• Cambria Graff Named Teacher of the Year at SJHHS: one of the most recognized performing arts teachers in all of Orange County
  • Pajama Drive Happening Now: Donate a pair of new pajamas, infant through adult, between now and December 13. Drop off in the front office or ASB.
  • Trading Post Has New Merch, Visit During Lunch
  • Senior Portrait Deadline Dec. 9: Schedule Through South Coast Photographic
The story of San Juan as told by its students

The Express
The story of San Juan as told by its students

The Express
The story of San Juan as told by its students

The Express
Ella Villar

Ella Villar, Co-Editor-In-Chief

Ella Villar is a currently a senior and has been a member of The Express for three years now. As one of the Co-Editors-in-Chief, she intends to recognize the diverse SJHHS community and learn about the students who are a part of it. In addition, she enjoys writing feature and opinion articles and taking photos of dance shows, choir concerts, and sports events. In her free time she enjoys painting, reading books, collecting pins and listening to jazz. Ella is so excited to see what is in store for the paper this 2020-2021 school year.

All content by Ella Villar
When campus opened to in-person students in October, class sizes were very small as most students remained online. With new guidelines, more students were able to return to campus for a four day in-person instruction. Plans for next year are taking shape as the district outlines a reopening model for a 100% in-person 2021-2022 school year.

District Plans to Reopen Schools in Fall 2021

Ella Villar, Co-Editor-in-Chief
May 3, 2021
With new CDC guidelines, SJHHS is planning to reopen campus and combine both the gold and navy cohorts in a four-day week schedule. Students still need to cover up with masks and social distance, but instead of the previous six feet rule, the space has decreased to only three feet apart.

Reopening the Door for In-Person Learning

Ella Villar and Sandhya Ganesan
April 16, 2021

E-Bikes: Get them Off My Lawn

Ella Villar, Co-Editor-in-Chief
March 29, 2021
This art piece shows the important relationship between women and birth control. Birth control provides women with reproductive freedom that is one step to closer equality.

[Photo] Birth Control Should Be Accessible To All

March 25, 2021
The initial school shutdown caused the district to alter their graduation requirements due to the transition to online school. Now that the district has reached a more normal year, the requirements will slowly change back to its original credits.

CUSD Adopts New Graduation Requirements

Ella Villar, Co-Editor-in-Chief
March 19, 2021
Free Speech Should Be Guaranteed On and Off Campus

Free Speech Should Be Guaranteed On and Off Campus

Ella Villar, Co-Editor-in-Chief
March 9, 2021
Along with Ethnic Studies, Reischl has worked to propose new literature into the classroom. Some of the novels include "All American Boys" by Jason Reynolds, and "March: Book One" by John Lewis.

New Ethnic Studies Course Piloted This Year in CUSD

Ella Villar, Co-Editor-in-Chief
February 26, 2021
Passive Activism Not Enough To Combat Individual's Biases

Passive Activism Not Enough To Combat Individual’s Biases

Ella Villar and Isabella Mahar
February 26, 2021
The capitol riots, left, looked a lot different compared to the Black Lives Matter protests, right, that took place over the summer. The discrepancies between the two events are a clear example of white privilege.

Capitol Riots Exemplify White Privilege

Ella Villar, Co-Editor-in-Chief
February 25, 2021
The winter musical, "A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder", was scheduled to be an outside production with masks and social distancing, but the latest weather and changes in restrictions caused the show to be postponed. The show was rescheduled during the first week of tech week right before opening day. The show was planned to be performed in the outside amphitheater including lights, sound, and a "pit orchestra"

Theater Department Faces Multiple Setbacks From Pandemic

Ella Villar, Co-Editor-in-Chief
February 15, 2021
Lunchtime is usually filled with students packed around tables, lunch activities, pep rallies, and music. Hybrid learning turned the campus into a ghost town and ASB has to create new ways of entertaining the Stallions who are mostly online.

ASB Plans for Creativity and Safety in New Events

Ella Villar, Co-Editor-in-Chief
February 1, 2021
File_000

[Photo] The Toxicity of Aesthetics

January 18, 2021

Covid-19 Impacts Teacher

Ella Villar, Co Editor-in-Chief
December 14, 2020
2020 Election Results are Coming In

2020 Election Results are Coming In

Ella Villar, Co Editor-in-Chief
November 4, 2020
The student group CUSDAgainstRacism, made the subject of BLM posters on campus a prominent part of the public comment portion of the last board meeting.

CUSD Against Racism Responds to BLM Poster Banning

Ella Villar, Co Editor-in-Chief
November 1, 2020
A symbol of American culture, movie theatres are finally reopening; however, that doesn't mean it will be a complete return to normalcy.

[Photo] Movie Theatres Are Returning. I’m Excited. Aren’t you?

October 17, 2020
Parents opposed to an extension of online learning for high school students gathered outside the district office on Tuesday.

CUSD Drops Plan to Postpone Hybrid Reopening of High Schools

Samantha Freeman and Ella Villar
September 21, 2020
Selma's employee, Zoe Hotmer (12) wears a mask while she works due to new regulations put in place because of COVID-19. Restaurants around San Juan have adjusted to new rules to ensure the safety of their customers.

Students Adjust to a New Work Life Due to COVID Pandemic

Ella Villar, Co-Editor-In-Chief
September 10, 2020
Board Policy 5121.2 offers something for everyone. But is it safe to assume grades can only go up? A new option of No Credit can be assigned to students who "unable to demonstrate proficiency during distance learning."

Trustees Adopt Changes to Grade Policy

Ella Villar, Co-Editor-in-Chief
April 29, 2020
Students have continued to learn through programs and websites like Google Classroom, Zoom, and more. Even though learning does not take place in a physical classroom, teachers still find ways to connect with their students.

Online Learning Connects Classrooms

Ella Villar, Managing Editor
April 17, 2020
The stay at home orders have allowed for families to unexpectedly become closer with each other. While there are some negatives to constantly being around family, it is much better than the alternative of quarantining alone.

[Photo] Quarantine Helps Families Bond

April 16, 2020
Couples have started using different platforms to stay in touch during quarantine. Platforms such as Facetime and Netflix party have become popular recently because they give you a chance

[Photo] Relationships Stay Intact Through Unusual Platforms During Pandemic

April 16, 2020
0001

A volunteer for the drive-through lunch service hands a student a bag of food at Marco Forester Middle School. For the next three weeks, breakfast and lunch will be available at various elementary and middle schools for any student due to school closure.

CUSD Offers Meal Service During School Closure

Ella Villar, Managing Editor
March 20, 2020
From the left, Schafer Welsch (12), Ryan Sisson-Burack (10), and Parker Gorton (10) are filmed for an episode of The Mane Event. Behind the scenes, the students work together to adjust the sound, lighting, and camera for the edition.

The Mane Event Delivers News With Comedy

Ella Villar, Managing Editor
March 4, 2020
Harper O'Loughlin (11) holds a piece of wood steady while Julia Raubolt (12) drills it in. These final touches on the cross sections add detail to the scaffolding on stage. After drilling, the scaffold was painted and given final checks before the show. Throughout Newsies, this scaffolding was used for all of the dance numbers in addition to its frequency in helping to make the sets. These sets are built during Mr.Pike’s fifth period stagecraft class at SJHHS.

Newsies: Behind the Scenes

Ella Villar and Eva Smedeby
February 28, 2020
Coach E looks to inspire his team during a timeout at a league game versus El Toro High School. The Stallions defeated the Chargers, 64-59 and eventually made it to CIF.

[Photo] Coach Inspires Players Both On and Off the Court

February 28, 2020
Alaina Arbiso (10) presents the features of the blackbox during a tour of the theater department. Future stallions were taken around the F building with their parents at Stallion Showcase to promote VAPA.

Stallion Showcase 2020

Ella Villar, Managing Editor
February 12, 2020
Danielle Serio poses in front of a section of her LGBTQ+ library of books she is curating. Serio hopes to make LGBTQ+ members at school feel more included by having this library and by distributing various LGBTQ+ flags to teachers around teachers.

[Photo] Serio Brings LGBTQ+ Inclusivity to Campus

February 28, 2020
Numbers 8 and 24 were Kobe's basketball playing numbers. Out of tribute to him, they have been retired and may no longer be used by basketball players in the NBA.

[Photo] The Legendary Eight and Twenty Four

February 21, 2020
Actresses, (from left to right) Eliza Scanlen, Saoirse Ronan, Laura Dern and Florence PughGreta Gerwig talk among themselves in the movie “Little Women.” Florence PughGreta Gerwig, playing Amy March, tells her mother and sisters that she was invited to travel to Europe with her aunt. Amy was picked out of all of the sisters because their aunt believed she was most likely to find a rich man to marry.

‘Little Women’ Creates A New Perspective on Women

Ella Villar, Managing Editor
February 3, 2020
Mrs. Rickert’s fifth period anatomy class participates in a cat dissection by first skinning the cats and then identifying their muscles. These students reach into the cat to remove the skin from its body.

[Photo] Stallion Life 1/17-1/31

Grace Aitken, Editor-in-Chief
January 31, 2020
Danielle Serio poses in front of a section of her LGBTQ+ library of books she is curating. Serio hopes to make LGBTQ+ members at school feel more included by having this library and by distributing various LGBTQ+ flags to teachers around teachers.

Oliver Rudolph (12) works the camera filming his church service. In addition to recording films for his church, Rudolph works on music videos, that can be found on various social media platforms. Currently, he is pursuing a career in the film industry.

Rising Student Filmmaker Takes Next Step

Ella Villar, Staff Writer
December 13, 2019
Back row (from left): Kayden Karti, Namiah Miller, Nadine Tong, Mina Mahmoodzadeh, and Aaron Hernandez. Front row (from left): Araceli Carreon, Lexie Guzik, and Varshitha Selvarajan Uma.

Diversity on Campus

Riley Goodfellow, Grace Aitken, Ella Villar, Kate Meyers, and Sandhya Ganesan
December 13, 2019

Kayden Kadri

Ella Villar, Managing Editor
December 13, 2019
Students celebrate and sing in the senior section after the Stallions score another touchdown. The team scored 57 points in total compared to the Dolphins’ score of 14 by the end of the game.

Stallion Life October 30

Ella Villar, Managing Editor
October 30, 2019
Cole Caselli (9), Vivian Landa (11), Emma Seemann (11), and Madelyn Earnest (10) pose for a TikTok. Each student has achieved thousands of followers on the new social media app. Through dancing, lip-singing, or just having fun helped these creators reach fame, and truly become TikTok famous.

TikTok Stars Go Viral

Ella Villar, Staff Writer
October 20, 2019
Sam Cowan (12) works as a musician by filling in for bands that need an extra instrument playing guitar, drums, or even keyboard. Cowan has described music as his passion and a career that seems natural to him. He has already created original music and hopes that it will be released sometime in the near future.

Talented Students Explore the Music Industry

Ella Villar, Managing Editor
October 20, 2019
Jeremey Mitaux (11) is involved with music in many different ways as a guitarist, drummer, and most notably, a bassist for the band “White Collar”. He also writes music and lyrics to his own songs as an individual and has expressed interest in continuing his musical production after high school.

Jeremey Mitaux

Ella Villar, Managing Editor
October 20, 2019
Sam Cowan (12) works as a musician by filling in for bands that need an extra instrument playing guitar, drums, or even keyboard. Cowan has described music as his passion and a career that seems natural to him. He has already created original music and hopes that it will be released sometime in the near future.

Sam Cowen

Ella Villar, Managing Editor
October 20, 2019
Thai Nguyen (10) has worked with Nicole Hernandez to produce her EP. The commercial music class that offered on campus has allowed Nugyen to meet and connect with many other musicians like Hernandez. Inspired by artists such as Billie Eilish and Alicia Keys, Nguyen hopes to work in the music industry after high school and feels she has been given a great start from the music program on campus.

Thai Nguyen

Ella Villar, Managing Editor
October 20, 2019
Alexa Burns (9) places the sorting hat on Victoria Schultz (12) head during the dance production’s performance of Harry Potter. Victoria Schultz was a member of Hufflepuff which was the freshmen house. The sophomore class was Ravenclaw, the juniors were Slytherin, and the seniors were Gryffindor.

[Photo] Homecoming 2019 In Photos

Sandhya Ganesan
October 4, 2019
Kayden Kadri (11) and Sohum Joshi (11), presidents, of the Indian Appreciation Club, pose with their poster promoting the Indian Appreciation Club’s first meeting. The club was created just this year in hopes to appreciate Indian culture.

[Photo] Indian Appreciation Club Attracts Many Students

November 3, 2019
SAT prep books claim to improve test scores, but the reality of improvement of scores relies on the money people invest in SAT classes and tutors. These are just a few of the many books that students use to prepare for the SAT and other standardized tests.

[Photo] Standardized Tests Hurt Low Income Applicants

October 6, 2019
Board members listen to public comment by a concerned parent regarding the racist allegations from SCHS football game.

Spectators Accused of Racism at Game

Ella Villar, Managing Editor
September 27, 2019
Senior Homecoming Court: [Left to right] Seniors Brooke Montgomery, Grace Aitken, Sage Groves, Hanna Talieh, and Cam Traverso wait in anticipation for the announcement of the Homecoming king and queen at the pep rally. Unfortunately, the results were stolen and the winners were announced at the football game later that night.

Sorting Hat: Alexa Burns (9) places the sorting hat on Victoria Schultz (12) head during the dance production’s performance of Harry Potter. Victoria Schultz was a member of Hufflepuff which was the freshmen house. The sophomore class was Ravenclaw, the juniors were Slytherin, and the seniors were Gryffindor.

First Position: Song team members, Alina Apostolache (12) and Jordyn Apostolache (12), hold their positions while they wait for the music to start their performance at the pep rally. The song team consists of more dance then gymnastics which differs from the cheer team and was recently added to the pep squad this year.

First Position: Song team members, Alina Apostolache (12) and Jordyn Apostolache (12), hold their positions while they wait for the music to start their performance at the pep rally. The song team consists of more dance then gymnastics which differs from the cheer team and was recently added to the pep squad this year.

School safety005

[Photo] School Shootings: A Scary Reality

September 8, 2019
The new song team is introduced at the white out football game in the Badlands. Sarah Hansen (11) hypes up the crowd after she performed.

[Photo] New Song Team Added to SJHHS Pep Squad

September 9, 2019
SongTeamGroup_Villar

TooManyFreshman_Villar

GroupofCheerleaders_Villar

Link Crew leaders Lily Keeler (11) and Savannah Goodpaster (11) help lead the Freshmen Tailgate party before the football game.

FreshmanTailgate_Villar

CheerleaderDoingAThing_Villar

Tea Lopez (10) adjusts her project, striving to make everything perfect before the presentation of her groups project.

Sophomore Rube Goldbergs

Ella Villar, Staff Writer
June 4, 2019
Affirmative Action Changes Unfair College Acceptance Policy

Affirmative Action Changes Unfair College Acceptance Policy

Ella Villar, Staff Writer
March 28, 2019
Worldwide Student Strikes Bring Awareness with Climate Change

Worldwide Student Strikes Bring Awareness with Climate Change

Ella Villar, Staff Writer
March 28, 2019
Lead singer Paul Shin, lead guitarist Cristiano Arbiso, bassist Ryan Hellwege, and drummer Austin Monroe perform an original song ‘Pseudo Spiritual’ and ‘A Song for the Dead’ by the Queens of the Stone Age in the quad at lunch during the second day of Battle of the Bands.

[Photo] Battle of the Bands Rocks Campus

Riley Goodfellow, Co Editor-In-Chief
March 21, 2019
Shirin Dunker (9), Isabella Zuniga (10), and Emili Peo (9), finish in first, second, and third place in the Varsity 1600 meter run at the intrasquad track meet on February 21 in the Badlands.

[Photo] Spring Sports Slideshow

Jack O'Connor
March 19, 2019
Newport Harbor Nazi Beer Pong

[Photo] Offensive Hate Crimes Spark Outrage

March 14, 2019
Shirin Dunker (9), Isabella Zuniga (10), and Emili Peo (9), finish in first, second, and third place in the Varsity 1600 meter run at the intrasquad track meet on February 21 in the Badlands.

[Photo] The Week in Photos #1

Claire Cone, Copy Editor
March 5, 2019
Jennifer McGuire (10) committed to Northwestern University and is a club soccer player at OC Surf. She is excited to compete on their soccer team in 2021.

Sophomore Commits to Northwestern University

Ella Villar, Staff Writer
February 25, 2019
Dancers-6

Dancers-10

Candidates Step Up for the 2020 Elections

Candidates Step Up for the 2020 Elections

Ella Villar, Staff Writer
February 5, 2019
Get Off Media: Go Be Social

Get Off Media: Go Be Social

Ella Villar, Editorial Editor
December 13, 2018
Ralph Mattera, sports equipment manager, in the equipment room preparing for post football season. Photo by Ella Villar

[Photo] Behind the Equipment, Beyond the Locker Room

December 13, 2018
Beautiful Boy Hits Theaters With the Harsh Reality of Drug Use

Beautiful Boy Hits Theaters With the Harsh Reality of Drug Use

Ella Villar, Op-Ed Editor
November 12, 2018
Kavanaugh001

[Photo] Choices Today, Consequences Tomorrow

October 25, 2018
Load More Stories
Donate to The Express
$50
$800
Contributed
Our Goal