St Ignatius College Prepatory - Ignatian Yearbook (San Francisco, CA)

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On June 25th, we were a group of ten individuals flying to Tacoma to change the world. By July 9th, we were one community striving to bring our newfound lessons back to San Francisco. We learned the challenges of homelessness, handicaps, and hard times through various agencies in Tacoma. We served soup with a smile at the Nativity House, an organization where the homeless dine, make phone calls, and socialize with eachother. We planted tomatoes with the L'arche Community, a farm where mentally handicapped people find paying jobs and sense of accomplishment. Immersion offered us the chance to build community within the city of Tacoma, and more exciting, amongst ourselves. TACOMA 1. Natalie Beaulieu and Scout Moran sitting by a pier. 2. Natalie Beaulieu, Georgia Silvia, Jayne Callander. Madison Davis, Scout Moran. Alyson Murphy. Tommy O'Malley, Trevor Smith, and Mr. and Mrs. Zatkin all pose to take a picture to remember one of their last days in Tacoma with a friend. 3. Tommy O'Malley getting wood. 4. Georgia Silvia doing the dirty job. 24 Immersion

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1. Pat Casey and one of his new buddies. 2. Gabriela Reyes, Ali Carleton. Lauren Goralski, and Ms. Stricherz all having a good time. 3. Ali Carleton, Pat Casey, Lauren Goralski, J.P. Curry, Connor Geraghty, Ally Jones. Gabriela Reyes, and Ricky Solomon take time for a group picture. 4. Ali Carleton and J.P. Curry pass out candies to the kids they work with. EL SALVADOR When the eight of us found out that we’d be traveling to El Salvador together, I don’t think we realized what would come out of this trip: accompaniment, friendship, teamwork, justice, and a truly unforgettable experience. We stayed at El Oasis guest house in the capital city of San Salvador and had the honor of meeting Damian and Carolina, who welcomed us to their gorgeous country with open arms. Throughout our two-week journey, we hiked through Morazan, talked to the daughter of the only survivor from the tragic massacre of El Mozote, built lasting relationships with the community of Jardines de Colon, and met with various people who were willing to share their stories about injustice in El Salvador. We will never forget the generosity and incredible hospitality of the Salvadoran people. Love you forever, mi familia: Patricio the Garden Squirrel. Lowrita, Gollum, Habby, Ho Ta Pay, Ricardo, Connoar, Carlitos y Ana Banana! Viva Salvador! Con Amor. Barbie Student Life w 23

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COSTA RICA PURA VIDA! Through immersion, we associated our daily lives with the tenet of building community in San Bias. They expressed the needs of their town and what we could do to help. Not only did we paint parks, refurbish church benches and paint the bull ring but we also ran a camp for the children. Red rover, dodge ball, and Gato Gato Perro became the everyday norm. We lived in solidarity with some of the families during our one week home-stays. We embraced the culture and traditions of Costa Rica. The community of San Bias also put on a cultural night filled with entertainment as an appreciation for the work we had done; this truly exemplified what it meant to be part of the San Bias community. By offering our time and dedication, we created a bond with the community of San Bias. VIVA COSTA RICA 2008! 1. Rogers Farlow dancing the night away! 2. Dedrick Sarzaba and Natalie Sangiacomo putting together a pew for a run-down church. 3. Mr. Cafasso. Dcdrick Sarzaba. Natalie Sangiacomo. Adrienne Arnold. Eric Gordon. Rogers Farlow, Jack Discrcns. Sydney Allen, and Molly Meehan all stop at a view for a picture. 4. Eric Gordon having some fun in the sun playing with the new kids he met! Student Life 25