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Success at Countywide Math Competition

On Saturday, May 11 at Seaside High School, 390 students from 41 public and private schools participated in the 45th Mathletics competition, which was sponsored by the Monterey County Office of Education and the CSU Monterey Bay math department. Participants were in grades 5 through 12.

Santa Catalina Lower and Middle Schools had 15 student competitors: Audrey Bennett, Simone Brown, Samantha Do, Audrey Dost, Eleanor Downey, Rachel Fadel, McKinley Fox, Audrey Goldsmith, Hannah Ray, David Sanchez, Ben Stork, Talia Varjian, Nancy Wang, Candace Wong, and Kathryn Yeager. Their collective success made us all extremely proud!

Of the 65 fifth-graders who competed, all three Catalina fifth-graders won an award: Rachel Fadel, Audrey Goldsmith, Candace Wong. In addition, our Grade 5 team won second place overall.

Of the 64 sixth-graders who competed, the Catalina team of Simone Brown, Eleanor Downey, and Kathryn Yeager won first place. As individuals, Eleanor Downey won second place, and Kathryn Yeager received an honorable mention.

Of the 45 seventh-grade contestants, McKinley Fox received an honorable mention. This is quite an honor because this year the students had to complete 10 more questions in the same amount of time as last year. McKinley placed in the top 13.

In Grade 8, Hannah Ray won first place in geometry. This is quite a win because she was competing against many high-school students, including freshman Emily Szasz from Santa Catalina Upper School, who placed second. Our eighth-grade team of Hannah, Audrey Bennett, and Ben Stork significantly contributed to the team’s first place overall win in geometry.

All participants who placed received ribbons, and the top-three in each category won monetary awards. First-place winners received $100, second-place $75, and third-place $50. We are thrilled with the success of all of our students; it is an honor to compete and place at the county level.
King for the Day

Giselle Morgan '13, Catalinan senior pages editor

The yearbook editors pose with honoree Dan Place.

The Class of 2013 is quite fond of Dan Place; when my classmates and I strove to meet our history requirement junior year, Mr. Place was brand-new, but it didn't take long for us to decide that he was one of those unforgettable teachers at Santa Catalina. On May 14, when Catalinan editors Annie Haueter '13 and Sophia Delgado '13 introduced Mr. Place as the yearbook dedication honoree, everyone in the Study Hall stood up in respect. Between the clapping, whistling, squealing, and and short bursts of dancing in place, there was an explosion of homage that filled the room.

As Annie and Sophia's dedication reads on page 4 of the yearbook: "He is more than just a teacher; he is a friend and mentor who inspires us to conquer the world while retaining that easygoing Southern California attitude. It is no wonder that the entire school cheers uncontrollably whenever he takes the stage at Assembly."

The paper crown, velvet cape, and scepter given to our "king for the day" seemed more than fitting. As a member of his first class at Santa Catalina, I'm one of the many girls who feels a sense of pride and adoration for the opportunity to learn about the Black Panthers, Anne Hutchinson, and the white man's burden with "Papa Place." The upperclassmen see that he is someone special, and to the underclassmen whose history requirement is inchoate, they're in for something wonderful.

Click here to view a video of the yearbook unveiling and dedication announcement.
Gardening for a Cause

On May 9, Grade 2 spent the morning in the school garden, where the students rotated through three hands-on learning activities. In one area, Upper School science teacher Liese Murphree helped the students harvest the lettuce, chard, and carrots that they had planted earlier in the year.

In another part of the garden, Grade 2 teacher Katie Schipper helped the students clean and prepare some fresh snacks for recess: green peppers, beets, strawberries, peas, broccoli, and more. There, they also learned about cilantro, fennel, and mint and how people incorporate these ingredients into healthy meals. Some of the students were introduced to foods they had never heard of or tasted. When Mrs. Schipper explained that fennel tastes similar to licorice, one student asked with excitement: "It tastes like red licorice?" Though disappointing to the children, she responded laughingly, "No, not the strawberry licorice."

At the third station, Upper School teacher Masha Serttunc volunteered to help. She showed the students how to examine food labels and led the children in an art activity about making healthy food choices. At the picnic table, she talked with them about the main food groups — vegetables, fruits, protein, grains, and dairy — had them draw a balanced meal on paper plates. The key takeaway was that the largest portion on their plates should be vegetables.

After all the gardening fun, the students and teachers gathered the harvest into baskets to give to charity. Later that day, Mrs. Schipper donated the lettuce, chard, and carrots to Dorothy's Kitchen and the carrot tops to the SPCA for Monterey County. Not only did the second-graders learn about how food grows and what makes a healthy meal, but they also took part in sharing this gift of health with others in the community.
Two Student Photographers Win Weston Scholarship Honors

Aaryn Fleming '14 and Lucy Scattini '13 were recently honored by the Weston Photography Education Association. They were selected from a group of more than 90 high-school and college students who submitted fine-art photography portfolios this year.

Scholarships for first, second, and third place—along with 18 honorable mentions—were announced at the May 8 ceremony at Carmel's Sunset Center. The competition required students to submit 10 black-and-white analog photographs in their portfolios, which were judged by a panel of local artists and educators. Submissions were judged on uniqueness, clarity, and consistency of vision and the quality of the finished prints. Fleming and Scattini each received an honorable mention, which came with a $200 prize.

Fleming's photographs featured her family's vineyards in Monterey County. "My family has been the base and the core of my heart ever since I could remember, so working on my portfolio around our ranch has opened my eyes to see not only how lucky we are but also what an incredible and gorgeous residence on which we live and how the property unites us as a family," Fleming said.

Scattini's work centered on the geometric shapes of barns. Growing up in the Salinas Valley, she said barns were a constant in her life and bring her a sense of peacefulness. "Every time I would go out to photograph, I had to be conscious of my overall goal: to capture the vintage feel of the barns while keeping a simplistic and geometric vision to my prints."

The Weston Scholarship was created in 2004 by Gina and Kim Weston to educate and enlighten the community about the richness of photography on the West Coast and to keep the traditional process of black-and-white photography alive in the tradition of Edward Weston and Ansel Adams. The scholarship supports high-school and college students studying fine-art photography in Monterey County.

The winning photographs will be on display through Friday, May 31, 2013, at the Sunset Center's Marjorie Evans Gallery.
Girls' ROV Teams Make Prize-Winning Debuts

On April 20, 2013, two Santa Catalina Middle School teams competed in the 13th Annual Monterey Bay Regional ROV Competition for the first time. After months of practicing with coaches Kurt Yeager, Carol Evans, and Pam Gon, our seven participants learned how to build and operate an underwater remotely operated vehicle (ROV) in preparation for the competition.

Forty-three teams participated in the event's Scout class, of which 32 were in the Rookie division and 11 in the Veteran division. The "Pod Squad" team of Mia Bennett, Simone Brown, AG Camara, and Kia Shoemaker competed in the Rookie division, and the "Narwhals" team of Ariana Fadel, Sara Ning, and Kathryn Yeager competed in the Veteran division. We are proud to announce that our teams won the following awards:

Pod Squad (Rookie Division)
Third place, Mission No. 1
Third place, Design and Innovation

Narwhals (Veteran Division)
First Place, Mission No. 1

"Each girl made her own significant contribution to her team's success," Yeager said. "They all earned their places on the 'podium' through their commitment, hard work, individual strengths, and ultimately their teamwork."

Senior Class Admitted to 160 Colleges and Universities

The Class of 2013 has been accepted to the following schools:

Academy of Art University	Marist College
Arizona State University	University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Arizona State University, Phoenix	University of Massachusetts, Boston
The University of Arizona	University of Massachusetts, Lowell
Auburn University	University of Miami
Austin College	Michigan State University
Austin Peay State University	Mills College
Bennington College	Mount Holyoke College
Berklee College of Music	University of New Hampshire
Boston College	University of New Haven
Boston University	New York University
University of British Columbia	Northeastern University
Brown University	Northern Arizona University
Bryn Mawr College	Northwestern University
University of California at Berkeley	Notre Dame de Namur University
University of California at Davis	University of Notre Dame
University of California at Irvine	University of Oklahoma
University of California at Los Angeles	University of Oregon
University of California at San Diego	Pace University, Westchester
University of California at Santa Barbara	Pace University, New York City
University of California at Santa Cruz	University of the Pacific
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona	Parsons The New School for Design
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo	Pepperdine University
California State University, Bakersfield	Pitzer College
California State University, Channel Islands	Pomona College
California State University, Chico	University of Portland
California State University, Dominguez Hills	University of Puget Sound
California State University, East Bay	Purdue University
California State University, Fullerton	University of Redlands
California State University, Long Beach	Reed College
California State University, Monterey Bay	Regis University
California State University, Northridge	Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey at New Brunswick
California State University, Sacramento	Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey at Newark
Canisius College	Saint Louis University
Champlain College	Saint Mary's College of California
Chapman University	San Diego State University
Clemson University	University of San Diego
Colgate University	San Francisco State University
University of Colorado at Boulder	University of San Francisco
Colorado College	Santa Clara University
Colorado State University	Sarah Lawrence College
Columbia College Chicago	Scripps College
University of Connecticut	Seattle Pacific University
Cornell University	Seattle University
Cornish College of the Arts	Seton Hall University
Creighton University	Sierra Nevada College
Denison University	Sonoma State University
University of Denver	University of Southern California
DePaul University	Southern Methodist University
Dominican University of California	St. John's University, Queens Campus
Drexel University	St. Olaf College
Duke University	Stony Brook University
Emory University	Suffolk University
Eugene Lang College The New School for Liberal Arts	Syracuse University
The Evergreen State College	The University of Tampa
The University of Findlay	University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Georgetown University	Texas A&M University
Georgia Institute of Technology	Texas Christian University
Gonzaga University	The University of Texas, Dallas
Grinnell College	The Hartt School, University of Hartford
Gustavus Adolphus College	Trinity College
Harvey Mudd College	Universidad Panamericana
Hawaii Pacific University	University of Utah
Hillsdale College	Vassar College
College of the Holy Cross	University of Vermont
Humboldt State University	Villanova University
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign	Wake Forest University
Indiana University at Bloomington	Washington University in St. Louis
Ithaca College	University of Washington
University of Kansas	Wellesley College
Laguna College of Art and Design	Wesleyan University
Lake Forest College	Westmont College
Lehigh University	Wheaton College IL
Lewis & Clark College	Whittier College
Linfield College	Willamette University
Loyola Marymount University	Williams College
Loyola University Chicago	University of Wisconsin, Madison
Lynchburg College	Woodbury University
Manhattan College	Xavier University
Manhattanville College	Yale University

The Privilege of Education

On Tuesday, April 30, we had our fifth and final Journey Day of the school year, and it was packed with lessons about the privilege of education. The morning program included a special screening of Girl Rising with the documentary's coproducer Beth Osisek. Special thanks to Nicole Carelli Kwak '88 for connecting us to Osisek and for giving the introduction. The film champions the cause of girls' education by telling the stories of nine school-aged girls in the countries of Afghanistan, Cambodia, Egypt, Haiti, India, Peru, and Sierra Leone and their hard-fought journeys to become educated.

Girl Rising coproducer Beth Osisek (left) and Nicole Carelli Kwak '88

Interwoven throughout colorful imagery of these young women's lives are statistics about girls' education and its positive effect on the economic and physical health of developing nations. Girl Rising states that a girl with an extra year of education can earn up to 20 percent more as an adult. The film also points out that childbirth complications are a leading cause of death among young women aged 15 through 19 in developing countries. If we are able to decrease the number of adolescent pregnancies in developing countries, young women will be in a better position to continue in their education.

"I hope that we're planting a seed today," Osisek said to the students. "Each of you can and will have an impact (on girls' education)."

The students also heard from Monterey County Assistant District Attorney Stephanie Hulsey, who helped kick off the Student–Faculty Senate speeches and elections. She reminded students that education is a privilege and vital to a healthy democracy. To view her speech, click here.

After lunch, the sophomores went to Monterey Beach for a surfing lesson with the Wahine Project, a nonprofit that seeks to eliminate barriers that prevent girls from participating in the sport of surfing. During the activity, the project staff also addressed health and nutrition, environmental stewardship, ocean safety, teamwork, and self-confidence. While the sophomores were beachside, the seniors did community-service work at various locations in the Monterey area: Dorothy's Kitchen, Elkhorn Slough, Robinson Jeffers' Tor House, Gateway Center, and Monterey County Parks.

Some of the seniors served at Dorothy's Kitchen.

That afternoon, the freshmen and juniors took part in personal-development activities on campus. Dean of Students Kristi McLaughlin facilitated a "Perceptions and Reality: Seeing the Difference" session for the ninth-graders. The session included an art project, a short film, and group discussions on how they see themselves and others. Meanwhile, the juniors Skyped with Cassie Piasecki, author of the book BizEtiquette and mother to Paisley Piasecki '13. She shared with them her "Top 10 BizEtiquette Tips that will Help You in the College Process and Beyond."

All in all, our recent Journey Day was a good reminder of how privileged we are to be in such a supportive and enlightening educational community. At Santa Catalina, we are pleased to offer a vast array of learning opportunities in and out of the classroom.
App-Building Made Simple

During spring break, Pacific Grove resident David Book and his family toured the West Coast in a Volkswagen bus. Along the way, the vehicle's speedometer broke. Lucky for them, Book builds mobile apps for a living. So what did he do? He whipped up his own speedometer and installed it on his smartphone for the duration of the trip. Talk about resourceful.

Book thrives in these kinds of situations because he's a self-admitted "nerdy" problem-solver. But there's nothing nerdy about what he does. In 2009, he developed Buzztouch, an open-source app-building software that powers thousands of iOS and Android applications. According to the product's website, Buzztouch has enlisted more than 175,000 people since its launch.

With his casual, sneaker-wearing enthusiasm, Book visited the sixth-graders during their technology class on April 10 and 11. He explained the basics of coding without overwhelming them with unnecessary particulars. He simply wanted them to understand the big picture of coding.

"You don't even need to be able to code," Book said. "You just have to be willing to try."

He explained that each mobile app is made up of a series files and folders that do something when packaged together. He also discussed Xcode, a set of software tools used for developing apps for Apple devices, and how it compiles all the source code files into one binary file. Once the app is packaged, it can then easily be transferred to a mobile device or sent to the Apple App store for approval.

As an example, he demonstrated a tip calculator that he had created through Buzztouch. In Xcode, he opened various source code files and showed the students how slight revisions to the code would affect the functionality or design of the app.

"Most people are scared of the coding, but that is actually the easier part," Book said.

Although coming up with an idea can be tricky, he said designing a good user experience, or UX, is usually the hardest part. Making an app that solves a particular problem (e.g. how to calculate tips at different rates) is one thing, but developing one that is attractive and user-friendly is what makes the difference.

He ended the session by encouraging the students to do some "paper programming exercises," which involve storyboarding mobile app ideas on index cards. Because most smartphones are about the size of a small index card, he said this type of exercise makes designing to size easier for budding programmers.
Annual Photography Auction Benefits Disadvantaged Children

2013 Kids with Destiny Photography Auction
Featuring photos from Upper and Middle School Students
Opening reception: Friday, April 26 from noon to 1 p.m. in the Library Gallery
Closing date: Friday, May 24

You are cordially invited to the Library Gallery to view this year's photography exhibit, which will include black-and-white darkroom prints, black-and-white digital prints, and color digital prints. Bidding forms will hang under each photograph, and silent bids will be accepted through Monday, May 20. Gallery hours are Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

This year's exhibit also features work from guest artists Thomas Casteel, former Monterey Peninsula College photography student, and Simone Villalobos '03, Upper School Activities Director. Simone's work is particularly meaningful because it captures the spirit of the people she met while traveling in India, and Kids With Destiny, the auction beneficiary, provides health care and education to disadvantaged children in Calcutta's red-light district.

"Scattered Mind" by McKenna Peterson, Grade 8

"Looking Up" by Gracie Hadland '14
Grade 4 Pioneers A New School Tradition

On March 26, metal lunch pails, bandannas, and stacks of schoolbooks lined the hallway outside the grade 4 classroom, and across the way stood a cardboard outhouse complete with moon and starburst cutouts. To a casual observer, it might have appeared as a scene from a Little House on the Prairie remake.

These turn-of-the-century accessories weren't just for fun and games, though the children definitely enjoyed them. They were a part of Santa Catalina's first Little Red Schoolhouse Day, which brought history to life for the fourth-graders.

"The idea for Little Red Schoolhouse Day came when I was searching for ways to showcase the fourth grade and the great things we do with our students," teacher Michele Morton said. "Every year, we visit La Gloria School, a one-room schoolhouse in King City, to get a feel for how school was conducted in the pioneer days. It is a way to help a 10-year-old understand history better."

Little Red Schoolhouse Day tied in with the class' yearlong study of California history, and by the time the students celebrated the event, they had already learned about the explorers and settlers who came to California during the Gold Rush.

In class that day, the students experienced different social norms and school rules that would have been popular at the time. The girls sat on one side of the room and the boys on the other. Mrs. Morton called on them individually to stand and read aloud from two different levels of McGuffey's Eclectic Readers from the 1830s. While reading from the old textbooks, the students came across words such as "menagerie" that now might seem outdated or flowery.

In addition to the reading activity, the children did some math exercises that were typical of a one-room schoolhouse, where a teacher would often instruct students in various grade levels. Our fourth-graders went through a series of math problems on the "chalkboard" that could have been used by a first- or second-grader to add and subtract, a third-grader to multiply, and a fourth-grader to divide.

For lunch, the students carried their pails of food to the lunch tables and enjoyed a picnic outside. During recess, they embraced old-fashioned games such as jacks, graces, hopscotch, and jackstraws.

One of the highlights of Little Red Schoolhouse Day was the afternoon square-dancing finale in the gym. For weeks leading up to the event, Director of Athletics Paul Elliott and Grade 4 Assistant Brenda Bhaskar taught the fourth-graders to square dance during some of their P.E. periods. The initial practices were shaky, but after a month or so, the fourth-graders had perfected their do-si-dos and promenades.

The fourth-graders enjoyed showing off their square-dancing skills.

After a day of "rote learning" and dancing, the students enjoyed cooling off at the "watering hole," a.k.a. the Catalina swimming pool. All in all, save major pioneer hardships, this new tradition brought history to life for our 21st-century natives.

"Little Red Schoolhouse Day is a prime example why Santa Catalina is so extraordinary," Bhaskar said. "We had two visitors walking through our classroom today, and I was so proud to be a part of a fourth grade that expands its curriculum to experience history and other subjects in such hands-on ways."

To view more photos from the event, view this Flickr set.

Mrs. Bhaskar helps with the new vocabulary that students came across in the McGuffey Readers.
Kindergartners 'Inch' Their Way to Understanding Worms
Since January, the kindergartners have been studying different animals: observing, comparing, and contrasting them. Teacher Marisa Tonini said one of the goals is to teach the students to respect all animals and to see the beauty in each of them.

In a lesson on March 19, the children studied earthworms firsthand as they dug for them in a classroom terrarium. Each kindergartner observed a worm in a container and watched its reaction as small amount of water was added. The students also watched the worms move along the tabletop and noted the different shapes they made as they inched forward, backward, and sideways. Last, the kids set objects in the worms' paths to see how they would react.

Throughout the activity, the students learned and put to use some new vocabulary: "behavior," "burrow," "react," "soil," and "structure." They also uncovered the following earthworm facts:
- In one acre of land, there can be more than a million earthworms.
- The largest earthworm ever found was in South Africa and measured 22 feet from its nose to the tip of its tail.
- A worm has no arms, legs, or eyes.
- Worms can eat their weight in food each day.
- Baby worms are not born; they hatch from cocoons smaller than a grain of rice.
Photos by Courtney Doust
Félicitations to Our Nine French Poetry Contest Participants

Coached by French teacher Anne O'Dowd, nine students from Santa Catalina competed in the third annual French Poetry Contest on Saturday, March 16 at the Monterey Institute of International Studies (MIIS). Sponsored by the Alliance Française de la Péninsule de Monterey and MIIS, the contest is open to students from public and private middle schools, high schools, and universities in the Monterey area.

Congratulations to the following students for participating in the contest and for garnering the following honors:

Beginner Category
Sarah Levi '16 recited "Chanson d'automne" by Paul Verlaine and received second prize.
Victoria Kvitek '16 recited "Le déjeuner du matin" by Jaques Prévert and received an honorable mention.

Intermediate Category
Giovanna Mitchell '15 recited "Ännie" by Guillaume Apollinaire and received first prize.
Katherine Kamel '15 recited "Chatterton" by George Sand and received second prize.
Ellie Stork '15 recited "Tu crois au Marc de café" de Paul Verlaine.

Advanced Category
Paisley Piasecki '13 recited ''Je rêvais de toucher" by Georges Bataille and received first prize.
Tanya Madrigal '14 and Millie Li '14 recited a scene from Molière and received an honorable mention.

Original Poem Category
Helena Guenther '16 submitted "Le lâche" to the original poem competition and received an honorable mention.
Varsity Soccer Team Garners Top League Honors

We are proud to announce that the varsity soccer team received the following Mission Trail Athletic League (MTAL) honors.

Daisy Villegas '14, Most Valuable Player of the Year
Sara Franks '14, Co-defensive Player of the Year
Rod Gilchrist, Co-coach of the Year

In addition, Villegas, Franks, and Sophie White '14 were named to the first team, and Laila Joseph '13, Fatima Larios '13, and Lucy Scattini '13 were named to the second team. Go, Cougars!

Click here to read the coverage in the Monterey County Herald.
Journey Panel Opens Discussion About College and Career

Journey is our comprehensive Upper School advisory program whose mission is to develop each young woman's highest potential, advance her leadership skills, and ensure her excellent college placement. In addition to regular advising sessions, the program offers several themed Journey Days throughout the school year.

During the most recent Journey Day, 12 female professionals, including five alumnae, took part in a "College and Career Perspectives" panel and led small-group sessions with the students. During the event, many of the women spoke of how their lives and career paths have been filled with twists and turns. Many of them ended up in fields they never expected — and are the better for it. The running theme seemed to be that the students have plenty of time to explore new interests and career options.

We're thankful for the professional insight that the following women brought to the program on March 7:

Gabriella Asmus '03
Managing Associate, Finn Partners public relations firm in San Francisco
B.A. in art history with a minor in Spanish, Emory University

Alissa Bell
Designer, printer, and entrepreneur
Founder of Alissa Bell Press
Former recruiter for Deloitte
B.A. in economics with a minor in accounting, University of California, Los Angeles

Beth Luttrell Brookhouser '92
Director of Community Outreach, The SPCA for Monterey County
B.A. in English, Gonzaga University

Stéphanie Jégat '08
Y Leader and Coordinator, YMCA after-school programs on the Monterey Peninsula
Marketing and social media coordinator, Paris Bakery
Currently studying early childhood development at California State University Monterey Bay while applying for the university's MBA program.
B.A. in communications with minors in business administration and Spanish, University of San Diego

Kristine Leatherberry, M.D.
Radiologist, Carol Hatton Breast Care Center, CHOMP
B.B.A. in management information systems, University of Texas
M.D., University of Texas Southwestern
Residency, University of Texas Southwestern

Justine Nghiem, M.D.
Internist
B.S. in biology, University of California, Los Angeles
M.D., Albany Medical College of Union University
Residency, St. Vincent's Hospital and Medical Center of New York

Yvette Merchant Nichols '96
Director, Talent Transformation, J.C. Penney
Currently working with Stanford University's Clayman Institute for Gender Research
B.A. in political science, University of California, Berkeley

Robin Robinson
Fine print artist and ocean photographer
B.S. in industrial engineering with a minor in music, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
M.S. in management science and engineering, Stanford University

Erin Schelcher
Personal Stylist
M.A. in design studies, Central Saint Martins College of Arts and Design, UK

Stephanie Schoeder
Director, HSBC Card Services
Former employee at VISA Card Services
B.A. in political science with a minor in history, Old Dominion University

Ashley Smallman
Annual Fund Coordinator, Santa Catalina School
Fitness Instructor
Former news producer at KION–TV
B.A. in communications with an emphasis in broadcasting and a minor in business, University of Oregon

Simone Villalobos '03
Upper School Activities Director, Santa Catalina School
Program Manager, Rustic Pathways travel and service program
B.A. in sociology and Spanish, University of Portland
Studied abroad at the University of Salamanca, Spain
Seventeen Middle Schoolers Win 27 County Science Fair Awards

The 2013 Monterey County Science and Engineering Fair was held at California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB) March 8 through 10. Open to students in grades 6 through 12, the fair is an opportunity for young scientists to pursue in-depth scientific research and present their findings to professional scientists who serve as volunteer judges.

Prizes were awarded in 22 Junior Division (grades 6-8) categories, and we are proud to announce that 17 Santa Catalina grade 8 students won 27 awards in 11 categories. Most first-place winners are now eligible to participate in the California State Science Fair in late April or early May.

Congratulations to our winners:

Audrey Bennett, materials science: second place
Loleï Brenot, cognitive science: first place and a Broadcom Masters Award
Faith Camara, chemistry: third place
Sophia D'Amelio*, chemistry: first place, a Broadcom Masters Award, and a Northern California Institute of Food Technologists Award
Leigh Fahrion, aerodynamics/hydrodynamics: second place, the Faraday Award, and a U.S. Navy/U.S. Marine Corps Award
Brody Flagg, electronics and electromagnetics: second place
Nicolle Hoonsbeen, cognitive science: first place and a Broadcom Masters Award
Anna Hunt, chemistry: third place
Alex Johnson, pharmacology/toxicology: third place
Rennie Lembo, physics and astronomy: first place and a Broadcom Masters Award
Jessica Oh, microbiology: third place
Grace Pryor, materials science: second place
Sophia Quevedo, zoology: third place
Nick Schanzer, product science – biological: first place, a Broadcom Masters Award, and a Northern California Institute of Food Technologists Award
Jane Shim*, microbiology: third place
Ben Stork, pharmacology/toxicology: third place
Rhys Wisner, behaviorial and social sciences: first place and a Broadcom Masters Award

*Not pictured
Nine Upper Schoolers Receive 2013 Scholastic Art and Writing Honors for 19 Works

Congratulations to the nine Upper School students whose 19 works have been recognized by the California Region of the 2013 Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. An exhibition of the Gold and Silver Key regional winners will be held at University of the Pacific’s Reynolds Gallery on Saturday, March 2 from 2 to 4 p.m. The show opens Monday, February 18 and runs through Friday, March 1.

This year, we have winners in the drawing, photography, and short story categories. This is a remarkable achievement for these young artists, whose work was selected by a panel of artists/writers, educators, and other creative professionals as the best work submitted by teenagers throughout California (excluding Los Angeles County, which is its own region).

Gold Keys are awarded for the highest level of achievement on the regional level and are included in the national competition. National winners will be announced on Friday, March 15. Silver Keys are awarded for works worthy of recognition. Honorable Mentions are awarded to works demonstrating artistic potential.

Gold Keys
Francesca Flores, grade 11, “Clashing Wilderness” (photography)
Karen Ko, grade 11, “Figure 1” (drawing)

"Figure 1" by Karen Ko '14

Silver Keys
Regina Gonzalez, grade 11, “Calentando” (photography)
Karen Ko, grade 11, “Eggs and Gingham” (drawing)

"Eggs and Gingham" by Karen Ko '14

Honorable Mentions
Aaryn Fleming, grade 11, “Independent” and “Memories” (photography)
Gracie Hadland, grade 11, “Looking Up” (photography)
Karen Ko, grade 11, “Delta” (drawing)
Gina Laverone, grade 12, “Awakening” (photography)
Sophi Li, grade 11, “Thinking” (photography)
Christine Marella, grade 10, “The Third Degree” (short story)
Sophia A. White, grade 12: “Reclining Figure” (drawing), “Three Figures” (drawing), “Horizontal Figure” (drawing), “Figure Sitting” (drawing), “Woman Sitting” (drawing), “Kneeling Figure” (drawing), “Standing Man” (drawing), and “Man Sitting” (drawing)

“Awakening” by Gina Laverone '13
Twenty-two Middle Schoolers Receive 2013 Scholastic Art Honors

Updated March 22, 2013

Congratulations to the 22 Middle School students whose 28 works have been recognized by the California Region of the 2013 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. An exhibition of the Gold and Silver Key regional winners will be held at University of the Pacific’s Reynolds Gallery on Saturday, March 2 from 2 to 4 p.m. The show opens Monday, February 18 and runs through Friday, March 1.

This year, we have winners in the categories of architecture, comic art, digital art, film and animation, video game design, photography, and sculpture.

This is a remarkable achievement for these young artists, whose work was selected by a panel of artists, art educators, and other art professionals as the best work submitted by teenagers throughout California (excluding Los Angeles County, which is its own region).

Gold Keys are awarded for the highest level of achievement on the regional level and are included in the national competition. National winners will be announced on Friday, March 15. Silver Keys are awarded for works worthy of recognition. Honorable Mentions are awarded to works demonstrating artistic potential.

Gold Keys
Anna Hunt, “I Get Around” (photography)
Cade Laranang, “Robots” (digital art)
Gianna Nale, “Where Are the People” (digital art) and “Though I’m Older I Still Dream” (digital art)
Emma Patterson, “Moonshine Flags” (digital art)
Talia Varjian, “The Hat” (photography)

"Robots" by Cade Laranang

Silver Keys
Faith Camara, “A Different Perspective” (digital art)
Sarow Chung, Extreme Football (video game design)
Samantha Do, “Busy Brother” (digital art)
Nicolle Hoonsbeen, “Unmasked” (photography)
Alexander Johnson, “At the Sign” (digital art) and “Depression” (digital art)
Tessa Knight, “Pops and Little Johnny” (sculpture)
Cade Laranang, “Squid” and “Lobster”
Emma Patterson, “Colors” (digital art)
Juliana Tarallo, “Fly” (photography)
Rennie Lembo, “Picture Frames” (comic art)

"Fly" by Juliana Tarallo

Honorable Mentions
Kristen Bown, “Stairway to Heaven” (photography)
Faith Camara, “Dark Barn” (photography)
Audrey Dost, “Elevator Museum” (architecture)
Ariana Fadel, “Lonely” (digital art)
Tessa Knight, “Sophie” (digital art)
Keely Laughlin, “Black and White Still Paint” (photography)
Jessica Oh and Nancy Wang, “Fun Food Fruits” (film and animation)
McKenna Petersen, “Scattered Mind” (digital art)
Hannah Ray, “Trying To Hide” (digital art) and “From Bridge To Sky” (photography)

"Lonely" by Ariana Fadel
Commendable Courtroom Debut

This year, the Upper School fielded its first mock trial team and competed in the Monterey County High School Mock Trial Competition in January. Sponsored by the Lyceum of Monterey County, the program provided each team with information about People v. Vega, a fictitious court case that played out over several days at the Monterey Courthouse.

Among eight high schools in the competition, Santa Catalina went head to head with Monterey, Everett Alvarez, Pacific Grove, and Salinas. The girls won the matchup against Everett Alvarez and had a close finish against Salinas. The team also garnered several individual awards.

The mock trial team gathers outside the courthouse after finishing the 2013 competition.

Devynn Wulstein ’14, the team’s sole prosecuting attorney, won one of two outstanding prosecution attorney awards. In the courtroom journalist contest, Rachel Davison ’14 won second place and Gracie Hadland ’14 third. In the courtroom artist contest, Karen Ko ’14 won first place and Allie Liu ’13 third. Davison, Ko, and Liu advanced to the state competition in March.

Attorney coach George Butterworth debriefs with Devynn Wulstein '14 after the competition.

Upper School history teacher Dr. Doug Lumsden was the driving force behind starting the program at Santa Catalina and served as the team’s faculty coach. George Butterworth, father of Brooke Butterworth ’14, and Moira Hogan, mother of Giovanna Mitchell ’15, served as attorney coaches.

“With a year of experience, we now have a solid core of team members who will be back (next year) to show the new girls how it is done,” Dr. Lumsden said. “I think next year we are going to be a team to be feared.”

Congratulations to the following inaugural team members:

Joan Chen ’13, co-captain and defense attorney

Rachel Davison '14, courtroom journalist

Kelsey Green ’13, witness

Helena Guenther ’16, pretrial motion attorney

Gracie Hadland '14, courtroom journalist

Justine How ’15, witness

Nia Jacobs '14, courtroom journalist
Charlotte Johnston-Carter '14, courtroom artist

Xiadani Juarez Diaz ’15, witness

Karen Ko ’14, courtroom artist

Courtney Lindly ’15, witness

Allie Liu ’13, courtroom artist

Tanya Madrigal ’14, witness

Giovanna Mitchell ’15, defense attorney

Katie Ridgway ’16, bailiff

Emma Russell ’14, witness

Collette White ’16, court clerk

Daphne Wilson ’15, pretrial motion and defense attorney

Devynn Wulstein ’14 co-captain and prosecution attorney
Tackling Robotics and Web Design

In case you haven't noticed, today's young people are digital natives. They're used to figuring things out on their own — whether by Googling or by trial and error. They're also used to collaborating with others to solve problems. Twenty-first century learning requires a lot more experimentation and a lot less rote.

In the Grade 8 technology classes, computer studies teacher Susan Kendall encourages her students to jump in and try new things. Recently, the eighth-graders have been working on robotics during their Tech Lab time. They work independently and in groups to circuit and program their Lego Mindstorms robots. Because there are countless ways to program a robot, the students have become more comfortable trying scenarios that might not work. In fact, experimentation is one of the best ways to tackle an engineering project.

Grade 8 has also begun to create apps that will be featured on a website created by the class. Some of the apps will feature hair-braiding demos, tips for surviving middle school, and recipe collections. Instead of having her students come to her for all the answers, Kendall encourages them to explore and collaborate with one another to come up with creative solutions. With the almost hourly changes in technology, Kendall admits that she doesn't have all the answers. Often, she learns along with her students as they embrace new technological tools.
Pajamas and Pageturners

Hot chocolate, sugar cookies, listening to a story while lounging in pajama pants and a sweatshirt. This is not just the stuff of daydreams; this cozy wintertime scenario takes place once a year in the Santa Catalina library.

Every January, the Lower School library staff organizes Pajama Story Night for students in PreK through grade 3. This popular event gives students and teachers alike the excuse to wear their favorite PJs to school and enjoy an evening of storybooks. The students sat crosslegged on the bright blue carpet — many with with stuffed animals and blankets in tow — while listening to favorites such as Miss Nelson is Missing!, Corduroy, The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore, Skippyjon Jones, and Duck on a Bike.

"Since I am a Middle School teacher, Pajama Story Night was a great opportunity (for me) to interact with Lower School students," Jeremy Sandler said. "They were appreciative and enthusiastic about my reading of Corduroy. An especially rewarding moment was when a third-grader said, 'I love that book!' when I started the story."

Other faculty readers included Susan Dodd, Kim Hlasny, Lydia Mansour, Christy Pollacci, Kathy Sparolini, Anthony Schipper, and Marisa Tonini. Their storytelling skills were superb. In fact, they had the students so engaged that few noticed the crowd of parents snapping photos in the sidelines.

Stephanie DeYoung, Lower School librarian and organizer of the event, said Pajama Story Night has taken place for more than 15 years. With nearly 150 guests in attendance this year, there's no reason to think this tradition won't continue.