The Catalyst - Fall 2014 Issue

Class of 2016 gathers to celebatethe Junior Ring CeremonyLadies receive rings as rite of passage to upperclasswomen

FEATURE

Innovation Lab encourages community to think differentlySpace available to all students, facuty, and staff is one of the first of its kind at a peninsula-area school

FEATURE

TigerBots ready for challengeRobotics Club prepares A.L.F.A. for competition

Volume 1, Issue 1

Juniors Olivia Geronimo, Francesca Martinez, and Krystal Masis show off their rings.Photo Credit: Daniella Espinoza

theCATALYSTNOTRE DAME HIGH SCHOOL’S FINEST NEWS SOURCE

1540 Ralston Avenue, Belmont, CA 94002 Fall 2014

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View this issue in full-color via our website and by email at The CatalystNDB.com.

Opinion 2-3News & Features 4-5Arts & Life 6Sports 7The Back Page 8

OPINIONPUMPKIN SPICE FLAVORTis’ the season or too much?

Page 2

Photo credit: Robert Rojas

NEWS & FEATURESFINALS ARE COMINGHow to put the odds in your favor

Page 5

Photo credit: Daniella Espinoza

ARTS & LIFETHERE SHE GOES AGAINA review of Taylor Swift’s “1989”

Page 6

Photo credit: Ramya Ramamoorthy

SPORTSVOLLEYBALL CCS CHAMPSA reflection on the season

Page 7

Photo credit: Robert Rojas

by Celisse TanStaff Writer

The 2014-2015 school year has brought many chang-es: new Freshman sisters, new faculty and staff, and a new Innovation Lab. You may have heard about it, but not sure about what it’s for. The Inno-vation Lab is a space created

and designed to act as a cata-lyst for collaboration, design, and imagination. “With everybody having laptops, we no longer need to have a ton of computer labs,” says Associate Principal Anne Schaefer, who worked with Science teacher Rebecca Girard on the lab. “So, instead, we needed to create a space

that would allow for a differ-ent type of authentic learning. Having a space like the Inno-vation Lab helps us to do that.” The Innovation Lab is intended to provide students and their teachers an environ-ment that encourages them to use different technology to collaborate and use skills needed for college and career.

It also helps stimulate creativ-ity with different ways of dis-playing information. The Lab features two large flat-screen TVs that are used for presen-tations and a wall coated with dry-erase whiteboard paint for students to write ideas and brainstorm collaboratively. “There are so many different materials to use plus

the added benefit of being in the technological environment that allows me to be creative in the Innovation Lab,” says Sophomore Eden Grown-Hae-berli. “I love how the room looks so modern with all types of technology and materials for students to use if they want to.”

[See Innovation, 4]

OPINION

College: Don’t ask, don’t tellWhy asking “Where are you applying to? is not good idea

by Mari Andreatta and Megan McDonellSenior Editors

Most seniors can agree that the question most frequently asked this semester is about where we are apply-ing to college. Although it is an exciting question, because the next big milestone in our lives is near and it’s exciting to think about the experienc-es and adventures that await us, we don’t owe anyone an answer. If you are in need of a response to the question, and want to avoid a 10-min-ute-long conversation about why you’ve chosen certain schools and your intended major, the best thing to do is tell the inquirer to ask again in May when we have all made our decision about which school to attend. The school we choose is the only one that really matters, isn’t it? The simple question of where we are applying to college actually has great power over us and the people

[See College, 3]

by Tracey GrownParent Contributor

The TigerBots meet-ing has started. Junior Meg Tillman is taking apart draw-er slides - Yes, like the ones in your kitchen and mine - and carefully constructing a lift mechanism. Junior Maggie Claude is screwing together Tetrix pieces to make a trailer hitch. What are the girls build-ing? Their very own creation. For their second year, the TigerBots are getting ready for their FIRST Tech Chal-lenge (FTC) robotics competi-tion. They are building ALFA (Awesome Lethal FUNominal Apparatus). She is a robot that starts out no bigger than an 18” cube, will pick up wiffle balls and expands to raise the balls 3.5 feet to drop them into clear plastic cylindrical “goals.” This is the requirement of the game “Cascade Effects” that rolled out in September to over 3,000 FTC teams nationwide. Juniors Kate Moley, Luisa Brown and Juleanne

[See TigerBots, 4]

by Cate LunaEditor in Chief (Online)

On Sunday, Novem-ber 23, the Class of 2016 made the official transition from underclasswomen to upper-classwomen during the annual Junior Ring Ceremony. The ceremony recognizes the jour-ney the junior class has taken so far and opens up a new path for them to take as role models and leaders for the school. With this year’s theme “To Infinity and Beyond,” the ceremony began with liturgy in the Notre Dame de Namur University chapel, emphasiz-ing the importance of spiritual growth in their lives as young

people. The homily given by Father Tom Allender, SJ em-phasized the love within each individual there and its trans-formative power. Midway through the mass, the Junior advisors read the name of each of their stu-dents as they came forward and received their ring from Head of School Maryann Os-mond. The evening ended back on campus in the Dining Room with a reception hosted by the Freshmen class. Junior Class President Jessica Beering said, “My fa-vorite part about Junior Ring is that we get to be together as a class and recognize the great achievement of completing

half of our high school jour-ney.” She explained, “Being Juniors is a large responsibil-ity, which can be seen in the new course load and social events. The ceremony recog-nizes us taking a step up and accepting the responsibility.” Also known as the Avengers, the class has grown to be more than just classmates since they started in 2012 and have become friends, sisters, and family today. Notre Dame has trans-formed them and they seek to transform its students as they recognize new opportunities for growth, success, and im-provement every day.

2•OPINIONEbola and meThe viral disease is no laughing matter

Pumpkin spice is everywhereThe seasonal flavor is back in stores with a vengeance

by Serena Grown-HaeberliContributing Writer

For the past few months and, for the more care-ful news reader, nine months, the Ebola crisis has seeming-ly been creeping closer and closer to home here in the Bay Area. The fearful reaction that many have toward the idea of people here becoming infected is far-fetched, unlikely, and, furthermore, unhelpful. There are many more important things to worry about. In fact, if anyone is in need of suggestions, statis-tically, we should be so much more concerned with the po-tential threat of our television sets falling on us. News sourc-es have a tendency to blow things out of proportion, as has been the case with Ebola in the United States. However, that does not mean we should push Ebo-la out of our thoughts entirely. The threat and effect Ebola has had on West Africa, undercut-ting the already weak health-care and coupled with the lack of education and infrastruc-ture, is a crisis that needs our immediate attention. These countries lack enough medical supplies, doctors, and hospi-tals and have nothing to fight this disease with. So, instead of worrying about when Ebo-la will reach home, we should turn our hearts and minds to-ward these countries. Ebola has underlined for us a global problem in the distribution of resources - not just water and food, but medical supplies and doctors too. “Ebola and me” means thinking about global issues, seeking solutions, and working out how we can help the situations in these coun-tries because those in the Unit-ed States are lucky enough to have a real and developed medical system that should be shared with the rest of the world.

A letter from the Editors in ChiefThis is the first print issue of the school newspaper published in five years

by Daniella Espinoza, Wyeth Anderson, and Cate LunaEditors-in-Chief

Wyeth, Cate, and I joined the Journalism Club as freshman in 2012, back when it was under the leadership of Mr. Frank Ryerson. When we arrived, the club was solely based online. Now, two years later, we have worked our way to print. We are incredibly pleased to share the culmina-tion of our efforts with you in this issue. I, for one, did not see this coming. Seeing this newspaper printed is incredi-bly satisfying. I hope reading these articles will bring you as much happiness as it has brought us. So, here it is: the first print issue of the school news-paper Notre Dame has pub-

by Alivia HorselyNews & Features Editor

It comes around every fall: the pumpkin spice epi-demic. Food chains and coffee shops alike take advantage of the popular “pumpkin spice” trend, a holiday-themed flavor that blends together the joys of fall with rich spices and the colors of the changing leaves in one convenient cup of coffee. But why is this specific syrup more popular than the many other coined holiday flavors? As one might guess, it all started with Starbucks’ pumpkin spice latte. Debuted back in 2003, pumpkin spice has since evolved into many pumpkin-themed food prod-ucts that have taken over the market during this time of year. There are now pumpkin

spice bread, tea, pancake mix, gift baskets, graphic t-shirts, marshmallows, cereal, and more. One could blame cap-italism for the start of this ep-idemic. It isn’t just Starbucks that takes advantage of this specific season every year, it’s coffee companies, Dunkin’ Donuts, bakeries, and more. Pumpkin spice flavored foods and drinks are bought in high-er quantities during this time of year than any, making big profits for many companies. Humans are social creatures of course, so when fads come around, most of us tend to follow them. What better way to celebrate the sea-son than to go buy a pump-kin spice latte to share with friends? There isn’t much competition nowadays to per-

ry the relatively cheap way to feel in-tune with the season. Taste and smell are such pow-erful ways of feeling - if they weren’t, binge eating wouldn’t be a thing. Food makes people feel good, so why wouldn’t a seasonal beverage or snack do the same? Seasonal things es-pecially remind people of fam-ily and friends and the sense of belonging that coming togeth-er for the holidays brings. For the past few months and continuing on into these next two months, the pumpkin spice epidemic will continue. It will affect many a consumer with its charming aroma and tasty spices. Per-haps this spring a new taste-fad will emerge; perhaps more powerful than the ever-lasting pumpkin spice

theCATALYST FALL 2014


PRINT EDITOR IN CHIEFDaniela Espinoza

[email protected]

ONLINE EDITOR IN CHIEFWyeth Anderson

[email protected]

Cate [email protected]

NEWS AND FEATURES EDITORAlivia Horsley

[email protected]

OPINION EDITORYasmeen Arami

[email protected]

Meghna [email protected]

ARTS AND LIFE EDITORRamya Ramamoorthy

[email protected]

SPORTS EDITORMegan McDonell

[email protected]

COPY EDITORKatherine Yancey

[email protected]

LAYOUT DESIGNERAnya Knoth

[email protected]

SENIOR EDITORSMari Andreatta

[email protected]

Amanda [email protected]

FACULTY ADVISORSClare Wadbrook

[email protected]

Robert [email protected]

ABOUT THE CATALYST

The Catalyst is a student-run news-paper that is published quarterly in print and online for Notre Dame High School community.

EDITORIAL POLICY

The Catalyst accepts unsolicited letters from students, faculty, staff, and alumni as well as press releases from on and off-campus organiza-tions, but cannot guarantee publi-cation. The Catalyst reserves the right to edit or reject submissions it deems objectionable.

The views expressed in the Opin-ion section do not reflect the views of The Catalyst, Notre Dame High School, or the Archdiocese of San Francisco, but are solely the views of the writer. Unsigned editorials reflect the opinion of The Catalyst.

CONTACT US

Notre Dame High Schoolc/o The Catalyst Newspaper1540 Ralston AvenueBelmont, California 94002

Phone: 650-595-1913Email: [email protected]: TheCatalystNDB.comSocial Media: @TheCatalystNDB

Photo Credit: Robert Rojas

@theCATALYSTNDB

lished in five years. It was an ambitious goal, but we are very proud of everyone who has been involved. This issue is not for us; it is for you, our beloved community. Our goal was to share compelling sto-ries, encourage new thoughts, and inform students, faculty, and staff about events and oc-currences in our community. We would like to take the time to thank the individu-als on our Editorial Staff. This issue would not have been pos-sible without you. We would like to send our appreciation to each of our dedicated writers who covered the stories in this issue and the photographers who captured the moments de-picted here. We also would like to thank our wonderful mod-erators, Clare Wadbrook and

Robert Rojas. Your dedica-tion to journalism, keeping the public informed, and to the club and all of its members have inspired us as Editors in Chief. You are inspiring role models for us and we appreci-ate your hard work very much. Finally, we would like to thank our Head of School, Maryann Osmond for supporting our club and giving us the oppor-tunity to print the first issue of this newspaper. All in all, we would like to emphasize the impor-tance of being an informed community. Keeping up with what is happening here on-campus is the first step to-ward making our school the best it can be. We hope you read these pages and appreci-ate even more what it means to be a Notre Dame Tiger.

College: Don’t ask...OPINION•3theCATALYST

FALL 2014

Continued from Page One

present to hear our answer. By talking about the number of schools we’re applying to or discussing which ones we’ve categorized as “safety,” “tar-get,” and “reach,” we risk of-fending our peers. If you are applying to twenty schools and you tell that to someone who is apply-ing to ten, it might make them nervous about their lower number or even make you ner-vous about your higher num-ber. On the same note, there is no need to discuss “safety” schools. Everyone has dif-ferent strengths and we have all prioritized different things throughout high school, so naturally our college choices are different. If you are talking about your “safety” school and someone who considers it a “reach” school overhears, they might feel embarrassed or insulted. The situation is the same when reversed: you would feel badly about your-self if your dream school was someone else’s “back-up plan.” It is important to be mindful when we discuss col-leges because we never know who is listening or who could be offended by our comments. Along with steering clear from discussions about the number of colleges we’re applying to or how we catego-rize them, we must try to avoid being negatively influenced by the thoughts of others. Of course, it is important to dis-cuss financial and logistical matters with our parents, but it is vital that we stay true to our-


selves and do not let the opin-ions of others distort our views or discourage us from apply-ing to a school. The next four years of our lives will only be as enriching as we make them, and we ultimately need to choose colleges that we are happy with and excited to con-tribute to. As hard as it is to ignore the reviews of strang-ers on websites and comments of people we care about, it is essential that we trust our own instincts. Finally, we must ac-knowledge that we are not looking for perfection in a col-lege, but rather a perfect fit for us. That’s why saying, “I’m applying to the best colleges for me” is different than say-ing, “I’m applying to the best colleges out there.” If you are applying to twenty colleges because that is what you feel is best, then power to you. If your “safety” school is some-one else’s “reach” school, you can certainly be proud of your-self for your hard work, but there’s no need to talk about how easily you’ll be accepted there in front of her. We are all going through this application process together and our job is to support each other, not try to one-up each other. It’s natural for friends to talk about college and dis-cuss future plans, but don’t pry on the process of others if you don’t really care to know - you might receive an answer that makes you less confident in your own college process. So, when it comes to applying to colleges: don’t ask, don’t tell (until May!)


Interested in reporting for the Catalyst? Email [email protected] for more information

How to study for those final examsAre the odds in your favor for the “Academic Hunger Games”?

by Ramya RamamoorthyArts and Life Editor

Start early: Planning ahead takes so much stress off your shoulders and boosts your grade. During finals week, there are two exams per day, depending on your schedule. Think about it - the two classes that you will have exams for the next day took four months to cover! It is im-possible to finish studying two subjects the day before a test. The day before the two exams should not be the first time you look at those study guides; it should be the day you review all the material you had pre-viously studied. Also, if you need help in certain classes, ask the teachers as early as

ing breaks is allowed during finals week. It is actually one of the most necessary as-pects when studying. No one can study continuously for 5 hours, let alone 5 days. Study-ing with a tired mind will defi-nitely not help when trying to recollect a fact during an im-portant test. According to sev-eral studies, taking naps helps to improve productivity. Ev-erybody enjoys a good nap, so don’t be afraid to take a break - just be sure to set an alarm. On the other hand, taking too many breaks can lead to wast-ing time and too many distrac-tions; two to three thirty-min-ute breaks per day is ideal. So follow these tips, take a breath and relax: Finals are only 20% of your grade.

you can. Finals Week is hectic for teachers as well, so asking earlier tends to be better. Be organized: Even if you choose to stay at Star-bucks until midnight, it is bet-ter to have an organized binder next to you than a calculator on your phone, that Chapter 1 Test on the counter, and your lab report with coffee stains lying under the table. Being organized not only helps keep all notes and assignments in one place, but it also reduces the amount of pressure you face during final weeks. Orga-nizing your binder throughout the semester instead of doing it all at once is much better be-cause it saves so much more time and stress. Take breaks: Yes, tak-

Photo Credit: Daniella Espinoza

A few students take advantage of a quiet moment in the school library.

So, how do you prepare for finals?

“Listen to Christmas music to calm yourself down.”

Laine DohertyClass of 2016

“Make study guides the week before all classes, especially Religion.

Ali BadgettClass of 2015

“Watch YouTube for tutorials on classes, espe-cially Chemistry or Bio.”

Meghna MadahavanClass of 2015

Photo credit: Robert RojasPhoto credit: Robert RojasPhoto credit: Robert Rojas

Osmond and Mullan visit international students’ families and promote program throughout AsiaHead of School and Program Director seek to diversify program

TigerBots: A.L.F.A.


to pick up balls. Luisa and Ju-leanne use a cutter to cut and a hot glue gun to melt and shape plastic pieces to make a carrier for the balls. Junior Caitlin Yuen is cutting up JIF peanut butter spread containers into cups to scoop up and carry the balls up the conveyor belt on the ro-bot and to be dropped into the “goals.” Junior Serena Grown- Haeberli is carefully fitting the cups on the conveyor belt, at-taching gears, motors, motor controllers and wiring up the robot. Sophomore Eden Grown-Haeberli and Fresh-man Emma Williams are pro-gramming in RobotC to com-mand A.L.F.A. to run down a ramp, raise the linear slide and roll the spinner to pick up balls. Freshman Roxana Khalili is braiding fishing line. Asked if she knows why she is doing that, she responds, “Isn’t it to make the robot pretty?” Serena comes over and explains that the super strong fishing line is not strong enough and they are braiding, so it will be 3 times stronger. “Arts and crafts” in robotics. Dean, Junior Aly Se-ki’s dad, answers an email cry for help. He appears with fish-ing pole in hand, removes the line and teaches the TigerBots how to furl the line and make knots strong enough to hold the pulley mechanism to raise the robot’s conveyor belt. Kate works diligent-ly on the engineering note-book, which documents what the team accomplishes each meeting, their challenges and how they solve them. Junior Julia Montes-Laing makes a TigerTV spot to encourage more girls to come see what the team is about.

[See TigerBots, 8]


Classes, such as Bi-ology and Video Production, have used the Innovation Lab to get a better understanding of the Ebola virus and to plan out storyboards for videos, re-spectively. “The whiteboard wall and comfortable seats make it easy and fun to collaborate in the Innovation Lab,” says one student. “The space has bright lighting and has helpful tools that make brainstorming and storyboarding easier than be-fore.” A new addition to the Notre Dame technology pro-gram is training for faculty and staff in their academic de-partments on the use of Design Thinking. Bay Area artist and arts educator Corinne Taka-ra lead teachers in the design thinking process and its imple-mentation in their instruction and the Innovation Lab space. Design Thinking is a creative process that helps people design significant solu-tions in the school community. This way of thinking also ex-pands into college and into the career world. Parents are enthusi-astic about the use of Design Thinking as they know it will help their daughters in the fu-ture to develop creative ideas and initiate new concepts.

“Some parents were on the phone,” says Schaefer, “say-ing that they were so excit-ed and that they used Design Thinking at their work.” Starting now in the classroom prepares students for the future. “Students get a more authentic experience so that they are poised to go to college and beyond, and be ready to function in the type of world that exists today that didn’t exist even fifteen years ago,” says Schaefer. The Innovation Lab is only the beginning of many

technological reforms in the NDB community this year. With the 1+1 Technology Pro-gram, students combine the use of personal laptops with the use of classroom iPads to become exposed to and gain experience in utilizing signif-icant technological tools that are necessary for success in high school, college, and be-yond. Various student orga-nizations, including the Femi-nist Club and Mock Trial, use the space for meetings. The Technology Committee also

meets there to discuss ways of improving the technology pro-gram at Notre Dame. The com-mittee consists of administra-tors, faculty, and student tech liaisons who work together to discover new ways to present information in an eye-catching and interesting way. The Innovation Lab is located between the East En-trance and Campus Ministry office. By using technology in school, students learn how to use technology and become bringers of change in the pres-ent day.

by Katherine YanceyCopy Editor

In an effort to grow and strengthen the Interna-tional Student Program on campus, Head of School Mary-ann Osmond and Program Di-rector Raena Mullan recently traveled across Asia, visiting current contacts and building new relationships. In an inter-view with the Catalyst, Mullan talked about her plans for the exchange program over the next few years. Currently, the Interna-tional Student Program is pri-marily working with Chinese schools and families, but this trip to China, Vietnam and South Korea was meant to be-gin the process of diversifying the program. Mullan and Os-mond worked their own con-nections in China, visiting the families of current students, giving presentations at schools and putting the word out about Notre Dame’s unique interna-tional program.

The school’s program is unique because it is not just a semester “exchange,” but a true immersion. Students with strong academic backgrounds are coming to Notre Dame looking for a well-rounded education with the intent to graduate from high school in America and make their way to American colleges and uni-versities. It is part of the school’s travels to educate and inform

potential students and schools about the expectations and re-quirements for the full imer-sion experience. Most of the students must be strong in English and ready to jump into the classroom. Next semes-ter, potential students make the trip out to Notre Dame to shadow and learn about the expectations from a hands-on perspective. For the second half of the trip, Osmond and Mullan

connected with a group of oth-er school administrators and international programs, build-ing relationships with those schools as well as the ones they were visiting throughout South Korea and Vietnam. Mullan said, “I’m ex-cited about the program and its future.” She went on to talk about the potential for Euro-pean exchange students and other students from around the globe. “We want to keep

4•NEWS theCATALYST FALL 2014

Innovation Lab: “Design thinking is a creative process.”


The Mock Trial Team practices arguing one of its cases in the lab.

Photo Credit: Tracey GrownSophomore Eden Grown-

Haeberli and Freshman Emma Williams work on programming.

Photo Credit: Raena Mullan

Osmond and Mullan pose with staff from Ningbo No.2 High School of Zhejiang Province.

Things you notice as a trischool student at Serra High School1. Before you walk into Serra, you have to take a minute to make yourself physically presentable.

This may or may not include adjusting your skirt, so your running shorts do not show, and your hair, so it’s not a cra-zy mess.

2. When you walk through the halls, you relish in the amaz-ing power of being able to walk through a crowded hallway

full of boys who create a clear path where none of them touch you.

3. By the time you get back to Notre Dame, all of the best parking spots are already gone.

Notice anything else as a trischool student? Tweet @theCATALYSTNDB with the hashtag #IAmTriSchool

How to accessorize your school uniform for the winter seasonYou still have options to keep a warm sense of styleby Daniella Espinoza and Wyeth AndersonEditors in Chief

As winter approaches, the way we wear our uniform changes. Here are some tips from head to toe to help you stay warm and stylish this win-ter season! Pony tails and messy buns seem to be the way to go all year around. If you want to accessorize your hair, a great way is to wear fashionable headbands. Trendy headbands can be purchased at Francesca’s at Hillsdale and Burlingame Avenues and Anthropology in Burlingame or Palo Alto. A great way to add warmth and creativity to your uniform is scarves. Bulky in-finity scarves are trending right now, and you can wear any pattern or color. They can be purchased at many stores such as BP, Nordstrom, H&M and Urban Outfitters. When temperatures drop, we recommend wear-ing leggings underneath the uniform skirt. Target’s fleece -lined leggings are a cheap way to keep your legs warm during the day. They come in black, follow the Notre Dame dress

code and are quite cozy. Socks can keep you warm, too. You can wear fuzzy knitted socks, soft and cozy socks, or socks with a cute lace lining at the top. Target has a nice selection of socks that are cute and affordable. Free Peo-ple also sells cute socks. But, be careful and make sure they are

in the uniform guidelines. If socks aren’t cozy enough, UGG recently came out with a new pair of shoes that are dress code. They look like sneakers, but come with fur lining to heat your toes. Not to mention they come in a variety of school appropriate colors. Stay toasty warm!

NEWS & LIFE•5theCATALYST FALL 2014


Students model their stylish, yet affordable winter gear.

Photo Credit: Daniella Espinoza

Photo Credit: Wyeth Anderson


Tis’ the season for volunteeringSome organizations are in need of a little holiday helpby Yasmeen AramiOpinion Editor

As the holidays ap-proach, many people find themselves looking for op-portunities to do service and give back to the community. Community service is a great way to form new bonds with the people you serve, as well as those you are serving with. So, grab a friend and check out one of these service opportuni-ties for the month of Decem-ber:

1. Brittan Acres (BA) Holi-day Boutique: On Saturday, December 6 from 9am to 1pm, volunteers will guide BA stu-dents through the boutique and assist them with gift selection. Some volunteers may also assist with the coloring area, wrapping area, and bake sale. If you have any ques-tions about this opportunity, contact Kathi at [email protected]

2. Holiday Craft Night at Tenth and Mission Fami-ly Housing: On Wednesday,

Party: On Wednesday, De-cember 17 from 11am to 3 pm, volunteers will serve food and socialize as well as set before and clean up after the event.

5. Edith Witt Senior Com-munity Christmas Lun-cheon: On Friday, December 19 from 12 to 2 PM, volunteers will serve food, lead activities, and help distribute gifts. If you hae any ques-tions about these opportuni-ties, contact Clint Womack at (415) 972-1297 or [email protected].

December 10 from 5 to 6pm, volunteers will create holiday decorations with kids and fam-ilies as well as set up before and clean up after the event. 3. Canal Family Support Spirit of the Holiday Par-ty: On Friday, December 18 from 1:30 to 5:30pm, volun-teers will serve snacks and lead crafts as well as decorate before and clean up after the event.

4. Adult Day Service San Mateo County Christmas


Want to write forNEWS, OPINION,

ARTS & LIFE, or SPORTS?

Contact the Editors [email protected]

Oh, the places you can go during the holidaysA guide of local holiday-themed events to take your out-of-town family and friends

Review: 1989One of the best albums of 2014

by Katherine YanceyCopy Editor

The end of the semes-ter begins the season of holi-day parties, Christmas shop-ping and the wave of relatives coming to town. Luckily, San Francisco is a major tourist destination and you don’t have to go too far to find fun activi-ties for the whole family. If your holiday plans include hosting relatives, be sure to look up the CityPass, a discount card sold during the holidays that includes admis-sion to the California Acade-my of Sciences, the Aquarium of the Bay, and the Explorato-rium, along with a seven-day Muni ticket and a Bay Cruise. Don’t miss the Insta-gram-worthy photo opportu-nity at the Christmas tree and ice rink in Union Square. Open from November 5 to January

19, the Union Square Ice Rink is the center of holiday festivi-ties. Throw on your cutest win-ter sweater, and don’t forget socks for skating. Admission is $11 for adults and $7 for chil-dren under 8. Skate rentals are $6 per person. If you’re feeling eco-friendly, show your rel-atives the benefits of public transit like BART and Muni. You’ll save on parking and the walk will make you feel bet-ter about indulging on mass quantities of holiday sweets at Ghirardelli Square. “The Nutcracker Bal-let” is a Christmas tradition and almost every theatre has their own production this sea-son. You can take your family to see the San Francisco Ballet for a full professional produc-tion or to a local theatre where you’ll see more familiar faces. Depending on the time your

family is visiting and the num-ber of people attending, a lo-cal performance is usually the less expensive option, and the money you save can go toward treating yourself to dinner be-fore the show. The American Con-servatory Theater is also run-ning “A Christmas Carol” during December if your rela-tives prefer a play rather than a ballet. And, musical lovers can enjoy “Kinky Boots,” playing out of the Orpheum during the month of December. The San Francisco Zoo has its own Christmas cel-ebration. The entire zoo will be lit up with holiday lights from December 19 through the 30 for “Zoo Lights.” Children can play in the playground under the lights and stars and even in artificial snow. Admission is $7 for adults and $5 for children under 14, not including the $8

for parking. You can also show your relatives the trendy food trucks of San Francisco which will be stopping by the zoo for the festivities. If you don’t want to go all the way to the zoo, but want to show your guests one of the areas new gourmet mo-bile food markets, check out “Off the Grid” to see if there’s a food truck gathering near you. The holidays are a magical time of the year, es-pecially in a city as vibrant as San Francisco. Your relatives are sure to enjoy the beautiful weather, fun activities and de-licious food. Be sure to check online before planning your family outings because there are discounts to be found for most of these events. And a penny saved is a penny that can be spent on Christmas shopping or Sprinkles Cup-cakes.

Review: Why you don’t want an iPhone 6 for ChristmasApple’s newest version of its hallowed smartphone is not quite worth the upgrade just yet

by Ramya RamamoorthyArts and Life Editor

With “1989” selling the most number of copies a week since 2002, it is safe to say that this fifth studio album by global superstar Taylor Swift is one of the most successful albums of our time. Swift de-cided to take a different route with her fifth studio album and made it a solely pop album. Swift claimed inspiration from the musicians such as Annie Lennox and Madonna during her birth year of 1989. The songs in the al-bum not only give a pop feel, but Swift’s songwriting process itself has seemed to grow. With songs like “Welcome to New York” and “Out of the Woods”, she seems to have grown in the process of finding who she is, both personally and musically. The two singles off the album “Shake It Off ” and “Blank Space” have become the No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 list. Both music videos have also received apprecia-tion with “Shake It Off ” having more than 370,000,000 views and “Blank Space” receiving more than 121,00,000 views. When listening to the album, I completely agree with Rolling Stones contribut-ing editor Rob Sheffield, who said that “1989 sounds exactly like Taylor Swift, even when it sounds like nothing she’s ever tried before.” All these years, ev-eryone (maybe even herself) thought that she was just a teenage girl who wrote about her love life and accompanied her songs with an acoustic gui-tar. Now, we all know that she is far more than that - she is a girl who loves to have fun, go on adventures, and create mu-sic that people can dance to. All in all, Taylor Swift has succeeded tremendously with the release of her new al-bum. It is only the beginning and it has already gone plati-num. So, let me tell you this - if you loved her previous albums (like I did), you will absolutely adore, listen to on repeat, and hold on to “1989.”

Photo Credit: Big Machine Records

by Alivia HorsleyNews and Features Editor

Around the same time every year, Apple enthusiasts and the average consumer alike line up in long rows ex-tending down the block from their local Apple store. All of them have come to receive or purchase the new iPhone; this year, it happened to be the sixth version that came out. It’s the same routine every year; bigger phone, bet-ter camera, supposedly a lon-ger battery life. But there have already been some major prob-lems with the newest addition, as well as some fixes that have been needed to be applied to problems that have existed for quite some time. Humorously enough, one of the first things consum-ers noticed with the iPhone 6 is that when put into the pock-et of skinny jeans, the phone will physically bend, as if a child trying to bend a spoon. Apple has been trying to make their phones sleeker and less chunky, but perhaps for this model, they might have gone too far. This is probably due to the fact that this latest iPhone is made out of aluminium - a very malleable metal. It does not appear to affect the perfor-mance or the screen, but it can be annoying to some custom-ers who happen to enjoy wear-ing form-fitting clothing. On the other hand, UI design (user interface) for iP-hones tend to shape up rather

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well as designs progress, hav-ing an equal amount of ups and downs. The bigger screen means more space, there is lit-tle to no crashing of apps, and using the phone runs smooth for users across the board.

With the iOS 8 update, apps won’t cache and there-fore will run up room on your phone, but this problem can be fixed by uninstalling and rein-stalling the app. The new lock screen makes whatever is the background very pleasant to look at, and the overall layout

of the phone itself has con-sistently stayed pleasing. In terms of design and layout, the iPhone has always succeeded at looking good. In terms of technol-ogy, there is no incentive to

the iPhone 6. One of the biggest changes in how an app works is the photo stream; there is no longer an album that contains all the photos ever taken on the phone, but rather a thing called “moments” which lists the ex-act date, time, and location the photo was made or taken. It separates the images into categories from the date or lo-cation. From reports of other users, this is rather annoying, due to the fact some of the im-ages that people use are not al-ways recent and are therefore tucked away into the phone’s moments archive. To find any image is a hassle, unless it is recently taken on that phone. Most apps don’t support the feature, and as a result, users cannot upload photos to social media that is older than a few weeks or so. With every new addi-tion of the iPhone comes ups and downs with problems in user design and phone perfor-mance. Usually these ups and downs equalize each other, which is the case with the iP-hone 6. No piece of technol-ogy can be perfect, yet Apple strives to make their products as close to perfection as pos-sible. Although each phone comes with its problems, each phone will always present solutions to the issues con-sumers have. Although it de-pends on one’s situation and preference, we do not recom-mend getting an iPhone 6 this holiday season.

buy the iPhone 6 for software purposes - the latest upgrade is applied to all existing phones. Hence for the most recent gen-eration iPhones, the iOS tends to be the same. This means that iPhone 5 users will have the same software experience as those that have purchased

Photo Credit: Apple

Cross Country: A senior reflects on the past four seasonsMcDonell: “There is a respect for the tenacity of every runner, whether they finish the course in 30 minutes or 18.” by Megan McDonellSports Editor

When people ask me why I ran Cross Country for the past four years, it’s hard to give them a straight answer. I could say because even though running may come as a pun-ishment to some, I could not think of a better way to stay in shape. It could be because I love being able to work my-self harder and see the results. It could be because I am not very coordinated, so it was the only sport that did not re-quire me to have contact with a moving object. These are all plausible reasons, but the main reason I have run Cross Coun-try and return every season is because of the family that I call my team and coaches. To pretend running Cross Country was easy, how-ever, would be a huge un-derstatement. Practices are around two hours, Monday through Thursday afterschool. On an average day, we run a variety of sprints to up to 3 or 4 miles. As in most sports, balancing school with working out proves to be a challenge. What’s different about this sport though, is you do not get breaks. When Coach Mike Benedetti tells us to run four hill sprints in a certain amount

by Amanda ReshkeSenior Editor

At the beginning of the season, Coach Jen Agres-ti looked at us and said, “We can go all the way.” As I stood there listening, I thought it was the typical, cliché speech that I always heard at the begin-ning of each season. I never could have imagined how the authenticity of that statement would be so blatantly evident in a few months’ time. Before we faced the NorCal Finals, everything seemed unreal. It’s like that moment when you’re trying to reach for that last cupcake in the chaos; when you’re push-ing through the crowd, seeing, but not reaching it. If this isn’t stressful enough, there’s some-one else trying to swoop in on that cupcake. You’re almost there, and you see that it’s red velvet. You suddenly turn into the monster that Rihanna has been singing about all this time. You need the cupcake. Similarly, everything we’d worked for was brushing against our fingertips, almost

in our clutch. At the same time, everything was on the line and could easily escape from us, just like that other person could take the cupcake be-fore you seize it. It’s conflict-ing to feel pressure weighing down on you in one moment and then nothing in another. We felt like we’d come so far that we had to win everything and go all the way; on the oth-er hand, we’re proud of what

SPORTS•7theCATALYST FALL 2014

of time, it does not matter if we don’t feel good, we do it. You ice everyday because, as a runner, there is usually never a time where something does not hurt. Feel like throwing up? Do it quick because we have one more mile until we get to go home. Meets are a whole dif-ferent story. Each course is about 3 miles, and contradic-tory to some people’s belief, it is not a jog. When the gun goes off you are expected to run your hardest until you vir-tually want to keel over and pass out. There are no subs, no time outs, everyone runs

for their own best time. So, why do we put ourselves through this? We finish a race for that crazy amazing feeling that we ac-complished something we thought we could not. Also, I have never ex-perienced a more supportive community than that of Cross Country, across all teams. Girls and coaches from oth-er teams would pat me on the back and wish good luck be-fore and after races, and we would do the same. When it comes down to it, we all have to experience the misery of that last final sprint, that aw-

ful first hill, and then the joy of a job well done. In Cross Country, there is a respect for the tenacity of every runner, whether they finish the course in 30 minutes or 18. After my junior year, six of my close senior friends who made up most of the team, graduated. I was worried that the next year would nev-er be the same without them, especially without my long-time mentor and friend, Emily Casey. But when new smiling faces joined this year, looking to me for guidance and lead-ership, I knew that it was my turn to pass on the legacy.

With help from MVP Riley McGlinchey, we became one of the faster teams that Coaches Mike and B.J. have coached in awhile. I broke personal records I had never thought were possible, and it was all due to them. This sup-port could not have been seen as stronger at what would have been my last race at CCS. Due to a freak health incident, I was not physical-ly able to run my last race that I had been training for for weeks. I was a devastated mess with tears running down my cheeks when I asked my coach what to do. I decided to still give the team my pre-race pep talk and there was not a dry eye in our team huddle that day. I felt like I had let everyone down when the gun went off and I had to walk off the starting line until Coach Mike looked me in the eye and said, “You have never made us more proud.” In that moment I was reminded of why I joined the sport in the first place, and why I would encourage anyone to become a part of this amazing family. Eventually I will for-get my personal records, and I may lose my ability to run a mile in the same time, but that NDB community is something that I will always remember.

Volleyball: A senior reflects on the team’s CCS championship winReshke: “To my teammates: We are ga-ZELLES. Or, I guess, in Katie Smoot’s case, a lion.”

we’ve accomplished and we know that all we can do is play our best. Although we lost, we know that we put our hearts and souls into the game. Our season would not have been successful without our coach who always sup-ported and believed in us. We’ve come such a long way since the beginning of the season. Other schools were actually surprised when

our successes started to mount up. And, trust me, surprising people is the best feeling in the world. It’s a blaring reminder that you don’t need the faith of others in order to succeed; all you need is confidence in yourself and your teammates. That confidence wasn’t as hard to find as you might think - Each and every one of the girls on our team is incredi-

Photo Credit: Mike McDonell

The team smiles with relief after finishing a meet at Golden Gate Park.


Senior Maggie McDonald and Sophomore Katie Smoot block Harker’s offense.

bly talented, so trusting each other wasn’t difficult. In fact, our team has the best chemis-try that I’ve ever encountered - Every club or school team I’ve played on can’t compare to this one. I guess it’s eas-iest to say that we just click; the incredible fluidity of some plays this season was unbe-lievable. Somehow, we just naturally became comfortable with each other. Before each game, we gave each other the most inspirational and weird-est pep talks I’ve ever heard, and every one of them worked. When I say “worked,” I mean they drove us to become a cra-zy-looking, screaming crowd of girls. I don’t regret a mo-ment, although I looked like an absolute lunatic. Okay, ladies. We’re about to get a little deeper. It has been a complete honor to have had the opportunity to play with these girls; I hon-estly wouldn’t want to end my high school volleyball career with any other group of peo-ple. I have them to thank for a phenomenal, memorable sea-son that I will never forget.

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So, what did you think of our first issue?Tell us on social media with hashtag #thecatalystndb and #firstissue

A day in the life of a TigerContinued from Page Four Sophomore Lorena Bravo makes a second robot chassis for the drive team to practice driving on the 12’ x 12’ game field. The 3-girl drive team uses joysticks to maneuver the robot and its mechanisms. Natasha makes the TigerBot tri-fold brochure to publicize the team. All the girls are working on getting grants from companies and recruiting sponsors to fund the team. This is a team in every sense of the word. The robot depends on builders, electri-cians, programmers and drive team members to act together.

TigerBots: A.L.F.A. ready to compete

Anywhere along the chain, the robot can fail. Team members must support each other and have spirit! As a volunteer and coach of FTC Team #7593, it is awesome to see the girls

learn to use tools for the first time, work in a team, and grow confident in their new-found skills. So, robot-drivers, pick up your joysticks and come drive with us!

Photo Credit: Tracey Grown

Team members put finishing touches on A.L.F.A.

by Elizabeth BurtonContributing Writer

As all of us are aware that fall is here, and winter is just around the corner. As wonderful as the winter sea-son may be, it is still the sea-son that many people get sick in, which might be why it was dubbed the “Flu Season.” Here are some tips on how to pre-pare for the flu season to avoid getting sick. Tip #1: Wash your hands. All of us have been taught to wash our hands be-fore every meal, but hardly any of us realize how important it really is. The reason behind washing our hands is bacteria. Bacteria can cause many vi-ruses, and they spread incred-ibly quickly within the course of a single day. So, imagine touching something that you never knew had bacteria on it, then finding out later that your hands are covered in bacteria. It’s definitely a good reason to keep your hands clean. Tip #2: Carry hand sanitizer or hand wipes. What if you’re in the middle of something and don’t have time to wash your hands or you aren’t anywhere near a

How to prepare for flu seasonIt takes more than just sleep, tissue, and vitamin C

bathroom? Simple, just carry hand sanitizer or hand wipes in your bag. That way, you can just pull them out when-ever you need them. However, don’t just use hand sanitizer or hand wipes all the time. They will clean your hands, but they don’t have the same effect as soap and water do. Tip #3: Be prepared in case you do get sick. Everyone gets sick at one point or anoth-er, and there’s nothing we can really do about it other than to be prepared. Stock up on es-sentials in case you do get a cold, such as tissues and cough drops, and be sure to put some in your carry-on when you go out in public. That way, you’ll always be prepared in case you suddenly come down with a cold. Also, try eating foods that contain a lot of Vitamin C. Vitamin C is a very good med-icine for colds. Good sources of Vitamin C are fruits such as oranges. Tip #4: Get a flu shot. Not a lot of people are thrilled at the prospect of getting vac-cinated, but for the flu, it’s a good idea to strongly consid-er it. There is a seasonal vac-cine every year for the flu. The Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention, or CDC, says that most cases of the flu begin in October, but in recent cases, the highest number of infec-tions have been in January and February. Therefore, it is most beneficial, if you decide to be vaccinated, to get your flu shot in the fall months. However, getting a shot around the win-ter months, or possibly even spring, is still somewhat ben-eficial. Tip #5: Stay away from crowds. During flu sea-son, it is much easier to get the flu if you stay in a crowd. The flu spreads more easily when there are many people in one single area. Also, watch for coughs and sneezes, be-cause both colds and the flu are spread through droplets that enter the air when some-one with the virus coughs or sneezes. Avoid people that have these symptoms, and you will be less likely to catch the virus. In order to prevent yourself from spreading any-thing if you are the one who is sick, cover your mouth or nose when you sneeze or cough. Remember that there is no cure for a cold or the flu- staying at home and resting is the best medicine for both.

The following photographs are just some of the many academic and extracurricular events that happened during the past several weeks in the Notre Dame community...

The community welcomed several new faculty and staff mem-bers. Pictured from left to right: Kristen Menzel (Religious Studies), Dimitri Andruha (Math), My Nguyen (Science), Ro-land Marcello (Math), Erica Cerles (Counseling), Robert Rojas (English), and Anna Gavidia (World Languages). Not pictured: Emily Borja (World Languages) and Wendy Bell (Admissions).

The freshmen class participated in Greek Day, eating Greek food and presenting - some performing - assignments on An-cient Greek history and literature from their English and Social Science classes.

Many students participated in the Halloween-week activities leading up to Ding Bat Day, including the annual Pumpkin Carving Contest, Costume Contest, and rally.

Several members of the volleyball team pose between sets at the CCS Division IV final against Harker School. The team ended its season at the CIF Northern California final against Sonora High School.

View more photos at Facebook: @theCATALYSTNDB


Photo Credit: Clare Wadbrook



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The Catalyst - Fall 2014 Issue