Oct 15, 20254 min read
top of page
The Latest
Oct 15, 20252 min read
The Cross in the Chapel: Rethinking Cate’s Traditions
By Paloma Rudnicki '27 The Katharine Thayer Cate and Curtis Wolsey Cate Chapel, built in 1961, was dedicated by Mr. Cate to his wife, who passed away in 1953. Despite popular belief, she is not buried there. The Chapel also won national awards when it was built—the architect George Russell won the AIA award for Church Architecture, Class III for his design. Its unique arches and large stained-glass windows have set it apart as what some consider the most beautiful and iconic
Oct 15, 20259 min read
Cate News
What a Gift, Freely Given: The Origins of the Giving Thanks Ceremony
By Edie Abbott '27 The Giving Thanks Ceremony is a tradition that takes place the last week before Thanksgiving break every year, when the entire school gathers in silence to express gratitude. But where did it originate? The answer to that question can be traced back to 1997 with the arrival of Peter and Mary Arango. Before 1997, a Giving Thanks Ceremony hadn’t been experienced by the inhabitants of the Mesa. But Mary and Peter brought more than just the idea; they brought a
1 hour ago3 min read
Breathalyzers: What We Know, and The Next Steps
By Fiona Pan '27 In the fall of the 2025-26 school year at Cate, students were informed of a new policy regarding alcohol use and efforts to prevent it. The policy laid out a plan in which students would be randomly breathalyzed throughout the school year, at dances, and in the dorms. The implementation of breathalyzers, as stated in the handbook, is used to “help students enjoy community life in positive ways.” The initial response from the student body was one of frustratio
1 hour ago4 min read
Teach-Ins: Experiencing ICE Walkouts Through Dialogue
By Jasper Shelmerdine ‘26 and Fiona Pan ‘27 This past Friday, as tens of thousands of people participated in “ICE Out” protests across the United States, students and faculty responded with coordinated Teach-Ins and a thoughtfully curated assembly. As Head of School, Alex Lockett put it in her message to the community, “today was not a departure from learning on the Mesa but rather its fullest expression.” Students participating in workshops, rather than attending classes, we
1 hour ago3 min read
Features
Seeking a Way to Communicate: Journalist David Philipps Makes an Impact On Many
By Paloma Rudnicki '27 David Philipps, a 2-time Pulitzer Prize-winning military reporter for the New York Times , has spent his career discovering untold stories that help bring issues to light that make a change in the lives of people serving our country. In this interview, he explains what drives him to write, how he experimented to find his path, and how passions can become careers. Q: How did you come into journalism as a career, and into writing about the military? A:
Oct 15, 20256 min read
Cate Faculty Stories: 9-11 Attack
By Karina Strofs '27 This year marked the 24th anniversary of the attack on September 11, 2001 . On that day, two planes hit the World Trade Center, another plane struck the Pentagon, and a fourth plane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania. Annually, on September 11th, people in the U.S. remember the nearly 3,000 people killed during the attacks, as well as acknowledge how the attacks continue to impact the United States. It is also a time to listen to stories of how that d
Oct 15, 20259 min read
How Blue Crew Builds Cate
By Jade Wang '28 Any student at Cate can tell you that at any football or volleyball game, you’ll feel the energy before you see it. Blaring megaphones, school chants echoing across the bleachers, and a crowd of students decked out in colors matching the theme of the night create a lively, electric atmosphere at Cate home games. In front of the bleachers, leading the charge, is Blue Crew, Cate School’s student-run spirit squad—our loudest, most recognizable symbols of school
Oct 15, 20253 min read
Arts & Media
Winter by Candlelight ‘26: 'Long is the winter, dark is the night/ So come, let us sing by candlelight' -Cate’s vocalists, 2022-present
By Henry Chen '27 and Oliver Zheng '27 Winter by Candlelight ranks preeminently among the many concerts Cate musicians perform. In an extroverted world that constantly demands more, more, more , having a moment of introspection led by friends on stage is a rarity. What isn’t a rarity is the many students involved in the production, with over 100 members of the Cate community participating in the concert. Cate’s vocal groups, Chorale, Camerata, and No Strings Attached, were jo
44 minutes ago3 min read
“Chaotic, in the Best Way”: A Look Behind Cate’s Upcoming Musical
By Maria Wynema Salyards '28 In the theater, there is a moment before anything begins when the room feels very expectant. The lights are not yet dimmed, the set is still missing paint, students laughing around, not finding their seats and the voices of actors are still trying to find each other. It is in this in-between space where Cate’s upcoming musical, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 , is slowly yet surely coming to life. It’s a classic love affair story, set in
49 minutes ago4 min read
VMAS: In or Not? MTV’s Video Music Awards 2025
By Maree Hawkins '28 MTV’s Video Music Awards occur annually; this year, they took place on September 7, 2025. The VMAs recognize the year’s biggest artists and music videos with performances, trophies, and more. The inaugural ceremony honored the best music videos in 1984 at New York City’s Radio City Music Hall and featured a performance by Madonna that set the show’s bold tone. Like its counterpart, the Grammys, the VMAs have produced countless youth culture trends and
Oct 15, 20253 min read
Athletics
More Than a Soccer Jersey
By Devon Liang '27 For soccer players, collegiate-level soccer requires years of dedication, early mornings, late nights, and an enormous amount of time spent on the field. There is a difficult, often stressful recruiting process that tests athletes mentally and physically and takes place behind the scenes for every commitment. For Cate players, recruitment is understandably challenging given the many unknowns. George Marin ‘26, who committed to UChicago, says the early stage
9 hours ago2 min read
The Pool, Dorm, and School: Captain’s Captain Jesse Morrison
By Devon Liang '27 As a water polo coach, dorm parent, and newly-appointed Assistant Director of Athletics, Jesse Morrison wears many hats. Joining Cate in 2021 as a water polo coach, becoming a Long House dorm parent in 2023, and becoming Assistant Director of Athletics in 2025, Jesse has brought his expertise to the Cate community in a multitude of different ways. As a relatively new addition to the community, an in-depth look into Jesse’s involvement offers valuable insig
Oct 15, 20254 min read
Cate Girls Varsity Lacrosse Senior Night
By: Lucy Guilbert-Neal '25 Last Tuesday, April 22nd, the girls' varsity lacrosse team celebrated Senior Night during their last league...
May 23, 20252 min read
Current Events
Gavin Christopher Newsom, POTUS?
By Maree Hawkins '28 After persistently denying any ambitions of a presidential run, Governor Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) has finally publicly revealed that he could see himself in the Oval Office. In June, he told the Wall Street Journal, “I’m not thinking about running, but it’s a path that I could see unfold.” Before becoming the governor of the most populous U.S. state, Gavin Newsom was the owner of a winery in his hometown of San Francisco. His father worked as a state court
53 minutes ago4 min read
Southern California: A Deep Dive into the January Wildfires
By Violet Monda '27 In January of 2025, a series of wildfires erupted throughout Southern California. Over 55 wildfires affected people's lives in the Los Angeles metropolitan area, San Diego County, and the Palisades area. These fires separated into the larger groups called the Palisades, Eaton Canyon, Kenneth, Hughes, Hurst, Border 2, Gap, and Green Fires. Over 48,268 acres of inhabited land across Southern California were burned. While this burn area is not unprecedented,
Oct 15, 20253 min read
Trump Proposes Reopening Alcatraz, Experts Raise Alarms
By: Rose Schreier '27 Alcatraz sits on an island 1.2 miles from San Francisco, rusting as its paint tears, and Seagulls claim the prison...
May 23, 20253 min read
Others
1984 Reflections
By Kaitlyn Dai ‘27, Maree Hawkins ‘28, Claire Tang ‘27, Rosita Power ‘26, Jae Wykoff ‘26, and Jen Won ‘26 Kaitlyn Dai ‘27 “Redefining” Truth: How Education Alters Perceptions What do we define as the truth? I use my senses to examine and identify my surroundings. Through my eyes, I see the pink hue of my laptop and the colorful patterns on my AirPods. Through my ears, I hear the incessant clacking of the computer keyboards and murmurs in the stalls next to me. I feel the coo
Oct 17, 202515 min read
How Cate Students Take Lessons Beyond the Mesa
By Amelia Riepe '27 At some point, every Cate student wonders, “Why am I learning this? Will I even remember this after high school?” This thought usually occurs during a never-ending last-period class or Saturday school, when the content and material seem extremely removed from real life. However, truth be told, many classroom experiences leave a lasting impression on Cate students, regardless of the subject. Certain moments, such as a memorable Harkness or an extremely tou
Oct 16, 20253 min read
Linden Square: Change on the Corner
By Harper Halbardier '26 and Fallon Erickson '26 The start of the fall trimester on the Mesa has been nothing short of magical. From seniors bleeding blue on move-in day to peaceful moments captured in the backcountry, there’s nothing quite like the first few weeks of September at Cate. As the Cate community has made their way back home to Carpinteria, there’s been quite the buzz about the newest addition to Carpinteria - the infamous “Linden Square.” Linden Square has bec
Oct 15, 20253 min read
bottom of page