School – Page 4 – CATS Central

School

Can overcrowded classrooms be fixed?

By Kimberly B. and Zech N, with additional reporting by Heyli G. Overcrowded classrooms have been a problem at CATS this year, according to several students and teachers. CATS lead and science teacher Ms. Sanchez said, “I think that they become a problem and they impede student’s learning because overcrowded classrooms means that I have to share my attention with students at the same time.” Overcrowding is not a new problem to schools, but it is a problem that persists. According to academic counselor Ms. Rea, some classes have nearly 40 students. Those classes are Drawing

January 31, 2024

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Is public transportation good for students and teachers?

By Alexandra M. Public transportation, like taking the bus, is used everyday by students and teachers at CATS, but they often face a number of challenges and negative incidents on their way to and from school. Ms. Salcido, a Social Studies teacher, mentioned she was surprised by the substantial number of students taking the bus to and from school. “Sometimes students can’t get on the bus that is going to take them to school because it’s already full,” she said. It’s not just that buses fill up fast, but that often, they are delayed. Ms. Salcido

January 31, 2024

Student-athletes call for more academic support

By Jade S. Student-athletes face many challenges, from missing out on important classes to the accumulation of stress. Can CATS offer them a better support system? During a student’s four years of high school, numerous students participate in extracurriculars such as sports, clubs, and after-school programs to make themselves stand out to universities or colleges. Student-athletes often have to leave class early to participate in their games, resulting in missing their classes. In addition, according to students, some teachers make it extra difficult by ignoring their struggles. Jazmine G., an 11th grader, said, “This year’s academics

January 31, 2024

School

Students report Chromebook and other tech issues

By Alexis Y-V. Students at CATS have reported experiencing technology problems after the dismissal of Mr. Angel, the former tech specialist, at the end of the previous school year. A key problem has been the malfunctioning of students’ Chromebooks. Cristopher Z. a 11th grader, said, “My Chromebook won’t connect to the wifi and at home, and my keys are missing.” Similarly, Daniel S. had problems getting a new Chromebook as, “there are a lot of kids who need Chromebooks and chargers as well.” But some think the problem partly lies with students. Assistant Principal Mr. Antonio

January 31, 2024

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AP/Honors Society Club hosts successful fundraiser at Shakey’s

By Manuel V. The AP/Honors Society Club at CATS hosted a fundraiser at a Shakey’s Pizza Parlor and Restaurant in Huntington Park during the first week of December to raise money for student recognition. Math teacher and GATE Coordinator Ms. Nava said the fundraiser as a whole was a huge success. “I feel very happy and delighted that it turned out very very good,” she said, sharing that the event took a lot of effort and commitment from the AP/ Honors Society Club members. “There was a lot of back planning with [History teacher] Ms. Haagen

January 31, 2024

Mr. Monteon: Advisor for the Class of 2024

By Heyli G. Mr. Monteon is a graphic design teacher and most students will have him for at least one year out of their four years of high school. What most people don’t know, however, is that he is the senior advisor for the class of 2024 and it’s his first time being a class advisor. Let’s take a look at his duties and responsibilities. Mr. Monteon goes with the flow when managing the senior class of 2024. He shared that, because there is no handbook or guide for how to do this, “This is

December 5, 2023

Special feature: The challenges emergent bilingual and undocumented students face when applying to college

By Gehenna N. Editor’s Note: Some of the interviews below were conducted in Spanish and translated for uniformity What struggles do emergent bilingual and undocumented students who are applying to college face?Beyond the difficulty of coming to a new country, these students face additional challenges. Luis N., an emergent bilingual senior, shared his personal difficulties in speaking English confidently. “Sometimes I can’t put my thoughts together and speak the language correctly without stuttering,” he said. “This is why I opted to do community college first for two years to prepare myself better in the language and

December 5, 2023

Profile: Photography Club

By Hector S. Everyone has a shot at photography – that’s the mission of the first photography club at Diego Rivera. Ms. Martinez, an English Language Development teacher and journalism teacher, started the club this year with the help of EduCare. Ms. Martinez, who taught photography at a Los Angeles non-profit called Las Fotos Project before becoming a teacher at CATS, reached out to Jaime Vega, the senior site coordinator for EduCare before the school year started. She said that she became interest in photography at a young age when her parents bought her a camera.

December 5, 2023

School

Why do fights happen in high school?

By Xiomara A. Several fights have broken out at Diego Rivera during the school year. So how has this affected students, teachers, and administrators? And what is causing these fights? Teachers and staff from CATS have shared that some of the main things that can cause a fight are miscommunication and social media. Ms. Dorantes, the Spanish teacher, said, “I think miscommunication is one thing that causes a lot of fights.” Most of the time students get into fights over a misunderstanding and may not know how to express their feelings, she said. Social media is

December 5, 2023

Is high school preparing students for college? Former CATS students respond.

By Heyli G. Do college freshmen feel like high school prepared them well enough? How can CATS better help students going to college? As a high school junior, I wanted to find out. So, I spoke with my twin sisters who just graduated from CATS and who are now enrolled at UC Santa Cruz and UC Irvine. According to Magaly G., a college freshman at UC Santa Cruze and former CATS student, “I don’t feel like high school prepared me enough for college because they are totally different in every way such as the classes and

December 5, 2023

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