We must rekindle the Black Lives Matter movement.
PALOS VERDES PENINSULA HIGH SCHOOL www.pvphsnews.com
SPECIAL EDITION, PAGE 8-9
A FIGHT FOR OUR NATION Controversy over RBG’s Supreme Court seat threatens her legacy OPINION PAGE 4
VACCINE ON THE SCENE
Local research facility is chosen to conduct coronavirus vaccine trials NEWS PAGE 7
ALL REELED UP
Student athletes lack highlight reel film for recruitments SPORTS PAGE 15
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TABLE OF CONTENTS EDITORIAL 4 Activism is a Fight for Human Rights, Not Your New Social Media Trend - 4
OPINION 4-5 Rest in Power RBG: A Celebration of Her Life and the Controversy That Follows - 4 Hopin’ to Reopen - 5
NEWS 6-7 HELEN HUANG / THE PEN
Firefighters Fight Fires During COVID - 6 Off the Grid - 7 PV(ACCINE) - 7
SPECIAL EDITION 8-9 Faculty Addresses White Privilege - 8 Black Lives Matter Rewind: This is What You Missed - 9
FOCUS 10-11 Starting the Year With Sunada - 10 New Year, New Staff - 11
STUDENT LIFE 12-13 A Chef’s Pride - 12 Biomedigirls: Closing the Gender Gap in STEM Research - 13
ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT 14 Mulan: A Double-Edged Sword? - 14
SPORTS 15 MADDIE YEH / THE PEN
Senior Athletes Lacking Highlight Reels - 15
FIND US HERE: @THEPENNEWSPAPER @THEPENNEWSPAPER @THEPENNEWSPAPER
MADDIE YEH / THE PEN
SCAN HERE FOR THE PEN NEWSPAPER WEBSITE OR GO TO PVPHSNEWS.COM
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MEET THE TEAM
JULIA KAHEN
NEWS
EDITOR: CAITLYN LEE WRITERS: WILLIAM HUANG, MARCUS KIM, AUDREY LU, ANNA MYTKO
OPINION
EDITOR: MADDY CHRISTEN WRITERS: FIONA CHO, TILLY SAFAVIAN, MAILE SHU
FOCUS
EDITOR: KAITLYN HO WRITERS: HANNAH CORR, WILLIAM HUANG, RILEY MCALPINE, EMMA MULLIGAN, CLARA RECKHORN
STUDENT LIFE
EDITOR: JEREMY KIM WRITERS: JAMI GALDONES, HALEY GARRUCHO, DEBORAH MOK
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
FIONA ANDERSONS
FIONA YANG
MANAGING EDITOR
HEAD OF BUSINESS
KEILA BARA
LINA KUGAYA
HEAD OF DESIGN
HEAD OF DESIGN
HELEN HUANG
MADDIE YEH
ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT/SPORTS
EDITOR: JAMES O’DEA WRITERS: JUSTICE ANGULO, JILLIAN FARLEY, IMOGENE TOMICIC
DESIGN
SHAI BECKER, ALICIA JEONG, SAKURA SASAKI, JIHEE SEO
BUSINESS AND ADVERTISING
LEAH AOYAGI, MAKAYLA LUI, VICTORIA RHODES
ADVISER
JAYMEE DEMEYER
FROM THE EDITORS Dear readers, In the midst of publishing this issue, our country, and world, is in a state of turmoil. Between the civil rights movement taking off across the nation, a presidential election between two polarized parties, human rights on the line in the aftermath of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg’s death, a deadly virus claiming millions of lives with nothing being done to stop it and the wildfires engulfing California as a result of climate change, things are undoubtedly heating up. At this moment in time, as a publication, it brings us no greater joy than to shed light on these important issues affecting our school community. We understand that in the heat of the moment, the amalgam of events occurring may seem overwhelming, hard to follow and somewhat draining. However, this is also the time when your action will matter the most. We hope to encourage you to contribute to a more peaceful world and Peninsula community; use your voice, take part in productive discussions and most importantly, please vote for political candidates who you believe will enact concrete changes. In this special edition, we have expanded our content in the hopes of highlighting the Black Lives Matter movement and their message of equality—a message that is essential for true justice and peace. Every staff member of The Pen poured their heart and soul into making our vision of this issue come to life, and we are so proud of what they have accomplished. We hope you enjoy reading the first issue of this publication as much as we enjoyed creating it, and thank you to our incredible team for all of your hard work to get us to this moment. Enjoy!
With love,
27118 SILVER SPUR ROAD, ROLLING HILLS ESTATES, CA 90274
Keila Bara Fiona Andersons
THE PEN PALOS VERDES PENINSULA HIGH SCHOOL
Fiona Yang
“The Pen” is the student newspaper produced by the advanced jounalism students of Palos Verdes Peninsula High School. It is published eight times per year. Advertising inquiries may be directed to Head of Business Lina Kugaya at (424)404-0303. The Pen editors appreciate Letters to the Editor, which are accepted up to one week before publication. You may submit them digitally to thepennews@gmail.com in an email. Copyright © 2020 COVER DESIGN BY HELEN HUANG, JULIA KAHEN COVER MODELED BY AALIYAH DAVIS
4 ACTIVISM IS A FIGHT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, NOT YOUR NEW SOCIAL MEDIA TREND EDITORIAL STAFF “No justice, no peace! All cops are bastards! Black lives matter!” These chants have shrouded the streets of Portland, Oregon for over 130 consecutive days after the death of 46-year-old Black victim George Floyd back in late May. Today, there are newer grievances sparking tension. The lack of charges against Breonna Taylor’s killers, Minneapolis police officers Jonathan Mattingly, Brett Hankison and Myles Cosgrove, have incited protests across the country, especially in more urban areas, such as Los Angeles, New York, Seattle and other active regions. In the wake of the violence on the streets, the storm on social media has grown equally raucous. Discussions on social media platforms such as Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat have revolved around raising awareness, but more so in exposing the inactivity evident in our society. Unfortunately, the same can be said for our community. Peninsula and other schools in the district subsided their outspoken support of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement; we need to bring back the attention to these issues, especially in anticipation of the upcoming presidential election. By choosing to ignore the human rights violations occurring before our eyes in fear of losing our current lifestyles, we accept a reality in
which all people are not granted the rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Needless to say, this is unacceptable. Although demonstrating activism does not have to be done online, youth activism must continue in regards to the Black Lives Matter movement until meaningful and long-lasting change is enacted on the peninsula and throughout the United States as a whole. June 2 was designated as Blackout Tuesday, an event originally intended for people to show their solidarity with the Black community and the movement by amplifying Black voices on Instagram. By the end of the day, over 22 million users had posted black squares; today, most of those black squares have either been deleted from their profiles or lost in photos that display the person’s return to normalcy. Again, online activism is not the only way to contribute, but the number of signatures on online petitions and the decrease in donations to BLM-related funds speak for themselves. Performative action is a lack of action. Inactivity is no longer an option; we must encourage definitive action in the legislative and political circles to usher forth tangible changes to our systems. Calling local and state officials has its merits, especially in determining the budget for a certain
region; with enough momentum, we can include more benefits for African Americans while effectively redistributing police funds to other areas, such as the education system. What does not help: using a template for an email to send to policy makers without reading it beforehand, donating funds to groups that are not truly contributing to the movement or the Black community, signing petitions without checking their credibility and sharing social media posts with false information. We cannot just focus our contributions on a national scale– encouraging local activism within our school communities is vital. With a demographic of 56 percent White and 21 percent Asian individuals in the Palos Verdes Peninsula area, there is an overwhelming lack of representation of the Black community, which comprises only 3 percent of the population (US Census Bureau). To effectively uplift minority voices, Peninsula must make more significant contributions to creating a more supportive and diverse environment. While steps in this direction were taken when Peninsula’s Associated Student Body hosted a virtual BLM solidarity week from May 31 to June 5, there have been few or muted efforts made by student allies and leadership on campus since then
to continue the momentum in the fight for equality. Concrete changes to encourage a more inclusive school community come in the form of hosting cultural diversity events, further promoting the events of cultural clubs and holding others accountable for their actions. Currently, our faculty has been taking small but noteworthy steps both in and out of the classroom through in-class discussions regarding systemic racism in America and extracurricular events, such as the White Fragility book club, Palos Verdes Faculty Association’s Racial Equity group and the new One Hill Project Initiative. While individual efforts are always appreciated, we can do more, and this includes the need for a school-wide movement to introduce race-specific courses in our curriculums or history classes. In all aspects of this issue, it always leads back to education. As the school’s newspaper publication, we share this duty in educating the public and providing our students and faculty with the truth. Knowledge is power, and this power may mark a watershed in the conflicts we see today, or on a larger scale, the nation’s adulterated history of racism. We, the youth, are the revolution. And there will be no peace if we do not seek justice.
REST IN POWER, RBG: A CELEBRATION OF HER LIFE AND THE CONTROVERSY THAT FOLLOWS TILLY SAFAVIAN After Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s passing on Sept. 18, Peninsula students and other individuals across the country mourned by flying U.S. flags at half-mast and sharing messages of grief, respect and love. She did not just leave behind an incredible legacy, though; her empty spot has now opened up on the U.S. Supreme Court, generating a storm of controversy about her new successor. In any given year, the President has the power to appoint Justices when a position opens; President Donald Trump has already sworn in Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, both Republican. These appointments left the Supreme Court with a 5-4 Conservative majority prior to Ginsburg’s passing. However, Supreme Court Justice appointments become complicated during an election year. According to the New York Times, precedence set by the 2016 Senate’s block of President Barack Obama’s Supreme Court nomination states that in any election year, the appointment of new Justices should be left to whomever wins the upcoming Presidential race. Without even waiting a week following Ginsburg’s death, Trump completely disregarded this precedent and nominated a candidate in favor of his party: Judge Amy Coney Barrett. This completely contradicts what his political party argued four years ago as Obama attempted to do the same before leaving office. In light of this information, Trump should follow the advice that Republicans gave Obama in 2016 and simply wait until after the election to appoint a new justice–that is; that is, if he is still in office.
“Trump definitely should not have nominated Barrett,” senior Samantha Schmidt said. “But honestly, it is now up to the Senate to decide if they will appoint her as Justice. That is [concerning] because our Senate has a Republican majority, which means they will be more likely to swear in a Conservative Justice like Barrett.” If Trump were to be successful in swearing in Barrett, this would serve as a loss for both the LGBTQ+ community and women’s reproductive rights. These primarily socially liberal causes would pass through a 6-3 Conservative majority bench and then be shot down. Barrett’s position on these causes is no secret, and it perfectly aligns with Trump’s explicit conservative stance. Furthermore, she states in an interview with the National Public Radio that she agrees with the dissent on Roe v. Wade, 1973, which argued against a woman’s right to an abortion. In a letter supporting the Catholic Church’s stances on marriage, divorce, abortion and LGBTQ+ rights in 2015, Barrett displayed complete disapproval for the LGBTQ+ community, contraception, abortion, divorce and marriage equality. Although she is entitled to her own opinion, this is still completely indicative of how Barrett would vote if appointed; Roe v. Wade could be overturned, effectively dismantling the reproductive rights that Ginsburg had spent her career establishing. Furthermore, this conservative Republican majority would simply not be representative of the two party system that the U.S. was founded upon, nor does it uphold the American values of liberty, justice
and equality. “The issue is that within the Supreme Court, we need equal representation of both parties,” sophomore Safia Bethune said. “If Trump were to put in Judge Barrett, it would result in hardly any [Democratic] representation. I think that we should wait until the election to decide on who will choose. If Trump wins, he would choose another Justice; if Biden wins, he would be able to choose the next Justice.” Despite the obvious moral reasons against Barrett’s nomination, a fair argument can be made on her behalf: both Trump and the Senate have a Constitutional right to swear her in. Legal precedence from 2016 is not written into law, but what is explicit is the President’s power to appoint Judges to the Supreme Court, no matter how close to Election Day. The legality of the appointment is indisputable-its moral implications are not. Therefore, extensive thought should go into every appointment, and presidents should never be able to hastily swear someone in, just because they might be close to leaving office. If Barret is to assume the new Justice position, though, then she cannot do so without recognizing the progress Ruth Bader Ginsburg made as the second woman and first Jewish woman to be appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court. Her mere presence not only inspired millions of young women worldwide, but also demonstrated steps toward diversifying Justices on the Supreme Court, whom have primarily been Christian, white males. “Ginsburg has had the same impact
on my life as she has had for many other girls,” Bethune said. “She has allowed us [to gain] the rights to our own bodies and [was] an icon for girls looking to be in political positions as they get older. ” Ginsburg spent her life fighting for historically marginalized citizens, most notably women and members of the LGBTQ+ community. For women especially, she protected their rights to abortion and equal educational opportunities through her decision in Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt, 2016 and United States v. Virginia, 1996, respectively. The first case ruled the unnecessary restrictions placed on Texas-based abortion providers to be unconstitutional. The second, of which Ginsburg represented the majority opinion, determined that the Virginia Military Institute’s male-only admissions policy was unconstitutional. Furthermore, she supported the LGBTQ+ community by debating and voting in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage (Obergefell v. Hodges, 2015). The extent of Ginsburg’s influence can only truly be represented by listening to the stories of the communities and lives that she impacted through her relentless fight for equality and honorable use of her platform. She was a true icon of strength, feminism and the pursuit of justice. One can only hope that whoever fills her shoes on the Supreme Court will use their power and position for good like Ginsburg did for 27 years. “Ginsburg [left] a legacy beyond what words can describe,” senior Katin Sarner said. “She is a true American hero.”
HOPIN’ TO REOPEN
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Students and staff discuss the likelihood of campus reopening this school year MAILE SHU According to the Los Angeles Times, 3.5 percent of the coronavirus (COVID-19) tests from Sept. 13 to Sept. 20 came back positive, the lowest rate California has seen since the beginning of the pandemic. Upon seeing the number cases for COVID-19 steadily decreasing, there is a clear indication for schools to start discussing reopening their campuses to students. As such, the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District (PVPUSD) Board of Education has held weekly meetings in which they plan for a safe and realistic hybrid system in hopes to return to in-person learning on campus as soon as November. As PVPUSD has not gained approval from the county to reopen yet, the district would not want to open their campuses earlier and risk the safety of their students. Once Los Angeles County sees a noticeable decline in their COVID-19 cases, Peninsula and other PVPUSD schools should not hesitate to reopen their campuses if all proper safety requirements are met. “I am hopeful that Los Angeles County will be moved from the bottom state tier in the next few weeks,” President of the Board of Education Suzanne Seymour said. “This is the first step in getting our school campuses reopened. I think most students would prefer to learn in-person.” PVPUSD plans to pick up athletic activities once again as a first attempt to reopen campus. In order to ensure that COVID-19 outbreaks will not occur during these sports practices, the district will be following the County of Los Angeles Public Health’s Protocols for Youth Sports Leagues. Some of these guidelines include maintaining at least a six-foot radius from each other, bringing individual sport equipment from home and screening for every practice, a procedure to recognize COVID-19 symptoms. As the Peninsula athletic department is the first school-related activity to begin in-
person encounters, it is important for the PVPUSD to keep an eye on these athletes and coaches as they try to maintain these safety procedures. Moreover, with the many precautions the Los Angeles Public Health Department has developed for sports, the chances of a major spread of COVID-19 cases in the athletic department is low, resulting in an increase of the likelihood of reopening the campus for academic purposes. “It is important to me that school reopens [for sports], ‘’ senior Sara Nejad said. “[PVPUSD] reopening the campus for student athletes gives us the chance to do what we love again after many months of waiting.” Although it seems as if Peninsula is on its way to reopening its campus, recent reports of COVID-19 outbreaks in schools have not been encouraging this. According to an Oklahoman district’s public schools website, nearly 700 public school students and staff and two classes from a nearby elementary school were forced to quarantine after one week of school. Though these numbers are staggering (as there are about 8,500 individuals in the entire district), these schools did not follow the same safety precautions as the PVPUSD Board of Education has set up. With little enforcement of social distancing and the use of masks, it is no wonder why there was an tremendous increase of COVID-19 cases in just one week. In order to prevent situations like this, the PVPUSD Board of Education plans to establish a hybrid learning system intended to be 50 percent remote learning (classes taken at home) and 50 percent in-person learning (classes taken on campus), with necessary safety precautions (six feet radius from others, masks worn throughout the school day and all breaks removed). These certain precautions will enable students and staff members a boost in both their physical and mental health since virtual learning began. According to a study conducted by University of California San Francisco researchers, there was a 5.5 percent
average decrease (287 steps) worldwide, growing to a 27.3 percent drop (1,432 steps) within 30 days, in the number of steps taken per day by the average United States resident. This number increased to 50 percent in the following months. Not only has physical health declined, mental health has seen a decrease as well. In a Kaiser Family Foundation tracking poll conducted in mid-July, 53 percent of students and adults in the United States reported that their mental health has been negatively impacted due to worry and stress over the virus. However, if students and staff members were able to walk around the campus and interact with others, these numbers would surely decrease. Undoubtedly, students should be able to return to campus safely if all of the precautions stated above are abided by. With almost eight months since the beginning of quarantine and the shutdown of Peninsula’s campus, students and staff members have seen a noticeable change in their learning style, social life and physical and mental well-being. The decrease of reported COVID-19 cases and the increase of concerns regarding virtual learning has brought up the subject of reopening school campuses in the near future. In order to efficiently and effectively do this, athletic activities will act as a test subject and will set the stage of how and when the hybrid school system can take place. However, everyone must follow COVID-19 precautions both before, during and after the reopening of campus to do so. Following these guidelines creates a door of opportunity for Peninsula High School to reopen its campus to students and staff members for academic purposes. “It is important to me for school to reopen, but it is more important that we are safe and would not run the risk of infecting each other,” junior Sarah Schmainda said. “If students cooperate to uphold the [proper] safety precautions, I believe it is possible to create a safe environment in which students can return to campus.”
SAKURA SASAKI / THE PEN
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ANNA MYTKO Over 3.5 million acres of land have been burned due to California wildfires since August 2020, as reported by the National Public Radio (NPR). While wildfires have been happening in California sporadically since July, they have especially grown volatile since 11,000 lightning strikes hit, creating roughly 370 fires according to NPR. In a recent update, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection announced that the Martindale fire has burned roughly 230 acres of land, but only 40 percent has been contained. As fires continue to spread throughout California, Oregon and Colorado, thousands of firefighters are on the front lines– concerned not only about the spread of the fire and climate change, but also about the effects of the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) on their job. The California wildfires have affected many communities, including those on the Peninsula, as poor air quality has halted several activities. Currently, the pandemic has resulted in a lack of incarcerated firefighters, impacting firefighting efficiency. Usually, hundreds of minimum-security prisoners are employed by the government to fight fires, but recently, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation began releasing prisoners who had 180 days or fewer left on their sentences since July 1, according to the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS); 5,627 inmates have been released since July due to health concerns, leaving less than 600 inmates to help battle the fires. Upon seeing the understaffed and overwhelmed firefighter department, California governor Gavin Newsom passed AB 2147 into law on Sept. 12, which allows previously incarcerated citizens to become firefighters. Previously, newly released inmates were not allowed to become firefighters until they had been out of prison for a decade. With this newly passed bill, current firefighters can begin to receive additional help to control the California wildfires. Despite the lack of extra employees and stricter quarantine safety procedures, Station 106 firefighter paramedic Derrick Ho and
his colleagues will continue putting in the effort to keep California citizens safe. “Things have definitely been different for us [firefighters] due to the pandemic,” Ho said. “We have to remain socially distanced throughout the day. The lack of incarcerated fire crews have affected us, but overall, when it comes to fighting wildfires, we are still doing our job and protecting communities.” While firefighters have been occupied by putting out fires, many citizens are noticing the impact that climate change has had on the spread of the wildfires and the environment as a whole. With the initial brittle and dry condition of the land, an increase of wildfires was to be expected. According to Daniel Swain, a University of California, Los Angeles climate scientist, the dryness, high temperatures and less dependable precipitation make climate change the obvious cause for these wildfires. For Peninsula senior Gabrielle Pack, climate change is a pressing concern. “For me, these fires have indicated how much climate change is affecting our world,” Pack said. “It is very sad to see land and wildlife being destroyed by these fires, and it shows that now more than ever we need to fix the issue of climate change. In order to do that, people need to realize climate change is real and actively help prevent pollution.” The lack of widespread knowledge regarding fire safety trails behind climate change as a cause of climate change. Human-caused fires make up 90 percent of wildfires in California, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. This statistic indicates the importance of knowing basic fire safety. Methods that people can employ to help prevent fires include removing brush from their yard, cleaning pine needles off roofs and taking precautions while handling flames. These steps can have a significant impact toward preventing wildfires and making a conscious eco-friendly effort. Senior Alexis Ferguson recognizes climate change as an issue that cannot be ignored. “I think a big part of reducing the amount of wildfires is being responsible,” senior Alexis Ferguson said. “People also cannot disregard the effects pollution and climate change have on our environment. The outbreak of these dangerous fires should be a wake-up call for everyone [because only] together can we get through this pandemic and save our environment.”
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of all ages. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, increases in temperature affect cognitive functions in humans, including reaction time and ability to focus. The inability to escape from the heat can lead to mental health issues as well, such as heat stress. Huang believes the health deficits of extreme heat presented additional difficulties on top of her everyday schoolwork. “I feel like the heat waves made it hard to focus while doing homework, especially without air conditioning,” Huang said. “Luckily for us, we had a fan, which really helped with the heat.” Although the peninsula’s weather conditions have become more tolerable, it is recommended to stay cautious while experiencing the South Bay’s higher temperatures. To help cope during a heat wave, it is advised to take necessary precautions to stay cool, such as wearing light clothing and drinking ample amounts of water. Consumer Reports recommends that people should stay in areas with air conditioning as much as possible while staying hydrated. “Even during these trying times, Peninsula’s staff members are always more than willing to help,” Huang said. “Together, I believe we can overcome this issue as a tight-knit Panther community.”
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Other Peninsula students experienced blackouts at more inconvenient times. The power outages and absence of cellular data on school days made it difficult to contact teachers about complications with joining meetings and missing assignments. Senior Amy Huang missed classes and tests because of the blackouts. “The greatest challenge was letting my teachers know beforehand that I could not make the meetings and it caused a lot of stress,” Huang said. Students who had experienced blackouts or had been affected by the heat waves were expected to make up their homework assignments. They were also responsible for communicating with their teachers regarding missing classwork. Peninsula teacher MarieFrance Sam instructs French 1, 3 and 3 Honors as well as Advanced Placement students. Sam expects students to treat interruptions in their ability to access online classes as they would a normal absence. “Students are still expected to complete their work in a timely fashion,” Sam said. “However, if the blackouts last a long time, I make sure to give [the students] ample time to finish their work. The best approach for students who are aware of an incoming blackout is to talk to teachers ahead of time.” In addition to being responsible for the loss of electricity, the heat waves posed health risks for people
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Beginning on Sept. 7, a series of heat waves rolled across Southern California as Peninsula students began online school. Hot days are growing increasingly frequent due to the increase of greenhouse gas emissions, according to the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions. These heat waves forced heat advisory warnings across the state, as Southern California faced record-breaking temperatures. Rancho Palos Verdes was not exempt from the heat, as temperatures approached highs of 113 degrees. Due to these heat conditions, the state’s electric grid was strained, forcing electric companies to issue community-wide blackouts. The loss of electricity directly affected online school, preventing students from joining their meetings on Microsoft Teams and complicating communication with teachers. The power outages led to students facing difficulties both inside and outside of school, impacting their ability to perform academically to their best ability. Sophomore Sean Ferguson is one of many who experienced a blackout, his lasting three days before the power returned. “Luckily, [my] power outages took place [over] the weekend, so I did not have school,” Ferguson said. “However, we faced challenges like having our food rot and not being able to use the air conditioning [unit] or any electronics for schoolwork.”
Palos Verdes Medical Group chosen as one of 11 research facilities for COVID-19 vaccine testing
MARCUS KIM AND CAITLYN LEE The Palos Verdes Medical Group (PVMG) is a medical research institute located in Palos Verdes and is one of 11 facilities in the world chosen to conduct a clinical trial for a coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine. The PVMG research is currently being conducted at Peninsula Research Associates (PRA), PRA head doctor Lawrence Sher’s research facility. Food Allergy Coordinator and researcher in COVID-19 vaccine trials at PVMG, Leigh Ann Schmidt, provided insight into the qualifications necessary to be one of the few facilities selected to organize trials. “First and foremost, our research facility was chosen because we are a known vaccine trial center due to our past experiences and successes in other clinical research,” Schmidt said. “We were required to perform specific procedures seen in other vaccine trials and had to have the ability to process samples to see how possible vaccines would work, which only a handful of sites across the country can perform.” Schmidt also explained the process by which PVMG is conducting the first of many trials. The first vaccine trial would require 100 healthy participants from the peninsula community, and subsequent trials would need over 400 participants. Patients will be tested to determine if they have one of the two COVID-19 antibodies through administered blood tests. The two antibodies that the doctors are looking for are called immunoglobulin M (IgM) and immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies; IgM antibodies are found in those with a recent infection,
while IgG appears in those who experienced past infections. Blood samples are collected by a finger prick and provide results in 10 minutes, but the entire antibody trial process takes several months. “While [an antibody test] is one part of the study, we must also test for those currently infected with COVID-19 by use of a nasal swab, which is then examined with a nucleic acid test,” Schmidt said. “Nucleic acid tests are used to detect viral [ribonucleic acid] and typically take two to three days to return from the lab.” While PVMG is working tirelessly to produce a safe vaccine, the research itself requires repetitive trial and error. The main concern for research institutes is whether the vaccine is ready for human use and effective at combating COVID-19. “It is estimated that even if all COVID-19 vaccines are approved, we still will not have enough dosages to vaccinate the entire population until 2024,” Schmidt said. “While it is not necessarily difficult to create a vaccine for COVID-19 [with 3 vaccines in late-phase development], vaccines like Polio, Tetanus, Measles, Mumps and Rubella [have taken] several years to fully develop [and be approved].” Other concerns about the timeline of vaccine production include its impact on schools returning to in-person learning. However, Principal Brent Kuykendall believes that the school’s short-term plan for reopening does not necessarily depend on the creation of a vaccine. Instead, he suggested steps that the community can take in the meantime to flatten the curve of the virus.
“Different steps and baselines allow for different actions for schools to reopen,” Kuykendall said. “My advice for opening sooner rather than later would be to wear masks and socially distance; this has [been] proven to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and will allow us to reopen Peninsula much sooner.” As the overall number of cases within the Peninsula community have decreased, PVPUSD superintendent Alex Cherniss has sent a district-wide email announcing the possible plan for the reopening of schools in November for hybrid learning. Although junior Simren Parikh is one of the many students who opted for the Distance Learning Academy (DLA) model, Parikh has high hopes for the creation of a successful vaccine and its implication upon returning to in-person school. “Vaccines are a fundamental part in stopping the spread of a virus,” Parikh said. “I chose DLA purely for the purpose of avoiding being infected, so I would feel more confident returning [to in person school] if there were an overall decreased number of COVID cases.” JIHEE SEO / THE PEN
8 FACULTY ADDRESSES WHITE PRIVILEGE EMMA MULLIGAN AND HANNAH CORR English 2 and English 2 Honors teacher and previous Black Student Union (BSU) adviser Maria McCloud held her first book club meeting at Peninsula during the Long Term Planning (LTP) Meeting, which consisted of a series of meetings that allowed staff members throughout the school year to discuss and evaluate all facets of life at Peninsula. The book club planned to discuss racial injustice by reading, analyzing and discussing the novel White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo. By advising BSU, McCloud furthered her understanding of the movements fighting against injustices, such as the Black Lives Matter movement. Since becoming the BSU adviser, she has remained devoted to educating herself on the hardships that Black individuals face daily. “Just the simple act of being asked to [advise] the BSU has transformed the course of how I think,” McCloud said. “I truly believe that taking time to educate [myself] by reading books [like White Fragility] that talk about racism woven into America [is the first step to starting the conversation].” McCloud’s book club filled up quickly, with many teachers wanting to participate in the racial injustice conversation beginning at Peninsula. One spot was taken by the new BSU adviser Patrick Daley, who is also a Physical Education (PE) teacher, boys’ soccer coach and the Peer Leaders Uniting Students (PLUS) adviser at Peninsula. Currently, Daley is taking over advising the BSU due to McCloud’s leave of absence. After hearing about the book club, Daley wanted to engage in this opportunity and was excited to meet other teachers who were willing to delve into the issue of racism in the United States. “I thought [White Fragility] was a good, brief description [of] how white supremacy operates [in] this country, and why it is not what people [may expect],” Daley said. “As an educator I would love [it if] topics like [white supremacy] were discussed in the classroom more, [which] was something that we were able to discuss in the book club.” Daley has taken steps to incorporate this discussion into his curriculum this year. He has started to talk about social injustices in the context of national sports, and his PLUS leaders discuss social injustice in class by identifying potential
issues on the Peninsula campus. He has his PE classes study sport protests to understand their activism against racism. “There have always been social injustice issues through sports,” Daley said. “[In class], we are discussing how [sports] brings about reform [regarding these issues]. I feel like a lot of students do not realize [racial injustice can be changed through sports].” Advanced Preparatory (AP) English Language and English 4 teacher Magali Blazevic was another teacher who participated in the book club. She believed the book was an interesting read and that the conversations brought up during the book club were important to changing society. “As a white woman, it is very difficult to understand a lot of the points that the author makes [regarding racial injustice],” Blazevic said. “It is crucial for people to understand [racial inequality], and the more staff that read the book, [the more that they] will see that it is applicable to our campus.” White Fragility highlights the racist situations that some may not have been aware. Having read this book in the past, McCloud chose White Fragility because it causes discomfort for white readers as they address their privilege. “There are several [scenarios] that I do not fear since I am [not a minority], and the awareness I have allows me to have the opportunity to enforce change in our society,” McCloud said. “One mentionable lesson [I have learned] from reading [White Fragility] is that if I do not use my privilege to talk about this, I am maintaining the status quo. Furthermore, that [was my motivation] to step in front of staff, to ensure I do every possible thing I could at Peninsula.”
9 BLACK LIVES MATTER REWIND: THIS IS WHAT YOU MISSED CLARA RECKHORN According to the Washington Post, African Americans are more than three times as likely to be shot and killed by a police officer than white Americans, even though they account for less than 13 percent of the U.S. population. When George Floyd was killed by a police officer in Minneapolis, the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement was rekindled. The movement led people from across the country to reflect on the severity of systemic racism against African Americans and to further advocate for their rights. A Washington Post study demonstrates the primary motivation behind the BLM movement: to achieve racial equality for all. Peninsula junior Amanda Rucker is a member of the Black Student Union (BSU) at Peninsula and strongly believes in BLM’s cause of eliminating racial injustices and working toward a safer world for black individuals in the US. “I was born in Alabama and my parents were [judged] because they are an interracial couple,” Rucker said. “My grandfather was judged and arrested based on the color of his skin. It sickens me to think that just because of the color of your skin, you can be
subjected to unfair treatment.” After Floyd’s murder, a multitude of racial injustices against African Americans gained attention and sparked outrage nationwide. One example is Jacob Blake, who was shot in the back seven times by police on Aug. 23 outside of an apartment complex in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The shooting happened in front of Blake’s three children and was caught on video. Outrage spread quickly, bringing attention back to the BLM movement, which was gradually declining since the height of the protesting this past summer. The deaths of George Floyd, Elijah McClain, Breonna Taylor and other African Americans at the hands of the police led millions of people to demonstrate on streets across the country in hopes of bringing about reform in police departments, though many police brutality cases have yet to be brought to light. Peninsula junior Grecia Merino-Cornejo is a BLM and general civil rights activist who hopes that more of these cases will be brought to court and that additional federal action will be taken to prevent further lives from being lost. However, she is worried that BLM is losing momentum. “I think the movement has definitely been dying down,” Merino-Cornejo said. “That is insane to me because Black Lives Matter is not a trend.” After the protesting in June, the public support for BLM faded. According to the Washington Post, 61 percent of Americans supported BLM in midJune; more recent polls show that general approval has dropped to 48 percent. This could be because many Americans have now associated the violence occurring at protest locations with the peaceful protesting itself. Most believe that the violence at protests has caused people to view the BLM movement in a negative light. “It upsets me that people associate the riots with BLM,” Merino-Cornejo said. “[The riots] were
often caused by outsiders who were jumping into the action. When you look at the footage, you see that the police were starting the violence [by throwing] tear gas or shoving protesters.” Peninsula Coed Choreo dance coach Danyel Moulton uses her social media platforms to speak about the BLM movement. She has been aware of the issue of racism all her life and has experienced it firsthand, strengthening her support of the movement. Moulton believes that the riots should not deter others from advocating for the cause. “If people are not willing to support this movement because of the riots, I urge [them] to find out why the riots have started in the first place and why these people are targeted because of their race,” Moulton said. Although the general support for BLM has somewhat died down, progress is still being made. The advancement in Breonna Taylor’s case significantly boosted morale, as it was recently seen in front of a Kentucky grand jury in September. Taylor’s family will be paid $12 million by the city of Louisville, and changes will be instituted within the police department with the aim of preventing future deaths by officers. This progress makes participants of the movement hopeful and encourages them to continue working toward equality, although the officers were not formally charged with murder. Merino-Cornejo believes there is much left to be done in regards to the BLM movement. She encourages students to get involved and learn about the movement in every way that they can, for it does not matter how old one is, there are always ways to take action. “Our generation does not yet hold positions of power, but there are still so many things we can do for this cause,” Merino-Cornejo said. “We can stay informed and write letters, go to marches and sign petitions. The important thing is that we keep this movement alive and that we do our best to [ignite] change.”
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10 STARTING THE YEAR WITH SUNADA WILLIAM HUANG AND CLARA RECKHORN After Associate Principal Michael Wanmer left Peninsula High School at the end of last school year, Christina Sunada was hired by the Palos Verdes Peninsula School District (PVPUSD) as the new Associate Principal. She was originally assigned to manage attendance, discipline, athletics and facilities for Peninsula, but with the district-wide switch to online school, there has been confusion over what Sunada’s role at Peninsula would ultimately be and where she would be needed most. Within two weeks of being hired as Associate Principal, Sunada was asked to take on the role of Distance Learning Academy (DLA) principal. This role placed her in charge of the fully online program that PVPUSD is offering alongside the hybrid model for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. Sunada was then asked to be the DLA coordinator for only middle school instead, which would have required her to organize and execute the plan for the students who had chosen to learn completely online in grades six through eight. Additionally, the school district asked her to coordinate the Independent Study Program for students in
kindergarten through fifth grade, which is different from DLA because students must learn on their own without seeing their teachers every day. After Sunada organized registration and textbook pickup for Peninsula, the district finally decided she would return to the role she had originally been offered as Associate Principal of Peninsula. “For the last month, I have been here at Peninsula as the Associate Principal for Technology, Athletics, Facilities and Attendance,” Sunada said. “I was asked to do a lot of different things and I was excited to try them, but it is nice to know that this is my [official position] and where I will stay.” Before working at Peninsula, Sunada worked at Ridgecrest Intermediate School for two years and at Palos Verdes High School for five years as a counselor. She also had experience as the Associate Principal for PVPUSD’s high school summer program, which Sunada has been undertaking for the past four years. Although Sunada knows Peninsula and the school district very well, online school still presents challenges. “The biggest difficulty I have faced is communicating with students,” Sunada said. “Normally, I could just
call kids out of class and talk to them [to help them with whatever they are having issues with]. Right now I am trying to email the students or chat with them on Microsoft Teams, but being off campus makes it easier for them to miss my messages and harder for me to get in touch with them.” In spite of these new obstacles, Sunada is still bringing about positive change at Peninsula. Her prior experience as a counselor and a summer school organizer proves she can help students and faculty alike. “I enjoy trying to create processes and procedures to help students as much as possible and create the most change,” Sunada said. “Moreover, my background as a counselor helps me see the bigger picture with students and how I can specifically help them. I have learned to look at not only their grades, but also their attendance and trends that I see over time so we can address any problems before they become bigger.” Sunada’s sudden transfer was surprising news to students, but many are ready to welcome her to the school. Among them, sophomore
Daniel Kim is certain of the positive changes she will bring to Peninsula. “It is disappointing that Wanmer is no longer at Peninsula,” Kim said. “However, I am excited about the addition of Sunada, and I am sure that she will help to better Peninsula as a whole.” Associate Principal Jennifer Panagos is also excited to have Sunada on Peninsula’s administrative team. Since Sunada has been employed within PVPUSD over the last few years, they have worked together before, and Panagos is confident in Sunada’s abilities. “Having been in the district before has really helped [Sunada] hit the ground running in her new role at a time when we really need someone to do just that,” Panagos said. “She knows who we are and what our goals are as a school. She is very kind and hardworking and has done an amazing job so far.”
Last year, when Athletic Director Wendell Yoshida chose to retire, former Calculus teacher and varsity girls and boys golf coach Glenn Van Enk was hired to replace the Athletics Director position at the beginning of this school year. Van Enk has been a Peninsula staff member for 24 years, and he wanted to expand his horizons from the Education Department of Peninsula and into Athletic Administrations this year. With the upcoming athletics seasons being pushed to Jan. 2021, Van Enk has been occupied with solidifying the transition to inperson practices for sports teams. Specifically, he has been focusing on organizing the fall sports practices, such as football, so they are still prepared for the upcoming season. “Things are more [uncertain] than they have ever been, and although I wish the circumstances were different and our sports programs have had to adapt,” Van Enk said. “We are currently trying to put together protocol so that kids can hopefully start practicing soon and are hoping that [athletes] can play some games.”
As a new school year starts at Peninsula, Catherine Lo Iacono is also the newest addition to the main office staff as the principal’s secretary. Recently, she has been working closely with Brent Kuykendall and attending many phone calls and meetings to discuss possibilities for the 2020-21 school year. “We have been instructing teachers and making sure that everyone, [parents, teachers and staff] included, are aware of the upcoming changes as we continue into this [school year],” Lo Iacono said. “I still do not know what a normal work day looks like, but [what keeps me motivated] is the hope that we will get to see students at school soon.” Although this year was not what she had imagined and she still does not know what the future holds, Lo Iacono is taking many measures to assist everyone involved at Peninsula to ensure that everything runs as smoothly as possible. A believer in the significance of a proper education as something that will grow with you forever, Lo Iacono is delighted to be a part of the Peninsula staff.
World History and United States History teacher Charles Kim is the newest staff member to Peninsula’s history department. Kim graduated from Peninsula in 2013, and when given the opportunity to return from his studies at University of California, Irvine, he gladly took the offer. After being taught by Peninsula teachers like Collette Dunn-Kottke, Don Frazier and Scotte Massey, Kim was inspired to become a teacher himself and participate in the educational experience that Peninsula has to offer and that he had. “Teaching is one of [the careers] I have always wanted to pursue,” Kim said. “When I committed to teaching and looked for job [opportunities], I realized I wanted to give back to the community that gave me so much growing up.” Now that Kim is a teacher at Peninsula, he hopes to provide the same quality of education that he experienced firsthand to his students. Kim is still getting to know his students and establish a routine, but he is delighted to call himself a panther once more.
Peninsula’s English department recently gained a new English 1 and 2 Honors teacher, Tracey Bly. As a Peninsula graduate of the class of 1989, Bly wanted to return to the district she grew up in. Previously, Bly worked at Palos Verdes High School for five years and Palos Verdes Intermediate School for one year before transferring to Peninsula. Bly knew from a young age that she wanted to be a teacher and believes that everyone should receive a strong education. Bly’s goal is to expand the genres that her students read to include science fiction and fantasy, not limited to the typical historical fiction novels students are often required to read; she also aims to expose students to other cultures through her curriculum. “I am meeting with every class every day, and I have a lot of communication with [the students],” Bly said. “This year particularly, I plan on knowing about the students’ lives. I think that once the [students] realize that I am on their side and want them to achieve [in class], they will [become more] inspired.”
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NEW YEAR, NEW STAFF HANNAH CORR AND EMMA MULLIGAN
Crestina Quesada is the new special education teacher at Peninsula. She originally taught at Peninsula for five years before teaching at Ridgecrest Intermediate School for two years. After missing the Peninsula community, Quesada decided to return. Quesada has always known that she wanted to work in education, but she knew that she wanted to be behind-the-scenes. Specifically, her passion is to tailor help toward students who need extra support, including students with specific learning disabilities such as attentiondeficit disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism. During coronavirus online learning, she uses the Microsoft Teams chat frequently to communicate regularly with her students. Quesada views this Teams function as valuable and vital to assisting students who need that additional support. “The needs of students are many, and [I am not] just [focused] on a general education path,” Quesada said. “My line of work is more specific to each student, and [I] get to work with the families as well.”
During the transition into distance learning at Peninsula, the technology staff recruited Jose Carrillo as a technology aid. Having past experience in working with Google Classroom, Carrillo has been focused on fully learning and understanding the functions of several new platforms, including Microsoft Teams, which is what Peninsula is enforcing the use of. Carrillo’s main job is to address any issues that may arise from the application of Microsoft Teams, along with answering questions from Peninsula students or teachers. “With this pandemic comes a lot of [learning] and adjusting to the new school system,” Carrillo said. “To help students during this time, [the tech staff holds] one-on-one calls with them to fix the technology issues that they may come across. Carrillo has been taking steps during this distanced learning period to ensure that teachers are learning the basics of Microsoft Teams’s camera, microphone and screensharing settings. While doing so, Carrillo is adjusting to his role on the Peninsula faculty by collaborating with his fellow staff members. Despite the lack of a conventional, inperson welcome, he is excited to get to know Peninsula through the screen.
Therapist Maria Rodriguez is a new addition to Peninsula’s mental health support team. Rodriguez graduated from the Master’s program at California State University, Los Angeles, where she studied SchoolBased Family Counseling. As a school therapist, she hopes to help students understand how important mental health is. She believes that especially now during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, students need that extra mental health support to help them succeed during an online start to the school year. This year, the school counseling team at Peninsula has a Microsoft Forms link on the school website that anyone can fill out any time to get in contact with the mental health support team. This resource ensures that any student can receive immediate help when needed. “We are going to be doing presentations in every single English class to ensure that every student will [know our contact information] and [the importance of maintaining] [good] mental health,” Rodriguez said. “My goal is for every student who comes into contact with me to feel seen, heard, understood and not alone. That is what is most important to me: building those connections.”
This year, Peninsula’s music program hired a new team member, Mike Lloyd, to direct the school’s jazz band, marching band and concert band. Last year, previous music director Fred Steiner resigned after teaching at Peninsula for 16 years, opening a new spot. Lloyd applied for the position because of Peninsula’s reputation of high-achieving students and its award-winning music program. Lloyd’s inspiration to become a teacher came from his seventh grade music teacher, Maurice O’Kelly, who nurtured his love for music. He later majored in music education at California State University Dominguez Hills, focusing on percussion and drums. After graduating from college, Lloyd worked as the percussion director with O’Kelly at North Torrance High School, his alma mater; this allowed Lloyd to teach the job that first inspired him. However, as the school only offered a small band, Lloyd decided to move to Peninsula, where larger programs were offered. “I really want to continue to grow the [music] program and [continue to] do the things that the program has already been doing,” Lloyd said. “I want to get [the students] out and perform a lot. It is all about what the kids want to do, because the kids [develop] the program and [choose what they want to do.]”
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A CHEF'S PRIDE Senior goes viral for cooking TikTok JAMI GALDONES Seeing as the coronavirus (COVID-19) has forced people to remain socially distanced from others, many high school students have found new hobbies to occupy themselves with from their own homes. Among them, senior Alexis Ferguson has encountered success through posting videos on TikTok of her cooking and recreating meals from various restaurants. TikTok is a video-sharing app that allows creators to make 15-60 second videos on any subject. She currently has about 38,600 followers and 1.5 million likes on her account, @culinaryjourneybyalexis. Ferguson’s love for cooking began prior to her newfound fame when she took a cooking class in Italy at 10 years old. “My perspective on food changed when I took the class, and ever since then, I have just been cooking,” Ferguson said. “I love to experiment with food and try out different flavor profiles and [other food] combinations.” As she grew older, Ferguson continued to cook for her family and friends, who love to eat the foods she makes. Julia Kate Bradley, a senior and friend of Ferguson’s, has experienced Ferguson’s talent in the kitchen firsthand. "I always get to taste test her food and she teaches me [delicious] recipes," Bradley said. "I try some of the recipes she posts on my own, but I mostly end up eating the food she makes. Her food always turns out a lot better too." On March 19, Ferguson posted her first video to TikTok. At first, she was only creating cooking and baking videos for fun and did not expect her account to get so much attention. She posted about 15 videos before her account went viral, with a cooking video reaching 1.3 million views and 261,800 likes as of Oct. 2. The most popular videos on her account are her videos about Chick-Fil-A. In these, she recreates a variety of their most popular menu items, including their drinks, main meals and desserts. Although Chick-Fil-A is a mainstream fast food chain, Ferguson does not support them because the company donates to anti-LGBTQ+ groups. In total, she has 17 videos of her recreating their food, including their Chick-Fil-A sauce, chicken strips and frozen lemonade. By making these videos, Ferguson shows her audience an alternative to supporting and buying Chick-Fil-A products. “When I found out [that they do not support the LGBTQ+ community], I was really sad because I think Chick-Fil-A is one of the better-tasting fast food restaurants,” Ferguson said. “[It] was sad to
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hear that such a popular company was doing this.” Not only does Ferguson post these recipes to explore her love of cooking, but she also posts these videos to raise awareness for social injustices; this includes educating her audience on Chick-Fil-A's donations to anti-LGBTQ+ groups and their support
WHEN I FOUND OUT [THAT THEY DO NOT SUPPORT THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY], I WAS REALLY SAD BECAUSE I THINK CHICK-FIL-A IS ONE OF THE BETTER-TASTING FAST FOOD RESTAURANTS. - SENIOR ALEXIS FERGUSON of conversion therapy. She strongly believes in equality among people, which is why she voices her opinions in her videos. Although she sometimes receives comments claiming that she is spreading false information, Ferguson stands by her beliefs and continues to
create videos about the topic. To further emphasize her viewpoints, she posted a separate video to tell her followers that equality among people is more important than chicken strips. Despite some negative responses from the internet, all of Ferguson's friends and family support her for upholding her beliefs. Melina Durre, senior and friend of Ferguson's, is extremely proud of Ferguson for all of her accomplishments. “I am extremely happy for her,” Durre said. “I have seen her passion for cooking grow over the years, and watching her utilize that important [aspect] of her life in a way that reaches so many [different] people is definitely such a rewarding experience for me.” Along with addressing the need for equality to everybody in the LGBTQ+ community, Ferguson is also bringing attention to other situations happening around the world currently, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the explosion in Beirut, Lebanon. In the future, Ferguson hopes to continue using her platform to inspire others to cook the meals she prepares and to spread awareness of important issues.
BIOMEDIGIRLS: CLOSING THE GENDER GAP IN STEM RESEARCH DEBORAH MOK
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This past April, seniors Amy Huang and Melissa Qin, along with senior Abbie Maemoto from Palos Verdes High School (PVHS), created Biomedigirls. Biomedigirls is an nonprofit organization that strives to provide opportunities for girls who are interested in biomedical research. The three were inspired to create this group by the sexism they witnessed as women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) programs. Although these limitations frustrated Maemoto, she chose to move forward and use these gender setbacks as motivation to create a community of women through Biomedigirls. Over the course of the summer, the organization put forth an array of opportunities for their members, such as a six-week virtual course. Every Friday, student participants presented on various biomedical topics, such as research progress on cancer and diabetes. Additionally, Biomedigirls brought in professors from schools such as Brown University and Yale University to lecture the participants throughout the class. Becoming engaged with peers who shared mutual interests allowed both participants and Biomedigirls leadership to foster meaningful connections with new friends as well as teacher volunteers. "We have realized that women in STEM are usually discouraged
13 to pursue medical professions and biomedical engineering,” Huang said. “We are catering [Biomedigirls] not only to young students, but [especially] to females. Biomedigirls fosters interest in biomedical research, so [that] participants will become the new generation of female researchers.” To further encourage those who may not have equal educational opportunities due to financial implications, the group provides academic scholarships for students who are passionate about the biomedical field. They hope to support participants in exploring their scholarly strengths and encourage students to reach for their goals by engaging in new lessons about biomedical research without having to worry about financial obstacles. “[One event] that inspired me to form Biomedigirls was when I personally had to circumnavigate socioeconomic barriers to discover my passion for biomedical research,” Maemoto said. “That is why I started a platform that provides free, open-access resources for all students, especially females and underrepresented minorities.” Biomedigirls' other mission consists of expanding its influence beyond the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District. To increase their audience, Maemoto, Huang and Qin promote their organization through social media and created an Instagram page, @biomedigirls. This account has helped them attract students on an international scale and increase the diversity of their participants, reaching countries such as Canada and India. Even though Biomedigirls already possesses a large audience worldwide, Qin is constantly contributing new ideas into the organization. She is continuously looking for ways to get her peers involved, hoping to share Biomedigirls' values of enthusiasm and commitment with other girls in STEM, while encouraging a more diverse demographic of researchers in the biomedical field. “Passion would be the word that describes our organization,” Qin said. “We have a passion for Biomedigirls because it offers a chance that would allow females to contribute more into this community that hardly represented [them] before."
IMOGENE TOMICIC Following school closure at Peninsula amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on March 13, Peninsula’s spring sports season was promptly canceled, along with the fall season as well. As a result of these cancelations, senior athletes were not able to gather enough footage for the highlight reels normally submitted during the college application process. In the reels, college applicants can visually display their athletic abilities through footage of them playing their sport. Without this representation of their skills, student athletes will struggle to introduce themselves to college coaches as multifaceted candidates for collegiate sports teams. Senior and varsity boys’ track and field runner Aiden Musgrave is one of many student athletes trying to make the best of his college application despite setbacks. “[A highlight reel] gives coaches a chance to see you in action [and] not having it when I apply is a setback for sure,” Musgrave said. “The absence of a recent highlight reel might affect whether or not I get to compete on [a] college’s team.” While highlight reels are an important addition to student athletes’ college applications, they also serve a pivotal role in recruitment. Students can use these videos in online recruiting profiles where coaches can easily access and discover athletes. According to the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA Sports), recruiting profiles that include highlight reels or recruitment videos receive upwards of 10 times more views from coaches than profiles without them. As highlight reels are a significant aspect of a student athlete’s college application and useful tools for their
sports careers overall, it is important that students find alternative ways to present their abilities to coaches. Senior and varsity boys’ baseball player Ethan Wang has diverged from the use of formal highlight reels by creating virtual scouting videos for high school softball and baseball players on his Twitter page, @scoutingvirtual. “[I have] made recruiting videos for baseball players with advanced data, [such as statistics of their pitching, because] they lost their season,” Wang said. “Since [students cannot] get game highlights for baseball, at least the data on their hitting and pitching is [material] they can send to coaches.” Many Peninsula students share Wang’s predicament and are attempting to adapt and overcome these circumstantial issues. Peninsula Athletic Director Glenn Van Enk recognizes the struggles that students may encounter as they delve deeper into the complicated admissions process. “[Without spring season or highlight reels], it sounds like students are going to have to find other ways to highlight their skills to college coaches, especially for the big sports like football, baseball [and] basketball,” Van Enk said. “However, I [do not] think Peninsula students are at a disadvantage in any way, because all high school students are in the same position; [everyone is] in the same boat.” With all spring student athletes applying to college without highlight reels this year, college applications will likely look different. In spite of changes, student athletes must hold their heads high while going into their years ahead as college students as they find alternative ways to showcase their talents.
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15 MULAN: A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD? LIVE-ACTION MULAN MOVIE REVIEW AND CONTROVERSIES
JUSTICE ANGULO AND EDITORIAL STAFF On Sept. 4, Walt Disney Pictures (Disney) released their new live-action version of the animated film, Mulan. The film was originally scheduled to hit theaters in March, but pandemic-related restrictions changed Disney’s plans to instead release it exclusively on their streaming platform, Disney+, for the price of $29.99. Both the original and the live-action movie follow the journey of a young girl growing up in China who is struggling to find her identity. As a woman living in the 15th century, Mulan struggles to embrace her duties as a woman and a filial daughter. When her father is suddenly drafted into the Chinese military, Mulan makes the bold decision to join the army in her father’s place in an effort to protect him. Posed as a man named Hua Jun, Mulan disguises her feminine features, and the military shapes her through the intense training of her male peers. Throughout the movie, Mulan starts learning to stop denying her female ego and her powers. Mulan’s portrayed strength and fortitude while completing her training and maintaining her disguise as a man distinguishes her from other traditional Disney princess roles; she had to act like a man in a harsh environment while valuing honor and family. As a resilient female character and the first Asian represented among the Disney princesses, Mulan serves as a positive role model for females across the globe. Senior Rachel Yu felt that the original film was a step for Disney toward female empowerment. “Mulan defies social constructs by joining the army and becoming the greatest warrior,” Yu said. “[This] brings about the idea that it does not matter what gender [you are] or what background you have and that you can succeed regardless.” While the themes of the original Mulan received great praise, the live adaption received a tremendous amount of backlash. From internet critics on review websites such as Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic to the Chinese government, who, according to Consumer News and Business Channel (CNBC), banned media coverage of the film, not everyone had positive things to say about this liveaction adaptation. CNBC also stated that one reason for this was the filming location of Xinjiang, China where the government has been accused of human rights abuse by forcing millions of Muslim individuals
into concentration camps in the past. Given that the production team of Mulan overlooked this undeniably brutal abuse happening minutes away from the filming sites, their backlash is arguably deserved. Junior Dina Elawil is very passionate about this topic and believes filming in Xinjiang was a horrible decision on Disney’s part. “It is disgusting that Disney would choose to film there,” Elawil said. “It was wrong that they did that. The location serves as a reminder to the abuse victims, which I believe is very harmful and damaging to them.” Furthermore, the lack of similarity between the remake and the original plot demonstrated poor decision-making on behalf of the Mulan production crew. This included the removal of iconic characters, such as Mushu and Li Shang. The film’s divergence from its animated counterpart also sparked outrage amongst many Mulan fans, one of which was freshman Trevor Kwak. “[The Mulan live action movie is] a pathetic remake for a cash grab,” Kwak said. “The fact that the scene where Mulan cuts her hair with her sword was not included in the live action was something I thought was very disappointing.” Some people had critiques prior to the film’s release due to the additional charge that Disney+ placed on the movie as well. Audiences clearly had split opinions about the film, but that did not take away from its success. As of Sept. 17, the International Business Times estimated that Mulan made $263 million in the United States alone. With a movie budget of $200 million, this is considered an achievement for Disney+, despite the backlash it received. Regardless of the monetary success of the movie, by blurring the original storyline and filming in such a controversial location, Disney smudged the cultural importance and message of equality shared through the story of Mulan. Instead of a message of self-acceptance and female empowerment, the remake movie shifted the focus significantly in a way that would generate the largest profit at the expense of a quality film. Those thinking about monetarily supporting the movie with their viewing should highly reconsider if they are willing to potentially support a production that destroyed so many of the original plot points and blatantly overlooks human rights violations.
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