The Plank
CW: Opening eyes with the Kino Border Initiative
by Daniel Baskette '25
When I found out that I got accepted to go to the Kino Border Initiative (KBI) Immersion in Nogales, Mexico, I knew it would be unlike any other experience I have ever had. My group, led by English Teacher Mr. Ted Hornback ’83 and Assistant Director for Office of Service and Justice Ms. Jessica Fuentes was ready to experience and to see firsthand what life was like on the border, and hear the many perspectives on migration. Initially, I felt a mix of nerves and excitement – while I had been to Mexico several times before, this was my first time experiencing the border with such an intimate, human perspective. I knew this journey would challenge my views and push me to see something new.
CW: Growth at Jerusalem Farm
by Tommy Miller '25
Before my trip to Jerusalem Farm, the only thing on my mind was that I wouldn’t have my phone all week and would have to eat vegan. I spent the week with some of my classmates, Director of Campus Ministry Mr. Paul LeBoeuf, and Science teacher Ms. Amy Becker. On arrival, we took a tour of the place and got to meet the all-girls school from Chicago alongside whom we were working.
CW: Fostering friendship in Del Norte County
by Tristan McLoughlin '25
Sunday, July 7th began with an early wake-up call. I was drowsy, yet I couldn’t help but feel a little bit excited for the week that was about to come. I’ve always loved community service, so committing a whole week to it was very exciting.
Our immersion journey started at Jesuit, and after a seven hour drive, the wait was over: we had arrived at our church in Del Norte County, California.
OSU: a world of opportunity
Over the summer, I had the opportunity to travel to Oregon to tour colleges – one of which was Oregon State University (OSU). Upon arriving, I noticed the expansive size of the campus. At 420 acres, it is roughly eight times the size of Jesuit, but with over 30 times the number of undergraduate students. While the campus is nowhere near the largest for a college, it is dense and large enough to host over 200 undergraduate programs and 16 great sports programs.
World Religions class brings the brotherhood together
Jesuit High School Sacramento’s World Religions class, taught by Theology Teacher Dr. Mark Luttio, is a great way for students to gain new perspectives on the traditions that surround them. Dr. Luttio’s profound experience with various religions has been an essential part of the class’s ability to strengthen students’ knowledge of the wider world.
Dr. Luttio’s involvement with World Religions can largely be attributed to his diverse upbringing in Japan.
Flames blown out by the Big Red Machine
On Friday, Nov. 8, the Jesuit High School Sacramento varsity football team beat the Lodi High School Flames 42-14, advancing to the quarterfinals of the Division 2 CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Football Playoffs.
After forcing a punt on the opening drive of the game, the Marauders started out strong offensively with running back Jack Patock ’25 scoring an 11-yard rushing touchdown early in the first quarter. Kicker Yudiel “Dragon” Mondragon converted the PAT to take an early 7-0 lead.
Opinion: Bathroom hand dryers should be abandoned
Public restrooms can be a disgusting place filled with unflushed toilets and other repulsive smells. The rise of hand-dryers is only contributing to this problem, posing a more serious risk to public health than most people think.
In 2018, researchers from the University of Connecticut suspected that hand dryers in public bathrooms may be sucking up bacteria from the surrounding air, and blowing it onto the freshly washed hands of unaware guests. To prove this hypothesis, scientists placed petri dishes in different locations around a bathroom, and then recorded any mycobacterial growth. With the hand dryers off, petri dishes exposed to the air in the bathroom grew one or zero colonies of bacteria within a span of two minutes. However, petri dishes exposed to the hot-air hand dryers for thirty seconds grew anywhere from 18 to 254 colonies.
University of Oregon: A Top Public University with great student life
The University of Oregon (UO) is a top public university located in Eugene, Oregon, that offers more than 300 undergraduate programs and 120 graduate programs to its 29,000 students. UO gives students the ability to continue their education surrounded by, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful campuses in the country and many engaging student events that you are able to attend.
In my opinion, one of the best parts of the UO is the beautiful campus. Situated on 296 acres of land, you can walk across it in 15 minutes, under shade the whole way. Because the school was built in 1876, the campus has many renovated historic buildings, which have been mixed in with newer buildings as the university has grown.
University of Southern California offers vast array of opportunities
The University of Southern California (USC) was founded in 1880, in beautiful and sunny Los Angeles, California. With rigorous academics and a strong student life scene, USC enables students to enjoy the experience of furthering their education.
USC consists of 23 schools, each focusing on a different field of study. This ranges from the USC School of Cinematic Arts to the USC Gould School of Law. With a variety of these colleges to choose from, USC allows students to study their field in a more refined way.
Shadow Days offer prospective students a glimpse of life on campus
From Oct. 28 to Jan. 9, Jesuit High School Sacramento is welcoming middle and high school students who are interested in attending Jesuit.
The STAR Team is looking to offer prospective Marauders a glimpse inside an average day on campus. The “shadows” will be assigned to a current Jesuit student, who will chaperone the shadow through the first three periods of the day. After experiencing life inside the classroom, shadows will have the chance to eat food from Epicurean and then depart with their parents during lunchtime.
Jesuit dominates Whitney in final regular season game
On Friday, Nov. 1, the Jesuit High School Sacramento varsity football team beat the Whitney High School Wildcats 48-7.
Following a punt from the Wildcats, Jesuit started off the scoring by taking a 7-0 lead early in the first quarter after a 42-yard rushing touchdown from Joshua Rucker ’26 and a made PAT from Yudiel “Dragon” Mondragon.
Folsom triumphs over Jesuit in wire to wire win
On Friday, Oct. 11, the Jesuit High School Sacramento varsity football team lost at home to the Folsom High School Bulldogs 55-10.
On the first drive of the game, Folsom moved down the field quickly before punching in a 1-yard rushing touchdown and added a successful PAT, the Bulldogs held a 7-0 lead with 10 minutes to go in the first quarter.
Nurturing relationships at the Mother-Son Mass
On Sunday, Oct. 27, Jesuit High School Sacramento hosted its annual Mother-Son Mass in the Chapel of the North American Martyrs, showcasing the appreciation and love students have for their mothers and mother figures.
Senior Nicolas Norton ’25 has attended the mass every year during his four years at Jesuit, and enjoys the opportunity to nurture his relationship with his mom.
You Odda-See this fall play
Starting Nov. 1, Jesuit Drama brings to the stage Will Averill’s comedy “The Odyssey: by Thespis and the Peloponnesian Midwest Regional Third Place Chorus.” Performed in the Black Box Theater, the drama team – made up of Jesuit, Saint Francis, and Rio Americano high school students – is ready to bring to life their unique take on The Odyssey.
Artistic Director Mr. Ed Trafton is excited for this rendition of The Odyssey. While it may be a familiar narrative, Averill’s version brings a comedic twist.
Jesuit gets revenge against Del Oro
On Friday, Oct. 18, Jesuit High School Sacramento’s varsity football team won an away game against the Del Oro High School Golden Eagles 34-14. This win avenged Jesuit’s triple overtime loss to Del Oro in last year’s section playoffs.
To start the game, Jesuit received the opening kickoff, and after a strong drive, they finished with a 10-yard touchdown run by quarterback Teddy Rios ’26. After an extra point by Yudiel “Dragon” Mondragon ’26, the score was 7-0.
Art Event helps fund Jesuit
On Thursday, Oct. 24, Jesuit High School Sacramento hosts the Jesuit Art Event, where renowned local artists get to showcase and sell their artwork.
Executive Director of Advancement Ms. Kim Kalmbach explains that while the primary goal of the night is to highlight artists, the event also benefits Jesuit.
Jesuit offense stalls in loss to Oak Ridge
On Friday, Oct. 11, Jesuit High School Sacramento’s varsity football team lost an away game to the Oak Ridge High School Trojans 23-3.
To start the game, Jesuit received the opening kickoff, and drove down the field before fumbling and turning the ball over on the Oak Ridge 23-yard line.
Open House helps Jesuit make its mark
This Sunday, Oct. 20, Jesuit High School Sacramento opens its campus to the larger Sacramento community at its annual Open House.
At the event, teachers and students will welcome incoming students to give a sense of what life at Jesuit offers. Counselor Ms. Gianna Wheeler feels that Open House is a valuable opportunity for families considering Jesuit.
Jesuit Cross Country rises to the occasion in Portland
On Sept. 28, the Jesuit High School Sacramento cross country team traveled to Portland, Oregon for the Nike Portland XC invitational meet. The Marauders dominated, beating the second-place team by 55 points.
The competition marked the continuation of an already successful season for the Marauders, who had taken first place at all of their meets so far this season. The difference in Portland was that Jesuit wasn’t just competing against local teams, but dominating competition from all over the west.
Mini but Mighty RACC College Fair
On Thursday, Oct. 17, during lunch at the Senior Quad, Jesuit will be hosting a college fair with guests from the Regional Admission Counselors of California (RACC). RACC is an organization of college representatives for schools outside of California, and this fair will provide a great opportunity for students to learn about out of state schools.
Counselor Ms. Angela Harger believes that college fairs offer unique opportunities to connect with knowledgeable college representatives.