, St. James and Holy Redeemer also hold certain advantages over the public school system. In addition to smaller class sizes, rigorous academics and an expansion of fine arts support, the school is able to meet and exceed state standards.
Athletics are also considered important to the students’ extracurricular activities and the school offers a number of sports through its involvement with the Catholic Youth organization. By widening the traditional scope of elementary and junior high school education to include arts, athletics and an increased focus on academics, St. James and Holy Redeemer are able to offer a unique and advantageous learning environment for its students.
As explained by Romero, “Through a well balanced approach to learning as well as a focus on personal faith and moral development, we are able to mold intelligent and successful people.”

By Shana LiVIGNI

Holy Redeemer students are ready to demonstrate how scientifically saavy they are at this year’s  Science Fair.
“It’s a science fair, not a competition, where students demonstrate their science skills and their science knowledge,” explained science teacher Cathi Garcia.
“The students in grades five through eight are required to participate and their points count as a test score. The other students in the school are welcome to participate, and many of them opt to, from kinder to fourth grade if they choose to.”
Second grader Sean Metz loves science and spent many hours on his optional exhibit.
“My project is about recycling, like how you can recycle, what you can and can’t recycle, how you can help with recycling. Recycling is important for the environment so you don’t fill your garbage can,” he explained. Erica Dennis, a fourth grader, also participated voluntarily with her project about the Mars rover.
“I did a robotic model of a Mars rover and I did facts on Mars and different pictures of the Mars rover,” she explained. “There’s a solar panel on the back of my model that makes the eggshell on the bottom move.”
Kevin Backes, 14, explained the concept behind his science project. “Mine is on combustion and I’m finding out if there’s an optimum mixture for combustion. Combustion needs an oxidant and a fuel. To test that, I made a cannon out of PVC pipes. For the bullet I used a wooden cylinder. It’s fun.”
Seventh grader Jackson Toyon’s display included a 12 minute video he wrote, recorded, edited and starred in. It visually explained his project about how the average family can reduce their carbon footprint in a sustainable manner. “To test this, we started trying to live out those ways and I also made a video journal on the way we do it,” the 12-year-old said. “A carbon footprint is pretty much all the carbon, methane and all those kinds of emissions made by an event, organization, people or a place.”
“It’s really a showcase of our student talent. We have great talented students and we want science to be engaging and fun and it is,” said Garcia. “‘Science rocks at Holy Redeemer’ is always our theme. We do that cheer at every class!”
Holy Redeemer’s science program is designed to inform, instruct and inspire students to discover the excitement of science. Relation to real-life situations, innovation and creativity, and teamwork are emphasized. Projects will be judged between 12:30 and 2:30 p.m. today and open to the public tonight beginning at 6 p.m.  Holy Redeemer School is located at 2361 Del Mar Road in Montrose.  For more information, call (818) 541-9005.

Takes issue with Lawler’s article

I found the slant of Mike Lawler’s article bias in favor of the neighbors (An annoyed neighborhood strikes back, Dec. 31). Why didn’t he interview the developer for his side of the story? Did Mike for one moment consider the other side or that he was getting wrong information? For instance, I know that the lot that he’s speaking of will only be split into two lots, not three. Only two homes will be built. Mike slanted the article against the developer, in his framing of the article, that this developer doesn’t appreciate the quiet, the loveliness of La Crescenta. It might surprise Mike to know that the developer has been living in the community almost his entire life and that he takes great pride in building beautiful homes that enhance the neighborhood. Also, he raised his family in La Crescenta and attends a local church. His ties to the community are deep and he is committed to building the right houses for the lot. Did Mike take into consideration that this developer has done everything by the book? He has not tried to do anything untoward but rather has done everything that the county has asked of him. I would like to add the fact Mike Lawler trespassed on this developer’s land as he did not get permission to go on it.

I know the neighbors have a right to fight for what they believe in but I think that it’s only fair that you get both sides, Mike.

Elizabeth Anderson

La Crescenta

GRATEFUL FOR CHRISTMAS REMEMBRANCE

Thank you Robin Goldsworthy for honoring the real meaning of Christmas in your “From the desk of the publisher” in the Dec. 24 issue of CV Weekly. The world has tried in so many ways to distract us from celebrating Jesus’ birth. It is refreshing to read something like you wrote in our local newspaper.

Yes, thank you, also, for restoring for our community a local newspaper. It is truly appreciated by many of us. Keep up the good work!

Lois Herrin

La Crescenta

THINKING ALIKE ABOUT NEW YEAR CLEAN UP

I have been writing an article in my mind for the last two months about roadside trash (or finds), garage sales, recycling, and cleaning up for the New Year. I just wasn’t able to submit it before the holidays. Apparently, Robin Goldsworthy beat me to it (Out with the old – but how? Dec. 31).

Good job.

Susan Bolan

La Crescenta

DISAPPOINTED TO LEARN OF SCHOOL NEWS

Up until this year, we have taken advantage of the public school system in Crescenta Valley while participating in religious education after school. My son was hoping to attend Holy Redeemer for middle school, but I am hesitant to send him with the news we heard about (Holy Redeemer and St. James combining to survive, Dec. 17). With so many parents upset, it may pull the morale of the staff and families down. This may make it difficult for us to transition into a new setting. I have heard great things about Holy Redeemer and would hate to see any of the families/teachers uprooted or distraught about the upcoming change. The K-8 school setting in Catholic education is a tradition that has gone on for generations. Breaking it up may “break” the community and cause a ripple effect. I hope it works out. My son was looking forward to attending Holy Redeemer and excited about meeting new people.

via website

FAITH IN COMMUNITY COMES THROUGH AGAIN

When we first posted the story online of the hit and run and victim Joo Lee readers contacted us and asked how they could help. Then with the news of Mr. Lee’s death, more readers contacted us. On Wednesday afternoon we began exploring ways to set up a memorial fund for the family. One of our interns, Peter Lee, was a close friend of the family and through him we began working on a way to help. In only a few minutes Peter had contacted members of several Crescenta Valley High School clubs including LOOK and Prom Plus. The JROTC members had agreed to help and several other students began volunteering and there wasn’t even an event planned yet – they just wanted to help. Peter had mentioned that he wanted to do a car wash fund raiser but knew we couldn’t because of water restrictions. Christy Scott at CV Water District was called and said, “Let me see what I can do.” Within a few hours she had found a way to sponsor a waterless car wash. Robin Goldsworthy contacted the Glendale Area Schools Federal Credit Union where Rita gave her the simple instructions to establish the fund. They had done this for many others in the community and was eager to help.

I don’t know why this type of community spirit still amazes me. I have seen it over and over again with volunteers from the American Red Cross shelter to sandbagging. Local teens pack lunches for the homeless and spend time with seniors at nursing homes. I have seen kids and adults who have fought their way back from addiction help others who are going down that same road. I don’t know why I am surprised at this community’s volunteerism but I am. To think with only a few calls we had the beginnings of a memorial fund and a fund raiser being planned. People continue to add their name to the list of those who wish to help including Glendale Police Department and Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Station. It is astonishing and inspiring.

Mary O’Keefe and

the CV Weekly staff