Tag Archives: Monserrat Juarez

Senior Farewell: Thanking Impactful Teachers

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By Monse Juarez

To Ms. Braun: 

First off, I would like to thank you for always having thoughtful conversations with me. I really learned a lot from you about what it’s like to be a responsible adult. I appreciate that you always took your time to make sure that your students were well-informed about college. Lastly, thank you for teaching me the importance of  hard work and diligence. 

To Ms. Walizadeh:

Thank you for taking the time to check up on your students and give them a place to engage in academic and philosophical discussions. The questions you asked us showed me that there is always more to discuss than what is on the surface. I really appreciate how you made us question things instead of simply accepting them. Lastly, thank you for the great books you suggested for us. I really enjoyed them and they helped me become a more attentive student. 

To Mr. Le:

I would like to thank Mr. Le for all of his hard work and his amazing dedication to his students. Thank you for all the time you have put into test corrections and for all the opportunities you have given us to learn. Thank you for all the memories from AP Chemistry my junior year. I never imagined such a hard class could be so fun, but you made it possible. 

P.S. I think I’m taller than you, Mr. Shortie.

To Ms. Johnson:

Thank you for always being a positive and encouraging teacher throughout my 4 years at Glenn. Thank you for showing your students how to be active members of the community in Norwalk. You have set the best example in community service. I appreciate your efforts in promoting the CSF club because the club has helped so many JGHS students get scholarships for college.

To Ms. Kennedy:

Ms. Kennedy I can’t tell you how much I missed you as a math teacher during my junior year. You are truly a great math teacher and role model for anyone that is lucky enough to have you as a teacher. I am grateful that I got to know you because your jokes are by far some of the best. Your banter with Rafa was priceless and I wish to become a great jokester like you one day. 

To Ms. Alcala:

Ms. Alcala, thank you for all the positive vibes that you give. I have never met such an optimistic teacher as yourself. It amazes me how you manage to keep such a vibrant attitude even when things aren’t going well. Thank you for showing me that it’s always better to keep a positive attitude. Your class has always been a great environment to learn in and I thank you for creating a place where students feel encouraged to pursue their dreams.

To Mr. Higgins: 

Mr. Higgins, I will never forget your amazing acting skills. I honestly believe that no other Hollywood actor could take your spot as Holden Caulfield. It is simply impossible. Thank you for making writing feel like a breezy thing to do. I’ve always felt that writing is tedious, but in your class I actually felt like I wasn’t such a bad writer (even though I probably am). Lastly, thank you for inspiring so much creativity in your students. It was a really fun experience and all the memories I made in your class are priceless for me.

To Ms. Garcia:

First off, I would like to thank you for being such an inspiring teacher and person overall. You are one of the most amazing women I have ever met in my life. I was really impressed with the changes in your career and how when you came to the United States you had to go to college all over again. Thank you for making me into the most responsible and hardworking person I could be. There are so many lessons that I learned from you and I am grateful that you always pushed me to do my absolute best in your class. 

To Ms. Frazier:

Ms. Frazier, I really missed your class after my freshman year because I didn’t have you as a teacher anymore. You are such a great teacher and I really had the most fun doing sports in your class. Thank you for always being an encouraging person. I’ve always enjoyed talking to you because you’re a very kind and understanding person. Thank you for all the fun memories!

To Mr. Barr: 

Mr. Barr, thank you for always being a cool history teacher. I always enjoyed your sarcastic remarks in class even when other students in the class didn’t quite catch on. Thank you for always making us participate in AP Human Geography even though we were severely antisocial. Lastly, thank you for always teaching us about practical things like credit scores because it was the first time most of us realized that we didn’t actually want to grow up.

Should colleges require students to be vaccinated?

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By Monse Juarez

The decision has been made by several colleges and universities across the country: students will be required to get the Covid-19 vaccine. Some exemptions from this requirement include religious and medical reasons. Aside from the exemptions, there has been pushback by Republicans and even from parents of students. However, the majority of students have not tried to fight the decision at which colleges have arrived. It is clear that different groups have formed their own opinions about the Covid-19 vaccine, however the real question is: Should colleges require students to be vaccinated?

To answer this question, society must first consider if it is actually legal for colleges to set this requirement. According to Harvard Law Professor, Glenn Cohen, colleges aren’t exactly breaking any laws. On the other hand, there aren’t any laws that explicitly say it is allowed. The Covid-19 vaccination roll-out for college students has been controversial for this very reason. The law doesn’t explicitly forbid or allow college institutions from setting vaccination requirements. In reality, the pushback comes from individual states that have decided to ban Covid-19 regulations like masks and vaccinations.

Clearly, Covid-19 vaccinations are needed to make sure that people are safe. So in reality the Covid-19 vaccination requirement that has been implemented by several colleges across the country, is not exactly illegal. Some colleges already require that students receive flu shots, and all public schools require vaccinations for things like MMR and chickenpox. So the Covid-19 vaccination requirement is actually not as far-fetched as some may believe.

Welterweight Star Vergil Ortiz, Jr. Stays Perfect

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By Monserrat Juarez

23-year-old welterweight boxer and rising star Vergil Ortiz, Jr. now has a perfect record of 17-0 with 17 knockouts, to go with his WBO International welterweight title, after his most recent victory on March 20 against Maurice Hooker in Fort Worth, Texas.

The fight went on until the 7th round. Throughout the fight, Ortiz landed more punches than Hooker did, and both fighters showed off their speed and endurance. Ortiz very much wanted to go the 12-round distance with Maurice Hooker. However, in the 7th round, Hooker took a knee as a result of an injury. Hooker said he twisted his hand as he was trying to get a punch in. The fight came to an abrupt end on a TKO on account of Hooker’s injury, and Ortiz kept his undefeated streak going.

After losing the boxing match against Ortiz, Hooker commented on his opponent’s skills and power inside the ring by saying that he believed Ortiz, Jr. is soon to become a champion in the boxing world.

It’s been a lifelong journey for Vergil Ortiz, Jr. At the age of 5, Ortiz began training with his father to become a boxer. Raised in Grand Prairie, Texas by his Mexican parents, he started boxing competitively at 8 years old and quickly surpassed his competitors in the ring.

As an amateur boxer, Ortiz had an impressive record, and his talent was quickly recognized by the CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, Oscar De la Hoya. In 2016, Vergil Ortiz signed with Golden Boy. Ortiz made his professional debut on July 30, 2016. Since his professional career took off, Ortiz has beaten every single one of his opponents by way of knockout.

Ortiz never even boxed beyond the 6th round until during a fight against Samuel Vargas on July 24, 2020. During the first few rounds, Ortiz used jabs with impressive accuracy. Throughout the fight, Ortiz was keeping Vargas at bay with his jabs. In the first round, Ortiz showed how effective he could be at finding new angles in the ring. He was able to get Vargas into a vulnerable position that left him exposed to Ortiz’s body shots. The fight came to a stop after Vargas received several hits to the body and head.

Vergil Ortiz, Jr.’s record speaks for itself in and out of the ring. He is an intelligent and effective boxer. His level of discipline and determination is inspiring and proves that he is deserving of better opponents.

Meet California’s New Senator: Alex Padilla

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By Monse Juarez

When California Senator Kamala Harris became the new Vice President, her spot had to be filled by somebody new. Enter Alex Padilla.

Alejandro Padilla was chosen by California’s Governor Gavin Newsom to fill Kamala Harris’ seat in the senate for the remainder of her term. Newsom’s decision does not come as a surprise considering Padilla’s extensive experience as a public servant in California.

Senator Padilla and his family have been residents of Los Angeles since his mother and father immigrated to the United States from Mexico. After graduating from high school, Padilla attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. At MIT he earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. After attending MIT, he was selected to become Los Angeles City Council President. He made history as the youngest Los Angeles City Council President. He later became a part of the state senate in 2006 and he went on to represent that people from San Fernando Valley.

During the time that Padilla served as a state senator, he managed to pass over 50 bills that helped the issue of climate change. Alejandro Padilla’s already extensive accomplishments led him to become the first Latino Secretary of State that California has ever seen. Padilla has been breaking racial and socioeconomic barriers since he first began his journey as a public servant in the state of California.

Kamala Harris only needed two more years to finish her term as a senator; so now that Mr. Padilla is filling in for her, a lot of politicians are watching. If Senator Padilla proves to be a productive and effective senator, it could mean that he would be able to get re-elected with the support of his party.

Covid-19 Vaccine Timeline

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By Monserrat Juarez

The CDC announced that Pfizer and Moderna will be releasing their vaccines to healthcare workers and nursing home residents starting this month. There is a timeline that experts want to follow and it looks like this:

  • December: Healthcare workers and nursing home residents will probably receive the first vaccinations. 40 million doses will be available, so only 20 million people can receive the vaccine because after a few weeks, those people who received the vaccine will have to get another dose.

  • January: 40 million doses will be available so only 20 million people can receive the vaccine because after a few weeks, those people who received the vaccine will have to get another dose. By early 2021, there will be about 70 million doses available for 35 million people. At this point, healthcare workers are still going to be top priority.

  • February and March: People over 65 years of age, people with medical conditions that put them at risk because of infection, and essential workers in education, food, transportation, and law enforcement.

  • April-June: Nonessential workers that are younger than 65 years old will probably start receiving the vaccine. It is expected that the majority of Americans will already be vaccinated by summer’s end.

According to this timeline, the CDC predicts that large gatherings will be more safe by the summer. However, this does not mean that people should simply go out to eat carelessly because there is still risk.

Southern California Stay at Home Orders

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By Monserrat Juarez

The stay at home order that went into effect Sunday December 6 at midnight is not the same as the one we witnessed earlier this year. This stay at home order comes as a result of the decrease in ICU capacity throughout the state. This order will stay in effect until December 28 and the order will only be lifted if the ICU capacity is at 15% or higher. Currently, Southern California is at 12.5%.

Unlike the lockdown we experienced in the spring, this stay at home order will not close down retail stores or outdoor areas like parks, beaches, and nature hikes. All of the following will be closed during this stay at home order:

  • Outdoor restaurant dining
  • Hair salons, barbershops, nail salons and other personal care services
  • Playgrounds
  • Outdoor card rooms and satellite wagering and casinos
  • Outdoor museums, zoos, and aquariums
  • Outdoor movie theaters
  • Outdoor wineries
  • Overnight stays at campgrounds
  • Food, drink, or alcohol sales at outdoor recreational facilities

The use of hotels for vacation trips or to visit family will be prohibited. However, hotels will not be closed down completely. They will still be open to healthcare workers, food, agriculture, energy, utilities, transportation, communications, government operations, manufacturing, financial services and the entertainment industry. The places and activities listed below will remain open in Southern California:

  • Entertainment production
  • Professional sports without live audiences, except for Santa Clara County. It has its own order banning contact sports, which has forced the San Francisco 49ers to temporarily relocate to Arizona for December home games
  • Schools that are already open for in-person learning can remain open
  • Outdoor areas like beaches, parks, and hiking trails
  • Medical offices, dentist offices
  • Child care and prekindergarten
  • Restaurants for takeout and delivery service
  • Critical infrastructure sectors

Non-essential traveling will be banned because the increase in cases was caused as a result of out-of-state visitors this Thanksgiving holiday.

Although all of these restrictions have been labeled as requirements, many cities have already announced that law enforcement officials will not help enforce the stay at home order. The reason Governor Newsom decided to label this stay at home order a requirement is because he hoped that it would urge people to help stop the spread.