Aiden Thomas ’27
Plank Staff, Section Chief
Aiden Thomas ’27
Attendance (916) 482-6060
Jesuit brings the northern lights to the Winter Ball
On Saturday, Jan. 24, Jesuit High School Sacramento will be hosting its third annual Semi-Formal Winter Ball. The event, themed around the northern lights, will be held from 7 p.m. to 9:45 p.m. in the Father Barry Gymnasium.
School dances are a time for students to get together and spend time with each other in a fun, relaxed environment. Student Body President Emmett Gustorf ’26 believes that the social aspects are what make the dance truly memorable.
Opinion: Columbia University mixes a prime location with superb education
Columbia University is located in the Upperside Heights neighborhood on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, in New York City. Columbia University is an Ivy League school and consistently ranks among America’s top colleges.
Over the summer, I had the opportunity to stay for two weeks at Columbia, on campus, in the dorms. The program that allowed me to live on campus to study business and economics was the National Student Leadership Conference. They created a schedule personalized for me, and allowed 48 of other students across the country to study the same program with me.
Welcoming new changes and new faces
This year, the Science department at Jesuit High School Sacramento is undergoing changes.
One of the big changes is welcoming two new teachers to the department: Ms. Nicole Thom and Mr. Bryan Heng.
Jesuit’s Accreditation process allows for growth and improvement
Every six years, the Western Catholic Education Association (WCEA) evaluates Jesuit High School Sacramento in what is known as the Accreditation process. The Accreditation process is essentially a rating system of seven selected elements found within Catholic schools across the nation. Through this process, Jesuit is credited as a private institution, allowing the Marauder diploma to carry a certain weight for universities.
Jesuit’s Big Bash: A reunion of the brotherhood
This Friday, Sept. 26, the Department of Alumni Relations at Jesuit High School Sacramento will hold their annual Big Bash. The Big Bash will be held during homecoming weekend, and the whole family is welcome to attend this fun and festive outdoor event.
A birdie-ful day for the Big Red Golf Tournament
On Friday, Sept. 26, Jesuit High School Sacramento will be hosting the Big Red Golf Tournament at Haggin Oaks at 9 a.m. The golf tournament functions as a communal event for alumni, current parents, and the greater Jesuit community to come together and reignite memories with friends.
Marauders mauled by the Grizzlies
On Friday Sept. 19, Jesuit High School Sacramento’s varsity football team lost to Granite Bay High School Grizzlies 31-20 in their first Sierra Foothill League game.
Freshman Overnight, furthering the bonds of brotherhood
On Saturday, Aug. 23 and Sunday, Aug. 24, Jesuit High School Sacramento hosted its annual Freshman Overnight Retreat. This retreat allowed freshmen to connect on a deeper level with each other and their Big Brothers. Many activities and events were put in place to foster an exciting atmosphere for the freshman class.
Opinion: Theology offers the best answers
When considering the most valuable subjects in school, people often default to mathematics, literature, and science. Each of these subjects have concrete, real-world applications that are commonly found on many career paths. I believe, however, that the most important subject is theology. Beyond spiritual fulfillment, theology delves into life’s greatest questions and shapes our morality.
Opinion: Revenge of the Sith is a worthy entry in the Skywalker Saga
Released in 2005, “Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith” (ROTS), remains one of the most pivotal and striking films within the Star Wars franchise. This year, the film recently finished its 20th year anniversary theatrical re-release.
Jesuit volleyball team aced their season
Jesuit High School Sacramento Volleyball teams have had an exceptional and storied past. Even though this year’s season did not end the way Jesuit’s Varsity Volleyball team wanted, the team was able to create great chemistry and continue the legacy of past teams. This year, with their ascension into the Sierra Foothill League (SFL), they have proved themselves as one of the toughest teams in the area.
Opinion: one gorilla is no match for 100 men
The pressing question on everyone’s minds right now is who would win in a battle between one gorilla and 100 men? The answer seems obvious. A gorilla can absolutely annihilate a human, so 100 random dudes? Easy enough. However, many people fail to take into account numerous factors that would actually contribute towards the gorilla’s downfall.
Jewish Student Union scores a win for the record books
From Monday, March 31 to Friday, April 11, the big event on Jesuit High School Sacramento’s campus was the World Cup. With five different teams each competing under the flag of their representative countries, the atmosphere was extremely exciting.
In the first game on Wednesday, April 2, the Asian Pacific Islanders Club (APIC) came out with a 4-2 victory over the Jewish Student Union (JSU). After that game, Latinos Unidos played the French Club. At halftime, the French Club was up 6 points, but Latinos Unidos caught up by the end of the game, making the final score 6-6.
Golf team teeing off to a great season
This February, Jesuit High School Sacramento’s golf team teed off a busy season. Hoping to carry on momentum from last season, the team is participating in a challenging tournament this weekend, which will allow them to grow and improve their game.
“This season because of some success last season, we were invited to what’s called the De Lasalle Elite 12, where they choose what they think are the best 12 teams in the state,” said Golf Head Varsity Coach Tom Morton. “In [a few days] from now we’re going to be heading to Monterey to play a wonderful golf course at the old four-door base called the Blackhorse at Monterey, so it should be a really great tournament against some really great competition.”
Celebrating the contributions of Black Americans
Jesuit High School Sacramento will hold a Black History Assembly on Friday, Feb. 14, to commemorate the contributions of many Black Americans, as well as the achievements of our own African American alumni in the world.
This year, Jesuit is hosting four panelists to speak about their contributions after high school. Ron Barrow Jr. ’98 serves as an associate pastor of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. Dr. Caron Houston, M.D. is an internal medicine physician specializing in individualized care for adult patients. Ben Sharpe ’99 received a masters in civil engineering from Stanford University and a PhD in civil engineering from University of California, Davis. Dean of Students La Roddric Theodule has educated students in the Catholic school system since 2002.
Winter Ball is here
On the evening of Saturday, Jan. 25, Jesuit High School Sacramento will be hosting its second annual Semi Formal Winter Ball. This magical night will be held from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. in the Father Barry Gymnasium.
This year, the student council has enhanced the atmosphere and added more details to compliment the dance. Student Council treasurer and secretary Luke Elken ’27 explains the frosty vision.
Opinion: the greatest sport of all time, soccer
There is a variety of sports that countries and cultures find to be the “greatest sport of all time.” Cricket, American football, tennis, and basketball are globally popular sports with enormous fanbases. However, out of all the numerous sports celebrated around the world, I believe soccer is the most fulfilling and the greatest of all.
As someone who grew up with the sport, I fell in love with the game at a very young age. I believe that soccer tops all other sports in terms of the emotions it evokes in the players and audience, as well as its global reach to almost every culture on the planet.
Opinion: Gladiator II, a modern masterpiece
“Gladiator II” is a historical fiction action film directed and produced by Ridley Scott. The film released on Oct. 30 2024, with a Tomatometer score of 72% and an 82% score on the “popcornmeter.” Generally speaking, the movie has garnered positive views and generated a whopping $369.7 million worldwide.
The plot focuses around Hanno (Paul Mescal), a disgraced Numidian soldier who was forced into slavery as a gladiator after being captured by the Roman army. The twin emperors Geta (Joseph Quinn) and Caracalla (Fred Hichinger) have both corrupted Rome’s ideals, and launched an invasion into Northern Africa, where Hanno was living. The movie focuses on spectacular fights, grand visuals, and Hanno’s quest for vengeance against those who have ruined the “Roman dream.”
Run to Feed the Hungry: Runners for others
On Thursday, Nov. 28, Jesuit High School Sacramento will be participating in the annual Run to Feed the Hungry event, hosted by the Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services (SFBFS).
Administrative Assistant for the Office of Service & Justice and Campus Ministry Mrs. Tina Bernardi enjoyed participating in her first run last year.
Jesuit falls to Granite Bay in first league game
On Friday, Sept. 21, 2024, Jesuit High School Sacramento’s varsity football team lost to Granite Bay High School 17-30.
Midway through the first quarter, the first touchdown of the game was scored by GBHS wide receiver Darnell Turner ’26 on a 17-yard pass completion. GBHS kicker Jimmy Deslaruier kicked in extra point to make the score 7-0 GBHS.
Neon night open dance aims to bring students together
On the evening of Saturday, Sept. 21, Jesuit High School Sacramento will be hosting its first Frosh Soph Open Dance of the school year. This exciting “neon night” will be held from 7 P.M. to 9:30 P.M. in the Father Barry Gymnasium.
Student Activities Director Mr. Peter Ferrari and the student council organized this night full of festivities.
Back to School Night grants parents a promising start to the school year
On Tuesday, Sept. 3rd, Jesuit High School Sacramento will hold its annual Back to School Night.
While Back to School Night functions roughly the same between classes, each teacher has a different style of presenting. For English Teacher Mr. Kyle Trivits, his presentation revolves around giving parents and guardians the student experience.
“I try to accomplish two things,” Mr. Trivits said.“I want parents to experience my class, to get a taste of what it’s like for their students day to day. And the second thing is an overview. What sorts of things I hope to accomplish, my goals, and the ways I go about accomplishing those goals.”