Brothers welcome sisters to Crusader family

Marisa Hamilton ’22 and Andrei Lynch ’22, Staff Reporter and Technology Editor|March 13, 2022

Angelina Ning '23

Alejandro ’23 and Eva ’25 Maltez are among one set up 14 brothers and sisters on the Riordan campus.

During the 2021-2022 fall semester, Archbishop Riordan students posed for back-to-school photos for the new school year; however, it was different from the previous years because brothers and sisters were welcomed back on campus sporting the same uniform.

Each family has its own thoughts about sharing the same high school environment. They recognize the advantages of going to the same school as siblings.

Sarai Melendez ’22 likes that she has the same schedule as her brother, saying, “… it’s easier for our mom and I to know if I ever need something or forget something, I always have my brother around. Also, it’s a plus for me because I take his sweater and jackets sometimes.”

George Melendez ’25 added that getting rides to school and homework help are other benefits.

Jose ’23 and Andrea ’24 Aguilar (Angelina Ning ’23)

There are many Crusader siblings on campus, and while generations of fathers, brothers, uncles, and cousins have attended Riordan, there are now brothers and sisters on the same campus.

Mason Wong ’22 talked about his sister Cara Wong ’24 and what it is like to have her on campus. “It’s a bit different having my sibling at Riordan with me because the past two years, I’ve kinda gotten used to not having her at the same school.”

They work on homework together. Wong ’22 said, “I normally will do homework next to her after school if we are both there, provided that one of us doesn’t have anything going on.”

Emilio ’25, Emma ’25,
and Mateo ’22 Rocha (Angelina Ning ’23)

Nolina Eva Maltez ’25 said, “It’s my first year of high school, so having my older brother there to guide me along the way has been a tremendous help. He’s helped me open up more at school, and he really encouraged me to put myself out there.”

Mateo Rocha ’22 said, “The benefit of going to school with my siblings is being able to do things with them that I normally wouldn’t be able to. For example, playing my instrument with my brother now that he is in the beginning band.”

There are approximately 14 families with new siblings on campus and four sets of twins. Future families will have more stories about life as a Crusader with the new generation of brothers and sisters on campus.