the broadview

the broadview

March 31, 2010

Convent of the Sacred Heart High School | San Francisco, California

Volume 14, Issue 5

2 Economic

trouble reaches Union Street

6-7 City braces for next major earthquake

photo illustration | KATHERINE MIBELLI

Many classes that are currently single-sex will have coed sections next year. CSH had a similar campus exchange program with the then all-boys St. Ignatius College Prepatory in the 1970s, however classes remained single-sex. Coed classes will be instructed by teachers from both CSH and SHHS.

11 Basketball season ends bittersweet

Several classes to be coed next year A significant change will take place next year as students at CSH and SHHS begin to participate in a program that will combine select courses with low enrollment into coed classes.

Zo‘ Newcomb News Editor

12 Artist

creates Jell-O landscapes

The program will endeavor to give students opportunities that they otherwise may not have in a single-sex environment, while striving to maintain

the goals of a Sacred Heart education, says Head of School Andrea Shurley.

“What I hope happens is that new friendships are developed,” said Shurley. “The experience of a Sacred Heart school goes beyond just the classroom.

Luckily, Stuart Hall [High School] shares the same values as us, so we will

be able to focus on what we believe in while enriching student experiences.”

The tentative list of coed classes are primarily Advanced Placement and higher level courses, with more language classes possibly being impacted depending on the registration of the incoming freshman class. As of press time, the coed classes are BC Calculus, AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Computer Science, AP Spanish, AP French, and Psychology.

While the relationship between CSH and SHHS has long been apart of social activities like Supper Clubs and dances, coed courses represent

Event supports SSH, network schools Ava Martinez Reporter Celebrate Spring’s Heart of Africathemed garden luncheon, family festival and evening gala will benefit the Network school in Uganda, African artists who created items for purchase, and the four Schools of the Sacred Heart in San Francisco. “[Celebrate Spring] funds raised go

to many areas including financial aid, faculty development, special item purchasing, plant improvement and more,” said Head of School Andrea Shurley.

A Zulu market two weeks before the main Celebrate Spring events featured authentic African goods such as woven baskets and totes from Kenya, hand-painted Batiks from Zimbabwe and hand-carved animals from Uganda.

The garden luncheon in the Flood

Mansion on March 19 included a flower market, an Easter basket sale and “Art from the Heart,” an opportunity for elementary school parents to buy their children’s artwork.

“The garden luncheon was particularly great this year,” said Therese Ambrusko, a parent who collected donations from the Junior Class. “It is always a beautiful event, but the African-inspired decorations and food were exceptionally good.”

The family festival on March 20 was an opportunity for younger children to be involved in the annual fundraiser and included food, carnival games and entertainment while students from the high schools volunteered.

The adult-only gala at the Regency Center Grand Ballroom that evening included a cocktail buffet, dancing and both silent and live auctions for a variety of items ranging from dinner parties to vacation getaways to an Australian Labradoodle puppy.

In addition to raising money for ▶ see CELEBRATE SPRING p. 2

photos: INA HERLIHY | the broadview

The CSH/SHHS production of The Music Man ran March 11-13 in Syufy Theatre. The quartet, junior Elena Dudum (left to right), senior Jessica Peterson, junior Katie Shulman and sophomore Natalie Sullivan perform a song (above). Senior Doug Greer played travelling salesman Harold Hill who eventually wins the hand of skeptical town librarian Marian Paroo, played by sophomore Maddie Kelley (right).

uncharted territory for students — the classroom.

Many students, both those who are excited and those who are unhappy about coed classes, are not focused on the change because only a handful of classes will be affected. However, the combining of classrooms has created rumors about completely combining CSH and SHHS, despite administrators flatly denying that any such plans are in discussion.

“I’m not really worried about coed classes because I’m only going to have ▶ see COED p. 2

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2news

March 31, 2010

Economy closes Union St. stores Ina Herlihy Editor-in-Chief Junior Monica Rodriguez usually walks along Union Street once a week to shop at local boutiques, but many of these stores have shut their doors in recent months.

“I have noticed that the selection of clothes is narrower due to the closing of some stores,” said Rodriguez. “The range of the consumers has decreased because not what everyone wants is on Union anymore. That means some of my favorite stores have gone out of business.”

The economic downturn is forcing many Union Street stores to shut down, with 35 stores closing between Octavia and Pierce Streets from the start of 2008 through mid 2009, according to the San Francisco Office of the Controller.

“The rents were too high and have forced a lot of tenants out,” said Thad Logan, partner at Retail West brokerage that previously leased property on Union Street to shop owners. “When tenants go out of business and leave a vacancy, that decreases traffic on the street. Less traffic yields lower sales.

Lower sales leads to more vacancies.”

Remaining businesses are striving to stay in business by scheduling more hours to work.

“Everyone is working harder with less staff,” said Lesley Leonhardt, execu-

tive director of the Union Street Merchants Association. “People are doing longer hours. People are going without pay. These [shops] are owner-operated.”

The staff of Rose’s Café at Union and Steiner Streets is trying to increase personal bonds with their patrons to make sure they return.

“We are just making an extra effort on customer service,” said Erik Grimaldi, a manager at Rose’s. “Attention to detail, and making that connection with the customer, so they remain customers.”

Although Union Street merchants are also attempting to revive the neighborhood by converting 10 retail spaces into restaurant zones, they realize more restaurants will not solve all their problems.

“Putting more restaurants into a district does not equate with making the economy better,” said Leonhardt.

“People need to work so then they can spend money.”

Merchants have hired professionals to clean the street and remove graffiti — without city funding — and are planning to implement a tree-planting program in the coming months to add to the street’s ambiance, although some feel this is the city’s responsibility.

“The city should be more fair in how they decide to beautify [the city with] green projects that are going on,” said Leonhardt. “They think we are

INA HERLIHY | the broadview

Many stores on Union Street have closed in recent months and are either sitting empty or being renovated by new buyers. There is a long process before a new retail shop can opening because of the various city retail regulations. rich and that we can do it ourselves.

We are not rich. We are struggling like everyone else.”

Aside from planting trees, the neighborhood could be revitalized quicker by allowing some chain stores to open on Union Street — but merchants are reluctant to implement this change.

“We are more interested in boutiques,” said Leonhardt. “[We have] 20 percent [chain stores] to 80 percent independent owners.”

Few chain stores try to open a location on Union Street because of the long

Some classes to be coed next fall from SEVERAL on p. 1

one or two classes effected next year,” said junior Kristy Harty-Connell. “But I am concerned that if administrators become too focused on being coed that we’ll lose the essence of the school.”

Another source of debate among students is whether or not coed classes are being created due to financial struggles, another rumor than administrators have refuted, saying that while finances are considered in decisions, the well-being of students is always placed first and foremost.

“Every program change will have a budget repercussion, but the primary purpose of this program is to enhance the classroom,” said Director of Schools Gordon Sharafinski. “The math was simple. It is a win-win situation, both financially and for the school.”

Sharafinski says the reasoning behind creating coed courses is classrooms will be more dynamic with 10 or more students, rather than four or five students that would be in a single-sex classroom.

Some students feel that the addition of SHHS boys to the classroom will compromise the education they came to CSH for.

“I attend a single-sex school for a reason,” said junior Tori Balestrieri. “If I’d wanted coed classes I wouldn’t have decided to come to Convent.”

Administrators say the most difficult part of creating coed classes is figuring out the logistics including

moving students between schools which are several blocks apart, having enough bathrooms, and making sure teachers are prepared to teach in a coed environment.

“Our biggest goal is to have no more than one roundtrip [from one school to another] per student per day, and we are still in the process of negotiating the opportunity to have a bus to carry students back and forth,” said Shurley.

classrooms will be more dynamic with 10 or more students.

At the same time, Shurley referenced studies showing that students think and focus better after physical movement, saying that walking the eight-tenths of a mile between campuses may even promote better learning. Having a bus may create issues with students who miss their pickup, and administrators are still discussing whether the opportunity would be valuable or not.

“We’ll be working to utilize Siboni classrooms as much as possible because they have access to men’s restrooms as well as empty lockers that students can use to store books,” said Shurley.

Classrooms in the Flood Mansion will also be receiving new desks in the upcoming year, a decision that wasn’t made because of coed classes, but will

coincide perfectly with the arrival of boys on campus.

Administrators have been meeting regularly throughout the year to develop the coed program, and will continue to meet throughout the summer. Faculty will also meet within their departments to prepare for the coed classes and make sure that students from CSH and SHHS will be on the same page.

Despite rumors and concerns among some students, others are excited at the prospect of the classes that will include a new social aspect that students didn’t get in previously single-sex classes.

“It’s going to be interesting and more social,” said SHHS junior Jonathon Kofi. “It’s going to be like Breakfast Club, but academic.”

Dean of Students Doug Grant, who has played a key role in creating schedules, says concern is normal and that ultimately students trust administrators to do the right thing.

“I like to think that students trust us,” said Grant. “They know we will make the right decision, and have their best interests in mind.”

Sharafinski says coed classes will only exist as long as they enhance the program.

“We think that students will be surprised to find that there is no difference between single-sex classes, and that it might be an interesting variation in the day,” said Sharafinski. “It might even be a welcome change.”

Celebrate Spring supports community from EVENT on p. 1 the Schools of the Sacred Heart, Celebrate Spring is a way for the families to become more involved in the fourschool community.

“I choose to volunteer for Celebrate Spring every year because it is my way of giving back to the school,” said Ambrusko. “I love the school and our community and it is great to see so much school spirit from the parents.”

Shoppers at Celebrate Spring peruse jewelry at one of the vendors. Stalls in the Little Theater and cafeteria also featured clothing, flowers and toys.

KATHERINE MIBELLI the broadview

process, according to Logan.

“The city requires a lot of formal retail restrictions,” said Logan. “It is inhibiting the street from rebounding as well. A chain store could not open on Union Street without having a conditional use permit.”

The Union Street economy could be revived quicker if merchants allow a few more chain stores to inhabit the vacancies, according to Logan.

“The merchants need to be more accepting of other uses going into Union Street and not being so critical of other

neighbors,” said Logan. “Having any tenant occupying these vacancies is better than leaving it vacant.”

Although some shoppers are ready for more chain stores to be launched along Union, some like Rodriguez would rather wait in the hope of attracting more boutiques.

“I am not against the idea of chain stores because a lot of the time that means cheaper clothing, but I think the privately-owned shops are cuter and give Union Street more character,” said Rodriguez.

NHS tutors CES Anjali Shrestha Feature Editor A Convent Elementary School fifth grader sprints from her cubby in the Herbst House hallway back to her homeroom classroom to make it back on time for tutoring with junior Charlotte Coover, while other students linger so they can see the “cool older kid” from across the street.

National Honor Society members have started tutoring CES students, creating relationships with younger students and building connections between the schools. Working one-on-one with the high school students gives the CES girls a mentor to look up to and a tall “smart” friend to help with challenging work outside a formal classroom setting.

“It is a rewarding experience seeing a girl solve a math problem and know that I helped her,” said Coover, who is a junior. “I now have gotten to know students and teachers at the lower school and never would have been able to before. By getting to know students in younger grades it furthers connection between out schools.”

The new NHS program provides additional help in any class younger students want to focus on — from arithmetic to English to the history of Native Americans. The tutoring program was established based on interest from club members, but is not mandatory.

“I created a directory containing the NHS members’ names and up to three subjects they feel comfortable tutoring in,” said NHS president Katherine Noakes. “That way, [NHS members] not only feel comfortable but are passionate about what they’re teaching.”

The current project has been presented in many NHS meetings, but is only now taking affect under

Noakes’s leadership.

“The [NHS members] are the ones who put this together,” said faculty moderator Michael Steinbrecher. “The idea to tutor elementary students has been discussed for some time, but this particular group of officers made it happen. They organized it, they made the contacts with the elementary school administration.”

Students NOAKES who tutor peers or younger students increase their own understanding of the subject matter as they tutor students and boost their own confidence, according to the Learning and Teaching Resource Center (LTRC). Tutors practice communication and develop their own leadership skills.

“I look forward to meeting with my student each week because she wants to do well and I love being able to help her with that,” said Coover.

“Initially I was worried about getting into the mindset of a teacher and being able to explain math problems in a way she can understand, but by using pictures and examples I have helped my student understand.”

Younger tutors, as opposed to adults, help elementary students feel more at ease and concentrate better on the subject matter, according to LTRC. Tutees receive individualized instruction, more teaching, respond better to their peers than to their teachers and obtain companionship from the students that tutor them.

“I feel that since I am a student I will be able to connect more with the student I am tutoring rather than a an adult just coming in and actually doing this because I want to,” said Coover.

sacred heart

the broadview

3

Retreat

Each grade took a day or two off over the past two weeks for a break from classes for a strategically-planned class retreat that fulfill Goal Four — the building of community.

INA HERLIHY | the broadview

A candle signals classmates to take turns complimenting Mary-Kate Cullinane during a seven-hour reflection at the Senior Class retreat last Friday at Bishop’s Ranch in Sonoma County.

Jovel Quierolo Managing Editor

S

tudents participate in a unique class retreat each March designed for classmates to grow closer as a group through prayer and conversation, scaling walls, tiptoeing across tight ropes and reflection on each senior’s high school experience only a few months before graduation.

“Each retreat, each activity they put you through, tests you individually and your class as a whole,” said Elisa Asdourian (’09). “I felt like they all built off each other and they are meant to mirror a class’s growth and increasing trust over the four years.”

Asdourian, who never missed a retreat, says the freshmen retreat of spending an afternoon with the retired Religious of the Sacred Heart (RSCJ) at Oakwood in Atherton helps younger students practice patience by listening to the nuns share their stories as members of the Sacred Heart community.

“They dedicated their entire lives to educating and praying for us, which is mind boggling because I can’t even imagine dedicating my life to just one thing and one thing only — and having so many rules while you’re at

it,” said freshman Yun Ji Kim-Bertken.

“It was also interesting to hear stories about their families and what schools they taught.”

The freshmen arrived two Thursdays ago in sunny Atherton with stories of Congé for the RSCJ — who then reminisced about the annual surprise day off at schools where they taught. The RSCJ shared their chapel with the girls for a prayer service before more conversation and a dinner where RSCJ offered to share their slices of pizza with students.

“What the sisters love more than anything is when we visit,” said Dean of Students Celine Curran. “They pray for all of us every day.”

The sophomore class retreat tests still-developing class chemistry, according to Asdourian.

“Freshman year, you have friends but you haven’t really had a lot of experiences yet,” said Asdourian. “Sophomore year we were still developing our relationships as a class, but the rockclimbing was a test of our ability to support each other. I remember being really uncomfortable, but with all my classmates cheering for me I got on that wall and had a great time.”

At Berkeley Ironworks Climbing and Fitness Center two Fridays ago,

sophomores were introduced to indoor rock-climbing — where new climbers were prepped on proper climbing etiquette before climbing walls of varying difficulty.

“It was the first time I ever reached the top of an actual rock climbing wall,” said sophomore Quinn Reno.

“Even when I was tired and my arms and legs felt like they were going to fall off, everyone was cheering me on

Each retreat, tests you individually and your class as a whole.

– Elisa Asdourian, ‘09 and I didn’t want to let anyone down and looking down from the top of that wall made me feel good about myself and my classmates standing below me smiling up at me.”

While the sophomores scaled climbing walls, juniors spent the same day at the Fort Miley Adventure Challenge Course, an extension of the Pacific Leadership Institute, where coaches

led students through a variety of trustbuilding activities and rope-crossing obstacles 30 feet above ground.

“That was a big test of our trust and really reflected on the fact that we’ve been together for three years,” said Asdourian. “The activities required us to work together and cooperate as an entire class figuring out patterns and building formations as a class.”

Morning activities included twoperson trust exercises and a giant came of Rock-Paper-Scissors before juniors donned hard hats and harnesses to climb thin wooden pegs up tree trunks to cross tightropes and logs. One of the rope-crossing obstacles involved two people crossing in different directions — a few pairs got tangled, a knot of rope and legs.

“We were able to see different sides of people we wouldn’t normally be able to see in a classroom setting,” said junior Monica Rodriguez. “With the help of classmates, people got over their fear of heights surprisingly quick and people we didn’t expect were able to walk on logs or wires.”

Asdourian said the comfort of being high up in trees and trusting your classmates not to leave you there to cross a tightrope alone is fully manifested

senior year.

“Senior year you basically sit in a room for hours and profess your love for your sisters,” said Asdourian.

Senior retreat at Bishop’s Ranch in Sonoma County provided space for seniors to climb trees, hike, play basketball and reflect on a class’s success and struggles before graduation. In the retreat’s main event, this year’s class of 53 students sat in a large circle and each received seven minutes of compliments and memories from their classmates.

Tissue boxes, and later paper towel rolls, were tossed back and forth across the room as friends talked about good times and asked for forgiveness for fights and the entire class — most of whom were in tears — a time that Asdourian says seals the four years of bonding through retreats.

“We’re always willing to be there for each other even if we’re not that close,” said senior Amanda Aish. “You were all so welcoming to me and I feel that in some way I am connected to each and every one of you even if we aren’t the best of friends and now I have new motivation to make the best of these last few months with you guys.”

— Zoë Newcomb, Emma Herlihy and Liz Smith contributed to this story.

CLAIRE FAHY | the broadview

LAUREN CHOI | with permission

ANJALI SHRESTHA | the broadview

Lynette Mackey listens as theology teacher Kate McMichael helps Maimie Jenkins, RSCJ learn a Taize verse. Freshmen sang and prayed with RSCJ at Oakwood last Thursday afternoon.

Nicola Forbes watches her classmates climb as she is prepped to scale the beginner wall. Though sophomores did not belay each other, those climbing heard plenty of cheering from below.

Liz Litke scoots across a thick wire roughly 30 feet above ground with but ropes attached to trees to hold onto. Below, fellow juniors cheer on Litke, who is half way to the other side.

4 op-ed staff

editorial

March 31, 2010

Single-sex classes give girls the lead

S

ingle-sex education provides a comfortable and less awkward environment for girls to be themselves as they grow into women while removing social competition during their teen years.

Competition for male attention is virtually nonexistent in Convent classrooms. Sally doesn’t have to fight Jane to be lab partners with Mark. No guy-girl flirting goes on in Convent’s halls. Class time is not spent gazing at the back of some dreamy boy’s head.

Boy drama carried into school is hard if not impossible to prevent. The presence of awkward teenage relationships still exists, but not to the extent where couples are making out in the

hallway or breaking up. Boys cannot physically be a distraction. With no boys around, Convent girls don’t necessarily dress to impress — some don’t wear makeup, some don’t shave their legs everyday and still others wear their shapeless, unflattering school sport hoodies for warmth, not fashion.

For some high school girls, guys in the classroom may feel intimidating, leading them not to speak up. Society has and continues to celebrate men’s

leadership, yet CSH celebrates women.

Women fill all student leadership positions. The student body president is a girl. All the star athletes are girls.

The editor-in-chief of the newspaper is a girl.

When a teacher asks a question in class, it’s always a girl that answers. If a student’s computer isn’t working and she’s looking for another student’s help, she asks a girl. No turning to a guy for help with math or something mechanical. At Convent, all the math geeks and physics geniuses are girls.

This kind of educational environment may contribute to the fact that nearly 60 percent of women graduates of independent single-sex schools rate themselves “above average” with regard to intellectual self-confidence — a

much higher percentage compared to girls at coeducational schools both independent and public, according to

The student body president is a girl.

All the star athletes are girls. The editor-in-chief of the newspaper is a girl. a report by the National Coalition of Girls’ Schools.

Some seniors say they are tired of a tight-knit, dramatic community that occasionally stifles. They say they’re

Cutting to the chase

ready to integrate back into normal male-dominated society, but encourage underclassmen to be grateful for the encouragement, opportunities and a place to develop confidence in a single-sex environment for the last four years.

Convent’s school Web site says the school has been “dedicated to the education of young women and their intellectual, spiritual and social development since 1887.”

The school’s commitment to women’s leadership and education sets CSH apart from any other local co-ed school because it is a safe environment for young women to grow as leaders and thinkers. Single-sex education reflects and spurs the changing role of confident women in society.

I’m still waiting for my Hogwarts acceptance letter.

Ina Herlihy

SAT scores add stress, do not predict success

T

here is one day left according to my iPhone countdown application. The most competitive colleges are releasing admission decisions tomorrow.

The American college process has added an unprecedented amount of stress into the lives of students. Gone are the days of certainty that hard work can ensure admittance to the college of her dreams.

The SAT once stood for the Scholastic Aptitude Test, but has ceased to simply measure aptitude. Some would argue that it never did. Many high school students take time away from their academic classes to study specifically for a test that is supposed to measure what is learned in the classroom. The test has become more about learning to think like the College Board, rather than a standard test to assess student’s academic capabilities. No matter how hard some people study for standardized tests, sometimes they may not be able to receive the score they are aiming for.

The SAT does not measure the hard work some students put into overcoming academic barriers.

The Joy Luck Club author Amy Tan scored in the 1100s on the SAT 1600 scale, and Al Franken, Saturday Night Live political commentator, scored 1020 according to Power Score Test Preparation.

The SAT obviously did not assess the full potential for Tan and Franken

because they live successful lives.

On the flip side, a perfect SAT score does not guarantee success or morality.

Child prodigy Theodore Kaczynski with a perfect SAT score, built bombs.

Even years after people take the SAT, they may still be judged by a simple number that reflects a single test. An unfair importance is placed on SAT scores as barometers of a person’s intelligence.

Time Magazine contacted many famous accomplished people such as talk show host Oprah Winfrey and Alan Greenspan, past Chairman of the Federal Reserve, to request their SAT scores for an article — but most people refused.

Even though the SAT was initiated decades ago, it has remained an area of insecurity for many people who feel the numbers are an inaccurate reading for smarts.

I hope that many colleges look beyond the SAT score, and honestly place an emphasis on grades, recommendation letters and interviews.

Even though I have finished taking the SATs, I will still be tense about them for one more day.

One of my top choices for college is releasing decisions online at 7 p.m., and I have informed my dad that means we will have to arrive at Church a little later this year for the Holy Thursday service. I have waited months for the decision, and I really don’t want to wait an extra hour.

the broadview invites letters the broadview invites comments or corrections on published stories. Letters to the Editor should be 400 words or fewer and must include the writer’s name and a method of verification and are subject to editing for clarity and space.

E-mail letters or make moderated comments on stories on our Web site, http://broadview. sacredsf.org.

THERESA GRANUCCI | the broadview

1. Thanks, Seniors, for a great Congé.

2. California is getting creative in solving its budget crisis.

3. The national health care bill was passed.

4. International airports are increasingly conducting full-body security scans.

5. Kathryn Bigelow becomes the first female director to win an Academy Award.

1. We have one less thing to look forward too.

2. Legalizing marijuana?

3. Public disagreement should not be shown through violence.

4. How much longer will it take to get through security?

5. It has taken way too long.

the broadview

Reporters Emily Bloch | Claire Fahy | Katie Ghotbi Convent of the Sacred Heart High School Katy Hallowell | Caroline Hearst | Sarah Jarman 2222 Broadway Aggie Kruse | Rebecca Lee | Ava Martinez San Francisco, CA 94115 Ta’lynn Mitchell | Isabelle Pinard broadview@sacredsf.org Elizabeth Smith | Colleen Scullion Theresa Granucci Cartoonist Ina Herlihy Editor-in-Chief Michaela Wilton | Natalie Garnett Graphics Jovel Queirolo Managing Editor Maggie Cummings, Katherine Mibelli Photographers Sara Kloepfer A & E Editor Tracy Anne Sena, CJE Adviser Zoë Newcomb News Editor Anjali shrestha Feature Editor Meghan Helms Asst. A & E Editor Emma Herlihy Asst. News Editor Unsigned pieces are the opinion of the editorial board. Reviews and personal columns are the opinions of the author. Letters to the broadview should be 400 words or less and are subject to editing for clarity and space.

op -ed

the broadview

5

Families need a quake plan Caroline Hearst Reporter

A

NATALIE GARNETT | the broadview

7.0 seismic shock sent ripples from Léogâne into the nation of Haiti, wreaking havoc on January 12. Mere weeks later, Chile was rocked by a 90-second 8.8.

Some say the same can’t happen here.

But a routine examination of earthquake statistics suggests otherwise — it can and will occur. According to the USGS there have been 743 earthquakes in California alone in the week of March 14. Eight of those have been above a magnitude of 3.0. It’s only a matter of time before the next largescale earthquake strikes.

Earthquake preparedness, especially in a region like San Francisco, which is riddled with offshoots of the San

Andreas fault, and has experienced two massive quakes since 1900, is simply common sense.

Many, however, take weak precautions. It’s easy to fall into a sense of complacency. Even in my own home, where my mom has vigilantly prepared an emergency supply zone with enough provisions for several days after disaster, we are not wholly equipped. What we lack may be the most basic component of a disaster kit—an action plan that the entirely family has agreed to and memorized.

In the case disaster strikes, every family should have a plan that details the location family members will meet if separated, and an out-of-area contact person to reach if local phone-lines go down.

Family members should know how to turn off the household gas valve,

which could leak if disturbed in an earthquake. Failing to carry out this precaution could mean the difference between life and death in the aftermath of a large quake.

Just as important as having a postdisaster action plan is practicing the plan in advance. Rehearsing the entire process, from duck-and-cover to meeting in the designated location, helps to root out glitches in the plan and ease panic in the actual event.

Living in denial of the threat of natural disaster only delays stress. Most people would rather feel some anxiety and study for an exam than postpone anxiety and feel overwhelmed with stress during the test. The same basic principle applies the earthquakes.

Preparation comes now or later.

Now is not only easier, but wiser.

Bay Area is not ready for the next earthquake Zo‘ Newcomb News Editor

S

an Francisco is arguably most well-known for the two major earthquakes that have shaken up the Bay Area — one in 1906 that is notorious for widespread looting and destructive fires and another in 1989 that postponed Game 2 of the World Series.

For a region plagued by seismic activity, one would think that San Francisco would have the most high tech and advanced earthquake preparedness plan out there — but that's not the case.

The San Andreas Fault that runs through the Bay Area forms the boundary for the Pacific and North American tectonic plates, and is responsible for the “earthquake country” nickname that California has garnered over the

years. The San Andreas runs 1300 miles along the North American west coast, however the San Francisco Bay Area is unique for the significant number of “sister faults” that run throughout the area.

San Francisco officials’ feeble attempt at protecting their city is concentrated almost entirely into www.72hours.org , a Web site that seeks to help families prepare for the aftermath of the next big one. The Web site also provides access to the handy AlertSF notification system that will send texts to your mobile device just in case you fail to notice that the earth is shaking.

In addition, San Francisco has a citywide alert system that will sound sirens in the event of an earthquake or any other natural disaster.

Theoretically, this is a great plan.

San Franciscan’s have access to all the

NATALIE GARNETT | the broadview

With all due respect Jovel Quierolo

Lenten lessons lately learned

M

y first post-Easter Mass egg hunt began with a face-plant and a mouth full of grass.

Struggling to get up in my loose rain boots I finally stood, dizzy with boys and girls in suits and dresses flying by me, and sprinted toward the closest bush, squinting for a hint of colored plastic. The chocolate was yummy and my parents were cheery since they’d had coffee that morning for the first time in 40 days.

I’m too old for Easter egg hunts, and more confused with the Catholic Church than ever. For years I’ve followed the strict routine of giving up meat on Fridays and not saying “Alleluia” on the days leading up to Easter, although I ate a particularly sinful piece of duck this past Ash Wednesday.

Thinking about the past few weeks and the coming four days, I’ve come to understand that a meaningful Easter is about viewing Lenten promises — or the Holy Days before Easter or even Easter Sunday — as an opportunity, not an obligation. The whole concept of Easter is more than going to some extra Masses and buying marshmallow Peeps.

I’ve grown up with the same Ash

Wednesday homily about Lenten prayer, sacrifice and almsgiving explained every year at the beginning of Lent. I remember Sister Phoung telling us in elementary school to pull our hair back so that Father Jerry could smudge a thick black mark on our foreheads.

Up until sixth grade, I had no idea what the priest mumbled under his breath about dust.

The most fascinating day of Lent for me has always been Holy Thursday, tomorrow, which like Ash Wednesday I never quite understood in my youth.

On that day the entire congregation takes turns washing each other’s feet.

After years of quietly accepting Holy Thursday as just something we do, I realize why it’s my favorite moment before Easter every year.

I didn’t have to wash stinky feet if I didn’t want to. My parents couldn’t stop me from buying some beef jerky at the corner store, and the nuns and priests in elementary school couldn’t actually tell if I was praying. Washing someone’s feet is supposed to put one in Jesus’ shoes when he washed his disciples’ feet. Not eating meat and praying and giving alms is supposed to help us be more Christ-

like and to practice the messages of love we hear in the Gospel.

All of the stories I never understood and the praying and the fasting were only as meaningful as I made them.

Every story I did understand made me think about the way I live and treat people. I now know that Father Jerry and priests say, “Remember you are dust, and unto dust you shall return,” when they put ashes on the foreheads of Christians around the world. That statement is reconciled on Good Friday when we commemorate Jesus’ death and together the two pivotal instances before Easter remind us of our humanity.

A priest in my parish, Father John, said when it comes to understanding Easter, you can hang out on the shore, wade around in the shallow end or really dive into the deep questions of our faith. It’s not about feeling hungry and reciting a bunch of prayers.

A second grader might enjoy the candy at the end of a long wait for Easter, but as I grow older physically and spiritually, Easter and the time leading up to it carries new weight in my life with each year I reflect.

information they need to prepare and protect themselves. The only problem is nobody really knows about it. Every so often a bus will drive by advertising 72hours, but the name is not self-explanatory and the advertisements hardly impel anyone to check out the site.

If a 1906-scale earthquake hit San Francisco, the results would be disastrous. Not only is the city 10 times more populous than it was a hundred years ago, but new technology like airport runways and public transportation would not hold up.

In light of the recent high-profile earthquakes in Haiti and Chile, the City and County of San Francisco has linked its All-Hazard Strategic Plan Update to the emergency response portion of its Web site.

The good news is the city has secured funding and approval to revise the citywide earthquake plan and

Q:

fix major loopholes. The bad news is that this revisal is completely theoretical considering it has not begun and has no start date in sight.

It has been 21 years since a major earthquake has hit the Bay Area, and an entirely new generation of San Franciscans can hardly even comprehend what a large-scale earthquake even means.

Most people have bigger things to worry about than making sure they have canned food and water. The likelihood of the next big one hitting tomorrow is pretty slim.

But someday, that major earthquake will come and people won’t know what to do next. Now is the time for officials to make sure the city is prepared, and for citizens to visit 72hours and get organized.

It wouldn’t even hurt to sign up for AlertSF. It is better to safe than sorry.

Do you worry about a future earthquake? Ò IÕ m not afraid of any future earthquakes because I havenÕ t really looked at the consequences of what it could do to our city. If one does occur IÕ ll be scared but now IÕ m not really anticipating anything.Ó ÑS

ophia Sanchez, freshman

Ò No, an earthquake could occur at any given day and moment. While I think it is good to be prepared, its not something that IÕ m constantly worried about.Ó ÑS

ophia Favia, sophomore

“Yeah I definitely am, nobody knows exactly when the earthquake is coming. I donÕ t like not knowing how much damage it can cause.Ó ÑF

rankie Incerty, junior

Ò IÕ m scared for future earthquakes.

WhateverÕ s causing earthquakes is getting worse and worse. If thereÕ s any earthquake or tsunamis in the Bay Area, it could have huge consequences for San Francisco.Ó ÑN adeen Shatara, senior Ñ

Compiled by Katy Hallowell

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March 31, 2010

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SFÕ s safety measures may prove beneficial after next big quake Katy Hallowell Reporter

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ecent earthquakes in Haiti and Chile may leave many San Franciscans wondering if the Bay Area is the next. California has more than a 99 percent chance of having a magnitude 6.7 or larger earthquake within the next 30 years, according to the Uniform California Earthquake Rupture Forecast (UCERF).

The probability of a magnitude 6.7 or larger earthquake over the next 30 years striking the San Francisco Bay Area is 63 percent according to UCERF, a multidisciplinary group of scientists and engineers, known as the Working Group on California Earthquake Probabilities.

“During the 1989 [Loma Prieta] earthquake we had to walk 16 flights down the stairs

because the elevators weren’t working,” said Clara McInerney, mother of junior Shannon McInerney. “I got in the company car and drove all the employees home. When I was driving down Pine Street, it looked like the entire city was on fire. It prepared me though. I have kits in the house and in the car.”

Many teenagers have not lived through major earthquakes, but some families are educating their kids on what to do in case of an emergency.

“My mom has five barrels of water and earthquake food that doesn’t expire,” said junior Lizzy Van Zandt. “My family has this whole plan about where we’ll meet in case of an earthquake because once my mom and dad got separated.”

The 6.9 Loma Prieta earthquake resulted in $8 billion dollars of damage. The earthquake predicted by the U.S. Geological Survey will be at least this large, if not bigger. “There is a high

likelihood that we could lose a lot of the water in the San Francisco water system,” said UCRF geologist Jack Boatwright, “In San Francisco, there’s a lot of ‘made ground’ where the water mains go through. When an earthquake shakes that kind of sediments or that kind of ground, there can be liquefaction that leads to fires.”

Because of the potential lack of water in the city, families should prepare themselves with at least 72 hours of water, according to Boatwright.

San Francisco has no city-wide evacuation plan unless the fires pose to be a fatal threat.

“The idea is that if there’s a large earthquake most people will be able to find shelter in their houses, the real problem would be the fires that follow the earthquake,” said Boatwright. “The only reason for evacuations that I would see would be because of enormous fires, and there very well could be.”

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Sacred Heart students in Ch recount recent earthquake

Francisca Bayer

The earthquake was so unexpected. But, my famil and [I were] calm, and wai for the end of the earthqua Now, all the country [is] he the south of chile. We did have any problem[s] with m house, all was okay.

I was prepared for the earthquake because my parents have lived [through] two earthquakes. [We have put] water together; we always have flashlights and transistor radios. Chile is a country that has had many earthquakes, so we are ready [for this] to happen, but this was beyond.

Cata Bla

— Compiled by Ina Herlihy

Major California Quakes

Jan. 9, 1857

Fort Tejon, 7.9

2 killed; 220-mile scar

March 26, 1872

April 18, 1906

Jan. 31, 1922

Jan. 22 1923

Nov. 4, 1927

Owens Valley 7.8

San Francisco, 7.9

West of Eureka, 7.3

Mendocino, 7.2

SW of Lompoc, 7.3

27 killed; 3 afterschocks

3,000 killed

37 miles offshore

Damaged homes

No major injuries

M

El

9 killed

features

the broadview

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MICHALEA WILTON | the broadview

Geologists estimate the Bay Area will have a big quake within the next 30 years and urge people to prepare

before, during and after an earthquake

Schools, families establish plans for an emergency situation

hile e

ly it[ed] ake. elping not my

anc

Zo‘ Newcomb News Editor

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cross the country, the month of April is recognized as National Earthquake Preparedness Month, coinciding with the 104th anniversary of the 1906 earthquake as well as the aftermath of two major earthquakes in Haiti and Chile.

The April 18, 1906 earthquake had a dramatic impact on the city — buildings collapsed, streets were ripped up, a dangerous fire swept across the area and widespread looting devastated the city. Nowadays, an earthquake of a similar magnitude could have an even worse effect on the San Francisco, making it even more necessary to be prepared, according to the American Red Cross.

“If an earthquake hit I would be really scared but I’d also know what to do,” said junior Erin Minuth. “My family has supplies and an earthquake plan to follow. I’d be sure to stay away from windows, and hide under a desk or something sturdy. After, I would meet up with my family at a spot that we’ve predetermined.”

Minuth’s family has an established plan, but many families are not prepared for the realities that an earth-

May 18, 1940

l Centro, 7.1

d; $6 mil. in damage

quake brings. Many people would have no idea how to handle a major earthquake, and the goal of National Earthquake Preparedness Month is to educate the public on handle to handle the natural disaster, says the American Red Cross.

The four-school Sacred Heart community has a plan that administrators update yearly to prepare students and faculty in case an earthquake hits during the school day.

“Each year we spend time meeting with faculty who are trained in their particular roles like alert system, first aid, first response, “ said Director of Schools Gordon Sharafinski. “Every faculty member goes through training and has a role. We have a complex emergency response plan, and bins located throughout the schools with food, water and other necessary supplies.”

Each floor of every school building has floor leader whose job it is to check in with the building leader after an earthquake. At CSH, Head of School Andrea Shurley is in charge of the Flood Mansion while Science Department Chair Raymond Cinti is in charge of the Siboni Arts and Science Building. The school has emergency plans to care for students for several days.

Many neighborhoods in San Francisco, including the entire Sunset District, are at particular risk during an earthquake because they are built on sand dunes, says that American Red Cross. During the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989, seven buildings completely collapsed and countless others were severely damaged due to being built on a mixture of sand and rubble that was laid in preparation for the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition.

There is a 62 percent chance that a magnitude 6.7 earthquake or higher will hit the Bay Area in the next 30 years, according to a report by the United States Geological Survey.

That same reports estimates that the epicenter of the earthquake will be in a populated area near San Jose, unlike the 1906 earthquake which had an epicenter in the Pacific Ocean, causing even more destruction.

“If you don't have a plan then everything will just be chaos,” said Minuth, explaining why having a plan makes her feel safe even though she can never know when the next earthquake will hit. “We can never know what is going to happen, but we can control ourselves and make sure that we are prepared.”

July 21, 1952

Nov. 8, 1980

Oct.17 1989

Kern County, 7.5

West of Eureka, 7.2

Loma Prieta, 6.9

12 killed; 3 aftershocks

6 injured

63 killed

• Build a survival kit with at least three days worth of items including water, canned good and first aid.

• Make a household/family plan involving all key people.

• Plan where to meet after a disaster, choose a place inside the house and one outside as well.

• Make sure each member of family knows out-of-state contact.

• Practice evacuation routes.

ANJALI SHRESTHA | the broadview • Teach each family member how to use a fire extinguisher.

THERESA GRANUCCI | the broadview

• Drop, cover and hold on.

• Avoid windows, handing objects and cabinets.

• Do not use elevators • If in bed, stay there and cover head with pillow.

• If driving, pull to the side of the road and stop.

• Check nearby people for injuries and provide first aid.

• Check around for dangerous conditions such as fires, fallen power lines and structure damage.

• If extinguishers are present, put out fires immediately.

• Turn off the gas.

THERESA GRANUCCI | the broadview Source: 72hours.org Ñ Compiled by Emily Bloch

April 25, 1992

Mendocino, 7.2

6.5 and 6.6 aftershocks

June 28, 1992

Landers, 7.3

1 killed; 400 injured

Ñ

Oct. 16, 1999

Ludlow, 7.1

Minimal damage

Compiled by Anjali Shrestha | Source: http://www.consrv.ca.gov

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features

March 31, 2010

Harry PotterÕ s quidditch flies into the real world Isabelle Pinard Reporter

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Junior Tommy Mayell plays the position of beater on the quidditch team at the University of Massachusetts.

Kellet graduated from Stuart Hall for Boys in 2001.

RYAN

KELLET | with permission

uidditch season has begun ... The whole school seemed to be out in the stands around the quidditch pitch ... Fifteen brooms rose up, high, high into the air. They were off,” writes J.K. Rowling in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, and now Middlebury College student Alexander Manshel has introduced the fictional game played by wizards and witches to the “muggle,” or mortal, world.

“Quidditch is a sport where anyone can have quid a chance to be a kid again,” said Middlebury quidditch team captain Kate Olen. “You actually start believing that you are in the world of Harry Potter.”

Manshel and his friend Alex Benelope invented a non-magical version of the game and established the Intercollegiate Quidditch Association in 2005 that includes more than 200 institutions including Cal Berkeley, Harvard and Stanford Universities, as well as teams in Argentina, Iceland and France.

“I had no idea that this sport was going to be

as big as it is,” said Olen. “It boggles my mind to see other teams from so many different colleges.”

The quidditch of Rowling’s books requires magic and flying broomsticks, so Benelope created the 36-page Intercollegiate Quidditch Rules and Guide Book, a muggle manual consisting of rules and requirements for the serious sport resembling a combination of dodgeball, basketball, rugby, soccer and baseball.

“The best part of quidditch is the imagination,” said Olen. “People who play quidditch have grown to become more completive over the years, but 80 percent of this sport is having fun and having an open mind. The team players have to be athletes with agility and endurance. The competition and seriousness is what makes muggle quidditch such a true sport.”

Quidditch uniforms consist of a cape, lacrosse goggles and colored headband indicating field position. A team must also obtain at least 14-quidditch broomsticks, one per player, which must be between the legs of players at all times during the game.

“The most unique part of quidditch is the chance to ‘ride’ on a broomstick,” said Olen. “I

mean, we can’t fly yet, but the experience of being on a broomstick really gives the feeling of being in Harry Potter’s world. It is also a challenge to run while on a broom stick and only have one arm free to catch and throw, but maybe one day we won’t need to run.”

Middlebury College continues to lead the quidditch movement, traveling to colleges to introduce the sport that has caught the eye of students, including senior Scarlett Kirk.

“I’ve always been an athlete and will probably continue with the sports I am best at, but I might end up on the Middlebury College Quidditch team,” said senior Scarlett Kirk, who is considering attending Middlebury in the fall. “It seems like a lot of fun. It’s so different from other sports.”

To future qudditch players, Benelope has a message in the forward of his guidebook that quidditch is more than just a game — it is an attempt to reclaim the fun that is used to accompany sports.

“Sharing the sport of quidditch allows people to see that it is possible to create something from fiction and with just a bit of magic, bring it to the real world,” said Olen.

Studies show benefits of naps Most teenagers need about nine hours of sleep each night, yet surveys show most teenagers get only six to seven hours. Twenty percent of high schoolers say they have fallen asleep in class.

There are many ways in which the right amount of sleep can keep you healthy.

Getting a Good NightÕ s Sleep: • Eliminate caffeine • Set a regular sleep schedule, even on weekends • Avoid exercise after dinner • Wear comfortable clothes or pajamas to bed • Avoid stimulating TV, music or computer time before bed • Use meditation or relaxation techniques • Try counting sheep, or other activities that are repetitive

During sleep the body: • Repairs cells — sleep slows metabolism, heartbeat and breathing rate, which helps the body replenish itself after daily physical activity • Releases growth hormones in young adults that aid growth of bones, tissues and new red blood cells • Strengthens your immune and nervous system

Ava Martinez Reporter

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tudents who admit to sleepiness during afternoon classes may have science on their side. Being sleepy during the day is not always a sign of laziness, weakness or lack of sleep the night before and recent studies have found that extra sleep in the form of short naps may have significant benefits.

Most mammals sleep for short periods throughout the say. The human body is programmed for two periods of intense sleepiness — in the early morning from 2 to 4 a.m. and between 1 and 3 p.m. due to a physiological reaction that diminishes reaction time, memory, mood and alertness.

“I take naps regularly during the weekend and sometimes during the weekday as well,” said junior Julianna Wetmore. “I definitely feel much better and

refreshed after a nap because I give into that drowsy feeling and wake up without it.”

Wetmore may be experiencing the recently studied claim that the mere onset of sleep may trigger active focus and memory processes that remain effective even if sleep is limited to only a few minutes, according to a 2008 study at the University of Dusseldorf, Germany.

“I nap every weekend,” said junior Juliet Charnas. “It helps keep me focused all day long.”

Forty-five-minute naps improve learning and memory, according to a Harvard University study published this year. Napping also reduces stress and lowers the risk of heart attack, stroke and excessive weight gain. Wetmore says she has found napping to help her memory and think clearer.

“There have been times where I have lost something but after I take a nap I remember where I left it,” said Wetmore.

Individuals who take naps make reap the benefits in the classrooom through improved memory and learning skills.

Ñ C ompiled by Sara Kloepfer Source: Palo Alto Medical Foundation

photo illustration: ANJALI SHRESTHA | the broadview

Athletics can improve academics Talynn Mitchell Reporter

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esearch suggests actively participating in extracurricular sports can have lasting effects on the girls as they develop and continue throughout life, and they are more likely to experience academic success and graduate from high school than those who do not play sports.

“Playing a sport for all four years of high school definitely made me a stronger student as well as person,” said volleyball co-captain Sarah Solórzano. “I think it has helped me

to create a positive body image as well as prevent stress within my life.”

Females who participate in sports activities are 10 percent more likely to go to college, according to a study

by Alice Jones, a professor of psychology at Goldsmiths University.

Six years after the passing of Title IX, the Education Amendments of 1972 that guaranteed equality for girls to participate in sports, the percentage of girl athletes multiplied by six, from about 4 to 25 percent, showing school-based fitness efforts can have lasting effects, according separate studies by economists Betsey Stevenson and Justin Wolfers of the National Bureau of Economics

A healthy nap usually lasts between 20 minutes and an hour. A longer nap takes the sleeper into deeper cycles of sleep.

“While napping is very helpful to a person’s memory, it can be detrimental to make the naps last longer than an hour,” said Dr. Duane Hyde, who works in family medicine. “Any longer than an hour long nap will make a person very drowsy and interfere with the nighttime sleep.”

With homework and other activities, many students are too busy for naps.

“I don’t really have time to nap and I can’t take naps during the day,” said junior Farah Fouladi. “I am also aware of the benefits that can come from napping but whenever I try to take a nap, I have trouble sleeping at night.”

But the juniors and seniors who spend their free periods comfortably wrapped in Snuggies on the locker room floor may be giving into their instinctual habit of napping now accepted by science as a boost to mental acuity and overall health.

Research. Since that time, women’s education has increased by 20 percent and employment by 40 percent.

“Sports allows girls to gain confidence, meet people of different ages and cultures,” said athletics director Elena De Santis. “Being physically active keeps you mentally active as well.”

Besides better grades, lowering the rate of teen pregnancy and raising self-esteem, sports actually “offer some answers, providing the strongest evidence yet that team sports can result in lifelong improvements to educational, work and health prospects,” according to Stevenson’s study.

“Sports play an important role in my life as a student,” said Scarlet Kirk, who was named an ESPN State Star of the week last month. “After difficult lessons and tests, I take part in sports games to reduce stress and get a healthy body.”

INA HERLIHY | the broadview

Golf coach Wendy Bingham instructs co-captain Solana Bobocshi during the latter part of practice. Females who play sports tend to have more focus, confidence and a strong work ethic then those who do not participate in athletics.

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Everyday life as art The work of over 500 volunteers documenting 24 consecutive hours of human life is on exhibit at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Meghan Helms Asst. A & E Editor

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GLOBAL LIVES | with permission

A Global Lives volunteer films Dadah conversing with her husband Khadijah while working in fields around Sarimukti Village, Indonesia. The exhibit features 24 consecutive hours of her life from sleeping to washing clothing.

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•

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Global Lives Ten people from across the globe were chosen by Global Lives to represent the human population, based on age, gender, income, religion and dwelling.

Israel Feliciano, 23 Location: S‹ o Paulo, Brazil Occupation: Musician / City Permit Inspector Income: $9-17/day Dušan Lazić, 57

Location: Vojka, Serbia Occupation: Beekeeper Income: $5/day

Jamila Jad, 9 Location: Beirut, Lebanon Occupation: Student Lives off of about $1.8/day

James Bullock, 57

Location: San Francisco, Occupation: Cable Car Driver Income: $17-34/day

PULSE

wenty-four hours of the lives of 10 ordinary people from across the globe, chosen to roughly represent the entire human population by age, sex, income and dwelling are on exhibit at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in the premier showing of the Global Lives Project.

Global Lives is a coalition of over 500 volunteer filmmakers, designers, artists and everyday people from around the world who set out to build a video library of human life.

The rawness of the videos and ordinariness of those being filmed makes the exhibit surprisingly relatable to the viewer. A 5-year-old girl in Kazakhstan practices writing her numbers in one

Edith Kaphuka, 13 Location: Zomba Plateau of Malawi Occupation: Student/ housekeeper Income: $2/day Zhanna Dosmailova,5

Location: Vannovka, Kazakhstan Lives off of $2-4/day

Muttu Kumar, 18

Location: Hampi, India Occupation: Tour Guide Income: $34/day

florals

Winter showers bring spring flowers to the halls

1 2 3 4

Kai Liu, 37 Location: Anren, China Occupation: Purchasing Officer Income: $2/day Rumi Nagashima, 22

Location: Tokyo Occupation: Student/ Troop leader Income: $6-9/day

A

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road

he b

CI | t NUC

Dadah, 32 Location: Sarimukti, Indonesia Occupation: farmer/ house wife Income: $6-9/day source: http://global-lives.org/

General admission

Multicolored floral dress, $54 (Urban Outfitters) Colorful flower print flats with white background, $26 (Urban Outfitters) Purple flower longsleeve shirt, $12 (Cross Roads) Red and grey floral print shirt, (X Generation) $22

3 1

2

back streets of Beirut, Lebanon are explored by a young girl walking home from her dance lesson, containing grime and dinginess that would most likely not be seen by the average tourist.

The children of the project are the most interesting to watch due to their fascination by the camera. A young boy in Lebanon shows off his yo-yo skills and a girl in Kazakhstan plays with her pet cat.

The display exhibits the most basic parts of human life, eating, sleeping and thinking across the globe in a unique and intriguing way that makes the exhibit a pleasure to attend.

Global Lives Project is on display Tuesday through Sunday until June 20 with $5 admission for students. For more information, visit http://globallives.org/ or http://www.ybca.org/.

section of the exhibit while an 18-yearold tour guide in India dozes under a tree, all such normal and even mundane happenings that they are refreshing to witness at a museum.

One of the most defining features of the exhibit is the set up of the tiny exhibit crammed into a small room bursting with sounds and images from around the globe. Seven LG screens and three projections are surrounded by small scaffolding structures whose design reflect the environment in the video. Woven walls and mats make up the scaffolding surrounding the screen showing a 32-year-old woman’s life in a rural Indonesian village where buildings are made of the same materials.

Not only does the exhibit offer a unique insight on 10 ordinary people and their lives, but it also gives light onto the countries they live in. The smaller

4

Sara Kloepfer

Concert companies merge, offer fans more music for less

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hat happens when the two biggest competitors in the concert industry suddenly join teams? Concertgoers are about to find out.

Concert promoter Live Nation and ticketing giant Ticketmaster have finally merged after a year of negotiating. Approved by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) in January, the controversial merger will supposedly give the new Live Nation Entertainment the power to make a higher profit from ticketing resale and ultimately reduce ticket prices and service fees.

This promise, of course, comes with strings attached. Before approving the merger, the DOJ requested a number of major concessions of the new powerhouse in order to avoid an unfair monopoly on ticket sales. To ensure a competitive market, Ticketmaster was forced to license its ticketing software to rival AEG Live. The combined company also agreed not to retaliate against any concert venue that leaves to use a rival ticketing outlet.

Although these antitrust measures are intended to maintain competition, the small entrepreneurs of the concert industry will hardly be able to measure up to the Goliath influence of Live Nation Entertainment. Ticketmaster holds exclusive ticketing deals with most major United States arenas and sells over 140 million tickets a year, while Live Nation owns and operates most top venues and amphitheatres.

Live Nation Entertainment contends that the merger will only spark incentives for competitors

to innovate and discount, ultimately benefiting the fans. It’s hard to believe that this “healthy competition” will be any different than Starbucks pretending that mom and pop stores stand a chance.

In regards to lowering ticket prices, the new conglomerate only promises success in vague terms. Michael Rapino, CEO of Live Nation, was quoted in a press release saying, “Together, we will work to simplify the ticketing process and ultimately increase attendance at live events. This is also a logical step in the evolution of our business model, creating a more diversified company with a stronger financial profile that will drive improved shareholder value over the long term.” Translation — the behemoth will continue to grow.

Whether it is at the expense or benefit of the common concertgoer remains to be seen. The merger would allow some major acts to have their merchandising, ticketing and management under the control of the same company that owns the venues they perform in, a first for the music industry. This means seeing your favorite Top 40 stars would be easier and possibly cheaper. Not so for bands from smaller labels. The movement to “go local” will gain force as independent venues and acts fight to stay afloat amidst corporate takeover.

On the other hand, if you take their promises at face value, Live Nation Entertainment is promising us, the fans, exactly what we have been demanding — more music for less money. If they renege on these promises, then we have the right to question their motives and complain. Until then we must wait, watch and listen.

10 health & fitness

March 31, 2010

Hop, skip and a jump Anjali Shrestha

Climbing the walls Indoor rock climbing strengthens body

I

wouldn’t call myself a daredevil and the idea of scaling a mountain terrifies me, but indoor rock-climbing might just save me from a possibly boring, reckless-free future.

Rock-climbing — a thrilling activity and intense workout disguised by the colorful rocks of the climbing wall — combines entertainment and fitness to the point the climber forgets she is even working out. No initial skill is necessary and anyone can visit a rock-climbing wall and begin.

“It is a fun and different way of getting exercise rather then just running,” said junior Kiara Molina, who belayed me on my most recent trip. “Climbing definitely works arm muscles and builds upper body strength. Just the next day I could feel the strain in the muscles I had used.”

On a trip to Planite Granite, a rockclimbing facility in the Marina, I had to take my belay test.

“The role of the belayer is to keep the climber safe, you are managing the rope as the climber is coming up the wall,” said rock-climbing instruction Ivan Cua. “Essentially the belayer gives slack, lowers them to the ground and catches them when they fall.”

While the climber is on the wall, the belayer is on the ground pushing the climber to keep going and assuring them they are safe.

“We test everybody that comes in with a belay test so they can then be certified,” said Cua. “You need to know how to tie knots and check them to make sure you are okay to climb. You also have to make sure not to let go of the brake line.

I passed the test, but not with the same agility my peers showed when tying knots. This forced me to wear a yellow tag that had to be returned at the end of the session rather than the red one my peers were rewarded.

This was initially discouraging, but shows how important a skilled belayer is and the reality that Planite Granite will not allow anyone to do the job if he or

she is not ready.

I climbed up the first part of the wall easily and quickly, forcing my belayer to be on her toes, pulling the rope constantly. As rocks became fewer and I got tired, it became evident this was a strengthening activity — mentally and physically.

“The major muscle used in climbing are forearms for holding onto the wall,” said Cua. “Depending on the terrain you’re climbing on, you’ll be using forearms and back muscles to haul yourself up on steep overhangs, or your legs to step up if you’re climbing on less steep slab walls.”

It is key to remember that the climber is attached and falling will cause no harm. This is easy to repeat to oneself, but once nearing the top, the people

standing below on the blue mats become smaller and it is harder to believe.

“It is a mental challenge because you have to thinllok about your next move,” said Molina. “The most strategic rock to step on next because every move brings you closer to the top.”

Peering around for the closest yellow rock, I knew the only way to get to the top would be to hoist myself up and put my foot on the tiny yellow shell that appeared miles away from where my feet currently were. My belayer held me tightly so I would not slip until I finally was able to pull myself up, step on that yellow rock and hit the ceiling. As my belayer released me and I came fluttering down, the cheers from my peers made the climb worth it.

Fat-free does not necessarily mean healthy

hile the Easter candy Peeps may boast low calories and little fat, its composition, almost entirely sugar, makes it a pure carbohydrate.

Beneath the candy coat and pastel shades, Peeps is a food that offers little nutritional benefit.

Peeps, marshmallow candies available in rabbit and chick shapes in multiple colors, arrived on the Easter scene in the 1950s and remain popular today. Like peppermint sticks and candy corn, the candies are only available seasonally, and offer some nostalgic value.

“I’m a fan of Peeps,” said sophomore Caitlin Martin, who bought a pack of the classic yellow chicks over a weekend. “I’ve enjoyed them since childhood,” she said. “I’ll keep getting them every year.”

While Peeps may be low in calories, non-fat, and gluten-free, they should not be mistaken for a health food. A quick glance at the nutrition label reveals the candies to be essentially pure sugar.

Although a little sugar is harmless to the fit and healthy, and is essential to life, sugar in large quantities can

cause medical problems and can even incite diabetes or heart disease.

Sugar that is not brushed and flossed out of teeth can also pose a dental concern. Bacteria feast on sugar left on dental surfaces and leave behind acidic compounds, damaging enamel and contributing to decay.

Eating foods that are high in carbohydrates and low in protein can also cause hyperactivity from a spike in blood sugar.

Despite the health drawbacks that come with high sugar content, interest in the perennial Easter favorites persists.

“You can’t say no to that adorable little face, even if it’s completely made of sugar,” said senior Lauren Hawkins.

Alternatives do exist, but many find them undesirable.

“I can’t stand the sugar-free Peeps that are sweetened with Splenda,” said Mimi Tompkins, a teenage customer at Walgreens. “They leave a gross aftertaste. There’s nothing like the real thing.”

Even if the real thing can play a role in tooth decay and hyperactivity or the onset of diabetes and heart disease, Peeps and other sugary holiday snacks will continue to be found in Easter baskets and egg hunts for years to come.

“I’m sold,” said Martin.

Peeps

Large Chocolate Bunny

Caroline Hearst Reporter

W

Serving size: four bunnies Calories: 130 Sugar: 32 g LAUREN CHOI | with permission

Sophomore Caroline Welsh climbs a rock-climbing wall at the Berkeley Ironworks Climbing & Fitness Center for her sophomore retreat. Athletic director Elena De Santis encouraged her from the ground to continue climbing.

ReeseÕ s Peanut Butter Egg Serving size: one egg Calories: 180 Sugar: 16 g

Serving size: 7 oz. rabbit Calories: 1050 Sugar: 190 g

Jelly Beans

Serving size: 35 jelly beans Calories: 140 Sugar: 37

SHB garden offers first-hand learning experience Emma Herlihy Asst. News Editor

A

recently planted “secret garden” off the deck of the Stuart Hall for Boys science classroom on the third floor of the Siboni Arts & Sciences Center compliments the new tasting garden in front of SHB with its semi-circle of clay ceramic pots filled with nasturtiums, sunflowers, basil and thyme, offering another hands-on nature experience in a urban setting.

“I truly hope to make this a sustainable garden in the sense that the students begin to do the planning, the planting and maintaining of the garden,” said Theresa Foster, a Convent Elementary School and Stuart Hall for Boys parent volunteer. “Only by actually doing an activity does one really learn it and in turn, by teaching the younger students, the older kids will have learned the lessons and truly internalized them.”

A greenhouse structure in the garden holds more of the flowers and herbs, along with newly sprouted seedlings. The greenhouse has a roof

designed to collect water through a gutter system, leading to a large container to water the plants.

“I think the coolest thing is the water system because it is all rain water,” said fifth grader David Niehaus.

“It’s also easier because with this water system, water is right on the deck so we don’t have to go [get water from the faucet] inside. It helps save water.”

“The intent is to create a sustainable garden that we can use as a teaching garden and that can enliven the senses,” said SHB science teacher Lauren Richardson. “We want it to be a place where the boys can connect with nature.”

The garden is home to herbs such as basil, thyme, cilantro and spearmint and forget-me-nots, as well as snap peas, carrots, radishes and several types of lettuce.

“We are trying to get as many edibles and butterfly-attracting plants as we can,” said Richardson. “Soon we will get the onions, garlic and potatoes growing as well. We have vines such as jasmine that we hope will add a wonderful scent to the garden. The plan is for this to be a sensory and

teaching garden.”

Richardson began talking with Head of School Jamie Dominguez about starting a school garden last June and was put into contact with first grade parent Jim Sergi, who made calls and sent e-mails to fundraise for the project.

“They are an amazing group of parents who had a vision to create a ‘green’ and sustainable place for their kids to learn about nature,” said Richardson.

“The parents were organized and focused. Jamie [Dominguez] was supportive and Theresa Foster and I were eager to get seeds in the pots as soon as we could, so we all worked fairly quickly.”

To that end, each classroom was given one of the 35 mini-greenhouses, involving the students by giving them the opportunity to observe the plants as they sprouted. “[The mini-greenhouses] were so well received that people were sad when we took them back to the greenhouse after their four to five week stay,” said Richardson. “Now, we are in the process of re-potting the sprouts so they can grow to their full potential

and then we plan to get some of the plants back to the K-8 classrooms so each room has some greenery creating more oxygen for each of these classrooms.”

The garden is also designed to teach the boys about the cycle of plants coming in and out of season and how

crops need to be planned so they can thrive in the climate.

“Someone has to plan what people will eat in the summer the winter before,” said Foster. “I hope the respect this engenders for those in the field of agriculture will follow the boys throughout life.”

KATHERINE MIBELLI | the broadview

Fifth-grader Jack Dyke picks cilantro his class grew in the tasting garden in front of Stuart Hall for Boys. The cilantro was recently used in salsa for fajitas cooked by Taste, the school cafeteria service.

11

sports

the broadview

B-ball finishes with hard loss Liz Smith Reporter

T

he Cubs winning streak ended in the final seconds of the North Coast Section quarterfinal on Feb. 27 when a 3-pointer from a University High School player surprised spectators and gave the Red Devils 4947 victory, a week after the Cubs won the BCL West championship.

In the final seconds of the game, The Cub’s India Pearce took two foul shots.

The Cubs then led by just one point.

“There was a lot of pressure on India to make her free throws, and fortunately she sunk one to give us the lead,” said Okamoto.

UHS had possession in the last five seconds and charged the ball down the court but they were stopped by The Cubs. But when the Red Devils took the ball in out of bounds with just two seconds left, a deep three-pointer from Lysi Gonzales won the game for UHS, 49-47. “[Before the game] I wasn’t nervous, just figuring that since this was going to be the third match up with UHS, they would probably know our plays well,” said head coach Kara Okamoto. “I tried my best to prepare the team by giving them new plays and different options.”

The game started with UHS gaining possession, but the Red Devils were consistently shut down by double teams from the Cubs. The Cubs’ tight defense had referees calling many forced travels against UHS. Most CSH fans were chanting “defense” until the Cubs were able to force

UHS into a shot clock violation, leading The Cubs to another basket.

The Red Devils had a two-point cushion on the Cubs at the end of the first half, leading 28-26.

At the start of the second half, The Cubs came right back with several forced five-second violations and traveling calls against UHS, giving The Cubs a 7-0 scoring run halfway through the third quarter.

The Cubs held one of UHS’ highestscoring players Cameron Ruby down with its strong defense throughout the game until the final quarter when she scored two points and one from the free throw that followed. Almost immediately after, UHS tied up the score with a breakaway layup. Pearce’s foul shot point that followed gave The Cubs a one-point lead.

“There was a lot of pressure on India to make her free throws, and fortunately she sunk one to give us the lead,” said Okamoto.

UHS had possession in the last five seconds and charged the ball down the court, but they were stopped by the Cubs. When the Red Devils took the ball in out of bounds with just two seconds left, a deep 3-pointer from Lysi Gonzales won the game for UHS, 49-47.

“Having a one point lead was okay, but in the end proved not to be enough,” said Okamoto. “In those last few seconds, it’s really anybody’s game. My reaction to that [shot]: speechless.”

The Cubs struggled to take the lead but kept up with UHS in the first half, but their strong comeback may have

happened too late.

The team’s accomplishments in the regular season were escalated due to their improving chemistry according to senior Tina Mateo.

“My goal this year was to improve my skills as a basketball player,” said Mateo. “We all just wanted to gain great team chemistry that we knew would help us get as far as we could.”

The Cubs won the title of BCL West champions just a week earlier.

“Varsity has had wonderful respect throughout the whole season,” said Dean of Students Celine Curran, whose daughter Caroline (’03) was on the State Champion team in 2003 and holds the rebounding record for Division V in the state. “Nothing can take away from great season play.”

This year’s team was the first in CSH history to go undefeated in league play and take this title, according to Okamoto.

“Our goal was to definitely win league and try to go undefeated in it, which we were able to do,” said cocaptain Scarlett Kirk. “We didn’t really have a set goal after that, it was just to get as far as we could in post season.”

Although this was the last year for many players on the team, the senior players ended the season with many accomplishments in tournaments, against challenging opponents and the title of BCL West Champions.

“We can always have the vision to make it to the [State Championships],” said Curran. “If it takes longer, that doesn’t take away from the goal once we have reached it.”

Spring sports update {Swimming} The Cubs swim team have started out strong with a win over the Athenian School, notable performances in a recent loss against Mercy Burlingame and a close, 4-point victory over University High School, boosting the Cubs’ record to 2-1.

“All the teams in the league are pretty competitive, so it’s [difficult] to say who will be the toughest [competition],” said coach Anna Tarka.

The swim team, which practices alongside SHHS, trains four days a week at Hamilton pool. For the first two weeks of practice, the team worked with dryland in the gym. Land conditioning consists of running and circuit exercises to improve a swimmer’s core and aerobic complex for when they take to the pool.

“My goal for the season is to develop the swim team and improve swimming technique, endurance, and to build the level of competition for our swim team,” said Tarka.

This is Tarka’s first year coaching the Cubs, previously coaching an all-ages recreational team of 200 swimmers for the past three years and coaching at the high school level in

INA HERLIHY | the broadview

Junior Genevieve Puccinelli races for the Cubs during a recent meet. The swim team has won two of its past three meets.

Fresno five years ago.

“Convent was a great opportunity to switch back from [recreational] swimming to the high school level and allowed me to focus more on one age group of swimming,” said Tarka, who said she loves watching the girls succeed after they put in the effort.

“I like how our coach believes in us, even if she places us in a [difficult] heat,” said freshman Cate Svendsen.

The team also helps motivate each other, according to freshman Annie Mitchell.

“The meets are stressful,” she says,

“but the team is always there to cheer me on and encourage me.”

Upcoming meets include matchups against Marin Academy, International High School, and Lick Wilmerding, all strong contenders in the Bay Area Counties league.

The swim team’s next race is a trimeet at Marin Academy on April 15, where it faces off against both Marin Academy and International High School. After that meet, only one regular-season dual meet remains before the league championship on May 8.

—Claire Fahy

Upcoming Sports Matches & Meets {Fencing}

April 6, 4 p.m.

Galileo HS Away TBD

{Track}

April 17, TBA Bay Area Counties Meet Chabot College

{Swimming}

April 15, 5 p.m.

Marin Academy & International HS @ Marin Academy

{Soccer}

April 16, 4 p.m.

Urban @ Crocker Amazon

photos: INA HERLIHY | the broadview

Junior India Pearce fights through two Lick-Wilmerding defenders during the BCL Championship on February 20 (above). The Cubs defeated the Tigers 35-23.

Seniors Scarlett Kirk and Caitie Sullivan embrace after the Cubs lost to University HS (left). UHS scored a 3-pointer in the last three seconds to win the game 49-47.

{Soccer} Soccer players are aiming to improve for a more successful season under head coach Elena de Santis and new assistant coach Anne Guina.

“We have a very strong team this year because of the large returning group,” said de Santis. “Eleven out of 17 members are returners. They’re experienced girls who have been on the team for a while and know how to work well together.”

Kirk shares the title of captain with her fellow seniors Ann Marie Ide, Miranda Remmer and Caitie Sullivan, who began their fourth and final season for the Cubs on Feb. 23 in a 0-0 game against Gateway.

“The captains are nice and supportive,” said freshman Gina Domergue, “Even though it’s my first year and I mess up a lot, they give me tips and encourage me when I improve.”

The captains frequently lead the field action, dominating the offense and defense.

“Scarlett Kirk, is one of the best soccer players on the team and in the league,” said de Santis. “Caitie Sullivan has been an amazing defender.”

Goalie Domergue and defender Bianka Quintanilla-Whye, freshmen, are proving capable players in the eyes of their teammates.

“They’re good additions to the team” said Kirk, “Bianka is very fast and can catch up to the offense. Gina has good hand eye coordination. I think they’re both doing very well.”

Players focus on increasing skill through drills, scrimmages and playing soccer in harmony.

“We’re working on passing the ball rather than just kicking it and hoping our team gets it,” said Kirk.

The Cubs faced rival Urban on March 15 ending in a 1-1 tie, giving the team a 0-4-4 record.

—Aggie Kruse

{Fencing} The undefeated fencing team is training to repeat last year’s success at the city championship and claim the title at the end of the season.

“We’re hoping we can win the All-City Championship like last year,” said team captain Beth Levin. “I try to stay in touch and encourage coming to practice as much as possible.”

The team beat University High School 6-3, the Urban School of San Francisco 5-4 and Washington High School 7-2, and had a forfeit from Wallenberg in early season matches.

The team is open to all students regardless of experience. Sophomore Nikki Hvid began fencing just last year while freshman Eliza Klyce has been fencing for six years.

“We’re doing well and it’s been a good start to the season,” said Klyce.

“The team was welcoming and it wasn’t weird being younger.”

The team practices with Stuart Hall High School three times a week on the Octavia campus, working on conditioning, stretching that focuses on strengthening the dominant side — the hand that holds the foil — and fencing against other team mates.

Although practices are coed, league matches are single sex.

“It’s like a physical chess game,” said coach Leo Bello. “It forces you to make quick decisions because each opponent is different.”

—Rebecca Lee

12 city life

March 31, 2010

Edible sculptures bring city to life Ina Herlihy Editor-in-Chief

W

hen the earth moves, local artist Liz Hickok’s sculptures of San Francisco landmarks such as Coit Tower, City Hall, and the Trans America Building are more likely to jiggle than crack — the 3-inch high, translucent, fruitcolored creations are made from Jell-O. Hickok decided to pursue sculpture while photographing a scale model of a city at a historical museum in Havana, Cuba.

“I was in a room where they had a model of the whole city, and the buildings were really small,” said Hickok.

“When you photograph the city, you can’t really tell how big the objects are.

So you can’t tell if it is an object or a real city. It was blurring the boundaries of scale, and that was really fun.”

Hickok realized she could make creative replicas of cities out of Jell-O while enrolled in a graduate-level sculpture class at Mills College in Oakland.

“Instead of photographing cities that other people have created, I should start making my own,” said Hickok. “I wanted to make them more unique to

me. I have just always loved the combination of color and translucent light.”

Hickok says she first contemplated making her sculptures out of resin or glass, but resin is toxic and glass is a challenging medium.

“At one point I stumbled across the idea of working with Jell-O, which resonates with me personally,” said Hickok. “I have always loved food and things that are humorous, silly and light hearted. You can cast Jell-O, it turns out gorgeous, and it touches on all sorts of interesting layers of meaning that resin or glass never could have. Making a city out of something that is temporary, fragile and something that can decay is so much more poetic than making it out of plastic.”

Hickok adds food coloring to intensify the Jell-O colors, and places the finished sculptures on a glass table with fluorescent lights underneath, creating a translucent effect.

The sculpting process begins with making a model out of false wood or foam core, then creating the mold and pouring the warm liquid Jell-O in it until it cools and solidifies.

Because Jell-O slowly melts, Hickok

photographs her figures and sells 24 limited edition photographs of each sculpture, ranging from $800 to $3,000.

Hickok’s first medium was photography. Her grandfather gave her a Lica 35mm film camera when she was 12 or 13, but it was her father who nurtured her art.

“My dad and I used to take pictures together, and he would teach me about photography,” said Hickok. “He had a black and white photography room in the basement. We would go to a really cute historical town and photograph parks, or the interesting doorways, or people — just really anything.”

Hickok spends about three months on the creation of each photograph from creating the model to taking photos.

“An artist can spend hours and hours on something that only lasts a short amount of time,” said Sophia Favia who takes Honors Studio Art. “It makes you appreciate it more because you know that it is temporary.”

Viewers can also develop a deeper admiration for Hickok’s sculptures by analyzing and contemplating the design elements, according to art teacher

Rachel McIntire.

“She has taken something known, and really pushed the boundaries,” said McIntire. “It is really interesting how she takes an architectural model and finds this new beauty.”

Hickok’s work rose to national prominence during the 100th anniversary of the 1906 Earthquake and Fire.

“I think I was really lucky with my timing,” said Hickok. “Here in San Francisco, everyone was talking about the centennial of the earthquake, and it was all really depressing.

I was fortunate that then [the media] could come and interview the crazy JellO lady, and be like ‘Ha-ha-ha.

Jell-O.’ I was on [National Public Radio] three times that day.”

Jello-O has become a central part of Hickok’s art and she plans to continue working with Jell-O in the future.

“Within this theme I get to work with video, photography, sculpture, lighting in all sorts of great ways,” said Hickok. “I still find it inspiring. At some point I will get bored, I’m sure.”

Hickok is currently sculpting Las Vegas, and plans to market the project to the city.

“I don’t have anything lined up in Las Vagas,” said Hickok. “I just wanted to do the project, and then I will reach out to them.” photos: LIZ HICKOK | with permission

Hickok’s “View from A l c a t r a z ” ( a b o v e) and “Ferry Building” (left), incorporate Jell-O, sculpture, and photography.

Hickok casts her Jell-O sculptures from molds and then lights the sculptures from underneath, capturing the result with photographs and video.

Farmers markets provide local fare, interactions Jovel Quierolo Managing Editor

R

ight off 280 the freeway on Alemany Boulevard is a converted parking lot with two city-block long rows of mural-covered concrete stalls where every Saturday morning, the stalls fill with boxes and crates of fruits, vegetables, eggs, honey and whatever else local farmers bring to sell. A slight breeze delivers a waft of steaming tamales, curries or crêpes from a cluster of food vendors preparing dishes as diverse as the crowds that come to eat and shop.

The large mass of cars and people concentrated along the stalls at the Alemany Farmers Market — the biggest market in San Francisco and the oldest in California, founded in 1943 — is visible from the freeway. Zoom in, and the Tupperware bowls filled with sliced oranges are a more common sight at San Francisco’s other farmers markets that serve as links between the city’s residents and rural California farmers.

“You want to know where your food comes from,” said John Garrone, an organically cultivated specialty mushroom grower from Moss Landing. “Regardless of the whole organic debate, shopping at a farmers market supports local farmers, and at a market like Alemany you can get high quality produce for cheap.”

During World War II, the Victory Garden Council and regional farmers initially established San Francisco’s first farmers market at Duboce Avenue and Market Street as a wartime measure to provide an outlet for local growers and surplus crops from neighboring counties. In 1947, the market moved to its

present location and has continuously supported the small, family farmers of California.

“My parents were one of the first families to do business with Alemany even when the market was still at the old location,” said Garrone, while sorting through a box full of brownish, wrinkly chanterelle mushrooms. “I’ve been coming here ever since I can remember.

I spent almost every Saturday in the summer here as a teenager.”

The fresh produce found at farmers markets around the city is grown and shipped in from all over Central California. One can find thick, long sugarcane from Fresno, monstrous ginger from Merced, to garlic from Gilroy at Alemany. Some markets offer unusual or ethnic ingredients depending on both farmers and buyers.

“The markets are affected by the waves of immigrants,” said Garrone.

“Sellers are mostly the largest group of immigrants. Buyers are usually whoever are in the surrounding neighborhoods, and may reflect the majority immigrant group. Sixty years ago, buyers and sellers were all Italian-American. During the wave of Asian immigration, you saw more Asian ingredients and Asian buyers. You saw a similar pattern with the Mexican immigrants.”

In recent years, Alemany — organized by the Real Estate Division of the city and maintained by the small fees the farmers pay — has retained its popularity while a number of smaller markets have popped up in various neighborhoods run by nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and groups of farmers.

A smaller market in the Stonestown Galleria parking lot outside Macy’s began operating on Sunday mornings

this past June. Although its tents and tables cannot compare to the colorful stalls of Alemany, the Stonestown Farmers Market offers a jumpy house for kids and concessions other than non-prepared food including authentic Belgian waffles, jewelry, hats and art.

“We’ve had lots of requests for markets in city neighborhoods, and thought Stonestown would be a good central location for people of different communities to come together,” said Market Manager Tyler Thayer, who used to run the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market.

“We can’t guarantee a market for every district, farmers being stretched too thin with only 2900 farmers working 500 markets in California.”

Thayer’s young market, sponsored by the Marin Agricultural Insitute, and the 18-year-old Ferry Plaza Farmers Market, run by non-profit Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture (CUESA), are more expensive and smaller in size than Alemany, but offer the same connection between buyer and consumer.

“I’ve gone to the Ferry Plaza market since I was little,” said sophomore Natalie Sullivan. “I went every weekend with my parents and godparents, and we still go as often as we can. Everything is fresh, and you can try samples of things that [farmers] have grown themselves. I usually buy food, fresh sunflowers and lavender.”

Thayer says shopping at a farmers market is more beneficial to a consumer than shopping at a supermarket as farmers markets offer a chance for people of all ages to explore food and culture while protecting both producer and consumer. Over at Alemany, beekeeper Jan C. Synders, who has sold honey at the market for 40 years, explains

to a customer how to eat harvested bright-yellow pollen. At his market, a gray-haired musician fingers classical tunes on an acoustic guitar.

“People come to farmers markets with friends and family to socialize,” said Thayer. “But California farmland is disappearing since much of the produce in grocery stores is foreign. People need to know that local food has better flavor and higher nutritional value, puts money directly in a farmer’s pocket and reduces environmental damage with a shortened commute for food.”

The “buy fresh, buy local” ethic has come back for consumers concerned with climate change, rising food prices and diet-related health problems. Garrone says farmers markets fit those needs while providing a weekend hangout reflecting the character of the city.

At the city’s first market, one can stop for a pupusa from Estrellita’s between a flat-

bread pizza stall and the Hummus Guy listening to a woman who plays a dull saw while manipulating the jazzy dance of her homemade pink tap dancing cat.

“My family has been here forever and I love this market and the diversity of the people who come here,” said Garrone. “I’ve watched this market grow and change. I’ve watched kids grow up and come back with their kids to shop for our mushrooms. The farmers market represents everything good about food connecting people.”

INA HERLIHY | the broadview

Vendor Cynthia Gong bags strawberries at the weekly United Nations Plaza Farmers Market. Gong sells organic strawberries grown in Morgan Hill.