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A plant-based lifestyle is easier than you think. Vegetarianism involves no meat whatsoever, including seafood. In her six years as a vegetarian, the Talon's Mariana Garcia seriously considered taking the next step: going vegan. So she decided the test the waters and go a week without any consuming any animal products. Was she able to survive a week without her beloved boba tea? Are Beyond Burgers all they're cracked up to be? And is going vegan really that radical of a lifestyle change?

When it comes time to pick your senior quotes, the pressure’s on. Deciding one phrase or sentence to symbolize your high school experience can be quite tricky. The point of the quote is to stand out amongst the crowd, and express who you are rather than how you want to be seen. The Talon's Rio McCallum talked to some CB seniors and teachers about keys to making your senior quote a memorable extension of your personality.

In recent years, climate change and environmentalism have grown in popularity among Generation Z. While some feel discouraged and anxious about the future of the planet, others have taken it upon themselves to be the change. Many see trying to be environmentally conscious as a daunting task, as changing your habits to be more eco-friendly takes a lot of research and hard work. But as the Talon's Bella Barbosa writes, the Christian Brothers Environmental Club wants to tell you changing your ways is really not as difficult as it appears.

When the Talon's Jasmin Hubbard found out Christian Brothers was opening again, she was excited and ready to go back to school. She couldn’t wait to have more normalcy in my life. But as she was reminded of the necessary safety modifications, she started to lean more towards the option of continuing online school only. What exactly are the reasons why the students of Cohort have decided to stay home? And what do they feel they're missing by staying home?

Talon Staff Writer Jacob Inocencio made the decision to transfer to CB amidst an ocean of uncertainty. At the time, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic had just begun to impact the US, and none of us really knew what the future would hold. We had no idea if the school year would begin online the same way the last one had ended or if we would be able to start the year back in person. Jacob details what has it been like coming to a new school during an unprecedented time in American history.

Everyone knows when they’ve spent a little too much time online for the day, whether it’s the pounding headache or the passionate anger after coming out of a political rabbit hole on Reddit. Social media especially is harmful to our mental heath, yet you can find most people on at least one platform. Social media usage has skyrocketed in the last decade. But as the Talon's Caroline Leonard poses: what effects has it had on our society? What has it stolen from younger generations growing up in an time that values outside rather than inside beauty. And what has it done to humanity’s ability to have conversations and disagree?

Talon Staff Writer Audrey Gardner made the choice to come back at school when campus reopened in October. She takes us through what it's like for members of Cohorts A & B to reuinite with friends, walk through the one-way hallways, and readjust posture after spending months learning from the comfort of bed.

This year in our politically dynamic world, young people have discovered their own voices and personal beliefs. 2020 has brought two specific elements to our lives: COVID-19 and a presidential election. Amidst the chaos, youth in the United States have found a universal way to amplify their voices: social media. The Talon's Taylor Paton explores the power of the post for young teenage activists.

It can be difficult for many freshmen to put themselves out there during their first year of high school. This hasn't been the case for the friendly, artistic, and hard-working Thuy Nguyen ('24). Talon Staff Writer Victoria Abansado introduces us this first year Falcon who is taking CB by storm.

Technology is more important now than it ever has been. Digital learning aside, we depend on Schoology and PowerSchool for almost everything we do at school. Within minutes of a Schoology crash, the entire school is aware of the inconvenience. But how did Falcons function before this luxury? The Talon's Margaret Wanket takes us back to the "Dark Ages" of school before iPads, smartphones, and on demand grade access.

A major part of the upperclassman experience is, of course, applying to colleges and universities. For many of us, this also means applying for scholarships. Those with true passion and dedication can combine the two, hoping to make their ‘name in lights’ dreams a reality. But, as the Talon's Aela Veerkamp writes, the pandemic has really wounded upperclassmen who were hoping to do live out their dreams on the field or the stage.

In today’s challenging political climate, the one thing many people were looking forward to was casting their ballot on Election Day on November 3. Many remember the first election they voted in as an important moment in them contributing to our country’s democracy. The process of voting, though, is never as easy as we would hope. Registering, reading propositions, and researching candidates all takes time. Talon Staff Writer Marissa Galvan talked to a few members of the senior class who were eligible to cast their ballots in the 2020 election.

Rugby is a full contact team sport, and often the people who play it have a deep love for it because they are willing to put their body and safety on the line to play. The amount of people at CB who play rugby are few and far between, so finding out why people join is always an interesting discovery. As the Talon's Ellis Richburg writes, Jared Hunter's ('21) love for the game comes from a desire to be a leader.

High school is a time where kids go from children to young adults and start to get an understanding of how college and the adult world will be. Juggling everything can be a challenge but is one to face head on. Two major activities many students deal with is schoolwork and a job. Talon Staff Writer Mahlet Iseley profiles a few CB students who developed some at home hustles to grow their entrepreneurial skills.

Fake news has become a widespread phrase in our world today. With so many different ways to obtain information and the internet not always being reliable, it can be tough to differentiate what is true and what is false. With 2020 being an incredibly newsworthy year, CB students are trying their best to stay up to date on all the happenings of our world. So how exactly can we tell if the news we are consuming every day is credible or not? The Talon's Bella Barbosa spoke with four of her fellow peers to get the inside scoop on how they personally are handling this modern problem.

Learning to play an instrument can be a little intimidating. However, going into a distanced learning band class makes it more complicated. The challenges that go along with learning how to read music and getting the right sounds to come out of students’ instruments hasn’t stopped the Christian Brothers music program from thriving and making beautiful music together. Talon Staff Writer Grace Madrid is a member of CB’s Beginning Band class this year and wanted to know what learning from afar is like for others taking the course.

As we all currently experience our time in high school, later in life we may look back at this time as the good ol’ days where we may be only had to worry about where we wanted go to college. From late night homework sessions to after school jobs, many of us have different aspects of our lives that make our high school experiences unique. Considering this, the Talon's Marissa Galvan sat down with Mr. Scully, Mr. Leporini, and Mr. Morla to ask them about their high school experiences.

A lot of us at Christian Brothers miss regular school, but there are some advantages that come with online learning. One of them is that we get to spend more time with family. Talon Staff Writer Jasmin Hubbard describes the benefits of spending the school day at home with your siblings.

The arts program is definitely something in which Christian Brothers High School takes pride. Many CB students are incredibly talented artists who showcase their art in various ways through the school. But art classes took a major hit during the Coronavirus pandemic as students are unable to work with their teachers in person. This differs from other subjects because art is predominantly based on visual learning and a teacher’s help. But as the Talon's Rio McCallum writes, CB Art teachers have utilized some new techniques to make the most out of this year.

What do research, climate change, and business all have in common? These are all passions of CB students who have taken their leadership during COVID to the next level. Let the Talon's Mariana Garcia introduce you to some CB student and alum whose skills range from researcher to climate blogger to business owners, all with the common goals of social justice and spreading positivity within the community.

With many effects from the Coronavirus that many people have struggled to comply with on a day to day basis such as pure social interaction and not being able to attend exciting events, there has been a tremendous effect on the recruitment process of high school athletes trying to receive an offer to a college to continue their sports career. Talon Staff Writer Aiden McKinney details how Covid-19 has disrupted the recruting process for our Falcon athletes.

While students at Christian Brothers are busy grinding away at digital learning, there is a group of staff members hard at work behind the scenes making everything flow smoothly. As the Talon's Adan Rodriguez writes, the Christian Brothers IT department have been the reason why digital learning has been working so smoothly for the last year

Almost every CB student is involved in some sort of extracurricular activity at school, whether it be playing a sport, an instrument or participating in the wide variety of visual, media, and performing arts. These shining stars are constantly in the spotlight of the CB community, but what about those who participate in activities outside of school? The Talon's Victoria Abansado gives some much needed recognition to those students whose after school committments lie outside CB.

Making sure you get your morning coffee while not being tardy for A Set is a predicament a lot of us have been in at one time or another. But what if there was a better way to plan? What if you knew which spots are close to you, how fast the staff typically is, and how far they are from school with morning traffic? Well, Talon Staff Writer Janessa Muniz spent the last week doing researching some of the most popular coffee shops in the area to find out which establishment is the most efficient pre-school pit stop for your daily caffeine fix.

The Talon's Kai Labson spends an average 11 hours and 7 minutes a day looking at a screen. Not great. After watching a documentary on Netflix called The Social Dilemma about how tech companies will do anything to keep users on their screens for longer, he has really started to think about the negatives of something that rarely faces strong criticism.

The weather is getting colder, leaves are changing colors, and Spirit Halloween is back in business. After months of quarantine and fear of COVID-19, Halloween will give us something else to be scared of. Yes, it will be different from our childhood years of trick-or-treating and school carnivals, but how different? The Talon's Audrey Gardner gets you ready for sPoOkY sZn.

Friends come and go, but the best ones last through all of life’s hardships and chaos. Not only is online school affecting our academics, but it is also hindering our social lives. As Talon Staff Writer Caroline Leonard discovered, many Christian Brothers students have optimistic attitudes as they formulate ways to stay close with their friends while being far away.

As with many things in 2020, if you told the Talon's Annalise Wolf last year that we could be on vacation AND go to school at the same time, she would have thought it was impossible. With online school resuming this fall, Annalise wanted to hear from students and teachers about what it’s been like to engage in distance learning in unfamiliar locations.

The job of a teacher is to inspire students to push themselves both inside and outside of the classroom. They help students reach their full potential and create goals for themselves. CB teachers have put in a lot of hard work academically to be where they are today, but as Talon Staff Writer Damian Rodriguez writes, some have made the decision to continue their academic journeys.

Our Falcon basketball athletes have been working hard in the offseason, whether it was individually, virtually, or with outside teams. They want to stay in shape and be able to compete for league and section titles in the upcoming season. Talon Basketball Insider Jaren Benigno talked to members of our men's and women's varsity basketball teams about the preparations they are making for their delayed campaigns.

Right now CB students are spending more time in their room than ever before. As the Talon's Margaret Wanket sits in her Teams calls, she can’t help but wonder what is going on behind the blurred background. Join her as she takes a closer look at how CB students decorate their room and the secret behind their aesthetic.

If you’ve ever been on campus during an assembly, prayer service, or event on the Main Lawn, you’ve probably seen her setting up sound equipment. She’s got curly hair and an easy gait. She never fails to greet students with a warm smile. If you’re still not sure who we're talking about, allow the Talon's Aela Veerkamp to introduce you to one Ms. Heather Christianson ‘01, CB’s own Theatre Manager.

Covid-19 has changed life from being ongoing and active to humdrum and repetitive. With quarantine causing lives to take a shift and slow down the everyday process, people can become antsy. Having unused and unreleased energy can be hard, but as the Talon's Mahlet Iselely discovered, harnessing it into crafts and hobbies can be an easy and fun way to keep life busy.

With the effects of Covid-19 running rampant in the world for the past months, people of every field and hobby have had their schools, clubs, and sports activities closed. One of these sports has been men’s volleyball, who had their season cut short by the shutdown. Talon Staff Writer Tim Warford talked to players and coaches to find out how the squad has been maintaining their tight team bond without practices and games.

Imagine graduating CB, attending a great college, and having a supportive and loving family. Then imagine losing it all and being forced to live on the streets. Talon Staff Writer Mariana Garcia tells the inspirational story of a CB alum who rose above his unfortunate circumstances, shattered the homeless stereotype, and is now giving back to the Sacramento unsheltered community.

Keeping students attention during class has always been a tall order for any caring high school teacher. But that problem grows exponentially when faced with the challenge of distance learning. In this digital wasteland, attention is a valuable commodity and is one that many students have decided to keep to themselves. In fact, some end up just turning their camera off and end up going on their phone the entire time. Talon Staff Writer Sasha Westerfield talked to Mr. Solander, Mr. Leporini, and Mrs. Kerr in an effort to understand how the teachers feel about and how they’re trying to handle student engagement in a distracting digital world.

As the Coronavirus continues to take over the world, many people are missing out on important times in their lives. Seniors, for example, are excluded from, objectively, their most prominent year of high school. From the beginning of high school, every student waits for the day they can call themselves a senior. The Talon's Rio McCallum wonders: What are seniors really missing out on? And how are they handling the disruption of a year they have been looking forward to their whole life?

COVID-19 disrupted the plans and roadmaps everyone had for 2020. For high school seniors, the already stressful and hard process of applying for college has been made all the more difficult. However, as the Talon’s Dominic Rodriguez discovered, some of the adjustments colleges are required to make may be for the better going forward.

As we live in the time of Covid, everything in the past seems to be a sweet distant memory. As Talon Staff Writer Marissa Galvan reflects on what her life was like before the pandemic, she reminisced on the last normal trip she took El Otro Lado Venaver. The trip surrounded the issues and education around the immigration system. As someone who had seen the pictures on TV and read the news stories on what goes on in detention centers and at the border, physically being there is a much different story.

With a global pandemic, many aspects of our daily lives have changed. One of the most prominent issues students are facing is how to serve others. Whether you’re in need of service hours or you just want to give back during this difficult time, Talon Staff Writer Bella Barbosa has assembled a list of various opportunities and ways to get involved in service.

The start of school can be a nerve-wracking experience for many of us, but rarely do students stop and think about the teachers as well. As the Talon’s Kai Labson writes, with this irregular year, educators are forced to throw many norms out the window and quickly adapt to this new environment.

Summer is over and classes are back in session. The start of school is usually an exciting event, but that definitely has more to do with seeing your friends than getting back into studying. However, with online classes, learning is in session and friends aren’t. So the Talon's Janessa Muniz has been wondering: what have your classmates been doing to keep in touch?

While there are teachers who opt to hold tests during these demanding times, some prefer to lay off of the standard, objective tests. Talon Staff Writer Adan Rodriguez talked to a few CB teachers about how they are adjusting their assessments in the age of digital learning.

With the way college is looking right now, the Talon's Margaret Wanket is beginning to wonder if it is really worth it to spend thousands of dollars to stare at a screen for eight hours a day. She talked to current college professors and students to gauge if it it might be worth it to take a gap year instead of a year of Teams calls in lieu of leture halls

While words like quarantine, social distancing, and face masks have become part of the daily vocabulary of many Americans, one classic staple has stayed true. But as the Talon's Matt Solari discovered, the art of the haircut is one that has been limited and even stopped during the time of COVID-19 but has grounded people by reminding them about how life used to be.

With the unpredictable pandemic the world is experiencing, everyone has been thrown off balance, especially in schooling systems around the world. Covid-19 has brought sorrow upon countless people for a variety of reasons, but many have a common soft spot in their hearts for the graduates of 2020 which would soon be shared with the Class of 2021. Talon Staff Writer Ellie Marty asks: How are seniors coping with their final year of school starting online? And what plans are in store to ensure that the Class of 2021 has the memorable year their deserve?

Quarantine has hindered our ability to learn in a myriad of ways. Some classes are more heavily affected by digital learning than others. A class that relies on human interaction the most is Choir. But as a member of Men's Choir this year, the Talon's Ellis Richburg has found that thanks to the leadership and intuitiveness of Choir Director Mr. Christian Bohm, the CB choral program is continuing to thrive despite challenging circumstances.

Working as a teen is hard enough as it is while balancing school, friends, sports, and any extracurriculars students try to pack in before college admissions. Distance learning is a new challenge for all Christian Brothers students, especially those with jobs. Talon Staff Writer Caroline Leonard begs the question: how do those CB students who work juggle the responsibilities of digital learning with that of their employer?

Returning to school with HyFlex Learning brings upon students and faculty a great challenge: masks on, all day, everyday. In order to return to school safely, we must abide by this requirement. But with such a new idea for student use, many questions have been left unanswered. The Talon's Audrey Gardner put on her PPE to find out the challenges behind spending the school day masked up.

Each of CB's four cultural clubs bring something different to the table, with a strong emphasis on the importance of building an inclusive community that supports students from all cultural backgrounds and ethnicities. Talon Staff Writer Victoria Abansado talked to members of Asian Cultural Alliance, Black Student Union, La Raza, and Polynesian Club about the ways each group brings community, inclusivity, and diversity to CB

Our new principal Ms. Annemarie Bacich has spent her whole career in education and is excited for her fresh start at CB. Fresh out of New York, Ms. Bacich was determined to get back to her Northern California roots. Talon Staff Writer Sophie Sidley sat down with Ms. Bacich to learn more about her as well as her future plans for CB.

Whether it be a global pandemic, California wildfires or hurricanes in the south, 2020 has been nothing short of eventful for all of us. Everyone is consumed with their daily personal struggles compacted by global events that seem to be increasingly discouraging. Ugh. And can you imagine planning a wedding during this time? It’s supposed to be a time of love and excitement, but the Talon's Annalise Wolf spoke to a few brides-to-be, including the daughter of a CB teacher, who shared how wedding planning has been quite a struggle.

Attention ladies and gents! The actors have left the stage they’re now on the radio! Prepare yourselves for theatrical shows filled with suspense and drama that will have you on the edge of your seat. Sit back and listen Christian Brothers Theatre Company is on the air! As Talon Staff Writer Grace Madrid discovered, despite non-stop challenges, the CB Theatre program has been innovative in finding a way for students to keep participating in the school’s annual fall production.

Rockin’ shades. A scruffy beard. A carefree attitude. And of course, some wicked martial arts skills. He’s backflip kid! Or, as he is legally called, Nicolas Brushia (’21). But who is this campus legend, really? The Talon's Aela Veerkamp reveals the man behind the fancy footwork.

Freshman year is a time for many firsts. It symbolizes the beginning of a long, stressful, exciting journey called high school. From Lock-in, to the first day of school, to Club Day, freshman year is full of many new and exciting opportunities. But unfortunately for the class of 2024, these opportunities are nothing similar to what any class has ever had to experience. Talon Staff Writer Damian Rodriguez gives us an insight as to how first year CB students are coping with starting their CB experience online.

As of earlier this year, the UC schools are no longer requiring SAT or ACT submissions for freshman applications until Fall 2024 due to the Coronavirus pandemic. As the Talon's Jaren Benigno writes, this shocking news has created a mixed atmosphere of stress, anxiety, and relief among the class of 2021

Christian Brothers High School has always been committed to academic rigor combined with a loving, inclusive community. But since the beginning of the Covid-19 Pandemic, many students and teachers have missed out on the close-knit community CB offers. This lack of socialization and anxiety of the unknown future has not only had a destructive effect on student’s learning but also their mental health. Talon Staff Writer Taylor Paton talked to some CB counselors about the best practices for students who are struggling with their mental health during digital learning.

Science teacher Mr. Bernie Eckel has been a student favorite for a while now. People who don’t even have Mr. Eckel know his name, as his peculiar and crazy personality really makes people smile. Having Mr. Eckel this year, Talon Staff Writer Izzy Ledesma has come to know the many sides to him and thought it was time for the rest of the CB community to find out what makes Bernie Bernie.

Whether your parents use it, your friend has it or you’ve heard about it, most CB students are familiar with the tracking app Life 360. It is known for its wide variety of advanced features such as tracking one’s location, speed, and phone battery. But the Talon's Sophia Overstreet raises the pressing question of whether this app is invasive or necessary.

We all come to school, go to class, and go home. But what about the students who are more involved in the CB school community? Bella Barbosa (‘21) is an asset with her involvement with many CB programs. You may have heard her strumming her guitar on Open Mic Night eight shows to be exact or seen her anchoring on KBFT. And next year you'll see her as our ASB president. Talon Staff Writer Rubi Fernandez introduces us to one of the most active Falcons on campus.

On Tuesday March 17th, Christian Brothers High School reached a new milestone under difficult circumstances; for the first time in its 144 year history, all classes would take place online. Due to restrictions caused by the spread of the COVID-19 virus, games were cancelled, retreats postponed, activities rescheduled, and much of student life and life in general has been put on hold. The Talon Staff, primarily composed of graduating seniors from the Class of 2020, captured how they have been adjusting to life under these challenging new conditions.

One of CB’s most underrecognized arts programs is band, directed by Mr. Travis Maslen. Beginning Band is a class with an informative and fun learning environment where the only hard part is leaving the classroom. It’s no shocker that learning an instrument is no easy feat, much less in a year. But as the Talon's Grace Madrid writes, students who have learned their passion for music at Christian Brothers had non-stop enthusiasm when asked about the class

A typical decathlon involves a 100-meter dash, long jump, high jump, shot put, javelin, discus, 400-meter dash, 110-meter hurdles, pole vault, and a 1,500-meter run. The Academic Decathlon matches the level of intensity but plays on a completely different field. What's it like competing in this stressful, yet exciting event? Let the Talon's Abigail Chapuis give you a first-person perpective on the highs and lows of a day of AcaDeca.

How long does it take you to get to school? Fifteen, twenty minutes? Longer? As the Talon's Rubi Fernandez writes, for some students, getting to school borders on being more of a road trip than an average morning drive and affects their social lives and school work.

We are very fortunate to have a flexible dress code here at Christian Brothers. However, many CB students have some modifications they wish to see in the future. Talon Staff Writer Caroline Leonard talked to a few Christian Brothers students about what specific changes they would like to see in order to improve the school dress code.

Every CB student has had a teacher express the importance of getting enough sleep, staying off their phones at night, and treating themselves with the utmost care. But do they practice what they preach? The Talon's Sophia Overstreet explores the world of teacher self-care.

Most CB student athletes are familiar with the struggles of balancing an academic and athletic career. But as graduation slowly approaches and senioritis kicks in, most seniors find themselves lacking the drive and motivation to complete their homework and study for their tests, let alone play a sport for hours after school. So what makes this last year on a team so special for the seniors? Talon Staff Writer Madrey Hilton talked to some senior athletes about what is motivating them as they head to the homestretch of their high school athletic careers.