The Catalyst, Volume 9, Issue 3: November/December 2022

Students stress as finals approach

by Kate Davidson News Co-Editor

As the end of the first semester approaches, NDB students begin to prepare and study for final exams. Many begin creating study guides, meeting with teachers and reviewing past materials as the number of classes before finals diminish. Around the time that final exam season begins, stress within the community increases.

“I am definitely feeling stressed going into fi nals,’’ said sophomore Hailey Degnan. “I think part of the reason for this is because of the amount of work we are getting on top of studying for finals I’m hoping it will get better.”

Although many are experiencing stress about the upcoming tests, students have already begun studying to ensure that they have enough time to review material from the whole semester.

“I’m really stressed about finals, especially as a junior,” said junior Izzy Sucre. “I’m preparing by setting apart time each day to review and by setting small goals for myself to accomplish, such as studying for 30 minutes See FINALS| Page 2

Powderpuff game returns after four years

by Eva Nichter News Co-Editor

NDB held its first Powderpuff football game in four years on November 17. The last game was held in the fall of 2018, making this year’s the first for all current students.

ASB announced that Powderpuff would be returning this year at the end of the Dingbat Day ral ly on October 31. A form to sign up to participate was sent out to the student body the following day on November 1. Spots on each team were filled by ran dom selection of those who

signed up.

The teams were divided into sister classes, with the seniors and soph omores playing for the Red and Purple team and the ju niors and freshmen for the Blue and Green team.

NDB staffulty were involved in the game as well. The Red and Pur ple team was coached by Athletic Coordinator Kate Mahoney and the Blue and Green team was led by Track and Field coach Ronald Douglas. Social Sciences teachers Wen dy Connolly, Karen Fry and Spiritual Life teach er Douglas Requilman all

served as referees for the game.

“I think it’s great we are bringing back the tradition,” said Mahoney.

“It is a great sister class bonding event and a long standing NDB tradition It’s all about creating a fun event that the students will remember years after they graduate.”

Practices started on Thursday, November 10 for both teams and contin ued the following Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday during school lunch hours. Practices were thirty min utes each. During these times, the teams were split

up and each practiced run ning plays and other drills throughout the week.

The game was held during student collab oration on the soccer field.

ASB Spirit Director Zeina Zumot and Athletics Direc tor Sophia Rask commen tated throughout the game.

ASB President Amelia Ailanjian and Ac tivities Director Caitlynn Reynolds choreographed the halftime show for the game. A form was sent out for students to sign up and two students from each class were selected to

Visual and Performing Arts students host holiday showcase

by Kate Davidson News Co-Editor

On Friday, De cember 2, the Visual and Performing Arts depart ment hosted its annual holi day showcase in the Moore Pavillion during collabora tion. Students from dance levels I through V, InStep and Musical Theater per formed various routines for the school community.

This event is an opportunity for students to showcase their work from the year, as well as cele brate the holiday season through holiday-themed performances.

Dance levels I through V, taught by Coleen Lorenz and senior Ava Marinos, put on a jazz piece called “Underneath the Tree,” and Musical

Theater performed a poem called “Paper People.”

“We began prac ticing for the performance I think in November and we would spend the whole class learning the steps and moves for each song,” said freshman and dance I student Julianna Loar. “I thought the performance went well for the most part.

I only messed up a couple times but I had a lot of fun and I found myself smil ing the entire time. I’m proud of myself because I wouldn’t consider myself an amazing dancer but I thought I did a pretty good job for never dancing be fore in my life.”

The Musical The ater class, taught by Gary Stanford, performed “Once Upon a December,” a waltz routine and that dance lev

els I through IV performed in.

The InStep Per formance Company per formed a jazz piece called “Oh Santa.”

The showcase concluded with the Winter

Formal theme reveal led by the CSF and NHS boards.

Dance levels I through V and musical theater partic ipated in the reveal, a hip hop and jazz piece called “The Room Where it Hap pens.” NHS Adviser Jona

than Tomczak, created a re veal song by writing NDB themed lyrics to the tune of the “Hamilton” song, “The Room Where it Hap pens.” Dance students from all levels choreographed a dance to the song to assist

in the reveal.

All students worked very hard through out the semester and were excited to show their rou tines to the NDB communi ty.

ROBERT ROJAS / THE CATALYST

The Blue and Green team celebrates their Powderpuff win as they run off the field.

Blue and Green team defeats Red and Purple team, 12-6

MEGAN WORRY / THE CATALYST

The Dance I-IV classes performed a holiday-themed dance routine for the showcase.

Powderpuff game returns Students prepare for finals

From FINALS | Page 1

and then taking a break.”

Some students find the transition time be tween regular classes and finals week challenging, and say they would bene fit from a “dead week,” the week before finals dedicat ed to review without the ad dition of other homework.

“Right now I’m pretty stressed out as I hav en’t had the time yet to pre pare for finals,” said senior Sienna Loar. “A lot of my classes are still finishing up topics, so I’ve had to focus on those assignments and

tests first. I really feel the burnout because I’ve been staying up late each night trying to do as much as I can. I think a ‘dead week’ would be very beneficial to the school so that students can take more time prepar ing for finals.”

For freshmen, this winter marks the first time they will experience finals as high schoolers.

“As a freshman at NDB I never really knew what stress was,” said freshman Autumn Deetz-Rodriguez. “Now that finals are really just around the corner I know

what stress truly is.”

Finals begin on Friday, December 16 and end on Wednesday, De cember 21 before the com munity is dismissed for winter break. Students have worked hard all year and fi nals provide an opportunity for them to reflect and be tested on the material.

Final exams are stressful, and it is import ant to remember that there are resources to help deal with stress. Counselors and teachers are always avail able to talk though con cerns students may have.

From POWDERPUFF | Page 1

participate. Ailanjian di rected the freshman and junior sister classes while Reynolds directed the sophomores and seniors in a routine to “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!” by Shania Twain.

After a great game, the Blue and Green team ended up victorious with a 12-6 win over the Red and Purple team.

NDB junior Katie Johnson recalls her favorite moments from the game. “I enjoyed work ing with a team of both ju

niors and freshman,” said Johnson. “I had so many memorable moments, but I think my favorite was my first touchdown which I threw to my friend Am ber. All I remember think ing was ‘Please catch it,’ because it wasn’t the best throw. Thankfully Amber caught it and it was a good start to the game.”

The Powderpuff game allowed students to build and strengthen the community bonds with in sister classes as well as within the whole school community. It was also an opportunity to show

case school spirit and class pride.

“Powderpuff is an important community building event for students because it allows students to cheer on their peers and support one another,” said Zumot. “I was really happy to see all the spirit during and after the game.”

After the game, students were invited to participate in a color run in the front lawn. ASB coor dinated the event as a part of the Powderpuff celebra tions, with red, blue, green and purple chalk for every class color.

Dragons attend all-day class retreat at St. Barts Church

by Ashley Strain Sports Editor

The Dragons embarked on their junior class retreat on Thursday, December 1. Although pri marily organized by Direc tor of Mission and Ministry Amy Jobin and Spiritual Life teacher David Muir, the students were accompa nied by many of their own teachers and NDB staffulty on their retreat. They spent the full day at St. Barts Church, located in San Mateo, with many of the juniors in attendance. With the theme being “Stand ing in Solidarity With Our Neighbors,” the students participated in many bond ing activities to strengthen the class as a whole.

The day began with an opening prayer and introduction, led by Jobin and the three Hallmarks in Action leaders from the ju nior class. Guidance Coun selor Allan Gargaritano started with two icebreak ers to begin the retreat on a fun note. Social Science Teacher Melanie Flint fol lowed with an active listen ing activity helping to build empathy.

The first two guest speakers, Jim McGarry and Kathy Curran, both presented an informative

speech revolving around the importance of social justice, forgiveness and the theme of solidarity. McGar ry brought in and shared a painting, done by his sister, that had a deeper meaning than what it portrayed. He connected the class by en gaging everyone in the dis cussion about the painting.

Curran began her speech with a story, filled with life experiences, impactful peo ple and forgiveness. She closed out by connecting the day’s theme of solidar ity to her opening story.

Following the two speeches from the speak ers, the students moved into the workshops. Over Thanksgiving break, the students were emailed a lunch form, with which they could place their own orders ahead of time. The students were also giv en a form assessing their top choices for the Social Justice breakout activity during the retreat day. With this organized beforehand, each student was handed a nametag that made the day run much smoother.

There were four breakout sessions, each holding around 25 stu dents, with a variety of organizations being rep resented. Lynelle Bilsey and Marlon Empleo came

to represent their organi zation, LifeMoves. This organization visited NDB on a recent C-Day. Eric De Bode came with his orga nization, Abundant Grace Coastside Worker. Tiffany Hautau attended with other co-workers in presenting their established group, Polynesian Voices. Lastly, Gala King and co-workers presented their organiza tion, Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity, which highlighted the struggles of immigration and what they do to help.

Each student was given a chance to pursue their interests by attending one of the four organiza tions, sparking inspiration and a sense of community for the juniors.

A dancer from the Polynesian Voices organi zation presented a Fugian dance for the whole class to experience. Expressing his Fugian culture and organi zation, the students were able to take a glimpse into this culture’s traditions and way of life.

The students were given half an hour for lunch, and then were bro ken up into small groups for a discussion. They were led by their group leaders, given earlier in the day, and were asked to all partici

pate in the conversation. English Teacher Esthermaria Martin intro duced the next art activity, a six-word story. Each stu dent was given a petal, on which they each wrote a six-word story. They were asked to make them color ful and meaningful. When finished, the students all placed them in the center of the room, forming a full flower of all of the juniors’ petals.

For the final ser

vice activity, the juniors participated in making mini care packages to give to lo cal shelters. Each pack in cluded a new pair of socks, provided by the students, along with body wipes and mylar blankets. The stu dents wrote a note and tied it all together with a ribbon. “My favorite ac tivity of the day was mak ing care packages for the homeless,” said junior Izzy Sucre. “It was fun to put everything together, and

I love that it’s going to a good cause. It’s great that our fun activity will have a positive impact on our community.”

Muir gave the closing ritual and prayer, along with Social Science teacher Wendy Connolly giving the final reflection. The students were given a full day of service, social justice awareness and sol idarity, bonding the class and the community as a whole.

ROBERT ROJAS / THE CATALYST

Students celebrated after the game with a color run, hosted by ASB.

KATE DAVIDSON / THE CATALYST

Reviewing books with a semester’s worth of notes is a good way to study.

ASHLEY STRAIN / THE CATALYST

Juniors Annie Lester and Gianna Shaughnessy show off their care packages that they made to be donated to homeless shelters.

NDB community goes on break for Thanksgiving

by Mia Muzzi Managing Editor

On Wednesday, November 23, NDB was released for Thanksgiving break. Prior to this howev er, students spent the begin ning of the week on Zoom for synchronous classes.

Teachers were instructed to limit students’ homework load in order for them to fully take advantage of the much-needed break.

Students and their families spent the break in a variety of ways, with many choosing to stay home for the holiday. Given that Thanksgiving typically en tails homemade cooking and family time, it’s easier for most to celebrate in the comfort of their own home.

Ava Baldi, a soph omore at NDB, spent the week at home. Like other

NDB students, her break was well-spent with friends and relaxation before finals begin. On Thanksgiving, she ate dinner at her aunt’s house and enjoyed the rest of the night playing board games with her family.

“Me and my fam ily brought so much food over to my aunt’s. It was really fun because this Thanksgiving I helped my mom make food,” said Baldi. “We made tons of desserts like pumpkin pie, peach cobbler and also ap ple pie which was some thing I hadn’t done before and doing that made this year’s Thanksgiving super special.”

Before spending Thanksgiving with her family, junior Dani De Mera hosted a “Friendsgiv ing” potluck. DeMera and her friends contributed to

the dinner by each bringing a different Thanksgiving food.

“Hosting Friends giving was super fun, espe cially because I got to see all of my friends get togeth er and have a good time,” said DeMera. “I had people bring food, so it was very low stress, which made me enjoy it even more.”

Though many stayed home, for students whose family lives out of state, the time off was very appreciated. Families who wished to travel were given the opportunity to do so, especially with the two asynchronous days of learning.

Some NDB fam ilies chose to travel for warmer weather and the chance to relax. Sopho more Adriana Esguerra and her family traveled to

Oahu, Hawaii for the week. “It was so amaz ing. While I was there, I went on a lot of different hikes like the Koko Head and Diamond Head ones,

and drove around the is land with my family,” said Esguerra. “I loved going to the beach and getting time to spend with my family.”

The break ended

on Sunday, November 27, but students and staffulty were given a late start on the following Monday to help better the transition back to school.

Winter Formal theme revealed during VPA assembly

by Editorial Staff

The Winter For mal theme for 2023 was revealed during the Visual and Performing Arts Hol iday Showcase on Friday, December 2. This year’s theme will be “Once Upon a Dream.”

The Winter For mal dance is set to take place on Saturday, Febru ary 4, 2023. The dance will be hosted at its usual ven ue, the Crowne Plaza in Foster City.

Both the NHS and CSF boards, collec tively known as the Winter Formal Committee, began planning for the dance in early September near the beginning of the school year. Committee members sent out school-wide sur

veys for the student body to vote on their favorite theme idea, and the theme was finalized in October.

NHS Board Ad visor Jonathan Tomczak led the reveal planning by creating a song to reveal the dance’s theme, writ ing NDB-style lyrics over the “Hamilton” hit, “The Room Where It Happens.”

“By going above and beyond for the reveal we hope to demonstrate that this is the kind of work we’re willing to put in just for the announcement, think of all the work we put in and how much fun people are going to have at the event itself,” said Tomczak.

NHS board members Isabella Hildeb rand-Veccia, Alexis Hom,

Amy Kanzaki and Megan Cabral assisted in the re veal’s dialogue.

“We recorded the lyrics beforehand to make the reveal during the show case flow smoother,” said

Cabral. “I was very excited to be able to help perform for the school and reveal the theme. We’re all excit ed for everyone to come to the dance and see our hard work pay off.”

Dance students from all levels helped the NHS and CSF boards with the reveal, putting together a dance number choreo graphed to the song used in the reveal.

Tickets for Winter Formal 2023 are on sale now. Each ticket per stu dent is $65 through Decem ber 22; from December 23 and onward each ticket will be $75.

InterSession program will become annual starting in 2023

by Molly Phan Editor in Chief

InterSession is a tradition at NDB that al lows students to enhance their learning with expe riences not usually found within the classroom. Pri or to this year, InterSes sion has been held every two years in February so that students experience the program twice in their four years. However, as announced by ASB on No vember 13, 2022, Interses sion will become annual starting in 2023.

“After several rounds for feedback and revised planning sessions, we are happy to announce that rather than offering In terSession every other year, we will now be offering this unique learning expe rience every year during President’s Day week,” said ASB in an email to the

school community. “We are rebuilding the program and are looking forward to building unique learning opportunities that will res onate with our students.”

In the past, Inter Session courses and activ ities have been offered on and off campus. Teachers usually host classes cen tered around arts and enter tainment, outdoor activities and exercise or skills that may have not already been taught in high school.

The most popu lar InterSession options among students are fami ly trips and college visits.

Students may choose to take the week to spend time with their loved ones or travel to visit schools they may be interested in for the future. However, there are requirements regarding these off-campus options, including at least one main educational element.

This year, Inter Session has been rede signed to emphasize the NDB Hallmarks. Each ac tivity, whether on-campus or off-campus, has an ed ucational component and a corresponding Hallmark which will push students to participate in unique expe riences over the course of their four years at NDB.

“Our goal is to build a program that en courages students to ex perience all types of offer ings over their four years at NDB (including college visits, community service opportunities, arts/crafts, “academics” in the real world and much more),” wrote Associate Head of School Jolanda Breazeale in an email to the entire community.

The 2023 Inter Session catalog was made available to students on No vember 29, and it revealed

all of the courses, local field trips and overnight trips that are offered this year. Some of the most anticipated trips this year include the Close Up trip to Washington D.C. led by Karen Fry, AP U.S.

Government teacher, and SoCal College Trips led by English Department Chair Robert Rojas. On-campus course options cover a wide variety of subjects from sewing to street art to self

care.

Juniors and se niors had the opportunity to sign up for their InterSes sion activities on December 2, and freshman and sopho mores on December 6.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CAITLIN DEGNAN Caitlin Degnan ‘24 and Hailey Degnan ‘25 spent Thanksgiving break visiting with family in Lake Tahoe.

MEGAN WORRY / THE CATALYST

Jonathan Tomczak, along with the help of VPA students and the NHS board, announced this year’s Winter Formal theme.

ROBERT ROJAS / THE CATALYST

From the archives: Students attend the SoCal College Visit trip in 2020, the last time that school-sponsored trips were offered.

OPINION

Should you shop in-person or online this holiday season?

Shop in stores for satisfaction

Ashley Turner Staff Writer

@TheNDBCatalyst

Without COVID-19 restrictions, many people are beginning to remember the appeal of shopping at the mall.

A significant rea son why shopping in-per son is superior is having the ability to judge the quality of a product for yourself. A product cannot be judged solely based on a picture online. By seeing the prod uct, you can see the details such as color, material and stitching. In a store, a cus tomer can be certain that they like the appearance of the item before they com mit to buying it.

Shopping in-per son is especially helpful when shopping for clothes. Trying on clothes is a prac

tice that can save a cus tomer from making haste decisions. No one will look identical to the model they see wearing the piece on line, and not all companies align their sizing so you cannot rely on your go-to size all the time. Having that ability to try on clothes in-person gives the custom er the freedom to try on multiple sizes at a time be fore purchasing. Trial and error will result in perfect sizing which will guarantee satisfaction in comparison to guessing online.

In-store promo tions are also often better deals than online because they are meant to lure customers into the stores. Companies are aiming to

bring more people to their stores, and these discounts can really help save cus tomers money.

A big aspect of shopping in-person is that the workers are there to assist you in what you are looking for. They can make suggestions and help you decide which color to get or which size suits you best. They are knowledge able about the store’s prod ucts and can give advice that is catered to you as an individual. This keeps the experience personal, which is missed when shopping online.

Interacting with the store and its employees is part of the experience of shopping in-person. The in-store routines lead to confident purchases which are less likely to result in a return. Being in the store it self while shopping is sure to produce a successful outcome.

Shop online for convenience

Mia Muzzi Managing Editor @TheNDBCatalyst

As technology has improved over the last few years, shopping online has become increasingly easier for customers to buy from their favorite stores. Given the convenience, it is much better to shop online as op posed to shopping malls. There are so many more options available on line compared to what is in shopping malls. A shopper can log onto almost any store’s website and order through their purchasing system, making it very ac cessible to buy something right away. In a shopping mall, there is a limited number of stores to vis it. Online shopping also provides customers with a wider selection of styles

and sizes to be ordered.

In-person stores can only carry so many items, so stock is at a minimum.

Brands also often give their online customers different deals than what might be offered in the store at the time. This can mean getting a really good sale on something that you might not have gotten if you went to shop in-person.

Stores that sell their products online have also begun to develop apps, making shopping online even simpler. Large com panies like Amazon have apps designed specifically for their customers to shop for whatever they may need, and be able to order directly from their phone.

Shopping online also gives customers many options to choose from, and is more convenient than spending time at a shopping mall all day looking for the right items. To avoid wast ing excessive time, many people have found that online shopping is a more convenient alternative.

Although you do not get the experience of trying on the clothes right away like you would at a store, most companies have made returns very simple. This means that you can order whatever it is you want, and try it on in the comfort of your own home.

If for some reason you do not like the item, it is very easy to return and you have already saved a lot of time from shopping in-person.

Due to the conve nience of online shopping and the added benefits that come with it, it is the best option for all shoppers who seek a stress-free shopping experience.

Staying positive and productive during the winter season

Phan Editor in Chief

On November 6, 2022 the majority of Amer icans observed their clocks “fall back” an hour to shift out of daylight saving time and back into standard time. With the annual time change comes the dread ed early sunsets and long, dark evenings. Although the weather in California is some of the best, we certainly still experience gloomy, cold and often rainy days during the win ter season which can make it difficult to stay happy, healthy and productive. So, here are some ways to stay positive and motivated during the winter months.

Take advantage of the daylight, even if there is less of it. Spend as much time as possible in the sun,

as Vitamin D is proven to boost energy. Staying ac tive can also improve your mood, so go for a run or a walk, or practice your fa vorite sport outside.

The fall and win ter months are home to many holidays, which can serve as reminders to be grateful for the people who love and support you. Vis iting or calling a family member, friend or someone who means a lot to you can be helpful in upholding a positive mindset.

Cold weather marks the return of cold and flu season, and there is no feeling worse than being sick during a gloomy and depressing day. Thankfully, the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us hundreds of

ways to keep ourselves safe from the sicknesses that travel quickly. Wash your hands several times a day, especially before meals and keep hand sanitizer ac cessible. Dress for warmth when outside and maintain a healthy sleep pattern. Stay hydrated, and do not be afraid to mask up when in crowded places.

Winter can also be incredibly stressful ac ademically for us students. The workload has signifi cantly increased since the semester is coming to an end, and finals are right around the corner. For seniors, college applica tion deadlines have had us swamped for the last few months, making the bal ance between homework and college essay-writing difficult. However, the key to combating academic stress is to manage your time and prioritize selfcare. Although it is diffi cult, establish a study rou tine in which you eliminate distractions but also set

time aside to rest and reju venate.

Finally, the best way to take care of your self during the winter is to prioritize your mental health. Changes in the time

and weather have proven to affect the mental health of people around the globe, so do not invalidate your sadness or lack of motiva tion this winter. Instead, surround yourself with a

support system, do not hes itate to access the mental health resources on campus and stay positive because spring is right around the corner.

changes in weather and time during the winter can be difficult to adapt to.

Molly

@TheNDBCatalyst

MOLLY PHAN / THE CATALYST

Shopping online has become very accessible making it a convenient option.

MOLLY PHAN / THE CATALYST

The

MIA MUZZI / THE CATALYST

Shopping in-person ensures that you get the right product when you shop.

NDB students are too dependent on caffeine

Hannah Nebres Arts & Life Co-Editor @TheNDBCatalyst

In every class, desks are lined with coffee and energy drinks, and stu dents carrying a water bot tle are more likely to have it filled with something more caffeinated than water. The most common drinks are those like coffee, tea or en ergy drinks. It seems that NDB students have been swept up by addiction, a caffeine addiction.

Energy drinks like Red Bull and Monster Energy have always been popular. Still, drinks like Celsius, Starbucks BAYA Energy and Alani Nu have had a recent surge among students for their health ier appeal, marketed as sports drinks to increase performance levels. Guay aki Yerba Mate has also been common for being a flavored herbal tea with amplified caffeine levels. These drinks advertise low sugar and high caffeine levels, which are irresist ible to students who spend their evenings studying and working.

Coffee has held consistent popularity among students, and this is a beverage many pre fer. Many students stop by their local Starbucks before school to get their daily coffee fix. Brands like La Colombe, High Brew Coffee and Starbucks have

made these drinks accessi ble in a canned form.

Since companies have managed to market caffeinated drinks as a sweet treat that also pro vides an energy boost, students are attracted to buy these drinks on a reg ular basis. However, these drinks do not come without consequences.

Caffeine is a type of drug known as a stim ulant, which means that it speeds up the central ner vous system. This provides a temporary boost of ener gy and alertness. It is found naturally in coffee beans, tea leaves and more.

According to the University of Michigan Health, teenagers should not consume more than 100 milligrams of caffeine a day. However, one Celsius energy drink, for example, contains 200 milligrams of caffeine, exactly double the amount one should intake.

Teenagers today consume less soda compared to a decade ago, but an increase in the popularity of coffee and energy drinks has kept caffeinated drinks popular among young adults.

Even when con suming the recommended levels of caffeine, teenag ers are still more suscepti ble to anxiety, dehydration and insomnia. Students

feeling stressed or tired from school may actually feel worse when drinking a caffeinated drink, despite the idea that it will give them the energy boost they need.

Being aware of caffeine’s detrimental im pact is crucial for students to set boundaries and know their limits. Senior Kendall Duffy reflected on how caf feinated drinks have affect ed her and how she tries to regulate her consumption. “Drinking coffee does not give me energy. Instead, it gives me a short burst of alertness, which is followed by a prolonged period of tiredness,” said Duffy. “I never have more than three coffees a week and I occa sionally will get it decaf.”

Teachers have also noticed an increase in caffeine consumption, especially in higher grade levels. When students are tired in class due to a caf feine crash, teachers are affected as they are unable to teach their lessons and receive full attention. Some teachers are also worried about what students are putting in their bodies and if it is truly beneficial to their education.

“I don’t know how good it is for people in the long run,” said Math Department Chair Jenni fer Walton. “I think a lot of times people are drink ing sugary drinks, which I don’t think are that great.” Consuming heavy amounts of caffeine on a

regular basis can lead to other problems down the road. It can cause the de velopment of anxiety, dif ficulty sleeping, irritability, headaches and more. To avoid devel oping a dependency on caffeine and enduring its adverse effects, students should try lower-caffeine alternatives and determine their reasons for needing caffeine. If students drink coffee because they lack energy and feel tired, they should aim to go to sleep earlier and prioritize their rest. When an energy boost is still needed, students can try drinking teas, like black and green tea, which still contain caffeine but at sig nificantly lower levels.

How to deal with your family during the holidays

Kate Davidson News Co-Editor @TheNDBCatalyst

The holidays are supposed to be a time of celebration spent with loved ones. The percep tion of the holiday season creates an image of perfect families enjoying delicious meals around beautifully decorated tables. However, this is not always the case.

Families are far from per fect, and many people have to deal with family mem bers that make the holidays challenging.

There are several things you can do to main tain family harmony and ease the anxieties that come with seeing family during the holiday season.

The school guid ance counselors shared some of their best strategies to deal with difficult fami

ly members and awkward topics during holiday fam ily get-togethers.

“The strategy that I use is I allow myself to have an exit plan,” said Guidance Counselor Mi chelle Campusano. “If a topic is brought up that I don’t agree with or a subject arises [that I am uncomfort able with,] I already have in my back pocket the excuse of needing to get up and go to the restroom, or doing something else to leave the area and kind of reset my self. And then I come back and I’m able to be a little bit more calm and relaxed.”

“[It’s important to know], who your al lies are, someone you feel comfortable enough to tell about this disturbing fami

ly member, and just know that someone is there for you if there is something that you’re uncomfort able with,’’ said Guidance Counselor Allan Gargarita no. “If you feel like you’re getting uncomfortable, you know you have people to talk to… to feel more safe and to give you some extra support during that time, because sometimes [un

comfortable situations are] unavoidable.”

Although the holi days are meant to be a time to enjoy family and relax, it is a stressful time of year for many. It is important to think about the reasons why coping strategies are neces sary to begin with. People are the most difficult when they are facing issues of their own, and their behav

ior can be due to their own stress. Remember to be kind to family members, since the ones who are the most challenging to deal with are often the ones struggling the most. Handling the sit uation with empathy and grace helps everyone at the gathering have a more en joyable time.

KATE DAVIDSON / THE CATALYST

Sharing a nice meal should be your only concern at the table.

MOLLY PHAN / THE CATALYST

Students rely on caffeinated drinks to boost their energy levels.

NDB celebrates the season around campus NDB gets festive for this

by Mia Muzzi & Dayna Sockol Staff Writers

The NDB community observes several winter holidays, including Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. As these holidays approach, the school celebrates in a variety of ways.

Over the past two weeks, decorations have been put up around the school by both stu dents and staffulty. Most notably are the Christ mas trees that can be found around the entire campus. During collaboration on November 30, students assisted Director of Student Life Alisia Bergholm in hanging ornaments and lights on the trees for community service hours. This activity was an exciting way for students to get into the holiday spirit while also helping NDB.

Teachers have also brought out holiday decorations to bring festivity to their classrooms. Many have hung lights on their doors and brought menorahs and advent wreaths to be displayed while school continues into the holidays. Some teachers, such as Spiritual Life teacher Helen Cier nick, have strung lights around the frame of their classroom doors to show their enthusiasm.

During collaboration on December 3, stu dents gathered in the Moore Pavillion to watch the dance classes perform in their Visual and Per forming Arts (VPA) Showcase. With this being the first time it has happened in three years due to COVID-19, it was an exciting event for many. In addition to the performances, the theme of NDB’s Winter Formal was announced as “Once Upon a Dream.” This assembly was the first of NDB’s holiday themed events for the upcoming weeks.

Students and staffulty attended the Mass of the Immaculate Conception on December 8. The mass celebrated the Christian story of Saint Mary and her conception of the baby Jesus. For many Christians, Advent is a time in which to cel ebrate their religion and traditions, which is why the mass was an important addition to NDB’s hol iday celebration.

On December 5 and 6 during all religion classes, students went to the Advent Retreat. The event was planned by Director of Mission and Ministry Amy Jobin along with Hallmarks in Ac tion board and the spiritual life department. Stu dents participated in an Advent trivia game and played a Kahoot to learn more about the meaning behind Advent and what it represents. After the games, students watched what was called “Cul ture Shares” and listened to what some of their classmates do to celebrate their religion during

the holidays.

In addition to all the other events happen ing at NDB, the annual Winter Spirit Week was announced on December 2. Homeroom presidents were instructed by the Associated Student Body (ASB) to tell their classmates. With the announce ment came much anticipation around campus for the upcoming week. The Spirit Days will begin on Monday December 12 and end right before the first finals, on Thursday December 15. Giving stu dents a little bit of fun before they have to complete their finals, the themes have been creatively thought through by ASB. Starting on Monday, students will be dressed ready for the theme “Hit the Slopes,”

with the following Spirit Days being “Santa’s Spies,” “White Out” and “Holiday Pajama Day.”

“In preparation for the week, we have been making tons of posters to hang in the hallway like we did for the other Spirit Week,” said ASB Athlet ics Director Sophia Rask. “I’m most excited for the White Out day because we have something special happening.”

This time of year is always exciting for peo ple, but NDB has been working diligently to make this year special for their students. There are many spirited events to look forward to as the school con tinues recognizing the holidays.

MIA MUZZI / THE CATALYST

Decorations have been put up all over the school, bringing holiday cheer to students and staffulty.

year’s holiday season

How to holiday shop on a budget

by Lauren Fitzgerald Staff Writer

As students gather in passing periods to shelter from the cold, there is a reminder that the holidays are just around the corner. The warmth of the fire and the smell of cookies are all gentle re minders of the holidays to come. But perhaps one of the most exciting holiday-related activities is gift shopping. Although shopping for gifts can be cha otic, with high prices, shortages and large demand for sought-after gifts, there are certainly still ways to save time, money and stress when buying your gifts this year.

Another impacted group, parents, have found ways to combat the holiday shopping stress. Many propose to shop early, look for deals and buy small presents throughout the year to spread the spending out. Some have perfected their tech niques for shopping, down to the day and the dol lar. Meanwhile, others seize the days leading up to the holidays to do the bulk of their shopping in order to maximize their savings.

“I’m typically a last minute shopper,” said NDB parent Kristine McCoy. “I try to take advan tage of the Black Friday deals.”

Regardless of the timing of shopping, there are many ways to optimize the experience. Gaug ing prices online and taking advantage of price trends helps consumers to buy at the cheapest pos sible price. Also searching for substitutes to popu lar gifts can take financial pressure off of buying high-demand items. Furthermore, big-ticket items can be bought with Black Friday and Cyber Mon day deals, or throughout the entire year, to miti gate holiday markups. And of course, while a late Christmas Eve shop is still a feasible option, putting together a list (and checking it twice!) early on will help to avoid missing packages, sold-out presents and in-store chaos.

The holiday season should be a time of joy and rest. Enjoy the holiday season and let the only “green” that is lost be the needles on the tree on December 26.

NDB community travels for winter break

by Ashley Turner Staff Writer

With whichever holiday an NDB student may celebrate during the winter break, the time off presents the perfect opportunity for some time away from home. Because of long homework nights and now, studying for finals, students are pent up in their bedrooms for long periods of time. A change of scenery is certain to rejuvenate spirits after a week of relentless assessments, essays and projects. A number of students will be leaving the familiarity of the Bay Area for a destination sure to bring fam ily bonding and self-care.

Some find themselves escaping from the cold weather while others aim to embrace it. A fa vorite approach to a white Christmas is a four hour drive northeast to Lake Tahoe. Whether hoping to watch a snowstorm from the comfort of your room or heading out to ski, families enjoy the convenient location. Freshman Keira Kennon will be driving up to the lake to celebrate Christmas and New Years.

“I’m going to Incline and I’m going with my family and my friend,” says Kennon. “A tradition we have is that we play cards every year.”

Junior Karly Bordin will take a break from

cold weather as she flies over the Pacific Ocean. She has a family trip to Hawaii planned with her brothers, parents and grandparents.

“I am going to the island of Kawaii,” says Bordin. “I am looking forward to being out of town and being in a warm, tropical place during Christ mas break.”

Student Services Coordinator Barbara Taus key will be flying for a brisk hour and a half, south of the Bay Area to Carlsbad. She will be reunited with her niece as well as her niece’s three-year-old son, George, and newborn daughter, Sophie. Taus key, alongside her mother, have planned the trip to meet the newborn for the first time.

When asked how she will be spending her time in Carlsbad, Tauskey replies, “I’m planning to hold the baby a lot. Take George for walks. And just enjoy family. My mother is also the great-grand mother to this baby. It will be absolutely lovely for my mother to see her great-grandchildren.”

Winter break serves as the perfect time for students to escape the normal daily routine for one filled with relaxation, favorite pastimes and explor ing new locations. Travel promotes great quality time with family, traditions, new memories and ex periences.

LAUREN FITZGERALD / THE CATALYST

Students search for the perfect gift, but also for the perfect price.

ASHLEY TURNER / THE CATALYST

Many NDB students plan to travel to Lake Tahoe.

Spotify Wrapped released for users on November

by Lauren Fitzgerald Staff Writer

The weather is getting colder, stores are bustling with busy shoppers and everyone is gearing up for the holidays. But there was one thing that NDB students had been waiting for, something that in the past few years has become synonymous with the end of the year: their Spotify Wrapped.

Wrapped, a program by the popular streaming service Spotify, is an individualized cul mination of one’s listening habits throughout the year. It is a method of storytell

ing formatted similar to Instagram’s story feature, in which participants can tap through slides and describes one’s year. As the slides play through, top-lis tened to artists are revealed, in addition to top songs, genres and even podcasts.

On November 30, this year’s Wrapped was re leased for all users to view.

Spotify showed a listener’s top artists and songs, as well as their musical ennea gram.

Artists like Drake, Taylor Swift and the Week nd topped as artists most listened to on Spotify this year. For many students, they enjoy discussing their

Spotify Wrapped with each other and comparing their music against one another. Junior Mandy Roche waits every year for Spotify Wrapped to be re leased. Her top artists for the year consisted of the Smiths and Morgan Wal len.

“I think it’s real ly fun that I get to see my minutes listened to. I feel like you don’t really realize how much time you spend listening to music in gen eral but also to a certain band,” said Roche. “I am sometimes surprised by what I get in my top songs because they can be a little random, but that is what

makes it exciting.” In addition to fea tures presented in years past, this year’s Wrapped featured thank-you notes and even videos from artists to their top fans on the platform. Pop artist Olivia Rodrigo used vid eos as a way of confirming new music to be released in 2023. Listeners of all artists appreciated the new feature as a way of showing their pride in their loyalty.

Every year, Wrapped connects artists to fans and reviews the year in meaningful, but unex pected ways, tying the year together as the holidays ar rive.

Christmas lights display on Eucalyptus Avenue, San Carlos

by Ashley Strain Sports Editor

Families flood Eucalyptus Avenue in San Carlos, filled with Christmas cheer, ready to kickstart the holiday sea son. Commonly known as Christmas Tree Lane, the street of Eucalyptus has created a community tradi tion as Bay Area residents stroll down the street, tak ing in the infamous light display.

The Christmas decorating tradition is dis closed to potential residents before purchasing a home on Eucalyptus Avenue. They are highly encour aged to contribute to the block-wide display.

Houses start to put their lights up and begin decorating around Thanks giving in order to have a

completed display by De cember. The lights stay up for the entirety of the sea son and are taken down on December 26, the day fol lowing Christmas. Stephanie and Na thaniel Moody, Eucalyptus homeowners and longtime San Carlos residents, maintain the brightest light display on the block. The Moody family has been liv ing on Eucalyptus Avenue for 21 years and have par ticipated in the Christmas light display ever since. Each year in the evenings of December, traffic overflows onto sur rounding streets, Tamarack Avenue, Orange Avenue and Brittan Avenue. Al though there is the option to walk down the street, many have trouble find ing parking in the packed residential neighborhood.

Living in the center of the block, traffic can grow to be unmanageable on De cember evenings.

“The traffic de pends and is never really predictable. I always think walking the street is better than driving and encourage people to do that because car traffic can get crazy, es pecially as we get closer to Christmas,” Moody shared.

“The weekends are always the busiest time to visit. We also get a lot of people on Christmas Eve and Christ mas Day.”

Because visits are free, some come to visit the street on a nightly basis. The neighbors’ involve ment in the block makes the experience more enter taining as they help spread the Christmas cheer. Many houses have special tradi tions that they established

and evolve each year.

“We have a lot of traditions around decorat ing and enjoying the sea son. As a family, we host a party which has come to be known as ‘Sing-a-long,’ which is basically Christ mas karaoke on our front porch. We have been doing this for 15 years and it is always one of my favor ite nights of the season,” Moody said. “Otherwise we do what everyone who visits the street does; we walk around and enjoy the lights and decorations.”

Although contrib uting to the light display each year can be a hefty re sponsibility, Bay Area resi dents are attracted from all over to experience the in famous Christmas display and holiday cheer that fills the block.

Giving back to the community during the holidays

by Molly Phan Editor in Chief

The holidays serve as a reminder to ap preciate those who love and support you and to be thankful for all that you have. Providing support for those who may need it is a great way to express your gratitude, so here are some simple ways that you can serve your community this holiday season.

The first and like ly the most accessible way to support those around you is to serve your school community. Here at NDB, there are always opportu nities to get involved with volunteering on campus.

Sign up to be a student am bassador or volunteer to lead events such as Fresh man Orientation or Open House. If you see a teacher or administrator who seems like they could use a hand in their classroom or office,

offer to help. Working to support one another with in our school community is incredibly important to ensure a respectful and pro ductive environment.

Because NDB recognizes the importance of giving back, communi ty service opportunities are offered to students through out the school year. Execu tive Assistant to the Head of School Alejandra Arias and Director of Mission and Ministry Amy Jobin work together to send announce ments about service drives and volunteer opportunities on or around campus.

As the holidays are approaching, NDB’s upcoming toy drive on De cember 14 is one that many are choosing to participate in. The school plans on re warding spirit points to the class who donates the most toys, encouraging to buy toys and gift cards to do nate to children.

“At this school I don’t think that the major ity of us really have had to worry about things like ‘Oh, is Santa coming? Are we getting gifts for Christ mas?’ So I feel like it’s just important for us to be giving back to communi ties that maybe don’t have that privilege,” said Junior Katie Homrig. “It is easy enough to purchase a toy and help out.”

However, com munity opportunities are not limited to the NDB campus. Many students choose to engage in oppor tunities outside of school and around their own com munity. Local donation drop-offs for toys, clothes or any other equipment are an easy way to help those in need. Also, attending community service events in your neighborhood is something that you can par ticipate in with your friends or family.

“What I really hope is that people will do community service, and that they will be changed somehow,” said Jobin. “We have so many amazing non-profit organizations in San Mateo County and it would be special for people to make a point to research

them and do service with their favorites. I want them to benefit from that service and have interacted with people who will impact them. That is my goal.”

Since the holidays can be a time of need for many families, it is import ant now more than ever to

give back to our commu nities and support those around us. Through sinple acts of service, you can make a substantial differ ence in the lives of many and help make their holiday season special this year.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CAT ADAMIS

Students and their families participate in community service opportunities to help those in need.

ASHLEY STRAIN / THE CATALYST

Every year, residents of Eucalyptus Avenue celebrate the holidays by decorating their houses.

SCREENSHOT FROM SPOTIFY Spotify users can see top songs and artists from 2022.

Movie Review: “She Said”

by Junior Staff

The Universal Pictures film “She Said” was released in theaters on November 18. This produc tion depicts the true story of two female investigative reporters and their journey to bring justice to those af fected by the acts of Harvey Weinstein and the system that let him get away with it. They juggle being work ing wives and mothers and keeping afloat in a stressful journalistic environment.

The leading duo of the movie, Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey, are real New York Times jour nalists who stumbled upon developments in assault cases against Weinstein in 2016.

Five years after covering the assault charges against now-former Presi dent Donald Trump, Two hey yearned for the truth regarding the systemic protection of abusive men

in power. For the Wein stein case, she and Kantor were tasked with following the trail of breadcrumbs that Weinstein left behind during his time at Miramax, his own movie production company. His sloppy use of settlements and blackmail ing lead the reporters in the right direction to interview the women at his company.

Weinstein’s power in the film industry made his victims especially hes itant about speaking out against him at first. He could shut down a career with a single phone call, so even other journalists avoided the story. How ever, the team was deter mined and Kantor traveled from New York to Silicon Valley, and then all the way to the United Kingdom in order to find women will ing to go on the record. To their dismay, many people had signed non disclosure agreements that prohibited them from sharing any in

formation.

The movie has been revolutionary in re vealing the unseen details behind organizing the arti cle that exposed Weinstein. Realities of the journalism industry are portrayed in the rigorous steps that both Kantor and Twohey must pursue to construct an arti cle without any faults. With the possible threat that the article holds to the possible sources shows the distanc es journalists pursue to get an interview on the record.

The movie harmoniously reveals the journalistic pro cess along with the heroism that the victims displayed.

The film proved to be moving to The Catalyst. As a community of young women, these student jour nalists felt represented in the dramatization of the two women who managed to help take down Wein stein with the power of journalism.

Staying warm in a uniform

by Francesca Arbelaez Arts & Life Editor

As the tempera ture drops, questions arise concerning NDB’s school uniform and its practicality in the colder months. How ever, there are many solu tions to the chills a daily uniform brings while also following the dress code’s guidelines.

The most advan tageous choice for bracing the crisp weather is lots of layering. A long-sleeved shirt under a uniform polo can add much more warmth to an outfit. If that is not enough, an extra sweater or jacket should be perfect as the cold weather continues. And if the three additional layers are still not warm enough, vests are a great choice as well as a popular one at NDB.

There has been a long-running argument for

sweatpants to make their way into the uniform. But, this year, it is not permit ted. It is sometimes unfor tunate that skirts are a part of the daily uniform, but it is often forgotten that NDB offers uniform pants. They are warm and practical for the cold weather. However, leggings have also proved to be a warm option and given that many students already own some. They are a more convenient al ternative for brisk Belmont mornings. Furthermore, fleece-lined leggings can substitute multiple layers and combat the need for sweatpants.

With the holi days drawing nearer, fuzzy socks begin to make an ap pearance at NDB, and not only can they be festive, but warm as well. In addi tion to layering outerwear, socks and leg warmers can be layered for maximum

warmth. If appendages, such as hands and fingers get cold, gloves or mittens can be a quick fix as well. In addition, hand-warmers can be put in gloves and or socks for extra coziness.

Sometimes, when it is too difficult to get warm from the outside, it can be simpler to warm your insides with a hot cup of coffee or tea. Starbucks cups have become a part of the NDB uniform as it is the ideal pit stop before a chilly day at school. Ad ditionally, Epicurean serves coffee, hot cocoa and hot tea every morning for stu dent enjoyment.

Students have found creative ways to warm up during the win ter and it can be expected that these new additions to NDB’s uniform will con tinue in the coming winter months.

“layered

Swifties strike back over inflated ticket sale prices

by Ashley Turner Staff Writer

On November 1, musician Taylor Swift an nounced her upcoming tour via Instagram: “The Eras Tour.” The post listed set dates and stadium locations all over the United States with international where abouts to be determined later.

The tour kicks off in Glendale, Arizona on March 18 of 2023 and clos es in Los Angeles, Califor nia on August 5. Swift is scheduled to visit the Bay

Area on September 28 and 29 at Levi’s Stadium. Her last tour in the Bay was the “Reputation Stadium Tour” in 2018 and many fans are excited for her return.

Swift has invited a total of nine guest per formers who will alternate throughout the tour. No table artists include Par amore, who will be opening the tour’s start in Arizona. The two artists set for the concert at Levi’s include HAIM and Gracie Abrams.

HAIM is a group of three women who had been fea tured on Swift’s hit “no

body, no crime.” Abrams gained popularity due to her opening for performer Olivia Roderigo.

The name of this tour is meant to encompass all of the stylistic phases that occurred through out Swift’s career so far. From her early romantic songs from her country album to the recent elec tronica-styled “Midnights” album, she aims to por tray her musical journey throughout the concert.

With loyal “Swifties” bound to attend and following her “Mid

nights” album, which re cently broke the record for filling the top ten spots of the Billboard 100, “The Eras Tour” is sure to bring much excitement as antici pation builds.

There has been controversy over the price of tickets, with many fans claiming that the prices are elitist. Price numbers have reached the thou sands on many ticket pur chase platforms. Many crashed because of the race to grasp a ticket. Junior Jasmine Westphal-Cullen first-handedly experienced

the lines for tickets.

“I was just re ally frustrated on getting in line for the queue, pur chasing tickets and getting to like the checkout and then getting kicked out and put back to the end of the queue,” said Westphal-Cul len. “That happened multi ple times.”

Ranting on Twit ter, fans questioned Swift and the resale sites for the reason for such unrealistic prices. She issued a pub lic statement, saying that she will defend her fans and condemned the plat

forms for taking advan tage of them. Ticketmaster then issued an apology, addressing both Swift and fans. Since then, fans have continued to take actions against Ticketmaster. Since then, people have taken action against the compa ny. The most aggrieved of them are suing it, claim ing the insane ticket prices were unlawful.

Though many fans were excited to see Swift in concert, the cost of buying a ticket has become such a problem that many have chosen not to purchase one.

PHOTO COURTESY OF UNIVERSAL PICTURES

Actresses Carey Mulligan and Zoe Kazan star as New York Times reporters Megan Twohey and Jodi Kantor.

FRANCESCA ARBELAEZ / THE CATALYST

Juniors model their

for warmth” uniform look.

SCREENSHOT FROM TICKETMASTER

The tickets for Taylor Swift’s upcoming tour are being resold for thousands of dollars on Ticketmaster, upsetting her loyal fans.

Basketball: Alumnae return to play on their home court

by Ashley Strain Sports Editor

The NDB alum nae were called back to their old stomping grounds to participate in NDB’s annual alumnae basketball game. On the evening of November 23, the Moore Pavilion was filled with NDB alumnae and families to watch the annual game.

The current NDB Varsity Basketball team went up against the NDB Basketball alumnae, who formed a team from a va riety of years. The alum nae showed up the day of and were immediately brought back to their high school days.

Although the score was close, the cur rent NDB basketball team pulled through, narrowly winning over the alumnae basketball team, with a fi nal score of 35-34.

Alumna Ash ley North ‘22 returned to NDB to participate in her first annual alumnae game. North played on NDB’s Varsity and JV basketball teams all four years of her high school career.

“It was a cool ex

perience. It was exciting getting to see everyone and play with old team mates, and I’m looking forward to next year,” North shared.

The NDB Spirit Squad was also in atten dance. The NDB Spirit Squad coaches, all three being NDB cheer alum nae, recruited other alum nae to participate in the game. Paired with the cur rent NDB Spirit Squad, they were able to create a routine with stunts and dances included.

The team held two practices leading up to the game to formulate their routine. All partic ipants were sent a USA Tryout Dance to learn before the first practice. The pom and cheer alum nae were all included in the routine, utilizing their previous stunt and dance skills from high school.

Alumna Amber Gross (Walton) ‘09 joined the current NDB Spirit Squad in performing the alumnae halftime routine.

Gross cheered during the entirety of her four years at NDB, first year being on JV, and the last three being a member on varsi ty. She was chosen as one

of the captains during her senior year.

The cheerleaders performed their routine during halftime at the game.

“Overall, I just loved performing… the adrenaline and energy, the power of teamwork, the aesthetics, high ponytail and bow with sparkly uni forms, the music there’s nothing like it,” Gross re flected.

The current NDB athletes were able to so cialize with the NDB alumnae from both bas ketball and the spirit squad. Being able to meet the now-graduated ath letes, proves the strength in NDB’s athletics pro gram and community. “I loved be ing able to come back to NDB and not only cheer with the current spirit squad, but also with other

alumnae, many of whom I cheered with in high school. It’s awesome to see the women I cheered with coaching the current teams,” Gross said. “I was able to reconnect with old friends and look forward to keeping those relation ships going.”

Each year, NDB’s alumnae basketball game continues to strength en the bond between the graduated athletes and

the current ones. It allows the current students to connect with their former teammates or sisters from older grade levels. NDB highlights the importance of this connection by con tinuing this tradition each year. This annual game serves as a great opportu nity to get the community involved and connected, especially during the be ginning of the holiday season.

Q&A: How do athletes cope with injuries?

The Catalyst (TC): What sports do you play, and what has that time commitment looked like?

Nicole Tobar (NT): This year and last year, soccer is practice five days a week and games are usually on the weekends. After my injury, I still show up to practice five days a week and go to all games to support my team.

TC: Can you describe your injury and how it im pacted your ability to participate in your sport?

NT: My injury, known as an ACL tear, occurred November 22 while playing soccer against Hills dale HS. It has impacted my ability to participate in soccer ... especially because I will be out for the rest of the season due to surgery.

TC: How have you adjusted to your injury? What are some of the ways you’ve been able to man age not participating in your sport?

NT: I have adjusted to my injury by icing it con stantly and doing physical therapy in and out of the school. I have been focusing on the present and looking at the bright side of the situation.

Alyssa Kimoto (AK): I am a cheerleader for NDB and have been since freshman year. The gen eral practice schedule is five hours per week, in ad dition to special events like games or competitions.

TC: Can you describe your injury/surgery and how it impacted your ability to participate in your sport?

AK: I’ve had some persistent knee problems for most of my life ... The only solution for me was go ing to be surgery. While the surgery itself was mini mally invasive, I won’t be fully myself again for two to four months.

TC: How have you adjusted to your injury? What are some of the ways you’ve been able to manage not participating in your sport?

AK: I’m certainly missing my sport right now ... It’s not the most fun thing in the world to be sitting out during practices, but I’m still happy to be there to support them. I’m still looking forward to going to competitions to cheer on my teammates.

Ciara Managan (CM): I play volleyball, at school in the fall and club starting in the winter. I also played beach volleyball in the spring for NDB. Volleyball is a big commitment with a busy schedule including practices, games and tourna ments. I spent most of my free time playing volley ball and I made great friends in the process.

TC: Can you describe your injury and how it im pacted your ability to participate in your sport?

CM: I tore my ACL in the middle of my volleyball season during a game. After I got hurt, I had to immediately stop playing and was not able to fin ish the season.

TC: What has the recovery process been like, and when will you be able to return to participating in your sport?

CM: I can go back to playing volleyball in a year. But until then I’m in physical therapy and working hard to be able to play again.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KATE MAHONEY

The current NDB Basketball team poses with NDB Basketball alumnae after winning the game.

Information and photos compiled by Eva Nichter, News Co-Editor

The Catalyst (TC): What sport do you play, and what has that time commitment looked like?

The Catalyst (TC): What sport do you play, and what has that time commitment looked like?

Winter sports season begins at NDB

by Molly Phan Editor in Chief

The winter sports season has officially begun at NDB as the basketball and soccer coaches have drafted their teams and have started preparing for the season ahead of them. Bas ketball tryouts were held from October 31 through November 2, and soccer tryouts from November 7 through November 10. Both the basketball and soccer programs include a JV and varsity team.

Led by Head Coach Samantha Rossi, the varsity basketball team looks similar to last year’s, with the newest addition being freshman Lizzie Johnson. There are also several players who have returned this year from in jury.

“I am looking for ward to competing against many of the teams that may have won against us last year. I think we have a very special team and I am excit ed to see how our gameplay will look this year,” said junior and team captain Julia Oliveira-Killmon. “A lot of us are very compet itive and look forward to playing with the mindset of winning as a team. Our team has been used to hav

ing a lot of height to work with, so I think we are go ing to have to adapt to learn how to play with mainly guards.”

Varsity Basketball won their first scrimmage on November 15 against Sequoia HS, and lost their CCS Friendship game against Carlmont HS on November 17. On Novem ber 26, they played in their first preseason game against Westmont HS, which they won with a score of 52-23.

The JV Basketball team has also started off strong, winning their first official game 41-25 against Hillsdale HS as well as their second game 41-17 against Westmont HS. “I am looking for ward to being on a team where I can make new friends and work with oth ers. Playing high school basketball is definitely a more competitive space than how it was in mid dle school, but it is fun to compete with better teams and challenge myself,” said freshman Julianna Loar.

The Varsity Soc cer team has a fairly equal number of returning play ers and new players. Led by Head Coach Paul Mc Callion, the group looks forward to the competition that lies ahead of them.

“I’m excited about our tournament in Arizona and being able to bond with the team. I think that this season will be similar to the past season because al though there are many new players, we already work well together,” said senior Athena Carvallo.

Varsity Soccer kicked off the season with a win in their first preseason game against Hillsdale HS

on November 22 by a score of 1-0.

The JV Soccer team is a large group and includes many freshmen. The new team lost against Hillsdale HS in their first game 4-0.

The four winter sports teams will continue to compete in the presea son until league games, or the regular season games, begin in January.

Q&A with Ashna Tumuluri on squash

by Genevieve Klein Opinion Co-Editor

The Catalyst sat down with senior Ashna Tumuluri, who is a nationally ranked squash player. She has been playing the sport since she was 10 and has developed a deep pas sion for it. She manages to compete at a high level, trav eling all around the country for tournaments, while still keeping up with her school work.

The Catalyst (TC): When did you first start playing squash and what got you into the sport?

Staying in shape during the off-season

by Kayla Hollister Staff Writer

Although winter sports are in season, athletes from all seasons are con tinuing to keep in shape. By staying active and working out during their off-season, athletes are prepared and in shape for their sport to start again.

While the yearround and winter sports, cheer, pom, basketball and soccer, are currently in season, the fall and spring athletes are in their off-sea son. Because playing sports requires consistent prac tice and staying in shape, staying active during the off-season is an important way to prepare and improve for the on-season. It can be harmful for an athlete to go months at a time without exercising, both physically and mentally. Since they are so used to the rigorous practices and games of a sport, it is necessary that they have opportunities to maintain their fitness.

Many athletes keep themselves active through the weight room. The Athletics Department requires returning athletes to complete 20 preseason workouts in the weight room in order to be eligi ble for tryouts. Athletes can sign up for drop-in sessions and participate in sport-spe

cific workouts and timeslots to prepare themselves for tryouts and the upcom ing season.

The weight room, run by Athletic Coordinator Kate Mahoney, stays open during the duration of the year, including summer and all seasons. On November 7, Mahoney emailed re turning spring athletes to announce the addition of athome workouts to count to wards the requirement. The workout circuits, which include crunches, jumping jacks and other exercis es, are emailed out at the beginning of each school week. Athletes can film themselves completing the

exercises and email their video for credit.

Some athletes, like varsity lacrosse player and senior Cristine Niswan der, have been supplement ing their required workouts with at-home exercise.

“I try to go for a run once or twice a week,” said Niswander. “I play la crosse, which involves a lot of running back and forth on the field, and I want to keep up my stamina so I’m ready when practices and games start.”

Many sports re quire teamwork and spe cialized skills, so Niswan der, along with many athletes, prefer practic

ing with their teammates and equipment during the off-season.

“Some of my friends on the team and I get together sometimes to throw a ball around,” said Niswander. “It’s important to keep up our ball skills, especially since I decided not to play on a club team this year. It’s also a good way to have fun with my friends and stay connected as a team even when we’re not in season.”

Whether sports seasons are in play or not, NDB helps students stay active, which is a crucial aspect for being an athlete.

Ashna Tumuluri (AT): So I started playing when I was 10 At the time I was playing tennis as well. I was intro duced by my dad because he played club college squash

He saw that there were squash camps during the sum mer that were going on, so he signed me up for them.

TC: What does your practice and competition schedule look like?

AT: I practice six days a week and then I rest on Saturday. So, it’s pretty difficult. It’s a lot of clinics and then also doing fitness by myself I also have to fit in match play as well. I have to integrate a lot of different things into my schedule.

TC: Do you find it challenging to balance squash and school?

AT: Yeah, I definitely do find it challenging. I feel like I have to prioritize a lot of the time. Sometimes I have to pri oritize my squash over school when there’s an upcoming tournament or sometimes I have to prioritize school over squash. It’s hard to find a balance a lot of the time, but I seem to make it work.

TC: What do you enjoy most about playing squash?

AT: I feel like squash has brought me things on and off the court. I’ve created so many friendships that I never thought I would make. And then on the court, I feel like I’ve acquired a lot of mental strength [and a] work ethic that I can use in school.

TC: What do you want other people to know about squash?

AT: I felt like a lot of people don’t know what it is and also how difficult it can be. Squash is both fun and a big time commitment. You have to dedicate so much time on your own and you also have to be willing to give up things, just like any other sport. I wish it was more well-known [on] the west coast.

TC: Are you planning on playing squash in college?

AT: Yeah, I’m planning on playing squash at the Univer sity of Pennsylvania I’ll be in the Wharton School, so I’m excited for that.

MEGAN WORRY / THE CATALYST

Olivia McGlynn ‘26 dribbles the ball toward the goal during JV soccer practice.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ASHNA TUMULURI

JENNIFER JIN / THE CATALYST

A student utilizes the weight room during her sport’s off-season.

Choir performs in the Tri-School Winter Concert

by Ava Marinos Opinion Co-Editor

The Tri-School Choir, consisting of singers from Serra HS, Mercy HS and NDB, performed in its first concert of the school year on December 5. This performance is known as the Tri-School Winter Con cert, where the choir per forms the songs the group has been rehearsing for the past few months. Songs in clude winter classics such as the original Christmas carol “The First Noel” and “Pat-a-Pan.”

The choir has been meeting weekly to perfect its repertoire for this concert. With a choir of 68 members and a range of voices in alto, soprano, bass and tenors, the group has had the opportunity to improve upon their vocal skills and collaborate with a large group of singers. “I’m really excit ed to share the musician ship of so many singers with our community,” said Tri-School Choir Director Joe Murphy. “This is pos sibly the largest this group has ever been and we have so many talented young singers.”

The Tri-School Choir performed in two back-to-back performanc es, with their first perfor mance at Serra HS and sec

ond performance at Mercy HS. At the Serra HS per formance, they performed with other musical groups, including the Tri-School Jazz and Symphonic bands, Serranaders and Men’s Choir.

During the choir’s second performance, they performed for Mercy’s Choral Concert. There, the choir had a second oppor tunity to perform the songs they have been perfecting for months prior. Perform ing in the Kohl Mansion filled with Christmas deco rations gave a festive atmo sphere to the holiday show case.

The members of the choir eagerly looked forward to the day of their first official performance where they got to dress formally and perform in a beautiful venue in front of a large audience.

“I am excited to see everyone together all dressed up to perform since everyone has worked so hard,” said NDB senior and Tri-School Choir Mem ber Cristine Niswander. “I think rehearsals with both of our teachers helping us get the songs down has been a fun experience and I can’t wait for what the next semester holds.”

Members

What is your unique holiday tradition?

Everyone celebrates different holidays and has unique tra ditions that are meaningful to them. To recognize these differences, The Catalyst asked Tigers to share about their family’s unique holiday traditions.

leading up to their concerts. Tri-School Choir members not only antic ipated their debut perfor mances, but the large audi ences that came with them as well.

These two perfor mances are the first and last performances of the TriSchool Choir for the winter season, so they felt all the nerves that came with per forming for the first time.

How does Epicurean plan the weekly menu?

by Francesca Arbelaez Arts & Life Co-Editor

Epicurean Group is the company that pro vides NDB with fresh food every day for lunch and oth er catering needs. They are devoted to healthy meals and have been at NDB for three years, since the pan demic. Every Sunday the menu for the week is sent out with different meals for breakfast, lunch and snacks in between. But what goes into this very important de cision-making process?

“We write season al menus utilizing local, fresh, honest, food,” said Epicurean CEO & Founder Mary Clark Bartlett. “We follow the ‘clean 15’ and the ‘dirty dozen’ in our menus. The clean 15 are free of harmful pesticides and sprays, and the dirty dozen, we purchase organic as much as feasible.”

Epicurean takes into account the produce that comes up on each of these two lists when choos ing the ingredients for all of their meals. Avocados, corn, onions and asparagus are some of the ‘clean 15’ that show up frequently on the lunch menu. The ‘dirty dozen’ include grapes, pears and celery, which are ingredients that are rare in

Epicurean meals.

“When food is in season it is affordable, it tastes the best and it is the most nutritious,” said Bartlett. “Mother Nature is amazing! Eating season al foods is where dining should be and we are part of Slow Food International and Slow Food USA.”

Fresh food is col lected at the height of the season when it is complete ly mature. Higher amounts of antioxidants, such as Vi tamin C and beta-carotene, are brought on by ideal growth circumstances and greater sunlight. These fac tors are considered when choosing options for each meal for the seasons. As of now, cabbage, bok choy and carrots are in season and are making appearanc es in the cafeteria.

As Bartlett men tioned, Epicurean is a member of Slow Food, which supports traditional cooking methods and re gional cuisine. They fight against people’s waning interest in the food they consume, where it origi nates and how food choices affect the environment. As many of the members of the Epicurean staff are His panic, NDB sees a lot of Hispanic-influenced meals, as well as a plethora of oth

er cultures.

“Kimi and Jaime keep track of what’s hot and what’s not with the students and always include their fa vorites on the menu,” said Bartlett.

Kimi Green is the General Manager and Jai me Barillas is the Executive Chef of Epicurean at NDB and they are responsible for what exactly gets put

on the menu. A survey goes out every couple of months asking students their opin ions about the meals, what should change and what should stay the same. With these three major factors being considered, Epicu rean is able to deliver the highest quality of food to the NDB community day in and day out.

Luci Caron, sophomore

“One tradition that me and my family do every year is to open a lot of [our] gifts, almost all except for one, on Christmas Eve. We love spending time together the night before Christmas and reliving the days when [my sister and I] were young. This started when me and my sister, Olivia, found out that Santa was more or less Saint Nich olas. This is very important to our family because it is a tradition we will hold for as long as we can and hopefully pass to future generations.”

King, junior

KATE DAVIDSON / THE CATALYST

On December 5, the Tri-School Choir performed for the first time this year.

of the choir eagerly awaited their first performances to show case their talents, as they have been practicing for months

FRANCESCA ARBELAEZ / THE CATALYST

Everyday, the Epicurean team works diligently to provide NDB with a variety of meals.

GENEVIEVE KLEIN / THE CATALYST

“[A tradition] we also follow is visiting our close families and relatives’ graves the day before Christmas and add ing flowers to decorate their graves. At the graves, there are guards that maintain the tombs... and keep them clean. Usually when we visit, we add flowers to the graves and thank the guard for their work by paying them and giving them food and clothes. [This tradition] dates back to the ancient Egyptians and has been changed slightly to resem ble our religion.”

KATE DAVIDSON / THE CATALYST

“In

our family, we have Christmas pudding for dessert with a family recipe, and make all of the traditional foods for a roast dinner. On the day following Christmas, Boxing Day, we have brunch with friends and have leftovers from the dinner and go on a long walk and look at the lights on the houses. These traditions are special for my family because [during] the years we don’t go back to England, where my parents are from, we still celebrate with the same events [and traditions] and it reminds us of the celebrations from the years past.”

Jolie Girgis, freshman

Maddy