Issue 2

VOL. XL ISSUE 2 NOVEMBER 8, 2019

PALOS VERDES PENINSULA HIGH SCHOOL www.pvphsnews.com

EYES, LIPS, FACE, WAIT Senior becomes a representative for cosmetic subscription brand FOCUS PAGE 6-7

TEAM STEVENS NATION

RISE AND SHINE

NIGHT LIGHTS DONE RIGHT

Peninsula football alumni’s diagnosis sparks awareness

California pushes back school start time

Peninsula has first home night game in 18 years

NEWS PAGE 3

OPINION PAGE 4

SPORTS PAGE 11

NEWS

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PANTHERS LEAD THE WAY

Peninsula replaces Breaking Down the Walls with Leadership Symposium This year, Peninsula decided to replace the Breaking Down the Walls program with the newly implemented Leadership Symposium, which took place in September. Breaking Down the Walls is a three-day program where students participate in activities that allow them to bond with their peers. Last year, about 450 students attended, as the program is open for all students to join.

The Leadership Symposium, on the other hand, was only open to approximately 100 juniors and seniors who are seen as leaders. The symposium was an all-day activity designed to train students to become effective leaders on campus.

With the introduction of the Leadership Symposium, the number of students who were able to attend was more limited because the participants were selected by teachers.

“I do not think that Breaking Down the Walls should have been replaced with the Leadership Symposium this year,” senior Eujin Oh said. “Since students have to be selected by teachers in order to participate in the symposium, those who are not selected will not get the opportunity to bond with their classmates and pick up the valuable

leadership skills that are [learned at this school event].”

According to Activities Director Season Pollock, Breaking Down the Walls is not being held this year because

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participation in these activities.

“The Leadership Symposium makes a different type of impact than Breaking Down the Walls, but both programs were very well-received by the students

THE LEADERSHIP SYMPOSIUM IS TAILORED TO UNDERSTANDING WHERE OUR SCHOOL NEEDS WORK AND HOW WE, AS STUDENTS, CAN WORK TO MAKE IT BETTER. -SENIOR SHIVANI JAIN

past experiences at Peninsula have shown that taking a break from a program and bringing it back the following year proved to have the greatest success in regards to student

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ALEX PEREZ

who participated in them,” Pollock said.

“Participants of both programs said they felt much more connected to the school than they did prior to experiencing Breaking Down the Walls and the

Leadership Symposium.”

At the Leadership Symposium, student leaders discussed the more successful traits of Peninsula as well as those that need improvement. In their assigned groups, students brainstormed ways that they believed could make Peninsula students feel more supported and included in school activities. Breaking Down the Walls, on the other hand, was designed to create student relationships.

It included activities that, according to the Breaking Down the Walls website, were meant to foster a respectful and comfortable environment where students could share their personal stories with their peers. However, students were still given the opportunity to act as leaders by directing small group activities at the assembly. Prior to each session, the presenter of the program trained a group of student volunteers in a three-hour workshop where students learned how to lead small groups during certain activities.

“While Breaking Down the Walls allowed us to meet new people at Peninsula, the Leadership Symposium is more tailored to understanding where our school needs work and how we, as students, can work to make it better,” senior Shivani Jain said.

SHAI BECKER / THE PEN

STUDENTS HIRE ESSAY WRITERS FOR ASSIGNMENTS SOFIA LAURO AND LYNN TANISAKA An expanding industry in which students hire people to write essays for them is growing steadily at Peninsula and other schools across the nation.

Websites, such as Essay Pro, pay online writers to compose papers for students at prices ranging from $11.00 to $100.00.

According to Associate Principal Michael Wanmer, such a service threatens Peninsula’s non-plagiarism bylaws, as the work that students turn in is not theirs.

According to Wanmer, a small number of students are reported to him each year for plagiarism. The consequences for plagiarism at Peninsula can range from receiving a grade of zero on the assignment to expulsion.

“Peninsula does an incredible job with controlling cheating and academic integrity,” Wanmer said. “When we catch students, we make it certain that they complete an integrity packet and attend Saturday school.”

Wanmer believes that when students pay for others to write their essays, their ability to excel in academic subjects and

work diligently does not develop. These are skills that he sees are crucial for college and life beyond the classroom.

Many teachers at Peninsula share a similar sentiment with regards to these services. English 1 and English 4 teacher Magali Blazevic is against students using these services, because she believes they prohibit students from advancing their writing skills.

“Students who are purchasing papers online are doing a disservice to themselves because they are not learning how to write, and [for] whatever job or industry they go into, they will need to know how to write,” Blazevic said. “Just having someone do it for them is not going to teach them the skills that they will need in the future.”

Chair of Peninsula’s English department and English 2, English 3 Honors and AVID 12 teacher Dr. Tim Coleman believes that a student cheating their way through school is not beneficial to anyone, especially the student.

“I always tell my students that I would rather have them turn in a bad essay [written by themselves], which I will

be generous about, than a great essay written by someone else,” Coleman said.

This spreading industry can be hard to detect, as there is not yet a solid way to prove that a student used a service like this. However, many of Peninsula’s faculty

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NEWS

believe that plagiarism in any form results in, among other things, a great loss of integrity, which some consider to be one of the most important skills a student acquires in high school.

E PEN ALEX YOO / TH

PENINSULA ALUMNUS RECENTLY DIAGNOSED WITH ALS typically afflicts those between the ages of 40 and 70, Stevens’s diagnosis is a rarity. Stevens is currently pursuing a Peninsula alumnus Eric Stevens was clinical trial called NurOwn, which has recently diagnosed with Amyotrophic proven to slow the effects of ALS and Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), a progressive restore muscle control. Stevens’s family neurodegenerative disease that affects set up a campaign called Team Stevens nerve cells in the brain and the spinal Nation and a GoFundMe page called cord that control voluntary #axeALS. Director of Activities muscles. Stevens played on Season Pollock detailed the current Peninsula’s varsity football team clinical treatment the Stevens’ family from 2004-08. His performance elected to pursue. during his senior year led to “Once [the school] found his inclusion as a player on the out that an alumni that was so first All-Bay League football young was diagnosed with such a team and the Daily Breeze Allhorrible disease, we began to learn Area squad. He then played more about just how terrible the at the University of California, disease is,” Pollock said. “The most Berkeley and professionally frustrating part is that currently, for the St. Louis Rams. there is a medicine out there that After retiring from playing ALS patients do not have access professional football, Stevens to unless they are part of a clinical returned to Southern California trial. Even then, only 50 percent to join the Los Angeles Fire of people in that trial can even Department in 2015. get the medicine to help them Former Peninsula football because the other half is part of the coach, James Small, describes experimental placebo group.”

Stevens as having been a In spite of this disease, those who valuable asset to the Peninsula STEVENS (pictured on the top bleacher) WITH THE VARSITY FOOTBALL TEAM IN 2008 PHOTO COURTESY OF LA PANTERA are close to him on the peninsula varsity team. know that his legacy on football, “Eric is not only a great football free to sign with any franchise. Former Neurological Disorder and Stroke, the and the Palos Verdes community at player, but more importantly, a great Peninsula head football coach Tony early stages of ALS are characterized large, is lasting. person,” Small said. “He was well Uruburu described Stevens’ athletic by muscle weakness or stiffness and “He is the player that every coach respected by his peers both on and off ability and detailed what made him later, twitching and slurred speech. [and] every team needs to have,” the football field. He is a tremendous especially suited for professional sports.

Gradually, individuals begin to lose Uruburu said. “He is somebody that competitor with a great work ethic -“He had a knack for playing football,” their strength and the ability to speak, every kid that plays at Peninsula should nobody practiced or worked harder than Uruburu said. “He was big, strong, eat, move and breathe. Because ALS strive to be like.”

Eric did.”

KAITLYN HO AND KRISTEN LU

After graduating from Peninsula, Stevens played for the University of California, Berkeley from 2008-12, where he eventually became the captain.

His athletic abilities led to his signing with the Rams after his graduation as an unrestricted free agent, or players

tough, fast and very athletically talented, but most importantly, he was the kind of kid that everyone wanted on their team.

He was always on time, worked hard and was a natural leader -- he was the best player that you could hope for.”

According to the National Institute of

EDITORIAL THE PEN PALOS VERDES PENINSULA HIGH SCHOOL 27118 Silver Spur Road, Rolling Hills Estates, CA 90274 EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Rianne Aguas Asumi Shuda MANAGING EDITOR Ana Willoughby DESIGN EDITOR Alex Yoo HEAD OF BUSINESS Elana Ho NEWS EDITORS: Kaitlyn Ho Kristen Lu WRITERS: Sofia Lauro Alex Perez Jack Sedillos Lynn Tanisaka OPINION EDITORS: Fiona Andersons Jacci Engler WRITERS: Maddy Christen Sophia Der Rin Anna Mytko Imogene Tomicic FOCUS EDITORS: Minji Jeun Fiona Yang WRITERS: Caitlyn Lee Tilly Safavian STUDENT LIFE EDITORS: Keila Bara James O’Dea WRITERS: Rosalie Burich Yaseen El-Magharbel Emma Mulligan Abigail Shane SPORTS EDITOR: Casey Syal WRITERS: Jeremy Kim Marcus Kim Angelina Mendoza GRAPHICS Shai Becker Patrick Chan Helen Huang Alicia Jeong Jihee Seo Maddie Yeh BUSINESS & ADVERTISING Ashley Deng Caroline Horn Lina Kugaya ADVISER Jaymee DeMeyer “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 Elana Ho 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 DeMeyer’s mailbox.

Copyright © 2019 Cover Design by Alex Yoo Back Cover Design by Nancy Shafer

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CHANGES TO ACT CREATE NEGATIVE IMPACT ON STUDENTS

editorial staff With the continuous yet rapid drop of acceptance rates at colleges across America, it is becoming increasingly difficult for students, including those at Peninsula, to meet the standards of these institutions.

So, as students are beginning to prepare for standardized testing for their future applications, testing companies like ACT are attempting to tackle the competition these students are facing.

On Oct. 8, the makers of the ACT test announced three new implementations regarding the exam that would supposedly increase the likelihood of gaining admission to colleges. Beginning next September, takers will have three new options when taking the ACT: retaking individual sections of the exam, taking the test on an online platform and having ACT report their superscores to colleges. Yet, factors like increased competition from raised average test scores, the financial status of students’ families and the new “test optional” policies will result in these adjustments having little to no effect on prospective applicants.

Therefore, although ACT is making these efforts with the intent of improving students’ possibilities of getting into college, they need to realize that they are instead ensuing no benefit to and even harming such

chances with these changes.

Currently, those who wish to improve their test score have to retake the entire exam and excel in all of the sections given.

However, with ACT’s new option of being able to retake individual sections, students now have a better chance to receive higher composite test scores. Although this would have a short-term benefit of receiving a higher score in the most efficient manner, there will be long-term consequences that would only worsen the problem ACT is trying to prevent. Allowing individual sections to be retaken would cause universities to increase their average ACT scores, which, in turn, would escalate the competition of getting into college. As a result, the acceptance rate of these colleges would continue to decrease, further harming students’ chances of gaining admission, which is the opposite of ACT’s intentions.

The ability to retake individual sections would not financially benefit students either.

Despite an estimated decrease in the cost of taking a specific section compared to a whole exam, there will still be students who cannot afford to pay to retake any sections of the exam. In other words, this implementation would only significantly benefit the wealthy. For instance, in communities like Palos Verdes, the majority of the student

population is financially adept enough to pay for multiple retakes of the ACT test.

However, there still remains students on the hill who are unable to have that opportunity due to their monetary standing.

Since the college admission scandals, there have been a myriad of efforts made by both the admissions and testing sides of the application process. While companies like ACT are attempting to make changes to their policies in order to benefit students, according to the National Center for Fair & Open Testing, 47 colleges in America are opting to be “test optional.” These play into the overall shift in emphasis from their applicants’ statistics to their applicants’ characteristics. Thus, there would not be a significant benefit for students and their possibilities of gaining admission to their desired colleges.

Despite these efforts, every action taken to improve the chances of gaining admission to colleges will result in unintended negative consequences to those not necessarily in the equation. If we want to significantly increase our chances to get into the schools of our dreams, companies like ACT must be aware of every aspect of the impact their actions will have on students everywhere.

HALLOWEEN PETITION RESULTS IN SURGE OF STUDENT ACTIVISM Fiona Andersons and Jacci Engler Prior to this year’s Halloween, Peninsula students were concerned that they would be unable to enjoy the holiday on a weeknight with assignments due the next day. Seeing this frustration, juniors Thy Do and Emma Perranoski were inspired to start an online petition for a partial or full day off of school on Friday, Nov. 1. After creating this appeal through a petition website called change.org, they brought the issue to the attention of Peninsula’s administration on Wednesday, Oct. 30. Regardless of their initial goal to gain a few hundred endorsements, the petition accumulated over 1,255 signatures, showing significant student support in this cause. Although the original intention of the petition was not met, its creation inspired Peninsula’s students to unite and emphasized the importance of the student body’s opinions on desired resolutions. Petitions like this should not be considered a failure but rather an expression of the power a few individuals have within a community -- serving as inspiration for projects and student campaigns in the future.

In an effort to hear the student body’s concerns, Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District recently released a homework survey asking students to report the time they spend on homework as well as their stress levels. Once the poll results are finalized, the district board will look over the responses in order to

gain a better understanding of their school experience. Student participation in platforms like the Halloween petition and homework survey can serve to make such improvements on campus a reality.

“Petitions go to show that if people come together to express what they believe in, change and impact can come from their efforts,” Do said. “We have many other ideas that we would like to share with administration in hopes of creating change among our school. We know that the number-one group that can and will impact the education system is the students.”

When Do and Perranoski brought their proposal to Dr. Brent Kuykendall on Oct. 30, one of the reasons they were unable to get their petition passed was due to the last-minute nature of their request.

As Peninsula is forced to abide to a strict minimum amount of 21,600 instructional minutes in a school year by the California Department of Education, most major schedule changes are thought out months, if not years ahead of time. However, this is not to say that the girls’ feat would be impossible.

According to Associate Principal Michael Wanmer, a student could potentially have the opportunity to share their petition or survey by contacting their student representative for the District Board of Education for that year.

If given enough time to plan, there would be no reason that changes like a Halloween petition for a late start or half day off could not be considered and put into action.

“If the student proposed their idea far enough in advance, they could go to their

student board representative to present data on the percentage of students who agree with them and take their request to the school education board,” Wanmer said. “[The district is] always looking for ways to give the community a voice and keep students in school and satisfied.”

Although its original purpose was not fulfilled, the Halloween petition’s vast participation showed the lasting effect two students can have. Following the homework survey put out by the district, Do and Perranoski were inspired to create similar opportunities for the community to speak up on areas that need refining, such as workload. On Nov. 3, the pair released their second public poll called the PVPHS Student Opinion Box, which asks students a variety of questions regarding their schedules, workload and overall school experience. Despite the Halloween petition ultimately being unable to guarantee a day off, the pair hopes that with further preparations to present petition results to the district, it is plausible that efforts like the Student Opinion Box could have lasting changes. Their past and present petitions allow students to share a common ground on an idea that they feel is important to them and an outlet for student engagement within their school community.

“Every student has a voice; they just need to learn how to use it,” Perranoski said. “Petitions are a way to let individuals voice their opinion and let them feel that they are not alone. Students need to face the education system together.”

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OPINION

8:30, STILL TOO EARLY

California Law Changes School Start Time to 8:30 a.m.

ALEX YOO / the pen

Sophia De Rin California is finally addressing the effects of sleep deprivation to teenagers across America, but is enough being done for a significant change to take place? Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation on Oct.13 to push back the time high schools and middle schools start their school days in California.

These adjustments were made in correspondence to multiple health organizations, such as the World Health Organization and National Sleep Foundation, which found that later start times help students receive closer to the recommended amount of nine to 10 hours of sleep per night.

However, these actions are still not enough to fully tackle the issue surrounding the lack of sleep in adolescents. To make a considerable impact, the California legislative should push to start class later than 9:30 a.m. or decrease the workload of the average student.

Moving the start of the school day from as early as 7 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. would make little difference to a student’s sleep schedule. Currently, according to the Nationwide Children’s Hospital, the average amount of sleep adolescent students get is about seven hours, far less than the nine hours of rest needed to function properly. Some students, especially those who walk or bike to school or those who live farther away, may need to wake up earlier than 7 a.m. to get to class on time.

Therefore, students may need one extra hour of sleep at most with this legislation which still does

not equate to an average of nine hours teenagers should be sleeping each night.

When researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies observed students after their start times were moved from 8:00 a.m. to 9:45 a.m, students exhibited an increase in alertness in the mornings when their schedules were moved, leading to improved grades in the long term. Furthermore, these improvements in the district only occured when the time school started was moved to 9:45 a.m. Therefore, other districts, including Peninsula’s, should follow suit and adjust the time class begins to 9:30 a.m. or later.

“I believe these schedule changes will not affect much,” Algebra 1, Algebra 2 and Statistics teacher John Buda said. “The only students who will be affected are those who participate in extracurriculars, since the school schedule will be pushed an hour back.”

In addition, the policy would result in a one-hour delay in the schedules of students who participate in extracurriculars after school. If a student’s schedule is changed, the amount of time available for homework would also be shortened.

“Due to these schedule changes, my after-school schedule will be [set back] an hour, which gives me even less time for homework,” freshman Khiara Diaz said. “I would prefer that these changes did not occur at all.”

A possible solution to this issue for students would be to stay up later or wake up earlier to finish the rest of their homework; however, this is not plausible. This would defeat the purpose of implementing the new schedule changes, as a student with an extracurricular may not be getting enough sleep by staying up late

or waking up earlier to finish work anyways. An alternate solution that would not affect student’s schedules is to lessen the average teenagers’ workload. According to the Journal of Experimental Education, after polling 4,317 students from 10 American high schools, a student’s average amount of homework per night totaled to about three hours to complete. Additionally, less than one percent of the students polled felt they benefited from this homework, and 56 percent of students recognized homework as a main stressor. Teachers should assign less homework and spend more time in class practicing the material, which would allow students to sleep earlier without the need of hours of repetitive practice. If homework is a main cause for stress and has little clear correlation with improved grades, why are Peninsula teachers negating a student’s need for sleep by assigning useless work?

The California legislative should regulate the amount of work assigned by each class alongside making school start later, as it would allow students to spend less time working and more time sleeping. The legislature should be doing everything in their power to increase student’s sleep, a vital step being to make 9:30 a.m.or later the official school start time at Peninsula and across California.

“Even if the change is only an hour to 30 minutes longer, it would help students significantly in getting more sleep and getting work done,” senior Charley Kim said. “On late start days when I do get to sleep in about an hour more, I feel better and much more energized than on a normal day.”

FOCUS

6

JASANIS BEGINS COLLABORATION WITH IPSY COSMETICS CAITLYN LEE On Oct. 10, senior Aidan Jasanis announced through his Instagram account, @aidanjmua, that he became a brand partner for subscription-based cosmetic brand Ipsy. Every month, Ipsy sends their customers a package of five different products from various makeup brands.

As a brand partner, Jasanis promotes Ipsy products on his Instagram to encourage his followers to subscribe to the monthly package service.

“It has only been three weeks [since I started],” Jasanis said. “[So far], I have filmed six hours of content [for Ipsy], a couple of promotional reviews for their products and an assessment of their [public relations] package for October.”

In eighth grade, Jasanis began wearing makeup as a way to cover his blemishes.

This changed when he played around with makeup on Halloween and discovered he had a newfound passion for makeup.

Through practicing and taking classes to learn new techniques, Jasanis eventually began to experiment with new looks.

On average, Jasanis’s more detailed looks can take up to two hours to complete.

Most of them are inspired by posts from

Instagram’s explore page, a tab in the app that broadcasts the most recent and trending posts or content by famous influencers such as Jeffree Star, a YouTube makeup artist.

“I love Jeffree Star’s brand because I ultimately want to create my own makeup line,” Jasanis said. “Seeing the way that he started with 3,000 dollars and created this multi-million dollar company just by wearing makeup and keeping a standard for himself is inspiring.”

In order to pursue his career in the makeup industry, Jasanis had to find ways to spread his name. Jasanis’s brand manager, Sara Katz-Scher is the creative director and founder of a hybrid interactive performance art and apparel company called “The Adventure Effect.”

While interning there, Jasanis was recognized for his skill in patterning and fabricating costumes, as well as assisting in makeup creations and theater. Katz-Scher describes Jasanis as a precocious and highly-skilled person.

“Jasanis is a forward-thinking male makeup artist,” Katz-Scher said. “His open-minded attitude and out-of-the-box identity is sure to inspire other people -young and old -- to be more authentic to

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themselves and to pursue what they love.”

An aspect of Katz-Scher’s job includes pairing Jasanis with brands for potential partnerships, such as Ipsy.

Brand partnership selection varies by the company such as number of followers, growth, engagement, talent or appeal.

“Jasanis’s social media is growing and improving rapidly, and that is something Ipsy looks for when partnering with influencers,” Katz-Sher said.

As an influencer, Jasanis’s account is managed with some help. Jasanis’s friend, senior Nala Smith, plans out his feed and recommends ways to increase his audience. In addition to posting about makeup products, Jasanis speaks out regarding issues such as equal rights to raise awareness in encouraging educated consumer decisions. Smith is aware of the backlash Jasanis receives for his opinions, as well as being a boy who likes doing makeup. She is inspired by the level of motivation he displays.

“Despite all of the hate and harassment he has experienced, Jasanis is headstrong and knows to only react to that behavior with positivity,” Smith said. “I felt so proud when he partnered with Ipsy that I even started crying.”

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PENINSULA STUDENTS USE THEIR CREATIVITY ON TIKTOK PLATFORM EMMA MULLIGAN AND TILLY SAFAVIAN TikTok, a social media platform where users share short videos, has risen in popularity among teens including students at Peninsula.

While Musical.ly, the application (app) that re-developed into TikTok, was known for lipsyncing videos, TikTok allows users to either produce lip-syncing videos or create original content that can be recorded up to 60 seconds.

Each video posted has the chance to be on the “For You” page, a community page that features trending videos. Many students at Peninsula have been featured on this page, which resulted in their videos gaining a substantial amount of views and likes. Students enjoy getting involved in TikTok due to its carefree platform that gives users a chance to express themselves through humor and other genres.

“It is hard to tell what will make a video go viral or get a lot of views,” junior Jeanie Benedict said. “But I think my videos have gotten some attention because they are satirical and mix both physical and visual comedy.”

Benedict’s TikTok account, @eggybenedict, accumulated 28,737 views for her 23 posted videos. Her most popular post amassed 11,500 views, showcasing her sarcastic comedy as she pokes fun at pictures of herself playing softball.

Benedict believes that her videos received attention because of her creativeness and humor.

Junior Gabby Sampras also concludes that originality is key when making videos on TikTok. “I think my TikTok account received some attention because my videos are original,” Sampras said. “I post a lot of videos about church, and there are a lot of Christian users on the app, so I think my videos are mainly viewed by [Christian users].”

Sampras’s most popular video from her account, @gsampras, shows fireworks from the perspective of an airplane. The video received 104,200 views since being posted in early September. Sampras explained that her videos that gained the most views do not take a long time to film, but rather take a long time to come up with concepts for.

Sophomore James Terrell joined TikTok in November 2018, before the app rose in popularity, due to the recognition it was getting from other social media platforms and his peers.

“I downloaded TikTok because I thought it would be something for me to laugh at,” Terrell said. “[Later on, it started to give] me a release from stress and anxiety because I can open the app at any time and one video can make my day.”

Terrell believes that TikTok is a safe environment for teenagers like Peninsula students to produce content based on their personalities and interests. He decided to download the app because he liked the platform that TikTok provides, which promotes

connectedness, self-expression and comedy.

Terrell’s TikTok account, @james.terrell, accumulated 3,400 followers after he posted a video showing himself lip-syncing to a song.

Terrell gained thousands of followers because of his viral video, which caused his other content to be recognized.

Despite producing different content, all three Tiktok users agree that the platform is a positive way to practice self-expression. Users can sing, dance and make funny videos that inspire others to create more original content.

“The reason it has become popular at our school is because everyone can be funny and be themselves without judgment,” Sampras said.

“The app puts us all on the same level and helps us relate to one another and laugh at our flaws.”

FOCUS

STUDENT LIFE

8

STACY FINDS HER RHYTHM Freshman pursues interest in tap dance through classes, competitions and a performance at Carnegie Hall ROSALIE BURICH Freshman Sarah Stacy has been tap dancing since the age of ten at a variety of studios, including Palos Verdes Performing Arts Conservatory, Elite Dance Studio and Debbie Allen Dance Academy. Her training has allowed her to experience many opportunities, her biggest one being performing at Carnegie Hall in New York City. As a member of Choreo Company and the junior varsity song team at Peninsula, Stacy finds tap dancing unique compared to the styles she is accustomed to at school.

“Tap is different from other styles of dance because I can feel and hear my expressions on the floor while I perform,” Stacy said. “I find much more joy in tap than other styles I have trained in.”

Stacy participates in numerous tap workshops at the Debbie Allen Dance Academy, where a professional choreographer teaches a tap routine to a group of dancers, and they later perform the routine to an audience. For instance, Stacy took a class taught by famous tap dancer and choreographer Chloe Arnold, and she was one of the four students selected to perform the routine in a showcase at the workshop. She also took classes taught by other famous tap dancers such as Savion Glover, who recorded and choreographed the tap moves encompassed in the movie Happy Feet, and famous tap dancer Gregory Hines’s brother Maurice Hines.

One of Stacy’s most memorable accomplishments was when she performed at Carnegie Hall. Stacy performed two routines, one as a solo to the song “Without You” by Robin Thicke and another routine with a group of 15 other dancers to a remix of “Lose My Breath” by Destiny’s Child and “Black or White” by Michael Jackson. The ages of the group ranged from 11 to 13, and they trained two hours per day for the six months leading up to the performance. This opportunity was a unique experience for Stacy, who was only 11 years old at the time.

“I will never forget this experience and how I felt while performing,” Stacy said.

“I could hear the echoes [of the tap shoes] throughout the hall and could not see anyone in the audience because of the bright lights in front

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of me. It was surprisingly calming but also very nervewracking, for I did not want to mess up and I spent so long rehearsing.”

In addition, Stacy competed with Elite Dance Studio for one year in 2015. She danced nine hours per

week at this studio to prepare for the competitions.

During the season, she performed a tap solo to a remix of songs by Beyoncé and Missy Elliott, and won the Platinum Award, or first place, in the 12-year-old division at the Showstoppers competition.

“My favorite experience from competing was winning this award,” Stacy said. “This achievement made the hard work feel worth it and made me realize that although competing is not always all fun and games, it pays off in the end.”

Stacy was able to accomplish all of this through hard work and dedication, traits that do not go unnoticed by her teammates. Senior and Choreo Company captain Mirai Takeuchi recognizes Stacy’s determination and admires her spirit.

“Sarah is a wonderful member of Choreo Company,” Takeuchi said. “She is open to all individuals, has no complaints and does what she is asked. She is the kind of person that will not stop until she achieves her goal, no matter how much work it is to get there.”

Junior Lauren Sams is also one of Stacy’s captains on Choreo Company.

She recognizes Stacy’s talent and is not surprised by her success so far.

“Sarah is a great addition to the team and brings a very positive attitude every day we rehearse,” Sams said. “She is extremely hard working and has very good musicality, which is a trait very important in tap dancers.”

Stacy’s accomplishments are portrayed through all of her hours spent at her studio. She is driven by her passion for tap, and she hopes to achieve more in the future, such as working with live music performers in shows.

“My favorite aspects of tap are the freedom I feel while onstage performing and the rhythm I feel through the floor,” Stacy said. “I love working with percussionists because percussionists and tappers work very well together and our energy bounces off each other [when we dance], which makes me feel alive.”

ASHLEY KIM/ the pen

SENIORS RECEIVE AP CAPSTONE DIPLOMA

the student is a recipient of the AP Capstone diploma.

Seniors Ailun Shi and Bonny Neither Shi nor Quan took their Quan were awarded with the AP tests with the intent of receiving Advanced Placement (AP) Capstone the diploma but rather because the diploma. AP classes are collegesubjects fascinated them. based classes that students take “I take AP classes because I enjoy to challenge themselves physically the challenging material and learning and academically. Shi and Quan about new topics,” Shi said. ”I would were the first to attain the diploma have taken them regardless of the in Peninsula history. In order to possibility of getting the diploma.” receive this award, a student must Quan explained that she is receive a three or higher on both motivated to do well in her the AP Seminar and AP Research academic classes because she enjoys tests and take four other AP tests as school and takes classes in subject well. Although they did not receive areas that interest her. Quan, similar a physical diploma, the award shows to Shi, decided to take the two APs up on their College Board accounts. because of the unique experiences Colleges can view the students’ the two AP classes offer. accounts, and they can see what AP “The fact that our school offers classes they took, the scores they so many AP courses is amazing,” received for those classes and if Quan said “It provided me with the

opportunity to take the AP classes I have taken throughout the years.”

Shi and Quan’s hard work is paying off as they are receiving an award that is of the highest honors to students in high school. They devoted a lot of time to their studies, which will benefit their college applications.

Among many of the students at Peninsula, junior Henry Houle also takes AP classes. As a fellow AP student, Houle looks up to Shi and Quan’s accomplishments. Houle explained that he is aware of how challenging it is to receive the AP Capstone diploma.

“It is evident that they deserve this award,” Houle said. “I admire them for the great work ethic and determination they have to be great at what they do.”

PATRICK CHAN/ the pen

bonny quan

ailun shi

JULIA Kahen

yaseen el-magharbel

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STUDENT LIFE

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SPORTS

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ADVANTAGE, JESSUP Nationally ranked freshman ace competes on international stage This mental preparation often manifests itself during the match. Freshman Kate Iwamoto believes that along with Jessup’s serve, her perserverance and aggressive mindset are what make her difficult to beat.

“I never see her on defense because she is always attacking,” Iwamoto said. “Even if she is losing some of the points, she is always ready for the next point.”

Many students know Jessup as a talented tennis player, but Iwamoto says some do not realize how supportive of a teammate she is. Before matches, Jessup wishes each teammate luck and reminds them to have a good time. Girls’ varsity tennis head coach Mike Hoeger says that while Jessup has impressed him with her speed and hard-hitting shots, her emotional maturity is what makes her stand out. Nevertheless, in Hoeger’s opinion, the main area in which Jessup can improve is her physical development.

“She is still growing, so I am sure her fitness will get better,” Hoeger said. “She is really well put together mentally, and she has all [types of] shots [in her repertoire]. She just needs to get [physically] stronger.”

Jessup hopes to become a professional tennis player in the future, and if her physicality develops, Hoeger believes that she has the ability to fulfill this aspiration. She is currently preparing for her next international tournament in Canada which begins on Nov. 11.

JEREMY KIM After missing the first month of Peninsula’s varsity girls’ tennis season, freshman Madeleine Jessup joined the team for her first high school tennis match on Oct. 15. Jessup spent the first three weeks of the season in Malaysia and Taiwan playing in tournaments run by the International Tennis Federation, where she finished as a semifinalist and finalist respectively. According to Tennis Recruiting Network, Jessup is currently ranked 14th nationally amongst 2023 high school graduates. In her high school tennis debut against Mira Costa High School, Jessup beat each of her opponents 6-0. Jessup has been self-motivated since her career began when she was four years old. She attributes her development into a top player largely to her drive and the people supporting her.

“To become a good tennis player, you have to really want [to improve] and be able to push yourself without always having others push you,” Jessup said. “Also, having a great team that supports and cares about you is really important.”

Jessup believes that mental preparation is just as important as physically practicing. Before matches, she sets time aside to get in a positive state of mind about her upcoming performance.

“I think a [large part of competition] is having a good mentality,” Jessup said. “Before the match, I visualize how I want to play and make time to just relax by myself.”

Madeleine Jessup Mati Yang / THE PEN

2019-20

DEMEYER

ISSUE 2 (11/8) ISSUE 3 (12/13) ISSUE 4 (1/24) ISSUE 5 (2/21)

ISSUE 6 (3/20) ISSUE 7 (4/24) ISSUE 8 (5/22)

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SPORTS

PANTHERS LIGHT UP THE NIGHT Peninsula hosts first night football game in 18 years for annual Remember the Titans alumni game

On Oct. 4, Peninsula had its first home night game since 2001 during its annual “Remember the Titans” football game against Leuzinger High School (LHS). This game is organized to recognize Rolling Hills High School (RHHS), whose mascot was a Titan, hence the game’s title. The school then became Peninsula in 1996, and since then, a football game has been played annually to honor its alumni.

Although this game happens every year, there was one aspect of this game that made it different. This year, Peninsula rented stadium lights and changed the usual 3 p.m. football game time to 7 p.m. Previously, Peninsula has been unable to host home night games due to complaints from surrounding residents about the bright lights and noise. However, with the help and support from the entire community, Peninsula was allowed to have its first “Friday Night Lights” game, an event that is a high school tradition nationwide.

“I went to the last home night game in 2001 as a fan, but the atmosphere at this [year’s] game was different,” athletic director Wendell Yoshida said. “This game was definitely more exciting and highly anticipated because [a night game] had not happened in so long, and [we] were recognizing an entire school and generation.”

Yoshida further explained the preparation that made this game possible through meticulous planning and the cooperation of various people. He explained his and principal Brent Kuykendall’s role in contacting the community, reaching out to the city of Rancho Palos Verdes, and most importantly, making sure everything ran smoothly. Furthermore, he elaborated on how it took the efforts of those outside of Peninsula’s staff to make this game happen.

“A former RHHS football player named Brian Smith, who is now a firefighter, played a big role in contacting the

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stadium light company,” Yoshida said. “He was pivotal in [orchestrating] the logistics of bringing stadium lights to Peninsula for the first time [in 18 years].”

Peninsula’s defenders led the team to a 20-0 win.

Juniors Caleb Chang and Samuel Stockhausen managed to block a punt by LHS, which resulted in a fumble recovery by senior Trevor Brunn for a touchdown. The defensive line worked to stop LHS’s offense which, according to senior and varsity co-captain Jack Haworth, played a large role in keeping the opposing team scoreless. On offense, sophomore Brandon Smith and senior Chris Jarrin had receptions that proved to be beneficial for the Panthers’ offensive game. Haworth also threw a 53-yard touchdown to senior and varsity co-captain Luke Seymour. Aside from the Panthers’ passing game, junior Ryan Glover and senior Ricardo Punsalan had many carries that made this win possible.

“We had a successful week of practice leading up to the game, and the defense played extremely well,” Haworth said. “Everyone on the team was super excited for the game, and [this feeling] helped amplify our play. The large crowd definitely helped boost our confidence even more.”

Students filled the stands with blue apparel in recognition of RHHS’s school color. The average student headcount at home football games is typically about 400 students, but over 600 students attended the night game.

Many students who attended had never been to a football game before, and several students came from local schools such as Palos Verdes High School. Some recent alumni even returned home from college to experience this historic game.

“I have gone to football games since my freshman year, yet no game has ever matched the atmosphere of this one,” senior Sabrina Tang said. “It was definitely one of the best memories I have [made] in high school.”

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MARCUS KIM

I HAVE GONE TO FOOTBALL GAMES SINCE MY FRESHMAN YEAR, YET NO GAME HAS EVER MATCHED THE ATMOSPHERE OF THIS ONE. - SENIOR SABRINA TANG

MADDIE YEH / THE PEN

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