Tag Archives: Eagles

Highlights of the Year:

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John Glenn High School’s 2022-23 in Review

By Laura Gomez

The school year of 2022-2023 is coming to an end. Several students might say it was overwhelming, stressful and full of needed aspirations. It was an emotional roller coaster that no one wanted to be on. However, despite the obstacles that were presented, it was definitely one for the books. It was a sentimental and emotional journey, but we learn from these mistakes which makes us better people. As we ready to transition into our adult life, at the end of the day, everything happens for a reason.

Here are the memorable events from the year, presented in no particular order:

  • Football Games
  • Holiday Bazaar
  • Spring Bazaar
  • Girls Volleyball CIF playoffs
  • Prom
  • Grad Night
  • Senior College Commitments
  • Softball CIF Playoffs
  • Homecoming Dance
  • Wrestling CIF
  • Red Cross Blood Drive
  • Pink Out for Breast Cancer in October
  • BMX “No Hate Tour” Assembly
  • Senior Luau
  • The “Glenn’s Got Talent” Show

Eagles Spring Sports Roundup: Softball and Baseball

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By Jason Leyva

Now that JGHS spring sports have ended, let’s check in on how the softball and baseball teams finished this spring.

The Eagles softball team had a season to be proud of.

Even though our softball team ended their season with a disappointing 9-1 loss in round two of the CIF playoffs, the girls played strong softball all season long consistently. 

The Saint Joseph Jesters ended the Eagles’ dream season, winning 9-1 after a huge 7-run outburst in the 3rd inning, effectively ending the game. The May 9 loss ended the season for the Eagles, but did not put a damper on an otherwise very successful team who has more to look forward to next year. Besides the graduations and departures of star SS Beatriz Galvez, OF Alize Diaz, and IF Kaylani Moncada, the Eagles will be returning a talented roster ready to take the next championship step.

In their opening-round playoff victory, the Eagles trounced Moreno Valley 11-1, thanks to 3 RBI from junior Anais Perez, another 2 runs driven in by senior Beatriz Galvez, and a big 3-for-3 day by Carissa Galvan. In addition to her perfect day at the plate–which included driving in and scoring 2 runs–Galvan pitched a masterful 6 innings, striking out 8, walking none, and allowing just 1 run on 3 hits.

Eagles Softball finished in 2nd place to undefeated Cerritos with a 7-3 record in the 605-League (16-4-1 overall). At one point, the Eagles were 14-0-1, but their undefeated run ended on April 18 with a 14-1 loss to Cerritos, who would come back a week later and beat Glenn again by an 11-1 score.

In a pregame ceremony on March 17, the Eagles softball team honored Ms. Pamela Trimble, who is retiring this summer. Ms. Trimble has been teaching at JGHS since 1988 and graduated from JG in 1980. She was the former softball coach and the Eagles thanked her for her years of service and dedication to Glenn.

Mrs. Trimble honored by the softball team on March 17
(photo: weareglenneagles on Instagram)

And now onto the baseball team. How did the season go? Glenn’s baseball team finished with a 5-12 overall record, and 1-7 in the 605-League, going 4-7 at home and just a 1-5 record on the road. Cerritos was at the top of the 605-League, finishing with a 7-1 record (17-10 overall).

Some big wins for the Eagles were a season-opening 13-5 rout of Bell Gardens, including a 7-run outburst in the 2nd inning, and the 605-league win being a 6-5 road victory over Pioneer.

Baseball had a team with some strong underclassmen who should be returning next year, including juniors Angel Aguilar and Santos Hernandez.

As the Brooklyn Dodger fans used to say, “Wait ‘til next year!” When spring comes around in 2024, be sure to keep an eye on our baseball and softball teams.

Top 10 College Commitments from John Glenn High School

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Eagles and Bulldogs Pick Their Colleges

By Genesis Garcia-Rizo

John Glenn High School Eagles

  • Diego Contreras (Valedictorian): MIT
  • Sammy Hamouda (Salutatorian): University of California, San Diego
  • Javier Reynoso (#3): Stanford University
  • Madison Luna  (#4): Cal State University Fullerton
  • Stany Hernandez (#5): University of California, Santa Barbara 
  • Gael Rojas (#6): Cerritos College
  • Hailey Stoner (#7): Cal State University Fullerton
  • Karen Lopez Calderon (#8): Cerritos College
  • Angelica Garcia (#9): Cal State University Long Beach
  • Gilberto Calderon (#10): Cal State University Long Beach
  • Michelle Gonzalez (#10): Cal State University Long Beach
  • Andrea Urena (#10): Cal State Poly Pomona

Southeast Academy High School Bulldogs

  • Maryann Park-Cunibertti (#1): University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
  • Naidy Cuadras (#2): University of California, Irvine
  • Jonathan Garcia (#3): University of California, Davis
  • Christianelle Lapid (#4): University of Hawaii
  • Evelyn Bejarano (#5): University of California, Riverside
  • Erick Estrada (#6): West Point Military Academy (New York)
  • Daisy Penaloza (#7): University of California, Irvine
  • Melody Castro (#8): Wayne State University (Detroit, MI)
  • Alexa Perez (#9): Cal State University Fullerton
  • Alexander Gonzalez (#10): Rio Hondo College

Other Notable College Commitments

  • Carlos Lopez: Cal State University Dominguez Hills
  • Adriana Zaragoza: Rio Hondo
  • Evelyn Magaña: Cerritos College 
  • Margarita Calderon: Cal State University Long Beach
  • Daniel Flores: Cal State University Long Beach
  • Joey Abugotal: Cal State University Long Beach

Boys Volleyball Season in Review

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By Laura Gomez

Boys volleyball had quite a rough season this year with an overall record of 2-14. They managed to secure their 2 wins by beating Cantwell and Pioneer High School.

Some of the team’s struggles were due to a lack of communication, mental errors, and hitting errors. When asked about how the season was, Coach Reyes stated: “It didn’t go as expected, and they struggled with consistency.” It was a rocky season with several mental challenges, but you can only go up from rock bottom.

Boys volleyball struggled on the court, however they did gain a preferable bond. They formed a family, and newcomers were welcomed with open arms to brotherhood. Since most of the team were seniors, incoming players have big shoes to fill.

Senior night was unfortunately taken away from the players due to a misunderstanding against Artesia High School. Artesia moved the game from Glenn to Artesia, so that they could showcase their newly renovated gym. After the game however, the boys volleyball team was welcomed back at Glenn with open arms from their supporters with posters, gifts, and their coaches’ farewell.

Overall the season was rough and lacking in consistency, but several memories and laughter were shared on the court.

Beautiful Day to Save Lives

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By Laura Gomez

The JGHS American Red Cross donation event collected 150 pints of blood. 70 John Glenn High School Students have saved 450 lives with their donation of those 150 pints of blood. The second blood drive of the school year for the American Red Cross was on April 25, 2023 which took place in the school’s gym.

The blood drive was held at the gym from 7 in the morning to 3:35 in the afternoon. It was organized more efficiently compared to the first semester’s Drive. CSF organized this event and allowed CSF and AVID Club members to volunteer. We have been hosting this event at Glenn for at least 10 years. CSF provided snacks, drinks, meals, and music; and once you donated, you were able to pick a shirt of the ones that were displayed.

12 of the JGHS students who donated gave “Power Red.” A Power Red donor donates double the amount of a regular donor and receives plasma and platelets. Once they donated, the volunteers made sure students rested for at least 30 minutes, with snacks and drinks just to make sure they were good to go.

Overall, I would like to thank Mrs. Johnson, Mrs. Kennedy, Robert Torres, who always advertises these events, the 70 donors, the volunteers, and last but not least the nurses who got the job done.

Tips for Underclassmen to Survive High School

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By Stany Hernandez

  1. Be Nice to Your Teachers and Staff

Besides the obvious benefit of simply being a good person, you should be nicer to your teachers and staff. Oftentimes when you are in trouble or need assistance, they will be more willing to help the people who don’t make their life a living hell. If you’re a senior or struggling student, they can also be a deciding factor or whether you graduate or repeat classes.

  1. Ask Staff about Opportunities

If you’re an overachiever or simply want to be prepared for the field of your choice, it’s always a good idea to ask your teachers. Teachers and counselors can be your greatest resources if you simply ask. Remember, they have worked in their fields and have family in others, it doesn’t hurt asking even if it seems unrelated. (I highlyyyyyy recommend talking to Ms. Afshar–She’s the best!)

  1. Ask Your Senior Friends about Classes

Before making decisions about what classes you’re taking for the next year, ask the seniors who have taken them. They can give you an honest opinion about every class they’ve taken and whether or not the class is a good decision overall. You should especially ask those in multiple activities and extracurriculars as this can give you an idea of the level of commitment it might take.

  1. Join Activities On or Off Campus

Socially, clubs and sports can be the greatest way to meet people. It gives you an opportunity to hang out with existing friends and go to events you wouldn’t think of going to otherwise (ex: going to Knott’s for $10, going to Six Flags).

  1. ENJOY IT!!

For people who are just focused on preparing for college and getting accepted, just please remember to enjoy your time here. It’s okay not to take the AP class if you’re only taking it for the GPA boost. What’s the use of stressing yourself out a grade you’re constantly battling to get to and possibly not attain? It’s so easy to just obsess over school and do nothing but drown in homework, but it’s okay to take it easy.

Opinion: Wellbeing Center at Glenn a Good Service

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By Stany Hernandez

In August 2022, the Norwalk-La Mirada School Board decided not to go forward with a Planned Parenthood partnership as part of a Wellbeing Center at Glenn due to community comments and concerns. The Board listened to the community and voted against approving the MOU. The partnership with Planned Parenthood was dissolved and the school moved forward with the Department of Public Health/Mental Health only.

While many parents showed up to demand the board not go through with this plan, hardly anyone asked the students what they thought. The purpose of the clinic was to educate and provide resources for students involving medical issues, not to provide abortions. That was never the purpose of the center. One of the main misconceptions about this clinic was the issue of abortion, however, it shouldn’t have even been a point of discussion because it would not be provided, nor would Plan B (“abortion pills”). It is not a way to indoctrinate the children but simply to give support to those who need it.

Currently, the Wellbeing Center is aimed to provide services in three areas for students: to treat substance abuse, to provide mental health support, and to give sexual health education and resources. We have many at-risk teens in our school district, with around one-third of them reporting the ease of finding alcohol and drugs and almost half reporting feeling depressed or suicidal. After COVID, many students around the world became depressed, including our students.

The purpose of the Wellbeing Center is to give our students a trusted adult to help them through their emotional turmoil and to prevent them from turning to alcohol and drugs to cope. Too many children in our community have been subjected to addiction and it serves as a way to prevent them from being victims of a vicious cycle. In addition, sexual health support and education is another preventative measure because realistically, some students are sexually active and need assistance.

Originally a third partner in the Wellbeing Center, the canceled facility would have included pregnancy and STI testing, physicals, mental health resources, and contraception, if requested by the student. The goal of a Planned Parenthood-type of facility at Glenn was, first and foremost, to provide healthcare to all students. Almost all students were not even aware of the board’s consideration of a “Planned Parenthood” until they saw news of parents protesting being spread online and the notice shortly thereafter that they were postponing the vote. It was only later that the district and school informed parents and students alike that they would not be pursuing the matter anymore as part of the Wellbeing Center. 

A number of students took a stance online and in the comment section of NLMUSD and other posts covering the protests. A majority of them were in favor of the Planned Parenthood facility being included on campus and were enraged by the parents’ lack of discussion.

As pointed out in the proposal, California law allows minors 12 and over access to sexual and reproductive health services, mental health services, and alcohol and drug treatment without parent knowledge. Technically, anyone at this school could still pursue the same services elsewhere outside the safety of the school. Students are not obligated to tell their parents anything; however, it is always a parent’s hope that their children will disclose their troubles. However, if their parents are not accepting or educated, it draws their children away. It’s better for a child to be treated for something that is bothering them (mental or physical) than having it fester and grow before it becomes a bigger issue.

The Wellbeing Center is a middle ground for parents and students to still treat issues and support students without the controversy surrounding Planned Parenthood.

Cheerleading at Glenn Supportive and Inclusive

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By Evelyn Magaña

The cheer program at John Glenn High School grew a lot from last school year, so much so that they were able to have both a varsity and a junior varsity squad.

In my opinion, the program is a really good one–it has a very positive environment for newcomers, and you get welcomed with open arms by many other cheerleaders. I went into this team with no experience at all but they helped me learn how to break out of my shell, and build my leadership skills, and make new friends.

But just like all the other sport teams in a high school, there could be one thing that gets better for me–I wish that the JV girls would get more recognition because they are still a part of the team. There were not many chances to show what JV could do as there was only 1 game by ourselves; and when they were gonna come together as a full squad, JV was in the back and we kinda looked out of place. Even though I feel like it shouldn’t have happened, the issue was definitely fixed over time.

The cheerleaders at JGHS are very supportive and they help you when you fall. They help you no matter how much you know, and the memories that you make with these girls, you keep them forever. It’s been a little while since I left and I still remember how much fun I had. I was the captain of the JV Cheer Squad during the football session but I had to leave due to the fact that I was behind on school work. The bonding moments we would have as a team has taught me so much on how to work as a team.

So if you are an underclassman (grades 9-11), I highly recommend you at least try to be a part of the John Glenn cheer team next year. You will join a supportive and positive squad.

Pics courtesy the JGHS Cheer Instagram Page

JGHS Sports Roundup: Winter and Spring Sports

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By Jason Leyva

How has John Glenn done in sports recently? I’ve gathered spring sports to highlight, as well as a recap of Eagles basketball.

Our first sport highlight is softball. How is varsity softball doing this season? Softball is doing a great job! As of today (March 27) softball is 6-0-1. Some big games include wins against Hawthorne Math and Science Academy 17-0, Avalon 20-1, Leuzinger 6-1, Firebaugh 12-0, and finally a win over Bishop Conaty Loretto 7-1.

In the first 605-League game of the season, the girls easily beat Oxford Academy behind strong pitching from Carissa Galvan and a balanced offensive attack that scored 9 runs in the 3rd inning to put the game away, winning by a final score of 13-3.

The 2-2 tie against the Wiseburn-Da Vinci Wolves was also a memorable game for the team, as the Wolves were a tough preseason matchup and Glenn more than held their own.

Pictures courtesy JGHS Softball Instagram

Our next sport is baseball. The varsity baseball team is off and running this season. As of March 27, baseball is currently 2-5 this season. The team has won against Firebaugh 5-0 and against Bell Gardens 15-3 in preseason games, and in 605-League play they are 0-2 after back-to-back losses to Oxford Academy.

Rain has been a problem for both baseball and softball in the early going, but hopefully the rest of the season will play out as scheduled.

Upcoming home games for softball that you should go to are the “Senior Night” game on Thursday, 3/30, plus games against Artesia HS on 4/4, a non-league game against Bell Gardens on 4/11, followed by back-to-back home games against Cerritos (4/18), and Pioneer (4/21). The 605-League schedule ends with a road game against Artesia on 4/25.

Upcoming baseball games to check out include Glenn against Cerritos on 4/4 (road) and 4/6 (home), some non-league games against Hawthorne Math and Science Academy (4/12), Lynwood (4/14), and Santa Ana Valley (4/15), followed by a return to 605-League play against Pioneer on 4/18 (road) and 4/21 (home); and finally, two games against Artesia on 4/25 (home) and 4/27 (road).

Recapping winter sports with basketball, how did the Eagles do this season? The varsity boys finished with an 11-16 record this season, and at 3-7 in the 605-League, ending in a tie for 4th place. Some of our team’s most impressive games were against Saddleback, Montebello, and Cantwell-Sacred Heart of Mary. The Eagles won 76-45 against Montebello, 77-54 against Cantwell-Sacred Heart of Mary, and finally a very impressive 76-26 rout over Saddleback.

The girls basketball team finished at 3-18, and 0-10 in the 605-League, but they had fun and learned some valuable teamwork and basketball fundamentals along the way. A season highlight was the back-to-back wins on December 12-13, including a thrilling 21-20 home victory over Blair High School.

JGHS Lady Eagles on Instagram
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