Cate School 2023 Spring Bulletin

CATE BULLETIN

CATE BULLETIN

EDITOR

Avani Patel Shah

MANAGING EDITOR

Matt McClenathen

COPY EDITOR

Kate Parker '85

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Mya Cubero

PHOTOGRAPHER

Aimee Stanchina

HEAD OF SCHOOL

Benjamin D. Williams IV

ASSISTANT HEAD OF SCHOOL FOR EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

Charlotte Brownlee '85

ARCHIVIST

Judy Savage

COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE

Avani Patel Shah

Matt McClenathen

Aimee Stanchina

ADVANCEMENT OFFICE

Lindsay Newlove

Evan Akers

Chris Giles

Guille Gil-Reynoso

Alison Hansen

Kellie Lancaster

Andrew MacDonnell

Sarah Preston

Emily Sosrodjojo '13

MISSION STATEMENT

Through commitment, scholarship, companionship, and service, each member of the Cate community contributes to what our founder called “... the spirit of this place ... all compounded of beauty and virtue, quiet study, vigorous play, and hard work.”

For alumni wishing to update contact information, please email alumni@cate.org.

FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

CATE SCHOOL @CATE_SCHOOL @CATESCHOOL

The Cate Bulletin is published three times a year by Cate School and is distributed free of charge to alumni, parents, and friends of the School. Send correspondence and address changes to: communications@cate.org

This issue of the Bulletin was distributed digitally.

Sage Hou '23 and Kendall Thorne '23 walk together to assembly in the Hitchcock Theatre.

In this Issue Feature Story

Bursting the Bubble: Addressing Global Issues from the Mesa

Learn more about recent developments in Cate’s programming and the intentionality built in to address real-world issues and prepare students for life beyond the Mesa.

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HEAD OF SCHOOL’S LETTER

Head of School Ben Williams writes of hope and the songbird – of bursting the bubble, and reaching beyond the Mesa to fulfill the Servons spirit and reach our potential.

ON THE MESA

Traditions at Cate

Student Leadership

Lunar New Year

Black Culture Celebration

Round Square

Los Niños 2023

Community Engagement Day

Convocation Series

Winter Athletics

Scholastic Awards

Grandparents Day

ALUMNI DISPATCHES

Hear from three Cate alumni and the meaningful work they are engaged in to impact their communities.

FROM THE ARCHIVES

The first computers at Cate can be traced back to the early 1980s when the arrival of 70 new microcomputers changed the education landscape for good.

On the Cover: Students in Beth Caylor’s Marine Evolutionary Biology senior elective explore tide pools at the Carpinteria Bluffs and Seal Sanctuary.

Photo courtesy Ellie Tunnell '23

Students trek off the Mesa to explore nearby Rincon Beach.

From the Head of School Hope and the Songbird

I read an opinion piece in the Washington Post recently with an eye catching title, “We’ll never solve our many crises without this one ingredient …” The author, David Von Drehle, didn’t finish that sentence until the end, but it didn’t really matter because I was captivated by his beginning. His opening line is about a songbird – a cardinal, actually – that appeared at his feeder one early spring day. Songbirds are in decline across the country, for reasons both known and unknown, and Von Drehle was studying that scarlet plumed male with that understanding.

But he didn’t find himself despairing or wondering why he wasn’t seeing more of them. Instead he looked at the bird who flitted about in his stately colors, feeding and posturing with equal zeal, and felt … hope. He is sort of surprised by that sensation, but then he reasons, “If there can be one at my feeder, then there can be more. Let’s see what I can do.”

It’s a posture that is quite familiar to all of us who live and work on this Mesa. Hope is intrinsic to education. That’s a given. But applying hope to problemsolving or crisis management or future planning, that’s a choice. It is easy, these days, to acknowledge the scale of the challenges our world is grappling with and perhaps to become jaded by such knowledge. Every problem can seem bigger than each of us. So thought Mr. Von Drehle. And then that cardinal showed up.

Schools like Cate came into being in large part to separate students from the world so that they might in these small residential communities fashion

something better. How else might they go out into the world and improve it?

Our Mesa is no longer as separate from everything around it as it once was. That “bubble” so many have referred to over the years is a highly permeable membrane. And Cate students and faculty are as likely to reach out beyond our Mesa as the forces impacting our world are to reach in. That’s actually the good news.

No education can be fulfilled in isolation. Ideas need to be challenged, theories need to be tested, people need to be informed, and discoveries need to be made. The whole premise of Servons is that which we owe to others. How can that spirit possibly be actualized without reaching beyond our immediate community?

This issue of the Bulletin addresses that very question and captures some of the ways the Cate community grapples with dynamics and difficulties that transcend any one school or place. That doesn’t mean that we have it all figured out. How presumptuous would that be? But we are doing our best to be a part of many narratives. Like that cardinal from Mr. Von Drehle’s essay, we may appear unexpectedly but we are there to join in, to play a part in the grander scheme, and maybe to offer all a little hope.

It’s hard to imagine a better byproduct of a bubble burst.

Servons, Benjamin D. Williams IV

On the Mesa

Kaity Hendricks '23, Fernando Baldocchi '24, Madeline Losey '26, and Annie Chian '24 help in the community during one of Cate’s two annual trips to Los Niños.

Considering Traditions that Build Community at Cate

By Jay Melican '84

For Cate alumni, it may be the week they spent camping with their classmates in Yosemite, a Los Niños trip, or the annual square dance in the gym. For a majority of recent graduates and current students, the list of Cate traditions they recall as the most meaningful or most inspiring is almost certain to include Sunset Ceremony –now held at the start and end of every school year.

That’s according to the results of a survey conducted by the Education & Student Life (E&SL) Committee of Cate’s Board of Trustees. The E&SL Committee serves to inform and educate the Board on the work of the school and, in particular, on the student experience at Cate. Each year, the committee – composed of trustees, faculty, and five student representatives – focuses its attention on an important aspect of student life at Cate, gathering input from the student body and faculty and, this year, from alumni as well.

The committee’s charge for the 202223 school year is to consider the traditions through which we build

community at Cate, with the goal to share findings broadly, including – as an introduction and welcome – with Alex Lockett, our incoming Head of School. In December and January, 180 student, faculty, and alumni survey participants offered their reflections on Cate traditions. Which have changed or evolved over time? Which endure? Which support a sense of community and belonging? Which may not be accomplishing what we hope they are?

It should not come as a surprise that the traditions cited as most effective at forging community and lasting relationships at Cate are the simple everyday interactions, both scheduled and unscheduled, between students and faculty. Formal dinners, advisory group meetings, all-school assemblies, participating in, and gathering to watch sporting events, dormitory life (and

dorm cheers) were among the most common things that students and faculty said made them feel connected to the Cate community.

Many survey respondents acknowledged the challenges of preserving traditional community interactions – from simply exchanging greetings in passing, to engaging in deep mealtime or dorm room conversations – when it is so easy to become distracted by our phones. On the other hand, just as many praised the ways technology enables us to stay connected as a community through email, social media, video calls, and virtual classes even when we’re not together on the Mesa.

It turns out we cherish Cate’s adaptability in equal measure to its traditions. Some of our community’s most highly valued traditions are, in fact,

relatively new: (e.g., Servons Speeches) or very new (e.g., the Kindness Jar). Some, like formal dinners, are as old as the school itself. An alumnus of the ’80s summed it up best with his response to the survey question, “What would you never change about Cate?” While he loves just about everything about Cate and its longstanding traditions, he said, “I respect and hope that the school will evolve and change, too.”

Thanks to the Education & Student Life Committee’s student representatives: Harry McAdam '23, Gigi Geyer '23, Sahar Shariah '24, Harry Su '25, and Lorelei Roof '26.

A Letter from Student Leadership

It’s hard to believe that our time leading the school is coming to a fast end. Watching juniors begin to juggle prefect fishbowls, campaign events, and the infamous workload of junior spring calls us back to that time; It is during that reflection that we’ve realized we have accomplished our overarching goal for the year –good communication.

Through weekly meetings with Mr. Williams and frequent meetings with Mrs. Hansen (and Cece, for prefects), we’ve fostered the change we wished to see while simultaneously communicating the general feelings of students on campus to the administration. Attitudes at assembly are positive, with great energy coming from students and faculty alike. Recent prefect-led assemblies such as the Valentine’s Day assembly and the St. Patrick’s Day assembly have certainly fostered school spirit –and even a bit of competitiveness among students.

Another central focus for us this year was maintaining school spirit, just as our seniors last year did. Each week, through Servons speeches, sports games, and even the Elimination Game, it is clear that spirit remains. The 9th grade class seems to have truly adjusted to Cate life, and now, while '25 House and Long House have calmed down a little, they are still filled with laughter.

Returning to the theme of communication, through a few written proposals, seniors were able to regain sleepover privileges.

For the rest of the year, we hope to keep spirits high, if not get them even higher, and we look forward to ending the year dedicated to the Cate community and spirit.

STUDENT LEADERS

Liz Sutter '23, Cyrus Symington '23, Claiborne Beurle '23, and Charlie Patel '23

Tatiana Young '23, Carly Medina '23, and Daisy Ryan '23 in Yosemite during the traditional Outings Week trip to start each school year.

U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink Visits Cate School

“Putin’s war goes beyond the territory of Ukraine. It includes weaponizing information, energy, and food to achieve his brutal ends. Through its use of disinformation – using social media platforms and mainstream media to create false narratives and claims — Russia uses our own commitment to free media and open debate in an attempt to undermine democracies in Europe, America, and across the globe,” said Ambassador Brink.

Cate School played host to the U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink during the School’s annual Fall Family Weekend. Brink delivered a keynote address where she shared her journey of world service through her role as ambassador and how her work has impacted the world around her – all with hope as the backbone of the experiences and harsh realities that she witnessed.

“If you remember one thing of what I say today, remember this: every single one of you has the power to affect your life and those around you, to shape events and the future, to have an impact on our world,” said Ambassador Brink.

Brink is the parent of current Cate senior Jack Higgins. She delivered her address on day two of the three-day Fall Family Weekend at the School.

“It is great to be back at Cate, not only to be in this beautiful setting but most importantly to connect with my son, Jack, now in his senior year. Our family has moved so much over the past 26 years that we have to work hard to be together. And every time we are, I am reminded that we are bound as human beings by love – of family and friends, of community and country, and of the shared values that are deeply important to us and the kind of world in which we live in,” said Ambassador Brink.

Ambassador Brink began her remarks with an acknowledgment of the Ukrainian family in the audience that is a part of the Cate community. Through her 45-minute address, Ambassador Brink eloquently shared the impact that the current Ukraine-Russia conflict has on the world at large.

She underscored the value of education and how it both shapes values and provides resources to defend and advance those values in the greater world. “Here is where Cate, and educational institutions like it, are key to helping you develop the values, skills, and self-confidence to enter the fray in the never-ending effort to shape this world in which we all live. Whether you do this in government, business, or the arts, there are many ways to advance our shared values and be part of something larger than yourself.”

Ambassador Brink concluded her remarks with a clip of “My Shot” from Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Tony-winning Broadway musical Hamilton.

“Alexander Hamilton’s story, and the history of the United States during the Revolutionary War, highlights themes that I have touched on today. Of hope. Of rising up against impossible odds. And of the enduring struggle for freedom in the face of a bigger and stronger power,” said Brink.

“Every single one of you has the power to affect your life and those around you, to shape events and the future, to have an impact on our world.”

Lunar New Year Celebration

Food, joy, and quality time with family and friends are all hallmarks of a Lunar New Year celebration; this year’s celebration of the Year of the Rabbit had all of this and more.

In the Chinese program, instructor Song Ge’s students learned about the traditions associated with the festival, made and exchanged red envelopes, and enjoyed traditional snacks. “These moments were very sweet, and they reminded me of what it is like to celebrate the holiday with my family in China. Every class is like a big family, and I appreciate and love every one of them,” she shared.

Multicultural Program Coordinator Kadeine Peterson took students to the local Asian market so that they could purchase fresh dumplings and snacks – essentials for a bright and enjoyable Lunar New Year. “I enjoyed being a part of a trio of faculty members chaperoning a trip to the Asian market in Goleta. It was a fun opportunity for me to engage with members of our Asian student community while stocking up on some cross-cultural treats. Who knew that there was such overlap between Chinese and Jamaican products and food?” she remarked.

Student leaders worked with Peterson to put together the program of events for the Lunar New Year celebrations. A festive dinner party for Asian students where students prepared dumplings together was the headliner of the events. Students Tristan Hui '24, Ella Chang '23, and Kendall Rhee '24 spearheaded the event and cooked most of the dumplings themselves.

The Cate Mesa was adorned with bright red lanterns throughout the celebration, with special decorations in each dorm as well. “In our dorm, our dorm parents and students put up many Lunar New Year decorations. They looked terrific, and I had tears of joy when I saw the dorm. Around campus, there were red lanterns everywhere. They lightened up my heart,” said Song Ge.

As a special surprise, Performing Arts

Department Chair John Knecht arranged for the Cal Poly Lion Dance team to perform during the festival. Chinese communities use lion dancers to honor special guests and to celebrate important occasions such as business opening events, celebrations, wedding ceremonies, and the Lunar New Year.

Song Ge noted, “I appreciate every adult and student who participated in putting together this celebration, especially those who don't celebrate the festival. Lunar New Year is a time for family gatherings, and many of our students and I sometimes find it difficult because we are far from home. However, the selfless love, care, and support from Cate adults and students helped me to find joy instead of missing home. This community is part of my family, and I could not be more grateful for them.”

“Lunar New Year is a time for family gatherings, and many of our students and I sometimes find it difficult because we are far from home. However, the selfless love, care, and support from Cate adults and students helped me to find joy instead of missing home.”

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day & Black History Month Celebrations Celebrate Black Culture

This January, the Cate community celebrated the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through conversation, education, and reflection. The day started with a school-wide assembly and performance of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” led by Black members of the community. A vibrant drum circle featuring performances by Modern Languages Department Chair

Mamadou Pouye and Performing Arts Department Chair John Knecht as well as audience participation from various Cate faculty and students set an energetic tone for the day.

Then, the audience heard from marine archeologist Jewell Humphrey who spoke on finding and loving community. “She was very lively, engaging, and her work inspired me. I've never heard of a marine archeologist before, never mind a Black female archeologist. I also loved how she wove in conversation about Black people and their relationship to water,” shared Noor Harwell '24.

After a lunch break, students attended one of a wide variety of workshops facilitated by faculty on topics like Dr. King and Financial Literacy, 'Viajar' To and From our Community, Biology & Race: The Power of an Illusion, and more.

“We've consistently built a program in support of our MLK Day celebration that has evolved over time to meet the theme of the day, the needs of the School, and the current climate. This year's celebration included faculty-led workshops on varied topics and gave both students and faculty an opportunity to engage in the day in new and meaningful ways, capitalizing on the depth

Watch the full morning program, including the drum circle, Jewell’s talk, and more here.

of knowledge and passion that our community can offer. I can't wait to see more of this in the future!” said Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Elana Stone. The day ended with group reflections by advisory.

In February, the community embraced the theme of Rest is Resistance as part of the School’s Black History Month celebration. During assembly, students from the Black Student Union announced the theme and set the tone for the month. The program began with the 9th-grade chorale class singing “Dona Nobis Pacem” and included student and faculty announcements, a “Guess that Song” game featuring Black artists, and a moment of meditation that aligned with the month’s theme. Throughout the month of February, a variety of offerings centered the Black experience and encouraged rest, resistance, and relaxation communitywide. Watch the special extended assembly that kicked off Black History Month here.

Watch the special extended assembly that kicked off Black History Month here.

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We’ve consistently built a program in support of our MLK Day celebration that has evolved over time to meet the theme of the day, the needs of the School, and the current climate.”

Students and faculty singing the Black national anthem “Lift Every Voice and Sing” to kick off the MLK Day Celebration.

Round Square Conference in Canada

By Frances Davis '24

At 7:00 p.m. on the 12th of February, five student delegates, along with Mr. Holmes and Mr. Pouye, loaded their bags into a van and headed north to the Winter Round Square Conference in Ottawa, Canada. Armed with heavy down jackets and a surface level understanding of the theme ‘Living the North,’ we thought we had a decent idea of what was to come. Despite it being different than we expected, we were all very pleasantly surprised at the direction the conference ended up heading.

Our week-long stay was broken up into three portions; the first with a host family in Ottawa, then a couple of nights at a resort near Montréal, then back to the host families. While in Ottawa, we ate and slept at our host families’ homes, getting to know them and the other student delegates we were living with. We spent the rest of our days listening to fascinating speakers who taught us about the Arctic Circle, indigenous people and their relationship to nature, and the

effect of climate change on northern territories. Some of these incredible keynote speakers included Hanne Fugl Eskjaer – the current Danish ambassador to Canada, Waneek Horn-Miller – the

first Mohawk woman in the Olympics, and Natan Obed – the President of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami. Every speaker we were so fortunate to hear from challenged predisposed beliefs many of us carried and encouraged us to learn more about what climate change is doing to northern communities and the North’s impact on the broader ecosystem.

On the last day, we were split into groups to learn a particular trade important in indigenous culture, including making beeswax candles, beading, and making dreamcatchers. I believe I speak for everyone who attended when I say that overall it was an incredible experience during which I learned so much. We are presently thrilled to bring what we learned back to Cate through an upcoming project with the rest of our Cate delegation.

Q&A with Round Square Exchange Student Araceli Guerra

What was most appealing to you about the exchange program?

The sense of independence that I would gain was very appealing to me. I've never been to California and I'm going to college next year, so I felt like it would be a very good first step to knowing a little bit more about how independent I can be. It’s also a great way to get to meet new people from different places, which is very interesting to me.

and not only be able to dance but to be a part of Dance Convocation was amazing; I have never been a part of something like that before. I've been to dance competitions, but I've never seen a show that was basically a play, with a story told through dance, and I just loved that. I gained so many friends from dance; everyone was always so nice. Everyone was trying to get me involved in the dances and everybody was so helpful. That was just amazing.

This winter, Cate played host to an exchange student from Peru through the Round Square exchange program, Araceli Guerra. As part of the program, a Cate student will be hosted by Araceli's family and attend her school as an exchange student this summer. We sat down with Araceli to learn about her experience as a member of the Cate community.

Tell me a little bit about how you got involved with Round Square. I’m from Lima, Peru, and I go to San Silvestre School, and my school is very involved with Round Square. They have a Google Classroom for Round Square where they post about conferences, Round Square Postcards, and opportunities like exchanges. Around September or October last year, they posted about this opportunity. I filled out a form and then was given a time and a place for a little interview. From everyone who does an interview, they choose 10 students to participate.

The program offers you a few different options for the exchange. Why did you choose Cate? When they asked me what I was looking for in a location, I said I wanted to go to a place where I can speak in English so that I am able to communicate and and perhaps a place that was like a little bit urban so that I wasn't like in the middle of the countryside. California is a perfect balance of that because I like nature, just not to an extreme. When they offered Cate as an option, it was the first of the schools that I had heard about before. Then, I researched about it, and it seemed like such a friendly place with a very welcoming community. It looks very bright and I saw some pictures of class going on outside in the garden, which seemed very innovative to me. I also liked the variety of students that I saw and their different backgrounds and interests that they all had.

What was your experience like once you arrived at Cate?

It was definitely just as I expected, if not better. In my first few days I met one to three people a day and on my first day, I actually met probably 10 or 15 people! Everyone was very friendly, understanding, and easygoing. I have loved it here. The highlight of my experience was definitely dance. I’m a dancer, and being able to come here

What did you enjoy learning about in the classroom at Cate?

Photography and history were my favorite classes. Photography was something that I've never taken a course in, but I do love taking pictures of my surroundings and my friends, so when they told me that they have a photography course, I was very excited to take it and it's definitely been very fun.

With history, I didn’t know what to expect but the teacher was just so nice and generally understanding. She never pushed me to specifically do anything that I couldn’t do because she knew I didn’t have a strong background in history. It was just a very comfortable experience because she said that I should treat this experience like a sponge – don't be stressed; just absorb everything you can.

What has surprised you about your Cate experience?

It has really surprised me the level of friendliness here and how welcoming the community has been. Everyone is a good, civil community member, and they are all helpful, friendly, easygoing, understanding, and empathetic here. It has been amazing.

Los Niños Trip 2023

By Nate Newlove '25

Twice a year for the past few decades, Cate students have been crossing the U.S./Mexico border by foot and doing service work in Mexican communities in need. Cate works with an organization called “Los Niños” which means “the children.” People from Los Niños look for communities that need help with manual labor or a shot of hope. Alonzo, who works at Los Niños, tells Cate exactly what these communities need, and we help however we can. The Los Niños trip is for helping communities in need and giving new perspectives and knowledge to all who attend.

Flora Adair '26 takes a photo while playing with children from the Los Niños community.

Nate Newlove '25 helps mix cement in La Ladrillera.

Ethan Bloom '25 suits up to help with beekeeping.

Cargo Across the Border

Our trip began with some difficulties. Before we left the Mesa, our group was given 21 boxes of new clothes from a local school to be donated in Mexicali. These boxes were to be carried with us as we crossed the border on foot. After checking our luggage, the border patrol told us we could not take the boxes with us through the border for wholesale tax reasons. We were devastated. We knew that these clothes would have helped so many people in need. At that moment, we all realized that even with good intentions, sometimes things don’t go your way and you have to accept that. This was a humbling experience because the whole situation was completely out of our hands. Luckily, as we were leaving a few days afterward, Alonzo’s son was able to pick the boxes up and drive them across the border.

Concrete Laying

Making concrete is not as easy as it may seem. Prior to this trip, my only experiences with concrete were seeing the big spinning trucks that concrete gushed out of. I assumed concrete came in that form and the process was easy. Boy, was I wrong. When we arrived at a preschool in a brick-making community called La Ladrillera (meaning the brickyard), we were greeted with numerous 100-pound bags of cement. Everyone was given a shovel, and the work began. Three wheelbarrows full of sand and rocks had to be thoroughly mixed in with the cement. Under Alonzo’s guidance, we used buckets to scoop water from a wheelbarrow and dump it on our piles. As the sour smell of concrete filled our noses, our hearts filled with pride. We had just completed a task that was daunting and, frankly, extremely hard. After laying the concrete along the edges of the fences of the school, we were exhausted. The realization that people in these communities have to do that every day for hours on end was crazy to think about. This gave us a whole new perspective on how people make their living, and how what we think is hard is nothing compared to others.

The Los Niños trip provides all who go with such new and powerful perspectives and ideas on how the border should be run. It is an eye-opening experience that anyone who has the chance should take up.

“The Los Niños trip provides all who go with such new and powerful perspectives and ideas on how the border should be run.

It is an eye-opening experience that anyone who has the chance should take up.”

Students learn about how local economies support themselves through beekeeping and honey harvesting.

Community Engagement Day

By Will Holmes, Director of Community Engagement

On February 2, Cate School traveled by advisories to 36 different nonprofits and schools for Community Engagement Day. Many of the groups stayed in Carpinteria, while some went as far away as Goleta and even Oxnard. Repeat partner organizations look forward to this annual connection with Cate, and people regularly comment how impressed they are by the quality of our groups and the quantity of their productivity. I am always proud to represent Cate and especially while preparing for this morning when 370 of us truly engaged with our local communities. Servons

My morning was spent with the advisories of Shannon Drew and Kyle Mason at Santa Barbara Habitat for Humanity where the experience was educational, fulfilling, and enjoyable. During the orientation, we did a hands-on activity that highlighted the lack of affordable housing available in Santa Barbara especially for people earning minimum wage. Our project was to transform two spaces near a recently donated house. When we arrived they were patches of dirt and weeds, but we left them cleaned out, newly soiled, and arranged with drought tolerant plants. Amanda from Habitat for Humanity wrote, “Thank you SO much for such a fantastic volunteer day yesterday morning. I had a wonderful time with your students – they are all so kind, hardworking, and fun to spend the time with.”

Alicia Hammond and her advisory spent Community Engagement Day helping out at Girls Inc. of Carpinteria.

Renee Mack and her advisory assisted with landscaping at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden.

“I am always proud to represent Cate and especially while preparing for this morning when 370 of us truly engaged with our local communities. Servons.”

Community Engagement Day Comments

As for other Cate groups, I heard many appreciative Community Engagement Day comments from students and teachers. What follows are just some of the compliments that organization representatives shared about Cate’s efforts that day.

“Thank you so much! The students did an amazing job in our teen center.”

Diana from the Carpinteria Boys & Girls Club about John Knecht’s advisory

“It was wonderful, having your helpful, kind, and generous students on campus at CMS. Thank you!”

Jasmin from Heal the Ocean shared that

Vanessa Cruz Santana '06 and Kadeine Peterson advisories removed 390 pounds of debris from the beach during their wonderful collaboration.

Lisa, the principal of Carpinteria Middle School, praised the Craig Bouma and Kate Parker '85 advisories.

“I want to reach out and appreciate all the students and teachers that came to volunteer at the farm yesterday. It was a great group as always. Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

Leslie from Sweet Wheel Farms in Summerland about the Paul Denison '79, Andrew MacDonnell, and Cece Schwennsen advisories.

the

“They were great helpers, as always!”

Jamie from Girls Inc. of Carpinteria

Convocation Series

Dance Convocation

By Eswyn Gray '23

If you haven’t seen this year’s Dance Convocation CLUE?, I highly recommend watching the recorded video. You’ll get 55 minutes of mystery and intrigue. The popular board game transformed into a dance production and kept the audience guessing: Who murdered Sargeant Green (Jae HallCollins '23)?

This year’s performance was particularly special to me. I have been dancing all my life and have performed in many shows. I’ll never forget the camaraderie that was formed in the making of CLUE?. More than 30 dancers performed and kept the audience guessing whodunit until the very end, but for me, it’s no mystery that

the culprits were the cast and crew who shared their talents and passions.

Student Story Editors Tree Payne '26, Kendall Rhee '24, and Bailey Shaw '24 helped to weave an engaging narrative, crafting the plot and motives. Each character was inventive and colorful with a distinct personality and backstory. The production explored the universal themes of love, greed, envy, and revenge. The story was narrated by voice actors Shelby Kernisant '23, Tree Payne '26, Bailey Shaw '24, and Jade Trimble '25 and recorded by Ember McMullen '24. Thanks to this team, the audience went to a dazzling party and witnessed a murder.

The production was the creative vision of Dance Director Brooke Melton who mentored and guided the group. Instructors Gianna Burright and Bethany Sutherland provided intricate choreography, showcasing various musical genres and dance styles. As a student, I also appreciated the opportunity to choreograph, and other students enjoyed this challenge too. Jae Hall-Collins choreographed a fun and captivating ensemble piece featuring the Greedy GoodFor-Nothing Gold Girls performed by Ella Chang '23, Devon Lack '23, and Carly Weinberger '23. They danced to “Rich Girl” by Gwen Stefani. It was exciting to see the dance come together from the early days of practice in the studio to the glittery

Watch the full video here.

dress rehearsal on stage. I choreographed the dance for Ms. White (Ceci Todd '24). She was a lover of sparkle, diamonds, and all things lavish. That’s why I thought it was fitting that her dance was set in the ballroom to “Sparkling Diamonds” by Nicole Kidman. For this piece, I aimed to capture her grand and opulent personality using many lifts and high kicks to do so. Dance Convocation takes a team; our instructors, student choreographers, and dancers worked together to perform a story through music and movement.

Off the stage, so many helping hands made the show run smoothly. Stage Manager Noor Harwell '24 and many other crew members elevated the show with technical elements. They created a unique ambiance with sound, lighting, and smoke.

To promote Dance Convocation and to get the rest of Cate excited, Ella Chang photographed the characters in costume. Her photos captured the mood of the production for the program, posters, and Instagram posts. Bea Thompson '23 helped the stage and characters come to life with her assistance with costumes and props. And Anna Morse '24 helped dancers look their best and get into character with her stellar make-up tips. In addition to being talented dancers, Ella Chen '23, Carly Medina '23, and Abby Oke '24 gave the best hugs to everyone on tough days. These are just a few examples of how the creative process requires collaboration and a lot of heart. Everyone involved made the experience magical and memorable – the real whodunit.

I love the Dance Convocation group. Each member gave all they could and inspired me to do my best. As Co-Dance Captains, Jae and I have been excited to see how much the dance program has grown over the past four years. We’ll hold on to the memories.

To next year’s Dance Captains, Colette Chang '25 and Ceci Todd '24, I know you will be amazing. I can’t wait to see what you do! And to my dance community, I’m grateful you’ve been my people for the past four years. Sending you love and the best of luck for the years that follow. I’m going to miss you all!

2023 International Convocation

By Talia Tom '23

Cate’s annual International Convocation celebrates all heritages at Cate and is open to anyone in the community to share a part of their culture. This year’s convocation included a diverse program hosted by Hong Kong students Talia Tom '23, Tyler Martinez '24, and Sebastian Sutch '24 that ranged from cultures in Africa to Asia.

As students entered the Hitchcock Theatre, Modern Languages Department Chair Mamadou Pouye gifted our ears with some classic Senegalese drumming. To start off the show, juniors Suzie Diaz represented Mexico by singing the Spanish song La Trenza, Mei Gong from China performed the Chinese folk song 玉珍 and Tristain Hui continued with a Cantonese pop song by Hong

Kong-Canadian singer-songwriter Jay Fung called “Sweetly, 報復式浪漫.”

All of these performances shared the students’ respective languages with the rest of the school. Representing the West was an unconventional presentation by Josie Frazer '24, who read a personal essay about her Danish heritage, her grandmother, and her cultural connection to Christmas. Caroline Keohane '24, joined by a group, shared her special Irish dancing talent with our lucky community. A highlight in this year’s convocation was freshman Ramya Bangaru's ethereal version of Sri Chakra Raja in the native Tamil language, a spiritual and devotional song for the Hindu goddess Lalitha. She was accompanied by Performing Arts Chair John Knecht on Indian drums

mridangam, and it is understated to say that the beautiful performance moved the entire school. HLA heads danced to a remix of songs that spanned all Hispanic cultures. As always, to end the event, representing Korea, Cate’s renowned K-POP group, led by seniors Ella Chang and Ella Chen, rewarded us with two riveting and energy-high dances, “Pop” by Nayeon and a mashup of “Antifragile” (LE SSERAFIM) and “Not Shy” (Itzy).

The 2023 International Convocation could not have ended on a better note, and it is owed to all students who participated to share their cultures and the extensive diversity at Cate School.

Watch the full video here.

Choreographer and Hispanic Heritage Month Speaker Kai Martinez

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, choreographer and dancer Kai Martinez spoke to the Cate community. She shared anecdotes from her childhood, growing up in Jackson Heights in a Colombian-American household, and her journey to dance. She candidly spoke about how she found a sense of belonging through dance, sharing, “I never felt like I fit any where just by being myself – that is, until I found dance.” Today, Kai Martinez is world-renowned for her work on Disney’s animated feature film Encanto, and she performed at the 2022 Oscars for her work on the film. During her visit to Cate, Kai also offered an open dance workshop during M-Block to interested students and shared tips, tricks, and advice with enthusiastic dancing students throughout the day. Watch her full convocation here.

Vice President of Global Creative at Vans Jamie Reilly '88

Returning to the Mesa where he spent his days shooting hoops and skateboarding in his checkerboard Vans – also where he met his wife Vanessa Biddle '88 – Jamie Reilly '88 discussed his career path, early influences, and his quest to create culture during a Convocation in January. Combining his passions of skateboarding and punk rock, Reilly became Vice President of Global Creative at Vans, following an extensive career in advertising for big brands such as Google, Red Bull, Target, Pixar, and Apple, where he helped launch the iPad and iPhone. “Skateboarding and punk really instilled in me this idea that I was able to figure things out myself,” he said. “I might not always succeed my first time around, but there is a lot to be learned from this process of trying things. Getting comfortable with failure, experimentation, and persistence. If you try enough things, you will find something that you are good at.”

Quantum Engineering Lead at Google Jeremy Hilton

A night of quantum mechanics made for a thought-provoking Convocation this November when Quantum Engineering lead for Google, Jeremy Hilton, spoke to the community about the origins of quantum mechanics and explained the fundamentals of quantum computing. “I’ve been in the field for a long time so I’m quite passionate about it; I hope some of that excitement transfers to all of you as you might consider what you might do in the world,” said Hilton as he began his talk. In his advanced and nuanced presentation, Hilton reviewed the basics of what quantum computing is, shared pictures of the hardware used at Google in this work, and how it is applied in impacting the world.

Watch the full video here.

Watch the full video here.

Watch the full video here.

Watch the full video here.

Patagonia CEO Ryan Gellert

“What did we learn, what do we take forward, and what do we leave behind?” These are the questions Patagonia CEO Ryan Gellert ponders as Patagonia celebrates its 50th year in 2023. Gellert visited Cate in February for an engaging Convocation about business, purpose, and service and where the paths of all three coalesce. Unlike typical Convocations, Gellert’s address to the community looked like a student-moderated panel run by Carly Weinberger '23, Ellie Tunnel '23, Charlotte Wells '24, Mei Gong '24, and Gigi Geyer '23, followed by an audience question and answer session. “How do we use our voice, our people, and our community to better the planet? We have now worked to connect our values with the financial value of Patagonia, and we will work toward sustaining this in the 50 years to come,” shared Gellert.

*A video recording of this convocation is not available.

Product Manager at Alchemy and Web3 Developer Elan Halpern '16

When Elan Halpern '16 was at Cate, she hoped to return as a Convocation speaker, but she didn’t expect to return so soon. The ambitious Stanford graduate works to develop products in the cryptocurrency world, and broke down the basics of blockchain, cryptocurrency, and Web3 for her Cate audience. “The big innovation with blockchain is that machines can now exchange value. We’re no longer just exchanging information; we’re now exchanging actual value.” Her informative and engaging talk came to a close in the best Cate way possible – an announcement of a Free Day.

Winter Athletics Roundup

By Matt Drew, Assistant Athletic Director

It was an exciting and competitive winter season on the Mesa with two teams earning Frontier League titles and four teams making California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Southern Section playoff runs.

GIRLS SOCCER

Girls soccer had an outstanding season going 11-2-1 (9-0-1) to win their league and book a trip to the playoffs. The Rams were an unstoppable force, plowing through their competition all season long. The girls played host to Campbell Hall from Studio City in the first round of the CIF Playoffs and put together their most complete game of the season with a 3-0 shutout. It was a thrilling victory over a very good team that put the Rams into the second round. Unfortunately, the team drew No. 1 seed Hemet on the road, and as Coach Taylor Wyatt said after the game, “they were as deserving of the number one seed as anyone.” Hemet would go on to win that second round matchup 6-0, but by no means was that final score telling of the effort and determination the team played with. The Rams fought to the final whistle and should be incredibly proud of their entire season. A huge thank you from Coach Wyatt and Coach Lisa Holmes to seniors Ava Bracher, Tamsyn Taptich, Emie Nam,

BOYS SOCCER

Boys soccer also earned a spot in the CIF playoffs after going 6-3-2 overall and 4-2-2 in league play. The season was defined by streaks of wins, losses, and ties, culminating in a two-game winning streak heading into the playoffs. The Rams kept fans on the edge of their seats during the playoffs, opening with a 1-0 win over Diamond Bar in the wild card round. Two days later, the Rams played spoiler, pulling off an upset over Poly (Pasadena) with a final-minute goal to force overtime and emerged victorious after a 4-1 result in penalty kicks. The second round brought one of the most exciting soccer games ever to Nion Tucker '40 Field. The Rams battled for 80 minutes against No. 2 seed Ánimo Leadership before an unlucky handball resulted in a gameending penalty. An unfortunate end to an unbelievable game and season. Coach Jorge Reynoso and Coach Jose Molina send a big thank you to seniors Sage Hou and Jae Lim on great careers.

Phebe Hancock, Gigi Geyer, and Ellie Tunnell on outstanding careers.

GIRLS SOCCER BOYS SOCCER

BOYS BASKETBALL

Boys basketball finished the season with a 12-7 overall record and went 5-3 in league play, just missing out on the title in the final week of play. After starting the season strong, the group was plagued by injuries and battled against tough competition during the middle stretch of the year. The Rams bounced back to win six of their last seven, including a thrilling victory over rival Thacher to clinch a spot in the playoffs. With wins over Northview and Santa Ana, Cate made it to the CIF Quarterfinals for the second year in a row, before falling to eventual champion Jordan. A very skilled and deep team played a fast-paced game and made it difficult for the Rams. The boys played with great effort and grit all year against one of the tougher schedules the program has played. Coach Andy Gil and Coach Joe Cordero send a big thank you to seniors Babacar Pouye, Jengus Ercil, Marley Joseph, Daniel Lee, William Vanica, and Jack Higgins on a fantastic four years.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Girls basketball turned in an undefeated league campaign (6-0) to capture the Frontier title and went 8-6 overall on their way to the CIF Playoffs. With momentum entering the playoffs, the Rams hosted Pacifica (Garden Grove), a school of nearly 1,700 students, in the First Round at Sprague Gym. In front of a great crowd, the girls played with incredible effort and heart, but succumbed to the sheer size of Pacifica. The Rams had an amazing season that ended the same way it started, with the team playing as one and giving it their all. Coach Laura Moore and Coach Tim Weir would like to thank seniors Desi Flores, Kendall Thorne, Nicole Teh, Mary Foster, and Talia Tom on their great work over the past four years.

GIRLS WATER POLO

Girls water polo rounds out the winter teams and had a season filled with tremendous growth. Despite their overall record, there were many great accomplishments. A young and inexperienced Rams team made significant strides throughout the year and will only continue to grow moving forward. Coach Jesse Morrison and Coach Duffy Montgomery '16 would like to say a big thank you and congratulations to seniors Liz Sutter, Lylie Bechtel, Myla Van Lynde, Cathleen Chow, and Stella Meister.

The athletic department would like to thank all of our winter athletes, with special recognition for our seniors, on incredible seasons and for making all members of the Cate community proud.

BOYS BASKETBALL GIRLS BASKETBALL GIRLS WATER POLO

Grandparents Day 2023

On Friday, January 27, Cate hosted Grandparents Day on the Mesa with more than 100 grandparents, parents, and friends in attendance on a delightful, crisp winter day. Cate's last Grandparents Day event was held in 2019. Event participants had the opportunity to attend a variety of activities, including listening to Ben Williams' presentation on A Fortunate Life, attending classes and assembly, having lunch with their student, enjoying a classical musical performance, and cheering on afternoon sports activities. Students enjoyed a unique photo opportunity with their grandparents, surely a keepsake for many years beyond Cate. Thank you to all grandparents, parents, and friends who attended and for being part of a remarkable day. View a full gallery of images from Grandparents Day here.

View the full gallery of images from Grandparents Day.

Elliot Murray Osborn '24 walks to class with his grandmother Anne Murray during the first Grandparents Day since 2019.

Duncan Abbott '54, GP'26, P'90,'95 visiting granddaughter Gweneth McTigue '26.

Bita Ryan P'26, with grandma Ashraf Nikravesh and grandpa Abbas Nikravesh, visiting Jordan Ryan '26.

Students and their grandparents gather for assembly in the Class of 1981 Amphitheatre.

Grandparents sit in on a PBL Math Class.

Zachary Coulter '25 with grandma Julie Wan and grandpa Wei Wan.

Zoë Flint '25 with grandma Patricia Flint, father Andy Flint, and mother Jennifer McClanahan.

Jacob Gabbay '25 with grandma Shula Gabbay, grandpa Soloman Gabbay, and Mark Gabbay P'21,'25.

2023 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards

InPassingFilmphotography GigiGeyer'23

The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards were founded in 1923 and, for nearly a century, have inspired bold ideas in creative teens throughout the country. Approximately half a million pieces are submitted each year to be evaluated on their originality, technical skill, and personal voice or vision.

The Architect Filmphotography GigiGeyer'23

Awakening in Temple Beth Israel Photography Annie Chian '23

By: Alex Tang '23

Farewell

To chasing butterflies under the summer sun. For my time of carefree childhood is now done. To racing bikes, recess soccer, and playing by the sea. For those days of youth are long behind me.

To the icy bite of loneliness, self doubt, and dad. For I’ve found the family I’ve never had.

To the burns that have left me horribly branded, For I’ve come out forged stronger and beautifully sanded.

For King and Country

1914 on Christmas Day,

On the western front, the guns died away, We were lying in mud, on bags of sand, We heard a German voice from no man's land, His tenor voice, so pure and true, The words were strange but notes we knew It floated above both living and damned, That young German voice from no man’s land, They left their trench and we too left ours, Despite the wishes of ruling powers, With chocolates, photos, and bottles of wine, We forged a rare truce on the front line, That odd thing of beauty on Christmas day, With our lives, the next year we’d pay, As next Christmas eve, the cannons all roared, And for King and Country, we died in that war. And though our brothers, we were forced to shell, The walls built between us crumbled and fell.

There are three honors awarded on the regional level:

Gold Key: The very best works submitted. Gold Key works are automatically considered for national-level recognition.

Silver Key: Stand-out works that demonstrate exceptional ability.

Honorable Mention: Accomplished works showing great skill and potential.

Under construction

Digital Photography

Gigi Geyer '23

Au Pénombre, 2021 Ada James '23

ZosiaDrawing&Illustration

TaliaTom'23

By: Coco Kliman '26

A Lollipop Before You Go

i can recall Daddy’s big arms wrap around me after a long day at work tumbling down the stairs I’d go, stuffed rabbit in my hand as soon as I heard the raspy rumble of his 1970’s Chevrolet roll into the driveway

i can recall the sweet tang of the cherry lollipop Daddy always had in his pocket that left my lips raw and red he never forgets to bring them

i can recall the buttery song of his saxophone seeping through the walls it sounds like a story with no ending once he let me touch its golden buttons it was cold it was magical

Scholastic Art Awards

HONORABLE MENTION

Ella Chang '23

Glitch – Photography

Joy – Photography

Leaping Angel – Photography

Pink Lady – Photography

Annie Chian '24

Awakening in Temple Beth Israel –

Photography

Gigi Geyer '23

Tilted Greeting – Photography

T-Nobile – Photography

Ada James '23

Au Pénombre – Sculpture

SILVER KEY

Gigi Geyer '23

Halsman – Photography

The Overpass – Photography

Twos – Photography

Talia Tom '23

Zosia – Drawing & Illustration

GOLD KEY

Ella Chang '23

Trapped Light – Photography

Gigi Geyer '23

Chess – Photography

In Passing – Photography

The Architect – Photography

Under Construction – Photography

Ziyang Liu '24

Under the Surface – Photography

By: Sienna Charvel '25

growing up

first i wanted to be 8 then, once i was 8, 10 seemed better once i was 10, 16 seemed right it was always about tomorrow today was never enough being cool meant staying up late and painting my nails being cool meant not wearing a sweater when i went out and swimming in the sea being cool meant climbing trees and being able to read being cool meant being nice my biggest dream was to go to the moon i played family and counted my loose teeth after dinner my brothers and i spent countless hours laughing while we ran away from our only worry, bath time, which meant playtime was over wanting to be 8 turned to wanting to be 16 so quickly and now that I’m 15 those times seem so simple so serene

i look at photo albums to take me back to those times when my biggest dream was to go to the moon when i played family and counted my loose teeth when after dinner my brothers and i spent countless hours laughing while we ran away from our only worry, bath time, which meant playtime was over at first growing up was the best thing that could happen but now i am afraid being a “teenager” is supposed to mean wanting to wear shorter skirts and smaller shirts being a “teenager” is supposed to mean wanting to reach for drugs instead of chocolate being a “teenager” is supposed to mean wanting to be on our phones instead of playing card games being a “teenager” is supposed to mean thinking it's uncool to love our families being a “teenager” is supposed to mean wanting a boyfriend instead of friends being a “teenager” is supposed to mean needing to count calories instead of memories being a “teenager” is supposed to mean smiling our tears away but why?

why is it that i am expected to wear smaller clothes why is it that drugs are cool

why is it childish to want to play card games

why can’t i love my family

why is it expected for girls to have boyfriends why do i have to count my calories and why can’t i show emotion

as a teenager i am not treated like an adult quite yet, but i am surely not a child so what am i?

growing up i have been told that time flies i watched peter pan and didn’t understand why he didn’t want to grow up and now i get it

Scholastic Writing Awards

HONORABLE MENTION

Sienna Charvel '25

Growing Up – Poetry

Annie Chian '24

On We the People / Chrome – Poetry

Zoe Flint '25

History’s Hands Divide Us – Personal Essay

Regina Flores '24

Baluartes fallidos – Personal Essay

Coco Kliman '26

Solus – Poetry

Clyde Kye '24

True and False Kings – Journalism

Love and Identity: An Analysis of Gatsby and Daisy’s Relationshipin F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby – Critical Essay

Daniel Lee '23

The Great Gatsby and the Grand Glass: Two Windows into our Moral Conscience – Critical Essay

Ingrid Lu '24

Laolao – Personal Essay

Thomas Paige '24

A Father and His Son – Personal Essay

Riley Pan '24

Necrobia rufipies – Personal Essay

Kendall Rhee '24

Sleeping Sky – Poetry

Alex Tang '23

Farewell – Poetry For King and Country – Poetry

SILVER KEY

Sophie Alijani '24

Fitting Into the Flock –Personal Essay and Memoir

Tallulah Bates '25

Anybody want a cuppa? –Personal Essay and Memoir

Lain Biles '24

To Be a Child Again –Personal Essay and Memoir

Ella Chen '23

It Blossoms – Short Story

Annie Chian '24

How to Catch a Dream / Milk / Gaea –Personal Essay and Memoir Suffocating – Poetry

Daisy Gemberling '25 Grounded – Poetry

Shelby Kernisant '23

The War for McWilliston Theatre –Short Story

Coco Kliman '26 Half Sister, Half Gone –Personal Essay and Memoir

Ingrid Lu '24 When I was Nothing but a Thought –Poetry

Ember McMullen '25

Power and Sexuality in The Great Gatsby – Critical Essay

Jasmine Palekar '24

The Crow – Critical Essay

Kyle Park '24

Doorframe – Short Story

Everest Schipper '24

Seperation – Critical Essay

Oona Summerford-Ng '24

It’s Not “Okay” –Personal Essay and Memoir

GOLD KEY

Addie Bracher '25

My Most Prized Possession –Personal Essay and Memoir

Annie Chian '24

How to Find Your Way Through 99 Ranch Market – Poetry

Phillip Choi '26

The Pen and the Pencils – Short Story

Claire Clark '24

A Hollow Man: The Trivial Passions of Jay Gatsby – Critical Essay

Josie Frazer '24

Flying with Three Feet on the Ground –Personal Essay

Noor Harwell '24

The Virginia Opossum – Short Story

Shelby Kernisant

The Main Character(‘s Best Friend) –Short Story

Coco Kliman '26

A Lollipop Before You Go – Poetry

Ryan Lee '24

Home – Poetry

Seb Sutch '24

Nicole Teh '23

A New Pair of Glasses – Personal Essay

Enrique Perez '24 Cycles – Personal Essay and Memoir

Kendall Rhee '24

365 Visits – Poetry Becoming – Poetry

Land of the Title-less, Home of the Alcoholic: Understanding the Unconstitutional Subjugation of Modern Native America – Critical Essay Read more stories online.

By: Riley Pan '24

Necrobia rufipies

The best way to kill a red-legged ham beetle is with a floor pheromone trap. Equipped with 100 multi-species beetle disc lures and an accompanying glue board, this trap is a cemetery with all the headstones erected, waiting for the grave pits to be filled. A clear film covers the trap, such that all may view the sufferance of these creatures and find entertainment in the gauche writhing of their carmine legs. To spot an infestation, look for the pearly-white, silken cocoons that will permeate even the smallest crevices of a wall, filling them the way resin does a cavity. When you’ve determined the source, place the traps 7 feet away for optimal effectiveness. You’ll know the trap has fulfilled its task when charcoal specks litter the glue board. Still, you must watch for larvae. They produce at an alarming rate, laying upwards of a thousand eggs a year; the mothers usher children from womb to earth in numbers most creatures wouldn’t dare to think of. It is this rate of reproduction, and the vastness of their population, that makes this insect such a persistent pest. Once born, the red-legged ham beetle blooms from egg to larva to adult after just a month and burrows into the bones of your home.

Though no larger than a tooth, the beetle’s iridescent body finds its solace in rotting flesh, drawn to the dark odor of ruination. It arrives long before the elegies have been written, jaws cleaving tendon from rigid bone and tumefied skin. Like the timeless gods, untouchable and untamed, like the sturdy trees, roots long enough to wrap around the core of the Earth, and like children so young that they still feed on their mother’s breasts, the red-legged ham beetle does not fear death. Instead, it consumes death itself, bringing corpses to their final resting stage. It peels bodies like tangerines, bone freed from skin, canines sinking into the flesh. Chew. Chew. Chew. Its wings flutter as it bites down, a faint buzzing, a metronome in the distance. The red-legged ham beetle feasts, greedily consuming each morsel. It will eat well tonight.

Like the beetle’s meal, the death of our bodies, the deterioration of muscle and bone, is gory. Our flesh rots from the outside in, eating away at the vessel that has housed us for a lifetime until we are unrecognizable as anything but a pile of bones. Our skin bloats, shifting to a faded purple, our swollen joints protruding from the thick shell. Rustcolored cruor leaks out of our orifices, mouths, ears, and eyes leaking with blood. But, in tearing ourselves apart, we feed ourselves back to the nature that has sheltered us, returning to the Earth the bodies that we have borrowed.

We obsess over death, fearful of its anonymous oblivion and nauseated by its carnage. We lure it into traps covered in clear film, enraptured by the hope we can learn about it, even defeat it. But we are destined to die, to decompose until we are the ground from which flowers grow. We return to the soil we have stood on, we find peace in feeding nature, and trees become tangled in our bones. Death feeding life.

BURSTING THE BUBBLE:

Addressing Global Issues from the Mesa

A Cate education is more than just curriculum. It is a holistic experience that prepares young people for life after the Mesa. Beyond the traditional classroom setting, intentionality is built into the myriad programs that enhance the experience of students, faculty, and staff alike. Cate has long been seen as a bubble, cut off from the realities of the world. While there are obvious benefits from removing many of the challenges of the “real world” so that students are free to focus on becoming their best selves, it is also unrealistic to assume that the ever-growing challenges facing the world don’t have an impact on the student experience. Recent developments in both Cate’s programming and supports for students are intended to address the real world issues that break through the bubble.

Human Development & Counseling: Social-Emotional Wellbeing

According to the World Health Organization, one in seven teens experiences a mental disorder, and depression, anxiety and behavioural disorders are among the leading causes of illness and disability among adolescents. With social-emotional challenges for teenagers continuing to be on the rise, Cate’s Counseling Services and Human Development departments actively work to educate, empower, and support students.

Mental health support at Cate is multifaceted. There are several ways in which students can receive psychological support, including individual counseling support, group counseling support, and wraparound support. Throughout the school year, counselors Nadine Maxwell and Dean’a Curry also work closely with the College Counseling office and work on promoting social and emotional skills to the junior class during their college seminar classes. These skills include self-regulation, resiliency, and meditation techniques. Additionally, the counselors collaborate with Human Development to promote helpseeking behaviors, teach students to recognize the signs of mental health struggles, and share mental health resources. Outside of the school day, the counselors are on call in the event a student is experiencing a significant mental health challenge that requires a crisis assessment or comprehensive risk evaluation.

Most recently, students in 10th-12th grade have been given the opportunity to become certified through the Teen Mental Health First Aid (tMHFA) program, an evidencebased training program for teens brought to the United States by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing in partnership with Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation. It teaches teens in grades 10-12, or ages 15-18, to recognize or respond to common signs and symptoms of mental health and substance use challenges, common signs and symptoms of a mental health crisis, particularly suicide,

Sanai Edwards '25 tackles the ropes course during Sophomore Seminar.

and how to talk to a peer about getting appropriate help, the impact of school violence and bullying on mental health, how to open the conversation about mental illnesses and substance use with friends, and how to seek the help of a responsible and trusted adult.

“In a place like Cate, where your classmates are like your family, it is really important to be able to support each other. I really enjoyed being able to take this course and learn about how to support my friends and fellow Cate community members. Learning to spot the signs of mental health struggles and how to respond in the moment was an invaluable lesson,” shared Caroline Coors '24, who was one of 60 students to go through the program this year.

“The tMHFA Certification is a crucial step towards promoting mental health and well-being among Cate students. I was equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to support friends who are struggling with mental health issues, providing guidance until professional help is available. This program emphasized and educated participants on the importance of approaching sensitive topics and conversations with empathy and care to build an inclusive and safe community on the Mesa,” shared Daisy Gemberling '25, who also completed the program this year. By the end of the 2023-2024 school year, the counseling department hopes to certify 100% of Cate students in 10th12th grade.

Q Q

Furthering this comprehensive support, Cate’s Human Development program has been revised and revamped. Department Chair Amy Gil shared her perspective on the HD curriculum and how it supports socialemotional wellbeing.

How does the Human Development curriculum support student growth without compromising emotional wellbeing?

Our Human Development curriculum takes a “challenge by choice” approach that gives students the opportunity to stretch themselves to the edges of their comfort zone. We encourage them to seek every opportunity to grow and learn new things, but also protect the freedom to say “no” or “not right now.” Additionally, we strive to build our students’ social-emotional learning toolboxes to better equip them to handle change, tolerate stress, and ask for help or support when needed. We strive to make their seminar courses a place where their emotional wellbeing is cared for while building resilience.

What observations have you made about the student population at Cate and their enthusiasm for socialemotional learning?

In just this last year I’ve seen the students embrace the connection piece that comes with social-emotional learning. Coming out of the pandemic I feel like so many of our students are craving those interactions, but are also relearning what genuine peer connection feels like. This generation is also unique in that they have likely had some form of SEL education prior to coming to Cate, so they possess the tools not only to participate and expand upon SEL topics.

Q

A A A

What do you find most rewarding about your approach?

The connection to students is by far the most rewarding part of the approach. We get to see kids be kids. We learn about their lives in both the academic and personal realms. Since the Human Development curriculum spans a three year period, we get to witness their growth across the entirety of the program which is a gift in itself. Additionally, the nature of our Senior TA program allows students to take the skills that they’ve learned in the program and pay it forward in the 9th and 10th grade programs.

“In a place like Cate, where your classmates are like your family, it is really important to be able to support each other.”

College Counseling: Creating an anti-racist college process

The inequity in the college admission process is no secret – it garnered global media attention in the past five years and is a topic of much debate as students nationwide prepare for their journey into higher education. Cate’s College Counseling Office, affectionately known as the CoCo, takes a data-driven and self-reflective approach to the college search experience, and weaves in antiracist practices into the process to counteract the bias that exists in the college admissions process.

“In our CoCo class, our individual student meetings, and in our communication with parents, faculty, and the Board of Trustees, our messaging is clear, concise, specific to Cate, and honest. We let our students manage the tools and instruments we give them to encourage collaboration with our college

office when they embark upon the research phase of the college process in junior year. This spirit of collaboration ignites a unique form of inquiry – a closely guided journey into the self. While students are learning about colleges, they are also learning about who they are at Cate and in the world,” shared Director of College Counseling Maude Bond. Using real-world narratives, data, and the latest findings in college admissions, the CoCo class launched an uncharted path that was nationally recognized at the prestigious NAIS People of Color Conference.

To further this work, Bond went to Head of School Ben Williams and pitched a new version of the program that flattened the internal hierarchy of the department for the purpose of teaching the CoCo class. “We all teach the class, we all work on the curriculum, and we all presented at the conference. After I told Ben about the articles we used, the data we presented, and the conversations we had with the students, I said ‘I’d like to make this an anti-racism class next year and submit it to a conference.’ Ben responded, ‘why wait until next year?’ So we kept going and I used a

short checklist to ensure that we were aligned with anti-racist pedagogy. I was so thrilled when our class was selected as a case study at the conference and since December, I’ve been sharing our practices with colleagues from across the country who are interested in implementing a version of our class at their school.” Key points include:

• Denying racism perpetuates racism (no denying racism in this class)

• Showing that there is an opportunity gap and not an achievement gap

• Acknowledging intersectionality – being anti-racist also means anti-misogyny, anti-transphobic, anti-homophobic

• Acknowledging whiteness and white supremacy

• Explaining that racism is a harmful system and not a collection of bad people

• Teaching representative history

• Acknowledging the need for self-care

College outcomes at Cate continue to be favorable, and students and parents alike report being better informed and better prepared as they navigate the everchanging landscape of college counseling.

Director of College Counseling Maude Bond, in her third year at Cate, has developed an anti-racist college class that received national recognition at the NAIS People of Color Conference.

Women in STEM

Representation of women in STEM fields has historically been low, and nationally, great strides have been made in the last 15 years to bridge the gap. According to the National Science Foundation’s Science and Engineering Indicator’s Report, despite accounting for about half of the employed U.S. workforce, women constitute only 34% of those employed in STEM occupations. At Cate, those numbers look a bit different. Of the 56 senior students who take an advanced elective in science, 40, or 72%, identify as female, with a majority of femaleidentifying students specifically taking courses in life sciences.

According to Science Department Chair Craig Bouma, “Cate is a school that follows the Physics First (PF) sequence (physics, chemistry, and biology). Long ago, the Cate science department adopted PF for various reasons, including ensuring all students can access a full-year, lab-bassed physics course. Across the country, most students study biology and chemistry, and there is a gender imbalance in physics classes, especially at the university level. However, at Cate, all students (i.e., all genders) take Physics.”

Additionally, of the five advanced science elective teachers, three are female –Beth Caylor, Cassia Sonderleiter, and Kadeine Peterson. Representation of strong female role models in the science classroom make an impact on students in a significant way.

“As a woman interested in pursuing a career in the sciences in the future, I have been fortunate enough to surround myself with lots of like-minded women and wonderful role models during my time at Cate. Learning in a community where women are not the extreme minority has made the pursuit of knowledge in various niches of the

scientific field feel much more accessible to me. Cate’s advanced science programs have developed my curiosity in a variety of biological and chemical fields – from toxicology to neurobiology to marine biology. I feel that Cate is part of the solution: having balanced and small classes that encourage inquiry from all their students will no doubt introduce more women to fields that historically lacked female representation,” said Cathleen Chow '23, who has taken three semesters of Advanced Biology electives this year.

“At the beginning of the year I was definitely nervous about chemistry

because I was the only girl and I didn’t know the other guys too well. I hadn’t had chemistry with Ms. Sonderleiter before, but we quickly found a connection especially when we look at each other and laugh when someone says something that’s very obvious or that we already learned. I’m so grateful to have her as a teacher, and I myself have asked her about being a woman in STEM. It’s been inspiring to have her as a teacher this year and I’m really glad I took chemistry,” shared Desi Flores '23, who is the only female-identifying student in Advanced Chemistry.

“As a woman interested in pursuing a career in the sciences in the future, I have been fortunate enough to surround myself with lots of like-minded women and wonderful role models during my time at Cate.”

Cassia Sonderleiter is one of three female advanced science teachers and serves as a strong role model in the classroom.

Sustainability: Going Green the Cate way

As the world battles a growing climate crisis, and sustainability becomes a buzzword in every industry, Cate continues to demonstrate responsible choices through sustainability. Efforts in sustainability are not new to Cate – the School was recognized as a California Green Ribbon school in 2021 – but it continues to be a focus area as the campus evolves. Through four specific efforts, Cate’s green initiatives create a unique solution for sustainability challenges here on the Mesa.

WATER

The School has a comprehensive wastewater recycling system. “We can see the direct results of our waste and use that knowledge to fine-tune and implement new programs. Water conservation has also been a priority of the school. We are consistently looking for ways to implement droughttolerant plantings and landscaping,” shared Compost Coordinator Lindsay Richardson.

SUN

With ten buildings on the property collecting solar, the School is passively reducing its energy consumption every day. With the future implementation of a solar bank, the School is looking forward to reducing its energy use even further.

FOOD WASTE

In 2022, Cate began operating the Rocket Composter which helps reduce the School’s impact on local landfills. By taking all of the dining hall’s non-edible food and redirecting it to local farms and the on-site composter, the school is upcycling a product that was previously going into the waste stream. Since the end of September, over 6,700 gallons of food waste has been diverted from our local landfill through the use of the Rocket and Cate’s partnership with a local farm.

On campus, the student-run Environmental Club has been working alongside Richardson to help with compost incentives. “We’ve had two successful beach cleanups before Saturday classes this year with some of our members, and in meetings we’ve begun discussing sustainability measures on campus, such as the sewage treatment and water reclamation system. Our goal is to encourage others to embrace environmentalism in an approachable and positive way,” explained club heads Claiborne Beurle '23, Lylie Bechtel '23, and Mary Foster '23.

BUILDINGS

Since 2007, the school has implemented an internal guideline to ensure that all new construction meets LEED certification standards. Currently, the School is in the midst of building the brand new Inquiry Center in place of the Raymond Commons. Kevin Hartigan, general contractor for the project, noted, “At the start of the project, we discovered during demolition that all of the old form boards were re-used in the roof sheathing. We decided to salvage the boards rather than buy new wood and use these boards again to form the new walls. This provided an authentic texture to new walls making them look as old as the original parts. We are also using SAGE glass again, like we did in Booth Commons, to mitigate nocturnal light pollution from the building and shade the South windows.

The world beyond the Mesa spins on, and the challenges of a new and developing world persist. By addressing these issues head-on, Cate is taking an important step towards ensuring that its graduates are not only prepared to succeed academically and personally but also to engage meaningfully with the wider world. By combining a strong educational foundation with a commitment to social responsibility, Cate is positioning itself as a model for what a 21st-century campus should be.

Alumni Dispatches

By Guille Gil-Reynoso

Everyone has the power to impact our world and shape our future. The following dispatches illustrate how Cate alumni are deeply involved and engaged in meaningful work with the hope and intention to address the most pressing issues impacting our communities.

Allegra Roth '10

Allegra Roth distinctly recalls the striking scenery of avocado, orange, and lemon orchards on her picturesque daily commute on Highway 150 from Ojai to Carpinteria. It was this beautiful landscape and the changing seasons that galvanized her interest in agriculture, climate change, and land use. After graduating from Cate, Allegra attended University of California, Davis and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Community and Regional Development. She is currently completing her Masters degree in Public Policy at UC Berkeley Goldman School of Public Policy. Between academic pursuits, Allegra worked at the California State Legislature on water and climate policy and became interested in “on the ground” environmental issues. She left the capitol to work with then Assembly Members Das WIlliams and Monique Limón, and became intrigued with carbon sequestration, soil health, and water and food security.

Through Allegra’s connections to farmers, ranchers, social sector agencies, and policy makers, she has been engaged in bringing to light the gap that exists between implementing sustainable projects and environment regulations. According to Allegra, many farmers are interested in climate beneficial projects including composting, cob homes, and water retention ponds and there are many State incentives to develop these projects. She holds, “However, there are regulatory barriers when it comes down to permitting these projects and getting legal support from the County permitting agency. There is either no permitting pathway, or it’s too onerous for people.” By pursuing public policy, Allegra intends to address this disparity to ensure that policy, governance, and decision-making are more transparent.

In order to understand policy and land use issues, Allegra has to ask tough questions – a skill she learned at Cate. “Cate gave me a lot of confidence to talk to people who are different from me and this really helped me put myself out there.” She encourages students to take chances: “There is no wrong decision in terms of your career when you are young. Every door that you walk through is going to teach you something valuable. Just walk through the door!”

Allegra is passionate about her work, and we will continue to hear more about her focus on state incentives, regulatory barriers, sustainable land use, and ultimately, climate resilience. Allegra remembers, “When I was at Cate, I was definitely considered the hippie environmentalist and I didn’t know if that was going to be part of my identity forever. Now that I’m 31, I’m still talking about the same things.” She joyfully adds, “I guess I want people to know that Allegra is still at it. She hasn't stopped.”

Larry Aller '96

“Cate is a beautiful place that allows you to have some space, learn new things, and just enjoy the world for a while.” Larry’s favorite Cate memory involved getting up early on the weekend, looking off the edge of the Mesa to see if the reef was breaking, and then trying to find a ride to Rincon Point to surf. Larry enjoyed everything related to water at Cate – surfing, Outings Week, water polo, and starting a swim team. It may have been his love of sunshine and the outdoors that planted a seed for his future career path.

Following his Cate graduation, Larry attended Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stanford University Graduate School of Business. After business school, Larry worked in a private equity firm and ultimately decided that was not for him. He joined a residential energy efficiency company conducting home energy assessments for houses across New England, helping owners put solar on their roofs. This led to his current position as Managing Director at BlueWave Solar, where he leads strategy to develop, build, and operate solar and energy storage projects.

BlueWave Solar primarily focuses on community solar, a solar project and purchasing program that allows customers to benefit from shares of energy that are generated by solar panels at an off-site location, such as farmland. “This helps the farmer not have to sell his property to a housing developer since the energy is allocated to members of the community who get credit and financial benefit.” At his core, Larry is passionate about his work in the Northeast. “I think there’s great value to serving where you are and doing what you can locally,” he said.

Through his experience in navigating careers, Larry advises students to find their core values. In his early to mid-twenties, Larry came across the fixed vs. growth mindset concept in a book by Carol Dweck. “I realized that I lived most of my life with a fixed mindset and this created a sense of expectation that I needed to be doing things and showing that I could do things a certain way, and I hadn’t taken many risks.” This changed Larry’s approach to life and helped him pursue the type of work enjoys. He suggests, “Give yourself the freedom to do things that you are going to fail at and be okay that it isn’t going to define your identity. You will be a much happier person.”

“I think there’s great value to serving where you are and doing what you can locally.”

One of the factors that attracted Yen to Cate School was the fact that there was no commute! The thought of living at a boarding school with ample time to participate in extracurricular activities was compelling. However, as enticing as Cate was initially, her first year on the Mesa was challenging. Yen missed her daily meals and weekend time with her large, tight-knit Vietnamese family. She recalls, “Although I wanted to transfer back home, I ended up sticking through my first year at Cate, and am so glad that I did because it opened up lots of opportunities that I wouldn't have had otherwise.”

Yen was involved in almost every extracurricular activity at Cate. In mock trial, she was selected to be the pretrial motion attorney and recalls going to the Santa Barbara Courthouse – after being coached on appropriate professional attire and how to communicate with the judge. Yen believes that it was this practical experience, along with reasoning and critical thinking skills developed at Cate, that ignited her passion in history and politics.

As an underrepresented student at Cate, Yen was inspired by Ms. Salcedo, as she had never had a teacher who looked like her before. Ms. Salcedo went to Yale, and when Yen was accepted to the same university, she was thrilled to reach out to her to ask about her alma mater. In addition to Ms. Salcedo, Mrs. Holmes and Mr. Weis were supportive figures for her. Yen strives to be that type of teacher and role model for her students, who are mostly from marginalized communities. “The more I have delved into the humanities and understanding race and the history of our nation, the more aware I have become that many communities of color have not had the same opportunities that I did.” Yen attests that Cate provided her with privileges that many students of color do not have and therefore she has an unwavering commitment to give back.

Yen is currently an 11th grade AP U.S. History teacher and Department Lead at the Noble Network of Charter Schools in Chicago, Illinois. Prior to that, she was a special education teacher and also taught for Teach for America. According to Yen, one of the challenges that students at the Noble Network of Charter Schools faced was related to access. Before she arrived, only 36 students were enrolled in AP U.S. History. Now, the course has 115 students. Yen is proud to have helped restructure the department to open its doors to many African American and Latino students who have been historically excluded from AP courses. Yen’s commitment to bring equity and access to students and to share the gifts she was given reflects the true spirit of Servons

“The more I have delved into the humanities and understanding race and the history of our nation, the more aware I have become that many communities of color have not had the same opportunities that I did.”

Haiyen (Yen) Truong '11

From the Archives

The First Computers at Cate

There is no doubting that technology has revolutionized the way in which we learn. The computer revolution, at least on the Mesa, can be traced back to the early 1980s.

The following excerpt is from a Cate School newsletter in January 1983, shortly after the arrival of 70 new microcomputers to campus.

There’s an Apple II in the arts department and one on the Newsletter editor’s desk. There’s one in the librarian’s office and another in the archives. Three English classrooms have them, and so do the college counselors.

In fact, there are 70 new microcomputers on the Mesa, being used by students, faculty, and administrative staff. Until this December, computers were used only in the math lab, the business office, and the alumni and development offices. Now, you’ll find them in the headmaster’s, deans’ and admissions offices, as well as in the offices of all department chairmen.

There are seven in math classrooms, four in the math department foyer, one in each math teacher’s office, and 18 in the former math lab classroom. In January, ten specially selected students will have microcomputers in their dorm rooms.

It’s all part of an unusual approach to computer education…

Another snippet of interest from that same article:

A director of an educational research laboratory goes so far as to state that “unless you are going into engineering, I don’t think they (computers) have much promise for instruction.”

A 1986 Cate Bulletin article titled “Computer Development at Cate” by Alexandra S. Halsey chronicles the rise of computers on the Mesa and credits former Math Department Chair Sanderson Smith for being the first person to bring computers to campus –after first hearing about them as a teaching tool in 1969.

Today, the School not only owns 175 computers and 40 iPads, but there are approximately 300 student computers and 300 student iPads as each student is required to have one for their Problem-based Learning (PBL) Math classes not to mention over 500 cell phones and hundred of other devices like smart watches, smart TV’s, e-readers, and personal assistant devices that are controlled by computer chips on the Cate network.

How times have changed.

NOTE FROM THE ARCHIVES:

Calling all alumni from 1950-1990 to donate any old Bulletins and copies of El Batidor to the Cate Archives. Especially copies of El Batidor from the 1960s and 1970s. Please donate any other items, programs, and memorabilia as you wish.

A look at the first computers in the Computer Science Lab in the Seeley Mudd Science Building in 1985. Photo by Len Wood

Summer AT CATE

Cate School’s residential academic camp for current 6th and 7th graders. Spend a week devoted to academics, leadership, and the outdoors with days full of excitement, experiential education, making friends from around the world.

June 18-24, June 25-July 1, July 30-August 5

Cate Sports Academy offers baseball, tennis, and volleyball camps for current 3rd through 11th graders. Half-day, full-day, and overnight options are available.

Three sessions July 10-28, Monday - Friday

Cate School’s residential outdoor camp for current 6th -10th graders. Experience a program that offers students of every level an opportunity to explore the natural beauty of Santa Barbara County and beyond with Outdoor Adventure.

July 10-14 and July 17-21

CATE SUMMER INSTITUTE

CATE SPORTS ACADEMY

CATE SUMMER OUTDOORS

CATE SCHOOL

The Vanessa Cruz Santana '06 and Kadeine Peterson advisories participated in a beach cleanup with nonprofit organization Heal the Ocean during Community Engagement Day.