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
Carina Muniz

Carina Muniz, Editor-in-Chief

Howdy! Currently, I am a senior at Bonita Vista High and finishing my fourth year on the Crusader  staff. Now, I am co-Editor in Chief of the Crusader, however in previous years I maintained the title of Opinion Editor, News Editor, and Editor-at-Large. Especially after the pandemic, I am excited to get back into the action and report on the student body and campus, along with supporting the staff in whatever ways I can. Outside of Newspaper I am involved in volunteer activities like entertaining the Greyhound Adoption Center dogs.

Follow me on Twitter @cmunizcrusader

All content by Carina Muniz
Animals are used to test products used by humans. The unnecessary cruel treatment of the animals must be stopped, solely for the human benefit.

Make cruelty-free a guarantee

Carina Muniz, Editor-in-Chief
June 30, 2022
Earth day is everyday

Earth day is everyday

Carina Muniz, Editor-in-Chief
May 2, 2022
R. Schindler takes a photo with BVH staff that attended her event. Before the event started, she waited in a locker room until all student attendees were situated in their seats.

Holocaust survivor remembers so we won’t forget

Carina Muniz, Editor in Chief
April 25, 2022
Conflict creates change

Conflict creates change

Carina Muniz, Editor-in-Chief
April 17, 2022
A hard road to success

A hard road to success

Carina Muniz, Editor-in-Chief
April 3, 2022
The Bonita Vista High Israel Club organized a book signing with Rose Schindler on April 21, 2022. The Two Who Survived was written by M. Lee Conolly about R. Schindler and her husband Max Schindler's experiences in concentration camps during the Holocaust.

Lived to tell the tale

Carina Muniz, Editor-in-Chief
April 2, 2022
International Baccalaureate (IB) French teacher Patrick Beaulieu has students work independently after teaching class. The French program at Bonita Vista High (BVH) can be an entry for students into the foreign exchange program.

[Photo] Around the world

Elie Cajes, Melina Ramirez, and Alexa Vazquez
March 27, 2022
Like many seniors, going to college means leaving behind family and friends. Nonetheless, the farewells should be saved until the very end. The very little time seniors have now should be spent with those loved ones.

Goodbye childhood, hello adulthood

Carina Muniz, Editor-in-Chief
March 21, 2022
Oftentimes, in times when I am completely caught up in the events of my life, it takes simple conversation with other people for me to recenter myself. Recently, in talking with an elderly woman, I found that the lives of those around me are waiting to be heard.

Burst the bubble

Carina Muniz, Editor-in-Chief
March 6, 2022
From Feb. 28 to March 3 COVID-19 testing will be conducted at the front of the gym.

[Photo] COVID-19 testing according to plan

Jaime Jazo, Features Editor
March 7, 2022
Surviving the end of the school year has proven to be a challenge as of late. Oftentimes, it feels like I'm chained to a weight, dragging myself to the end of the week.

A fight to the finish

Carina Muniz, Editor-in-Chief
February 20, 2022
As Girls Water Polo Coach Betty Alexander reads the names of members on the team, senior and Set Yarenni Hernandez (15) receives flowers before the Senior Night game on Feb. 3, 2022. After the Junior Varsity (JV) game took place, Alexander had the seniors on the JV team play on the varsity team.

Splash against rivals for senior night

Carina Muniz, Editor-in-Chief
February 19, 2022
So far, the only crocheting crafts I've produced are a neck warmer and a doily. Nonetheless, with the help of the Crocheting club and YouTube tutorials on crocheting, I am confident I will create many more crafts.

Hooking hobbies

Carina Muniz, Editor-in-Chief
February 7, 2022
Junior Kevin Ituriaga explores expression through clothes and gains inspiration from influencers like Tyler, the Creator.

Fashion Fad

Carina Muniz, Editor-in-Chief
January 30, 2022
For years, I never realized the relevance that my classes play in my life. After taking International Baccalaureate Biology, I found that the topics I learned in class apply to my life and allow me to inquire about how life works.

The nature of life

Carina Muniz, Editor-in-Chief
January 23, 2022
On Jan. 20, Black Student Union President (right) and senior Mariah Journigan works with BSU members to create posters promoting anti-discrimination. Inspired by the Virtual San Diego National Association for the Advancement of Colored People/Southwestern College/Sweetwater Union High School District forum, BSU members decided to take action in advocating for students of color at BVH.

Virtual advocacy

Nicole Macgaffey and Carina Muniz
January 15, 2022
Over the past few days I have learned what it means to be a driver. As a teen driver I play my part to promote safety and responsibility to those just beginning their driving journey.

How to be a teen driver

Carina Muniz, Editor-in-Chief
January 9, 2022
Every year, my family makes our traditional holiday tamales to eat on Christmas day. This year, we donated these tamales to neighbors, family and friends which made the Christmas spirit more prominent than ever.

Giving back during a time of receiving

Carina Muniz, Editor-in-Chief
December 27, 2021
The anti-Semitic post created by students and directed towards IB Environmental Systems and Societies, and AP Environmental Science teacher Jennifer Ekstein is currently under investigation by BVH administrators. In Principal Roman Del Rosario's statement addressing the hate speech at BVH, he made clear that, with support from SUHSD, BVH would not stand for hate speech. This photo was one of the two attachments in Del Rosario's statement.

BVH experiences hate speech, SUHSD responds with resolution

Carina Muniz, Editor-in-Chief
December 18, 2021
As a little girl, I was involved in sports like softball, playing the sport for nearly five years. However, since my entrance to high school my academic life has completely consumed my time and priorities.

Lessons learned from sports

Carina Muniz, Editor-in-Chief
December 12, 2021
Israel Club Vice President and junior Esther Turquiekamaji and junior Andres Villalpando participate in the ‘Spread Love Not Hate’ workshop by making anti-hate posters. These posters were put up around the school to promote anti-hate messages against the recent acts of vandalism in BVH.

[Photo] “I’m not going to stop until it’s done”

Melina Ramirez, News Editor
December 14, 2021
With the stresses of high school heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic and events occurring within the nation, it feels as if you are living in a whirlwind of events. Thanksgiving is a holiday where we set that whirlwind aside to think about the important people and things in our lives.

Where did the ‘Thanks’ in Thanksgiving go?

Carina Muniz, Editor-in-Chief
November 28, 2021
As freshman, my expectations of high school matched with those of Gabriella Montez's (Vanessa Hudgens) in the movie High School Musical. Now, as a senior, I realize that media has falsely portrayed high school.

High school, not a musical

Carina Muniz, Editor-in-Chief
November 14, 2021
Even as a little girl, storytelling has been a big part of my life. Now, I see that storytelling is a prominent thing in people's day-to-day lives.

The art of storytelling

Carina Muniz, Editor-in-Chief
October 31, 2021
On Oct. 19, Bonita Vista High students wait in line for lunch, taking advantage of the free food available to them. Students stand in long lunch lines in order to receive their free food.

BVH feeds on a budget

Carina Muniz, Editor-in-Chief
October 28, 2021
Sophomore Manuel Jurado (right) works in the library during second period with his peers. During his freshman year, Jurado worked on his ArcGIS project online as a result of COVID-19 and distance learning.

Students make their mark on the map

Carina Muniz, Editor-in-Chief
October 25, 2021
In the last few years, I have been able to identify myself as a Chicana. By indulging myself and asking questions about my culture, I have been able to learn about not only myself, but my ancestors, too.

“Yo soy una Chicana”

Carina Muniz, Editor-in-Chief
October 17, 2021
An overview of each stage of the stadium's construction. Currently, the plans have been expanded into a multi-facility stadium that's in the process of being built.

[Photo] From concept to construction

Eiffel Sunga, News Editor
October 17, 2021
As I've learned through this spring break, part of "taking a break" means taking time off to relax and appreciate your free time. With this new understanding in mind, I can now focus on giving myself "me-time" to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Realizations through relaxation

Carina Muniz, Editor-in-Chief
October 3, 2021
Although saying goodbye to those you love is harder from afar, I've learned that sometimes it's better to do so that way. The important thing for me to remember is that I can still value all the great memories I made with Stella and Hart.

Faraway farewells

Carina Muniz, Editor-in-Chief
September 19, 2021
In recent months I have found myself capturing the calm and uncaptured moments of life. Like these uncaptured moments, the ghost girl in the mirror represents the subtle moments of beauty that occurs daily in this world.

The ghost of time

Carina Muniz, Editor-in-Chief
September 5, 2021
My hesitation of getting my hair cut stemmed from the anxiety of trying something new. However, with trying a new hairstyle, I found that I have opened my eyes to a new part of me.

A dedication to the lady with no name

Carina Muniz, Editor-in-Chief
August 22, 2021
After experiencing the COVID-19 virus for myself, I've come to new understandings about appreciating the little things. Among those things, my sense of taste and smell.

A COVID-19 horror story

Carina Muniz, Editor-in-Chief
August 8, 2021
Bonita Vista High students mingle in the quad after the fifth period bell rings, singling the end of class. Only a limited number of students are on campus for classes.

Shedding a light

Carina Muniz and Nicole Macgaffey
June 14, 2021
During traditional scheduling, students have to do loads of work for all classes a day and can be stressed because of this. This depicts a student exhausted by work and overflowed with many thoughts due to school.

Yes/No: Should BVH maintain block schedule next year?

Angelina Ruckman and Carina Muniz
June 10, 2021
In a poll conducted by the Crusader on Feb. 8, out of 444 Bonita Vista High (BVH) students, 15.3 percent of students strongly agreed that they’ve spent more time playing video games due to distance learning. However, another 20.1 percent of students strongly disagreed that they spent more time playing video games due to distance learning.

Ready player one?

Carina Muniz, Editor at Large
March 23, 2021
The SUHSD Board of Trustees held a special meeting on Feb. 26 announcing that the next phase of the 10 percent reopening plan is to be implemented on April 12. 

SUHSD announces plan to return 10 percent of students to campus

Carina Muniz and Angelina Ruckman
March 3, 2021
Educational benefits to distance learning are time management, self accountability and self reflection, which are all skills that are very useful in college.

Turning a difficult present into a brighter future

Carina Muniz, Editor-at-Large
January 27, 2021
As of Dec. 14, the “No Credit Due to the Pandemic” (NCP) grade policy was put into effect by Sweetwater Union High School District officials. The purpose of the grading policy is to allow teachers to issue an NCP grade, instead of an F.

Yes/ No: Is SUHSD’s new grading policy an appropriate response to increased failing rates?

Carina Muniz and Grace Na
January 19, 2021
This is an illustration provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) depicting an ultrastructural morphology exhibited by coronaviruses. COVID-19 was deemed a pandemic as of March 2020 by the World Health Organization (WHO) and has kept the majority of BVH students off campus since then.

First on-campus COVID-19 case reported

Jennifer Dye and Carina Muniz
December 4, 2020
President of the Drama Club and senior Dana Tween has been a part of the club for almost four years. Tween creates a "comfortable" space to support her peers in the club.

The drama of distance learning

Carina Muniz, Editor-at-Large
November 9, 2020

Exploring creativity

Carina Muniz, Editor-at-Large
October 21, 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.

Compact for Success requirements updated for class of 2021

Carina Muniz, Editor-at-Large
September 30, 2020
On June 7, 2020, Advanced Placement U.S. History teacher Don Dumas attended and spoke at the Black Lives Matter movement (BLM) held at Eastlake Parkway to speak about the injustices African-American people face. Dumas also spoke about the racism he sees among schools within the Sweetwater Union High School District (SUHSD).

Teachers speak at local Black Lives Matter protest

Carina Muniz, Editor-at-Large
June 8, 2020

Under cover

Carina Muniz, News Editor
May 18, 2020
On March 4, 2020, principal Roman Del Rosario, Ed.D, and parents from students in BVH observe Kalie Espinoza's English 10 Accelerated classroom. Later, parents shared their feedback with Del Rosario.

[Photo] Parents in the classroom

Adam Benchekroun, Staff Writer
March 13, 2020
Senior Timothy Tucker speaks to the SUHSD Board of trusties against the proposed plan of cutting the International Baccalaureate (IB) Coordinator position at BVH on Feb. 27. Tucker is just one of several other students, teachers and former alumni who spoke at the budget meeting.

In the Red

Carina Muniz, Alexa Vazquez, and Abraham Zepeda
March 11, 2020
On Feb. 12, 2020, superintendent Karen Janney, Ph.D., talks about the budget crisis that has been ongoing since the 2018-2019 school year. Janney later went on to explain how the budget works and how it gets approved.

[Photo] Involuntary teacher transfers and staff reductions are part of the district’s solution

March 10, 2020
International Baccalaureate (IB) coordinator, Jared Phelps speaks in front of the Sweetwater Union High School District (SUHSD) board on officials on Jan. 28. He expressed his concern regarding the future of his position at Bonita Vista High.

BVH IB community responds to SUHSD administration after proposed IB funding cuts

Carina Muniz, News Editor
January 19, 2020
On Wednesday, Nov. 20th, 2019, International Japanese delegates wait for their assigned guides to arrive. The delegates were taken to the cafeteria before following their guides around the school and to their classes.

All the way from Japan

Carina Muniz, News Editor
December 4, 2019
The College-Going Culture Committee gathers on Sep. 12 for their monthly meeting to discuss ways they can motivate students to apply for college and pursue at least a four year college education after high school.

[Photo] Assistant Principals run committees addressing elements of BVH culture

Jennifer Dye, Features Editor
September 15, 2019
New English teacher Elizabeth Tran instructs her class.

[Photo] New English teacher starts a fresh chapter at BVH

Isaac Lozano, Staff Writer
September 15, 2019

Turning the page

Carina Muñiz, Opinion Editor
August 8, 2019
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