By Serena Zhang '28 On December 6th, the Cate community participated in various grade-level enrichment activities that brought learning and collaboration outside the classroom. Ninth-graders and their senior seminar leaders spent the day rotating through stations that combined teamwork, art, and problem-solving, while sophomores spent the day at the beach for a retreat focusing on class bonding and competition. Meanwhile, juniors and seniors went on a museum trip, visiting ar

By Flora Adair '26 In two months, the musical Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 will erupt on the Cate stage in an explosion of feathers, glamour, and flashing lights. Although the performers on stage will bring the production to life, the most vital contributor to the musical will be backstage, helping actors get ready and step into their characters. The Spring Family weekend musical will be Mr. Harvey’s second Cate production, as he has already shown the communit

By Josie Song '28 As the 2025 year comes to a close, Cate students have made many memories over the past four months. From seeing old and new faces at the line dance to sharing laughs and screams of fright during the haunted house, there is much to reflect upon from these last few months.  Year after year, there are certain staple activities eagerly anticipated. For example, the Cate tradition of hosting a line dance as the very first activity of the year allows incoming fres

By Ayla Sichi '28 As the liminal period between Fall Break and Winter Break came to an end, Cate’s winter art gallery was filled with an assortment of pieces from Independent art, Art Relay, and the 9th-grade PSI Day. During the time each piece is on display, it could be easy to miss the opportunity to fully observe and appreciate the pieces in relation to their artists. In this article, three Cate artists, Lisa Hasebe ‘27, Andrew Peng ‘26, and Gwen McTigue ‘26, provide their

By Ava Moxley '29 While many people on the Mesa were preparing for break and stressing about essential deadlines, seven students kicked off Art Relay on December 3rd at 8 a.m. The day excused students from all school commitments for 24 hours, allowing art to guide them. With a mix of excitement and uncertainty, the first participants in each group were ready to dive into the relay, using seven different prompt words. The following artists were required to respond solely to th

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

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

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

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

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

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

Evan Walters '28 To some schools, Martin Luther King Jr. Day is simply a national day off, maybe even an opportunity for families to take a short vacation, but at Cate, the day is used to honor Dr. King and to show how his efforts still impact today’s world. Kadeine Peterson, biology teacher, multicultural programming coordinator, and organizer of Cate’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day for the past five years, has ensured each year the day is crafted to focus on learning about Dr.

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

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

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

By Fiona Pan '27 It has been 105 years since the El Batidor  newspaper came to life at Cate School, formerly known as the “Santa Barbara School.” In the first edition of El Bat,  released in the 1919–1920 school year, the editors wrote that the term El Batidor , translated to “Outrider.” “Batidor” means scout, or outrider, which is someone who paves the way for others to follow. The past editors wrote that the name for the newspaper was indicating, “a harbinger, or bearer of

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:

By Michelle Wu '27 The salted breeze, the damp sand, and the low, rhythmic rumble of waves hitting the shore altogether make the Carpinteria City Beach a popular weekend destination for students. Indeed, the beach offers much joy to the steady pace of Cate life, whether through providing a recreational space oa r location for class events. However, there is more that Cate can offer in return to the greater Carpinteria community and the land that nurtures it – inquiry-driven

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

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