Students of the Month


May Student of the Month is Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis.


A scholar athlete, Kaleena carries a 3.5 GPA and has taken Honors Spanish I and II as part of her course work while at Mater Dei.


Kaleena’s campus life has been filled with participation in a variety of clubs, student council and athletics. Kaleena was an ASB Daily and Social Commissioner her sophomore year, and has been a four-year member of Campus Ministry and Renaissance. She is a two-year member of the National Honor Society.


Kaleena Mosqueda - Lewis


Kaleena is a four-year member of the Mater Dei Girls Basketball program.


The program is ranked #1 in the state and # 1 in the nation. As a senior, Kaleena averaged 22 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.6 steals and 2.5 assists, while shooting 48.5 percent from the field, 41 percent from 3-point range and 87 percent from the foul line. Kaleena has broken a number of school records including #1 in career threes (337), points (2,744) and rebounds (872). Kaleena has earned many accolades during her four year run with the Monarchs. She was four-time Trinity League MVP, was named ESPN HoopGurlz’s high school Player of the Year for 2010-11, she is the first to ever earn the honor in consecutive seasons, the state’s Gatorade Girls Basketball Player of the Year and the first California sophomore girl to win such honors in 2008-09, she is both the Naismith National High School Girls Basketball Player of the Year and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Player of the Year for 2011. She is a two-time First Team Parade All-American, she was a member of the USA Basketball Women’s U17 National Team that won a world title last summer.


Kaleena will play basketball for the University of Connecticut and plans to major in sports management.


Community service and outreach is another area in which Kaleena has enjoyed giving back to others. She has given her time to coaching various youth basketball teams. With her Mater Dei teammates, she has read to and spent time with the children at the Blind Children’s Learning Center and helped feed the homeless. “Coaching was my favorite service project, because I can teach what I love and it’s fun,” states Kaleena. She has completed approximately 120 hours of service while at Mater Dei.


Kaleena has also assisted the Office of Advancement & Alumni by representing Mater Dei as an admissions ambassador at her elementary school, Holy Family Cathedral School in Orange.


Kaleena’s favorite Mater Dei memory was her participation as a buddy in Mater Dei’s Special Games. As a senior reflecting back on her experience here at Mater Dei, Kaleena had this to say, “It has been full of tradition and love. Mater Dei is so family oriented that it makes everyone want to be a part of it.”


Kaleena lives in Anaheim Hills with her parents Khairi and Sundy Ali ‘90 and her brother Xander.


May Student of the Month, is Sam Barkley.


Sam, a scholar athlete, carries a 3.83 GPA and has taken AP US History, Spanish III, AP Governement and AP English.


Sam has led a busy campus life. He founded Fellowship of Athletic Monarchs (FAM), a branch of Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) as a freshman, in a joint effort with his brother Matt and sister Lainy. He has held the position of President for the past two years. Sam is a three-year member of the National Honor Society and California Scholarship Federation.


Athletics has played a big part in Sam’s high school career. As part of the Monarch Football program, Sam was a captain of the freshman team and earned the title of Defensive Back MVP. In his sophomore year he played Varsity Football as a Receiver/Free Safety and earned the award for Junior Varsity MVP Offense.


Sam Barkley


Sam is an outstanding three-year member of the Mater Dei Track & Field team. He currently holds the position of Captain. As a sophomore, he competed at the Varsity level in the 4 x 100, 300 IH, 110 HH, 4 x 400. Per DyeStat, Sam was ranked as # 1 Sophomore in California in 300 IH until a season-ending injury in early April 2009. As a junior, DyeStat ranked Sam # 2 High School Junior in California in 300 IH. Sam also earned numberous awards and standings including the 2010 SS CIF DII Finals: 1st place 300 IH; 2nd place 100 HH; 3rd place (4 x 400), 2010 California State Championships: Qualified 110 HH and 300 IH (finals, 9th place), 2010 Orange County Track & Field Championships “Male Athlete of the Meet”,


All-County, All-CIF, Trinity League Track


& Field Boys MVP, Mater Dei High School Track “Monarch of the Year”. Sam broke Mater Dei’s record in 300IH and 4 x 400. As of March, 2011, Dyestat ranked Sam # 1 in California in 300 IH and No. 5 in 110 HH.


Sam’s commitment to community service is a testament to his character. He has been a part of Monarchs for Marines and helped serve the Marines at Camp Pendleton. Sam has traveled abroad with his family participating in church sponsored mission trips. He’s been to Mexico twice to build houses, he has traveled to South Africa where he participated in a camp for orphans and worked in a township. While in South Africa, Sam worked at a camp for abused and abandoned children, helping run the athletic activities. This past December, Sam spent time in Nigeria where he helped construct a water tower, soccer goals and spent time with orphans in numerous villages.


Sam will join his brother Matt and sister Lainy in the fall at the University of Southern California where he will continue to compete in Track & Field and plans to major in Human Performance.


When asked what his favorite Mater Dei memory was, Sam stated, “My favorite Mater Dei Memory is being a part of the track and field team. This lead to so many great experiences that I will never forget.”


Reflecting back on his Mater Dei experience and how he would describe it to others, Sam replied, “I had a very diverse Mater Dei experience. I was able to play football and run track, be president of a club, and meet many interesting people. I had a great learning experience as well at Mater Dei.”


Sam’s parting words of wisdom “Start out high school strong. When you’re a freshman you’re not thinking about college, but once you became a junior and senior and you are trying to get into the college of your choice, you’ll be happy you have the grades to get in.”


Sam lives in Newport Beach with his parents, Les & Beverly, brother Matt ‘09 and sister Lainy ‘11. The Barkleys are members of Rock Harbor Church in Costa Mesa.


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