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Inside

December 16, 2013

Convent of the Sacred Heart HS • San Francisco, California

Vol. 20, Iss. 3

‘Save the 3’

2 MAKE-A-WISH Organization grants wishes to Sacred Heart Students

The 3 Jackson bus line faces possible discontinuation due to a lack of riders Madison Riehle & Tatiana Gutierrez

The 3 Jackson bus line is facing potential discontinuation by the San Francisco Municipal Transit Association due to a lack of riders.

A hearing room in City Hall overflowed, on Dec. 3 with the 3 Jackson riders who sported pins with the slogans “Don’t Murder the 3” and “Save the 3,” expressing their concerns about the possible termination.

“The 3 has always been a low-ridership line because we live in a lowdensity area,” Pacific Heights resident Alan Shepherd said.

“The issue is it’s still a community to be served, and they are not taking that into consideration.”

Through the Transit Effectiveness Project, the transportation agency plans to eliminate the line to improve service, reduce transit time and improve customer experience, according to the SFMTA Board of Directors.

“I take the 3 everyday home from school,” sophomore Paige Dunlevy said. “There aren’t any buses that go into Pacific Heights, so other than walking for 30 minutes, I don’t have a way home.”

Petitioners argued against the removal, saying that there are

“

1,500 regular riders a day, with nine schools along the line, and 2,500 children who sporadically rely on the line, according to Pacific Heights resident Barbara Bochi.

“We have elderly people, disabled people and young people,” Bochi said. “If we can’t use the bus line to get around, we will just take our cars or taxis and increase the greenhouse gases. Those who can’t afford taxis and cars will be stranded.”

Eliminating the 3 Jackson will not increase revenue for the SFMTA. “There’s really no point,” Dunlevy said. “I understand that there aren’t as many riders in Pacific Heights, but there are downtown riders who need to get to and from BART.” The line serves about 420 people age 65 or older riders each day, many who can not access the surrounding lines like the 24 Divisadero, 1 California and 22 Fillmore, based on their disabilities and difficulties walking up and down hills.

“The city is making it harder to park and Muni is taking away buses,” Bochi said. “It just doesn’t add up.”

The next hearing has yet to be determined. See https://www. sfmta.com for details.

The issue is it’s still a community to be served, and they are not taking that into consideration.

Tatiana Gutierrez/The Broadview

VOICING CONCERNS A 3 Jackson line rider protests to the

SFMTA board to keep the bus line at a public hearing. He told the board that walking up the extra hills would be particularly difficult because of his crutches.

”

Programming class 20 years ahead of curve AP Computer Science offers young women the chance to learn code, enter the under-represented computer programming field.

Alice Jones Managing Editor

Alice Jones/The Broadview

JAVA Juniors Amanda Mah, Franny Eklund, Christina Berardi, Aoife Devereux and Zoe Baker (right to left) work with computer programming teacher Doug Grant during class. The students are currently working on a banking program to track withdrawls balances and reports.

Last week’s national Computer Science Week organizers challenged U.S. schools to introduce computer programming by prompting students to each write an hour of code, yet Convent students had already written thousands of hours of code because the school has required two years of programming classes since the 1980s.

From its meager beginnings in the 1970s before a single computer was on campus, an elective class has grown into a core piece of freshman and sophomore curriculum, and has even expanded into an AP level class as well as an iPad programming course.

“After my classes at Convent, going into a college class of 20 where I was one of the only two girls, I felt confident and prepared because it is almost unheard of for high schools to offer computer programming classes,” Lia Alioto Schmidt (‘92) said.

Schmidt, a venture funds lawyer who graduated from Stan-

ford University, said the skills she picked up in computer programming prepared her for college courses, and are valuable in her daily life at work today.

“When we draft agreements everything must be clear as it was stated and well organized,” Schmidt said. “Computer programming helped me think logically and organize my thoughts so I can be exact, because there is no room for error.”

As a young mathematics teacher, Doug Grant added computer programming to the curriculum in the mid1970s, seeing its increasing relevancy. Grant said his degree in mathematics from University of San Francisco and interest in code writing gave him the necessary background to teach the class.

“This gave our girls an opportunity to be interested in a subject not commonly taught to girls or in high schools in general,” Grant, who is now the school’s academic programming director, said.

Grant’s first students wrote See Learning p. 2

4 DIVORCE IN AMERICA Students share their experience with divorce

6 YEARLONG SPORTS A variety of club sports offers students the chance to play sports all year.

7 NOËLS Four-school community gathers to sing carols

8 LES MARAIS French Bakery to expand on Chestnut Street

QuickReads ►►FINALLY, FINALS

First semester finals begin today and will end on Thursday, Dec. 19. Students are required to stay 80 minutes of the two hours allotted for each exam. ►►BELLS WILL BE

RINGING Students will be let out midday on Friday, Dec. 20 for break after a prayer service and holiday celebration. ►►BACK AT IT

Classes resume on Monday, Jan. 6 after Christmas break. ►►COLLEGE PANEL

Alumnae currently in college return for a college panel on Monday, Jan. 6 to answer questions about college. ►►DRESS TO IMPRESS

Winter formal will be on Jan. 17 at 7 p.m. in the Main Hall.

Tickets will be $20 at the door. ►►ADIÓS

The CSH and SHHS Sophomore Class leave for their eightday excursion to San Jose, Costa Rica for a immersion trip. ►► JUNIORS TO START

ADMISSIONS RACE College admission representatives will give a presentation to prospective CSH and SHHS college applicants on Thursday, Jan. 30 at 6 p.m. in the Syufy Theatre.

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

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Permit #9313 San Francisco , CA

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Monday, December 16, 2013

NEWS

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Wishes can come true Make-A-Wish Foundation grants wishes to children, youths with life threatening illnesses

Ashley Latham Senior Reporter

Jewel Devora/with permission

OUR HERO Miles “Bat-

kid” Scott, who is currently in remission from leukemia, addresses “Gotham” at City Hall after receiving the Key to the City by Mayor Ed Lee on Nov. 15 (above). Jewel Devora (’13) stands in the crowd of people who volunteered to be part of a mock press conference for Batkid after he received the key.

Learning the ‘Basics’ From AP p. 1 programs during class, went to USF on Saturdays to use the university’s key punch and computers, then ran their programs and gathered the results the following weekend.

Convent got its first computer in 1977, and freshman and sophomore computer programming became a required one-semester class in the early 1980s.

“Every time universities began to teach a new language, we started teaching it to our students,” Grant said. “When I first began teaching, BASIC was still in its development stages and we were teaching Fortran.

“As programs began to evolve, we went through BASIC, Pascal, C++, and then Java and Objective C — all relevant in current programming and kept our students ahead of the game.”

Originally all computer programmers were women because programming was considered menial work, and women were considered more

exacting than men, according to Marlaine E. Lockheed, author of “Women, girls, and computers: A first look at the evidence.” Ada Lovelace, the first computer programmer who was also known as the “enchantress of numbers,” wrote the first code for an analytic calculating machine in 1842.

“It’s similar to math for me, it’s like a puzzle,” junior Rachel Booth said. “Java is really simple and is a ‘need to know’ for a career. A background in it will get me ahead in college.”

The number of women receiving bachelor and master in math and science degrees peaked in the early 2000s and is now declining, according to the Computing Research Association. Yet 19 junior and senior girls are taking AP Computer Science this year and most say they are considering going into this field.

“Having this exposure is only beneficial,” Schmidt said, “These skills help tremendously even if you’re a creative writer and for organization and critical thinking.”

The Make-A-Wish Foundation transformed San Francisco into Gotham City in mid-November for Miles Scott, a five year old currently in remission from leukemia, giving “Batkid” an action-packed day of solving riddles and catching criminals.

Like Scott, the foundation previously granted wishes for Sacred Heart students senior Camille Bolli-Thompson and James Kessler (’09). Thompson was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia when she was 11 and is in full remission, whereas Kessler was diagnosed in 2008 with a rare terminal cancer and died in 2009.

“My wish was to have a room makeover,” Thompson said. “I was 12 and I wanted to have my dream room and have a space for me to be comfortable.”

Thompson received all new white furniture, which included a green and white bed to go with the walls ,which were also painted her favorite shade of green.

“Looking back on it, I wish I had met someone famous like the president,” Thompson said of her wish. “Or done something for someone else, like make a

new teen lounge on the cancer floor at the hospital.”

Make-A-Wish Bay Area, one of the largest chapters in the United States, grants wishes to children who have been diagnosed with life-threatening illnesses.

Kessler wanted to meet and talk with then-presidential candidate Barack Obama. Kessler traveled to Nevada to meet the U.S. Senator, according to his mother Jean Rowcliffe, who recently published a book, “The Last Tear,” based on her experience with James and his illness.

“He was offered the Make-A-Wish soon after he was diagnosed with terminal cancer,” Rowcliffe said.

“There was sort of a great urgency for them to fulfill his wish. I subsequently learned afterwards that they didn’t know he would live to be 18 years old.”

“It was really quite remarkable,” Rowcliffe said of her son meeting Obama. “He and James had this one-on-one time for about a half an hour. Obama was in no rush and talked with James at length.”

“ ” There was a sort of urgency to fill his wish.

Code red

Women lag in computer programming, technology fields In 2009 women earned 52% of math and science degrees but only 18% were technology related.

Women currently hold more than 51% of all professional occupations in the U.S., but only 26% of the computing-related occupations.

75% of girls reported having a parent or family member in the computing field as a reason for choosing to take a programming course.

Source: National Center for Women & Information Technology

Female participation in AP Science tests

Alice Jones/The Broadview

Girls with higher levels of experience with computer science reported higher levels of confidence.

By 2020 U.S. business will need 1.4 million computer scientists, but only 30% of those jobs will be filled by an American trained computer scientist.

Women comprise 7% of tech company founders.

Undergraduates reported that in 1,434 students, encouragement was the driving factor in how likely female students were to complete a computing major/minor.

CODING

Doug Grant works with juniors Anna Lyons and Gaby Messino during AP Computer Science class in preparation for their final exam.

After meeting Kessler, Obama optimistically invited him to attend the inauguration.

Make-A-Wish depends on volunteers and donations of airline miles, cars and money to grant wishes.

Jewel Devora (’13) volunteered to be apart of the estimated 12,000 person crowd that cheered on and supported “Batkid” Scott.

“I first heard about the event from a friend and I wanted to show my support, ”Devora said. “A friend and I signed up to be apart of the flash mob that listened to his mock press conference.”

“Make-A-Wish’s mission is to serve a unique and vital role in helping strengthen and empower children battling lifethreatening medical conditions,” according to its website.

“It was really a powerful time for both of them,” Rowcliffe said. “Apparently Obama was exhausted that day, and he told the campaign staff after meeting James he had new energy and was more focused to make it across the finish line.”

Source: College Board National Report Data

Women hold 11% of executive technical roles at privately held, venture-backed companies.

Source: National Center for Women & Information Technology

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STAFF EDITORIAL

Monday, December 16, 2013

OP-ED

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3

It’s time to rally to save the 3 Jackson

A

seventh grader from Town School for Boys addressed the San Francisco Municipal Transit Association board at a public hearing on Dec. 3 in support of continuing the 3 Jackson bus line which takes him to his father’s downtown office after school.

Thirteen schools, including eight high schools in Pacific Heights, rely on the 3, yet this middle schooler was the only student who voiced his concerns to the SFMTA board.

The majority of the Jackson line riders are in fact students, but their stories will not be taken into consideration unless they attend future public hearings and start to practice democracy as demonstrated by the seventh grader.

The 3 does have a low ridership compared to other Muni lines because Pacific Heights has a less-dense population than most San Francisco neighborhoods.

A blind man, a man on crutches and a large elderly population lamented to the board that it is particularly

challenging for them to walk up multiple steep hills to get to their destinations along the present 3 route.

The 3 is essential for children and people with disabilities who do not have other inexpensive transportation options. The bus line also directly connects Pacific Heights to BART and CalTrain.

Alternate bus routes drop off riders in unsafe areas, and at night they become more vulnerable to potential theft or other harmful situations.

Fighting to save the 3 bus line for the Pacific Heights riders coincides with Goal 3, “Schools of the Sacred Heart commit themselves to educate to a social awareness which impels to action.”

Additionally, practicing de-

mocracy can start at any age.

It is irresponsible to push the duty of fighting for an issue that impacts us directly onto someone else because “we are

too young” — especially in a situation where the youth is the majority of San Franciscans who are being affected.

There is power in numbers.

Participating in the public hearings is one way to practice democracy while improving the lives of others in our community.

HOW ARE YOU GIVING BACK THIS SEASON?

1. Single-sex couples are allowed to marry in Australia.

“I’m working with an organization called Santa Cop, which helps provide less fortunate children in the Canal Area of San Rafael with Christmas gifts and winter clothes and food.”

— Kerry Cron, sophomore

“I volunteered at Christmas on Broadway as an elf, helping kids with arts and crafts. My family and I also cook and bake for our church’s shelter meal program.”

— Bella Kearney, freshman

“I volunteer at Guide Dogs for the Blind, socializing puppies, walking dogs and giving tours.

I’ll also be working more in the gift shop because we get more merchandise during the holiday.­” — Clare Pardini, senior

A

Keeping connections means disconnecting

t my most recent weekly visit to Tacko for Sunday night dinner, a man and his son at the table next to me caught my attention for something that usually doesn’t concern me.

While the son seemed entranced by a movie on his iPad, his father texted and made, what seemed to be, business phone calls.

Although the son was enamored with “Ice Age” and his father with his own work life, I felt sympathy for the son.

My childhood was filled with stories every night from “Goodnight Moon” to “Harry Potter” to “East of Eden” — my dad and I finished the last book last month. All those hours we spent together were prime bonding moments.

At almost every restaurant

I go to now, I am increasingly seeing parents who seem more inclined to shut up their children than actually listen to them.

The utilization of technology allows parents to do this.

When I was five, I only had a TV and my mom’s flip phone.

Technology is moving us farther and farther apart from reality and what is important when it is should connect us.

A study from the University of North Carolina reports a child’s performance in school is linked to the types of activities in which he or she has been involved. When these activities consist of playing video games rather than exercising the mind, school life and work can be affected.

I know first-hand that parents are the biggest influence

2. Sixteen-year-old drunk driver in Texas kills four.

2. Suffers from “affluenza” and is too rich for morals.

3. Miley Cyrus named MTV’s Best Artist of 2013.

3. Cyrus lost her lead as “Time” magazine’s “Person of the Year.”

4. Stanford’s Rose Bowl public ticket allotment sells out.

KEEPIN’ IT RIEHLE Madison Riehle Editor-in-Chief

1. Too bad it only lasted for five days.

on their children, because often times I catch myself doing things that emulate my mom and dad — whether it is being bothered by a cabinet door being left open or singing loudly to Steely Dan. My philosophy class recently read an article by a nurse who asked terminally ill patients what they wished they had done differently with their lives. The most common responses were, “I wish I spent more time with my family” and “I wish I spent less time at work.”

We may have fewer endof-life regrets if we start by putting down our cell phones when we’re with friends and family. If we change our habits now, we can avoid becoming a generation that allows technology to raise our kids.

4. Michigan State fans may have bought some.

5. The grade slate is wiped clean when school resumes.

5. How long we all “have A’s”?

THE BROADVIEW

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

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@thebroadview

thebroadviewsf

Tatiana Gutierrez Editor-in-Chief Madison Riehle Editor-in-Chief Madeleine Ainslie Design Editor Alice Jones Managing Editor Rachel Fung Cartoonist Jaime Hum-Nishikado Sports Editor Hanae Nakajima Sports Editor Aoife Devereux Web Editor Tracy Anne Sena, CJE, Adviser

thebroadview

@thebroadview

STAFF

Senior Reporters Camilla Bykhovsky, Kristina Cary, Ashley Latham, Liana Lum, Sarah Selzer Reporters Ariana Abdulmassih, Alyssa Alvarez, Julia-Rose Kibben, Neely Metz, Delaney Moslander, Madeleine Denebeim, Kendra Harvey, Makena House, Daniella Lucio, Sophia Slacik

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

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

We encourage letters to the editor. The Broadview may publish independent opinion pieces 300 words or fewer. We may work with writers for clarity and to meet space limitations. All letters must have a means for verifying authorship.

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Monday, December 16, 2013

FEATURES

The Broadview and Broadview.SacredSF.org

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ivorce is an unpleasant situation for anyone involved, and children experience additional stress as they try to balance their lives between two households of their separate parents.

“Children may feel less secure about life, and their ability to have a stable life,” Dr. Joan Cloutier, who practices psychiatry, said. “They can feel a loss of stability and control over the way their life is going.

A loss of security is hard for children.”

Approximately 1.5 million children are affected by divorce in the United States and 40 to 50 percent of marriages will end in divorce this coming year, with that number increasing to about 60 percent for second marriages, according to Scientific American.

“Although it’s hard to cope with, it’s better because my parents are happier than they

were before,” junior Amanda Mah said about her parents divorce.

The period between separation and divorce is usually a moving period, both physically and psychologically, as family members try to figure out living situations and financial resources, according to Cloutier.

“Change at home for the children may not be positive,” Cloutier said. “They may have a downgrade in their lifestyle or might not have the resources the family had when they were together.”

Children can also experience tension in the home before the legal divorce, which can result in feeling a loss of security early on in the divorce process.

“Parents who are arguing may stay away from home,” Cloutier said. “Children feel the loss of the parent before the divorce and it is something they can’t control.”

Feeling a loss of security is

common among children and some can face problems coping with the family’s new dynamic.

“Even though it was hard, I think it’s actually made me closer with both of them because I spend individual time with them,” Mah said.

The divorce process generally takes about a year once the parties have started court proceedings, according to Vanessa Hierbaum, a legal partner at Kaye-Moser-Hierbaum LLP. “Divorce is a very prolonged event,” Cloutier said. “It’s hard for children to understand what is going on. Everybody involved suffers some grief, children may feel rage and that they are not loved.”

“

Custody is determined by the judge, who prioritizes what is the best situation for the child or children, based on life situation such as status quo and location of the parents’ homes, according to Hierbaum.

“Both parents are entitled to f r e q u e nt and continuing cont ac t,” Hierbaum said. “The c o u r t m a k e s s u r e whatever arrangement there is — even if one parent is awarded primary custody — there is always frequent and continuing contact between the other parent and the children, unless perhaps if there is substance abuse or physical abuse by the other

Although it’s hard to cope with, it’s better because my parents are happier than they were before

”

parent.”

If both parents are deemed unfit, the court may grant a relative custody of the child, or the child could enter the foster care system, according to Cloutier.

A new law allows children over the age of 14 eligible to testify in court, as the court determines the best living situation, according to Hierbaum.

“During the settlement process, the most emotionally difficult aspect for the parents is children,” Hierbaum said.

“The most controversial part is spousal support.”

Children who lose the stability of their parents during an unstable living situation are likely to express anger or disappointment at their parents for neglecting them, according to Cloutier.

“My parents separated when I was 10,” Mah said. “At first, I was devastated and didn’t understand, but as I got older it didn’t affect me and I grew as an individual.”

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The Broadview and Broadview.SacredSF.org

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FEATURES

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Monday, December 16, 2013

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ows.org/statistics.html, http://www.apa.org/topics/divorce, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/ 4.html, http://www.mckinleyirvin.com Madeleine Ainslie/The Broadview

unior Paloma Palmer packs her iPad, French textbook, uniform and sailing equipment every Sunday night before going from her mom’s house to her dad’s. Her parents’ divorce causes Palmer to shuffle across the city weekly, packing much of her life for the next seven days into a duffel bag.

“I basically live out of a suitcase or I only pack my uniform,” Palmer said. “A lot of the times I’ll forget something and it can be really stressful.”

Organization is a big part of living in two different houses with parents who share custody, especially during the school year, according to Palmer.

Palmer, whose parents divorced when she was two, says the experiences at her two homes couldn’t be more different.

“There has never been a universal set of rules for me,” Palmer said. “At my mom’s house I don’t have a curfew and I’m much more independent. At my dad’s house I do, so it’s really hard for me to adjust.”

The differences in the two households go beyond just rules.

“When I go to my dad’s house, I have an 11-year-old stepsister,” Palmer said. “There I have to communicate a lot more because my mom is always traveling, but at my dad’s it’s much more family oriented. I also have to be thoughtful of my little sister.

It’s taught me to be more aware of other people’s feelings and how my actions affect others, especially because I want to be a good example for my sister.”

Sixteen percent of all families with children live in stepfamilies according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

“My little sister was born when I was too young to recognize her as anything besides a new little sister, so adjusting to her wasn’t difficult,” junior Alex Wood, whose parents also divorced when she was two, said.

“My stepsisters on my mom’s fiance’s side are much older than me so I don’t live with them.”

Teens who live with stepsiblings often experience changes in routine when new family members come into their lives — and their homes — according to Palmer.

“One of the hardest things adjusting to having a stepsister was sharing not only my space but also my family with her, so at first I kind of resented it,” Palmer said. “My grandma would call my stepsister and me ‘my two granddaughters’ and I got really protective because I had been my grandma’s only granddaughter and now I had to share her.”

Initial resentment towards stepsiblings is common, especially when sharing other family members, according to Tamara Hicks, a clinical psychologist at Potrero Hill Psychotherapy.

“A struggle can occur when

the hierarchy is displaced,” said Hicks. “The system is out of whack since all the kids have been bumped from their roles in the family.”

Wood sees her father, who lives in Vancouver, about twice a month and almost every break.

She faces a common struggle among children of divorce: dividing up time.

“I have to deal with making decisions about colleges and spending time with different sides of the family over breaks,” Wood said. “My parents sometimes disagree, and I can get caught in the middle — which can be difficult.”

Divorce can be arduous for children, but can it be equally challenging for a parent to witness their child go through the process with them.

“Divorce was all she ever knew,” Pamela Palmer, Paloma Palmer’s mother, said of her daughter. “Because I was sharing her from such a young age, I treasured the days I did have with her even more, and it made me more appreciative of the time we spent together.”

Sophomore Abby Dolan lives in San Francisco with her mother and spends holidays such as Christmas in Boston with her father, an arrangement that was decided upon Dolan’s parents’ divorce when she was eight.

“I used to spend Thanksgiving in Boston with all my extended family, and it’s hard not doing that anymore,” Dolan said.

“I hate that I don’t get to see my family on those holidays when most people spend time with all of theirs.”

Despite the stereotype of wicked stepparents, Paloma Palmer says having more parental figures can have its advantages.

“I can go to different parents for different problems because they all have different backgrounds,” Palmer said. “I’m constantly receiving tons of valuable advice, from many different perspectives, something I wouldn’t necessarily be getting if it weren’t for my parents divorce.”

Children can have strong reactions to divorce because everything they thought they knew seems invalid, which can lead many to question their parent’s love for them according to Hicks.

“Younger children have a more challenging time understanding the concept of divorce, especially the permanence of divorce,” Hicks said.

Teens tend to have an easier time because teens are less dependent on their parents than they are when they are younger, according to Hicks.

“I was in the first grade when

“

my parents separated,” junior Zoe Baker said. “At first I felt isolated and embarrassed, but by the fourth grade I had come to terms with it.”

Divorce takes time to adjust to because it changes so many aspects of a child or teen’s life, according to Hicks.

“Children will hold on to fantasies that their parents will get back together even if they are miserable since this is the only concrete concept they really understand,” Hicks said.

It’s not uncommon for children to disapprove of parents’ new relationships.

“I originally didn’t react very well to my parents dating new people,” Palmer said. “I resented my stepdad for the majority of our relationship which I now regret a lot. I had to go to therapy sessions about it because I thought he was stealing my mom away from my dad, even though my parents had been divorced since I was two.”

Eleven years later, when Palmer’s mom separated a second time, Palmer encountered similar problems with the idea of a second separation.

“When my mom split up with my stepdad it was a lot harder than I expected it to be,” Palmer said. “I was really angry with her because I was like ‘Really, you’re doing this again?’ but then I realized that they hadn’t been happy for a really long time and it really benefited both of them in the long run.”

Although the initial trials and tribulations that come with adjusting to parents’ separation can be difficult, Baker says that the bigger struggle is in the little things.

“The day-to-day things are probably the hardest thing,” Baker said. “I live with my mom and I think that my dad feels sort of left out. Going back and forth was pretty difficult.”

The U.S. Census Bureau reports that 82.2 percent of custodial parents are mothers while 17.8 percent are fathers.

“Many of her peers had parents who were together so I think she felt like she couldn’t relate,” Palmer said of her daughter. “It became easier for her as she got more life experience and realized she wasn’t the only one from that situation.”

Divorce can paradoxically bring parents and children closer together through the change in their relationship, according to Baker.

“I think overall it forced me to actually become closer to my dad,” Baker said. “At the time I wasn’t really that close to him, but now we are. I think our relationship actually got stronger with the divorce.”

One of the hardest things adjusting to having a stepsister was sharing not only my space but also my family

”

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Monday, December 16, 2013

SPORTS

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Play hard, stress harder

SET FOR LIFE

Student athletes balance academics with extracurriculars

Tiny, but mighty

Jaime Hum-Nishikado Sports Editor

T

wo weeks after junior Rachel Booth ended her varsity volleyball season, she was back on the court practicing for her club team at San Francisco Juniors Volleyball Club.

“This year I have yet to feel anything but stressed,” Booth said. “The transition back to club volleyball season is always hard, but once school season ends I get a few weeks to rest up and slack off a bit. It’s hard getting back into the swing of things with volleyball and all the commitment that club comes with.”

Most school sports allow students to practice and compete during the week, leaving weekends free, while club volleyball and basketball require two practices during weekdays and tournaments over the weekends.

“Both club and school volleyball can be really stressful,” Booth said. “But I think one of the worst feelings is the exhaustion on a Monday after a weekend-long tournament. The stress that comes with the school team is almost easier to handle because all my teammates are at school with me dealing with the same stresses that come with the sport.”

Stress from club sports does not start in high school — it can begin as early as middle school.

“I was really stressed with my school work while I was playing club basketball,” Ally Arora, a freshman who played club basketball for the Olympic Club while she was in the eighth grade said. “I had practice twice a week, but I was also in the process of filling out high school applications. It was really difficult for me to balance the two.”

Arora says she is contemplating whether or not she will play club basketball in the spring season.

“I do not know if I want to

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Height doesn’t matter as long as you work hard Hanae Nakajima Sports Editor

U Max Kellenberger /with permission

SYNCHRONIZED STROKES Sophomore Angie Scott

(right) rows in 5 seat in the Novice Women’s A Boat. Scott races for Pacific Rowing Club. play club this year,” Arora said.

“I’m having such a great time on varsity basketball right now and I am learning a lot, so maybe I will want to continue playing after this season.”

Other out-of-school clubs include crew, like Pacific Rowing Club and Marin Rowing Association, offer rowing at Lake Merced and the Corte Madera Creek.

“I feel stressed during my rowing season,” Angie Scott, a sophomore who rows for Pacific Rowing club said.

“My stress mostly comes from managing my homework and using my time well, but when big tests and finals come up I worry about how I will make time to study.”

Club crew teams row five days a week for two to three hours per practice and participate in weekend regattas that can often last the whole day.

“We spend the whole day at the course rigging and derigging boats,” Scott said about her regatta. “The whole day we wait for our different races and start

One of the worst feelings is the exhaustion on a Monday after a weekend-long tournament

”

putting the boats in the water and there is no time for me to do or even think about doing my homework.”

Club volleyball tournaments are held all over Northern California while some are local in the South Bay. Other tournaments require teams to travel farther to places like Reno and Las Vegas Nev., according to Booth.

“There’s really no time for homework,” Booth said, “but I will usually bring my computer to work on any papers and some busy work if I have time in the car or the hotel room.”

Volleyball tournaments can last a whole day and when teams are not currently competing, they are usually required to do other jobs like the linesmen or keeping score.

Playing sports for the school or for clubs bears stress on student athletes who work through the rigorous academic load throughout the school year.

“This year before I tried out for club I had to promise my parents that school comes first,” Booth said. “I’m very dedicated to my sport and I have never missed a tournament, but I know that this year my academics are important.”

— Madison Riehle contributed to this story.

CAPTAINS’ LOG

Basketball Grade: Senior Height: 5’7” Years playing varsity: 3 Years played: 8 “Our season is starting out really strong. Being a senior and one of the captains is a great reward in itself. I think we’re a lot more competitive than last year which makes everything more exciting.”

Fun Fact: “I’m a lefty but I dribble with my right hand better.”

Record: 4-3 Next game: Tomorrow vs.

TBD @ Kezar Pavilion

Staying active in The City House of Air

926 Mason St. The Presidio of San Francisco Monday-Friday: $16; Tuesday-Thursday: $13

Planet Granite San Francisco 924 “Old” Mason St. Day pass: $20

SoulCycle

Winter sport captains tell what’s happening this season.

Lizzie Whittles

nless you’re a gymnast, coaches don’t really want players under 5’5”. I’ve been ignored by coaches throughout my life because of my height, and I can’t do anything about it because I’m done growing.

Both of my parents are under 5’5” and due to genetics, I’ve always assumed I would not exceed that “towering” height. Everyone around me started growing taller in seventh grade, while I stayed 5’1½” — although I tell people that I’m 5’2”.

My lack of stature has been — and is — my biggest struggle in playing volleyball. Coaches seem to look right over short girls, whereas tall girls are always on every coach’s radar. Some coaches have even told me to quit playing.

But this has never stopped me. In fact, I work harder than most of my teammates to make up for my lack of height.

I know being a front-row player and slamming the ball over the net is not even an

option for me. Instead, I am the setter, a front-row player, who positions the ball for my teammates to make the big play.

And I’m good at it.

On my days off from practice, I go to the gym and do exercises to help me jump higher, even though it puts extra stress on my ankle. I fight through the pain everyday and keep training.

I can’t beat these girls with height, but I can beat them by out-hustling them, throwing my body onto the court and by out-talking them.

Over the years, I’ve learned to take control of my disadvantage and turn it into an advantage. I have found that shorter players are more quick and agile on the court, and those are the traits I need to be a setter.

Being short is something I struggled with before, but now I embrace my height and see it as an advantage for me to go beyond the expectations and prove everyone wrong.

I could have easily chosen a sport that favored petite girls, but I’m glad I chose to play volleyball.

2095 Union St. Single class: $30

Yerba Buena Ice Skating & Bowling Jaime Hum-Nishikado

Grade: Senior Height: 5’7” Years playing varsity: 4 Years played: 13 “This season has started out great. We are a very young team taking on four freshmen, but I am so excited to see how it all pans out. We are focused on playing every possession like it’s our last, diving after every ball, and playing with confidence.

We are constantly getting better each game and as captain, that is really great to see. ” Fun Fact: “I was the mascot for the 2003 State Championship team.”

— Compiled by Hanae Nakajima

750 Folsom St. Between 3rd & 4th Sts. Adult admission: $10 | Skate Rental: $3

Acro Sports

639 Frederick St. Single class: $40

Ring of Fire Boxing

799 Moscow St. (Crocker Amazon Playground) Free admission

Yoga Tree

1234 Valencia St. Between 23rd St. and 24th Sts. Drop-In class: $18 Single class: $16

The Broadview and Broadview.SacredSF.org

Noël, Noël

SACRED HEART

Monday, December 16, 2013

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4-schools sing annual carols

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he four-school community gathered in the Herbert Center last Friday for Noëls. Students sang Christmas carols divided by their grade level and language class. Songs were sung in French, Mandarin, Latin and Spanish.

Noëls were originally sung in French as a gift to the Religious of the Sacred Heart who acted as the head of school, and are now sung for the president and the heads of the four schools. Songs such as “Casca Belles” and “En el Portal de Belen” were added in the 1970s when Spanish was introduced into the curriculum.

Noëls once included a carol in Japanese, and this year included Mandarin.

The teachers ended the Noëls with a rendition of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas”, unlike years prior when students were the only ones singing.

Sarah Selzer/The Broadview

Ashley Latham/The Broadview

Ashley Latham/The Broadview

CAROLING Kindergarteners Lloyd Duskin (Stuart Hall for Boys) and Piper Leffert (Convent Elementary) are pulled to the center of the gym by President Ann Marie Krejcarek to give Christmas wishes to students and faculty (top, left, clockwise). SHHS senior Jose Vargas, SHHS sophomore Brandon Seltenrich, senior Abigail Newbold and junior Madeleine Ainslie introduce each Noël in the language in which it would be sung. Stuart Hall High School’s A Capella Choir, led by Scott Roos, sing “Entre le bœuf” around the Hall and Heart logo. Seniors, faculty and visitors stand around the track as they observe Noëls.

Service profiles

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Sarah Selzer/The Broadview

Marley Shatz Junior 200 service hours Eye to Eye

Eye to Eye is a program that helps to mentors kids with learning disabilities through art projects. I love it because I get to help people in the community while meeting different people.

I also love having a community of people with learning disabilities that understand school can be a really big struggle, it’s nice to have that support system.”

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Volunteers give their time to the community while following their interests.

Siobhan Lewkowitz Junior 150 service hours Hamilton Pool

I volunteer at Hamilton Pool and help teach swim lessons, learn to lifeguard, and helped with camps. Learning to swim gives kids confidence while also teaching them a vital life skill within a safe environment, as water can be dangerous if you don’t understand how to protect yourself from an accident. That’s where life guarding comes in because I am able to help people.”

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Margaux Gaede Senior 90 service hours Pets Unlimited

I have been volunteering at Pets Unlimited since the middle of last year, and I go there twice a week for two hours. It’s a great community and an opportunity to be stress free after school. It’s my time to be alone and think about everything while going outside and walking. Whenever I take out the dogs there are lots of little kids running around who will see the dogs and say hi, but other times I will be walking the dogs and people will want to adopt them.”

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Claire Mohun Junior 450 service hours SF Zoo Camp

I work at the zoo every summer for four weeks as a zoo teacher assistant, which is basically being a camp counselor at zoo camp. I guide the children around the zoo and show them the animals. I love that I get to be at the zoo every day with the animals and children. It has taught me patience and I enjoy it because it enriches my summers. I have been going since I was a kid, and I have been working there since eighth grade, and now I can give back to the zoo.”

Sarah Selzer/The Broadview

THRIFTING A Seconds To Go volunteer assists a costumer, helping her find a winter coat for the holiday season. The thrift shop on Fillmore street has a variety of clothing and treasurable items that are displayed daily in the shop windows.

Thrift store benefits schools’ financial aid

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Sarah Selzer Senior Reporter

estled between designer boutiques and restaurants, Seconds To Go, a thrift shop on the corner of Fillmore and Clay streets owned by the Schools of the Sacred Heart, features a window display of gently-used items for the holiday season such as children’s toys, clothing and jewelry.

“Seconds To Go has been a very successful program,” store manager Laura Lorton. said

“We’ve been in business for over 30 years and well over $1 million has gone into the Financial Aid Program to support deserving students who want to attend the schools.”

Sales pick up during the winter months and include holiday apparel and decorations from ornaments to menorahs.

“I’m very particular in what I take into the store,” Lorton said.

“We take all kinds of clothing for women and men and receive a wide variety of products from

beautiful designer shops that range in price. We also take in small household items such as books, home decor items, picture frames and kitchenware.”

Paid employees and volunteers run the shop and include parents from the school community who are encouraged to work at the store once at least year, according to Lorton.

“When I was in the shop I had a great experience working there,” Karen Niehaus, mother of junior Sarah Niehaus said. “I felt

really welcomed into the shop when I worked there. It’s a great service opportunity to give back to the schools.”

Convent and Stuart Hall Highschool students who volunteer can receive hours to fulfill their service requirements. Tasks for student volunteers include sorting and pricing items and helping run the cash register.

“I think the store is a really great way to give back to the community,” SHHS junior Essie Elsakkar said. “I’ve been work-

ing at the store for my community service elective at Stuart Hall for a few months now.”

Seconds To Go raised $250,000 over the past year and Lorton says she is hoping to raise a higher amount this year.

“Our reputation of being a high-quality thrift shop really adds to the experience when people come to the store,” Lorton said. “Although other stores come and go, we feel very much a part of the community on Fillmore Street.”

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Monday, December 16, 2013

CITY LIFE Pulse

The Broadview and Broadview.SacredSF.org

What’s pumping in The City

Holiday houses

Brightening up San Francisco Camilla Bykhovsky Senior Reporter

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utdoor holiday decorations can go far beyond a string of yellow lights around the window, and some homeowners go to extremes.

Santa Claus is displayed hanging by the chimney, scaling the house strewn with lights, garlands and ornaments at 68 Castro St. (top right).

A team of reindeer pulling a fat, jolly man decked in red

and holding a sack of presents light up a front yard at 429 Spruce (bottom left).

Surrounding the front lawn, trees light up with luminous colors and light fixtures resembling a gingerbread house at 45 Upper Terrace (center).

“Tom and Jerry’s Christmas” has a 65-foot tree that looks proportional to the enlarged presents (bottom right). A $15 donation for a picture with Santa is suggested to help cover the costs of this elaborate display at 3650 21st St.

FOOD FOR DAYS

Tasty bakery expanding shop

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Alice Jones Food Reviewer

he Les Marais bakery has bought up two store-fronts on Chestnut Street and is creating a Parisian afternoon getaway. Aside from elegant treats and rich coffee, Les Marais also offers a variety of fresh rounds and baguettes, a bevy of pastries and a small selection of grilled sandwiches.

Les Marais bakes a heavy Croque Monsieur ($8.75) on sweet pain de mie which is cut too thickly, but has a soft inside that pairs nicely with the very tender ham. The grain mustard adds a mild bitter bite to the creamy, freshly-melted Gruyere mixture.

The ham and gruyere sandwich ($10.50) is a lighter option to the Croque Monsieur. It lacks the melted cheese on top, but makes up for it in abundance between two pieces of country levain bread with a somewhat spicy grain mustard smear.

The mozzarella, tomato and basil sandwich’s ($8.50) very fresh flavors come from a light pesto aioli that brings out the sweet flavors of the basil and to-

mato between a large segment of fresh tradi baguette. It’s just divine.

Another angelic item is the threecheese sandwich ($9.75) layered with Gruyere, Parmesan and Fontina cheese between sliced levain bread baked with fresh pear and kale. The sweetness of the bread and flavors of the robust cheeses are accented by sweet caramelized onions and add a bit of texture.

Les Marais is realistic about what people can and should eat, and serves reasonably-sized portions. The quiches are a perfect-sized square for a satisfying breakfast or lunch. The vegetable quiche ($6.50), though, blows the ham and cheese ($6.75) version out of the water.

The airy texture and light creaminess of the whipped egg and cheese blends well with the florets of broccoli.

Pastries range from croissants to muffins, and include a deliciously large chocolate chip cookie ($2.75). It’s chewy and far from doughy, packed with sweet milk chocolate chips. On the off chance you arrive as the cookies are coming out of the oven, you’ll get one gooey rich bite of heaven.

The fruit beignet ($3.50) is pretty lack-

Hall and Heart: Drawn to Life

luster. It is not your typical fried fluffy square of dough doused in powdered sugar. Les Marais’s beignet is rather thick and bland. It is topped with raw sugar crystals and the pastry is only made sweet by the custard center flecked with pomegranate seeds and a raspberry.

Another disappointment is the chocolate croissant ($4). It has a delicious flaky, airy and buttery pastry dough, but is so wide that the strip of dark chocolate seems minuscule and is hard to portion to each bite.

Les Marais serves Stumptown Coffee from a roaster in Portland, Ore. that has a rich deep flavor without being too bitter. The Cold Brew iced coffee ($3) is delicious with a warm sandwich and a cappuccino ($3.50) warms the soul on a chilly day. The 50-cent almond milk substitute does not mix well with the strong coffee.

Only one storefront is in use at the moment, but work for expansion into next door is already under way. This currently petite cafe will benefit from a larger sitting area and could even expand their menu if fitted with a larger kitchen.

Open daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Alice Jones/The Broadview

SCRUMPTIOUS A cappuccino

comes with an artisan leaf made of foam. The rich coffee can be sweetened with honey, sugar or brown sugar at the condiments counter (top). The ham and Gruyere sandwich is pressed to perfection with melted cheese and a sublime crunch (bottom).

Rachel Fung