The Student News Site of Bonita Vista High

the Crusader
The Student News Site of Bonita Vista High

the Crusader
The Student News Site of Bonita Vista High

the Crusader
Lucia Rivera

Lucia Rivera, Editor-in-Chief

I am a senior at Bonita Vista High and a fourth year staff member on the Crusader. I am now co-Editor in Chief, and previously was News Editor, Features Editor, and Editor-at-Large. This year I am continuing to follow my passion for finding compelling stories, designing engaging news packages and helping to teach other student journalists in our student-run publication. Outside of Newspaper I am part of several clubs on campus including Quiz Bowl, Junior Optimist, and Spanish Honor Society, along with being a volunteer at Sharp Hospital and an intern for the Vegetarian Resource Group.

Follow me on Twitter @lriveraCrusader

All content by Lucia Rivera
BVH Principal Roman Del Rosario acknowledges the possible gaps in academic performance post-distance learning. Del Rosario states that the Pass/No Pass grading policy is being reimplemented for BVH students as a way of addressing the issue.

[Photo] ‘Pass/No Pass’ grade changes now available to students

Nicole Macgaffey
August 18, 2021
Bonita Vista High International Baccalaureate Biology Higher Level, Advanced Placement Biology and Accelerated Biology teacher Michelle Mardahl-Dumesnil smart board plays a video to her in-person students. During her third period class the Google Meets call is played on the screen.

[Photo] New technology comes to BVH classrooms

Itzel Leon, Staff Writer
June 18, 2021
Bonita Vista High is hosting a vaccination clinic on Friday, May 28 to vaccinate students and community members against COVID-19. While it is not mandatory for students to get vaccinated, BVH and vaccinate 1000 students on Friday.

BVH hosts COVID-19 vaccination clinic for students, community members

Lucia Rivera, Editor-in-Chief
May 25, 2021
Sometimes we take a path to reach the prize waiting at the end. Instead, sometimes we should do things purely to enjoy them in the moment.

A windy path forward

Lucia Rivera, Editor-in-Cheif
May 22, 2021
A quote from Malala Yousafzai, a 23-year-old Nobel prize winner and advocate for equality and access to education, among other subjects. Yousafzai was 15 years old when she was shot in an assignation attempt by the Taliban, according to Britannica.

An inspiring education

Lucia Rivera, Editor-in-Cheif
May 8, 2021
Students walk onto stage at the 2019 Bonita Vista High graduation ceremony. This took place at Southwestern College, unlike the upcoming graduation ceremony for class of 2021.

Celebrating the last four years

Lucia Rivera, Editor-in-Chief
May 4, 2021
Bonita Vista High (BVH) senior Artemis Divine was awarded the Tracie Jada O'Brien Transgender Scholarship on April 2, 2021. The scholarship is meant to support the education of transgender youth in San Diego after high school.

BVH senior wins $500 Tracie Jada O’Brien Transgender Scholarship

Evan Abutin and Lucia Rivera
April 29, 2021
Bell pepper sprouts growing in senior Lucia Rivera's backyard reminded her of the beauty of gardening. They also reminded her of the competing potential of one's options in life.

Sprouting anew

Lucia Rivera, Editor-in-Chief
April 24, 2021
Get to The Pointe Wardrobe Captain and senior Faith Rivera (right) leads a group of Bonita Vista High students through her dance warmup over Zoom. She films herself on GTP Captain and senior Mia Aguimatang’s (left) laptop while Aguimatang follows along behind her.

“Everyone should be dancing”

Lucia Rivera, Editor-in-Chief
April 13, 2021
Junior Mia Gonzalez poses with a letter received from the Carson Scholars Fund. She received news of her win in March 2021 after applying in January.

BVH student awarded $1,000 Carson Scholarship

Lucia Rivera, Editor-in-Chief
April 7, 2021
Every article begins with a blank “untitled document”. Writing regular columns can help one learn how to express themselves better by filling that blank page.

Filling the page

Lucia Rivera, Editor-in-Chief
April 3, 2021
Sometimes we would like to have clear-cut good and bad days, but life isn’t like that. Instead we should appreciate the good that stands out among the bad.

Best of times, worst of times

Lucia Rivera, Editor-in-Chief
March 20, 2021
Swimmer and junior Yarenni Hernandez practices after school at Las Palmas pool on Monday, March 8. Swim and dive coach Betty Alexander also coaches water polo during a typical school year.

[Photo] Student-athletes introduce sports into pandemic life

Jaime Jazo, A&C Editor
March 17, 2021
A crucial moment during a defensive Field Hockey drill, deciding if the offensive player (left) will take the ball to the goal or if the defensive player (right) will successfully take the ball out of bounds. The goalie and two other defensive players watch carefully ready to take their moves, as some of the other players on the team and coach observe from behind the goal.

Photo gallery: sports back in action

Madelyn Omelina and Lucia Rivera
March 12, 2021
Varsity cross country runner and junior Kiara Sandoval speeds up as she reaches the finish line. The race path was delineated with colored cones and white lines.

BVH cross country blasts through first meet

Lucia Rivera, Editor-in-Chief
March 7, 2021
There is value in participating in activities that do not come naturally to you. Sometimes those involvements and commitments help us truly become hard workers.

Cherish that ‘participation’ trophy

Lucia Rivera, Editor-in-Chief
March 6, 2021
Bonita Vista High Sound Unlimited students stand in the soccer field on Wednesday, Feb. 24. This was the group's first in-person rehearsal this school year.

BVH choir returns to campus for rehearsals

Lucia Rivera, Editor-in-Chief
February 28, 2021
A BVH student arrives for in-person choir rehearsal on Feb. 24. As of Feb. 24, only some cohorts have been allowed on campus.

Moving the needle

Lucia Rivera, Editor-in-Chief
February 23, 2021
Restraint comes in many forms, but this pandemic has brought a new kind into our day-to-day lives. It may seem overwhelming now, but safety should continue to lead our decision-making.

A lesson in restraint

Lucia Rivera, Editor-in-Chief
February 20, 2021
Aidan Omelina, freshman (photo provided by Aidan Omelina)

Baron’s Speak:

Lucia Rivera, Editor-in-Chief
February 19, 2021
Senior Lucia Rivera recently received the COVID-19 vaccine due to her position as a volunteer at a local hospital. She began volunteering two years ago.

So much more than a shot

Lucia Rivera, Editor-in-Chief
February 6, 2021
Information was collected from the email sent to seniors on Friday, Jan. 29 by Ana María Alvarez, Ed.D., Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning. Despite these changes, students are not allowed to unenroll from current classes in response.

[Photo] SUHSD reimplements revised graduation plan for class of 2021

Isaac Lozano, Features Editor
January 31, 2021
Cross stitching has become a new passion for senior Lucia Rivera. Designs are made with different colored threads on a cross stitch fabric patterned with small squares.

My next stitch

Lucia Rivera, Editor-in-Chief
January 24, 2021
Senior Mia Aguimatang's bedroom in her early stages of redecorating it. Aguimatang completed the redecoration of her living space with her family.

A fresh coat of paint

Lucia Rivera, Editor in Chief
January 12, 2021
As the Sweetwater Union High School District's (SUHSD) new Board of trustees are sworn in SUHSD students look forwards to improved leadership and transparency. Bonita Vista High students will also experience the leadership of a news representative Adrian Arancibia, Ed.D.

[Photo] Staff Editorial: Our new and improved expectations for the SUHSD board

the Crusader
December 30, 2020
During quarantine, senior Lucia Rivera learned to appreciate the power of feeling good about how you look, even when no one will see you.

Dressing for the occasion, or lack thereof

Lucia Rivera, Editor-in-Chief
December 19, 2020
March 13 was the final day of in-person school for the majority of Bonita Vista High (BVH) students. Students, including senior Lucia Rivera, turned to online calls and assignments, also leaving behind much social interaction.

The not-so-small things

Lucia Rivera, Editor-in-Chief
December 6, 2020
Integrated Mathematics 3 and International Baccalaureate Math Analysis & Approaches Standard Level 1 teacher Esmeralda Orozco

[Photo] Teacher’s Say

Evan Abutin and Laurinne Eugenio
December 11, 2020
Bonita Vista High students were almost evenly split between ranking distance learning "neutral," "effective" and "not effective" in a survey conducted by the Sweetwater Union High School District. Data was provided during the SUHSD Board of Trustees special meeting on Nov. 24.

SUHSD updates Phase 2 criteria and remains in distance learning

Lucia Rivera, Editor-in-Chief
November 24, 2020
Gymnastics, including the one-handed cartwheel displayed here, is a recent hobby of senior Lucia Rivera.

Keeping the momentum going

Lucia Rivera, Editor-in-Chief
November 21, 2020
A marked off path during textbook pick-up at the start of the pandemic. Some of the first students to return to campus in the 2020-2021 school year were ASB officers like ASB Vice President and senior Sean Murphy.

Rough start for on-campus learning, students break safety protocol

Madison Geering and Lucia Rivera
November 18, 2020
The role of hope and hard work after this election

The role of hope and hard work after this election

Lucia Rivera, Editor-in-Chief
November 7, 2020
Peer Counselor and senior Joana Peralta speaks to the way that she was personally impacted by the racial tensions in the United States earlier this year. Many Bonita Vista High students became active with the Black Lives Matter movement over the summer by attending protests.

Supporting one another

Lucia Rivera, Editor-in-Chief
November 6, 2020
The 2020 United States presidential election was held on Tuesday, November 3, 2020. The two main candidates running for the position are Donald Trump and Joe Biden.

Beyond the vote

Lucia Rivera and Alexa Vazquez
October 28, 2020
Holding on less tightly

Holding on less tightly

Lucia Rivera, Editor-in-Chief
October 24, 2020
A screenshot of one of the first virtual labs that IB Biology students completed this year during distance learning. This lab was completed through the online platform ExploreLearning: Gizmos, which creates "Online simulations that power inquiry and understanding" according to their website.

[Photo] Science labs in the virtual classroom

Jennifer Dye and Yealin Lee
October 14, 2020
The wanderlust decoration on senior Lucia Rivera’s wall. She hopes to visit many more places in her life before settling down in San Diego.

The value of wandering, only to return home

Lucia Rivera, Editor-in-Chief
October 10, 2020
The letter that Bonita Vista High seniors received in the mail regarding updates on Compact For Success requirements. This was also emailed to all seniors on Sept. 14.

[Photo] Compact for Success requirements updated for class of 2021

Carina Muniz, Editor-at-Large
September 30, 2020
Technology's encroachment on our lives -- and our need for it

Technology’s encroachment on our lives — and our need for it

Lucia Rivera, Editor-in-Chief
September 26, 2020
Hanging on the fence bordering the Bonita Vista High parking lot, a sign reads "Hang in there community! We are strong, we are kind, we will prevail!!" Students will not be returning to campus for instruction at least for the rest of the semester.

SUHSD announces distance learning for rest of semester

Lucia Rivera, Editor-in-Chief
September 21, 2020
The new meaning of political engagement

The new meaning of political engagement

Lucia Rivera, Editor-in-Chief
September 12, 2020
COVID-19 cases in San Diego County and Chula Vista according to the San Diego Union Tribune and the city of Chula Vista's website.

SUHSD considers reopening in October

Lucia Rivera, Editor-in-Chief
September 8, 2020
Senior Lucia Rivera spends most days at her desk doing schoolwork during the pandemic.

The danger of skipping past quarantine

Lucia Rivera, Editor-in-Chief
August 29, 2020
Information gathered from Crisis Text Line.

[Photo] How to manage stress as a student in 2020

Yealin Lee
August 23, 2020
The acknowledgements page from Ruta Sepetys' historical fiction novel, "Salt to the Sea."

What we can learn from the acknowledgements

Lucia Rivera, Editor-in-Chief
August 15, 2020
On Aug. 12 BVH responded to the discussions regarding sexual assault and harassment allegations within BVH on both Twitter and Instagram. The posts direct students to reach out to administration when concerned about student safety.

BVH responds to sexual assault and harrassment allegations against students

Lucia Rivera and Madison Geering
August 13, 2020
Mask requirement

SUHSD extends distance learning until October 2, 2020

Lucia Rivera, Editor-in-Chief
July 23, 2020
tik tok bvh

[Photo] Former counselor brings “fun and smiles” with TikTok during quarantine

Isaac Lozano, Arts and Culture Editor
July 8, 2020
Why celebrations should continue during quarantine

Why celebrations should continue during quarantine

Lucia Rivera, Editor-in-Chief
July 6, 2020
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