Dons Magazine Spring 2023 | We Are All Dons: Unique Student Stories

DONS MAGAZINE DONS CHARACTER

•

FAITH

•

KNOWLEDGE

•

RESPONSIBILITY

SPRING 2023

WE

ARE ALL DONS

UNIQUE STUDENT STORIES

DONS MAGAZINE DONS Dons Magazine Editor Sophie Lillis

Graphic Designer Sophie Lillis

Editorial Advisors

Kevin J. Calkins, Ph.D., President David Marlow

Writers

Marlena Conroy, Principal Quinn Conway '22 Sebastian Deustua Sophie Lillis Ava Lomahan '24 Nancy Montiel ‘22 Hong-An Phan '24

Stories Coordinator

Sophie Lillis Elizabeth Tysor, Director of Admissions

Contributors

Sevana Adourian, English Teacher Tyler Anthony, Director of Athletics Shandy Carlson, English Teacher Natalya Fiore, English Teacher Nina Harris, Science and Engineering Teacher Joseph Hoff, Art Teacher Pamela Poe, Director of Communications Corie Straub, Director of Special Events Jackie Turpin, Athletics Office Assistant

Photographers

Michael Cazares/Cazares Media Courtney Day, Options Teacher John Fraser Alex Hurtado Sophie Lillis Elizabeth Tysor

Change of Address 2

Please send address changes to admin@cathedralcatholic.org.

DONS MAGAZINE

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE Dear Dons, Julia Blyashov ‘23 is a student-athlete at Cathedral Catholic. She is a high-achieving student with a 4.55 cumulative grade point average.

This year, Julia is taking three Advanced Placement courses in addition to Calculus, American Sign Language IV, American Government and Catholic Faith 12. Julia is also a talented and busy volleyball player. She has amassed a long list of accolades in her four years at Cathedral Catholic including representing California as one of two girls chosen for the Olympic Development Team. She has also committed to play volleyball at Stanford University next year.

Julia is more than just a stellar student and an extraordinary volleyball player. In her leisure time, she is an avid reader and enjoys cooking and hanging out with family, especially her grandmother. Julia’s grandmother is a refugee from Ukraine due to the current war. Julia has shared that she feels blessed and grateful that her grandmother is able to stay with her family here in California and is out of harm’s way in her hometown of Kiev, Ukraine. She also shared that she feels lucky to live in the United States of America where freedom and service to others, including Ukraine, are foundational values.

This is just one of many examples of the diversity and uniqueness of the student body at Cathedral Catholic. This edition of the Dons Magazine is focused on telling the unique stories of the school’s student body.

I love the geographical diversity of the student body. We have students from as far south as Tijuana, as far north as Temecula and as far east as Alpine. That kind of geographical diversity is unique for a high schooler’s educational environment.

It is not hard to imagine how the diversity and uniqueness of the student body and our gifted administrators, counselors, teachers and staff members are a reflection of God’s plan for Cathedral Catholic. This school community is a blessing to all who have the opportunity to experience it, myself included.

Roll Dons!

Kevin J. Calkins, Ph.D. President

DONS MAGAZINE

3

4

DONS MAGAZINE

CONTENTS 6

DONS TIME

Social-Emotional Learning for Each and Every Student

8

BENVENUTE, DONS!

Italian Twins Found New Home at Cathedral Catholic

10

MORE TO THIS DON

THAN MEETS THE EYE Sophomore Perseveres Despite Challenges

12

SUPERSTARS ON & OFF THE FIELD Options Students Embraced

by Dons Community

14

EVERY SHOT COUNTS

Sisters Represent School and Home Country on the Courts

16

CARRYING ON

Refugees Assimilated to Life in America and to Life as Dons

18

2021-2022 YEAR IN REVIEW FOR DONS ATHLETICS

2 0 CAMPUS DIGEST 2 2 THANK YOU TO OUR SCHOOL EVENT SPONSORS!

DONS TIME SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING FOR EACH AND EVERY STUDENT

By Marlena Conroy, Principal

On Tuesday after lunch, Jack walks 1. What would you hope an ideal conversation, a CCHS graduate will into his social studies class where he is greeted by his teacher with a post-it note and the name of one of his classmates on it. After prayer, the teacher asks the class to write a compliment about the person named on their post-it. After 2 minutes, the teacher collects the post-its and redistributes them to the person named on the post-it as the students leave class for the day.

We are in a unique period of time as we emerge from the pandemic. We are no longer educating students in prepandemic 2019. We now must shift our thinking and teaching strategies to care for the well-being of our post-pandemic students. When we returned to school in 2021, educators discovered that students forgot how to connect with their peers and their teachers, students struggled to name their emotions when they were navigating isolation, and students grappled with the challenges of returning to rigorous academics five days a week.

In May of 2022, we gathered all Cathedral Catholic employees to reflect on our students' challenges and to dream about what could be to support our students to thrive. We asked all CCHS employees to answer three questions: 6

DONS MAGAZINE

2.

3.

graduate would be able to DO (automatically, naturally)?

What would you hope an ideal graduate would SAY (automatically, naturally)? What would they sound like?

What would you hope an ideal graduate would THINK (automatically, naturally) about themselves, about their community, about those different from them, about God, about the world, etc.?

The responses were incredible to read, and we went through them as a team when we returned in the fall.

Some people imagine that a science teacher may hope that a graduate is thinking about a science career or that a math teacher may wish that students retain essential math formulas. Instead, teachers, staff and counselors submitted statements like: DO “As a student, athlete, employee (whatever role they find themselves in), someone that models themselves as a person of faith, character and lifelong commitment to being a better human than they were the day before.”

SAY “A CCHS graduate will be slow to speak and quick to listen. While engaging in

seek to understand the ‘other’ point of view and also speak with conviction, strength and clarity about his or her own beliefs. A CCHS graduate will use words to encourage, uplift and inspire, rather than tear down and destroy.”

THINK “An ideal graduate would naturally think about how he or she can live the call and build the kingdom. They would think about their own dignity and worth as a child of God made in His image, as well as that of every other human being.”

Once we read through our hopes for our graduates, we had the task of integrating social and emotional learning into their classroom routines.

We recognized that we needed to start our day differently to encourage belonging and connectedness for our students because, as John C. Maxwell states, “Students don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”

In response to our conversations about what we want our graduates to do, say and think, we introduced Dons Time into our classes. Dons Time is about supporting student connectedness with their peers and teachers, being able to name their feelings and regulate emotions, and

developing social and emotional skills like reflecting on accomplishments and confronting challenges. Dons Time is just as critical in our students’ development as the lessons they are learning in their other courses. On any given day after prayer and before diving into the lesson, the teacher will incorporate a Dons Time activity.

A teacher may request, “Take a few minutes to share with me a rose (a small win or accomplishment), a thorn (a challenge) and a bud (something they are looking forward to) on the Google Form.” Another class is starting their day with the teacher asking students to give their internal weather report instead of simply saying “here” while taking attendance. Students in another class are returning to their giant Jenga game that they started earlier in the week. The Jenga pieces have a question written on each of the blocks to help students get to know each other.

These are not the typical math, social studies, science, English, arts, world language and religion classes that we took when we were in high school.

Instead, these are classes that are committed to student connectedness and belonging. Our educators are aware of the importance of social and emotional well-being and dedicate their time to addressing their students’ social-emotional needs.

DONS MAGAZINE

7

BENVENUTE, DONS! ITALIAN TWINS FOUND NEW HOME AT CATHEDRAL CATHOLIC

By Hong-An Phan '24

While there are many appeals to is something personal. It is an Francesca is also seeking a path of the beauty of Cathedral Catholic High School’s campus, a major component of our community is our apparent diversity in the student body. Within our 1,600+ student population, we proudly represent ourselves with students of various ethnicities, backgrounds and cultures. Among these Dons are Francesca and Isabella Baldati, twins who studied abroad here at Cathedral Catholic, thousands of miles away from their home in Pescara, Italy. The sisters enjoyed spending part of their junior year at Cathedral Catholic last semester.

The exhilarating experience of moving far from the comfort of home is nothing short of exciting for Francesca Baldati, who describes, “Coming to America and having an experience abroad is something that I always dreamed of doing since my first year of high school.

Even though it is something that many teenagers in Italy do, I have always felt this opportunity 8

DONS MAGAZINE

experience that enriches you a lot, changes you and opens you up.”

The sisters chose to attend Cathedral Catholic High School under the advice of their host family, as their daughter is an alumna of Cathedral Catholic.

However, they were also attracted to the opportunities available from both the educational curriculum and extracurricular activities.

Isabella Baldati explains, “Thanks to CCHS, after many years of trying to take some art classes, I had the opportunity to join Digital Photography with Mr. Hoff. I not only got to learn one of my favorite hobbies but also the process of making my own finished, printed photos.” Being a Don nurtured her passion for creative arts as both a piano player and artist. She hopes to specialize in business, communication and marketing at a college in Milan after graduating high school.

higher education in Milan but in the medical field. Her favorite class at Cathedral Catholic was Anatomy & Physiology with Ms. Harris, which is one of the many unique courses available in the Science and Engineering Department. She describes, “I have always been fascinated by the human body, its functions, discovering all of its mechanisms and how each of them is related to the other. Having the chance to do labs in high school is something that I’ve never experienced before since it is not common to have the tools and all the necessary objects in Italy.”

In addition to the educational opportunities Cathedral Catholic has to offer, Francesca expresses her admiration for the school community: “The people, the atmosphere and the teachers are what make the school a perfect balance between academic duties and the serenity, sociability, availability and hospitality that a

journey is the growth that they experienced during their time abroad. Born and raised in Italian society, their courage in choosing to study abroad and to make a defining decision in their lives opened new doors to them through academic opportunities.

Their decision to join the Dons family is appreciated by our community as a whole; as they pursued their dreams, we were here to grow with them.

high school should also represent.

Also, the organization of all the extracurricular and curricular activities surprised me a lot.”

As students raised by the norms of Italian education systems, the girls recognized the difference between the Italian and American cultures during their course of studying abroad. Isabella explains, “America and Italy have lots of differences in people, habits and cities, but the biggest difference, in my opinion, is the education in high school. The school system is the opposite here at Cathedral Catholic High School.

There are many opportunities academically and also in sports and hobbies that can be developed and improved. In Italy, it is more about learning and listening to the lesson behind your desk.”

you get used to it after a couple of weeks, but for me that was not true.

It took time. You meet new people and they are so welcoming; but, when I walked around campus sometimes I felt nostalgic.”

Off campus, the sisters’ adventures spanned across the state of California, as they made the most of their opportunities to have new experiences and make new memories. The girls visited other cities in California, including San Francisco and Los Angeles. They enjoyed trying new foods from various cultures and learning how to do things they wouldn’t normally do in Italy, such as surfing. The twins also enjoyed experiencing holidays, such as Thanksgiving, that are not celebrated in Italy.

The beauty of the Baldati sisters’

Francesca explains, “This is the first time I was so far away from my everyday life, my world and my family. However, I was very happy to be able to open myself to other aspects of the world and, in particular, to this country. I learned to live outside my usual patterns and integrate into a different environment. I also learned to further mature and feel more independent and responsible for myself.”

Here at Cathedral Catholic High School, we pride ourselves on our diverse student body, in which students of various cultures and heritages come together to learn and share their stories. We are grateful for Isabella, Francesca and each student that joins our Dons family, coming together to form a unique bond that lasts past graduation into the years to come.

Although the opportunity to study overseas is an appealing adventure, the sisters sometimes found themselves missing home.

Francesca describes, “I definitely missed my family, especially my little brother, my friends and, I admit, the food - especially the fresh bread from the bakeries.”

Isabella adds, “Probably other than my family and friends, the thing I missed most was the feeling of comfort. The way you need to fit into a completely new environment is not easy. They say DONS MAGAZINE

9

M OR E TO T H I S D ON T H A N M E E T S T H E E Y E SOPHOMORE PERSEVERES DESPITE CHALLENGES

By Ava Lomahan '24

A lex Polifka is a sophomore getting tested. He was diagnosed fear that struck him the most. “It at Cathedral Catholic who has similar interests and hobbies to his peers. He enjoys playing video games, watching suspenseful movies and hanging out with his friends. Alex loves eighties music and is a Boy Scout who enjoys camping, hiking and being outdoors. He hopes to become an Eagle Scout soon. One of Alex’s favorite classes is Spanish, where he loves to challenge himself as he learns a new language. There is much more to Alex, however, than just a typical sophomore boy at Cathedral Catholic.

Instead of celebrating the joys of New Year’s, on December 31, 2020, Alex was in the Emergency Room 10 DONS MAGAZINE

with cancer later that day at the age of fourteen. “It was the worst day of my life,” he says. Alex has an exceptionally rare type of cancer called Synovial Sarcoma, which is where spindle cell tumors develop in soft tissue. For Alex, the cancer started in his face and spread to both his lungs. He was told by his doctors that less than 20 cases of facial Synovial Sarcoma had ever been cataloged in children, as the majority of cases are in adults. This meant that Alex and his family had to deal with the nightmares of the unknown. When Alex was given the news that he had cancer, he felt an assortment of emotions: shock, surprise, anger, confusion, etc. Yet, it was

was the first time I thought about death,” he explained. This was just the beginning of his long journey.

Cancer has changed Alex’s life and that of his family entirely. The hospital became like a second home to Alex. He was admitted to receive chemotherapy and radiation and in the past few years has undergone a total of seven surgeries and many MRIs and CT scans. Alex continues to undergo routine physical examinations, medical tests and imaging tests, and he now takes a pill for his chemotherapy, all while still being enrolled in school. Alex experiences many side effects from these treatments and has a

weaker immunity because of them.

These impact his everyday life as a student. His weak immunity hinders his ability to play sports, which is a huge part of the high school experience, especially at Cathedral Catholic. Due to the treatment side effects, Alex also has skin toxicity which results in inflammation, blisters and sores on the bottom of his feet. “I feel like I am walking on shattered glass and hot coals,” he explains.

All in all, Alex does not have the privilege of enjoying his youth like a typical high schooler does, but he doesn't let his cancer dictate how he lives.

Catholic is that I forget about my life with cancer and live a normal life.” Some of his favorite things about Cathedral Catholic are being able to meet new people, learn new topics, hang out with friends and engage in his faith life.

Alex is involved in the Dons for Life club and also recently became a student manager for the Varsity Rugby Team.

The Cathedral Catholic community supports him through the power of prayer, which is important during this time of battling cancer. Alex is grateful for these prayers and is also

appreciative of his understanding teachers who give him flexibility with assignments when he needs to miss school for appointments. As a Don, Alex has grown to understand the importance of positivity and hopefulness. With all of the support he has received, Alex recognizes the beauty of life and encourages his classmates to wake up every day feeling grateful so that everyone can start their day off with happiness. Alex encourages his classmates “...to not take life for granted and to cherish every moment like it’s your last.”

A huge part of Alex’s life is his faith. He began to turn to God for wisdom and a sense of direction for his life after being diagnosed with cancer. His faith has been a significant source of motivation and support, especially at times when he is uncertain of what is to come. Alex strives to live life to the fullest and to stay as positive as he can. While he does not understand the reasoning behind his suffering, Alex knows that God is in control and has a plan for each and every one of us. “I know that it is not me who is in charge, but it is me who decides how to live with cancer,” he explains. “Even though I don’t understand it, God has a purpose for my life.” Ultimately, without his trust in God, Alex could not imagine going through his cancer treatments. In addition to his faith, Alex also credits the Cathedral Catholic community with being a great source of support.

Alex has thrived ever since joining the Cathedral Catholic community, to which he states, “My favorite part about attending Cathedral

On the left, Alex poses with the Rugby Team, which he is helping this year as a student manager. Clockwise from above, Alex enjoys spending time on campus, Coach Xavier Ulutu '14 runs drills with Alex's assistance at rugby practice and Alex gives a presentation in his favorite class, Ms. Adourian's English class.

DONS MAGAZINE 11

S U P E RS TA RS O N & O F F T H E F I E L D OPTIONS STUDENTS EMBRACED BY DONS COMMUNITY

By Quinn Conway '22

What's the most exclusive group special at Cathedral Catholic? If you think it is our star athletes, National Merit Scholars or club leaders, you would be mistaken. The most exclusive group at Cathedral Catholic is Aubrey, Nick, Adrian, Adam, Ebin, Avery, Gabrielle, Alex, Robin, Olivia, Sheila and Timmy. These are the twelve students in the Options

education program.

There are infinite contributions the Options Program has made in the Cathedral Catholic school community. One of our Options students' greatest contributions to campus is to afford all Dons the opportunity to practice grace every day; this is a practical, real-world application of what Dons are taught

in religion classes. Two of this year’s Options stars, Adrian Calderon ‘23 and Gabrielle Schlador ‘23, have a unique perspective on what being a Don in Options is like, as they are both also student-athletes.

Adrian is best known for his 60yard touchdown run for last year’s Varsity Football state champions. When asked about it, he said it was “exciting.” Adrian shares that he prepared for the play in practice and that he “really likes to flip the tire and push the sleds."

Practicing hard is good advice from our only running back that had a .1000 TD/carry average last year. Gabrielle, who is on the Varsity Cheer Team, says she was happy for Adrian in the moment, but she was more excited to start the play by leading the cheer that put the charge into the crowd that stunned the Saints defense, allowing Adrian a clear path to the end zone.

Nice assist, Gabrielle!!

When these two are not starring in Friday Night Lights, they enjoy their typical days as students at Cathedral Catholic.

When asked how he makes friends, Adrian gave some insight into this most important skill by confidently replying, “I just ask them if they want to be my friend.” No wasted time or bashfulness in his approach. Gabrielle’s response was even better; she goes up to people and

12 DONS MAGAZINE

On the left, Gabrielle and Adrian enjoy Friday Night Lights.

Clockwise from above, Adrian makes a play for the Dons, Gabrielle cheers with her mentor, Arianna Martino '24, Adrian and his mentor, Maverick Helfert '22, play with Legos during Wish Week and Gabrielle enjoys a dance party with her friends, including Mr. Grazier!

anoints them as friends by pointing to them and saying, “friends,” followed by, “Let’s have fun!” Who can resist this? For those who are ever feeling a bit small in our community, the lesson to be learned from two social stars is to get out of your own way, keep it simple and know that you will be welcome.

That’s how they roll in Options.

Everyone should take the Options students’ offer to become friends because there is so much more non-verbal communication that exudes from these students that one can only get from being around

them. As Dr. Megan Burton, the founder and Director of Special Education at Cathedral Catholic, states, "It's not just what we bring to the Options students, but it's what they bring to the rest of our Dons community in terms of teaching respect, tolerance and empathy. That is priceless." Adrian and Gabrielle both possess an innate ability that commands people around them to live outside of themselves.

This is why one can see happy groups wherever there is see an Options Don. When taken into their aura, people feel the need

to listen, learn and communicate with this exclusive group and are not inhibited by thoughts of acceptance or fitting in. This may be the greatest life skill that the rest of the community can learn, and it emanates from our Options students. While everyone else is busy “prepping” for college and focusing on tomorrow, the Options students show the importance of being present and enjoying the here and now. Everyone should get to know someone in this elite group because they can provide all of us with better ... options!

DONS MAGAZINE 13

EVERY SHOT COUNTS SISTERS REPRESENT SCHOOL AND HOME COUNTRY ON THE COURTS Written with the help of Nancy Montiel '22

Photo by Alex Hurtado

"Swish,” one of the Navarro Izzy and Gizel grew up in Tijuana, possess has made their journey sisters makes another basket.

Itzel “Izzy” ‘22 and Gizel “Gizmo” ‘23 Navarro are not your average super tall female high school basketball players.

However, anyone who has attended a Dons Girls Basketball game in the last few years can attest that what these girls lack in height they definitely make up for in skill. These petite powerhouses have not only dominated the courts at Cathedral Catholic’s Claver Center but also abroad. These two ambitious and hardworking student-athletes are more than just Dons; they are also representatives of their home country as former players on the Mexican National Basketball Team.

14 DONS MAGAZINE

Mexico. From as early as 6 and 5 years old, the girls distinctly remember basketball being a main factor in their family’s life.

They were completely surrounded by the sport. Their family watched basketball on television and talked about it like any other family might.

However, the Navarro family took it to a whole other level through their degree of passion. The immense love both girls held for the sport during childhood led their father to create his own team. This basketball team further supported and fostered the development of two young athletes with big aspirations and exceptional talent.

The combination of passion and expertise the sisters

that much better. Due to their accomplishments, they have been afforded the ability to travel and meet new people from different walks of life from all over the world.

With each new experience, the girls have found new reasons to love their sport.

The Navarro sisters feel that one of the greatest ways basketball has impacted their lives is that it has allowed them to form so many meaningful relationships and a strong support system. Through basketball, they have developed lifelong friendships. These friends have cheered them on through both tough losses and incredible wins. The girls have more than just

friends cheering them on, however.

Among the girls’ top cheerleaders in the stands are their family members. Izzy shares, “I have the greatest support system. My family is at every game, no matter the place or time, cheering for me no matter how I am playing or who I am playing against.”

Gizel, in turn, feels that one of her top supporters and biggest motivators is her older sister, Izzy. Playing on the same team at Cathedral Catholic for several years was a special bonding experience for the pair. Gizel also feels that the Dons Girls Basketball community has made a profound impact on her. She shares, “Coach Turpin is always giving me advice on how to improve my game, and my teammates push me to be my best both on and off the court.”

Izzy and Gizel have plenty to be proud of just based on their records at school, but they feel that their summer activities have brought them the most satisfaction as athletes. When asked what her proudest moment as an athlete is, Izzy responds without hesitation, “Definitely representing my home country (Mexico) in international games.”

The girls have both represented Mexico at various tournaments, though always on different teams due to their age difference. Gizel

fiba.basketball

fiba.basketball

played for Mexico at the 2021 FIBA U16 Women’s Americas Championship in Guanajuato, Mexico, and the following summer she went on to the 2022 FIBA U17 Women’s Basketball World Cup in Debrecen, Hungary. During the summer of 2022, Itzel represented Mexico in Buenos Aires, Argentina at the FIBA U18 Women’s Americas Championship (where she even went head-to-head against her fellow Don, UConn forward Isuneh “Ice” Brady ‘22, who was representing Team USA in the quarterfinals). Adding “played on a Mexican national team” to their list of accolades is a dream come true for the girls. However,

this accomplishment presented its own challenges. Forming a cohesive team is something Gizel pointed out as obviously being very different from her experience as a Don. “Playing on the national team is great because I get to meet people from around the world.

Quickly becoming their teammate and getting used to playing together was an interesting and unique experience,” says Gizel.

Izzy shares that she struggled with the load of “...meeting everyone’s expectations. An entire country is watching, and it’s hard not to get into my own head.” The girls persisted.

The Navarro sisters hope to inspire others around them and push them to become the best versions of themselves as they continue their careers in Basketball. Izzy now plays at Loyola Marymount University, and Gizel has committed to play at California Lutheran Univesity after graduation. Through the mental and athletic skills they acquired as Dons, Izzy and Gizel have learned to cope with the mental challenges of meeting everyone’s expectations; they make sure to keep their heads in the game both on and off the court.

DONS MAGAZINE 15

CARRYING ON REFUGEES ASSIMILATED TO LIFE IN AMERICA AND TO LIFE AS DONS Written with the help of Sebastian Deustua

I f most high schoolers in the United arrived in his village, and he, along up in a refugee camp in Thailand States were to ask their peers how many of them spoke more than one language fluently, there would probably only be a few scattered hands raised. Ask them if they were born outside of the U.S., and chances are that even fewer would raise their hands. Ask, lastly, how many have fled their homes and countries of origin during childhood to reach a safe environment, and it's likely no peers would raise their hands.

Such is the case of two recent Dons alumni, Pluto Wah ‘21 and Su Lah Min Min ‘22 (who goes by Min Min).

Pluto hails from Myanmar, a country located in Southeastern Asia, bordered by other nations such as China and Thailand, the latter of which is Min Min’s homeland. In 2010, Myanmar was embroiled in major crises, one of which was an uprising in Pluto’s home state, Karen. Pluto was a young boy when the military

16 DONS MAGAZINE

with his family, were forced to move “…from village to village until arriving at one that housed United Nations troops." Although he and his family were now thankfully out of the line of fire, they now faced a new challenge of trying to move from their home country to the United States. Even though he was just six years old, Pluto vividly remembers the quizzes and interviews that he and his family had to endure to see if they could move to America, after which he says was followed by "a long waiting game to see if our names were called to go.”

Similarly, Min Min and his family also made the difficult decision to leave their home in Southeast Asia, leaving their friends and family behind. “My parents wanted a better life for me and my siblings, with the opportunity for a better education,” shares Min Min. After leaving their village, they ended

before beginning the same arduous task of immigrating to the United States.

After a long process of acquiring paperwork to let them immigrate to their new home from Asia, both boys and their families arrived in San Diego. Upon arrival, Pluto and Min Min struggled to adjust to their new lives in the United States. Both of them were met with the daunting task of living in a new, unfamiliar place full of unknown rules and customs and a language barrier.

One of the most difficult adjustments was a completely different school environment. Pluto explained that “going to school was very hard. I didn’t know anybody, and I didn’t know any English.” He remembers struggling to adjust. He joined a tutoring program for refugees, which ended up changing his course in life completely. Through this program,

On the left are Pluto and Min Min with Ms. Tysor, Director of Admissions. Above from left to right, Pluto celebrates after a game with Chris and Star (Michael Cazares/Cazares Media), Pluto and Min Min after a Dons Football game, and Min Min with his classmate, Deric Woo "D Woo," after the state championship game.

he met two mentors, Star Soltan and Chris Zures, whose mission was to help refugees attend college. Pluto says, "There is a low percentage of Karen guys in my neighborhood that attend college, and my goal is to be a role model for the younger generation in my community." These mentors would prove to be extremely helpful in supporting this goal.

Once in high school, Pluto found that he wanted a more challenging academic atmosphere than the one he found himself in. One of his tutors, who he had met through Star and Chris, was a coach on the Dons Varsity Football Team and encouraged Pluto to look into transferring to Cathedral Catholic.

Pluto ended up transferring the second semester of his junior year thanks to the mentorship and financial support of Star and Chris, and he found the rigorous environment he had been looking for. He initially struggled but was motivated and encouraged by the Dons community. He shares, "The teachers were very helpful and easy to communicate with. They were all very supportive and willing to help me. Being involved in the football program also helped me keep my grades up because I knew I had to keep a certain GPA to play games.

That helped motivate me to work hard and turn in my assignments."

These experiences allowed Pluto

to develop a sense of resilience, independence and a work ethic that has led him to become what he is today: a hardworking student at the University of San Diego studying Environmental Ocean Science and a model example of what it means to be a Don. Min Min also faced a similar difficult adjustment to schooling and to the language barrier when he came to San Diego at 10 years old. Being the oldest of all his siblings, he also had to act as a good role model for his younger brothers and sisters.

He looked up to his parents a great deal and says, "I was inspired by all the hard work that they were doing in order for my siblings and me to have a better life and a better education.” He used their example as a guide on how he should carry himself through life. Emulating his parent’s work ethic, Min Min worked relentlessly throughout middle school and his first two years of high school, which caught the attention of Star and Chris. Just as they had for Pluto, the pair supported Min Min's education financially, and he transferred to Cathedral Catholic the second semester of his sophomore year.

On this transition, Min Min shares, "I was nervous because there

seemed to be only a few people at Cathedral Catholic that didn't know English very well like me. It was hard at first, but as I got to know people it was easy for me to make friends."

Pluto was the only person Min Min knew when he first transferred in, but that quickly changed. He found everyone at Cathedral Catholic, including employees, parents and students, to be very welcoming.

He quickly realized that his favorite part about becoming a Don was becoming a part of such a tightknit community. He grew especially close to his teammates on the Varsity Football Team. Min Min became a state champion last year during his senior season, all while maintaining excellent grades. He enjoyed a well-rounded education at Cathedral Catholic and was wellknown for his kindness and sense of humor. Min Min is now at USD and is considering studying Environmental Ocean Science like Pluto.

These young men's stories illustrate how much a Don's life can differ from that of his or her peers around them. The way that the pair overcame the struggles they faced, from warfare and disaster in Asia to scholastic troubles in America, is nothing short of extraordinary. Their will and determination exemplify what it means to be a Don to a tee.

DONS MAGAZINE 17

DONS ATHLETICS YEAR IN REVIEW

GIRLS CIF TITLES: 102 (5 Open Division)

BOYS CIF TITLES: 91 (14 Open Division)

———TOTAL ——— 193 and counting!

CLASS OF 2022 NCAA-BOUND STUDENT-ATHLETES 52 Students From the Class of 2022 Signed National Letters of Intent

2021-2022 SEASON STATE CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE Football

(Division I-AA)

2021-2022 SEASON CIF TITLES Girls Beach Volleyball

Boys Swim and Dive

Competitive Cheer

Girls Track and Field

Girls Cross Country

Boys Volleyball

Football

Girls Volleyball

Roller Hockey

Boys Water Polo

(Division I)

(Division II)

(Division III)

(Open Division)

18 DONS MAGAZINE

(Division II) (Division II)

(Open Division) (Open Division) (Open Division)

2021-2022 LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIPS Girls Basketball

Boys Golf

Boys Track and Field

Boys Beach Volleyball

Boys Lacrosse

Girls Track and Field

Girls Beach Volleyball

Roller Hockey

Boys Volleyball

Boys Cross Country

Boys Rugby

Girls Volleyball

Girls Cross Country

Girls Soccer

Boys Water Polo

Football

2021-2022 SEASON AWARDS Fall Sports Most Valuable Players Julia Blyashov '23 (Girls Volleyball)

Marton Szatmary '22 (Boys Water Polo)

Winter Sports Most Valuable Players Isuneh Brady '22 (Girls Basketball)

Quinn Conway '22 (Roller Hockey)

Spring Sports Most Valuable Players Kennedy Clarke '22

Kapiolani Coleman '23

(Girls Track and Field)

(Girls Track and Field)

Brian Hanson '22

(Boys Golf)

Academic Athlete of the Year Nicholas Martinez '22

(Boys Cross Country, Soccer and Track and Field)

Athletes of the Year Isuneh Brady '22 (Girls Basketball)

Lucky Sutton '22 (Football)

Career Athletic Achievement Awards Kelsey Branson '22 (Girls Soccer and Sand Volleyball)

Dylan Fortune '22 (Football and Boys Rugby)

Kevin Madden Award Boston Bonifay '22

(Boys Basketball, Sand Volleyball and Volleyball)

DONS MAGAZINE 19

C A M P US DIG E S T H a p p e n i n g s F r o m A r o u n d C a t h e d r a l C a t h o l i c Estella and Paul Green, two of our

Kristin Brandeberry, one of our

Hayden Howard '23, one of our Academy

Fr. Matthew Maxwell has joined our

Facilities Department Members, moved to Texas after many years of faithful service to our campus every day and evening. We miss them and wish them well!

Program students, earned his Eagle Scout Rank. For his Eagle project, he built a birdhouse and retaining wall for St. Charles Borromeo Academy. Great job, Hayden!

Alyssa Grothe '23 is an accomplished figure skater and a citizen of both America and Thailand.

Her Thai nationality has allowed her to compete on the national figure skating team for Thailand. Way to go, Alyssa!

20 DONS MAGAZINE

wonderful Art Teachers, was awarded the Douc Langur Professional Award through the California Art Education Association for her outstanding achievement and leadership in the field of art education.

Congratulations, Ms. Brandeberry!

Dons community this year as a School Chaplain alongside Fr. Claude, Fr. Paul and Fr. Martin. Fr. Matthew has already made great contributions to our campus life in just one semester by starting a new co-ed bible study for students, serving as the Dons for Life Chaplain and supporting other faith opportunities for students such as spiritual direction. We are blessed to have you as a part of our Dons family, Fr. Matthew!

Isabel Lusky ‘23 and Nevin Joseph ‘23 were recognized as Commended Students in the 2023 National Merit Scholarship Program. Well done, Isabel and Joseph!

26 Dons received awards from the

College Board National Recognition Program!

Congratulations to the following students: Alexander Anger ‘24 Mia Bento ‘23 Sabrina Campbell ‘23 Santiago Cano ‘24 Reese Covington ‘24 Julia De Andrade ‘24 Gustavo De La Fuente ‘23 Alexandra Hickey ‘23 Victoria Jones ‘24 Nylah King-Boyd ‘24 Devan Lary ‘23 Isabel Lusky ‘23 Beck Mahoney ‘24

Annica Manglona ‘23 Matea Marinez ‘23 Joseph Moawad ‘23 Bella Moreno ‘23 Esteban Murillo ‘23 Alexandria Peña ‘24 Cort Peters ‘23 Eric Remiker ‘23 Leeann Remiker ‘23 Emily Salazar ‘24 Irene Torres ‘24 Eva Willyard ‘24 Carissa Zamora ‘23

Senior Boys and Their Mothers and Senior Girls and Their Fathers enjoyed two new special events put

on by Mission & Ministry! Boys and their moms joined us on campus in December for a lovely Mass and brunch, and girls and their dads did the same in February. This is such a special time for our seniors to spend time with their loved ones before graduation!

National Art Honor Society Students created portraits of Ukrainian

Fr. Greg Boyle visited our campus in

November. We were blessed to have had him celebrate Mass for us and to have heard beautiful talks about love and compassion given by Fr. Greg and two of his homies from Homeboy Industries.

Thank you to our wonderful Mission & Ministry team for planning this lifechanging event for our Dons!

children living in Poland through the Memory Project. These portraits were recently delivered to the children and their families and brought them so much joy!

ZAK Myers Memorial Park construction

is well underway, and the space is expected to be completed before next school year. We are grateful to the Myers family for their generosity, and we are excited to have such a wonderful gathering space for our Dons family!

DONS MAGAZINE 21

THANK YOU TO OUR

Friend of Cathedral Catholic The Church Family The Coleman Family The Dupuy Family The Durnin Family The Fernandez Family The Iagmin Family The Insogna Family The Ortega Family The Rosander Family The Straza Family The Wakeman Family The Wilson Family

Join us at the 32nd Wine & Microbrew on March 18, 2023!

22 DONS MAGAZINE

SCHOOL EVENT SPONSORS

Courtesy of the Janicik Family Giving Fund

The Galluccio Family The Rigoli Family The Wardy Family

Will Kirk, Team Tawy

Save the date for the 33rd Annual Dons Golf Classic on October 23, 2023!

DONS MAGAZINE 23

Cathedral Catholic High School 5555 Del Mar Heights Road San Diego, CA 92130 (858) 523-4000

@cchsdons

@cchsdons

@cchsdons

Non Profit Org US Postage PAID San Diego, CA Permit No. 1347

w w w.CathedralCatholic.org

Join us at these upcoming e vents!

April 26, 27 & 28, 2023

March 18, 2023 24 DONS MAGAZINE