High Tide: Sept. 14, 2023

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high tide

September 14, 2023

Vol. CIV Edition 1

Redondo Union High School

Redondo Beach, CA

Students confront the geographic and personal efects of climate change

3 news

Seniors participate in environmental restoration with South Bay Parkland Conservancy

7 features Junior Karishma Panya stays in touch with her Indian background through Bharatanatyam dancing

as the South Bay adjusts to more frequent extreme weather

12 entertainment

Olivia Rodrigo's sophomore album "GUTS" is an emotional triumph that reveals her artistic growth

Cello, World!

A new String Orchestra class fts into a push for greater art and music education

by Marley Van Pelt

Anew string orchestra has joined the ensemble of classes ofered at RUHS, thanks to Proposition 28, a measure granting funds for art and music programs in California public schools. As Director of Choirs and Orchestra, Dr. Izumi Erskine helped start this program and has big plans for the future.

Starting piano at the age of fve and playing violin in orchestras, Erskine later earned a doctorate degree in music from the University of Southern California and started teaching to students of diferent ages.

“We live in LA and with the music and the flms, everything is orchestral. I like orchestral music because it's the ultimate music performance, every instrument is in it,” Erskine said. “I'm hoping to do combined orchestra concerts with neighboring schools and hopefully parents and the community will see that and then value this program. I hope to introduce current [band] students to the orchestral repertoire because it’s so diferent from the band. It's diferent from choir. It's a new experience.”

Junior Sarina Krothapalli, a former trombonist in marching band, has six years of experience with the trombone. With Erskine’s class, Krothapalli had the opportunity to play violin, a dream she’s had since fve years old.

“I've been in the marching band and that's a huge [program], so this class is a lot more intimate. It’s ffth grade band all over again because I'm learning a new instrument with other people,” Krothapalli said. “I’ve had a good time making friends with everyone in the orchestra. It's nice to be around people who are as passionate as you are about music and learning something new.”

Also with a history playing music, sophomore Yuna Sato’s course schedule is art-heavy, with alloted time for marching band, wind ensemble, jazz band, and now the new string orchestra course.

“We're growing the class and trying to recruit as many people as possible, but since we did get new instruments in from the school, we're all individually learning a new instrument, which can be a

high tide staf

editors-in-chief

Lucy Davis

Ethan Lerner

bass, cello, violin or viola,” Sato said. Each student works on their own solos but also works within the group to play their chosen instruments together to create the orchestra’s collective sound. Sato, who plays the fute on her own and saxophone in marching band, recognizes that a string instrument comes with a new set of rules.

“Everything's diferent [when comparing] a stringed instrument to a wind instrument. There's a lot of changes that you have to get used to, like having a bow to play and not breathing into an instrument to make noise,” Sato said.

Starting of with a small roster, the new course opens up the opportunity for students, experienced or not, to join a new community of music and discover new paths of interest.

“We’re all learning something new,” Sato said. “Even students who don't know how to play an instrument at all or read music are at the same level as everyone right now, so it would be the perfect time to join and get into music if that's what they want to do.”

As the program develops, Erskine plans to expose students to various types of music in diferent ways and expand their experience in an orchestra.

“I used to teach at colleges and universities but at a higher education level, students already know what they want to pursue in life. But in high school, students don't know what they want to do yet and it's exciting because then maybe I could impact students and get them into music,” Erskine said. “Music is good for your brain because it inspires creativity, so at a younger stage, it's fun for me to see those developments and teach them something new.”

Course selections expand to include AP Human Geography and AP Precalculus, the latter being the frst AP course available zero period

by Isabella Kohler

Every year, students craft schedules from an extensive course catalog, deciding between zero periods, Advanced Placement (AP) classes and everything in between. Starting this year, students have the option to take two new courses: AP Human Geography and AP Precalculus, with AP Precalculus ofered during zero period.

AP Human Geography is ofered to freshmen students only and ofers insight into the difculty of AP classes that are typically taken by older students. Richard Barclay, AP Human Geography teacher, hopes to “bridge the gap” between the simplicity of middle school classes and the difculty of AP courses.

“What my experience has been is that the students have been engaged in learning the information, but the retention isn't there yet, because [an AP course] is so different. A lot of my students have said that in middle school, you learn something and then it just goes away. If you take an AP class, we have a big test, and everything we've covered is on it. That has been, I think, a stressful point for the ninth graders, learning how to take an AP class,” Barclay said.

Freshman Caleigh Chia who is “having fun with the course” can already feel the diference between it and the classes that she has taken in the past.

“It's so fun to learn about the world but since it's an AP course, it's like college, so that makes it more difcult than an honors class, and also just a regular class,” Chia said.

Chia is “glad to have the opportunity

to transition into the AP world as a freshman” in order to be better prepared for courses that she will take in the future.

“If I hadn’t chosen to take AP Human Geography then I feel like I would’ve just doven into the whole AP thing head frst with AP Euro, but I feel like taking this is really going to help me adjust and do better in Euro next year.” Chia said.

AP Precalculus also brings AP level courses to lower grades. According to AP Precalculus teacher Jennifer Wimer, deciding to take an AP class comes with a great deal of responsibility and expectation, but she believes that the students have what it takes to excel.

“AP Precalculus is designed to be very conceptual, which is really cool for students. It's also probably the frst time that they've taken an AP math class, meaning there's no other way that they would have taken one and it exposes them to more writing in mathematics. This is really a way for them to develop their conceptual understanding and ability to write a narrative about the mathematics that they're doing,” Wimer said.

Sophomore Kathleen Pham, a zero period AP Precalculus student, has found that having an AP math class during zero period is more benefcial than having it later in the day when she is “tired and burnt out.”

“Having math in the morning [is] really nice. Mr. Prinkey [who teaches the zero

period class] is a good teacher, and he has a really calming voice, so I can focus a lot better in his class because it's quiet in the mornings. It's also just a chill way to start the day,” Pham said.

Sarah Keasler, who teaches AP Precalculus as well as AP Calculus, believes that the AP Precalculus curriculum is designed to make the course accessible to students who didn’t think that they were AP math students.

“I think we've given students an AP math class that's not as intimidating as something like AP Calculus. The word calculus comes with a lot of fear sometimes," Keasler said, "and I think this precalculus class is a way for juniors who would have just taken precalculus to now be in an AP math class, and that's pretty exciting."

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ILLUSTRATION BY LOLA DIEHL

String Orchestra Teacher Dr. Izumi Erskine instructs student Abigail Ho in violin.

PHOTO BY JAI MCKINNEY

Peer In-sight

Students provide additional support as peer counselors in Wellness Center

by Meara Fay

Starting this year, the Wellness Center began a peer-to-peer counseling program, in which six upperclassmen volunteer a period to provide emotional assistance to fellow students. Facilitated by campus Mental Health and Wellness Counselor Rachel Andrews, peer counselors work to promote the mental health and well-being of students seeking support.

Andrews had the idea to integrate peer counselors last year when she learned that the Wellness Center would be switching from having four assisting interns alongside Andrews to only one, limiting the availability of the space for students in need.

“In the past few years, I found it very difcult [to help everyone] because sometimes I'd be working with a student in crisis or privately collaborating with another therapist, so [the Center] would be closed,” Andrews said. “I couldn't duplicate myself in order to help everyone, so this year I thought, ‘I've got all these amazing students that are right here, completely capable of supporting their peers.’ I think it's great because it allows me to keep the space open as much as possible.”

To begin their positions in the Wellness Center, all aspiring peer counselors had to complete a fve-hour Youth Mental Health First Aid training created by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The course consists of general information regarding mental health and illness, as well as how to respond to people in crisis and assess someone for risks of harm. Andrews also discussed with the students some common mental health disorders seen in teens at school, such as depression and anxiety, so that the students would be better equipped to support someone struggling with those conditions.

Several of the new peer counselors had already spent time in the Wellness Center during previous school years, lending them familiarity with the facility and inspiring them to take on the roles. One peer counselor, senior Hudson MacDonell, said that she and her friends were in the Center “probably every day last year.”

“I truly appreciate what Ms. Andrews and the interns are doing with the space, helping everybody who comes through and just providing an area for people to come to no matter the circumstances. I really wanted to be a part of that,” MacDonell said.

In addition to already being familiar with the Center, MacDonell is able to use their prior struggles with mental health as a way to relate to and better support fellow students.

“About two years ago was the frst time I noticed that I had really bad anxiety, and that was a really rough year for me mentally,” MacDonell said. “I was able to get therapy and I learned a lot in that experience that I can now apply to helping the people that come through here.”

Senior Ava Ganny shared similar struggles with MacDonell, stating that she and her mother had both struggled with mental health in the past, motivating her to become a peer counselor to “make sure no one else has to go through that alone.”

“I want to help other people and put more of a positive impact out into the world,” Ganny said. “Empathy is such an important skill to have in this position because you need to be able to see and understand what [the students] are going through in order to help them get through it.”

According to Andrews, the number one barrier to adolescents receiving therapeutic services is a lack of relatability with adult counselors, a main reason why she started the peer counseling program. The program allows students to choose whoever they feel

AROUND REDONDO

they most comfortable talking to, whether that be a counseling intern or another teenager, like Ganny or MacDonell.

“I feel like a lot of adults will say things like ‘school isn't that hard’ or ‘you're worried about nothing,’ but we understand [the struggle] because we're living it. We have a lot of shared experiences, and we can see where students are coming from with anything they’re worried about,” Ganny said.

Although it can be easy for students and their peer counselors to get along, each counselor has to carefully maintain boundaries regarding friendship versus counseling, as well as make sure to use their words and opinions wisely.

“It’s important to let people fgure stuf out on their own, as well as not approaching things with a strong opinion like a best

friend would,” Andrews said. “You're not their friend, you're there to listen, be there for them and empathize.”

The peer counselors are looking forward to helping students adapt to the new school year in a way that they never have before. MacDonell is especially excited to be able to connect with lower-classmen and provide advice from experience. According to MacDonell, being able to talk to someone of the same age breaks the awkwardness, and “the connection of being teenagers makes it a lot easier to genuinely relate.”

“I enjoy being a peer counselor because of the feeling of helping people and seeing them reach some sort of conclusion, or at least leaving them feeling a little better,” MacDonell said.

Students and teachers discuss environmental sustainability

by Ariya Anvari

I feel like there's a lot more we should do with cars, but it's hard. Although we are a wealthier community, and [some of us] can a ort electric cars, not everyone can... [climate change] is going to a ect generations to come. [We can all] try to do a little bit."

- Kai Batovsky, 9

"I de nitely think switching to paper straws and paper bags has helped the environment. But at the same time, I feel like it hasn't been substantial enough. I feel like we need to be doing more than just promoting using fewer products or decreasing water usage. We should incentivize people to reduce and reuse."

-Kayla Ongun, 12

“Within my class itself, we use a lot of reusable glassware. We have a couple of plastic [pieces of glassware] but those will be used for years and years to come. We use a lot of glass and then any glass that is broken can also be recycled. For the most part, I give kids the ability to do worksheets digitally. We try to take up the least amount of paper possible even though it can be di cult in a mathematically based class."

-Nicole Bertuccio, Chemistry Teacher

"I feel like I've grown a lot [in sustainability]. I've been taking [it into] account every single time I go shopping now. What used to be not even a second thought, I think about every time I'm showering, and every time I walk through the house."

-Kiera Miller, 11

The Wellness Center features furniture and provides a quiet space for students to relax and talk to counselors.

PHOTO BY SUMMER PUTERBAUGH

Something in the water

Senior

Lalitha Muttulingam takes action on the environmental crsis through her club Surfrider, which attempts to preserve the ocean

by Simra Zargar

Growing up with golden sands and waves overlapping on the shore just a few miles away, senior Lalitha Muttulingam loves trips to the beach. When she was 12 years old, Muttulingam became a volunteer at Surfrider, a non-proft organization team of scientists and professionals devoted to protecting the ocean.

“After realizing how hazardous plas tics and trash were posing a threat to the ocean, I made it a priority to reach out and ensure the well-being of both the ocean and the communities who depend on its waters,” Muttulingam said.

Muttulingam founded a Sur frider club on campus, with the aim of making ocean conservation more accessible to students. As president, she educates club members about ways to preserve the ocean and runs local-beach clean-ups. Outside of school, Muttulingam serves as the current Student Director and Lab Assistant, leading the student-run Teach and Test program that Surfrider offers. As part of Teach and Test, participants collect ocean samples from local beaches

and run labs on the samples to search for a bacteria called Enterococcus, determining if the water is unsafe and if they need to inform others.

“It's a really fun thing to do. You get volunteer hours for going out to the beach and helping the ocean. I've made a lot of really good friendships through Teach and Test because you meet so many people from other grade levels and schools,” Muttulingam said.

One aspect of Teach and Test that she enjoys is guiding younger kids. According to Muttulingam, Teach and Test is “great” for many students to get hands-on lab experience that allows them to explore diferent STEM careers. Muttulingam says the key to boosting interest and attendance is to introduce labs in an “engaging and fun way.”

“We'll walk the kids down to go collect the ocean water samples and they'll pick up trash on the way. We'll ask them trivia questions about the ocean or diferent kinds of fsh that are environmentally friendly and give them stickers to whoever answers it right. Seeing how excited and happy they are to be there is thrilling,” Muttulingam said.

As a guide for children in a range of grade levels, from elementary to high

school students, Muttulingam feels she has adopted leadership and skills dealing with up to 70 people in the facility.

“When you're running a club, you have to be accountable for everything working well. I’ve learned how to designate diferent people for diferent roles, keep everything running smoothly, and help kids understand, in a clear way, how to run the sample properly, while also keeping many people engaged and interested,” Muttulingam said.

Mary Simun, Treasurer and Teach and Test Coordinator, has worked with Muttulingam since she frst began volunteering, and has watched her “blossom into a confdent, natural leader” able to command and gain the respect of many kids both older and younger than her. According to Simun, Muttulingam is a “smart” and mature individual who is reliable and dedicated to learning and educating about environmental concerns.

“Lalitha takes young Girl Scouts to pick up trash and instructs them, for example, to pick up a cigarette. She then explains why it's not just gross - it’s super toxic. She gets into details that most people gloss over and really shows how much she cares about everything: the wildlife, the ocean itself and the water quality,” Simun said.

Participating in the Teach and Test program has helped Muttulingam mitigate feelings of doubt in her work. According to Muttulingam, performing scientifc work and assisting others through the pro-

Freshman Mason Ramirez starts beach clean up

The trash left behind at the beach after rainy days or days when the beach gets crowded on a holiday will most likely be picked up by freshman Mason Ramirez.

Ramirez spends his free time going to beaches between Rat Beach and El Porto Beach to pick up trash. It doesn’t take a lot—all he needs is a couple of bags and a bin. His clean-up trips are often spontaneous and it gives him a “nice activity” to do with his family, friends, and by

himself.

“I see all this trash and I think it's so horrible and ugly and it makes me want to make it beautiful again. Helping clean up beaches makes me feel good in my heart. I always try to go in my free time, especially when I have a bad day, because it uplifts my mood,” Ramirez said.

The pastime started in late 2021 after Ramirez watched Netfix documentaries and got an ebike, which gave him easy access to get to nearby beaches. The Netfix show “Our Planet” inspired Ramirez to take action by going to clean up beaches after he realized how sea life is negatively afected by trash.

“The animals I see in

“Our Planet” are just so beautiful and to think they have to suffer be -

cause of us is really sad to think about. The best thing I could do to help them is to clean up the beaches near me,” Ramirez said

On an average trip, he spends from thirty minutes to an hour picking up trash at the beach and any trash on the streets. Whenever Ramirez is out to dinner or hanging out with friends on the weekend, he “tries his best” to pick up any trash that people left behind.

“I think it's very inconsiderate that people don’t clean up after themselves. The more people that help keep the Earth clean the more work is done. I’m only one person and I can help clean four beaches, but I can’t do the whole world. The more people the better,” Ramirez said.

Ramirez’s grandmother, Emily Montalvo, accompanies him on some of his beach clean-ups. They usually take their bikes out as a way to spend time together. Montalvo displays much admiration towards her grandson’s

gram has not just been enjoyable, but has led her to discover her passion in science and pursuing a career in nursing.

“When I was considering doing nursing I was hesitant because how would I feel confdent about knowing I did the process right? But I realized it's very similar to Teach and Test in that I will know how to run the labs, how to do processes and how to handle bacteria, because I've done it before,” Muttulingam said. “It introduced me to lab work in a way that I otherwise wouldn't have been and made me realize I could pursue this as a career if I wanted to.”

commitment to help keep the environment clean.

“I think [what Mason does is] wonderful . It inspires me that he has the heart to serve the community and knows that our frst need is always cleaning. Doing this as a teenager ofers him a great way to grow, for him to be a good citizen and care about our planet Earth, and it's very good for his soul. It gives him space to continue and to share his knowledge with others,” Montalvo said.

Ramirez is committed to continue his work. As someone who cares for the safety of sea life, he doesn’t plan on stopping until little to no trash is left.

“I think I'll always do this just as a community service. I’m [hopeful] the amount of trash at the beach and in the ocean will slow down when I'm older, but I defnitely plan to continue supporting ocean cleanup throughout my lifetime,” Ramirez said.

Keeping beaches and the whole community clean is an important issue to him and he's hopeful that, in the future, people will learn to follow his lead in helping the environment by picking up after themselves and others wherever they are.

“Helping the environment is the right thing to do and I think everyone should do it, it makes the Earth prettier. There's no downside from helping the environment, everyone could beneft.”

“After realizing how hazardous plastics and trash were posing a threat to the ocean, I made it a priority to reach out and ensure the well-being of both the ocean and the communities who depend on its waters,”.

Lalitha Muttulingam SENIOR

“

by CaraMia Leal

Redondo students attented the summer

Jamboree Boys Souts trip

by Valentina Masoni

When girls were fnally allowed to become Scouts in 2019, sophomore Marie Kuntz’s troop consisted of only eight girls. Four years later, Kuntz remains in the same troop she helped found that’s grown to over thirty members, the largest girl-only Scout troop in El Segundo.

“My dad wanted me to get the full Boy Scout experience because there's a lot of leadership, outdoor ethics camping and survival skills that he wanted me to be a part of, since he was an Eagle Scout. There's a lot more opportunities for that in Boy Scouts rather than Girl Scouts,” Kuntz said.

Originally inspired by her

ant part of Kuntz’s own life as

SCOUTS HONOR

she’s risen through the ranks, mentored younger girls, and stepped into the signifcant leadership role of being the senior patrol leader. Troops are split into four or so patrols, each having a leader, and from patrol leader one moves to assistant senior patrol leader, eventually becoming senior patrol leader.

“The senior patrol leader is the liaison between the scouts and the adults. I jumped straight from patrol leader to senior patrol leader, and it was a big step up and a huge challenge,” Kuntz said.

A big part of what makes Girl Scouts diferent from Boy Scouts is the leadership hierarchy and learning to communicate in what simulates a workplace environment. Girls in Scouts get to experience a tight knit group and learn to work together to keep their troop functioning at a healthy cohesive level.

“As a leader, there's a lot to consider. How to maintain the troop, sending emails, making sure that everyone's aware of everything. It teaches you how to interact with diferent people in a managerial situation because not everyone wants to be treated the same way. Some people prefer micromanaging to help them keep on top of things and some people don’t want you breathing down their necks,” Kuntz said.

An important trip in Kuntz’s journey as a Scout was the 2023 national Jamboree, historic because it was the frst retreat attended by female Scout members since the frst Jamboree in 1937. Held this summer from July 19 to July 28 at Summit Bechtel Reserve in West Virginia, around 15,000 scouts from all over the United States and Puerto Rico attended. Scouts participate in outdoor activities and labs, such as kayaking, paddleboarding, obstacle courses, and ziplines that require them to camp out overnight.

“You got to experience all these

new different subjects without having to pay for a class or do it for a whole year at school,” Kuntz said. “It was such a fun way to explore new things and a great opportunity to learn. You can earn a variety of diferent merit badges there, and I spent most of my time in the STEM section,” Kuntz said.

Kuntz was one of the frst couple of hundred Scouts to earn the Nova award at Jamboree, a well-known science award in the Scouting world, along with earning other merit badges such as Robotics, Mining in Society, and Insect Study.

“Being among the frst Scouts to earn the Nova award at Jamboree was so special and exciting,” Kuntz said. “It’s a merit badge very hard to earn outside of Jamboree because of all the scientifc activities you have to accomplish in order to get it, so I’m so glad I got to experience all those aspects of STEM there.”

Freshman Zachary Almeida, who’s been a part of Boy Scouts since frst grade, also attended Jamboree and enjoyed forming friendships with Scouts from diferent parts of the country. Both Almeida’s and Kuntz’s favorite memory of the Jamboree was patch trading with people from other states and handing out the patches from their own council.

“I made friends from Puerto Rico and Hawaii that I still text now. The Hometown Fair was interesting because that’s how we learned about the diferent traditions of all the states. Louisiana was handing out Mardi Gras beads, and Hawaii had lei making. It was so cool to see what each area brought to represent themselves,” Almeida said. Kuntz and Almeida both retain Scouts to have given them learning opportunities, long-lasting friendships, and im-

portant life lessons.

“My friends have kept me in the troop for so long. I like the service projects and being a leader, and it’s taught me to respect nature and to clean up after yourself, leaving places better than you found them,” Almeida said.

Kuntz’s troop is “a second family” to her, having grown close after years of camping out, taking care of each other, and experiencing new things together. The impact Scouts has made changes every aspect of her life.

Seniors Nadia Hoang and Kaitlyn Ferrer restore local parks

by Summer Puterbaugh

When picturing their ideal weekend, most students wouldn’t fathom digging up weeds and planting seeds in the summer heat. However, for seniors Nadia Hoang and Kaitlyn Ferrer, volunteering for the South Bay Parkland Conservancy, a non-proft environmental organization, provided a meaningful way to contribute to the community alongside friends.

“I think it’s really important to help the community, especially [through] conservation. These days there are so many trees getting cut down and there’s not much wildlife left. It’s so fulflling to make a space for native plants and to make some contribution to the environment,” Ferrer said.

The group, including seniors Amy Safer, Savanna Geiger and Lalitha Muttulingham, began volunteering for two hours every weekend to fulfll their community service requirements for the National Honors Society. Their tasks included weeding invasive ice plants and restoring native Seaclif buckwheat shrubs on the Hermosa Green Belt and in the Hopkins Wilderness Park.

According to Hoang, most of the group members had prior gardening experience and therefore felt the most “comfortable” volunteering with the program compared to other volunteering opportunities.

“When I was younger

I had to do some bare minimum weeding and gardening for my house. Starting here, it’s a very diferent experience. I hated doing it in Chicago and I had to mentally prepare myself before doing it here for the frst time. But afterward, I [realized] it was so much fun. I found it really satisfying to pull out the weeds and shake of the dirt on them. It was nothing like how I remember it,” Hoang said.

Both Hoang and Ferrer found the experience surprisingly “therapeutic” in spite of the hot, “sweaty” summer conditions.

“It’s a long process, but it’s compelling. I got to see so many beautiful fowers and plants and worked with amazing people who were truly passionate about conservation and California natives,” Ferrer said. “The head of a place I volunteer at frequents [the Parkland Conservancy], so I wanted to help her out and the other people [working] there. It’s really nice to volunteer with a group and collaborate instead of working alone.”

Besides serving as an outlet for stress, the sessions also lent an opportunity to reconnect with nature and rediscover new passions.

“It reminded

me of how much I love butterfies. I was surprised to learn how endangered they are because of all the infrastructure that’s been installed. Since the native plants were being removed, the butterfies were going away,” Hoang said.

According to Hoang, the experience also forced her to step out of her “comfort zone” when attending to more laborious tasks such as extracting bugs from shrubs or kneeling in the dirt.

“I don't care for bugs or grass. I prefer not to be in it, but I actually realized I really do enjoy [gardening], just not in my own house. I wasn’t expecting to see worms, but I would just move them to a diferent plant and I was fne. I don’t like getting dirty, either, but I was okay with it at the moment. I actually could’ve volunteered for longer than the 2-hour time slot,” Hoang said.

Both Hoang and Ferrer say they plan to continue

“The Scout oath and law tells you to be a kind person, be trustworthy and be hardworking. They teach you the bare minimum of what it means to be a good person, and not a lot of people follow that 24/7,” Kuntz said. “When you become a scout, you have to embody all of that when you're in the uniform. Those lessons carry into your regular everyday life. It’s made me a better person overall.” volunteering for the program.

“[Gardening] is a good way to connect with your friends. I also consider it relaxing because you can take out all your anger on these weeds when you’re pulling them out. It’s a really easy way to help the community without having to do too much. Even though I feel like I’m not contributing much, one small change can make a big diference sometimes,” Hoang said.

1. Senior Lalitha Muttulingam seen

Don't Chicken Out

DiLallo raises chickens and builds a bond with them as they grow

by Victor Simoes

On campus, Redondo Union’s “fock” consists of Sea Hawks, but sophomore Zander DiLallo raises a diferent type of fock. Since 2020, DiLallo has raised chickens, starting with four and now caring for two.

"We decided to get chickens because my family had reached a consensus that we needed pets. Quarantine had just started, so we were in need of companionship,” DiLallo said.

The DiLallo family saw chickens as the most compatible with their household because the animals can live outside, are easy to manage and provide eggs.

“I would say that if you have the space in your yard, which may be uncommon in Redondo, then getting chickens would be completely worth it,” DiLallo said.

DiLallo’s responsibilities include feeding the chickens, providing them with water, and cleaning the coop when necessary. The chickens eat a diet of primarily chicken scratch and outdoor vegetation. According to DiLallo’s father, Mr. DiLallo, a particular favorite of the chickens is mice.

“A shocking thing that I learned is that chickens are omnivores, and the highlight of a chicken's life is to catch a mouse,” Mr. DiLallo said. “When they catch a mouse, they’re like a dinosaur. All the chickens get so excited, and whoever caught it tries to run of with the mouse because the other chickens are trying to grab it right out of that chicken's mouth.”

According to DiLallo, the chickens have become “part of the family,” and are a source of company. After dedicating time and afection to his chickens, DiLallo has become familiar with each of their individual personalities.

“Our chickens are very friendly to humans, despite the fact that they're scared of

almost all other animals, perhaps that's because they're accustomed to being around us,” DiLallo said. “They allow you to hold them, except for one of my chickens named Mindy. She makes a sound like a human screaming when you pick her up.”

The DiLallo family has raised the chickens since they were chicks, including their “teenage” period where they would bump chests to determine their pecking order, according to Joe DiLallo.

“They're very social animals because they have their pecking order, and even though they're not very sentimental animals, they always like to go with each other in a little fock. It's very cute, and they always need to be around other chickens or else they get sad,” Mr. DiLallo said. “The chickens’ lives are pretty stress free. It’s like any pet where it's an escape from your day-to-day obligations. We can go out and either watch the chickens or cuddle them and it's very relaxing.”

The DiLallo fock includes Rose, a “friendly, silky” chicken; Hawk, a brown chicken who laid blue eggs and had a beard; Mindy, a white Brahma; and The Fonz, a black chicken who was leader of the pecking order.

“Fonz turned out to be the leader, even though she was one of the smallest. She mainly pecked Rose when Rose was eating, and sometimes pecked Hawk when Hawk performed an infraction, but she did not pick Mindy,” DiLallo said. “Mindy exists outside of the pecking order because she's extremely large. She did not win the games of chicken that they played, but no chicken dares cross her.”

According to DiLallo, when The Fonz and Rose passed prematurely due to health issues and environmental factors, it made him more focused on their safety. Now,

a hawk net protects the chickens from threats, and DiLallo can care more for their daily needs and comfort.

“At night, I have to watch them outside to make sure they enter their coop because they don't understand how to use the ramp to access their upstairs area,” DiLallo said. “They instead jump straight from the bottom of the coop to the top and sometimes they don't make it, which can be funny.”

Beyond the chickens’ companionship, DiLallo also appreciates how raising chickens adds another facet to his life.

“The fact that they aren't related to any other aspects of my life serves as a positive because it can serve as a break from academic matters,” DiLallo said. “They're another activity I can perform outside of school that isn't geared towards being admitted in a university or supporting grades

at school.”

Above all, raising a fock created a connection between Zander and his chickens.

“I always feel the urge to check on them because I'm concerned about their safety outside in my yard. My motivation, besides their safety, is my love for them," DiLallo said. “I’ve never viewed the chickens with contempt or in any negative manner, I’ve always seen them through a positive light and that positive emotion still [carries] to today.”

Mehta connects to her Indian hertiage through Bollywood dancing

by Scarlett Kindt

Connecting with her cultural roots, senior Melina Mehta Bollywood dances and designs Indian outfts. With a passion for designing her own traditional Indian clothing, she brings her unique style to the dance foor, a display of her creativity and love for her heritage.

Mehta frst started dancing for fun in 5th grade when she did a performance for Diwali, an Indian holiday. Afterwards, she decided to take it up as a hobby and now dances three hours a week with a company called NDM, a Bollywood dance studio.

“I’ve always loved dancing and even doing cheer. I do it because I love to dance so much. It’s freeing and I love the music,” Mehta said. “I naturally connect to the

song more when I get to move and dance. It’s a good outlet when I’m stressed and a good workout. Dancing makes you disconnect from your problems.”

As well as a destresser, Bollywood dancing allows Mehta to explore other avenues of creativity such as designing her own Indian outfts, which she wears to Indian weddings. She crafts the outfts by drawing them, fnding inspiration pictures, deciding which fabrics and materials to use, and then her friend’s tailor in India sews them.

“Designing clothes has been such a dream for me and it’s something I could wear and perform in. For my last wedding I created my own choreography and the outfts, so I got to put everything together,” Mehta said.

Through learning Bollywood dancing, Mehta immersed herself in her culture’s traditions in a more expressional way besides having to retain fuency in a language or practice a certain religion.

“I don’t speak Hindi or any Indian language, so when there’s Indian songs, I like dancing to them,” Mehta said. “I’m forced to learn the mean-

ing and learn a few words of the songs so I can emote more when I dance. It also forced me to connect and learn a little more about my culture.”

Bollywood dancing helped form an even stronger relationship between Mehta and her grandparents as the Indian music evoked memories from their past.

“My parents are proud of me for dancing. Specifcally, my grandparents seeing me get to experience Bollywood dancing is more of a connection towards them because I am not as culturally [integrated] as they are,” Mehta said. “My grandparents understand the songs and when I dance to old songs, it's the songs they grew up with, so it's a good way to bond with them.”

Through being a part of her dance com pany, Mehta has met many new friends, including Aanyah Meghani, Palos Verdes Peninsula High School graduate. Meghani attests to how Mehta has progressed in her dance skills and how it relates to their Indian cultural side.

“Melina is a very driven person. If there’s something she likes, she wants to make sure she’s really good at it. I’ve seen her go from somebody who took dance as an extracurric ular to now having a passion for it,” Meghani said. “A part of that is be cause she is a second generation kid and she doesn’t speak the language and she’s not religious. But this pro gram has allowed her to explore that side of her and be proud of being In dian and of who she is.”

According to Meghani, whenever Mehta encounters a challenge she is “good at not giving up and pushing past it” and that Mehta’s dedication and personality are a big part of her successes.

“Melina’s sassy and funky because she loves to have a good time and in class, she’s a ball of energy,” Meghani said. “She does a good job of incorpo

rating her personality into her dancing, which is what makes her one of our strongest dancers. She’s incorporates her optimism within her work environment and in how she deals with the problems she faces.”

In college, she hopes to join their Bollywood dance team and further continue her hobby since Mehta fnds that her passion for dancing also helps when she is stressed.

“I love dancing, and it makes me feel free. It’s so easy to get out of my head and everytime I hear music, I want to dance and move my body. [Bollywood dancing] is diferent because I don’t know any of the songs, but I still get the same feeling when I’m dancing,” Mehta said. “My life is Americanized, so having this connects me to my Indian culture.”

1. DiLallo's chickens in the backyard bushes as they wander around. PHOTO COURTESY OF ZANDER DILALLO

2. Zander with his chickens, Mindy (left) and Hawk (right). PHOTO COURTESY OF ZANDER DILALLO

2. Melina at Karina's Mehndi party, a pre-wedding celebration. PHOTO COURTESY OF MELINA MEHTA

1. Melina attending her cousin Avni's reception. PHOTO COURTESY OF MELINA MEHTA

Melina with her older cousins, Shaina (left) and Karina (right).

PHOTO COURTESY OF MELINA MEHTA

Musician Luke Hardt releases his frst deathcore album that includes vocals &

by Cristina Couch

Including his own vocals was an important creative decision, as it not only showcased more of Hardt's skills, but was necessary to produce the iconic deathcore sound his friend, junior Matthew Akrabian, inspired him to explore in the album.

“It made me happy [to see the fnal product]. Seeing the process, helping him through it by giving diferent song names and telling him when he should release it,” Akrabian said. “Many people don't put music out there for other people, but he's actually doing it.”

around him.There are some calmer [songs] and [the songs] get more aggressive. And they fuctuate through that [process].”

Although personal experience can inspire the creation of a song, the process to complete it can be another task entirely.

were very high quality and put together compared to other albums that he [released],” Akrabian said. “His vocals were right next to [Lorna Shore], and if you put them right next to each other you can't tell the diference at all.”

Self-taught guitarist, junior Luke Hardt composed a nine-song album inspired by a conversation amongst friends.

“Making music is a good pastime and my personal way to handle and go through my emotions. That's how I get them out, because I don't express myself very well verbally,” Hardt said.

Although not shy of musical content, his Youtube channel, “Luke Hardt,” got an addition to its array of videos in August with the releasing of his latest album “Sorrow for the Lost.” Diferent from the rest, this album is one of few original compositions, but most distinctively, it is the frst with his recorded vocals.

“This is my only release with my voice on it, and I’ve defnitely put the most amount of efort in terms of mixing and design,” Hardt said.

Their shared appreciation of the genre combined with free time over the summer gave Hardt the ability to work on this specifc subgenre of metal throughout the creation of the album.

“Deathcore is my favorite genre in terms of playing the guitar and the drums. It's the most technical and the most fun for me to play,” Hardt said. “It has really complicated sub-tones and rifs laying underneath all the sound.”

The high-energy sound that reverberates throughout the album contradicts Luke’s inspiration for many of the songs, especially the title track of the album, which were more melancholy in meaning.

“The song’s all have the same meaning, they're just said in diferent ways,” Hardt said. “The album [goes through the diferent stages of] grieving. Six months ago I lost one of my friends. [The songs] are based of of him, that's why I made [the album] like that and the lyrics are based

“[Music theory] helps you to learn what notes sound good together, and you can build of with diferent tones and diferent chords and sometimes you fnd a combination of notes that sounds cool,” Hardt said. “I would play around on the guitar and fnd interesting rifs. Then you can fnd a drum pattern that fts, and from there you can build breakdowns or solos into that. After most of the song is complete I record vocals.

According to Hardt, some people hear the genre as meaningless “sound” and are a little surprised and even “a little scared” Hardt shows them his music. Already a fan of deathcore, Akrabian’s prior appreciation of the genre helped him notice the detail and the level of production in Hardt’s album.

“The guitar rifs

by Lauren Choy

Junior Karishma Pandya doesn’t just dance, and doing Bollywood, [a dynam- underlying need to succeed. With the Arangetram being a signifcant event in Bharatanatyam dancing, she found herself experiencing imposter syndrome.

“I defnitely felt pressure during the Arangetram year, asking myself if I was worthy. And then the year after, as the new batch [of dancers] came in, I thought that if I was not as good as them or if I was worse than them, I was going to look bad.’ So I always had that self-pressure present,”

Pandya found support through her mother, Shital Pandya, and also saw

This comparison does not come as a surprise to Hardt, since he fnds much of his inspiration from Lorna Shore, and their lead singer, Will Ramos.

“[Ramos is] probably one of the best vocalists of all time. He can contort his throat in a way that no one else can [while singing],” Hardt said. “I just wanted to be like him in almost every way, meeting people, he's a great person, and in terms of skills he's unmatched, so I'm just trying to be that.”

Despite drawing inspirations from stars, Hardt plans to keep his music making as a hobby, while looking forward to ex-

“I defnitely want to dabble in diferent genres so I'm not particular in staying in a certain [category] like deathcore, but I defnitely [want to] try out diferent things and see what I like best,” Hardt said. “I don't really care about the views. [Simply] knowing that my music is out there and that someone listened to it is

Bharatanatyam dancing as a chance to bond with her mother.

“I'm so glad that we're both able to share the same love of dance. I have helped her grow by helping her understand the creative side of things and let loose and enjoy it versus the academic and learning side of it,” Ms. Pandya said. “Oftentimes, we will dance together so we have that unit where she can understand the whole essence behind our dance. Language is the biggest barrier for her so I tend to help her open up, relax and understand.”

could do anything I wanted,” Pandya said. “It taught me a lot of discipline and perseverance, and I learned that whatever is coming my way, I have to push through it if it's something I want to achieve.”

With less time to train, Pandya has transitioned to teaching classes over Zoom to students of any age. Through her teaching, she passes on her knowledge to future dancers.

“I remember when I was younger, I always wanted to be like the older kids. Now that I am one of those students, it feels great,” Pandya said. “When you see someone pick up a dance, it feels gratifying knowing you helped them train for it. Seeing them grow because you aided them is amazing.”

Coming out of the Arangetram, Pandya

Junior Karishma Pandya stays in touch with her Indian background through Bharatanatyam dancing

Through all that intense training, I realized I love doing it, and I have a passion for [Bharatanatyam].

I now have my own

KARISHMA PANDYA

Karishma Pandya dancing Bharatanatyam at a competition PHOTO VIA HITS ENTERPRISES AND VIDEOS

Luke Hardt with his guitar PHOTO BY SASHA PURDUE

Hardts album, "Sorrow for the Lost" ALBUM ART & PHOTO VIA LUKE HARDT

calamitous

Unusual weather events paired with diminshed environmental flters damage human and marine life alike

by Scarlett Mische

8

4 years. That’s how long California has gone without having a hurricane—that is, up until Aug. 21, 2023. Due to Hurricane Hilary, our beaches have become unsafe for humans and sea creatures alike.

According to biologist Mary Simun, the recent hurricane led to a giant fush of fecal matter and other pollutants from all of the storm drains, streets, beaches and anywhere else which the rain could reach. Normally, there is the “frst fush” in October, where most pollutants are rained of into the sea. However, this recent “fush” was unexpected.

“There were much larger loads of contaminants, and that's not just bacteria. It's toxins, heavy metals, the chemicals people put in their yards to kill weeds, it’s fertilizers and herbicides and pesticides and on and on. All motor oil coming out of auto shops and of the streets and antifreeze that people dump into the storm drain all that stuf because there was so much rain,” Simun said. “I mean, the water was shooting out of the storm drains. So it probably will take longer for a lot of those things to relocate themselves and dilute.”

Unsafe water conditions due to large amounts of toxins are then amplifed further by the issue of the loss of the environment's natural flters over time.

“We've dammed all the rivers and we've put cement everywhere, we've gotten rid of all the wetlands, which is a very important factor, because the wetlands are the natural flter. We've removed probably more than 95% of

the characteristics of a swell and the possible wave that can result from that. Once the storm comes here though, the waves are erratic, they're hard to catch,” Simun said. “It's choppy, there are a bunch of other weird conditions and then of course you have water quality on top of that. Some [surfers] still do it, they still try to go out for the ‘one-in-a-lifetime’ experience.”

The RUHS surf team is no exception to the impact these waves have had on surfng patterns. Sophomore Keani Honda-Snow, a member of the surf team, believes that these ocean conditions have defnitely been a hindrance to their practices, similarly to a downpour which occurred last year during the end of October and beginning of November.

“[The rain] defnitely set us back because the frst day we were supposed to hold practice, we had to stay home, and

of all sorts. In general, animals such as fsh, birds and dolphins are not as afected by these types of storms, due to the fact that the aquatic animals can dive well below sea level, making it much harder for storms to have any type of strong efect on them, and the birds can fy inland so that they aren't afected.

“Photosynthetic life that lives in the ocean, particularly the stuf that's anchored—the kelp and the large algae—is going to get bashed around and there's probably going to be lots of kelp washed up on the beach, which then means bacteria and fies and other insects. So it's going to be stinky and gross for a while,” Simun said.

Senior Annette Je, a student who works with many invertebrates at the Aquarium of the Pacifc, fears that this storm will harm corals and other plant life in the sea.

“The incoming storm can be really damaging for some invertebrates, particularly coral, it can break their roots.

oceans, skies, forests, and deserts have all been intruded upon by human activity.

“Climate change is real. These hurricanes for instance, will most likely become more frequent as the ocean continues to heat up,” Je said.

In corroboration with Je, Simun believes that climate change as a whole is having a large impact on animals, the environment and humans.

“This hasn't happened since 1939. So, will this happen again in my lifetime? It's such a rare event. It's a once in a life time, once in a gen era tion,” Simun said. “But is that now true? Or be

2. “Sea Turtle” is a geometric digital art piece compiled of small ocean and beach photos taken by the artist.

1-2. ARTWORK BY CLAIRE MALONEY

Climate change is real. These hurricanes for instance, will most likely become more frequent as the ocean continues to heat up.

“

1. “Coral Bleaching” is an embroidered piece made up of hundreds of small beads. The colorful, healthy coral contrasts with the bleak bleached coral to bring attention to global warming’s afect on the ocean. This piece won The CA-36 Congressional Competition in the mixed media category.

calamitous climate

Storms hasten coastal erosion as toxic runof fushes into the ocean

When it rains, it pours—right into the ocean. After our community got drenched by 2.47 inches of rain in 24 hours from Hurricane Hilary, the runof temporarily carved a sizable channel at the outfow of the storm drain at TK Beach. As a result, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health issued an advisory to avoid the beach due to possible pollutants for three

Senior Boden Allen was a junior lifeguard cadet at TK Beach this past summer, and says that he and the other lifeguards have always had to be aware of the storm drain.

“TK is a fun beach, but I have seen a gigantic, disgusting looking pool of water outside the storm drain that’s icky and I wouldn’t want to touch,” Allen said. “If the water is murky—or straight after a storm—I don't go to the beach generally.”

The TK Beach storm drain is the largest of any in the South Bay, which can lead to hazardous conditions for swimmers near the mouth of the drain.

“It can create a big rip current right there, because the water runof creates a hole and so you can easily get sucked into the rip current and into deeper water,” Allen said. “The water quality also gets very bad around there, so sometimes we have to keep kids out of the water.”

According to Gillian Moberg, Redondo Union’s AP Environmental Science teach-

er, TK Beach is “notorious” in terms of water quality, as it collects the runof—and a wide variety of contaminants—as far inland as Hawthorne Boulevard.

“Everything from Redondo Beach comes out at about three spots on the beach. So [in terms of pollutants], you name it,” Moberg said. “Number one is cigarette butts of course, but there's also a lot of plastic debris, oil from cars, and a high amount of bacteria, mostly from pet waste that doesn't get picked up by their owners.”

These pollutants pose several health hazards, including ear infections, diarrhea, and cholera, according to Moberg. Redondo Beach Public Works civil engineer, Geraldine Trivedi, works to trap these pollutants in the drain system she operates.

“The city installed protective screens inside all catch basins that flter trash and debris from entering into the storm drain system, removing and properly disposing the debris to stop it from reaching the ocean,” Trivedi said. “To prepare for storms, city crews take a proactive approach, clearing areas where trash and debris may accumulate and removing it before the storm fows come.”

To better accommodate signifcant runof during storms, the city also employs other strategies to reduce the rainto-ocean pipeline, particularly during storms in the dry season.

“The city has installed projects that capture stormwater fow and infltrate the water into the subsurface, removing the fow and potential pollutants from entering the ocean, and recharging the groundwater in the local area,” Trivedi said. “Additionally, when there is nuisance urban runof in the storm drain system, the runof is pumped from the storm drain into the sanitary sewer for treatment, keeping the polluted dry weather fow from reaching the ocean.”

Storms present another problem at beaches: erosion. According to Nicole Mooradian of the Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors, it is a “natural” process, but is still a heightened concern during storms.

“We generally see our beaches narrow in the winter, partially due to storms, and grow in the summer,” Mooradian said. “Storm preparations are fo- cused on protecting county infrastructure, such as re-

strooms and parking lots, so we place sandbags as needed to mitigate fooding and clear the area around the storm drains.”

Summer storms, like Hurricane Hilary, are currently rare, but originate from warm water in the Pacifc Ocean. Moberg points to both natural and human causes for the increased prevalence of rare weather events.

“El Niño is naturally bringing warm water to our section of the Pacifc Ocean, but we're making it worse, by stacking another warming phenomenon on top of an already warming phenomenon,” Moberg said. “The oceans are getting a double whammy of

by Calvin Bonn

“Over the years, certain beaches have become narrower overall,” Mooradian said. “But we are working on a study examining coastal resiliency at all of the beaches we manage, which will guide our eforts to mitigate coastal erosion.”

In Redondo, Trivedi explained the climate conscious redesign of the storm drain and sewer system.

“Civil engineers have historically worked on designs to route storm fows to the ocean as quickly as possible, but this has changed over the years,” Trivedi said. “We now view stormfow as a resource and work to slow it down, capture it, and reuse this valuable resource.”

Institutional changes like those in the storm drain system are important to prepare, but for Allen, he wants to see both lasting changes to address causes of climate change and help keep people safe in the immediate future.

“There's a more straightforward solution: recycle, stop drilling oil and use more green energy to prevent climate change,” Allen said. “But [in the meantime], don't play in the storm drain and if you see a sign that tells you not to swim, don't swim.”

Moberg emphasizes that there are things any student can do to help reduce the number of pollutants that end up in the ocean, like flling out a waiver and participating in the California Coastal Cleanup Day, on Saturday, Sept. 23. In addition to beach cleanups, Moberg wants to see changes in everyday life.

warming from two fronts.”

As increased erosion occurs due to climate change, Mooradian says that her department has already partnered with the Bay Foundation, a non-proft working to protect the natural resources around Santa Monica Bay, to begin restoring sediment-trapping native dune habitat to selected Los Angeles County beaches, like Manhattan Beach, but is looking into further solutions.

“Reduce, reuse, recycle. The stuf that's going out into the ocean is coming from an excess of stuf that we're trying to throw away. Do we really need a box in a box in a box and plastic?” Moberg said. “I also know people who every time they go hiking or surfng, they bring a trash bag and they just pick up stuf as they go along. There are options for whatever you feel your responsibility to

There's a more straightforward solution: recycle, stop drilling oil and use more green energy to prevent climate change. But [in the meantime], don't play in the storm drain and if you see a sign that tells you not to swim, don't swim.

“

Americans only recycle ~25% of possible municipal solid waste (1)

Up to 26 billion pounds of plastic are dumped in the ocean each year (3)

Damaging hurricances are three times more likely to occur than 100 years ago (2)

In defense of modern art

Modern art has deeper meaning than its frst impressions

by Claudia Turner

Acouple of weeks ago I had a really good cry. Tears were rolling down my face, there was quite a bit of snot in my nose- a real, raw emotion fest. The motivator for this impromptu sob session was a piece by the famous abstract expressionist painter Mark Rothko. "Untitled (Black on Grey)" stands just over six feet tall. It depicts two rectangles. It was the last painting Rothko created before he committed suicide in 1970. And it makes me feel a profound, intense sadness.

This painting's composition isn't particularly unique for Rothko, who has created countless colored giants throughout his career. It's a concept so minimalistic, I'm sure many of you would think, "I could do that," which is the reaction most folks have to this type of art. This mindset can be a bit presumptuous, as like with all other art forms, modern art's simplicity distracts from the immense amount of time and efort put into each work. For instance, when Barnett Newman's goliath of a painting "Who's Afraid of Red, Yellow, and Blue III,” a red-stained canvas with a strip of blue on one end and a strip of yellow on the other, was slashed apart in 1986. Its "simple" restoration failed miserably, the red losing all volume and depth it held before the attack.

I could list hundreds of modern artists with impressive techniques, and hundreds more who have spent hours on their works, trying to achieve their perfect vision. However, at the end of the day, does this really matter? Art is not a medium that can be solely judged by time put in. Georges Seurat's detailed pointillism pieces took him months to create, but if you told me they were low-efort paintings, that wouldn't take away from any of their beauty.

Even ready-made sculptures like “Untitled (Portrait of Ross in L.A.)" by Felix Gonzalez-Torres create beauty with meaning. It's a pile of candy, but it's also an interactive piece that is set up to weigh the same amount as the artist's romantic partner Ross Laycock did. The viewers are invited to take pieces of candy, chipping down the pile until there's barely anything left, a metaphor for the sufering Ross endured in his battle with AIDS before he passed away from complications in 1991. It's clear that even though Gonzalez-Torres put little efort into sculpting the pile,“Untitled (Portrait of Ross in L.A)” doesn't sufer for it, as the meaning behind the work is what makes it valuable.

At its core, art is about feeling. Whether through visual storytelling or the meaning behind the piece, the goal of all art is to produce emotion. That's why I enjoy Rothko so much, he's pure emotion on a canvas. His giant walls of color make me feel overwhelmed, melancholic and even a bit humbled. You might not get those same feelings from his work, and that's okay. To like and to appreciate are two diferent things. For example, I don't have a particular fondness for art from the medieval period, but that doesn't mean I lack an appreciation for its impact and the thought that was put into it. The same thing holds true here. And, that appreciation for the craft is far more important than people might realize. Modern artists push boundaries and are constantly challenging social norms through their work. A fear of the unknown and of change is what drives people towards traditionalism, the idea that there’s one right way to craft, and anything outside of that simply isn't "real art." A common argument made by these

English classes should not assign debut young adult novels

by Priya Ramcharan

Did Disney Channel write this? My exact thoughts while completing the summer reading books for tenth grade Honors English. My idea of an honors reading list is a star-studded lineup of Dickens and Tolstoy. Then, I am hit with fake dating schemes, cringe-worthy dialogue and desperate quips to “relate” to teens littering the pages.

To be fair, I had seven choices of novels, and I probably chose the worst one. No ofense to David Yoon, the author of “Frankly in Love,” but on behalf of the English language, I am so embarrassed. He is 50 years old and writing as a high school “nerd” dealing with racial and romantic confusion. This would be a challenge for any writer, some can do it with poise, but Yoon cannot. The risk with reading debut novels is, they are debuts. Authors haven’t found their niche yet, and just because they are published, doesn’t mean they are good. This is why I was surprised reading the summer lists, which ranged from Charles Dickens to Taylor Jenkins Reid. Why would we read rom-com novels, when there are prestigious classics to explore? I consulted my English teacher, Sergio Quintero Sanchez. He reasons that over the summer, classics are too big of beasts to tackle. He explains that classics are a lot to take in if you don't have the background, like “1984” by George Orwell. He’d rather students read something that gives a diferent perspective and still refects the time period.

Ironically, the book that formed my “reading persona” was “1984”. Assuming teens can only relate to modern young adult (YA) fction doesn’t seem right. What makes classic authors like Vonnegut and Dostoevsky great is that they were one of the frst of their time to tackle big ideas. They now face the criticism of being “just dead white men.” This is simply unfair. Orwell and Kafka created existentialism and political fction. The point of an intense literary education is learning about the stage set for you, not the ramblings of an insecure new writer.

I can’t dispute that the genre of classical novels is very Eurocentric and male-dominated. However, this makes classic novels written by women, people of color, and other demographics especially powerful. Take Toni Morrison, Harper Lee, Ralph Ellison, or Oscar Wilde. All of them wrote from deeply personal experiences that are never irrelevant. Some say that high schoolers can't relate to their stories because of the language and generational disconnect. However, 1950’s “The Catcher in the Rye” centers on the life of an adolescent, and even though it’s set in a diferent era, the novel still speaks to the angst that is ever-present.

Another trouble with new books is that the writing lacks subtext and dimension. I am no expert, but if you have to explain the same metaphor with a generous amount of detail each time, just stop.

For example, this is an excerpt from “Frankly in Love” after the main character gets a black eye from his girlfriend’s (Joy) ex-boyfriend, “This black eye is really a passport stamp on my face, fnally letting me out of the purgatory of Love Customs and into the welcoming area of Gate J Arrivals (the J stands for Joy)”. Seriously? And yes, he did put “the J stands for Joy” in parentheses. This isn’t even the worst one.

You might have sensed that I have a disdain for the YA genre. Mainly, this is because teen-focused novels from recent times often lack refnement. They haven’t withstood the test of time, and aren’t showing me anything I don’t know. “The Bluest Eye” written in 1970 showcases the pain of being a self-loathing child written in Toni Morrison’s absorbing prose. “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn” written in 1943 is simple in language but is an honest look at poverty. The world is flled with powerful writing and staggering stories. That’s one of my favorite things about living. But when David Yoon says “fart-phones are racist” I just can’t turn the page (though that was pretty funny.) Whenever these vacuous novels are dissected to sound “deep,” it is just thesau-

conservative critiquers is that modern art doesn't "add to society," and "isn't beautiful," and therefore shouldn't be displayed in museums. And to view art like this, through a rigid lens of commercialism and strict standards, is missing the point.

“Ugly” art, art that is scary and sad, as well as art that is made outside the cultural norm of what is acceptable at the time, deserve a spot at the table just as much as those watercolor landscapes you might fnd at a thrift store. Open-mindedness can open people up to a whole new world of thought-provoking talent, so long as they are willing to get the full experience. We shouldn’t let our appreciation of art be dictated by made-up rules that defne the value of expression. As someone who struggles with depression, I feel seen when I look at the cloudy grays and blacks of Rothko's fnal work. It’s a model of sadness, a perfect abstract moonscape, a look into the mind of an extremely tragic fgure in art history. It’s also two black and gray rectangles. And this duality is what makes "Untitled (Black on Grey)"—and modern art as a whole—so touchingly beautiful.

rus vomit. Writing an essay on this book would be like juicing a brick. Whatever self-indulgent nonsense the author thought he wrote is just a ruse for an utter lack of insight.

I am admittedly not well-versed in the YA sphere, which weakens my argument. There are outliers such as the dystopian subgenre including “The Hunger Games” and “Divergent.” I loved reading “The Hunger Games;” it was entertaining and also excellent commentary. I understand that English teachers don’t have control over how we read over the summer, so assigning a novel like “Brave New World '' could go right over our heads. However, that doesn’t mean we have to be assigned beach reads and pulp fction. A happy medium should exist that ofers relevancy along with weathered writing, like the classics I mentioned. Life is just too short for bad books.

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Voice column:

Finding solace in community

by Tamara Botwin-Lazarow

At the end of freshman year, cancer became a large part of my life when my mom was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer. Breast cancer occurs in one in every eight women in the United States alone. And that’s only one type of cancer. There are over 120 types of cancer in the world and one in three people are diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. When my mom was diagnosed, I knew what cancer was and how it formed in the body, but had little knowledge of how it afected the patient and the people around them. I have two younger brothers and none of us had anyone to go to for help outside of our family, and had no clubs at our schools and no groups in our neighborhood. I had a hard time focusing during school and at gymnastics. Everywhere I went, there was some sort of reminder of the new situation in my life. Whether it was something someone said or seen, it was a constant reminder that my mom now has cancer.

About a month after the news hit us like a ton of bricks, we fnally found a support network through cancer accounts on Facebook that my mom had discovered. Our family joined the Cancer Support Community of the

Let's DISS misinformation

“Californians are preparing for the worst,” declares CBS News in an evening news clip that would soon go viral across social media, followed by videos of actual California families—who were not, in fact, preparing for the worst.

For me, “the worst” meant a rainy day, an earthquake most of my friends didn’t even feel and a few notifcations on my phone warning me to stay of the roads. The Monday after–AKA the day LAUSD canceled school because of the supposedly incoming storm–was marked by blue skies and an umbrella that sat in my bag all day, unused. Although in some parts of California, the cautionary news was the right call, many Redondo students including myself found their calls didn’t line up with reality.

The Case of the Missing Storm Disaster, however, isn’t a one-of incident when it comes to a befuddling exaggeration by large news outlets that we’re supposed to trust. It comes as a part of the rise of sensationalism—stories that provoke extreme reactions in order to catch and keep the reader’s attention—in the news world today. Instead of platforms that provide us with news that favors truth, neutrality and discovery, we are fed stories favoring shock value: the “wow” factor.

by Kat Otey

consume it. Researchers at the National Library of Medicine call this “negativity bias,” or “the propensity to attend to, learn from and use negative information far more than positive information.”

South Bay and I connected with a few students in my classes who had also experienced cancer in their lives. This helped me realize that cancer is widely spread in just our own school, and that there are plenty of people to support each other.

Because it was so hard for my family to fnd the support we needed, I decided to partner with the Cancer Support Community of the South Bay to create the Cancer Support and Awareness Club. The purpose of the club is to form a tight-knit community where students can gain support and awareness regarding cancer without feeling so alone. Members will be able to share with and learn from others, gain assistance and become more aware of how cancer afects people. Members will also learn coping strategies to help them with the stress, confusion and need for support during their journey. At frst, it was confusing for me to acknowledge my mom was dealing with cancer. I had no idea how the treatments would afect her or how she would act or feel throughout each day, or even if she would make it through this. Receiving the extra support from friends, family and the Community helped me gain trust in the hospital and other facilities my mom would be working with to fght cancer.

I hope that creating the Cancer Support and Awareness Club will allow the opportunity for any RUHS student to truly connect with a worldwide health issue, build a strong community and receive the support my brothers and I used to not have. My mom is only beginning her breast cancer journey, but no matter what, everyone needs support. I want to leave you with one last important message; no one fghts alone!

The most obvious factor in this change is the rise of social media as a news source. Faster communication means more communication, instant access means more access, and instant news means more news. Everywhere. Simply scrolling for fve minutes will inform you of everything that your daily news broadcast would have said throughout the entire day. Where reporting was once a service, it’s now a competition. In order to garner attention

Celebrity news, too, takes up more and more of the current events we keep up with, because celebrities are jackpots for invoking strong feelings (public fgures who are falsely reported dead, the epidemic of cancel culture, the growth of a new elite, newsworthy infuencers who come with their own clickbait titles). The entertainment industry is built to drown worthwhile news under stories that are more sparkle than substance. Political news is more bipartisan than ever, making it difcult to fnd a truly neutral way to stay informed. Instead, news sources pick a “side” in the interest of business: the more radical they can get, the more people will read their articles or watch their broadcasts. And that’s the exact motto of sensationalist media–it doesn’t matter if the people agree with the claim or consume it purely in disbelief and outrage, as long as they are paying attention

DEFINITION FROM

within the never-ending sea of information we constantly swim through, news has to be fast and it has to be eye-catching. Dramatic. It has to be curated to indulge or infuriate the widest audience possible.

As a result, news becomes less about the facts and more about the clickbait potential a story holds: the ability it has to break up the viewer’s numb, neverending “doom scrolling” with something they’ll pause to take a look at. It may feel like we see a disproportionate amount of “disaster news,” because we do. Despite how awful it may make us feel to constantly be bombarded with information meant to trigger, shock and upset, we continue to

Despite this spiral of fearmongering and radicalization, I still keep up with the news and I think we all should. No, you don’t have to spend every day carrying the weight of 70 diferent disasters on your shoulders, tracking every movement of celebrities, or wasting hours arguing for one “side” of an issue or another. Nor do you have to attempt—and likely fail—to block every source of news and refuse to keep up with any current events. But there is a balance in personal choice. Trying to keep up with the overhaul of information creates isolated spectators and consumers, and uninformed, irrational participants in current events. You are not responsible for paralyzing yourself within a constant stream of anger, fear, division and frustration just because you want to watch the news— these are things that your media should not control.

You are only responsible for controlling what you choose to consume. Choose local news, which is less competitive and so much more often positive, because it has very little to gain from sensationalizing stories that happen within the community of the readers. Pick a few specifc issues that you care about and connect with and care about them deeply. Take every clickbait title with a grain of salt, and look at multiple angles for any news you choose to follow. The world is not ending, it’s just a sign you need to take a step back.

The rise of sensationalism in mainstream media causes consumers unnecessary stress and panic

Sensationalism: (especially in journalism) the use of exciting or shocking stories or language at the expense of accuracy, in order to provoke public interest or excitement.

OXFORD LANGUAGES

At frst, it was confusing for me to acknowledge my mom was dealing with cancer.

TAMARA BOTWIN-LAZAROW SOPHOMORE

Illustration by Scarlett Mische

Spill your

Olivia Rodrigo's sophomore album "GUTS" is a emotional triumph that reveals her artistic growth

by Ethan Chi

"Guess he was making out with boys the whole night…every guy I like is gay,’ God, it’s brutal out here.”

Even though Oliva Rodrigo’s hit single of the “Sour” album is titled “Brutal,” its lyrics don’t exactly match the title. Brutal is the highest infiction of pain that is supposed to cut deep. Rodrigo’s “Brutal” is more what every teenage girl thinks is brutal: Not having enough friends, not being liked enough, et cetera.

However, Rodrigo’s new album “GUTS” delivers 12 brutally honest songs that delve into deeper, more substantive topics that go beyond surface level teenage drama. The depth of her new music allows her to escape the stigma of being a Taylor Swift knockof, and gives her an opportunity to carve out her own pop-punk niche in the music industry. The new album refects her maturity, as she fnally gives her audience a taste of what brutal is supposed to feel like.

The album opens with an acoustic frst verse. The three-note chord progression is reminiscent of similar music Rodrigo recorded during her “High School Musical” spin-of. Once the frst verse ends and the course begins, Rodrigo cranks it up to 11, blasting an electric guitar and pounding drums. While I admit the acoustic introduction made me doze of, the chorus made me shake my head in disbelief as Rodrigo had just sent a jolt of punk-rock through the phone to wake me up.

Once I listened to the song again, I began to appreciate the inclusion of the acoustics. The frst verse allows Rodrigo

to show audiences she hasn’t forgotten her roots, that she hasn’t forgotten that little girl who used to be glued to an acoustic guitar. However, the transition into the chorus demonstrates her growth as an artist, that even though she hasn’t forgotten where she came from, her music is evolving and transitioning. In many ways, this frst song of the album sets the tone for the rest of it, as “GUTS” tries to renovate Rodrigo's brand while making sure she stays true to who she is.

Oliva’s second song, “bad idea right?” articulates the common thought that has crossed most teenager’s minds: I miss my ex. Rodrigo's use of vocal layering made the lyrics sound like a chant, providing an honest and uptempo anthem for modern teenage love. “Get him back!” tells a similar rite of passage through a pop-rock chord progression.

These two songs make for an excellent addition to Rodrigo’s discography and the “GUTS” album, as they coincide with the al-

bum’s theme of honesty. While many songs may promote the idea that you should “never ever ever get back together” with your ex, Rodrigo takes a diferent approach by normalizing grief over a past relationship, and the possibility of getting back together. The structure of both songs illustrate an amplified rage and confliction, as Rodrigo tussles with the idea of loving and hating her ex at the same time. It was refreshing to hear how these two songs never hinted at Rodrigo feeling ashamed for liking her ex, it was just a feeling she couldn’t refute. The level of honesty and self-understanding is admirable.

Rodrigo is able to communicate equally deep ideas through her ballad tracks. Most compelling is her song “Lacy.” In this lyrical stand alone, Rodrigo strips back the heavy drums and loud amp to deliver her most vulnerable performance yet. Through acoustic storytelling, Rodrigo delivers a

compelling story about the coexistence of jealousy and attraction. The song is powerful because it’s so much more than just a girl questioning her sexuality, it’s about the weird feeling of not understanding yourself. “Lacy” allows Rodrigo to be honest and voice her confusion about either hating or loving a girl she thinks is pretty. This confict is a relatable coming of age tale, as teenagers have to grapple with the illogical and conficting idea of attraction and identity from an early age. The intense amount of vulnerability featured in this song exhibits an exceptional amount of bravery, which demonstrates the evolution of Olivia Rodrigo.

“Lacy,” and other slower tracks like it, show how the album isn’t just one note: It’s punk, it’s pop, it’s a ballad, then it’s an electric guitar solo; it’s every note possible. This is critical because the teenage experience is never just a linear progression of happiness; it is an array of ups and downs. Rodrigo pieces that idea together through her fnal song, “teenage dream.” This “GUTS” outro wraps up the confusing and emotional world she built by asking all of it to be taken seriously. Too often are the teenage problems described in Rodrigo’s album invalidated or reduced to insignifcant sound bites or phases. However, “teenage dream” takes every experience and thought illustrated through Rodrigo's album and tells her audience this isn’t just a phase, this is who she is. Now that’s a gutsy album.

The South Bay Cafés turn out a delicious and calming study session experience for teen patrons

Whenever I lack motivation to study and fnish my schoolwork—which is often—the frst thing I do is change up my scenery. Taking a walk to a nearby cafe, ordering a cofee, and listening to music is the perfect incentive for me to get things done. So, I packed up my homework and went on an adventure to local cafes in search of somewhere tranquil. And when I walked in, I immediately felt at ease.

Hi-Fi Expresso, located in the Rivera Village, has quite an extensive menu that includes various cof fees, teas, pastries and larger food items, such as sandwiches and salads. They also ofer allergy-friendly sweets, such as vegan mufns. When the cashier recommended the French Toast Latte—a popular choice—I was initially skeptical, but was pleasantly surprised by the compliments the cinnamon gave the mocha cofee, and the sweet hints of vanilla.

But, the best part about Hi-Fi is its bright and open setting. The front of the shop has a long bar desk with furnished bartop leather stools, and there are outlets on every wall. The hanging plants and painted mural supplied a bohemian aesthetic and their music of choice was Lo-Fi, ironically contradicting the establishment's name. However, I did fnd that

the menu items were pricey, especially for students on a budget. One cofee was eight dollars with tax. If you enjoy the seating and food options of Starbucks, this cafe felt like a higher quality of that, with versatile seating options that provide comfort, and tastier classic cofees.

In comparison to the bright and open concept that Hi-Fi has, right down the road in Rivera Village is a hidden treasure. When you enter Racer Tea, dazzling neon signs light up the darker atmosphere. Guitars, amps, motorbike helmets and grunge band posters decorate the walls, with the smell of sweet brewed handmade teas greeting patrons the moment they walk in. I am a regu lar customer of this cafe and have tried almost half the menu, so I can confdently say their teas are sweet, calming and unique.

I like to pair one of their most popular teas, the "Greaser"—a rich nutty mocha favor—with creamy oat milk foam on top and caramel/agave, and their peanut butter açaí bowl.

However, my favorite açaí on the menu is the tart, yet sweet, dragon fruit açaí. The base is complimented by textural elements such as tart kiwi, chewy and sweet goji berries, crunchy granola, and crisp coconut shreds. As far as students

looking for a study cafe, their small table spaces, and uncushioned chairs don’t provide much support or comfort. It is also frequently busy, and due to the small space, it can get crowded. This shop is better of for having conversations or taking your tea to the beach.

The most surprising cafe I adventured to was Kiari West, located in the King Harbor Plaza, a block from RUHS. Kiari West is a bake shop and cafe with an open, bright and welcoming atmosphere. Artisan gourmet pastries and baked goods line the display case, and what you might not realize after taking a few bites, is that everything is gluten-free—you can’t tell the diference. The texture of the brioche and crisp crunch of the buttery croissant tastes just like gluten, if not more rich and sweet. After discovering this cafe, I frequently go on Monday mornings and order the "Manhattan."

It’s a brioche-baked bread stufed with pesto, cheese, tomato, eggs and topped with a caramelized tomato; the perfect way to start my day. My favorite sweet is the Chocolate Brioche, a decadent rich chocolate layered brioche. In the mornings, I enjoy the spiced and sweet Chai Latte. What I fnd ideal about studying here is the seating options outside. Overall, it is a pleasant and relaxing place to study, and is a convenient 10 minute walk from the school.

Lastly, the most homey and cozy place for studying and tasty snacks is Mellow Tea

Studio—a boba shop of of Pacifc Coast Highway. The atmosphere is calm, and couches that are painted with adorable cats line the walls. Stools, tables and a hanging chair decorated with fowers are some other seating options that I fnd helpful for those who like interactive seating. The sweet smell is inviting and refects in their delicious handmade boba. My favorite drink to get is the Strawberry Cheese Foam, which is a fresh strawberry jasmine frozen milk tea, with boba and foam on top. When I tell you this drink is like having a cheesecake in the form of a drink, I could not describe it with more high regard.

The places I adventured to all had quality items and a great atmosphere that put me in the mood to fnish my AP European History study guide questions. Venturing out of your Starbucks craze can be helpful in supporting quality local businesses. However, I only reviewed a few of the myriad of great places the South Bay has to choose from, and it’s up to you to seek out a cafe that will be on your mind a latte.

1. Hot Chocolate from Hi-Fi Expresso

2. French Toast Latte from Hi-Fi Expresso

3. Dragon Fruit açaí bowl from Racer Tea PHOTOS COURTESY OF DANIELLA GROSS by Daniella Gross

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PROMOTIONAL MATERIAL FROM GEFFEN RECORDS

activism

Whenever I’m bored and running out of things to watch, a fail-proof strategy for me (thus far) has been to turn to the movies of my childhood. Plenty of movies made for kids are chock full of important themes—a popular idea encompassed in many beloved classics is environmentalism. As the cli mate crisis worsens, looking back on some iconic movies can help to remind us to take better care of our planet, via eye-catching animation, soundtracks and characters.

“Princess Mononoke” is a classic flm that delivers not only a whimsical, enchanting feel with hand-drawn ani mation, but plenty of deeper themes as well. The movie follows Ashitaka, a princess who embarks on a journey to rid himself of a curse placed upon him by a venge ful, dying god of the forest. On his quest to the god’s homeland, he walks into a war between Iron Town, an industrial settlement led by the steely Lady Eboshi, and the forest and its inhabitants: namely, the wolf god Moro and her human companion, San. The movie displays the delicate harmony between natural, unharmed wildlife and human industry and technological advancement. The unity of nature and civilization is heavily emphasized throughout the movie as Ashitaka tries to help San and Eboshi, two powerful and opposing forces, reach a peaceful conclusion to their confict.

My personal favorite aspect of this movie is that humanity isn’t villainized in the way it is in most environmentally themed movies; while San and the wolves are defnitely easier to root for, the story shows that industrialization isn’t inherently evil. Lady Eboshi, despite being the one trying to tear down the forest, is also portrayed as a kind and caring person, who takes in socially shunned lepers to work for her and frees women from brothels so they can live better lives in Iron Town.

The concepts and rules of the world in “Princess Mononoke” are easily applicable to the real world: in the flm, if you take too much from the forest, the gods begin

by Deeksha Prasad

host of our energy needs. (Think of the Forest Spirit in once beheader to heal venate is instead, it spreads and car-

“Princess oke” teaches mental values

into an animated musical in 2012. The story follows Ted, a preteen living inside Thneedville, a walled city flled entirely with fake plants. On a quest to get a real tree for his crush, he travels outside the walls of the city into a desolate world where he learns the story of the Once-ler and the existence of everyone’s favorite orange-furred environmentalist; he who speaks for the trees and the movie’s namesake, the Lorax.

means of an engaging plot full of allegory, mythological creatures, beautiful visuals and dialogue that keep you hooked at all times. If you’re itching to rewatch movies of your childhood for the nostalgia kick, I highly encourage giving “Princess Mononoke” another watch, this time considering the real world symbolism and messages the movie drives home.

“WALL-E'' is a movie that I’m sure more people have seen at least once before. If you haven’t, then open Disney Plus right now—it is a must-watch movie. The flm is set in the 29th century, where Earth is a deserted wasteland due to an ecocide. Humanity lives in giant spaceliners run by megacorporation Buy n Large (BnL). WALL-E, short for Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth class, is the last robot left on the Earth. He spends his time trying to clean the Earth, but in the 700 years he’s spent attempting to tidy up the planet, he’s become more than a little lonely. Then EVE (Extraterrestrial Vegetation Eval uator), a sleek, egg shaped robot comes to Earth in an unmanned probe. WALL-E falls head over heels (in his case, it’s probably better said as eyes over wheels) for the new robot, and ends up following her across space on an adventure that ends in the return of humanity to

The message of “WALL-E” in concern to our planet’s future couldn’t be more clear; it's a warning of the con sequences of rampant consumerism sans moderation. In the movie, we’re presented with a world full of waste and humanity that is entirely run by one corporation. The second act of the movie, taking place on the spaceliner Axiom, shows what happens when humanity loses their agency to corporations and become mindless consum ers; the passengers aboard the ship are reduced to obe sity due to laziness and microgravity. Robots carry out their every whim. “WALL-E” shows a future in which we as people choose capitalism and consumerism over the

However, by the end of the movie, with WALL-E and EVE’s help, humanity does restore the planet—show ing that there is a solution for the issues in the movie.

“WALL-E” shows an extreme situation that we can pre vent by being mindful with our consumption and recy cling, and making sure to keep our planet clean. The combination of these themes with a fun storyline full of action and adventure makes “WALL-E” a movie that's al ways a good watch (and also, cute robots).

Speaking of cute animated creatures: originally a novel published in 1971, Dr. Suess’ “The Lorax” was made

“The Lorax” calls out humanity for its disregard for our ecosystem. The Once-ler, in the epic power ballad “How Bad Can I Be” (my personal favorite song of the movie), says it himself as he sits atop the piles of money made from his demolition of the forest: “I’m just doing what comes naturally.” Humans are portrayed as naturally destructive and selfsh, caring more about their monetary gains and fueling the economy than preserving the environment. The Once-ler is not the only example of this in the movie; we also have Mr. O’Hare, a zillionaire business man, who’s main industry is bottled air. He’s practically evil embodied; his main goal is to keep growing his business and to do that, he wants to ensure that air quality gets worse and worse. When everyone changes their stance on having real trees around, you’d expect that Mr. O’Hare does the same; but no, he actually tries to convince the crowd that letting the tree grow wasn’t the right course of action by means of a few solo bars of song and dance (“Let it die, let it die, let it shrivel up and die!”)

“The Lorax” shows the dangers of exploiting the natural resources of the world; as shown in the damage left behind after the Once-ler’s economy-boosting power trip. Despite the original story being written nearly 50 years ago, the message’s relevance only grows with time.

Beloved childhood movies, like "Princess Mononoke," "WALL-E," and "The Lorax" convey environmental themes, which warn us about the consequences of climate neglect and urge us to protect our planet.

ILLUSTRATION BY CRISTINA COUCH AND SCARLETT MISCHE

PHOTO VIA FANPOP

PHOTO VIA MATCHAJP. COM

Win Together, Lose Together

by Sam Schwartz

The girls volleyball team looked to improve their record to 7-1 on Thursday, Aug. 31 against the undefeated Torrey Pines Falcons. Despite the energetic start for the girls, winning set one wasn't enough to lead them to victory, and ended in a close defeat for the Sea Hawks, losing 2-3.

Against an undefeated team like Torrey Pines, two things are necessary; having a plan and executing that plan.

“Our plan going into the match was to serve hard and play good defense,” Senior Libero Summer Suppik said “We executed that plan pretty well, we did indeed serve hard, but we also missed a lot of our serves.”

In preparation for the match, Redon do practiced their blocking, due to Torrey Pines’ numerous hitters over six feet tall.

“We didn’t practice anything specifc for Torrey Pines, but we did practice blocking and it paid of in the match [and won Redondo a lot of points],” senior outside hitter Addyson Benefeld said.

To open the match, the Redondo girls won the frst set with a lot of momentum, 25-21.

“We had just come of a win and we were super hyped about it. We defnitely brought that same fre into

this game and we had a lot of it in the frst set, from there we just lost that spark a little,” Benefeld said.

The girls weren't able to sustain this energy and fell short in the second and third sets.

“We got excited after winning the frst set, and kind of took that [excitement] too much into other sets, that especially brought us out of focus and led to some losses,” Suppik said.

Addy Benefeld believes a big aspect of the game is having a "next point mindset" to help put the past behind and out of your mind, according to Benefeld.

“The next point focus is something our coach taught us, it’s basically just to not dwell on the point that just happened but to focus on the next,” Benefeld said.

Using the next point idea gets you, a player, alone onto the next point, but something almost every girl volleyball team does is to regroup after every point. These two things helped the girls win the fourth set 25-18 and tie the match back up at two sets a piece.

“We regroup when we mess up and your teammates are there to bring your confdence back up,” Benefeld

said.

Though our girls fought hard in the ffth set, we came up just short of victory, losing the fnal set 12-15.

“I think this should act like a wake up call to us, because there are better teams out there on our schedule that we’ll have to be better against,” Suppik said.

Win or lose there are always some miscues in every game, in this game, Suppik believes their defense lost Redondo some crucial points.

“We blocked the ball well but we still missed a lot of digs the could’ve brought us

to win some more points,” Suppik said.

As this is just an early season game, it likely won’t be dwelled upon much, as the Redondo girls now look to beat a strong 14-1 Mater Dei team.

“Next we just have to practice well on Tuesday to prepare for our next game,” Benefeld said.

Boys water polo loses their second home game to Long Beach Poly 3-1

by London Carbone

Entering the second home game of the season, boys varsity water polo had high hopes. On Sept. 5 they played their second home game of the season, and after treading a long battle, the boys fell short to Long Beach Polytechnic High School with a fnal score of 7-3.

Starting the frst quarter the boys came out on top 1-0. They began the game without their usual starters, forcing a new line up for them to

had diferent kids starting, which changes things up and can confuse players, but I think going into the game, I felt confdent that we were gonna win. We had a game plan and I think we didn't adjust well,” Goldstein said.

In the second quarter, their defense struggled, but their ofense was the strongest out of the whole game. They came out of the quarter and into half time tied 3-3.

ball decently and we'd been able to get it into our center man and he would throw it out so we could try and get a couple shots. Defensively, we started of strong, we kept even with the other team, held the lead for a while, and then we started to get beat down the pool a little bit,” Beizerman said.

Being put in a new situation gave the team a chance to see how they play with a diferent group of starters and time to refect on the skills and what they should be focusing on.

games we've had two diferent warmups that we hadn't really done before and I think we need to make a routine. [We also as a team] are swimming more. We’ve already had practice since yesterday's game in the morning, which was all swimming. Any improvements are really gonna come in the next week of practice. We have a whole week of exactly from yesterday's game,” Beizerman said. This loss will only help the team grow and be more prepared as the season goes on.

completely adjust to.

“As a team, we weren't focused. We had some issues with guys who were hurt, so we

“[At half time I felt] confdent. I felt that we should be able to win this game because we have all the tools to win, I just think that we as a team didn't perform well. We just kind of let the game get away from us,” Goldstein said. Going into the third quarter, the boys only allowed LB Poly one goal, and in the fourth quarter, they struggled to get down the pool in time and lost the last few goals. Senior captain Brenden Biezerman was able to get a feel of how the team adapted throughout.

“In that frst half we were moving the

“I think we should focus on getting a better warmup. So far, in both of our home

“Personally, I always want to win, and obviously we didn't, but I think we're improving, taking small steps every game. I’m taking out of this that even though we didn’t win and we didn't play our best, we're improving defensively. We might not be improving ofensively yet, but I think we have the tools and a great coach so hopefully in a couple of weeks we'll be able to be ten times better than we are right now,” Goldstein said.

At half time I felt] confdent. I felt that we should be able to win this game because we have all the tools to win, I just think that we as a team didn't perform well".

Brendan Beizerman SENIOR

“

Junior goalie Declan Goldstein, who started all four quarters of the game, was able to watch the team adapt.

I always want to win, and obviously we didn't, but I think we're improving, taking small steps every game."

Declan Goldstein

“

3. Long Beach Poly player attempts to block PHOTO BY MIA CEILACK

4. Redondo player, Sasha Lyukmanov goes for a goal PHOTO BY MIA CEILACK

1. Senior libero Summer Suppik prepares for the play. PHOTO BY TALIA PATTISHALL 2. Sophomores Abby Zimmerman and Taylor Boice and senior Addy Benefeld communicate between plays. PHOTO BY TALIA PATTISHALL

Girls varsity tennis wins against Culver City

14-4

by Aaliyah Roberson

With fast paced serves and amazing efort, girls varsity tennis played Culver City in their season opener on Thursday, Sept. 7. The team had just come of an undefeated preseason, and went on to win the match 14-4.

The team started strong in the frst round, winning all six sets. First singles starter, senior Sidney Hope Cherry, led the team, winning her frst set 6-3. She aced her opponent multiple times, allowing her to “rely more” on her service game. Cherry became a captain this year and believes the team was “well prepared” for the match.

“Now that I'm in a leadership role on the team, I have diferent expectations [set] of me. It's not just my performance; it's about my character,” Cherry said.

The second doubles team, consisting of senior Malia Wilkin and junior Avery Rapoport, “struggled” in the beginning of their match. They started of behind losing three games straight to Culver City making the score of the set 3-0.

“I think our competitiveness was lacking in the beginning. We were mov ing slowly and weren't communicating well. We need to remind ourselves that the most important thing for us is to have fun. We focused on doing what we do best, which is playing tennis,” Wilkin said.

As the set continued, they began to feel “more comfortable with each oth er,” according to Wilkin. They were “more active” in their footwork and watching the ball allowing them to make better shots.

“At the start of the match I hit too many double faults because I was lack ing confdence. Once I started to loosen up they were a lot better. I was able to have good placement on my shots to allow Avery to capitalize at the net,” Wilkin said.

The doubles pair was able to come back and win four games in a row, tak ing the lead in the set 4-3. They were able to “capitalize” of their shots and take control of the set.

“I was really struggling with my groundstrokes so I completely relied on my volleys and luckily, they were all working that day. After losing those few games we just focused on using our volleys and serves to win. Malia and I just came together and kept each other motivated,” Rapoport said.

Rapoport and Wilkin were able to win their set 6-4, contributing to Redondo’s win. After substituting the starters, they continued to dominate with their baseline shots and returns. They were able to play ofensively with their attack shots, which won most of their points. Varsity started their season of strong and “they’re prepared to continue the season on the same note," according to Rapoport.

“We wanted to win since it was our frst league match. Starting the season of strong was a goal of ours. I feel that what we did on the court today accomplished that goal,” Rapoport said.

The team was highly motivated for their frst league match. Redondo plays their next match against Palos Verdes High School, on Thursday, Sept. 14. Girls tennis is looking bright and has “inspired” Rapoport for the rest of the season.

“I play tennis here at Redondo because the team is so welcoming and it is such a great bunch of girls. We all have the same mindset and we showed it in the match today," Rapoport said, "and I wouldn't trade [this experience] for the world."

TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT

Boys varsity football falls short in a tight match against Huntington Beach Union, 13-12

by Ava Anzivino

Making the hour-long drive to the cathedral-esque school of Huntington Beach Union, boys varsity football prepared to play what would be one of their most challenging non-league games. Though they didn't go down without a fght, the boys fell short by just one point, losing to the Oilers, 13-12.

Underneath the beautiful sunset and fantastic Friday night ambience Huntington provided, Redondo was ready to take on their opponents, knowing their great strength and consistency from previous games.

“We did a lot of scout ofense at practice, having our ofense go against one another, to kind of imitate [Huntington]. We just kept running that, and I think we executed pretty well,” said senior linebacker Theron Sutton.

The Sea Hawks got of to a quick start within the frst fve minutes as junior quarterback Niko London made a connection with senior wide receiver Nate Stiveson for a touchdown.

“We’ve got one of the best wide receivers in the Bay League, and our line was set up really well to get blocks. I knew I had

was the defensive line who held down the fort, as they took the feld for the majority of the second and third quarters due to the amount of turnovers Huntington forced.

“After that second quarter, [being on defense constantly] was getting pretty tiring. My legs were cramping up, I know Milo [Youker] was having a tough time, too. We were running full speed and trying our hardest, and it was getting to be too much,” Sutton said.

The second and third quarters were back and forth between both teams’ defensive lines, causing little movement on ofense, except for a three point feld goal by Huntington early in the second quarter, putting the Oilers further in the lead at 10-6. Redondo "lost confdence" in their ofense, and until the fourth quarter, they struggled to get it back.

Even with the small showing of Sea Hawk fans, there was a resounding commotion on the away side of the feld as the scoreboard displayed a promising score of 13-12. With thirty seconds on the clock, Redondo had a chance to either tie it up with a feld goal, or go for the two point conversion.

“We don’t play to tie, so we made the choice to go for two, which [is a decision] I’d make one hundred percent of the time. They just made a good defensive play and we lost. It’s going to happen, and it’s all about how we respond to it,” London said.

The clock ran out, and Redondo accepted their frst loss of the season. Although there was an obvious atmosphere of defeat on the feld, there was a “pride” in the way their game was played, especially when it came to the risk they took with the two point conversion at the end.

“[The last play] was bold, but I love it. If I were to coach, I’d make those same calls. I’m not mad about any of our decisions,” Ausmus said.

The team looks to redeem themselves on the road against Paramount next week, but before then, they seek to improve their ofense in practice and make it more adaptable to any type of opponent.

“Next week, we’re going to get the pass game going, and really test ourselves. We’re going to keep that run game running, and we should be good to go for all games down the road,” Ausmus said.

zone,” London said.

a single missed feld goal. It

1. Sophomore wide reciever Bo Ausmus preparing for the play.

2. The defensive line is attentive to their coach at a timeout.

3. Sea Hawk defense prepares for the play.

4. Quarterback Niko London scopes out the feld.

5. Running back Roman Broughton runs the ball.

1-5 PHOTOS BY LISA ESPINOZA

The Climate CREW Students advocate for climate change awarness and extreme weather relief

Last week, junior Danny Harper fell sick. This ailment wasn’t any common cold, but rather a sickness that she developed after swimming in the waters of Redondo Beach. As Harper completed her Cross Country workout, she and her fellow teammates took to a swim in the cold ocean. The team was unaware of the increased levels of waste and fecal matter in the waters, a conditional efect of Hurricane Hilary.

As an active volunteer for the Surfrider Foundation, Harper actually studies the prevalence of such bacteria in local beach waters (from feces and other waste products), in an efort to spread awareness about the variety of illnesses that could arise from the increased bacterial levels. Along with several other RUHS students, Harper is heavily involved in advocating for climate awareness, in a communal efort to combat the efects of climate change.

“I think it's really important to get the information out there, to stop people from throwing their trash in the water or just prevent people from getting in the water when the bacterial levels are really high,” Harper said. “It's really important to stay educated about when it's safe to go in the water and when it's not safe to go.”

Harper is also an active volunteer for Hopkins Wilderness Park, where she and other volunteers lead nature walks to spread awareness about diferent factors of the environment. Her motivation is to nurture a greater love and appreciation for the environment within commu nity members.

“There is one family who participates in the walks with their daughter, and both of the parents always like to ask the volunteers ques tions about diferent parts of the environment,” Harp er said. “I think [we’ve made] a really positive impact when we also get adults asking questions about the en vironment without feeling silly or igno rant.”

Redondo’s proximity to the ocean

couraging climate activism among stu dents.

Junior Sophia Quan frequently partic ipates in beach cleanups in tandem with her church, Lady of Guadalupe.

“It’s important for others to take part in organizations

back to the com

there is a certain breaking point to what we throw at this world. And if we help with environmental activism, we can decrease the chances of this world perishing.”

Students also employ social media as a method of environmental activism, using this younger generation’s social media savvy to their advantage. Senior Kai Lucas and sophomore Kala Lucas use Kai’s Instagram to raise money and rehabilitate communities in Maui afected by recent fres.

The brother-sister duo, whose familial roots are Hawaiian, felt compelled to give

nations in the form of money or in the form of supplies like

by Stavyah Naveen

throughout their growing years. The siblings also run a backpack drive, through which they donate school supplies and backpacks to low-income schools. According to Kala, this experience was akin to a stepping stone for their climate change fundraiser.

“Sometimes people think problems are too big for them to handle or fx, but even the smallest actions like donating diapers or shirts can really help to revitalize communities,” Kala said.

According to Kai, one of the most benefcial things people can do is realize the enormous efect their actions have on the world. People don’t necessarily have to take drastic action against a climate change issue, but they could start recycling more or separating the trash from the compost.

“It's important for people to start at a young age, if they want to become involved in activism,” Kai said. “Things like posting on their social media or posting things for whichever community they're a part of is really important because the little things do count. If you're advocating and you're putting your voice out there, that's going to have more of an impact than not doing anything at all.”

Sometimes people think problems are too big for them to handle or fx, but even the smallest actions like donating diapers or shirts can really help to revitalize communi ties.”

KALA LUCAS SOPHOMORE

“Camoufage” is a painted piece with jellyfsh and plastic bags to symbolize plastic and trash “taking over” the ocean. ARTWORK BY CLAIRE MALONEY

“Glacier” is a ceramic mosaic piece that is compiled of thrifted plate fragments. The medium correlates to artist's theme of sustainability. ARTWORK BY CLAIRE MALONEY

RUHS Surfrider President, senior Lalitha Muttulingam, performs serial dilution, a process used to test bacteria levels in ocean water. PHOTO COURTESY OF LALITHA MUTTULINGAM

Kala Lucas and Kai Lucas help an Aunty Mailes employee store donations to be shipped to Hawaii.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KALA AND KAI LUCAS

Jellyfsh Images used under license from Shutterstock.com.