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February 2014

Volume 14, Issue 3

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Illustration by Ella Andrew ('14)

Inside Oscar PICKS What are the nominees, and which deserves the little man with big esteem?

VIRGINITY: To LOSE OR KEEP?

Be Aware of abuse

Urban explores stereotypes and realities of losing one's virginity

A look at 'The Subtle Cycle' of Teen dating violence, in depth

- page 6

- page 7

- page 10

*Source: National Council on Crime and Delinquency www.urbanlegendnews.org

2

News

urbanlegendnews.org

February 2014

The Urban Legend

Remembering the Sochi Olympic Games Staff writer Griffin Bianchi followed the most important moments of the Sochi Winter Olympics on his sports blog.

While only five are featured here, all 14 from the 2014 games can be seen at sochimoments.tumblr.com.

Five moments, five rings

Give it Four Rings Feb. 7 — Sochi's opening ceremony showed the Russians were ready. At 8:14 p.m. Moscow Standard Time, a three-hour extravaganza began, recounting Russia’s turbulent history.

Included were the history of the industrial revolution, the Bolshoi Ballet, with a featuring a scene from Tolstoy’s “War and Peace,” and a traditional matrimonial dance, which struck some viewers as ironic given Russia’s severe anti-gay marriage laws.

The only hitch: One of the Olympic rings did not expand into a ring from a star shape.

Russian television stations, however, doctored the footage so that it appeared to open. All in all, the opening ceremony was beautifully performed.

Sochi's opening ceremonies told Russia's history, from Tolstoy to Stalin.

They would set the precedent for one of the most important Olympics yet.

Good Sports Feb. 11 — During the semi-finals of the cross-country skiing sprint event, Russian skier Anton Gafarov broke a ski halfway through the race. Canadian coach Justin Wadsworth rushed onto the track with a spare.

Gafarov finished the race, despite falling three-and-a-half minutes behind. Later, in an interview with the Toronto Star, Wadsworth said that “(i)t was like watching an animal stuck in a trap. You can’t just sit there and do nothing about it … I wanted him to have dignity as he crossed the finish line.”

Pair of Golds Feb. 12 — For the first time in Olympic history, there was a tie for the gold medal. Tina Maze of Slovenia and Dominique Gisin of Switzerland both won the gold in women's alpine downhill skiing after posting identical times of 1 minute 41.57 seconds.

Should the clocks have run the 1,000th of a second, or even further to the 10,000th, to see who won gold? Official timekeepers Swiss Timing said current rules dictate that seconds be counted to the hundredth, and nothing more.

Thus both Gisin and Maze won gold, a first for both.

Photos by Atos at flickr.com/ Creative Commons licensed.

Cool Runnings Feb. 18 — Things didn’t turn out as planned for this year's Jamaican bobsled team. After creating multiple Internet campaigns to make #coolrunnings2 happen, the team raised enough money to get to Sochi. But they lost their equipment in transit. Thankfully, other teams pitched in to help.

Ultimately, the Jamaican men’s doubles team placed 29th out of 30 teams. Yet there's hope for a medal at the 2018 South Korean Winter Olympics.

Skaters spin off Feb. 20 — Two Ukrainian Olympic athletes left the Olympics after the government issued a state of national emergency following violent protests in Kiev, the capital (see related story, page 2.) The International Olympic Committee denied the Ukrainian athletes’ request to wear black armbands to show support for protesters.

According to IOC spokesman Mark Adams, the Olympics are a place of celebration and should not be a place of mourning. Even so, two figure skaters decided to leave.

URBANITEMS Explore the City!

On Sunday, March 9, a group of Urban students will venture along the Marin Headlands coastline for a scenic day hike. The trip focuses on appreciating natural beauty and soaking up the picturesque nature of the Bay Area. Students are encouraged to bring cameras, sketchbooks, and/or other art tools. The trip will depart Urban at 10 a.m. and return in the late afternoon.

If you are interested, contact Rachel Fristedt, director of outdoor trips, at rfristedt@urbanschool.org.

The Concert Awaits

Lions and Tigers and Bears

Ready for some soul seduction at the hands of Urban’s lab and advanced jazz bands? Perhaps you're looking to be uplifted by a collection of vocal pieces by Urban’s own chorus? Or maybe you’d just like to listen to a soothing classical ensemble by the chamber orchestra?

When circus comes to your mind, what do you think? Do you think about Urban students swinging upside down during aerial acrobatics, Sam Denton ('16) in a tutu, or Urban students fighting to the death in mock battle? If so, the Urban Circus Show is the place for you.

If any of these are the case, or you’d just like to listen to a slew of fantastic music, make sure to stop by the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco at 3200 California St. at 5 p.m. on Sunday, May 4 to experience the Urban School of San Francisco's legendary Spring Concert.

Two magnificent shows will take place March 6 in Urban's Gumption theater at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Shows include hoop diving, juggling acts, partner acrobatics, trapeze, tissu (don’t know what that is?

Go and find out!), and comedy, all preformed by your fellow classmates. Tickets are free, so make sure to stop by.

—Reporting by Griffin Bianchi, Olivia Morfit, and Marie Bergsund Legend staff writers

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News

urbanlegendnews.org

February 2014

The Urban Legend

Rioters force Ukraine president out of Kiev Viktor Yanukovych forced out of office over fears of return to Soviet rule

by Jacob Winick

Staff Writer

Riot shields and tanks were no match for the Ukrainian revolutionaries who forced President Viktor F. Yanukovych to flee Kiev on Feb. 22.

Clashes between protestors, labeled “terrorists” by the government, and Ukraine’s military began in November when Yanukovych rejected an economic partnership with the European Union and sought assistance from Russia.

Many in Ukraine’s anti-Russian Ukrainian-speaking west, were infuriated by the deal, seeing it as a return to the Soviet Union and a repressive regime.

While the rapid pace of events in Kiev seems shocking to outsiders, it may simply be part of Ukraine’s rapidly growing internal conflict.

Since its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, the country has been plagued with tensions between Ukrainian nationalists and pro-Russian combatants, somewhat reminiscent of the conflict between American patriots and pro-British loyalists after the American Revolution.

Olga Khrustaleva, a 26-year-old Fulbright scholar now studying at the University of Missouri, said protesters reflect a sense of pessimism about the future.

“I don’t think (the protests) are about joining the European Union," said Khrustaleva, who is from Ryazan, Russia, in an interview with the Legend. "People are just tired of having a government that doesn’t represent them. There is a lack of perspective and a lack of hope.”

While protestors in Kiev celebrated parliament’s unanimous decision to remove Yanukovych

"I will do everything to protect my country from breakup, to stop bloodshed."

—Viktor Yanukovych, president of the Ukraine

from office and the surrender of much of the military to protestors, a full-scale civil war may be building.

Though Yanukovych may no longer be recognized by many as the president, he and his supporters in the East —as well as Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has been busy at the Olympics in Sochi, — are still determined to maintain control of the country.

In a television appearance recorded in eastern Ukraine on Feb. 22 and reported by The Guardian, Yanukovych said, “They are trying to scare me. I have no intention of leaving the country. I am not going to resign, I'm the legitimately elected president."

"Everything happening today is, to a large extent, vandalism and banditry and a coup d'état," Yanukovych was quoted as saying.

"I will do everything to protect my country from breakup, to stop bloodshed."

However, the Ukraine's defense minister, who has up to this point remained loyal to Yanukovych, announced on Saturday that the military would not “use arms against the Ukrainian people.”

Though the Ukraine is in the headlines, many Urban students appear unaware of events there.

“I don’t know what’s going on, but I do care and I really try to stay up-to-date on current events.

I really just don’t have a lot time to read the news because of how much homework and SAT work I have,” said Emily Miller (’16).

photos by Ilya Varlamov/used with permission

Country in Crisis Top photo: A temporary ceasefire takes hold in Maidan, the central square of Kiev. Above photo: Ash and ice caused ground level to raise by one meter in Maidan square.

Spotlight on counselors as seniors await college letters Some get outside help while others seek assist from Urban counselors

students. Of those, 16 percent of respondents had hired outside-ofschool college counselors.

Students hire outside-of-school counselors for various reasons. For some, outside-of-school counselors can make the dread of applications a little less dark.

“I was getting really stressed out and I felt really confused, and I didn’t really know what I was doing,” said Leila Kaplan (’14) who hired a counselor last summer, after initially not wanting the “advantage.”

Others have had college counselors as part of a previous commitment. Urban student Kenneth Chou (’14), who attended middle school at Kipp San Francisco Bay Academy, has been involved with “Kipp Through College” since his freshman year.

Kipp through College is part of the KIPP, or Knowledge is Power

Program, “a national network of free, open-enrollment, collegepreparatory public charter schools with a track record of preparing students in underserved communities for success in college

by Ella McLeod and in life,” according to the KIPP Staff Writer website. Chou has met with two In one month most Urban free outside-of-school college seniors will receive their college counselors eight times since the admissions letters. Where they beginning of junior year but also get in depends on their grades, corresponded with his more recent test scores, extracurriculars, family one via email this fall while he legacy, and who was helping them was at CITYterm, a semester-long — specifically, the all-important school program in New York. college counselor.

Similarly, Izzy Garcia (’15) While Urban has two full-time began meeting with an outsidecollege counselors, Susan Lee and of-school college counselor every Lauren Gersick, some students week during her freshman year, have opted to hire an extra one, as a part of the Smart Program though just how many do this is she joined in 4th grade, which unclear. A Legend survey sent to “provides highly motivated, fijuniors and seniors, conducted nancially-disadvantaged students from Jan. 30 to Feb. 23, received with access to educational oppor56 responses out of a possible 183 tunities, personal experiences and social support services in order to foster academic excellence and community engagement” according to thesmartprogram.org.

Shane Bannon (’14), acquired his outside-of-school college counselor, David Montesano, for free through one of his mother’s hairdressing clients.

For these students, the many benefits of an outside-of-school college counselor outweighed drawbacks.

Not only did Kaplan’s counselor give her cookies and ice water, she also provided her with deadlines Kaplan felt obliged to meet since it was such a one-on-one experience. She and her counselor would go back and forth five or six times on a single supplement, photo by Olive Lopez and Kaplan said she received edits Hard at Work College counselors Susan Lee (left) and Lauren “really, really quickly.”

Gersick (right) work hard to guide Urban students through the college Bannon’s counselor, with process.

whom he met for six hours over a period of three months, helped him choose schools based on what he wants from life, guided him to write about his experiences in math and science when applying for liberal arts colleges — so as to make himself a more unique candidate — helped him with his main essay, and assisted him with his scholarship search.

He recommended that Bannon apply for Questbridge, a program that “offers full four-year scholarships covering tuition and room and board for high-achieving low-income students,” according to questbridge.org, and steered him away from schools that "don’t give financial aid.“ Along with pointing him towards scholarship opportunities through Bank of America, Google and other work-study programs, Chou’s counselor, Suji, also helped him with writing, which he described as imperative to him and other “Kipp Through College” beneficiaries.

“We’re not students who have grown up with people who talk all fancy; we’re not students who grow up with lawyers,” he said.

“We’re students who grow up in the ghetto.”

Having an independent college counselor can be a mixed experience: Garcia’s program takes up a lot of time, and can interfere with schoolwork. Kaplan’s counselor urged her to apply to schools she probably wouldn’t have applied for, but did because “she’s a college counselor, she knows what’s best.” Bannon’s counselor “didn’t sugarcoat anything,” which he appreciated by the end of the process.

Whether or not Urban students seek outside help, in-school coun-

seling is a big part of the Urban experience. However, according to Susan Lee, director of college counseling, the approach is different.

Lee and Lauren Gersick, associate director of college counseling, are motivated to help the students succeed. Lee believes that outsideof-school college counselors, who, according to the Legend survey, can charge more than $200 per session, are not in the business for the same reason.

Lee also sees outside counselors as unnecessary. “I think (that) students, just by going to Urban, have more resources than 90 percent of students in the country, and it’s sometimes frustrating to me that students don’t use that as much as they could,” she said.

She described the college process as similar to a difficult class at Urban, one that might be easier with a tutor but is doable by using the resources of the school.

Among the the three financial opportunities that Lee and Gersick help students and parents to navigate are the College Scholarship Service Profile (CSS), the Free Application For Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and Cal Grants, for qualified seniors graduating from California high schools.

Both counselors also offer information on scholarships via Naviance.com, a college application database to which Urban students are connected. Lee and Gersick also conduct parent meetings to explain FAFSA, and will help any who seek their assistance in filling it out.

see HELP, page 11

4

Features

February 2014

urbanlegendnews.org

The Urban Legend

'Whack' winter brings drought, snowStorms Photo by Olive Lopez

'Tips' on how to stay warm:

D

on't leave your house.

Drive more and stop composting in order to worsen global warming

D

on't just wear ankle socks. Get some waist-high socks. Soon you will be launching trends!

LCalifornia, astly, move to where the temperature on Feb. 25 was a springlike 64 degrees.

I

t doesn’t take a meteorologist to know our weather is whack.

Here in San Francisco our summer is winter, and our hot days fall somewhere between fog-filled August and no-sun November. A little sunshine in February never hurt anyone, right? Well, it may not be that simple.

The year 2013 was California’s driest year since rainfall began being recorded in 1894. This winter, the Bay Area has seen less than 10 percent of its usual rain.

State public health officials are warning that without relief many water districts will run out within the next 100 days.

While a few days of stormy weather did alleviate some of the short-term consequences of the drought, the assistance will be short lived without more rain.

According to SFgate.com, ”forecasters say rain would have to fall

every day through May — and heavily — to bring conditions back to normal.”

Gov. Jerry Brown told reporters in January that “(w)e are in an unprecedented, very serious situation.” He called on residents to cut “at least 20 percent of their water use.”

While the rest of the country is bombarded with snow, the drought shows no signs of improving.

According to the Chicago Tribune, Chicago is having its 5th snowiest winter ever.

By contrast, in California, The National Weather Service estimated that there is only a 1 in 1000 chance that the drought will end in the spring. That is to say, Californians will likely be in the current weather pattern for the long haul.

While describing San Fran-

cisco’s weather is difficult due to its lack of consistency, there is no denying that the weather has changed.

Bill Batzert, a climate scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory remarked, “There is no California winter postcard.”

“If you showed me (a picture of San Francisco) without the date I would say, “This is in early fall after a long, hot summer, before the fall and winter rains and snows arrived,” Batzert was quoted as saying on a newsblog at Yahoo. com.

While many are quick to blame the drought on global warming, scientists are hesitant.

According to The New York Times, “(t)he most recent computer projections suggest that as the world warms, California should

get wetter, not drier, in the winter, when the state gets the bulk of its precipitation. That has prompted some of the leading experts to suggest that climate change most likely had little role in causing the drought.”

So if global warming is not the culprit, then what is? Scientists aren’t sure, but this drastic weather change seems man-made.

—This story was reported by Marie Bergsund and Jacob Winick

Stormy Weather While California battles drought, the rest of the nation suffers through snow. Top: Sky view of San Francisco from the San Francisco Marriott Marquis Hotel. Urban photo editor Olive Lopez and Features Editor Hannah Berk took the photo on Feb. 17. At right: View of Baker Library at Dartmouth College in New Hampsire, by Urban alumna Jessica King-Fredel ('13). Far right: A view of Central Park in New York City by Daniel Avila/U.S. government work.

—Hannah Berk

Up Next Want a new hair style? Follow the budding spring 2014 tends with cornrows and the inverse mohawk.

Don't miss Urban's Winter Production from Feb. 25 to March 1.

Close and fresh food!? Stop by Off the Grid located by Kezar Stadium, every Thursday.

Don't forget to sign up for spring sports. Shout out to yoga!

Start getting your spring clothes out. Spring official y starts March 20. www.urbanlegendnews.org

Illustration by Marie Bergsund Please recycle

February 2014

Dear Yeti,

5

Features

urbanlegendnews.org

The Urban Legend

First, a disclaimer. Dear friends, You should know that I am neither a psychiatrist nor a doctor, and you should not take my advice as the final word on the subject. If you believe you are in a life-threatening situation, speak to an adult. Consider consulting Urban’s in-house experts, who helped me out with my answers below. They include Shafia Zaloom and Jenn Epstein, Urban health teachers, and Kaern Kreyling, Urban’s counselor.

Also, I want to shout out to our one and only Tumblr follower. It would be cool to get that number up.

Check out dearyeti.tumblr.com for answers to even more questions and to get your questions answered.

Questions have been edited for style and for clarity. —The Yeti

Dear Yeti, How do I get a date with Olive Lopez?

Dear friend, Olive Lopez (’15) gave me an inside report on the way to her heart. Lopez is a sucker for lavender kombucha ($3.99) and small seedless sourdough loaves (79 cents each), both of which are available at Haight Street Market. I suggest you

buy these items and profess your love. If she says yes, you have a date.

If she says no, at least you have some bread.

For more information about Olive Lopez, follow her at http://instagram.com/_olivelopez.

Good luck, The Yeti

Dear Yeti, I like one of my teachers. He/she is so beautiful; I am deeply in love. What do I do?

Dear friend, A few things you should know first off: 1) Your feelings are natural and you should not be ashamed of yourself.

2) A non-academic relationship between you and your teacher is not going to happen, nor should you try to make it happen.

3) If you think your teacher is flirting/reciprocating your feelings, tell someone. This could be your adviser, a parent, or someone at Urban, such as Kaern, Shafia or Jenn.

That being said, it’s okay to like your teacher. It’s probably helping you out in that class, because you’re working harder to try to impress him/her. Just don’t flirt or make anyone feel uncomfortable (this includes the other students in your class). Though it may seem unlikely now, these feelings will pass and hopefully you will fall for someone you can legally date.

Until then, play it cool, The Yeti Illustration by Tessa Petrich

Dear Yeti, I want to be in the U.S. Army. First off, I'm just pissed because in the Army, women can't get as high of positions or really do anything like men can. Secondly, is this a waste of my entire education? I pay a shitload of money to attend Urban, so now, what? I’m going to get shot? I need to tell my parents; I really don't want to run away. Is this wrong? Last time I began to bring the subject up, they reacted badly.

Dear friend, It seems you have three issues:

learned, you’re good to go.

Yes, it is unfair that it might be harder as a woman to gain higher positions in the 1) The issue of misogyny Army, but the best way to in the military. combat that is for more and more brave women like 2) The issue of worryyou to join up and show ing you are wasting your Urban education by joining that they’re just as worthy.

Misogynists will have won up.

3) The issue of your par- if they keep you out of the ents reacting badly to your service. decision.

In my opinion, you are in no way wasting your education — in fact, it is a Numbers one and two are much easier to deal testament to your Urban education that you want to with than three. As long as you have done your do something this noble.

The school should be proud research on how women are treated in the military, to have a servicewoman as and you feel comfortable an alumna. Besides, it’s not like your education only enough with what you’ve

www.urbanlegendnews.org

counts once you’ve graduated. Enjoy your experience at Urban now, and understand that your education will continue in the military and beyond. You might also want to consider the ROTC program, which will provide you with a college scholarship at one of 1,000plus colleges nationwide in exchange for your service.

With your parents, be patient but persistent. Show them the research that you’ve done and tell them why you want to join the military. You can even do a presentation if you want or make a pros-and-cons list. Understand that your parents are worried for

you and give them time to digest this idea. Give yourself time, too. You’re making a very courageous and difficult decision, and it deserves deep thought.

For more information on this subject check out http://www.goarmy.com/ rotc.html.

Good luck, The Yeti

Got questions? Go to

dearyeti.tumblr.com and submit your questions, which will be answered by The Yeti!

Please recycle

Arts

February 2014

The

6

The Urban Legend

86th Annual Academy Awards BEST MOTIO N PICTURE

by Niki King Fredel

W

Staff Writer

atch all nine of the Academy Awards best picture nominees for 2013, and you will feel like your perspective on the world has changed. From fighting AIDS ("Dallas Buyers Club") to the increasingly diminishing line between human and computer ("Her"), the themes of this year’s nominees span an astonishing range.

The film, “12 Years a Slave,” shows its viewers the reality of slavery in the American South. Despite the fact that the main character, Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor), returns to freedom at the end of the film, viewers won’t be able to forget the ramifications of slavery on the United States.

Urban students certainly are aware of the dark past of slavery. “It (“12 Years A Slave”) was so much deeper, emotionally provocative, and culturally relevant than any other movie I've seen this year,” wrote Xander Beberman (‘14) in response to a Legend survey.

Another nominee, “American Hustle,” stars big-name actors such as Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, Amy Adams, and Christian Bale, and the film is a true tale of con men in the 70s. With a complex plot, unique humor, and outrageous costumes, this movie is smart and suave. “ ‘American Hustle’ was an art piece. The dialogue, costumes, and imagery of the era were all beautiful. The actors did an excellent job (especially Amy Adams) and

NOMINEES

I loved that it pulled off comedy without distracting from the story and the reality of the harm the lead characters were inflicting on both each other and their victims.

"It was a love story but with a toxic twist, in my opinion, and that's interesting to watch,” wrote Lena Galinson (’16) in response to the survey.

“Gravity” is a visual spectacle of two people free falling in outer space. The special effects are definitely first priority in this movie, meaning plot and character development were left behind.

“I think out of all of the big mo-

tion pict u re s this year, ‘Gravity’ was the most innovative. It was unlike any experience I've ever had watching a movie. I also thought the cinematography was cool and translated really well in 3D,” wrote Mariel Solomon (’17) in a response to the survey.

Another big name actor, Matthew McConaughey, plays a Texas cowboy struck with AIDS, who turns into an unlikely hero as a result of his determination to fight his 30-day prognosis in “Dallas

Buyers Club.” The movie presents a raw and modern view of the ‘80s AIDS crisis and the stigmas attached to it. The movie may sit on McConaughey’s frail shoulders — he lost a reported 47 pounds in order to play the role — but it is an intriguing and touching chronicle of one man’s struggle to overcome AIDS. With what seems like constant drug abuse, blatant spending of money, and what’s said to be

the record for most f-words in a motion picture film, “The Wolf of Wall Street” is not a film for the light-at-heart. However there is no denying that the actors, including Leonardo DiCaprio and Jonah Hill, are truly magnificent. “The Wolf of Wall Street” is the American Dream gone wrong — the American

See OSCARS, page 15

Photos from Fox Searchlight, Sony Pictures, Warner Brothers Pictures/Fair Use exemption

KING Hamlet:

dead

A winter production Obituary

Ella Mcleod

by Ella McLeod

Staff Writer

King Hamlet, triumphant leader of the Danish people and undefeated conqueror, died from the venom of a snake bite this morning in his freshly groomed, green-and-white garden.

Hamlet, who was believed to late 50’s at the time of his death, according to Shakespeare historian and Urban English teacher Cathleen

Sheehan, was a fighter from the start, and an ideal candidate for his future position. His younger brother, Claudius fueled his fire with their endless competitions.

Once he met his lovely wife, Queen Gertrude, though, a softer side broke though his hardened heart. As his apparently disturbed and grieving son, Hamlet, described him, the elder Hamlet was “so excellent a king, that was to this hyperion to a satyr; so loving to my mother that he might not beteem the winds of heaven visit her face too roughly.”

Soon after King Hamlet’s death, the widowed Queen Gertrude and Claudius, married. Sources say they appear to be very happy

together.

The elder Hamlet is survived by his son, Hamlet, his wife — and now sister-in-law — Gertrude, and his younger brother, Claudius.

Hamlet’s life and death is being remembered in The Gumption Theater at The Urban School this week, with a free preview on Tuesday, Feb. 25 at 4:30 p.m., and regular shows Wednesday at 4:30 p.m., and Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Tickets range from $5 for students to $8 for adults.

Though tickets for Friday and Saturday are sold out, a waitlist opens at 6:00 p.m., and most people get in.

He's Alive! Juan Martinez stars as Hamlet's father in the 2014 Winter Production.

Photo by Olive Lopez

WHAT IS COMING UP IN

NOW

ARTS, 4 1 0 2 G N SPRI

The acclaimed photographer, Lalla Essaydi, has an exhibit showing until March 29 at the Jenkins Johnson Gallery. The exhibit features Lalla Essaydi’s most recent works, “Harem Revisited” and “Bullets Revisited.” This exhibit is a great one to view, not just for fans of artistic talent, but also, as SF Weekly says, “for followers of women's rights in the Arab world.”

Admission: Free For more information: http://www.jenkinsjohnsongallery.com

www.urbanlegendnews.org

SOON

At the Old Mint, the 4th annual San Francisco History Expo is being featured on Saturday, March 1 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sunday March 2 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Expo explores the history of San Francisco, featuring historic films, special programs and “mini-museums” put together by over fifty different organizations based in San Francisco.

Admission: $5 For more information: http://www.sfhistoryexpo.org Please recycle

tter

by Ilana Brandste

Staff Writer

I

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Teen date illustration by Tessa Petrich.

Virginity photograph taken by Olive Lopez.

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MOVIE MANIA

Indiefest

This year marked the 16th annual San Francisco Independent Film Festival (IndieFest). The festival featured 78 different independent films and shorts at a variety of small theaters all over the Bay Area. The festival started on Feb. 6 with the film “The Congress” and lasted until Feb. 20, closing with “Blue Ruin.” The festival’s centerpiece film this year was “Teenage,” directed by Matt Wolf. Although the festival is now over, next year, San Francisco will welcome the SF IndieFest again for its 17th year. Make sure to buy tickets early next year because you won’t want to miss this festival: It never fails to bring together a mix of independent dramas, sci-fi’s and comedies. In the meantime, check out the Bay Area CAAMFest, starting on March 13, for your movie festival fix.

YOU'LL BE A MAN

“You’ll Be A Man” (“Tu Seras Un Homme”) is a French film directed by Benoît Cohen. It follows Theo, a broke 20-year-old who accepts a babysitting job for a family steeped in gloom. Theo encounters Leo, an 10-year-old boy who is well-versed in caring for himself as if he were an adult, a practice he developed while living with a callous father and neglectful mother. Theo has a profound effect on the entire family by providing them with a new way of looking at how the roles childhood and masculinity play out in their lives. The film explores the idea of prescribed norms and cultivating joie de vivre (a French phrase meaning “the joy of living” or “an exultation of spirit”) in one another.

A "Teenage" Life

by Tessa Petrich and Mara Pleasure

Staff Writers

Teenagers are an invention, a product of war and changing times. In the Indiefest feature movie "Teenage," director Matt Wolf creates an artful collage using historical footage of teenagers throughout the development of youth culture.

On Feb. 9, San Francisco's Roxie Theater filled with Indiefest-goers of all ages for the first showing of "Teenage. " Based on Jon Savage’s book of the same

title, the film pinpoints the steps of teenage identity: Rebellion, independence, and the transition from childhood to adulthood.

"Teenage" is multidimensional.

The film explores more than just one perspective: There are female voices, white male voices, and black voices. In addition, the movie tracks the development of the teenager not only in America, but England and Germany as well.

Historical film clips are seamlessly combined to illustrate the thesis of this docu-drama. The film also highlights four teenagers

in particular, with narrators bringing life to their journals and writings. This tactic allows the movie to follow a plot line instead of becoming disjointed clips of film.

Besides artfully displaying the rebellious and coming-of-age feelings of teenagers, the movie also brings new perspectives to what teenagers are in the 21st century. The movie highlights the contrast between the freedom and independence teenagers had then, and what they have now, making us reconsider what we take for granted at Urban.

REMEMBER YOU'RE SPECIAL “Remember You’re Special” gives a glimpse into the lives of Justin and Stephanie, two best friends in their 20s. The indie film, directed by Eliseo Cabrera, follows their lives in the Bay Area as they struggle with work, friends, and never-ending debt. Justin is an aspiring rapper in Oakland, Calif., and Stephanie is a PhD graduate student, but they are both beginning to realize that the “real world” after college isn’t exactly what they though it would be.

HOW TO BE A MAN “How to be a Man,” directed by Chadd Harbold, is a vulgar indie-comedy about Mark McCarthy (played by Gavin McInnes), a former comedian struggling with web-diagnosed male breast cancer. McCarthy hires 22-year-old aspiring filmmaker Bryan (Liam Aiken) to film him as he gives life lessons to his unborn son (and inadvertently to Bryan as well). The movie has serious themes, but will keep you laughing, particularly in the over-the-top sexual scenes. If you have a crude sense of humor, but enjoy a dose of sentimentality, check out this indie-comedy.

DOOMSDAY “Doomsdays” is a dark dramatic comedy directed by Eddie Mullins. It is about two young adult men, Bruho and Dirty Fred, who break into homes all over the Catskills, living as nomads. The two run into a young teenage boy and later a 20-something woman who unexpectedly joins them in their escapades. However, with the addition of these two new members, Bruho and Dirty Fred’s relationship as friends, and the patterns of their lives, are threatened. Though this movie does not leave a comforting feeling in your stomach, Eddie Mullin’s filming brings intrigue to the viewer.

Top photo of "Teenage" by Oscilloscope Laboratories/used with permission.

All other photos by Indiefest/used with permission. Design by Tessa Petrich.

Capsule reviews by Mara Pleasure, Tessa Petrich, and Ilana Brandstetter.

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www.urbanlegendnews.org

Feburary 2014

The Urban Legend

Connecting with counselors from page 3 Though they will help students apply for scholarships, “(w)e don’t talk with students much about financial aid because it really is the responsibility of the parents,” Lee said.

Gersick believes Urban college counselors are more capable than ones without a connection to the school.

“In terms of contextualizing that student in his or her classroom situation, in his or her academic class, and then to be also connecting out to the colleges, we are in a truly unique ... position of being able to do that,” she said.

Unfortunately, students have to plan ahead for that help. With 190 students to manage, a student can’t always make an appointment the day a deadline strikes.

“But if you look at the big picture we have plenty of time for everybody — it’s just maybe not immediately,” said Lee. When asked what they thought about possibly hiring a third college counselor, Gersick laughed.

“I think there’s enough," she said, "(but) more help is always good!”

O

from page 6

Nightmare, accurately displayed in 180 minutes.

“The spectacular acting by Leonardo DiCaprio (sic), amazing plot, and a well thought out storyline made this movie the best in my opinion,” wrote Ben Lee (’17) in response to the survey.

Another film, “Captain Phillips,” is based on the true story of the 2009 Somalian hijacking and rescuing of a large container ship, with help from the Navy SEALs and Captain Richard Phillips, portrayed by Tom Hanks. This an action movie is smarter than your average Hollywood action flick. The characters — both the crewmembers and pirates — have dimension. Barkhad Abdi, who plays one of the Somalian pirates is nominated for best actor in a supporting role, telling us that “Captain Phillips” success is not fully contingent on Hanks.

Set in Los Angeles in the near future, “Her” is the story of a recently divorced man who falls in love with his operating system.

The soundtrack is wonderful and the cinematography is stunning, but parts of the plot remain underdeveloped. “Her” is interesting and unique, but lacks something you just cannot put your finger on.

“Nebraska,” a film shot entirely in black-and-white, is a simple tale

of what life is like in the American Midwest.

The plot begins with asimple premise: A man promises to drive his stubborn and somewhat deranged father to Lincoln, Neb., in order to claim the $1 million that his father believes he won in a magazine subscription scam. From there, complications ensue.

While “Nebraska” is undeniably character-development heavy, it lacks the pull offered by the other films nominated for Best Picture. Nevertheless, the movie is a beautiful exhibition of life in America.

The last film, “Philomena” is one of the rare feel-good movies based on a true story that does not feel completely clichéd.

Judi Dench plays an older woman, Philomena Lee, who was forced as a teenage mother by nuns to give up her young son.

Fifty years later, a recently unemployed journalist named Martin Sixsmith promises to help Philomena find her long lost son.

A cynical and serious Martin is perfectly set off by warm-hearted Philomena in a movie that features wonderfully funny dialogue.

To tune in to hear which film wins Best Motion Picture, watch the 86th Academy Awards on Sunday, March 2 at 4:00 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time.

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VIRGINITY: What comes after? from page 7

receive by having sex. And fourthly, I wanted to be a member of the club, so to speak.”

A female Urban teacher was in a more committed relationship for her first time, but she could still identify the pressures involved.

“I lost my virginity to my boyfriend,” she said. “I don’t regret the age, but think that there were definitely outside pressures that I was responding to.”

Gender, sex, and sexuality Societal norms affect how people decide to lose their virginity.

“I was aware that there is a lot of hype around virginity, especially around women, because it is considered treasured for women, something to hold onto,” said a female student who identified herself as straight.

“Women can easily become sluts, whereas men are respected.”

When reflecting on her own experience, the student added, “this gender expectation did not really affect me in deciding to lose my virginity, but afterwards, because I was never in a real relationship, I internalized this stereotype.

“It made me regret not waiting,” she added. “At the time, I wanted the physical part and did not think about the emotional side.”

For some, losing virginity is not the defining moment of their sexuality.

A sophomore girl, 15, expressed her opinion on losing

her virginity as a queer teenager: “My image of losing my virginity switched from a man to a woman when the opportunity arose to be with a woman. The idea made me so happy, and that, I think, was a little bit of a sexual awakening.”

“I don’t think that there was a defining moment when I lost my virginity,” said another junior boy, 16. “But now I don’t consider myself a virgin.”

A male Urban teacher expanded on his idea of virginity.

“I think that the whole notion of losing your virginity is very hetero-normative and sexist. The question enforces the wrong idea of what it means to have sex as just with a female and male.”

The idea of virginity and the pressures surrounding it varies depending on the person. For some, loss of virginity can be a huge milestone, and for others it is not noticeable because there is nothing to lose.

The morning after Welcome to the world of being sexually active: The box is checked but what comes next? There are a lot of things to consider after having sex for the first time.

A male gay student reflected on the aftermath of losing his virginity: “It proved to me that I was capable of receiving another human being's attention and intimacy.

“It made me feel attractive,” he added, “so now, I'm in no rush to have sex because I don't

feel like I have to prove to myself that I am able to do so.

“So what it really gave me was confidence. I just wish I had had that confidence in the first place,” the student said.

The straight female student quoted above also gained knowledge after losing her virginity: “In looking back I realize that I thought it would create a connection between the person that I had sex with.

“Sex does not create connection; the connection has to already exist, and sex then intensifies this connection,” the student said.

Along with the emotional effects that come with having sex, physical aspects also arise.

According to Shafia Zaloom, one of Urban’s health teachers, the following precautions should to be taken.

“Once someone loses their virginity — and can you say, in parentheses, ‘vaginal/penal, anal intercourse’ — it's important to establish a relationship with a clinic or doctor that can support you in taking care of your health,” she said, in an interview with the Legend.

“It is important to know your options if the type of protection that is used fails,” added Zaloom.

Regardless of the relationship, pressures, and societal norms that affect one’s idea of virginity, one of the biggest pieces of advice that Zaloom gives teenagers that come to see her is for them to ask themselves, “do my relationships have integrity?”

Click On The Urban Legend Online @ urbanlegendnews.org for coverage of breaking news

Icons from The Noun Project/Creative Commons licensed.

12

Opinions

urbanlegendnews.org

February 2014

The Urban Legend

Why athletes must participate in Olympics

by Olivia Morfit Staff Writer

This year’s Olympics posed the tough decision of attendance to gay athletes. Essentially, they had to decide whether or not to allow their moral principles to overrule their athletic dedication.

As an athlete, I can understand this conflict between identity and the drive to succeed after years of preparation. It’s a lesson that I’ve had to learn personally and painfully.

I’m a swimmer. I grew up in the pool; some of my earliest memories are of breath-holding contests in the shallow end, my eyes burning with chlorine. Since I was seven, swimming has been more and more a part of my life.

In the water, I’ve never been freer, more powerful, more blissfully alone. The water is a rush, my lungs burning, my muscles screaming, but I’m happy.

There’s nothing like hearing your alarm go off at 4:30 a.m. so you can go lift weights. There’s nothing like keeping a muscle roller in your locker. There’s nothing like double two-hour practices a day.

There’s nothing like a goggle tan and crunchy, green hair.

There’s nothing like winning.

I miss all that.

Last July, I got whooping cough, just as I was gearing up for my summer meet season. I refused to go to the doctor for fear of being diagnosed

with something more than a cold, but finally agreed to go and get tested. Unfortunately, the checked positive box on the test form was not even close to the most disappointing moment of my week.

After a couple of days of rest and industrial-strength cough syrup, I re-entered the water. I had a meet that weekend that I was not about to miss due to something trivial, like lung fluid buildup.

I had worked too hard and come too far.

I dove in that day as I have done a thousand times. The first six laps came easily. The water flowed past with relative ease, my breathing a little labored, but manageable.

And then suddenly, it wasn’t.

I turned my head to breathe, but nothing came in. I coughed, involuntarily inhaling water, and choking. I tried to breathe but nothing happened; the water in my lungs just seemed to sink deeper. I was beginning to get dizzy.

Grabbing for the wall and halfvomiting, half-exhaling water into the gutter, I coughed with such force that I felt a stabbing pain in my lower left ribcage that brought tears to my eyes.

My coach and some spectators lifted me by my forearms onto the deck, where I gasped for air, tears mixing with the water on my face.

I cried in the bathroom at the

"There's nothing like a goggle tan and green hair. I miss all that."

LET GAMES BEGIN A colorful opening ceremony kicked off the XXII Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, where threats of terrorism and discrimination accompanied sports events.

Photo by Atos @flickr.com/Creative Commons License.

doctor’s office, and again in the car on the way home, after they told me I had broken my rib. I knew what that meant; it meant time out, taking it easy, being out of the water. It meant getting slower, and losing my hard-earned progress.

When I came back for the fall season, I was slow. Three weeks into the new season, my coach gently told me that I would have to swim with the younger, slower group until I was back in good enough condition to keep up. Not long after, I decided to quit.

I think about that decision every day. I didn’t want to quit, so I am

more than glad that gay athletes at this year’s Olympics decided to attend. I wouldn’t wish the level of regret I feel on anyone. But I’m not gay. I don’t know what it’s like to face discrimination every day.

I don’t know what it’s like to be afraid to hold hands with someone that I love.

And yet I do know what it’s like to want something so much that you can feel it in your bones. I know what it’s like to make sacrifices to pursue your passion. I know what it’s like to feel completely in your element. I know what it’s like to win. So if an athlete wanted to be

in Sochi, I would understand.

The Olympic games are designed to unite people and celebrate excellence and hard work, regardless of identity. The Olympics aren’t about politics; we need to find other ways to protest Russia’s stance on gay athletes and their own gay population, because the Olympics aren’t a political platform. We need these world-class athletes to unite and share their common experience as a show of solidarity and teamwork.

That’s what sports are about.

That’s passion. That’s what it is to win.

Is there more to Grammys than Macklemore?

Miley Cyrus performs "We Can't Stop" at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards on Aug. 25.

Macklemore and Ryan Lewis showing off their multiple awards at the Grammys on Jan. 26.

Photo from Grammy.com /Fair Use exemption

by Tessa Petrich

Staff Writer

Here’s news you already know: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis swept the Grammys. On Sunday, Jan. 26, they took home four Grammys: Best New Artist, Best Rap Album (“The Heist”), Best Rap Song (“Thrift Shop”), and Best Rap Performance (“Thrift Shop”).

Macklemore this, Ryan Lewis that. We hear only about them:

Their new take on rap, their progressive lyrics (same-sex love, white privilege, economic class), and their nontraditional backgrounds as rappers.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not bad. But by focusing on Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, we're missing out on other deserving artists.

Kendrick Lamar, like Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, was nominated for seven Grammys, but

won none. His album, “good kid, m.A.A.d city,” needed more recognition.

Lamar's album is his experience. Each song is a thread in Lamar’s life as a teenager growing up in Compton, Calif. A common theme is day-to-day life in the streets, overrun by drugs, gangs, and violence. The album, is almost like a film, masterly directed by Lamar and his producers.

His album sold 242,000 copies its first week, earning the title of best-selling debut from a male artist in 2012. Compare that to “The Heist,” selling only 78,000 copies in the first week.

The Grammys are a beauty contest. Nominations are based on popularity. The question is, how do Grammy judges decide on who goes home with an award? And what happens to all of the artists who are nominated but don’t win any awards? They don’t make it on the Grammy CD or iTunes Grammy radio, that’s for sure.

Sadly, those artists get pushed aside. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis bask in the glory on iTunes, TV, and everywhere in between. The fruitless nominees go home, feeling underappreciated.

Macklemore tried to be humble about his big win. After the Grammys, he posted to Instagram a screenshot of a text he sent to Lamar: “You got robbed. I wanted you to win. You should have. It’s weird and sucks that I robbed you.

I was gonna say that during the speech. Then the music started playing during my speech and I froze. Anyway, you know what it is. Congrats on this year and your

music. Appreciate you as an artist and as a friend. Much love.”

His text is undeniably a little fishy, possibly a ploy to gain a few more fans from Lamar. Plus, the photo puts the spotlight on Macklemore yet again.

Drake, another nominee contending for Best Rap Album, was disgusted by Macklemore’s post.

On theboombox.com, he was quoted saying, “I was like, ‘You won. Why are you posting your text message? Just chill. Take your W, and if you feel you didn’t deserve it, go get better — make better music.’”

Drake literally “started from the bottom and now (he’s) here.” His fame began with the Teen Nick show “Degrassi,” and now, after releasing three hit albums, he has established himself as one of the top rappers in the game. “Nothing Was the Same” shows the album is saturated with confidence and style.

So, while Macklemore blasts on every radio station, keep in mind that there is unrecognized talent out there brewing their next albums, hoping to take home a Grammy in the coming year.

Opinions

February 2014

The Urban Legend

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More Macklemore Did Macklemore deserve his success at the Grammys?

"I think he's very talented. I like him.

I don't like that he's a Seattle fan."

-Calvin Hom, 32, San Francisco

FUN IN THE SUN Students socialize in the Urban School garden during an afternoon break. Annoying behavior makes it less peaceful.

Photo by Olive Lopez

Improving garden culture

by Olive Lopez

Staff Writer

On sunny days, students convene in the garden during breaks, lunch, and E periods to take advantage of San Francisco’s balmy weather.

Despite Urban’s progressive nature and appreciation of unity, one would think Urban was a middle school given the dynamics of the garden area during breaks. Boys cluster around computers, laughing rambunctiously at videos.

Girls group around a table, conversing with legs and arms crossed as their eyes dart from one side of the garden to the other. And as it was in middle school, the two genders rarely mix.

Frequently, junior and senior boys spend the 15 minutes of break throwing footballs and tennis balls around, belatedly yelling “Heads up!” when nearly pegging innocent

bystanders.

Enough is enough. This type of behavior brings to mind the atmosphere of an elementary school playground, is incredibly annoying and immature, and more often than not results in Dean of Students Charlotte Worsley taking away the ball in question.

I’m not trying to say that the problem lies solely with guys. Girls are equally guilty in making the garden a social nightmare. Girls pile on top of each other around a table, laughing and talking loudly in an effort to demonstrate their superiority and exclusivity. It’s no wonder many Urban students don’t like the garden and outright go out of their way to avoid it.

This division is the polar opposite of what I felt Urban was when I shadowed

"This division is polar opposite of what I felt Urban was when I shadowed as a freshman, three years ago."

T

as a freshman, three years ago. I chose Urban in part because it seemed like such a friendly, close-knit school, but the current garden atmosphere points to the opposite.

Maybe my perspective changed as because I became a junior and moved from spending my 15 minutes of break in the student center to spending it in the garden.

But there’s no denying the dynamics that exist within the garden are prominent.

The garden has become more of a show of popularity and masculinity than an area to congregate and socialize during breaks. But we’re all in high school now; stop thinking so highly of yourself, let it go, and just hang out.

The need to exhibit behavior solely to establish a social hierarchy within the school is unnerving and un-Urban.

The garden shouldn’t be stressinducing. It shouldn’t be looked down upon to eat lunch alone in the garden, let alone be something to even worry about.

We, as Urban students, need to change the way we think about the garden, and the way we interact with our classmates in the garden.

"Good for him."

- Mia Paulson, 14, Menlo Park

"Kendrick Lamar should have won."

-Corinne Miller, 19, Los Angeles

"I like his music. I like that he does it on his own with basically no industry help."

-Aaron Scott, 29, San Carlos

Reporting by Lily Dodd

The Urban Legend

he Urban Legend is a vehicle of student freedom of expression and a public forum for The Urban School community. It is produced several times per year during the academic term by the journalism class. We also publish the Legend online at www.urbanlegendnews.org.

We welcome feedback about our articles and we also encourage readers to contact us directly with tips or ideas concerning future coverage.

The Legend publishes letters on topics of concern to the Urban community.

Letters must be signed; requests for anonymity will be considered on a case-bycase basis. Letters may be sent electronically to urbanlegendstaff@gmail.com.

Hard-copy letters may be sent to the Legend care of The Urban School. Guest opinion columns also may be submitted electronically or in hard copy. We reserve the right to edit for space and language.

Signed articles or opinion pieces represent the views of the writer only. Unsigned editorials reflect a consensus opinion of the newspaper staff.

Editor-in-Chiefs: News: Ella McLeod Layout & Design: Tessa Petrich

The Legend is a proud member of the National Scholastic Press Association

Section Editors: Opinions & Assistant News: Jacob Winick Arts & Assistant Layout: Mara Pleasure Features: Hannah Berk Photo: Olive Lopez Deputy Photo: Niki King Fredel Focus & Caboose: Aideen Murphy Online: Aleah Jennings-Newhouse Staff Writers: Aleah Jennings-Newhouse, Ilana Brandstetter, Ariane Goldsmith, Griffin Bianchi, Lily Dodd, Marie Bergsund, Niki King Fredel, Olivia Morfit, Sam Johnson Adviser: Beatrice Motamedi

Opinions

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The Urban Legend

February 2014

Editorial cartoon by Marie Bergsund

Editorial

Let's talk about homework Homework sucks. It’s not a revolutionary opinion, but no one at Urban is addressing it.

Maybe it’s because we have completely accepted the idea that homework is supposed to dominate our lives. Or maybe we feel too powerless to change Urban’s educational system.

Whatever the reason, it is time for us to talk about homework.

Urban’s homework load is ridiculous. In its mission statement, Urban says it “seeks to ignite a passion for learning, inspiring students to become self-motivated, enthusiastic participants in their education — both in high school and beyond.”

Yet while we need homework to learn, the cost is too high.

Not only do we miss out on important life experiences — trading family dinners for lab reports or bike rides with friends for essays — our learning suffers. Often, we don’t have time to pursue our own academic interests or to research topics further because we're busy doing assignments, which often have little to no relevance to our lives.

We're not learning at 2 a.m. when we're churning out sarcastic essays on how Holden Caulfield’s rebellious nature is a metaphor for the American Revolution. We are simply doing — not learning.

And for what? If homework could improve our conceptual understanding of our course material and teach us how to learn on our own, then it might be okay.

But it's not doing that.

In an interview with the Legend, Denise Pope, a senior lecturer at Stanford University and author of "Doing School: How We Are Creating a Generation of Stressed Out, Materialistic, and Miseducated Students," there is no relationship between homework load and personal learning.

Even though U.S. homework loads have skyrocketed in the last few decades, "(w)e could not find any evidence that doing homework, at any amount, is connected to teaching people the value of hard work,” Pope said.

She added that “(t)here is a confusion between rigor and load.

"One philosophy is that to prepare students for rigorous colleges, schools need to up the load," Pope said. "But that’s fallacy. You can rigorously prepare kids, without upping the load.”

Pope did identify "valuable homework," such as reading a novel for an English class.

If most homework doesn't help us learn and isn't making us happy or healthy, why do it?

What can Urban do?

We think reform begins with dialogue. Pope suggested having students do their homework during class for one week, so that teachers can see how long it takes.

Teachers may not know how long students are spending on their assignments, so students need to respectfully let them know.

After all, schools exist to teach students, not turn them into sleep-deprived zombies. Did we get that right?

This editorial represents a consensus view of the Legend staff.

Comment on this story at urbanlegendnews.org/category/opinions

In addition to the editorial, we have decided to include a few homework-related experiences and opinions from members of our staff.

—Jacob Winick, Opinions editor I love that Urban presents me with challenging and engaging homework, but I wish I didn’t have to choose between doing my work and doing things for the enjoyment of it. The often-excessive amounts of homework I get, which piles up on Monday and Thursday nights, has prevented me from going out to dance performances or art exhibitions, attending family dinners, seeing my brother present his school science project, and numerous other events. I put my homework as a top priority, and in order to complete all of my work, I have to make sacrifices elsewhere in my schedule. —Olive Lopez ('15) If the goal of education is to maximize conceptual understanding of the material, then the homework should revolve around thinking, not the final result.

For day-to-day homework, it's not helpful for me to work through math problem after math problem, wasting precious time to plug long formulas into my calculator, only to find that my final answer is wrong because I plugged in a number incorrectly. In the long run, fixing mistakes like this will not help my learning; it will only take away time from developing an understanding of the subject. This approach does not mean Urban has to move any slower through its course material. Rather, with less time spent on procedural work, and more time to actually excercise our minds in a meaningful way, the amount of homework can decrease. —Ilana Brandstetter ('15) If I had more time that wasn't filled with homework, the list of my alternative activities would be endless. I could do things I actually enjoyed, like playing the piano, drawing, reading, and spending more time outdoors. I can't remember the last book of my choice I was able to read. Because of the workload, I often don't have a Sunday, a day I could spend hiking, running or biking. I would have more time to spend with people I care about, like being able to enjoy dinner with my family, instead of rushing through to get back to doing work for the next day's class. —Marie Bergsund ('16)

Arts

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Senior

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Feburary 2014

The Urban Legend

Winter Art Show, a senior-only class, is no place for slackers. According to teacher Jennifer Starkweather, student artists each spent about 50 to 60 hours in the studio, not including homework. During the first two weeks of class, the students made 10x10 pieces with their initial ideas. "Some of these ideas evolve into more fully developed projects," said Starkweather. "Others may wait." Starkweather estimates that Urban has had 12 to 13 winter art shows, and there is a possibility in the future of more being taught during the spring term. Below are four examples of the students and their work, featuring their artist statements. —Lily Dodd

"Human beings drip, drop, and sleep — while we like to pretend that our noses to not flow with mucus and our eyes do not flood with tears, these parts of ourselves escape from within despite our efforts to conceal them. To me, images of snot, blood, and tears are exciting, sometimes gross, but ultimately beautiful."

winter Art Show

"Each step I took was spur of the moment and unplanned.

This has allowed me to see it somewhat as a viewer would see it for the first time, because every day my painting is different from yesterday. I am both familiar and unfamiliar with what I have been painting for the past 10 weeks."

—Kyla Candido '14

—Hannah Cook '14

"While I casted vulnerable and at times uncomfortable parts of my body, I reflected on my journey to accepting my body for what it is. Hanging the pieces in my installation in front of the mirror is symbolic of both my nervousness to present myself in such a vulnerable way and my ability to love and appreciate my body: Something that I have struggled with."

"Rather than the usual 'past, present, and future' archetypes that time is so quickly categorized by, these machines represent different tempos of time, different ways you feel time pushing you: How it operates you. When do you feel like time is running under you, and when do you feel like it is standing still? What does time feel like when you keep repeating the same routine every day versus when everything around you, including yourself, is being transformed as time goes on?"

—Miller Klistner '14

—Katie Angelot '14 Photos by Olive Lopez www.urbanlegendnews.org

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Caboose

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February 2014

The Urban Legend

Don't be a zombie — Eat Your Breakfast Spice up your oatmeal with: —Trail mi —Frozen blueberries —Agave sweetener

by Aleah Jennings-Newhouse Staff Writer

has been associated with improved academic performance, improved classroom behavior and attentiveness, and fewer visits to the nurse.”

Urban students seem to already have this message in mind.

“I’m a morning person just because I like breakfast. I’m excited to wake up just to eat it,” said Sonia Fillipow (’16). “I can’t learn if I don’t eat,” said Archer. “I feel ready to go when I eat breakfast.”

I t is 8:10 in the morning, and Urban students are turning as much attention as they can muster to their A-period teachers.

Take Brooke Roberts’ A-period history class.

Like all high schoolers, the students there are sleepdeprived and groggy, but there’s one problem they don’t have: Most of them ate breakfast.

Monday begins National School Breakfast Week, a time when public schools across the nation are encouraged to promote school breakfast as “convenient, healthy, and a real timesaver!”

This is a message that Urban students don’t appear to need. An informal poll of students in three A-period classes during the week of Jan. 6 revealed that only one in 10 students had skipped breakfast.

“What gets me through the day is breakfast,” said Lars Archer (’16).

However, not all students are so nutritionally aware or economically fortunate as to make the right decision. For students in public schools, the School Breakfast Program helps families that either can’t afford, or don’t provide breakfast.

SBP is a federally assisted meal program that began in 1975. SBP “was established to ensure

that our nation’s schoolchildren have access to a well-balanced meal every morning that class is in session,” according to a description at USDA.gov.

SBP spent $3.3 billion in 2012 to feed more than 12.9 million children every day, or an average of $255.81 per child.

For high school students, an SBP breakfast provides 450 to 600 calories, including a minimum of one serving of fruit, grains, and milk. According to the USDA, “(s)tarting the day with breakfast Top left photo: Oatmeal breakfast, by Hannah Berk. Middle: Mango smoothie, by Ella McCloud. , Bottom left: Breakfast cereal with bananas, by Olive Lopez.

www.urbanlegendnews.org

Sochi leave you cold?

Try Japanese mochi

by Sam Johnson Staff Writer

Looking for a healthy, energyfilled treat? Try mochi, a traditional Japanese cake made mostly from rice flour.

Where mochi originated is unknown, though it is believed to have been created in Asia. China and Taiwan have similar rice foods, but Japanese mochi is the best-known.

According to the New World Encyclopedia, the preparation of kagami mochi — which translates to “mirror rice cake” because of the way that this mochi is made — has been a common Japanese New Year’s tradition since the 10th century.

The traditional preparation begins with rice soaked overnight and cooked the next day. Then, it is pounded with wooden mallets and molded Mango smoothie from into different shapes. For kagami mochi, one rice cake is stacked Coffee onto another. to the People Traditionally, mochi is prepared on Haight the day before New Year’s, and Street then eaten on Jan. 11, or the second Saturday or Sunday of January, which is an important ritual in Japanese martial art dojos.

Inside of mochi, there can be an array of different sweets, including red or white bean paste, rice paste, and ice cream.

Now that you know how it’s made, are you craving some mochi? Mochi can be found in many places, especially in San Francisco’s Japantown.

Benkyodo is a popular sweet spot, and one of the original restaurants in Japantown.

It was founded in 1906, and has a myriad of different types of mochi.

Yui Kim has worked at Benkyodo for 10 years and is one of the chefs there.

“Mochi is a fun but challenging thing to make,” said Kim, “but the work is worth it for the taste.”

Frequent customers of the restaurant Archer also emphasized the importance of agree. Sena Mie, a 56-year-old Japantown breakfast for athletes: “For cross-country (team), native, has been eating at Benkyodo for I need a lot of energy, so I need a lot of carbs and many years. protein and I can’t do that during lunch,” he said.

“The taste is delicious no matter what Along with being more nutritionally aware, flavor,” said Mie. Urban students have easy access to healthy foods.

Mie also considers mochi to be a big part For Gwen McLaughlin (’16), eating breakfast of her Japanese culture. at 7 a.m. isn’t very appealing, but she still sees the “My mother used to hand make mochi. I value of a good breakfast. “I try to eat something would eat so much of it,” said Mie. during break,” she said.

While Kim and Mie talked about the Urban’s school café is open before A-period wonderful tastes of traditional mochi, Urban and during breaks, with many healthy options. student Geneva Pohl (’16) suggested a new If venturing to Haight Street is more appealing, spin for her favorite type. there are many options for snacks there as well.

“I like mochi when it has ice cream inside Regardless of where they eat, students are at a great because I don’t like red beans,” she said. advantage for being able to purchase breakfast in “I like mochi with ice cream in it,” Corey the first place.

Smith (’16) agreed. “It’s really good and it’s Urban’s health program plays a role in helping a nice mix of texture.” students make educated decisions. “Breakfast is Mochi is also a popular topping on frozen important because it fuels our whole morning. yogurt.

Not eating breakfast contributes to fatigue and “I also like the little ones you get at frozen not feeling well,” said health teacher Jenn Epstein. yogurt places,” said Pohl.

For those like McLaughlin, or students that However, Smith disagrees. don’t have time in the morning, Epstein has a few “I don't personally like to put it on my recommendations. yogurt because I’m not a huge fan of mochi “Smoothies are great. They taste good, and can without ice cream in it,” said Smith. be sipped slowly. You can make it the night before, and put almost anything in it,” she suggested.

Need advice? Ask The Yeti!

New advice column is on ...

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Finding mochi in Japan Town:

Nippon Ya on Post Street Super Mira on Sutter Street Minamoto Kitchoan on Market Street Simply Mochi, south of Market Street.

Kissako Tea on Webster Street

Top right photo: Ice cream with mochi, by Olive Lopez.

Middle: Mochi squares on a platter, by Janet Hudson at Flickr.com/Creative Common licensed. Bottom: A box of mochi, by T.Tseng at Flickr.com/Creative Commons licensed.

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