This article is part of a series focused on this year’s motto of Unum: Engage, which highlights how students engage as one in different groups across campus. 

One special aspect of Cathedral Catholic is that they know how to make a grade feel like a family, as they focus on the students building tight bonds with one another. This year, the “family” aspect of the Class of 2025 will be built upon regularly, in great part to the tireless efforts of ASB, who treat the Class of 2025 to various senior activities. 

The first senior activity Senior Sunrise occurred the second week of school, and many students loved the experience. With help from the ASB class, the Cathedral administration allowed all of the senior students to arrive at school at 6 a.m. to watch the sunrise as a community. On top of this, hot chocolate with marshmallows was provided, and everyone was allowed to wear pajama pants for the remainder of the school day. ASB captain Liza Delach explained the success of the event, describing it as “a great experience to meet new friends as the year begins.” With all of your class being in one place, the event let students enjoy some peace with their peers before school even began. 

To continue the sense of community for the Class of 2025, Dr. Calkins announced that the ZAK would be open for seniors to enjoy lunch in. So far, this memorial garden has been a hit. Eating lunch in the ZAK garden is a senior-only privilege, which only jump-starts the sense of community for the grade. Initially, people were more apprehensive about the new area. An anonymous senior explained how, “[They] still want to sit at the red tables like they have dreamed of since freshman year.” However, as the year started, many realized that the ZAK was not a requirement but an exciting option for students. The lunch area has games, spike ball tournaments, and music. It truly provides the seniors with the chance to get to know their peers better. 

Senior Keylie Espinosa-Arevalo explains her love for the area, highlighting it as “the best privilege of [her] senior year.” Many other students provided a variety of positive feedback, saying that they “appreciate the shade the memorial garden provides” and how it is a “common meeting ground to see their friends daily.” Within the first 2 weeks of school, the CCHS student who was originally against the idea of the ZAK now enjoys “sitting there each lunch with [her] friends.” 

As the year progresses, Cathedral Catholic has more plans to unite the Class of 2025. Ranging from senior sweatshirts, to days off of school, and senior sunset, these events will contribute to the overall sense of community for the senior grade level. Ultimately, the Class of 2025 will continue to embrace each other as a family, which will give everyone a truly unbelievable senior year.