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PALOS VERDES HIGH SCHOOL - ISSUE 4, VOLUME 26 - FEBRUARY 4, 2022
Testing, Testing, 1, 2, 3 Back From Winter Break, Students Tackled a New Challenge: Absent Classmates Amid a Wave of Omicron Cases
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Examining Different Responses Across Local School Districts to the Omicron Wave
What do Sea Kings Think About Our School’s Handling of Our Return to School?
Editorial: Spotify Must Stop Joe Rogan’s Spread of COVID-19 Misinformation (Graphic by Alycen Kim)
NEWS
Different Variant, Different Schools, Different Responses By Vikesh Dheeriya news editor The combination of holiday traveling, free time to hang out after finals and a highly contagious variant all caused COVID-19 cases to surge in the Los Angeles County area causing different schools to respond in different ways. On Dec. 28, the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District (PVPUSD) considered three possible outcomes: a normal return to school, a postponement of school or completely online school. Weighing all the costs
and benefits, PVPUSD returned to in-person learning, but with some added measures. Masks are required at all times, a negative PCR test was recommended before returning to school, Winter Formal was moved to Feb. 26 and Lip Dub postponed until the mask mandate lifts. According to Superintendent Alex Cherniss’ “Putting Kids First” email on Jan. 7, the district is experiencing “little to no transmission at school” and “over 90% of students have attended school daily.” Some students at PVHS, however, have contradicted Cherniss’ claims with personal
experiences at school. “Half of my English class was absent,” senior Coral Hugoboom said. “I don’t know if they tested positive [for COVID-19] or if they just didn’t feel safe coming back to school.” On Jan. 14, PVPUSD introduced voluntary K-12 teacher office hours. Each week up until Feb. 11, teachers can host hour-long paid virtual meetings to help students catch up on missed class time. Public schools in LA County had similar responses to PVPUSD. South Torrance High School asked for a negative COVID-19 test before
returning and enforcing mask requirements. “My whole friend group and I tested positive that first week back,” SHS junior Teague Schnittger said. “I fell behind in school. Some teachers posted their lessons online but I missed a lot of the new material.” Private schools took the recent outbreak in a different direction. Chadwick immediately went to online learning for the first week back from winter break. COVID-19 tests were administered on campus, requiring every student to show a negative result before returning to campus. If a student tested
positive, they’d Zoom into class. They required all students to wear surgical-grade or better masks instead of cloth. “Chadwick did a great job being proactive, especially in having everyone online the first week,” Chadwick senior Allen Kotoyantz said. Over the next two weeks, PVHS students started to refill the classroom as COVID cases steadily declined. Per Dr. Cherniss, 95% of students were recorded in-person on Jan. 27. Though responses differed, all schools prioritized keeping students safe while emphasizing high quality education.
Asking Sea Kings, “How Do You Feel About PVPUSD’s Response to the Omicron Wave?” By Ayla Torres reporter
“I think we should’ve held the first week back online seeing that so many people missed it and were put behind course. I also think the distancing for that period would’ve been beneficial to students that were exposed. I appreciate the district’s efforts like testing, antigen test distribution and contact tracing, but ultimately the right precaution would’ve been a two-week distance period.” - Gaby Munoz (12)
“For me, personally, I liked the freedom online learning gave me when I did my work. But that also worked against me as I would procrastinate at times… I can see how the teachers are trying to continue the guidelines for everyone’s sake. But, there are still students who do not care and go against the guidelines. At this point, I think for everyone’s safety we should go back online.” - Rylee Ricard (10)
“I honestly don’t think we should be at school right now. I feel like we should be online or they should give us another week off so they can figure out what they want to do because it is not safe that we are at school… [the district] should rethink about everyone and understand how hard it is to go to school when there is a huge outbreak that is currently happening.” - Matthew Yoon (10)
“I think that the district is doing what they can as of right now but I’m worried that we are going to go back online. I think that it’s important we stay in school because it’s my last year of high school and would like to graduate in-person. But, I also think that we should keep school going [because] we have already lost more than a year of in-person school.” - Mathieu Fernandez (12)
A Call for Kelp!
Sea Urchins Take Over Local Ecosystem By Andrew Carpenter design editor Kelp ecosystems in California are being destroyed by sea urchins and the problem’s worsened in recent years. According to National Geographic, 75% of kelp in Southern California has disappeared in the last century. Due to human impacts including climate change, the sea otter species began to disappear as well. This reduction in predators has caused an overpopulation of the purple sea urchin. “Fishermen decided that sea otters were eating too much fish and enacted a no otter zone in California,” marine biology teacher Marta Wood said. “This zone made it legal to kill otters [and it] wasn’t lifted until 2012. These otters eat urchins. So, after the otters were gone, sea urchin populations have continued to rise. The sea otters don’t really even eat that many fish. Losing the otters means there are less fish because the
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sea urchins eat the kelp which is the fish’s habitat, putting the ecosystem out of balance.” The effects of the sea urchin overpopulation is even noticeable from above the surface, catching the attention of surfers and beach patrons. “I have noticed that there are lots of urchins in the water and there has been a noticeable decline in kelp since past years,” senior and surfer Connor Storr said. Sea Trees is a California based non-profit organization that seeks to restore the health of the ocean through donations. According to the Sea Trees website, they’ve “restored more than 200,000 square feet of Giant Kelp forest. Divers identify purple urchin barrens and teams are sent to clear these areas. The Bay Foundation then monitors the progress of the site as the kelp ecosystem reestablishes itself.” They continue to assist the local community and ecosystem with their work at White Point beach in Los Angeles.
Sea urchin’s overpopulation causes kelp destruction. (Photo courtesy of Dr. Steve Lonhart, NOAA MBNMS) PVHSPOINT.ORG
FEBRUARY 4, 2022
Instagram Insanity:
NEWS
Anonymous Accounts Enter Sea King’s Feeds By Lucia Ruiz features editor The anonymous Instagram account craze hit PVHS in mid-November when PVHS Pro Parkers (@pvhsproparkers) posted for the first time. Since then, over 20 more accounts have been made, including Sleepy Sea Kings (@pvhssleepers). PVHS Sleepers accepts anonymous submissions of people caught snoozing on campus and posts them with a clever caption. “I started this account because I like the feeling of being anonymous, even though a lot of people know who I am,” PVHS Sleeper’s account owner said. “I keep running this account because I like to make people laugh.” The account owner’s goal was achieved. Many people enjoy seeing their friends being posted or submitting pictures of their peers. “Seeing myself asleep on my own Instagram feed was embarrassing at first, but it was funny,” junior Hayleigh Liu said. However, not all of the accounts are as good-natured as PVHS Sleepers. One, which will not be named, spreads hurtful rumors that others may send in behind the anonymity of a screen. This is the textbook definition of cyberbullying and is “unacceptable” according to associate prinicpal Dr. Keely Hardage. “When people are bullying or harassing, that’s when it really crosses the line and becomes disruptive to students. I think that some are never intended to be that way.
I encourage everyone to be really careful with anything that’s anonymous. It can get out of hand quickly.” As of now, administrators do not have the means to find who is behind the couple of harmful accounts. “We’ve reported any of the negative ones to Instagram that we know about,” Hardage said. “Obviously if there’s anything of concern, we encourage students to bring it to our attention.” This harmful Instagram account was taken down within a couple of days. Since students are on Instagram more frequently than administrators, there is more that they can do. “I encourage you guys as students to report [content with cyberbullying] to Instagram when you see it,” Hardage said. “You are probably going to see it before we will so if you see something that’s negative or harmful, report it to Instagram. See if you guys can get it down or [direct message] them and say ‘Hey, this isn’t cool’ or bring it to our attention.” It is clear that most Sea Kings are aware of the fact that these accounts are damaging. “[Nameless Instagram account] is just a platform for cyberbullying and spreading rumors which isn’t funny,” PVHS Sleepers owner said. However, it is important to remember that these accounts are the minority. Most of the accounts mean well and are a fun way to connect with the school. PVHS Sleepers owner says, “Hearing people talking about it in my classes is my favorite part of running this account.”
(Graphic by Lucia Ruiz)
Preparation for 2028 Olympics Begins
By Victoria Nolan reporter The 2028 Olympic games will take place close to home in Los Angeles and the preparations for this major international multi-sport event are happening now. This event will be the first summer games to be held in the US since 1996. The International Olympic Committee was pleased to give Los Angeles an additional $1.8 billion of funding since they plan to use a record-breaking number of existing facilities. The games will take place at existing and temporary venues throughout LA with a budget of about $6.9 billion.
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Some locations include Grand Park, the Los Angeles Convention Center, the USC Village, the Long Beach Waterfront, Santa Monica State Beach, Venice Beach and Dodger Stadium. The International Olympic Committee agreed for the Olympics to consist of 28 “core” sports and no more than 10,500 athletes. Some sports expected include water polo, basketball, canoeing, track, mountain biking, field hockey, sailing, surfing, skateboarding, beach volleyball and archery. PVHS Spanish teacher and volleyball coach Patrick Lynch is excited to watch the Olympic athletes compete. “For the summer games I enjoy watching volleyball,” Lynch said. “I love watching swimming and I think track and field is really exciting when it gets to the gold medal races.” LA residents are excited that the games will be happening nearby. LA28, the Olympic planning website, recognizes Los Angeles as a unique city where the Summer Olympics will flourish, noting that, “Los Angeles is an amazing sports and entertainment city with diverse cultures, a youthful energy and a cuttingedge vibe.” “I’m really excited because it will give us a chance to see the Olympics in-person,” said Lynch. “And I think it will be an opportunity for the city of Los Angeles to showcase all of the great things that it has to offer to the world.”
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FEATURES
Teachers Talk
Long-Time Teachers Reflect on Why They Love PVHS
Math and engineering teacher Lorraine Norris has been at PVHS for 10 years. By Kelly Donahue social media editor The teachers and staff members here are a huge part of what makes the school so special. While there are so many amazing new teachers on campus this year, some have been important members of the Sea King family for a long time. “I was at Peninsula High School and came down in the fall of 2002 and helped reopen Palos Verdes High School,” psychology teacher Bryce Stoddart said. Stoddart grew up in PV and loves that he can “relate to the kids on a different level because [he] shares common experiences.” Through teaching for so many
History teacher Louis Harley has been at PVHS for 19 years.
years, Stoddart discovered that his favorite part is his “relationship with the kids and getting to know their hearts, their minds and their personalities. It’s also a really special thing when students come back to visit and they share their experiences and their life and how they have grown as human beings.” “PVHS is a great school,” history teacher Louis Harley said. “I have always enjoyed the block schedule and I really like the kids that come here. Most of them have a great attitude towards school and learning and they’re very polite, hard working kids. I have always looked forward to coming back every year because it’s a fun place to
work. “[The most rewarding part is] the kids and seeing how well they do afterwards. My main job isn’t so much the concept, people probably won’t remember the French Revolution, but what they are going to remember is that they enjoyed a class, did well on the AP exam, and it helped them get ready for college.” For many of these teachers, the rewards of the job are part of why they have been doing it for the amount of time they have. Lorraine Norris, who has been teaching math and engineering at PVHS for 10 years, loves “feeling like [she] made a difference in [her students’] lives.” “Sometimes kids will say,
‘Nobody at school has ever cared enough to ask me that or reached out to me,’” Norris said. “So feeling like something I did was good that day for them [is really rewarding].” These teachers have taught many students and made an impact in each of those students’ lives. They understand that high school presents many challenges and can be really stressful for students at times. “At the age you are right now, high school is the biggest thing you have done,” Norris said. “You have risen up to this point in life, so this is the biggest four years of your life so far. In a couple years, this isn’t going to be the biggest four years of your life anymore.
Q&A with Local Author Carrie Talick Novels Inspired by the PV Peninsula
By Ella Sherry online editor 1. When and why did you first start writing? My mom took me on vacation and I would write postcards to my dad. I would write about seagulls, conch fritters, and sunburns with what he termed “flair.” I loved making him laugh and from then on, it became a mission. 2. Before you published your novel, you wrote commercial scripts. When and why did you decide that you wanted to pursue a different type of writing? For many years, I really loved advertising. Writing commercials was fun and I worked at agencies all over Los Angeles and went on some fabulous shoots to British Columbia, Buenos Aires, NYC, and all over California. But they’re typically just 60 or 30 seconds long. I craved writing something a little longer, where I could create and develop characters and then throw them
into situations to see what they would do. Novel writing is much more satisfying, but also much more of a commitment. 3. What was the inspiration behind your novel “Beware the Mermaids”? I was visiting a friend and her mom was telling us a story about how she and her friends recently bought a sailboat in the Delta up near Stockton. They called themselves The Dynamite Girls and they were the only all-female owned boat in the entire marina. Something sparked. Additionally, I knew I wanted to write a story to pay homage to my mom who died far too young. She was feisty and fun and loved a good challenge and I wanted to give her a better ending than the one she got. I connected these two ideas and I had the beginning of my story. 4. Apparenty, the PV Peninsula influenced your novel’s setting. Has it played a part in your other works?
Editors-in-Chief Alycen Kim Aidan Sun Adviser Cynthia Mindicino
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Psychology teacher Bryce Stoddart has been at PVHS for 20 years. (Photos by Kelly Donahue) It’s only one part of your life, and one day nobody’s going to care if you got straight A’s or not. Someday no one is even going to care what college you went to. Finding who you are, and finding happiness with who you are is so much more important than finding happiness with what you do.” These teachers, who have seen so many students graduate and go on to do amazing things, have also seen those same students face challenges and ultimately succeed. “I can assure you that it’s not always going to be like this,” Stoddart said. “It will get better, and there’s a whole life beyond high school that is amazing so hang in there.”
Here’s the Tea on Caffeine
The peninsula is unbelievably beautiful but it also has some pretty interesting places. I’m working on a murder mystery next and I can say for certain that the PV Peninsula will feature prominently. 5. Is there any advice you would give to young writers? Write from your heart. The more honest you are with yourself, the better your writing will be. When inspiration strikes, sit down and write. You think you’ll remember later, but you won’t. If you laugh or cry when you’re writing something, chances are the reader will too. You don’t have to know your whole plot to get started. It’s way more important to know your characters and their motivations. And lastly but most importantly, don’t let self-doubt cripple you or stop you. That mean little gargoyle in your head is a liar. Tell it to shut up and then start writing.
Editors & Leadership News: Vikesh Dheeriya Features: Lucia Ruiz Opinion: Amber Chen Sports: Jonathan Liu Design: Andrew Carpenter
Photography: Sierra Namvari Online: Ella Sherry Social Media: Kelly Donahue and Reddin Kehrli
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(Graphic by Natalie Wang) Staff Luka Ardon, Chloe Choi, Isabella Firmani, Naomi Gan, Eva Mayrose, Victoria Nolan, Aaron Paik, Meeka Rahimi, Sophie Stoddart, Ayla Torres, Natalie Wang
Follow us on Instagram! @pvhspoint
FEBRUARY 4, 2022
FEATURES
Beaucar Can Take “205” Far One Hill, One Voice New Teacher Takes the Helm of Beloved Video Production Program
New “Live From 205” advisor Jeffrey Beaucar guides students with his extensive knowledge. (Photo by Andrew Carpenter) By Isabella Firmani reporter Just a few weeks into the 2021-22 school year, “Live from 205”’s former teacher Rene Vela took a job offer at Bellflower High School as an associate principal to pursue a career he had been considering for a few years—working in high school administration. As this change happened very quickly, the students in the program adapted to having longterm substitutes for the remainder of the first semester as the process of finding a new teacher to fill in for the video production and broadcast journalism position
FEBRUARY 4, 2022
was tricky and required someone with specific knowledge in the two subject areas. For that reason, the administration at PVHS wanted to ensure whoever stepped in was experienced and ready for the commitment. This new teacher, Jeffrey Beaucar, majored in Radio, Television and Film at Cal State Fullerton and was previously a screenwriter and producer for Paramount Pictures. Beaucar enjoyed his job producing because he was able to take part in all aspects of production from filming to editing and more. These skills equipped him with the experience needed to take over a program like “Live from
205” where filming and editing are everyday occurrences. After a few years, Beaucar got into teaching and could share his experience with students. “I spent one year teaching history and then our principal told me with my background in film I should get a [career technical education], so I did,” Beaucar said. “Later I went to a job fair where a school approached me asking if I wanted a full-time job as a film teacher and I told them it was a perfect match.” From there, Beaucar worked at Russell Westbrook Why Not? High School as a film teacher until interviewing for the position here. Though he loved both the students and staff at his previous school, he was excited about this potential job because, “[PVHS] was really open to what [he] wanted to bring as far as film goes.” His arrival was greatly anticipated by “205” students and it took a singular day for everyone in the class to know Beaucar was going to be a wonderful addition to the team. “Mr. Beaucar has definitely been one of the best things to happen to 205,” Producer and senior Zoe Shafiezadeh said. “He came in with such a positive attitude and was ready to collaborate with all of us in a way we’ve really been missing since we haven’t had a teacher.”
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(Photo courtesy of Asha Timm) By Sophie Stoddart reporter The One Hill Project (OHP) is a student-run group that connects students with the PVPUSD Board of Education. The group consists of students from Palos Verdes High School, Palos Verdes Peninsula High School and Rancho Del Mar High School. The group meets every month to discuss various topics and issues on campus. The One Hill Project is run by the members from each school. “Superintendent Dr. Cherniss attends a few of the meetings as well, and hears our input on these topics,” Student Board Representative and PVHS senior Asha Timm said. “Then we present what we discussed at the One Hill Project meetings at the biweekly Board of Education meetings, and discuss solutions to the issues
we presented.” Each member of the student board has specific and unique tasks. “My job is to maintain contact with the OHP members, organizing meetings, dates, times, locations, leading the meetings and presenting what we discussed with the Board of Education,” Timm said. The members of the OHP are incredibly passionate about connecting students with the Board of Education, and want to make sure the voices of the student body are heard. “Many of the voices behind the district are those of adults and it creates a large impact when students speak up about issues they see within the district,” Timm said. “The board likes to hear from students because we are the ones who attend school everyday and they appreciate the feedback we give.”
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How to Ask Out Your Crush
Love is Like a B You Never Know Wh Check out some of our Sea King’s
(A Satirical Guide) Ask your teacher to sit you next to them Shoutout to the teachers who take seating chart suggestions into consideration (we’re looking at you, Mrs. Mindicino). Added bonus if they assign you to work on a very important project with them. Have your moms coordinate a date “Moms know best” applies to almost everything, even first dates. Next time, ask your moms to schedule the date (snacks and homemade cookies included). Send them a meme Ah, the ultimate icebreaker of our generation: memes. Who cares about roses and chocolates? I’d rather receive a heartfelt, homemade meme.
a y for d u g ize his ed t ust real rter k i l I’ve and I j e’s sho m h e whil tly that g off To n n i rece e. Giv endaya m Z than nd and a Holl … s vibe
Take inspiration from Shakespeare Bring out your inner heart throb with a romantic monologue that would bring Shakespeare to shame. Maybe don’t profess your love to them outside their window at midnight (cough, cough Romeo), but a sappy, passionate speech in the middle of Sea King Park works just as well. Just ask them Finally, the best advice of all is to just bite the bullet and ask them. Be direct, be honest, and most of all, be confident. Remember, if it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be.
A Gift Guide for Your Ex... By Meeka Rahimi reporter
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Box of Chocolates... hat You’re Going to Get! anonymous love confessions below!
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By Reddin Kehrli social media editor
OPINION
Benefits of Block Schedule
By Amber Chen opinion editor
Despite recent actions from the district reinforcing COVID-19 safety protocols on campus, most students know that the mask mandates and proper quarantine times are loosely followed. By having students go online, it greatly reduces the risk of transmission between students and staff at PVHS.
Taking away social interaction between students and their teachers can really create a challenge when it comes to students with anxiety, depression, or learning disabilities. These challenges alone cause lack of motivation when it comes to doing “asynchronous” work.
Besides the obvious change of being completely remote, students would also have to adjust to the new online schedule and workload. However, by being home and in their own environments, students are more likely to be successful because they can work on their own time and prioritize their school needs as well as their health.
Sometimes teachers would assign asynchronous work during online school last year. That troubles students because although it may seem like they should be more responsible for using that time to do work, it’s extremely difficult to have motivation when no one’s around to keep you on task.
While switching to online schooling during surges in the pandemic is the best and safest option for PVHS, being completely remote for the rest of the year is not rational nor necessary. By going online for two to three weeks during spikes of Omicron, Delta and other possible future strains, student cases will drastically decrease and we will be able to return to a safer campus.
Going online should have a maximum of two weeks. Knowing that there is a quick and definite end to online school allows students to look forward to returning to school. If quarantine goes on for longer, it starts to feel as if there will never be an end, as the district may extend it for longer. Two weeks is an ideal time for quarantining and ensuring that students who come back do not have COVID-19.
By Eva Mayrose reporter
By Sierra Namvari photo editor
Pint-Sized Stories
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(Graphic by Chloe Choi) By Kelly Donahue social media editor One of the great aspects of Palos Verdes High School that convinces students to enroll every year is its block schedule. Following a block schedule provides students with countless benefits, such as more time to do schoolwork as well as extracurricular activities. Without a block schedule, many students would find it challenging to finish their schoolwork and still have time for all the other activities they are involved in. Students would not have that time if they had six classes a day and homework for each of those classes every single day. For example, I spend just over 11 hours at school and volleyball practice four days of the week. My homework for four classes each day then typically takes me a total of three hours. With about one to two hours for normal everyday
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activities, I can sleep for up to eight hours. If I had more than four classes a day, managing all of my extracurriculars, academics and health would be very difficult. Block schedule also gives students an extra day to complete their work, which reduces stress and allows time for students to ask their teachers for help if they don’t understand the homework before they have to turn it in. Although some would say that following a block schedule leaves too much extra time in class for students to waste, block schedule actually allows students time to ask questions and have things explained more in depth if needed because teachers have more time to teach lessons in a two-hour block. Because all classes except 0 period have a break after them, whether it’s nutrition, lunch or even after school, you can stay after class to ask your teacher for help since you both have some extra time before the next period starts. In the rare event
that lessons do finish early, many students use that time to get a head start on their homework so they have more time for their extracurriculars later in the day. Block schedule is also more similar to a college schedule. In college, students might have a few classes on the same day, but they don’t have all of their classes and labs on the same day. So, following a block schedule is good preparation for a college schedule because it teaches students how to manage their time with only a few classes a day. If you are a student who is stressed by the large number of classes you are taking, you will find block schedule very beneficial because you only have to focus on a maximum of four classes a day instead of seven. Additionally, it ensures that the chance of having multiple tests on the same day is lower. For all these reasons, PVHS should continue to follow our distinctive block schedule.
FEBRUARY 4, 2022
A Letter From the Editors Spotify, Stop This “Menace to Public Health” Once a national treasure and the adored poster child of Cal Bears football, Aaron Rodgers has fallen from grace. No, not because of the Packers’ spectacular dumpster fire of a divisional matchup against the 49ers (though that was graceless in it of itself), but rather his submission to the “Joe Rogan Experience‘’ podcast and its empire of lies, stupidity and fragility. Joe Rogan and his charttopping podcast have been the endless perpetrators of exactly the type of grievance politics and, most recently, COVID-19 misinformation, leading this country down the wrong path. While his frequent antiLGBTQ comments and other write-offs of efforts to genuinely make society a more inclusive place are unhealthy on their own, his touting of anti-vax sentiments and “alternative” COVID-19 treatments have proved in recent months to be much more costly, adding fuel to the fire of cases, deaths and economic despair. Rogan’s use of his podcast and platform to promote, among other things, the use of Ivermectin as a COVID-19 treatment, fictitious claims regarding hospitals reporting fake COVID-19 deaths and untrue statements on vaccine efficacy is literal and figurative poison being fed to his estimated 11 million listeners, Rodgers being one of them. Additionally, his interviews with COVID-19 “experts,” including the infamous and Twitter-banned Dr. Robert Malone, to peddle and prop up his campaign of misinformation has exacerbated the impact of his unfound medical advice. Spotify, the exclusive streaming platform of the “Joe Rogan Experience,” has failed to sufficiently react. Already, on Jan. 10, a group of 27 professionals from the medical community signed an
open letter to the music and podcast streaming platform asking that they combat the future spread of Rogan’s and others’ misleading content related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Artist Neil Young made a similar demand, removing his music from Spotify in protest after they refused to follow through with deleting episodes of Rogan’s show containing false COVID-19 information. Rogan and his allies, including Rodgers, have reacted by blaming “cancel culture” and the “woke mob” for opposing their “views” on vaccines and COVID-19 treatments. It’s surprisingly similar to responses after Rogan’s aforementioned antiLGBTQ comments and other controversies. You would think that the “facts don’t care about your feelings” crowd would back up their claims about science and medical treatment with data, but instead, it’s all grievance and self-victimization, adding to their martyrdom among the broader anti-vax, anti-science and anti-establishment crowd. As the exclusive streaming platform for the “Joe Rogan Experience” and steward of media access for its 165 million global users, Spotify must stand on the side of science and public health, and remove all COVID-19 misinformation, including episodes of Rogan’s tainted podcast. With a pandemic that has killed 875 thousand Americans and 5.63 million worldwide continuing to rage, the dissemination of properlyvetted resources and accurate information on the virus is the planet’s best tool to slow seemingly ceaseless death and rejuvenate a flailing global economy. In the words of epidemiologist Katrine Wallace, Spotify, stop this “menace to public health.”
OPINION
Dream Isn’t Dreaming of You...
celebrities. For example, Olivia Rodrigo’s “fans’’ have sent death threats to Joshua Basset for breaking up with the singing star, as if moving on from a relationship you had while you were a kid is a crime, not to mention that he later came out as a member of the LGBTQ+ community. Other times fans will dig for old tweets from celebrities to cast them in a bad light when they don’t know the whole story. Stans are always quick to “cancel” or “dox” other celebrities to “bring justice” to their favorite star. Doxxing can be considered as illegal behavior, and is where one leaks someone’s personal information to the public without their consent, typically addresses and pictures of celebrities who want to retain their privacy in the exposed digital age. On the other hand, they live under the delusion that their favorite idol is perfect and will defend them to the death, even against serious legal accusations. Problematic stan behavior should be condemned by all morally sound and logical people. You do not own a celebrity. The celebrity is not in love with you and you should not interfere with their personal relationships. You are only seeing a carefully filtered version of the celebrity. Celebrities should be entitled to their own privacy; after all, they are humans just like you and me, and can be damaged by the limelight. In many ways, the people who you worship are the ones you end up destroying. You can admire them, but just keep it civil. And, as we all learned in elementary school, keep your hands to yourself.
By Chloe Choi reporter Celebrities. Imperfect human beings just like you and me, except they are glorified and worshiped to godly statuses by their hoards of overly-dedicated supporters. Celebrity influence has reached every corner of our lives from our entertainment, diets, advertisements and more. In the past, celebrities were just seen as regular people with successful acting, modeling or singing careers. But now, being famous for being famous and or untalented is prevalent and has launched many people to stardom. These people are now revered as gods for their talents, or for some lack thereof. Their supporters are called “stans,” a combination of the words “stalker” and “fan” first coined by award winning rapper Eminem. Stans like to congregate in the slimiest parts of the internet to compare every feature of their chosen idol to other idols and themselves, obsessing over minute details, like the heart-shaped nostrils of K-pop singer Jennie Kim, or the eyebrow hair that Minecraft YouTuber Dream accidentally flashed on livestream. Online bullying from these fandoms is similar to the crazed entertainment from the Coliseum of Ancient Rome. Forget civil discussions and the notion that people have different opinions; the obvious solution to eliminate the “other side” is by relentless flaming until they have a mental breakdown. These fights are not contained between individual fans; the fan bases also turn against other
(Graphic by Chloe Choi)
Accommodating the Diverse Cultures of America: PVPUSD Should Observe Lunar New Year By Amber Chen opinion editor The Lunar New Year is widely celebrated across many eastern and southeastern Asian countries, including China, South Korea, Vietnam, Mongolia, Thailand, Singapore and the Philippines. Originating in ancient China, it is celebrated with numerous festivities and traditions to ensure a prosperous year. One such tradition is taking the day off from chores and work, which is meant to symbolize that one will not be extremely busy every day of the year. However, many school districts across America, including PVPUSD, do not observe the Lunar New Year with a day off. So, many Asian American families were not able to celebrate on Feb. 1, the day of Lunar New Year in accordance with the lunar calendar.
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This holiday is significant to much of Asian culture, and therefore should be recognized by the school district in order to promote inclusivity and diversity. The substantial percentage of Asian students in our district furthers the need to
accommodate our culture. According to PVPUSD’s 2021-22 Local Control Accountability Plan, the student body consists of 27.89% Asian Americans, making Asians the second largest racial group in the district after Whites. Especially in recent years, America has proven to still harbor prejudice against Asians. As with other minority cultures, Asian culture is still regarded as strange and outlandish by some. While the education system tries to be inclusive of minority cultures by teaching students about them, there is no better way to advocate for Asian American inclusivity than by integrating the Lunar New Year as a district holiday. Taking the day of the Lunar New Year off could set a precedent for parents to take a day off from work to celebrate as well, which would allow Asian students to build a stronger connection to
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their culture as they celebrate with entire families. This would enable traditions to be passed down through the generations, preserving Asian culture in America and therefore promoting diversity. Additionally, the idea of recognizing a minority group’s heritage extends to other cultures, as well as to religions. Some may ask where the line is drawn; logistically, we cannot take days off on every cultural holiday during the school year, as it would cut into our summer break. The answer lies within student demographics. It would be logical for the district to determine observed holidays by estimating the percentage of students of a specific heritage or religion who would observe the holiday. When many students take a holiday off to celebrate with their families, it causes the school to lose a significant amount of money on that certain day. If the district declares largely
celebrated days as holidays, then it would be able to avoid financial loss as well. The first step to showing genuine inclusivity is recognizing the Lunar New Year as a district holiday. For a large part of the prominent Asian American community in our district, the Lunar New Year is a crucial part of our cultural identity and deserves to be respected.
(Graphics by Chloe Choi) PAGE 9
SPORTS
A Wild Match
By Aaron Paik reporter
Rams vs Bengals in 2022 Super Bowl
With the conclusion of one of the most bizarre years in football history, the NFL playoffs are here. The season ended with a controversial 18 week season. Since 2020, the NFL has shifted away from a 12 team postseason to a 14 team postseason. For the playoffs, the Tennessee Titans (AFC) and Green Bay Packers (NFC) clinched the first seed and were granted a bye week rewarding them for a fabulous regular season. To kickoff the postseason, quarterback Joe Burrow led the Cincinnati Bengals to defeat the Las Vegas Raiders. On one of the final plays of the game, Raiders quarterback Derek Carr threw an interception at the goaline to seal the win for the Bengals. Many believe that this was Carr’s last snap as a Raider. In Buffalo, quarterback Josh Allen led the Buffalo Bills to blowout the New England Patriots 47-17. Allen put on a masterclass as he threw for more touchdowns than incompletions in this route. In AFC wildcard game on Jan. 17, the Kansas City Chiefs were able to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers to advance. Despite the early defensive touchdown for the Steelers, the Chiefs were able to run up the score 42-21. With an already historic season, wide receiver Deebo Samuel had yet another great game to upset the Dallas Cowboys. With the 49ers leading the whole game, the Cowboys had momentum in the
fourth quarter. After a final play controversy, fans around the league were buzzing about this ending. In the last wildcard game, the Los Angeles Rams beat the Arizona Cardinals. Cardinals fans were disappointed by the team’s last half of the season performance, as quarterback Kyler Murray threw two interceptions including a pick-6 which gave all the momentum to the Rams. In an absolute nail-biter of a game, the Kansas CIty Chiefs were barely able to best the Buffalo Bills. From a record-breaking game from wide receiver Gabriel Davis, the Bills fell just short in overtime. In a defensive game between the Packers and 49ers, the Packers fell short of the win. The Packers had the lead in the fourth quarter until a disastrous punt block was returned for a touchdown to tie the game. 49ers’ kicker Robbie Gould nailed a walk off kick for the win. Many Packers’ fans were upset as it is believed that this was quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ last game with the team. In what seemed like a blowout on Sunday Jan. 23, the Buccaneers began an amazing second half comeback against the Los Angeles Rams. With the Rams leading the game by 27-3, quarterback Tom Brady managed to tie the game. However, in the final drive, wide receiver Cooper Kupp caught a 40-yard bomb from quarterback Matthew Stafford to get the Rams in field goal range.
Left: from the Washington Football Team vs. Los Angeles Rams at FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland. October 11, 2020 (All-Pro Reels Photography) Right: Joe Burrow Quarterback Cincinatti Bengals Photo By Alexander Jonesi (Wikimedia Commons) This would lead to a Matt Gay walkoff kick for the Rams to win 30-27. As Championship Sunday was upon us, there was no clear favorite to make the Super Bowl as all four teams participating looked unbeatable. In the early game, the Cincinnati defense locked up in the second half to shut down quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, leading them to a 27-24 win, guiding them to the Super Bowl for the first time since 1989.
How the New COVID-19 Variant Swept Through the NBA By Jonathan Liu sports editor As the 2021 pro season began for the NBA in the fall, COVID-19 seemed to be contained as there were no complications with players testing positive, harming their teams, and games being postponed. However, the new Omicron variant has been taking the world by storm since early December, and it certainly has affected the NBA. With the NBA being an indoor sport and teams having to travel day by day to play games mostly every other day, the percentage of players catching the virus increased dramatically. By December 20, there were 113 players that were placed in “Health and Safety Protocols” for the season, but 97 of them coming in a three week span of December which mirrored 2020.
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Games began to start being postponed, as players would not have enough players to put out tehre on the court. As players were getting infected, so were head coaches, as 15 coaches (50% of the league) had entered protocols at some part of the season. As teams were getting hit left and right from positive cases, they needed to fill roster spots somehow to put out a team on the court. Teams went to their developmental teams (G league) to pick up younger players to fill out rosters and to give some real game experience opportunities. Teams also used the “hardship exception” which meant they could pick up players from free agency. They would be able to do these actions, without releasing current players from their rosters. Some players that got another
another crack at the league were players such as Lance Stephenson, Joe Johnson, Demarcus Cousins, and Isaiah Thomas. Players such as these being back had fans excited, as they are fan favorite. As cases were flooding in around the holiday season, NBA Christmas games took a big hit, as superstar players were sidelined due to being positive. Atlanta Hawks’ Trae Young and Brooklyn’s Kevin Durant being out diminished the hype around these highly anticipated games that were announced in August. Star players were out, it affected if fans tuned into their favorite team’s games. “My team has been affected by COVID a lot and it has affected their product on the court a lot. When the starters are placed on protocols, I am not as invested but it is still interesting to watch,” said freshman Nick Lancey.
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In the late game, the Los Angeles Rams took on the San Francisco 49ers for a chance at revenge for losing to them twice this year. As the game entered the fourth quarter, the 49ers led 17-7. Led by Stafford and Kupp clinching their spot in the Super Bowl to be hosted at their home field. Many PVHS students have the Bengals winning the Super Bowl and Kupp taking the MVP. “I believe that Joe Burrow has what it takes to win the Super Bowl,” sophomore Jackson
Rucker said. I also believe that with Cooper Kupp’s historic season, he will win the MVP. ” As the Super Bowl nears, it is tough to bet against this red hot Bengals team led by Burrow and his plethora of young, hungry weapons including rookie receiver Ja’Marr Chase. However, Stafford is the more experienced quarterback and with the support of an all-star defense led by defensive tackle Aaron Donald and cornerback Jalen Ramsey the Bengals are in for a wild match.
Rock On!
Sophomore Max Correa Climbs to New Heights By Meeka Rahimi reporter How you get into rock climbing? What made you start? I got into rock climbing from my friend Caden Resich. What is the most difficult thing about rock climbing? I think the most difficult thing about rock climbing is probably just about finger grip. What is your favorite thing about rock climbing? My favorite thing about rock climbing is probably the adrenaline rush of competing with my friends. What mindset do you put on when your rock climbing? Something that motivates me to rock climb is putting myself in a goofy mindset because it just makes rock climbing more enjoyable and fun.
Photo courtesy of Max Correa Are you planning to continue rock climbing? Why? Yeah I am planning on continuing and thats because it’s a good workout and really fun. Where do you rock climb? I started to rock climb at this one place in Long Beach called Hangar 18.
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SPORTS
PVHS Golfer Commits to the University of Southern California
By Alycen Kim editor-in-chief
Whether it’s on the golf course or in the classroom, junior Frances Kim excels, juggling her rigorous classes and school work all while maintaining her status of the 12th nationally ranked golf player in her age group. Recently, Kim committed to the prestigious University of Southern California (USC) as a golfer for her class of 2027. Kim recalls when she started the sport that later became her biggest passion. “My grandfather is a golf addict and plays literally every day,” Kim said. “Because of him, I started playing when I was nine years old. At first it was just basic ball putting, but later, I got a coach and started taking golf more seriously.” Kim entered various tournaments and worked her way up in national rankings as an individual player. She later joined the PVHS varsity golf team as a freshman, where she began her high school golf career. Kim’s fellow teammates praise her dedication and contributions to the team. “I met Frances when she was a freshman, and right off the bat, I thought she was super nice and fun to be around,” senior and teammate Cassidy Virzi said.
“She’s a really good player and I felt that she gave the team so much motivation to work as hard as her.” “I’ve known Frances since I was 12 because we played in the same tournaments,” senior and teammate Kiyomi Komatsu said. “I knew she was going to be an amazing player in the future, and definitely play college golf and maybe go pro. Her work ethic was amazing, even back then. Having that much discipline and continuing that growth is so impressive and rare.” Kim started the committing process in the summer before her sophomore year. “The committing process itself was actually very stressful,” Kim said. “It was nerve wracking knowing that college scouts were watching me at my tournaments.” “On the other hand, it was really gratifying and exciting. A lot of top schools I never thought would reach out to me like Yale, Harvard and Stanford reached out to me. I was so honored and felt super blessed to have spoken to all these colleges.” Kim visited USC in the fall last year, and instantly felt a connection to the school and its offerings. Besides the robust athletic programs, Kim was attracted to how close the school was to home. “Staying close to PV where all
my friends and family are was really important to me throughout this whole process,” Kim said. “My mom has been my biggest role model and supporter, so I knew I wanted to remain close to her and all of my supporters back home.” After committing to USC in November, Kim feels relieved of the upcoming stress her fellow peers feel about applying to college and keeping up with school. “I know now that no matter what happens, I’ll still be able to go to the school I’ve always dreamed of going to,” Kim said.
Top: Kim has accepted an offer to attend USC and play on the golf team. Bottom: Kim at her first tournament when she was nine. (Photos courtesy of Frances Kim)
How PVHS Winter Sports Have Been Affected By COVID-19
As COVID cases went up and down, policies regarding masks have changed. (Photo by Lucia Ruiz) By Naomi Gan reporter Cancellations, rule changes and spectator limitations: the recent COVID-19 surge has certainly made its presence felt in professional and college athletics. And now, high school athletes are also experiencing the effects of this Omicron wave. PV’s winter sports have had to deal with some competition modifications, but overall have not felt too much of a difference. Aside from a few small adjustments, the girls’ soccer season seems to be in full swing. “There are some new rules like getting a [COVID-19] test before every game if you’re not fully vaccinated but compared to last year everything’s pretty close to normal,” sophomore and soccer player Brette Andrews said. If anything, it is turning out to be better than last year’s modified season. “Spectators are allowed to come to games and they provide buses to the away games which they didn’t do last year,”
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Andrews said. However, on the basketball court, things look a little different. “Most of us have to get tested one to two times a week, and [at the start of the semester] whenever someone is on the bench, they [had] to wear a mask,” said senior and basketball player Steven Kaufman. In addition to testing and masking requirements, our spirited student section initially wasn’t able to attend some basketball games since they are indoors. “We have had some spectators at every game so far, but the student section attendance has been limited due to the rules,” Kaufman said. “This is too bad, because we play off the energy of the crowd and student section. We could be losing some of the momentum we would have if they were there.” As things begin to look even more normal each day, hopefully our soccer, basketball, surf and girls’ water polo teams can use the momentum in their favor to finish out the season strong.
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NEWS
Redistricting Redraws California Lines By Luka Ardon reporter
The previous congressional map and CA-33
The new congressional map and CA-36 (Graphics by Alycen Kim) By Aidan Sun editor-in-chief
(Graphic by Aidan Sun)
On the night of Dec. 20, the independent 14-person California Redistricting Commission unanimously voted to approve final congressional maps a week ahead of the Dec. 27 deadline. The approval, which comes after a fraught 2020 census season that saw accusations of politicization and undercounting due to the pandemic, is set to redraw congressional districts for the next decade. As a result of 2020 census results showing a slowing of growth in the Golden State, California lost a single congressional district bringing the state’s total to 52, down from 53. Like redistricting in any state and despite the apolitical nature of California’s redistricting process, the drawing of new lines comes charged with potential changes and controversies for both the state’s inhabitants and those who represent them. Locally, the district formerly known as CA-33 (now CA36), which encompassed the Palos Verdes Peninsula and most of the South Bay has changed slightly since the 2010 redistricting. While the 33rd previously incorporated parts of San Pedro, the border of CA-36 now cuts off at the line dividing eastern Rancho Palos Verdes from western San Pedro (along Western Ave.), putting some PVHS students living in San Pedro under CA-44 instead. In addition, parts of the 36th in Wilmington have been reallocated while parts of West L.A. including Beverly Hills were added. CA-36 also now only
extends as far north as Wilshire while previously encompassing parts of the coast past Point Dume. Despite these changes, the political leanings of CA-36 remain almost the same, moving from 37 points in favor of Democrats to 40. Rep. Ted Lieu (D) is expected to once again lead the ballot in the upcoming 2022 midterms. Further south, newly drawn lines have caused greater upheavals in Orange County. Rep. Michelle Steel (R-CA-48), who recently unseated former Rep. Harley Rouda (D) in the 2020 election, finds herself in a district now encompassing the much bluer Irvine (once part of CA-45). That district is currently represented by Rep. Katie Porter (D), a nationally known and popular congresswoman first elected in 2018. Porter recently announced that during this upcoming election cycle, she will run in CA-47, a district that holds much of Steel’s previous territory, due to that district now encompassing her home in Irvine. This announcement led Rouda (who previously planned to challenge Steel in the same district) to concede to Porter and allow her to run unopposed in the upcoming primaries. Steel, burdened with the likelihood of defeat against a popular Porter in an already much bluer district, released her decision to move north to the CA-45. Despite these changes, the balance of power in Southern California seemingly remains similar to before. However, only the 2022 midterms will determine if that stays true.