Mary Eisenhart

Full Immersion

Kids who learn two languages often do better in school, experts say. In 2006, Escuela Bilingüe Internacional, an independent co-ed school in Oakland, opened its doors as a bilingual preschool and kindergarten—in Spanish. Now the school extends through seventh grade and offers an International Baccalaureate program for elementary school.

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It Takes Two

Partner dancing is making a comeback, with nightclubs, dance studios, and even the local YMCA providing opportunities to try your hand (or foot) at salsa, tango, swing, zydeco, and more.

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Taking Flight

Forty years ago, President Richard Nixon signed Title IX—37 words prohibiting gender discrimination in schools—into law. The resulting explosion in women athletes (since then, 1,000 percent more girls participate in high school sports) has reverberated across generations. Three local women athletes—ages 63, 47, and 30—explain how the landmark legislation affected their lives, and what’s still just a dream for female athletes.

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Faces of the East Bay

In the Philanthropic Swim

In the Philanthropic Swim

Rockridge residents John Bliss and Kim Thompson may live far removed the gritty flats of East and West Oakland. But this philanthropic couple see themselves as one with the citizens of Oakland, particularly those who are struggling financially, and they’re leading a campaign to get their “financially blessed” peers to invest in the community like they have by funding city programs to teach kids how to swim.