For the past two months, Ms. Victoria Burge, one of Pueblo’s most beloved campus security monitors, took a break due to medical issues. Finally, on April 1, 2015, she returned.
Though it was a struggle coming back, she said that she is very excited to continue her Pueblo career for the rest of the year in better health.
“I fought to get back to you guys, but that’s how bad I wanted to be back,” said Burge.
Upon Victoria’s return, many students welcomed her back with hugs and warm greetings.
Pueblo Campus Monitor Victoria Burge
“When I was gone, some of the students decided to draw me pictures, and they got sent right to my mailbox,” said Burge. “As I opened these cards, I sat by my mailbox and cried my eyes out realizing how much I needed to return.”
Victoria’s return confirms that she is not retiring any time soon.
“During the beginning of the year, I promised the freshman class that I would stay for all of their four years they were here, and to watch them graduate. I keep my promises.”
She paused and said, “Pueblo has stolen my heart.”
Standing: Sponsor Adalberto Rodriguez, Carlos Jaimez & Enrique Rebolledo
Sitting: Diana Rodriguez, Angel Morales & Andrea Morales
Our Fiesta De Los Guerreros will be held on Friday, April 17, 2015; this annual event has been a tradition at Pueblo since 1957.
This is a free community event that will be held from 4:30-11:00 in the school patio and will feature bands such as Monarkas Del Norte and Los Aucentes De Sínaloa this year. These bands play mexican cumbías & most of our favorite norteño songs. A DJ will play hip hop music to satisfy everybody’s musical tastes. There will also be special performances by our feeder school’s folkloricos and mariachis. Check out the full entertainment schedule online.
“Planning for Fiesta de los Guerreros is year round,” said sponsor Adalberto Rodriguez, Pueblo’s Media Specialist. “It’s such a big event, that the day after Fiesta, we start planning for the next year’s.”
President of the Fiesta Warriors Club, junior Diana Rodriguez, said, “I really hope that more people attend this year’s Fiesta because it helps a lot of our clubs. Also, because of City of Tucson budget cuts, this year we’re going to have tables and not just booths for clubs to raise money.”
Vice president of the Fiesta Club, junior Carlos Jaimez, said, “Fiesta is one of the best events we have here at Pueblo. Clubs can fundraise and make a lot of money. Guests can buy food, play games, dance and have fun. It’s just an all around blast!”
Fiesta charges clubs a fee of ten percent of their night’s profits, and there is an annual competition for the best decorated booth & table. If the club wins first or second place, they do not have to pay the ten percent fee.
“The Science club has been the winner of the best decorated booths for the past four years.” said Rodriguez, “I cannot wait to see what clubs have in store for us this year.”
Fiesta welcomes over 1,000 people each year including, students, faculty, alumni and community members.
People gathering in Pueblo patio for 2015 Cesar Chavez March
This year Pueblo’s MEChA club members are getting ready to pack their bags to travel to Chicago on April 9-12, for a National MEChA conference, where they will be discussing social issues as well as meeting other students across the country.
The “MEChistas” are fundraising $4,000 to buy plane tickets to send all seven club members and two sponsors to attend the conference. By mid-March, the club had already raised $3,000 from carwashes and selling food at school events; they are asking for any donations. The district donated the rest of the money needed for this trip through Title 1 funds.
Co-president Yulissa Hurtado, a junior, said, “MEChA represents social justice and equality for everyone. I am really excited to be able to talk to other students around the country about a lot of different issues.”
This year’s sponsors, Ms. Jessica Mejia, Mr. Jesus Orduño and Ms. Sally Rusk are very proud of this year’s club members and wholeheartedly support the fervid efforts of their students.
“MEChA gives the students a voice and connects Pueblo with the community,” said Mejia.
On Saturday, March 28, MEChA hosted a fundraiser at Pueblo for Cesar Chavez’s birthday from 6:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Food was served and a DJ played music to entertain the crowd. MEChA was able to raise more money for their trip to Chicago through entry fees.
Pueblo High School MEChistas
Earlier that day, MEChA members as well as other supporters and students in other Pueblo clubs walked from Pueblo to Rudy Garcia Park to bring awareness to social issues.
MEChA, which began in the late 1960s during the Chicano Rights Movement, is a student-run organization that focuses on social justice and community outreach.
Mr. Somoza (center in plaid shirt) with group of students
This spring semester welcomed several new faculty and staff members to the Pueblo community, including Mr. Ernesto Somoza, our new Communication Media Technology teacher.
Somoza attended the University of Arizona where he earned his bachelor’s degree in photography while minoring in art education.
While attending the University of Arizona, Somoza worked for the campus’ newspaper, The Daily Wildcat, as a photographer. The significant amount of hours that he invested while working for the Wildcat (and later with Red Bull as a photographer) was enough for Somoza to earn a CTE teaching certification in photography.
After graduating from college, Somoza took his first teaching position working as a special education teacher at Utterback Middle and later at Oyama Elementary School.
Eventually, Somoza saw an opportunity to teach photography, and this position eventually brought him to Pueblo.
“I wanted to find a job that was close to home and one that I got to teach photography and graphic arts,” said Somoza. “It’s exciting coming to work [at Pueblo] because I’m teaching what I truly love.”
Somoza is teaching a new class here at Pueblo that educates and trains students about enrolling in communications media technologies courses.
“This class hopefully breaks the monotony of how school is set up,” Somoza said. He added, “This class helps students understand basic concepts while making them more creative while adhering to the Common Core.”
Although Somoza came in at the beginning of the second semester—and the class is something both new to him and his students—Somoza remains optimistic and positive.
“So far, my experience at Pueblo has been great!” Somoza said. “The students are enthusiastic, and that makes me excited to teach when I see that they are excited.” He added, “I’ve already seen students’ creative levels increase, and I can just imagine where they’ll be by May.”
Somoza’s goal for the remainder of the school year is to ensure that his students are prepared to enter the appropriate communications art class next fall.
“I’m hoping that when students leave this class in May, they’re able to amaze their next teachers,” said Somoza.
Somoza also has hopes to see more students, especially the underclassmen, enroll in his class as they prepare for the communication art electives.
“I would encourage students to take this class if they are interested in taking classes like photography or graphic arts,” said Somoza. “This class is about going more in depth with the outstanding programs that are offered here at Pueblo.”
Top 10 Finalists from Season 4 of Pueblo's The Voice
The Fiesta Warriors Club hosted Season 4 of “The Voice” at Pueblo Magnet High School on Friday, March 6. The first round of this competition was the Elimination Show. About 25 participants showed up to perform a 1-2 minute song; afterwards, judges selected the top 10 finalists.
After the top 10 finalists were picked, one contestant was picked by audience members who will come back and compete with all the other contestants.
According to many of this year’s participants, the contest this year was challenging because of all of the talent. In the end, only 10 will advance to the second and final round which will be held on Friday, March 27.
The finalists will be the following students: Jaciana Fimbres, Yasmine Durazo, Julissa Dominguez, Belinda Arvizu, Destiny Olea, Selisa Bravo, Gabriel Salazar, Perla Lopez, Santos Barbosa and Esmeralda Gallego.
According to Mr. Adalberto Rodriguez, who sponsors this event, the show was a success in the first round. Tickets sold for $5.00, and according to Rodriguez, if audience members keep their ticket stub from the first performance, they will be admitted free to the March 27 show.
As of Tuesday, Feb. 24, staff and students welcomed a new monitor, Mr. Sean Jack, to the Pueblo community, giving our school more security after losing two monitors earlier this semester.
New Pueblo Monitor Sean Jack (Bottom)
Jack was born and raised in Tucson and graduated from Tucson High School in 2001. Around the same time, Jack joined the Air National Guard.
During his time in the Air National Guard, Jack served as a medic and traveled to countries such as Jamaica performing health and wellness checks. He was also deployed to Afghanistan in 2006.
Jack is currently attending the University of Phoenix as a business major and is pursuing a bachelor’s in business management. He hopes to later receive a master’s and to become an officer in the Air National Guard.
In the meantime, Jack has committed to being a part of the Pueblo staff. Although it is only his first two weeks, he had some positive feedback to give the El Guerrero staff.
“So far, Pueblo seems like a good school,” Jack said. “I haven’t run into any serious problems, and the staff and students seem nice and are really easy to talk to.”
