Issue 3

VOL. XL ISSUE 3 DECEMBER 16, 2019

PALOS VERDES PENINSULA HIGH SCHOOL www.pvphsnews.com

Junior creates baking business to serve her community STUDENT LIFE PAGE 8-9

A NEW DIRECTION

TRUMP OR DUMP

AN IRON WOMAN

WFL changes from cancer to ALS awareness

Students share opinions on impeachment inquiry

Teacher participates in endurance races

NEWS PAGE 3

OPINION PAGE 4

SPORTS PAGE 11

NEWS

2

AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN

Peninsula and Palos Verdes High School collaborate for “Know Your Rights Night” with the BSU ALEX PEREZ On Nov. 14, the Peninsula Black Student Union (BSU) and the Palos Verdes High School BSU arranged their first “Know Your Rights Night” to inform students, parents and teachers on how to cooperate if they are pulled over by law enforcement at a traffic stop. The unions were formed to create a sense of community within the African American student body on campus by promoting cultural awareness and networking through celebrations of black culture and civic awareness workshops.

Retired Deputy Sheriff Warren Fairbanks and the City of Los Angeles

Deputy Attorney Kevin Anderson both spoke at the event about issues concerning safe interactions with law enforcement. According to senior and vice president of the Peninsula BSU Bimpei Osibamiro, the club felt compelled to hold this meeting because they believed that many students were unaware of how to respectfully communicate with police officers in general and need to be informed on what legal actions to take in the event that a traffic stop results in aggressive or even violent consequences.

“The BSU board members felt that it would be important for the students and community of color to understand how to interact with law enforcement during a traffic stop or when being detained,” BSU adviser and English 2 and English 2 Honors teacher Maria McCloud said. “Additionally, [the students] felt that it would be relevant to know their rights and how to make it home safely.

Unfortunately, these are realities with

which the community of color must contend today.”

“Get home safely” was the official slogan for the “Know Your Rights Night.” It was printed on the event’s flyer along with a statement that any and all members of the community were welcome to attend. According to Osibamiro, the BSU felt that even students who are not a part of the club could benefit from the meeting.

“I believe that this event was needed for many students, parents, faculty and community members [on the hill],” Osibamiro said. “It is important for students to know their rights regarding issues concerning safe and peaceful interactions with the law. This event was an opportunity for individuals to ask professionals questions about the law.”

According to Davis, Anderson reviewed the process of detainments and traffic stops, while Fairbanks went over how to interact with an officer to maintain peaceful communication.

Students were also informed of their right to file a complaint against an officer if they feel they were treated unfairly. By hosting “Know Your Rights Night,” both students and members of the community alike learned how to approach such situations with the law in an efficient, safe manner.

“Several students expressed that the information was eye-opening and useful,” McCloud said. “Students felt more knowledgeable and secure after learning a few tips and [appeared to be] more connected to [Fairbanks and Anderson] after talking afterwards and getting their perspectives [based on] their experiences.”

ASHLEY KIM / THE PEN

PENINSULA CHANGES FOCUS OF WALK FOR LIFE TO ALS SOFIA LAURO In August, Los Angeles (LA) firefighter and Peninsula alumnus Eric Stevens was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), a terminal disease that weakens muscles due to the breaking down of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. This news has been met with support from the Peninsula community. According to Service Learning Leadership (SLL) adviser Heather Myrick, many students and community members came to her to suggest changing the purpose of Peninsula’s Walk For Life (WFL) event from cancer to ALS awareness this year. Now, in the wake of the death of Pete Frates, whose

family shared their experience with the disease following Stevens’ diagnosis, this change is even more pertinent. Frates was an ALS patient and former college baseball player who popularized the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, helping to raise more than $100 for ALS research.

WFL is run by Myrick and Activities Director Season Pollock. In the past, WFL has been an activity in which, to raise money and awareness for cancer, students cut their hair to donate to cancer patients and participate in a commemorative walk to Ridgecrest Intermediate School. In addition to this shift in focus, those heading WFL are considering including the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge to further spread awareness.

With the recent news of a Peninsula alumnus being diagnosed with ALS, Myrick and Pollock believe these changes are crucial and will lead to a newfound recognition and awareness of ALS by the Peninsula community.

“This change will hopefully [help people understand] the importance [of fundraising] for this incurable disease,” Pollock said.

Students involved in SLL and

Associated Student Body (ASB) also feel optimistic about the outcome of this change. Juniors and SLL members Katie Sabunas and Ella Captain find that because ALS is lesser-known than cancer, it is important that more people be made aware of the disease.

“I first found out about [ALS when] my mom, grandma and aunt were talking about it,” Captain said. “I did not know what ALS was, and I do not think they did either, so it is great that we are bringing attention to it so that the community can learn about it too.”

Stevens made it a goal throughout his fight to increase ALS awareness in communities and is doing this through the social media platform Team Stevens Nation. While Stevens made appearances at various events and spread awareness beyond LA, those in Palos Verdes (PV) feel personally connected to his plight.

Sabunas believes that because Stevens attended Peninsula and many of his friends live in the PV community, this experience is quite personal.

“ALS is a more specific disease than cancer,” Sabunas said. “[Fewer] people are affected,

PENINSULA MANDATES INTERIM ASSESSMENT BLOCK TESTING jack sedillos New to Peninsula this year, all math teachers from Algebra 1 up to Precalculus will be required to administer a practice math test, called the Interim Assessment Block (IAB) to their students every quarter. These IAB math tests were implemented in the 2019-20 school year starting in the second quarter and are designed to allow teachers to identify their students’ strengths and weaknesses in math. IABs are available in a variety of different math topics so that teachers can choose tests that apply to the curriculum they are teaching. According to Geometry and Precalculus Honors teacher Michelle Slattery, many of Peninsula’s math teachers plan on giving their first IAB tests in December or January, while some teachers have already given them in previous months.

Sophomore Taiyo Horii is an Algebra 2 Honors student who took an IAB test in November and believes that having these tests will be beneficial to students.

According to Horii, the IABs helped him and his classmates better understand the material they were currently learning when they took their IAB. “I think that having the IAB test as a requirement will give students extra practice on the subject they are learning about in class,” Horii said. “This will help students get better grades on test scores with the IABs.”

The IAB tests can also be given by teachers anytime throughout the school year to help them track their students’ progress. Teachers are able to use the results of the IABs to determine which math topics their class should review or focus on next.

Slattery plans on giving more IABs throughout this year, depending on how beneficial they are to her students and to her. If these tests are helpful, then teachers are likely to give more IABs in the future.

“Right now, math teachers at Peninsula are figuring out how to interpret the scores given to us by the IAB tests,” Slattery said. “This will help us determine whether or not these tests are beneficial to students.”

At Peninsula, all juniors will be taking the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) test which has a similar test layout to the IABs. According to Smarter Balance, the IAB tests are designed to help students be better prepared to take future online tests, such as the CAASPP test.

Algebra 2 and Algebra 2 Honors teacher Linda Kurt gave her IAB test to her classes in November and believes that the IAB tests will reinforce material that students have already learned.

“The IABs will

give students an opportunity to take an online math test, which will give these students exposure to what the CAASPP will be like,” Kurt said.

Although Kurt believes IABs are good practice for the material they are teaching, she may not be giving more of them in the future as she has not yet seen the advantages to the testing.

After testing, teachers will conduct an evaluation of students’ scores to determine if they are valuable. Both Kurt and Slattery are currently in contact with Associate Principal Dr. Jennifer Panagos in order to determine if Peninsula’s math teachers should continue to administer them later this year.

SHAI BECKER / THE PEN

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NEWS

but the people [who are] must deal with how the condition is terminal.”

As the campaign grows and WFL draws near, Sabunas believes that more people will join the cause and find a connection to it.

ALS and Stevens’s story will continue to impact Peninsula, but whether or not WFL will stay ALS-focused is currently unknown. According to Myrick, the change is currently temporary but may later be made permanent.

“There is always a spirit for WFL that [involves students] coming together as a school to do good in the world,” Myrick said. “I just want to do the most amount of good for the most amount of people [with WFL].”

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 Emma Mulligan Tilly Safavian STUDENT LIFE EDITORS: Keila Bara James O’Dea WRITERS: Rosalie Burich Yaseen El-Magharbel Abigail Shane SPORTS EDITOR: Casey Syal WRITERS: Jeremy Kim Marcus Kim Angelina Mendoza GRAPHICS Shai Becker Patrick Chan Helen Huang Alicia Jeong Ashley Kim 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 Mati Yang

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WE MUST DEFEAT THE STIGMA OF COMMUNITY COLLEGES

editorial staff According to Consumer News and Business Channel (CNBC), average college tuition and fees rose significantly over the past decade, with private four-years increasing 26 percent and public four-years increasing 35 percent. This has made paying for a college education more difficult for the average family, despite various scholarships and other cost accommodations available to lighten this financial burden. In turn, community colleges have become a favorable option for many prospective students.

However, in today’s world of increasing competition to achieve societal success, there is a stigma surrounding community college, making it seem like an undesirable path for those pursuing higher education.

Nevertheless, we must not underestimate the benefits of a community college, as these institutions can provide the opportunities many students are looking for. Thus, we must alleviate this stigma surrounding community colleges and see it rather as a favorable choice for students, as it is a more financially convenient option and provides an education that would support students’ futures.

With increasing tuition rates, large annual investments like a college education can be unattainable for middle-income applicants who, according to the 2018 Planning and Progress Study, make up 68 percent of all

families across the nation. According to U.S. Census Bureau, the average income for a middle-class family is $63,179 as of 2018.

For a student from such a family to attend college, they would need to pay $10,116 for an in-state public college, $22,577 for an out-of-state public college and $36,801 for private universities according to U.S. News.

These costs would make up 16 percent, 36 percent and 58 percent of a middle-class family’s income respectively. These significant portions of such budgets do not include housing, meal plans, textbooks and other school supplies, transportation, personal expenses and other necessities for a college student. It is evident that paying for fouryear universities can be a struggle for the majority of prospective college students.

Thus, junior college is a more financially advantageous option, as its average yearly cost for a California community college is $1,636 for public in-state students according to Community College Review. The annual tuition for community college drastically differs from a four-year university yet still provides the same opportunities for students to further their aspirations.

Along with solely attending a community college for one’s higher education, it also could be an option for students who want to take an additional preparatory step before pursuing a four-year university. This path is not only a financially beneficial opportunity

for students to pay for their undergraduate and possibly graduate school education, but also provides the tools a college student would desire in higher-level education.

According to The Mercury News, of the 20,012 students who transfer to a University of California (UC) school, about nine percent of them are from California Community Colleges. Although this is a small percentage of the UC schools, it proves that there are students who were able to transfer at a lower cost than attending it for all four years. Furthermore, this statistic includes students who, at the odds of lowering acceptance rates, were unable to be admitted to a college straight out of high school and ultimately attended that very school. This alternate path was available due to the Community College System.

A college education is one of the largest investments an individual can make in their lifetime. In a world where education is prized and essential to achieving one’s goals, attending college is an experience that many students desire. However, with financial constraints and increasing competition to get into these colleges, there are countless students who are unable to pursue higher education. Community college can be the resource that will allow these individuals to overcome these barriers and prepare for the rest of their lives. We cannot allow a mere stigma to prevent such an opportunity.

PRESIDENT TRUMP’S IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY SPARKS DEBATE ON CAMPUS Maddy Christen AND JACCI ENGLER Recently Congress held an inquiry allowing witnesses to testify and express their opinions regarding the impeachment of President Trump following his alleged abuse of presidential power-- however, his removal may not be the best solution. On Sept. 24, President Donald Trump was accused of secretly pressuring the president of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky to take actions that would benefit Trump’s 2020 re-election campaign. According to the Washington Post, on July 25, Trump made a phone call to Zelensky telling him to investigate former vice president and leading 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden as well as his son Hunter Biden. This investigation was launched based on an assumption that Biden used his influence to boost his son’s business interests in Ukraine. Trump withheld the $400 million approved by Congress to aid Ukraine’s military until Zelensky chose to abide to the president’s request. This issue is currently being debated and the results can greatly affect how young adults vote in the upcoming 2020 Presidential election.

“Trump has had various opinions on his previous actions, both negative and positive,” senior Kenneth Lee said. “But it does not seem fair to impeach Trump until [the witnesses’] claims are supported with evidence that his actions [rise to the level] of a proper impeachment.”

On Dec. 10, the House Democrats unveiled the articles of impeachment against Trump, launching the process of impeachment in the House of Representatives. The process of impeachment still has to pass through the House of Representatives and the Senate.

However, it is unknown how long this procedure could take to tell if and when Trump will be impeached.

While the current impeachment news is relevant, the time that has been spent in its process could be dedicated to matters such as the debates on the electoral college, school security or immigration.

The impeachment process also requires large surpluses of money. According to the New York Times, independent counsel Kenneth Star spent over $7.2 million investigating President Bill Clinton during his impeachment inquiry and trial in just six months. In total, the overall five-year investigation of Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton cost over $47 million. Although President Trump’s impeachment inquiry would take a maximum of one year, over $13.6 million has already been invested in advertising since the beginning.

The investment in Trump’s impeachment inquiry could be used to solve much greater problems, such as the nation’s educational funding dilemma. According to the Center for American Progress, schools throughout the country may be unable to provide enough security and resoureces for their students.

Additionally, school safety may be at risk because of the poor infrastructure that has not been sufficiently updated. Peninsula and other schools around the country would greatly benefit from funding to further the opportunities of its students.

“If the impeachment were to be implemented so late in [Trump’s] term, it would not be worth the government’s time and energy,” junior Melissa Qin said.

“The impeachment seems like a completely unreasonable waste of money that could be better spent by the government on improving the quality of student’s education.”

All of the money that has been put into the impeachment inquiry could be used more efficiently. Many schools in the United States could benefit from extra funds to not only implement better education of the youth, but spread awareness on the importance of voting and our government. Solving issues such as school security and immigration takes time and the time being put into the impeachment is taking away from these matters. Time is valuable and with the next Presidential election approaching, there are more important dilemmas that need attention.

“It does not make sense to impeach Donald Trump so late in his presidential term,” junior Joel Yamada said. “If Trump is found guilty for his actions, then an alternative could be to not let Trump run in the 2020 election.”

5

ANNA Mythko

Peninsula students share their thoughts about the Measure B bill that was on the Nov. ballot

Opinion

MONEY DOWN THE DRAIN

Anna Mytko

ALEX YOO / the pen

Worker safety, fair wages and hospitable work environments +all seemed to be in the hands of one bill; however, its predicted benefits were not as helpful as they were intended to be. The Measure B bill was proposed on Oct. 19 by labor union Unite Here Local 11 to increase wages and provide better working conditions for hospitality employees at resorts in Rancho Palos Verdes (RPV) with over 50 employees, golf courses or other attractions. The goal of this bill, which was specifically directed toward Terranea Resort, was to increase employees’ salaries to $15 per hour and expand these salaries by $1 per hour annually. Additionally, the bill would supply emergency buttons and provide workers with private transportation to and from work.

According to the Daily Breeze, Measure B was ultimately not enacted because 78% of voters said “no” to the bill when it was voted upon in November. By the time the bill was proposed, Terranea already paid their workers $15 and had emergency buttons implemented. While all of these additions seemed promising, the bill would have ultimately caused Terranea and other establishments to spend large amounts of money for resources already available to hospitality workers.

According to the LA Times, the bill was vetoed primarily because of how financially draining it would have been for the community.

In the past two years, Local 11 and Terranea Resort have been engaged in a feud, exchanging angry messages online and becoming increasingly hostile. Their most contrasting opinions were on how to best address workers rights and allegations of sexual assault while working that were reported by eight female employees of the resort in October 2018.

Local 11 has held conferences with multiple women’s rights groups and insisted that the resort be boycotted, causing Terranea to continue to lose revenue as a result of the conflict. However, Local 11 has not outlined

what qualities it wants Terranea to meet in order for the boycott to be lifted. Terranea President Terri Haack claims that by proposing Measure B, Local 11 simply wants to collect signatures and unionize more workers so that the labor union can gain members. According to LA Real Estate News, if the bill had been passed, the total cost of union membership for all Terranea employees would have been one million dollars per year. Terranea Resort would have been required to pay the expensive membership fee in order for its workers to join the labor union.

Terranea Resort is a major economic contributor to our community; according to the LA Times, the resort has contributed over 40 million dollars to the RPV economy since it opened in 2009. According to the Peninsula Education Foundation (PEF), much of this money has been donated to their fund, which is then distributed to all public schools within the Palos Verdes Unified School District.

Measure B’s predicted cost would have greatly decreased the amount of money that PEF donates to Peninsula.

“Terranea should not have to spend so much money for labor union memberships when [it would be more beneficial to] put the money toward our school,” junior Gabrielle Pack said.

“While representation in the workplace is important, [membership for the labor union] should not be that expensive. Terranea is clearly a big moneymaker for our city, and the resulting excess money could be benefiting schools in the community.”

According to The Guardian, there were reported sexual assault allegations at Terrenea back in 2017. This incident may seem to enact a need to install newer emergency buttons at

the resort. Yet, this addition to the bill would have been unnecessary because Terranea states that functioning emergency buttons have been in place since it opened. Furthermore, Terranea already pays its employees well above the minimum wage. It is also unrealistic to state that Terranea should offer employees free private transportation to and from work due to the cost, as according to Terranea no other industries have the means to provide such a service. While it may be convenient for workers, it would ultimately hurt the company financially to pay for such a large and unnecessary program. “[Local 11] is trying to force a company to spend extra money on supplies they already have,” junior Rachel Yu said. “That is unethical, and it makes sense that the Measure B bill was not passed.”

Overall, if Measure B had been more costefficient and practical, perhaps the bill may have been more widely accepted and would have ultimately passed. Many students at Peninsula currently have paid jobs and find hospitality laws essential to their lives. These students care about the amount of money they earn and how safe they feel at work, making efficient hospitality measures imperative.

“I work at Urban Plates, and I would definitely say that I pay attention to the amount of money I earn and the conditions there,” junior Jason Apostol said. “Our manager makes sure that if we ever feel the need to report something or someone, we are able to, which creates a very safe work environment. Overall, I would say that while hospitality initiatives are important, they should be affordable for large companies and more importantly only contain pertinent reform measures.”

FOCUS

6

TES IN ROBOT F E P IGH OM C TIN R O I G N technicians and fabricators.

E Tilly Safavian S During the two weeks leading up

In Sept. 2018, senior Anderson Sutandinata applied to compete on American Broadcasting Company’s television series, “Battle Bots,” which features a robot arena fighting competition over a month and a half. Sutandinata recruited his former VEX robotics teammates, Chadwick School senior Michael Huang and Palos Verdes High School senior Trevor Heise, to join him on a team to compete. The team, led by their coach George Kirkman, knew each other since the seventh grade and formed a strong bond over robotics, which helped them work together throughout the competition.

Sutandinata joined “Battle Bots” in his junior year, and his team had to create a design of their robot on an analysis and design software along with an introduction video to the show’s producers.

“We had to create our entire robot on Computer-Aided Design,” Sutandinata said. “We created a three-dimensional model of our robot and an animation showing what [the robot] is supposed to do.”

Most teams that apply for the competition are made up of professional engineers and college students.

Sutandinata’s team was one of the only two high school teams chosen to participate. Once they heard that they would compete, the team searched for sponsors to help get discounts on materials needed for the robot, since they lacked connections.

“As happy as I am with how we ended up doing, I now realize how restricted we were as high schoolers with both our time and resources,” Huang said.

Kirkman helped guide the students by introducing them to a network of engineers,

to the competition, they would build and run tests on the robot until early morning, which proved to be both grueling yet rewarding for the team.

“My favorite part of this whole experience was not the actual competition,” Huang said. “[Instead, it was] the days when we would stay up until 4 a.m. working on the robot, blasting music and eating cookies until we had to call it a day.”

At this time, they also had the pressure of keeping up with their schoolwork. However, each team member admitted that even though it was a difficult experience, it was equally as enjoyable.

“The best thing was to see this team work at the edge of their technical capability and extend beyond that,” Kirkman said. “I expect that these kids now have an experience that will last a lifetime and differentiate them from other high school students.”

When the competition began, the team participated in group interviews and performed final safety checks on the robot. Afterwards, they waited to be notified when their robot would be fighting.

“We unfortunately lost [our first match] due to one of our motors not functioning and drawing too much current,” Sutandinata said. “However, we learned a lot from that match.”

Being on “Battle Bots” was a dream come true for Sutandinata. He explained that as a child, he watched the show often and hoped that one day, he would be able to enter a robot to compete on the show.

“That feeling of being able to finally achieve what I had been dreaming since childhood was amazing,” Sutandinata said.

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FOCUS

NKED 62ND IN A R THE TEM S NA A L TIO U Caitlyn Lee and Emma Mulligan Electronics, Technology S N Student Association (TSA) IN The review website Niche N and Science Research at Peninsula to placed Peninsula’s Science Math gain experience in SMERT, although PE

Engineering Research Technology (SMERT) program 62nd out of 829 schools in the nation in their 2019 high school ranking.

Since the district-wide adoption of SMERT in 2000, the program has expanded at Peninsula.

The Peninsula Education Foundation (PEF) funds the program $40,000 annually to purchase new equipment and attend competitions. With the collaboration of six math teachers, four science teachers, a counselor and a district department chair, Peninsula currently offers 25 total SMERT programs.

Since 2005, Peninsula educator Hassan Twiet has been teaching six of these SMERT classes including Advanced Placement (AP) Computer Science Principles, AP Computer Science, Computer Science Advanced Projects, Intro to Engineering Design, CyberPatriots and Civil Engineering.

“With the help of PEF and the school [funding], the T building was created specifically [to house] this program,” Twiet said. “This endeavor to incorporate engineering and computer classes is an investment for the future.”

Twiet’s goal for Peninsula’s SMERT program is to provide professional guidance and firsthand experience for students interested in the SMERT field. By exposing his students to the technology industry through internships with companies like Boeing and Northrop Grumman, Twiet hopes that these opportunities will motivate and attract more students to join the program.

Sophomore Kan Shimada is a part of the SMERT program and hopes to work in the SMERT field in the future, which has prompted him to take courses in First Robotics, Digital

he mainly focuses on the robotics field.

“Robotics propelled me [to make] that career direction,” Shimada said. “I like it because [the field] is constantly changing. Your knowledge will never become obsolete as you continually learn and improve in your field.”

Senior Kati Wedekind shares a passion for the SMERT programs along with Shimada, especially as she continues to learn how to improve her TSA team.

Wedekind was encouraged to join TSA as a sophomore after AP Chemistry teacher and TSA adviser Charles Lee persuaded her to join the course.

“TSA is different from the other STEM classes at Peninsula because it is competition-based,” Wedekind said. “This allows teams of students to study in a variety of subjects that interest them.”

As the TSA vice president and captain of her team, Wedekind sees TSA as a positive way to collaborate with students with science and technology. Wedekind believes that TSA played a major role for Peninsula’s STEM program 2019 ranking.

Ocean Bowl president and senior Ryan Alimento is also a member of TSA and CyberPatriots. Ocean Bowl is a buzzer-beater competition that tests one’s personal knowledge of the ocean through various topics such as chemistry, geography and biology.

Along with TSA and CyberPatriots, the students n Ocean Bowl contributed to raising Peninsula’s standing in Niche’s 2019 STEM rankings.

“I have seen how successful Peninsula’s [SMERT students] are,” Alimento said.

“Our SMERT program is part of what makes Peninsula amazing, and I am proud to say I am a part of it.”

HEL ENH UA NG /TH EPE N

STUDENT LIFE

8

Junior starts company to sell homemade baked sweets ABBY SHANE This past summer, junior Gabrielle Pack started a baking business called Sweets by G. She began baking in eighth grade which, since then, has become her outlet for creativity. When Pack started her business last summer, she became a Cottage Food Operator. This title allows her to operate her business from home. She also received a California Food Handlers Card through Los Angeles County’s Department of Public Health, permitting her to sell her baked goods. Pack gets orders from customers around the South Bay area for whom she bakes throughout the week. Most of her orders are cookies that sell for two dollars each, but she will bake cakes at a customer’s request.

“I just wanted to be able to share what I make with other people,” Pack said. “[I want] to express my creativity through cooking and baking. I thought it would be a good idea to create a business so I could do something meaningful [with this hobby].”

So far, Pack has three main customers: her mother’s friend, Mari Yamasaki, and juniors Anna Mytko and Sara O’Malley. Although her customer base is currently small, she intends on expanding her business by obtaining her own booth at the Palos Verdes Farmers’ Market next summer.

Junior Mackenzie Peyton has tried to talk Pack into making a profit from her baked goods.

Thus, when Pack created her business last summer, Peyton supported her and believed the business would succeed.

“Gabrielle is an incredibly determined and hardworking person,”

Peyton said. “I could easily say she is the most driven person I know and is able to achieve any goal she sets her mind to.”

According to her mother Christine Pack, Gabrielle Pack has wanted to create a business to express her passion for baking since she was 13 years old. She helps her daughter’s business by tasting her finished baked goods.

“Gabrielle is very hardworking,” Christine Pack said. “When she is determined to do something or reach a goal, she will do whatever it takes to accomplish that. Because she is very self-motivated, she never had a problem spending late nights baking or spending nine hours decorating a batch of cookies for her customers.”

Although Gabrielle Pack creates a profit through this business, the money she receives is not her main priority. Her primary purpose is her personal growth through this activity.

Furthermore, her business has allowed her to convey her love for animals. 25 percent of her earnings go to Rabbit Rescue in Paramount, California, an organization focused on rescuing rabbits and educating the public on how to care for them. Pack has adopted two of her rabbits from Rabbit Rescue, and she hopes that by combining her passions for baking and animals, she can help rabbits in need.

Through this business, Pack realized how her baked goods are able to bring people together. She loves how she can make a contribution to the community through her baking by bringing joy to her customers.

“I hope that [Sweets by G] makes people smile when they see their custom-made sugar cookies at a party or other event,” Pack said.

“It is always such a great experience to give out a batch of cookies I spent hours baking and have people share it and connect with each other.”

I HOPE THAT [SWEETS BY G] MAKES PEOPLE SMILE WHEN THEY SEE THEIR CUSTOM-MADE SUGAR COOKIES AT AN EVENT. -GABRIELLE PACK

ALEX YOO / the pen

9

STUDENT LIFE

SENIOR PERFORMS AT JORDAN HALL Whitehurst plays the bassoon with professional orchestra at famed concert hall

rosalie burich This past August, senior Brandon Whitehurst performed with the bassoon at the Jordan Hall in Boston, Massachusetts. Jordan Hall is the main performance center for a private music college called the New England Conservatory of Music, hosting performances by the world’s top soloists and orchestras. Whitehurst auditioned alongside hundreds of musicians worldwide in January 2018 to take part in the New England Conservatory Summer Orchestra. After becoming the only Peninsula student selected as one of four bassoonists, he performed one piece with the orchestra titled “Scherezade” by the musician Rimsky Kosakov. These musicians practiced for a month prior to the performance and spent their last two weeks rehearsing at the hall. Whitehurst ranks Jordan Hall as his most musically inspiring performance because of the exposure he received from the professional music industry through this experience.

“The show was a really fantastic opportunity for me because I was able to meet so many like-minded and talented musicians, and it helped me find out what I wanted to pursue,” Whitehurst said.

Whitehurst has been playing the bassoon, piano and drums for the past nine years. He is a member of Peninsula’s marching band, concert band and orchestra. He practices for school shows during these classes, which ultimately prepared him for his performance at the concert hall. He has played alongside senior Junshik Ham in both the marching and concert band. Ham plays alongside Whitehurst and notices the way he plays.

“It is always intriguing to see how Brandon is able to play different bassoon parts and execute them with perfection,” Ham said.

Prior to Whitehurst’s Jordan Hall performance, senior Jiaju Liu recalls Whitehurst’s

work ethic during and outside of band practice.

“I see Brandon practicing the bassoon every day, both in and outside of school,” Liu said. “[I can see that] music is a part of his life, his goal and what he truly enjoys.”

Whitehurst’s passion for music was strongly expressed throughout his experience at Jordan Hall. On the day of the Jordan Hall performance, Whitehurst recalls bonding activities that were intended to bring together a diverse group of musicians and motivate them for their performance. One activity consisted of creating “pow wow circles”, with each group consisting of people who play the same instrument. Then the groups would form a single large circle and compete in a makeshift talent show with everyone sharing their talents. This activity allowed each musician to showcase his or her improvisational music skills.

“We all comforted each other in our circle for what was essentially the last time we would play together, [as it was the last activity before the performance],” Whitehurst said.

Whitehurst is looking forward to performing in future concerts similar to the Jordan Hall performance. His next performance will be at the Essentially Ellington Jazz Festival at the University of Las Vegas from Jan. 30 to Feb. 2. Whitehurst will perform the piano alongside the intermediate and advanced jazz band in front of a panel of judges. Instead of waiting to receive comments and written feedback, the judges will present commentary to the musicians and their audience after each performance. He is optimistic about his future in music and hopes to keep going with his passion throughout his life.

“I am so glad that music is a part of my life, and I know that I [would not] be the person I am today if I never learned to play any musical instruments,” Whitehurst said. “I will continue to dedicate myself to mastering the bassoon, piano and drums.”

MUSIC IS PART OF HIS LIFE, HIS GOAL AND WHAT HE TRULY ENJOYS. -SENIOR JIAJU LIU

ALEX

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VARSITY GIRLS’ TENNIS SERVES UP HISTORY

MARCUS KIM

WE WERE ABLE TO DEDICATE THIS SEASON TO THE SENIORS WHO MADE IT THE FIRST AND LAST CIF FINALS OF THEIR CAREERS. - SOPHOMORE CYDNEY YAMAMOTO because the team’s two top players, freshman Maddie Jessup and junior Kimmi Hance, regularly missed matches due to their independent tournament schedules. The scheduling of the final allowed both Jessup and Hance to be present for the final match.

“I think the entire team was a little nervous

KYLE Feller

for the CIF Finals since no one on the team had been to the CIF Finals before,” Carmona said. “However, having both Hance and Jessup [able to play during the CIF Finals] gave us more confidence and allowed us to play with less tension than usual.”

The last time Peninsula reached the CIF Finals was in 2015, so none of the players on the team were students at Peninsula during the last CIF Finals match. Because of Peninsula’s success in previous years, the team felt pressure to bring home the trophy to Peninsula once again.

However, the team was able to forget about expectations and focus on the match at hand.

“This year was our best season in a while, and our team had no idea that we would make it this far,” Sophomore Cydney Yamamoto said. “Not only did we win league, make it through our section’s finals and qualify for [the State Championships], but we were able to dedicate this season to the seniors who made it to the first and last CIF Finals of their careers.”

Alicia Carmona, Emma Poa, Kostadina Makrygiannis

On Oct. 15, the varsity girls’ tennis team won the Open Division CIF Southern Section Finals against University High School (UHS). The top eight teams in the Southern Section compete in the Open Division, the highest division in the CIF Tennis Tournament. The team traveled to the Claremont Country Club to play their CIF Finals match against the first-seeded team, UHS. “Despite going up against the undefeated UHS, the girls played with the willpower and resolve to prevail,” girls’ varsity tennis head coach Mike Hoeger said. “The girls were the underdogs, but we came to win, and with our whole team present for one of only a handful of games during the season, we were able to pull out the victory.”

UHS was the favorite to win coming into the finals since Peninsula had not reached the CIF Finals in four years. However, several factors allowed Peninsula to come out on top.

“I think the most important factor that allowed us to win the CIF Finals was our adaptability when playing in different lineups,” senior and varsity captain Alicia Carmona said.

“With our team having to play in a new lineup almost every match during the season, we learned to deal with adversity.”

These changing lineups were necessary

What’s Up at Elite for Winter, Spring, and Summer!

Winter Session begins January 6 for 3 months ending March 28th (Winter Schedule has some changes for Mr. Tomo, Ms. Lisa, and Ms. Susie. Please check to make sure your classes are at the same time).

New at Elite this Winter: -Voice with Mr. Ken -Adult Classes with Ms. Susie -Diamonds singing and dance company call Dyan for details Save the dates: -Team auditions August 31 TBA -June 20th annual June recital and showcase with a dress rehearsal June 19th Warner Grand Theater, San Pedro

Spring Session will begin April 6 for 3 months ending June 27 Summer Session will begin July 6 ending August 29 for two months Studio Closures: May 25 Memorial Day (make-ups will need to be made in any class of your child' level) June 29-July 4 August 31-Sept. 5 Summer Camps: 9-3 with a performance on Friday at 2pm Ages 5-10 and 11-15 #1 June 22-27 #2 July 27-July 31 #3 August 3-8 #4 August 10-15 Details TBA in the Spring!

SPARTANS! WHAT IS YOUR PROFESSION?

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SPORTS

Peninsula teacher Sandra Sidella participates in challenging endurance races during the school year JEREMY KIM For the past 10 years, English 3 Honors, Advanced Placement Seminar and AVID teacher Sandra Sidella has been competing in Ironman and Spartan endurance races.

An Ironman race consists of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride and a 26.2-mile run. A Spartan race is typically a halfmarathon run and includes approximately 30 obstacles such as climbing a rope covered in mud and spear throwing.

Growing up, Sidella’s parents did not want her to participate in sports because they thought it would interfere with the time she spent with her family.

Nevertheless, during her junior year of high school, Sidella tried out for the varsity girls’ soccer team without telling her parents.

After making the team, her athletic career continued to progress. “[After making the soccer team,] I started lifting with the football team,” Sidella said. “Throughout my life, I have always thought, ‘What is the next big challenge?’ When I started seeing Ironman [competitions] on television, I thought it was fascinating that people could complete them, and I knew I wanted to rise to that challenge as well.”

Sidella signed up for her first Ironman in 2009 with Peninsula’s varsity head track coach Douglas Esparza. Over the next 10 years, they competed in 10 Ironman races together. Esparza believes that Sidella’s ability to push through pain is a key factor in her completion of the Ironman and Spartan races. “[Sidella] has an innate ability to accept the pain that comes with accomplishing a goal,” Esparza said. “When she is feeling uncomfortable, she knows she is improving herself, [which is a] different mindset than a lot of people have.”

Sidella says that a lot of her time and

effort goes into preparing for the races.

Her weekly training schedule consists of five-hour bike rides, pier-to-pier swims and three-hour runs. In addition, Sidella spends time working on stretching, strength and conditioning. In total, her training exceeds 30 hours per week. Thus, Sidella often struggles to balance her training with being a teacher and a mother.

“The time spent training is like having another job,” Sidella said. “Balancing my other responsibilities takes away from training time. Since I have less time to train overall, every win is so much more special because I remember the sacrifices that went into it.”

Despite this challenge, Sidella still loves to compete in races. After finishing a race, Sidella often tells herself that she will never participate in another one because she is in so much pain. Nevertheless, she still soon finds herself signing up for another event due to her passion for racing.

This constant enthusiasm to push herself is apparent to all her students.

“I can tell she is passionate about Ironman and Spartan races because her eyes light up whenever she mentions them,” junior Amy Asher said.

Sidella is currently focusing on participating in more Spartan races in the future.

She will compete in three more races before the end of the school year, including her next one, the Hurricane Heat, which will take place at Prado Regional Park in Chino, California on Jan. 25.

Sandra Sidella KYLE Feller

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