Plugged In - The Official Podcast for JSerra Catholic High School

In this episode of  Plugged In , Dr. Leonard Sax and his 16-year old daughter Sarah explore the factors contributing to America's current "culture of disrespect." They answer questions such as: What's different about today's teen culture and why does it matter? How much social media is too much? Does limiting your child's social media use make any significant impact? Is TikTok good for my son or d...

Sr. Maria Catherine wasn't always a Jesus fan. Far from it. Before meeting Christ, she was an actress who was involved in a host of non-Christian practices and thought Christianity and its "superstitious belief system" would be the last thing she would ever give in to. Then something changed — dramatically. Tune in to hear how this now deeply committed religious sister took the long road to Christ...

Students struggle in school for a variety of reasons. How do parents recognize when their son or daughter's academic struggle deserves expert attention? How do they help their teenage child to overcome the stigma associated with learning challenges? In this mini-podcast, JSerra's Director of Learning and Academic Support, Drew Clute, tackles a topic which is touching upon more and more parents via...

Cara Morales believes that waiting is a necessary part of life and that if we embrace it with the right attitude it not only makes us stronger — it leads us to Christ. Usually, Cara says, we are not very good at waiting. Advent, however, the season of preparation for Christmas, gives us the chance year after year to embrace the reality of waiting and to ask Jesus to wait with us. Cara gives us thr...

JSerra's new Virtue Program has been a smash hit with students and staff, but three months into the project, some parents are asking, "Weren't you doing enough?" JSerra History Teacher, Sr. John Michael of the Dominican Sisters of Ann Arbor, gives a dynamic overview of the big picture around virtues and shares some concrete stories of the fruit it is bearing in the lives of our students. Tune in a...

Bridget Desmond raised ten children, but that is only a small part of her role as a shaper of young people's lives. In her 16 years as Dean of Discipline at JSerra, she has had thousands of conversations with teenagers about the virtues they are made for and the behaviors that do — or do not — help them reach that destiny. In this 12-minute mini-podcast, Mrs. Desmond shares her wisdom regarding: T...

Studies show that affluency, strong skill sets, and the school our children attend are not the most important factors for achieving health, wealth, and happiness. Dr. Leonard Sax shares new findings on the causes of adolescent stress, anxiety, and long-term unhappiness and offers evidence-based criteria for what most impacts a person's long-term personal and professional success. In this enjoyable...

Opinions from Americans vary widely on the subject of Black History Month. Some Black Americans themselves think it does an injustice to their place in our nation's history; others see it as a necessary means for giving adequate honor to their invaluable and often unrecognized contributions. What should Catholic schools do? In this podcast, Fr. Claude Williams shares his view on a topic of increas...

What makes Catholic schools what they are? What's the secret to their success? Dominican Sister, Sr. Maria Catherine, shares her insights about the exceptional qualities students and their families are finding as they make their way in large numbers to Catholic schools, many for the first time. A product of the public school system herself, Sister explains the reticence she had to Catholic educati...

Tune in as licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and founding JSerra faculty member, Cara Morales, goes toe to toe with the number one challenge facing parents today: their relationship with their teenagers. She offers inspiring insights on the centrality of strong relationships for our children's success in school and beyond, and explains why our connection with them is their best hope for navig...

Kevin Matthews is a Chicago radio legend known for hilarious characters, outlandish pranks, huge comedy festivals, and wild parties with celebrities. After being diagnosed with MS in 2008, he began to take his faith more seriously. In 2011, standing outside a flower shop, he spotted a statue lying beside a dumpster. It was a statue of Mary, the Mother of Jesus, broken in two and missing her hands....

George Floyd's death sparked an avalanche of protests around the nation aimed at ending police brutality and anti-black racism. What has ensued has been an inflammatory and divisive public discussion about systemic racism, the origins of Black Lives Matter, statistics on police shootings, and the validity or invalidity of White Fragility. During this in-depth podcast, Damon Owens speaks candidly f...

Physician, psychologist, and best-selling author Dr. Leonard Sax returns to Plugged In with insights into the latest science around the pandemic, teen anxiety, and ways parents can navigate our current reality. This episode is packed with Dr. Sax's customary brilliance, wit, and sound advice as he offers analysis on everything from knives in German kindergartens to the right number of minutes our...

Who doesn't like school in their pajamas? As teens enter week nine of the COVID shutdown, parents are seeing the novelty of stay-at-home school wearing off — and trying to deal with the consequences. In this episode, counselors Olivia Huie and Cara Morales share insights as educators and moms on how to help quarantined teens cope and parents stay sane! Week nine of the shelter-in-place has almost...

Do good guys and girls always finish last? Not according to JSerra Athletic Director Chris Ledyard. Chris shares with parents the secrets of raising great kids through the medium of sports and shares his strategy for teaching young people how to achieve excellence in mind, heart, and spirit without sacrificing excellence on the field. In his short tenure as JSerra Catholic High School's Athletic D...

In this episode of Plugged In , host Pat Reidy discusses the pro-life movement with activist Lila Rose, who describes her pro-life journey starting at 15 years old. Rose handles the delicate topic with love, compassion, and eloquence. Lila Rose is a speaker, writer, podcast host, and human rights activist who speaks internationally on faith, family and cultural issues. founded and serves as presid...

Is teen life really that stressful? Are adults over-diagnosing teen "anxiety"? Join this insightful conversation with veteran teen therapist and speaker, Mary Naimie. Mary gives us the real scoop on today's teen pressures, discusses their legitimacy, and suggests ways parents can navigate a whole new adolescent world. Mary Naimie, LCSW, is an Orange County-based licensed clinical social worker, th...

Pat and Cara are back with this month's Identity Formation wrap up! Tune in as they debrief about recent classroom conversations they and the IF Team had with students about the Newport Beach scandal, racism, human dignity, the college party scene, and more. JSerra's Identity Formation program creates co-institutional small groups that conduct conversations with teens about the cultural toxins tha...

Speaker, author, and podcaster Patrick Coffin joins Plugged In host Pat Reidy for a quip-filled, entertaining conversation that gets at the secret behind the movies we love. Mr. Coffin explains what is at the heart of a every great story, and explains the genius behind five classics that every family should watch together . . . more than once! Patrick Coffin is the host of The Patrick Coffin Show...

This month Cara Morales and Pat Reidy join forces again with a quick summary of the quarter's Identity Formation summation, where they talked with teens about mental health and college challenges. JSerra Catholic High School's Identity Formation creates co-institutional small groups that conduct conversations with teens about the cultural toxins that challenge their faith and values. Tune in to he...

In this episode, host Patrick Reidy responds to the Gillette Razor commercial and the mega-debate that has been ignited around it. What does it mean to be a man? Is masculinity "toxic"? Is aggression always bad? Do fundamental masculine tendencies exists and, if so, what are they for? What do science, philosophy, theology, and the natural law say it means to be a real man? How have the culture's m...

Teens can be a handful! Dr. Cliff Patterson gives laser-sharp advice to parents and offers them practical tips for disciplining their adolescent sons and daughters with confidence, humor, and grace. Using examples from his personal counseling practice and life as a husband and dad, Dr. Patterson tackles chore time, back talk, slacking in school, the silent treatment, and more! Dr. Clifton Patterso...

Cara Morales joins host, Pat Reidy, in a summary of the talks given to 9th-12th graders in their November Identity Formation seminars. Topics include masculinity and femininity, friendship, dating, and the hook-up culture. Identity Formation creates co-institutional small groups that conduct conversations with teens about the cultural toxins that challenge their faith and values. Cara Morales is a...

A licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, theologian, teacher, youth minister, wife and mother, Cara Morales brings a host of creative gifts to the table and young people respond. Join her as she explores the origins and evolution of JSerra's unique outreach to students called Identity Formation, the school's response to the culture's current toxic influences on teens. Cara Morales is a licensed M...

One of the most powerful statements you can make, says Sarah Swafford, is, "I promise not to use you." In this dynamic interview, the author, speaker, and former college RA helps parents make sense of the growing dating dysfunction among high school and college-aged kids, and makes practical suggestions for saving your sons and daughters from the drama that accompanies the hook-up mentality. Swaff...