Urban Plunge: Presentation High Students Visit San Francisco

"Urban Plunge" conjures an image of diving into a community center swimming pool in the middle of a large city - the shock of cool water welcome but still surprising. At Presentation High School in San Jose, the words have a different yet not dissimilar meaning. Each year, small groups of students plunge into surrounding communities, outside their familiar communities and comfort zones, to be immersed in an urban environment.

On March 2-3, 2023, ten students and two chaperones from the school were in San Francisco, staying at the Presentation Motherhouse, spending time with the Sisters, and engaging in acts of service in the community. According to Grace Bernal, an alumna and the school's Director of Service and Immersion, "Presentation High School’s last San Francisco Urban Plunge took place in 2019. The purpose of our Urban Plunges is to provide our students with opportunities to have a deeper understanding of the issues of poverty, hunger, houselessness and immigration within the context of our local community."

After arriving and a tour of the building, the students joined Sisters for lunch in the dining room. They then gathered in a circle in the community room, where the students had the opportunity to ask questions. They began with wondering about each Sister's ministries, and later asked about how their legacy will continue. The Sisters later remarked that the questions asked were thoughtful, and the students attentive. Sister Judith Guevara, who taught at the school in the 1970s, was very impressed with "their spirit and interest in the various ministries."

Grace Bernal says, "The high point for me was being able to see the mutual joy shared between our students and the Sisters. There was a palpable love in the room as our students and the Sisters shared laughs and tears reflecting on the ways in which the Sisters have spent their lives ministering to communities. It was especially fun to hear which of the Sisters have taught or worked at Presentation High School San Jose." Junior Phuong H. observed, "I loved meeting and talking with the Sisters. I have been learning about Nano Nagle and the Presentation Sisters’ mission for years, so it was inspiring to go to the Motherhouse and actually see the Sisters, ministries, and faith in person, in action. It was heartwarming to hear the Sisters’ stories and learn more about them as people."

Later that day the group joined Sister Rita Jovick at the Teen Summit of the San Francisco Coalition Against Human Trafficking. Sister Rita is on the committee for this annual event, which includes a Human Trafficking Awareness Poster, Essay, and Music Contest. In addition to the contest awards, the evening included a video, "Jasmine Strong," and a presentation by Stanford University students about effective work toward stopping human trafficking in Brazil using data. The following morning the students volunteered at the San Francisco Marin Food bank, before lunching again with the Sisters and returning to San Jose. Phuong reflected on these experiences: "During the teen summit, I learned about human trafficking in Brazil, which is something that I have not really thought about before. The presenters showed us data of the inhumane working conditions there and described the corruption that causes trafficking. While walking around San Francisco for the service projects, I saw Urban Alchemy practitioners; I had never heard of them before then, so I learned about how they improve the city’s safety through focusing on its residents’ wellbeing. Furthermore, volunteering at the food bank allowed me to see the needs of the local community and concrete ways to serve them." After discussing these experiences with the Sisters and also talking about the ministries in which Sisters have been or are currently engaged, she added, "The Sisters’ commitment to others really stood out to me and pushed me to think about my role and responsibilities in the community."

Grace Bernal summarized the visit: "Before Presentation (High School), I attended St. Christopher School and grew up with Sr. Kieran O’Connor and Sr. Rosemary McKean as my models of what it means to be a woman of faith committed to working for justice. While our students may not have had the opportunity to interact with Sisters in school settings, their legacy carries on in the schools they founded and nurtured for so many years. The Sisters remain at the core of who we are at Presentation High School."

The Sisters were gratified to hear these sentiments and be among the students. Sister Pat Davis most appreciated "the energy of the students being present; their youth; and the beauty of these young women living our mission." 

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