"Mafia, please close your eyes."
You can feel the tension as 20 teenagers sit in a circle waiting to see if the person they had picked is the game's murderer. After a pause, Jessie Poblacion, the "god" of the game, proclaims, "Anuj is … the Mafia!" The players explode into screams of victory and disbelief as Anuj reluctantly reveals his ace of diamonds.
Welcome to Mosaic 2007.
Not long after meeting, the 20 students from different backgrounds connected through their enthusiasm for journalism -- and their love for the role-playing game Mafia.
From morning to evening, the students immersed themselves in all things journalism: They read the Mercury News every morning and were quizzed about the day's paper. They went out into the community and interviewed sources for their stories. They listened to a panel of journalists talk about the future of journalism. Through it all, they came to understand the frustrations -- and rewards – of the profession.
"It's interesting to be able to view journalism in a perspective other than high school," said Caroline Hodge. "To be able to talk to sources that you wouldn't normally talk to made journalism so much more exciting."
With $60, flimsy, oversize nametags and notepads in hand, the students embraced the resources of the Mercury News. They tackled stories they would not otherwise have the opportunity to pursue, such as gender-neutral bathrooms and profiling ex-gangsters.
"I think the opportunities have always been out there for us, but we just didn't have the inspirations or motives to look," said Dulce Martinez. "Here, they tell you to be confident, and you feel stronger by yourself. You don't take no for an answer."
With their evenings free from work, the Mosaic Mafia blew off steam playing Ultimate Frisbee, ping-pong, and billiards. They toured the nightclub district (don't worry, they didn't go in), devoured buckets of Ben & Jerry's "Vermonster," and fell in love with "Ratatouille."
"Hanging out with everybody was nice because we got to be together. In the newsroom, we're kind of separated," said Jordan Hung.
If the Mosaic students all attended the same high school, they might not have ever met. But because of the opportunities the Mosaic workshop gave them, they managed to connect. Not only has each Mosaic student acquired new knowledge and skills, but they also met a few new friends.