The Plank

When most people think of Supercell, three games come to mind: Clash of Clans, Clash Royale, and Brawl Stars. The “big three” have dominated the mobile gaming industry for nearly a decade, keeping teens all over the world addicted to their phones and inspiring memes, tournaments, and communities. However, behind the popular mainstream games lie a collection of underrated gems that never received the attention they deserve.

Over the summer, we had the privilege to visit the Br. Darst Center in Chicago. The organization seeks to raise awareness for social issues through spiritual retreats. When we visited, our group was exposed firsthand to the many societal injustices that plague the area. 

One of these issues is food insecurity–essentially when people in an area cannot access healthy foods. Whilst working at the Saint James Food Pantry, we saw how many people were unable to feed themselves and their families. 

This summer, I had the opportunity to travel to Del Norte, California, to work with the Sierra Service Project, an organization that provides home repair and building services for underserved communities. This immersion trip was one of the most meaningful experiences I have had during my time at Jesuit. Throughout the trip, I worked on a variety of service projects that directly impacted the local community and environment. 

This summer, we spent time volunteering at L’Arche Tahoma Hope in Tacoma, Washington, a community where people with disabilities live and work together. This experience changed the way we view language, learning that sometimes, facial expressions, posture, and body language say more than any words spoken. 

On Nov. 29, 2025, the Jesuit High School Sacramento cross country won their 11th state championship, and set a new course record for boys Division II. 

The cross country squad performed exceptionally well last season, winning multiple titles and the CIF State Cross Country Championships. In order to compete at the same level, the team took multiple steps to ensure another solid year.

The Jesuit High School Sacramento band had a fantastic 2025 season, competing to win three events and showcasing their talents for the Jesuit community. It took dedication, grit, and teamwork to get this done.

The marching band has been preparing for these competitions since August, and the time and effort they have put in has shown through their performances.

On Oct. 22, 2025, Valve Corporation released an update to Counter-Strike 2 that would forever change the dealings of a six-billion-dollar free market. So what is this market? Is it stocks? Is it Valve’s online video game store, Steam? It turns out it’s neither – it’s Counter-Strike skins. 

In its over 11 year history, the “Counter-Strike 2” skin market reached a monumental market cap of $6 billion. Yet, after a seemingly innocent update, the total market value was cut in half to just 3 billion dollars in the course of 24 hours.

As you may have heard or seen, the newest rendition of the classic gothic horror story “Frankenstein” has hit Netflix, directed by none other than Guillermo Del Toro. The verdict? It’s fine. 

To be fair, it’s a fun watch and especially easy to become engrossed in. But artistically? It lacked depth in its attempt to recreate Shelley’s masterpiece. Del Toro did a good job with what he knows. The stunning costumes, look of the creature, and consistency with the narrative devices of the book were all done quite well. The incredible performances from the actors stood out. But put it next to the book, and it looks like a comic strip.

Released on Sept. 4, Hollow Knight: Silksong is the long-awaited sequel to the beloved indie game Hollow Knight. The game has been in development by Team Cherry for approximately seven years, and was one of the most anticipated games of 2025, crashing Steam’s servers on its release.