Megan House is a sophomore organizational communications major at University ofPortland and was St. Francis�’ valedictorian for the Class of 2009. She is studying abroad this year.SHARK BYTES

The Quarterly Newsletter of the St. Francis Central Coast Catholic High School Alumni Association

It was a nightlike no other in thehistory of St. FrancisCentral Coast HighSchool.

On Thursday,March 10, the firstever Battle for thePaddle rocked theBorina AthleticCenter. Studentswere grouped byclass for a spiritedcompetition thatbegan with eachclass performing anoriginal, fullychoreographeddance routine,followed by a seriesof offbeat Olympicstyle events.

Classes eachselected a theme:freshmen assuperheroes;sophomores with ajungle theme; juniorsand time travel; andseniors MichaelJackson and�“Thriller.�”

Parents packed thebleachers, dressed inthe appropriate themecolor for the class theywere cheering on.Judging awardedpoints for parentparticipation andenthusiasm as well,and the parents didnot disappoint.

In the end theseniors took theceremonial paddlehome.

Be sure to look forthe Battle for thePaddle to return nextyear.

Battle for the Paddle

Spring 2011 Volume 1, Number 1

Photos by Alex Hernandez-Lopez

Top photo, Seniors lay into the rope during the inter-class tug-o-war. Above, sophomore Dean Fryn limbos a little lower.

See Page 3 for more photos

Events on and around campus

It’s been a full year, beginning with a celebration marking the arrival of the relics of St. John Bosco. Two horses visited campus for last fall’s Volunteer Fair. In April, students, parents, alumni and staff gathered at Kennedy Hall across East Lake for the annual Spring Festival. Junior Abigail Magno, above, toured the festival in style. Sumo wrestling and other games attracted large crowds. Below, honors Spanish students work with students from Lakeview in a continuing “Intercambio,” Spanish for “exchange.”

Shark Bytes is published in electronic formeach quarter by the St. Francis Central CoastCatholic High School Development Office.

Have you moved? Changed your e mailaddress? Are you up to somethinginteresting? Let us know so we can pass theword along via this newsletter and the St.Francis Alumni Facebook page.

Lauren Zachmeier,Assistant for Alumni RelationsZachmeier@stfrancishigh.net

Mark Paxton,Director of Developmentpaxton@stfrancsishigh.net

St. Francis Central Coast Catholic High School2400 East Lake Ave.Watsonville, CA 95076

Keith B. Mathews, President and PrincipalFind us on the Web at www.stfrancishigh.net.

Shark Bytes

Page 2 Spring 2011

Battle for the Paddle

Whatever you do, don’t call it a pep rally. The first St.

Francis Battle for the Paddle rocked the BAC to the rafters

last month, and students, staff and parents have already

started talking about BFTP II. From five-legged races, to

elaborate dance routines, to lots of spirited cheering the

excitement built to make it a night to remember.

Spring 2011 Page 3

Page 4 Spring 2011

Photo byAndrewDeVogelaere

St. Francis golfers (from left) Matthew DeVogelaere, Josh Boyles, WillBurkett and Noah Craney pose with Bishop Richard Garcia after theBishop�’s Golf Tournament on May 6. The foursome took home the topprize in the 17th edition of the tournament at CarmelValley�’s RanchoCañada with an 11 under par tally on the par 73 West course. Thetournament is a benefit for tuition assistance at diocesan schools.

Megan House is a sophomore organizationalcommunications major at University ofPortland and was St. Francis�’ valedictorian forthe Class of 2009. She is studying abroad thisyear. This article was recently published in �“TheBeacon,�” the university�’s student paper.

By Megan HouseA sunrise over the Acropolis, art at theUffizi Gallery, a race in the originalOlympic stadium and Libyan refugeesscrambling to stow away under our tourbus as we waited to load onto a ferry inGreece.Which of these events does not belong?As we pulled into Patras, the loiterers set anuneasy air about the bus. While we were 40students constantly on the move in our yearabroad, it was even more unusual for us toconsider people who weren t goinganywhere at all.However, as soon as our bus came to a stop,they were on the move. Dozens of scruffy,unwashed men were swarming our bus.Many of them were crawling in the merefoot of space between the bus and the

ground. Unsurprisingly, everyone,myself included, was concerned. Noone had a right to get under the bus orinto any of our things.I didn t have much time to think aboutthis, as all around me people werevoicing their opinions: Run them over,Roland! That bad man can t get onour bus and take my pretty things.I was astounded that such things couldissue from the mouths of worldtravelers and university students,students of a Catholic universitycommitted to social justice.I didn t know much about the specificsituation, but what I did know wasthat these people were puttingthemselves at great risk and I highlydoubted that they would do so withouta very good reason. Personally, Iwouldn t think some college kids stuffqualifies such desperation.Regardless, I was appalled by theblatant disregard for the value ofhuman life. Even as perceived threats,these people were still human and

their lives have value.I am all for lightening a scary situationwith humor, but it was utterlyinappropriate to make comments ofthis nature.The irony was painful; these people feltdesperate enough to risk their lives onthe thread of hope that it would takethem somewhere better. Their liveshad already taken on a lower value intheir own eyes and here we werestripping them of the dignity they hadleft with our judgment.We quickly disembarked and were notfurther hassled, but not without manycomments that made my gut wrench.Later, I watched the Greek news andlearned that those swarming the portswere refugees of the quicklydeteriorating situations in Libya andNorth Africa. Though I couldn tunderstand most of what was beingsaid, the footage alone made menauseated.Traveling is not about location or themiles your feet have tread. Merelyexperiencing another culture does notmake one more aware. It requires apersonal responsibility to actively putyour self in the shoes of others.We often travel the world like kids in acandy store: We ogle, we eagerlysample and sometimes we might spitout something that s not to our liking.But to travel categorically judgingother s cultures, cities and treasures bywhat pleasure it gives you personallyis not really traveling at all. Why notjust watch the Discovery channel, aconvenient distance from your veryown bed and a refrigerator full ofthings you know you like to eat?The true value of traveling is to delveinto the culture, the lives and thereasons of the other. Many times this isuncomfortable or awkward, but it isthe way that we find unity withindiversity.The answer to Which of theseexperiences does not belong? is noneof the above, because each experienceprovides us with critical perspectivewhen we open our eyes to the bigpicture.

An alumna gains new perspectives into humanity