The Point Issue 6, Vol. 25 - April 9, 2021

THE

POINT

PALOS VERDES HIGH SCHOOL - ISSUE 6, VOLUME 25 - APRIL 9, 2021

(Photos by Aidan Sun)

By Aidan Sun news editor

On a chilly night in Atlanta on March 16, a gunman targeted and killed eight, including six Asian American women. Days later, the headlines of major news outlets still read, “motive unknown.” But to me and millions of other Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, the motive could not have been more clear. How we felt about it, well that was even clearer.

Sadness, fear and anger permeated throughout Asian American communities. That night after the shooting, for the first time in what seems like years, I broke down and cried. After a year that saw a nearly 150% increase in anti-Asian hate crimes in the United States, it seemed that in 2021, things would only get worse.

The alarming rise in attacks on Asian Americans is inextricably tied to the COVID-19 pandemic and rhetoric placing blame for the virus on people of Asian descent. Phrases like “China virus” and “kung flu,” which were even used by President Donald Trump while in office, have become common slurs and have encouraged association between Chinese Americans and other Asian Americans with the spread of COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic was an awakening for many Asian Americans. Throughout the country, attacks, mostly targeting Asian American women and elders, have shocked the community and the rest of the world. Suddenly the targets of racist epithets, vandalism and extreme and sometimes deadly acts of violence, the AAPI community has seen an outpour of support as awareness is raised, people are informed and action is taken to #StopAAPIHate. (cont. on pages 6-7...)

STOP AAPI HATE Asian American Community Calls For Justice In Wake of Hate Crimes

Recent Attacks In California » Diamond Bar - a man drove through a group of demonstrators supporting the AAPI community while shouting racial slurs » Fullerton - a woman was told, “bow to me, or you will go back to f---ing where you came from” while getting gas by an assailant » Fullerton - a man threw rocks at a mother and her six-year-old child » Ladera Ranch - neighbors teamed up to protect a family’s home from teens who repeatedly attacked and harassed them » Los Gatos - a 40-year-old medical worker was shoved to the ground from behind and told to, “Go back to f---ing China” » Oakland - a gas station owner is pepper-sprayed and verbally assaulted » Riverside - a 64-year-old woman was stabbed and killed while walking her dogs in what police are calling, “a random attack” » Rocklin - high school students received anonymous messages using ethnic slurs » San Francisco- an 84-year-old man died after being shoved to the ground from behind » San Francisco - a 75-year-old woman fought back against her attacker who attempted to beat her. A video showing her wounded and crying pointing at her assailaint whom she put in a stretcher went viral. She donated all of the nearly $1 million she received via a GoFundMe. » San Francisco - a 59-year-old man was beaten on the back of his head » Seal Beach - an elderly woman received a note reading, “Pack your bags and go back to your country where you belong,” after her husband’s funeral Mental Health Resources: Asian Mental Health Collective asianmhc.org National Queer AAPI Alliance nqapia.org Asian Mental Health Project @asianmentalhealthproject PVPUSD Resources bit.ly/3ug6wFk

Reporting Hate Crimes: Asian Americans Advancing Justice standagainsthatred.org Stop AAPI Hate stopaapihate.org California DOJ oag.ca.gov/hatecrimes PV Estates PD: 310 378 4211 Lomita Sheriff: 310 539 1661

Response The “model minority” myth has often ensured that Asian American issues have taken a back seat in discussions of racial justice. Lack of cultural and political representation, cultural norms and few resources have all contributed to complacency with racism among Asian Americans, especially those in older generations.

However, as the country sees dramatic increases in anti-Asian hate crimes, advancement for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders may finally be garnering longneeded discussion.

In recent weeks, hashtags like #StopAAPIHate and #ProtectAsianLives have spread across social media platforms through use by advocacy groups, politicians and celebrities. Last month, corporations including the NFL, Disney and Nike put out token statements of solidarity with the AAPI community in wake of the Atlanta shooting. Vigils and protests have also been organized by community members including one nearby in Alahambra (above).

Backed by increased calls for action, community leaders have demanded the government to take a more active role in combatting anti-Asian hate crimes. In response, the Biden Administration announced on Mar. 31 the creation of a new Department of Justice AAPI initiative, a COVID-19 equity task force and a $49.5 million fund for AAPI survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.

Here in California, where 15% of the population is AAPI, lawmakers have added funding to track Asian hate crimes. Gov. Gavin Newsom has also announced he will be appointing Rob Bonta, a Filipino-American, to replace Xavier Becerra as California’s Attorney General.

Donate/Support: NY Mag 68 Ways to Donate bit.ly/nymag-aapi GoFundMe for Victims gofundme.com/aapi AAPI Women Lead imreadymovement.org

Instagram Advocacy: @aapiwomenlead @advancingjustice_aajc @asianmentalhealthcollective @asianmentalhealthproject @goldhouseco @hateisavirus @nqapia @stopaapihate

Art/Food/Fashion: @asianartmuseum @chinatown_streetstyle @cafemaddy @chinatownpretty @createtostophate @heartofdinner @minhyunwoo_ @nom_life

NEWS

How the Pandemic has Affected College Applications

Return to Campus or Computer?

On April 12, 2021, Palos Verdes High School students are scheduled to return to campus in a hybrid system of learning, where students will be split into two groups by last name, group 1 receiving in-person instruction on Mondays and Tuesdays, and group 2 receiving in-person instruction on Thursdays and Fridays. Effective April 19, 2021, all hybrid students grades 9-12 will recieve in-person instruction four days per week, and are required to stay three feet apart in classrooms. Students also had the option to continue distance learning (DLA), where students will learn from teacher live streams via computers. See top reasons why students decided to do hybrid or DLA.

Hybrid “My mom wants me to go back for hybrid and I think it’ll help me focus more. Going back means no more Genshin in class and I can actually learn something!” ­— Rose Feng, Freshman

“I decided to [do] DLA because it would be more beneficial for time management. Some advantages of doing remote learning are that it is safer, it is easier to manage time, and I enjoy classes.”

— Aaron Paik, Freshman

“I decided to go back to school because it is a lot more fun in real life and I want to be able to see my friends more often. Going back will hopefully help the zoom fatigue we are all experiencing and make class more engaging so that we all learn better.”

“I made the decision to stay home because I had already been accustomed to distance learning, so I just figured it would be easier to stay home. I think that distance learning allows for students to have more flexible schedules, and of course it allows for students to learn in a safer environment.”

— Sydni Bednarek, Sophmore

­­— Ainsley Schmitz, Sophmore “I decided to go back to in-person learning because I want to see my teachers and classmates.

Although I like the flexibility of distance learning, I feel that going back in the classroom will make me more focused and productive during school hours.”

— Davryn McDuffie, Sophmore

DLA

“After talking with all my teachers, I realized that we would essentially be doing the same things in class that we are doing online. As a senior, I was really looking forward to going off-campus with my friends for lunch, or to sit in the car with everyone, and we can’t do that. I also realized that most of my friends are doing DLA as well, so I thought I’d do the same.”

— Zoey Belliveau, Senior

Senior Season Begins (Graphic by Aidan Sun)

By John Kim reporter Due to the pandemic, the college application process has arguably changed quite dramatically. People’s fears became reality, and some of these alterations will prevail while some will not.

One prominent change is the fact that almost every college switched to standardized test-optional for this year. The pandemic is expected to affect next year as well, and even the most traditionally rigorous colleges, such as MIT and Stanford, have announced their test-optional policy for this cycle’s applicants.

Even before the pandemic, strong rumors regarding testoptional applications were floating around, and the virus served as an impetus, prompting some schools to make shifts.

For instance, in May 2020, the University of California system declared its entire change to a test-blind system.

Many students are in favor of this move due to the difficulties of test-taking and the general anguish associated with SAT and ACT. “I hope the standardized testing policies in most colleges stay so that people don’t have to deal with the tests; it’s a really poor form of judging intellectual strength,” PVHS senior Aaron Guo said.

To look at the more empirical aspect of the changes, it helps to look at some early statistics from colleges.

Analyzing MIT’s numbers for early admissions, the number

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of applicants significantly grew from 9,291 applicants last year to 15,036 this year, marking a 62% increase, presumably thanks to the elimination of standardized test requirements.

Moreover, although the percent acceptance did decrease from 7.4% last year to 4.8% this year, that figure alone is somewhat misleading.

MIT actually accepted 719 applicants this year compared to 687 last year and 707 the year prior, meaning that the raw number of acceptance actually increased--at least for its Early Action.

MIT is not alone in this trend.

Colleges like Yale and Brown show similar tendencies. Though not all institutions increased their raw number of acceptance, the common theme is that the number of applicants significantly grew.

Of course, COVID-19 had a rather insidious effect on the overall application process.

“Not having a senior year this year took away some of my opportunities to work on things and clubs that would have benefitted my application,” Guo said, whose plans to make himself an even greater candidate were unfortunately thwarted.

The pandemic also influenced people on a more mental, emotional level.

“Being alone most of the time mde it boring and difficult to come up with ideas and write my essays, and it felt more like a heavy burden than a recall of my experiences,” Guo said.

(Graphic by Emily Typrowicz)

By Emily Typrowicz sports editor

Football games, homecoming, CIF, and graduation are just some of the things students look forward to in their senior year.

Unfortunately with three months of school left seniors have missed out on most of what would normally be in a typical senior year. During the past year seniors have missed out on many events but as students return to school, there is hope for the class of 2021 to have somewhat of a normal end of the year.

ASB students have been thinking of creative ideas all year to honor the senior class and help make up for what they have missed. Ideas were on hold as COVID-19 would have to be controlled for them to be executed.

As the uncertainty of the year slowly vanishes, action is being

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taken. Dates for senior activities have been set and the planning has begun.

Although events have been cleared to take place, COVID-19 precautions will still be in place.

“Most of the events will be in smaller cohorts than the entire senior class,” said ASB Director Jama Maxfield.

“We will have to rotate groups, that makes it different but also I think more intimate for groups of friends.”

Small cohorts with friends will take place at these events to ensure safety while students enjoy the activities. For larger events, such as prom, more structure will take place.

This year’s Prom will be a senior-only event unless restrictions change allowing a larger number of people to gather at a time. Taking place at the botanical gardens with an Alice in

Wonderland theme, the evening will be magical for senior Sea Kings.

With the ability to sit in classrooms for the final weeks of school, senior ditch day will feel somewhat normal for students.

Unfortunately, a Disneyland trip may not be possible this year so ASB has other plans to make this day as fun as possible.

“We will probably have breakfast at the school that morning for seniors and then they can go to the beach and spend the day with each other,” said senior Devyn Hall.

Creative ideas have flooded through ASB trying to make the end of the year as fun as possible. As we step on campus in these next few weeks, life will hopefully start to get back to a normal state and seniors can finally be back together after a year apart.

APRIL 9, 2021

NEWS

Following Other CA Schools, PVHS Finally Opens Its Doors to Students On Gender Imbalance,

By Vikesh Dheeriya reporter

After a year of distance learning, many high schools in California recently reopened to an in-person format with PVHS, returning April 12, not far behind.

Most of the in-person schools that have reopened are private schools, while public schools like PVHS would have more restrictions from the government on a possible return.

Middle and high school need to be in the red, orange, or yellow tiers combined with a new daily case rate of 7 or less to return to any variation of an in-person setting in L.A. County.

“Humans are social creatures, so safely being around others will bring back that positive aspect into our lives,” Biology teacher Marie Kuhn said.

Mater Dei, a private school located in Santa Ana, CA, returned to school much earlier than most in September of 2020.

Mater Dei began the school year with a completely online schedule for two weeks, then switched completely to in-person learning, requiring face coverings at all times, physical distancing, and frequent cleaning and

disinfecting. Another major safety change for in-person school at Mater Dei was the class size being divided by last name.

“The number of peers you see on a normal day is almost cut in half,” Mater Dei junior Xander Assad said.

The COVID-induced changes to in-person school had some benefits to students at Mater Dei. “[Because of split classes] I get more one-on-one time with my teachers, which gives me the chance to form a bond between my teachers,” Assad said. Along with getting to know his teachers, Assad’s academic experience “improved tremendously” with his GPA boosting after switching to in-person learning.

Unlike Mater Dei, PVHS will start by using a hybrid schedule with certain days being online and the other in-person, which brings about the problem of teaching kids the same material online and in-person.

PVPUSD Superintendent Dr. Alex Cherniss recently announced that high schools will return to a four day inperson schedule starting April 19, effectively ending the cohort system.

“I am going to maintain the teaching style that I adopted during the pandemic to remain consistent with what students are used to from my class” said Kuhn. “I will, however, enjoy more student engagement and discussion of class content.”

School reopenings still came with the predicted health risks. Although Mater Dei had stringent rules on safety, the school reported 137 COVID cases throughout the school year among the 2,134 student population. While not perfect, students such as Assad are content with how Mater Dei handled the reopening of school.

“I wouldn’t change anything about how my school adapted to COVID-19” Assad said.

Through physical distancing, mask-wearing, and proper sanitization rules implemented and enforced at PVHS, administration hopes to keep the risk of a breakout as low as possible, as students benefit from an in-person education.

“The benefit for me, personally, is that I enjoy having individual conversations with my students and I look forward to getting to know them better,” said Kuhn.

“Why Aren’t We Talking About This?”

It’s Only the Largest Protest in Human History

By Ajuny Hansra guest writer Popstar Rihanna recently tweeted “Why aren’t we talking about this?!” with an image of Sikh men and women waving orange and white flags, riding tractors, in New Delhi, India.

The post accumulated a million likes, sending Twitter into a frenzy. Other celebrities joined in including climate activist Greta Thurnberg, LA Laker Kyle Kuzma, and Mina Harris (niece of Vice President Kamala Harris).

So, what was it that they were talking about?

The largest protest in human history is currently taking place in India involving over 200 million people.

The agitation centers around the introduction of three new farm laws. These laws are being touted by the Prime Minister Modi and his administration as a means to deregulate the current system that has been in place for seventy years.

Prime Minister Modi argues that the laws are a way to modernize the industry.

However, the farmers, who make up 58% of India’s population, perceive the new laws to be potentially devastating to their income, resulting in further debt and loss of their land.

These farms have been passed down in families for many generations, therefore the farmers have a tremendous stake in the outcome.

Currently, farming is highly fragmented with the average farmer owning a little over five acres of land.

The belief of the farmers’ is that the government would like to

APRIL 9, 2021

(Photo Courtesy of Wikicommons public domain, photographer Randeep Maddoke) consolidate their lands and move toward corporate farming.

They claim that although it appears the laws would promote a free market economy, the lack of regulation has resulted in only two corporate conglomerates that farmers can sell to, led by billionaires Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani, effectively stifling competition and driving down prices that farmers receive for their crops.

These giant corporations have already built large storage facilities where they can store grains for over a year, thus driving prices down even further.

In addition to objecting to the contents of these new laws, the farmers are also crying afoul at the process in which they were enacted.

They are claiming corruption as Ambani and Adani are close friends with Prime Minister Modi and have joint business holdings with his family. The farmers also assert that the bills, which

bypassed the legislative process and were enacted by emergency orders, are illegal.

Another point of contention has been the government’s reaction to the protests.

Protestors allege that their right to demonstrate have been marred by human rights violations. On the way to New Delhi, the farmers were met with barricades, water cannons, tear gas, and police batons.

Upon arrival, thousands have created makeshift camps on the outskirts of Delhi. Internet access and water have been cut off for the protestors and over 200 have died over the last several months.

Despite the hardships, the farmers remain steadfast in their resolve to not leave until there is a full repeal of all three laws, and the Modi government is not showing any signs of backing down.

The situation has given rise to the largest protest in human history.

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ASB Seeks to Shift the Tides

By Claire Hardesty and Sarah Liu editors-in-chief Just as surfers in PV can count on the tides to change throughout the day, the students of PVHS can rely on the Red Tide to always be there, even as its leaders change every year.

While this school year has been anything but normal, ASB’s Red Tide Presidents have continued to make an effort to boost school spirit whether students are staying at home or on campus.

While the positions of Red Tide President are made open to the student body each year, students have long held the perception that the group is a “boy’s club” or “popularity contest,” which partially stems from a lack of open knowledge about the application process.

During a normal school year, students are required to fill out an application packet and get teacher recommendations, just as they would for other signature programs such as Live from 205 or the Triton Yearbook.

The applications are then passed through the administration to check for any outstanding issues, such as disciplinary action or academic performance that would prevent students from filling the role.

Students are interviewed by the outgoing President and the administration on why they’d be a good leader and why they want to lead Red Tide.

For two years prior, ASB Director Jama Maxfield has had the ASB President and Vice President sit in on the interviews (Maxfield does not allow ASB Presidents to apply for Red Tide President).

This year, the interviews were adapted to take place over Zoom.

“It’s never 100% everybody wants who they want,” Maxfield said. “Sometimes it has come down to administration picking.

Sometimes it has been one of the ASB Presidents or Vice Presidents that can shine a different light and say no, this really isn’t a good choice.”

While the Red Tide application process is comprehensive, the group has overwhelmingly been comprised of men.

It was only in 2016 that PVHS had its first female Red Tide President, Nicole Halverson.

And, students have noticed the gender imbalance.

Ife Ibraheem is one of this year’s Red Tide Presidents, and in addition to being the first Black woman to hold the position, she is the first Black Red Tide President in the history of the school. In her interview for the position, Ibraheem says she called for more girls to be included in the group, something she believes has been a long time coming.

“I don’t think it’s super hard to be like, okay, let’s split it half and half,” she said. “If we

Ife Ibraheem is this year’s only female Red Tide President and the first Black woman to hold the position at PVHS. (Photo Courtesy of Jama Maxfield) do have enough girls, we can split it half. This year, I think we did have enough girls. So I don’t understand why I’m not accompanied by another one or two other girls.”

Two other girls applied to be Red Tide leaders, but Maxfield believes that the schedule of cheerleaders and song leaders is incompatible with the position, in addition to them having to be on the track or sidelines instead of the stands. However, male student-athletes are accepted because of differing sports seasons.

“I think it also makes it harder to be the only girl even if you’re friends with all those guys,” Ibraheem said. “You’re kind of the odd one out… you have to make it clear that, ‘Hey, I’m here. This is what I want to do. Like, I want to be a part of the conversations that you guys are having.’”

“Say they make weird jokes,” Ibraheem added. “Then you’re kind of just like, ‘What do I do?’

I have no one to defend me, no one to back me up if I want to speak up.”

While the infamous “only girl” trope within the Red Tide has been met again this year, Maxfield hopes that more girls will be encouraged to apply for the position. For the past few years, she has actively sought out women who she believes would be successful in the role.

But, she hopes Ibraheem’s involvement will encourage a new wave of female involvement from the student body.

“She has been such a great role model and example for all girls, especially girls of color, 100 percent,” Maxfield said. “I’m hoping that she’s an inspiration.

I mean, she inspires me, so I would hope that she would inspire others to want to do what she’s doing because she’s just the best.”

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FEATURES

Car Connoisseurs of PVHS

By Claire Hardesty editor-in-chief The students of PVHS have always put an emphasis on making their cars personal to them and their personalities.

Driving up to campus, you can be certain there will be a variety of colorful VW Bugs, Jeeps, sports cars, and older collectable cars.

As this staple of PVHS trickles down from the oldest driving students on campus to the youngest, an assortment of show-stopping vehicles make their way through the PVHS entrance gates.

Junior Greta Norris has been driving her unique car for a year.

The car is a 1991 red Mazda Miata mx-5 and was purchased by her parents in 1997. Her timeless car has become a staple in her everyday life.

“My favorite thing [about my car] is probably that it’s cute and unique. It’s also manual, which makes driving more fun.

I also like that it’s a convertible, it’s really fun especially since Southern California’s weather is so nice,” Norris said.

Norris has grown to have a bond with her two door convertible and is proud to sport it around the streets of PV and

beyond. She credits this bond to the pandemic, which allowed for a surplus of time to drive around with no destination.

“I do like having a unique car, I can usually find it easily in a parking lot because it’s bright red. I get a lot of compliments on my car, and sometimes my friends want to learn how to drive manually,” Norris said.

Senior Maya Whitcomb can credit her dad for bringing her in contact with her beloved forest green truck. Her dark green 1999 Toyota Tacoma truck has been customized with orange and yellow racing stripes and its name is Godzilla.

“I really like that it’s functional.

It’s pretty small for a truck, but it can fit skis, mountain bikes, or whatever else I’d need for an adventure,” Whitcomb said.

Whitcomb has had some eyebrow raising experiences with her older car, some of which she laughs about today.

“Despite the effort that went into fixing it, the clutch can sometimes still be sticky. A lot of times it doesn’t go into reverse, which means that I have to get creative in parking lots,” Whitcomb said.

Even though her beloved Godzilla has caused her some

Sea Kings’ Favorite Subjects

By Natalie Tholan reporter Sophomore Gigi Cole said that Md. Byrne was the teacher she enjoyed the most. “I made so many memories in that class with my friends, getting to make food, and even falling asleep in class and getting called on was a good memory too.”

(Photo courtesy of Gigi Cole)

(Photo by Lucia Ruiz)

(Photo courtesy of Ainsley Schmitz)

Junior Quentin Ruiz’s favorite subject is history. “Social Studies and history classes have been my favorite throughout high school because I’ve have really great teachers and they have made the materials really interesting,” Ruiz said.

“I think it is both the teacher making it fun and the subject but [my favorite class] is English,” sophomore Ainsley Schmitz said. Schmitz has a special talent of enjoying writing essays.

“My favorite subject at the moment is English because I love to write essays. When I get going I can go on forever,” Schmitz said.

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

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Car Connoisseurs of PV pose with their beloved wheels (Photos courtesy of Greta Norris and Maya Whitcomb

trouble, driving a unique car always has its perks.

“My favorite story is when I drove the truck during my license test. The lady administering the test was absolutely terrified because she didn’t know how to drive a standard. She seemed pretty surprised that I got us

back to the DMV in one piece and passed,” Whitcomb said.

Overall, the unique cars of PVHS highlighting the characters of students at the school have become a staple of the community. It’s been easy to see the rise of older, more “vintage” cars within the student

community for the past few years.

Just the same, the revving of sports car engines can be heard from miles away.

Either way students choose to go in terms of their rides to and from school, the unique cars of PVHS will always catch the eyes of passersby.

Add These to Your TBR (to be read) Pile

By Sydney Lyle social media editor An endless amount of books line every wall. Genre upon genre presented on all. Slightly overwhelming and often nerve inducing, the library seems all too confusing.

Reading can be cool, but you need the right tools. So, ask librarian Ashley Brockman, she knows all the rules.

The librarian is here to spark some reading motivation, so here are some recommendations that she thinks will help.

First on the list is the novel “More Happy than Not”. “Adam Silvera’s ‘More Happy than Not’ is about memory, depression, sacrifices made for the expectations of friends and the struggle to be more happy than not with one’s true self,” said Brockman.

This thoughtprovoking, young adult fiction novel follows a teenage boy in search

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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of happiness as he confronts issues regarding race, class, and sexuality. Featuring Angie Thomas, author of “The Hate You Give”, and now being adapted

by HBO, this novel is a must read.

Next, a recommendation from the Bestseller’s list presented by Maleha Innocent, a PVHS book club member. “‘Where the Crawdads Sing’ by Delia Owens depicts a beautiful story between the natural world and humanity while illustrating an immaculate coming of age story,” said Innocent.

This adult historical fiction novel describes an earlier time in precise detail and intrigues readers through an unexpected murder mystery.

Finally, to round off the list, a non-fiction recommendation. “‘What the Eyes Don’t See’

by Dr. Mona HannaAttisha is a must read,

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

chronicling her work to expose the Flint Water Crisis and our crucial need for environmental justice,” said Brockman.

As an immigrant, doctor, scientist, and mother, the author tells a compelling story about the importance of activism and the pursuit of justice while encouraging hope and determination in the face of uncertainty.

So, the exciting world of literature is limitless. There are endless possibilities to what range of topics to explore, but here are just a few fascinating options.

Follow us @pvhspoint!

APRIL 9, 2021

Tune Your Mood Every Playlist you Need

By Alexa Dox reporter Road Trip Road tripping is one of the best ways to spend quality time with your family and friends, exploring all types of sights. To have a successful journey, you must have a working vehicle, a full tank of gas, and, of course, an amazing road trip playlist.

Workout To truly get yourself motivated to exercise, you need to have a playlist that makes you excited to workout. Another upside to this is music can improve your workout performance.

Throwback There is nothing like singing Party in the USA by Miley Cyrus or Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield. Throwback playlists are essential for anytime because everyone knows them, and they are timeless.

Holiday The holiday season is many people’s favorite time of the year.

Having a playlist that gets you into the holiday spirit is another must-have. It is always nice to have background music while participating in the festivities.

Country Many people are ride-or-die country lovers. If you and your friends enjoy country music, the best place to listen is in the car where you can “roll the windows down and cruise”.

Sad Everyone has bad days and that is okay. Having a playlist to listen to whenever you are blue is helpful. After crying it out to sad songs, bouncing back is easier and better than ever.

Family-Friendly

(Graphic by Alexa Dox)

A clean playlist is also necessary. Whether you are hanging out with your parents or picking a younger sibling up from school, a family-friendly playlist will come in handy.

FEATURES

Cookies Determine Character What does your favorite Girl Scout cookie say about you?

By Alycen Kim centerspread editor March and April bring about cool spring breezes, frantic studying for AP tests, and of course, Girl Scout cookie season.

But, along with the delectable cookies comes debates over which Girl Scout cookie is the tastiest.

Certain people prefer certain cookies, and your choice of cookie might reveal a lot about your personality.

Thin Mints are dark chocolate dipped, mint flavored wafer cookies.

If your favorite cookie is the Thin Mint, then you are very organized and diligent.

You can be minty-sharp and cold sometimes, but you balance it out with your warm, chocolatey compassion. You always want things to go your way and you can command any room with your passion and intellect.

Samoas are crisp cookies filled with coconut flakes and caramel, with a drizzle of

dark chocolate on top. If your favorite cookie is a Samoa, you’re fun, witty, and wild.

The idea of looking or acting like everyone else bores you, and you show that through your extravagant style and bubbly personality.

Chocolate, coconut, and caramel- you’re a perfect blend of everything sweet and fun.

Trefoils are sweet shortbread cookies baked in the shape of the Girl Scout logo.

If your favorite cookie is the Trefoil, then you are probably very traditional and mature. You like to keep things simple and your favorite type of design style is minimalism.

You are known as the “mom” of your friend group and you probably drive a very practical, gas-efficient Toyota Prius.

Tagalongs are peanut butter patties dipped in milk chocolate.

If your favorite cookie is a Tagalong, then you are very easy going and adventurous.

You have many layers to your personality, just like your favorite cookie.

You enjoy many different hobbies, and you love stepping out of your comfort zone to meet new people or explore new places.

Loyalty is your best trait, and your favorite thing to do is to spend quality time and share a laugh with your closest group of friends.

Do-si-dos are crunchy peanut butter sandwich cookies.

If your favorite cookie is the Do-si-do, you’re a homebody at heart.

Like the cookie, you are sweet sandwiched in between more layers of sweetness.

In your friend group, you are known as the person who gives the best advice (and the best hugs).

Your idea of a fun night consists of Netflix, cozy blankets, and some popcorn.

Horticulture for the Health

By Lucia Ruiz features editor As the world becomes more and more technologically oriented, horticulture therapy brings us back to our roots.

Utilizing the mental health benefits of gardening is becoming more popular and may provide relief to many, including students.

Horticultural therapy has a long history of improving mental wellbeing. This practice is said to date back as far as 2000 BC in ancient Mesopotamia. Around 500 BC, ancient Persians created gardens specifically for soothing purposes. According to the American Horticultural Therapy Association, ancient Egyptian doctors prescribed walks in a garden to those with mental illness. It was even used in the Middle Ages on the grounds of a handful of monastery hospitals for the purpose of raising the spirits of unhappy patients. In 1879, the Asylum for Persons Deprived of Their Reason, now

APRIL 9, 2021

known as Friends Hospital, built the first greenhouse known to be used for therapy to help servicemen rehabilitate after World War I. “There is much research out there on the significant correlation between time spent in nature and overall health and stress reduction, among other things. So having plants in your surroundings may improve quality of life and mental wellbeing,” Science teacher Marie Kuhn said.

For example, a study published in the Journal of Physiological Anthropology about interactions with indoor plants found that results “suggest that active interaction with indoor plants can reduce physiological and psychological stress compared with mental work”. These effects are caused by “suppression of sympathetic nervous system activity and diastolic blood pressure and promotion of comfortable, soothed, and natural feelings.”

“Even just the act of caring for

and being responsible for another living organism can have great psychological benefits, especially when that organism is providing us with our own life necessity -oxygen,” Kuhn said.

The benefits go even deeper than mental health. A 2011 study published by SAGE Journals found that gardening after a stressful event improves Neuroendocrine and Affective Restoration. A stressful event, such as a test, is commonplace for students.

On the subject of tests, spending time caring for plants shows signs of improving memory. A study published by ResearchGate in 2019 showed that short-term gardening activity can improve memory by promoting blood vessel growth and neuronal survival.

Another benefit unrelated to mental health is the physical aspect of gardening. Moving around to get soil, repot, water and more is classified as light gardening. According to the Center of Disease Control, light

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Biology and Environmental Science teacher Marie Kuhn enjoys gardening and checking up on her succulents. (Photo courtesy of Marie Kuhn) gardening qualifies as exercise.

Along with these amazing mental and physical advantages, plants also have more obvious benefits.

“There is nothing like growing your own fresh food, and the

attention and problem-solving needed to help plants thrive is fun to figure out. I didn’t always have a green thumb, so it is a feeling of accomplishment to now be able to grow and maintain many plants,” Kuhn said.

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“THIS IS WRITTEN INT The Solution to Dehumanizing Language? Not Staying Silent.

By Sarah Liu editor-in-chief Since the surge in Asian hate incidents, the Chinese phrase “eating bitterness,” comes to mind.

Within the culture, Asians have long been taught by our elders to take the hits as they come, eating bitterness without complaining. There has never been so urgent a time as now to fight against this idea.

At the start of the Coronavirus pandemic, we saw the dehumanization of Asian Americans through rhetoric spewed by political reactionaries and on social media.

“It’s got all different names,” former president Donald Trump said. “Wuhan was catching on, Coronavirus, kung flu… Some people call it the Chinese flu, the China flu, they call it the China.”

A baseless Fox News article went viral claiming that COVID-19 was created in a Chinese laboratory. According to Facebook’s analytics, the story was shared over 1 million times.

Those were all words loaded with the intent to scapegoat and “other” the Chinese. Tragically, it has hurt other Asian ethnic populations who are wrongfully assumed to be Chinese.

But, this dehumanizing rhetoric is written into America’s DNA. Anti-Asian sentiment was in our bones when President Ulysses S. Grant signed the Page Act of 1875, believing that “very few” Asian women could possibly be brought to our shores to pursue any honorable occupations other than prostitution. And dehumanization still plagues us today, when Robert Aaron Long tells investigators that he wanted to “eliminate his temptation” by going on a killing spree at Asianowned massage parlors, at the cost of eight peoples’ lives, six of them being Asian women.

Words envelop us like the acridity we’ve had to choke down for centuries. It coats our tongues and colors our experiences. But, Asian Americans shouldn’t have to endure this unwanted bitterness any longer.

(Photo by Aidan Sun)

Stopping AAPI Hate Means Protecting Our Women.

By Aurora Khatibi Garrity news editor

The Atlanta Spa shooting on March 16, 2021, resulted in eight fatally shot, six of those being Asian women. Law enforcement reported this crime as “not racially motivated,” instead caused by “sexual addiction.” However, according to Stop Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) Hate, of the approximate 3,800 Asian American hate incidents reported over the past pandemic year, women make up 68% of these reports, men 29%. Asian women report hate incidents 2.3 times more than men, which suggests that Asian American women are more likely than men to experience racial and sexually motivated hate incidents.

The Atlanta Spa shooting is an important example of direct violence toward a group for race and gender, and is just one of many forms of hate directed at the Asian American community. The stereotype that Asian American women are “meek and subservient,” according to NBC News, creates the perception that “Asians and women and Asian women are easier targets.” The marginalization of women of color stems from factors including women’s gender roles, stereotypes of fragility and weakness, and white, among other races, male superiority. The intersection of race and gender cannot go overlooked as reports of racial and sexual hate crimes continue to increase against the young and elderly Asian American men and women.

How to be a Good Ally

Support

In the wake of the A pleas to #StopAA amplified by the A Point breaks down th Asian racism that has

Many Asian American owned businesses are struggling due to pandemic and racist reasons.

Buy groceries from Asian markets or order food from Asian American- owned businesses.

Promote Asian creators or small businesses on social media.

TO AMERICA’S DNA.” The History of Hyper-Fetishizing Asian Women

By Kaylie Harley opinion editor

(Photo by Aidan Sun) Since their first immigration to America in the 1850s, women of Asian descent have been horribly discriminated against through hypersexualization. “The US…passed the Page Act of 1875, which ultimately banned the importation of [all] Asian women, who were feared to be engaging in prostitution in the country,” Vox reporter Rachel Ramirez said. This Act was one of the first methods America used to perpetuate the idea of “White Sexual Imperialism,” or Asian women only existing for sexual relationships with their white “superiors”, but the idea was fully popularized during both the Philippine-American and Vietnam Wars.

Although this way of thinking should’ve lost traction after the wars ended, the “emergence of films and artwork after US-led wars in Asian countries is when the trope of the hypersexual but docile Asian woman really took hold,” film scholar Celine Shimizu said. This new racial fetish, commonly known as “Yellow Fever,” became normalized through films like Full Metal Jacket and plays such as Miss Saigon, and have painted AAPI women in a demeaning light ever since. The biggest stereotype has been titled “Dragon Lady and Lotus Flower,” where the lotus flower represents obedience and domestication, while the dragon lady signifies a seductive and non-normative deviant.

This need for white male domination over minorities still affects AAPI people today. “Nearly 3,800 hate incidents were reported…between March 19 last year and February 28 this year.

Women were targeted in a disproportionate share of those incidents, making up 68% of the reports while men made up 29%,” CNN reporter Harmeet Kaur said. Until American society breaks away from the normalcy of hyper-fetishization, AAPI women will continue to be treated as objects, and not people who deserve respect and recognition.

Is It Appreciation or Appropriation?

By Alycen Kim centerspread editor (Graphic

n Kim)

by Alyce

Atlanta spa shootings, APIHate have been AAPI community. The he long history of antis led us to this moment.

Educate

Read up on the history and present-day racism against Asians in the United States.

Educate yourself by watching documentaries or reading books written by Asian American and Pacific Islander authors. Donate money or sign petitions with your newfound knowledge.

When it comes to another culture’s traditions and culture, there is a fine line between appreciation and appropriation. As various Asian companies have entered mass media over the years, Western businesses have taken advantage of the unique elements of Asian culture, creating their own “spinoffs”.

Food and drink such as Taiwanese boba and traditional Chinese cuisine has been morphed into Caucasian-style takeout, with white business owners profiting from a culture that isn’t theirs. Some clothing brands have created variations of a traditional Chinese dress called the cheongsam, turning it into provocative tops or skin- baring dresses. White individuals can be seen wearing sexualized versions of the cheongsam or even Japanese kimonos on Halloween or as the latest fashion trend. Reducing these historically important and traditional garments into costumes and trends is not only flawed, but it is extremely disrespectful.

It is important to understand the difference between cultural appreciation and cultural appropriation. Cultural appropriation is picking out the “attractive” elements of a culture to sexualize, use, or profit off of. Studying an Asian language, visiting Asian countries, and listening to Asian stories are some of the many ways people can properly respect and appreciate Asian culture.

Listen

Check in on your Asian friends, family, or neighbors who may be struggling during these tumultuous times. Listen to their stories and offer your support.

Engage in difficult conversations with an open mind and ask important questions.

OPINION

Baby Dolls and Baseball Cards:

Why must our toys be divided by gender?

By Kaylie Harley opinion editor As a child, it was commonplace for me to drag my parents over to the toy section of any store and marvel at the items on display.

What escaped me, however, was the clearly divided rows painted either blue or pink.

In the blue rows, boys would be fighting over the newest Nerf gun or Lego set, while in the pink rows girls would be deciding between a new Barbie doll or Polly Pocket set.

This gendered divide of children’s toys is an unfortunate normalcy of American society, and it establishes gender stereotypes from a very early age.

In 2018, developmental psychologist Lauren Spinner created a study that compared the reactions of children who had only been exposed to stereotypical toys of their gender to children who were allowed to play with any toy regardless of gender.

When shown a series of stereotypically male or female toys and asked who should play

with each one, the children with indiscriminate exposure to toys were more flexible in their answers.

Alternatively, the other set of children stayed rigid in girls using “girl” toys and boys using “boy” toys.

By separating children by the types of toys they are allowed to play with, a separation between who you can play with is also created.

There is constant debate on whether women and men can be friends without gendered differences getting in the way, but the few question how this separation begins.

Children form bonds with others they relate to and can play with, so telling them which toys they are allowed to use directly prevents them from befriending those that are “different” from them.

If a girl isn’t allowed to play with trains and action figures, how could she be able to play with the boys in her grade?

If a boy playing with baby dolls and tea sets is seen as emasculating, what stops him from belittling the girls that love

them?

Judith Blackmore, a psychology professor at Purdue University, noticed in her study that “girls’ toys were associated with physical attractiveness, nurturing, and domestic skill, whereas boys’ toys were rated as violent, competitive, exciting, and somewhat dangerous.”

Not only does this encourage negative attributes such as unnecessary focus on appearance in women and aggression in men, it also marginalizes the skills a child learns during development.

“Traditionally masculine toys…encourage visual and spatial skills, while traditionally feminine toys encourage communication and social skills,” Spinner said.

“If children only play with one, then they are missing out on a whole host of skills.”

An argument might be made that the separation of children by gender has always existed, with the colors pink and blue as signifiers

being the headlining example.

After all, children are wrapped up in either pink or blue blankets after birth in the hospital to identify them by.

However, barely a century ago, the colors blue and pink had entirely different meanings.

In a publication called Earnshaw’s Infants’ Department from 1918, it said “the generally accepted rule is pink for the boys, and blue for the girls.

[Pink], being a more decided and stronger color, is more suitable for the boy, while blue, which is more delicate and dainty, is prettier for the girl.”

Thus, colors are unnecessarily gendered, but evidently interchangeable and irrelevant.

By creating toys that emphasize all necessary skills for a child’s development without relying solely on stereotypes to sell them, children will be given the tools to grow into wellrounded individuals.

Children should not be forced to define themselves by the gender that is written on their birth certificate, and especially not by toys colored pink or blue.

(Illustration by Alycen Kim)

Tasteless Trends

Food fads are lacking in flavor.

Stop Participating in Participation Awards Medals are losing their meaning.

By Ethan King reporter

By Mia Harley reporter Remember seeing rolled ice cream for the first time on Instagram, then being a little disappointed by how it actually tasted? Southern Californians are known for being a bit food trend crazy—willingly waiting in ridiculously long lines, or traveling at length just to post the latest dish on Instagram.

It’s understandable that chefs use interesting and whimsical spins on different dishes in order to catch the public’s attention.

However, it’s rare to see food trends that taste good enough to keep us coming back for more in the long term.

Restaurants like Black Tap, located in Downtown Disney, draw people in with their Crazy Milkshakes piled high with full size candy bars, clouds of cotton

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candy, or entire slices of cake.

Yes, the impressively decorated shakes look amazing and ready for posting on social media, but when you get down to actually drinking the milkshake, it’s just a milkshake. Additionally, each Crazy Shake ranges between $15-24, making it expensive and not worth a return trip.

Another food fad on the streets right now, is the fancy donut, loaded with breakfast cereal, crushed cookies or interesting glazes, fillings and toppings. But running sometime at $5 each, are they really worth it? Do they really taste that unique? Not really. At the end of the day it’s just a donut with a ton of sugary junk on top that gives you a headache.

With countless new food trends popping up all of the time, the few that last need to be adaptable to

(Illustration by Alycen Kim)

an ever changing market. Some trends aren’t all hype though, and actually become as common as pizza and burgers.

Acai bowls and boba teas were once trends, but have lasted due to their enjoyability and acceptable price points, not just their photo appeal. The urge to create a product that sells well on social media is understandable, but establishments shouldn’t neglect the actual taste and quality of the food.

It’s great to want to try something new and see what all the hype is about, but posting mediocre food on your Instagram or Snapchat story gives advertising to a company that cares more about initial sales than satisfied customers. Let’s be responsible and not perpetuate food fad mystique just for the sake of photo-ops.

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As a child, I played multiple sports, such as basketball, baseball, football, and swimming.

I was never the best at any of these sports, but I still collected a massive amount of participation trophies and medals; all of which were utterly meaningless to me.

The only awards that ever meant anything to me were the ones I truly earned.

Participation awards are awards given to kids, generally for sporting events, simply for being there.

The awards are given out so kids don’t feel bad for not being the best player on a team or winning an event, but they normally have the opposite effect.

Proponents of these types of awards say they help build self confidence and make it so kids understand that trying their best is good enough.

Unfortunately, in practice, this is not the case.

Oftentimes, children could not care less about earning participation awards because they understand how meaningless they are.

Not only did they do nothing to earn it, everyone else got one as

well.

Alternatively, receiving an award for an actual accomplishment is a great feeling.

Real awards encourage kids to work towards something while participation awards teach children to be complacent in mediocrity.

They send a potentially dangerous message that everyone is successful no matter what they do.

Kids should be rewarded for being the best because it pushes them to continue to work hard and improve.

For kids that did not earn the award, it teaches them that everything in life is not handed to you.

People could say that this is too harsh a lesson, but sheltering children doesn’t set them up for success.

If kids are raised with the idea that everything will be handed to them without putting in the effort, they will be in for a rude awakening later in life.

It’s better to learn this lesson when you are young instead of when you are an adult with a lot more pressure and problems to face.

APRIL 9, 2021

OPINION

A Letter from the Editors

Is Red Tide a true representation of PVHS? Red Tide has always been a hallmark of PVHS school spirit, from its overwhelming energy at rivalry matches to the impressively homogenous crowd of crimson t-shirts cheering on the bleachers.

Leading this pack are the Red Tide Presidents, a small group of students beholden with the responsibility of the crowd’s good time. Over the years, an increasingly disturbing pattern of tokenistic representation has made itself apparent. It was only four short years ago, in 2017, when we saw Nicole Halverson become the school’s first female Red Tide Captain -- a milestone more shameful than impressive for PVHS. Since then, it appears as if there is a perceived single spot for girls in the group. In a team that typically consists of four to seven Captains, it shouldn’t be hard to have an equal representation of the sexes in Red Tide. Past female members like Halverson, Morgan Pisanno, Annie Ruth, and Ife Ibraheem deserve more than to be used to meet this unspoken quota that can be summed up as the laziest form of female representation.

Arguments like “girls don’t apply” or “girls don’t want the position” are overly simplistic— men have dominated the position for so long, and girls are turned away from applying by the assumption that they won’t have a chance if they tried. In the end, Red Tide needs to distance itself from the student body’s perception of it, and focus on making the program appear and feel more welcoming for more

diverse groups to join.

It can be argued that, since men make up the majority at PVHS, Red Tide must be aptly fulfilling its job. However, such a flimsy argument can be easily compared to the successful pushes for on-screen diversity in the entertainment industry. While white people are the majority in the US, that fact does not make movies such as “Black Panther” or “Crazy Rich Asians” any less significant in the cultural zeitgeist, or diminish the impact they have on actors of color. By extension, the selection of Red Tide Captains has the power to influence our student body, and more specifically, influence the young women at PVHS. The lack of female representation doesn’t just affect the onlooking student body, it affects the dynamic of Red Tide as a group as well. As a Red Tide President Ife Ibraheem has said herself (see page 3), the lack of another female voice on the team creates an environment where girls not only feel pressure to make themselves heard, but are less comfortable standing up for themselves in uncomfortable situations.

If Red Tide is to continue as it has, we run the risk of sending the message that only a few girls are capable of contributing to spirit leadership, while we should be promoting the idea that all young women at PVHS have the potential and opportunity to contribute to this position just as much as the men of PVHS have.

While having one female Red Tide President may be the best

ASB can do in a given year, we fear that this practice will still sow seeds of doubt in young women’s heads that their position wasn’t deserved.

We’d be remiss not to mention the social status it appears one must attain in order to even be considered for Red Tide.

Interviews with administration and teachers make the process more objective, but including ASB Presidents in the decisionmaking room makes it easier for them to choose from their own.

By upholding this preconceived notion, many are overlooked or discouraged from applying, especially girls who have the energy and drive to be a Captain but feel as if they will be overlooked. If Red Tide isn’t inclusive, Red Tide does not represent PVHS. It represents the small fraction of our school that has always been in the spotlight. The spotlight needs to be shared if Red Tide truly is what unites PVHS. If we cannot commit to holding an equal gender ratio of Red Tide captains, at the very least, the process by which they are selected must be publicized more. Alternatively, the selection of Red Tide Captains should be democratized like ASB elections.

Everyone, from the amateur DJ in the front to the girl who’s frustrated by her lackluster row in the back of the bleachers, should have the chance to be a Red Tide Captain.

If the student body is what defines Red Tide, then we deserve a Red Tide that looks like us.

Drive-Through Attractions:

What will happen to them after Covid-19?

(Graphic by Frances Stott)

By Frances Stott reporter In the face of a global pandemic, many theaters and cinemas have closed. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you can’t still go and enjoy a movie out of the house, though.

Drive-in movies, a staple of the American entertainment industry since the 1950s, are a great way to get out while staying safe. However, according to the United Drive-in Theatre Owners Association, there are currently only 305 theater locations in the US. In 2014, there were 393 theater locations. The number of drive-in theaters has already been declining, and even with this short spike of business, there won’t be enough customers to keep them open.

Although schools are reopening and more people are getting vaccinated, COVID-19 will still be around for the considerable future. Drive-in theaters and attractions are fairly popular now, but I believe that as lockdowns are lifted, they

will lose their popularity. During lockdown, seeing as many regular attractions have had to close down, a lot of drive-through events have provided fun experiences. On Halloween last year, there were multiple drivethrough attractions for kids who couldn’t go trick-or-treating, and Christmas light displays were extremely popular.

These activities are all wonderful in the country’s current state, but they aren’t going to be able to stay open as the pandemic comes to an end and more people get vaccinated.

Especially when things start reopening, people will want to go to other places that they haven’t been able to go to for over a year. For now, drive-in theaters are a wonderful alternative to regular cinemas, because people can stay safe and have a fun time outside of their houses, but they won’t be able to keep the special quality of an experience mixed with safety when people no longer have to social distance.

This Filibuster is a Bust.

By CJ Haddad reporter

Disclaimer: This article is a work of satirical fiction. All names, quotes, events, and incidents are created and used in a purely fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual people or events is purely coincidental.

The Senate chamber is filled with most of its members on a D.C. evening. Bills have come out of committee, Senators are in the mood to speak to the dozen Americans who watch C-SPAN, and Senators Brown and Lex, whose desks are right next to one another, are deep in conversation.

“I’m telling you, it won’t work,” Senator Brown said.

“Maybe, but we worked hard on it. It has a 73% popularity rating. And 45% of Americans believe that demons exist. Even those guys are rooting for this bill to pass. We can’t just go back home and tell everyone that we didn’t try!” Senator Lex said.

Senator Brown looked at her friend, feeling a twinge of pity for his bill, which wasn’t likely to move to a final floor vote.

Senator Lex’s legislation, which she immediately cosponsored, had so many good ideas.

Economists loved it, local officials

APRIL 9, 2021

loved it, the people loved it—the only people who didn’t, however, were the minority party in the Senate—the Corporaticans Kochlicans.

Although Senators Brown and Lex’s party won the exact 50-seat majority in that year’s Senate election, they needed a supermajority of 60 seats to avoid that dreaded filibuster.

“I can’t stop you,” she said.

“Just don’t go into another impassioned speech about principle. You know that’s an extinct animal here.”

Senator Lex smiled, and rose out of his seat to call the attention of the presiding officer in the chamber.

“Mr. President.”

“The Senator from California,” the officer said.

“I rise to request unanimous consent to move the resolution to a final vote. But first, before an objection is leveled, I’d like to say a few words regarding my bill.”

“The Senator is recognized for two minutes.”

He cleared his throat, and began to speak; he knew his bill would be done away with a threat of the filibuster, but words still mattered. Most of the Senators were in the room today, and many focused on where he

stood.

“Mr. President, we have before us a bill with the most bipartisan support in our recent history— the Cotton Candy Resolution.

Boasting a 73 percent approval rating, it is clear that the large majority of the American people want this landmark legislation to pass. It provides funding for every single American to receive one whole bag of cotton candy each. While this amount of food will not satisfy anyone’s hunger for more than a solid forty seconds, this aid is needed for millions of people, but because there are not 60 super-majority votes for it, they will not get the help they need.

“Let me also take this time to speak of prior legislation that has failed due to the minority party’s threat of filibustering.

The “Golden Retriever as the National Dog Breed’’ Act. The establishment of February 15th as ‘Singles’ Recovery Day’. The forming of a national commission to #FreeBritney. This is why we must consider reforming or abandoning the filibuster.

“Sure, the opposite party having more freedom to pass bills without bipartisan support may seem like a dangerous idea.

An example that comes to mind

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(Graphic by Kaylie Harley) would be The Q Act, in which the far-right conspiracy group QAnon was given federal funding and a public access TV channel. So, with our mistakes in our recent memory, and with a mandate to preserve the future of the Senate for our children and theirs, we should consider that the

filibuster procedure was created a very long time ago, and poses obstacles to good legislation.

I mean, all due respect to the founders, but they had wooden teeth. Perhaps our time has progressed from then. So let’s talk. I yield the remainder of my time, Mr. President.”

PAGE 9

SPORTS First Pitch of the 2021 MLB Season

By Jonathan Liu reporter

As the 2020 MLB season comes to an end, with the hometown Los Angeles Dodgers winning in the 2020 World Series in six games against the Tampa Bay Rays in a year unlike any other the upcoming 2021 MLB season is set to be just as good with rising talent around the league and big offseason splashes giving franchises increasing chances to win the 2021 MLB Championship Having fans in the ballparks has been discussed for a while as teams are trying to get fans back into their home stadiums as last season no fans were allowed into all ballparks until the National League Championship Series and World Series in Arlington, Texas.

Fans at this year’s Spring Training have been in seats with required masks and distancing around the stadium.

As the Dodgers won the 2020 MLB Championship, franchises had some catching up to do during the Offseason’s trading season and free agency period to improve their rosters.

One of the considered OffSeason winners were the division rival San Diego Padres. The Padres got swept in a best of five series, three to zero in the Divisional Round of the NLCS playoffs.

The Padres made offseason moves such as signing infielders Jurickson Profar, Ha-Seong Kim, and brought in pitchers Yu Darvish and Blake Snell, who pitched in the World Series against the Dodgers.

These moves were to boost up their pitching rotation who has a young upcoming star in Chris Paddack to match up well with the Dodgers’ loaded hitting if they match up again in the playoffs.

“Another team that put themselves in a better position to make a playoff push was the New York Mets,” said freshman Chris Vasey.

The Mets acquired pitcher Taijuan Walker to a two year 20 million contract through free agency to improve their pitching rotation, which is in good hands as former two time Cy Young Winner Jacob Degrom is still on the roster and Noah Syndergaard returning from injury this season.

To upgrade their bats, they made a blockbuster trade, trading for Cleveland Indian multi time all-star shortstop Francisco Lindor. This move gave the Mets a solid star that can lead their offense to many wins during the regular season.

The Mets haven’t been to the playoffs for some years as their last appearance in the playoffs was in the year 2016.

The last franchise that made notable moves was the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers.

Their core players are all returning back such as Justin Turner, who returned on a two year 34 million dollar deal in free agency, along with Cody Bellinger, Mookie Betts, and the World Series MVP, Corey Seager.

The pitching rotation will get even better as Walker Buehler is getting more experience, Clayton Kershaw is back, and David Price acquired in the Mookie Betts trade from 2020 is returning after opting out of the 2020 Season due to Covid-19 concerns.

One of the biggest moves of the offseason was the signing of the reigning 2020 Cy Young

NBA Enters the Crypto Craze with NBA Top Shot

By Sarah Liu editor-in-chief

Whether it’s floppy disks, fax machines or landlines, new technology consistently has eradicated old machinery in exchange for an option that’s faster, shinier, and just plain better.

But, it’s beginning to seem like the days of collecting binder upon binder filled with trading cards is behind us, as the National Basketball Association made its foray into the crypto-collectible market.

Sold entirely online, NBA fans and collectors can purchase “Packs,” much like trading cards, that are filled with select “Moments,” or videos of the play. In the Top Shot equivalent of a trading card, buyers also have access to relevant statistics. There are different levels of rarity that distinguish these purchases: Common, Rare and Legendary.

Packs and singular moments can start at relatively affordable prices in the single digits, but, depending on the rarity of the Moment or Pack, it can start to get pricy. A Moment of Lebron James dunking a ball during the 2019-2020 season went for $208,000 in February this year.

But, what is the technology that

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justifies the cost of these Packs and Moments? NBA Top Shot utilizes NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, which as of late, have been having a moment in the spotlight among artists and techsavvy entrepreneurs looking to

a three-pointer made by James Harden with the lowest asking price of $69,999 only belongs to two collectors. If you were to buy the Moment, only one other copy would be left to purchase, and because of the secure blockchain technology NFTs require for authenticity, it would be virtually impossible to reproduce. As young players advance in the league or

Winner, Trevor Bauer.

He signed with the club for three years for 102 million. His decision was very anticipated as he had fans on their seats waiting for him to announce his decision as he had a vast majority of fans wanting him on their team.

As the new year is upon us, some star players that have a chance to really breakthrough into superstar players are Walker Buehler of the Dodgers and Fernando Tatis Jr of the Padres.

I predict that Fernando Tatis Jr will win the NL MVP Award and

Jacob Degrom of the New York Mets for the NL Cy Young Award.

The AL MVP could go many different ways, but I see it going to Mike Trout of the LA Angels, and Gerrit Cole of the New York Yankees winning the AL Cy Young.

As the players are getting back into playing form for a lengthy 162 game regular season and playoffs, the Los Angeles Dodgers are the title favorites to repeat, but in the MLB, anything can happen.

(Illustration by Emily Typrowicz)

Top 3 March Madness Moments

(Graphic by Sarah Liu)

By Jonathan Liu reporter

find new ways to make money.

“A non-fungible token is the digital equivalent of the art world’s certificate of authenticity—it’s essentially a way of proving ownership of a digital piece of artwork or property,” senior Richard Criley explained. “Although anyone can own a print of the Mona Lisa, only one person can own the original. The same principle applies for NFTs—anyone can own a copy of [file], but only one person possesses ownership of the original image.”

NBA Top Shot is no different.

On the website, the listing for a certain Pack or Moment will tell you how many copies exist out in the digital world. For instance,

(Graphic by Sarah Liu) veterans enter the G.O.A.T. conversation, it’s expected that the value of these Moments rises with the players’ star power.

“I do believe NFTs are a clever way of proving and maintaining ownership in a world that’s quickly becoming more and more digital, where ownership could become more and more unclear,” Criley said. “Purchasing or collecting NFTs is just the next step in art collecting. Although a Picasso drawing doesn’t have any intrinsic value outside of its utility as a piece of paper, investors still value it because of what it is. I think the same will apply for NFTs.”

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After a one year break off of the March Madness, a yearly College Basketball tradition, the 2021 tournament did not disappoint.

There were many interesting moments but the top three moments were the multiple first round upsets by smaller schools, UCLA’s Cinderella run, and Gonzagas’ Jalen Sugg’s HalfCourt game winner in the Final Four.

There were multiple first round upsets in the tournament, but the one that busted most brackets was the 15 seed Oral Roberts upsetting the 2 seed Ohio State University. Led by Kevin Obanor and Max Abmas, Oral Roberts won 75-72 as they finished the tournament losing in the SweetSixteen to Arkansas. UCLA was in the same situation as Oral Roberts as they were in the first

four games as the 11 seed, led

by Jaime Jaquez Jr and Johnny Juzang.

Juzang averaged around 23 points per game while Jaquez scored 15 a game leading UCLA to victories against second seed Alabama, and first seed Michigan to punch a ticket in the Final Four. As the Bruins were in the Final Four, they played undefeated Gonzaga led by future NBA lottery pick Jalen Suggs. WIth three seconds left, Juzang down 90-88 shot and missed with six seconds, but then got his own miss and layed it in with three seconds. With three seconds, Suggs quickly got the ball raced across half court and shot a half court for the win propelling Gonzaga to a 93-90 victory for a spot in the championship game.

Gonzaga unfortunately could not complete their undefeated season as Baylor blew them out from the start 86-70.

APRIL 9, 2021

Sea Kings Get Excited as Hockey Season Begins

By Mallory Meyer reporter It has been a struggle for the NHL organization to get back to somewhat of a normal season.

The league has made a lot of changes and sacrifices in order to hold games.

“I believe by following policies, the season will be able to run more smoothly and possibly transition to having less restrictions,” sophomore Bowen Moravek said.

As the season goes on, teams will continue to follow protocols and guidelines.

To ensure the safety of the players, the NHL has even adjusted some of the rules on the ice.

The league announced all teams will only play divisional opponents for the regular season. With the NHL playing interdivisional, minimizing travel can help to reduce costs and also potentially stop the spread of the

virus.

“I think it’s beneficial to have the divisions because it creates a playoff-like atmosphere where teams are playing their rivals almost every game,” junior Aiden Chominsky said.

The hope is for all teams to play in their own arenas, but other divisions are having trouble with flying in and out of different cities. If the government and NHL can’t come to an agreement, teams could possibly wait and continue their season in the summer.

“With some divisions not having the ability to travel could potentially make the next season harder for them because of the limited games played,” Moravek said.

The NHL is not going to have a policy for how many fans will be allowed in the arena. Instead, they will leave it to governmental guidance on the way they want to approach this.

“I think there should be fans but

limited amount seated per game which is already the case in some states,” Chominsky said.

“It’s just so weird watching games with no fan reactions and an arena full of empty seats.”

There has been discussion of private companies distributing the vaccine to players, coaches and other staff. This would allow an increase in travel, creating more games and opportunities for players.

Though it will be up to the player and the league can only encourage teams to get vaccinated.

“Each player has complete control over their decision on whether they get the vaccine or not, but it would definitely help to progress into a season with less limitations,” said Moravek.

Towards the end of the season, the top four division winners will advance to the semifinals. From there, the top two teams will continue on to reveal the winner of the Stanley Cup.

SPORTS Ranking LA’s Mascots

By Sierra Namvari photo editor

#1 Bailey- L.A. Kings Team Colors: Black, Silver and Whiterepresents ice they play on.

Fun Facts: - Named after former member “Ace” Bailey who passed during 9/11 attacks

#2 Traveler - USC Team Colors: Cardinal and Goldstriking colors Fun facts: - Traveler is a live horse who is accompanied by a Trojan on his back

A Short but Sweet Season

#3 Joe Bruin - UCLA Team Colors: Blue and Goldfun and energetic but not a competitive look Fun facts: - Alongside Joe Bruin is a girl, Josephine Bruin.

#4 Rampage- L.A. Rams

Team Colors: Blue and Gold- a common combination amongst sports teams Fun facts: - Rampage is known for being friendly and childish in the stadium.

#5 Sparky- L.A. Sparks

By Andrew Carpenter reporter This past year life has been dramatically changed by COVID-19. Fall and winter athletes were originally told they would not have a season. As cases dropped, these athletes were given a chance to hold a shortened season.

State health officials guidelines allow counties with a COVID-19 infection rate of 14 or less per 100,000 to resume all outdoor sports including high contact sports. As of Friday February 26, LA county opened up because the Covid infection rate was below 14 per 100,000.

High school sports need to abide by both California Department of Public Health and CIF guidelines.

APRIL 9, 2021

Team Colors: Gold and Purplesimilar to the L.A. Lakers Fun facts: - Sparky is a dog dressed up in the Sparks uniform

(Photo courtesy of Michael Baumann) On March 5 CIF allowed all outdoor sports to resume. For some sports such as Water Polo and Football, weekly COVID tests need to be taken when the case rate of the county they take place in is between 7 and 14 per 100,000. ”Our season started on Saturday, February 27 with a scrimmage against Harvard Westlake but our first official game was a win against Los Alamitos on March 2. We had a total of 10 games and our last game was on March 20,” said junior water polo player, Tristan Wattson.

“We are currently in our preseason and the official season starts on April 6. During our preseason we still have some scrimmages though,” said junior

Girls’ soccer player, Elizabeth Manth.

Junior and football player Ken Knapp said, “Football only plays games once a week, varsity on friday and jv on saturday. So far we have played Corona Del Mar and Santa Monica. Our season will last until mid April.”

Student athletes went above and beyond during Covid to keep playing by any means necessary.

“During the lockdown when our team did not have access to a pool, we made homemade water polo goals and put them in the ocean to play water polo,” Wattson said.

Everyone was really grateful to have an opportunity to play after all of the hard work that was put in.

PVHSPOINT.ORG

#6 Boltman- L.A. Chargers Team Colors: Blue and Goldclassic color combo and doesn’t scream fierce Fun facts: - He is not an official team mascot but a fan.

#7 Cozmo- L.A. Galaxy Team Colors: Navy and Golddo not match space themed Fun facts: - After becoming the mascot of the L.A. Galaxy, they won four MLS Cups!

PAGE 11

NEWS

Legislation “For the People” House Democrats Pass Landmark Voting Rights Bill

By Aidan Sun news editor On March 3, House Democrats passed sweeping legislation to fight Republican efforts to restrict voting access in almost every state. The bill, which passed strictly along party lines, aims, when put simply, to expand access to voting, ban partisan redistricting, end certain campaign finance practices and increase election security.

HR 1 or the “For the People Act,” as some have referred to it, has been pushed urgently by progressives after Republican state legislators across the country have introduced at least 253 state bills in 43 states so far this year with provisions designed to limit access to voting and increase the legislature’s ability to control elections.

These state bills, progressive groups and other watchdogs claim, will greatly suppress voting nationwide and threaten the integrity of election results. They also say that provisions have been specifically written to target forms of voting overwhelmingly popular among people of color and young people, the backbone of the Democratic party, in what some have called “modern Jim Crow.”

Absentee ballots, also referred to as mail-in ballots, have been a major target of Republican lawmakers who, by repeating unsubstantiated claims that

mailed ballots are prone to voter fraud, have written laws to ban or restrict access to these ballots which proved popular, especially among Democratic voters this past November due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Republican state lawmakers are also attempting to shorten early voting periods, specifically targeting early voting on Sundays, which Democrats argue targets Black voters who oftentimes vote after attending church on Sundays through “Souls to the Polls” programs.

Other bills include provisions to, among other things, increase voter I.D. requirements, close certain polling locations and shorten in-person voting hours on Election Day. In Georgia, Gov. Brian Kemp signed into law SB 202 on March 25 which has sparked an outcry among Democrats in recent weeks due to its accomplishment of the above Republican goals.

The bill also gave the Georgia state legislature, which is controlled by Republicans, more power over the State Board of Elections which, as progressive leaders claim, essentially allows the legislature to overturn the results of elections.

The bill also triggered backlash on social media for a provision banning food or water from being handed out to people waiting in voting lines. Major corporations including Coca-cola and Delta Airlines, which have

major business centers in the state, have publicly condemned SB 202. The MLB also made headlines on April 2 announcing it would be moving the MLB All-Star Game and Draft out of Atlanta in response to the bill.

Despite the threat of further boycotts and outrage from the public, Republican efforts in Georgia and in other states have continued. Efforts in statehouses nationwide to hamper voting comes on the cusp of former President Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election by spreading baseless and dangerous claims about election integrity and voter fraud.

Capitalizing on increased anger among Trump voters surrounding the 2020 election, Republicans hope they can disguise forms of voter suppression by framing them as a response to the “Big Lie” and aid in their fight to win back both houses of Congress in 2022 and help the 2024 Republican nominee, presumably Trump, beat President Joe Biden.

Democrats drafted HR 1 with these Republican efforts in mind. Included are a multitude of proposals designed to nix state restrictions on voting access and voting rights. The bill would mandate automatic voter registration to those who qualify, mandate same-day voter registration availability, expand online voter registration, restore voting rights to felons upon

completion of their sentence and establish criminal offenses for those who “corruptly hinder, interfere with, or prevent another person from registering to vote.”

Notably, the For the People Act would also make Election Day, the first Tuesday of November, a federal holiday.

Provisions to increase election security, increase transparency in campaign finance and install new ethics guidelines for federallyelected officials are also included in the bill.

Further alarming Democrats, reports have shown that Republicans can win back the House in 2022 through partisan gerrymandering alone increasing urgency among the party to pass legislation through HR 1 aimed at preventing this from occurring.

HR 1 hopes to prevent the partisan gerrymandering that could result in overwhelming Republican victories in 2022 by banning the practice, requiring states to appoint nonpartisan commissions to draw congressional districts.

In national polls done by Data for Progress, 67% of Americans said they support the bill including 56% of Republican voters. However, Republican lawmakers in Washington D.C. have mounted staunch and united opposition both to the For the People Act and any change to filibuster rules that might help in the passage of HR.1.

“This is clearly an effort by one

party to rewrite the rules of our political system, but even more immediately it would create an implementation nightmare ... that would drown state and local officials,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. said.

Reforming or abolishing the filibuster appears to be Democrats’ only hope of passing this piece of legislation as even the most moderate of Republican senators have voiced opposition to the bill. After the passage of SB 202, Democrats’ urgency to end current filibuster practices only increased.

Already, the White House and other Democratic leadership have called for filibuster reform to officially make the bill law by passing it through the Senate, there being referred to as S 1.

“The 253 other bills across 43 states that restrict voting access are a direct attack on our democracy,” tweeted Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash.

“Republicans are fighting for a new era of Jim Crow. The solution is clear: we have to abolish the filibuster and pass HR 1. now.”

However, as the bill enters debate in Senate committees and until Democratic leadership can unite the caucus in favor of filibuster changes, Senate Democrats face a looming stalemate over the For the People Act and other pieces of legislation key to accomplishing the Biden agenda.

Congress Aims to Prohibit LGBTQ+ Discrimination Through Bipartisan Equality Act

By Aurora Khatibi Garrity news editor On Feb. 25,, the House of Representatives voted to pass H.R.5, or the Equality Act, for the second time in American history, this time with a bipartisan vote of 224-206. The bill will prohibit discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation and gender identity within public domains, such as employment and housing.

If passed by the Senate, the act would amend civil rights laws, among them being the 1964 Civil Rights Act, in which there is no clear defined prohibition against sex, sexual orientation or gender identity discrimination.

The Equality Act was first introduced in 1974 and became

an important bill in the LGBTQ+ civil rights movement after the Stonewall riots of 1969, which is considered one of the most important events in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights in the US. In 1994, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) was created and passed through the Senate but did not advance through the House of Representatives, partly due to the concern that transgender Americans would not be protected.

In 2019, ENDA expanded into the current H.R.5 and passed through the House.

However it was not passed at the time by the then-Republican controlled Senate. The Trump Administration and congressional allies opposed the act over

concerns that religious liberty and freedoms would be threatened.

Audrey Munro, co-president of the Gay-Straight Alliance club at Palos Verdes High School, believes that the Equality Act would be beneficial for all, and that “giving rights to the LGBTQ+ community that every other American has does not mean you are taking away rights from any other group.”

The transfer of power to the Biden Administration and a Democratic majority in the Senate this past year may finally allow this bill to be passed.

“Every person should be treated with dignity and respect, and this bill represents a critical step toward ensuring that America lives up to our foundational values of equality and freedom for all,” President Biden said in a statement on the Equality Act. “No one should

ever face discrimination or live in fear because of who they are or whom they love.”

For years, individuals who are a part of the LGBTQ+ community have reported being denied access to public or shared facilities, and, according to the bill’s proponents, it will allow the Department of Justice to “intervene in equal protection actions in federal court on the account of sexual orientation and gender identity.”

Currently, 29 states do not outlaw anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination and the Equality Act would help to decrease and diminish this number.

According to the Human Rights Campaign, “civil rights laws are effective in decreasing discrimination because they provide strong federal

remedies targeted to specific vulnerable groups. By explicitly including sexual orientation and gender identity in these fundamental laws, LGBTQ people will finally be afforded the exact same protections as other covered characteristics under federal law.”

The Equality Act has amassed broad support from Democrats, Republicans and Independents and is endorsed by more than 630 organizations.

“I definitely think there has been change this year, especially in the younger generations as well,” said Munro. “I think with social media everyone can voice their opinions and more people are supportive, and hopefully we can continue to grow support for the LGBTQ+ community.”

(Graphic by Aidan Sun)