J | The Catalyst | Volume 5, Issue 3 | October 2018

OPINION | Page 2

www.TheNDBCatalyst.com

the

ARTS & LIFE | Page 6 WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE SCARY MOVIE?

THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF NOTRE DAME HIGH SCHOOL

Volume 5, Issue 3

@theNDBCatalyst

1540 Ralston Avenue, Belmont, CA 94002

Maddie Berry

Rebecca Demeo

Riley Fisher

Samantha Fisher

Jorja Fox

Caroline Gans

Elena Hylton

Ashley Lau

Sarah Massudi

Brindha Ramanathan

Clair Sapilewski

Sabrina Senhaji

App-free challenge means no Instagram, Netflix, Snapchat, Twitter, or YouTube for five days Madelyn Stone

SPORTS | Page 7 TIGERS WIN DIG PINK VOLLEYBALL GAMES

CATALYST

TIGERS MISS OUT WITHOUT A HOMECOMING

PHOTOS COURTESY OF GEORGE RETELAS

October 2018

Freshmen volunteer to give up social media for app-free challenge girls noted that they did not feel very impacted by the absence of social media yet.

Many of them explained how they had a lot more time in the morning to get ready and sometimes did not know what to do with all the extra time. A few of them barely used social media before the challenge, so this did not pose much of a challenge for them.

Many of the girls

nications Director George Retelas.

At the end of the challenge, it seemed like many of the girls, although

You may have at times bored, felt reheard of the so-called ‘Sofreshed and were able to be cial Media epidemic’ that more productive with their is consuming people’s time. lives and causing students

One of the girls to slack off at school. As who participated in this a way to combat this issue event, Madelyn Stone, said and help students get back that this social media free on track, NDB Director challenge was not too diffiof Health & Wellness and cult for her. She Student Leadsaid, “I don’t ership, Denise “Overall, it was a better experience generally have Uhl, organized an “App-Free because I had more time to think, and any social media accounts.

Challenge” to try to spend a little less time on my Overall, it was week.

T h e phone texting people, and rather find a better experience because I challenge inpeace in just being with myself.” had more time volved deletto think, and to ing existing try to spend a social media little less time accounts and not starting also have different goals on my phone texting peonew ones for a full week. about what they want to acple, and rather find peace

A group of thircomplish during this time in just being with myself. I teen NDB freshmen that period. was able to read books, and had a mixed level of com Jorja Fox exdo that kind of stuff.” mitment to social media Like Madelyn, chose to participate. In ob- plained that she wanted to have more time for Irish some of the other students serving the feedback from dance.

Sarah Massudi said who did this challenge said girls participating in the that she would like to take it was not so hard, because challenge and two Catalyst writers’ attempt at the chal- this time to get work done they do not use social melenge, it seems that giving faster with limited distrac- dia platforms on a regular day basis. up social media is not as tions.

The students were

Another particieasy as it seems. photographed and inter On the first day of See CHALLENGE | Page 5 this challenge, many of the viewed by NDB Commuby Jaya Kapoor and Kendall Peters Staff Writers

Community participates in spirit Tigers rock the vote in statewide week events leading to Halloween student mock election

by Johana Ligtenberg Editor in Chief

by Delaney Fox Contributing Writer

Yesterday, the NDB community kicked off their annual Spirit Week with the first theme day, Pajamas/Spa Day. During Spirit Week, which takes place during the week leading up to Halloween and the Dingbat Day rally festivities, each day is designated with a specific dress-up theme.

New this year is that students will be allowed “full dress-up” as opposed to partial uniform, and each day students can check in with ASB during lunch to earn spirit points for their class.

Each class council also “sponsors” a day by

The November primaries are inching closer and closer everyday, and, as many adults are beginning to review the propositions and their election packets, students are sitting back and watching them make their decisions. However, this was not the case for juniors and seniors this year.

This was NDB’s first time participating in the Mock Student Election held throughout California.

As the final decisions arise for adults, students also have the chance to observe what the popular vote was for their generation.

Kate Rose Keighran, a junior, said, “the

ROBERT ROJAS/THE CATALYST

A photo from last year’s spirit week Meme Day. providing a fun lunchtime time activity of an obstacle activity for students in the course hosted by the Freshdining room. man class council.

Today, the Sopho Yesterday was the Freshman class’ pick, with mores sponsored the City the dress up theme of PJ/ See SPIRIT WEEK | Page 8 Spa Day and the lunch-

NATALIE BEIER/THE CATALYST

A student casts her vote for state propositions.

Mock Election was a great way to voice our opinion without being judged by peers.”

As a diverse community, voicing one’s opinion can be daunting. The

Mock Election allowed students to let their voices be heard, without the hesitation thinking that someone will disagree with you See VOTE | Page 8

OPINION A school without a Homecoming: As they celebrate spirit week, are students missing out on an American high school tradition? page 2

Johana Ligtenberg Editor in Chief @TheNDBCatalyst

Homecoming has long been considered an iconic American high school event. However, NDB misses out on this tradition. While homecoming events such as spirit week and a dance are traditionally paired with a football game, which NDB obviously would not be able to do, why not plan them around a different sport? Volleyball, which conveniently is a fall sport, is considered one of the biggest spectator sports at NDB. NDB

could have a homecoming volleyball game instead, allowing alum an opportunity to come back and visit their alma mater, and follow it up with their fall dance for the current students.

Homecoming can include many different activities depending on a school’s unique traditions. While in some ways, Aquacades serves as a homecoming for some NDB alumni who come back to celebrate, there are still more ways that NDB

could take advantage of its uniqueness and school spirit to energize and excite members of both the student body and its expansive alum network.

NDB currently organizes Spirit Week around Halloween, where the Dingbat Day rally and a variety of Halloween-focused activities take place as the culmination of the festivities. However, this often leads to confusion with scheduling, as when Halloween falls during the middle of the week, the rest of NDB’s spirit week dressup days are split between two school weeks.

This year, for example, spirit week will start on a Thursday and end on a Wednesday. If NDB were to create a homecoming

Letter to the Editor Dear Editor,

I appreciated the article by staff writers Ella Burrin and Daphne Sidoti, titled “Afternoon teacher office hours are being abused.” The authors’ point was clear that they believe our B-Day afternoon hour of freedom is not being used productively by NDB students. While Teacher Office Hours (TOH) are meant to be time to catch up on work, meet with teachers, and collaborate with classmates on group projects, it is clear that the hour of work time (mainly silent) is not being optimised by the student population.

In addition, many of my fellow Tigers are often spotted with headphones on, watching the latest beauty tutorials, celebrity revelations, and vlogs from other teens, rather than catching up on work. If the administration cracked down on the way we spent our free hour, grades would be higher, and students would be more focused. However, there definitely is something to say about having an hour to unwind and de-stress before work, sports practices, and homework.

Overall, our fellow NDB Tigers are abusing their TOH time. There isn’t much to be done about this, other than limiting what students can use their time for, and forcing those with lower grades to stay on-campus, which Ms. Schaefer-Salinas has already done.

I appreciate and value your hard work on each issue of the Catalyst.

Hadley Stevick NDB Knights Class of 2021

JANE DOE/THE CATALYST

NDB’s cheerleaders stand on the sidelines of Serra HS’s homecoming game. week and moved their spirit week to line up with those events, then events could be planned to fit evenly across a week and result in a rally and dance on Friday.

While NDB is certainly not lacking in unique traditions and school spirit, having a homecoming could help bring the community together even more

and allow and opportunity to alumni to connect with the school community, while providing students with the complete American high school experience.

Lockdown drills are an unfortunate sign of the times in American schools Julia Hebrok Staff Writer @TheNDBCatalyst

As 2018 wraps up, the tally for deaths by mass shooting to date this year has reached 417. On the first day of October, two people were injured and two were killed in a shooting in Chicago. As mass shootings have become more widespread and prevalent in American society, so have lockdown drills in American schools.

We have seen at NDB, with some lockdown drills inciting panic due to initial fear that there is an actual active shooter on campus.

Safety drills have long been practiced across various institutions to ensure disaster preparation. While they can vary depending on the area, schools are usually required to have a certain amount of safety drills every year.

Currently, California has legislation that requires all K-12 schools to have a disaster preparedness plan to deal with any natural

disasters as well as issues with school violence. Bill SB-1203 outlines the requirements for schools in regards to lockdown procedures and has been updated multiple times over the past year to be more specific.

However, this type of school safety requirement has only gotten stricter in the wake of such school shootings as Columbine, Sandy Hook, and Parkland. Young Americans consider this a part of their childhood that now occurs with increasing frequency, certainly shedding light on a dark side of America’s culture that has affected everyone. While some of the first lockdown drills on the NDB campus caused mass panic, now they are treated as a normal part of high school life.

Kids as young as kindergarten and preschool now practice how to act in a school shooting, and teachers have to make peace

with the fact that they may have to die in order to protect their students. There is no reason that a teacher or student should have to worry about dying in a place that is designed to foster learning and safety.

After one of the first lockdown drills that we had at NDB last year, one of my teachers teared up as she expressed to us how sad it made her that we live in a generation where we constantly have to think about the safest place to hide and protect ourselves during a school shooting

The prevalence and dire importance of lockdown drills has shown deep rooted issues that Americans have neglected to deal with. Instead of implementing more safety and lockdown drills, we as Americans need to address the root of the problem: gun control. Whether you interpret the 2nd Amendment as something addressing militias in the 1700’s or feel that it is a broad protection of gun rights for all Americans, I think we can all agree that mass shootings will not go away until we change how people obtain guns and what guns they have access to.

theCATALYST NOTRE DAME HIGH SCHOOL’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER

Connect with the Catalyst on Instagram and Twitter @theNDBCATALYST

EDITOR IN CHIEF Johana Ligenberg MANAGING EDITOR Michelle Kleytman NEWS EDITOR Parker Daley PHOTO EDITOR Natalie Beier STAFF WRITERS Jean Aquino Victoria Bartels Ella Burrin Julia Hebrok

STAFF WRITERS (Continued) Jaya Kapoor Luisa Laguisma Rachel Liu Bella Lopez Kaitlyn Lopez Kelly Nolte Kendall Peters Feauini Saulala Daphne Sidoti FACULTY ADVISOR Robert Rojas

ABOUT THE CATALYST

EDITORIAL POLICY (Continued)

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.

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.

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

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

OPINION page 3 Is your Halloween costume just a costume or Q&A with political is it cultural misappropriation? scientist, Dr. Sabato ation is that it is actually discarded.

Luisa Laguisma Staff Writer @TheNDBCatalyst

Oftentimes when browsing through social media you may stumble upon people wearing bindis, braids, henna, and various aspects that emblazon a certain cultural identity, but the people wearing them not being of that culture themselves.

Whether it’s girls bearing bindis during music festival season or your favorite celeb dressing up as a Native American for halloween, cultural appropriation can be defined as taking aspects of someone else’s culture and using it to your benefit while dismissing where it came from.

Though it seems as if cultural appropriation is a new concept and has everyone walking on eggshells, it is far from new.

When a group, race or certain community has been oppressed and subjected to harsh treat-

ment for a long period of time and suddenly their culture is claimed by other people--it allows for others to take away from that culture while totally disregarding what that group went through.

For example, when an African American person wears multiple braids it is commonly seen as ‘ghetto’ by society, but when a Caucasian person wears braids they are seen differently -- cue the Kardashian Klan. The Kardashians have franchised and commodified their own family name on the backs of Black culture. The women in the family have been seen with cornrows or box braids that is rooted in black culture and the hairstyle was only recently approved back in 2014 for black servicewomen in the U.S Military.

A common refutation to cultural appropri-

showing appreciation for another culture, it is at the very least showing appreciation for another’s culture.

Cultural appreciation or exchange on the other hand, is when you use features of another culture but only with the intention of honoring the people it came from.

Think going to an Indian Wedding where wearing traditional dress or getting henna might be recommended. Yet, when people sport Japanese Kimonos or Chinese Cheongsams all for the sake of their aesthetic, it can be make the general public forget where the roots of such garments come from.

Think back to this year’s debacle when Keziah Daum, a White high school student, wore a traditional Chinese Cheongsam to prom and set the whole internet to a rage.

Many of people of Asian descent, who found it offensive, were called insensitive. However, taking aspects from another culture can actually be hurtful and offensive to people, so they have all the right to be outraged when their culture is

The racist effects of appropriation dehumanize people in a way that make them only characters and not real people. When people mock another’s identity, it silences people when it allows the more privileged to speak for them.

Cultural appropriation is a direct byproduct of racism itself. It is people exploiting and making profit off of others. It does not help culture at all, it turns culture into a costume, a stereotype, and it makes people feel small and used.

Dressing as a stereotypical geisha or mexican man for Halloween sends the ignorant message of, “This is how we see you and nothing else.”

With Halloween just around the corner, dressing like your favorite rapper or cultural icon who happens to be a person of color is easy, just don’t reach for that darker foundation and stick to yours.

Cultural appropriation shouldn’t be made to scare you, but perhaps make you more aware of the systemic system that is so visibly seeped into our culture.

How old is too old to go trick-or-treating on Halloween night?

Kaitlyn Lopez Staff Writer @TheNDBCatalyst

Halloween is an annual holiday that has been celebrated by children in the U.S. for many years.

There are many adults and teens that still celebrate and dress up for Halloween, even though the holiday is mainly catered towards kids. This leads to the common question: How old is too old to go trick-or-treating on Halloween?

Even though Halloween is known mainly for child involvement, with the theme of dressing up and receiving free candy, Halloween should be open to all ages. Spirit Week at NDB allows us students and faculty members to have fun and dress up every day of the week leading up to Dingbat Day. Many students and even teachers participate in the NDB costume contests to show off their creativity skills for their best costume ideas.

Halloween brings families, friends, classmates, and teachers together to celebrate one special

day. Some argue that since free candy is given out that it should be aimed towards children. Some adults are not pleased when they see teenagers at their doorstep, a population that has access to candy whenever they please. There are people all over the country that take Halloween too seriously, even instating age limits for trick-or-treating.

According to TODAY News, in Virginia there are numerous cities that have an age limit of twelve years and under to be eligible for trick-o-treating. TODAY News also says that there are some states that will fine teenagers $100, or even arrest them for being too old to go trick-or-treating.

SFGate says that there are even college students that still go trickor-treating near Berkeley.

SFGate also interviewed SF residents on their opinions about college and high school students trick-ortreating. Those interviewed

PHOTO COURTESY OF TWITTER.COM

by Michelle Kleytman Managing Editor Ever wondered what the title of a political scientist entails? The Catalyst talked with Dr. Larry Sabato, who is the Director for the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics, the author of more than 20 books, and one of the most renowned American political scientists.

TC: What were you involved in throughout high school and did you know that you wanted to go into politics?

LS: I was heavily involved in student government in my school, but also worked for political candidates. I passed out leaflets and literature for John F. Kennedy when I was young, which was my first introduction to politics. I had doors slammed in my face, which was an interesting introduction TC: After creating a documentary on the JFK presidency, you must certainly be able to see how it differs from the presidency now. As a political analyst, what are some of the most impactful differences (good or bad) when you compare President Kennedy to President Trump?

LS: This can be difficult, as times are so different between the 1960s and now. I will say that one of the critical differences is that the US is incredibly polarized now. While I don’t want to idealize the 1960s (there were many controversies and it was a time of considerable social and political upheaval), it was a time when compromise and coalitions in government were more common. People also responded strongly to the optimism or President Kennedy, which was amazing to watch at the time.

TC: Do you have advice for students that are in a very left/right-leaning atmosphere/how should they be able to share their opinions?

LS: I would say that the most important thing for young people, really in any atmosphere, is to keep an open mind. Even if you don’t agree, you should engage other people and listen to their ideas and beliefs.

One thing that I think is missing from our country now is open and thoughtful dialogue and discussion, and I think young people need to start thinking about how to change this.

PHOTO COURTESY OF FLICKER CREATIVE COMMONS

Children go trick-or-treating.

said that they will welcome anyone to their homes regardless of age during Halloween. They said that age is not a problem as long as the teens in question are respectful. One of the SF residents said that candy isn’t even expensive, so what is the harm in giving away free candy to students?

As a sophomore, I personally still celebrate Halloween with my friends, but there should be an age limit for adults to go trickor-treating. Adults should

focus on handing out candy or taking their own kids trick-or-treating. It is unnecessary for teenagers to get arrested or banned from trick-or-treating, because wanting free candy should not be a reason for a teen to have a juvenile record. Teenagers should enjoy celebrating Halloween, surrounded by friends and family, not worried about whether they will be committing a crime if they participate in the festivities.

TC: Out of writing a book, appearing on television, creating a documentary, and being a professor, what is your favorite part of your work?

LS: Teaching by far is the best part. Seeing young people learn and grow is incredibly rewarding and it’s amazing to see how they apply the lessons they learn at UVA later in life. It’s always a joy catching up with former students.

TC: Do you have any goals for the future you wish to accomplish?

LS: I would love to see UVA continue to be a world class institution and the Center for Politics to continue to grow.

TC: What would you recommend to a high school student who is interested in a career like yours?

LS: Probably the basics: study hard, reach as much as you can, consider different points of view, have as many different experiences as you can.

Read an extended version of this interview at TheNDBCatalyst.com.

Q&A with the new academic counselors

page 4

Allan Gargaritano

NEWS/FEATURE

The app-free challenge

Angela Moore

by Daphne Sidoti and Bella Lopez The Catalyst visited the new academic counselors, Allan Gargaritano and Angela Moore, in their offices in Room 117 and asked them about how things were going so far at their new school.

The Catalyst (TC): How did you learn about NDB? Angela Moore (AM): I picked Notre Dame because my mother-in-law was an alumna here and loved her experience. I live in the area, so it’s very close to home. I knew that it was a great community, and I liked that it was a smaller school so I would be able to get to know students better and the strong community here.

TC: What do you do here at NDB? Allan Gargaritano (AG): My position is Academic Counselor, but I’ve volunteered for a bunch of stuff now. So, I will be doing scorekeeping and playing music at games.

TC: How do you like working here so far?

AM: I really like working here. Everyone’s friendly. The students are great. The food is wonderful. Events like “Blessing of the Animals” are very fun.

TC: What is your favorite thing about NDB? AM: The community and how everyone knows each other very well. It’s very personal and caring, and people are so warm, positive, creative, and intelligent.

TC: What is the most challenging part of the job?

AM: This isn’t particular to Notre Dame, but it is my least favorite part of counseling, in general: Seeing students go through a hard time, feel insecure about themselves, or have a difficult experience. We know how great they are, and we always want to encourage them. But, it’s hard if they don’t see themselves as that sometimes.

TC: Have you always wanted to be a counselor?

AG: No, I kinda resented it because I didn’t have a good school counselor as a student. I wasn’t necessarily a good student, I didn’t really like school… I think just knew that I was somebody who was good at talking to people. I had a lot of friends and a lot of my friends always went to me for advice, so I always knew I was a good person to talk to. For me it’s more about helping people that are in my position that don’t know what they want to do in their life and struggled so my passion now is to help those students.

AM: I love working with teenagers. I feel that it is a critical age where students have as much intelligence as adults, but are still forming who they want to be, have so many opportunities in front of them, and are making important decisions. I also really love school, and I think education is a really important thing.

TC: What do you do for fun outside of school?

AG: I work for the Warriors, so I have two championship rings. I’m one of the guys who shoots the t-shirt guns. I also was a hip hop dancer for 12 years. I did competitive hip hop choreography in a group, and we traveled around California ato do dances.

TC: If you could give one piece of advice to the student body, what would you say?

AM: Every student is inherently as good as it gets and being authentic is the best you can be.

@theNDBCATALYST

Health and Wellness Board hosts social media challenge

by Ella Burrin and Daphne Sidoti Staff Writers

One of the organizers of the school’s app-free challenge was the Health and Wellness Board and its Co-Presidents Bea Ross and Camryn Caceres. The Catalyst asked them about what they thought of social media use around NDB and how they came up with the app-free challenge.

The Catalyst (TC): What can you tell me about the app-free challenge?

Health and Wellness Board (HWB): The point of the challenge was to show freshmen that staying off of social media can change your life, whether because it gives you more free time or because you care less about what people think. It gives you a chance to see if you like “going off the grid” or not.

TC: Throughout the week, what did you notice about the freshman who were part of the challenge?

HWB: Some of them honestly said that they did not really see a difference,

and that is because they already were not using social media. They couldn’t really see a direct change.

But, the girls who did have active social media accounts before said they all had a lot more time to do what they wanted to do, like dance or sports.

TC: Do you see this challenge as something useful for the whole school?

HWB: I absolutely think it was a good use of our time because, at the end of the day, I think it had a really positive outcome. Anything that the board can do

to help the student body, even just a couple of kids, is a success for us.

TC: Now that it’s done, what is the next step for the challenge?

HWB: We are hoping that the kids who did the one week challenge will motivate other girls to try and give up social media. We know that deleting social media is an unrealistic goal, but hopefully, girls can see that they can put more time towards extracurricular rather than social media.

Student social media use creates concerns for School Resource Officer Eric Gonzales

by Jean Aquino Staff Writer

School Resource Officer Eric Gonzales dedicates his time to student safety and wellness at local schools in Belmont. One of his responsibilities is paying attention to students’ social media use.

With the ability to communicate and learn through the Internet comes the potential misuse of social media and other technologies.

He tells the Catalyst, “I would ask people in high school, ‘What is the point?’... At the end of the day, if you start to go through your friends list, you start to wonder: ‘Are these really my friends?

Why am I friends with this person?’”

Gonzales sees social media contributing

problems, including cyber bullying and sexting. He explained, “When I first started this job, someone told me that ‘Sending a nude was the new first date.’ That’s hard to hear, hard to listen to, and hard to believe.”

Working with local schools, officers like Gonzales are searching for ways to curb the misuse of social media among teens.

He said, “The admin and

Photo courtest of George Retelas

I are trying to figure out what the solution is, and we’re not really sure. We just try to educate.”

Appropriate online behavior is discussed at school, but he says it needs to be a collaboration between officers, parents, schools, and students. He said, “A school can educate as much as they can, but at the end of the day, you’re going to leave school.

You’re at home more than

you are at school. If your parents aren’t helping monitor this, then the trust is in you.”

One can ensure they are properly using social media by following the rules of digital citizenship. Gonzales said, “Only be friends with people you know, and only do things you would do in real life.”

The purpose of social media is not to create complications, but to connect people and form easy ways of communicating.

He says, “Use [social media] for what it’s intended for and, if you don’t think you can, then don’t use it at all”.

When asked about NDB’s social media experiment, he said, “I think that the ‘App-Free Challenge’ is pretty cool. This is a small community and it’s way more effective here than at any public school.”

FEATURE

page 5

draws attention students’ social media addiction and the need to unplug Freshmen take app-free challenge From CHALLENGE | Page 1 pant, Caroline Gans, said that the hardest part of this challenge, was, “probably (not being able to) talk to friends that do not live in California.”

When Samantha Fisher was asked the same question, she said, “Probably everyone talking about what was going on. People would say, ‘Did you see this post?’ and I would say, ‘Oh no, I didn’t.’ I felt like I was kind of in the dark sometimes.”

One platform that

was also involved in the App Free Challenge but that did not fall in the social media category is Netflix.

The girls were to go by the honor code when it came to this part of the challenge.

Uhl said that the girls could watch movies and TV but added that, “The whole point was about connecting with others, so the honor code was that you can watch Netflix, but not in the same way that you might have before, where you’re binge-watching by yourself, because the whole point was about being with

others, and connecting with one another.”

Social media can consume so much of people’s lives and time without them even being aware of it.

The scary part is that many people are simply addicted, and cannot even go an hour without checking Snapchat or Instagram. The challenge was to help students realize that even though social media can keep people in the loop, it is important to take a cleanse and keep in touch with reality.

ROBERT ROJAS/THE CATALYST

Denise Uhl facilitates one of three check-in meetings.

Q&A with freshmen moms on their daughters’ social media use

by Kaitlyn Lopez Staff Writer

Students use social media a lot, so the Catalyst asked three freshman parents to reflect on their daughters’ social media use and to give insight on how much they really know about their daughter’s time on the Internet.

Sepi Vafi, Nikka’s mom

Michelle Baldenegro, Kaelyn’s mom

The Catalyst (TC): When did your daughter first start using social media? How often does she use it?

Sepi Vafi (SV): Nikka started using social media in the seventh grade.

She uses it everyday.

TC: Do you put limits on her social media use? Do you take away her phone or say she can’t use it past a certain time?

SV: I only take away her phone if she is not doing good in school or disrespects us. But, I don’t take away her phone because I trust her.

TC: What is your opinion on her social media use? Do you think it’s good or bad?

SV: I don’t think Nikka using social media is bad, but I don’t think it’s great either. Sometimes, Nikka uses her phone instead of socializing with us, which can be really time consuming for her.

TC: Are you a user of social media yourself? If so, how has it positively or negatively impacted your life?

SV: I use Instagram and Facebook, and it has positively impacted my life by allowing me keep in touch with my friends and family that I haven’t seen in a long time. Negatively, it is very time consuming, so I try to use it only once a day.

The Catalyst (TC):What is your opinion on social media? Do you think it is good or bad?

Michelle Baldenegro (MB): I think that it has good qualities, but it can be abused. I think it can be used as a weapon for bullying. I think that the kids can get wrapped up in the things that people say and feel like they need to compete. Even grownups compare their lives to other people around them.

er’s lives through photos and daily happenings for each other, so it helps keep those connections and friendships going.

TC: Besides the negatives of social media, what are the positives?

MB: I think that social media is a healthy way to connect to people if they live across the country. It fosters a level of connection to each oth-

TC: Are you a user of social media yourself? Which apps do you use?

And, how has it positively or negatively impacted you?

MB: I use Facebook, Instagram, and I don’t use Snapchat as much. I haven’t had any negative impacts from social media. Positively, its enables me to communicate with my family who are not local and share experiences that me or Kaelyn have in our everyday life that they can’t be apart of. Social media also allows me to see what Kaelyn and I don’t get to experience with what’s going on in our families lives.

The Catalyst (TC): How often does your daughter use her phone?

Jennifer Peters (JP): Payton uses her phone a lot. Before school, Payton spends 15-20 minutes and after school she uses her phone for many hours.

TC: Do you use social media yourself? How often do you use them?

JP: I have Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. I use them daily for a good amount of time.

TC: What does your daughter use on her phone if she does not use social media?

JP: Payton texts, emails, and plays games.

Jennifer Peters, Payton’ mom

TC: What is your opinion on the App Free Challenge at NDB? JP: I think it’s a wonderful. I think it’s good for everyone to see what it’s like to not have social media for a week.

TC: Do you think using your social media is a positive or negative impact in your life?

JP: I think that it’s a positive impact because it helps me keep in touch with people that I don’t get to see very often. Having social media can be negative because everyone posts only positive things about themselves It creates an environment where people think that only good things are happening to other people.

ARTS & LIFE Scary movies: The Catalyst’s recommendations for Halloween

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by Bella Lopez and Victoria Bartels Staff Writers

Pretty much everyone associates the month of October with all things scary, from ghosts to monsters to things that go bump in the night. So, horror films are that much more popular this month. As scary movie aficionados, a few members of the staff put together a list of their favorite scary movies...

The film “Annabelle: Creation” follows a young nun and six orphaned children who are welcomed into Sam and Esther Mullins’ sunny California farm. All hell breaks loose when one of the girls finds herself trapped in a forbidden room where a human-like doll “lives.”

This movie is recommended for frequent scary movie watchers because it incorporates long quiet scenes and intense jump scares. It has a twisted plot line that will keep you thinking, while watching. Although you may not sleep for a week after watching this flick, it is totally worth it.

Photo credit: Universal Pictures

Photo credit: Warner Bros.Pictures

Photo credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

The movie “Get Out” begins with a happy couple going on a trip. The girlfriend, Rose (Allison Williams), takes her boyfriend, Chris (Daniel Kaluuya), home to meet her parents. Upon meeting her family, he starts to make startling observations of their cultural habits, such as having servants whom are black.

This is nothing like a typical scary movie which is what makes it so good. You just can’t predict what is going to come next. The lack of ghosts, monsters, or witches makes the plot that much more realistic as well as the integration of modern day issues, such as racism, makes it more interesting.

“The Conjuring” is centered around a suburban family whose children become possessed by a poltergeist. The parents strive to protect their three daughters from the unexplainable. With the help of two paranormal investigators, Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga), they try to rid their house of the evil spirit. As expected, the movie takes a dark turn when the spirit grows more and more powerful.

The movie does a great job with its life-like special effects and jump scares scattered throughout the flick, always leaving viewers on their toes. Although every scary movie tends to be predictable, “The Conjuring” is uniquely mysterious.

Photo credit: Netflix

Netflix’s “Open House” is a horror movie about a mother (Piercey Dalton) and her teenage son (Dylan Minnette) who decide to stay in a secluded mansion in the woods. Failing to escape a recent personal tragedy, the two become haunted by the silence and unexplainable forces surrounding them in their new house.

This movie is enjoyable because the storyline is easy to follow, yet doesn’t fail to keep one on the edge of their seat. The eerie behavior of the characters make you wonder what will happen next. And, the jump scares add to the scary and spooking mood, keeping you engaged throughout the whole film. There’s just something about “Open House” that is not unreal.

Preview: “Sense and Sensibility” Review: “The Hate U Give”

by Luisa Laguisma and Winnie Saulala Staff Writers

NATALIE BEIER/THE CATALYST

Annaliese Shelton (center) plays Marianne Dashwood.

by Amelia Kyle and Natalie Beier Staff Writers

This year’s TriSchool fall play, “Sense and Sensibility” is a fascinating story about two sisters learning to start their lives all over again after a death in the family. It is based off of the 1811 Jane Austen novel of the same name. The story is told through the performances of students from Mercy and Serra High Schools and NDB, including juniors Lucie Nash, Annaliese Shelton, and Hillary Tighe.

Nash said, “The play is very relatable because of its perfect balance of laughable and sentimental moments. It is so realistic and touching, and there will definitely be some

tears shed in the audience.”

When asked if it is a feminist play, Nash answered, “I would say it is, because of the strong female characters that are displayed throughout the play.

They show a side in which women can be in control, and that women are unafraid to show emotion and disregard proper etiquette.

The majority of the female characters show a bold and strong side to women from that time period, instead of the ‘damsel in distress’ persona that has been more commonly demonstrated throughout history.”

Austen was known for creating strong female characters in her stories, so why should “Sense and Sensibility” be any different?

As for the set,

stage crew has worked steadily to construct a two -story blue and gray apartment building. There is a balcony that wraps around the top floor where actors and actresses will be seen delivering passionate monologues.

What’s unique about this production are specific pieces such as doors, tables, chairs, and stools that will have wheels. Whenever a scene changes, actresses called “the gossips” will be responsible for shifting items across stage, transforming it into a different room.

Come see this unforgettable production of “Sense and Sensibility” by Tri-School Productions, debuting Friday, October 26 at Serra High School.

Originally a novel inspired by rapper Tupac Shakur, “The Hate U Give” was adapted into a film starring Amandla Stenberg, Regina Hall, and Russell Hornsby. It follows Starr Carter (Stenberg) as she struggles to balance her identities and find her voice.

Carter is a 16-year-old high school student who grows up in Garden Heights, a predominantly black neighborhood, but attends Williamson, a predominantly white private school. In order to keep up with each of her environments, she creates two versions of herself: “Garden Heights Starr” and “Williamson Starr.”

At home, she embraces her blackness as her father, a firm believer in the teachings of the Black Panthers himself, has taught her. At school, she says she “never gives anyone a reason to call her ghetto,” suppressing any mannerisms that might give away her racial identity.

But, after becoming the only witness to a police brutality case, she realizes she can no longer keep her two lives separate.

Starr’s thoughtprovoking journey to

PHOTO COURTESY OF 20TH CENTURY FOX

Amandla Stenberg stars as Starr Carter. self-discovery is one everyone should see and an important story in today’s climate of racial tension.

Helping Starr to find her voice, April Ofrah points out that black and brown people don’t need an actual weapon because it’s their skin color that’s seen as a weapon or a threat.

And, Starr’s Williamson identity speaks to that.

She is known as the “non-threatening black girl” because it’s the persona she tries so hard to keep up. Never confrontational and never using slang, it’s her version of code switching, a concept popular within communities of color.

By the end of the film, Starr finds harmony between her two personas, finding peace within herself

and her voice.

The film explores the cycle of violence in poor communities and how it can be traced back to America’s history of institutional racism.

It does not miss a beat and offers several points of views, ranging from a white student in an affluent school to a black cop in a black community.

Stenberg’s character moves everyone not through a cry for help, but through a call for action.

Don’t let the fact that this is a young adult film fool you. It features the cultural and racial divide currently in our country and moves viewers to question their place in society and social movements, such as Black Lives Matter.

SPORTS page 7 Volleyball: Tigers host annual Dig Pink game for breast cancer

by Rachel Liu Contributing Writer

Last Thursday, October 11, the Tigers hosted the annual Dig Pinkthemed volleyball game.

Playing against Harker School, the frosh and JV teams won, 2-0, while the varsity team won, 3-0.

The Dig Pink event is a tradition started

by NDB varsity volleyball player and alumna Tammy Byrne, Class of 2017, several years after she lost her mother to breast cancer. Instead of mourning in silence, Byrne used her pain to empower others and organized the event during October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month in dedication to honor the survivors and remember the victims of breast cancer.

The event is now organized by the Dig Pink Club under the leadership of senior Emily Wellman and junior Olivia Miller.

Miller told The Catalyst, “[It] has definitely changed my high school experience, and I am sure Emily’s, too. The club has brought us closer and we both have such a fun time with it.”

Along with the combined forces of quite

a few student volunteers, Wellman and Miller have taken on the role of organizing this event for the school community.

This year, club members sold bracelets, stickers, tattoos, and even pink baked goods throughout the week leading up to the event to bring awareness to breast cancer and the event itself. Along with raffle ticket sales, they were able to raise over $1,000 in the end that will be donated to breast cancer research.

On Thursday night, the Moore Pavilion was lined with pink balloons, streamers, and posters to set the tone for the event. By 6:30pm, NDB and Serra HS students dressed in pink tie-dyed shirts filled most of the gym’s bleachers.

Miller says that this game “was the biggest attendance ever” compared to the past Dig Pink events.

Before the varsity game started, a multimedia presentation honoring breast cancer survivors and remembering breast cancer victims from the NDB community was played, emphasizing the reason why Byrne decided to bring the event to the school.

Afterward, senior Natalie

NATALIE BEIER AND CAROLINE MCCOY/THE CATALYST

Scenes from Dig Pink event include the varsity team’s game against Harker School.

Foad performed the national anthem.

Though the audience and the team players were nervous before the game began, as NDB lost against Harker during the Tiger Cup Tournament only a few days earlier, the crowd’s energy helped the Tigers.

It was spirit and talent that helped the team win every set by over 10 points, leading to a win against Harker in a short, but intense three sets.

Write for the Catalyst

Contact the Editorial Staff at theCATALYSTNDB@gmail.com

Featured student-athlete: Jaya Kapoor, Tennis

The Catalyst interviewed varsity tennis player and senior Jaya Kapoor about playing the sport and her last season playing for NDB.

When she was five, Kapoor started playing tennis and found that it was helpful in many ways. She explained, “When I was born, I had really bad vision, and my mom put me into tennis so that I could practice seeing depth in different perspectives. If I hadn’t done that, I wouldn’t be able to drive or play other sports. Over ten years later, I’m grateful that I started playing tennis.”

After three years of playing the sport for the school, this is Kapoor’s first year on the varsity team. She is the number two singles tennis player on the team and finds that tennis has a good balance between being an individual sport as well as a team sport. She said, “I feel like tennis is the perfect sport for me. I have always loved playing.”

As her last season comes to a close, Kapoor says she will remember the good friends that she has made on the team and will miss playing with them. The team has bonded throughout the fall season, especially when the players went to Clovis for a weekend-long tournament.

Kapoor said, “Playing tennis is a good outlet for me, and it helps me get away from my stresses. When you are playing, you just focus on the game and aren’t thinking about anything else.”

When she goes to college, Kapoor would like to continue playing tennis recreationally through a school club.

Information compiled by Jean Aquino | Photo by Natalie Beier

NEWS Gators to celebrate Junior Ring Ceremony page 8

by Kaitlin McCarthy Contributing Writer

As the current junior class, the Gators will attend NDB’s annual tradition, the Junior Ring Ceremony, on Sunday, October 28.

The purpose of the event is to unify the junior class and to create a bond for them as they grow as upperclassmen. While many schools offer a class ring as a memento of a student’s time there, NDB makes it all the more memorable with the ceremony.

Earlier in the school year, students select and order a class ring from Herff-Jones or choose one of their own from home or their local jewelry store.

There is a significance behind the ring, which Spiritual Life teacher and Junior Class Co-Coordinator Ynez Manalo states. She says, “[It] sig-

For the month of October, the staff of the Catalyst would like to celebrate the Halloween season with a few quotes from our favorite scary movies and TV shows. Guess who said it or where it came from, then find Staff Writer Ella Burrin to check your answers and claim your prize.

ROBERT ROJAS/THE CATALYST

Juniors receive a ring as a reminder of their time at NDB. nifies a promise to continue living out the mission and values of our school.”

The ceremony will include a liturgy where the rings will be blessed before they are conferred to students by Head of School Maryann Osmond.

English teacher and Junior Class Co-Coordinator Robert Rojas says, “It’s a lot of work to plan the event with Mrs. Mana-

lo, (Music Coordinator) [Ashley] Willits, and the class council. But once we’re all there, it’s a really nice mass, ceremony, and event for the juniors.”

Receiving a class ring is symbolic of one’s time at NDB with her sisters and the rest of the school community

Junior Class President Annalee Wolfe says, “The Junior Ring Ceremo-

ny is a time where our class is able to celebrate the transition into upperclassmen and a time to cherish our class!”

This ceremony has been a long-time tradition at NDB, and the Gators will be continuing on with this special event hosted by the freshmen, as they reflect on their time at NDB and look forward to their final two years.

citing mid-week celebration. For those who are not interested in dressing up for Halloween, but still want to support their class’ spirit points, Wednesday’s theme will be USA/Camo.

Students should remember to check in with ASB officers everyday during lunch to help their class earn spirit points. All of the classes know that Spirit Week is one of the best opportunities to get ahead with spirit points, and typically the spirit point count at the end of the week sets the tone for the whole year.

For those who are looking for even more ways to contribute to their class, the baking contest, pumpkin carving contest, and costume contest taking place next week earn spirit points regardless of whether or not one wins. ASB sent out an email last week with additional details for those interested in entering.

The 2018 NBD Spirit Week is shaping up to be influential for all the classes in terms of spirit points, and with so many opportunities to earn points, any class can still pull ahead.

From VOTE | Page 1

said, “It’s important that students learn how to be active, responsible voters, and how easy that is. With the research that students did and the discussions that happened because of the mock election, I think we’ve succeeded in providing a good foundation to do that. Now, students are either thinking about these issues for the first time, or they’re realizing that they can express their opinions and have these discussions out in the open. The real test will be one, how many students pre-register to vote as they turn 16, and two, how engaged they are with voting in the future.”

Student also voted on propositions. They include a wide variety of subjects, ranging from the increase in minimum size of farm animal confinements to using bonds to fund housing for the mentally ill.

The mock election has been a successful attempt at connecting the government and the classroom. As students interest in politics rises, more questions will be asked, which will lead to the next generation of voters being educated on statewide matters.

Spirit Week From SPIRIT WEEK | Page 1

versus Country theme, with a friendly sister class competition of Juniors and Freshmen dressing up as “city” and Seniors and Sophomores dressing in a “country” theme. S tudents had the opportunity to participate in a game of “Guess the lyrics” during lunch.

Looking ahead to next week, on Monday, students will come to school dressed up as tacky tourists for the juniors’ day. During lunch, they will have the opportunity to participate in a fun lip-sync battle, put on by the Junior class.

On Tuesday next week, the seniors will be hosting the theme day “Saturday is for the Boys,” with the dress up theme of frat boys. The lunchtime activity will be sports trivia with soda floats awarded to the winning team.

Of course, many students will be looking ahead to Halloween next Wednesday. While Halloween during the middle of the week has a rep for being less fun due to the inopportune timing, the Dingbat Day rally put on annually

by ASB will ensure an ex-

What’s your favorite scary movie... quote?

Mock election

Having one’s voice be heard is something that the upcoming generation prides themselves on, making this a perfect opportunity for students to advocate for themselves, and their opinions about such important topics as who they would like to see running their state.

The majority vote for Governor was Gavin Newsom, Democrat, with 79% of the votes. His main ideas include defending immigrant communities, advocate for women’s rights, LGBTQ rights, and statewide heathcare.

John Cox, the Republican candidate, is a self-proclaimed businessman rather than a politician.

His main ideas include reducing water waste, revoking taxes on gas, fixing schools, and increasing affordable housing.

In addition to learning about different candidates, the mock election was also a great way for students to connect with teachers and peers on a more political level.

Social Sciences teacher Jonathan Tomczak

Community gets involved during Club Day

Photo credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

Photo credit: United Artists

1. “I am beautiful! Boys will love me!”

A. “Paranorman” B. “Halloweentown” C. “Hocus Pocus” D. “Beetlejuice” 2. “I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti.”

A. “Scream” B. “The Nun” C. “Halloween” D. “The Silence of the Lambs”

Photo credit: Focus Features

Photo credit: Columbia Pictures

3. “It’s Halloween. That is really, really good timing” A. “Parks and Recreation” B. “Hannah Montana” C. “The Office” D. “Secret Life of the American Teenager” 4. “Every Day is Halloween, isn’t it? For some of us.”

A. “Chucky” B. “The Nightmare before Christmas” C. “A Very Goofy Movie” D. “The Addams Family” 5. “You can’t tell what’s in a monster’s heart just by looking at ‘em. I mean, sometimes, some of the slimiest, raunchiest, ugliest little monsters turn out to be the nicest.”

A. “Coraline” B. “Hocus Pocus” C. “Halloweentown” D. “Monster House”

The Yearbook class shared some of its photos of the annual Club Day with the Catalyst.

Photo credit: Universal Pictures

Photo credit: Dimension Films