Titan Times | Issue No. 8

TITAN TIMES TITAN TIMES

TRUMP’S INAUGURATION

By The Titan Times Team

At noon, on January 20th 2025, Donald Trump was sworn into office, as the 47th president of the United States, following his win during November in the 2024 Presidential Election, in which he won 312 electoral votes, to Harris’ 216 Due to the cold weather in Washington, the swearing-in ceremony itself happened inside Following this, Trump delivered his Inaugural Address, in which he outlined his hope for the next four years, saying “the golden age of America begins right now” This was followed by Trump listing his agenda, which includes: Border Security, changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico and an “overhaul of our trade system” Behind him during this speech, was a small crowd of about 50 people To his right, fellow politicians and former presidents, including Biden, Obama, and Bush, as well as his opponent in the 2024 Election: Kamala Harris To his left, were fellow republicans and supporters of Donald Trump, as well as his cabinet picks However, closest to

him was his family, such as his children, and his wife, Melania Trump, who turned heads with her wool-boater style hat, designed by Eric Javits

Following his speech, Trump had a busy first day back, signing about 40 executive orders; ranging from delaying the TikTok ban 75 days, to pulling out of the

World Health Organization and securing the United States’ borders Aside from all of the legal documents, Trump’s second first day was spent moving into the White House His second Oval Office is very similar to the one in his first term The Office now contains a neutral palette, with paintings of former presidents Andrew Jackson, George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, as well as a painting of Benjamin Franklin

So, now that Trump is settled into office, we have to ask, what comes next?

Tragedy Over the Potomac

By Lubianca Gaitan Senior, Editor-in-Chief

On January 29th, 2025, a devastating midair collision occurred near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, resulting in the tragic loss of 67 lives An American Airlines regional jet, Flight 5342, collided with a US Army Black Hawk helicopter, causing both aircraft to plunge into the icy waters of the Potomac River This incident has raised serious questions about air traffic safety and the coordination between ordinary, everyday aircraft and military aircraft

Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are currently examining the wreckage and the flight data to figure out the cause of the collision Initial reports suggest that a communication breakdown between air traffic control and the pilots of both aircraft may have contributed to the accident

In response to the tragedy, newly appointed Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy held a press conference to address the public’s concerns and go into more detail on what they plan to do and the measures being taken to prevent similar incidents in the future Secretary Duffy emphasized the importance of improving coordination between all types of air traffic, specifically civilian and military, as well as improving and enhancing training programs for air traffic controllers and pilots

The crash has also sparked a bigger conversation about the safety of regional airlines and how truly efficient the current regulations are when it comes to governing their operations

Some people are arguing that stricter and better oversight is needed to ensure the safety of passengers and crew members

In the wake of the crash, community support has poured in from across the nation Memorial services are being held to honor the victims, and a fund has been established to help out the families affected by the crash The incident has also pushed renewal calls for advancements in aviation technology, such as improved collision avoidance systems and better communication protocols, to prevent such accidents in the future As the investigation continues, the hope is that lessons learned from this heartbreaking event will lead to better improvements in aviation safety We keep those who passed and their families in our prayers

Retreats: How does ND embody them?

By Elyza Lansang Senior, Writer

At first glance, retreats may seem uninteresting. What’s the fun in being driven to some random place in the woods without your phone, no service, a bunk bed, and listening to talks, talks, and more talks? Having a closed-minded mindset about retreats blocks the many benefits of retreats In reality, if an individual has an open mind about retreats, they could grow not only with their relationship with God but with their friends too!

What is a Retreat?

A retreat can be an opportunity to get away from the stress and anxiety of daily life and spend time praying, reflecting, and deepening one’s relationship with God A retreat may include lots of talks, but if listened to, the speakers carry deep and heartfelt lessons and messages with them These words can be heard and applied to our own lives to strive for a better lifestyle

New Friends

Another benefit of retreats is the chance to grow stronger bonds with your fellow peers and classmates Without distractions from screens, students can socialize and create new friendships or build stronger ones with current friends Retreats often have activities that require interaction with others These enjoyable games can lead to companionship with others! These newfound friendships can even continue at school It’s always a blessing to discover new connections with those who you never thought you would talk to!

The beautiful thing is these relationships would have never been built if it weren’t for God bringing people together at Retreats!

Faith Opportunities

The greatest positive of all retreats is the ability to grow a deeper relationship and friendship with Jesus! Retreats present many opportunities for this growth in love and faith, such as Mass, Confession, Adoration, and more All Jesus needs is an individual’s openness to listen for His voice, and the door to one’s heart will be open for Him! Charismatic events like Adoration can be breathtaking and life changing If we let God speak Confession is a wonderful opportunity to clean our souls and ask for God’s forgiveness to start anew All of this is because Jesus Christ wants to touch each of our hearts After all, He loves us so much!

As a Catholic School, one of Notre Dame’s missions is to raise Catholic students on fire for their faith Part of the staff’s vocation is to give the students that chance to find and nurture that love for Christ Praise God, Notre Dame provides these opportunities with retreats like the freshmen and senior retreats While the school may never know the true impact of these decisions, it can be a blessing for many who return from Retreat with a changed heart The Lord is calling every one of us, we just have to muster the courage to open our hearts to Him not only at Retreats but for all our lives God Bless you all Titans!

Monday Night RAW Varsity Boys Basketball

By Lubianca Gaitan Senior, Editor-in-Chief

Moving aside from our typical sports, this issue we look into one that everyone knows but may not pay much attention to: Wrestling In an exciting development for wrestling fans, WWE Monday Night RAW has officially landed on Netflix Not only is this great for fans, but it also makes one of the most iconic sports entertainment programs even more accessible to a wider audience Here’s what you need to know about this new chapter and the history of Monday Night RAW

iconic rivalries like Stone Cold Steve Austin vs Vince McMahon to unforgettable debuts such as The Rock and Becky Lynch Today, it still remains a big part of the WWE’s programming, airing weekly and showing the company’s top superstars like Seth Rollins, Cody Rhodes, and one of my personal favorites, Rhea Ripley

PhotofromGoogle

What is it?

Monday Night RAW is the leading program of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) First airing on January 11, 1993, RAW changed sports entertainment with its mixture of high-energy matches, dramatic storylines, and characters with intricate backstories Unlike other wrestling shows of its time, RAW was the first to be broadcast live, making viewers more intrigued to watch it and giving it that unpredictable edge that continues to bring in millions of viewers each week The show has been home to some of the most iconic moments in wrestling history From

For newbies, Monday Night RAW is more than just wrestling It’s a weekly spectacle that combines athleticism and storytelling It’s where people can rise to fame and epic feuds come to life Watching RAW on Netflix could be the perfect way to jump into the action and see for yourself why WWE has captivated audiences for generations For those who are already fans, this is a great chance to introduce friends and family to the world of WWE Imagine watching some great moments from the comfort of your couch with those you care about

Whether you’re a lifelong fan or discovering it for the first time, this partnership is proof that RAW’s legacy continues to grow So, grab your remote, hit play, and get ready for the drama and excitement that only WWE can deliver

Although the team did not have the season run they hoped for, being on a competitive Varsity team is a great achievement for any athlete Freshman Jaxon Coduti, for example is not only one of the starters for the Boys’ basketball team, but he is also the only freshman Speaking of athlete achievements, one of our star players, senior Caiden Broughton, received an award on January 21st for making 1,000 game points in his high school career

On game day you can always feel the positive energy As a student, I really enjoy attending their basketball games because no matter what the outcome of the game is, they always put up a good

fight and maintain a great mentality You can tell their coaches still appreciate their hard work and acknowledge their efforts The athletes on the ND Boys’ basketball team are very dedicated to their sport, practice every day after school for multiple hours, and even take time out of their lunch to go over plays for game day

Regardless of this season's outcome, the Notre Dame student body will continue encouraging the ND Boys Basketball team and rooting for their success

Which NFL quarterback has won the most regular season MVP awards in league history?

Scholar Spotlight

Where do you find art? Maybe, in your home, the nearest museum, or even in Ms Stemmann’s class? For this issue, we got the great opportunity to dedicate scholar spotlight to Ms Stemmann’s and all her artistic students! Ranging from different levels of art classes to textiles class, Ms Stemmann’s classroom is nonetheless filled with diverse and unique art! To start, Heidi Hutter (textiles) was appreciated for her showing of careful attention to all her projects throughout this year Her most notable project being a Lisa Simpson

appliqué (left); being a difficult project, she absolutely killed it Splendid job, Heidi! Next, Joseph Seputro (art II) has been locked in since art I His attention to detail on his project always shows, and he pushes himself to make original pieces, which is not easy as said by Ms Stemmann Above, to the right is a hand signifying perseverance and strength Keep up the awesome work, Joseph! Additionally, Jaslene (AP art) was recognized for taking initiative since day one as she has had direction

throughout all her projects for AP art She consistently follows one theme throughout this school year and her projects Jaslene’s content has also always been meaningful and relevant to our day and age, with her execution being on point Below, her current project is displaying the importance of childhood and how electronics are affecting recent generations Exemplary work from all three of you guys, your works of art are definitely inspiring! To all ND students, keep up the amazing effort and continue being creative and kind! :)

Mrs. Dyer

Ms. Bri’s Matcha

Recently, there has been a new drink added to the Notre Dame Snack Bar menu This drink that we have been graced with, is matcha, made by our very own Ms Bri This drink has been received very positively by the Notre Dame student body Sophomore Gisselle Arellano says “I think that it’s very good, it’s very sweet, but don’t have it everyday, because then you’ll get tired of it, but it’s still really good, and I would recommend it” As seen, the drink has become very popular within the Notre Dame student body, however, I was curious about this drink, and I had the opportunity to ask our lunch lady, Ms Bri, about it

This week’s teacher feature showcases Mrs Dyer! A more recent inclusion to Notre Dame’s faculty, there are certainly many interesting facts we can learn firsthand from her latest interview

Q: “What made you want to become a history teacher?”

A: “Well, I subbed long-term last year here after Mr Shelton left I really liked it and knew immediately that I wanted to teach AP US history I actually took APUSH when I went here

Q: “What’s your favorite part of history in terms of time period or category?”

A: “I like the period around the American Revolution when the Constitution was written I think that the Founding Fathers were brilliant in the way they put the Constitution together and it’s just a really fascinating topic

Q: “Are there any special hobbies or interests you have?”

A: “Well, I like reading books by Nicolas Sparks and I love watching Gilmore Girls all the time I also like watching my sons play baseball and I run a parenting blog

Q: “Are there any fun facts about yourself that nobody would have known unless said otherwise?”

“How did you make this drink?”

“Well, I use whole milk with the matcha to make the drink”

“What inspired you to make this drink?”

“Well, I recently went to starbucks, and I got a matcha like I usually do, but when they gave it to me, it was really bad Since it was really bad, I wondered how they were making it for the students, which inspired me to bring it to the snack bar, so that you all could have good matcha”

A: I was a student at Notre Dame My dad and husband went as well I also went to law school

Q: “How has teaching at Notre Dame been so far for you?”

A: When I went here as a Freshman, I felt immediately welcomed I remember having free periods back then, and one time, I was sitting by myself doing homework and a group of girls came up and asked me to hang out with them Immediately, people were really nice to me and when I started working [at Notre Dame,] everything was the same It feels like home here and everyone’s always welcoming and nice; I feel super comfortable here

Tech Talk

By Sebastian Bou Harb Senior, Tech writer

Hey Titan’s, and welcome back to this week’s edition of Tech Talk, where I’m going to be helping out our Seniors and Juniors to prepare for the next chapter of life: College Freshmen and Sophomores, you got time but still, take notes Without further ado let's jump into how to make a college spreadsheet 1. Spreadsheet AppSo, the first thing that you need to do is obviously pick out your app of choice I highly recommend using either Excel or Google Sheets (I chose Excel) These apps will make it super easy to structure your sheet and having a bunch of features from simple to complex 2. Rows -Using these apps can sometimes be daunting, trust me But figuring out what you will use in your rows and columns is more than half the battle For the most organized layout, put all the colleges you have or are planning to apply to

in the first block of your rows, ie blocks A1, A2, A3, etc One thing I recommend is to make your spreadsheet interesting and personalized What I did is I used the colors of the colleges are the theme of their block (see above)

3. Columns - In your columns, aka A, B, C, you want to put any data that you would like to track about your colleges Some core categories you want to include are the portal link, major, application status, cost of attendance, rankings, and acceptance rate

Presidential Intro Music?

By Matthew Baculo Senior, Music writer

Hey Titans! On Monday January 20th, Trump was inaugurated back into the presidential office and as he walked the iconic trumpets from the “Hail to the Chief” anthem start playing Yet even though the history behind the anthem isn’t common knowledge, let’s talk about it!

History

4. Color Coding - Using colored blocks on your spreadsheet is going to be one of the best visual and organizational tools on your spreadsheet Besides making the college name pretty, you can use cell styles to indicate your status like an acceptance or rejection, pros and cons like costs or locations, or just about anything You can find these coloring tools on the home of the app you use usually in the font or cell style area of your toolbar Remember, the goal of your spreadsheet is to make it functional but also visually pleasing

Everyone’s spreadsheet is going to have different touches and styles, but you want to make sure you have the core things we covered If you look at the example below, you will see the a college with all the info in its own row We organize our data through the columns where we see the categories in green Awesome! You now took one step closer to making the college process a little less stressful Seniors, make sure you get on top of this, and lastly, I hope all your college wishes come true! See you later, Titans!

To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before: An Everlasting Force

The melody of the song dates all the way back to the 19th century from an English composer called James Sanderson Sanderson took inspiration from a Scottish Gaelic tune The anthem is typically performed via the use of multiple brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments which when played together create a tune that screams patriotic!

The tune was first associated with the presidency back in 1815 for President James Madison before it was formally adopted by the Department of Defense as the official presidential anthem in 1954 Now, the United States Marine Band plays this anthem for all US presidents and has been for centuries

Significance

“The Hail to the Chief” anthem serves as a musical representation of the authority of the President and over time has become instantly recognizable, symbolizing respect and honor

Now in present day, the “Hail to the Chief” anthem continues to embody the represent the President as a symbol of respect and power Tune in next issue titans for the next one!

el Campos ,

Sports Editor

For those not familiar with the To All the Boys franchise, acclaimed author Jenny Han’s first film adaptation is based on the first installment of her best-selling trilogy of novels The story follows 16-year-old Lara Jean, a Korean American high school student living with her father and sisters, Margot and Kitty, in suburban Virginia In a teal hat box gifted to her by her late mother, she keeps letters drafted to boys she’s previously crushed on One day, however, her life is turned upside down when she discovers that an anonymous breacher, who may or may not have been her younger sister Kitty, sent the letters to their respective recipients Horrified, Lara Jean must face the consequences of someone else’s actions Cute, bubbly, and lacking

just enough substance to always be the perfect rewatch, the 2018 film has proven to be a timeless classic for all romcom fans alike Recently, the Jenny Han universe has gained traction following the release of the popular spinoff XO, Kitty’s second season The series centers around the aforementioned Kitty and her ventures in South Korea as she attempts to reconnect with her mother’s culture The series

directly parallels the original movies and serves as a little dose of the past I, however, much more appreciate the unadulterated nostalgia of the original films All works mentioned in this article are available on Netflix for direct streaming I’d suggest watching them as soon as possible, though, because you never know when they might get taken off Happy watching, Titans, and stay tuned for next week’s film piece that’ll be just as amazing!

Soundmaps

By Jude Cramer Junior, Editor

Soundmaps: Exploring the World Through Sound.

Maybe you have heard your friends asking you to download Soundmaps, send them a friend request, or use their code Soundmaps has become extremely popular in the last few weeks here at Notre Dame Soundmaps is essentially Pokémon Go for music

It’s an app that connects specific locations to snippets of songs This app not only makes music discovery more exciting but also creates a sense of community by linking music to places There are 11 genres ranging from pop to metal, and each song has a rarity from common, to uncommon, to rare

And the exclusive songs are shiny, epic, lyrics, moments, or exclusive

Students can collect songs that are within their radius, and even some have turned to selling or trading their songs for in-game currency to buy their favorite songs

Why Is It So Popular?

Soundmaps combines technology and social interaction in a way that appeals to students It makes the familiar act of listening to music into an adventure For many, it’s more than the music, but actually discovering it

Another draw is its social aspect The app allows users (students) to connect with others who enjoy the same genre of music

Overall Soundmaps is more than just another app, it’s a way to make discovering new music interactive and personal Its rise at Notre Dame shows how technology can bring people together So, if you haven’t already, download the app and see what musical treasures you can find around campus Who knows? You might just find your favorite song in the bathroom

No Eggs, No Problem

By Gael Campos Junior, Sports Edito

If you’ve had the opportunity to accompany a parent or family member to the grocery store recently, you may have noticed the outrageous price of eggs A carton of 12 could set you back a little over $12, more than a dollar per egg That’s if you can even find eggs, given their scarcity The explanation behind this lies in an outbreak of avian influenza, otherwise known as bird flu This disease has spread rapidly through birds, hens, to be exact While the bird flu may not be highly infectious to humans, it can still be deadly To minimize risk, once it is found that a bird has contracted the bird flu on a farm, all of the other animals are euthanized as well, as farmers know it is only a matter of time before the rest become infected In Frankfort, Illinois, the Kaka doodle Farm has decided to kill nearly 3,000 of its own hens,

Do you have something you want to share with the rest of the school? Maybe an opinion on media, want to share your love for an artist, maybe write a letter to a friend through the paper? Up to you! Write a letter to the editor and get it featured in our next issue!

surely putting a massive strain on the owners’ business

Unfortunately, the bird flu is not limited to animals in the Aves class and has been seen in other creatures, like cats Be sure to take good care of your feline friends and help them avoid this infectious disease For the time being, egg prices are projected to continue their upward spike As frustrating as the whole situation may be, writer at Bon Appétit Ali Francis suggests sticking to recipes that require less eggs and experimenting with other

egg substitutes Eggs are very protein-rich, and a lot of athletes, bodybuilders, and most people, in general, will often incorporate them into their daily meals to ensure they’re getting the right amount of nutrients There’s obviously nothing wrong with this, and it’s crucial to consume foods that are beneficial to your health However, in times like these, it’s really important to be mindful not only of your situation but also of others This is all reminiscent of when shoppers were storming the toilet paper aisles of grocery stores right as COVID was beginning to spread This was not humans being considerate of each other, and we can learn from this to prevent anything like it from happening again

Unpopular

“Football gets all the hype at this school but literally, track and field and tennis are some of the most underrated sports at this school, like where’s the big crowds for them?”- Anonymously by a Junior

thing you got for Christmas?

Behind the Scenes

Advice Archives

Q: What's the meaning of life?

A: This seems like more of a question to ask Mr Norman, but fear not, we got you The meaning of life is 42! Why? Because it’s the ultimate answer to life, the universe, and everything On a more serious notes, life’s about finding joy in the little things, like a good meme, a perfect avocado toast, or that moment when you find out your favorite show got renewed for another season So, in short: 42 and chill

Q: If you have a triangle and you throw it out of a car that is going 200mph and the wind resistance is a thing that exists then how many cupcakes and Pedro buy with one human soul

A: Alright, I see what you’re doing here So, let’s break it down You got a triangle (nice choice), flying out of a car zooming at 200 mph, with wind resistance in the mix Honestly, if you’re throwing around triangles at that speed, cupcakes should be the least of your worries But hey, why not! Pedro, with his mysterious soul-trading game, could probably snag enough cupcakes to fill a small bakery Souls are pretty valuable, after all But remember, triangles and cupcakes don’t usually mix Just kidding, stay in school and focus on the math that doesn’t involve throwing shapes out of cars”

The Titan Times

notredameriverside org/titantimes

Editor-in-Chief

Lubianca Gaitan

Moderator

Mrs Arguelles

Editors

Jude Cramer

Gael Campos

Minh Lai

Sydney Cramer

Doug Cube

Staff Writers

Elyza Lansang

Matthew Baculo

Sebastian Bou Harb

Sonny Dominguez

Dana Clark

Alan Baltazar

Nichless Calderon

Social Media

Doug Cube

Photography

Lubianca Gaitan

Xitllali Ortiz

New Issue bi-weekly on Tuesdays

Questions regarding the Titan Times should be directed our email at titantimes@ndhsriverside org