The Point Issue 3 Vol. 25 - Dec. 11, 2020

THE

POINT

PALOS VERDES HIGH SCHOOL - ISSUE 3, VOLUME 25 - December 11, 2020

Will the Fast Fashion Bubble Ever Burst?

(Illustration by Alycen Kim)

By Aurora Khatibi Garrity news editor “I don’t support Shein, I just bought clothing from there once,” senior Avery Simonian said when asked about the newest fast fashion corporation that has made its way from every high school girls’ search engine to their closet.

Shein racks up annual revenue of around $36.3 million from creating over 500 pieces of clothing per day for extremely low prices.

It has bent and broken the rules of a moral and ethical corporation in almost every way possible.

With over 15 million followers on Instagram, Shein has taken advantage of endorsements from celebrities such as Addison Rae, Hailey Beiber, Lil Nas X, and Katy Perry.

Many influencers promote brands before researching them,

and end up giving their platform and the value of their influence to ethically questionable companies, marketing it to a largely impressionable teen audience, hungry for affordable clothing. “[Influencers] need to realize that millions of people are looking at what they post.

“A lot of these young kids don’t know any better - they just see Addison Rae posted about Shein,” Simonian said.

Shein’s social media marketing is one of many reasons for its success as a fast-growing international e-commerce retailer.

During COVID-19, many mallavid consumers have turned to buying clothing online, and the increase in unemployment may force others to seek a cheaper alternative.

Fashion is known to be the second most polluting industry in the world.

Notorious for its lack of transparency, buyers are left to

ponder or dismiss the fact that this rapid creation of clothing is obviously harmful to the environment.

Shein’s “Social Responsibility” website page states they “strictly abide by child labor laws in each of the countries that we operate in.”

However, the child labor policies in Bangladesh, an area known as a fast-fashion manufacturing kingdom that Shein most likely does business with, has child labor laws allowing children as young as seven to begin working.

According to UNICEF, the impacts of COVID-19 could cause a rise in children joining the workforce, as older members of the family fall ill or lose their jobs to cheaper labor.

But, does the average buyer hold the responsibility to fight against these exploitative companies?

“I think it’s very difficult

because it’s happening in a different country. We can’t control it, but if we lessen our buying of these types of products, it might help,” senior Kiley Keenan said.

Senior Aidan Eliasson disagrees. “You’re giving these people a job and they’re going to work anyways. I think it’s supporting the economy.”

Shein has been in hot water for stealing designs from small-businesses, cultural appropriation, and jewelry in the shape of hate symbols, but has only apologized for the latter two.

“Independent businesses struggle to stay afloat in America,” Simonian said. “[It] makes me more upset because it’s not a big chain business.”

Eliasson agrees,“I don’t like stealing from independent companies. I would tell people to not buy from [Shein].”

Shein is a part of the Globalegrow online retail conglomorate, which focuses on

providing cheap alternatives to American-made products.

The money of the consumer has and always will have influence and control over the corporation, and at its core, the Shein customer is buying into the process of child labor and environmental degradation.

Some argue these purchases allow heinous practices to go unchecked.

“That’s kind of where we are in society at the moment; bend your morals and buy affordable clothes or be broke but have really nice things,” Simonian said.

However, Keenan disagrees.

“There’s plenty of American brands that aren’t using child labor and are cheaper, and there are alternatives like thrifting and upcycling.”

The question of whether fastfashion will continue to thrive or fail is becoming a matter of morals and ethics for the American consumer.

NEWS

How the Palos Verdes Peninsula Became a DDT Dumping Site

By Sydney Lyle social media editor From 1947 to 1982, Los Angeles was home to the largest dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane (DDT) manufacturing company in the nation, the Montrose Chemical Corporation.

During this time, wastewater from the manufacturing plant was deposited off of White Point on the Palos Verdes Peninsula.

It is estimated that over 1,700 tons of DDT were discharged off of White Point outfalls from the late 1950s to the early 1970s.

In order to illegally dispose of DDT, barrels were driven off the coast towards Catalina Island and dumped into the water.

When they failed to sink, they were often punctured, and as a result, DDT began to leak into the ocean and further the damage already caused by the wastewater.

Recently, scientist David Valentine has discovered countless leaking barrels of DDT 3000 feet below the surface.

While DDT helped eradicate diseases and improved agricultural processes, it eventually became clear that it was causing more harm than good.

This diagram shows the areas affected by the DDT deposits. The contaminated sediment is over two feet thick and it has a surface DDT concentration of 200 ppm (parts per million) at the outfalls. (Graphic by Sydney Lyle) Initially, “the way [the government] found out about the toxicity of the DDT was through the eggs pelicans were laying.

The shells were so thin from the substance that they broke under the mother laying on them,” Marine Biology teacher Marta Wood said.

The United States knew change needed to be made as other bird species, such as the

Bald Eagle, fell victim to the same effects.

In 1972, the U.S. banned the use of DDT, but that did not erase the decades of damage to the environment or prevent further deterioration.

For ten years following the criminalization of DDT, the Montrose Chemical Corporation continued to manufacture DDT and sell it to foreign nations.

While the use of DDT was no longer permitted in the United States, the law did not prohibit DDT from being manufactured or traded.

Ultimately, the continued production of DDT after its illegalization led to continued waste water deposits off of White Point.

This prolonged the damage being inflicted on the Palos

Verdes Shelf.

Today, fish found in the Palos Verdes Shelf contain high concentrations of DDT and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).

The concentrations of DDT and PCBs in fish pose a threat to human health and the aquatic environment.

Through bioaccumulation, these toxins have accumulated in the tissues of organisms and “are moving up the food chain from primary producers to top predators,” said Wood.

This means that as the food chain progresses humans could be ingesting these toxins.

Overtime, the concentra­tions of DDT have decreased from their original severity.

While the toxins are still detrimental, there is hope of recovery.

Scientists have discovered that DDT has a half-life of about 150 years.

If DDT continues to be prevented from entering the ecosystems, eventually, the waters off the coast of Los Angeles County will begin to heal and become a healthy environment for wildlife once again.

What is QAnon?

A primer on the internet conspiracy taking over Americans’ screens, and how it has affected people’s relationships with family and friends.

By Sarah Liu editor-in-cheif The resurgence of Pizzagate conspiracy theories or the influx of posts about #SaveTheChildren that can be found on social media are part of a larger, wild network of conspiracy theories called QAnon, and its rising popularity makes it increasingly dangerous.

At its core, followers believe that the world is run by a secretive, elite political faction of Satan-worshipping pedophiles, scheming against President Donald Trump, who is the appointed savior taking down the “deep state.”

The QAnon conspiracy first began on 4chan, which is infamous for its unchecked spread of bigoted, sometimes violent and graphic content.

QAnon started when an anonymous account named “Q Clearance Patriot,” claimed to have Q-level clearance, which is granted to Department of Energy employees that can access classified information.

Those who believe in the theory follow “drops,” or posts.

They’re cryptic and code-like to those who aren’t invested, and in the past have claimed to know future events, of which they have been swiftly debunked. However, most followers of QAnon simply do not care, or create alternative explanations for why they were wrong.

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Q has long predicted that mass arrests of “deep state” members would take place on certain dates. As these days have come and gone, no arrests have been made that would prove any of these unfounded theories as correct.

Some Q followers believe that Trump secretly worked with special counsel Robert Mueller, who investigated Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. According to this narrative, the contents of the Mueller Report would exonarate Trump, and with it, take down members of this cabal, like the Clintons or former president Barack Obama. The Mueller Report all but exonerated Trump, and none of the supposed “deep state” members were arrested.

In other instances, QAnon believers look to seemingly menial things like the color of the president’s tie, for example, as a quiet message of support.

The growth of QAnon has led to consequences outside of online message boards.The FBI says that QAnon is a potential domestic terror threat. Bomb threats, attempts at murders and kidnappings and destruction of property have all been traced back to followers of QAnon who say they felt called to the cause, thinking they are taking down pedophiles and criminals.

Most recently, QAnon supporters have made their

way to Congress - Marjorie Taylor Greene (GA) and Lauren Boebert (CO) were just elected. According to Media Matters, at least 19 Republican candidates either supported QAnon or boosted the conspiracy on social media.

The COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to conspiracy theories that have thrived in QAnon circles. Some claim the pandemic is a scheme to cover up child sex trafficking, and parrot anti-vaccination rhetoric.

This has led to followers downplaying the risks of the virus, and not following measures that have been proven to keep people safe.

As nonsensical as this sounds, it has garnered a cult following of people from different backgrounds.

Those who already distrust the mainstream media, for example, take comfort in having a group that believes they are part of a group that “sees the light.” For those who have been frustrated by the state of politics, QAnon offers them convenient explanations for their problems, no matter how far-fetched and dangerous they are.

QAnon has strained personal relationships between those who are deep into the conspiracy theory, and those who see it as a farce. On Reddit, the subreddit

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r/QAnonCasualties has grown to be a safe haven for those who have seen their loved ones become disallusioned by QAnon.

“I’m[19 years old] and I feel like I just lost my whole family... to this,” said one user. “Since quarantine, my mom has been on Facebook a lot more… Now she posts those conspiracies daily on her own Facebook and Instagram and is constantly sharing what she finds in family group chats.”

Said another worried teen, “I’m

(Graphic by Sarah Liu) still in high school and for months over quarantine I’ve dealt with my family talking about these theories…

“Like so many others, I fear I’m losing my family. I’ve seen my mom grow more and more... conspiratal. She’s a wonderful woman and I love her deeply, but I’m scared of what she’s becoming. I’m not sure if she’s found QAnon yet in its entirety but I fear for the future.”

DECEMBER 11, 2020

Georgia’s Senate Races Head into Overtime

By Aidan Sun news editor

The Nov. 3 election saw President-Elect Joe Biden flip the traditionally Republicanleaning state of Georgia in favor of Democrats as he added the state’s 16 electoral votes to his overall total of 306 to beat President Donald Trump for control of the White House.

While Biden’s victory in the Peach State was concise, two key senate races between Democrats Jon Ossoff and Rev. Raffael Warnock and their incumbent Republican opponents Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler were not so clear. Both races triggered election runoffs on Jan. 5, 2021, as none of the candidates received 50% or more votes required to secure Georgia’s senate seats.

Ossoff, the Democratic challenger received 47.9 percent of votes compared to his opponent, Perdue, who received 49.7 percent of votes. Ossoff is a former investigative journalist and congressional candidate in Georgia’s 6th District. The incumbent Sen. Perdue is a former businessman and former vice president of Reebok. He has been serving as one of Georgia’s two senators since being elected in 2014.

A special election, which took place alongside the general election, saw Democratic challenger Rev. Warnock receive 32.9 percent of votes to Loeffler’s 25.9 percent. Reverend Warnock has been the senior pastor at the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, once headed by Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., since 2005. Incumbent Sen. Loeffler was appointed to her position in the U.S. Senate by Gov. Brian Kemp in Dec. 2019 after her predecessor, Sen. Johnny Isakson, resigned from his position due to health issues.

Loeffler was also a former businessperson and is regarded

as the wealthiest member of congress, estimated to be worth between $800 million and $1 billion.

As it currently stands, there are 50 Republican senators and 48 Democratic-leaning senators (two Independents, Sen. Bernie Sanders (VT) and Sen. Angus King (ME) usually vote alongside their Democratic colleagues). If Democrats are to win these two senate seats, they would gain a majority in the United States Senate with Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris breaking the tie should one arise on the floor.

Both parties recognize the importance of these two senate elections. Should Democrats win, they would have control of both the House and the Senate as well as the White House. Some experts estimate that between the Nov. 3 election and the Jan. 5 runoff, nearly a billion dollars could be inserted into Georgia for candidates’ campaigns.

Republicans have framed the Georgia election as a must-win in order to provide a check on the Biden presidency. They would able to veto some legislation and even, if they chose to do so, block some of President-elect Biden’s potential cabinet and Supreme Court nominees.

However, with the current skepticism of election integrity by some Republicans, GOP leaders face a conundrum as some conservative Georgians have gone as far as to call for a boycott of the Jan. 5 runoff.

On Nov. 28, Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel of the Republican National Convention faced angry Republican voters who seemed frustrated by unfounded claims that the presidential election was rigged and pre-determined.

“It’s not decided,” said McDaniel. “This is the key - it’s not decided. So if you lose your faith and you don’t vote and people walk away - that will

decide it.”

Other prominent Republicans including Sen. Marco Rubio (FL) and President Trump have held rallies and other events in Georgia hoping to gain support for their fellow Republicans.

While most GOP leaders have not yet publicly acknowledged Biden’s victory, many understand that without retaining these two senate seats, there would be little to stop a Democratic agenda from succeeding.

Meanwhile, Democrats are desperately trying to repeat the party’s success in the presidential election. Many leaders, like former gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, whose work in Georgia to register and protect voters has been widely praised

by Democrats for having won Biden the state’s electoral votes, have been fighting to gain control of the senate to allow Presidentelect Biden’s agenda to succeed.

Losing the races, they say, would be a repeat of an era when Republicans’ control of the Senate and House limited President Barack Obama’s ability to pass legislation.

Although historically, Georgia runoffs have spelled losses for Democrats, the party hopes that this time they can turn things around. Perdue and Loeffler are tied up in insider trading scandals after several accounts show each bought and sold stock upon learning about the dangers of COVID-19 back in February.

Democrats have painted the two senators as wealthy elites who care little for the interests of average Georgians.

Regardless of the outcome of the Jan. 5 runoff, the election will undoubtably shape national politics for at least the next few years as Democrats hope to advance their legislation while Republicans hope to prevent a Biden administration from wrestling too much control over the federal government.

NEWS Imminent Apoc-Eclipse?

English teacher Cynthia Mindicino and her mom Patty Ruiz watch as the 2017 solar eclipse unfolded in San Francisco. (Photo courtesy of Cynthia Mindicino).

By Sierra Namvari photo editor On Monday, Dec.14, 2020, there will be a solar eclipse which can possibly be viewed from North America.

People travel almost every year to new regions just to witness eclipses.

It’s been predicted already to be seen the most in regions such as Argentina and Chile.

There have been some predictions though that it could possibly end up being seen in the United States, the first one visible from there since 2017.

Although it is still uncertain that the eclipse will be seen in the United States, this would be a very exciting one if it does end up happening.

In 2017, there was a solar eclipse visible in most states. It gained strong media attention at the time, consdering it isn’t often that solar eclipses are visible in the states.

“I went out on my roof looking up and seeing it,” said freshman Grace Moore.

“It was crazy but I also had the thought of, ‘Wow, what a time to be alive.’”

Madame Vice President: What Kamala Harris Means to Women

By Sarah Liu editor-in-chief

(Graphic by Aidan Sun)

DECEMBER 11, 2020

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selected Harris to be his running mate.

“I need someone working alongside me who is smart, Vice President-elect Kamala tough, and ready to lead,” Biden Harris’s career has been built in wrote in his announcement. spite of history.

“Kamala is that person.”

The days when governance Senior Amyrah Doty holds the was only to be done by men? same ethnic makeup as Harris: a History. half-Black, half-Indian woman.

But “that little girl” who was For her and her family, Biden’s bussed to school, being the choice to pick Harris was first woman, of any race, to be elected Vice President? Historic. monumental.

“I cried, admittingly,” she said.

In March, President-elect Joe “I found out about it on Twitter Biden committed to picking a and immediately burst into tears.” woman to be his vice president With her parents frantically and was anticipated to choose a texting relatives as the woman of color. announcement came Then-senator Harris was on CNN, the entire family got an early frontrunner in the on the phone in a moment of “veepstakes,” despite having celebration. notably criticized Biden during “It’s the same feeling I got from a Democratic primary debate in watching Obama win the election June for his stance of opposing for his second presidential busing and his controversial term when I was in elementary comments in which he recalled school: this ardent belief I can do working with segregationist anything, that no barriers stand in senators as a marker of civility.

However, that conflict appeared my path,” Doty said. to be put to rest when it was (continued on back page...) announced that Biden had

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FEATURES

The Virtual Stage

The Drama Department navigates online school.

By Aurora Khatibi Garrity news editor “The set is still on the stage, the costumes are still on the racks. It’s ready,” said Nicole Thompson, 13-year director and head of the Palos Verdes High School Drama Department.

Last March, the production of Crazy for You was just two weeks from opening night when it was halted by COVID-19.

Drama is a very personal and physical group. Virtual learning has affected the local arts and Thompson’s program to the point where “some things don’t work,” Thompson said. “It’s just trial and error. That’s the way life is.”

“Part of everything we do is interaction,”Thompson said, “[Online school] really forced us to rethink how we do things [and] come up with a lot of new, but wonderful, curriculum.”

Thompson quickly found that activities like interactive drama games and singing didn’t hold up in the virtual world.

“We just can’t sing together, we can’t even sing happy birthday together,” Thompson said.

Senior Hayden Kharrazi agreed. “It’s very hard to communicate with one another through acting and singing

The PVHS Drama Department’s rehearses their production of Crazy for You virtually. (Photo courtesy of Nicole Thompson) because there is that delay.

Drama [is] a very synchronized thing… it’s really difficult to do that virtually.”

Nevertheless, the virtual drama classes have shed light on numerous activities that may continue after COVID-19.

Students have dressed up in costumes to record musical dance snippets using TikTok, and the department has even used

Minecraft for blocking rehearsals.

Mostly focused on theater and stage in the past, the PVHS Drama Department is now exploring camera and film studies, which have allowed seniors applying for theater degrees to work more in-depth on their prospective college’s theater program application process.

“Now, [self-tapes] are integrated into my program,”

Thompson said. “Because we’ve perfected it through this medium, we have better sound, we know how to frame, we know how to light… they’re going to go out and audition for these colleges and do these pre-screen auditions even better now.”

Although students aren’t able to get the “vibe” through the inperson auditions and interviews, there are positives to this virtual

setup.

“You’re not paying for flights, there’s a decrease in fees, you can do [the auditions] from the comfort of your home… it takes off some of the pressure,” senior Dori Rich said.

Students who previously could only afford the pre-screen are now able to fully apply to the school from their home.

“I think there’s going to be a lot more people auditioning this year [to schools local and farther away] since you don’t have to pay as much,” Rich said.

To Kharazzi, the pros of a virtual application process outweigh the cons, as an applicant has full control over the sound and light setup.

“The entire world of entertainment has changed, not just high school theater,” Kharazzi said. “We’re learning to adapt.”

The department plans to perform Crazy For You with the original cast, crew and pit members in May 2021.

“Even if we are allowed to have only 50 people in there, I will take the 50 people,” Thompson said.

“Much like Crazy for You, this is about perseverance. This is about coming together to create art and the power of that art to bring a community together.”

A Complete “Guide” To Finals Hopes Up for 2021 The overused studying tips that are easier said than done.

By Vikesh Dheeriya reporter “Make sure you get at LEAST 8 hours of sleep during finals week!”

Students will always prioritize getting exactly eight hours of sleep, especially when they get the sudden realization at 10:43 PM on a Tuesday night that there is a whole chapter that they forgot to study for the final tomorrow.

When they proceed to cram all kinds of vocabulary and concepts into their brain, it has a similar effectiveness to dropping a sponge in the middle of the pacific ocean.

Now, if that student has a zero period, they have a major advantage; their circadian rhythms have already been trained to wake up at ungodly hours in the morning.

Early mornings coupled with the late nights stressing and studying.

It doesn’t take hours studying for a math final to figure out that getting eight hours of sleep is easier said than done.

“Why would you cram just before the final, just remember to prepare early!”

In order to mitigate the stresses and long nights spent before their finals, students are advised to simply prepare and study earlier.

On top of 40 hours of class time per week, homework, and studying for smaller tests and quizzes multiplied by six classes, students are now advised to review all the material they just learned every night.

All students want to do after class and extracurriculars, after homework, is to pull out the notes and textbooks and start reviewing for the final.

On top of this, you are also expected to get eight hours of sleep.

Obviously, we are all robots who don’t need a life outside of school and spend all of our time regurgitating information from our textbooks onto our finals.

The choice between enjoying literally anything that doesn’t involve spending time on reviewing information after

Editors-in-Chief Claire Hardesty Sarah Liu Adviser Cynthia Mindicino

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learning it and preparing early is plain and clear for students.

“Be sure to drink water and stay hydrated!”

Performing the most basic level of survival tips for all living things is supposed to somehow be news for high school students.

The simple task of drinking water doesn’t miraculously alleviate the mental struggles of finals that students have to endure.

Especially during distance learning, where you are staring at a screen in the same chair you’ve been sitting in for hours.

Especially when the teacher’s voice starts to become an audible blur as another day passes in the weeks of struggling to focus in school.

Basic hydration won’t help retain information taught over a screen months ago.

Telling students to drink water to help perform better on their finals is like telling a firefighter that eating food will help put out more fires.

Editors News: Aurora Khatibi Garrity, Aidan Sun Features: Lucia Ruiz Centerspread: Alycen Kim Opinion: Kaylie Harley Sports: Emily Typrowicz Photography: Sierra Namvari Online: Curtis Liu Social Media: Sydney Lyle

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(Illustration by Alycen Kim)

By Lucia Ruiz features editor New years are new beginnings, and after a year of nonstop hardship, 2021 provides a beacon of hope.

In March, PVHS announced that school would be online for a few weeks.

Weeks turned into months, and the pandemic shows no evidence of magically going away.

So, for nine months, we have been away from our beloved campus.

“I hope we can go back to school in 2021. I want everyone to be healthy, of course, but it’s hard to be online for school for so long,” freshman Kylie Mone said.

Online school has caused students and staff to miss out on

the social aspects of school that we take for granted.

“I hope to form better relationships with my teachers and classmates because it’s kind of hard to do that over Zoom,” sophomore Caeden Kim said.

Seniors have been heavily affected by the setbacks of 2020.

The negative impacts of COVID-19 and online school have made applying to college even more difficult than it already is.

“Besides [COVID-19] going away, I would like to make the most out of 2021 because next year, [the rest of the senior class] and I will hopefully be going to college,” senior Emma Hill said.

“I just want to have fun with my friends and live the best I can.”

Staff Andrew Carpenter, Vikesh Dheeriya, Alexa Dox, Cristen Haddad, Mia Harley, John Kim, Ethan King, Jonathan Liu, Mallory Meyer, McKenzie Olsen, Frances Stott, Natalie Tholan, Mathew Valero

Follow us @pvhspoint!

DECEMBER 11, 2020

Holiday Foods:

For better, for worse

By Ethan King reporter

The Best 1. Pies Pies are the best holiday foods out there. My personal favorite is a warm slice of apple pie with ice cream.

Although, pumpkin pie with a dollop of whip cream is a close second. These pies are a perfect dessert after a big Thanksgiving meal.

2. Turkey The second best holiday food is turkey. Turkey is the staple food of Thanksgiving and some people have it on Christmas as well. This is for good reason.

Turkey is one of the best types of meats out there. It is made even better with a plentiful helping of gravy on top.

The Worst 1. Gingerbread One of the worst and most overrated foods for the holidays is gingerbread. Personally, I am not a fan of the taste. I would much rather have simple Christmas sugar cookies instead. Although, making Gingerbread houses is always a fun time.

2. Mashed Potatoes Speaking of overrated, mashed potatoes are next on the list. Mashed potatoes are the worst. The texture ruins it for me. Mashed potatoes are just baby food. I like baked potatoes, fries, and chips, but mashed potatoes are not on that list. Usually, I will skip this side at Thanksgiving.

3. Mac and Cheese

3. Candy Canes

Lastly, mac and cheese.

You can never go wrong with mac and cheese.

This is without a doubt my favorite Thanksgiving side dish.

The warm and gooey cheese is always great and complements all food served at holiday dinners. Plus, it can even be a meal by itself without anything else.

Finally, let’s talk about candy canes. They aren’t that bad, but I am not a fan of the peppermint taste. Still, if they are handed out I may take one, but in comparison to other candy, these do not hold up. They are like candy corn; they look cool for the holiday season, but don’t taste that good.

FEATURES

The Mysterious Magic of Manifestation

By Alycen Kim centerspread editor The idea that we can make our wildest wishes and dreams come true in an instant sounds like something out of a fantasy novel or a Disney movie.

But, what if there was a guaranteed way to achieve our goals and turn our thoughts into reality?

Not with an elusive genie in a bottle or a magical fairy godmother, but with a concept known as the Law of Attraction.

The Law of Attraction is the idea that we all possess the ability to bring into our lives anything we focus on.

In basic terms, we can manifest our thoughts and goals through positive thinking and intentions.

It is believed that all thoughts turn into things at some point, so by visualizing and mediating, one can materialize their goals into reality and “create” their own future.

The Law of Attraction has been recorded and taught throughout history in many different ways.

The concept of manifestation dates back to as early as 400 BCE, with the teachings of Buddha.

Buddha taught that ‘all that we are is a result of what we have thought’, an idea that is deeply

essential to the Law of Attraction.

The concept of karma also has roots in the Law of Attraction - it emphasizes the belief that the thoughts and actions we put out to the world will ultimately return to us.

Putting out positive energy will bring back positive energy, and reflecting negative energy will only bring back more negative energy.

In the 21st century, Rhonda Bryne’s novel and film The Secret pulled the Law of Attraction into the spotlight, attracting both sceptics and supporters alike.

Bryne stresses setting goals and reflecting on negativity as the key to manifestation.

The concept has also received endorsement from celebrities such as Will Smith and Jim Carrey, who all credit their positive experiences and accomplishments to the Law of Attraction.

Most people will scoff at the idea of turning our thoughts into things, playing it down as hooey or fiction.

In truth, the concept of manifestation is less a spiritual or religious ritual than a concept based on personal mindset and growth.

“I feel like manifestation has been beneficial because it has helped me change my mindset

(Illustration by Alycen Kim) to focus on my own well being and success,” junior Lainey Cote said.

“It’s really given me a new perspective on how I can prioritize and achieve my personal goals.”

Today, manifestation is a popular phenomenon, with the idea being promoted on social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram.

Many people claim the Law of Attraction has helped them manifest love, improved health, prosperity, and success.

Fantastical magic doesn’t exist in the real world, but the magic of the Law of Attraction certainly can (and it isn’t limited to three wishes).

Fashion Trends of Winter 2020

How the evergrowing influence of social media has changed fashion

By Claire Hardesty editor-in-chief This year has been a year like no other.

Many things have changed and new trends have arisen all through the world, specifically within the fashion world.

This year, many people have had time to discover themselves and along with that came a discovery of their true fashion sense.

Many unique items have started trending all throughout the world and show no signs of slowing.

“Some items that I see trending right now would be mesh tops, crop tops with lace material, corset tops, as well as leather jackets and blazers. There has also been a rise in oversized blazers, afghan coats, plaid miniskirts and platform knee high boots,” Z Magazine’s stylist and PVHS senior Ife Ibraheem said.

“Lastly, I’ve seen a lot of brown clothing items trending recently.

Whether it be brown corduroy pants or a snug chocolate brown vest, the color is everywhere.”

The popular social media platform, TikTok, has had a large influence on current fashion trends, allowing our generation to be exposed to not only trending

DECEMBER 11, 2020

clothes from popular brands, but also items that have begun trending from small businesses around the world.

“All of these [trending] items are being worn by everyone on Pinterest, TikTok, and your Instagram explore page.

I also think that it’s because a lot of these items are timeless pieces that never really went out of style but are now being worn by every single ‘fashion’ influencer,” Ibraheem said.

Small businesses have turned the tide of fashion in many ways, allowing people to stand out by having items few other people have, as each item coming from a small business is unique.

Platforms such as Depop and even TikTok have helped with

the growth of small businesses.

Influencers and even regular people have begun to embrace the fashion culture of small brands, causing their items to begin trending throughout the generation.

This winter specifically, some items that are trending include color block jeans and matching tops, chunky colorful rings from a brand called La Manso, two piece sets, knee high black boots, platform shoes, plaid skirts, layering, and printed pants.

“I love anything oversized really, so that’s

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always a constant in my closet but i’m really excited to pull out my blazers and turtlenecks this fall/ winter. I’m also loving the fact that 90s fashion is super in style now and even though it’s not a “trend” per se, it’s definitely my favorite era of fashion,” Ibraheem said.

Boys in fashion have also become a much stronger influence due to the Tik Tok platform shining light on fashion forward boys.

Fashion is something in which all genders should fully embrace and men in general becoming more prominent in the fashion community has been a staple of 2020.

“I believe social media is a big reason that a lot of guys are getting into fashion because they see other people doing it and to express themselves on the internet more,” junior Matthew Cartmill said.

Trends for boys have also been changing this year and winter specifically, featuring more accessories and jewelry than seen before.

“My favorite trending products are definitely baggy pants because I love how you can make them flow into the shoes in many different ways to create a lot of different looks. I also have been wearing more accessories

recently such as rings and necklaces,” Cartmill said.

Overall, the fashion industry and the trends we see today are heavily influenced by both the changing interests and tastes of the younger generations but also strongly controlled by social media platforms.

Trends for this coming year are predicted to be as heavily if not more influenced by the big social media platforms, especially TikTok. TikTok is a growing platform that seems to be becoming the central place where many fashion trends are inspired and take off.

“I believe that next year a lot of homemade or custom fashion will be popular because it’s recently been somewhat going up on TikTok and other social media, along with wearing trench coats or suit jackets more casually,” Cartmill said.

The trends for not only this winter will continue to change before our eyes, but will continue to evolve as we head into 2021.

Illustration: Boys like junior Matthew Cartmill favor winter winter trends such as baggy pants and accessories.

(Illustration by Alycen Kim) PAGE 5

A Year in Review: All the January Good: In Australia, massive fires that were started in September of 2019 led to more than 15.6 million acres burned. Although this was terrible news and devastating, there was some good that was drawn out of it by firefighters from the US. As the month was ending, firefighters traveled to Australia to help them try to help combat the fires.

An Australian firefighter said, “I’ve worked with the Americans before and here there’s no surprises. The arduous crews of America are hard workers.” The global teamwork created a silver lining out of the situation and showed the good in the world.

Bad: On January 26, shocking news hit, as it was reported that NBA legend Kobe Bryant had died in a helicopter accident earlier that day as he was on his way to his Sports Academy for a basketball tournament. This tragedy shook the entire world, as fans all over were in disbelief. Nine were killed in the accident, including Kobe’s 13-year-old daughter, Gianna Bryant. In the Lakers’ first game since the tragedy, Lakers forward LeBron James said in a speech in front of the Staples Center crowd, “In the words of Kobe Bryant, Mamba out. But in the words of us, not forgotten.”

May Bad: Police brutality and racism made headlines during the month of May with the murder of George Floyd. After news quickly spread about more and more cases of black people being harmed or killed by police unlawfully, such as Breonna Taylor’s murder, many people took action and protests around the United States spread. Many innocent protesters would be seen pushed down, arrested, or tear gassed when wanting to support the protests and stand strong.

This message and awareness managed to help bring justice for many victims such as Floyd, but sadly not all of them could be resolved.

Good: People became more aware of police brutality and racism in our country, and a large nation-wide civil rights movement ocurred. As all of these protests went down, more news of earlier injustices were being spread amongst the public which shocked and gave them more of a reason to be there.

One thing we knew for sure was that no one was going to be silent about it.

September Good: This September, Zendaya won an Emmy, making her the youngest female actress to win one. She was nominated along with Olivia Colman, Jennifer Aniston, Laura Linney, Sandra Oh, and Jodie Comer. Zendaya has starred in many films such as The Greatest Showman, and the SpiderMan movies. She also stars in the HBO show Euphoria.

She started her career independently releasing music.

Later on, she was a Disney Channel star, acting in many shows. At only 24 years of age. she is now the youngest person ever to win an Emmy in her category.

Bad: On September 8, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed away due to pancreatic cancer.

Ginsburg was a feminist icon who fought for gender equality. She also fought for LGBTQ+ rights. Ginsburg was the second female Supreme Court justice and helped pass laws that allowed women to have financial independence and equality in the workplace. Ginsburg also stressed how gender equality should benefit both men and women, and she passed laws stating that men are entitled to the same caregiving and social security rights as women.

February Good: February was our last normal month as we still attended class and school events. It could be considered the calm before the storm. We continued going to sporting events, went to school dances, and hosted the open house for incoming students. On February 6, the first COVID-19 related death was recorded in the United States. While at the time, it was not confirmed what the cause of death was, we eventually learned from the CDC that the virus had been infiltrating our borders for longer than we realized. We would soon see extensive changes to our everyday life, but while the inevitable came, we got to enjoy the time we had left with our friends and teachers.

Bad: With Donald Trump having been under investigation for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, the senate finally took a vote determining his fate. His contact with Ukraine and his alleged goal to use them for investigating his rivals had brought his capabilities as a leader in question. Two thirds of senate votes were required to convict him, but with a conservative majority, the president was not found guilty of the charges and was allowed to proceed in office. His impeachment would have been an extremely rare occasion as no president has ever been officially impeached by the Senate. This event was bad in nature due to the fact that it further divided the country.

June Good: June marked the end of a very tumultuous school year. From March onwards, everyone struggled to adjust to the hasty change from being in a physical classroom to sitting at home in front of a computer screen. WiFi issues, unorganized schedules, and Zoom bombers were a few of the many struggles our students faced during online school. However, with the end of the school year and the loosening of restrictions in California, students were free to enjoy a somewhat normal summer break.

Bad: June was the height of the Yemen humanitarian crisis, in which 24 million people, including 12 million children, were in dire need of emergency services. Since 2016, Yemen is known as the poorest country in the Middle Eastern region.

The United Nations also declared it as the world’s largest humanitarian disaster in 2017. The failure of a peaceful political transition led to economic decline, closing of schools and hospitals, and increased malnutrition rates amongst young children.

October Good: Los Angeles had a lot to cheer about when the LA Lakers won the NBA Championship. The excitement continued for diehard and novice sports goers alike as the Los Angeles Dodgers won the National League Series against the Atlanta Braves. Then to top it off they went on to win the World Series, against the Tampa Bay Rays, making it their first championship since 1988.

Bad: As the COVID-19 numbers continued to increase, President Donald Trump along with his wife Melania tested positive for the virus. There were record breaking wildfires in the western part of the United States. Both California and Colorado were both scorched by explosive widespread wildfires.

It was a Halloween where everyone had to wear a mask, but kids didn’t get to go trick-or-treating door-to-door. The long standing PVHS tradition of senior class coordinated costumed prank didn’t see a fruition this year as students still weren’t allowed on campus.

Good and Bad of 2020 March Good: While 2020 has been an extremely difficult year and filled with many tragedies, there are silver linings. The stay-at-home orders issued across the United States in March allowed families to finally be able to spend some quality time together. On March 20, 2020 Netflix released a true-crime documentary series called Tiger King. This wild show soon became the perfect distraction for American households around the world in lockdown. More than 64 million households watched the series and the names Carol Baskin and Joe Exotic became common household names.

Bad: The Coronavirus pandemic brought the U.S. and countries around the world to a standstill in March 2020. On March 11, 2020 the World Health Organization officially declared the Coronavirus outbreak as a pandemic. On March 13, 2020 students were informed that they will not be able to attend school for the next two weeks due to COVID. At first students were thrilled to hear this because they’d receive an extended spring break and return back to school when the virus passes. However, that was not the case: that same day President Donald Trump declared a national emergency due to the pandemic.

July Good: In late July, many people received small white packages from China with mysterious seeds in them. Many states issued warnings to not plant the seeds in fear that they could contain an invasive species.

The USDA dentified the seeds as 14 different species of plants such as mustard, cabbage, and various herbs. The mysterious seeds sparked an online argument over what the senders’ motive was. While many conspiracy theorists saw these seeds as an act of biowarfare, the more realistic reason for these seeds being sent out was so that distributors could make fake ‘verified’ online reviews about the products. In a year with lots of sadness, some light hearted humor made July more enjoyable.

Bad: July was the peak of the summer, a month after school got out and five months into the lockdown. Rising Coronavirus cases caused LA County officials to close all beaches, trails, and parks for the Fourth of July holiday. Other beach closures happened all over LA county for parts of July. Residents trying to walk or swim were fined, including some PVHS students.

November Good: The 2020 General Election occurred with historic milestones reached.

Voter turnout was the highest in over a century. Over 157 million votes were cast in the election, and the winning Biden-Harris ticket received the most votes ever in a United States general election. The election also resulted in our first female vice president, Kamala Harris, who will be the highest ranking female official in the federal government. She will also be our first African-American and Asian-American Vice President.

Bad: Current president Donald Trump refused to concede to the election results, publishing many flagged tweets about widespread election fraud and declaring himself the victor. Likely as a result of the behavior, poll workers attempting to finish counting the mail-in ballots during the week of the election were met with protests and even death threats, especially in battleground states like Georgia, which voted for a democratic candidate for the first time since 1992.

April Good: There were some positives to quarantine, including making school officially online and not in person. A lot of students were confused about what was going to happen with their classes.

All of their questions were answered during this month and some stability finally came through. PVHS came up with their structured virtual school day to make things easier for students and teachers.

Some of these schedule changes included 100-minute classes, late start, minimum days on Wednesdays and asynchronous periods.

Bad: Aside from the COVID-19 pandemic, during this time there was a tornado outbreak in South-Central United States. This led to the death of seven people and injuring dozens more. The storm hit a building sending debris in the air.

Marshall County Emergency Management Director Robert Chaney told The Associated Press that, “the person’s body was found about a fourth of a mile from J&I Manufacturing, a trailer factory outside town where the suspected twister hit just as the workforce was leaving for the day, causing severe damage.

A second person died in Madill when the tornado blew his vehicle off a highway.”

August Good: In August, we saw a strong start with the number of COVID-19 cases starting to decline. Restaurants began re-opening for outdoor dining and malls began opening as well, although with limitations on the number of people permitted inside. We were slowly going back to some type of “normal.”

Bad: The Apple Fire in Southern California was a wildfire that broke out during the month and quickly spread over thousands of miles. Officials were only initially only able to contain a small percent of the fire. Because of the pandemic, there were few places where persons that were evacuated could go.

Many people were left homeless in these terrible air quality conditions. Thankfully, however, with countless hours of work by firefighters, the fire was eventually contained and put out. Some people were lucky enough to return to their homes.

December Good: A second US vaccine has been found to have a high success rate against COVID-19.

Moderna announced their vaccine was 94.5% effective against the virus. States are preparing to receive their first COVID-19 vaccine shipments mid-December.

Bad: A house fire sparked a bonfire in Silverado Canyon. The fire quickly spread and exploded into a wildfire. It burned close to 14,000 acres and caused an evacuation. The Santa Ana winds pushed the fire across the county. Utility companies shut off power to customers as a precaution. Due to this, residents in the area had little service and did not receive any evacuation alerts.

(Illustrations by Alycen Kim)

OPINION

Hybrid Hysteria:

The risks of returning to school are just too high to ignore.

Let’s Crack the Zoom Dress Code

By Natalie Tholan reporter

(Illustration by Alycen Kim)

By Mia Harley reporter Do you remember the last time you were in a classroom? March 12 seems like so long ago.

Now, as of December 9, over 286,000 Americans have died from COVID-19, with over 20,000 being from California. Our lives have been disrupted, and simple enjoyments like going to the movies or a concert seem like a lifetime ago.

In November, however, our PVPUSD administration sent out an email stating that plans were being made to return students to the classrooms for in-person learning using a hybrid model system.

Hybrid education combines online learning with limited in-person instruction from a classroom. Students would be

broken into small groups and have the ability to attend school in-person for a few hours a week. The theory behind hybrid learning is that it gives students the opportunity to return to school at a minimal basis for those who chose to.

The question this raises, however, is if hybrid learning will be a better option than online education for PVHS students.

First, there is risk of infection and spreading COVID-19 with family and friends. Dr. Leana Wen, a professor at George Washington University stated that, during the week before Thanksgiving, about 144,000 children were infected.

If the county of Los Angeles thought it necessary to stop outdoor restaurant dining due to the recent rise in infection cases, how could it be safe to be inside

a classroom?

Secondly, would hybrid learning really be better for students? A hybrid classroom doesn’t appear to be a very comfortable learning environment.

Hybrid learning has been used by many schools in the U.S. since August. We have seen images of masked students with plexi-glass dividers, staring at their computer screen while a teacher, wearing a mask and a face shield, tries to teach both students in the classroom and at home. Students are required to keep six feet apart so, although they may be able to see each other, they cannot really interact.

For now, I believe that online learning is the best option to both ensure the safety of both students and teachers, as well as optimize the amount of time used for education.

Palos Verdes Residents Remain Stuck in Cox’s Net(work)

By Curtis Liu online editor Cox is known to dominate the densely populated Southern California.

Due to this monopoly, seeing another major internet service provider knocking into this market is highly unlikely.

In a comparison between Cox Communications and Spectrum, the speeds are similar, as both companies offer lower speeds (around 30 Mbps) up to gigabit internet (around 1000 Mbps).

Spectrum is the cheaper option, and has better coverage while also not having a streaming data cap.

For Cox users, streaming data maxes out at 1 TB. The average reviews for both Cox and Spectrum aren’t great.

The main problem with these companies are the speed inconsistencies and mediocre service.

However, it is hard to maintain the internet speed over a large

PAGE 8

area of coverage, and it is certainly harder to maintain an above-mediocre service.

Yet, if you had to choose, the biggest difference comes in prices.

Cox has better introductory rates, but everything else related to price is dominated by Spectrum.

Some residents in Rancho Palos Verdes might pay 250 dollars per month for both internet and cable, despite not using their cable TV. What makes them pay for the cable TV? Enter the bundles.

Even when unnecessary, Cox has bundles that add excess services and features to make customers pay more, often for the same outcome.

What is the motivation for Cox to sell service in bundles?

Money? Maybe not. Customer satisfaction? Better. Happiness?

The correct answer.

Monopolies are harmful to consumers because the existence of one leads to higher

prices.

Companies also have less incentives to innovate because the money is already theirs to keep.

This eventually leads to a general decrease in product efficiency.

The companies have less motivation to cut prices as well because, after all, profit is everything.

With monopolies, the consumers have no choice but to choose bundles with great pricing plans that help them have access to these extraordinary services.

Monopolies are really only beneficial to the government because they can regulate economies of scale and fair prices.

This is beneficial to the company because gaining patents can increase investment funds.

But for now, the residents of Palos Verdes will be caught in the cables of Cox’s internet monopoly.

PVHSPOINT.ORG

As quarantine nears its tenth month, it’s understandable that students’ general laziness when it comes to Zoom classes has gradually increased.

However, I recently witnessed a new low in one of my classes.

The teacher was having a talk with my peers and I about how students should always have their cameras on during class.

When one student refused to move down their camera from where it was pointing at the ceiling, my teacher asked for his reasoning.

Surprisingly, he replied that he wasn’t wearing a shirt.

The teacher then replied that it couldn’t possibly be that hard to pick a t-shirt off his floor and throw it on before class.

It was highly inappropriate for him to be without the necessary clothing for school.

While listening to my teacher lecture my classmate, I realized she was right.

I understand that guys don’t wear shirts when swimming or at the beach, but we aren’t doing either of those things right now so proper dress should be worn to school.

Some need to understand that it is like this for every student when “going to school” on Zoom.

We don’t have the motivation to get up and get ready, but it is disturbing and inappropriate to come to Zoom shirtless.

For a student not to have the decency to take an extra minute to put a shirt on before their 8:15am class is rude.

This is why I believe that the school dress code that was maintained when we were still on campus should be used even in our current Zoom setting.

When I say that we should have a dress code, though, I do not mean to dress as if you were in a business meeting, nor am I proposing a uniform.

Instead, the bare minimum of a shirt, pants, and shoes is enough to pass.

An Apocalypse is Approaching?

(Graphic By Kaylie Harley)

By Kaylie Harley opinion editor There has never been a year truly fit to claim the title of “Worst Year of the 21st Century” as 2020 does.

If the forest fires in Australia, or the deaths of Kobe Bryant and his daughter weren’t enough to foreshadow how much of a disaster this year would be, COVID-19 decided to make its debut and solidify 365 days of pure dread.

Now, as if to add icing on an already burnt, tasteless cake, there’s a chance we might not make it to the new year.

During 2012, as some people might remember, there was a general consensus that the world was going to end.

The famous Mayan calendar, whose civilization dates back to around 2600 B.C., promptly ends on Dec. 21, 2012, causing many conspiracy theorists to believe that, on that day, the world must blow up or something.

Although it’s quite apparent

that the world hasn’t ended, a recent revelation might provide the answer.

Just this year, it was revealed that, due to eight years lost in translation when society switched from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar in the 15th century, the supposed Doomsday date is actually Dec. 21, 2020, not 2012.

Although there’s the chance that we don’t need to worry about Christmas gifts this year, I’d like to hope that the trials and tribulations of the past few months will help to prepare us for the “prophesied end.”

With “murder hornets,” baby showers gone wrong, and Brexit safely tucked under our belt, humanity should be ready to face anything.

At the very least, we know that hoarding toilet paper isn’t the best idea, and scientists are actually good at their jobs and should be listened to.

In the end, whether the sun comes crashing into the world or we finally make it to Jan. 1, I’m very excited for 2020 to be over.

DECEMBER 11, 2020

A Letter from the Editors The importance of decentering one religion in classrooms

Almost every student on the Peninsula is familiar with the holiday recital: you and your classmates dress up for Mom and Dad, filing into the MPR to sing Christmas carols.

Occasionally there’s a Hanukkah or Kwanzaa song - if only to acknowledge that other holidays exist. While the holiday recital is just one part of the student experience, it’s time for us to recognize it as part of a larger issue: the tendency for our schools to center our education and celebrations on Christian beliefs.

Starting in elementary school, Christmas is the holiday that dominates the classroom. Yes, while the Peninsula’s student body is predominantly white (and by extension, Christian), it is not an adequate excuse to focus more time on Christmas. It can be seen in many classrooms around holiday time: Christmas trees hanging from ceilings, stockings stuck to windows. As a community and school district, it is essential that we include and celebrate holidays from all religions and not just one.

Along with this comes acknowledging the feelings of the students whose holidays are not celebrated in schools. The excitement a Christian child feels coloring a stocking that Santa will fill, won’t be felt by Jewish children who wonder why it is that their holiday is deemed second to Christmas. PVPUSD students had to fight for years to get

Jewish holidays recognized.

Whether it’s reciting the Pledge every morning or the lack of sex education outside of heterosexual relationships, Christianity has undoubtedly influenced our learning. In our textbooks, it’s a deciding factor in who gets called a “savage” or not. It’s the reason the California missions unit was centered more on building dioramas, not natives facing colonization, disease and forced labor.

Dedicating a lesson to holiday traditions is not often feasible at the high school level, making it only more important for elementary school educators to break this cycle of Christmascentric classrooms. Teachers of children in developing ages should incorporate the ideals and traditions of all religions to make every child feel included in the holiday spirit and give them a chance to be celebrated.

It’s time that we give up on forcing one religion’s traditions on everyone and instead celebrate all holidays to an equal extent.

Treating Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Las Posadas and Diwali like we treat Christmas is essential to our growth.

The number of students does not correlate to the personal significance of customs and traditions. A single Menorah or Kinara is not representation.

Significant class time to learn about other cultures as a necessary part of personal growth and understanding is.

OPINION

We the People Still Have a Job to Do

(Graphic by Kaylie Harley)

By CJ Haddad reporter

Groundbreaking, historymaking, unprecedented—these are just some of the words that summarize the 2020 general election, and moreover reflect the political state of our nation.

More Americans voted in this election in over a century, definitively electing Presidentelect Joe Biden over incumbent President Donald Trump.

This is due, in no small part, to the public holding our highest level of leadership accountable for everything from divisive policy announcements and controversial speeches, to bills passed and judges confirmed.

Our citizenry have paid close attention, and our media outlets have turned fact-checking into an art form.

Much of this stemmed from the actions and rhetoric of a

presidential administration best described as unpredictable, inflammatory, and even polarizing, which voters turned out in droves to oppose for another four years.

But now that we have more stable leadership restoring the office, do we relax? Do we let the administration work without as much scrutiny? Or do we analyze the Biden cabinet and staff just as closely, now that a neurosurgeon isn’t going to be the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development?

We the people are the only force that decides who leads and legislates—how can we govern ourselves effectively if we are uninformed and uninterested once again?

We have a duty and obligation to hold the incoming Biden administration to a high standard, to see that campaign promises are met, to expect more from the

leadership in every branch of our government.

There is, of course, the issue of how we do this. Each opinion we have of the Biden administration and the government as a whole must be rooted in logic and fact.

In a media landscape filled with opinions and punditry at every turn, it can often be difficult to decipher fact from fiction.

So instead, turn off talk shows and go to C-SPAN—the home of raw, unedited government footage. Watch hearings where your district’s Congressional representative participates. Listen to Biden’s speeches whenever he signs a new executive order. Vote in the midterms and the specials and the runoffs and the generals.

Hold the Biden administration just as accountable for its results and rhetoric as we did for the Trump administration—a newfound stability is no excuse for stagnancy.

Should Teachers Be Using All of Class Time on Zoom?

Yes

By Frances Stott reporter Teachers should use the full 100 minutes of class time over Zoom.There are many benefits to using the whole period.

Many students might feel pressured to finish their work in the small amount of time they would have if classes did not use up the full period.

Teachers should include all of their lessons in class and then have some work time at the end, but all in Zoom.

While teachers shouldn’t be teaching for the full 100 minute class time, they should be keeping their students in for the 100 minutes.

Teachers also need to be available for the students during class.If a student has a question that needs a more immediate answer, the teacher is there to help them.

Being in a Zoom call or another platform, such as Google Meets, for the whole period allows for more direct teacherstudent communication.

It also allows for direct discussion during class and the ability to work together.A well known fact is that homework takes up a lot of time after school.

“American teenagers now average about twice as much time spent on homework each day as their predecessors did in the 1990s,”Joe Pinsker, writer at The Atlantic magazine, said.

If teachers let their students go early without doing even a little bit of homework, students won’t be able to keep up and may feel overwhelmed with the amount of work they have to do.

Teachers letting their students leave

DECEMBER 11, 2020

early will not allow time for them to look over the homework, and be able to see if there are any topics that weren’t covered.

Teachers can also use the class time to review previous subjects with students after they have taught the new lesson.

While most students might say that they prefer a shorter class period, it can be confusing for their schedule to be constantly changing.

There are many uses for the 100 minute period, and every minute can be used to do something productive.

If the teachers aren’t actively teaching, there are so many other options that would be better than letting their students leave class, and most likely, get distracted.

Zoom time should be used to its full advantage.

By Andrew Carpenter reporter Teachers should not use the whole 100-minute class time. Zoom time is not collaborative, nor is it productive. Teachers should limit the amount of time that is spent on Zoom and make it quick and productive, leaving the work portion of class to be done by yourself.

Zoom calls can cause a lot of stress even if we don’t realize it. According to a Stanford study on video conferencing, having faces in front of you for a long period of time will cause a fight or flight response because it appears that every face is staring at you. In an in-person meeting, people understand social cues such as eye contact or personal space, but a video conference makes both of these

No

harder to comprehend.

Teachers try to make Zoom calls interactive by forcing students to keep their camera on at all times. For many students, this causes stress and anxiety. ”After a long day of Zoom class I feel uneasy because of staring at my peers faces and dealing with the prolonged screen time,” junior Jonathan Ross said.

The constant video conferencing causes negative mental effects on students.

“Our brains are used to picking up body language and other cues. On a video call, something is off, and our subconscious brain is reacting to that,” psychologist Dr. Brenda Wiederhold said.

Teachers don’t need to have the students on the Zoom call for the whole class. They could simply meet for a shorter period of time, assign work, and have the rest of the class time for office hours.

Many people also experience Zoom fatigue, which is when you feel tired after overusing video conferencing such as Zoom, Google Meet, or similar platforms.

Many aspects of our lives these days are done over video conferencing. A few examples would be sports practice, school, work, family gatherings, and even doctors appointments.

If teachers used the whole 100 minutes for class on Zoom, this could mean going six hours a day of sitting in front of a computer screen and experiencing the damaging effects of Zoom fatigue for many students.

(Graphic by Frances Stott) PVHSPOINT.ORG

PAGE 9

SPORTS

College Football Tackles COVID-19

By Jonathan Liu reporter 2020 has been known for its unpredictability, and the return of College Football has definitely fit that narrative.

As the COVID-19 pandemic carried into the fall, the college football season was in jeopardy.

As the time was nearing to when the season usually starts, there was no traction on when the games would start to be played.

Clemson University quarterback Trevor Lawrence, a potential number one overall

pick in the next NFL Draft, was a leading voice in the movement to start the games.

He tweeted, “People are at just as much, if not more risk, if we don’t play...Not to mention the players coming from situations that are not good for them/ their future and having to go back to that. Football is a safe haven for so many people. We are more likely to get the virus in everyday life than playing football.”

Other players such as standout quarterback Justin Fields from Ohio State and Kedan Slovis from USC pushed the movement to play, which was

(Graphic by Jonathan Liu)

enough for the season to kick off.

After the season reported on track to return, major D1 football programs held voluntary workouts starting over the summer on June 1.

As days progressed, reports told fans that many players had been infected with COVID-19 such as the reigning National Champion LSU Tigers (30 cases, Clemson University (23 cases), and the University of Houston (six cases).

While kick-off was near, colleges were reporting players that decided to opt out of the season. The University of Central Florida reported 10 players had opted out, along with both South Florida and South Carolina with seven opting out.

Programs with major success last season such as the reigning Rose Bowl Champions, Oregon Ducks and the reigning national champion LSU Tigers, reported opt outs highlighted by offensive tackle Penei Sewell (Oregon) and wide receiver Ja’marr Chase (LSU), who caught nine passes for over 200 yards and two touchdowns in the 2020 National Championship.

After a summer of anticipation, the College Football Season kicked off.

Week one started on September 3, with 11 scheduled games and two games having to be postponed due to COVID-19

Got Tryouts?

By McKenzie Olsen reporter More than half of the student body at Palos Verdes High School participate in athletic programs on campus during the school year.

2020 has been an unprecedented year to say the least. Like everything else this year nothing is normal, not even try-outs.

In past years athletes began to get busy starting with summer Hill Alliance, followed by try-outs, then the start to their season.

This year is unlike any other, so what do athletes do? Adapt, learn and go with the flow.

Although athletes are allowed to train with their teams again at PVHS as long as COVID-19 guidelines are followed, the

practices remain optional since the sessions aren’t held during our normal block period class schedule.

Therefore, coaches for these sports teams cannot hold tryouts for their athletes or hold it against them for not attending practices.

For many sports teams at PVHS, tryouts are very important, especially those with large amounts of students wanting to participate.

“Tryouts are important to determine what team is best for you and your successes; there are cuts every year,” sophomore girls volleyball player Meg Walsh said.

Some other programs can find a place for anyone wanting to join. “I never have tryouts for cross country. I take every single Sea King that is willing to work

hard,” cross country coach Brian Shapiro said.

This year tryouts can’t take place until students are allowed back on campus, leaving many athletes continuing to feel uncertainty for their prospective seasons.

“There will not be tryouts until restrictions change. We do not know when that will happen, but hopefully in the next few weeks,” Shapiro said.

Tryouts are not only needed to help the coaches make their rosters, but to put their prospective athletes on a team that is best for them, too.

With all the current restrictions in place tryouts at PVHS remain up in the air.

As of now there aren’t any set dates for any tryouts until restrictions change.

positive tests.

A big question coming into the season was if fans were going to be in the stands.

The answer was yes for many schools as programs such as Clemson, Notre Dame, Miami, Oklahoma were allowing fans at their games but with a reduced capacity limit.

“From my experience, college football fans can be a little more energetic compared to other fans and I am not very surprised by the amount of fans at stadiums.

As a fan I would be pleased to attend a game,” senior Chance Lee said.

As the season was continuing, there were back-to-back weeks with at least five games being cancelled or postponed.

In week three, there were six including a game scheduled between 21st ranked BYU and 22nd ranked Army.

In week four, there were a total of five games being postponed.

In week 11, there were 15 games being either postponed or cancelled as well, which was by far the most in a week leading up to that point.

Throughout the weeks, there were a few notable positive cases from marquee names throughout the college landscape.

One notable name was Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence who tested positive before week nine of the season

and legendary Alabama Head Coach, Nick Saban, who also tested positive for COVID-19 during the season.

Aside from the COVID-19 cases and postponed games, a marquee matchup between first ranked Clemson and fourth ranked Notre Dame brought fans to life.

Notre Dame did end up winning the game in double overtime 4740 at home which then sparked some online madness as after the victory, 11,000 Notre Dame fans rushed onto the field.

“I watched that exciting double OT game between ND and Clemson and although I can absolutely understand the excitement felt by the students for this victory, but it was irresponsible of the university to allow them to storm the field.

Many were wearing masks but the crowd certainly wasn’t following protocol,” science teacher Julie Maemoto said.

As the season continues with COVID-19 numbers spiking across the country, college football is going to have to work through a hurdle of cancelled and postponed games to get to conference championships.

Eventually teams will also get to the national championship, to show the country who the best college football team was this year despite all COVID-19 hardships.

As Cases Rise, What is in Store for PVHS Athletes?

By Mallory Meyer reporter PVHS is currently following the guidelines of the LA County Department of Public Health for Youth Sports Leagues and K-12 School Reopening protocols.

LA County has been in the “purple” tier causing severe restrictions limiting the ability to hold proper practices.

Due to a recent spike in COVID-19 cases, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced they would be postponing the updated guidelines.

Without the new guidelines, teams are unable to move forward into more advanced practices to prepare for the season.

There is no knowledge of when games will officially start, but there is some scheduling taking place. CIF competitions are not allowed until new guidelines have been released.

Most schools are waiting for classes to be held on campus to allow their students to compete.

Every week that goes by without further instructions leads athletes, coaches, and parents to believe there might not be a

season.

“CIF has done an excellent job throughout the entire pandemic in trying to create a way for everyone to be able to get their seasons in... our school district has also been extremely supportive of getting our athletic programs operational as well,” Athletic Director Brian Shapiro said.

“There are a lot of rules to follow and papers to sign off on, and our school district has been a leader in the South Bay in maximizing what our studentathletes are able to do.”

CIF season will remain unknown until restrictions and COVID-19 cases minimize.

(Photo courtesy of Meg Walsh) PAGE 10

PVHSPOINT.ORG

DECEMBER 11, 2020

SPORTS Keeping Up With Our Commits

By Emily Typrowicz sports editor

(photo courtesy of Ella Frost)

(photo courtesy of Brad Sharp)

Ella Frost - University of Denver

Brad Sharp - Yale University

(photo courtesy of Claudia Lee)

Claudia Lee - Marist College

Q: Why did you decide to commit to University of Denver?

Q: Why did you decide to commit to Yale University?

Q: Why did you decide to commit to Marist College?

A: “I have been watching them play since I can remember, so I have been around them a lot and they always come to our games. I was always attracted to their team dynamic and how they played and then also the school because it is very pretty and I love Denver.

Whenever I visit I love it.”

A: “I felt like it was the best opportunity to have fun in sports and have great academics. I thought the campus was really cool. I liked the coaches and players on the team. I also took a few classes there and really enjoyed the teachers.”

A: “Marist was one of my top three schools. Originally I wasn’t going to commit early but I was drawn to go to school in New York and I like smaller environments rather than a big university. Marist being a liberal arts school, I think it’s a really good fit for me and I got to talk to the coach and a couple of the players there.

The campus is so pretty and the East Coast has been my dream since I was little. I liked the campus and the location of the school.”

Q: How have your teammates and coaches helped you improve and get to where you are today?

Q: Why did you want to play soccer at the next level?

A: “My teammates always made me keep wanting to play sports. They made me more confident. When I was a freshman, like all freshmen, I was more scared but a couple of the older kids said to take over the game and not to be scared. I’ve had three different head coaches and they all had a different style of coaching which I think has helped.”

A: “It’s always been my dream to play Division 1 soccer and it was always a goal I had in the back of my head and to keep getting better to play at the collegiate level. It’s one of the most fulfilling things I could think of because I put so much work in with club soccer, so being able to play teams from all different states and backgrounds, I think will be very fun.”

Will You Take Word Search the Dub or an L??

R P I R F N S R O L O K J GN H S R E E T WM L V RMQ GO Y R WV L O C V L L T O E P Q S L Z E C D L V V L Y A U P C B J Q E N C R G C NWA I A H C F X F P

D M T P R E R M F U E U D E C G L T C K

E T S P O R T S T C T Y K N G O K E R R

N A V P S Y Q B L P F S B A H E O R O F

S H C C S M S OOO F F O BMV X U C GM I M F C X I D R O E T T F OO R V T D I C M Y E H J H G F D E H R A G T K L N H C S P K C L L RMH X I V DO S U AWT M S S C L X E N S G P L G L R D N N C Q K P O L OG C S S C O U N M I U C A P

P K I C S T Y A Q I V P Q C I E R B T G

P J F S QD O I S HWD M E U B A L Z E I P J Z C HD F X A K E N C C U O T Z H T O Q C G F A R VWO R X K R Y Q D Z Q

DG K I Q K MC T O L G C N R L X J B Q S A B S C A A O L Y E OQ N E M G L P L J I J WK E P Y K V N MH S X G I B D Y

Cross Country

Volleyball

Committed

Waterpolo

Football

Lacrosse

College

Tryouts

Sports

Soccer

COVID

CIF

Q: Why did you decide to continue playing water polo at the next level?

A: “I like how the sport is not just one thing, you have to multitask. One thing is the team dynamic and the thrill of the game, you get that feeling. It’s hard, but team dynamic wise, you have to be close to be able to perform well together. “

Putting in The Work Athletes work hard at their game, despite the sports season’s unknowns.

By Alexa Dox reporter Athletics at PVHS has been a major attribute to the high school experience for some students. However, due to COVID-19, coaches, athletes and administrators have had to get creative in order to try to continue athletics.

Due to the unknown future, athletic programs have suffered a reduced number of athletes. Low turnouts with practices have led to smaller teams.

While students are practicing they have to wear a mask to limit the spread. They have adapted to wearing masks while practicing but it is a difficult transition.

“It’s hard to practice in masks but

we just push through and play the sport we love,” sophomore soccer player Taylor Malinofsky said.

As CIF has pushed back seasons, athletes are able to get in extra work so they are more prepared for their seasons.

Teams have had to change up their practice style to stand by the guidelines given from the school district.

As practices used to be team based, students are now working in stations focusing on individual technique.

“It is still to be determined if we are allowed to play a season this year or not,” football coach Guy Gardner said.

As the start date is up in the air, athletes are continuing to put in hard work in hopes of a season.

Girls Lacrosse warms up by doing shuttle passes at the start of practice. (Photo by Emily Typrowicz) DECEMBER 11, 2020

PVHSPOINT.ORG

PAGE 11

BACK

What Kamala Harris Means to Women and People of Color continued from page 3 “While that’s idealistic sentiment, obviously, it’s important for children of color to feel empowered that way, to turn on the TV and see politicians who look like them inspiring the world,” continued Doty.

Harris was seen as a safe choice for Biden.

Her skills as a sharp debater and prosecutor were in the spotlight during the debates and during her standout questioning of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh during his Senate hearings.

But, her story as a boundary-breaking woman in politics was seen as particularly inspiring to voters.

“I think as a girl, having Kamala Harris as VP is motivational,” junior Mia McCauley said.

“It personally makes me feel like as a woman, I am powerful and I can hold a position of authority [and] power if I am determined.”

Harris’s multiracial identity is something she has never shied from talking about, though voters most frequently recognize her as a Black woman.

Harris has frequently referenced her Indian mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris, as one of the greatest influences on her life and career, citing her as the one who prepared her for the successful career she’d grow into.

While her Indian heritage was celebrated in her household, with the family getting exposure to Indian customs, culture and food, Gopalan Harris knew that her daughters would be seen as Black women.

Harris wrote in her autobiography, The Truths

We Hold, that “she was determined to make sure we would grow into confident proud black women.”

It is her identity as a Black woman that young women like Doty and senior Hallie Umrarong feel so strongly connected to.

“It makes me proud to be a Black woman myself, and seeing someone like me breaking barriers,” Umrarong said.

Doty sees Harris’s ascension and success as a Black woman as not only refreshing but essential for representation in the U.S. Being Black in the United States, she said, is irreplicable, making politicians of color with similar experiences and stake in the issues that

people of color face nothing short of vital.

When the Black Lives Matter movement took center stage during the summer, it was mainly white conservatives and centrists who saw protests, riots and their demands of reform as too radical or too dangerous.

“White supremacy and an irrational fear of minorities are woven into our institutions and into the minds of too many Americans,” Doty said.

“Harris’s ascension is

the promise that we’re no longer going to stroke these ideologies like the last administration, but rather be strong combatants against prejudice and hate, without compromise and without fail....you can’t reach across the aisle to a stone wall.”

To some women, despite being an inspiration, Harris is still not without her faults.

Critics of Harris most often attack her record on criminal justice.

As the district attorney of San Francisco, she was an ardent supporter of prosecuting parents of truant children, disproportionately affecting families who were poor, minorities, or had disabled family members.

As attorney general of California, she defended the death penalty and opposed legislation requiring the use of body cameras on police officers and requiring her office to investigate police shootings.

“If the worst Kamala has done is be harsh on criminal justice… then I see a leader who is dedicated to their job and is willing to make amends to past actions,” junior Anne-Sophie Corry said.

However, she added, “I do not think Kamala’s past as Attorney General is something we should overlook.”

Doty sees Harris’s record as “an absolute stain.”

While some

may make the argument that as a woman of color, Harris faced political constraints, she believes it does not absolve her of responsibility in harmful policies that were championed by her office.

As Senator and as a Democratic primary candidate, Harris’s positions were undeniably more progressive - a change that Doty sees as a silver lining.

“I’m confident that criminal justice reform under this next administration will be a step in the right direction,” she said.

“You can say that her past actions may allude to her future actions, but they do not determine what they are.

“I hope that she’ll acknowledge her record and strive to be better.”

As for the next four years, each young woman has their own hopes that the vice president-elect will take on her own signature causes, just as Biden did as former president Barack Obama’s vice president.

Umrarong hopes to see her champion immigration reform and unjust incarceration.

Corry hopes she champions women’s reproductive rights.

McCauley hopes to see her tackle the ever-impending threat of climate change before its effects become more devastating.

Doty hopes she helps end police brutality, roots out manifestations of structural racism and rolls out a comprehensive COVID-19 relief plan.

But for all of them, they feel as if her election has been a victory already.

“I knew what was coming, but it was hard for everyone in the family to process the fact that a woman of color would be our Vice President for the next four years,” Doty said.

“We witnessed history in the making. It’s a moment where you have to step back and realize, ‘Wow, this is how far we’ve come. This is America.’”

(Photo by Gage Skidmore, from Flickr Creative Commons)

Guo and His Robots Roll to the Finish

By John Kim reporter After months of hard work and countless overtimes in the PVIT room, the robot is finally ready to roll. For years, PVHS senior Aaron Guo has toiled away at perfecting his robot for his next VEX competition.

Guo is a valuable member of the PVHS VEX team and PVIT. He joined the team freshman year, and as a fan of engineering and robotics, VEX was a natural choice for him to express his creative passion and ambition.

“I joined VEX because it was a new team with all freshmen. I knew that I could make an immediate

impact on the team because everyone was learning and there weren’t any seniors who would do everything,” Guo said. “It also took me away from the traditional classroom setting... You could take so many different approaches and still end up with a competitive robot.”

Guo’s love for his team runs deep.

“I loved the hands-on experience that you got from putting pieces together, and you got to see the fruits of your efforts immediately,” Guo explained.

Through hard work and dedication, he brought home a myriad of awards. In his

very first year, his team became semi-finalists at the 2018 California State Championship, and they even got to participate in the 2018 World Championships, a distinction few VEX teams have across the nation. In 2019, they achieved honors such as the Excellence Award, Build Award, Skills Champions, and Design Award. In 2020, they continued to excel, becoming the finalists at the 2020 California State Championship and once again qualified for the World Championship.

Although he started out as a builder and a designer, in

his sophomore year, he took on the role of a programmer, eventually becoming the lead coder in his sophomore year.

Despite having a rigorous job as a programmer on his team, he still performs other tasks, such as building.

Years of trial and error taught Guo valuable lessons, such as teamwork and leadership. He recalls that the engineering notebook served as a priceless experience.

“When we tried to write something down in the engineering notebook, we ran into a ton of challenges,” he said. “It was tough having to organize who would write what pages and when they

would write it since everyone was already busy working on the robot. Writing wasn’t the most fun thing to do either...”

Nevertheless, he learned a good takeaway from the situation.

As a senior about to graduate in a year, he does have some wishes for the impact of his legacy at PVHS. “My biggest hope is that the VEX program will continue to exist after my friends and I leave,” Guo said. “We were the ones to create it, but I hope it will have gained enough traction so that other students can get the valuable experience I got from the competition.”