The Voice

Ten Things I Hate About You: Formspring and Online Bullying

aazevedo — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:31:17 +0000

“Ask me ANYTHING!” proclaimed a Facebook status. One click later, Formspring.me appeared on the computer screen. The power to ask anonymous questions has now been granted to internet users, including many Presentation students. But is this new social networking tool doing more harm than good?

Formspring.me operates on an extraordinarily simple premise. Users create a Formspring profile, which simply includes a blank box welcoming any anonymous user to post questions. The Formspring user can then review the questions asked and decide which to answer. The questions and answers are then posted to the profile for all to read; they can also be streamed onto Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr accounts.

Formspring presents an alarming mindset in American teenage culture. It assumes that teens are willing to spend hours waiting for others to take interest in their lives and ask questions about them. By having the power to refuse to answer questions at leisure, the user can feel a rush of self-importance and feel a sense of authority at the ability to answer a question. Narcissism is brewing. As Southern Oregon University student Lauren McHugh so aptly puts it, “You already have a Facebook, possibly a Myspace, so why must people be so consumed with themselves? Point blank: you are not that interesting.”

Much more alarming, however, is the fact that online bullying has become an accepted part of the Formspring experience. With the ability to ask any question to the user without consequences and hidden behind the mask of anonymity, others can ask extremely personal and inappropriate questions. Questions regarding drug and alcohol use, relationships and family matters are often asked—and Formspring users seem to feel the need to post and respond to such questions. Others do not ask questions and simply use the site to launch personal attacks or cruel comments. Still others use it as a place to express a crush or secret admiration for the Formspring user.

All of these facts are extremely frightening. As Presentation attempts to uphold an open and accepting environment, forums like Formspring simply allow another mechanism for hatred and gossip to spread. It also promotes cowardice; if someone chooses to launch a tirade against someone else, they should not disguise themselves when launching such petty attacks. Conflicts should be handled face-to-face instead of leaving someone hurt and bewildered without knowing her assailant.

Senior Jessica Revallier agrees. She initially made a Formspring account because she thought it would be fun to answer random questions and saw the site’s popularity. She soon became disillusioned, however. “It’s just another chance for girls to be mean, and it’s corrupting society because they are hiding behind a computer,” she says.

Sophomore Katy Anderson says that though the site is entertaining, she would delete hers if asked inappropriate questions. “I haven’t really gotten anything mean, but some people have and it’s actually kind of hurtful,” she says.

Overall, Formspring is doing more harm than good. If students have a desire to answer interesting questions, they should engage in meaningful conversation at lunch. A screen is not a mask, and a conscience is stronger than the freedoms of anonymity.

Platinum Projects

mcsikesz — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 23:53:00 +0000

Five years ago, Community Involvement instituted the platinum projects put on by Presentation juniors and seniors in order to expand student involvement beyond the Pres community. These platinum projects, hosted by one or two students, are events that fundraise for a specific cause or organization. This semester, the three platinum projects taking place focus on three different and unique topics that our students feel need to be addressed in the Presentation community.

Sishu Vihar Orphanage

On Jan. 30, senior Christine Joseph held a memorable platinum project called “A Glimpse of the Other Side.” For her presentation, held in the Valenzuela Theater on campus, she hosted an Indian culture dance program and fundraised for The Sishu Vihar Orphanage in India.

The organization she chose to help may seem interesting, but Joseph’s selection was not random at all. “In San Jose, I work with the youth of St. Julie’s, but I realized it was really ignorant to limit myself to only acknowledging the underpriviledged in my hometown,” Joseph said. “The Sishu Vihar Orphanage also works with children and I realized by supporting the Sishu Vihar Orphanage I could promote my love of working with the youth globally.”

Joseph’s project was extremely successful and raised $1,953 in donations, which she is thrilled about. “Multiply that by 46 and think about how many rupees that is!” she explained.

Parkinson’s Institute

The Dance-A-Thon mentioned in the school bulletins throughout the month of February was the platinum project hosted by seniors Lindsay Vong and Courtney Quinn on Feb. 26. Their project fundraised for the Parkinson’s Institute, which works to find causes and cures for Parkinson’s disease.

This Dance-A-Thon may have sounded simply like a fundraising mixer, but their project went above and beyond any mixer. They had belly dancers, swing dancers and break dancers that taught and performed at the event and a DJ kept the music going all night long. To really liven up the event, there was a costume competition and a raffle.

The two seniors decided quite easily on fundraising for the Parkinson’s Institute; they both desired to host a platinum project and they have an unfortunate closeness to the topic. “We chose to raise awareness for Parkinson’s disease because both of us have had family members affected by this disease,” said Quinn. “We wanted to try to spread awareness about Parkinson’s as well as assist a local organization that not only helps people cope with the disease but actively works on trying to find a cure.”

The choice by Vong and Quinn to hold a Dance-A-Thon has an important connection to the disease itself. “When touring the institute, we were told many patients like to attend dance classes that are held at the facility,” said Quinn. “It is a helpful and enjoyable method of physical therapy and exercise because it helps the patients to become more in control of their body. So in honor of this, we though a Dance-A-Thon would be appropriate.”

The $10 entrance fee and all other donations are being sent to the Parkinson’s Institute. They raised over $1000 but as Quinn explained, “our main goal was to spread awareness about Parkinson’s disease.”

ACCESS at Good Samaritan Hospital

Those who enjoy swimming and want to help their community will love the platinum project hosted by seniors Megan Huber and Elbret Bebla. Their Swim-A-Thon, taking place in May (the exact day is still to be determined), is a competition between groups of five where one person must be in the water at all times. The event will include food and music as well, but most importantly, there will be a guest speaker from ACCESS at Good Samaritan Hospital.

ACCESS, which Huber and Bebla already volunteer at regularly, is a program that helps care for the infants in NICU and gives financial aid to these families. “ACCESS helps families in San Jose who need help in sustaining their infant’s life,” said Huber. “We hope to raise funds to make this possible, but also make sure people are aware of what goes on at Good Samaritan Hospital to help those in need.”

The required entrance fee and any donations will go straight to ACCESS, and the two seniors believe any and every amount of money can make a difference. “We don’t have a set goal for fundraising,” Huber explains, “but we just hope to make a substantial contribution to ACCESS that will help any family and their child.”

Each and every student can make a difference through the platinum projects simply by attending and donating. The January and February projects were extremely successful, and the May project will hopefully be just as efficacious. These projects show what it truly means to be a Pres girl and make one thing certain; whether it’s one life or one million lives, Pres students work for change.

Appalachia Trip

mcsikesz — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 23:31:00 +0000

“Where are you going over break?” For some, the answer to this perennial pre-winter break question was “Nowhere,” or maybe an exciting “Hawaii.” But for Presentation’s principal Ms. Miller, CI Chair Ms. Russo and eight Presentation students, the answer was “Appalachia.”

For many of us, Appalachia conjures up ideas of a mountain range, but probably nothing more. Embarrassing as it may be, that is all the majority of us know about a region within our own country that encompasses fragments of 13 states and actually has very little to do with a mountain range.

Appalachia is an eastern region that weaves through multiple states, including all of West Virginia and parts of Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. Although named for the mountain range, the counties from each state that are declared a part of the Appalachian region are done so by economic indicators rather than certain geographical features. Among these “indicators” are an unusually high number of people living in poor health, high poverty and minimal education.

Although the government has identified this region for the purpose of relieving those suffering from the poverty which persists there, a huge percentage of the population in Appalachia continues to struggle, even since the Johnson’s Administration’s creation of the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC). The ARC has been devoted to increasing job opportunities, increasing Appalachia’s participation in the global economy and alleviating Appalachia’s isolated nature with an improved highway system.

Still, despite the intentions of the ARC, a multitude of people in the Appalachian region continue to live in terrible poverty, with poverty rates in some areas as high as 24% as of 2009, according to the ARC. With effort, it might be possible to improve the deteriorating conditions of Appalachia, but the problems at the root of the poverty have a cyclical nature, making them hard to escape.

In Appalachia, one economic idea is prominent. “Coal is king” said senior Cassie Brown and Ms. Miller. However, it’s a double edged sword. Coal is responsible for the vast majority of poverty in Appalachians, yet it paradoxically also keeps them alive.

Approximately eight to ten years ago, coal industries began using a technique called “mountaintop removal” for coal mining. With this practice, all of the forestation on mountaintops is swept off and obliterated so that the coal can be taken from the top. In doing so, not only is the scenic beauty of the nature destroyed, but the environment is destroyed for the people living there. Toxins and wastes flow down from these destroyed mountains, carrying pollutants such as arsenic into the water. In addition, the lack of forestation on mountaintops results in flooding for those living in the valleys, ruining the already poor towns in which they live according to Ms. Miller.

At the same time, coal is the Appalachian people’s main livelihood; it is the industry that provides the majority of the jobs and opportunities in the poverty-stricken area. What sustains the people of Appalachia kills them. As the participants of the Appalachia trip explained, those living in Appalachia are stuck in a cycle which they cannot escape and which is ignored by the indifferent coal industries.

It is this desensitization and ignorance to a large division of our country that Presentation’s service trip was fighting. According to Ms. Miller, “the purpose of the trip was essentially through service to be educated.” The students were visiting “an area with third-world conditions that was located in our wealthy, industrialized nation,” said Brown. In visiting this region, the hope was that the participants of the trip could apply the mission they became so adamant about during the trip to the area in which we live, where poverty is also present.

Silicon Valley residents cannot even begin to grasp experiences such as one described by senior Allison Tella in which they were serving at a food shelter but could no longer provide food for people one day. Having to turn people away, even when their request was as simple as a loaf of bread, was not easy to do, especially for this group of girls so devoted to service that they were willing to dedicate their entire break to it. Tella said, “It was just heartbreaking.”

Throughout the trip, the girls visited numerous organizations in which they were able to truly formulate a vivid picture of the conditions in Appalachia. Among these many organizations were the Catholic Community Center, the Wheeling Soup Kitchen and the YMCA. During each of their various experiences, the service trip participants were exposed to a multitude of people, each with their own stories and personalities to share. There was Larry, a group favorite on the trip, present in anecdotes shared by many of the participants. Although immersed in desperately poverty-stricken conditions, Larry still had his own personality accompanied by his positive attitude and a hat filled with cheerful trinkets collected in his poverty. He, like any other person, had his own advice and views to share. “He taught me to take my time in everything I do because so many people in today’s world rush through every day without thinking about what they are really doing,” said Brown.

Then there was Rose, from Appalachian Outreach. Although she herself had been struck by unfortunate circumstances that left her in an unhealthy state and with forced retirement from her job, she still devoted herself and her life to helping others. “She’s got this spirit that is just so beautiful,” said Ms. Miller, who went on to compare her to a more locally known figure, Louise Benson, who founded Sacred Heart with a similar call for justice and respect of humanity and its needs.

It was this “spirit” that the participants of the trip seemed to find in many of the people they met on the trip. Everyone they met seemed to have their own story and life. Just like all of us at Presentation, they had friends, they had family, and they have a history. The fact is simply that unfortunate circumstances befell them.

Still, one thing Ms. Miller was so impressed with in the trip was the way that the Presentation students matched the vivid, hard-working spirit of the people. “They went right through their fear!” she said. In spending a week fighting injustice and essentially humanizing as well as personalizing the condition, this group of Presentation members has become moved in their cause, a fight against poverty and injustice. Now that they have returned to Presentation, the fight returns to us within the community.

Mandatory Classes

kjensen — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 23:04:10 +0000

As you were sitting down to bubble in your final scheduling form, what classes did you want? Shakespeare? World Religions? A free period? Were you forced to bypass these options because you need to fill yet another graduation requirement? Pres has a host of interesting class options available to its students, but there are so many required classes now that many will not get to enjoy them.

Pres has a diverse student body, and some girls are not Catholic or even religious at all. These girls recognize that part of going to a Catholic school is sitting through a religion class or two that they don’t agree with. Other schools in the diocese of San Jose like Archbishop Mitty and Notre Dame require their students to take these classes as well. There are some amusing religion classes out there, and it is not unreasonable for some religion to be mandatory. But because of our diverse student body, we should offer more classes like World Religions that focus on different aspects of spirituality and faith. Even though religion classes can be interesting given the right circumstances, there’s no denying the sometimes they can seem pointless. Religion classes do not count for college, which can hurt our GPAs. In the extremely competitive world we live in today, many girls find it frustrating to take classes that will not help us get into our first-choice school. . It is not reasonable for us to take excess classes when we have so much other work to do. For upperclassmen, only Ethics and Social Justice should be mandatory, leaving us two semesters to choose what we want to do.

Another glitch in our scheduling system is the mandatory extra semester of art or technology. Many girls who want free periods are unable to have them because they need that extra semester. Plus, while there are technology classes that cater to all types of interests such as Java and 3D Modeling, our current art electives focus primarily on visual and performing arts. Visual arts are an important part of making the world we live in a beautiful place, but some students are not as artistically inclined as others. And—let’s face it—many people are rhythmically and musically challenged. Electives for those students such as—dare I suggest it?—a home economics class that would teach us basic life skills could be a good idea. Even a simple cooking class for those who don’t have time for cooking club but would still like to learn could be offered. Another option would be to have a theatre technology class which would cover the basics of working behind-the-scenes in theatre productions. These classes would still allow us to be creative, and because only a year of art is mandatory for college would let students not interested in technology or traditional art to enjoy a relaxing extra semester.

On top of these already required classes, the English and Social Studies departments are adding yet more mandatory classes. American will be compulsory starting for girls in the class of 2013, and Economics will be mandatory starting for the class of 2014. Reading and learning about different time periods in our country is an important aspect of understanding how we live today. And without a basic understanding of our country’s economic system, we would be lost in the real world. These two classes are important, but in exchange a different requirement should be dropped. Any requirement would be acceptable: that darn extra semester of art, one of the extra two religion semesters, or even the extra semester of P.E. Also, only six semesters of Social Studies are required for colleges, but we are required to take seven. Extra classes make busy work and are hard to work in to our schedules. If just one of these requirements were dropped, it would leave sophomores and juniors with less stress when choosing their classes.

When our parents went to school, nobody chose their classes, and many public schools still do not give students the opportunities Pres gives to us. But Pres encourages us to become confident, strong-minded, and independent women. Part of being independent—and, in extension, responsible—is the right to choose. Fewer mandatory classes would give us more freedom and allow girls to be in classes they would find interesting and possibly even fun. Who knows—we might even start paying attention in class.

Exclusive APs

kjensen — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 23:00:01 +0000

It’s that time of the year again. We are in the midst of setting our schedules for the following year. Busily trying to meet all of the classes you need to take for colleges, you suddenly realize that you do not have the space to take that extra year of Spanish or the full year of Anatomy and

Physiology, which would greatly benefit your college choice and acceptance. And why is that? Because you were a victim of the High School Placement test. Although you may have been an honors student all throughout middle school, you fell short by a couple of points and were forced to take General Science instead of Biology. Little did you know that this would set you back a year and prevent you from taking additional classes besides the required ones.

The truth is that some people are good at taking tests such as the HSPT and the SAT and some are not. Placement into certain classes should be determined by the consistency of a student’s academic performance and not be based off of one test.

The High School entrance test provides a benchmark to make determinations on a student’s academic performance. You can only take the HSPT once, and what happens when you are sick, you lose your place on the scranton or maybe just having a bad day? You can kiss your high school schedule goodbye. In addition to the High School Entrance test, the subject of who should and who shouldn’t get to take an AP class has also raised a few eyebrows.

AP classes are designed for those who are academically savvy. These students are challenged and learn at a quicker pace than those students in regular classes. The number of students who qualify for honors and AP classes have been increasing, which means that the school is having to create more sections of honors.

Though it is helpful to have a solid GPA before entering an AP class, any student should have the opportunity to take an AP class. If a student is motivated to learn and challenge herself, then she should take the class. However, according to a survey mentioned on Education Week, only 30 percent of teachers are in favor of letting AP classes be open to all interested students.

There are many students who fall a little bit short from the required GPA in order to take an AP class. They should not be held back from taking the AP class especially if they are only few tenths of a point away from the required GPA.

Not all students take five AP courses a year, so taking only one or two for the border line student shouldn’t be an issue. Taking an AP class gives a student a certain portion of the college experience, plus it allows them to stand out in an increasingly competitive college application process. It teaches students to discipline themselves and adopt useful study methods before they enter college.

Artist Profile: Jennifer Greenfield

msisto — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 22:57:14 +0000

Jennifer Greenfield has been performing in plays and playing the piano for several years, and as this senior prepares to graduate, The Voice got the opportunity to ask her about her start in art. Here is what she shared with us in an interview.
The Voice: What first got you interested in theater and music?
JG: Well, I’ve always been a very imaginative child. I started reading at a very early age which helped create the foundation of my vivid imagination. I literally played dress up until 6th grade. So, my imagination and dramatic nature have been evident from any early age. My grandma pulled her old keyboard out of the attic one day and let me have it. My mom says I used to freak her out because I would start playing a song I had heard playing in a store. There was one time when I started playing the song “Every Breath You Take” that I had heard earlier that day in Noah’s Bagels when I was in third grade, I think.
When I was a wee freshman, I was very gung ho about Speech and Debate. I won third place in my first novice tournament in Original Oratory. But after a while, I realized it wasn’t Speech and Debate that I wanted to do, but acting. Somewhere, Mr. Case is crying in a corner. Tears of joy, perhaps?
The Voice: Do you want a career involving theater and music?
JG: I don’t know what I want to do. On my list of goals, between marrying Harry Potter and winning an Oscar, I’d like to pursue a career as an actress. But I know that it’s a very difficult field to get into, so I want to make sure I have back up plans.
The Voice: Are you planning on studying theater or music in college next year?
JG: The thing is I’ve got so many options open. I like acting, reading, writing, design, drawing and painting, public speaking, and so I don’t want to pigeonhole myself into one major. But I know that whatever I do, I want to be able to express my creativity. I could never be stuck in a cubicle.
I definitely want to be involved in theater in college. I don’t know if I want to major in it. I haven’t declared anything as my major.
The Voice: Which do you prefer—acting or playing the piano?
JG: Oh, that’s a loaded question. The thing about acting is that I can only really do it when I’m part of a cast, when performing. Of course, I act everyday among my peers. But, most of time I only act when part of a play. However, piano is something I can do every day. When I come home I can sit down at my piano and play for hours. It’s such a stress reliever for me. I’m going to be noncommittal and not decide between the two.
The Voice: Who are your main theatrical or musical influences, and why?
JG: One is definitely Tim Burton. When I went to New York City, I had the opportunity to visit the Museum of Modern Art and the Tim Burton exhibit there. I look up to him because he’s so talented, not only at directing, but also as an artist, an illustrator, a writer and a film maker.
The other is George Winston. He’s a contemporary piano player whom I’ve seen in concert twice. I love his piano playing style. One of the songs he played was sort of a jazzy tune, and it inspired me to remix Lady Gaga’s Pokerface.
The Voice: Do you perform in other locations?
JG: Yes, I play piano for children’s first communion masses at St. Christopher and for graduations. I also like playing piano every opportunity I get on vacations. Last summer, my family and I took a trip to Glacier National Park. Where we were staying, there was a huge grand piano that was 100 years old. I asked at the front desk if I could play it, and I had a great time entertaining the guests.
The Voice: What inspired you to create such an eclectic mix of songs for the Talent Show this year?
JG: Well, I’ve wanted to perform for the Talent Show ever since Elaine Higashi played that spiffy medley on the electric violin for the Talent Show a few years ago. Ever since then, I’ve been sort of thinking of what I would want to do for the Talent Show and what songs might sound neat. I actually learned all of the songs separately and then a few months before the Talent Show tryouts, I mooshed them into an arrangement in my mind. The original arrangement was a lot less songs, but as I went through the list in my mind, I kept thinking, “Oh that would sound really cool too, and so would that!” So I kept adding more songs into my mind arrangement.
The Voice: How would your life be different now if you did not participate in theater or play music?
JG: It’s difficult to imagine, because I need some kind of export for my creativity. I’d probably still be involved with clubs on campus, and I would continue doing horseback riding lessons. I’m also very passionate about nature and the environment. I like hiking and taking photos of nature. So if I wasn’t involved so heavily with art and theater, I might get more in touch with my green thumb.

Politicians Look Like Fools with their Pants on the Ground

kjensen — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 22:56:33 +0000

Women are beginning to take their place in the world. For the first time in the history of the United States, women will hold a majority in the number of college graduates and the population of the labor force. Women are also finding successful careers in politics. In California, two women, both former CEOs of major corporations, are currently running for political office: Carly Fiorina and Meg Whitman. Fiorina had a very successful career before announcing her campaign for the California Senate seat against Barbara Boxer. As CEO of HP, she was the first woman to lead the Fortune 500 list – a major accomplishment. Whitman, who is running for California governor, was given a similar honor when she was ranked the most powerful woman in business in 2004 and 2005 by Fortune for her work as CEO of EBay.

These women are people of integrity and determination. They have broken through the glass ceiling that has forbidden women from participating in business and politics. They are equal to men, except in one thing: they probably will not get themselves into the same sexual scandals that so many male politicians have found themselves in.

The reason that men cheat more than women is sometimes attributed to hormones. While men think of sex once every hour, women think of sex once every few days. Infidelity Statistics also found that 60% of men cheat on their spouse at least once in their marriage compared to 40% of women who do so. While the percentages for both are quite high, it must be noted that men are 20% more likely to cheat.

Sadly, the American people cannot look to their representatives and politicians as examples because it seems that they are just as likely to be involved in scandals as everyone else. The good thing: women politicians have proven capable of controlling themselves in positions of power. Men, on the other hand, are another story.

The most famous such political scandal was that of former president Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinski. Instead of being busy at his desk, Clinton was getting busy in the Oval Office. Unlike many politicians that get away easily with such scandals, Clinton was duly punished for his infidelity to his job and his wife. After denying his affair, Clinton was impeached on charges of lying under oath by the House of Representatives. Luckily for him, the Senate spared him impeachment and eternal ruin by one vote. But such is the life of a politician.

Another recent scandal involves John Edwards, former senator and presidential nominee. Edwards probably felt a lot of pressure when his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer. However, instead of being there to support his wife, Edwards sought out comfort in a different way: he found a mistress. Rielle Hunter was able to console Edwards for quite a long time, that is, until the media discovered that he was cheating on his cancer-stricken wife.

Recently, Elizabeth Edwards released a memoir called Resilience: Reflections on the Burdens and Gifts Facing Life’s Adversities, which details her emotions regarding the affair and other obstacles in her life. Until a little while ago, Elizabeth was part of the 70% of women who do not know about their husband’s infidelity. A very obstinate person, John Edwards attempted to deny the affair completely, convincing his chief of staff, Andrew Young, to disavow that Hunter was his mistress and that her child was his also. Now that his daughter is two years old, Edwards has finally announced that he is the father of Hunter’s child, as if the DNA hadn’t already shown it. In January 2010, Elizabeth finally legally divorced her unfaithful husband after meeting his love child.

And these two are just the tip of the iceberg. Last June, South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford confessed to an affair with a woman in Argentina, after being caught lying about his official travel itinerary. A year earlier, Eliot Spitzer was forced to resign as governor of New York after being caught patronizing prostitutes. More locally, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom admitted to cheating—with his so-called best friend’s wife, while San Jose Mayor Ron Gonzales had an affair with an intern. At least he later married her, but that’s probably little consolation to his former wife.

So are female politicians simply morally superior? Possibly. Debbie Walsh, director of the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University, suggests, “Women are more conscious and aware that they are being held to an even higher standard.” But James Taranto of The Wall Street Journal counters that women simply lack the opportunity to cheat. “[S]uccessful politicians, who usually are middle-aged or older, tend to have the qualities that make men superficially attractive to women (status and power), but lack those that make women superficially attractive to men (youth and beauty).”

While politicians are human, it is quite disconcerting that the leaders of our nation do not have enough integrity and fidelity to “keep it in their pants.” Not only that, but they insist on lying about the affair until something drastic happens – like the threat of impeachment.

Children are taught that a promise is a promise, and a lie is a lie – that’s the long and short of it; yet it seems that our politicians missed out on kindergarten because otherwise they would know that the more you cheat, break promises, and lie, the more trouble you get into. Let’s hope that Whitman and Fiorina can do a little better.

Life Unexpected

ahencken — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 22:50:39 +0000

Many still feel the loss of the great show that was Gilmore Girls. If you are one of these people, you might be interested in watching an amazing new show, which has recently begun on the CW.

Life Unexpected has been compared to Gilmore Girls and Everwood by multiple critics. It airs Monday nights at 9 on the CW is already quite a hit. In fact, its premiere brought in more ratings than any other CW show in that time slot in over a year.

The show’s protagonist, Lux, is a 15-year-old girl who spent her youth being bounced around among undesirable foster homes after receiving treatments for a heart condition that she was born with. When she decides to become emancipated, Lux learns that she must have the signatures of her birth parents, who never legally gave up their rights to her custody. To try and save time, she sets off to find those parents and get their signatures personally.

The first parent she meets is Nate Bazile, or Baze, a 32-year-old man who never really grew up. He was a football star in high school and currently lives with two roommates in an apartment above the bar that his father financed for him. After learning of her existence and spending a day to get to know Lux, Baze signs the papers she needs and takes her to find her mother, Cate.

Cate Cassidy, Lux’s biological mother, is a star on the radio show, “Morning Madness,” with her fiancé, Ryan. She got pregnant after a winter formal in high school and kept her pregnancy a secret from everyone, except Baze, who never found out that she decided to keep the baby. Cate had been assured that because Lux was a baby, she would be adopted quickly. For this reason, she was shocked to hear about Lux’s situation.

Lux, likewise, was surprised to learn the identity of her mother. Since she was a child, Lux listened to Cate’s radio show. It was the only constant in her life as she was being moved from foster home to foster home.

After receiving the necessary signatures, Lux attends her emancipation hearing, in the company of her biological parents. Because she does not possess a steady job or home, Lux is denied her request for emancipation and is instead put into the custody of her parents, as their signatures were never notarized, and were therefore invalid.

The initial negative reactions of Cate and Baze were too much for Lux to handle, and after attempting to return to foster care, a plan was worked out that put her into shared custody between her parents. However, after a visit from social services, Cate was awarded primary custody of Lux due to Baze’s living situation and unstable paycheck.

The show focuses on the growing process that both Lux and her parents are going through. Lux has to learn to be able to depend on someone other than herself, while Cate and Baze must learn how to be suitable parents. Cate has to overcome her fears of trust and commitment, and Baze must work to mature and get his life in order.

These serious developments are intertwined with quirky stories of Cate and Baze learning to deal with Lux’s other life and delinquent boyfriend, Bug. Lux must learn to adjust to a new school and both Baze and Cate need to deal with their own parents.

Life Unexpected is a great show and if you haven’t yet watched it, you can catch up on previous episodes at www.cwtv.com.

Presentation students, in particular, have an extra reason to watch Life Unexpected. Its co-producer, MaryBeth Basile, was part of the Presentation class of 1995. In addition to producing Life Unexpected, she was also the associate producer of October Road and an assistant on the shows The Evidence and Blind Justice, which aired on ABC.

After graduating from Presentation, Mary Beth attended University of San Diego with a major in Communications and a minor in English. In deciding upon her current career path, Mary Beth did an internship at a studio during her senior year of college. It was during that internship that she figured out exactly what she wanted to do. That is why she recommends an internship for anyone who is interested in the business. She says, “An internship can provide invaluable experience. You get to know how the business works, and you meet people who can help you get a job when you’re ready.”

After school, she began her career as an assistant, where she worked for for Renny Harlin for 2 ½ years and then Gary Fleder for 3 ½ years. She is currently running Gary Fleder’s company.

As a producer, Mary Beth has many roles. She is involved in developing the script with the writer, helping choose the cast, approving wardrobe, working with the editors of the show, picking music for various episodes, working with sound mixers, and working with the studio and network. When the show isn’t in production, her hours are 9 a.m.-7p.m. However, when it is in production, her hours are extremely long and she has to work during weekends.

Life Unexpected is filmed in Vancouver, but its writers are in Los Angeles. So, Mary Beth spends most of her time in LA, but also has to travel to Vancouver. When she is in Canada, she sees the cast on a daily basis. In fact, now that the first season of the show has wrapped, she, as well as the creator of the show, get together with the cast to watch the show on Monday nights. She says, “Last week, we all went over to Shiri Appleby’s house (Cate). It’s a really fun group of actors.”

As to the question of her future, Mary Beth says, “Ideally, I’d like to continue producing more shows. I started out solely working in film. The move into T.V. wasn’t planned. But I’ve really enjoyed it, and would love to continue producing.”

Famous Irish Americans

jperrone — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 22:42:51 +0000

St. Patrick’s Day is a national holiday celebrated in not only Ireland, but many other countries as well. It is a feast day in which Saint Patrick, the most well known patron saint of Ireland, is honored. Some may wonder why our country celebrates an Irish holiday, even though there aren’t many Irish-Americans in the U.S. If you think that there is a small Irish population in the U.S., think again. Did you know that there are 34.5 million U.S. residents who claim to be of Irish ancestry? According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Irish is the United States’ second most frequently reported ancestry (German is the leading ancestry). In addition, 12% of the nation comes from Irish ancestry. There are many famous people in our society that you wouldn’t have guessed are Irish. Here is a list of only a few of the thousands of famous Irish-Americans:

Entertainment Industry

George Clooney

Mel Gibson

Mariah Carey

Walt Disney

Conan O’Brien

Christina Aguilera

Political Figures

John F. Kennedy

Joseph Biden

Ronald Reagan

Business

Henry Ford (founder of Ford Motor Company)

New Reading Club On Campus

lvong — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 22:42:36 +0000

Do you have something you’re passionate about? Do you love to play and share tips about video games, or do you enjoy sharing music with others and being introduced to new styles? Whatever it is you love to do, there are always others who share your interests. So how can you get everyone together to share an activity or interest? The best way to do so is to start a club here on campus.

In fact, any member of the student body can start a club, although there is a process one has to go through in order to make it official. If you have the drive and the determination, though, your dream club can indeed become a reality.

It turns out that about two to three new clubs are proposed each year, although only one or two actually go through the entire process. However, when people do go through the entire process, the club is almost always made official, according to Vice Principal Hernandez.

One club currently being proposed is the Reading Club, started by junior Mireille Habib.

The first step Mireille took towards making her club a reality was filling out a “Request to Organize” form. This form requires students to formalize their purpose or goal for the club, find a faculty member to moderate the club, and acquire the signatures of 15 students who would to join the club. Basically, it sets the foundation for the club, ensuring that there is both focus and interest.

For Mireille, filling out the form was not difficult. “I was able to get the fifteen signatures the first day; I really didn’t need to hunt around for people,” she said. “People seemed really into the idea.”

Once a student finishes with the form, the club is allowed to meet on a “trial-run” basis, to test the waters and see if it will work. It will also come up on the agenda at the last student council meeting, where the members of the student council will vote on whether to recommend the club to Mrs. Hernandez. If the student council votes in favor of the club, Mrs. Hernandez assigns it an official moderator and gives the club official status.

Of course, even once a club earns its official status it must meet certain requirements. All clubs must contain a community service component, although there is freedom in how a club can go about meeting that requirement. Some clubs choose to do something related to their theme, such as SEAS’ beach clean-up days, while others just go as a group to volunteer somewhere unrelated to them but still worthy.

Attendance is also an issue clubs must stay aware of. Attendance is kept track of by Mrs. Hernandez, whom club officers e-mail once a month with the attendance of their most recent meeting.

“If the club’s attendance ever drops below 15 members, I ask the club’s officers and moderator to evaluate whether or not the club should continue,” she said. “Sometimes clubs thrive for a while because a group of girls who are really passionate about that topic are here at Pres, but then the club dies out when they graduate, since no one else is interested.”

While earlier book clubs may have died out like these other special interest groups, now that interest has been returned, the book club may just make it through. Mireille Habib has filled out her form, and now she’s just waiting on the next step.

“At this point, I figure there’s not much else I can do except publicize,” she said.