On Thursday, December 8, 2016 the varsity girls’ soccer team went head to head against Saguaro High School at a home game; unfortunately, we came out short with a score of 6-1.
Regardless of the loss, our girls came out with their heads held up high, knowing that they lost but gave it their all.
“It was a good game because we successfully worked as a team,” said senior Avae Velasquez, varsity soccer player. “Although we gave it our all, we still need to stay on our [ the opposing team] girls. The other team had better [soccer] shooters, but other than that we were better at communicating.”
Leaving the stadium with an unexpected loss has not discouraged the team; instead, this loss only motivated the girls to try harder the next time they compete.
According to senior Anna Verdugo, one of the team’s three captains of the varsity girls’ soccer team, the girls have started to work harder in their daily after school practices. The coach constantly motivates them to fix past mistakes and increase team chemistry.
“We may have lost now, but now we know how to improve from any mistakes we did out in the field that day,” Verdugo said. “We’re not giving up this season.”
Pueblo welcomes our newest edition to the AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) program teacher, Ms. Lyndsey Bojorquez, a U of A graduate from class of 2008, who was born and raised in Sahuarita, Arizona.
Bojorquez started out her teaching career at Desert View High School and continued onto Baboquivari High School in the AVID program.
AVID is a college preparation program which teaches students various ways and lessons to prepare them for high school and—inevitably—collegiate life.
“I truly believe that AVID just serves the unrepresented students how to get to college,” said Bojorquez, “they [students] don’t classify themselves as smart, so they don’t think they can get to college, but they are.”
Bojorquez aims to teach how to self-motivate, and how to apply yourself in school so students can graduate with a contempt feeling about college and adjusting quickly.
“They [students] think school comes naturally,” she said, “but it doesn’t. You have to learn.”
It seems that almost every teenager today in the 21st century is on his or her phone for hours each day—playing video games or exploring social media. However, communications media technology teacher Mr. Ernesto Somoza is changing pastimes for many of our Pueblo Warriors. He is the sponsor/adviser of the schools hiking club.
When Somoza initiated this club two years ago, only a handful of students committed to being in the hiking club. But, through the word of mouth and some promotion, the hiking club has more than 30 Pueblo students.
This school year, Somoza is planning to take the club to new levels—including a trip to the Grand Canyon in the spring.
During this past summer, Somoza was already researching trips to Tumamoc Hill, Sabino Canyon, the Tucson Mountains—among other locations in Southern Arizona.
“Arizona is a hiker’s paradise,” Somoza said. “Even around Tucson, there are wonders to be explored for the average hiker. I look forward to experiencing these local treasures sometime this school year.”
The Hiking Club meets every first Tuesday of the month, and they hike once a month.
“Right now we’re planning a trip to the Grand Canyon which will be for about 10 students,” Somoza said. “We’ll be spending a couple days there! This will be happening sometime in the spring, although I haven’t set a definite date yet.”
He added that there is still room in the club for any students still interested in joining the Hiking Club. Somoza said that students do not need any experience hiking because there are several levels of hikers in the club.
“I will make accommodations for all levels of hikers,” Somoza said.
Please see Mr. Ernesto Somoza in Room T-12 after school every first Tuesday of the month if you are interested or curious about the club.
Pueblo Wrestling competed in the annual TUSD William Bell Tournament on December 2nd & 3rd. They finished 3rd as a Team and went 7-1 overall. Here are the dual results:
Brian Lujan @ 126lbs.
Tucson 33-40 (Lost)
CDO 37-34 (Won)
Desert View 39-32 (Won)
San Manuel 60-18 (Won)
Catalina 75-0 (Won)
Nogales 67-12 (Won)
Santa Rita 72-6 (Won)
Salpointe 45-25 (Won)
Here are the individual results:
Juvanny Esquivel at 160lbs.
Cesar Labrado was 3rd @ 106
Juan Campista was 5th @ 113
Nick Gallegos was 5th @ 120
Brian Lujan was 1st @ 126 (Champion)
Fernando Esquer was 5th @ 132
Sammy Sierra was 2nd @ 145
Zack Espinoza was 6th @ 152
Juvanny Esquivel was 1st @ 160 (Champion)
Dominick Carrillo was 2nd @ 170
Billy Bertsch was 2nd @ 182
Omar Ibanez was 3rd @ 220
The Pueblo Theater family is treating the Pueblo HS Community with a “real life” view on situations that people experience everyday—a performance that acts out expectations for situations, and shows the reality of these situations. The show is called “Expectations vs. Reality”, and there will be four performances.
After all of the month-long challenges to remember their lines and character building, teacher and director Ms. Sarah Sutton is eager for her students’ performance to entertain and impact audiences emotionally, as well as to make them laugh.
“That’s [making an audience laugh and making an emotional impact is] an actor’s job,” Sutton explained. “We want to entertain—whether our acting makes the audience laugh, or cry.”
Pueblo Players Drama rehearsing for upcoming shows.
Sutton said the show will definitely entertain, but some audience members may consider the rating to be PG-13 because of some of the show’s themes—including conversations regarding relationships, teen pregnancy, alcoholism, suicide and death.
Sutton wants the community to know that although these “things” are prevalent, “it’s not the crux of the show. Sometimes we think that teens aren’t listening to adults, but everything that we adults say and do influences their every-day life.”
This show has been approved by school administrators.
She also explained students have invested a lot of after school time to rehearse this performance—an estimated 52 hours!
“This is also our first show with live music,” Sutton said. “Over the years, we’ve proven ourselves to the Pueblo Community, and we now have faculty asking to help with lights and sound.” She paused and said, “That’s how professional our program is now.”
The purpose of the show, Sutton said, is to entertain.
Senior Jalena Norzagaray said, “I want to leave a legacy for incoming theater students. I want to inspire the younger actors and actresses to commit to this program because it has helped me in so many different areas of my personal and academic life.”
She added that practices were sometimes grueling but enjoyed how after all of the hard work, everyone united as a huge family.
Sutton added, “I’ve had many of these students since they were freshmen, and to see them now as seniors and how they have grown into young adults is incredibly rewarding.”
[Writer’s footnote: I truly had the honor of watching this performance before the opening night, Thursday, Dec. 1. All of their hard work definitely shows in their performance! Warriors—come join the theatre family at 7 p.m. in the Little Theater, but you should be there a little earlier because these performances sell out quickly. The performance will be Thurs., Dec. 1 and Fri., Dec. 2; and Thurs., Dec. 8 and Fri., Dec. 9, all at 7 p.m.]
On Sunday, October 23, 2016, the second annual Pueblo Hall of Fame ceremony took place at the Hotel Tucson City Center, commemorating the latest inductees into the Pueblo Magnet High School Hall of Fame.
The Pueblo Alumni Foundation welcomed 12 new members this year: Robert J. Acuna ’61, Dr. Leonard E. Basurto ’62, Dr. Tim Dong ’60, Dr. Dale Frederick ’64, Richard M. Gastellum ’61, Dr. Coronado L. Gomez ’67, Adelita Grijalva ’89, Dan A. Klingenberg ’57, Dr. Miguel Palacios ’63, Dr. Rafaela M. Santa Cruz ’66, Saturnino “Curly” Santa Cruz ’62, and Ramon Valadez ’84.
“We are proud to have such an outstanding group of individuals representing Pueblo the way they have,” said Mr. Richard Guillen, President of the PHS Warrior Foundation.
These individuals were nominated due to their outstanding personal and professional achievements.
“Today we honor those who significantly improve the lives of others through their exceptional performance and efforts,” said Mr. Saturnino Santa Cruz, Chairman for the PHS Hall of Fame.
There was plenty of support from all of our Warrior community, including alumni, their families, and current staff and students. Pueblo Principal Dr. Augustine Romero was also in attendance to honor these distinguished Warriors.
Each inductee spoke of his/her struggles as well as their motivation and perseverance to keep pursuing their dreams.
“I learned speaking Spanish was an honor and to be proud of who you are, no matter who you are,” said Dr. Leonard E. Basurto. He added, “Dos idiomas abren dos mundos.” (Two languages open two worlds)
The inductees hope to inspire today’s Warriors—and for them to learn how to give back to their community as they have.
Dr. Coronado Gomez said, “I hope to inspire other students that are at Pueblo porque ¡Sí Se Puede!”
Inductees and guests were treated with a brunch fit for royalty. The Alumni Foundation funded the entire event and look forward to next year’s ceremony.
