Students Flock to Where Fun Is as Break Begins

No more pencils and no more books meant more movies, more video games and more shopping for San Fernando Valley students Monday as they flocked to malls, community centers and movie theaters to kick off their first day of winter break.

“There are lots more school-age children than normal,” said Annette Bethers, marketing coordinator for the Topanga Plaza Mall in Canoga Park. She said the number of people in those age groups was up about 40% over an average weekday.

“Most of them are coming in small groups and shopping seriously,” she added.

Other locations--including several movie theaters, the theme park at Universal Studios and the Boys and Girls Club of the San Fernando Valley in Pacoima--also reported larger-than-normal crowds of students on the first day of a two-week winter break for schools on traditional calendars.

At the Family Fun Arcade in Granada Hills, about 50 students--from elementary school to college age--congregated in the center of the room around the Mortal Kombat II game terminals, while a handful played less popular video games and air hockey.

Bryce Lee, a fourth-grader, was at the arcade with his 6-year-old brother Curtis.

“This is fun to have vacation,” said Bryce as he stood on tiptoes to get a peek at the Mortal Kombat figures kicking each other. “We’ve been in school too long.”

Across the Valley at the Boys and Girls Club in Pacoima, children of all ages drew holiday pictures and decorated T-shirts with images of Santa Claus in preparation for the club’s upcoming holiday party. In another room, children played pool and video games.

Watching a group of high school students play basketball in the club’s gym, 14-year-old Stanford Lanier said he was glad that vacation had finally arrived.

“In school they try to suspend you for crazy reasons,” the ninth-grader said. “And they tell you how to dress. Now I’m just trying to wear whatever.”

Stanford, who lives with his grandmother in Pacoima, said he plans to spend his break mostly playing basketball and Ping-Pong, mostly at the club.

“This is really one of the busiest times of the year for us,” said Annette Maloyi, the club’s program director. She said she expects about 400 children to show up for the club’s Christmas party on Wednesday.