J | The Catalyst | Volume 4, Issue 5 | April 2018

OPINION | Page 3

ARTS & LIFE | Page 6 IS COACHELLA RESPONSIBLE FOR CHANGE? AVENGERS ASSEMBLE FOR INFINITY WAR

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Volume 4, Issue 5

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SPORTS | Page 7 STUDENT ATHLETES BEGIN SPRING SEASON

CATALYST

@theCatalystNDB

1540 Ralston Avenue, Belmont, CA 94002

April 2018

Festicades celebrates sisterhood

FEATURE

SAMANTHA RAMOS / THE CATALYST

by Parker Daley Staff Writer @TheNDBCatalyst

Members of the four classes gather on the pool deck to celebrate the community’s annual Aquacades event.

On the evening of April 20, most of the NDB community could be found crowded into metal bleachers overlooking a small swimming pool, wearing an assortment of crazy outfits that included ski pants and cowboy hats,

and screaming and banging noise-makers in support of their classmates as they performed routines in the pool and on the pool deck.

Welcome to Aquacades, an annual event unique to this school that promotes sisterhood, spirit, and tradition.

The theme for this year’s Aquacades was Festicades, where each class

NEWS

was assigned a music festival corresponding with the style of music they choreographed routines to.

The senior class was Bottlerock, smashing it with their rock music.

The juniors were assigned Coachella, with the crowd singing along to their pop music. The sophomores had the crowd going crazy with country music to

go along with an Outside Lands theme. The freshmen got everyone pumped with rap music, supporting their SnowGlobe theme.

At the end of the night was the moment every student had been waiting for: the announcement of the results from the alumni judges. Each class could be heard cheering loudly, despite where their

routines may have placed.

The seniors took first in the spirit category, which excited many of them regardless of their results in other categories.

Senior Athletic Director Bianca Magnani says “I was proud of my class. We won the spirit award, which was honestly all I cared about. I couldn’t control how the routines

placed, but I could control the spirit, so in my eyes, I did my job.”

Senior Isobel Senhaji was also proud of her Maverick sisters, saying, “I know that we’ve worked really hard to amp up our overall class presence recently and winning the Spirit Category meant See AQUACADES | Page 4

NEWS

School to implement Titans and Mavericks prepare for prom daily 8:30am late start night; community gets day off from school

by Rachel Liu Contributing Writer @TheNDBCatalyst

An email was recently sent to NDB parents concerning the schedule change for the upcoming 2018-2019 school year. It outlined reasons for modifying the start of the school day from 8am on A-days and 9:20am on most B-days to 8:30am every day, focusing on its benefits to students’ mental and physical health.

The new start time was scheduled for implementation next year during planning meetings back in 2016. In fact, this year’s schedule was the transition year, according to Head of School Maryann Osmond, as a way of easing students into the new schedule.

Administration took both the advantages and disadvantages of the

new schedule into consideration. They consulted with three sleep experts who also happen to be past and present NDB parents: Sleep expert, Dr. Ian Colrain; Clinical Professor of Stanford Center for Sleep Sciences and Medicine, Dr. Rafael Pelayo; and pediatrician, Dr. Amy Oro.

Schedule consistency was a crucial factor in the final decision. With a regular schedule, students could easily plan studying with classmates and meeting times with teachers as well as have a uniform sleeping schedule.

For students who take Caltrain, both the arrival times of 8:08am on the northbound train and 7:58 am on the southbound train conveniently match up with next year’s new start time to allow for van See LATE START | Page 4

by Editorial Staff @TheNDBCatalyst

As a result of meeting the goal of the annual raffle fundraiser, all students as well as faculty and staff have been given a day off from school on Friday, April 27.

For most juniors and seniors, this means spending all day preparing for one of the most memorable events of one’s high school career, prom.

Prom will be held from 7 to 11:30pm at the Hiller Aviation Museum in San Carlos. The dance’s theme is “Let’s go on adventure,” inspired by the Disney/Pixar film “Up.” The venue’s aircraft motif fits well with that theme.

Planning has been in the works for months for both coordinators and attendees. Many students have spent weeks looking

DESIGNED BY SARAH LIM

Senior Sarah Lim designed the 2018 prom logo based on the Disney/Pixar film “Up” and the theme “Let’s go on an adventure.” for the perfect dress, giving a “promposal,” and scheduling make-up and hair appointments, while class coordinators made arrangements for decorations, dinner, music, and other details.

For some students,

especially juniors, going to prom is a new experience.

But, for some seasoned seniors who have been or seen siblings go off to prom before, they have planning down to an organized system.

Senior Olivia Ty-

ler says, “During the week of prom, I am getting my hair dyed and nails done, but I’ll be doing my makeup and styling my hair myself because I totally blew my budget on my dress. We See DAY OFF | Page 5

APRIL 2018 OPINION Learning under the Prom is an expensive, but important influence of senioritis event in our high school lives page 2

Keira Cruickshank Staff Writer @TheNDBCatalyst

Fiona Quilter Staff Writer @TheNDBCatalyst

According to Google Dictionary, the term senioritis is defined as a humorous noun meaning, “a supposed affliction of students in their final year of high school or college, characterized by a decline in motivation or performance.”

Anyone can experience a symptom of senioritis, such as procrastination. Nearly all students can relate to getting an assignment on an A day and waiting until the end of the night on a B day to complete the work.

However, this seemingly harmless act of laziness can easily become a habit. This is worrisome for seniors especially, because when a student gets to the point at which they do not bother to complete assignments, only complete them at a barely passing level, or have multiple unexcused absences, it can put their college plans at risk.

At NDB, seniors have always been able to show their passion to the rest of the school throughout club events, drives, rallies, and especially at Aquacades when seniors bring out all of their spirit in hopes of a final win before graduation, but pulling together the effort and motivation necessary to finish the year on a high note can be more trying.

Senior Bianca Magnani shares how senioritis affects her, an experience many upperclassmen can relate to.

She says, “I feel bad for ever saying I had senioritis before I was a senior. At this point, it isn’t even doing my work; I just don’t want to come to school.”

It is suggested that the only cure for senioritis is graduation, and while that is most likely the ultimate cure, there are other ways to relieve its symptoms and make them easier to manage.

Senioritis can become easier by simply setting aside some time for yourself and doing something that makes you happy. Whether that is everyday or at least once a week, that time can help you to find out more about yourself and can allow for you to discover a lot about what classes and clubs would be interesting to take or join in college.

Senior Gaby Tiu advises, “Senioritis is a tricky mindset but it’s important that we, as seniors nearing college and more responsibilities, remember to boost ourselves up and push through our last semester.”

Undoubtedly, one of the most anticipated events of second semester for juniors and seniors is prom. NDB students have been getting ready for months, posting in the Facebook group what dress they’ve bought, planning the perfect promposal, and making sure to schedule their hair and makeup appointments weeks in advance.

However, there is one aspect of the dance that students are not excited about: the cost.

Tickets are $100 each, an arguably extravagant amount, though the ticket price does include more than just the entrance fee; it pays for the venue, music, dinner, photo booth, and additionally this year, admission to the Hiller Aviation Museum, where the dance is being held.

However, this is not the only cost of attend-

ing prom. Dresses can cost an exorbitant amount of money depending on where they are bought, though it is possible to economize by taking advantage of sales, coupons, and handme-downs. Shoes and accessories are often an extra charge, though girls might choose to use jewelry and shoes they already own.

Senior Adia Robles says, “It’s difficult to be able to buy a dress, shoes, and a $100 ticket.”

There is also the price of getting nails, hair, and makeup done, activities which some may see as superfluous as they can be done at home. But, many girls choose to get them done professionally, instead of having to trust themselves to successfully recreate their desired look on the day of prom.

Lastly, there is the price of transportation.

Many people do not wish to

drive themselves because their prom parties cannot fit into one car and their parents do not want them driving themselves home so late at night. Limos, Ubers, or any other vehicle that students may choose to take to prom present an additional charge to one’s already grieving bank account.

The cost of prom may not seem so draining if this was not such a financially taxing time.

The school raffle has just ended, and many parents opted to buy their child’s raffle books or students even bought the books themselves. There is also the cost of Aquacades, which includes food, spirit gear, tickets. For seniors, announcements, gloves and shoes, and parties must all be paid for in the next few weeks. Individually, these may not be extreme costs, but the accumulation leads students and their parents to feel economically strained.

Many students will end up paying large sums of money to meet the cost of prom, but that is because prom is a special time for high schoolers. Although students are willing

to pay the price of prom tickets, that does not mean they are comfortable. The price of prom may force students to choose between attending prom and other financial commitments.

However, there are some solutions: personal fundraising, creatively choosing outfits, student involvement in the creation of decorations, and the understanding that money does not determine one’s enjoyment of prom.

There are only a limited number of proms one can go to in their lifetime.

When asked about ticket prices, senior Roxie Khalili said, “They are high, but you really can’t put a price on the memories made.”

It is important to remember our expectations are what create the high price of prom. Yes, the price is outrageous, but that is the cost of our high standards. We want to have delicious food, a beautiful venue, and great music.

Maybe there is a way in the future that we can make prom more affordable, but just as fun.

well as a way to encourage students to stay safe within and outside of the dance’s hours.

Even though pre and post-parties may not be sponsored by the school, they are connected to a NDB event, and so if a student was injured or any illegal activity took place, the school could be held accountable.

I initially was annoyed that I had to sign the contract, but looking back on it, I am glad that our school is displaying responsibility in making sure what we all have a safe and fun night at prom.

Which brings me to my next point: there was nothing in the contract that was unreasonable. The dress code expectations are to be expected for attending

a private Catholic school, and the concerns over partying revolve around potential legal issues and public image.

While NDB students tend to exercise good judgment, the contract may prevent students from engaging in activity that they could face personal legal consequences for.

The prom contract is clearly not designed to prevent students from having a fun and memorable night at prom. It does not stop students from dressing up and enjoying their time with their friends in one of the most well-known and memorable high school events. It is merely a necessary and responsible step towards protecting both students and the school alike.

Signing a prom contract is not like signing away your basic human rights

SAMANTHA RAMOS / THE CATALYST

Senior Nancy Huerta estimates the number of seconds left in her senior year.

Johana Ligtenberg Staff Writer @TheNDBCatalyst

“Really? You have to sign a contract to go to prom?” I have heard this sentence at least a handful of times whenever I tell my friends that do not go to NDB about our school’s prom contract.

NDB requires all juniors and seniors who will be attending prom as well as their parents to sign a contract regarding the obligations for prom before they may even purchase tickets.

In theory, this might sound unnecessary,

which many students might believe, but in looking at what the contract truly entails, its need is justified.

The parameters in the contract include expectations involving pre and post-prom parties, dress code expectations for both students and their guests, and behavioral expectations at the dance.

I think that the contract is a smart way for the school to avoid liability, especially as it reflects expectations at parties either before or after the event, as

theCATALYST NOTRE DAME HIGH SCHOOL’S FINEST NEWS SOURCE

EDITOR IN CHIEF (PRINT) Gaby Tiu

SPORTS EDITOR Vanessa Velasco

EDITOR IN CHIEF (ONLINE) Shreya Chatterjee

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR Shay Levy

OPINION EDITOR Michelle Kleytman

DESIGN EDITOR Lizzie McGuire

STAFF WRITERS Keira Cruikshank Frankie Dakin Parker Daley Johana Ligtenberg Fiona Quilter Feauini Saulala Isobel Senhaji

ARTS & LIFE EDITOR Bella Lopez

PHOTO EDITOR Samantha Ramos

STAFF PHOTOGRPAHERS Kennedy Nelson

ASSISTANT ARTS & LIFE EDITOR Kaitlin McCarthy

ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR Kayla Stuart

FACULTY ADVISOR Robert Rojas

ABOUT THE CATALYST The Catalyst is a student-run newspaper that is published eight times a year in print and 24/7 online for Notre Dame High School community.

EDITORIAL POLICY The Catalyst accepts unsolicited letters from students, faculty, staff, and alumni as well as press releases from on and off-campus organizations, but cannot guarantee publication. It reserves the right to edit or reject submissions.

The views expressed in the Opinion section do not reflect the views of The Catalyst, NDB, the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, or the Archdiocese of San Francisco, but are solely the views of the writer. Unsigned editorials reflect the opinion of The Catalyst.

CONTACT US Notre Dame High School 1540 Ralston Avenue Belmont, California 94002 Phone: (650) 595-1913 Email: TheCatalystNDB@gmail.com

OPINION / NEWS

APRIL 2018 page 3 Coachella and the legacy of “The Catalyst” attends national high school journalism convention music festivals Julia Hebrok Contributing Writer @TheNDBCatalyst

Musical festivals have long been seen as liberal gatherings seeking to enjoy music in a relaxed setting.

The most famous festival of all time, the 1969 Woodstock Festival, which took place in Bethel, New York, had to be opened as a free festival for the public after over 500,000 people showed up. This festival embodied the hippie spirit of free love and acceptance that ruled the sixties and left a profound impact on all future music festivals.

Over 32 million people attend US music festivals each year, with Coachella being the most popular music festival in North America. The capacity of the music festival was raised from 99,000 to 125,000 in 2017 to accommodate expansion of the festival grounds, which occurred due to the growing popularity of the festival itself.

Every April, one can count on a flood of pictures of A-list celebrities and perhaps lucky friends or acquaintances alike posing among the palm trees in boho-inspired outfits at the Southern California festival.

However, although music festivals were intended to be outlets for creative and artistic expression within a safe space, not all festivals exemplify these values.

The owner of Coachella, Philip Anschutz, has allegedly supported many right-wing politicians and has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars towards organizations that are pro-gun and anti-LGBTQ.

This raises con-

cerns about the integrity of not just the often liberal-leaning performers and attendees, but the festival itself, in that Coachella attendees are supporting a man who supposedly shows no regard for the safety of some of the most vulnerable minorities in our collective community.

In a time where #MeToo, #Enough, and other movements have gained such national attention and held politicians and media moguls such as Harvey Weinstein accountable for their actions, many argue that it is simply unacceptable to continue to support a festival that has such a broad audience and cultural impact.

Coachella is also known for its long history of whitewashing and cultural appropriation.

Music festivals, such as Woodstock, were formerly an outlet for minorities such as people of color, the LGBT community, and other members of the 1960s counterculture to express themselves.

In contrast to this diverse audience, Coachella attendees are primarily white and the majority of performers are white men.

Many Coachella attendees also don bindis and Native American headdresses, which shows a pervasive ignorance and disrespect to the culture behind these so-called trends. Although these issues aren’t strictly related to the LGBTQ+ community, it certainly harms groups who already face discrimination based on race and class more than white members of the community.

Across the board, Coachella has clearly

problematic undertones.

While Anschutz has denied the allegations, the controversy that has been raised by the publicization of such concerns has forced people to ask themselves difficult questions.

How much should where one spends their money reflect their values?

Where is the line drawn between a person’s professional contributions (for Anschutz, Coachella) and their personal views? How does liberal advocacy of acceptance extend to those whose views contradict liberal ones?

As a whole, the controversy surrounding Coachella is, in many ways, indicative of not just current themes of modern societal conflicts, but tensions that were never resolved following the hippie movement of the 1960s. Forward progress has been made for many minorities, but many would argue that the change that has occurred is not nearly enough.

After all, LGBT+ individuals still face discrimination. In 2017 alone, 28 transgender people were murdered. Black people still face extensive racial discrimination -Take a look at the Black Lives Matter movement or the recent incident that took place at a Starbucks where two black men were arrested after waiting several minutes for a friend.

Women still face sexual harassment and discrimination -- See the #MeToo movement. And, across the board, conservatism is still thriving and growing, while minorities are still vividly suffering.

So, ask yourself these difficult questions: How much do you really care what your money is supporting? How much do the values embodied by an event reasonably evolve throughout decades? And perhaps most importantly, what are you doing to ensure the full respect and

EDITORIAL STAFF / THE CATALYST

Staff writers Parker Daley and Johana Ligtenberg and adviser Robert Rojas attended the three-day convention. by the Editorial Staff @TheNDBCatalyst Junior Johana Ligtenberg and sophomore Parker Daley attended the National High School Journalism Convention in San Francisco on April 12th and 13th. The two staff writers of “The Catalyst” met hundreds of student journalists and their advisers from across the country and participated in learning sessions, workshops, and other events on various issues in journalism.

“It was a really educational experience for me,” stated Ligtenberg.

“This is my first year doing journalism, but I have quickly become interested in getting more involved.

The classes gave me an opportunity to learn different techniques on writing articles in various styles, on issues faced by high school journalists, on covering sensitive topics, and much more. There were a lot of things I am excited to use in my work going forward.”

There were many things to see and do during the convention held at the Marriott Marquis in SOMA. On Thursday, there were several media tours as well as workshops

on how to do investigative reporting, deal with censorship, and create online, print, and video news packages.

“Attending the Writer’s Workshop was a great experience for me,” says Daley. “We were able to learn strategies for journalistic writing, practice writing a profile, and receive feedback from a professional. I have done a lot of writing in the past, but have not had much experience with journalism specifically, so it was a great chance to learn about formatting and how to conduct an interview and to get critiques on my work. I am excited to apply my skills in the future to ‘The Catalyst!’”

English teachers Robert Rojas and Peggy Brady also attended the event on behalf of their respective programs, Journalism and Yearbook.

“It was so cool to see hundreds of students that motivated. I wish more students [at NDB] were interested in Journalism or active participants in the club,” says Rojas.

The convention is sponsored by the Journalism Education Association and the National Scholastic

Press Association. According to their website, almost 4,000 high school students and journalists attend each of their semi-annual conventions.

The next conventions are at the end of this year in Chicago, followed by one at the beginning of next year in Anaheim.

Empowered by their experiences here, Ligtenberg and Daley feel prepared to continue the work of “The Catalyst” during the next school year and also hope to attend the Anaheim one.

“Parker and I both thought it would be really awesome to attend another convention,” added Ligtenberg, “and potentially be able to have more NDB students come. There were a lot of workshops and classes that I went to that had information that I think many people involved with journalism could benefit from, and the more students that attend these classes, the stronger our newspaper can be. The Anaheim one particularly caught our eye since it is close to Disneyland! It would be fun to be able to weave together the educational aspect of the conference and the excitement of Disneyland if we went.”

Fake news? Not here.

Choose Journalism as your elective class or extracurricular activity next year.

theCATALYST NOTRE DAME HIGH SCHOOL’S FINEST NEWS SOURCE

PHOTO COURTESY OF FLCKR CREATIVE COMMONS/THOMAS HAWK

APRIL 2018 NEWS School to implement daily 8:30am late start for 2018-2019 school year

page 4

From LATE START | Page 1 pickup. As a result, the vans will not run to the San Carlos station next year.

Also, homeroom and teacher office hours (TOH) will also be moved from the morning to the afternoon after seventh block. If there are no mandatory events planned during TOH, dismissal will be at 1:40 on all B-days.

It is hoped that students will continue to take advantage of TOH and use the time to do homework and other assignments.

Junior Zoé de Bretagne says that she “likes the option of early dismissal times as well as the consistency of the start time,” but hopes to also see

“consistency in dismissal times.”

Other students, especially student athletes, feel that an earlier dismissal time would not make much of an impact in their schedules.

Though majority of Mercy and Serra HS students do not know about this school’s updated schedule, NDB students will have a much more convenient experience moving between schools. According to Assistant Head of School and Tri-School Coordinator Carolyn Hutchins students will not need to leave early and miss potentially vital information.

Teachers have their own opinions on the schedule. Though the majority are pleased that stu-

dents will be getting more sleep consistently throughout the week, some are also disappointed that the class time of 80 minutes will be cut down to only 75 minutes. One teacher pointed out that classes which section off time to complete homework will most likely not see a strain in lecture timing, but certain classes that make use of every minute will be forced to alter multiple aspects of the curriculum.

Based on observations from Director of Admissions Catherine Lewis, incoming freshman and their families seem delighted by the schedule. She has told families that “most teenagers get their deepest sleep in the early morning hours. Even 30 minutes

and immediate agreement that the girls prefer America over their hometown, they began explaining what makes it so much more attractive here.

“School starts at 8am and ends at 5pm,” Anela said, explaining that the first four classes are during the day followed by a two hour lunch break and then four more classes.

Maude added, “But, we have more vacation... We are on vacation right now.”

Their curriculum is a bit different as well.

“We learn three languages at a time,” said Emma, who is currently taking English, Spanish, and Portuguese.

If you feel that the NDB dress code is restrictive, the girls in France feel the same way about their school’s dress code. While they do not have a uniform, they, too, are not allowed to wear ripped jeans, leggings, and additionally sportswear.

Emma added, “School is more strict in France. We don’t have computers. We can’t use our phones. We can’t stand up and just go to the bathroom... We can’t drink water or have it on our desk.

Also, [the] relationship between students and teachers is impossible.”

Another disparity between the schools is the spirit, and the girls were heavily shocked by what a week of Aquacades entailed.

“I like the liberty.

I like that there is no rules,” Emma stated.

Additionally, Melanie described their athletic facilities, or lack thereof, stating, “We don’t have sports teams... We don’t have a swimming pool, no running track. We have a gym, but it is very small.”

The girls are excited to spend the remainder of their break immersed in the NDB community halfway across the globe

from their own, but to also spend time in the mecca for diversity, San Francisco.

“I was in [the Castro],” Emma added, “and I saw things I never saw before. You would never see that in France.”

Trying to better compare France to Ameri-

ca, Anela asked me, “Why do you like America? Because it’s diverse? There is no diversity in France.”

Not only do they claim that it is it less diverse, but also less accepting. “There is a lot of racism in France,” said Emma, “not a lot of understanding

for LGBTQ.”

Also, for anyone planning a trip to France, Anela highly recommends that you try out O’Tacos.

“You will cry. It is so good. It’s Mexican food with French imitation.”

with the Gators coming in fourth place, the Knights in third, the Mavericks in second, and the Titans in first.

Magnani, Senhaji, and Kearney have a relaxed outlook on the senior loss, focusing instead on how well their class worked together.

“I know that when it came to most of the categories, we gave it all we had,” says Senhaji.

Magnani emphasizes that winning was not the seniors’ focus, saying, “We have never been super spirited as a class, but

we all get along well and are very supportive of each other...”

She followed up, “Listen, it obviously sucked to lose. It was annoying to see the juniors brag all over social media, but we are almost all 18 year olds. We are adults. In a few months, we will be having the time of our lives in college. So, yes, it would have been awesome to win, but we all have much more exciting and important things coming for us than winning a high school spirit rally...”

Kearney shares

this viewpoint, saying, “The Mavericks really came together for Aquacades, but unfortunately we did not win overall…

However, we collected 100% of our tickets, won first place in spirit, and had a great time which is what it is all about… As a class we did not fight or have nearly the same amount of drama as other classes, so we really looked at Aquacades as friendly competition and just an experience we all wanted to enjoy for the last time together. We all cheered for one another

and even made a point to do Tiger Cheers rather than solely Maverick Cheers at Aquacades.”

Commenting on the junior class, Kearney said, “Personally, I think the Titans did a really good job... I respect them as a class and think that they put a lot of creativity and effort into their routines.”

Regardless of the results, Aquacades is a competition that results in an amazing sense of class pride. It is unique to NDB, and an experience that students remember for the rest

of their lives.

Where else could you attend Bottlerock, Coachella, Outside Lands, and Snowglobe all in one night?

The impact Aquacades has on students is demonstrated simply through the number of alumni who return to their high school to judge the event.

Kearney says, “I will truly miss Aquacades; the intensity around it, the nerves before performing, and just the excitement it carries.”

SCREENSHOT FROM EMAIL TO PARENTS

School starts at 8:30am on A and B-days in next year’s bell schedule. more sleep in the morning enhances mental and physical rejuvenation.” She also mentioned that families are glad to see the reinstatement of an optional afternoon collaboration period,

as during morning TOH, many students decide to sleep instead of meeting with partners or teachers.

Essentially, the idea of the 8:30 start time was created for the sake of

students’ well-being and contains a great potential health and scheduling benefits. Yet, the true effects of this change will only be known when experienced first-hand next year.

French exchange students visit NDB during Aquacades season

by Michelle Kleytman Assistant Opinion Editor @TheNDBCatalyst

Melanie Gomes, Anela Bouyahia, Emma Cunha, and Maude Albane are all fifteen year olds that, at first sight, look like any other NDB girl. However, the second you strike up a conversation with them, they have much more than meets the eye.

All of them are French exchange students from Notre Dame de Sannois, a high school near Paris, France, and are visiting NDB for nine days to learn English and experience American life. After just a few days here, all of them were shocked by how different it is here.

“America is much better,” stated Anela, with Emma interjecting, “You can wear whatever, do whatever... People judge a lot in France, both in high school and out in the town.”

With a unanimous

SAMANTHA RAMOS / THE CATALYST

Several of the French exchange students pose with the Titans during their class picnic just prior to Aquacades.

Festicades celebrates music: Seniors reflect on last Aquacades From AQUACADES | Page 1 a lot to us. The fact that my voice is still recovering from Friday night says a lot, seeing as how it’s Sunday afternoon currently.”

Senior Class President Caroline Kearney says, “Spirit was the most important category to me, and I think the Mavericks truly delivered. We have never won the spirit category, and that was our main goal. So, that was a win within itself.”

Finally, ASB announced the overall results,

Visit TheNDBCatalyst.com and follow @TheNDBCatalyst for more stories.

NEWS

APRIL 2018

page 5

AQUACADES 2018

in photos / by Samantha Ramos

Day off gives community a chance “to go on an adventure” From DAY OFF | Page 1 do what we gotta do. Am I right, ladies? I can’t wait to see everyone all dressed up!”

For seniors like Tyler, prom is a highly anticipated night, especially since it marks the countdown toward graduation and then to college.

When asked how she felt about the event, she said, “Being a senior, I’m both sad and excited to attend my last prom with my best friends. It’s a bittersweet moment for me, but I’m definitely going to make the best of it!”

Planning for this prom began last school

year with the selection of the venue as well as the deposit to hold the school’s reservation.

Mathematics teacher and senior class co-coordinator Gina Kipilman says, “Prom planning takes a lot of people.

The senior and junior class councils started meeting first semester to start planning, and everything was done from meal planning to the logo, the theme, the decorations. So, all we have to do now is enjoy prom.”

While they spend their day preparing for prom, the freshmen and sophomores will have their day off from school. Some

of them are planning to go out and see the movie “Avengers: Infinity War,” but others are going to spend it getting ready for the end of the school year, especially with final exams.

When asked what her plans for the day are, freshman Sofia Ligtenberg said, “I’ll probably sleep in as late as I can, then hang out with my friends from Carlmont.”

Ligtenberg also says that she looks forward to prom in her junior and senior years. “Yeah, I am excited. I’m looking forward to picking out a dress!

It’ll be fun to spend time with my friends and get dressed up.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE HILLER AVIATION MUSEUM

The venue’s various aircraft exhibitions provide a fitting backdrop for the Titans and Mavericks “to go on an adventure.”

APRIL 2018

page 6

ARTS & LIFE

Everything you need to know about ‘Avengers: Infinity War’

The Marvel Cinematic Universe assembles ten years of comic book films

PHOTO COURTESY OF ARTSTATION.COM/RYANMEINERDING

The Avengers, the Guardians of the Galaxy, and many other superheroes team up against the supervillain, Thanos (center).

Shreya Chatterjee and Gaby Tiu Editors in Chief @TheNDBCatalyst

Many a Marvel Cinematic Universe or comic book fan has been highly anticipating the release of “Avengers: Infinity War” on Friday, April 27.

With the excitement around it, even non-Marvel fans are likely to watch the film.

For the average non-Marvel fan, the extensive list of characters, plot lines, and settings may be confusing.

Here are the basics of what you need to know before you watch the movie:

It all began in 2008 when “Iron Man” came out, telling the tale of

the billionaire who creates iron suits which give him abilities similar to those of most superheroes -- flight, enhanced strength, and combat skills.

Two more “Iron Man” movies have been made, and subsequent to the release of his second, a movie for the Incredible Hulk was produced.

“The Incredible Hulk,” a giant green science experiment, was accidentally created by Bruce Banner, and given uncontrollable powers activated by anger.

The next set of movies were those of Thor, a demigod from Asgard.

The movies feature Thor and his evil brother Loki,

who often come into conflict based on their fight for kingship and differences in their heritage.

There have been three Thor movies in total, and his relationship with his brother eventually becomes more positive and cooperative, though they still have disagreements.

Though Captain America’s movie was not made until several movies in, he is known as the “First Avenger” because he was the first ever hero created in the 1940’s. He then lived frozen in his young age to then become a part of the Avengers team, an assembly of superheroes, including Captain America, Hulk, Thor, Iron Man, Hawkeye

and Black Widow.

His first movie includes his childhood as Steve Rogers and friendship with best friend Bucky Barnes. They eventually serve in World War II where Steve evolves into Captain America and Bucky Barnes dies in a tragic train crash.

In the next “Captain America” movie, it is revealed that Bucky is alive and has been brainwashed

by Hydra, an evil organization that mirrors the beliefs of Nazis.

“Civil War,” the most recent movie, features many of these characters and introduces Black Panther and Spider-man, who are later given their own films. It sets up some alli-

ances and conflicts between members of the Avengers.

“The Guardians of the Galaxy” is about about several ex-convicts who form a team that fights intergalactic threats in the far reaches of space. A majority of their stores take place far from earth, but soon they will be drawn there in order to join the gang of Infinity War.

The newest characters include Dr. Strange, a man who can control time and space; Spider-man, a teenager from New York, and Black Panther, the king of Wakanda, a thriving African country.

Now, in “Infinity War,” these heroes join forces to stop the titan, Tha-

nos, who wishes to destroy the universe with the power of the Infinity Stones.

The Infinity Stones are gems that control such concepts such as time, soul, and so on.

Five of the six stones are currently scattered across the universe, with various characters in possession of them. The sixth stone, the soul stone, is currently missing. Thanos’ goal is to find all of them and harness their powers. The Avengers’ goal is to stop him before he can destroy everything and everyone.

With the ongoing hype and set-up for “Infinity War,” one can only hope that it will live up to the expectations of everyone.

Students have choices when it comes to music streaming services A review of what Apple Music, Pandora, SoundCloud, and Spotify have to offer

by Bella Lopez Arts & Life Editor @TheNDBCatalyst

Music has always been a popular outlet to unwind, get excited, and much more. There is music for every mood and people can make personalized playlists to listen to on their own time. It brings people together through common interests and the ability to relate to a song’s lyrics.

Popular streaming services for music, include Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora, and SoundCloud.

The average teenager uses either Spotify or Apple Music, with occasional usage of SoundCloud. 60% of people that I have asked prefer Spotify, while 20% chose Apple Music, 10% use Sound-

Cloud the most, and 10% use Pandora all in the age range of 15-20 years old.

Spotify provides hundreds of thousands of songs to choose from and put into playlists. It is available on the App Store and Google Store for free -- The free version requires you to listen to songs within an album or playlist, limiting you from being able to pick any song.

However, with premium ($10 a month), you are able to skip however many songs you want, download music to stream without data when you are not connected to wifi, no ads, and the ability to play and queue any song at any time.

Apple Music automatically comes with any Apple device and is avail-

able on Android, Sonos, and PC devices. This allows you to stream any music you want without purchasing the individual song.

You used to have to buy each song from the iTunes Store. Yet, for only $5 a month for a student, you now have access to all of the songs in the iTunes store, plus music videos.

SoundCloud is more underrated. It is used mainly to listen and find undiscovered artists and songs, along with covers.

Lots of artists release their songs onto SoundCloud first before releasing them to bigger platforms. This service also give you the opportunity to publish your own music on your profile.

You are able to “like” songs and categorize them into

SAMANTHA RAMOS / THE CATALYST

Several students stream their favorite music. playlists.

You can listen for free on any Apple device, the web, Android, Chromecast, and XBox One, but for unlimited access and no ads, it is $10 a month.

Pandora music is a popular choice, but not as common on the young adult community. It is

mainly used as a radio service without the broadcasters talking. You are able to search any artist and listen to music that would fall under their style.

The more you use Pandora, the better it is able to play music it thinks you will like based on your “likes” and “dislikes” as

well as your channels.

Without ads, the service is $10 per month, but is also available for free on any Apple device, Google Play, Windows store, and on Amazon Prime.

What do you prefer to use to stream your music? Let us know at @ TheNDBCatalyst.

SPORTS APRIL 2018 Feature Athlete: Senior Bianca Baldini looks Season in review: forward to the lacrosse team’s second season Swim and dive

by Shay Levy Assistant Sports Editor @TheNDBCatalyst

Bianca Baldini is a senior on this year’s lacrosse team. She has been playing since last year when she “heard there was going to be a team for Notre Dame.”

Baldini plays midfielder, which requires running the offense and getting back fast enough to mark a player on defense if the ball ends up getting turned over.

Baldini is looking forward to many things this season, such as growing with her team, learning new things about herself through the sport, and hopefully seeing all of the team’s hard work pay off.

She feels a challenge that the team will face this season is being a relatively new team with new members and with little experience in the sport itself.

This is only the team’s second year in existence at the school, and it is still growing in terms of its members, ability, and experience playing the game, both with each other and against other schools.

There are nine freshman on the team this season, and Baldini feels it is good that the team has so many of them. Not only are they exposed to more experience and practice, they will also learn how the team really works, which will benefit NDB in the up-

SAMANTHA RAMOS / THE CATALYST

Bianca Baldini takes a moment to smile while thinking about the lacrosse team’s upcoming season. coming years.

Baldini’s favorite part about being on the NDB team is bonding with her sisters over a sport a lot of them were or are very unfamiliar with before to this season. She also feels it is a different type of growth

as a team when everyone is learning at different levels.

Baldini said her favorite part about playing sports, in general, is, “learning the sport as I go along. I taught myself and I like seeing how hard work has paid dividends.”

Feature Athlete: Senior Madi Earnshaw is ready to play softball at University of San Diego

by Vanessa Velasco Sports Editor @TheNDBCatalyst

Senior Madi Earnshaw just started what will be her last season playing softball for NDB. She has played softball for her entire life, with the last four years as a member on the NDB team.

“My favorite thing about playing for NDB is having the opportunity to represent my school and bonding with girls from all classes,” says Earnshaw about what she loves about playing softball for NDB.

Growing up, playing softball shaped her into the person she is today.

Earnshaw said, “Playing softball, especially for NDB, has helped me be more open to new things

and meeting new people.

I’ve learned to appreciate everything as my coaches and the school are dedicating so much of their time to help us all become better players.”

Earnshaw is committed to the University of San Diego to play Division One Softball next year.

She says, “I’m really excited about my future at USD. I’m looking forward to finally living out my dream of playing collegiate softball and presented the chance to better my skills in a D1 environment.”

Before Earnshaw fully dedicates her time and attention to preparing for collegiate softball, she has one more season left to play for NDB.

Earnshaw first

SAMANTHA RAMOS / THE CATALYST

Madi Earnshaw is appreciative for NDB’s Athletics program in shaping her as an athlete. played on the JV softball team her freshman year, and then the next three seasons on the varsity team.

Reflecting on what she will remember about her high school athletics career, she says, “I will definitely miss all my teammates and the fun times we have.”

The softball season started recently, and the varsity Tigers are off to a great start already.

Earnshaw said, “We’ve had a really good season so far, with lots of highs. I’m looking forward to the rest of the season as I know we will only continue to get better.”

Feature athlete: Krissy Smoot breaks a few school records for the discus and shot put

by Shay Levy Assistant Sports Editor @TheNDBCatalyst

Junior Krissy Smoot is a member of this year’s Track and Field team. Though, she does not run like most of her teammates. Instead, she competes for the events known as the discus throw and shot put.

For both, Smoot throws either a heavy disc or a heavy spherical object as far as she possibly can do it and farther than her competitors during the events. She has certainly proven her athletic prowess in the events, given the distances of her throws.

To date, Smoot has broken several NDB records, including a shot put throw reaching forty feet, two inches more than the

previous school record.

A d d i t i o n a l l y, Smoot broke her own personal record during a track meet in March and is now claiming the discus record for the Tigers.

Smoot has been participating in track and field events since the eighth grade as well as a number of other sports, including Varsity Volleyball for NDB.

This is her first year choosing not to play club volleyball and just focusing on track as her sole spring season sport.

She says she made this decision because she feels it is “more realistic... to do track in college as opposed to volleyball.”

She said her favorite part about being with the NDB Track and Field team is, “supporting

PHOTO COURTESY OF TWITTER.COM/NDBATHLETICS

Krissy Smoot poses before competing at the Arcadia Invitational track meet on April 7.

[NDB] and being part of something connected to the community.”

Her favorite part about doing track in general is that she is able to get exercise, while doing something she enjoys. She explains that it is an escape from everything else going on in her life.

Smoot was vot-

ed Athlete of the Week by the local newspaper, the San Mateo Daily Journal, for the week of March 19.

Smoot found this commendation very exciting and was honored that she has the ability to represent NDB and its Athletics Program in such a positive way for the community.

page 7

PHOTO COURTESY OF TWITTER.COM/NDBATHLETICS

The swim team poses for a team photo during a recent meet.

by Michelle Kleytman Assistant Opinion Editor and Parker Daley Staff Writer @TheNDBCatalyst

Swimming and diving -- the two sports that athletes wish they were practicing during this spring weather.

As this season comes to an end, both of the NDB teams have much to reflect on.

The swim team has had a successful season, with two Varsity relays qualifying for CCS championships.

McKaela Glanville, a sophomore on Varsity known for qualifying for CCS and setting NDB records for the 100 free, 100 fly, and 200 IM, says, “I’m super excited for CCS because I love racing and being able to represent the Notre Dame Swim Team, my teammates, classmates, and friends, and the school itself.” Her sense of school pride reflects the values emphasized in all of Notre Dame athletics.

Messersmith qualified for CCS last year, making it even more astonishing, as the only diver on the Notre Dame team.

“Being the only [one] diving at Notre Dame is hard,” Messersmith stated, “because you have to do everything on your own and you don’t have any support from teammates at your school setting...on the plus side, I have made a lot of good friends from diving with Serra and they are all a great support system.”

Both of aquatic teams aren’t limited to the pool; over spring break, the Varsity swim team flew down to Southern California for a swim meet at Santa Margarita Catholic High School.

Junior Riley Brownfield qualified for CCS at this meet while also setting a new Notre Dame record. “I qualified for CCS in the 200 free and the 500 free,” states Brownfield, adding, “In the 200 free, I took off 4 seconds going from a 2:01 to a 1:57. In the 500 I took off 12 seconds going from a 5:31 to a 5:19.”

The year round swimmer also mentioned the trip to SoCal with the team was her favorite part of the season, stating, “SoCal was an amazing time to bond with the team and experience a more competitive high school meet.”

The NDB swim team captains, Annie Lawrence and Brittney Kitaura, are the only seniors of the team.

Both are excited about swim this year but sad it is their last season.

“One thing that I’ve enjoyed the most about swim team is how I’ve improved over the past four years, as well as all of the small moments…. I’ve just learned so many things and met so many people at swim meets,” says Kitaura.

Recycle when done reading.

Choose Journalism as your elective class or extracurricular activity next year.

theCATALYST NOTRE DAME HIGH SCHOOL’S FINEST NEWS SOURCE

APRIL 2018 NEWS Health and Wellness: Students find SoulCycle a welcome workout

page 8

by Vanessa Velasco Sports Editor and Frankie Dakin Staff Writer

Working out can be a daunting task. Many students face the difficult decision of whether they should watch Netflix or take a nap once they arrive home from a long day at school rather than heading to the gym to work out.

Being physically active is an important part of living a healthy lifestyle along with eating well, but there is certainly something unappealing about getting super sweaty or working out to a point of feeling the urge to throw up at times.

Yet, for those opposed to working out, an alternative has possibly been made for those wanting to try something new and interactive: SoulCycle.

Among NDB students, SoulCycle is a popular place to work out simply because it is unlike anything else.

Upon arriving at

SoulCycle, one is instantly welcomed by friendly staff working the front desk.

Each employee is very helpful and informative, and even a first time rider will feel comfortable and knowledgeable within minutes.

SoulCycle is a forty-five minute indoor cycling class that not only works out the entire body, but proves to be a total mind and body experience.

Once a rider is checked in, has their cycling shoes on, and is locked in on their reserved and personally adjusted bike, class begins. SoulCycle instructors slowly push riders to their limits, dabbling in cardio and strength training as well as remaining inspirational the entire time. In the dark, candle-lit studio, one is surrounded by many other riders pushing themselves.

Senior Gillian Hornaday is a huge SoulCycle enthusiast and a dedicated employee. When asked what her favorite part

PHOTO COURTESY OF GILLIAN HORNADAY

Several NDB students share a moment before a SoulCycle workout. of her job with the compa- through the doors of Soulny was, she happily replied, Cycle is what makes me “What I love about Soul is love my job so much.” the relationships I’ve been She continues, “I able to build with the rid- also love soul because it is ers, staff and instructors. an escape from the world, Seeing people smile once whether I am working or they come into the studio riding, it has the ability to after having a rough day, change my day around in a and saying how much bet- second. Seeing other girls ter they feel by just walking from Notre Dame become

PHOTO COURTESY OF GILLIAN HORNADAY

SoulCycle employees Gillian Hornaday and Nikki Christine hold up the week’s class schedule. riders, and see the same riders to reflect, to uncovpassion I have for Soul in er past scars or instances. them makes me incredibly They instill reminders to happy because it truly is an love yourself and to pracamazing community that I tice self-care. A community am so happy they get to be exists in the room where together, riders are pushed a part of.”

What makes Soul- to their full potentials and Cycle so special is the mes- personal bests. sage that comes from each class. The instructors ask

Transformation, throwback, flashback someday: NDB teachers share their high school prom photos

So, what do you think? Identify the NDB teachers in each of the eight prom photos below and then email your answers to the staff of the Catalyst at TheCatalystNDB@gmail.com for a chance at a prize.

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