From Mar. 14 to Mar. 18, Bonita Vista High’s (BVH) Associated Student Body (ASB) hosts “March Madness” spirit week in preparation for the first indoor Spring Sports assembly at the gym on Friday, Mar. 18. According to ASB Vice President and senior Michael Dimapilis, the Sweetwater Union High School District (SUHSD) approved for BVH to hold the assembly because of the decrease in positive COVID-19 cases within the SUHSD community. However, Dimapilis mentioned that the assembly will function with a limited audience capacity and the wearing of masks will be strictly enforced. 

“Preparing for our Spring Sports assembly is very exciting. Although it can be stressful, it is always fun to see the ASB work together to make memories [that] BVH students can remember and enjoy. The assembly will be in person which is something we always prefer rather than having it online,” ASB President and senior Jasmine Huerta said. 

The theme of the assembly is World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). Abiding by the wrestling theme, Dimapilis described that the “stage will be in the center of the gym, which is usually an unconventional setup compared to previous indoor assemblies that we’ve had in the history of our school.”

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“[The stage] is going to be in the center with little ropes, poles and strings attached on all four corners [of the stage]. [With the setup], it is going to be a very interesting and exciting assembly. I think it’s going to be [one of] the best assemblies if it goes well,” Dimapilis said. 

Furthermore, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the ASB aims to ensure student and staff safety by putting together a ticket system, similar to the system used during the Winter Holiday virtual assembly held last month in February. According to Dimapilis, the ASB would first send a staff-wide email asking teachers if they would like their students to participate in the assembly, if they respond with a ‘yes’, the ASB would deliver physical tickets to their respective classrooms. Afterward, students would bring their ticket to the gym, wearing their Baron gear in order to be granted entry. 

“We put together [a] ticket [system for students] to get into the assembly. [This] ensures that only a limited number of students get in and [the tickets] are going to be distributed to different classes,” ASB Secretary and senior Samantha Bianes said. “One of my hopes is that this assembly makes school a little bit more fun for students and gets the underclassmen to be more spirited and involved.”

Along with fellow ASB Technology Commissioners, Technology Commissioner and senior Pablo Shimizu is in charge of recording and editing highlight videos for the assembly. The highlight videos would feature Spring Sports such as softball, baseball, tennis and other sports. Shimizu stated that attendees for the assembly should look forward to performances by Get to the Pointe dance team and Mariachi. 

Shimizu will also be one of the hosts for the assembly, along with Spirit Commissioner and junior Noah Burke. To prepare for the role, he explained that he needs “to get into character now [and] get ready to hype up the audience.” 

“We want to make sure that [the audience] is excited, engaged [and entertained] in the assembly; that no part of the assembly is boring,” Shimizu said. 

In preparation for the assembly, Dimapilis mentioned some obstacles that the ASB faced including time constraints in terms of editing and filming for the technology commission. Shimizu added that the ASB “sometimes struggled with not being on the same page every now and then.” Despite these challenges, the ASB is excited about the upcoming assembly and members like Huerta feel “super blessed that we are given these opportunities despite everything that has happened with COVID-19.”

“I’m really excited for this assembly. It’s an in-person assembly which is going to be nice for everyone to enjoy, compared to virtual assemblies where [students] have been stuck in a classroom or at their homes, only watching a YouTube premiere,” Dimapilis said. “We will see pure joy and excitement through people’s eyes [despite] their masks.”

After the assembly on Mar. 18, Dimapilis described that the event “went really well. [By far], I think it’s one of our best assemblies this year and everyone was really excited to watch it.” For Dimapilis, his favorite moment of the assembly was when Athletics Commissioner and junior Alejandro Iniguez and Athletics Commissioner and senior Richard Roman performed a WWE-inspired skit. He remarked that the performance of Iniguez and Roman was “possibly the most hyped moment during the assembly.”

Leading up to Mar. 18, Assistant Principal of Student Activities Christopher Alvarez stated that the ASB faced several obstacles and had to undergo last-minute changes due to unexpected complications. Despite these challenges, Alvarez felt proud and “1,000 percent relief,” after the assembly.

“We had to do a lot of editing [and] a lot of sick students had to come in, where we had to figure out and make things happen,” Alvarez said. “It [assembly] was exhausting. [There was] a lot of behind the scene work that went into it that I don’t think anyone knew what was going on but we pulled it off. I’m extremely proud and happy with the results.”

Moving forward, both Dimapilis and Alvarez are excited for the next assembly which will be dedicated to Morp. The Morp assembly will happen on Apr. 22, according to Alvarez. 

“Bonita couldn’t have had a better assembly. Thanks to all the [ASB members and attendees],” Dimapilis said. “The last assembly of the year is the Morp assembly so get ready for that within the coming months.”