Issue 2

VOL. XXXVIII ISSUE 2 OCTOBER 20, 2017

RESISTING NEGATIVITY

Students embrace positive outlooks in the face of adversity FOCUS PAGES 6-7

Young Blood

First Round on the House

Nifty Thrifty

Peninsula alumnus runs for city council

New bill proposes free first year of community college

Junior holds her own pop-up thrift shop

NEWS PAGE 2

OPINION PAGE 4

STUDENT LIFE PAGE 8

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news

a seat at the table Peninsula alumnus runs for city council minji jeun At the age of 18, Peninsula alumnus Ben Kelly is the youngest candidate in the Rancho Palos Verdes (RPV) City Council election. The City of Rancho Palos Verdes will hold its General Municipal Election on Tuesday, Nov. 7. If he is elected, he will be the second councilman in RPV’s history to have attended school in Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District (PVPUSD). According to the RPV City Council webpage, all of the current members have been participants for upwards of two terms, some having served on subcommittees before joining.

Kelly, on the other hand, is a new graduate who plans to use his youth to bring fresh perspective to the council.

“I have always been interested in politics, from running a political club at Peninsula to volunteering on campaigns,” Kelly said.

“I knew that if the opportunity arose, I would definitely run for city council.”

Kelly strives to promote youth involvement in any level of government.

“If I am not elected, I hope I can still serve my city in another capacity; I want to get more involved politically and continue to commit my time into getting involved with South Bay politics,” Kelly said. “It is important, in my eyes, to continue to find ways to get more young people engaged in the democratic process.”

Junior Caitlin Kelly, Ben’s sister, has seen how her brother has shown an interest in politics from a young age.

“Ben has always been very interested in social sciences and history,” Caitlin said. “He has talked about the idea of running for a while, so when I found out

he was legitimately running, I was very excited to hear it.”

Caitlin is very supportive of her brother’s political aims even if she herself has little interest in politics.

“I think my brother’s diligence and willingness to learn and grow will help him a lot if elected to the council,” Caitlin said. “I also believe his passion for politics and our city will be very beneficial.”

Ben explained how he felt before he started his campaign and how he became used to it.

“Of course, [being nervous] is to be expected when you are about to plunge into uncharted territory like I am about to do,” Ben said.

His character has benefited from the increased active involvement in his community that was required once he started his campaign.

“Since [I decided to run for council], I have had a lot of fun getting to know the city and residents more closely,” Ben said. “It took a lot of courage to get this far.”

He recruited senior Natalie Lim as a volunteer, among other students, to assist him in campaigning. “[Volunteering for him is] a really good learning experience,” Lim said. “Ben is spirited and has a fresh perspective to offer to RPV’s city council. His actions are purely driven by the community.”

All in all, Ben aims to use a seat of power to drive his community in new directions.

“I want to serve our city and its citizens, as I have always had a deep place in my heart for the unique environment and atmosphere our city has provided,” Ben said. “ I want to make the same experience possible for many others.”

“I have always been interested in politics, from running a political club at Peninsula to volunteering on campaigns. I knew that if the opportunity arose, I would definitely run for city council.”

-alumnus Ben Kelly

photo courtesy of ben kelly

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PVFA and PVPUSD reach tentative agreement olin osborne III

After seven months of negotiations, the Palos Verdes Unified School District (PVPUSD) and the Palos Verdes Faculty Association (PVFA) reached a tentative agreement for the 2016-17 and 2017-18 school years.

The settlement establishes a one percent retroactive increase for the 2016-17 school year and an additional 2.75 percent increase for the 2017-18 school year. PVFA members have voted to approve the agreement, and it will now be voted on by the PVPUSD school board.

PVFA Bargaining Team Chairman Tim Coleman addressed questions about whether the deal benefited teachers at a Town Hall meeting held on Oct.5. He assured that the

agreement is a step forward for not only teachers, but also the district.

“I know that a lot of people have felt the

“I know a lot of people have felt the deal that we are taking is not a good one, [but] I believe it is a good deal because it moves us, and movement was what we were seeking.”

-PVFA Bargaining team chairman tim coleman deal that we are taking is not a good one, [but] I believe it is a good deal because it moves us,

and movement was what we were seeking,” Coleman said.

The arrival of this tentative agreement marks the return of all suspended school activities and services including the posting of grades to Aeries, the chartering of school clubs and the writing of letters of recommendation.

Though the negotiations have reached a tentative agreement, many PVFA members still believe there are many deep-seated issues that need to be resolved within the district administration and the PVFA has already begun preparing for next year’s negotiations.

“I do not think that the long-term problem has been solved,” Spanish and AVID teacher Adam Garnet said. “I think this is one obstacle that has been moved past, [but] we still have a lot of issues that need to be solved.”

e-rate order brings wi-fi improvements

olin osborne III and shenaya yazdani

According to the 2017 EducationSuperHighway report, 39.2 million students, 2.4 million teachers and 74,000 schools in America are now connected to the Internet.

EducationSuperHighway is a non-profit organization focused on broadening public schools’ abilities to access the Internet and monitor the E-Rate Modernization Order. The Federal Commerce Commission (FCC) adopted the E-Rate Modernization Order in 2014, and the goal was to expand Wi-Fi networks in schools and libraries across America, increase schools’ and libraries’ options for purchasing high-speed internet and raise the E-Rate budget to $3.9 billion. The EducationSuperHighway report estimates that the number of students connected to the Internet has increased by 35 million since the adoption of the E-Rate Modernization Order. In addition, the price per student has decreased by 78 percent since 2014. This low cost encourages schools such as Peninsula to improve Internet services.

alex yoo / The Pen

“I think almost every year we have become more dependent on technology for teaching,” librarian Silvia Gutierrez said. “Back in the old days, which was really only six years ago, the library just had a couple of old computers and the kids did not bring their own devices.”

Within the E-Rate Modernization Order posted on the FCC site is

“I used to hear a lot of complaints from students and teachers that there were several [Wi-Fi] dead spots around campus, but they updated it this last spring and I believe it is going well.”

-librarian Silvia gutierrez an initiative known as “one-deviceper-one-student.” It provides school districts across the country with a $150 per student budget for the wired and wireless networks needed to deliver high-speed broadband to the classroom.

“I used to hear a lot of complaints from students and teachers that there were several [Wi-Fi] dead spots around

campus, but they updated it this last spring and I believe it is going well,” Gutierrez said. “I never hear those complaints anymore.”

The EducationSuperHighway CEO Evan Marwell announced that they are shifting their focus to the 6.5 million students who still do not have Internet access and the 2,049 schools without high-speed cables. Their goal is to have every student in the country connected to the Internet with download speeds of one gigabyte per second, which is fast enough to meet all classroom standards.

“The Internet speed at Peninsula is pretty good considering the usage demands it has to meet,” junior and Cyberpatriots team member Saahil Parikh said.

Senior Shayla Patel believes that a reliable school Internet system greatly benefits all students, especially those who may not have Internet access at home.

“I am in support [of the E-Rate Modernization Order] because [it allows students without Internet at home] to complete their homework and research for their classes,” Patel said.

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opinion

THE PEN PALOS VERDES PENINSULA HIGH SCHOOL 27118 Silver Spur Road, Rolling Hills Estates, CA 90274 EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Zoe Willoughby Stella Yoo MANAGING EDITOR Phoebe Borsum DESIGN EDITOR Connor Tumelty NEWS EDITORS: Jordan Chang Ana Willoughby WRITERS: Minji Jeun Kristen Lu Olin Osborne III Shenaya Yazdani OPINION EDITOR: Nina Li WRITERS: JungIn Kim Adrian Tai Gigi Wargin FOCUS EDITORS: Liana Korotzer Anne Lee WRITERS: Nicole Khalil Saffy Laurio Ailun Shi STUDENT LIFE EDITORS: Alison Kim Emily McGinn WRITERS: Sam Herrmann Elissa Luce Skyler Safechuck Christine Youn SPORTS EDITORS: Rianne Aguas Christopher Chien WRITERS: Christopher Guanzing Sarah Liu Erin Okada Asumi Shuda GRAPHICS Rachel Liu Jenna Yamada Alex Yoo BUSINESS & ADVERTISING Sung Gyung Lee Elana Ho ADVISER Jaymee Johnson “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 Sung Gyung Lee at (310) 377- 4888 ext. 652. The Pen editors appreciate Letters to the Editor, which are accepted up to one week before publication. You may submit them to H52 or to Jaymee Johnson’s mailbox.

Copyright © 2017 Cover Design by Connor Tumelty

applying to college should be a celebration Editorial Staff As the 2017-18 college application season comes into full swing, one would expect our campus to be filled with conversations about dream schools and aspirations. However, many students tend to keep their college list secret due to fear of judgment and unsupportive comments from their peers. Most of these comments are probably not said with malicious intent, but instead are a product of the competitive nature of our school. Students applying to competitive schools worry that their peers will point out their weaknesses, either in grades and standardized testing or in extracurricular activities.

The same goes for those applying to community colleges who may worry about being compared to those planning on attending four-year universities. Despite everyone having the right to keep their school list private, we should not have to

hide it because we are ashamed.

Harvard-Westlake’s The Chronicle found that 47 percent of surveyed seniors do not feel comfortable sharing their top schools and that 76 percent of students believe that they have been lied to about where a friend or classmate is applying. We can only imagine that seniors at Peninsula, a school comparable to Harvard-Westlake in terms of competitiveness, are experiencing similar levels of unease regarding the college application process.

We cannot invalidate the fact that it is ultimately a competition amongst our peers. Many of us will apply to the same schools and some of us will be accepted, while others will not. However, we should not sacrifice basic respect for others during such a stressful time.

Applying to college should be a celebration of privilege and control; it is the ultimate opportunity to decide what our lives will look like in the years

following high school. Though, in truth, this notion is shrouded by the countless essays, paperwork and setbacks, let us not forget that the application process is the ticket to our futures and that nary a person reserves the right to make anyone feel unworthy of the lives they are trying to pursue, no matter the caliber or prestige of the institution that one decides to attend.

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Bill proposed for free first year of community college Adrian tai Financial status is one of the most influential factors in deciding whether a student continues on to a higher education after high school or not. Assembly Bill (AB) 19, which would allow California citizens to attend their first year of community college for free, would be an appealing alternative for students to continue schooling after graduating high school. Many students struggle with the financial burden that comes with going to college and opt for the community college route. However, for some, community college may be unaffordable as well. This bill will be a step forward in helping students pursue a higher education.

“As college costs continue to increase, this program can provide some financial relief to students,” Director of the College and Career Center Julie Arico said. “I think it is important to remember that education not only benefits the individual, but also our cities.

Adults who can be gainfully employed and [contribute] to the economy are also an important component of the overall economic vitality of our state.”

According to the Institute for Higher Education Policy, at

least 70 percent of colleges are unaffordable for working and middle-class students. A college is only deemed “affordable” if the total cost after subtracting can be paid by a student working 10 hours a week during the school year, or a family who had put aside 10 percent of their income in a college savings account for 10 years. While this bill may make the first year of community college possible, there is no guarantee that students would continue to go to college once their tuitionfree year is up. However, this year could help students decide whether college education is something they want to continue or whether they would prefer getting started on a vocational track.

“This bill may offer more opportunities to those who want to try out college for a year but do not have enough money or are not financially secure enough to afford college,” senior Holly Howard said. “However, these people will be stuck with a difficult decision once they finish their first year because they will still be required to pay the following year’s tuition which may not be an option at that time either.”

Many states in the U.S. have already started programs to cover the cost of tuition for students. The New York Times reported that Tennessee,

which has a program that pays for a student’s full tuition at the community college level, has seen community college enrollment increase by a third.

By providing free public higher education, these programs provide an educational opportunity for all.

“It is a universally known fact and a harsh reality for high school students that college is extremely expensive,” senior Michelle Fredericks said. “AB 19 would be a great help to students for whom a fouryear college is not an option.

A majority of students have to worry about the crushing weight of student loans and debt, so it would be comforting to have this option. Although financial help is not a necessity to my family, paying for college is a huge concern, which is why community college is a great alternative compared to burdening my parents with tens of thousands of [dollars in] tuition costs.”

One major concern about this bill is that it would not separate those who are in dire need of financial help from those who can afford to pay community college tuition.

Gov. Jerry Brown’s finance department has argued that the bill would cost the state more than $30 million due to financial coverage for students who do not necessarily need

free tuition. These are justified concerns because these expenses could go towards other students who need extreme financial help instead of those who can easily afford community college tuition. Regardless, this bill would give everyone the same opportunity because many students who opt for the community college route are looking to save money.

“I believe that instead of this bill giving every high school student a free year of community college, there should be a program where students who would like to give college a try but do not have the funds for the first year can apply for a free year of tuition,” Howard said.

“Another possible idea could be having a significant price cut in first year tuition for all California community colleges instead of a complete removal of tuition.”

Although the implementation of this bill may be costly, it will go a long way in helping students achieve a higher education and discover what path they want to take after graduating.

“The total $30 million in-state expenses sounds like a lot, but would prove to be a worthy investment in the future,” Fredericks said. “After all, it is better for a society to have an educated population, so anything to make a higher education more accessible is a benefit to our society.”

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Systematic spending

Trump grants $200 million to STEM programs across the country JUNGIN KIM

40 percent of high schools in California do not offer computer programming classes*

Four percent of high school females reported an interest in engineering compared to 34 percent of males** *According to the Washington post **According to U.S. News ***According to the U.S. bureau of labor statistics

Jungin Kim On Sept. 25, President Trump’s most recent plan to improve education around the country was released, asking for a federal grant of $200 million. As an annual subsidy, this money would be used to upgrade the Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) programs in many schools. Trump’s plan is a realistic one that will gain the support of school board members, paving the way for the expansion of STEM programs in the foreseeable future. The benefits that this plan promises are both wanted and needed by students in the country. This grant opens up a vast amount of possibilities, especially for minorities and women.

Peninsula has many programs such as Technology Student Association (TSA), Cyber Patriots, VEX Robotics and Science Research that would benefit from these additional funds and widen the field for many prospective students who are unsure about participating.

“Having unique STEM opportunities available in high school encourages students to choose STEM related majors,” senior and TSA President Saehui Hwang said. “Students traditionally underexposed to these activities, like ethnic minorities and women, can be exposed to a wider range of career paths.”

According to USA Today, the tech industry is continuing to grow at an exponential rate, currently making up eight percent of the country’s economy and contributing four percent to the national workforce.

This percentage of workers does not include the jobs that require math and science skills, which would raise that number to 24 percent.

With the workforce and economy being so dependent on proficient

technological education, supporting schools in their pursuit of enriching their students’ knowledge is vital for future generations’ success. By implementing Trump’s fund, schools will find that their technological endeavors are within reach and be able to further their participation in the STEM field.

Although $200 million sounds like a gracious amount, some think the money is not enough. However, this is a step in the right direction, and if efficiently expended, the funds may multiply in the years to come due to the increased interest from students.

“Since our society is thriving off the success of technology, there will be many advancements to help improve the country,” junior Max Cha said. “But then again, if the money is split between high schools [across the country], the funds will be minuscule, and not make that great of an impact on each school.”

While the money is a factor for more inclusive and efficient STEM programs, the fact that there are plans to contribute to this field shows the need for these classes.

“It [may be] too little and too late, but some is always better than none,” STEM adviser and Advanced Placement Computer Science teacher Hassan Twiet said.

“We need to be at a stage where all schools, not just [schools in] Palos Verdes, are elevated to compete with other countries who have put a lot of emphasis on STEM.” While people tend to agree that this sum is too small to make a noteworthy change, the project draws the public eye to the importance of improving science related facilities. In a future where many jobs will rely on some sort of technological education, the money will allow for the early introduction of STEM is paramount in keeping the country’s competitive edge.

“Having unique STEM opportunities available in high school encourages students to choose STEM related majors.”

-Senior and TSA President Saehui Hwang

In 2015, there were nearly 8.6 million jobs related to stem, translating to 6.2 percent of U.S. employment***

Connor tumelty / The pen

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focus

T T H G I F I F D O O G

Cardina Defies Bea Stereoty Through

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Students come together to break down social barriers

step forward and cross an invisible line when a statement given applied to them. Topics touched on Ailun Shi parental divorce, family deaths, From Sept. 25 to Sept. 28, mental illness, self-confidence, the program Breaking Down academic success and cultural and social the Walls came to Peninsula values, among others. Students were given to encourage students to break the opportunity to observe and learn about down social barriers through games, their fellow peers. shared personal experiences and small “[The activities at Breaking Down the Walls group activities. Breaking Down the Walls showed students that] there are people on is a program that travels to schools all over campus [for] them [to] talk to who have gone the nation in an effort to create a more unified through the same thing they have,” Sedillos said. student body. The program strives to connect “There are more people students can relate to school administrators, teachers and students than they thought.” through icebreaker games and other bonding Students also participated in group activities activities. All students attended the assembly led by a facilitator and shared experiences, at the beginning of the week led by Phil Boyte, thoughts and aspirations with each other. the founder of Breaking Down Walls. Over the “You know more stories,” sophomore course of the following three days, 573 students Bonny Quan said. “[Many people] have the same experienced the event. experience [as you].”

Upperclassmen who were chosen as student The inclusive nature of the event, facilitators were responsible for leading eight to which included students sharing anecdotes nine other students in group activities. of their dreams and memories within a “There are a lot of walls [between small group, allowed students to be more students at Peninsula],” senior and aware of each other. Advanced Placement student facilitator Brady Sedillos said.

Seminar, English 3 Honors and AVID 12 “Many students do not really talk to teacher Sandra Sidella believes the event people outside their grade [and there] was able to change her mentality. is a disconnection between people at “I came away with more our school.” compassion, more patience [and] During the event, students more drive to be a better participated in an activity teacher,” Sidella said. “It was a in which students tremendously powerful were asked to event.”

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Ailun Shi Senior Maya Cardinali is an artist at Peninsula who defies social injustices in today’s society. Much of her artwork demonstrates positive body images to emphasize beauty in all body types.

“I think [there is] a societal cookie-cutter image of what a woman should look like,” Cardinali said. “A lot of models that you see are very skinny [and] tall.”

Several pieces of Cardinali’s art feature drawings and paintings of nude women with bodies of all shapes and sizes. The artwork represents many of the body types underrepresented in popular culture.

“I try to portray [different body types] in an ethereal kind of way to show there is not [just] one type of woman that can be seen as pretty,” Cardinali said. “Every woman is art.”

Cardinali further points out that there are stereotypes regarding ethnicity when it comes to beauty.

“There seem to be a lot of white models or models who have Eurocentric

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Junior Sarah Yeck has faced considerable difficulties in her everyday life due to a benign tumor.

Yeck’s doctor discovered a noncancerous, cartilaginous tumor in her hip when checking a muscle that she tore while biking. She then received an MRI and an X-ray on Sept. 20. The doctor found that there was something wrong with her pelvis, so she got a Tekscan, a medical pressure mapping system.

Due to the torn muscle and the tumor in her hip, Yeck was on crutches for a short period of time but later was allowed to walk on her own. In addition, Yeck’s doctors have prohibited her from doing most physical activities. This has made everyday tasks difficult for her.

“It is stressful not being able to be active,”

features [such as] light colored eyes and small noses,” Cardinali said. “[In] reality, that is not what everyone looks like.”

Senior Elise Hall, a friend of Cardinali, supports Cardinali’s art. “[Cardinali] is talented in drawing [and] painting, and I also think much of the beauty comes from the meaning behind each piece,” Hall said. “It is one thing to be able to draw a pretty picture, but another to shed light on an issue while using that talent.”

Senior Sophie Semenjuk, a close friend of Cardinali, believes that Cardinali’s art is very powerful. “[Cardinali’s art] not only represents free thinking and open mindedness, but also equality and representation,” Semenjuk said. “Her art makes people comfortable and feel safe, which I think gives it the [potential] to change how bodies are viewed entirely.”

Cardinali hopes that because of her art, people will view female bodies differently.

“I think once people see [more] representation, they will feel more included,” Cardinali said. “It could [make them] realize that we are all people, and we are all different.”

Yeck said. “Getting to school was really hard. My mom leaves early in the morning, and [since I usually bike], I had no way to get to school when I was on crutches. Even walking long distances is [difficult], so I cannot go anywhere or do things with friends.”

However, the most challenging part of her condition has been her inability to ride horses. Yeck is an avid equestrian and being restricted from riding horses for so long has been disheartening for her.

“Riding is a big part of my life,” Yeck said. “I have been doing it since I was four. It brings me joy, and the fact that I [cannot] do it has definitely been the [most difficult] part of all this.”

Yeck’s friends at school have been her biggest support system and only hope that her health improves.

Junior Maia Weinstock has been supporting her by doing small but meaningful tasks and simply checking up on her daily.

“I will check in with her constantly and will try to make her feel better,” Weinstock said. “I consider her one of my closest friends and [it saddens me] to see her in pain. I think she is such a beautiful person with a [bright] personality and she has so much hope for the future. I just try to spend time with her to make sure she is doing alright.”

Yeck also has a strong support system at home. Pam Clark, her father’s girlfriend, has been working extremely hard to keep Yeck’s spirits up by taking her to massages and watching movies with her. Clark also admires Yeck’s strength despite all that she has gone through. “[Yeck] has a true fighter’s spirit,” Clark said. “I really admire that she has not complained even one time and has tolerated so much pain. She is staying very positive and still wants to joke and have fun.”

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student life

drifting into thrifting

HANNAH SHEVER

junior Shever organizes her own pop-up shop alison kim and emily mcginn Junior Hannah Shever channeled her love for vintage classic fashion into a store within her courtyard. On Sept. 24, Shever debuted her vintage pop-up shop, where she sold mainly vintage and used clothes, such as baja drug rugs, and other accessories, including belts and hats.

“All the things [in the store] are one-of-a-kind, so there is only one of each [piece],” Shever said. “Whatever [a customer does] end up choosing, [he or she] is the only one that owns that.”

The idea to create a shop came to her two weeks before her debut opening, and the physical preparation began six days prior. The day before her store opening, Shever and her mom drove around Los Angeles hand-picking vintage and used clothes at different warehouses and thrift stores. Later that day, they priced the clothes and washed them at a laundromat.

According to Shever, preparation was a stressful and time-consuming process, taking up the majority of her weekend.

Before customers arrived, Shever had to ensure that her courtyard was decorated and that the clothes were priced and arranged. Despite the time and effort the store required, she believes that the debut was a success, with her store constantly filled with customers throughout the three hours it was open.

By organizing the pop-up shop, Shever was able to experience the process of establishing a clothing store firsthand.

She believes her mother, who owns a vintage clothing store in Japan, has taught her all she knows about the retail industry. Her mother assisted her in choosing pieces of clothing at the warehouses and showing her which pieces were the best for her store based on pattern, design and value. “[My mother] is very inspiring,” Shever said. “I worked in her store in Japan and [it was] just so [amazing] to look at all the clothes, and I thought that this could definitely work [in our country].”

Shever’s love for vintage and used clothing started at a young age. Her

mother introduced them to her, and even now, many of the pieces in her wardrobe are used clothes. This year, she noticed that vintage clothes were becoming a popular trend, which encouraged her to open her own store with unique pieces of clothing that are not normally seen in traditional department stores. “[Shever’s] shop made high-end vintage clothing accessible and affordable for high school kids,” junior Jacqueline Lara, who assisted Shever, said.

Her friend’s support also contributed to Shever’s success. Many of her friends advertised the opening through various forms of social media. She claims that if it were not for her friends, the news of her opening would not have spread throughout the community. Some of her friends were even involved with the actual opening of the store. For example, junior Emily Decker helped manage the store with Lara. Decker helped Shever at the register, bagged clothes and helped clean up after the store closed. Lara priced clothes, sorted them out and

helped decide which clothes should be displayed.

“Helping [Shever] through this process was honestly so much fun for me, and I am so proud that she finally took the time and effort to set up this shop,” Decker said. “I want to be in [the retail] business when I am older and seeing what the people bought and what they would like to see in shops made me think about that.”

Following the success of her first opening, Shever hopes to continue to work with vintage clothing. She allocated her profits for new materials for the store, her mother and her college and car savings. After a large turnout, Shever decided to open again on Oct. 15, which attracted both new and returning customers. In the future, she plans to open her shop at least once a month.

“I think that small stores are really nice [in an age where] big corporations are taking over,” Shever said. “I feel [that a store like mine creates] more of a community [where] you meet more people, and get to know others.”

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twin authors write books for a cause

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Juniors Lexi and Holly Harris each recently wrote books to make a difference in the community. On Aug. 26, Lexi printed a cookbook called “The Caring Community Cookbook” for the Beacon Light Mission Homeless Shelter, a Christian shelter for the South Bay homeless population. Holly published a children’s book called “Self-Made Shade” on Blurb, an online platform for publishing books, on Aug. 15.

Lexi and Holly began their projects to fulfill the requirements of the Girl Scout Gold Award.

Holly’s book is centered around sun protection, since she has always been curious about sun safety.

“A children’s book is the perfect way to get the message of the importance of sun safety across while [children] are young,” Holly said. “They can build [this good] habit because skin cancer is really preventable if you practice sun safety.”

Holly’s children’s book explores the history of sunscreen and sun safety from ancient civilizations to the present. By creating her own graphics, she made the book visually appealing to children.

Holly introduced her book to schools in the community by reading it to students at Silver Spur Elementary School. There, she was pleasantly surprised that the students wanted to make their own books, and she realized that she can spread her excitement to others through her book.

“I want to inspire other kids to write their own

books [and tell them] that they can do it,” Holly said.

Junior Kira Nguyen helped edit Holly’s book and was able to see their combined efforts published in the final product.

“As cheesy as it is, if you are really passionate about something and put effort, work and time into it, it is bound to succeed,” Nguyen said.

For Lexi, her motivation in writing a book was to solve a recurring issue at the homeless shelter.

She saw that the volunteers were struggling to find recipes and use proper cooking procedures.

“I love to cook and bake, so I knew right away that I wanted to do something with that,” Lexi said. “[The shelter] needed something for reference so that when the volunteers come, they can have inspiration.”

While creating the cookbook for the homeless shelter, Lexi handed out a survey to the residents to determine what food they preferred. The homeless residents at the shelter were glad that they could participate in the selection of recipes, since they usually did not get to choose their meals. Lexi believed this experience emphasized that all people deserve respect regardless of their socioeconomic status.

“Writing a book takes a dedication and drive like no other task,” Lexi said. “I learned that as long as I am passionate about what I am doing and truly love it, all of the stress and time is worth it.”

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sports

Connor tumelty / the pen taylor yoo, momoka sasaki

What you have been wading for

Boys’ water polo places third in Varsity Bull Run tournament Sarah Liu For the varsity boys’ water polo team, the season has already started off with a splash. On Sept. 22 and Sept. 23, Peninsula competed in the third annual Varsity Bull Run tournament, hosted by Diamond Bar High School and Schurr High School (SHS). Peninsula was placed in the Gold Bracket, along with other Division 4 teams.

They began the tournament ranked last in their division, then worked their way up the rankings and finished strong, winning third place. As of Oct. 16, Peninsula is currently ranked first in Division 4 teams in the CIF Southern Section.

The tournament started with Peninsula defeating Great Oak High School with a score of 10-4. They later won their second game against SHS, finishing 10-9. Peninsula continued their winning streak on Saturday against San Dimas High School with a score of 12-6. However, they were not able to pull off the victory against Crescenta Valley High School, with a close loss of 4-3. The team concluded the tournament with

a strong win against Murrieta Mesa High School, defeating them with a score of 12-5.

Recently, Peninsula competed in the South Bay Tournament on Oct. 6 to Oct. 7 and the Ocean View Tournament from Oct. 12 to Oct. 14 and finished in fifth place in both of the tournaments.

“We played pretty well, [and] there were some really high ranked teams [at the tournament],” senior and captain Brandon Soto said. “I think we did really well.”

The team as a whole has come a long way since last year. Since introducing new varsity head coach Bryan Weaver, the team has drastically changed how they view the game. “[We have gone through] different ways of [running] practice,” Soto said. “Our new coach now teaches us more fundamentals [and] more important stuff, like types of shooting, the way we shoot and what to do in certain circumstances.”

Additionally, the team has gotten to know each other and work together better.

“Last year, we were not that close,” Soto said.

“This year, we started getting closer by hanging

out more and starting to understand each other better.”

While they have become a much stronger team, Soto believes that they still have room to improve. For instance, the team can work on adapting efficiently to different scenarios, especially towards the final minutes of the game.

He also believes that the team’s defense is their greatest strength, but working towards improving their offense would help the team greatly.

“Our goal for this season is to win CIF,” senior and captain Michael Gago said. “We started this season seeded last, but have gone on to beat the top ranked team, and many of the other top teams.”

To improve the game and the team as a whole, the players know that they are going to have to put in extra work and effort, and they are prepared to do so.

“We just have to keep improving the conditioning and keep doing what we are doing, and we will [eventually] get to [the next] level,” senior and captain Stefaan Voss said.

VARSITY CAPTAINS

Brandon soto (12)

michael gago (12)

taylor reher (12)

stefaan voss (12)

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making a racket

Girls’ tennis makes a comeback after past season losses

Kara Lee Emily Wang

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“Being on the team for four years, I truly believe that this year’s varsity team is one of the most hardworking group of girls I have ever been with.”

- Senior and captain Kara Lee

Asumi Shuda On Sept. 8 and Sept. 9, the girls’ tennis team won the third annual Golden State Classics in Palo Alto.

This win was a significant achievement for the girls from their No. 6 ranking in the tournament the previous year.

Junior Amanda Sharng was undefeated in singles, as well as sophomores Alicia Carmona and Koko Makrygiannis in doubles. With freshman Kimberly Hance sealing the win in the finals, the team started out the new year with a major victory.

The Bay League girls’ tennis team is currently ranked second in CIF Division I and their record was a 14-1 match. The team’s overall record is 7-1-0 and their league record is 1-0-0. The team has been known for consistent victories, clinching the Bay League championship for ten years in a row and qualifying for CIF for three years.

“Both [of my parents] are in the tennis field, so I basically grew up on

the court,” Hance said. “Although I was stuck and in a way forced to play the sport by my mom, people like my sister really inspired me to step it up.”

Hance is ranked No. 4 in Southern California in her age category and ranked No. 15 nationally. Her family has always been involved in the sport, with her older brother currently attending University of California, Los Angeles on a tennis scholarship and her sister playing for the University of Washington. Hance won the United States Tennis Association National Zimmerman Johnson tournament in this past year. At this year’s Golden State Classic, Hance won three matches in a row in singles. To top it off, Hance emerged victorious in a match with Palos Verdes’ Katie Hart leading 6-4 and 6-3 in two rounds.

“As a team, we are extremely close both as players and as friends,” Hance said. “When I first joined the team, I did not know anyone being a freshman but everyone was so welcoming and treated each other like family.”

Senior Kara Lee is this year’s girls’ varsity captain. She was recognized in the Daily Breeze in 2016 for her tennis performance and has been a dedicated player on the team since freshman year.

“Being on the team for four years, I truly believe that this year’s varsity team is one of the most hardworking groups of girls I have ever been with,” Lee said. “Our team is working even harder to win CIF this year and no matter what happens I will always be proud to be a captain for such an amazing team.”

Coach Mike Hoeger believes that the team’s synergy is what brought them to victory. They hope that they will remain champions and will continue to work hard to achieve their goals.

“The team always supports each other on and off of the field, and this year’s girls have been extremely connected with one another, which is nice to see,” Hoeger said. “I feel lucky to have [this bond] on the team.”

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