Issue 4 2012 2013

Swim Team Update page 19

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the round tableof stuart hall high school

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the round table | Founded 2005 by Nick Dietz, Corey Linehan, Tom Pardini, Joey Plonsker, Ms. Sarah Slonaker

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Stuart Hall High School | Schools of the Sacred Heart, San Francisco | Volume VIII, Issue IV | May 2013

Table of Contents

School NewsConge.........................................................3Service Day.........................................................5Senior Reflection.................................................8Senior Service Internships...............................13Face to Faith.....................................................14

SportsThe Thrill of My Bike......................................18Swim Team Update.........................................19

Special FeaturesAthletes and ACL Injuries................................4New Found Power: Driving...............................6Preppy Kids........................................................7Go Pro with the GoPro.....................................15Reddit...............................................................16

Creative WorksZae - Chapter 3....................................................17

Senior Pages.............................9-12Congratulations to the seniors!

Front cover photo Sanjay Saxena Back cover photos by Lori Saltveit and Austin Carroll-Keeley

editors’ cornerHello All, Let me just say, this last issue of the round table newspaper has been absolutely amazing to create. As my last official statement as Editor-In-Chief I’d like to say that I am extremely proud of all the hard work and hours of focus that our staff has committed to make sure this paper runs like a well oiled machine. As the year draws to a close, and our students at Stuart Hall High School ready themselves for summer, a certain number of people, myself among them, steel themselves for the next stage of their lives and educational careers, college. Our seniors, numbering 30 in all have undergone much; from a near-catastrophic school closure scare to being the “lab rats” for many inter-school programs such as CORE (formerly known as Community) and coed classes. After all this time, rich with experience, the seniors are finally ready to engage the world in a critical and very real way, through the personalities, characters and moral guidelines they have developed here. In college, we will learn to apply the skills we have mastered and hone others we have not. This group of graduates, among others is a truly exceptional class. For that very reason, this fourth and final issue of the round table is dedicated to the Class of 2013. If you, dear reader, will indulge me, I’d like to give a few words of advice to my fellow classmates as well as the following juniors who will be in this very same place next year. It’s been a great four years at the Hall and I’m sure each and every one of us has made friends that will last a lifetime. So, keep them close with you as you move on to the next step in your life, college. Stay in touch, as you never know when a friend might come in handy. I’ve made many friends at Stuart Hall and will sorely miss them when I graduate. But more than the friendships, I’ll miss the connection I had with Stuart Hall itself. I know that I’ve found a lifelong friend in the Stuart Hall community. It will always welcome back those who have walked it’s “Halls”. Our class has something that few other high school classes have since it’s so small, fortitude. Another class at a bigger high school would simply dissolve immediately after graduation, but ours, I feel is stronger than that, and will always be connected, via some method or another. Thank you for an awesome four years guys! And thank you also to all the readers of the round table. You are the force that keeps us doing what we do. I thank you. So, without further ado, enjoy. - Liam Lynch, Editor-In-Chief

We knew it was coming Great America Makes a Great Conge

by Lucas Chan ‘14

school news

What makes a great Conge? Is it the immense amount of planning put into the day? Is it the choice of locations and activities? Or is it the simple surprise (or not) of having a sunny day off from school and classes to enjoy Spring? Whatever the reason, Stuart Hall and Convent’s 2013 Conge was a huge success for students and faculty alike. Despite leaked information regarding the exact date of Conge, many students acted as if they were surprised by arrival of Conge and donuts in the Columbus Room. Upon the arrival of the buses, students gathered into their classes and hopped on to discover where the mysterious buses would take them (of course the class of 2014 were the last to board for obvious reasons, a tradition since their first Conge). After a rowdy hour long ride, suspicions were confirmed that the school was indeed spending the day at Great America and thus the students ran off the buses in their own groups to enjoy the bright Spring day. Senior Nick Lukito states “This

year’s conge was the best since [our] freshman year!” Overall, most students were more than satisfied with this year’s Conge and look forward to another great one next year.

Photo by Lori Saltveit|| round table

Athletes and ACL InjuryBreaking down this infamous injury

by Max Phillopps ‘15

Illustration by Jean-Luc Seltenrich ‘13||round table

special features

the round table | page 4

One of, if not the most, painful injuries in all of competitive sports is the tearing of the Anterior Cruciate Ligament, more commonly known as the ACL. Unfortunately for athletes around the world, the ACL is a very fragile part of the knee that is torn by competitors at every level of athletic competition. Typically, ACL injuries occur in sports that have sudden starts and stops which puts serious pressure on this ligament; meaning that playing sports like basketball, football, soccer, hockey and tennis could potentially lead to a tear, though athletes in other sports are highly susceptible to ACL injuries as well. For example, Tiger Woods was out of all PGA Tour competitions for months due to an ACL injury. Most people who tear an ACL say that a sudden “pop” is heard followed by immense pain. It

typically takes months of rehabilitation and serious surgery to get over this trauma. Highly paid professional athletes have certainly not been immune to this injury. Two of the best point guards in the NBA, Rajon Rondo and Derek Rose, have both gone down in the last year with ACL tears. After surgery and almost a year of rehabilitation, Rose is only just starting to practice with contact. Rajon Rondo is also out for this season and possibly part of the next season because he tore his ACL

in an awkward fall two months ago against the Miami Heat. In addition, the reigning NFL Most

Valuable Player this year, Adrian Peterson was counted out of being effective at all this season after tearing both his MCL and ACL last year in a freak play. Many people in our own school community have experienced complications with their ACL.“I have torn my ACL twice” said Hayden Rodriguez ‘15, “Once in both 7th and 8th Grade. In 7th grade it took six months of rehab and 15 months total to get back to my normal self. In 8th grade it took six months of rehab as well as 13 months to get back to my normal self. Without a doubt it was the most painful experience I will ever deal with.”

Photo by Rachel Herbert|| round table


Service DayStuart Hall shows its heart in one day

by Omid Ravanfar ‘16

school news

Service Day is a day when, for the past ten years, the Stuart Hall High School community shows the city of San Francisco that it cares for its surroundings and its desire to live in a clean and greener community. Community service is a topic most Americans, as well people across the world, don’t take as seriously as they should. Doing one good deed for another person can go a long way, but helping a community can improve the lives of many human beings. On March 8, the Stuart Hall community sent its students to twenty-six different sites all over San Francisco. The freshmen and sophomores helped out at Alcatraz, Fort Baker, SF Park & Rec., SF SPCA, SF Food Bank, and the Gubbio Project. At these locations, the students helped the community by cleaning trash left behind by others, planted crops and furnished gardens, learned how to treat and look out for animals, and helped brighten one of the most historic sites in the United States, Alcatraz. In addition to making a difference, the SHHS community also strengthened friendships for many

years to come. The juniors and seniors were sent to separate locations to spend time together before the seniors graduate. Some of these places included the Wellness Center, Vincentian Help Desk, Tenderloin School, Redding Elementary School, and Spring Valley. Just as the sophomores and

freshmen, the juniors and seniors spent time with others, whether

it was educating students at a few elementary schools or spending time with adults who were not capable of taking care of themselves. As Mr. O’Connor, the Service Learning Director at Stuart Hall, explained about Service Day, “It really highlights Goal 3, which is social awareness that impels to action. It talks of us giving, while also receiving. It’s quite a challenge of a day; the logistics get really challenging with all of the requirements we need to fill, but the results are really satisfying.”When I asked Mr. O’Connor about the time and thought process that takes place in organizing service day, he told me, “Well, we already have relationships with many organizations through our senior internship program, so I want to continue to engage those relationships. But for the freshmen and sophomores, I like to keep them together as much as possible and send them to places that can handle bigger groups. For some places like Alcatraz, once I knew what day Service Day was going to be in September, I immediately made that call considering how fast their sign-

up sheet fills up.” I asked him if he had any fond memories of Service Day. He had a big smile and answered, “Yeah, well, looking through the pictures always puts a smile on my face. To see our school, whether it be the students or faculty, giving a day of hard-work to make our community better, is always something that makes me smile. Actually one memory I have was a few years ago when one of our groups took a bus all the way across town to Crocker Amazon to do backbreaking and really difficult work. Well it was about 2:30 when they got back and everyone was exhausted and tired; there was absolutely no way we could have done a reflection. And then all of a sudden, in walked our Head of School (Mr. Sharafinski at the time) and he was dead as meat, and I just told him you’re going to sleep well tonight. But you could tell that Head of School had put his heart and soul into this work, and I thought that was so great for students to see that. A great role model, you might say.” For one person to do one good thing can help change the lives of a few, but for a group as big as the Stuart Hall community to make a difference, it can help change the lives of people in a major city such as San Francisco.

special features


New Found Power: DrivingIndependence with responsibility

Driving a car can give a person independence, so if used wisely, it can give one a vast amount of freedom. But if one is irresponsible, driving can be harmful as well. In California, at the age of fifteen and a half, one can get a permit by completing the requirements that are listed in the sidebar (see chart). At Stuart Hall there are quite a few people who have their licenses. One of those people is Declan McBride ‘13. He offered a lot of good advice and recalled some funny stories. Declan pointed out that “when you have your provisional license, you can’t drive people in your car that are under 25 and you can’t drive past 11 PM.” He also noted that taking the driving test in Corte Madera was preferred so that’s where he took his test. Though he drives to school occasionally, he prefers not to because the parking in Japan Town is expensive. Another Stuart Hall

student who has his license is Joseph Jweinat ‘13. He didn’t have much to say about getting his

license except that, “San Mateo was too easy. It’s a guarantee to get your license there.” Apparently, taking one’s driving test at the San Mateo DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) is recommended. The last person interviewed for this article who has their license was Caleb Chertow ‘14. It seemed really important for him to get his license right away because his mom doesn’t drive and it gave him freedom to get to places quickly. He also stated, “I took the test to get my license at the San Francisco DMV but they are known for being really strict. Like the others who were interviewed, Caleb knew that getting a license in a suburb might be easier, but he is commended for taking the challenge of driving on more congested roads and passing the test on the first try. “It is hard to take your test in San Francisco because there is more stuff going on.” It was clear from Caleb’s comments that

with having a driver’s license, comes a lot of responsibility. The responsibility comes in a financial way as well as in a personal way. For all of you out there trying to get your license, you will not regret it. It will open new doors for you in the transportation world. Good luck and be safe on the roads!

by John Cannell ‘16

Photo by Lucas Chan|| round table Checklist for getting your license

q Be 15 1/2

q Take the online course

q Take certificate of online course to DMV

q Take DMV Written Test

q Bring $32.00 for application free

q Bring birth certificate and SSN

q Bring Driver Education Certifiate

q Take driving lessions

q Practice driving for over 50 hours

q Keep written log of your driving

q Must have permit for 6 months, signed by parents and instructor before taking final driving test at DMV


school news

Preppy KidsThe guide to Brooks Brothers and other expensive clothing lines

by Luke Chan ‘15

Japanese Seersucker shorts? Check. Light blue oxford? Check. Worn-out Sperry’s? Already on. What do all these have in common? Well for starters, these are the “ingredients” for another clothing trend: the preppy high school student.

The Basics What constitutes a preppy kid? That is hard to argue, but essentially preppy kids are seen with a multitude of odd colored chinos or shorts with a subtler and more subdued colored oxford shirt or polo. This can be regularly seen on individuals such as Connor Abbott and Andrew Suarez. Most of these clothes may come from various well-established retailers such as Brooks Brothers (the oldest clothing company in the US) as well as Ralph Lauren, J Crew, and Gant. The style is based off the goal of looking like a college student, without actually going to college.

The Spread Like most Cape Cod-like activities such as lacrosse,

yachting, wearing socks with sandals, and putting mayo on sandwiches, wearing preppy clothes is a sign of wanting to look like an Ivy League student, without actually going to an Ivy League University. As a result of wearing such clothes, many individuals may notice a sharp increase in spending just to keep up with the trend.

Despite the cost of the trend, many other factors help contribute to the growing number of high school students wearing preppy clothes. When asked why he wears preppy clothes, junior Connor Abbott states “They are stylish and they make me look great.” Provided is a breakdown of the most popular reasons to wear preppy clothes (see chart).

Preppy clothes have gradually grown in popularity to bypass other trends such as hipster clothes. As a result, more and more students around the school are beginning to look less like hobos or bums and more like a younger Donald Trump with more hair.

Guidelines Most preppy clothes come from high quality linen mills and are distributed by groups such as Vineyard Vines. Many of these clothes exhibit a nautical theme or a sense of history and tradition in New England or the East Coast in general. Such can be seen in sailboat shorts, anchor polo shirts, and Sperry’s. Whatever the occasion, preppy clothes are becoming increasingly popular amongst students around San Francisco.

Illustration by Lucas Chan ‘15|| round table

Reasons to Dress Preppy

Photo by Lucas Chan ‘15|| round table


school news

Senior ReflectionLooking back at four years At the beginning of the senior retreat, most of my classmates and I had a light mood. On the bus ride over, everyone made ironic jokes and teased each other as usual. Upon arriving, we were given some time to chose our bunks and explore the nearby beach and outdoorsy campus. We had a brief orientation and then we ate. The food was delicious. Immediately after dinner, we began our first activity: “What do you regret most in high school?” We all took this seriously. Even though some of the regrets were negative, the general attitude of the class was positive and reflective. After that short activity, we moved into the most important activity: “What is your story?” To demonstrate, Mr. Farrell joined us and spoke of his experiences and how he became the person he is today. Then we each mapped out our own life stories on a large piece

of construction paper. We then took turns presenting and listened respectfully. It was amazing to learn all the details of how someone got to be the person they are today. I look at everyone in my class in a different way now because I know

them on a deeper level. Laughs and emotions, compassion and empathy were all shared. These stories led into the next morning. Each one was captivating and diverse. Shortly thereafter, our parents came to share the experience and join the discussion. The entire experience was definitely worthwhile and I’m very glad to be apart of the Class of 2013. Do not dread this retreat. It is definitely the most enriching experience you will have at Stuart Hall and the last one you will have with your classmates until graduation.

by Declan McBride ‘13

Photos by Sergio Vasquez || round table


Ivan Balarin

Ben Carrasco

Dominic Cheung

Andrew Corral

Daniel Costa

Kurt Eskicioglu

Alex Fong

RobeilAndebrhan


Devin Harvey

Tray’von Hicks

Joseph Jweinat

Michael Keehan

Sterling Kirk

Joseph Lam

Trenton Lowe

Simon Goldsmith


Liam Lynch

Declan McBride

Matthew McCrum

Connor McKeonNick Lukito

Rodney McKinney, Jr.

Cade McLaughlin

Daniel Monsour


Serouge Panossian

Andreas Peritos

Jean-LucSeltenrich

JonoOtero-Caldwell

Colin Shepard

Everet Tom


school news

It’s your senior year and you’re focused on getting through the college application process, but then you find out that you have been assigned a service internship for Mr. O’Connor’s Justice class. Your first thought would probably be something like, “I don’t want to do more service. I am already finished with my service requirements in order to graduate, so why am I doing more service?” As you get deeper into your service site, you will begin to understand why service is an important part of yourself and the goals for the Schools of the Sacred Heart. Going to the service site on a weekly basis is something that you’ll become motivated to do. There is also a project that goes hand-in-hand with the service internships. This year, we are writing a blog about what we do whenever we go to our service sites. I go to Project Open Hand. Project Open Hand is an organization

that prepares food for those who suffer from HIV/AIDS and serious illnesses. Here is one of my blog entries:

An elderly woman, Ruth Brinker, created project Open Hand in her years of retirement. She had a friend who was going through the symptoms of HIV/AIDS and was wondering what she could do to help her out. When someone is going through the hardships of HIV/AIDS, they tend to become very skinny and frail. They have trouble going places and working at their daily jobs. At a certain point, they become so weak that they can no longer provide themselves with food. Ruth Brinker decided that she would make her friend food for every meal of the day and made sure that she would be happy with what she ate. That is what Project Open Hand prides itself on. They dedicate their services to people who are in need of meals. People who are going through the rough times with HIV/AIDS and serious illnesses are critically

ill. I was given a tour, along with Benjamin Carrasco ‘13, around the whole facility. They showed us the kitchen where the food was made and packaged. We also saw their own grocery store where the customers were able to gather food for the week. That is where we worked during my first day at Project Open Hand. Rachel, the manager there, has been great so far. We found out more about her job there and about why she decided to become part of the Project Open Hand association.

Being an intern at a service site in your senior year is a great way to live out the Goals of the Schools of the Sacred Heart in your last year. Goal 3 focuses on “social awareness that impels to action.” Prior to this experience, I did not know about the severe effects of HIV/AIDS. Project Open Hand has made me realize that those who suffer from HIV/AIDS are a part of my community as well, and we need to help them. Although it may seem a hassle to still be doing service, it is a great thing to do and it makes you feel like a great person for giving your time and effort to help an organization that gives back to the community.

Senior Service InternshipsLiving out Goal 3 by Robeil Andebrhan ‘13

Photo by Ray O’Connor || round table


school news

Wordle courtesy ofFace to Faith || round table

Recently, some juniors and seniors at Stuart Hall led by Mrs. Saltveit, Mr. Vasquez and Mr. Campos sat down to video conference with students from Palestine. Stuart Hall High School, as I have found, has always been a school that is rooted in the belief that all students should get to know other cultures and religions. The involvement in this program shows the values Stuart Hall has instilled in terms of communication and global understanding. Face to Faith, otherwise known as the Tony Blair Faith Foundation, “is an online community created by Tony Blair, former prime minister of Britain. The online community connects schools in nineteen different countries including the United States, Palestine, and India to name a few places,” says Thomas Egan ’14. According to the Face to Faith website, “The Tony Blair Faith Foundation promotes understanding and respect between the world’s major religions. We believe this is central to a policy to secure sustained peace” (tonyblairfaithfoundation.org). This policy aligns closely with the academia of Stuart Hall’s required theology classes. Both centralize to create an environment of understanding between cultures and

draw connections between students who may have thought before that there were none. The videoconferences with Al Hashimieh, a high school in Ramallah, Palestine, happened in February and April. Mars Pasache ’14 told me about the goal of Face to Faith, “For me, how I see it is that people can get connected all over the world and see that no matter how big the world really is that we all have similar goals and we want to see the same things in our communities and throughout the world and such”. Thomas Egan ‘14 wrote of his realization of what the Israeli occupation meant. He said, “In the two video conferences I have been involved in with students from Palestine I was astonished at how they recounted the Israeli occupation. It affects them daily to the point where they cannot even go to Jerusalem, which is fifteen minutes away from them.” People living in Palestine incur strict rules about travel. Mr. Vasquez also spoke of his reactions to watching his students during the video conferences interacting with the other students using Face to Faith. “You know, I think there’s always an opportunity to learn about other cultures with a Google search… but nothing beats speaking to them using

Face to Faith”. He went on to say that the Stuart Hall students who participated realized that the students they met while conferencing were just like them, even though they were half way across the world. Mr. Vasquez then commented on how amazing it was to see his own students who he has taught himself interact with other cultures in such an intellectual way. Mr. Vasquez excitedly said, “Priceless. It really was priceless to see the way that our guys interact with issues of justice, with issues of religion, with issues of politics in a way that puts a face to the situation. I’m just very proud of the way our guys handled themselves and the way they represented our school as a school that really cares just beyond information”. To conclude, Thomas explained, “I came away with a new understanding of these places and how they interact. I now understand a lot more about their cultures and how it is great to know more about these cultures to enrich my own sense of the world.” Face to Faith is clearly an eye opening experience for students looking to enrich their knowledge of other cultures and the world.

Face to FaithConnecting students from different cultures

by Declan McBride ‘13


special features

Photo by John Cannell ‘16|| round table

Over the past several years, the GoPro camera has revolutionized how action sports filming gets done. From freestyle skiing to skydiving, the GoPro has become one of the most popular forms of filming among those involved in the industry. The GoPro has created a

previously impossible camera angle that is increasingly appealing to those interested in action sports cinematography. Able to truly create a first person effect for the viewer, the rugged and waterproof case around the camera allows one to be able to truly use the camera anywhere. One of the newer

cameras, the GoPro HD Hero2, has many special features not available in the standard GoPro. A wireless WiFi backpack allows people to connect to multiple GoPro cameras with a wireless remote through their smart phones or computers. It has upgraded from the less viewable 5 megapixels to a stunning 11

megapixels. At full HD view it has the ability to store up to 4 hours of video, while at standard view one can film a full 6 hours. All of this while priced at $299.99. Many students around Stuart Hall use the GoPro, ranging from the filming of social events to there own action sports filming. Lucas Chan used the GoPro camera to “videotape

a dance for Stuart Hall and Convent admissions team.” Will Paulsen, avid sailer, uses his GoPro to tape action footage of his nautical activities. Will mounts his GoPro on the stern of his sailboats to “videotape himself sailing.” John Cannell uses his for surfing, and says “you can always trust GoPro cameras to stay

mounted on the board and the footage is spectacular.” Although primarily known for its use in action sports, it’s also become useful in other sports as well. The University of Washington football team mounted GoPro cameras on their quarterbacks during practice to critique their throwing motion and QB vision. Likewise, in hockey, lacrosse, and baseball, GoPros are used in similar situations, either to review skills from

the vision of the player, or just to give viewers a never before seen view from the eyes of a professional athlete. In total, the GoPro leads advancements in far more than just action sports, truly revolutionizing athletic film altogether.

Go Pro With the GoPro Point of view filming for any situation

by Connor Abbot ‘14

Reddit is a website where people go to discuss new and interesting things, and laugh about memes. It is actually more brutal than one may think. If someone does not like a post they may downvote it, however if someone likes a post they may upvote it and if one gets enough upvotes, it gets posted on the front page, which is a collective page of what people believe are the bests posts at the moment. As a bonus, every time a post or comment gets an upvote, the creator obtains one karma point. Ultimately, the more karma you have shows how successful you have been in your posts or comments. All of reddit is made up of multiple subreddits. Some examples of subreddits are described below.

The Front PageWhat is it? Like the name implies, it is the front page of reddit, where all of the highest upvoted posts go. Based on a subscriber’s interest their Front Page page may look different than

another reddit subscriber. This is where the majority of people who are new to

reddit browse; it is a combination of all of the subreddits that you are subscribed to. The Front Page is the home page of the website and is a place where the most liked links are placed and ordered. Whatever links have the highest upvotes get placed on the front page. However this can always change because the front page is updated constantly.

Funny SubredditWhat is it? The Funny Subreddit is simply what people find funny and put on online. What they put online

may be in the format of a picture that depicts something funny, a short clip of something funny being done, or possibly a link to another website that has something funny on it. Popular topics for the funny subreddit are usually animals, people making fun of people, and funny quotes.

Advice AnimalsWhat is it? This is a subreddit containing multiple memes where an animal gives you tips and advice. However quite often it is not good advice. For example, there is Actual Advise Mallard, which is a talking duck, and there is Bad Advice Mallard that gives you satirical bad advice. There are actually many good advice posts and they usually are about relationships and work.

AMA (ask me anything)What is it? This subreddit that has contributions from celebrities, presidents or people with interesting jobs or things that impact their lives. President Obama, for example did an AMA on reddit. The most recent AMAs have been from a Laos cluster bomb survivor, a United States fighter pilot, and Hank Azaria, who does voices for The Simpsons. What reddits are your favorites?

special features


RedditADHD in a website

by Demetri Sakellaropoulos and James Hernandez ‘15

Photos by Demetri and James || round table


creative works

The story picks up with Will stuck inside the luggage compartment of a bus.

I lay on my rather uncomfortable bunk that night, wishing I could go home. I had pounded on the doors of the bus for what seemed like years. Nobody came. I eventually fell asleep quaking and shivering because of the cold, hard metal floor. Sadly, my dormant state didn’t last for a very long time. Suitcases in the trunk were shifting around, knocking me in the process. When the ride was finally over, the counselors unloaded the suitcases and found me. At first, they thought I was a stow-away who did not belong on the trip; they were prepared to send me home. However, I was able to explain to them what had happened to me. I was reluctant to tell them who had committed this treacherous act. I knew better than to tell the teachers that John had thrown me under the bus and into the luggage

compartment. He would have killed me. Despite that, I told them anyways. I guess on the inside, I had really hoped that he would be expelled and sent home. The rest of the day passed uneventfully. We went through the camp orientation, where they explained what we would be doing for the next week. We then proceeded to eat a rather tasteless dinner of mystery meat and soggy French fries. Afterwards, we all retired to our cabins for a rather early bedtime. I stayed in my cabin and unpacked my clothes. The day had sailed so smoothly because I hadn’t seen John yet. But just as I had begun to relax, I heard tapping on my cabin door. In a devious and annoying voice, John taunted, “Come on, Willy! I want to apologize for what I did! Open the door!” I had to get out. I couldn’t stand another

encounter with him. I looked around the cabin for an escape route. It seemed that the only way in or out was the door blocked by John. I panicked as I heard the cabin door slowly creak open. In desperation, my gaze landed on one of the windows. Would I fit? I ran over to it, unlocked it, and crawled through, to only face plant on the other side. After my “graceful” fall to the ground, I heard John close the door. He had begun to walk around the house, towards me. The first thing I saw was his malicious grin. I didn’t even bother to reason with John, I just ran. The cabins were all laid out in a large clearing in the middle of the forest. My cabin was closer to the edge of the clearing and near the edge of the forest. There were various trails that led off into the forest for hiking; I headed for the closest one. The forest trails were dark and I had a hard time keeping my balance. I had a head start on John, but he was steadily closing the gap between us. When I turned to look back at him, I tripped on a tree root which caused me to fall onto the ground. I began to roll; the trail became steeper and steeper, causing me to continue moving downhill. As I continued to roll, dirt, leaves, and various insects stuck to my face and got into mymouth. Suddenly the slope ended with a short cliff that overlooked a river. There was a brief moment in the air where I registered what was happening. Then I plunged into the river. Although I expected the water to be freezing cold, for some reason it burned and stung. I screamed as the water scorched my skin. My vision began to blur, and I began to black out. The last thing that I saw was a shaded, hunched figure slowly walking towards me on the riverbank.

Zae - A NovelChapter 3

by Zack Hammer ‘16

Illustration by Jean-Luc Seltenrich || round table

sports


What is a mountain bike? To many people, a mountain bike or a bike in general appears to be an insignificant piece of metal with a set of rubber tires. To those who drive cars, bikes are annoying because many cyclists carelessly weave through traffic. While this may be true, cyclists see it differently. Besides the fact that biking is a great way to stay in shape, as well as a cheap and efficient mode of transportation, for cyclists, there is a value to the experience of riding that transcends a bike’s convenience; it is a piece of one’s identity. Contrary to belief, mountain biking does not just take place on the mountains; it also takes place on rugged terrain, which includes harsh, outdoor

trails. Because of the location mountain biking takes place in, it presents its own set of challenges. Unlike time trial and road biking, mountain biking doesn’t necessarily demand a strong cardio physique. While it is important to be in good shape before taking on mountain biking, technical skills are more

important. Having the ability to react quickly and use instinct is necessary when mountain biking. “ I found mountain biking to be difficult,” said Jackson Rhodes ’16, “It challenged me on an entirely different scale because I was use to my Cyclo-Cross [A type of cycling that uses the aerodynamic geometry of a road bike, but the rugged durability of a mountain bike].” With mountain biking trails constantly changing, with sharp turns all the way to sudden drops, being technically sound is essential. One slip up could have you falling off your bike, or even crashing into a tree. “ I have eaten it tons of times,” said Giovanni Oltranti ’16, a freshmen free rider. “After I rode a lot though, I learned how to react to situations.” Although I have only begun mountain biking this year, I feel like I’ve ridden my mountain bike for years. While others find adrenaline rushes in roller coasters and cliff jumping, I find my adrenaline rush in mountain biking. Bombing down a trail with the wind in my face is exhilarating. Biking is like a metaphor for life. You have to work hard for what you want. It reminds you that you need to make it up the hill in order to achieve your goal - a momentous ride downhill with the wind in your face, a moment that, though quick, you wish could last forever.

The Thrill of My Bike“Get outta my lane!”

by Austin Woo ‘15

Photos by Richard Rhodes|| round table

This year’s version of the co-ed Cubs and Knights swim team made a huge splash (pun-intended) in the pool this year, logging some huge victories over a plethora of stiff competition. After a tough season

last year, with the team winning only 2 meets, the team has come out this year with a vengeance, going on a huge winning streak since their tri-meet victory over league-foes Bentley and Urban. However, the most notable victory was over Marin Academy, the 15-time defending league champion at their home pool.

Leading the way in this resurgence were freshmen Arjun Saxena and Alexander Burnam, along with sophomores Jeremy Huynh and Benzi Blatman. Seniors Jean-Luc Seltenrich and Jono Otero-Caldwell, the team captains, continued to show great leadership skills in guiding the team through a long season, paving the way for talented underclassmen swimmers. Sophomores Allie Rosen, Beto Wetter, and James Hernandez are part of this group, and have all contributed greatly to the team this season. Returning for her second year was head coach Victoria Fernandez, who guided the team to a great season through her tireless work ethic and planning. New to the team this season was assistant coach Tristan Krautkramer, who has plenty of swimming experience and made a huge difference on this year’s team. Recently, the Knights competed in the BCL West championship meet, where they faced some of the best swimmers in the league. Overall, in the championship meet, more than half of the league’s records were reset. The team finished 8th out of 11 teams overall, a strong showing from an up and coming team and program. The team had many strong performances in the meet, especially by underclassmen. Excelling in the event was the boys 400 Freestyle relay – consisting of Arjun Saxena, Jeremy Huynh, Alexander Burnam and Benzi Blatman – which came in just a half a second short of the NCS consideration time. We at the round table want to congratulate the swim team on a marvelous season and wish the team the best of luck in the future.

Swim Team UpdateKnights and Cubs make a splash!

by Stephen Everest ‘15

Photo by Sanjay Saxena|| round table

sports

Photo by Sara Kelson|| round table


roundtable.sacredsf.org

best of spring

Have a great summer!

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Issue 4 2012 2013