STUDENT LIFE

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

REWIND IN TIME STUDENT LIFE

After two years away from the theater, the CN Dance Program returned in the Fall 2021 with a nostalgic show filled with renewed energy, “Rewind in Time,” a dance show inspired by decades of music between 1940s and 2010s. Dancers and dance teacher/director, Gabrielle Thompson, collaborated in choreography and creativity to build an amazing show that brought in record attendance. The dancers performed with gratitude and shined on stage with courage and passion. We are so proud of all of the dancers for persevering through the unpredictable challenges of the pandemic and applaud their accomplishments throughout the semester. A special thank you to parent volunteer coordinator, Amanda Wood, who worked tirelessly on gathering volunteers to help at the show and filled in all of the details needed to make the show a success.

DANCE DIRECTOR Gabrielle Thompson

PHOTOS:

Bella Photography

DANCE

The CN Dance Program presented “From the Page to the Stage” on April 28th and 29th at Sonoma Country Day School in the Jackson Theater. Dance teacher/ director, Gabrielle Thompson, collaborated with all of the dancers to create a contemporary show inspired by the literary works of classic fairy tales, fictional stories, and myths. With modern music and original choreography, the show created a mystical adventure and thought provoking moments portraying modern day life.

Bravo to all of the dancers for their hard work and dedication.

TWO PACKED SHOWS!

FROM THE PAGE

TO THE STAGE

DANCE DIRECTOR Gabrielle Thompson

PHOTOS:

Bella Photography

FROM THE STUDENT PERSPECTIVE

TOGETHERNESS

SOCIALS

The Father-Daughter dance was a great opportunity for many of the young women at Cardinal Newman to get together for pictures, dancing, and lots of food. After a delicious dinner, dads of senior girls each put together really cute and heartwarming slideshow presentations, showing off their daughters’ many funny/sweet moments from childhood, all the way up to recent events. I think it’s a super special tradition that only a community like Newman would have. Aside from that, there were tons of good snacks, including a custom candy bar where you could splurge to your heart’s content on chocolates, gummies, and jawbreakers. The dance floor was busy all night long, and it was so fun to see different grade levels dancing and cheering each other on as several girls showed off their moves in a huge dance circle (the dads joined in, of course). I personally

think that this dance was special because there wasn’t any pressure like that of a homecoming or prom. It was just a great group of girls having a genuinely good time and letting loose with their friends and fathers. Overall, I had a really great night and went home tired, happy, and full of fun new memories that I’ll carry with me beyond high school. – Katie Grant, ’24

Mother-Daughter Brunch

The Mother-Daughter brunch was a wonderful experience to get to take time in the midst of a busy second semester to spend meaningful time with our moms. My mom and I got there and enjoyed time together and talking with each other and the other mothers. My heart felt warm looking around, seeing all the joy of the mothers and their daughters and enjoying the delicious warm food and much-needed coffee. It was a beautiful time to take a step back from all the craziness of senior year and spend time in prayer, surrounded by a group of beautiful women. It was special that any motherly figure was invited; the bright smile and outfit of one lively grandma accompanying her granddaughter lit up my day and reminded me of my grandma. The motherdaughter brunch was certainly a beautiful, much-needed event with prayer, good food, and wonderful conversation. – Lily Zichichi, ’22

Mother-Son Brunch

I attended the Mother-Son brunch with my mother Niessia. I enjoyed bonding with my Mom, as well as being with my friends. We enjoyed the company of our friends and enjoyed our breakfast, which was a full buffet. Getting to listen to Mr. Reynolds’ talk about the importance of mothers was one of the top moments of the brunch. This gave my mother and I time to hang out and get closer with not only each other but also with our friends. The brunch was a great experience and I hope everyone gets the chance to enjoy that special moment with their mothers. – William Diehl, ’23

SOCIAL EVENTS ARE ESSENTIAL TO OUR MISSION AND A KEY CARDINAL NEWMAN DISTINCTION. YOUNG STUDENTS BENEFIT GREATLY BY EXPERIENCING SAFE AND FUN GATHERINGS WITH THEIR PEERS AND PARENTS. IT’S GOOD FOR THE PARENTS, TOO.

Welcoming the second semester of my senior year, I was more than excited and slightly sad at the idea of attending my last high school retreat. After arriving at Mount Gilead, we took a short hike, followed by Mass offered by Fr. Plass. Next, we met our NET Retreat group leaders and began small group activities. Our retreat leaders tried to bring as much energy to the group as possible, and while it took us a couple of hours to warm up to them, we found ourselves enjoying games and activities. Nearing the end of our first day, we gathered around a campfire for s’mores and a very competitive dance competition between one of the counselors and Izabella Patchick, a Dance Three honors student. The next day was filled with the same spirited activities as well as my favorite spiritual part of the retreat. During our women’s talk, I felt that our group leaders successfully conveyed what it is like to be a young woman struggling to interpret one’s relationship with God. While the rest of the retreat had held a similar spiritual message, I felt most personally impacted by their advice and acknowledgment of social difficulties regarding exploring one’s faith.

Right before leaving, our entire retreat group played an impromptu game of football, a large number of our varsity football team being present. While we had all been on retreat together for the past twenty-four hours, I felt the game really drew us together and closed the experience with a sense of knowing one another more.

I could not be more grateful to have attended the retreat with my friends under the guidance of NET Ministries and Fr. Plass. The experience was spiritually enlightening and reminded me to enjoy the final months of my senior year with the people I have grown to care for these past four years.

– Meghan Do, ’22

RETREATS

JUNIOR RETREAT

Nearing the end of March, our classmates were filled with excitement to attend our first overnight retreat. Following our arrival at Alliance Redwoods in Occidental, we gathered in assigned small groups to answer some group reflection questions. Although it was awkward at first, our time in the small groups really helped us connect more with classmates who we hadn’t previously talked with all that much. It also strengthened the bonds that we already had with the friends that happened to be in our small groups.

After our small group discussions, we got to start the long-awaited activities. The options were the Piñata Swing or the Zipline. According to Jordan Solano, “You basically got strapped in and hoisted up by the rest of the group, then they just let go of the rope that was holding you up there. There were three seconds of freefall.” In contrast, we chose the zipline. The rickety ladder made the climb up scary, but once you were flying through the trees, it felt like you were flying. We had so much fun; we wanted to go again. Without a doubt, the highlight of this activity was watching Father Plass zoom on the zipline.

Once the sun went down, we gathered around the campfire to roast marshmallows and sing campfire songs. Jack Capitani and Father Plass brought out their guitars and sang some folk songs. Many joined in and sang along beautifully with them.

The next day, we departed after spiritually connecting to God through mass. It was a nice way to end our retreat because we got to reflect on what the retreat was all about: reflecting on our identities as children of God.

The retreat was like a breath of fresh air, as we were feeling very burned out. We thoroughly enjoyed the Junior Retreat and are thankful that we got to experience it together. It was an amazing retreat, and we can’t wait for our next one. – Owen Reis, ’23 and Bridget Salisbury, ’23

Modern Band at Cardinal Newman is different than any other high school band opportunity in the region. Under the direction of Morris Acevedo, Cardinal Newman students learn and master music using contemporary instruments and songs they hear and sing every day. It checks the key boxes for modern education – it’s relevant and engaging! Just how relevant and engaging is best seen at performances. Modern Band treated the community to the Spring band concert on May 12. The setlist ranged from surf music to today’s country and pop hits. Students showed off their chops -- changing instruments with ease and panache. From guitar to drums to bass to vocals. They’ve also performed impromptu concerts at lunch and picked acoustic guitar with Father Plass on retreat. That’s one of the powers of music -- it brings people together with a universal language of time and tempo, rhythm, and words. And, like the other Arts, it helps us all locate ourselves in the world around us and strengthens the faith with have in our Creator.

STUDIO ARTS

Much like music, dance, and drama, the Studio Arts program at Cardinal Newman provides ample opportunity for students to grow through creativity. As the master Creator, God includes his creative spirit in each of us. Studio Art allows that to shine through students via exploration of drawing, painting, photography, and ceramics. One of this year’s most remarkable creations was a custom-painted surfboard, a featured auction item at our Spring Gala. Shown in progress to the left, this piece of art may never see the ocean, but it’s sure to create conversational waves among those who are lucky enough see it on display.

The modern and future economy is seeking creative problem solvers, those who are agile, adaptive, and able to navigate uncertainty with intelligence and creativity. The Arts are crucial in developing these skills. And these skills apply to any career choice. It will be the creative thinker in any field that leads game-changing innovation that improves our collective futures.