THE SPRING ISSUE
By Vishaka Priyan ‘26
Since I first became aware of the different political perspectives in our country, I've found myself aligning with more liberal ideology.
By Olivia Morrison ‘24
At Catlin Gabel School (CGS), there is less separation between faculty and students than one could find at other schools. Students refer to teachers by their first names and the campus lacks a lot of adult-only bathrooms, including faculty-only bathrooms.
By Brittney Haldorsen ‘25
The Sapphire, one of Catlin Gabel School’s (CGS) Mock Trial teams, competed at the 2024 state competition along with 15 other teams. The team performed amazingly and got second place. The trial took place at Mark O. Hatfield Courthouse on Saturday, Mar. 16 through 17, and the team spent a total of 11 hours competing.
By Harper Davis ‘24
The gravel lot is perhaps the most overblown hot topic of debate. The issue that just won’t go away. It’s been ravaged by storms, rationalized by legislation, disrespected by those naughty rule-breakers, and finally, banned by the Catlin Gabel School (CGS) administration for a week.
By Ayaan Sait ‘24
A few weeks ago at an assembly, a Kahoot was held following a CatlinSpeak panel. The winner of this Kahoot, sophomore Lexi Ye, was able to pick a topic of an article to be written, and this article will be the choice. I will feature some members of the Catlin Gabel School (CGS) Community and their pets.
By Violet Bouwes-van Nood ‘24
On Friday, Jan. 12, 2024, Catlin Gabel School (CGS) was closed due to inclement weather conditions. By the time the snowstorm was over around one-third of the trees on campus were gone. CGS is known for its forest-like campus, and it's missing trees create a visible difference.
By Holland Swan ‘24
Few aspects of Catlin Gabel School (CGS) culture stir up as much debate and disdain as the Barn does. You either love it, or you despise it (and miss Hen Troung, CGS’s previous head chef.) Well, I’m here to give my two cents: The Barn gets too much hate.
By Hadley Cress ‘27
Have you ever needed someone to talk to? At Catlin Gabel School (CGS) there are two counselors, Dan Petrocelli and Erin Gilmore, who are here to help.
By Chip Downes Le Guin ‘25
Whether it is finishing a math test or getting back a paper, it feels nearly impossible to go a week without being asked the question “What grade did you get?”
By Elise Kim ‘25
Picture this. A lonesome new Catlin Gabel School (CGS) student wandering aimlessly from place to place on campus, unsure of where to go. The new student thinks to themself, “Wow there are so many great spots to hang out! How will I ever choose?”
By Erin Chow ‘25
Working with children was never something I thought I would learn so much from since it always seemed pretty straightforward. However, as I started immersing myself in the experience of mentorship with kids, I found the opportunity truly rewarding in teaching me life skills that I would carry with me for many years.
By Hadley Cress ‘27
Have you ever needed someone to talk to? At Catlin Gabel School (CGS) there are two counselors, Dan Petrocelli and Erin Gilmore, who are here to help.
NEWS
Catlin News
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Catlin News -
The college admissions process for the class of 2022 has been monumental in several ways. Many of the decision letters I received - whether they were acceptances, waitlist offers, or rejections - contained a sentence about the record-breaking number of applications they had received this year.
The day has finally come for the Class of 2022 to say goodbye to Catlin Gabel (CGS). Some of us have attended CGS since preschool, and others joined this very year. Regardless of when the Catlin journey started for each of us, the friends we have made here have become family.
During the pandemic, many jobs around the country have had to readapt to the Covid lifestyle. And one of the professions most impacted was teaching.
This has led to an increase in teacher departures from their positions, and that movement has come to Catlin Gabel School (CGS) as well. This year, we’ve already seen multiple faculty leave the Upper School, including English teacher Krystal Wu.
“When you live in a foreign culture you start to understand how your home culture influences everything that you see. I remember being constantly challenged by things that were very new to me, and trying to resist the urge to say that they're bad or that they're not as good.”
"I feel like I'm constantly running and running until the weekend. No rest," one Catlin Gabel School (CGS) teenager confided, their schedule crammed every day and bedtime often creeping towards midnight.
In our third episode of Artist’s of Catlin Gabel, Teresa Walsh talks about her passion for performing arts. In particular she speaks to music and her past experiences with Pacific Youth Choir and current time with Catlin High school Choir. We also get to learn about how the people in her life have helped her reach her true talent. The accompanying background music is Over the Rainbow played on the piano by Eva VuStern.
"So I have like 65 or 70 cousins or something, we would go, oftentimes, at my grandparent's house, and there would be upwards of like 30-40 people on the regular basis. We would be there for hours, and there was just a lot of meal sharing and play." When asked about her childhood, Catlin Gabel (CGS) Head of School, Aline Garcia-Rubio, shared.
This spring, Catlin Gabel’s very own theater group, which comprises a cast of 31 actors, will be producing “A Chorus Line,” a 1975 musical with music by Marvin Hamlisch lyrics by Edward Kleban. The exhilarating show is set on the bare stage of a Broadway theater. The musical is centered on seventeen Broadway dancers auditioning for spots on a chorus line. “A Chorus Line” provides a glimpse into the personalities of the performers and the choreographer, and describes the events that have shaped their lives and their decisions to become dancers. But only a select few can make the final cut.
Local News
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Local News -
Currently, over one third of the world’s fisheries are overfished, meaning fish are caught faster than they can reproduce and grow. Worse yet, scientists at National Geographic predict that “global fisheries will collapse by 2048 unless we find a way to stop rampant overfishing.”
Portland, Oregon, has been dealing with a housing crisis since 2015 when Mayor Charlie Hales declared it a city-wide emergency. Since then many volunteer opportunities including Beacon Village have come out to shine hoping to engage the Portland community in ending the housing crisis.
Former Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores is suing the NFL for racism. Flores, who is Black, is alleging three NFL teams discriminated against him in their hiring process.
I love sad music. I love the way beautifully tragic lyrics hit me, and melancholy melodies have this otherworldly ethereal feeling to them. Still, there is a time and place for sad music. In this article, I sought out music that truly makes people happy.
As we enter the winter season and burrow into the darkness until spring, I want to pay tribute to the beautiful nature surrounding us in Oregon. I asked students and faculty at Catlin Gabel School (CGS) to share their favorite nature spots, what makes them special, and a photo of the place. Here is a complete list of seven places to be in nature in Oregon, according to the CGS Community.
The first time I spotted Lehman Noviello’s artwork, it was adorning the walls of Focus Group, a thrift store in SE Portland. The colors were tasteful, yet explosively vibrant.
Global News
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Global News -
Ketanji Brown Jackson is the first Black woman to be confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court in its 233-year history.
“It’s not just like add women and stir, it’s like, let’s rethink the recipe of what we put into it.” -Maureen Reed
Women’s voices and stories have been consistently absent from the narrative of the history of humanity, specifically in the curriculum we teach to our youth. While sexism is recognized as a systematic problem globally, we don’t often reflect on how it is represented in our education system.
Seven years ago, LGBTQ Americans crowded the steps of the Supreme Court and rejoiced in the legalization of gay marriage across the US. The crowds cheered and waved rainbow flags. Couples kissed, knowing they were finally free. The past was rewritten. The future was bright for the youth in America.
In a post-COVID world, American customers grapple with choosing between maintaining the meaning of tips or providing an adequate wage to service workers.
Former Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores is suing the NFL for racism. Flores, who is Black, is alleging three NFL teams discriminated against him in their hiring process.
On September 20, 2020, New York City’s Metronome digital art installation was reprogrammed to display a countdown of the time left to dramatically cut down carbon emissions before the effects become irreversible.
CULTURE
Food
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Food -
As we move toward the drizzly heart of fall, mushroom foragers across the Pacific Northwest are commencing their fall mushrooming season. If you’re interested in snagging a few different mushrooms for yourself, you’ve come to the right place. Below you’ll find a guidebook tailored to Oregon, containing everything from what treasures to expect, to methods for consuming them safely.
The summer is coming up, so I'm here to offer two new food places that might be new to you, including an Indonesian restaurant and a Scottish one.
Culture
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Culture -
Author’s note: I’ve written this piece to share the first-hand recount of the story my family and hundreds of thousands of other Vietnamese refugees experienced after the Vietnam War. My hope is that people will read this story, share it, and understand the hardships these refugees endured and other refugees around the world are currently enduring.
At the end of every calendar year, music streaming services such as Spotify and Apple Music offer music wrap-ups for their users. These wrap-ups provide a summary of the user's listening habits over the past year, including the top songs, artists, and genres they listened to.
Not many experiences compare to relaxing with a series that has cozy vibes, a pleasant ending and plot, and compelling characters. If you’re looking for a delightful activity to enjoy at home this winter, consider curling up with a blanket and a warm drink to watch these Netflix comfort shows.
Sports
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Sports -
By Chip Downes-Le Guin ‘25
On Sept. 27th, 2023, former Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian “Dame” Lillard was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for Deandre Ayton, Jrue Holiday, Toumani Camara, and a first-round draft pick.
By Vishaka Priyan ‘26
Whether you are a new student or a lifer at Catlin Gabel School (CGS), walking into a new community can be a daunting experience, but the path to integration and a sense of belonging for some might just start on the soccer field.
By Amare Kaainoa ‘24
Through its triumphs and defeats, Catlin Gabel soccer has made a long-lasting impact on both its players and the general Catlin community. Spectators of the sport delight in seeing the men’s varsity team win 4 consecutive state championships, or the women’s mercy rule OES 8-0, but what goes on behind the scenes?
Recently crowned world No. 1 and one of the “Big Three” Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) champions alongside Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic has decided to withdraw from the Banque Nationale de Paris (BNP) Paribas Open, also known as Indian Wells Masters in Indian Wells, California, on account of his vaccination status.
Many students know the excitement of returning to their favorite sport after the off-season, getting ready to play a big game, or practicing with beloved teammates. Unfortunately, countless student-athletes also know the pain of suffering a sports injury, and suddenly no longer being able to participate in the sport that they love.
The College Football Playoff organization has announced an expansion of the size of the post-season playoffs, from a four-team bracket to a 12-team bracket, in order to benefit smaller teams that don’t often make the playoffs. However, the expansion may do just the opposite.
Conspiracy Corner
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Conspiracy Corner -
Content note: Conspiracy theories contribute to dangerous and divisive schools of thought. Catlinspeak does not endorse or support any theories that can be or have been disproven by research or common sense. That being said, the misguided and often ludicrous logic of conspiracy theories can be entertaining for people who ground their realities in facts. Please enjoy the Conspiracy Corner.
Opinion
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Opinion -
By Vishaka Priyan ‘26
Since I first became aware of the different political perspectives in our country, I've found myself aligning with more liberal ideology.
By Chip Downes Le Guin ‘25
Whether it is finishing a math test or getting back a paper, it feels nearly impossible to go a week without being asked the question “What grade did you get?”
By Erin Chow ‘25
Working with children was never something I thought I would learn so much from since it always seemed pretty straightforward. However, as I started immersing myself in the experience of mentorship with kids, I found the opportunity truly rewarding in teaching me life skills that I would carry with me for many years.
By Lewis Anderson ’24
To many students, the college application process may seem overwhelming, but the college counseling office did an amazing job helping me navigate it.
By Chip Downes-Le Guin ‘25
The New York Times (NYT) is well-known for its investigative journalism and quick releases of breaking news, however, students may be even more familiar with its daily minigames.
By Elise Kim ‘25
Ivy League. Under 10% acceptance rate. Elite. Highly selective. Upon hearing those words, ears perk up, eyebrows raise, eyes widen in awe.
By Ayaan Sait ‘24
Are you a hopeless wandering soul hoping for gastronomical guidance? Tired of being in a chip predicament every time you go to the Barn? Look no further. I’ve rated 5 of the Barn’s most popular chips and ranked them below.
By Harper Davis ‘24
It was our big moment. Standing on stage, recorder in hand, a miniature leaf blower sent wind through our hair as we performed a rendition of “I Want It That Way” by the Backstreet Boys in front of the whole school.
By Guest Writer Alana Hill ‘27
Portland, ‘the place where young people came to retire’, or so the joke went. This city was once eccentric, charming, and full of life; even attracting the slogan ‘Keep Portland Weird’. However, in recent years, many problems have come to the forefront, the largest of those being homelessness.
By Lewis Anderson ’24
Have you ever wondered what Catlin Gabel School’s (CGS) senior privileges are? How are they selected? How useful are they?