Category Archives: Academics

Chaminade Film Festival 2016

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By Karen Ann Thumm, Film Program Director

The Chaminade Film Festival celebrated the best work of Chaminade’s talented filmmakers on Saturday, February 20. At the opening of the evening, Film Club President, Nick Brosamle ’16 welcomed the audience with the following:

“Good evening. Thank you for coming to Chaminade’s Annual Film Festival. This is my fourth and final Film Festival, and it has really been a special experience to see our Film Program grow over the past years. As you will see tonight, the films that our program produces at all levels are truly fantastic. I believe that this festival gives us a unique opportunity that can rarely be found anywhere else. Personally, it has given me the confidence to showcase my filmmaking ability to my peers.

I remember when I was an 8th grader visiting Chaminade for the first time. I enjoyed my tour, but nothing had quite hooked me on the school – that is, until I visited the film room. Multiple students were editing various movies and a student made film was playing on Ms. Thumm’s TV as she gave us details about Chaminade’s film classes. Everything about it was very professional and creative, and I immediately felt at home. Since that day I have developed as a filmmaker in ways I could never have at any other school, as the program has challenged me to explore all aspects of filmmaking. Nothing more exemplifies the strength of the Chaminade film program than this festival, which gives all of us the chance to share our love for the movies.”

Twenty-eight finalists were selected from a record number of entries and showcased on the big screen in the Tutor Family Center for the Performing Arts. Most of these films were produced by film students while enrolled in film classes. Each year, more than 500 film projects are created by students in all levels of film here at Chaminade. The festival is only a sampling of the best work the students have created during the previous 12 months, the films they feel most proud of producing.

If you missed the festival – or if you simply want to see one of the films again – all of the winning films and finalists have been posted to the Chaminade Film YouTube Channel.

The evening concluded with an award ceremony to recognize the best film in each category and also the outstanding achievements in every part of the filmmaking process.

Best Documentary
“Just a Cop”
created by Alek Solter

Best Drama
“The Dilemma”
Written and directed by Zach Swauger with Cooper North, Brendan Barlow, Alek Solter and Cameron Ring

Best Comedy
“Nade Wars”
Produced by the Advanced Film Workshop students Brandon Marsh, Sophia Khan, Mark Alcasid, Nick Brosamle, Dante Kargodorian, Thomas Price, Cole Hanson, and Griffin Freitas

Best Visual Poem
“Open Sesame”
Created by Thomas Price

Best Short Short
“My Girl”
Created by Nick Brosamle

Official Audience Selection
“My Girl”
Created by Nick Brosamle

Outstanding Achievement Awards:

Outstanding Achievement: Original Concept
Cole Hanson for “Locked In”

Outstanding Achievement: Story
Kelsey Molle for “Love In Death”

Outstanding Achievement: Story
Claire Rider, Isabelle Huang, and Rebecca Steinberg for “Strictly Dance”

Outstanding Achievement: Cinematography
Noah Hosaka for “FRC Robotics”

Outstanding Achievement: Cinematography
Ali Watson for “Self Portrait”

Outstanding Achievement: Cinematography
Tom Deily for “547”

Outstanding Achievement: Sound and music editing
Brendan Barlow for “It Beats Workin'”

Outstanding Achievement: Acting – Comedy
Cooper North in “Slap Tag”

Outstanding Achievement: Acting – Drama
Lindsey Hebert in “Hurt”

Outstanding Achievement: Production Design
“Uno” created by Zach Swauger, Steve Restivo, Tony Restivo, Dante Kargodorian

Outstanding Achievement: Production Design
“The Fantastic Proposal” created by Ryan Town

Outstanding Achievement: Editing
Isabelle Bryan for “An Introspective Mind”

Outstanding Achievement: Editing
Cameron Ring for “Slap Tag”

Outstanding Achievement: Directing
Bryce Hurless for “547”

Chaminade Filmmaker 2016
Alek Solter

Eagle Engineers Launch Into Intensive Build Season

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build 1

By Ryan Lim ’17

Chaminade’s Eagle Engineering program has begun its annual test of ingenuity and endurance known as build season. Each year the team takes on a brand new challenge in which they are expected to plan and build a fully functioning robot to play a game they have never seen, and they must do it all in only six weeks. It is a chance for Chaminade students to see their classroom knowledge come to life as math, physics, programming and communication are manifested into an amazing machine and hopefully a winning season. In order to meet all of their deadlines students put in close to 30 hours a week, meeting Thursday through Sunday. Despite the long hours, build season is one of the highlights of the robotics calendar and teaches everyone the value of hard work and dedication while forging bonds that turn this club of more than 60 students into a close-knit family and team.

build 2This year, the game is a capture-the-flag themed shoot-off called FIRST Stronghold, which requires the students’ robots to traverse various defensive obstacles and shoot balls into their opponent team’s tower. During competition, two alliances made up of three teams each must collect balls from their home court, cross their opponent’s various defenses and avoid defending robots in order to reach their tower zone. While there, they can launch 10-inch balls into their opponent’s tower to “weaken” it, and ultimately capture it. Points are scored for each defense that is crossed, for each ball that is scored and for capturing an opponent tower.

Given the long hours of build season and the amount of hard work necessary to build a robot, teamwork is essential. One way the team fosters family spirit is by eating together, family style, on build days. Each team member’s family provides a meal during build season, and the entire team eats together at a single community table. These meals are key to team building and creating camaraderie between all.

Coming off a very successful VEX season, Eagle Engineering looks to capitalize on their recent momentum by not only challenging themselves to reach new heights but also strengthening their community. While the game is complicated, the team invites the challenge and is looking to take it all the way to the world championship this year.

For more information on Chaminade Robotics and how you can support the team, please contact Head Coach Tommy Smeltzer at tsmeltzer@chaminade.org.

Chaminade Mock Trial Wins Los Angeles County Championship

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The Chaminade High School Mock Trial Team captured its first Los Angeles County Championship in the Constitutional Rights Foundation Mock Trial competition held at the Stanley Mosk Superior Courthouse Wednesday night.

Starting with 94 high school teams from throughout the county, students argued the People v. Hayes, a murder case involving alleged police brutality with a justifiable homicide defense.  During more than a month of competition that spanned seven rounds, the Legal Eagles went undefeated, defeating Malibu High School, Palos Verdes Peninsula, North Hollywood High School, Clark High School, and previous county champions Louisville High School and Monroe High School.  In the final round, Chaminade’s Prosecution team won a conviction against the Defense team from the Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies and captured the title. The Prosecution legal team, led by attorneys Samantha Bader ’18, Louis Gerny ’18, and Rebecca Steinberg ’18, argued their case to Superior Court Judge Ron Rose and five distinguished practicing attorneys.

Samantha Bader ’18 was recognized as the top Prosecution Attorney for the entire competition. Noah Aire ’20  from the middle school team was also recognized as a top witness in the Junior High competition for his portrayal of Campus Security Director Lou Williams.

IMG_0284 Top Witness Award - Junior High competition

The members of the 2015 Championship Team are Noelle Johnson ’16, London Pace ’16, Maxwell Newman ’17, Conor Fairtlough ’17, Spencer Levitt ’17, Lexi Afradi ’17, Veronica Mansour ’17, Christine Gotthardt ’17, Christopher Azarloza ’17, Bryce Hurless ’17, Kristina Marter ’17, Judy Yang ’17, Ariana Otero ’17, Samantha Bader ’18, Louis Gerny ’18, Rebecca Steinberg ’18, Spencer Delgado ’18, and Hannah Sellfors ’18. The championship team is coached by Jennifer and Bert Bader.

Chaminade now moves on to the California State Championship to be held in Sacramento March 18-20, 2016.

Eagle Engineers Continue with Dominant Performances

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Eagle Engineering

For the second week in a row, Chaminade’s Eagle Engineering robotics program delivered a tournament championship, and all four of its individual teams came home with awards. At their recent Granada Hills tournament the three high school squads and one middle school team combined a record eight trophies, including the top honor, the Excellence Award, going to team 1138.

The Vex Robotics Competition (VRC) machines are the smaller and more cost effective of the two robotics platforms with which Eagle Engineering students compete. As such, the team is able to field multiple squads that cooperate and support each other off the field, but compete as separate teams at tournaments. This year the high school team is divided into three squads for VRC events: Team 1138, 1138-B and the Eagles’ first all-girl squad, 1138-G. Chaminade’s middle school competes as team 83. In four events so far this season, the four teams have combined for 16 awards, including three tournament championships.

11.21.15 GHC(4)

At the Reseda Vex Victory in the Valley event held November 14, 1138 took the tournament championship with 1138-B winning the driver skills challenge. Team 1138-G won the Sportsmanship Award, and 83 took home the Think Award for programming prowess.

One week later at Granada Hills Charter High School, 1138-B won the tournament while 1138 took the top judged award – The Excellence Award. Team 1138-G won yet another Sportsmanship Award, and 83 won the Design Award, for their thorough and professional engineering process. Additionally, 1138 won runner-up in both programming and driver skills challenges while teammates on 1138-B took first place in each, the latter with a score that places them 5th in the world currently.

Both 1138 and 1138-B have qualified for the State Championship event being held in early March. 1138-G and team 83 continue to work toward qualifying in upcoming tournaments scheduled in December and January.

11.21.15 GHC (5)

This year’s game Nothing But Net is a fast-paced and exciting game in which student-designed machines compete to collect and shoot 4-inch foam balls into a net. Each match features four teams with two drivers and a student coach, supported by a pit crew and a strategy team that scouts the competition and develops match-by-match game plans. Other students on the team focus on presentations to a panel of judges to to compete for a variety awards.

On December 12, Chaminade will be hosting 24 area teams in its first Vex Robotics tournament to be held in the Bob Hope Center from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Admission is free and open to the public.

For more information on Chaminade Robotics and how you can support the team, please contact Head Coach Tommy Smeltzer: tsmeltzer@chaminade.org

Mock Trial Team Successful in Pre-Season Tournament

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By Jennifer Bader

Over the Halloween weekend, the Legal Eagles of the Chaminade Mock Trial Team competed against the best competition in the state at the 2nd Annual Beach Ball Invitational held at UC Irvine. Chaminade was one of the twenty-two top mock trial teams from across the state invited to participate. Of the schools represented, over half were the reigning champion from their county and more than a quarter have won state, national, or world championships.

After four rounds of fierce competition, the Chaminade Team took 6th place overall. Veronica Mansour ’17 was recognized as one of the Top Witnesses in the Tournament. This year’s team include Noelle Johnson ’16, London Pace ’16, Max Newman ’17, Conor Fairtlough ’17, Spencer Levitt ’17, Lexi Afradi ’17, Veronica Mansour ’17, Christine Gotthardt ’17, Christopher Azarloza ’17, Bryce Hurless ’17, Kristina Marter ’17, Samantha Bader ’18, Louis Gerny ’18, Rebecca Steinberg ’18, Spencer Delgado ’18, Hannah Sellfors ’18.

The team looks to build upon its success as they start their county competition Monday, November 2 along with 95 other teams from across Los Angeles.