The Octagon

A Sacramento Country Day School Newspaper

Latest post

INVESTIGATION: Website previously associated with Rick Singer promotes test cheating services

In March 2019, the United States Department of Justice unveiled the Varsity Blues scandal, orchestrated by William “Rick” Singer. Portions of the scheme involved fraudulently inflated test scores by hiring test takers to complete standardized exams for the children of…

Freshman Henry Reynen internationally ranked in GeoGuessr

Wide open plains to the left, a mountain to the right, and a bollard on the side of a highway: To most, this scene could be from anywhere in the world. Without a pause, freshman Henry Reynen zooms in on…

Grace Zhao, ’24, joins student-led podcast at Claremont McKenna College

Grace Zhao, ’24, attends Claremont McKenna College. She is undecided in her major. Q: Why did you choose to attend Claremont McKenna (CMC)? A: I think something I really appreciate about CMC is that it clearly articulates its core values….

Sprinting to Victory

Image: Senior Wyatt Hall takes the lead in last year’s Brian Lewis Invitational. Courtesy @SACCDS Instagram Making his way to the front of the starting line, New Balance shoes on his feet and a personal best time in his head,…

Eshaan Dhaliwal, ’24, undertakes cancer research and mock trial at Duke

Eshaan Dhaliwal, ’24, attends Duke University in Durham, N.C. He is majoring in chemistry. Q: Why did you choose to attend Duke University?A: I chose to attend for two main reasons: First, Duke has a really strong pre-med program. We…

MY ANGLE: Leave all the New Year’s resolutions back in the past

Imagine this: it’s Jan. 5, and you’re at the peak of health. You work out twice a day, eat healthy food, and are the paragon of discipline. Everything’s golden. Flash forward two months, and you’re sitting at home with a…

EDITORIAL: School assemblies are in need of a wake-up call

The year is 2025. Social media and technology are more prominent than ever — and so, too, are the risks that come with them. Sacramento Country Day’s new phone policy can only partially address these new developments. So what is…

Country Day students and teachers take part in SDLC

Juniors and seniors from Sacramento Country Day School attended the Student Diversity Leadership Conference (SDLC), organized by the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS). The annual conference, which took place in Denver, Colo., Dec. 4-7, helped attendees learn valuable leadership…

Former colleagues reveal Singer’s path to college admission scandal

William “Rick” Singer, the mastermind behind the “Varsity Blues” nationwide college admissions scandal — which resulted in the imprisonment and prosecution of actors, CEOs, board members of Singer’s organization and Singer himself — was released from prison in August 2024,…

The Octagon wins 21 awards, wins general excellence in CA

In February 2024, The Octagon submitted articles published during 2023 for the California News Publishers Association’s California Journalism Awards, a statewide competition honoring California print news. The results were announced on July 13. The Octagon won the most awards in…