The Pen by The Pen Newspaper

PEN

the

Palos Verdes Peninsula High School

“

www.pvphsnews.com Vol. XXXIV Issue 1 September 6, 2013

What parts are still

PRIVATE? ” special report on page 6

Home Turf

Advantage

Peninsula hopes to exchange the old grass field for a new artificial turf field to benefit both school and community athletes

JANE ROSCHEN/THE PEN

NEWS

By SONIA DESAIDEMLE and AMANI JALOTA

In June, the Palos Verdes Peninsula Community Turf Project began to seek the school board’s approval to raise funds for a new artificial field to replace the old and worn out athletic field. The school board approved fundraising for the project in July and the project was started in August. “The need for a new turf field is evident... by the time lacrosse season starts, the field is mostly dirt and basically unplayable,” co-chairman of the project Glenn Burr said. “[This project will provide us with] a state-of-the-art facility which will bring us up-to-date with our other Bay League rivals. The turf field will allow year-round play for all sports, as we currently need to take the field out of service for the summer so it can be reseeded

Varsity football player Beau Onouye believes that an artificial field will be advantageous to athletes. “I know that turf is easier to control. On our old field, there are some dirt patches and small holes that could throw off our footing,” Onouye said. “In the long run, turf could actually save money by not using water and not having to [be] refurbish[ed]...every year.” Fundraising is the next vital step in replacing the old field. “The project will be funded 100 percent through private donations. No PVPUSD money will be coming out of the classroom for the project,” Burr said. “This project will only get done if our parents and community supports this.”

for the next school year.” From August 2013 to March 2014, the project aims to raise funds for the estimated $1.2 to $1.4 million cost for the field. The yearlong process will serve not only the football team, but also boys’ and girls’ soccer, boys’ and girls’ lacrosse, track and field, and youth sports programs as well. However, artificial turf does have some disadvantages such as overheating on hot days, possible health hazards and the unlikelihood of grass being able to re-grow once the turf is installed. Still, Peninsula is one of the last schools in the Bay League that still uses a natural field. Artificial turf’s benefits include its durability and the little maintenance it requires. Junior and

JENNIFER LEE/THE PEN

Teachers gathered at the Sept. 10 board of education meeting. They hoped to encourage positve changes in the district.

PVFA confronts Board of Education By MINA ZHANG

“It’s difficult for us to make a presentation to the Members of the Palos Verdes Faculty Association, unions when we really don’t know what our revenue or PVFA, gathered in a full room Sept. 10 to make is going to be. [The state] doesn’t know and [in the their grievances known to the PVPUSD Board of past years] we haven’t known what it is until after it Education. Some complaints that were addressed has happened,” Larry Vanden Bos, President of the included the accusation that the board was keeping Board, said during the budget section of the meeting. money from students and denying teachers fair “[However], in my six years on the board, this is the salaries. Teachers claimed they are left to personally first time we have had more money. absorb increasing healthcare We want to figure out how to costs and must deal with a lack of upward movement “There is a tremendous disconnect spend it in the most rational way to start to address a lot in their salaries, increased between what of the issues that have been class sizes and the general [the board] thinks is going on and brought up tonight.” indifference of the board. As of Sept. 18, the district The faculty emphasized what the teachers are feeling. ” has agreed to a calendar of that the best way to resolve Bruce Colin 185 teacher workdays, a five many of the problems is by percent increase to benefits, a working with the district in five-dollar increase in the extra a meaningful way. duty rate and an increase in the overnight duty rate “There is a tremendous disconnect between to $175. However the district is waiting until the what [the board] thinks is going on and what the December budget report to adjust PVFA salaries. teachers are feeling,” Bruce Colin, English 3H and AP “It’s been a slow process over several years,” Literature teacher, said. English teacher Kristian Engle said. “I’m hoping to Teachers also urged the district to rethink where quickly see change to restore faith in the district and it is putting its money. Many members of the board to improve the quality of education.” are supportive of the teachers’ plight.

English classes turn to Turnitin By JOVEN DU Students and teachers at Peninsula now have access to Turnitin.com, an Online program that allows students to submit and revise writing and allows teachers to provide feedback to students. The program presents teachers with the opportunity to evaluate student work throughout the writing process by adding comments as they read through their students’ assignments. The primary purpose of Turnitin is to prevent plagiarism. The website contains a database of student essays from across the nation. If a paper has an oddly high percentage of phrases in common with another paper, teachers can check if the student has plagiarized from another essay. In addition, college admission boards also use Turnitin to archive admissions, check admission material and compare applications. This rigor of checking will ensure that students write with integrity. “[Turnitin] helps students encounter situations at the college level,” English teacher Maria McCloud said. Although Turnitin was introduced to Peninsula two years ago as a trial, the full version includes several features not previously available. Most notably, anonymous peer reviews of submitted assignments and a forum for students to answer discussion questions posted by the teacher are now available. Another addition to the program, Quickmark, helps teachers with the grading process. “Quickmark allows me to grade quickly,” McCloud said. “I can put in more comments to respond to students’ writing.” McCloud notes that the program is beneficial for both teachers and students. Teachers can spot plagiarizers, provide insightful feedback while expediting the grading process and informing students of how to write correctly.

Without the means, there will definitely be an end

OPINION

District reserves for transportation, equipment and coaches dwindle

By JINA KIM Funding for clubs and extracurricular activities has been decreasing so much that some of these programs may be canceled. As a result, the budget has ultimately become a heavy burden on the small number of students and parents who provide the needed financial support. According to a survey conducted of the student body, almost eighty percent of the students polled are involved in at least one extracurricular activity, but less than a third are helping to support those activities. Most of the activities require a larger funding pool to avoid cuts. According to an email sent out by Principal Mitzi Cress, donations are needed now more than ever to fill the empty reserve and offset the budget reduction of $50,000 by the district—this means that every single student who has the financial means to provide for his or her activities must decide if the programs are worth saving. The suggested donation amounts rise as the number of people in the program grows; a select few cannot pay for the

80 70

costs of everyone involved in the activity. Speech and Debate, one of the largest activities on campus, involves high costs for various competitions throughout the year. “Everyone uses the resources that Speech and Debate has because the coach comes and coaches for everyone,” junior Patrick Schluper said. “We all need to pitch in to pay because if you don’t, you’re just cheating everyone else [and] getting the benefits [of the club while] not contributing your share.” Because these donations are completely optional and confidential, the students who pay the dues of the activities they participate in are impossible to differentiate from those who do not. These indifferent students run a risk of jeopardizing the program while decreasing the funds. Model United Nations is also facing a cut, as it is $6,286 in the red. Despite the 140 student participants and consistent emphasis of the need for financial support, many members have not responded with the vital donations. “A financial concern is

clearly evident and we are trying to do our best to resolve our funding issues,” Model UN adviser Jim Dimitriou said. “Model UN is a program that requires great expenses to keep our keen competitive schedule. Without the support of our parents and the fundraising of our students, this would not be possible.” The reality stands that without financing, school programs have no way to sustain themselves. “I will now be monitoring each activity closely,” Cress said. “If we do not meet the level to pay our bills, then I will make cuts mid-year. My hope is that I do not have to cut programs, but I cannot let our accounts go into the red.” It is now up to the participants to use their judgment to decide if they truly lack the means to provide any financial support for the budget.

Dark red represents students that have paid donations in full. Light red represents the total number of students surveyed.

53 28

10 0

Freshman

Sophomore

MODEL UNITED NATIONS -$6,286.11

*survey of 245 students

50 40

FOOTBALL -$16,135.43

Junior

Senior

MARCHING BAND/ COLORGUARD -$5,757.81

SPEECH & DEBATE -$5,134.24 JAZZ BAND -$4,265 5

PALOS VERDES PENINSULA HIGH SCHOOL 27118 Silver Spur Road, Rolling Hills Estates, CA 90274 EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Izma Shabbir Stephanie Minn COPY/DESIGN EDITOR Sunnie Kim MANAGING EDITOR Zohair Lalani NEWS EDITORS: Mina Zhang Tunika Onnekikami WRITERS: Amani Jalota Joven Du Sarah Memon Sonia Desaidemle OPINION EDITORS: Caroline Park Uswah Shabbir WRITERS: Jina Kim Prashila Amatya Robert Broadbelt Sama Shah FOCUS EDITORS: Lauren Lee Soolgi Hong WRITERS: Esther Chu Marine Fujisawa Valeria Park STUDENT LIFE EDITORS: Fatima Siddiqui Florencia Park WRITERS: Elizabeth Darling Jasmine Kim Jordan Karpin SPORTS EDITORS: Amy Valukonis Noah Werksman WRITERS: Chris Kong Danielle Castaneda Sam Shafiee GRAPHICS Angela Song Jackie Uy Juliette Struye Justin Boisvert Yasmine Kahsai Kayla Cabral BUSINESS & ADVERTISING Liliana Pond ADVISER Katherine Crowley “The Pen” is the student newspaper produced by the advanced journalism students of Palos Verdes Peninsula High School. It is published eight times per year. Advertising inquiries may be directed to Advertising Manager Liliana Pond at (310) 377- 4888 ext. 652. The Pen editors appreciate Letters to the Editors, which may be accepted up to one week before publication. You may submit them to H52 or Katherine Crowley’s mailbox. Copyright © 2013

Front page illustration drawn by Justin Boisvert.

“Syrians want the United States to intervene... the only thing that could possibly save them is the United States army.” --Hassan Twiet

Syria grows worse as Obama fails to take critical action By SAMA SHAH For many, the thought of living a sea apart from families is a saddening one. Syrian computer science and engineering teacher Hassan Twiet has family members living in Syria, a war-torn country with a tyrant as a leader. Upon learning of the intense brutality occurring, President Obama should have intervened and facilitated Syria’s progression from a dictatorship to a democracy. Both Secretary of State John Kerry and President Obama have accused the Assad regime of employing chemical weapons to massacre 1,429 civilians, in addition to the 110,000 other people already killed due to his regime. “There is no doubt that Assad used chemical weapons,” Twiet said. “No one else [in Syria] has the capability of launching a chemical attack on five cities at 3 a.m. and killing over 1,000 people in less than two hours.” Obama pushed for a military strike on Syria to punish Assad’s alleged use of chemical weapons. However, instead of directly authorizing a military strike, he asked Congress to vote on a possible strike on Syria. This is a poor decision,

Editorial

By EDITORIAL STAFF

As a generation, according to the Elite Daily newspaper, we are plagued with the constant need for approval. Absolutely desperate for attention, our generation solves this hunger by turning to social media. Facebook holds 1.15 billion users captive, with Twitter and Instagram following at a startling 500 million and 150 million users. According to the San Francisco Bay Area newspaper, 22 percent of surveyed teens check their social media sites more than ten times a

for Congress is hesitant to approve of any Middle Eastern involvement. After the costly wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, international wars lack support from American citizens and government officials. Although aiding Syria may prove costly, as an international power, the U.S. has a duty to ensure the safety of the international community. “Syrians want the U.S. to intervene because, [in Syria], it is the government against the people and the only thing that could possibly save them is the United States army,” Twiet said. However, the use of weapons of mass destruction is forbidden in warfare by the 1925 Geneva Protocol for the Prohibition of the Use of Asphyxiating, Poisoning or Other Gases, and Bacteriological Methods of Warfare. Affecting people in all parts of the world, Twiet recently learned that seven members of his extended family passed away in Syria due to Assad’s crimes against humanity. “My hopes for Syria are to stop the killings and to have a government run by the people, for the people,” Twiet said. “We need to turn it from a dictatorship to a democracy because, for forty years, this regime has lived on killing its people.”

day. This obsession results in a dangerous reliance on immediate approval from others, through liked Facebook pictures of photoshoots, new followers on Twitter and comments dripping with obnoxious flattery. After the fifteenth “save some pretty for the rest of us” comment, it becomes clear that social media users heavily rely on the incessant approval of our online friends. Research from the University of Michigan asserts that teens post online to feed their own egos; they found that narcissistic students tweeted more often. The real danger in this

= APPROXIMATELY 100,000 PEOPLE

500,000 ESTIMATED REFUGEES 1,200,000 DISPLACED SYRIANS 2,400,000 CITIZENS NEEDING AID

underlying desire is that as we increase our presences online in order to impress others, we deepen our digital footprint. Our presence online is infinite: every time one creates an account or follows a blog, The footprint deepens. These simple actions seem harmless, but they create a more complicated thread, one that becomes increasingly difficult to keep track of. Facebook users know of the embarrassment of five-yearold statuses resurfacing on their newsfeed. Invasion of privacy laws exist on all levels— federal, state and simple decency. Yet the lines of privacy are

far from black and white, especially when individuals place themselves and their activities within the public eye. What was once a burden simply on celebrities or politicians is now ours; in the online world, we are all subject to public scrutiny. Social networking plays an integral part of our lives, though the way we use it extends far beyond its original purpose of communication. Now, participation online is an expectation, if anything. Teenagers document their lives through posts— ultimately leaving a complex footprint to be accessed by anyone.

ADRIENNE SHEH/THE PEN COURTNEY GILBERTSON/MODEL

PRIVACY

A MORE CLOSELY CONNECTED WORLD JEOPARDIZES THE RIGHT TO PRIVACY

College Board sells student information By ESTHER CHU

A student opens up his mailbox and a pile of papers spills out. It’s the usual: ads, coupons and bills. But one envelope catches his eye. It’s a letter from his dream college. The thought of his number one choice reaching out to him excites him. But another thought hits him: How did that college find his home address? Registering addresses, high schools, phone numbers and other private information can pose as a risk for students. Consequently, the circulation of student information online is

know this and the law does not one of the main resources for sells students’ information for colleges and universities. The 33 cents to about 1,100 colleges protect the students’ privacy, even though it should. College Board and American and universities. Although privacy-related College Testing are two of the In an interview with issues arise, some students many nationwide associations Bloomberg, a professor of do not mind colleges sending that act as bridges from student economics Joel Reidenberg, them additional information information to schools. Seven said that the College Board and through their mail and find them million students associate with beneficial. College Board. “I signed up for College Board thinking “In some [students’] College Board states it’s a safe place to store my information.” perspectives, the mail that that it does not give Senior Irene Sun come to your house can open student information to test up your views and perspectives preparation companies, on different colleges so that you Furthermore, the organization ACT exploit their job as the are not focused on just one,” claims not to reveal student’s middleman between colleges sophomore Rebecca Jeon said. scores, social security or and students since they use that “Although we can view it in a telephone numbers. However, role to get students’ consent to positive point of view, I do not Bloomberg Newspaper sell their information. He also think College Board should reported that the College Board said that parents usually do not

make a profit by selling our information.” Because a majority of juniors and seniors at Peninsula High have registered an account to submit scores for college applications, students focused on the issue of selling personal information of minors, even though there are positive aspects to the practice. “I feel like I am entitled to know where my SAT scores, AP scores and information about myself goes to. I signed up for College Board thinking it’s a safe place to store my information,” senior Irene Sun said.

FOCUS

Student images tainted by social media By MARINE FUJISAWA Since the introduction of Instagram, Facebook and other social media outlets, sharing information has become effortless. Without considering ramifications, students post revealing photos of themselves, behavior that may affect a student’s image and reputation. “Teenagers go into it innocently enough, not understanding potential consequences of sharing so much personal information,” Safe School Counselor Christine Lopez said. “If [inappropriate behavior] came to the school’s attention, myself or the other counselors can have a discussion with that student about how to carry ourselves and how that situation happened.” Not only is the school’s

faculty aware of inappropriate online behavior, but college administrators also examine potential applicants’ social media activity. A 2011 Kaplan survey concluded that 12 percent of college admissions officers checked applicants’ online activity by “Googling” the student and looking on his or her Facebook page. By 2012, another Kaplan survey reported, the numbers of admission officers checking applicant’s digital footprint grew to 27 percent. Out of those officers, 35 percent said that checking Google or Facebook negatively affected the applicant-review process. “I have seen inappropriate pictures before, and it can affect

people’s futures,” junior Delaney Kaufman said. “People just do not want to believe that.” More college administrators, are beginning to look through applicants’ social profiles. Consequently, some college counselors even warn their clients to be wary of posting slightly inappropriate posts. According to college counselor, Dennis Hughner, students should remember that many people see what is posted online. “Image is a very important commodity,” Hughner said. “When you build a positive image to your peers and potential employers and other people, the better off you’ll be in the short run as well as the long run.”

27%

of college admission officers in 2012 checked applicants’ Facebook.

91%

of 12 to 17 year old American teenagers who post pictures of themselves online.

35%

Blurred lines: Can parents invade privacy? By ESTHER CHU A survey conducted by McAfee & Harris Interactive, shows that 44 percent of parents worry about their child’s online safety. Sixty percent of adults feel parents should have complete control over their child’s online activity. However, students and parents often have conflicting views of how privacy and protection should be handled. “My parents generally respect my privacy and only get involved with academic activities,” junior Lucas KimNarita said. “It would make me uncomfortable if I discovered

that my parents were constantly Wi-Fi also automatically turns rummaging through my room off at 11:30 at night.” and everything else in my life.” Some parents may take Some parents protect their further steps by installing GPS child’s safety through increased on their child’s cell phone to surveillance of his or her track his or her activity at all activities. times. “I feel For like it example, “I feel like it is an invasion of my privacy is an that is resulting from a lack of trust,” freshman invasion Simon Junior Blake Thomas of my Pyon has privacy the cellular that is resulting from a lack of GPS device, Ping, installed on trust,” junior Blake Thomas said. his phone. This tracking system “My parents have key loggers allows parents to send random on the computer and track the messages through their cell Internet activity. Our Internet phone, in which the child must

respond and disclose his or her location. “[My mother] insists its purpose is to keep me safe,” Pyon said. However, certain parents perceive the issue of privacy in an entirely different way. “When I think it is for safety, parents have the right [to look into their child’s privacy],” Cathy Tseng, mother of sophomore Koby Tseng said. “But to dwell into what they are doing on the Internet, who they are contacting and what they are up to is an invasion to their privacy.”

of college admission officers who check applicants’ online activity say they found something that negatively impacted the review.

Over the summer, Edward Snowden exposed PRISM, a clandestine spying program operated by National Security Agency (NSA) that collected data from the American people. The leaked information caused controversy amongst the international community.

JULY 2008 The beginning

George W. Bush confirms the legality of the confidential PRISM data mining program with the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Amendments Act; NSA had already been tracking millions of Americans’ phones.

2008

JULY 2012 Avoiding the law

In a private letter, the Director of the National Intelligence acknowledges NSA activities as “[circumventions of ] the spirit of the law.”

2012

JUNE 2012 Google and Facebook Both Google and Facebook begin secretly participating in NSA’s PRISM program; the two companies have given customer data to the government.

JULY 2013 The response President Obama addresses the public, “Nobody’s listening to your phone calls, that’s not what this program’s about... You can’t have 100 percent security and then also 100 percent privacy and zero inconvenience.”

JUNE 2013 Exposed

2013

Former NSA employee Edward Snowden leaks the details of PRISM to The Guardian and flees to Hong Kong. The Guardian exposes that PRISM has collected data on over millions of Verizon customers’ calls.

AUGUST 2013 Finding safety Snowden escapes to Russia. Russia had offered him a year of safety and later denied the United States’ request for extradition.

JULY 2013 Snowden talks From Hong Kong, Snowden explains his actions to South China Morning Post, “I am not here to hide from justice; I am here to reveal criminality.”

STUDENT LIFE

Atrocities in Syria felt on campus COURTESY OF OMAR GHREIWATI COURTESY OF OMAR GHREIWATI

COURTESY OF HASSAN TWIET

Omar Ghreiwati and Hassan Twiet share childhood experiences in Syria.(Top) Before coming to the U.S., Ghreiwati lived in the city of Damascus, where recently Syrian insurgents pressed an assault against the government. (Bottom Left) Twiet rode on his family’s horse named Spring (Rabbeha) back home in Syria.(Bottom Middle) Twiet spent time with his siblings as a young child before the family separation. (Bottom Right) Ghreiwati played with friends at his elementary school, Damascus Community School.

By VALERIA PARK As the crisis in Syria grows worse, senior Omar Ghreiwati lives in fear. He reads various headlines regarding chemical warfare. Ghreiwati grew up in Syria surrounded by family and friends until he was forced to flee the country at 16 years old. He “loved the country more than anywhere else in the world.” Although most of Ghreiwati’s friends have escaped Syria, some remain in the safer regions. These friends hear about the latest news but are able to hide from the Assad regime. Luckily, Ghreiwati does not have any family members located in Syria and is able to meet up with family in different countries during winter and summer break. “It’s scary because you never know what would happen to someone you

know,” Ghreiwati said. “My friend was taken in by the government and no one heard from him for two straight days. I was worried.” Physically leaving his native country was easy compared to the mental anguish he suffered. At an American school Ghreiwati was unfamiliar with the different system. He was worried about having a “fresh start” and having to make friends. “It was very tough to leave my country behind,” Ghreiwati said. “All my old friends are now in different countries and it has been years since I have been able to see them.” Ghreiwati uses the messenger app Whatsapp in order to contact his childhood friends and family. He also uses both Facebook and Skype to communicate.

Nowadays, since the Syrian government is monitoring every citizen’s move, it is rare for Syrians to escape the country. The Ghreiwatis feel “fortunate” to have been able to leave before the government started monitoring who was leaving and coming in. International aid agencies work to provide food and electricity to Syrians but food shortages are common and many families often do without. Everyone stays home out of the fear of the unknown. Most students do not even show up to schools anymore. Computer Science teacher Hassan Twiet was also born and raised in Syria until the age of 17. As a teenager Twiet fled the country and separated with his family for safety reasons. Since Twiet fled the

country, few of his family members have passed away. Twiet has been able to attend family reunions in order to communicate with his family members. “There are many people dying in Syria right now. That worries me every day,” Twiet said. The thought of both Twiet and Ghreiwati’s native country turning into a dangerous environment was never expected. This unfamiliar situation includes the violation of humanity and many deaths. “Humans have enough dignity to help one another. The beauty of the U.S. is that we stand for the right things,” Twiet said. The crisis has united Panthers such as Twiet and Ghreiwati as they reflect on the difficulties their families and friends currently face in Syria.

Garrett Thomas creates illume game app By JASMINE KIM

ANV

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E AMB

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/TH

HIO ECC

Each day, approximately 40 million applications are downloaded from the Apple Store. While these downloads take seconds for consumers, the amount of programming that goes into the creation of each app is enormous. Some students have dived into this world of coding to develop their own apps. One of those app creators is senior Garrett Thomas, a member of the PVPHS Apple Developer Club. During the summer, Thomas spent time creating a puzzle game called Illume. What started out as an idea he pitched in the club became a personal project he was determined to finish at home. After one month of planning, three months of development, and two months of testing and revision, Thomas’ app is almost ready to be put on the market. Thomas began the creation of his app by brainstorming a color-matching concept for his game. While he wanted something original, his idea also had to be possible to code. “When I saw the way the light was spilling out of my room into the dark hallway, coupled with the concept of colormatching, I had it,” Thomas said. “Everything was illuminated. It was really cool, and I thought, ‘that could be a game.’” According to Thomas, the process of making an app is a combination of code and resources. Resources can include images, fonts and levels that are used in the game. The code is what makes up the backbone of the game. “In Illume, the player must place a given

set of colored fires in such a way that the light they produce combines to make a certain color at all of the specified points, called targets,” Thomas said. “Obstacles complicate this procedure by casting shadows, thus blocking light. [However] when a target is matched, it sparkles; the level is completed once all the targets are sparkling at the same time.“ While Thomas was able to successfully construct Illume on his own, he admits learning the code took time. Using tutorials available on the Internet and the process of trial and error, he was able to teach himself the fundamentals of creating an app. After the majority of the coding was finished, Thomas gave prototypes of the app to a few of his peers, who experimented with the game. After much testing and revision, Illume should be available on the app store soon. However, it is still in the last stages of beta testing, and the release date for the app is yet to be decided. Beta testers agreed the game was a bit short with only thirty-six levels, so Thomas plans to make around sixty levels total. “It’s unique and incorporates real-world ideas into the game, like the properties of light, and it’s challenging enough so that it’s not boring,” senior beta-tester Stacey Dojiri said. “More levels [wouldn’t] hurt, although I don’t think the current version of the game lacks anything.” When the app is released, it will be free and available to iPhones 3GS and up. While Thomas will be able to put his app on the market, he hopes to gain a fan base and doesn’t want to initially charge for it. “I feel like Illume is more about getting my name out there than making money,” Thomas said. “I don’t figure many developers win big off their first title, so I plan to make the game easily accessible, so that in the future I can leverage a larger fan base for increased profit and notoriety.”

Marymount University and select AP courses collaborate By ELISABETH DARLING

For the first time, Marymount California University and Peninsula High will collaborate to offer students college credit for completing specific AP courses. The “High School Site Program” intends to build upon AP curriculum by requiring two additional meetings outside of the class and one additional assignment. On top of the $95 for the AP exam, students who partake in this program are required to pay an annual registration fee of $75 and $275 per unit. Most AP courses at Peninsula range from four to eight units. The program is not transferable to all schools, so this can be either less or more expensive depending on the student’s situation. Students must

also meet the course’s prerequisites and be enrolled in one or more approved AP courses. When signing up for classes freshman year of college, seniors get first priority at course registration, freshmen get last. Students may not get into their desired courses. Beginning with enough college credits to be considered

states that although he has not discussed the program with his students yet, he recommends the program to “help students with perfect GPA’s individualize themselves.” “The classes are not cheap, but then again, most colleges are not either,” Kim said. Students are able to enroll in college classes easily with the program. Sophomore

“The classes [offered by Marymount] are not cheap, but then again, most colleges are not either.” Christian Kim a sophomore, freshmen may be able to sign up with sophomores. Christian Kim, Calculus BC AP teacher,

Blake Pilger favors the accessibility. “I think the program would save me time and money in college so that I can get some

of my General Education out of the way in order to focus more on classes adhering to my major,” Pilger said. Some teachers oppose the idea of combining AP courses with the college curriculum. They argue that students would have to pay more, and AP teachers would have to collaborate with Marymount’s professors to create a heavier work load for students. “There’s a point at which you could take class on campus at a junior college for a better price,” AP Art History Teacher James Meade said. Marymount University has a 40-year history of transferring university credit, and encourages students to contact schools of choice to confirm that those schools accept transferred credit.

CROSSWORD by David Steinberg 1

45 51

53 56

ACROSS 1 Soft Dutch cheese 5 Football charge 10 With 22-Across, exam based on a particular area of study 13 “The Avengers” villain

33 35

21 23

10 15

14 Boat with paddles 15 Home of the Bruins 16 Opposed to, in the backwoods 17 Certain financial aid form 19 Hired promo worker

21 Dorothy’s dog 22 See 10-Across 26 Fuel efficiency abbr. 29 Rock star Brian 30 Delon of “The Leopard” 31 The Hunter constellation 33 “Yay me!” 34 Jazzy Fitzgerald 35 Sheets for a Peninsula advisor 41 Siberian city where Dostoyevsky was exiled 42 Manicure targets 43 “Later, dude!” 45 “Goosebumps” author R. L. ___ 46 Network with an eye logo 49 & 50 It helps pay your way to college 53 Italian farewell 54 Educate 55 Document with grades 61 Post-workout feeling, often 62 Make a salary 63 Skylit rooms

64 “The Avengers” hero 65 Physics B and Physics C, for two 66 Schindler with a list 67 Of sound mind DOWN 1 Pass, as time 2 Place for Fido to exercise 3 With arms like < > 4 Songstress Nicki 5 Invisibly forward an e-mail 6 Vegas leader? 7 Useful connections 8 iTunes list 9 Lousy test scores 10 Bio. or chem. 11 The whole shebang 12 ___ kwon do 15 Sci-fi vehicle, briefly 18 “The Simpsons” bus driver 20 Approaches 23 Board game with colorful characters? 24 Starbucks size 25 Attach with a rope 26 Cereal accompaniment

27 PVPHS ___ Vault 28 Irritating insect 32 What teachers write, for short 33 Light-blue Pac-Man ghost 35 ___ Nostra (crime group) 36 Foreboding sign 37 Like many textbooks 38 Train track half 39 ___ colada 40 Having pricked ears 44 Warts and all 45 Typical Palos Verdes attire 46 Lively Cuban dance 47 ___ frise (fluffy toy dog) 48 Ball-shaped solid 51 Chocolate tree 52 Theater assignments 53 MSNBC competitor 55 Earl Grey, for example 56 Drake’s genre 57 Letters before esses 58 Get on one’s nerves 59 Actress/singer Zadora 60 La Brea pit filler

JULIETTE STRUYE/THE PEN

SPORTS

Surfers hang on all tens again By DANIELLE CASTANEDA

Coach Brian Helmrich is bringing the surf team back. Last school year, the program was cut over the lack of participants, but this year, the first-year coach and 24-member squad are suiting up for a winter surf title. “We were the only public high school in the South Bay without a surf team” Coach Helmrich said. “I needed to change that.” In the program’s past, Peninsula surfers enrolled in South Bay’s B League, facing off against small, private schools like BishopMontegomery and Mary Star. Now, with a larger team and more experienced athletes, Helmrich will enlist his athletes in the A League. The team’s

QB Ian Escutia hands the football off to RB Ryan Augello in the first quarter of their game against North Torrance. Peninsula rolled to a 51-0 win.

top prospects will face off against Palos Verdes, Mira Costa, Redondo Union, West Torrance and South Torrance. The meets have co-ed long board and shortboard divisions for surfers of all skill sets. Between budget cuts and paltry financial donations, Helmrich is making the surf team a low-cost alternative. “I don’t want them to pay too much; I just want them to go out there during practice and have fun,” Helmrich said, “It’s much cheaper.” Since Sept. 10, Peninsula surf has been meeting on the shores of Rat Beach to practice between 6-7:30 a.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

“When the swells aren’t good we focus on other exercises such as stretching, beach running, strength exercises and paddling,” sophomore Alex Wright said. “When we are on our own, we swim laps and do dryland training.” Helmrich and his new athletes are looking forward to see new members join the team as the winter season approaches. As an avid surfer himself, Helmrich often accompanies his athletes out in the ocean waters. “I love surfing, swimming and the ocean. It’s an important part of my lifestyle,” Helmrich said. “I am a waterman.”

Sophomore Ryan Cortes is tossed from his board as he tries to catch the swell of the crashing wave. Peninsula surfers share Rat Beach surf with South Torrance and Palos Verdes.

Christensen trains football team for success By CHRIS KONG Peninsula’s 51-0 victory against North Torrance High School on Sept. 6 unveils a brand new story of conquest and domination. Just last year, the Panthers mourned a 42-3 loss against the very same opponent. New football head coach Michael Christensen, who came from Loyola in early May 2012, hopes to mount Panther football at the top of its game. “It is all about tempo and physicality for CHRISTOPHER MICHEL/THE PEN

Christensen,” senior captain and offensive guard Carlo Merola said. “He is teaching us how to think of the game, not just play it.” Under Christensen’s leadership, the football program has made tremendous strides. In early June, the Panthers were scourged with a brutal 0-4 record at the annual UCLA tournament. Later in the month, the Panthers played at Bonita High School and won one out of four games. The Panthers concluded their summer season at Pismo Beach, finishing with an unprecedented 7-0-1 record, losing a tough but close match in the finale. “We just keep Christensen’s motto close to heart,” varsity fullback and senior Garrett Nelson said. “If we believe in each other and trust in each other, we will always have what it takes to win.” To supercharge its development, the football program purchased new equipment just in time for the Bay League season. “I am going to spoil you guys,” Christensen said to his players. “I will give you everything you need to win.” Through fund-raising efforts like car washes and “list-a-thons,” Peninsula football athletes ordered newly designed black matte helmets and jerseys, purchased end zone cameras to station on the perimeter of the football field and replaced the grungy old locker room with a new facility floored with

soft turf. The new bins and racks inside the much larger locker room have the capacity to hold all of the new and old football equipment. The haul’s cheapest but most practical asset were the sets of timers Christensen decided to buy to keep athletes on tempo when practicing drills. The football team’s practice routine, consisting of timed repetitions and circular workout patterns, keeps the athletes moving on their feet. This sort of practice simulates real game situations, forcing players to quickly respond to pressure under the rush of the game clock. Three-year varsity player and senior quarterback Ian Escutia suits up alongside his running back Rory Hubbard- they, along with Merola, are this year’s team captains. At the game against North Torrance, the two athletes combined for a total of 231 yards, averaging a first down on every pass or rush. In the first play of the game, Hubbard returned the opening kickoff for an impressive 96-yard touchdown. “Coach [Christensen] predicted [Hubbard] would take it all the way,” Merola said. “And this all happened before we had even stepped out on the field.”

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