record_id: 2cbf8b3e-f83d-81a5-a0d0-e27a62e54598
created_time: 2025-12-16T02:13:00.000Z
title: 12-15 Lecture: Servite High School, Drug Problems, and Leadership
source_url: /

[TRANSCRIPTION]
Speaker 1 00:00:04
21 minutes after the hour, America, it's huge. This is Pete Bowen. He is the president of Servite High School in Anaheim, California. I always love talking to Pete, especially on a big day. If you're a sports fan anywhere in the United States and you turn on Fox Sports West at 7.30, which of course would be 10.30 in the east, you're going to see the number one football team, according to USA Today, Bishop Gorman High School out of Las Vegas, taking the team from Servite Friars, Pete's team, at Cerritos College, right, Pete Bowen? Cerritos College. Are you a little bit nervous, the number one team in the nation. 
Speaker 2 00:00:21
No, we're not nervous at all. Are you confident? Well, we play football to develop leaders. So if our team goes in, they play their hearts out, they develop leadership, they develop teamwork. Whatever the score turns out, we're okay with it. The real measure isn't the final score, it's how they turn out later on in life.
Speaker 1 00:00:34
and you stole the Ducks. He's coming their way. Oh, that's very interesting. Now, the reason I asked you to come is because of what Bo Pellini said today. He's the coach of the Nebraska University of Nebraska. I'm on up in Cornhusker. I'm going to talk to all you folks up there. Nebraska coach Bo Pellini did a breakfast this morning, and he said, let's face it, all of a sudden, in front of 250 backers, he brings up marijuana. He said, let's face it, it's not okay. I think everybody that's our age, my age, you've got my age, hopefully understand that it's not okay. It's not good. It's not good for you. And these kids do it on a daily basis, on a yearly basis. It's a real issue out there. Fortunately for us, around college football and college athletics, serious in college. I guarantee you, you walk into dorms nowadays, it's a horrible problem. It is out of control. Pete Bowen, first of all. 
Speaker 2 00:00:59
is that out of control at Servite High School? Well, I'm sure, if I tried to sit here and say there's no drug problem at Servite, I'd be a liar. There's a drug problem probably in every school in the country. When you have 1,000 kids on campus, if you think that 2% of them are doing something wrong, that's 20 kids right there. So we live in the world. The world has real problems, and we have to deal with those real problems and try to raise our young men so that they can encounter those problems and do the right thing for the right reasons and be leaders. So we address that stuff very actively. We try to create a culture that talks about exactly why drug use and things like that isn't good for you. It doesn't help you become a good man or a good leader. And the brotherhood requires that if you really love your brother and you're really going to take care of him, you don't cover up his problems. You challenge your brother to become good, even if that's tough love. So we try to encourage our young men to, if somebody they know is using, then they need to bring that out because they're hiding it doesn't help them. Servite High School has 800 boys enrolled there.
Speaker 1 00:01:29
A little over 900 young boys. Oh, you have to 900. Oh, interesting. I didn't know that. Now, last night, and touched in California, as well with Stephen Meyer Discovery Institute, John Stone Street from the Colson Center, and drugs came up. And Dennis made a great statement. He said, drug use is indicative of boredom, that it is, in fact, the expression of boredom in the modern age, that if you're interested in the good and the fine, and your mind is alive and you're learning and you're doing sports, you don't do drugs. Do you agree with that assessment. 
Speaker 2 00:01:44
I think that's part of it. I also think we, as a culture, we haven't made the commitment for why it's bad to do drugs. How much money are we spending in California? How many commercials do you see every day about smoking cigarettes? There's a big campaign now about, hey, we're the generation that can wipe out cigarette smoking. But on the other hand, in some really weird counter-universe. 
Speaker 1 00:01:58
we're down on texting and driving, which is good, because that's truly lethal behavior. But so is, I mean, Colorado has gone whole hog. I was just in Colorado six weeks ago. There are dope stores all over the place. People smoke dope openly. It's legal. It's legal behavior. And Polini is referencing this. And I think, for someone in your position, the president of a nationally famous school, you're on TV tonight, obviously. That's a big deal to be on Fox Sports West. It's the number one TV. But your number one problem is to turn out kids who are going to be good kids. And I think the culture just made it very much harder for you to do your job.
Speaker 2 00:02:14
Well, it does, and the sports culture isn't helping it at all. Instead of a culture that's focused on developing good people who understand what life's about and why they should do the right things and why they should avoid the wrong things, we have a culture where everything's tolerated, nothing's really right, nothing's really wrong. So when you say that it's wrong to smoke pot, you might as well say that it's wrong to drink Pepsi instead of Coca-Cola.
Speaker 1 00:02:26
Well, I'm very angry with the NFL for throwing Josh Gordon out for a year. He tested nanogram above the legal limit for dope, and it might have been secondhand smoke.
Speaker 2 00:02:36
because what you're doing is... It wasn't a strike.
Speaker 1 00:02:38
It wasn't a...
Speaker 2 00:02:38
But we try to acknowledge that these issues exist. These kids on our campus are experiencing with their friends later on in life. So by pretending it doesn't exist doesn't help them become leaders. Let's deal with what's there. Let's get the people the help they need and go through those life lessons young and early. So if we had somebody, for instance, positive on a drug test, we have ways that they can earn their way back into the community. It's very difficult. It's very hard. They do it somewhat publicly. I mean, you might be doing 100 hours of cleaning the campus that everybody sees, but at the end of it, they know that you've earned your way back into the community.
Speaker 1 00:02:58
Interesting. Now, tonight, when you're facing off in a few hours against Bishop Gorman, will the whole campus be out? I mean, does sports exist independent? Do they have little cultures of their own or is it an integrated deal. 
Speaker 2 00:03:04
We look at it as... The Sarah White is in order to go back 800 years and emphasize this community. It's about walking that path to Christ together. So for us, showing up at the football game is supporting your brothers. We have parents and people that have been coming for 34 years. We would expect on our home sidelines probably 6,000 to 7,000 people at a regular game. And if we play modern-day high school at Anaheim Stadium, we've had as many as 25,000. How many are coming over from Nevada with Bishop Gorman? I don't know. We traveled there last year. We took probably 3,000 people with us last fall. We lost. It was close in the second half, but not the first half. So the overall score wasn't close. Are you better this year than you were last year? We had all those juniors have grown up, so we have 15, 16 kids returning. I think they've learned a lot about life. Let's name your head coach. The head coach is a gentleman named A.J. Gass, and he sort of epitomizes what Servite's about.
Speaker 2 00:03:34
When he was playing football at Servite to make practice one time, he lived in Corona. His mother wasn't around at that time, so he walked from Corona into Anaheim 20-plus miles just to make sure he didn't miss practice. That sense of dedication, that sense of grit. He played in the Canadian football league and was a great cup winner and all that, so he's got that sense of toughness, and that's what we want. That's what I don't like about the contemporary college and pro sports scene. It's all about fame and domination and all that kind of stuff, and what we want to do is use sports to build teamwork and leadership and good men who can lead this nation in the future.
Speaker 1 00:03:52
Well, I'm pulling for you tonight. Bishop Gorman is pretty imposing. Number one by USA Today, right? That's static, I mean. Because he is. We just read the story, and they're kind of mocking him.
Speaker 2 00:04:06
Yeah, the story mocks him, because we've lost that sense. It's not self-evident to kids today that smoking pot's a bad idea. So what if you were a Nebraska taxpayer? Would you write him a note and say thank you? I would. I would write him a note and say thank you, and I'd also get together and let's figure out a compelling way that we can teach today's kids why it's a bad idea for them to smoke pot.
Speaker 1 00:04:17
Well said. Hey, good luck tonight, Pete Bowen and all of the Servite friars as you go up against Bishop Gorman at 7.30 tonight, Fox Sports West. I'll be right back, America. Evan Jenkins is running for Congress in West Virginia. We'll tell you about him when we return to give you a shout.
Speaker 3 00:06:02
Who is the current president of Survayun High School. 
Speaker 4 00:07:13
Thanks for watching!
Speaker 4 00:08:25
Thank you.
Speaker 3 00:09:14
Can you find any podcasts or media that he has been a part of that I can check out. 
Speaker 4 00:12:17
Thank you.
Speaker 4 00:15:19
I can fulfill all your secret desires. Find me.
Speaker 5 00:16:32
Hi I'm Juan Rodriguez and this is my beautiful wife Veronica. Hello and we're the proud parents.
Speaker 6 00:16:37
of two graduate Servite graduates Esteban Rodriguez class of 2022 and Christian Rodriguez.
Speaker 5 00:16:55
class of 2025. We wanted a school that could extend what we were trying to teach our boys here at home in fact to the point where we as a couple as a family grew in our faith even more so. We.
Speaker 6 00:17:14
have found a family here for sure it's definitely a strong community and we see the fruit of Servite in our boys now that they are in college they have grown into just men of God and, Gosh, the fruit that has come from Servite is, we have no words.
Speaker 5 00:17:36
Yeah, and the experience that the boys, the memories, the friendships that they created and fostered and continue to develop, it's just amazing. The whole journey that both boys experienced was absolutely just wonderful. The brotherhood that they experienced here at Servite with their friends and so forth, for us, it's probably something that they would have never experienced anywhere else.
Speaker 6 00:18:03
No, for sure. Yes, we're grateful, very grateful to Servite. We left our heart here when our boys graduated, but we keep coming back.
Speaker 5 00:18:12
Indeed. Go Servite. 
Speaker 7 00:19:56
I think we need to buy more of this. Well, that has never happened before, and I'm very, very sorry. Steven, my phone said that it was overheated and that it was an emergency shutdown because my phone apparently was too hot. I know that's never happened before, so I'm really sorry. But I did want to share with you guys because. Steven is now serving as the principal and interim president at Servite.
Speaker 7 00:20:30
But one thing that I would like to recognize him for is after he served in administration for a few years in the program, which is the Master of Arts in Catholic School of Administration from Loyola Marymount. He was recognized by his peers and professors, and he received the Outstanding Graduate Award for the program in the School of Education. Graduate Student of the Year. Hi, my literally, my phone is on fire. Maybe that's what Julie's trying to tell me with the ice cream. I, I know. Um, maybe just anything I didn't want to ask you because yes, I saw that.
Speaker 7 00:21:19
Yes. It's the old boys. I'm so sorry. Oh my gosh. Um, but what I, what I didn't want to ask you because, um, you've been, uh, worded lots of things, but, um, maybe just any words of inspiration or, um, just for those administrators, because truly, um, all that you guys do as teachers or educators, principals.
Speaker 7 00:21:50
It's really hard work, and it comes from such a good place where our kids, essentially, they really need it. And just for those who, when it gets really hard, or even maybe this time of year, it can get a little tiring. Any words that you'd share now as a principal and an administrator of a school. 
Speaker 8 00:22:16
Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. The first and foremost, I would say we want to be open to wherever God puts you. And I've been blessed that God has put where I need to be, when I need to be there. And the funny thing is, I sometimes don't realize why until years later, and then look back and reflect back and say, wow, that's why I was there. That's why I was called to be at this place at this time. And what I, to pray deeply about that, to say, God, where...
Speaker 8 00:22:48
Let me be your instrument. Let me be where you need me to be and to support and minister wherever you need me to be. And that has helped strengthen me to be resolved and to be at peace with whatever chaos I'm dealing with at the time, to have that hope, hope that knowing I am where God wants me to be right here and right now, and I'm going to do what I can to support and help the school and the ministry that I'm in, and that's the blessing. And then to take joys in the daily life. Sometimes I go out and I go to a soccer game or I go to a football game and I just enjoy that moment. Let that refresh me, let that build me up to see our young men who are out there working hard and enjoying their life.
Speaker 8 00:23:36
They're full of life, they're full of vibrancy, and they're using their gifts that God gave them. And that's what fills me up to say, no, I'm right where I need to be. We sometimes get lost in... in all the day-to-day shuffle or in the stress. And as administrators, sometimes all we're doing is trying to solve problems. And it just wears us down. We've got to make sure that we keep ourselves full. Keep ourselves full. And we can do that in prayer. And let everything that overflows from us go out to support our students and our faculty and staff.
Speaker 8 00:24:10
We never want to empty our cup. We always want it overflowing. So that way we're always full. And the extra goes out to support and minister to everybody else.
Speaker 7 00:24:19
I'm curious what fills you. Especially when it gets to that point, right, where you just feel like you're constantly putting out fires. Yeah. And you're maybe also exhausted, I'm curious, as to, or maybe even your favorite prayer.
Speaker 8 00:24:34
Yeah. So, um... Well, a couple of things. So one, just going to the chapel, we call it the walk here at Servite High School. So we ask our young men, hey, take the walk. All right. And we ask them to walk and they walk from wherever they are and use that time in prayer to walk. But your destination is the chapel and to sit in the Blessed Sacrament. And so it's great that any time I'm passing by, I can just walk right into the Blessed Sacrament, sit down and just take a moment of peace and quiet.
Speaker 8 00:25:06
That helps me from a spiritual side. And then from my ministry here.
Speaker 9 00:25:27
Our forefathers stored food for years without electricity. How one common plant became their natural painkiller. Our forefathers purified water using only one.
Speaker 7 00:25:48
911, what's your emergency? There's been a car accident! Okay, where are you at. 
Speaker 10 00:28:14
Rowan and Rose are going to have a play date. I asked Rowan if he had a crush, and he said, oh, kind of. Who? Rowan.
Speaker 1 00:28:22
Nobody.
Speaker 10 00:28:23
The Rose. Rose. Rose is a girl. And so how'd your day go? My day was, was your day. 
Speaker 3 00:28:42
Good. Started off kind of rocky, but then, uh. Well, good.
Speaker 10 00:28:56
So, oh, can I not see it? Am I allowed to see it? Am I allowed to see mom's texting page. 
Speaker 9 00:29:13
What is it? Something that your grandma thought this, Grammy thought this was a snowboard.
Speaker 10 00:29:22
What, what is it. 
Speaker 9 00:29:24
Looks like, you know, like that, um, something, it's like a sled, looks like.
Speaker 10 00:29:31
Oh, I think I know what that is.
Speaker 9 00:29:33
Something similar to like...
Speaker 10 00:29:35
No, I think the behind of it has wheels, and you pull on that thing to make that thing turn. And you have to, like, kind of do it, like, forward and back, forward and back, in order for it to, uh, move. Mm-hmm. Might have been that. So, uh, can we watch a video today. 
Speaker 9 00:29:55
You gotta tell me about your day.
Speaker 10 00:29:56
It was good. Give me more. Uh, we...

[AI_SUMMARY]
Servite High School addresses drug problems by fostering a culture of brotherhood that encourages students to report drug use among peers. The school's football philosophy emphasizes character development over game scores, while leadership is supported through faith and community involvement. The principal highlights the importance of self-care for educators and the need to actively combat cultural perceptions of drug use, particularly marijuana.