CLASS OF 2020, WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU!! GO SWORDSMEN!! Andrew Adanto: CSU Fullerton, CSU Los Angeles, Cal Poly Pomona--CONGRATULATIONS!! Hannah Aguirre: Johnson and Wales University--CONGRATULATIONS!! Alannys Argandoña: CSU Los Angeles--CONGRATULATIONS!! Alexia Arroyo: UC San Diego, CSU Fullerton, University of San Francisco--CONGRATULATIONS!! Anyssa Aviña: Grand Canyon University, Dixie State University, Southern University Utah, Oak Valley College, Hawaii Pacific University--CONGRATULATIONS!! Andrea Bailey: CSU Dominguez Hills, CSU Fullerton, CSU Long Beach--CONGRATULATIONS!! Isabel Balderrama: CSU San Marcos, Azusa Pacific University, Whittier College, Vanguard University--CONGRATULATIONS!! Victor Barillas: Humboldt State University, Southern Oregon University, St. John’s University--CONGRATULATIONS!! William Bermudez: UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC San Diego, University of Portland, CSU Bakersfield CSU Fullerton, CSU Long Beach--CONGRATULATIONS!! Julia Brenier: Chico State University--CONGRATULATIONS!! Joshua Calero-Hill: UCLA, University of Kansas, Mississippi State University, Loyola University Chicago, Baylor University, Creighton University, Texas Christian University, Gonzaga University, Penn State University, Ohio State University, University of Utah University of Oklahoma, Xavier University, University of Dayton, University of Louisville, Kentucky; Iowa State University--CONGRATULATIONS!! Brandon Campos: CSU San Marcos, Sacramento State University, San Jose State University, San Francisco State University, University of La Verne, University of Oregon, Arizona State University, Sonoma State University, Arizona University of Nevada, Las Vegas--CONGRATULATIONS!! Samantha Ceballos: UC Irvine, UC Santa Barbara, CSU Long Beach, Cal Poly Pomona, Fresno State University, St. John’s University, Louisiana state University, University of the Pacific, University of San Francisco, Notre Dame de Namur University--CONGRATULATIONS!! Zumin Chen: University of Washington, Seattle; UC San Diego--CONGRATULATIONS!! Frank De Los Santos: UC Merced, CSU Fullerton--CONGRATULATIONS!! Jacqueline Diaz: CSU Fullerton, CSU Los Angeles, Northern Arizona University--CONGRATULATIONS!! Charlie Du: Cal Poly Pomona, San Jose State University, University of Arizona, Arizona State University, Embry-Riddle Aeronautics University, Arizona; CSU Long Beach--CONGRATULATIONS!! Andrew Gomez: Chico State University, CSU Dominguez Hills, CSU San Marcos, University of Oregon--CONGRATULATIONS!! Brianna Guerrero: UC Berkeley, UC Irvine, UC Los Angeles, CSU Long Beach--CONGRATULATIONS!! Jessica Guzman: UC Davis, Cal Poly Pomona--CONGRATULATIONS!! Darla Hoyos: Arizona State University, Cal Lutheran University, Grace College, Grand Canyon University, The University of Arizona--CONGRATULATIONS!! YiYuan Hu: UC Irvine, UC San Diego, Chapman University, Pepperdine University, Purdue University, Loyola Marymount University--CONGRATULATIONS!! Amber Jaquez: CSU Fullerton, CSU Los Angeles--CONGRATULATIONS!! Seunggu Kang: Syracuse University Connor Lantz UC Davis, UC Los Angeles, UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara, CSU Fullerton, CSU Long Beach--CONGRATULATIONS!! Hao Lin: Cal Poly Pomona--CONGRATULATIONS!! Michael Linares: CSU Fullerton, CSU Long Beach, CSU Northridge, UC Santa Barbara--CONGRATULATIONS!! Genesee Lopez: Johnson and Wales University, Regis University, Northern Arizona University, Texas Tech University--CONGRATULATIONS!! Noah Lucero: Cal Poly Pomona, University of LaVerne--CONGRATULATIONS!! Anthony Lujan: Biola University, Dordt University, George Fox University, Grand Canyon University, Hope International University, Menlo College, Vanguard University, Wabash College, CSU Fullerton, Chico State University--CONGRATULATIONS!! Raquel Macias: CSU Fullerton, Vanguard University--CONGRATULATIONS!! Camille Marin: Iowa State University--CONGRATULATIONS!! Gianna Martinez: University of La Verne, Vanguard University--CONGRATULATIONS!! Miles Mena: CSU Fullerton, Fresno State University, IOWA State University, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Arizona State University, University of Arizona, Northern Arizona University--CONGRATULATIONS!! Juliane Mendoza: UC Irvine, UC San Diego, CSU Los Angeles, CSU San Marcos, Azusa Pacific University--CONGRATULATIONS!! Viviana Morales: Grand Canyon University--CONGRATULATIONS!! Celeste Moreno: CSU Fullerton, University of Nevada, Reno--CONGRATULATIONS!! Niall Moreno: CSU Fullerton, Grand Canyon University, Hawaii Pacific University, Whitworth University--CONGRATULATIONS!! Daniela Muñoz: Cal Poly Pomona, Humoldt State University, Southern Utah University--CONGRATULATIONS!! Devin Navalta: Grand Canyon University, San Francisco State University, Stanislaus State University--CONGRATULATIONS!! Tiffany Ortega: CSU Northridge, Colombia College Chicago--CONGRATULATIONS!! Isabella Ortiz: UC Santa Cruz, CSU Northridge, Columbia College Chicago, Syracuse University, Whittier College--CONGRATULATIONS!! Alexa Pelayo: Cal Poly Pomona--CONGRATULATIONS!! Jade Perez: CSU Fullerton, Azusa Pacific University, Biola University, Concordia University Irvine, Grand Canyon University, The University of Iowa, The University of Arizona, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, University of La Verne, University of the Pacific, Whittier College--CONGRATULATIONS!! Justin Perez: CSU Fullerton, Cal State Los Angeles--CONGRATULATIONS!! Bethany Phan: UC Davis, San Francisco State University, CSU East Bay, CSU Long Beach, Sonoma State University, Louisiana State University, Michigan State University, Ohio University, Penn State University, Purdue University, West Virginia University, William Penn University, The University of Connecticut, University of Oregon, University of Alabama, University of Washington--CONGRATULATIONS!! Savannah Pineda-Chavez: New Mexico Highlands University--CONGRATULATIONS!! Ariel Ramirez: CSU Monterey Bay, Cal Poly Pomona, San Francisco State University, UC Irvine, UC Santa Barbara, Oregon Institute of Technology--CONGRATULATIONS!! Jazmyn Ramirez: Cal State Los Angeles, CSU Fullerton, Woodbury University--CONGRATULATIONS!! Alexia Ramos: San Francisco State University, Grand Canyon University, Northern Arizona University, The University of Arizona, CSU Stanislaus--CONGRATULATIONS!! Leilani Rocha: Cal State Los Angeles, San Jose State University, Arizona State University, Coe College, Concordia University Portland, Earlham College, Kansas State University Seattle University, Seattle Pacific University, Cornell College, Oral Roberts University--CONGRATULATIONS!! Bryan Rockenbach: CSU Fullerton, Western Michigan University, Saint Mary’s College, Long Island University, Northern Arizona University, University of Nevada Las Vegas--CONGRATULATIONS!! Carlos Roque: CSU Los Angeles--CONGRATULATIONS!! Diamond Sandoval: University of New Mexico--CONGRATULATIONS!! Noah Soto: CSU Fullerton, CSU Long Beach, CSU San Marcos, Whittier College, University of Oregon--CONGRATULATIONS!! Delaney Tate: University of Oregon, University of La Verne, Central Washington University--CONGRATULATIONS!! Miguel Torres: Grand Canyon University, Woodbury University--CONGRATULATIONS!! Tori Tua: University of New Mexico--CONGRATULATIONS!! Nehemiah Tualaulelei-Malele: University of Nevada Las Vegas, The University of Arizona, Arizona State University, New Mexico State University, The University of New Mexico, Colorado State University, Pacific University Oregon--CONGRATULATIONS!! Eugene Valdez: Indiana Wesleyan University--CONGRATULATIONS!! Mia Verdugo: CSU Fullerton, CSU Long Beach, Cal Poly Pomona--CONGRATULATIONS!! Wei Lin Xiang: Cal State Los Angeles, Seattle University, Seattle Pacific University--CONGRATULATIONS!!--Yuechen Xu: Cal State Los Angeles, Cal Poly Pomona, San Diego State University, and University of Arizona--CONGRATULATIONS!!-- CLASS OF 2020, WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU!! GO SWORDSMEN!!

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2014 Winner:

“There’s No Place Like School”

School is the door that closes vacation,

The window to more education

The entryway of learning leading to…

The kitchen – where teachers whip out all sorts of education delicacies,

ahh, the pun gent smell of tests and quizzes

The dining room - a study hall for late-night crammers,

the sound of pencils eating homework

The library – full of textbooks and resources,

shh, the silence of an unpopulated room

The bedroom – where closed books sleep in their locker beds

waiting to be awakened for the next day

By:

Mila Reyes

Class of 2016

2014 Runner-up:

“A Pen Like No Other”

My pen is as dark as the rock of obsidian

Jet black and smooth like hand-blown glass

It’s ink flows like the waters of a creek,

Never skipping.

Color as black as pitch,

Down the side of its cylindrical body is

A metallic stripe in the shade of slate,

Disrupting the onyx barrel

With a beautiful ribbon of sophisticated design.

My pen has a fine felt tip,

It’s point like the peak of an arrow head.

Ideas and words flood from my pen

And creates pictures with vivid detail

Setting them in the paper – a task

That no pencil could ever achieve.

I will treasure you

Until your ink runs dry,

Never lose you nor lend you to hands

That will push down your point.

You will be the one to transcribe

Those thoughts of fleeting, momentary genius

And be the tool in creating those images

That everyone do admires.

By: Alyssa Solares

Class of 2016

2013 Winner: My Mother's Cooking

She cooks what she feels,

with a side of music,

surrounded by spices and utensils,

she dances how she pleases,

she sings as she cuts the peppers and onions,

the tears falling down her face.

While her hips follow the beat of the cumbias,

she begins to throw peppers and onions,

into a pan of chicken,

pouring in her secret homemade sauce.

The smell of perfection,

roams the house like a playful child.

Laura Rodriguez

Class of 2015

2013 Finalist:

My Aunt's Woods

Years ago at the lively age of six

My father and I traveled north to celebrate Thanksgiving

With my outer family in the mysterious state of Washington.

Unaware of what wonderful times awaited me

I whined and cried as I was bored

And could only look forward to the food.

The day after the scrumptious feast
I sat in my aunt's dimly-lit living room
With my face buried into a session of Super Mario.
My teenage cousins, playing a gratuitously bloody shooting game
ordered their nose-picking younger siblings and me out of the room
suggesting we should dig up nightcrawlers and beetles in their forest.

Thrown out of the house after much complaining
my cousin and I took their advice seriously
and agreed that a good place to find bugs
would be deep in the dark, moist, unknown section of the woods,
where foul creatures were said to have lurked under rocks
and "snatch pesky kiddies who disturbed them."

After we mustered up enough courage
We sprang into the forest
and quickly realized that we had been cruelly tricked.
For the woods were lush and the plants were painted vivid green
And the pine trees towered overhead
With sweet needles that tasted of citrus.
The pine trees towered for seemingly miles overhead
And many slouched at the angle perfect for climbing.

After getting our hands scraped and dirty
We discovered a lonely red swingset
Lying sadly near the back of the woods.
I reached it first and swung merrily for a while
And my cousin pouted and quickly stormed away
back toward the mundane farmhouse.
I smiled and jumped off the swing
Knowing that I must reach the house
Before my cousin bawled to her parents about my selfishness.

The following day my dad and I said our goodbyes
and flew back to the southland
where I anxiously awaited my next vacation
For I deeply missed my family,
but even more, my green playground.

Diego Hooghkirk

Class of 2015

2013 Finalist:

Rumors

From the mouth of a jealous teenager,
Into the ear of a curious friend,
Among the murmurs in the girl's locker room,
Across the football field,
Past the crowded lines of the cafeteria,
Through the desks in the classroom,
Within the whispers of nosy children,
A rumor spreads.

Alexa Giron

Class of 2015

2013 Finalist:

My Grandma's Laughter

My Dama's Laughter

Floating down the hallway

On a hot summer day

Soft and carefree

As playful as the breeze

Bouncing off leaves on a cool windy day

My Dama's Laughter

Reminds me

Of picnics at the park,

And cold ice cream cones

In the front yard late one June

My Dama's Laughter

Strong and happy

Her flawless Spanish flows

To Mexico through the phone.

My Dama's Laughter

Rich and golden, like smooth honey

Always brings me home...

Samantha McCullar-Reyes

Class of 2015