Matin Sayareh ‘25
Plank Staff, Copy Chief
Matin Sayareh ‘25
Attendance (916) 482-6060
Mathletes: building problem-solving prowess
While many students at Jesuit High School Sacramento view math simply as a chore they have to do to receive a grade, there is a select group of students that sees past the numbers and symbols into the true beauty of the world of mathematics.
The Jesuit Mathletes team is a collection of students that compete against other schools in math using their problem-solving prowess, relishing the opportunity to sharpen their minds with challenging math problems in the heat of competition.
Mass for the New Year encourages hope
On Christmas Eve of last year, Pope Francis announced the beginning of a Jubilee Year for the Catholic Church. A Jubilee Year is a time for forgiveness, a renewal of faith and reconciliation with others. At Jesuit High School Sacramento’s Mass for the New Year, the community learned about the Jubilee Year’s meaning, and the importance of that meaning to the widespread Jesuit community.
The theme of this Jubilee year, “Pilgrims of Hope,” invites Catholics to focus on spreading hope and good will to all. Liturgy Workshop worked to emphasize this message from the Vatican in this mass.
Wrestling team powers its way through the season
The Jesuit High School Sacramento wrestling team has had a strong start for the 2024-2025 season. With athletes demonstrating outstanding determination and development through training and meets, it seems there is nothing the team can’t accomplish.
“The team has demonstrated incredible resilience and growth throughout the season,” said Wrestling Head Coach Chris Carlino. “We’ve consistently shown strong performances in both dual meets and tournaments, with wrestlers stepping up to fill key roles. Additionally, our conditioning and ability to compete late into matches have been standout strengths.”
Chris Palchak ’25: setting a high bar
If you’ve exited campus via American River Drive in the spring, you likely saw Chris Palchak ’25 sling a 12 pound shot into the cosmos. If you caught the toss out of the corner of your eye, then you also likely saw him seamlessly shift his focus after every throw from his performance to his teammates.
Whether it’s by answering questions, demonstrating the proper form, or sharing words of encouragement on and off the field, Chris’s compassion and integrity help guide others to success.
Wrestling team plans to suplex their way to victory
After an outstanding 2023-2024 season, the Jesuit High School Sacramento wrestling team aims to continue their success this winter. The team has refined their skills throughout the off-season, training to dominate the competition.
“A lot of the wrestlers, including me, have been doing off season practices throughout spring, summer, and fall,” said Xavier Pizano ’25. “And outside of just practicing, we’ve also been going to tournaments and wrestling camps. We’ve done a lot of off-season competition and practices to prepare for this upcoming season.”
Helping students where they’re at
This year, Jesuit High School Sacramento welcomes Spanish Teacher Ms. Estela Heringer to its campus.
Although it’s her first year at Jesuit, she brings nearly a decade of teaching experience in a Jesuit environment.
Kicking off, under the lights
A new era of Jesuit High School Sacramento football has arrived. With the move into the Sierra Foothill League and the addition of permanent stadium lights, the atmosphere at home games will never be the same again. The first of these matches, which takes place on Friday, Aug. 30 against Rio Americano High School, is crucial to setting Jesuit off to a good start.
Quarterback Theodore “Teddy” Rios ’26 believes that this highly anticipated game will give the team a chance to prove themselves in a new year.
“[The lights] will just bring another level of energy and excitement before the game,” Teddy said. “The Rio game is going to be really energetic, we’re really pumped, it’s a great rivalry, everyone is super close together at both schools and we’re just trying to go out and make a statement that we’re for real.”
Grant Anderson ’24: incorporating compassion to reach success
Over the past four years, Grant Anderson ’24 has excelled in nearly everything he does at Jesuit High School Sacramento. Whether it’s on the mat, in academics, or in daily life, Grant incorporates his compassion in order to reach this success.
“Grant has a tremendous impact on those around him,” said Sports Performance Coordinator Mr. Jay Nacionales. “He leads with his words, but more importantly, he leads by example. You can tell he truly cares for his fellow peers.”
Keith Adams ’24: the one and only
Keith Adams ’24 is hard to miss. He possesses a standout character whose authentic enthusiasm and willingness to lead from the front, have left an indelible mark on the community of Jesuit High School Sacramento.
Gardening Club sprouts interest in plant care
Last year, Jayden Canio ’25 and Justin Paredes ’25 founded the Gardening Club. Since its inception, the club has introduced students to the importance of plant care and how rewarding garden work can be.
Opinion: “Five Nights at Freddy’s 6,” a terrifying masterpiece
“Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria Simulator,” (FFPS) also known as “Five Nights at Freddy’s 6,” (FNaF 6) is the critically acclaimed sixth installment of the “Five Nights at Freddy’s” (FNaF) horror series.
Jesuit’s new captain
This year, Jesuit welcomes a new president, Mr. Chris Alling, who brings with him years of experience and an authentic approach to Jesuit education.
Club Day comes again
On Monday, Sept. 18, 2023, Jesuit High School Sacramento will hold its annual Club Day, a time when students can learn all about Jesuit’s various clubs.
Matthew Palchak ’23: dedicated leader and loyal friend
For Matt Palchak ’23, Jesuit High School Sacramento’s motto of being “Men for Others” has become an integrated part of his personality and life.
“I have learned many things inside, and outside the classroom, but I think some of the most important things are learning to serve others, and learning to work as a leader,” Matt said. “The lasting impact Jesuit has left on me as a ‘Man for Others’ is to always be ready to help and serve others.”
Mock Trial explores the legal field
Working in the field of Law interests many students at Jesuit
High School Sacramento, and thanks to Jesuit’s Mock Trial
program, they can explore this passion.
Jesuit’s Wellness Center cultivates student’s well-being
Jesuit High School Sacramento provides many resources to support
Jesuit students’ mental health and well-being. One such resource
is the Wellness Center, located next to the King Library.
Foundations of Cybersecurity to grow Jesuit’s computer science program
High school computer science courses have been growing in
popularity recently. With technology advancing, it has become
important for students to have a deep knowledge of computers and
technology as a whole.
Smash Bros: The Ultimate Fighting Game!
“Super Smash Bros. Ultimate” (SSBU) is very popular at Jesuit
High School Sacramento, and for a good reason. Adherents have
been seen playing this game during lunch, community periods, and
even in the morning on days with a late school start. I, too, am
a fan of the “Super Smash Bros” franchise and decided to delve
deeper into the game’s history and give an overall rating and
opinion.
Jesuit Auction amazes and astounds
Tuition at Jesuit High School Sacramento does not cover the full
cost of educating a student, so Jesuit has to create fundraising
activities to provide essential revenue. The Jesuit Auction event
does help to fill the gap in a fun and fruitful manner.
Jack Gallaway ’23: a high-achieving role model
For Jack Gallaway ’23, the Jesuit motto of a “Man for Others” has
become an integral part of his view of the world.
Chess is growing in popularity at Jesuit
Chess is an abstract strategy game that requires two players.
Each player controls 16 pieces: one king, one queen, two rooks,
two bishops, two knights, and eight pawns. The objective of the
game is to “checkmate” the opponent’s king by leaving them with
no options to move. However, there are also several ways that a
game can end in a draw.
STAR Crew spreads the good news of Jesuit High School
Coming to Jesuit High School Sacramento as a freshman from middle school can be exciting, but it can also be difficult not knowing what to expect. Director of Admissions Mr. Matthew Ramos ’05 wanted to address this issue so he created the Student Team of Ambassadors for Recruitment or STAR Crew.