The Broadview 020416

TheInside True Cost Sweatshops impact children globally.

2 FAST FASHION = 10 million children between the ages of five and 14

February 4, 2016

Convent of the Sacred Heart HS • San Francisco, California

Vol. 22, Iss.4

Scoring digital touchdowns

Two teen girls dominate the virtual sports world while 3,203 miles apart.

Upcoming Super Bowl Events

Latin CheapAsiaclothes Africa contribute Americato unsafe work environments.

88

80

Children work an average of 80 hours per week.

1. Shoes The three largest products made in sweatshops:

2. Clothing 3 GETTING EDUCATED

Rugs Teachers sit in 3.the student seat for a change.

Source: Vegan Peace Kendra Harvey | THE BROADVIEW

50 “Puppy Bowl”

At the Ferry Building from 11 a.m.–8 p.m. today, tomorrow and Saturday. Festivities will run from 11 a.m.–3 p.m. on Sunday.

5 STREET SMART

Passengers should be just as responsible as the driver.

Annual Concert

A multi-cultural event Feb. 5 at 5:30 p.m. at the Paramount Theater in Oakland

Alicia Keys Concert

A free concert at the “City Stage” on Feb. 6 a part of an all day event.

Julia-Rose Kibben | THE BROADVIEW

SUPER BOWL CITY Football fans pose in front of Super Bowl installation at Pacific Avenue and Kearny Street. City officials working for the Super Bowl City stand at these installations and take photos for fans.

Julia-Rose Kibben Design Editor

With the Superbowl taking over the Bay Area from the City to Santa Clara, junior Grace Apple plans to observe from the ESPN Fantasy Football app, where she has lead the whole season.

Apple met junior Shoshana Hoffman of Virginia during her time abroad at Oxbridge in Salamanca, Spain and during downtime, the two bonded over a love of football, and created an ESPN Fantasy Football team which eventually finished the season winning the fantasy league.

“I’ve always been a fan of football, but I learned a lot more about different players and teams through fantasy football,” Apple said.

ESPN Fantasy Football allows gamers to create football teams made up of drafted National Football League (NFL) players, and does not involve gambling.

Gamers base decisions off of the success of teams and individual athletes as well as ESPN projections pubAPPLE lished on its website.

“When we made our team, some guys had told us ‘Your team sucks, you got all the wrong players,’” Apple said. “I don’t know how that’s possible because we got some top players, but I think they said that because they were jealous that girls were playing in this dominantly male game.”

Apple says she and Hoffman check the Fantasy Football app as frequently as their female peers check Snapchat and Instagram.

At the beginning of the fantasy season, as the only femalecoached team in their league, they drafted Peyton Manning, football quarterback for the Denver Broncos who is now set to compete in the Super Bowl 50 on Sunday at 49ers Stadium in Santa Clara.

“We won’t be affected by the quantitative score of the Super Bowl because we’ve already won our league, but if the Broncos win, Peyton Manning, our quarterback will be accredited with that Super Bowl trophy and the next Fantasy season he’ll be higher ranked,” Apple said. “This will be important for us next

season because having him will increase our team’s credibility.”

Manning holds many fantasy records as one of the top four best quarterbacks. He scores an average of 11.7 touchdowns per season since being drafted to the Broncos, according to ESPN. Fantasy Football gamers “coach” their teams, choosing which players to bench and which to play on a weekly basis.

“During the draft you really have to know the players because you can’t just base it off of a player’s brand name,” Apple said. “While the season’s going on, you have to keep up, you can’t just let your players play.

We put in Peyton, he got hurt, and we had to know to replace him with [Tony] Romo.”

See Super Bowl p. 2

Low cost clothing is often sourced from sweatshops and child labor.

Icons made by FreePik, compiled by Lisabelle Panossian | THE BROADVIEW

Colorful advertisements reading “Up to 75 percent off select items!” and “Fashion from $5!” cover buses, buildings and billboards in hopes of attracting potential customers, but behind the smiling models lies a world where people work for little more than slave wages and children sit behind sewing machines instead of school desks.

Offering cheap and trendy attire, “fast fashion” stores like Forever 21, H&M and Zara appeal to tweens, teens and adults alike, but although their offers may seem like a bang for a buck, the manufacturing practices of large, low-price clothing stores may not be such a dream come true for the people making the clothes.

Heavy backpacks can be detrimental to back health.

Source: The Super Bowl 50 Host Comittee and Animal Planet Julia-Rose Kibben | THE BROADVIEW

Workers pay the price for fast fashion Neely Metz Senior Reporter

8 CARRY THAT WEIGHT

“In terms of where my clothes come from and who I decide to support economically, it’s either companies who underpay their employees or companies who respect their workers,” junior Ana Paula Louie Grover, who is a member of the Fashion Club, said. “I take that into account now when I shop.”

As clothing prices decrease, the chance the company is turning to exploitive, outsourced manufacturing in order to maintain low prices increases.

“I just advise to avoid fast fashion,” Rachael Denny, who co-teaches a unit on oppression in the clothing industry in sophomore English and history, said. “Those we definitely know are coming from places where people are at least underpaid.”

See Fast Fashion p. 2

9 SPRING INTO SPORTS

Upcoming season welcomes soccer, swimming, fencing, track and field.

QuickReads CUB AND GET IT, DEVILS

Junior varsity and varsity basketball teams will butt heads with University on Friday in the Herbert Center, starting with JV at 4 p.m. and closing with varsity’s game at 5:30 p.m.

FACULTY MEETING

Classes start at 9:05 a.m. next Thursday after a faculty meeting in the Mother Williams Library during Collaboration Lab, a designated study time which allows students to study with one another.

FEBRUARY BREAK

Winter Break begins at dismissal on Friday, Feb. 12 for all four schools. Whether students seize the opportunity to hit the slopes or take a well-deserved “staycation,” campus will be closed until classes resume on Monday, Feb. 22.

READ ALL ABOUT IT

Journalism Education Association’s Scholastic Journalism week takes place Feb. 21- 27, and brings awareness to the benefits of a journalistic education. JEA is dedicated to the advancement of scholastic journalism education, and runs several conferences and programs throughout the year for both students and teachers.

Broadview and Très Bien staffs will be holding an Open House in the new Publications Lab to recruit staffers on Feb. 25.

Publication staffs will talk about the benefits of the media, what staff roles entail and how to utilize social networking as a tool for media coverage.

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED The Broadview Convent of the Sacred Heart HS Schools of the Sacred Heart 2222 Broadway San Francisco, CA 94115

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2 | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2016

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The True Cost

Sweatshops impact children globally.

Fast fashion born from exploitation

From Workers p. 1 The United States has the largest clothing industry in the world, with clothes accounting for 3.5 percent of an average American family’s yearly budget, but only a mere 2 percent of it is made in the United States, according to the American Apparel and Footwear Association.

By using foreign manufacturers, American retailers are able to produce more clothing for much less than if they were manufactured in the country, sacrificing normal pay and safe conditions for low prices. U.S. labor laws provide American workers with stable rights and regulation, but in developing countries where manufacturing is often targeted, companies are able to pay extremely low wages and are not burdened by employee healthcare and benefits.

“It depends on the type of garments that are being made, so for low-end garments it’s definitely cheaper to manufacture overseas,” Amy Hall, the Social Consciousness Director for Eileen Fisher, said. “But for higher quality garments, like ours or other high-end apparel, oftentimes the brand will go overseas for quality purposes. One prime example, at least in our case, is China. We actually get better quality garments from China than we can in any other place that we’ve tried, including the U.S., and it’s not cheaper for us.”

Although China is the global leader in clothing exports, many fast fashion companies source their manufacturing in Bangladesh due to lower wages and lack of regulation. Bangladesh has one of the lowest minimum wages in the industry at the U.S. equivalent of $68 per month, according to the International Labour Organization.

Many employees are forced to

work shifts as long as 14 to 16 hours each day for seven days a week, bringing the total earnings to 15 cents an hour.

More developed and economically sound countries can provide a worker with more rights and pay than a worker in a poorer country, even if they are doing the same job.

“

It’s either companies who underpay their employees or companies who respect their workers.

”

— Ana Paula Louie Grover

“It’s aligned to the form of oppression inequality,” Denny said.

“The idea that a girl in Bangladesh who is making the exact same T-shirt as a girl in Brazil, is making five to 10 times less.

So they do the same work, but because of where they were born and where they are working, they are unequal.”

Unsafe working conditions in Bangladeshi factories came to the forefront in the Western world when the Rana Plaza factory building collapsed, killing more than 1,000 people and injuring over 2,000, bringing to light the lack of safe conditions in many overseas garment factories. The incident led both American companies and the Bangladesh government to impose changes for inspection, workers’ rights and labor laws in factories.

Despite talk of reform in the clothing industry, workers continue to face physical and verbal abuse, forced overtime and failure to pay wages in a timely or complete manner that are often overlooked during inspections, according to Human Rights Watch.

“We have a team called Social Consciousness which has people attending to our environmental commitments, our human rights commitments and our commitments to our communities,” Hall said about Eileen Fisher’s corporate involvement. “We’ve done a lot of work around living wage, it is something that we find really difficult to tackle, and we’ve done a lot of studies and participated in a lot of multi-brand dialogue around how to really achieve this. We’re not aware of any other company that’s going to the measures that we’re going to right now to really start from within in terms of addressing living wage.”

Being the fifth largest specialty retailer in the United States, Forever 21 is reported to use questionable manufacturing practices to support its low prices, including the purchase of child-harvested cotton and the use of sweatshops, according to Business Insider.

Uzbekistan, the fourth largest exporter of cotton in the world, produces and harvests cotton with government-forced labor as well as child labor, according to Anti Slavery. While many other fast fashion retailers are boycotting Uzbek cotton, Forever 21 continues to use it for its clothing, according to the International Labor Rights Forum.

“If I do go into Forever 21 or those places, I usually just look around,” Louie Grover said. “You can definitely tell that they are the harbors of unjust manufac-

= 10 million children between the ages of 5 and 14 Latin America

Africa

Asia

Hours worked per week 88

nonworking hours

Children in sweatshops work an average of 80 hours per week for low pay with poor working conditions.

80

working hours

The 3 most common products made in sweatshops

1. Shoes 2. Clothing 3. Rugs Source: Vegan Peace Kendra Harvey | THE BROADVIEW

turing because of how cheap the prices are. So, I try to stay away from them and try to buy from different brands.”

Yet many teenage consumers continue to support what are commonly considered slave labor practices. Fifty-eight percent of respondents in a Broadview survey claimed to shop at Forever 21, even though 81 percent of them said that they would not support a clothing company that used child labor to manufacture their clothing. Seventy-one percent answered they would pay more for their clothing if it means the workers making the apparel would be paid a living wage, have safer working conditions and that the company would not use child labor.

“I think it depends on the person whether you buy less clothes for more money or more clothes for less money,” Louie Gro-

ver said. “I personally have the means to pay for higher quality and better manufactured clothing, I just think it depends on the people. But if I knew where my money was going and what I was supporting, I would pay more.”

Limiting one’s purchases and taking into account your true necessities can help break the chain of damaging manufacturing practices. By purchasing cheap, fast fashion clothing, the people manufacturing them will ultimately be the ones to pay the price, according to Hall.

“We’re all guilty of looking for a sale and looking for a good buy,” Hall said. “I think the question that we all have to ask ourselves is that the cheap price doesn’t come without another price somewhere else. Somebody has to pay for that.”

Forever 21 did not respond to requests for comment for this story.

Junior evades sports, gender stereotypes

From Scoring p. 1

Later in the season, Romo got injured and they switched him back out for Manning.

Before Hoffman met Apple, she took a Sports Marketing class at her high school in Virginia where she was the only girl out of 25 students.

“After taking sports marketing, I learned that your score means everything,” Hoffman said. “It’s not one individual

player that matters on your team that’s good, overall you have to have a great team to get those points.

Her class experimented with playing Fantasy Football and projections on March Madness.

“I was in the top 10 or something, and everyone was just like ‘Oh wow, you actually kind of know sports,’” Hoffman said. “To them, I was ‘just a girl’ and they didn’t think I got it.”

Apple and Hoffman’s team,

known as “shanapple apple” placed first in their league after winning 10 of 13 games. Shanapple apple also “took home” virtual trophies for the Biggest Win of the fantasy season and the Division Championship.

“We are really looking forward to the next Fantasy Football season,” Apple said. “Hopefully the Broncos win so we can continue to defy gender stereotypes in the sports world.”

Julia-Rose Kibben | THE BROADVIEW

50/50 Tourists pass by the Super Bowl 50 trophy-inspired installation on Pacific Avenue and Kearny Street. Super Bowl 50 statues have been set up around the City in preparation for the big game on Sunday, causing backlash from San Francisco locals leading to multiple vandalizations of the large sculptures.

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SACRED HEART

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2016 | 3

Alumna makes waves at USNA Life as a midshipman brings opportunities, challenges.

A

Claire Kosewic Senior Reporter

s her alarm goes off at 5:30 a.m. each day, Maya Melrose (’15) climbs out of bed and into her clothes for an early morning workout, knowing that she must be back on deck ready to start the rest of her day in an hour.

Melrose does not live on a boat, but is a Fourth Class Midshipman, also known as a plebe, at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, where everything in her life is treated as if she is at sea. “ I n i t i a l l y, when considering colleges, I didn’t think about the Naval Academy at all,” Melrose said. “I got a letter in the mail from the admissions team saying ‘Hey, come to an aircraft Maria Melrose | WITH PERMISSION

carrier to see what the academy is like.’”

Melrose initially did not want to go, but attended after being encouraged by her mother.

“The event was held in Alameda on the USS Hornet, a museum in an aircraft carrier,” Maria Melrose said. “Navy put on a huge show. I put on my best poker face, pretending not to be impressed — but Maya was already 100 percent hooked.”

Maya Melrose said community service during high school helped her realize that helping others made her feel like a better person, and was a manifestation of the leader she knew she someday wanted to be.

“After talking to some of the midshipmen and hearing what they had to say, I felt that my resources as an individual would be best utilized through military service,” Melrose said. “The Naval Academy provided me with the opportunity to have a great education as well as the chance to grow and inspire others.”

Life on deck is fast-paced and high energy, according to Melrose. Days are filled with brigade formations, college classes, required sports practices, quizzes from upperclassmen and extracurriculars. Midshipmen also

attend “briefs” in the evenings where they hear from outside speakers.

“You take every minute you have to do something,” Melrose said. “As a plebe, I’m not allowed to watch TV or movies, or listen to music, or anything like that — which means that I’m 100 percent focused most of the time.

It’s definitely tiring, but working together with my company, we work really hard and get it all done.”

Classes and teachers at Convent influenced Melrose’s decision to apply to the academy, especially ethics, government and U.S. history, and the support of Norman Luna, Michael Steinbrecher and Paul Pryor Lorentz who helped her in the process.

“In observing Maya, she seemed like someone who had the internal drive to be able to handle the constant challenges of attending a service academy, especially during her plebe year, which is unyielding in its pressures and expectations,” government and politics teacher Luna said.

After graduation, the midshipmen join either the Marine Corps or the Navy as a second class lieutenant or an ensign,

Faculty gets schooled outside classroom

S

Asha Khanna Senior Reporter

ome teachers occasionally put down their dry erase markers as they switch roles and become students themselves to further explore the subject they teach and bring new information to the classroom.

“You should be learning with the students, alongside them, rather than being the one at the front of the room telling them everything you think,” Head of School Rachel Simpson said.

“That’s not what teaching is about.”

Theology teacher Dr. Rachel Bundang attended the Women’s Alliance for Theology Ethics and Ritual conference last summer, which focused on feminism and religion.

“When I came back, I pulled from it and translated it for a high school audience,” Bundang said. “Even though my formal school is finished, I still make it a point to try to nerd out when I can, going to conferences where I learn from other scholars.”

Another lifelong learner, English teacher Julia Arce, was

VIRGIN IN A RED DRESS WITH CHRIST ON HER LAP

awarded a fellowship to study Shakespeare in Oxford, England during which she visited the author’s old haunts and attended his plays.

“I teach Shakespeare, so I got to take a class and go see where he was born and the city and great live theater at his home town,” Arce said. “Since I’m a teacher, I think being a student helps me understand what it means to be a student.”

Arce also recently attended a reading workshop in Florida.

“When I come back, I have more energy, I have new material , I have different angles and hopefully a little more rigor and passion,” Arce said. “Even things I’ve read 10 times, I see new things in them and I see new applications for them.”

Arce returned from the conference excited to start teaching poetry and get every student involved in the conversations, according to junior Ally Arora, who takes Arce’s English class.

“It really makes a difference in the student-teacher relationship if they know what we are going

through and know how you feel from the other side of the conversation,” Arora said.

Math teacher Jordan Lewis is currently taking six classes, which he will complete by the

“

I think being a student helps me understand what it means to be a student.

”

— Julia Arce

end of the year, to solidify his teaching degree.

“When I went back to school, I was finally back with people who cared about thinking or being smart,” Lewis said. “It was a lot more intellectually intriguing which was super fun.”

Noticing the influence of technology in the classroom, Science

Virgin in a red dress with Christ on her lap

Portrait of St. Madeleine Sophie Barat

Artist: Anonymous Date: 19th Century Medium: Oil on canvas Region: Italy Location: Reception Room A seated figure of the Virgin Mary dons a simple red dress highlighted with a blue cloak holds the young Christ.

Artist: Unknown Date: 19th century Medium: Oil on canvas Region: France Location: Flood Marble Staircase Barat is the founder of the Society of the Sacred Heart and was canonized as a french saint of the Catholic Church.

This is third in a series highlighting the art hanging in the Schools of the Sacred Heart.

Maud Flood donated these paintings to the Society of the Sacred Heart with her home, the Flood Mansion, in 1939.

department chair Ray Cinti decided it was time to go back to school. He graduated in 2014 with a Master’s degree in learning with an emphasis on the digital aspects.

“Youtube, when it was first created, was all these household movies, things like cats jumping off the couch,” Cinti said. “Then I started noticing people were putting up instructional videos.

I started to think, ‘Wow, this could be an amazing opportunity if I went back to school, and I learned a little bit about creating videos and harnessing technology.’ I was intrigued with flipping the class.”

Being a lifelong learner is what sets apart a good teacher from a truly great teacher, according to Simpson.

“To be a great teacher, you have to always be on that edge of your own discovery,” Simpson said. “You have to be modeling that for students. It’s about discovering and learning with your students, alongside them.”

Halie Kim and Fiona Mittelstaedt contributed to this story.

where they must serve at least five years on active duty.

“Everyone hypes you up a lot at the beginning and gets you really excited to be a part of the brigade,” Melrose said. “But then they hit you on Initiation Day, and make sure you know that you are the bottom of the totem pole.”

Students who first arrive at the academy are subjected to the rigors of “Plebe Summer,” an intensive seven-week program designed to challenge the midshipmen both mentally and physically.

“I guess I wasn’t expecting to feel like such a failure,” Melrose said. “They take away all the things you worked hard for in high school, and then you just have to focus in on who you want to be.”

Melrose says learning from mistakes and caring about those around you are the most important lessons to learn in order to succeed at the academy, where the physical and emotional strength of the midshipmen are challenged daily.

“I’ve definitely doubted what I am doing many times,” Melrose said. “But at the end of the day, I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

SECRET LIVES

OF TEACHERS

RACHEL BUNDANG THEOLOGY TEACHER

INTERESTS ӹӹ Yoga ӹӹ Music

INSTRUMENTS PLAYED ӹӹ Violin ӹӹ Piano ӹӹ Percussion Instruments

ALMA MATERS

ӹӹ Princeton University ӹӹ Harvard University ӹӹ Columbia University

FUN FACT

PORTRAIT OF ST. MADELEINE SOPHIE BARAT Sources: Art history teacher Sarah Garlinghouse, Art historian Sunnie Evers, SSH appraisal book

ӹӹ Her band opened for the Indigo Girls at the Anaheim Arena for around 10,000 people

— Compiled by Josephine Rozzelle

4 | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2016 THE BROADVIEW AND BROADVIEW.SACREDSF.ORG

FEATURES

Driving in the rain

Transportation cautions heighten with increase in precipitation.

Jemima Scott | THE BROADVIEW

S

Asha Khanna Senior Reporter

enior Abby Dolan got into her car wearing slippers as it started to rain one day last year, but her shoe choice proved unfortunate when she tried to back her car into a parking spot.

“I just had to put my foot on the brake to stop my car, and my foot slipped off of the brake and onto the gas pedal because my slippers were wet,” Dolan said.

“I just floored my car into the car behind me, and it totaled the other car.”

This winter’s higher than normal rainfall, welcome after four years of drought, is attributed to El Niño, a climate cycle in the

Pacific Ocean. The current El Niño is the strongest in 18 years and is not expected to end until late spring, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

“It was a week after I got my license, so I had only been driving for a little bit,” Dolan said. “I had never driven in the rain before I got my license, so I kind of taught myself. That’s one thing I was really scared about driving.”

Junior Claudia Bouchard drives to school every day to practice for her license, but like Dolan, she never received any training specific to driving in the rain.

“Driving in the rain hasn’t been that much different, I just

Riding Responsibly

feel like I’m more alert,” Bouchard said. “One of the lessons I had with my instructor was in the rain, but that was the only practice I had.”

Young drivers are advised to keep their phone turned off, minimize distractions such as playing music loudly and obey the speed limit to drive safely, according to the California Department of Motor Vehicles.

California law requires drivers to keep their headlights on when the windshield wipers are in use in addition to when it is dark or when visibility is less than 1,000 feet.

“I’ve also been in the car with friends, and we’ve slightly hydroplaned,” Dolan said. “You

just have to slow down.”

Hydroplaning, which occurs when the car tires skid on a wet surface, is caused by water that mixes with oil residue on the street and creates a slippery surface. Drivers are advised to slow down and avoid hard braking, according to the American Automobile Association.

Drivers are not the only ones who can get injured from wet pavement.

Math teacher Chris PersonRennell, who bikes to school everyday with his safety gear — a bright yellow vest, a helmet and lights on his bike — says he must take extra precautions in the rain.

“You do have to go slower be-

cause the brakes don’t work as well,” Person-Rennell said. “If the water directly contacts the brake surfaces on a bike, your stopping distance increases. It’s also really easy to skid out because the streets have oils built into them, which just happens in a city. When there’s water on the streets, it’s really slick on the bike, so I do have to bike slower.”

Wet pavement causes approximately 1.2 million crashes each year, according to AAA. “I’m definitely more cautious,” Dolan said. “The speed limit doesn’t apply in all weather conditions. You definitely have to be more careful in the rain.”

Taking control of the wheel Teens’ driving and riding choices are more than just red light, green light decisions.

India Thieriot

S Photo illustration: Bea D’Amico | THE BROADVIEW

Driving duties extend to passengers when on the road.

Liana Lum

D

Editor-in-Chief

rivers are often held responsible for driving with distractions, such as blaring music, texting and intoxication, but passengers can be equally accountable when they add to the disturbance rather than eliminate it.

“Driving is a very difficult task, and a driver’s mind has to be on driving,” Kathy Bernstein, National Safety Council Teen Driving Expert, said. “It’s driving time, not social time.”

Distraction and lack of experience cause the majority of serious crashes involving teen drivers, according to a study by the Center for Injury Research and Prevention at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia with State Farm Insurance Companies.

“Passengers screaming or making loud noise or those who are sometimes changing in the car distract me,” driver Paula Gutman said. “Having a calm conversation with music or watching out for me when I’m backing out is helpful.”

Both passengers and drivers should take initiative to make sure seat belts are being used and younger passengers stay calm, according to TeenSpeak, an organization for teens by the Center for Young Women’s Health.

“I talk to my dad, so he doesn’t drift off, or I give him water and a little food,” sophomore Starr Hooper said. “My mom is always on her phone, so I make sure she’s talking out of her Bluetooth, or I’ll read the text out to her and type the message.”

Bernstein says when drivers and passengers are too tired, pulling over and stretching out to take a break can also be helpful.

She also advises that unless necessary, communication should be reduced altogether.

“Passenger restriction and night time limitation laws for teens are not there cause you’re younger but because you are inexperienced,” Bernstein said.

“They’re there to help you not get hurt. Pay attention to them and follow them.”

Assistant Copy Editor

itting in the backseat of an acquaintance’s car, junior Lillian Lachman said she began to wonder whether the driver was sober. After a couple minutes of swerving and nearly running red lights, she asked to be let out of the car and proceeded to call an Uber.

Teenagers are faced with difficult decisions every day that they must make independently.

Deciding whether to get behind the wheel or to get in the backseat of an impaired driver’s car may seem like a simple decision that can be based on logic. However, there is more that goes on in the teen’s brain than rationality that guides the “right” decision.

“We encourage young people to take risks in the classroom, and then we don’t encourage them to take risks outside the classroom,” youth advocate Charis Denison said. “When they fail something in the classroom, our response is saying ‘Just do it better next time,’ not ‘you’re grounded. Don’t ever attempt that again.’”

The fear of immediate consequences and parental backlash can result in adolescents rationalizing a choice they may not make if nothing were at stake.

No teen wants to call a parent to find a safe alternative to getting in an inebriated driver’s car at the risk of getting a close friend in trouble.

“I got in and I thought for the

first 10 minutes that he was just terrible driver,” Lachman said.

“His eyes were bloodshot, so after another two minutes I asked him if he had anything in his system, and he said yes.”

Teens are often times not given enough credit for the choices that they make, as adults tend to worry about the person whom they do not want their children to become, rather than the person they hope their child will become, according to Denison.

“For every kid that does get behind the wheel or gets in the car, I talk to probably 10 who don’t,” Denison said.

While still a relevant issue, the frequency to which teens drink and drive has decreased by more than half since 1991, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

“I think that alcohol has been taught in the curriculum long enough that the information is out there and is glaringly obvious,” Denison said about driver’s education. “A long time ago, it was ‘Just say no,’ but teens aren’t going to respond to that.

Explain to them why you might say no.”

Although statistics about teen drinking and driving are readily available, the effects of driving under the influence of marijuana is less studied, and over a third of teens erroneously belief that their driving improves with marijuana, according to Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

“I have driven high but never drunk,” a San Francisco prep school graduate who wishes to remain anonymous, said.

“It was kind of hard because I couldn’t really pay attention to everything at one time which is really what you need to do when you’re driving.”

Contrary to the urban myth that driving high improves driving skills, marijuana stunts reaction time, motor coordination and the ability to multitask is impaired, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

To decrease the risk of driving under dangerous conditions, partygoers should always assign a designated driver before going out. Teens who feel unsafe about getting into a car with a driver under the influence of drugs and alcohol should identify an adult whom they feel comfortable calling to seek a safer alternative home.

It does not necessarily have to be a parent, just someone they trust.

“I think people should know that driving high is definitely just as dangerous as driving drunk,” the prep school graduate said. “In any situation, even if you’re tired or just have a lack of sleep, you should still try not drive because you’re not only putting yourself in danger but you could be putting a family or a child in another car in danger.”

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FEATURES

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2016 | 5

Protecting privacy online

Users may be agreeing to more than they initially think.

Lisabelle Panossian

T

Web Editor

echnology users routinely agree to a website’s or app’s terms and conditions, but they may never figure out that their agreement is anything but “no strings attached.”

“Apps provide great conveniences,” Internet and privacy lawyer Anne McKenna said, “but we often unwittingly consent to disclosures to all of our electronic activity by agreeing to the terms of use and privacy policy.”

No more than 8 percent of social media and application users are expected to fully read the terms and conditions of a service, according to Measuring Usability, a quantitative research firm focusing on human behavior — leaving a full 92 percent of users unsure of what they are exactly agreeing to.

The United States has not passed any federal legislation in terms of electronic privacy since the 1986 Electronic Communications Privacy Act, known as ECPA, allowing the government to obtain access to digital communications with a subpoena once the items are 180 days old.

“The law hasn’t kept abreast to what the technology can do,”

McKenna said. “We have these antiquated contract laws that state when somebody agrees to something then they’ve consented to it and so there’s not really recourse.”

Sixty-eight percent of Internet users believe current laws are not good enough in protecting people’s privacy online, according to the Pew Internet & American Life Project.

Users can be more aware of relinquishing online privacy rights by reading the basic provisions of an Internet company’s privacy policy before tapping “I agree.”

“Minor benefits of an app could grant the app access to nearly all your data,” McKenna said. “Reading the basic provisions of the privacy policy will let you know if it’s worth it or not.”

Becoming aware of an app’s privacy policy can prevent an unknown breach of privacy such as location tracking.

“All of us using smartphones are basically walking around with tracking devices on us because all of our smartphones use GPS enabled location tracking technology,” McKenna said.

“That means that at all times that particular mobile phone and its exact location can be tracked.”

Not everyone is comfortable with this idea.

“It can sometimes be seen as creepy because I don’t need companies always knowing exactly where I am,” junior Logan Evans said. “They can easily try to use that against you, which isn’t all that safe.”

Blithely checking the box on agreeing to a privacy policy or nonchalantly giving permission to share location with an app is not the only privacy breaches that web users may face.

“Sometimes I go on a website then I go on YouTube, and while I’m waiting I see a little banner on the side showing something from the site I just went to,” Evans said. “I really didn’t know it was tracking where I’d want to go.”

Evans was experiencing the work of cookies, packets of data sent by an Internet server to a browser used to identify a user or track her access to the server, leading to stored user profiles and marketing insights.

“The question is are we going to just allow the wholesale collection of our data to be stored and bought and sold everyday,” McKenna said, “or are we going to have a system of legislation that really addresses this.”

I’mI’m no lawyer, butbut blindly no lawyer, agreeing to terms and blindly agreeing to conditions like a terms and seems conditions I’m no lawyer, but blindly bad idea… seems like to a bad idea... agreeing terms and conditions seems like a bad idea…

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Lizzie Bruce | THE BROADVIEW

Doing more harm than help

Volunteering with inefficient groups, lack of skills not beneficial.

V

Sergio Vasquez | WITH PERMISSION

Ray O’Connor | WITH PERMISSION

ON A MISSION Senior Lily Ross works alongside peers on a service trip to New Orleans, shoveling debris from a house they were demolishing into a nearby dumpster (top). Senior Abby Dolan works on demolishing the wall of a cornerstore that had not been touched since Hurricane Katrina (left).

Ten students from the high school division attended the weeklong annual New Orleans Service Immersion Experience trip, staying with nuns at a local sisterhood while volunteering with multiple local organizations in 2014. That year, student participants worked on the demolition project for two days , delivered and installed lightbulbs for locals who could not afford them, and built planters for locals to grow their own produce.This year’s trip will be from Feb. 13–19, and students will work with a local nonprofit organization.

Liana Lum

Editor-in-Chief

olunteering in a distant community in need may seem like a noble act, but such trips can be detrimental to those “receiving” help when the volunteer lacks skills that the community needs or the sponsoring agency does not create lasting impacts.

“A lot of people are a lot more willing to spend money on something if they can go see it,” Pippa Biddle, vice president of the Board at Onwards, a nonprofit which aims to reduce poverty through socially-responsible tourism, said. “If you’re young and looking to create an impact, any organization that leads with volunteering as their mission is worth examining critically. If they are purporting to do development work, their primary goal should be helping the community, not hosting volunteers.”

Biddle says it is best to work directly with an organization within the community as many coordinators of volunteer trips represent for-profit companies with the priority of making money — which isn’t always aligned with creating long-term change.

Conversely, participants ​ on the​annual New Orleans Service Immersion Experience work with a number of ​local organizations. During this year’s trip, which will be from Feb. 13 to 19, volunteers are collaborating​​ with Farming New Orleans​ , a nonprofit that turns abandoned land into community gardens​in economically depressed areas​.

“What happened​in a place like New Orleans ​ after Hurricane Katrina in 2005​​was driven

by volunteer initiatives,” ​​ Ray O’Connor, who has directed and chaperon​ed the high school trip for six years, said. “The economy was devastated, so​part of​our work i​ s​demolishing and rebuilding homes ruined by the​ hurricane so they can be occupied again.”

With knowledge of the community’s needs, CSH and SHHS volunteers learn how to use power and repair tools during a training day, ensuring they are performing tasks that could not be accomplished without the volunteers, rather than taking jobs away from the local community, according to AlmostDocs editor Michelle Lynn Stayton.

“In New Orleans, we saw a notable difference as people driving by would honk or come up to tell us the impact we had done,” senior Angie Scott, who attended the 2014 trip, said. “We provided support, but we were really trying to jumpstart more people to participate and help out.”

Similarly, Morgan Kendall (’08) took skills she learned in medical school to Mwanza, Tanzania, when she brought portable ultrasounds to a women’s clinic and taught health professionals how to operate them.

“We definitely wanted it to be sustainable, and an important part of that is teaching something that students there can use to make a difference,” Kendall said. “We weren’t butting in but offering a supplement and helping with what the clinic already offered. By teaching health providers, even when we left, there would still be something valuable that had been passed on.”

Volunteers should focus on development via economic in-

vestment, whether through donating money or participating in an adopt-a-village program, and not physically going to the country, according to Biddle.

“When I was in high school, I really wanted to make an impact I could see, but the reality is that you’re not an engineer or a doctor,” Biddle said. “Development professionals spend years trying to learn how best to help before breaking ground on a project.

To assume that, as a young person without specific skills in the field, you’ll be able to have a huge positive impact in just one week, is a little presumptuous.”

Although unintended, many short trip volunteers can end up doing more harm than good, causing abandonment issues when working with children and not staying long enough to realize their ineffectiveness, according to Stayton.

“Onwards gives microloans to local entrepreneurs, so they can create their own tourismbased businesses,” Biddle said.

“Then, during our trips, we rely on those businesses, and this fuels the economy. By focusing on a community economically, you can still travel, but your impact is deeper and empowers the community to address problems internally, rather than relying on more traditional external aid.”

This continued development of skills within that community can create long-term solutions, according to Biddle.

“Good things can come from these trips if people use them as a catalyst for good in the future, as long as it isn’t at the expense of the local population,” Stayton said. “Don’t forget about it once your Facebook pictures get old.”

6 | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2016 THE BROADVIEW AND BROADVIEW.SACREDSF.ORG

FEATURES

Moving past gender stereotypes

Preconceptions of masculinity and femininity can be altered, interpreted differently.

T

Kristina Cary

Managing Editor

hrough celebrities like Laverne Cox and Caitlyn Jenner, an increasing number of conversations regarding non-cisgender individuals are taking place, highlighting the shift of attitudes regarding gender identity.

Gender identity, how individuals perceive themselves as male, female, neither or a combination of both, may not fit with the sex they were assigned at birth, according to the Human Rights Campaign.

“As far as identity goes, that is someone’s outward presentation of themselves and how they wish for the world to see them,” Trey Amos, Poet Mentor Fellow and “Queer Poets & Allies” facilitator with the social justice and activist group Youth Speaks, said.

“That can be expressed in mannerisms, attire, numerous ways.

That teeters the line with gender expression as well, someone can identify a certain way, but maybe present a different way.”

A common misconception that pervades modern commentary on gender identity is that there are only two genders, according to senior Samantha Lee, who is a member of the Gender and Sexuality Alliance.

“People may think that sexuality is a spectrum, but I think that less well known is that gender is also a spectrum,” Lee said. “You have cisgender male and female, but you also have a lot in between.“ Gender is not is directly connected to an individual’s sexual orientation, according to junior Bella Maestas, who is also a member of GSA. “There are a lot of analogies for different sexualities, and

when it comes to genders it’s a lot harder to explain to people,” Maestas said. “They’re two separate things that can combine in many different ways. Essentially, both are spectrums, so you have a spectrum of different genders you can identify as.”

“

I would say to people who witness all those beautiful transitions to unlearn the things they are accustomed to and reshape their perspective.

— Trey Amos

”

Genderqueer individuals may be viewed as “dysfunctional,” non-contributing members of society, according to Amos.

“There are a lot of queer people who are doing well, breaking systems and making systems and really pushing the work that is happening around us in society.”

Amos said.

Catholic teaching does not specifically address those who do not identify with the sex they were born with, according to the Rev. Kenneth Westray, pastor at St. Vincent de Paul parish.

“Church teaching would be that a person is made in the image and likeness of God — male and female,” Westray said. “Talking about doing medical procedures that change your identity, that the Church would be against. It would be against that in any way, shape or form.”

For individuals who know someone who is reconsidering their gender identity or who themselves are reconsidering their gender identity, Westray encourages that they to talk to someone whom they respect, such as parents, friends or counselors.

“They need to be able to go through their experience, and I would never say close yourself up,” Westray said. “The more you talk, the clearer it is. You might come to that decision, ‘Yeah, that’s me now,’ but you’ve done that, and hopefully you’ll pray over it. I know it’s not easy, especially as a teen. You’re already questioning who you’re going to be, and then all of a sudden you’ve got this aspect of your identity on top of that.”

Amos also encourages these individuals not to be afraid of embracing the identity that they want to have.

“Never second guess that notion that who you are deserves to live, because that is your right and we have to all reclaim our right,” Amos said. “And I would say to people who witness all those beautiful transitions to unlearn the things they are accustomed to and to reshape their perspective of what male and female, or non-binary are, and most importantly to educate themselves on the things that they do not know.”

Gender Spectrum Identifying as one gender, multiple genders or no gender has fluidity, differs from biological sex.

Masculine

Gender fluctuates

Feminine

Agender - a person who does not identify with a gender or is gender neutral Bigender – a person who fluctuates between traditionally “woman” and “man” gender-based behavior and identities Cisgender – a person whose gender identity and biological sex assigned at birth align Source: The LGBTQIA Research Institute Darrean Loy | THE BROADVIEW

Straight to

Exploring gender and sexuality goes by societal norms. Understandin helps when connecting wi

THE BROADVIEW AND BROADVIEW.SACREDSF.ORG

o the point

beyond the stereotypes implicated ng proper terms and vocabulary ith LGBTQIA individuals.

Identity How one identifies their gender based on their understanding of what gender is.

FEATURES

LGBTQIA discussions stimulated Seniors introduced a club on campus to draw attention to gender and sexuality issues.

T Attraction How one is romantically or sexually attracted to one gender, multiple genders or no gender.

Sex The biological sex one is born with based on genetalia, hormones, chromosomes and physical traits such as body hair and voice pitch.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2016 | 7

Alyssa Alvarez Sports Editor

he lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community is now represented on campus through the creation of a club that provides a safe place for students to discuss their issues and experiences.

The Gender and Sexuality Alliance club’s members are involved in outside social justice and activism groups that sparked their interest in the LGBTQ society, such as Youth Speaks and Queer Poets and Allies.

“

It’s a place to talk about how nonbinary genders are treated in the outside world and how that affects different people day-today.

— Maya Greenhill

”

“We talk about ignorance in the community, not even at Convent, but in everyday life,” copresident Maya Greenhill said.

“It’s a place to talk about how nonbinary genders are treated in the outside world and how that

affects different people day-today.”

GSA club has compiled 12 members since the beginning of this school year.

“I think especially within the Convent community — as it is an all-girls, Catholic school — there is huge lack of awareness and diversity in terms of gender and sexuality,” Greenhill said. “I think it is crucial to have a space that holds the voices of minorities and educates others in terms of being kind and being aware of other people’s views and identities.”

A need for education about the gender spectrum is something relevant to the outer world as well, but especially within the fairly homogenous Convent community, according to Greenhill.

“Sometimes we will just talk about issues that some of us have faced,” Greenhill said. “We will discuss issues that the LGBTQ community is facing in general or do different art projects surrounding those themes of gender and sexuality and nonbinary conformance.”

The club’s meetings discuss activism, personal stories and injustices members see in the community and how they can be resolved.

“GSA is going to start a conversation, not only with the students but with the administration as well,” co-president Smith-Warner said. “There is an LGBT community at Convent. It is going to allow people to realize that school can be a safe space and not some harsh, judgemental community as long as we start bringing awareness.”

Greenhill plans on holding assemblies and inviting representatives from Youth Speaks to educate students. Members of the club created genderbread spectrum posters with diagrams in the shape of gingerbreads that

“

It is going to allow people to realize that school can be a safe space.

”

— Stella Smith-Warner

highlight the different types of sexualities people identify with, as an art project.

GSA is not aggressively pursuing members, but is open to anyone who has an interest in LGBT rights, according to SmithWarner.

“It is safe for people to talk about things, such as helping the LGBT community or being a part of it,” Smith-Warner said.

“We are a community that wants to be heard and talked about.”

GSA Club meets every other Thursday during lunch.

“I hope that it brings a safe space for people to come and explore their identity and be themselves,” Greenhill said. “We also want to provide awareness and education for the rest of the community.”

Sexuality Spectrum

Expression

The majority of non-asexual people are in between sexualities.

The way one presents their gender through actions, clothing and demeanor based on how they interpret gender norms.

0

1

2

0 Exclusively heterosexual with no homosexual

3

4

5

6

4 Predominantly homosexual, but

more than incidentally heterosexual

1 Predominantly heterosexual, only 5 incidentally homosexual

Predominantly homosexual, only incidentally heterosexual

2 Predominantly heterosexual, but 6 Exclusively homosexual

more than incidentally homosexual Source: It’s Pronounced Meterosexual Kendra Harvey | THE BROADVIEW

3 Equally heterosexual and homosexual

Source: The Kinsey Institute Kendra Harvey | THE BROADVIEW

8 | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2016 THE BROADVIEW AND BROADVIEW.SACREDSF.ORG

Breaking the fast

SPORTS&FITNESS

Breakfast is still the most important meal of the day.

A

Kendra Harvey Managing Editor

sleepy teenager’s growling stomach at the end of first period and her filling up on sugary, fatty foods can be attributed to staying up past midnight doing homework, sleeping through her alarm, rushing to get ready in the morning and skipping a crucial breakfast.

Yet, finding time to eat a protein-filled breakfast can improve focus in class and decrease cravings for the rest of the day.

“Eating breakfast gives your body important protein to start the day,” holistic nutrition consultant Caitlin Weeks said. “It also helps to stabilize your blood sugar so that you will make bett er choices and have even energy throughout the day.”

Whole grains, lean protein,

low-fat dairy, fruits and vegetables provide the essential vitamins and energy. Hard-boiled eggs, whole grain rolls and bagels, vegetable and fruit smoothies, plain yogurts and lean poultry are the best morning options for breakfast, according to the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.

“If I’m hungry, I don’t focus as much because I’m just focusing on food,” freshman Abby Anderson, who eats breakfast daily, said.

Thirty-one million Americans skip breakfast everyday, the largest demographic being adolescents, according to The National Purchase Diary Group.

“There has to be some education around breakfast, and I think high schoolers are so encouraged to eat whatever they

Bea D’Amico | THE BROADVIEW

can find, but that’s not really going to serve them,” Weeks said.

“They have to care more about how they are going to feel. They have to take some interest in their own health.”

Breakfast lives up to the description of being the “most important meal of the day” and should be filled with energy sustaining foods.

“People need to get away from the idea of breakfast as dessert foods because if you are eating cereal or even oatmeal or toasted

A pain in the neck — and back Excess weight in backpacks can cause harm.

Grace Ainslie

B

Senior Reporter

ased on the weight of her backpack, freshman Jordan Russell should weigh 290 pounds.

Russell’s bag weighs 29 pounds on a typical school day, yet backpacks should not weigh more than 10 percent of an individual’s body weight, according to Dr. Margaret Stafford, Assistant Clinical Professor of Family and Community Medicine at University of California, San Francisco.

“On a Red Day I carry my math notebook, biology notebook, French notebook, laptop, iPad, pencil case and English book ‘Macbeth,’” Russell said. “If I put them in my cubby, then I often forget to come back.”

Student backpacks average 22 pounds, according to a Broadview survey conducted on Jan. 27 in which 27 random backpacks were weighed as students entered the school.

“An average high school student might weigh 120 to 130 pounds, so we’re talking about 12 pounds at the most,” Stafford said. “A 30-pound backpack is almost a quarter of that person’s body weight, so that would cause much more significant problems than a lighter backpack.”

At least 14,000 injuries every year are treated from backpack related injuries, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Back pain can occur when backpacks are too heavy or if weight is unequally distributed, with one shoulder carrying more than the other. According to Stafford, students should use two straps while wearing a backpack, so the strongest muscles in the back and abdomen are supporting the weight.

“The body needs balance in carrying a load, so if you’re car-

rying a heavy load for a long period of time on just one side, or in general a heavy load, it can cause muscle strain,” Stafford said.

Students should pack heavier books closer to their back and arrange the backpack so its contents will not move around, according to the American Occupational Therapy Association.

When shopping for a new backpack, Stafford suggests consumers look for padded shoulder straps and weight belts to distribute the load more evenly.

“My back pain is a swimming injury mainly, but it’s also from the incorrect usage of my back muscles,” junior Bella Kearney, who suffers from back pain, said.

“I just have to be super aware of what I put in my backpack and to make sure that everything I’m carrying is essential. I really need it, so I need to keep it as light as possible.”

Kearney goes to physical therapy to help strengthen her core, but she is still careful about what she puts in her backpack.

“I utilize my locker more than other people,” Kearney said. “I’ve made a point to make it work for class, but it definitely is more work for me to make time to go downstairs to get what I need.”

Kearney does stretches including yoga poses and ab workouts as a way to strengthen her core.

“A lot of the strain from backpacks ends up on the top of students’ shoulders because that’s where the weight tends to fall,” Stafford said. “One thing that you can do is general neck roll and shoulder roll stretches.”

Neck rolls involve bringing the chin down to the chest and moving in it in a circular motion, while shoulder rolls bring both shoulders up and down in a forward, circular motion.

“It’s really important to get diagnosed by actual people who know what they’re talking about because there are way more muscles than you could ever think,” Kearney said. “Your back is fragile, and you’re going to need it for the rest of your life, so it’s important to take care of it.”

pastries or bagels, all that stuff just turns to sugar immediately,” Weeks said. “It will make you be hungry in about two hours.”

Protein and healthy fats are essential parts of breakfast, but some teens resort to easier, quicker foods for their morning meal.

“It just really depends on the day,” senior Jennifer Quillen said. “Sometimes it’s cereal, and sometimes it’s one of those microwavable Eggo waffles, and sometimes it’s oatmeal.”

#HUNGRY Senior Jennifer Quillen picks out a fruit cup from the cafeteria. Fruit is an essential part of a healthy breakfast but should be accompanied by protein and grains. The old saying “breakfast is the most important meal of the day” is still relevant, but is often undermined by rushing to school in the morning. In a time crunch, choose a grab-n-go, low-fat option like a protein bar.

Teenagers need to take their health into their control for their overall well being, according to Weeks.

“It comes when they see some improved concentration in their tests or better grades,” Weeks said. “A lot of kids are trying to get into colleges, and if they see some improvements in their ability to focus and concentrate, they might get more committed to fixing their breakfast the night before and shop for more healthy foods.”

El Niño brings snow

Storm brings best snow in 5 years.

J

Catherine Dana Senior Reporter

unior Hailey Long is pulling out her skis for the first time in years to shred the new, fresh snow on the slopes in Tahoe brought in by El Niño storm patterns.

“Since there was a lot less snow for the past couple of years, I didn’t want to go up because I didn’t want to spend money on a lift ticket,” Long said about the results of California’s three year drought.

“They are really expensive, and it’s not worth it if there’s no snow.”

Many students plan make the three to four hour trip to Sierra due to the increased snowfall so far this winter.

“I spent a lot of time in the snow which is a nice change from staying in San Francisco weather,” junior Katie Newbold said about her trip to Tahoe over Christmas break.

“There was so much snow, so my family and I were really excited to go up because we don’t see snow super often.”

The decreased snow at ski resorts in past years has lead to increased expenses of lodging, passes and gear. Tahoe ski resorts have four of the top 10 most expensive lift tickets in the country, costing up to $120 for a one-day adult lift pass.

“It’s really tough because

there’s a lot of families that work in Tahoe, and so when there’s not enough snow, there’s no work,” freshman Zoë Shane, who works parttime at Sugar Bowl resort, said. “Now that there’s more snow, there’s a lot more people getting paid and enjoying their winter more.”

Ski busses are a low-cost ski trip alternative, costing around $150. Bay Area residents can take a day trip to the mountains, gaining all the benefits of this snow-filled winter season without the cost.

“There was not a lot you could do,” sophomore Ava Jones said about past winter seasons. “There weren’t a lot of runs that were open because there wasn’t a lot of snow, so it would be the same runs over and over again.”

The El Niño storm pattern is the strongest one in 20 years, resulting in increased heavy rain and snow in California, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

This winter season has had the best start since the 20102011 season, with the earliest ski resort opening on Nov. 4.

“I am really looking forward to more skiers bringing the funds up at Sugar Bowl because people are going to be more inclined to visit because of the snow,” Shane said.

Weekend’s forecast for Lake Tahoe

Jemima Scott | THE BROADVIEW

Students mill in the Main Hall before school wearing their heavy backpacks. Bags without waist straps should not weigh more than 10 percent of the wearer’s weight, but most student packs are considerably heavier.

ӹӹ ӹӹ ӹӹ ӹӹ ӹӹ ӹӹ

Fri. 2/5: High: 45° Low: 25° ­— ­Partly cloudy Sat. 2/6: High: 50° Low: 27° — Partly cloudy Sun. 2/7: High: 48° Low: 26° — Sunny Fri. 2/13: High: 44° Low: 25° ­— Rain/snow showers Sat. 2/14: High: 47° Low: 25° — Partly cloudy Sun. 2/15: High: 46° Low: 24° —Partly cloudy Source: weather.com

— Compiled by India Thieriot

THE BROADVIEW AND BROADVIEW.SACREDSF.ORG

Spring sports training begins Asha Khanna

E

Senior Reporter

ven though the spring season does not begin until Monday, teams have been preparing for weeks to get ready for the second semester sports.

Winter conditioning has been taking place at Stuart Hall after school five times a week and is open to all athletes, but is mainly attended by track and field members, according to junior Olivia Hoekendijk who runs track.

“I normally lift weights, do core exercises, use the stationary bikes and sometimes I run,” Hoekendijk said. “A lot of track people go to condition and get ready for the season, so you aren’t just coming in cold and unprepared for the season.”

The fencing team began practice on Jan. 25 and attends mandatory practice Mondays and Thursdays with optional practice on Wednesdays, according to co-captain Erika Wong.

“I’m looking forward to bonding with all the new team members, and to defending our title that we won last year,” Wong said.

Convent and Stuart Hall are the current All-City champions.

The sailing team participated in a regatta over Christmas break and did some maintenance on the boats last week, according to team member Lulu Desai.

“I’m excited to see how we rank this year, especially since we have so many seniors on the team who are really good sailors,” Desai said.

Badminton, swimming and soccer did not have scheduled practices because there were no available spaces to meet until the season starts, but some teams have met to discuss the season, according to Athletic Director Elena De Santis.

“I’m looking forward to getting to know the new recruits since we lost a lot of swimmers from last year, since our team was essentially made of seniors,” Masha Kozlova, co-captain of the swim team, said.

Last year’s plans for a new lacrosse team have halted due to a lack of interest, according to De Santis.

“We put out a survey multiple times and there just weren’t enough people to get together a

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2016 | 9

SPORTS

Bea D’Amico | THE BROADVIEW

CYCLING Juniors Hailey Long and Katie Newbold (left to right) cycle during winter conditioning practice. Ahletes also weight lift, run and do core exercises. team,” De Santis said. “We will try some interest surveys again and if the interest level is up, we’ll look into starting it.”

Soccer was originally going to move to the winter season, but because of the disinterest in lacrosse, it will remain as part of the spring season, according to De Santis.

“University, Marin Academy, Lick and Urban all moved to the winter,” De Santis said. “So now, soccer will be playing against In-

ternational, Drew, Bay, San Domenico, Pescadero, Gateway and Waldorf.”

Coaches for all sports will remain the same as last year, with the exception of a new assistant coach for swimming and a returning coach for badminton.

“I coached four years ago for two seasons, and then I had a baby and retired for a little bit, but now I’m back,” history teacher Sarah Garlinghouse, who will coach badminton, said. “I’m

returning for the seniors’ last season, and I was there for their first season freshmen year, so I’m excited to see them graduate and play their last season.”

Early preparation can be beneficial for athletes in preventing injuries througho ut the season, according to De Santis.

“They come into the season a little more fit and their muscles are stronger,” De Santis said.

“They are prepared for meets and games in the season.”

sports stats

VARSITY BASKETBALL 2/10 v Immanuel 34-37 loss 12/11 v Central Catholic 45-42 win 12/12 v University 31-33 loss

1/6 v University 24-33 loss 1/7 v Durham 44-30 win 1/8 v Enterprise 27-54 loss 1/9 v Yreka 60-46 win 1/13 v Marin Academy 63-35 win

1/15 v Urban 57-43 win 1/22 v International 38-37 loss 1/27 v Lick-Wilmerding 54-34 win 1/29 v Urban 43-54 loss 2/2 v Marin Academy 57-43 win

Senior athlete takes last shot India Thieriot

A

Assistant Copy Editor

s the pre-game music thumps, senior Alex Farrán wraps up warm-up shooting drills, and leads the basketball squad into an intimate huddle where she wishes her teammates luck before taking her place on the court as the starting buzzer goes off.

Farrán has been playing varsity all four years, having discovered her love for basketball in the first-grade and playing through middle school.

“The team has taught me how to deal with adversity and has made me want to become a leader in different areas of my life,” Farrán said.

Farrán is not always automatically associated with being an well-versed athlete, but has also

India Theriot | THE BROADVIEW

HOOPS Senior Alex Farrán lines up for a free throw as the team is prepares for University HIgh School on Friday night.

played soccer and volleyball, according to her mother Helen Farrán.

“I love coaching Alex,” varsity basketball coach Reynolds Marquette said. “She works hard in practice — she works even harder in games. She’s improved a lot as a leader this year.”

Farrán has taken new varsity players under her wing and extended them her leadership and support, according to freshman Mason Cooney.

“Alex has also been a freshman on the basketball team, so she understands how confusing new plays and defenses can be for the freshmen,” Cooney said. “She is very helpful whenever we have questions because she’s been in our shoes.”

Being co-captains of the team, Farrán and senior Izzy Armstrong have formed a close friendship that aids in their ability to work efficiently and charismatically as teammates, according to Armstrong.

“Alex and I have been friends since third grade, so we know each other really well,” Armstrong said. “We know that if we’re having a problem with the team or we need to talk to the coaches, we can just tell right away. We have that give and take where we don’t even have to talk to each other. We can just look at each other and know things.”

Throughout her four years on varsity, Farrán has had two coaches, whom she says have radically different coaching techniques.

“I think it’s cool for me and Armstrong because we’ve gotten different styles of coaching, so I feel like I understand different ways of playing,” Farrán said.

The team of fewer than 11 players has made it easy to get to know everyone and strive for fluid team dynamics, according to Farrán.

“I think that team sports are a great foundation for life,” Helen Farrán said. “Learning to work with other people in a close, competitive environment will help her in college. Just knowing how to work together with others translates, whether it’s a dorm, a sorority or wherever she winds up.”

Farrán is always open to talking things through and calming people down if someone gets hotheaded during a game, according to Armstrong.

“She’s always giving us compliments and when she does, and she’s super down to earth so you know it’s not fake,” Cooney said.

Farrán says her biggest take away from the team — more than improving as a basketball player — has been developing as a person.

“I think the basketball team has been a great and positive influence for Alexandra,” Helen Farrán said. “I think it gave her sort of a nice home base to grow into from being a freshman who spent most of her time on the bench, to being a captain her junior and senior year.”

1/15 v Waldorf 38-25 win

JV BASKETBALL

1/20 v Bay 20-14 win 1/22 v International 16-28 loss

12/16 v Waldorf 32-16 win 1/6 v University 28-36 loss 1/13 v Marin Academy 28-23 win

1/27 v Lick-Wilmerding 32-24 win 2/2 v Marin Academy 36-38 loss

THE BUCKET LIST Alyssa Alvarez Sports Editor

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Tackling trauma

Athletes must take risks at the expense of injury.

op. It’s the sound that athletes fear every time they step on the field or

court.

We have heard so many stories about athletes like Derrick Rose and Tom Brady tearing an Anterior Cruciate Ligament and being taken away from the sport they love for surgery and months of rehabilitation. Their seasons abruptly end and any future in the sport hangs in jeopardy.

About 200,000 ACL injuries occur in the United States annually, and women are at much higher risk than men, according to Health Research Funding.

So many of my teammates and friends have had knee surgeries due to freak accidents on the soccer field — even just casual shootarounds with family members — that these incidents cause me to ponder the question, “Am I next?”

I worry that I am going to land awkwardly on a layup or take a step in the wrong direction. Stories of people so close to me have had me beginning

to consider playing differently, more cautiously.

But being soft and scared of contact is not me.

Any type of knee injury is serious, but every athlete should give her maximum effort in every drill she does and every game she plays despite the danger of being injured.

Instead of being scared of injury, strengthening legs and thighs and taking precautions such as stretching before activity can give ligaments in the knee more support, according to Hospital for Special Injury.

Practicing change of direction and balance can prevent injuries and give athletes confidence in their movements during games or practices.

The thought of losing the sport that I have worked so hard at and play everyday frightens me, but also makes me grateful for the opportunity to play the sport I love.

As athletes, we sometimes take for granted our abilities to run, jump and score because it comes so naturally to us. We have to prepare for injury, not be scared of it.

10 | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2016 THE BROADVIEW AND BROADVIEW.SACREDSF.ORG

OP-ED

STAFF EDITORIALS

Racial insensitivity triggers community discussion

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s Black History Month begins, it can be easy to say there has been significant progress for African American rights since the 1940s civil rights movements, but even in 2016, racism is still a problem.

Approximately 100 high schoolers from predominantly Catholic Bay Area high schools attended a “wigger”themed party, which combines the word “white” with a slur aimed at African Americans, two weeks ago. Consequences by their respective schools for known attendees have varied, with mixed opinions on their harshness, but it is important to realize that even as the “younger generation,” we are not immune to these antiquated views on racism.

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Action needs to be taken.

When racist comments and events slip under the radar, it makes them seem acceptable. This party, which reportedly has been going on for over a decade, is a perfect example of that. By not speaking out against this event, we have been complicit in its operation, which is the antithesis of what our school and Catholic values advocate.

Every individual is created in the image and likeness of God, and therefore

has an inherent dignity, according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Regardless of the intents of those who participated in or who remained complicit with this event, the party denigrated a specific group of individuals, which does not give them their due respect and is not a decent thing to do under any circumstance.

For participants who claim they did not know the racist theme of the party, that is part of the problem. Our arrogance and insensitivity to these issues normalizes them as “jokes” everyday and can blind us to casual racism.

The planning, execution and allowance of such an event was irresponsible and insensitive, and it should never have happened. In its aftermath, however, we

can only hope to learn from our mistakes and actively prevent the reoccurrence of such.

As the Church’s Catechism states, “Human beings make their own contribution to their interior growth.” This event opens the door to greater consideration and discussion of our own actions and values, as we grow as individuals and as a community and as we work to move past this unfortunate affair and promote a culture of diversity, sensitivity and understanding.

Being a predominantly white school, now is the time to reflect on our own privilege but, more importantly, it is time to listen.

Ads not so ‘Super’

s Super Bowl 50 festivities begin in San Francisco, people all over the country are flooding to the City to take part in the excitement of the game. Although many females will watch Super Bowl 50 and other big time sporting events, male-exclusive advertisements, lack of encouragement and poor representation of female athletes in the media can be detrimental to young women and girls’ enjoyment and participation in sports activities.

Being members of an all-girls community, we are strongly encouraged to pursue all of our interests including sports, which are often a hot topic in female stereotypes. Instead of remaining solely on the sidelines and bleachers of our male counterparts’ sports games, we too are out on the courts and fields competing for the win.

But for many women throughout the country, receiving the same amount of support and encouragement can be limited.

While professional sporting events such as the Major League Baseball World Series and the National Football League Super Bowl championships dominate American households and captivate a wide range of audiences, women’s pro-

fessional sports do not receive as much regard or attention.

Commercials during popular male sporting events are primarily geared toward men, depicting images of fast cars, male grooming products and beautiful women seductively eating hamburgers and other meaty foods. These images reinforce gender stereotypes and the wrongful expectation that women and girls are supposed to be only a pretty face beneath the shadow of men.

The lack of recognition in the professional sports world and the media leaves girls without many role models. This lack of athletic females causes girls to look toward images of external beauty that keep them within gender stereotypes and can harm their body image, according to the Women’s Sports Foundation.

Girls have far fewer opportunities to play sports than boys do, 1.3 million fewer than their male counterparts. As a result, girls drop out of athletics by the age of 14 at two times the rate of boys, according to WSF. By encouraging female participation and providing opportunities for them to immerse themselves in sports, girls all across the country will come off the bleachers to get their heads in the game.

Girls aren’t supposed to like football.

And we’re supposed to like gender stereotypes?

Lizzie Bruce | THE BROADVIEW

Correction In previous editions, the Society of the Sacred Heart symbol was appropriated in an upside down fashion for the logo of our ongoing series, “Sacred Art.” We apologize for any offense caused, and any implications derived from the symbol’s orientation were unintentional. The correct portrayal of the logo is depicted on the right.

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE PORTRAYAL OF WOMEN IN SUPER BOWL COMMERCIALS?

“They objectify women and they make girls’ self esteem go down.”

— Isis Boivin, freshman

“It’s demeaning and it’s targeted specifically at men so it just ignores the other half of the population.”

— Bettina Giglio, junior

“Women are very sexualized and they should portray them as stronger instead of showing off their bodies.” ­— Jill Hernandez, sophomore

“What comes to mind is the Carl’s Jr. ad from last year when they showed off the woman as just a piece of meat.”

— Miranda Lis, senior

“You always see women in revealing clothing and they’re using women’s bodies to sell things, but women have so much more to offer.”

— Isabel Elgin, sophomore

“Women tend to look more like objects and like they’re the product instead of what they are selling — and that’s degrading.”

— Katherine Burkett, senior

1. Brazilian military searches homes for Zika virus-carrying mosquitoes.

2. Donald Trump did not win the Iowa caucus.

1. The birth defectcausing virus is rapidly spreading in the Americas.

3. S.F. Board of Sups enacts day of remembrance for Mario Woods, 26.

2. He was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize.

4. Mattel is releasing new Barbie dolls in various skin tones and body types.

5. Très Bien yearbook is available for purchase.

3. Video shows he was shot 25 times by SFPD. 4. It took them 57 years.

5. The price goes up to $100 after Feb. 15.

THE BROADVIEW AND BROADVIEW.SACREDSF.ORG

OP-ED Demonstrating responsibility with protests

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2016 | 11

HOW CAN STUDENTS USE THEIR RIGHT TO PROTEST?

Locals should exercise their First Amendment rights with respect to the public, authorities.

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Kendra Harvey Managing Editor

ith the world’s eyes focused on the Super Bowl and Super Bowl City, a fan-based zone downtown with football-based activities, is attracting citizens throughout the Bay Area to utilize their First Amendment rights through a stream of organized protests that are more than just marching around with signs.

Taking action to draw attention to unjust laws is not only a right of American citizens, but it is a duty. Being wellinformed and prepared for the protests helps lead to more effective action.

The commotion of a closed street or bridge brings confusion and frustration to some, but to those who are protesting for better laws, it is just another step in the direction of change.

Twenty-five demonstrators in a local Black Lives Matter protest chained themselves to the Bay Bridge on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and they were arrested later for being a public nuisance and obstructing the passage, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The responsibility that comes with protesting includes obeying the laws to the extent that they do not disrupt the public.

Protesters must have permits to march, otherwise marches may only take place on sidewalks, and they must obey existing

traffic and pedestrian laws, according to the American Civil Liberties Union.

Yet, civil disobedience can be an effective form of protest when taken with limitations because it demonstrates the point without causing destruction.

Passive resistance leader Mahatma Gandhi led the Salt March of thousands of people across India as a form of peaceful protest against British rule in the 1930s. Using civil disobedience to stand up to unfair ruling is more efficient than breaking windows and setting cars on fire — not uncommon in events in San Francisco protests — which ramp up negative attention opposed to advocating for real change, which Gandhi and the people of India accomplished in the next decade with their freedom from British rule.

Mindlessly causing destruction does not accomplish anything.

The lunch counter sit-ins, in which four African Americans in Greensboro, North Carolina, remained in their seats after unfairly being refused service, also served as a peaceful protest gained success because of its non-violence and momentum for the start of the civil rights movement.

Although they were breaking the law, they were not causing destruction and other potential patrons could have continued eating.

When protesting, it is important to not let emotions get in the way and cause im-

pulse decisions, and for protesters to have a clear understanding of what is being protested.

Fully understanding the issues that are happening locally and globally is the first step for communities to cooperate with government authorities to actually find solutions to make the protests worthwhile.

If there is a complete lack of understanding on both ends, there cannot be progress.

Citizens can find simple ways to use these rights to get involved in their communities’ decisions, and finding the time to do so is important.

Only 38 percent of 18 to 24-year-olds voted in the 2012 presidential election, according to the Young-Adult Voting: An Analysis of Presidential Elections, 1964– 2012 census.

Being oblivious to social justice issues and political decisions is unacceptable behavior as being a member of society. Students who will be 18 by June 7 can and need to register to vote by May 15, and be informed about all the voting options on the ballot, and then vote.

Complaining about race, gender and other issues is not enough if action is not taken. It’s time to get to polls, sign those petitions and participate in protests and to be a global citizen and advocate for change.

Lizzie Bruce | THE BROADVIEW

THE BROADVIEW

Liana Lum

Editor-in-Chief

@thebroadview

thebroadviewsf

thebroadview

@thebroadview

STAFF Liana Lum Editor-in-Chief Kristina Cary Managing Editor Kendra Harvey Managing Editor

Reporters Claire Devereux, Halie Kim, Darrean Loy, Josie Rozzelle

Julia-Rose Kibben Design Editor Neely Metz Copy Editor India Thieriot Assistant Copy Editor Alyssa Alvarez Sports Editor

Tracy Anne Sena, CJE, Adviser

Lisabelle Panossian Web Editor Lizzie Bruce Cartoonist Photographers Isabelle Armstrong, Isabella Bowen, Bea D’Amico, Amanda Joa, Jemima Scott Senior Reporters Grace Ainslie, Catherine Dana, Asha Khanna, Claire Kosewic, Fiona Mittelstaedt

2016 Crown Finalist 2015 Pacemaker Finalist 2016 Journalism Education Association First Amendment Press Freedom Award second round finalist

“Schools of the Sacred Heart commit themselves to educate to personal growth in an atmosphere of wise freedom,” (Goal 5), therefore The Broadview operates as an open forum for free speech and student expression without prior review.

Unsigned pieces are the opinion of the editorial board. Reviews and personal columns are the opinions of the individual author and are not necessarily those of Convent of the Sacred Heart High School or Schools of the Sacred Heart.

We encourage letters to the editor. The Broadview may publish independent opinion pieces 300 words or fewer. The editors may work with writers for clarity and to meet space limitations.

All letters must have a means for verifying authorship before publication.

Corrections and letters may be addressed to the editors at broadview@sacredsf.org

“We can use our social media platforms to express our opinions about subjects that we feel are important to us.”

— Erika Wong, sophomore

“I think freedom to assemble is the most effective way to get a response. Students could bring awareness in an informative way. ” — Bea Gee, junior

“If you can get a collective unit, especially your school, it’s a very powerful way to be active in the community and be progressive for things that you’re passionate about that affect you in your daily life.” ­— Megan McMicking, senior

TAKING THE LEDE

Convent of the Sacred Heart High School 2222 Broadway St. | San Francisco, California 94115 broadview@sacredsf.org | broadview.sacredsf.org

thebroadview

“If there’s an issue that you really do care about, protesting can actually get something done.”

— Sydney Caba, freshman

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Taking to the floor

Women prove they can be prominent in male-dominated fields.

he Senate session on Capitol Hill last Tuesday was unconventional not because a major blizzard had taken place the weekend before, but because only female Senators and pages were present.

“As we convene this morning, you look around the chamber, the presiding officer is female,” Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R - AK) said. “All of our parliamentarians are female. Our floor managers are female. All of our pages are female. Something is genuinely different, and I think it’s genuinely fabulous.”

Although men were present and Murkowski and Sen. Susan Collins (R - ME) had volunteered to run the short session on Tuesday after the Monday meeting and votes were postponed to Wednesday, what strikes me the most is that such an occurrence is a “phenomenon,” as Collins stated.

Despite advances by women in male-dominated fields like politics and STEM, there is an evident lack of female role models and leaders.

Had the Senate session been dominated by men, no story would have been published, as such is the norm.

From my college interviews with female doctors to speaking with alumnae who are engineers and aspiring-physicist students, a common

ground is met on the need for increased acceptance and opportunity.

The number of female professional school graduates have exceeded males since the 1990s, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Yet, the gender wage gap and reality that only 15 of 300 companies have female CEOs, according to a Wall Street Journal survey, speak to the urgency for change. Workplace discrimination and bias, whether intentional or not, must be acknowledged and eliminated.

Men and women may exhibit different behaviors and have different bodies, but our brains are more similar than different, and there is no distinctive “male” or “female” brain, according to a recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

As lead researcher Daphna Joel said in a “New Scientist” article, “We separate girls and boys, men and women all the time. It’s wrong, not just politically, but scientifically — everyone is different.” Such differences should serve as a source of teamwork and culmination of skills as well as equal opportunity rather than a source of inferiority and battle for dominance.

As future leaders, we must strive for excellence and confidence not only for ourselves but also for the next generation of girls, knowing that we are no less than our male counterparts.

12 | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2016 THE BROADVIEW AND BROADVIEW.SACREDSF.ORG

Pier-ing into world of science

CITY LIFE

Exploratorium exhibits hands-on fun.

Julia-Rose Kibben

H

Design Editor

aving not visited the Exploratorium since the age of 7, I decided to return, visiting for the first time at its 3-year-old Pier 15 location, right down the walkway from the lively Ferry Building.

Ten years later, it does not disappoint.

During the 2013 move from the Palace of Fine Arts, the Exploratorium expanded into a new nine-acre space featuring The Exhibit Shop in the center of the building, which allows onlookers to observe volunteers, youth researchers, engineers and physicists tinkering in real time with machines and tools to produce future exhibits.

The space’s dark walls and bright, tall ceilings attract people of all ages to its displays, as witnessed, a 4-year-old girl playing a team game with four older visitors whom she’d never met.

The social atmosphere combined with a hands-on interactive experience lends the Exploratorium to visitors, unlike other museums, that only permit hushed tones and restrict

visitors to socializing with the only people they came with.

By engaging all five senses, the exhibits immerse visitors in discovery of the human body and mind, as well as new capabilities and perspectives.

One such exhibit, “Out Quiet Yourself,” occupies a hallway filled with gravel where sensors score users on the impact their footsteps have on the gravel, taking volume and weight into consideration.

Exploratorium exhibits are not designed for the germaphobe type as the facilities are used and touched by hundreds of visitors per day. As a handson science museum, one must roll up their sleeves and save some Purell for later.

Visitors should attend with at least one friend so that they can experience exhibits that involve a partner and solo attendees should be ready to work with other museum goers. An entire gallery dedicated to “The Science of Sharing” requires collaboration.

Visitors leave the Exploratorium questioning perspective, adapting their ears and eyes to

Photos: Julia-Rose Kibben | THE BROADVIEW

illusions in sound and sight.

A Cinema Arts showing of a series of short bird documentaries called “For the Birds,” runs a combined total of 28 minutes. The Exploratorium hosts themed documentary screenings focusing on subjects from singing to sodium on Thursdays and Saturdays.

After I left, my companion stayed an extra two hours to explore the Bay Observatory, which includes a framing of a live camera projection of the Bay Bridge in a darkroom. Multiple tables in the observatory present maps and information about fog levels, earthquake fault lines and

EXPLORE A young

girl controls a virtual snake with other visitors in “The Science of Sharing” exhibit (top).

A father-daughter duo at the Exploratorium inspects a steam machine that functions as a study on atmosphere in the front gallery (left). geological information pertaining to the Bay Area.

The Exploratorium at Pier 15 is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday to Sunday and is

closed Mondays. Bay Area resident tickets are $19 for students, teachers and seniors, and $22 for adults. Admission will be free on March 14 for Pi Day.

Once in a new moon

Lesser-known Lunar New Year celebrations commence.

Halie Kim

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Halie Kim | THE BROADVIEW

GOOD LUCK Two girls feed cabbage to a lion dancer from the Jing Mo Athletic Association during a performance at the Glen Park Public Library. The martial arts group performs lion dances at the library annually.

What’s pumping in The City

Pulse

Reporter

ost Americans return to work or school just days after Jan. 1, but for Asian cultures following the Lunar Calendar, New Year’s celebrations have not even begun.

Lunar New Year, which falls on Feb. 8 this year, is widely celebrated in San Francisco because of the high Chinese demographic in the City. The Chinese New Year parade in Chinatown, which will take place on Feb. 20, attracts about one million people from around the world to celebrate the holiday as a community, according to Karen Eng, Public Relations Director of the Chinese New Year Festival and Parade.

“I’ve been so busy with homework and extracurricular activities that now I can’t always watch it, which is really upsetting because it’s been a tradition to me,”

junior Kayla Man, who used to perform martial arts in the Chinese New Years Parade in Chinatown, said about the citywide event.

Other cultures that celebrate Lunar New Year are often overshadowed by the celebrations of Chinese New Year, which attract so much attention.

“The Lunar New Year is, when you first think about it, automatically referred to as Chinese New Year,” Jane Lee, who teaches Korean language and culture at Claire Lilienthal Alternative School, said. “It’s only if you have some understanding of the Asian cultures that you realize Lunar New Year applies to any country that uses that calendar, and that’s pretty much all the Asian countries.”

Korean New Year, known as “Seollal,” takes place on the same day as Chinese Lunar New Year, but is celebrated with customs

unique to Korean culture. Celebrators eat “ddukgook,” or rice cake soup, and children receive tokens from elders in a traditional practice called “saebae.”

“It’s a really big holiday about family and spending time with them,” Cindy Vo, who celebrates “Teh,” the Vietnamese New Year, said.

Teh is also a time to eat traditional foods, such as “thit kao tau,” or pork stew, dress your best and receive good luck money called “li xi.”

The three celebrations all emphasise family, cleanliness, eating, dressing up and a tradition of gifting money for good luck.

For Asian families, it is a time to come together and usher in the New Year.

“It’s a time for family that you might not see all year long,” Lee said. “That one time is when you will gather together, to reconcile and tie loose ends.”

Oh rain, how we’ve mist you Rain boots are staples for the weather-conscious.

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ith El Niño in full swing, it’s time to get a pair of rain boots — if you haven’t already.

San Francisco received more rain last month than the last five Januarys combined, and with more rain predicted for the coming months, sturdy rain boots will come in handy. A pair of boot socks can add warmth and comfort, and while the boots don’t always come cheaply, investing in a nicer pair will keep you splashing through puddles all spring long.

Sperry $90

Tommy Hilfiger $75

Hunter $150