Math Teacher Spotlights: Mrs. Halverson and Ms. Altmire By Dylan Moen '25 and Jessica Yep '25 Mrs. Halverson (Probability & Statistics, H Algebra II & Trig, AP Calculus BC, Department Head) Mrs. Halverson teaches Probability and Statistics, Honors Algebra II, and AP Calculus AB in addition to being the head of the math department. She attended Bishop Alemany for high school, UCSD for her undergraduate, and Cal Poly for her graduate. Mrs. Halverson has been teaching for 17 years and loves calculus because it requires a lot of critical thinking and application of knowledge. On the contrary, her least favorite type of math is geometry. When she had to teach a freshman-level class in graduate school, she realized how much she enjoyed teaching. Math was particularly interesting for her since there are multiple ways to solve a problem despite there only being one correct answer. She loves teaching high school students as she enjoys working with the future and likes seeing what they are going to do after she is gone. Mrs. Halverson enjoys working with teenagers especially because they are on the brink of being adults, so they are curious and have strong opinions. Her favorite aspect of Chaminade is the student body because the majority of them are kind, respectful, and motivated. Above all, the students’ excitement and eagerness to learn resonates with Mrs. Halverson because that’s ultimately what she is here for. As the head of the math department, Mrs. Halverson essentially acts as a liaison between the administration and the teachers. She discusses concerns and possible suggestions for implementing to the program with the other math teachers. They also determine various ways to deal with parents better. Mrs. Halverson constantly advocates for the teachers as well as what is best for the students. Ultimately, she hopes that the other math teachers see her as their biggest supporter. Outside of school, her main hobby is her kids’ sports as she spends much time watching baseball and basketball games as well as cheer competitions. Additionally, she enjoys reading in her spare time, paradoxically both relaxing, easy reads and true crime books. She has a four-year-old golden retriever named River at home as well. Her weekend consists of basically juggling multiple sports games for her sons as her family often travels for such games. After school, Mrs. Halverson picks up her kids from school, drops them off at their separate practices, makes dinner, and then picks up the kids from practice. Once everyone is home, they eat dinner around 8pm, work on homework and read, and then go to sleep. Mrs. Halverson ensures that she can get all her work finished at school so that she can solely focus on her family once she leaves campus; as a result, this means staying at school until 4pm so that all her students’ grading is finished. During the summer, Mrs. Halverson and her family spend most of their time traveling. They make it a point to travel somewhere new within the U.S. every summer, but they are going to start expanding outside of the U.S. next summer. She mentions how she also enjoys going to the beach and camping there. Her favorite food is sushi, particularly anything spicy. If she was not a teacher, Mrs. Halverson says that she would be a nurse. Ms. Altmire (H Geometry, Geometry, Pre-Calc, & Science Bowl Head) Ms. Altmire is best known for teaching Geometry, Pre-calc, and running the Science bowl, as well as being our beloved freshman math teacher; originally started school at State College High School in Pennsylvania and moved to Thousand Oaks High School for college she started at Moorpark College and transferred to UCSB. Ms. Altmire has been teaching since 2005 she started teaching at Beri High School and taught there for eleven years, later moving to Loyola Blakefield in Baltimore for one year and finally moving to Chaminade College Preparatory, where she has been teaching for five years. Ms. Altmire says that her favorite thing about Chaminade is that everyone is friendly and motivated to learn. Ms. Altmire was always motivated to become a teacher since she was young, and in college, she decided to start tutoring math and helping her friends get through algebra. This friend later told her that she was the only reason for her passing the math class. This motivated Ms. Altmire to work towards becoming a math teacher thinking it was the best option. She told us that her favorite types of math to teach are geometry and pre-calc and was unable to think of a least favorite math class to teach. We asked Ms. Altmire what she thinks she would be doing if she wanted to teach, and she had no idea and said she always wanted to be a teacher and wouldn't do a desk job. We also asked what her favorite parts of running Science Bowl, and she said that she enjoyed how the students figured everything out on their own and loved observing how much the students knew by themselves. At home, Ms. Altmire is a completely different person and enjoys watching sports, crocheting, and going for walks with her family. She does not have any pets and gets up early to watch TV in the morning. After returning from school, she does chores, grades papers, and tests, and loves spending time with her family. We asked about her favorite food or meal, and she said that she loves all food and can’t choose her favorite. During the summer, Ms. Altmire loves traveling and she does house projects and chores. Last summer she went to Japan to see her parents and went to Ohio for a music festival. Usually, she loves to travel during the summer and doesn’t know yet where she is going with her family this summer. Special thanks to both Mrs. Altmire and Mrs. Halverson for sharing their experiences! History Teacher Spotlights: Dr. Kim & Mr. Phillips By Dylan Moen '25 and Jessica Yep '25 Edited by Helen Reece '25 Have you ever wondered how your teachers became teachers? Or maybe what they do outside of school? Or in Mr. Phillips’ case, how he went from being part of the U.S. military intelligence to a high school teacher at a small private school? This week, we interviewed some history teachers to learn more about their lives both inside and outside of school. Dr. Kim (AP World History and CP U.S. History) Dr. Kim is one of Chaminade’s newest teachers this year, teaching AP World History for sophomores and college prep U.S. History for juniors. She attended Glen A. Wilson in California for high school, UCLA for college, and University of Arizona for her doctorate degree. Her doctorate took seven years and is centered on early modern European history, specifically focusing on the Reformation and Counter-Reformation, or around the 16th century. Before teaching at Chaminade, she taught at the college level for nine years. Her transition from teaching at a college level to a high school level was challenging for a couple of reasons. When she taught at the college level, she had more autonomy over her work but at a high school, she was expected to follow the preplanned curriculum. There are also differences in assessments; it was more conceptual in her college classes, but now it’s more layered. As a result, she had to shift her teaching methods, which she believes has been ‘good for her’. Despite these challenges, she has found her job here incredibly rewarding, especially seeing the energy and commitment to learning in her AP World students. When Dr. Kim taught her freshmen and sophomore college students, she noticed that there was a deficit in their skills and a general lack of interest in history. She decided to teach at Chaminade this year because she wanted to help high schoolers build historical thinking and analyzing skills, such as writing a thesis and analyzing documents, and make the subject interesting for students. She believes that, with her experience of being a college professor, she could be an asset for making students’ transition into college smoother. Outside of school, Dr. Kim enjoys Pilates, golf, tennis, knitting, and cooking. She lived in France for two years, so she knows how to cook European foods and French pastries well. Her favorite foods, however, are tacos, Sopas, and Latin food in general. She told us that she loved to cook and was always looking for new recipes to try out. On the weekends, Dr. Kim goes to her son’s tennis tournaments, does lots of laundry, relaxes, cooks nice meals on Saturday nights, and spends time with family and friends. If she wasn’t a teacher, she would either be a lawyer who focuses on legal law or a chef. Mr. Phillips (AP U.S. History, Philosophy, and Speech & Debate) Mr. Phillips currently teaches AP U.S. History, and Philosophy, and coaches the Speech & Debate team. He attended Grafton High School in Virginia, the University of Carolina, and Pepperdine, earning two bachelor’s degrees in criminal justice and nutrition and a master’s in government relations. This is his fifth year teaching. Before Mr. Phillips was a teacher, he was in the Navy and worked in military intelligence. After the Navy, he took a road trip to Hollywood where his younger sister was working. This led to, surprisingly, a small career as a stuntman and getting certified with the United Stuntmen’s Association. That career included being set on fire, jumping off buildings, and fighting and driving choreography. He was a stuntman in the movie Birth alongside his friend. Mr. Phillips was planning to return to the military but decided to earn his master’s at Pepperdine first because it was close to where he was living at the time. He met his wife at Pepperdine and decided to stay and begin a family rather than return to the military. Given his love for learning, Mr. Phillips had always thought of teaching when he retired. His sister suggested he start early so he did, thus starting his teaching career. Mr. Phillips has always been drawn to jobs that serve others (therefore explaining his career choices of serving in the Navy and teaching). His favorite part about Chaminade is the focus on the community and family spirit. He also likes the autonomy of private high schools and the mission of faith-based education. Given that he teaches APUSH, Mr. Phillips finds the U.S. the most interesting to learn about because of his personal connection to it and how it pertains to his individual experiences. He also finds the Roman Empire intriguing (but admits how it is a boring choice). His favorite period to learn about is the Golden Age of Piracy since it is an interesting subculture, the romanticized aspect of the period, and how it overlaps with the colonial era of the 1600s and 1700s. On that topic, Mr. Phillips also recommends The Lost Pirate Kingdom on Netflix. Outside of school, his hobbies include being a taxi driver for his children and all types of outdoor sports (rafting, rock climbing, camping, hiking, snowboarding, etc.) He also loves traveling as he has been to about forty countries and forty states, joking that there are only about 160 more countries for him to visit. A typical weekend consists of getting a night of normal sleep, taking his kids to sports games and cheer events, working out, taking care of various household chores, and “hopefully doing something.” Mr. Phillips also enjoys his summers because he can travel and work on little projects. His favorite food is Thai, but he can always go for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. If he weren’t a teacher, he would be an international spy (but he asks that you keep it a secret). Special thanks to Dr. Kim and Mr. Phillips for sharing their experiences! Women’s History Month
By Jessica Yep Edited by Helen Reece Women's History Month, initially Women’s History Week, began as a local celebration in Santa Rosa, California in 1978. Almost a decade later, March was officially dedicated as Women’s History Month, and has been celebrated yearly. In recognition of this, here are five women in history who have often been overlooked throughout history: Bessie Smith was an African American singer who became the highest-paid Black entertainer of the 1920s after she made a deal with Columbia Records, selling nearly 800,000 copies of her recording, “Downhearted Blues”. She was orphaned at only nine years old, leaving her older siblings to care for her. Smith addressed poverty and conflict in her songs, additionally expressing the struggles of being bisexual through her music. Jane Fawcett joined a secret project at Bletchley Park, the headquarters for the Allied codebreaking during WWII, at just eighteen years old in 1940. She translated the message which revealed the location of Germany’s most alarming battleship, the Bismarck, subsequently leading to the navy locating and sinking the ship. Despite this being the first major victory for this group of codebreakers, she kept to her promise and never told anyone about her accomplishment – not even her husband. Wilma Mankiller became the first woman to be Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation in 1985, leading a decade of prosperity, revitalization, and self-governance for the Cherokee. Federal relocation programs moved her family from rural Oklahoma to San Francisco when Mankiller was a child, leaving her and her family in urban poverty and faced with discrimination. However, she also had a diverse Indigenous community that shaped her feminism and belief of Native American self-governance. Shortly after moving back to Oklahoma on her family land, she was elected and became Principal Chief. With this position, Mankiller implemented progressive policies such as directing the revenue from casinos and trial economic ventures into health clinics and job training, resulting in an increased tribal enrollment and employment rates. Sadako Ogata was the only Japanese citizen and first woman to lead the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees). In 1991, Ogata herself travelled to the Iraq-Turkey border when over a million Iraqi Kurds fled the Gulf War so that she could hear firsthand accounts and promised aid. During her time as the head of the UNHCR, she expanded the agency's responsibilities to include internally displaced people. Ogata helped protect some of the most vulnerable groups throughout the world in places such as Afghanistan, Rwanda, and the Balkans. Tawakkol Karman led a non-violent, pro-democracy youth uprising in Yemen in face of tear-gas, police raids, and brutal massacre. Her peaceful protests opposed her conservative country’s standards of “acceptable” female behavior, but she continued, strongly believing that the regime had stolen the nation’s youth of its future. In 2011, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of her leadership and advocacy against oppression and authoritarianism, making her the first Arab woman and second Muslim woman to win this honor. You can read about more transformative female trailblazers here: 100 Women of the Year | TIME The Best Kept Secret at Chaminade By Sebastian Scholte '25 Edited by Bella Salib '25 Within the fast-paced and ever-moving environment that is Chaminade lies a hidden gem that is unbeknownst to many students. A place where they can take a break, a breath, and a piece of candy from the warmest and most welcoming face at Chaminade, Mrs. Howard. Located by the entrance to the Condon Center, closest to the bus stop on the bottom floor, is the Chaminade Wellness Center. Open before school, at lunch, and after school until 4 pm, it's easily the best-kept secret at Chaminade. Upon entering the Wellness Center, I walked into a completely peaceful space. The aura of relaxation and the scent of a lavender candle immediately rid my mind of the outside world. All the anxiety regarding upcoming tests, projects, and homework assignments dissipated the moment I entered the room, replaced by Mrs. Howard's friendly and welcoming voice. She was more than happy to see someone enjoying the Wellness Center. I had the opportunity to sit down with Mrs. Howard and interview her about the inspiration behind the center. She explained, “I think during Covid and after Covid I saw a heightened need for awareness about students experiencing anxiety and depression, and mental health support in general... I felt like we needed a place for students to be able to self-regulate on their own.” By the end of our conversation, Mrs. Howard's passion for her job was apparent. Her dedication to student mental health is nothing short of inspiring. She believes that more can be done at Chaminade, and in the high school landscape in general, to support student mental health. Mrs. Howard is always available to provide insight on how students and our community as a whole can improve. By providing space for students to self-regulate and concentrate, we are off to a good start. Here we have a welcoming environment where students can relax and take a break from the stresses of high school. In addition to providing a calming retreat, the Wellness Center is also home to the SJC (Student Justice Council) meetings. During one of their recent meetings, the council discussed a variety of ways to bring more attention to the SJC and the Wellness Center at Chaminade. They recommended a variety of activities including “Mindfulness Mondays, Wellness Wednesdays, and Free-thinking Fridays” among other activities. Eagles may be seeing these new initiatives at Chaminade soon. Mrs. Howard and the Chaminade Wellness Center prove that student success can be achieved in a less high-stress and more relaxed manner. So, if you ever need a place to unwind, clear your mind, or just do homework, Mrs. Howard and the Chaminade Wellness Center will always be there for you. Take advantage of this hidden gem and find some quiet amid the Chaminade hustle and bustle. Applying to Universities - An Interview with Seniors
By Alexander Chen '27 With many members of the senior class receiving their acceptance/rejection letters later this month, it’s a fitting time to look closer at the college application process. Many students, including myself, will soon begin this rite of passage, which is why it proves so invaluable to examine all its intricacies. We spoke to two seniors about their experience. Q: How did you choose which universities to apply to? Natalie Kim ‘24: “I split my college list into three groups: dream/reach schools, 4-year undergraduate colleges, and combined degree program schools, or schools that would fast-track my goal of joining the medical field. As someone looking to go to graduate school, I needed to choose a school where I could thrive academically and that also had a good reputation as a strong school for STEM. One of the main things I considered was the program requirements for the combined degree programs. Many programs have community service requirements, longitudinal projects, undergraduate GPA requirements, and standardized testing requirements (MCAT). I spent the summer before my senior year doing research at UCLA, and I have visited many of the other UCs on family trips.” Chapin Reece ‘24: “I narrowed down my list of colleges by …. [deciding] whether or not they had my desired major, or if their location/physical environment was appealing to me. I also cut out certain colleges that I felt would be too excessive to apply to when compared with my willingness to go there. I occasionally would come across a neat-looking college during my research, but…. it either did not have my desired major/was generally not a good choice. I felt that [visiting colleges in person] was a good way to really envision myself there and get a sense of whether I would consider attending. I would definitely recommend doing this. I wouldn’t say that I had too many external pressures during my applications. My family and friends were very encouraging, which helped me work through the application process.” Q: Could you share what it was like writing essays and securing letters of recommendation? Natalie Kim ’24: “Going into my junior year, I tried to make an effort to actively participate in my core subject classes, as well as get to know my teachers. I knew a year from then, I would have to approach one of them to ask for a letter of recommendation. My advice is to go to X block and share things about yourself with your teachers! I loved all my junior year teachers and when thinking about who I should ask for a LOR, it came down to what my major was and who I felt knew me best!” Chapin Reece ’24: “When writing a college admissions essay, you should be presenting yourself and knowledge of the college you are writing to. Relate your personality to key attributes/programs at that certain school. I got my letters of recommendation from some of my junior-year teachers. I greatly enjoyed both of their classes and felt that their respective areas of study would work well with the rest of my application.” Q: How did you deal with any emotional or organizational challenges? Natalie Kim ’24: “I had a calendar of all my deadlines and decision days and set days where I would have to be finished with certain applications. Additionally, I had a Google sheet with all the schools I applied to, when the deadline was, materials I needed, what major I was, and extra info.” Chapin Reece ’24: “I would say that balancing school, applications, and extracurricular activities was challenging. I had to sacrifice some time to ensure that everything was finished. Managing my time and not leaving certain applications to the last minute helped manage my stress.” Q: Any thoughts on overcoming challenges and staying motivated? Natalie Kim ’24: “I faced a lot of rejection at first, since most of my schools’ release decisions in phases or in the Spring…. Facing rejection was hard, especially when the feeling that all that you had done during high school wasn’t enough. However, coming from me now as a spring semester senior, the wait will be worth it! From the few acceptances I have gotten so far, the wait is absolutely worth it. Just know that your self-worth isn’t defined by where you get in. Everything happens for a reason.” Chapin Reece ’24: “I think that motivation can come from a few things, like writing about what makes you “you” and constantly looking into opportunities and envisioning oneself in new environments.” Q: What's your takeaway from the entire process? Natalie Kim’24: “If I could redo the process, I would try to change my mindset in the beginning. I don’t regret anything, but I know it would have been easier if I hadn’t tried to do everything all at once. The things I wanted required sacrifice, but I wanted to do everything at the same time so if I could go back, I would’ve been more willing to sacrifice more of my social life to finish everything instead of trying to do everything!” Chapin Reece ‘24: “I’d say that there is always more that I could have done, but ultimately, people go where they are generally meant to go. Plus, I’ve heard that colleges can tell if something is only done for college applications.” |
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A Day in the Life of Principle Guerra
By Rian Ford '24
A typical day in Principle Luis Guerra’s life starts bright and early at around 4:45 AM. After rolling out of bed he has his first of many cups of coffee, and some eggs with turkey bacon, to get him through the day. In fact, he loves coffee so much that he has taught himself how to fix the coffee maker in the teachers' lounge. He then prepares lunches for his three sons, ages 2, 5, and 7, who he tries to spend as much time as possible with. They love to play baseball, play video games, and go on road trips together. He said, “First I am a husband, and then I’m a father, and that’s my number one priority in my life.”
After spending time with his kids and wife, he moves on to a time of quiet reflection and prayer. Even as a high school student, he has always known that he wanted to help people. After studying theology at college in San Antonio Texas, he decided to pursue that passion further. He has always been a religious person, but after living with Marianist brothers for a year and then going on to teach religion all around the United States, he feels much more connected to the church. He has taught theology for all grades in his 13 years as a teacher and it became a very important aspect of his life. He said, “When I teach, there is nothing else. It is the classroom; it is those students in the classroom. I am a completely engaged person, I can’t think of anything else. It’s just those kids, and I love that.”
After a peaceful morning, he then commutes to school and likes to arrive as early as possible. He will then meet with the vice principals or have one-on-one meetings with all of the directors around campus. One of his favorite things to do throughout the week is the administrative walk-around rotation that they have implemented. Each administrative staff member gets assigned a block of time during the day where they spend an hour or more just walking around and seeing the state of the campus. He loves getting to see the kids in class working hard during the class period. He also loves to work nutrition breaks and get to see the students interacting with each other.
Finally, after a busy day in the office, he gets to go home and relax. After making dinner for his family (pasta and baked chicken are a staple dinner in his household) he gets to spend time with his kids. From going to the high school sports games to watching The Crown with his wife, he is always doing some form of family activity during the evening. Even though it can be challenging to stay close to his family due to the demands of having such an important job, he has mastered the ability to still stay connected with his wife and children. He said, “I have to be able to leave this job here, so I can go and be present to my family.” Even though his job can be challenging, Mr. Guerra still finds a way to keep a smile on his face while wandering the halls of Chaminade College Preparatory.
Women in STEM
By Jessica Yep '25
Edited by Helen Reece '25
February 11th will be the 9th International Day of Women and Girls in Science. In STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), there has been a significant gender gap that has persisted throughout the decades. Women are not only underrepresented in these fields but also experience lower pay than their male counterparts.
In honor of International Day of Women and Girls in Science, this article will highlight a few women pursuing STEM at Chaminade as well as a couple of trailblazers that have made significant impacts in the professional STEM industry.
Isabella Choi ’25 is interested in molecular biology, specifically regarding medicine and how it correlates to mental health treatment. She is passionate about the stigma and misinformation surrounding mental illness and wants to help resolve this issue. Currently, the most significant issue that Choi has faced in the STEM field is having her passions recognized as less important than other topics since this subject is a more underlying matter. Choi believes that much research in STEM is biased due to the general lack of representation in this field, so introducing differing ideas and perspectives would be crucial to discovering new innovations and developments. Her advice for those who are interested in an underrepresented field is to not let the disadvantages and difficulties discourage you. Choi conveys how you and your skills are just as good as (or even better than) the next person, so you should keep working towards your passion despite what your field may be indicating about your limits to what you can achieve.
Elise Heafner ’25 works in both design and strategy on the robotics team, where she enjoys bringing her ideas to life and “piecing together a puzzle of people, bots, and rules." Through building Lego sets with her siblings and her curiosity about how things function, she became interested in STEM. Heafner’s biggest struggle so far has been feeling out of place as her experiences differ from others. At times, she felt as if her ideas were not getting through to people or were simply unheard, leading to a loss of confidence. However, she has learned that she does belong because of all her work that has led her there. Heafner anticipates that she will face challenges in the future due to the competitiveness in her field, but she believes that they will ultimately drive her to improve at what she loves to do. She emphasizes the importance of having people from various backgrounds included in STEM fields to allow for more unique ideas that will spark new discoveries. Her advice for those who feel underrepresented in a field they are interested in pursuing is to not be afraid to ask questions, to believe in yourself, and to find your people.
Alice Ball was the first woman and the first African American to receive a master’s degree from the University of Hawaii and later became the university’s first female chemistry professor. Ball developed an easily injectable form of chaulmoogra oil which treated leprosy (a disease which previously forced victims to exile due to their small chance of recovery) at just 23 years old. Her work saved numerous lives and was the best treatment until the 1940s. Unfortunately, Ball died before she was able to publish her findings. The University of Hawaii’s president tried to take credit for Ball’s research until Ball’s former supervisor publicly spoke out about her work. The university did not recognize her work for almost ninety years. In 2000, the governor of Hawaii declared February 29th as Alice Ball Day.
When she was eleven, Chieko Asakawa hit her left eye on a swimming pool wall and was fully blind by the age of fourteen. Despite such challenges, Chieko earned a doctorate degree and has kept pursuing AI projects that help other visually impaired people. Cheiko Asakawa created the Home Page Reader which was the first voice browser that provided Internet accessibility to visually impaired users. Six years after it debuted in 1997, HPR was used widely around the world. Chieko has also developed NavCog - a smartphone app to help visually impaired people navigate through indoor places with complex layouts (such as universities, airports, and hospitals). With NavCog, visually impaired people can be more independent while navigating large indoor spaces. One of Chieko’s newest projects is to utilize AI for recognizing facial expressions. The AI suitcase connects to a camera and tells the visually impaired person whether it is okay to talk to the person near them or not through vibration and voice. If AI can help communicate these types of facial expressions, miscommunications between visually impaired people and others can be avoided more.
Grace Hopper was a twentieth-century American mathematician, computer scientist, and U.S. Navy admiral who helped develop word-based programming languages as well as helping to standardize the U.S. Navy’s computer languages and programs. She helped develop the MARK I, the first electromechanical computer in the U.S. which worked on calculations (such as rocket trajectories) that were instrumental to the war effort. When Hopper proposed creating programming languages that would write programs in words rather than symbols, she was met with much resistance. Nonetheless, Hopper worked on an English-language compiler and her team created the FLOW-MATIC, the first programming language to use word commands in 1956. This major step allowed for a wider range of computer users since word commands were far more accessible and later led to the rapid spread of computers.
Special thanks to Isabella Choi and Elise Heafner for sharing their experiences and insights. To learn more about International Day of Women and Girls in Science, click the links below!
Learn more:
Women and Girls in Science Day | UN
Women in Science Day
International Day of Women and Girls in Science | British Council
By Jessica Yep '25
Edited by Helen Reece '25
February 11th will be the 9th International Day of Women and Girls in Science. In STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), there has been a significant gender gap that has persisted throughout the decades. Women are not only underrepresented in these fields but also experience lower pay than their male counterparts.
In honor of International Day of Women and Girls in Science, this article will highlight a few women pursuing STEM at Chaminade as well as a couple of trailblazers that have made significant impacts in the professional STEM industry.
Isabella Choi ’25 is interested in molecular biology, specifically regarding medicine and how it correlates to mental health treatment. She is passionate about the stigma and misinformation surrounding mental illness and wants to help resolve this issue. Currently, the most significant issue that Choi has faced in the STEM field is having her passions recognized as less important than other topics since this subject is a more underlying matter. Choi believes that much research in STEM is biased due to the general lack of representation in this field, so introducing differing ideas and perspectives would be crucial to discovering new innovations and developments. Her advice for those who are interested in an underrepresented field is to not let the disadvantages and difficulties discourage you. Choi conveys how you and your skills are just as good as (or even better than) the next person, so you should keep working towards your passion despite what your field may be indicating about your limits to what you can achieve.
Elise Heafner ’25 works in both design and strategy on the robotics team, where she enjoys bringing her ideas to life and “piecing together a puzzle of people, bots, and rules." Through building Lego sets with her siblings and her curiosity about how things function, she became interested in STEM. Heafner’s biggest struggle so far has been feeling out of place as her experiences differ from others. At times, she felt as if her ideas were not getting through to people or were simply unheard, leading to a loss of confidence. However, she has learned that she does belong because of all her work that has led her there. Heafner anticipates that she will face challenges in the future due to the competitiveness in her field, but she believes that they will ultimately drive her to improve at what she loves to do. She emphasizes the importance of having people from various backgrounds included in STEM fields to allow for more unique ideas that will spark new discoveries. Her advice for those who feel underrepresented in a field they are interested in pursuing is to not be afraid to ask questions, to believe in yourself, and to find your people.
Alice Ball was the first woman and the first African American to receive a master’s degree from the University of Hawaii and later became the university’s first female chemistry professor. Ball developed an easily injectable form of chaulmoogra oil which treated leprosy (a disease which previously forced victims to exile due to their small chance of recovery) at just 23 years old. Her work saved numerous lives and was the best treatment until the 1940s. Unfortunately, Ball died before she was able to publish her findings. The University of Hawaii’s president tried to take credit for Ball’s research until Ball’s former supervisor publicly spoke out about her work. The university did not recognize her work for almost ninety years. In 2000, the governor of Hawaii declared February 29th as Alice Ball Day.
When she was eleven, Chieko Asakawa hit her left eye on a swimming pool wall and was fully blind by the age of fourteen. Despite such challenges, Chieko earned a doctorate degree and has kept pursuing AI projects that help other visually impaired people. Cheiko Asakawa created the Home Page Reader which was the first voice browser that provided Internet accessibility to visually impaired users. Six years after it debuted in 1997, HPR was used widely around the world. Chieko has also developed NavCog - a smartphone app to help visually impaired people navigate through indoor places with complex layouts (such as universities, airports, and hospitals). With NavCog, visually impaired people can be more independent while navigating large indoor spaces. One of Chieko’s newest projects is to utilize AI for recognizing facial expressions. The AI suitcase connects to a camera and tells the visually impaired person whether it is okay to talk to the person near them or not through vibration and voice. If AI can help communicate these types of facial expressions, miscommunications between visually impaired people and others can be avoided more.
Grace Hopper was a twentieth-century American mathematician, computer scientist, and U.S. Navy admiral who helped develop word-based programming languages as well as helping to standardize the U.S. Navy’s computer languages and programs. She helped develop the MARK I, the first electromechanical computer in the U.S. which worked on calculations (such as rocket trajectories) that were instrumental to the war effort. When Hopper proposed creating programming languages that would write programs in words rather than symbols, she was met with much resistance. Nonetheless, Hopper worked on an English-language compiler and her team created the FLOW-MATIC, the first programming language to use word commands in 1956. This major step allowed for a wider range of computer users since word commands were far more accessible and later led to the rapid spread of computers.
Special thanks to Isabella Choi and Elise Heafner for sharing their experiences and insights. To learn more about International Day of Women and Girls in Science, click the links below!
Learn more:
Women and Girls in Science Day | UN
Women in Science Day
International Day of Women and Girls in Science | British Council
Let's Talk Trash
By Brooke Mendes '24
Edited by Remi Spiegel '24
Let's talk trash. No, not that kind of trash. Waste trash. If you haven't heard already, a new disposal system has made its way to Chaminade. It's been a process getting the bins here but now that they've arrived the campus is more environmentally friendly. Be on the lookout because, within the next couple of weeks, these trash stations will go up. While you may be used to black bins for waste and blue bins for recycling, these stations include 3 in 1. One will be for garbage (gray), another for recycling (blue), and finally, a bin for compost (green). This is where your naturally decomposing food waste goes. Make sure to pay attention to the different bins!
But what does separating waste do for the environment? Sorting trash into the correct bin assists the recycling process, making sure only the right materials are sent off to be made into something else. It keeps landfills from overflowing and reduces the many plastics that invade habitats and can be found in organisms' bodies. For more information visit the links below.
If you have any questions about the installation The Enviro Eagles Club will be available during lunches. The club will monitor the progress of the new disposal system as the semester goes on.
Thank you in advance for all your help in making our Chaminade community a more environmentally conscious place to be.
Links:
https://roguedisposal.com/resources/education/recycling/exploring-the-three-rs-of-waste-management-reduce-reuse-recycle
https://trashawaysanitation.com/different-types-of-trash-and-how-to-dispose-of-them-properly/
The So-Called Hardest Year of High School
By Jessica Yep ‘25
Edited by Helen Reece ‘25
I’ve been told since middle school that junior year is unquestionably the most difficult and important year of high school. Multiple factors make the junior year so rigorous: academics, extracurricular activities, standardized tests, preparing for college, and still maintaining a social life. Although I am already halfway into my junior year, I started to feel the pressure of my classes and extracurricular responsibilities within the first few weeks.
Currently, I’m taking four APs and one Honors class. Each AP is different and has its own unique challenges. For instance, I’ve had to do a lot of time-consuming translation for AP Latin, hundreds of pages of APUSH reading, and a substantial amount of problem-solving repetition for AP Calculus BC and AP Physics I. So far, the workload and difficulty of these courses have been relatively manageable but distinctly more rigorous than my workload last year. Although I’ve still been able to go to sleep at 9pm most nights, most of my afternoons, evenings, and weekends consist of notetaking and studying. The biggest challenge for me is staying motivated and focused on my assignments and studying instead of being distracted. I’ve found it also helps (for my own sanity) to just focus on my own academic ability and journey instead of comparing myself to friends or classmates.
The other major factors that have impacted my junior year are my extracurriculars. Having multiple leadership positions has its various challenges and responsibilities, but, most notably, it’s keeping yourself accountable to thoroughly prepare, take initiative, and lead. The balance between these extracurriculars and academic work is the most challenging aspect of junior year. Sometimes, part of me feels that it’s easier to just miss practices and instead study for an important test coming up, but I know that people depend on me to be at certain practices, meetings, rehearsals, etc. Time management is so vital to maintaining a well-balanced life throughout the week. I try to plan out how I’m going to study for a test or take notes throughout the week while also accounting for the extra couple of hours I may be at school for Open House, fencing practice, wind ensemble rehearsal, or a club meeting.
In terms of standardized tests, I prepared this past summer for the PSAT that we took in the fall as it counts towards the National Merit Scholarship. I only spent a few hours a week studying during the summer and reviewed a bit the week before the exam, but I honestly feel like standardized testing is not a large stressor. Although it plays a part in some college admissions next year, I ultimately decided to focus more of my attention on schoolwork, extracurricular activities, and having some downtime.
While there are more responsibilities and workloads this year than in the past two years, I feel that my social life hasn’t faltered in any way. I still plan to hang out with friends and keep in touch with people from middle school. In fact, I’m so grateful that I have met so many more people and have grown in my relationships this year!
Overall, despite the various difficulties and challenges, junior year has been incredibly interesting and fun. Clearly, everyone has a different experience and perspective on junior year since we all have differing situations, interests, and factors that shape our year into something unique. I don’t think that junior year is as unreasonably challenging as it may seem to be, but it’s rather a test of your own abilities to carefully balance your new (and often many) responsibilities.
My Senior Experience Contd.
By Kenia Gallegos '24
In my last article, I touched upon what to do to prevent senioritis as well as the process of going through college applications. I am happy to report that college applications are behind us (at least for the most part) but as we move into the second stage of senior year I find myself a bit conflicted about how to feel. On one hand, I am glad to be through the hard-working, busy stressful part. On the other, now we wait. Oh, the agonizing wait to find out what comes next! I'd be too embarrassed to tell you the number of times that I have refreshed my admissions status page. Most of my decisions will not be out until late February or March, I know that, but I still find myself checking.
In my opinion, we seniors are in a bittersweet phase of life. The sweet part is enjoying the rest of the semester, and riding that final wave of Chaminade experiences to the end. Personally, I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I no longer feel this incredible worry of, well, excelling at this "game" of high school. My perspective has shifted and I feel more like myself without the added stress (besides the waiting game of course). I have noticed that my backpack is significantly lighter. If you are a senior reading this, I hope you feel like the weight has been lifted too. To you underclassmen, I advise that you try not to over-worry. Just do your best. The end of your high school experience comes faster than you expect. This brings me to the "bitter" part of this stage, saying goodbye. It will be hard for some of us to leave Chaminade behind, but we will take the memories with us. For now, let's soak it all up.
The New Teenage Dream
By Anya Mooradian '25
Edited by David Mummolo '25
Usually in movies, TV shows, or on social media, teenagers are portrayed as having the time of their lives. They have picture-perfect bodies and significant others. There are the successful athletes and the straight-A students. We see highlights in the media far more often than reality so it's easy to compare ourselves to these characters. Sometimes it can be hard not to feel "less than." However, it is important to keep in mind that the so-called "teenage dream" we see in the media is crafted and artificial.
Youth of today spend a lot of time rotting in front of screens, consuming endless content. For many, social media turns into a place of comparison and judging one’s self-worth. Even those who don’t use it are still affected by those who do. There's a tendency to project views or expectations onto others leaving one to feel that their life is dull or lacking.
So what can we do to shift the narrative, to create a new and better teenage dream without dependency on screens and social media? Let's look into some ways to combat the problem.
- Go a day without devices and judgment. During this time, you can connect with friends and family.
- Go exploring with your friends without a plan and see where the day will take you.
- Make a crazy game with your friends. It can be a card game, a board game, and more.
- Try journaling to alleviate your stress. Journaling can help develop your personal growth and discover more about yourself.
- Take a moment to meditate at the end of a long day.
- Find new spots on campus, places to eat, or try unfamiliar activities.
- Try mindfully using social media. This can be done by limiting screen time, or taking a breath before opening the app.
- When you are judging yourself, take a step back and analyze why you are doing it.
- Make a list every day of positive moments that happened, with a minimum of 5. These moments can be as small as everyday activities such as having lunch. You can also make a list of your accomplishments, and what goals you already have met to empower yourself for future aspirations.
- Go on walks or runs.
- Try listening to uplifting music.
- Create a positive mindset when you wake up, by saying positive things to yourself.
- Catch yourself when you are in a negative head space. It is important to know that while toxic positivity is not good, neither is excessive negativity. Staying neutral can be a good balance, to combat this issue.
There isn’t one correct way to enjoy your teenage years. It’s important to keep in mind that you can change the direction of your life. Your dreams, aspirations, and goals are all possible. You don't have to be perfect to matter or to be worthy of a leading role. Once we replace negative habits with positive ones we create our own teenage dreams. Make yours a good one!