Women’s History Month gives people all over the world the opportunity to recognize contributions from women over time. At NDB, the month of March is especially important because its mission is to educate confident young women for life beyond the classroom. To celebrate the month, The Catalyst acknowledges the school’s female administrators and staffulty who appreciate the all-girls education that defines NDB.
The NDB community showed lots of love for its staffulty during Staffulty Appreciation Week from March 6 to March 10. Throughout the week, both faculty and staff members received handwritten cards, gifts and a lot of gratitude from NDB students and families.
In previous years, NDB, along with many other schools across the nation, celebrated Teacher Appreciation Week during the first full week of May. But, as NDB implements the use of the word “staffulty” this year in order to acknowledge all who work at the school, the community also recognizes the need to extend the celebration of Teacher Appreciation Week to all of its other members, including staff.
This year, Staffulty Appreciation Week was officially established as the second full week of March.
“Everybody who’s on a campus in a school is working towards the same goal, which is to elevate the student experience, whether that’s intellectually or socially or spiritually,” said Head of School Meredith Essalat. “So, I want everybody to receive the same degree of gratitude and appreciation for what they’re bringing to the table.”
“We celebrate success, recognizing women who have gone before us to really make it possible for us to be able to have the lives and the experiences we have today, and the careers we will eventually have.”
“I think Women’s History Month is every day, and it’s a reminder to continue fighting. Because we are an all girls community, we need to write women back into history.”
“We are cultivating activists here, people that actually go out and make a difference and do something. In other words, we feel like we actually are being strong leaders who want to make a difference.”
Ashley Sullivan, mom of two current NDB students, organized the events for the week. She worked with the NDB Mother’s Club and individual families to make Staffulty Appreciation Week a success and to acknowledge the efforts of every working member of the school.
On Monday, the week’s festivities began. Before the school day started, a coffee cart was set up in the staffulty lounge with a variety of caffeinated beverages for members to enjoy. Each staffulty member received a mug with the phrase “NDB Staffulty” printed on the front.
On Tuesday, cards from students were written for every staffulty member. These cards contained words of appreciation and gratitude for every person who makes NDB special. Each staffulty member picked up their individual card in the parlor.
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The annual capstone project is a core piece of NDB’s Spiritual Life curriculum for juniors through their Social Justice class. The goal of each project is for each student to identify a social justice issue that they are interested in, relate the issue to their own personal passions, and then work within their community to address the issue. This project provides students with an excellent opportunity to engage with their local community outside of the school.
Social Justice teacher David Muir served as the advisor for the project. He emphasized to students the importance of choosing a topic that each of them cares about and enjoys because it is something they will dedicate most of the school year to.
There were a variety of topics that juniors chose for their projects and they reflected the diverse interests of these students. They included making blankets for homeless teenagers, giving autistic children cooking lessons, creating a podcast promoting body positivity, and more.
As soon as the project was assigned earlier this year, each junior created a proposal with their project’s goals, found an adult mentor to guide them through the process, and then spent several months working on their project. In addition, they wrote a four page research paper about their topic and then presented an informational slideshow to their peers. The process has taken them through the fall and spring semesters with both assignments due on March 7. The projects themselves were presented to the com-
munity in what was called the Capstone Showcase on March 27.
Juniors were allowed to work alone or in small groups, especially if somebody else shared a similar passion. Some students chose this approach.
“The best part of working on the capstone with my partner, Ella, was that we both shared the same passions,” said junior Reese Lancaster. “We were both really excited to work on the project and it made it a lot more fun because we were able to bounce ideas off of each other and divide up the work so it wasn’t too stressful.”
Other juniors, like Zoé Shaikh, chose to do their project alone. Shaikh has a passion for horseback riding, so she chose to teach young children how to ride horses.
“I actually took a lot away from the capstone.
I definitely learned a lot more about teaching and about my students,” said Shaikh. “I was just happy to make a difference in my students’ life, no matter how small.”
The capstone project is a valuable oppor-
tunity for juniors to devote some time to something that they truly enjoy doing outside of school as well as has the potential to benefit their community.
“My partners and I tutored foster kids for our capstone project,” said ju-
nior Caitlin Degnan. “I was super passionate about my project, and it turned out to be something that I want to continue during college.”
In previous years, the capstone project was
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“As teachers, we send so much out to students in terms of information, empathy and so much else, it’s just nice to know that some of it, at least, is being received,” said Social Science teacher Jonathan Tomczak, when reflecting on the notes of thanks that he received from students.
On Wednesday, NDB families organized a continental breakfast for all staffulty members, which was served in the staffulty room before classes started. Families signed up to bring food items and beverages to contribute to the early
morning surprise. Food items included cronuts, yogurt, fresh fruit and some other homemade treats.
On Thursday, each staffulty member received a gift bag from an NDB family. Each contained the teacher’s favorite treats and a gift card to their favorite store. Popular cards included Trader Joe’s, Starbucks, Amazon and Target.
The week concluded on Friday with every staffulty member receiving a new vest in the school colors and embroidered with the school’s emblem, courtesy of the NDB Board of Directors.
Staffulty Appreci-
ation Week is an excellent reminder of all of the hard work and dedication that the NDB staffulty contributes to their students’ education. Although the week has passed, there is never just one date to show thankfulness to staffulty members that help their students each and every day.
“As a community, we want to appreciate everybody who works to make us successful,” said Essalat. “That’s parents. That’s students. That’s alumni. That’s everybody. So, I don’t ever want to see gratitude just encapsulated in a specific time.”
From CAPSTONES| Page 1 assigned during the senior year. In 2021, it was moved to the junior year so students had more time to work and, when they became seniors, they could feature their projects on their college applications.
In the past, there had been criticism that the project had too many restrictions and did not allow students to fully explore their interests. This year, Muir and Director of Mission and Ministry Amy Jobin addressed the issue by working very closely with students to both meet the project’s guidelines
and find something each of them is passionate about.
“This year, there has definitely been some positive changes that really manifested themselves when we did the presentations because we formulated the project differently,” said Muir. “It helped students to break down their projects better, while giving me the ability to see what they really did and the impact they had on their target audience. That is really a large part of the capstone, stepping outside the school, perhaps your comfort zone and engaging in the world around you.”
At the Capstone
Showcase, juniors presented their work to their peers and parents. This event was stopped for a few years because of the COVID-19 pandemic. But, this year, Jobin and Muir brought it back. Resembling a science fair, students created informational slideshows about their projects and presented them at the event. It served as an opportunity for the students to get recognition for their work and share it with the community.
With the completion of the Capstone Showcase, the juniors are now finished with the project, marking the end of one part of their time here at NDB.
NDB offers its students a multitude of Advanced Placement (AP) classes, and with AP classes come the AP exams that are held internationally during the first two weeks of May. With the help of their teachers, students are preparing for these end-ofthe-year tests to exercise their knowledge and skills obtained during the year and to earn college credit.
Once students finish their exams, AP readers from all over the country are tasked with reading and scoring them. This year, the College Board has invited four NDB teachers to attend this summer’s annual AP Reading.
Sarah Boragno is NDB’s AP English Language teacher and will score the essay component of the AP English Language exam. This summer will be her first year scoring them in-person as she has previously read exams online, though a condensed version of what they look like now. Since it is her first year reading physical copies of the exam, Boragno looks forward to the process.
“It’s good for
knowing the class and how to teach [it],” said Boragno. “I’m really excited to see my students writing compared to the rest of the country’s and to actually be able to enjoy the professional development part of it.”
AP United States Government teacher Karen Fry will read for the AP World History exam. One requirement to be an AP reader is to teach the course itself for at least three years. While it is only Fry’s first year teaching AP U.S. Government, she has taught AP World History for many years and her experience scoring other AP exams has shaped the way she teaches her own classes.
“Once you start going to readings, what you see is the intentionality behind the exams,” said Fry.
“The people writing the exams are teachers and scholars, and they want rigor. We want the best classroom experience, and we want kids to be rewarded for taking on the academic rigor coming into an AP course.”
Robert Rojas is the English Department Chair and, while he teaches English II Honors and AP English Literature, he will read for AP English Language. This will be his
tenth AP reading and he shared what the experience is like.
“For at least AP English, we are assigned to one of the three essay prompts,” said Rojas. “We study the prompt, the rubric, and a few dozen sample essays, so we know and understand what each score looks like – What counts as a high scoring essay? What are mid and low scoring ones? Then, we’re given actual student work and we read about 150 essays or more every day from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for one week. It’s a lot of work.”
While three of the four teachers are scoring for courses in the humanities, Math Department Chair Jennifer Walton will be reading for a course in mathematics. Walton teaches both AP Calculus AB and AP Statistics at NDB and will read for the AP Statistics exam.
“The most interesting thing is to meet people from all over the U.S., both college and high school teachers,” said Walton. “It’s really cool to get different people’s ideas on how they teach things and just to meet everybody and see what path their career took them to.”
“I’m excited to just see a variety of different responses and different styles of writing, especially since AP Lang is a writing class. It will help me with the balance between teaching the test and then teaching the content and trying to keep a happy medium between both.”
– Sarah Boragno, AP English Language“I use rubrics, and I am very standard about how my class is structured. That structure comes from being an AP reader and knowing how you grade is consistent. I should be the same grader for the first person I grade and the last person that I grade.”
- Karen Fry, AP World History“I think it really helps me hone in on what’s important and then to simplify things – Like try and make it as simple as you can and then be able to explain it clearly. And then, hit key points. So, I feel like it’s helped me grade more consistently amongst my students.”
- Jennifer Walton, AP Statistics“It’s interesting reading so many essays by so many students with so many abilities, perspectives, and skills in responding to a given prompt – There are hundreds of ways to argue and defend a point... well and not so well. Those are the things that I share with students to help them grow their writing voice.”
- Robert Rojas, AP English LanguageAs the admissions cycle for the class of 2027 comes to a close, student leadership boards continue to work to welcome the incoming freshmen. They also look ahead to future classes who will soon join the NDB community.
On the evening of Friday, March 3, prospective students gathered on the NDB campus for the Spring Fling hosted by Link Crew. Throughout the night, incoming freshmen had the opportunity to take photos at a photobooth, get a treat from the Mister Softee ice cream truck and share a meal together.
The night began with a scavenger hunt around campus, which gave future freshmen a better sense of the school while competing for prizes.
After the hunt, everyone gathered for dinner in the dining hall.
“I felt that the night went well, and it was a very good opportunity for the prospective students to get a feel for our school,” said Link Crew Board member Reese Lancaster.
“I thought that the smaller groups made it more comfortable for the students to ask questions and get to
know the other students within the groups … I didn’t get this opportunity when I was in eighth grade because of COVID-19 so it was really great to give them that experience.
Those who attended were eighth graders who received their admission decision letters on March 17. The night gave admitted students another chance to spend time on campus and envision the possibility of spending the next four years as a Tiger before making a final decision about which high school to attend.
On Friday, March 10 and March 17, NDB welcomed seventh graders to campus for a preview of a day in the life as an NDB student.
“The goal is to give seventh graders a positive first impression of Notre Dame and a feel for the school environment before they start thinking about high school applications in a few months,” said Ambassador Board member Anna Keim. “I hope that the seventh graders enjoyed exploring the building, participating in classes and seeing what an average day looks like at Notre Dame.”
Each seventh grade student shadowed two classes with their Shad-
ow Host and attended a student-led panel discussion, where they had the opportunity to ask questions and learn more about what it means to be a student at NDB. This year marked the first year that two Seventh Grade Days were offered due to the large number of interested participants.
“Seventh Grade Day is an event that admissions and the Ambassador Board run every year and is a chance for younger middle school students to get a head start on the high school application process and preview what it’s like to shadow NDB,” said Ambassador Board Shadow Manager Coco Meerkamp. “Last week, we had girls shadow with large friend groups, which I think makes it more fun for them and gives them the chance to envision themselves at NDB in the future alongside people they already know and love.”
These events provide middle school students with a new perspective on NDB and everything the school has to offer, which is crucial in the high school admissions process. Student leaders are encouraged to make connections with potential new peers, building community with classes to come.
The Monarchs attended their sophomore class retreat on Wednesday, March 22. Students arrived at the Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy Cross in Belmont at 8:30am.
The day began with a welcome by NDB alumna Kristen Menzel ‘05 who introduced the theme of community and its importance for the class. It continued with Director of Mission and Ministry Amy Jobin leading students in prayer. Shortly after, sophomores participated in many icebreaker activities
in order to start the retreat off in a positive way.
For the majority of the day, students spent time in groups, so different students were able to interact. Each group was led by a designated teacher and, for one activity, they came up with skits about what a day in the life of an NDB sophomore looks like. They then presented their skits to the rest of the class, with several of them choosing a comedic approach and others choosing to be serious.
After the presentation of their skits, the Monarchs began to fill out reflection questionnaires, write affirmations for class-
mates and offered advice to their peers.
After a quick lunch provided by Epicurean, students gathered back inside for a few more activities, including a reflection by Menzel, emphasizing community.
The purpose of class retreats is to promote bonding outside of the classroom, and this opportunity is greatly appreciated by many.
“It was really fun because we did a lot of movement activities which made it more interesting as opposed to just sitting all day. I’m super glad I got to go,” said Sianna Kiebler.
by Mia Muzzi Managing EditorOn March 22, NDB hosted its first SAT exam in seven years. Offered mainly to upperclassmen, the SAT is a standardized test that evaluates a students’ readiness for college. In the past few years, students have had to travel all over the Bay Area as well as out of state in order to take the test due to its high demand among high school students. NDB administration recognized the need to bring back the exam to campus and, as a result, almost 75 students signed up.
Students were instructed to arrive at the Moore Pavilion at 7:45 a.m. on Wednesday. The exam started at 8:00 a.m. and ended at around 12:30 p.m. for most students.
For students who had never taken the SAT before, having the option to take it at NDB was a great resource. In fact, many had not planned on taking it at all until it was announced that there would be one held on campus.
“I originally did not want to take the SAT but when Notre Dame offered it, I decided to sign up,” said junior Karly Bor-
din. “It just felt like a really good opportunity to take it here, and I did not want to waste it.”
Hosting the exam on campus proved to be beneficial in many ways for students, especially because it was offered exclusively to students at NDB. In a comfortable and familiar environment, surrounded by teachers and peers, students were able to better focus on the test itself.
Like many other juniors who previously took it, Helena Morrell had to find a testing site outside of her neighborhood. She first took it in Oakland last December and felt that taking it at NDB was a better
experience.
“It was a very perspective-broadening experience, especially taking it in Oakland, because it was obviously a very different environment from NDB,” said Morell. “[The Oakland site] was very disorganized, and it didn’t seem like they knew what they were doing, which probably had a negative effect on my score.”
The SAT can be a stressful part of the college application process, and NDB’s support is greatly appreciated by many. Students are now waiting for their scores, which typically take two to four weeks to be released.
With the popularity of social media and the overall climate of the digital age, apps such as Instagram and TikTok are controlling people’s lives. Subconsciously, women tend to compete against each other by comparing Instagram follower counts, vacation destinations and, most significantly, looks. This mindset is only further perpetuated by the rivalries that fans and social media users set between female celebrities.
People tend to grasp at straws to search for drama among the sea of social media posts and tweets shared by celebrities. One prominent example today includes the current alleged feud between Selena Gomez, Hailey Bieber and Kylie Jenner, where people suggested that Jenner and Bieber posted selfies on an Instagram story mocking Gomez’s eyebrows. This has resulted in Jenner losing millions of followers and the pre-existing hate
towards Bieber hitting an all time high, with more love and appreciation being given towards Gomez.
“Social media often creates rivalries between women and works up a scenario to be larger than it is,” said senior Clarissa Wing. “We see this much more with women than men. Selena Gomez’s fans have reached a point where they have decided to destroy Hailey Bieber’s reputation, which I would assume is not something Selena wants. Instead of leaving room for apologies or growth from wrongdoings, the media continues to make the situation worse.”
In response to the drama surrounding her relationship with Bieber, Gomez highlights the importance of spreading kindness. There is a recurring trend of hateful relationships being created between notable women by manipulating social media content. This only perpetuates the idea that society is
pitting women against each other for the sole purpose of hatred and gossip, especially over something as trivial as physical appearance. These sorts of feuds are also created and manipulated between female artists in the music industry. Through her hit album “Sour,” Olivia Rodrigo touched many fans with her relatable messages about teen angst and insecurity. While many have suspected that she is singing about heartbreak from her past relationship with actor and singer Joshua Bassett, they have pointed fingers toward Sabrina Carpenter, who allegedly had a relationship with Bassett as well. This love triangle caused some speculation that Carpenter was a “homewrecker” who interfered in their relationship, which left her receiving death threats and being repeatedly criticized by the public.
When Rodrigo’s fans villainized Carpenter in this way, they were giving a clear representation of the negative way that women interact with each other via social media. This is especially concerning when this backlash stems from rumors and gossip based on interpretations of song lyr-
ics and social media posts, as it demonstrates the weight that social media carries in affecting celebrities’ reputations and public approval.
“The sad fate for women in the media is that it’s always about competition,” said Dance teacher Coleen Lorenz. “It’s especially prevalent in purchasing and buying. Sellers advertise through comparing women. It impacts our young girls and women through these harmful representations of women. It makes younger girls feel like they are not enough.”
Female and male celebrities are frequently antagonized on social media platforms, but men’s experience when dealing with these types of issues rarely compares to the degree that female celebrities must cope with. Women are constantly appearing on social media pages and being portrayed as dramatic or mean, when this might not be the case at all. This results in a negative misrepresentation of women altogether and implies that they attract scandal. This is very untrue, and when a young girl who is very impres-
sionable only sees women being involved in drama and being pitted against one another, they begin to lose belief in the principle of “girl power.”
While people most commonly see this idea of pitting women against each other on social media, it happens both on and off the internet. In order to advance feminism and stand up for women, rather than tear them down, this needs to be reflected on social media as these portrayals of women are toxic and unrealistic.
Driving is dangerous. Whether cruising along 101 during a rainy rush hour or going 25 miles per hour in a one-lane school zone, accidents happen. But accidents are preventable. So why, in a school zone of all places, have they not been prevented?
On Friday, February 17, the NDB community received an email providing notice of two separate traffic accidents involving students on Ralston Avenue that morning. All involved parties walked away in good condition, but many community members raised concerns. Such incidents are not uncommon; every NDB driver knows that attempting to exit the campus parking lot while avoiding a collision is difficult. Students have scratched their fellow classmates’ cars, and, every day, a new driver is seen speeding through the narrow back alleyway attempting to leave school in a rush. So much is on the line – why have no major changes been made?
There is an inevitable element that must be addressed when searching for the solution: students are bad drivers. Not because they lack skill, but rather experience. When sixteen year olds are put behind the wheel, they are responsible for the safety of others. They face restrictions on driving friends and driving at night, but no regulations on driving in busy traffic or school zones. On an individual level, drivers must prioritize safety over timeliness.
More importantly, however, NDB and the City of Belmont need to collaborate to implement better traffic safety on Ralston Avenue. Pedestrian crossings are a given – one already exists near the intersection of Ralston and Alameda de las Pulgas, and another adjacent to the tennis courts formerly owned by NDNU. Both are equipped with light-up signs that make walkers visible to drivers, and serve the community remarkably
well. Another placed more towards the halfway point between El Camino Real and Alameda would increase safety further by not only reducing pedestrian accidents, but encouraging more walking to school.
On the topic of alternative methods, the City of Belmont should work with SamTrans to increase frequency and reliability of the three bus lines that stop outside of campus. With that, NDB should expand its program that enables students to take Caltrain
to school by introducing a similar system with SamTrans. Offering assistance with setting up Clipper cards, finding routes suitable for students’ home addresses, and offering flexibility when public transit are all steps that will take cars off the road, lessening the risk of the morning rush. Several students, including myself, turn to public transit not only as a means for getting around, but as a way of life and enjoy doing so, too. The numerous routes and ser-
vice patterns can seem daunting at first, but memorizing the route number or departure time to school is possible for anyone. There is another solution to the danger of driving to school, and it is possibly the most simple of all: biking to school. A large portion of the NDB community already lives in Belmont or its neighboring areas. These students, if not already in walking distance, are certainly well within the distance where biking each morning and afternoon is
feasible. The implementation of even a few more bike racks on campus might remind students of alternative modes. Even better would be the expansion of bike lanes on Ralston Avenue and adjacent streets. The safer streets are, the more people will bike. So NDB students, put on your helmet, grab your transit card, lace up your walking shoes or buckle up. Getting to school should not be a danger to anyone.
Thrifting has had a resurgence in popularity among middle and upper class individuals. The whole concept of thrifting is to repurpose second-hand clothing by selling it to the public at an affordable cost, specifically to those who are lower income.
Thrift stores have also attracted those looking for unique clothing, as these stores often acquire vintage, designer and peculiar clothing styles that are not often sold at other stores. Influencers such as Emma Chamberlain and LaurDIY have shared their findings on social media that motivate others to go out and find thrifting gems for themselves.
Many say that
thrifting is unjustly taking clothes away from those who need them. However, when thinking of how many clothes are manufactured in a day, it would make sense that there is a surplus of clothes. A great percentage of these clothes will end up in landfills, even if they are donated. To put this in perspective, there will never be a shortage of clothing. Thrifting helps to prevent those clothes from ending up in a landfill and, furthermore, helps put these clothes to good use.
Another reason why thrifting is economically sustainable is that it is the best alternative to fast fashion, a phenomenon that has come with a high demand for cheap clothing
to keep up with the trends. Fast fashion is produced in unethical ways, so it is advisable to avoid it. Rather than contributing to an unhealthy process of consumerism, thrifting ensures low prices for clothes that go back into someone’s closet rather than to a toxifying landfill.
A unique place to find these low prices and combat clothing waste is the Goodwill bins, also known as Goodwill Outlet stores. While browsing the aisles of Goodwill may seem odd to shoppers in favor of traditional retail stores, they can be seen as a true hidden gem.
Traditional retail stores may have sales or clearance racks, but Goodwill bins offer deeply discounted prices on all items. The cost of the items in the bins range from just a few cents to a few dollars per pound. This means that shoppers can often purchase high-quality items for a fraction of the cost they would pay at a traditional retail store.
Retail stores are notorious for contributing to the fast fashion industry, which can have a big impact on environmental degradation. Goodwill bins, on the other hand, provide a
more sustainable option for shoppers. By purchasing gently used items from the outlets, shoppers are helping to reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills. Additionally, shoppers are supporting a nonprofit organization that is committed to creating job opportunities and providing community services. There are also other sections of thrift stores that include gently used home decorations or appliances that will end up
in a landfill if they are not sold within a certain period of time. By purchasing discounted items, whether it be clothing or otherwise, one is not taking away from anyone else due to the sheer amount of “things” that go to waste if they are not bought.
Overall, thrifting is financially and economically beneficial. While thrifting, be sure that it is out of good intentions rather than hoping to take advantage of the low prices.
As technology has evolved, so has the way students learn in the classroom. Greater access to the internet has allowed for better communication between teachers and students, convenient platforms for submitting assignments, and most importantly, a world of online resources to improve research. The recent technological breakthroughs in artificial intelligence (AI), however, have begun to tempt students with the possibility of doing less work themselves, creating several ethical dilemmas. So, is seeking help from AI chatbots such as ChatGPT more of a curse than a blessing for high school students today?
ChatGPT is an AI chatbot designed by OpenAI that launched in late 2022. It is designed to understand and process the human language and compute human-like responses. The application can respond to conversation-starters and general questions, but the most common use
of ChatGPT among high school students is to answer homework questions. It can solve complex math and science problems and provide detailed explanations. Additionally, with its ability to produce student-like writing in record time, it has been a common method of plagiarism.
For the last few months, students everywhere have been able to turn to AI technology to fulfill their essay-writing responsibilities. ChatGPT relies on data found online to generate research papers and responses to AP essay prompts, among other things. In some cases, it has been able to craft strikingly personal college admissions essays. To students, especially those in high school, the ability to uphold a strong and personal writer’s voice is essential, and allowing AI to take over jeopardizes that. It is important that students learn how to communicate their thoughts and ideas effectively to the world around
them, and with ChatGPT so accessible, that skill is becoming less and less valuable.
In addition to depriving students of their voice, ChatGPT trains students to opt for the easy way out which decreases work ethic and encourages academic dishonesty. A student’s time in high school is meant to establish professional qualities as well as life skills to prepare them for their future in college or the workplace. Facing academic challenges helps to develop problem-solving skills and perseverance, which would be lost if students continue to use AI to
complete their work. Due to the development of AI chatbots and technology in general, certain staples in education have become obsolete. For example, students no longer need to use hard copy textbooks or read paperback novels, and in science classes, they can use online, rather than in-person demonstrations to show them the results of experiments. These changes have prompted the fear that human abilities are being transformed or weakened by the development of computers. Specifically in the classroom, losing human connection to a stu-
dent’s work has significant consequences.
In the world of education, these recent developments in technology should be groundbreaking. Students should be using AI to improve the way they learn, without cheating or losing academic integrity. Applications like Grammarly and Photomath, for example, are used to enhance student learning and assist them without giving them the opportunity to cheat or plagiarize. So, Tigers, although it may be tempting to turn to AI to lighten the load, letting a chatbot do our homework is plagiarism, too.
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Molly Phan
MANAGING EDITOR
Mia Muzzi
NEWS CO-EDITORS
Eva Nichter
Kate Davidson
OPINION CO-EDITORS
Ava Marinos
Genevieve Klein
ARTS & LIFE CO-EDITORS
Francesca Arbelaez
Hannah Nebres
SPORTS EDITOR
Ashley Strain
PHOTO EDITOR
Megan Worry
GRAPHIC DESIGN EDITOR
Gianna Shaughnessy
STAFF WRITERS
Lauren Fitzgerald
Annette Henderson
Kayla Hollister
Dayna Sockol
Ashley Turner
FACULTY ADVISOR
Robert Rojas
ABOUT THE CATALYST
The Catalyst is a student-run newspaper that is published seven times a year in print and 24/7 online at www.TheNDBCatalyst.com for the 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
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ChatGPT can answer virtually anything, mimicking the thoughts of students and allowing them to easily plagiarize.
The achievements and abilities of female athletes are often overlooked in comparison to the strengths of male athletes. Men are considered to be stronger, faster and more capable in their respective sports than their female counterparts, and people often hear more about athletes and achievements in the NBA than in the WNBA.
Female athletes are just as capable in their fields as men, and their determination to be successful often demonstrates an equal or even higher
From the early beginnings of the film industry, women have played crucial roles both on and off screen.
Alice Guy-Blaché has solidified her place in film history by being the first female director. Beginning in 1896, she proved to be a headstrong industry trailblazer by directing her first film, “La Fée aux Choux,” which was the first ever fiction film created.
Since Guy-Blaché, female directors have continued to tell moving stories through film
level of strength and power than their male counterparts. Here are some female athletes that made “her-story” and established themselves as icons in the world of sports.
Serena Williams is considered to be one of the greatest tennis players of all time, across both men’s and women’s divisions. In her professional career, Williams has won 23 Grand Slam singles titles: the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open.
Alex Morgan is one of
the most famous female soccer players in the world and found the spotlight after being selected first overall in the 2011 Women’s Professional Soccer draft. Morgan and her teammates fought for gender equality in 2019 in a lawsuit against the U.S. Soccer Federation, asking for equal pay; their requests were finally granted in February of 2022. These two athletes are just a few of the many women who have made substantial contributions to the athletic industry as a whole.
and make momentous strides.
In 2010, Kathryn Bigelow became the first woman to win an Oscar for Best Director for her film, “Hurt Locker.” Patty Jenkins reached overwhelming box office success with her film “Wonder Woman,” which also made her the first woman to direct a Hollywood superhero film. The business side of Hollywood is often viewed as a man’s domain, but women like Sherry Lansing, who was the first female president of 20th Century Fox, and Lucille Ball,
who headed Desilu Studios while creating her show “I Love Lucy” have worked to reshape this landscape.
On screen, actresses like Judy Garland and Audrey Hepburn, and more recently, iconic women such as Meryl Streep, Julia Louis Dreyfus and Halle Berry have made history through both their talent and representation.
The contributions of these women, as well as many others, are vital to the continued success of the film industry.
Throughout history, there have been many women who have made lasting marks on the music industry.
The first woman to ever win a Grammy was Ella Fitzgerald in 1959. While she was the first female artist that the awards show recognized, she was most certainly not the last. Notably, women like Aretha Franklin, Adele and Beyoncé followed and are now credited with winning several Grammy awards each.
However, the history
Women were once shunned as authors, but many sought pen names to get their messages into print. Now, with the perseverance of early female authors, women have become a part of literature and have done so by fighting battles that male authors have never had to experience.
The Brontë sisters held much influence over literature in the 1800s and are the names behind a handful of classic literature. Charlotte, Emily and Anne all were forced to credit their writings to a pen name in
of women in music goes back much further than the creation of the Grammys. As early as the 1800s, many women took to writing songs and small hymns, but felt pressured to publish them under a different name so as not to reveal their gender.
Many female artists, unfortunately, have had to face a lot of sexism and discrimination within their careers. The inequality in the music industry is something that women have had to overcome for hundreds of years. In more recent years,
order for their novels to even be considered to print. They are most known for “Jane Eyre” by Charlotte, “Wuthering Heights” by Emily and “Agnes Gray” by Anne. The three sisters defied the standards of literature that had been previously constructed by men and foreshadowed the feminist movements set to come.
Virginia Woolf is another trailblazer of female authors. She initially wrote under a pen name, but soon resorted to her real name. She played a huge role in the first wave of feminism, which is most famous-
Written by Eva Nichter, Genevieve Klein, Mia Muzzi and Ashley Turner, The Catalystartists have come out about the struggles they have faced with sexism within their work and the impact it has had on their mental health. Over time, women have been able to find more support, and artists, such as Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift, have worked especially hard to use their platforms to bring awareness to the toxicity that women face when working in the music industry.
During March, it is important to appreciate the women in the music industry and the legacies they have created.
ly portrayed in her essay, “A Room of One’s Own.” She is still a celebrated author of the 1900s, despite gender inequality.
Maya Angelou was both a poet and a civil rights activist. She made her name known with political poems that motivated activism. She made revolutionary style choices in her poems, opting to have her voice be heard explicitly in them.
Women have used literature to voice their activism and have paved the way for female authors in today’s society.
Contributor.The United Irish Societies hosted the 172nd annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade in downtown San Francisco on Saturday, March 11, which was a popular event among students at NDB.
The parade is held each year to recognize significant groups in the Bay Area Irish community, such as schools and cultural centers, to celebrate the culture that unites so many citizens in the area. Each group walked with their floats and signs, beginning at the corner of 2nd and Market Street and ending at the Civic Center, where most chose to observe the parade.
The most common mode of transportation among NDB students to San Francisco was the BART train. Along with students from many other Bay Area high schools, groups of teenagers arrived at the Millbrae BART station with plans to board the 10:30 a.m. train to the city. However, as more passengers arrived, they began to board the train without swiping their ticket on their Clipper Card, causing a delay in the movement of the train.
“We were waiting for the train to leave for about an hour after it was supposed to, which was frustrating because everyone should have bought a ticket and used it properly from the beginning,” said senior Samantha Cho.
When the train finally left, it was packed with high school students decked out in green and white. In typical celebratory St. Patrick’s Day fashion, many played music to raise spirits and excitement for the parade.
“The train was one of the most fun parts of the day. After the ticket complications were figured out, it was fun to be with my friends and the BART ride ended up being really convenient since there was a stop right near the parade,” explained senior Anna Keim.
Despite trouble with the train, the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade in San Francisco proved to be a favorite way for students to celebrate the holiday this year.
In honor of Irish American Heritage Month, The Catalyst recognizes longtime Irish dancer, Ciara Kingham, from the Class of 2023 for her dedication to honoring her culture. Kingham has been dancing for over 10 years and has traveled locally, nationally and internationally for competitions, showcasing her skills to audiences everywhere.
“My mom, sister and I have all done Irish dance to stay connected to that culture and to keep it going in our family. Instead of it just being like a DNA part of us, it is a real part of our culture,” expressed Kingham.
Kingham belongs to an Irish dance team based in San Francisco, California, and makes the 45-minute drive to practice three to six days a week, depending on the time of the nearest competition.
“Practices are held to go over your dance routines and to get corrections. Outside of dance practice, you do your own exercises to build strength,” explained Kingham. “Competitions, however, can range from very light to intense competitiveness. But, for the average competition, a lot of preparation goes into it, and you are there all day.”
At these competitions, dancers prepare their costumes, wigs, makeup and oftentimes spray tans in advance to ensure the best visibility on stage. The way that dancers present themselves during their routines
plays a crucial role in their performance and the way that they are judged.
Although Kingham has competed at many competitions at the local and national
el of competition that an Irish dancer can participate in, and qualifying can be incredibly difficult. The environment is intense, yet being surrounded by the top dancers in the world is incredibly rewarding.
“It was amazing. I mean, I would do it all over again if I could. It’s extremely stressful, and nobody is messing around,” said Kingham. “It is all the best dancers there, and you train incredibly hard for it. It is so stressful, but you get through your first two rounds of performances and hope for a recall to the third round, and then hope to place.”
Aside from the intense competition environment, the cultural element in Irish dance is incredibly important. Although it is a tradition to celebrate Irish culture, dancers by no means have to be Irish just to be involved.
“I think it’s really cool that it’s expanded into a sport that anybody can do. I mean, at competitions I go to there are dancers from Mexico, Canada, U.S., Africa, Russia. It is not something that you have to be Irish to do, which I love. I think that’s really interesting, but you meet a lot of cool people.”
level, her most memorable experiences have been at the World Championships, known as “Oireachtas Rince na Cruinne” or “Worlds” in 2018 and 2019. Worlds is the highest lev -
Although Kingham will not be able to continue dancing with her team in college, she hopes that Irish dance will remain a part of her life in other ways.
As seniors receive acceptances from universities, they must choose a roommate to dorm with during their first year. Social media accounts dedicated to incoming freshmen at particular schools have begun popping up and serve as a way for current seniors to meet their future peers. Students planning on attending these schools post pictures of themselves with informative captions introducing themselves, listing their interests and providing contact information so that others can reach out.
Many NDB se-
niors have begun messaging each other via Instagram and determining if they are compatible. However, these decisions are based on social media and online personalities, making them slightly untrustworthy. Simultaneously, everyone is attempting to connect with and make friends on social media in an effort to choose the school best suited for them. This process is not ideal for people who are too shy to reach out or do not like responding to strangers via social media. However, there are also other alternative routes that a student may take when making a
decision on their roommate. Some schools offer housing applications that students can fill out in the hopes of being matched with a compatible roommate. The quiz includes one’s living preferences, how they act and how social one is. Another option is just to enter blindly and hope for the best by asking for a randomly selected roommate. Some seniors have begun the process and, while tedious, appreciate the efforts required.
“Personally, I think there are pros and cons to finding a roommate via Instagram,” said senior Mabelle Joudieh. “You have to take into account
that not everybody has social media. Other than that, I think it can be easy and stress free using Instagram as a platform because it is an easy way to text the other person while seeing what they are like by their posts.”
Finding out if one gets along with someone solely through social media is difficult, especially when learning about people’s personalities. However, it is good to begin getting to know people from different areas. Although it can be an overwhelming process, it is exciting to meet new friends through social media as it marks the starting of a new chapter and a fresh start.
Influencer Emma Chamberlain’s podcast
“Anything Goes with Emma Chamberlain” began in February 2020 and continues to thrive with over a hundred episodes. Over time, she has gained more than 1.1 million listeners and an almost four star rating. It is a very versatile podcast, which contributes to why so many high school students listen to it.
Chamberlain is a content creator and YouTuber. Since starting her channel in 2017, the 21-year-old has had a prosperous career. She attended NDB for almost three years, before leaving to pursue YouTube.
Chamberlain records episodes in the comfort of her home, usually
on her bed or couch. Her weekly episodes are dependent on what has been going on in her mind. The topics of discussion range from philosophy, advice, teenage stories, interviews, answering big questions and more.
Unlike many other podcasts, Chamberlain’s is very raw, yet structured. Listening to it makes people feel like they are on a FaceTime call with their friend. It is not formal, and there are occasionally distractions that disrupt the recording. But, each episode has development.
Chamberlain has points she wants to go over and does so in an organized manner that allows all her thoughts to tie together at the end.
Chamberlain is a likable creator and established her popularity through her ability to keep it
real. With millions of viewers on YouTube already, creating a podcast felt like the right career choice.
What allowed Chamberlain to skyrocket so many years ago is her relatability. This quality is still present in her podcast and is why it may be so popular. “Anything Goes” even landed an exclusive Spotify deal, representing how Chamberlain’s growth in her career is far from over.
High school students especially can relate to the topics she discusses. Parties, health and wellness, analyzing fashion trends and female friendships are all topics that could interest teenagers.
Chamberlain even has a few episodes about her own high school experience. She shares awkward stories and in-
teractions and answers questions from fans about her time in school.
There is a reason why the podcast is called “Anything Goes” because Chamberlain discusses even controversial topics. One of her episodes titled, “Do we need religion?” discusses the positives and negatives of religion and whether it is essential to society. While discussing an issue that relates to some on a very deep level, she discusses it in a very well-thought out and non-controversial way.
The podcast has episodes for everything. Whether one wants to listen to a cheesy story about high school or receive genuine advice on living a happy life, Chamberlain’s podcast is sure to deliver.
For those that are 14, it may feel insignificant, but with this age comes privileges one might not be fully aware of. Once one turns 14, one can legally babysit, drive an electric bicycle and go to concerts without an adult.
“I would say there is some responsibility, but not an overwhelming amount since I cannot drive and am not close to going to college,” said freshman Ari Salerno. “I am excited to start driving and be more independent eventually.”
15 years of age marks the beginning of driving responsibilities. Some might take this year of their lives to prepare for the many years of driving they have in their future. Aside from obtaining a driver’s permit, 15-year-olds can finally rent movies. However, in this age of streaming services, renting physical movies is obsolete.
“I had a lot of fun turning 15,” said sophomore Hailey Degnan.
“You don’t feel super old, but you also aren’t the youngest anymore.”
With one’s sweet 16 comes a mountain of privileges, including a real driver’s license and the right to change one’s name. One can work full time if they have left school, one can apply for their own passport with a parent’s consent and one can pre-register to vote.
“Driving is absolutely the best part about being 16,” said junior Kayla Messick. “It has been a major life change for me, and it makes everything so much easier. and so much more fun.”
The middle ground between two big birthdays is 17. This in-between stage offers many new opportunities as one can now drive most vehicles, including piloting a helicopter or plane. 17-year-olds also have the freedom to decide if they want to be a blood donor or enlist in the military.
“My favorite thing is having my license for a year, so I can drive my friends around,” said junior Mallory Moore. “It gives me more independence that way.”
At 18 years old comes another huge milestone. One is now a legal adult and have the right to make decisions for themselves. These decisions can be cosmetic, like tattoos or body piercings, or the choice to vote, purchase fireworks or even win the lottery.
“Being an adult and making my own decisions is my favorite part about turning 18,” said senior Ciara Mangan. “But even better, next year, I’ll be in a different stage in my life.”
It all started on Ticketmaster, where “Swifties” struggled to buy tickets for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. Due to the chaotic rollout of presale tickets, the company was left having to cancel the general public sale of tickets for all of her shows. With Swift having not gone on tour in years and newly releasing her album “Midnights,” the urgency to see her live has become overwhelming among fans.
While millions of people across the nation have been desperately searching to buy tickets, only a portion of hopeful fans have successfully earned them.
“I was actually very shocked at the de-
mand,” said senior Brooke Anderson. “I know Taylor has risen to a lot more levels of fame recently, but I have never seen a stadium tour sell out like this. I think people really missed concerts and are trying to go back and maybe that’s why that sold out.”
The Eras Tour officially started on March 17 and ends on August 9. The tour began in Glendale, Arizona. Swift will be showcasing her 10 studio albums, including two re-recordings, with this being her first tour in a shocking five years.
Senior Kaelin Kockos attended Swift’s concert in Las Vegas.
“I was so excited that I was able to go to my first concert for Taylor,” said Kockos. “I always listen to her music and I love her
so much. Getting to hear her music live is surreal.”
The Eras Tour is meant to exemplify the diverse musical eras and journeys that Swift has encountered throughout her musical career. This is what makes the show so unique, as fans get to enjoy their favorites, whether they be from her first album released in 2006 or her newest one which came out just this year. In addition to Swift’s full setlist, the tour also features other popular artists, including Paramore, Phoebe Bridgers and girl in red.
Given that Swift is a major powerhouse in the pop music scene and the fact that many NDB students enjoy listening to her, there is a large number of students who plan on attending her Bay Area
concert in the summer.
“I would say I’m a pretty big fan. I’ve been listening to her music since I was little and have always loved her songs,” said senior Sophia Vahabi, a fan who was lucky enough in securing a ticket to one of Swift’s upcoming concerts. “I’m going on July 25 with Sofia Panagrossi. I initially thought that I wouldn’t get a ticket and I was worried because of the delays and how many people were trying to get a ticket at the same time.”
Because Swift does not perform in the Bay Area until July, students are able to get sneak peaks for what is to come. During her Glendale show, Swift performed 44 songs, starting with her album “Lover,” and ending with “Midnights,” causing the show
to last well over three hours. Besides her incredible musical talent, Swift was sure to incorporate many other levels of extravagance to her performance, making the night extra special for all of her fans. This included a spectacular stage, with various lights and intricate sets as well as professionally trained backup dancers. In addition to this, Swift wore over 10 costumes on stage, including a ballgown, silver suit jacket and most notably, a rhinestone bodysuit.
Another memorable part of the concert was her recreation of the iconic ensemble moment from her “22” music video. After performing songs from her pop album, “Red,” she asked the crowd if they had 10 more minutes to spare, and then performed the
fan favorite song “All Too Well (10 Minute Version).”
It is safe to say that Swift started out her tour with a bang, including several routines, memorable songs and showstopping outfits.
Swift also revealed that she plans to play a “surprise” song that is unique to each concert date, giving fans even more excitement. After a long five years without live performances, Swift makes a comeback with a national tour full of songs throughout her musical career, exciting people all over the world. Her Eras Tour will arguably be one of the most talked about concerts, from the Ticketmaster craze to the quality and effort she puts into carefully crafting her tour for the devoted Swifties who are fortunate enough to attend.
As the weather begins to pick up, more opportunities arise for people to spend time outside. After being cooped up in the house from the rain, students are now more inclined to make use of the warmer weather and longer days. Fortunately, throughout the spring, San Francisco offers a plethora of events that people can enjoy with their friends.
The Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival is an annual event that takes place in San Francisco’s Japantown, after the cherry blossoms have bloomed.
During the festival, a variety of performances showcasing Japanese culture are conducted, including drum performances, tea ceremonies, traditional dances and more. There are a variety of exhibits to watch or participate in that embrace Japanese
culture. Similarly, guests are invited to try different foods, including shaved ice, musubi and takoyaki. The event takes place over two weekends, April 8 through 9 and April 15 through 16, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and entrance is free.
For those hoping to enjoy the sunshine and be around nature, the Queen Wilhelmina Tulip Garden at Golden Gate Park is the perfect opportunity. The garden is covered with tulips and during the spring, the tulips go into full bloom. The bright colored flowers are certainly a sight to see and the garden is a nice location to host a picnic with friends. Also featured at the garden is a Dutch windmill which provides ample photo opportunities. Golden Gate Park is open to the public and features many other gardens. Whether one wishes to read a book in nature or spend the day with friends, there is a variety of options for every person.
Located at Fort Mason, Art Market San Francisco offers a unique museum experience for art lovers. As one of the largest and longest running exhibits in the Bay Area, Art Market hosts 85 galleries filled with modern art. These exhibits are not limited to paintings but also include sculptures and photographs, reminiscent of Art Basel. For those hoping to visit art museums but wondering where to begin, Art Market provides a satisfying and worthwhile taste of the contemporary art world. The gallery is open from April 21 to April 23. While tickets are required, a single day tickets and fair passes are available for $35 and $65 respectively, with the latter granting unlimited access over the weekend show.
Lastly, a traditional event to attend is a San Francisco Giants baseball game, with Opening Day on April 7 and marking the start of the regular season.
Juniors
Exploring the city of San Francisco is an opportunity that people often forget is a privilege distinctive to the Bay Area.
Visiting these spots is a great way to build second semester memories and act as a preface to the summer.
“I’d like to go to the NorCal Cherry Blossom Festival, because I’ve always wanted to see cherry blossoms,” said senior Jennifer Huang. “I think
they’re really pretty and you can’t really find them around the Bay Area often so I think this is a really unique opportunity.”
the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park while sporting the team’s colors. Sport fanatics and casual viewers alike can enjoy Oracle Park , whether they are invested in the game or enjoying a plate of garlic fries.
When exploring the city, visitors get chances to take photos, whether to fill their Instagram feed or simply capture the moment.
Amongst all the sports that NDB students can choose from, lacrosse is one that offers a playing environment extremely open to newcomers. The program is relatively new, with its first season being in 2016. As a result, many students are drawn to the team and the opportunity to learn and grow in a new sport without immense pressure.
Tryouts took place the week of January 30 and the season is now well underway, with new players finding their footing alongside returning players who are excited to be back on the field. The season started with going over the critical basic skills of the sport, serving as an introduction for new players and an important reminder for those returning. Drills focused on passing and catching, cradling the ball and targeted shooting, which helped players become more comfortable handling the lacrosse stick and moving the ball around the field.
“[We are teaching] basic fundamentals, but also pulling in skills they have from other sports that are transferable,” said JV Coach Melissa Ansari. “For example, with basketball, playing in a key, or soccer, with field awareness, and pulling in some of those existing skill sets and applying them to this new sport for them.”
At the begin-
ning of the season, Varsity Coach Will Evans scheduled three additional scrimmages against other local high school teams from different leagues as a way to get new players accustomed to the flow and rules of games before the start of the regular season. The team played against Sequoia HS, Burlingame HS and Woodside HS.
“I thought it was really fun because there were a lot of people who were new and had never played before,” said freshman Audrey Rosen, who is a first-time lacrosse player. “The coach put us at different positions to see what we like to play and I feel like it wasn’t super stressful because they were scrimmages.”
Team members
on varsity and JV played together in these early scrimmages, along with the weekly practices. This creates an environment where new players can learn from those more experienced.
“That’s the thing about lacrosse. I love it because you get to [play] with returning players a lot more. And it’s fun because they have a little more experience. [So] it’s really cool to practice and play with them,” said Rosen.
Many underclassmen trying lacrosse were introduced to an exciting game where they can grow and improve their skills, but alongside that, they were introduced to a welcoming group of teammates. While some were at first intimidated by the prospect of an unfamiliar game and group
of students, they soon saw that there was no need to be worried.
Mia Cienfuegos, an experienced lacrosse player, made varsity as a freshman. She has played the sport for multiple years, but not yet in a high school league.
“I just thought the whole team was really intimidating, but everybody’s super nice and so was the coach,” Cienfuegos shared. “We learn a lot and improve in a short period. I feel [that] every game we all become better at playing together, and I think that’s going to go along with the season very well.”
As teamwork continues to grow, the rest of the season is looking very positive for both new and returning players alike.
by Ashley Strain Sports EditorSwim season is finally back. NDB has both a varsity team and a JV team, with roughly 30 swim athletes altogether. The team tryouts began in winter to prepare for the spring season up ahead.
The varsity and JV teams practice together four times a week on the Serra HS campus. The teams practice with the Serra swimmers, and the coaches work together to benefit both teams. This system works well as it mimics a swim meet and pushes both teams to get better, especially while under the pressure of others.
The team maintains a club-like atmosphere, full of relaxed, yet competitive swimming. The Serra and NDB athletes are able to work together and challenge each other to get better.
The team has a weekly jamboree against
local high schools in the Bay Area. Both teams participate in five league meets throughout the season, ending with one championship to close out. The team recently competed in the Varsity Swim Small School Invite on March 11 at Sacred Heart Preparatory HS, with several local high schools.
NDB Social Science teacher and Swim Head Coach Wendy Connolly has been collaborating with the Serra HS coaches and has helped build NDB’s swimming program for years.
“In terms of the season, we are starting out strong because we are swimming with the Serra team,” Connolly shared. “This creates a competition for the girls, pushing them to work harder than they’ve ever worked.”
The swim team is looking forward to competing with local schools in their upcoming meets as their season continues.
The extreme weather conditions occurring in California have greatly affected outdoor sports, as the spring athletics season begins. Despite attempting to start the season as normal, the softball team has had a particularly slow start.
Tryouts for the team began in early February, and practices started shortly after. The team practices daily with around three games per week. At practices, the team focuses on running plays on the bases, batting averages and building strength for the athletes. Outside of practice, each athlete must attend 20 weight sessions, one every Friday. In those sessions, the athletes work on gaining strength, stamina, flexibility and mobility.
This year, NDB’s Varsity Softball team welcomed new head coach, Alex Booker, who has worked as the assistant
coach for many years prior. She has a great deal of softball experience, and the team has enjoyed working with her already this season.
The team’s preseason games began at the end of February. They had 15 preseason games scheduled, all of which were planned for the months of February and March. Due to the persistent rain this winter, only 7 out of 15 games actually occurred.
The preseason games were scheduled to allow the team to bond and play together against different teams in a mimicked game setting. Playing against these other teams from schools out of their league challenges the team and allows for good practice before the regular season begins.
Senior Alexa Couto, one of the four varsity team captains, plays as both a catcher and outfielder. She has played softball for NDB since her freshman year and has experience
playing prior to high school as well.
“With the new season came a lot of change. From new teammates and new coaches to new and crazy weather,” Couto shared. “We have all had to learn to work together and adapt to these changes. In the beginning, one of the toughest things to do as a team, funny enough, was to play and interact with each other as a team. Our coaches have come up with really amazing activities to create a bond and sisterhood between all of us. This has really helped everyone play together with a team effort.”
Due to the extreme weather conditions over the past few months, the softball team faced difficulties finding practice spaces outside. The NDB softball field, located in between the beach volleyball courts and the Moore Pavilion, is a grass field, which becomes difficult to play on during the rainy weather.
The team has
been forced to improvise in finding indoor places to practice in these rainy months. They have utilized the small gym, the Moore Pavilion and teammate Malaina Alifano’s batting cage. These facilities have proven to be extremely successful in maintaining the athletes’ stamina and strength while the unpredictable weather continues.
Junior Ava Chung, an outfielder on varsity, has been playing softball at NDB since her freshman year.
“We are so grateful that we have facilities to use for when it is raining outside,” Chung shared. “Our coaches have done a great job at improvising with the circumstances so early on in the season. I am
looking forward to the rain stopping and the season continuing like normal.”
The varsity team’s league games begin on March 28 with the first game being at home against King’s Academy. As the season progresses, the team continues to persevere and looks forward to playing in better weather.
Runners, take your mark, get set, *boom.* NDB track and field is finally back. The team is made up of both a varsity team and a JV team, with around 45 athletes in total. The team began training in early January to prepare for the rigorous spring season ahead.
League meets began on February 25, with the first hosted at Serra HS. The team races at meets either once or twice a week, with daily practices falling on the off-days. Although many athletes only participate in two to three events, it is often an all-day affair due to the majority staying to support the rest of their team. The meets are organized by team level, JV or Varsity, and divided based on gender, heat placement and the event.
“The first meet went really well,” junior athlete Helena Morell shared. “It was exciting to
be back on the track and racing. I am doing distance this year, so I ran new events which was a beneficial learning experience. It taught me where I need to improve for the season.”
“The lower classmen were incredibly supportive and cheered the loudest on the track for everyone on our team,” Morrell added. “Lots of nervous energy from them, but they channeled it well and did an amazing job.”
Although the meets are often overwhelming, the support of NDB’s community and teammates makes it an encouraging atmosphere at each meet and practice.
On March 11, the team participated in the Fighting Knights Relay, hosted by Hillsdale HS. The team placed high, and many of the runners beat their own personal records.
With track and field being a primarily individual sport, each athlete is competing against each other, but also themselves.
Maintaining achievable goals and setting personal records can help any track and field athlete be more successful in their performance.
The upperclassmen on the team are leaders for the younger athletes that are trying the sport for the first time. With a large influx of new athletes this season, the experienced athletes have been setting an example in leading the way.
Junior Amber Holloway is one of the many leading upperclassmen on the team.
“The lower class men did great for their second meet of the season,” Holloway stated. “None of them were freaking out, and they all seemed happy with their results at the end of the meet.”
As the season progresses, the team grows more excited for the upcoming meets and races.
With contributions by Dayna Sockol, Staff Writer
by Ashley Turner Staff WriterAs spring sports kicked off with tryouts during January, beach volleyball is now in full swing. The team is led by Coaches Tia Pappapietro and Christopher Yee. This is Pappapietro’s second year coaching beach volleyball, but it is her first time as a head coach at NDB.
Beach volleyball is a fairly new sport at NDB. Many schools do not have access to beach courts, yet NDB is fortunate to have four courts right on campus. After school, athletes make their way to the courts to start warming up. With the stress of school, the sport gives students time to wind down as well as exercise.
Beach volleyball is a great sport with low stress. Rather than feeling pressured to perform for the entire team, athletes play in teams of two. The sport is very independent, due to a different coaching
style that indoor volleyball has.
While the sports are both generally the same, beach and indoor volleyball each require different techniques. Because indoor requires teams of six, there is an emphasis on power of athletes’ swings and the location of the digs.
It is the opposite for beach volleyball. Athletes are coached to focus on their placement of their attacks and to pass high up, so their partner can reach the ball with ease. Because there are no designated positions in beach volleyball, all players are coached on passing, setting and hitting. This makes the sport great for enriching all of the skills used in volleyball. Many indoor volleyball players play beach volleyball to improve their ball control.
Sophomore Adrianna Agresti plays both beach and indoor volleyball.
“Beach volleyball takes a lot of control be-
cause there is only one other person on your team,” Agresti shared. “It’s a good sport to play at the same time as indoor because it helps me to focus on skills that I always use.”
Weather is also a factor of beach volleyball, which does not affect indoor volleyball. With the heavy rainstorms that have hit the Bay Area this year, many of the practices have been canceled. These circumstances have brought great exposure to the athletes. Playing beach volleyball calls for the ability to perform in any weather conditions, just as every outdoor sport does. Wind is an aspect that can make or break the game, and rain changes the sand conditions, making the sand cold and stiff.
Although the extreme weather has been taxing on the beach volleyball athletes, it has given them the experience they need and helps to prepare them for the rest of the season ahead.
Being a high school sports manager is an important role that requires a unique set of skills and a dedication to the sport. As a manager, they are responsible for ensuring that the team is prepared for their matches and meets, managing logistics, coordinating schedules and communicating with coaches, players and parents. At NDB, the duties of a sports manager differ from those of a professional, but can prove to be helpful skills.
One essential skill for a sports manager is organization. Keeping track of timing, coordinating transportation and communicating with coaches, players and parents requires a high level of organization. As a sports manager, one must be detail-oriented and able to manage multiple tasks simultaneously. This skill is transferable to many professions, especially those that require project
management or event planning.
In addition to organization and communication, sports managers must be familiar with the rules and regulations of each sport they manage. This includes understanding the scoring system, regulations regarding player eligibility and safety guidelines. Many students that choose to be managers have a passion for the sport or learning more about it. This role can also be one for injured players that would like to stay connected with the team.
“I originally started sophomore year when I was injured and I wanted to help out just with sports in general,” explained Lacrosse Manager Gabby Wylie-Chaney. “I emailed Mr. Levine, our former Athletic Director, in the spring and it happened to be that lacrosse had a spot for managing. So, I started it and then I kept going because I really liked the sport.”
Sports managers also need to be able to handle unexpected events and challenges. For example, if a player gets injured during a match, the manager must be able to handle the situation quickly and calmly. This ability to think on one’s feet and problem solve is a valuable skill in any career, especially those that require quick decision-making and adaptability. With this adaptability comes leadership. One must be able to motivate and inspire the team, build trust and foster a positive team environment. These skills are highly valued in leadership positions, including management and team leadership roles.
“Being a manager has vastly increased my knowledge of the sport,” said Wylie-Chaney. “I basically knew nothing about lacrosse, except that they use sticks, when I first started and now, I actually really like the sport. It’s probably one of my favorite sports to watch, at least. It is also one
of the sports that I think I understand the most now. It definitely has become one of my favorites.”
Holding the role of a sports team manager is
a job with bountiful opportunities. The ability to be communicative with goals and feedback, organized and maintaining a positive attitude can be difficult.
However, with that comes bonding with the team and learning a lot about management as well as the sport.
On Sunday, February 19, seven NDB students, including four seniors and three juniors departed for Close Up, their Washington, D.C. InterSession trip. The week-long trip was organized and led by AP U.S. Government and Politics teacher Karen Fry, who despite never having traveled there with NDB, is a seasoned Close Up alumna.
Students took part in a seven-day program filled with location visits, seminars and workshops. After meeting with staff at orientation, students were sorted into groups of twenty that would become their “workshop” group for the week. Each workshop was led by a Close Up instructor who would lead them through their various activ-
ities and visits.
Monday was the first full day of the program, and fittingly, President’s Day. Workshops started with a chilly visit to the Jefferson, Roosevelt and King memorials, preceding a visit to the National Portrait Gallery. They closed off the day with a Pentagon visit and discussion on American issues.
Tuesday began at the World War II memorial. Groups then walked to the Lincoln Memorial, where they admired the intricate symbolism and grandeur of the colossal marble statue.
“I loved seeing the context and history behind [the monument], and the architecture was especially cool to see,” said junior Zoé Shaikh. “I learned a lot about United States history, the good and the bad.”
Heading next door, participants explored
the Vietnam and Korean War memorials, which pay homage to fallen soldiers. After lunch, students enjoyed a visit to the National Mall, seeing presidential memorabilia, historical documents and even a visit to the Natural History Museum’s butterfly enclosure.
Tuesday closed with a mock Congressional hearing where participants split into “committees” and debated, amended and either passed or killed an actual bill introduced in Congress. Seniors Lauren Fitzgerald and Cristine Niswander went head-tohead, arguing their positions before the entire Close Up class.
“At first, I did not really know how exactly it was going to work, but found the process was very straightforward and practical,” said Niswander. “It was really interesting to see
how people were so passionate about the topic.”
Wednesday’s “Capitol Hill Day” began with a class visit to the Washington Monument, where Tigers enjoyed 360 degree views from within the structure. Shortly after, they embarked towards the United States Capitol building, where they had the unique opportunity of meeting with their Congressman’s office. Staffers answered questions on the steps before inviting the group inside for a tour.
Thursday began with a seminar on the freedom of religion and then headed down the block to the White House. After a break for lunch, the class visited Arlington National Cemetery on what ended up being the warmest day of the trip with a high of 80 degrees. Afterwards, the group returned to the hotel
for one final farewell as they joined together for a closing banquet and dance.
Although NDB stayed the weekend, they had to say goodbye to the friends who they had made throughout the week.
“It was such an incredible experience having discussions with people from all over the country and getting to know their experiences back home,” said senior participant Meghan Mitchell. “D.C. was amazing. I wish I could do it all again.”
Tigers were back in action on Friday for a visit to the National Air and Space museum, equipped with historic planes, immersive planetary exhibits and more. They then headed down the road to the National Archives to see the Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights and the Constitution. The day
concluded with a night out with dinner, bowling and arcade games.
A Saturday morning trip to the African American History Museum was a crowd favorite as the breathtaking exhibits and celebrations of African American culture piqued the interest of many. Leaving the building brought a surprise for the group, as a flurry of snow drew a joyful close to the trip as they set off for the airport.
For the first appearance of the trip in years, NDB Close Up came back strong. More than an educational opportunity, complimenting recent AP U.S. Government and AP U.S. History lessons, the week was a chance for the upperclassmen to bond over their excitement for government and politics and envision themselves cemented in the nation’s history.
After a three year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, NDB’s SoCal College trip returned for InterSession. Organized by English Department Chair Robert Rojas, the five day long trip was centered around visiting various colleges and universities located in the Los Angeles and Orange County areas.
The trip was especially popular among the sophomore and junior class as they begin the college application process. For many students, this was the first time that they set foot on a college campus and, by visiting the schools, they were able to determine what they are looking for in their future schools.
The campuses that students visited included University of Southern California, Loyola Marymount University, Chapman University and University of
California at Los Angeles. Sophomore and attendee Olivia Caballero enjoyed visiting the colleges and especially appreciated seeing UCLA.
“I’ve always been interested in UCLA, more than any other school. It was a great experience to actually have the opportunity to see the campus and experience what student life looks like day-to-day. I could see myself there very easily,” said Caballero.
Prior to leaving for the trip, Rojas had contacted NDB alumnae who currently attend the schools and scheduled to meet with them on campus.
Among the alumnae were Preyasi Kumar ‘19 and Amanda Tam ‘22 at UCLA, Sage Saperstein ‘22 at USC, Genevieve Bencze ‘21 at LMU and Guliana Kiesel and Courtney Chung ‘22 at Chapman. All were more than happy to answer questions about their schools and were a very unique addition to the trip
for many of the students as well as for Rojas.
“It’s always interesting to visit with alumnae. They’ve had a chance to grow up a little and become more independent as college students,” said Rojas.
While the trip was educational, it was also filled with several other activities scheduled in between the college visits. Students got to visit Universal Studios and Disneyland as well as sightsee and experience many unique parts of the Los Angeles area.
Most notably, on their first day in Los Angeles, students woke up at 6:30 a.m. to complete a six mile roundtrip hike up to the Hollywood sign. In addition to this, they visited what was called the Last Bookstore in downtown Los Angeles, which contained unique sculptures and rooms dedicated to cultivating an enchanting experience.
