Issue 3 by The Pen Newspaper

VOL. XXXIX ISSUE 3 NOVEMBER 16, 2018

PALOS VERDES PENINSULA HIGH SCHOOL www.pvphsnews.com

1ST AND GOAL Football team advances to CIF for the first time in 10 years SPORTS PAGE 11

PEEPING TOM Man accused of filming in local public bathroom NEWS PAGE 3

TRANSFORMING GENDER

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Trump administration Students experiment with food proposes gender law changes from different cultures OPINION PAGE 5

FOCUS PAGE 6-7

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION PLANS TO REDEFINE GENDER UNDER TITLE IX caitlyn lee and ailun shi

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Under President Donald Trump’s administration, the gender identification “transgender” could be redefined. According to the New York Times, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is attempting to establish a legal definition of sex under Title IX, which is the federal civil rights law that bans gender discrimination in educational programs that receive government financial assistance. Previously, under the Obama administration, the definition of sex under Title IX had been loosened to increase rights for transgender individuals. Now, HHS is pushing to roll back the revisions made by the Obama administration based on the argument that key government agencies need to adopt an explicit and uniform definition of gender. If the changes are passed, the new rule would define sex as unchangeable, either male or female, and solely determined by the genitals that a person is born with. Any dispute about one’s sex would have to be clarified using genetic testing. “I think one of the most important things to define is the difference between what gender is and what sex is,” senior Holden Dahlerbruch said. “Sex is [based on] the parts you are born with or the parts that have been changed medically while gender is based on the stereotypes that it is associated with. I think the entire subject of transgender [identity] can become confusing [because of] these differences, [and] that is where I think the law will struggle in courts.”

It feels like we are going back in time. I think having the revisions is like taking away the freedom of having a choice and that is ridiculously unnecessary. - senior Sebastian Juarez

Choir, AP Music Theory and Advancement Via Individual Development teacher Dan Doctor is the current adviser for the LGBT United club. Although he feels that there is more that could be done to improve the safety of LGBT students, Doctor feels that overall the campus is an open environment. He recalls that a few years ago, the campus worked to obtain bathrooms open to all sexes. “[If the revisions pass], I think it will be a pretty drastic slap to the face for the ones who have been putting in all the work to make these changes,” Doctor said. “It seems almost like a betrayal to the students we have been looking out for, and will cause them to feel like they are being silenced. If that is the case, then I will continue to be an advocate for those students and will fight alongside them.” Senior Sebastian Juarez believes that all people should not only be comfortable in their own bodies, but also that all people should have equal rights. As someone who has friends who are transgender, he believes they would feel hurt if their rights were revoked. “It feels like we are going back in time,” Juarez said. “I think having the revisions is like taking away the freedom of having a choice and that is ridiculously unnecessary.” According to the New York Times, the HHS will be expected to formally present a new definition of sex to the Department of Justice (DOJ) before the end of the year. If the DOJ decides that the change is legal, the new definition will be approved and enforced in Title IX statutes and across government agencies.

GOALS: I. Listening, Learning and Leading (October 2018 – February 2019) II. PVPUSD Assessment Report (March 2019)

III. PVPUSD Three-Year Action Plan (2019-2020)

alex yoo / the pen

Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District (PVPUSD) Superintendent Dr. Alex Cherniss announced his goals for improving the school system under his authority on Oct. 23 to parents and staff members through a letter listing his expectations for the coming years. According to the superintendent’s letter found on the PVPUSD website, Cherniss divides his goals into three major phases, each of which are further broken down into specific focus areas. The first of these phases is what Cherniss refers to as listening, learning and leading. During this process, which began in October and is set to last until February 2019, Cherniss will be observing and analyzing the district’s performance at various levels. The next phase is providing a report to the PVPUSD Board of Education. The report will cover several areas such as district curriculum, public confidence, school organization, school climate, school safety and the Board of Education’s efficacy. Following this report, Cherniss will be presenting a PVPUSD Three-Year Action Plan beginning in the 2019-20 school year to the school board for approval. Cherniss plans to use these phases to

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achieve seven main objectives he has laid out for the district, all of which are based on his philosophy and belief that the district should provide all students with a higher form of education that can result in a positive academic outcome. His first goal is to establish a community where students are healthy and physically and emotionally safe. He also stresses his hope that all PVPUSD students will become advanced in English Language Arts and Mathematics. Additionally, Cherniss wants to ensure that all students should have opportunities for high quality academic and extracurricular enrichment specifically in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics fields. “These seven goals may lead to the [improvement] of our school district, allowing us to progress as a community,” junior Nanase Takigawa said. Cherniss has emphasized that education throughout the world has drastically changed in the last few years. He believes that the PVPUSD needs to be innovative in order to achieve the best for students. Cherniss also expressed his hope to make the PVPUSD the number one district in the state. “He [aims at] improvement for this district,” swim coach Brian Helmrich said. “I look forward to seeing how his plan plays out and hope to see it affect the district in a positive way.”

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Yaseen El-Magharbel

news

NEW SUPERINTENDENT SETS NEW GOALS FOR PVPUSD

HE [aims at] improvement for this district. I look forward to seeing how his plan plays out and hope to see it affect the district in a positive way. - swim coach Brian Helmrich

CITY OFFICIAL ARRESTED FOR ILLEGALLY FILMING IN BATHROOMS Former Rancho Palos Verdes (RPV) building inspector Andrew Jensen was arrested Sept. 25 on charges of voyeurism for secretly recording 89 people in a restroom at the RPV City Hall and a restroom at a Starbucks in the Golden Cove shopping center in RPV. Jensen, 49, was taken from his home in Huntington Beach into police custody as a result of a two-month investigation conducted by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. The investigation began when police received a notice from RPV city officials that a city employee had discovered a filming device attached to the bottom of a tampon dispenser in a restroom at city hall. According to the Daily Breeze, Sergeant Ricky Osburn said that a similar device was found in the restroom at the Starbucks in the Golden Cove shopping center. “I have been to the Starbucks a multitude of times, and it is worrying to know those visits could all have been recorded,” freshman James Punsalan said. According to Starbucks barista trainer Joy Sinclair, a busy Starbucks can serve over 2,000 customers a day. Thus, having a filming device in a place as popular as Starbucks, especially one students frequent to study, has caused concerns to be raised about the possibility of minors also being recorded. By examining the recording device, detectives identified 89 victims, both male and female.

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They were also able to identify Jensen as he was installing the device in the bathrooms of both the city hall and Starbucks. “I believe Jenson had a malicious intent because hiding a spy camera in a restroom is an invasion of privacy,” sophomore Nicolette Fernandez said. City officials have increased their dedication to keeping employees safe after the discovery of the cameras by inspecting and searching all open spaces regularly in RPV. Starbucks has also claimed to continually monitor the seating areas and restrooms in order to identify potential safety or security concerns. In a public statement, Starbucks vowed to ensure the safety of customers as well as the security of the store and to assist local authorities in this case. Currently, Jensen is being held on $450,000 bail. According to the Daily Breeze, spokesman Ricardo Santiago of the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said, if convicted, Jensen will be charged with 89 counts of misdemeanor invasions of privacy using a hidden camera device. Jensen would face up to 44 years and six months in jail. Starbucks spokesman Nate Nesbitt said in an interview with National Broadcasting Company that they are grateful to the local authorities for the actions they have taken and will continue to support alex yoo / the pen Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department in this matter.

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Tiffany Cha and DJ Parker

I have been to the Starbucks a multitude of times, and it is worrying to know those visits could all have been recorded. -freshman James punsalan

THE PEN PALOS VERDES PENINSULA HIGH SCHOOL 27118 Silver Spur Road, Rolling Hills Estates, CA 90274 EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Nina Li Emily McGinn MANAGING EDITOR Alison Kim DESIGN EDITOR Connor Tumelty Alex Yoo NEWS EDITOR: Olin Osborne III WRITERS: Amira Belhedi Tiffany Cha Yaseen El-Magharbel Caitlyn Lee DJ Parker Ailun Shi OPINION EDITOR: Liana Korotzer WRITERS: Fiona Andersons Josh Kim Saffy Laurio Alexandra Perez Imogene Tomicic FOCUS EDITORS: Rianne Aguas Asumi Shuda WRITERS: Keila Bara Brianna Cho Kaitlyn Ho Minji Jeun Osame Osayande Fiona Yang STUDENT LIFE EDITORS: Chris Guanzing Ana Willoughby WRITERS: Stella Caceres Jacci Engler Helen Huang Kristen Lu James O’Dea Christine Youn SPORTS EDITOR: Anne Lee WRITERS: Jacey Gibaldi Mitchell Lin Aidan Musgrave Tilly Safavian Aidan Sun Casey Syal GRAPHICS Josh Kim Rachel Liu BUSINESS & ADVERTISING Elana Ho Lina Kugaya ADVISER Jaymee Johnson “The Pen” is the student newspaper produced by the advanced journalism students of Palos Verdes Peninsula High School. It is published eight times per year. Advertising inquiries may be directed to Advertising Manager 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 Johnson’s mailbox. Copyright © 2018

Cover Design by Ethan Gretzinger Josh Kahen

COLLEGES FAIL TO RECOGNIZE VALUE OF STANDARDIZED TESTING editorial staff As the window for submitting college applications begins to close, many seniors are attempting to take last minute Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) and American College Testing (ACT) exams in hopes of attaining the best score possible for colleges. Students spend hours preparing and working on practice tests in an effort to earn a high score. However, recent changes to the admissions processes at some colleges may indicate a decline in the importance of these standardized tests in determining whether or not an applicant should be accepted. Colleges such as George Washington University and New York University (NYU) state that SAT or ACT tests are optional. While this policy allows students of lower income to avoid high standardized test costs and eliminates a major stressor for many high school students, the SAT and ACT still provide a crucial parameter by which to evaluate potential applicants in a fair way. We take these standardized tests in order to demonstrate college readiness, sufficient reading comprehension abilities, writing skills and mathematical capabilities. It also establishes a necessary baseline by which colleges can compare each student to others. If the college admissions process was based solely on grades, students at more academically rigorous schools would have a lower chance of acceptance compared to students who attend schools at which higher grades are more achievable. With the acknowledgement of standardized tests, students can showcase their academic abilities without added variables. Although colleges do take the reputation of

schools into account, this system is flawed as it is too difficult to gauge the differences between various schools; the SAT and ACT present a way in which colleges can quantitatively standardize applicants. According to U.S. News, many colleges who decide to establish a test-optional policy view it as a way to allow lower income students to successfully apply. The SAT and ACT exams cost about $60, but that price can be waived for eligible students to allow them to take the exams for free. Through its fee waiver option, College Board offers students the opportunity to take the SAT two times as well as six SAT Subject Tests gratis. Another concern many students have is the additional cost of sending score reports to colleges. Each SAT score report sent costs $12, and the ACT score reports each cost $13 to send, which can total a large sum of money when applying to multiple schools. However, the fee waivers offered by College Board and ACT also cover sending costs for score reports. Through these financial aid options, all students, regardless of family income, have a fair opportunity to take these standardized tests. Another cost relating to these tests is that of preparatory classes that students can take outside of school to raise their score. For example, the popular SAT Boot Camp organized by Steve Kwon costs around $2,500 for an eight-week course. However, these courses are not the only avenues of practice for the SAT and ACT. Sites such as Khan Academy and College Board offer free practice materials for students to utilize as they study. Many students also feel the pressure placed on them to achieve a high score is a major issue. However, eliminating the value

of these standardized tests is not the answer to lowering our stress levels. The colleges with a test-optional admissions approach place a greater emphasis on other scores instead. According to NYU, if students choose to forego submitting SAT or ACT scores, they must instead report either three SAT Subject Test scores or three Advanced Placement test scores. These tests have the potential to cause a large amount of stress in students’ lives. Therefore, making standardized tests optional does not improve the mental health of students. The SAT and ACT have been a college admissions staple for decades, and for good reason. Without these standardized tests, colleges would have no way to view students equally from an academic standpoint. In the future, the nation should strive toward creating an exam that encompasses not only academic abilities, but also incorporates personal characteristics and traits that would normally be found in a well-rounded individual. Colleges should value extracurriculars and academic achievements, but they should not discount the worth of standardized tests in the admissions process. If we fail to recognize the significance of the SAT, ACT and possible new forms of measuring applicants in the future, we will be submitting to an inequitable college admissions process that should not be accepted.

alex yoo / the pen

FAMILY FILES CLAIM AGAINST DISTRICT AFTER PVIS BULLYING INCIDENT Josh Kim On Oct. 2, a Palos Verdes Intermediate School (PVIS) eighth grader named Leo Lin had his head smashed into a sink by fellow students in one of the school’s restrooms, leading him to suffer a deep gash on his head and a concussion. His family and its lawyer have now filed a claim against the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District (PVPUSD). According to the Daily Breeze, the claimant accused the district of neglecting its responsibility to prioritize student safety. If the claimant feels that the incident was not thoroughly investigated, a formal lawsuit may be launched. The family claims that he was the victim in this particular scenario on the school’s campus, giving them legal leverage against the district. However, upon further inspection, Lin is not the stereotypical bully victim; in fact, he has been known to make threats and according to student witnesses, he has engaged in physical altercations outside of school grounds. In his past actions and public posts, the claimant’s attempts to paint the district as apathetic toward and reluctant to prioritize student safety is defamatory and slanderous considering that according to the Daily Breeze, Lin has been reprimanded by the district for

jeopardizing student safety in the past. “Bullying someone is one of the most cowardly things to do,” sophomore Marcus Kim said. “However, the situation surrounding Leo is strange because the bully has now turned into the victim. His family should consider his past before throwing around accusations against the district.” Bullying should not be condoned in any way. If the district turns a blind eye to a bullying situation, it should be rightfully taken to court. However, in past situations involving Lin, the district has already set a precedence indicating that it does not take bullying lightly. According to the Daily Breeze, during the past school year, the district suspended Lin and two alleged student aggressors for a fight. The district has already demonstrated that it is not afraid to stamp down on bullying, blatantly disproving the accusations made by the claimant. Additionally, on Instagram, Lin has publicly stated in the past that he has a weapon at his disposal. This evidence supports the district’s defense in that his own public posts suggest he is also an aggressor toward others. Through the posts, he has made his intent to incite violence clear, further giving credibility to the notion that Lin is someone who has been both the bully and the bullied. In regards to the current situation, Lin is undoubtedly the victim, and

the bullies should be punished to the fullest extent that the district finds fit. However, considering the evidence against the student, the attempt to paint him as an innocent victim is disingenuous and manipulative when quite the opposite is true. “I have seen Lin threatening fellow classmates,” senior Eric Soh said. “He said that he had a pair of brass knuckles, and by his tone, his intention was to incite a fight either on campus or with his classmates. I think for [the claimant] to play the victim card is asinine.” The PVPUSD should take this issue to court to argue their case. If the district presents the evidence that shows Lin’s aggressive nature outside of school, his statement that he has a readily available weapon and the history of his previous incidents, it has the opportunity to prove that the parents are reluctant to examine their own child’s clear improprieties. The victim’s family must realize that the lack of responsibility does not lie on the district, but rather with their own child. Failure to recognize Lin’s past transgressions is irresponsible and negligent. “I think what happened to Leo is terrible, and whoever assaulted him should be punished fully,” senior Kevin Lin said. “[However], in court, I think that Leo should not be seen only as a victim because I know that he has harassed and bullied others in the past.”

amira belhedi Transgender people have continually been a target of discrimination under the Trump administration. In 2017, the White House attempted to reinstate a ban that would disqualify transgenders from serving in the military and rescind Obama’s memo that stated that transgender workers are protected under civil law. In October 2018, the administration announced its goal to change the definition of gender under the Title IX federal civil rights law. According to Reuters, the recognition of and protections for transgender people under U.S. civil rights laws within schools, the military and health care systems under the Obama administration would be removed by the Trump administration’s proposal. Instead of maintaining the inclusive definition of gender the Obama administration enacted, the current administration is proposing to narrow the definition by redefining gender as the sex listed on the originally issued birth certificate unless it is contradicted by reliable genetic evidence. It is not the federal government’s responsibility to decide someone’s gender; it should be the choice of the public to interpret how they define themselves. “On campuses across the nation, not allowing gender to be redefined after birth could heavily restrict [transgender] students’ comfort in hallways, classrooms, bathrooms and locker rooms as they would no longer be protected by Title IX,” junior and president of the LGBT United club Aidan Jasanis said. “They would be subjected to the possibility of gender discrimination.” Potential restrictions on school bathrooms are only one aspect of the negative impact the proposal would have. Even following the steps taken by the Obama administration toward a more inclusive definition of gender would be better. Some transgender students at Peninsula still feel that it is difficult for them to transition within the school’s confines. As a result, they fear the new proposal will worsen their situations. “I was told I could use neither male nor female bathrooms,” senior Anna Grant, who is transitioning from male to female, said. “Instead, [the administration] wanted me to use the staff bathroom, which was fine by me, until one day a staff member told me I should not even use that bathroom. Overall, even when the school tries to be accommodating, the [unfortunate] simple fact of the matter is that it is not built to be. There is only male and female everything, and anyone in between, whether because of transition or because of non-binary identity, [is negatively affected].” Aside from the issues within the Department of

Education, the Department of Justice, the Department of Labor and the Department of Health and Human Services will also be affected by the change since they enforce parts of Title IX. Narrowly defining gender will give a strong basis for organizations to discriminate against transgenders, which contradicts their constitutional rights to liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Currently, under the Affordable Care Act, it is illegal for any health program or organization that receives federal funding to discriminate against transgender people. Yet, with the new proposal, health care insurance for transgenders would be affected regarding many medical services such as surgeries, medicine and therapy, causing many transgenders to be unable to receive the medical care and mental health services they need. “My insurance at first was not going to cover any of my surgeries and medical needs necessary to transition because they were not a ‘necessity’,” junior Blue Martinez, who is transitioning from female to male, said. “It was only after my doctor sent a report to my insurance company stating that if they did not do it, they were denying my right by not allowing me to be my authentic self that they started with the procedures.” Supporters of the Title IX changes believe that they will simplify schools’ treatment of transgender students. “I support the administration in changing its [amendments] to Title IX,” junior David Rekart said. “The basic protections will remain in place, but the new guidelines would remove the onus on schools to treat individuals based on their own view of their [identities]. Individuals should be responsible for negotiating their position in society and others’ perceptions of them.” Laws are enacted to protect human rights. By passing the amendments to the law, the government would be infringing upon minority rights, further making transgenders’ lives more difficult. Gender is neither black nor white; it is an identity. The Trump administration, rather than acknowledging the 1.4 million Americans who the New York Times claims identify as transgender, has decided to infringe upon their entire existence. Any policy they choose to put forth that does not leave the choice of identity to American citizens is a policy of discrimination and cannot be condoned. “To those who state that ‘it is not a big deal,’ you state that because it is not affecting you, but it is awful for me and many others around the country,” Martinez said. “So respect those who are having struggles with these issues and are tense about watching the news, because they might have to witness all of their work being destroyed.”

*According to The 2009 national school climate survey **According to Human Rights Campaign ***According to AAP News & Journals Gateway

Proposal to change Title IX threatens transgender rights

Opinion

Definition or discrimination?

80 percent of transgenders report being harassed due to their gender identity*

29 transgenders were murdered by homophobic people in the United states in 2017**

50 percent of transgender boys and 30 percent transgender girls have attempted suicide***

Connor tumelty / the pen

EK e R a ch

l L iu

R O P P U S A I K AR D keila bara and kaitlyn ho

n he P e

Mother-daughter Christian service group Ek Kardia participates in as many as 25 service projects each year, one being Meals for Mendez. They were introduced to this project through the service organization Little Sisters of the Poor in 2010 and since then have helped the Mendez family through their faith and by providing food for the family once a week. Participants in Meals for Mendez either make or buy one meal every Sunday for the Mendez family, whose son Andrew was involved in a ski accident in 2008 that left him paralyzed and bedridden. Because of his disabilities, Andrew cannot help around the house like he used to and the family has more responsibilities that leave them busier and in need of extra help. By creating Meals for Mendez, Ek Kardia hopes to bring positivity and faith to the Mendez home and to assist the family. In return, the family welcomes the volunteers to join them for the meal and form bonds with them. “It was brought to our attention that [the family was] not supported in a manner that one would have hoped for, so we were really excited to help them out,” executive director of Ek Kardia Nancy Powers said. “They truly are a grateful family with a wonderful perspective on life.” Junior Amanda Wong has been involved with this project since 2014 and appreciates the relationship she has created with the Mendez family.

A PLACE AT ta-

LUNCHES ON S E T U B I R T ble for two IS club hosts onigi- CAM D S PUS KNH BRIANNA CHO AND MINJI JEUN

Students at Peninsula recently had the opportunity to try Korean food provided by the Hansik Global Association, an organization that focuses on the globalization of Korean culture and culinary arts. During lunch on Oct. 15, the first 600 students in line received a free lunch. Students had the choice of a chicken, beef or tofu lunch box along with traditional Korean side dishes such as Korean vermicelli noodles, or glass noodles, fried sesame rice cakes, seaweed salad and steamed eggs. In addition, students were given one packet of seaweed to eat with their meal. Korean National Honor Society board members, along with several parents, helped distribute the meals. Junior and secretary Justin An assisted with the event and witnessed how quickly the lunch boxes were taken and how well the event was received by students. “We gave away every [single] lunch,” An said. “All of the meals were gone within the first 10 minutes of [the lunch period]. It was a really special event because Peninsula was one of only three schools on the West Coast chosen to receive lunches.” With the rising interest in Korean culture, An believes the lunch distribution was a smart way to educate people about food and other aspects of Korea. “The meals attracted many people because the food is something that people have heard of before, but [many] had never gotten the chance to experience [it],” An said. “I liked the variety the lunches had; when people think of

Korean food, they usually think of barbeque or [spicy fermented cabbage], but these lunches [included] traditional side dishes which made it [a more authentic meal].” The lunches also educated people about Korean food because with each lunch, students were given a pamphlet that included the names and addresses of local Korean restaurants. Junior Gracie Iporac’s only experience with the culture’s cuisine prior to this school lunch distribution was Korean barbeque and she was pleasantly surprised when she walked out of class to see the lunches being given out. “At first I thought it was just for people in Korean class but the distributors told me [that it was not and asked me to] fill out a survey [after eating] the free food,” Iporac said. “I really enjoyed it.” The students received the survey with their lunches. The survey included questions inquiring about what people’s favorite foods in the lunchboxes were, and if people had ever tasted Korean food in the past. Korean teacher June Choi was very pleased with the students’ response to the meal distribution. “There is a possibility of more lunches being distributed in the future,” Choi said. “For some, it was their first time trying Korean food, so it had a great impact on people in the Peninsula community. Food is an integral part of [life], so the lunches were a great way to show students the Korean culture.”

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“One thing I get out of this project is creating a connection with the family by spending so much time talking to them,” Wong said. “I now know the mother and son really well and when I hear their story, it makes me more grateful for what I have and [reminds me] to not take things for granted.” Ek Kardia’s goal is not only to supply meals, but also to leave a lasting impact on the lives of the girls who volunteer and the family. Through the project, Ek Kardia intends to give back to everyone involved and use faith to connect with others. “Ek Kardia wants to spread positivity and hope to families in need rather than doing it for selfish reasons,” junior Sydney Choi said. “After hearing Mrs. Mendez tell her family’s story, I was heartbroken for them and motivated to help the family in any way I could.” Choi is appreciative of the Mendez family for the impact they have had on her life through the ties she has created with them during her participation in Meals for Mendez. “I am amazed at how positive they are even after their incident,” Choi said. “It motivates me to also try to spread the positivity that they have to everyone in my life.” Board member for Ek Kardia Joyce Yeh believes that Meals for Mendez is an experience that will resonate with the participating girls and feels that it gives them a new way of viewing their own lives. “It reminds the girls of the important things in life and puts things into perspective,” Yeh said.

THE TABLE O M W A T K ES ONIG R O F E L B IRI TA “[Food education is necessary] in order to decrease [conditions such as] diabetes, especially in America [where] we have many overweight The Table for Two club held an onigiri-making event on people,” Nakamura said. Oct. 23 as a part of a movement called Onigiri Action started The onigiri-making event reflected Takubo and Nakamura’s by Table for Two International. During Onigiri Action, sending passion to create healthy and nutritious food for students and one photo of onigiri to Table for Two International can guarantee children suffering from malnutrition in Africa. The board members five nutritious Japanese meals for children suffering from malnutrition dedicated time and effort into the event. in Africa. In addition, the members of the club educate non-Japanese “Before [even] starting the event, there were many things we had to people about food and other aspects of Japanese culture. Junior and [consider],” Nakamura said. “Since we [were] handling food, we made president of the Table for Two club Yuri Takubo is determined to spread sure to send out waivers about any possible food allergies. [There were] the purpose of the club at Peninsula. three or four kids with allergies, so I [checked] up on them regularly to “I made the club because I wanted to teach [students] why eating see if they were doing okay.” [certain foods is] good for you,” Takubo said. “This [month’s] topic was The students made the first onigiri by following instructions, but they onigiri so it was really fun to explore what [it had to offer].” were given freedom with the design of the second onigiri. Onigiri is a Japanese food with a filling that is compressed in a rice “I was surprised by all [of] the imagination the participants [had to layer and formed into either a triangle or a circle. Japanese teacher offer],” Nakamura said. “One person was making Olaf and others Sachiko Iwami enjoyed seeing all 22 participants in the onigiri-making were making [emojis] on their onigiri.” event creating onigiri in her classroom. Throughout the event, Nakamura and Takubo saw that the “It was important to involve more young people [because] students were not only learning about Japanese food but also onigiri is an important part of Japanese culture,” Iwami said. were interacting in a relaxed environment. Iwami publicized the event by putting up posters around “High school students have a lot of stress, so we thought school and having onigiri-making demonstrations in her this could be a way to show how to [be healthy],” classroom. Although Iwami advertised the event, the Nakamura said. “Everybody knows what a rice Table for Two club organized it independently. ball is, but events like this show people that Sophomore and Table for Two board the Japanese culture [is more than member Kanon Nakamura emphasizes that] and show people how creative food education at Peninsula and they can be.” nationwide.

osame osayande and fiona yang

Pamilya

SETTING THE SCENE

Insecure Tamprom

Nicky, Ricky, Dicky and Dawn

josh kim / the pen

The Waiting Room

Junior Roya Adli pursues her passion for performing Since the age of four, junior Roya Adli has ardently been pursuing roles in movies and television. While her roles have been primarily main characters in several short films and minor parts on major television networks, including HBO and Nickelodeon, Adli hopes to expand her acting career as well as promote Asian-American representation in the industry. Adli’s dedication to acting was no surprise to her sister Firoozeh Adli because she believes that they are both performers by nature. When Adli first began to express interest in acting, Firoozeh Adli supported her in pursuing her passion by helping her memorize lines or act out roles. Not only has Firoozeh Adli been constantly supportive of her younger sister, but she is also very proud of her sister’s accomplishments in the acting and modeling industries. “There was no doubt that I had to support Roya in following her passion, and I am so glad she fell in love with [acting] as well,” Firoozeh Adli said. “Roya can and will take her career wherever she desires, and I will be there alongside her every step of the way.” However, Hollywood’s small number of Asian actors, due to a lack of roles for them to play, has made it challenging for Asians to establish themselves in the entertainment industry. As a multiracial Asian, Adli has come across barriers in

acquiring acting jobs because of her ethnicity. “There is little to no Asian representation in most television shows and movies,” Adli said. “It can be hard [to get] auditions or [to be] the right fit for a role. The last role I played was the daughter of an illegal immigrant from the Philippines. Hopefully, in the future, there will be more Asians flourishing in the entertainment industry.” Adli also described another difficulty of acting: expressing emotions that are in the script instead of

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few modeling jobs, prefers acting and was hesitant to continue modeling because of the industry’s exclusivity. “I do not model [as] much,” Adli said. “I tried it out for a brief while and I was not really into it. Modeling focuses on showcasing one type of image, while acting puts all shapes and sizes on display. That is why I will always favor acting more.” Junior Ashley Wieland is a close friend of Adli and is proud of her friend’s success in acting. She celebrates the fact that her friend has found something she is passionate about. “When I found [out] at the end of last year that Roya was acting, my first reaction was excitement,” Wieland said. “I think that it is awesome that she is doing something she loves to do.” In continuing to follow her love for acting, Adli discovered that the strenuous process necessary to create a film or television show can be very trying, but can also foster a tight-knit community. “The audition process for a movie or television show is quite long,” Adli said. “[It] can either be fun or brutal; sometimes directors and producers are incredibly kind, and other times they are very harsh, [which] can take a big toll on selfesteem. [However], I get to meet new people who love the art of acting as much as I do. Every film, play or episode I have worked on and every acting class I have taken has gifted me with countless friends that I love so much. It is like a family.”

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Kristen lu and james o’dea

Roya can and will take her career wherever she desires, and I will be there alongside her every step of the way. -Firoozeh Adli her own. “[Stepping] into someone else’s shoes and [allowing] their perspectives and feelings [to be] known is difficult,” Adli said. “Sometimes it is easy to connect and sometimes it is not. Either way, it can be overwhelming, [so] every actor needs a break once in a while.” In spite of the multiple obstacles she has faced in performing, Adli, who has also been involved in a

roya adli Photo courtesy of kenneth dolin

stella caceres Sophomore Nicole Tang has recently been educating Peninsula students about the National Bone Marrow Registry through her Girl Scout Gold Award project. Joining the bone marrow registry means volunteering to be listed as a potential blood stem cell donor, which can help cure people diagnosed with blood cancers such as leukemia and lymphoma in need of bone marrow transplants. Tang’s campaign, Get Swabbed, informs and encourages people to join the bone marrow registry and to be willing to donate bone marrow if a patient needs it. Tang began working on the project last year, interviewing patients and donors that her project adviser, Susan Choi, introduced to her to gather information and understand the process they undergo to receive transplants. In addition to informing people about the need for bone marrow donors, Tang also hopes to emphasize the need for young adults, minorities and people of mixed race to volunteer to donate bone marrow because these groups are underrepresented in the registry. Donors of ages 18 to 24 are the best candidates for joining the registry because their younger stem cells have a higher chance of survival for transplant patients. According to Be The Match Registry, people of color currently represent only 19 percent of the registry, which makes it difficult for patients from ethnically diverse backgrounds to find a marrow donor match. To raise awareness about the registry, Tang visits classrooms on campus and asks teachers if she could present a video during one of their classes that explains the registry and how bone marrow donors

Student life

SOPHOMORE RAISES AWARENESS FOR BONE MARROW TRANSPLANTS

hopes that her campaign has motivated can help patients with different types of blood cancer. people to join the registry and help people Her presentations introduce the bone marrow registry battling cancer. Tang will finish her Gold and explain the process and qualifications necessary for Award project in the spring of next year, becoming a donor. She also shows a video she created that includes her interviews with patients and donors and but she plans to stay in contact with the passes out cards that encourage people to join the bone donors and patients she interviewed to continue following their stories. She also marrow registry when they become legal adults. wants to keep on raising awareness Senior Madison Blankenship watched Tang’s about the importance of bone marrow presentation and was intrigued by the information. She transplants in the future by joining more was unaware that donating stem cells was free for the donor. This information has urged her to consider joining organizations and advocating for the cause. “Everyone has a unique story to tell,” Tang the bone marrow registry when she turns 18. said. “It is really fascinating to hear [them], and [this] “This project is important because it educates has taught me the importance of listening to people and people,” Blankenship said. “I never knew about the allowing them to [share] their stories.” registry, so I am glad [Nicole] is talking about it. Her project gives patients hope and save lives.” Tang was inspired to raise awareness about bone marrow donations by her parents, who are both cancer survivors. Her father, Ben Tang, is a lymphoma survivor and received an autologous stem cell transplant that helped cure him. Her friends and family have supported the work she has done and have encouraged her to inspire others. “I am glad that Nicole was able to use her own past family experience in such a positive way,” Ben Tang said. “I hope that her project can help those in need of bone marrow transplants.” Tang is proud of her project because the majority of people who have seen it did not know about the bone marrow registry prior to her presentation. She josh kim / the pen

SENIOR KYLE HASHIRO BUILDS ELECTRIC SKATEBOARD helen huang In the summer of 2017, senior Kyle Hashiro began designing and building an electric skateboard from scratch, which he completed in 2018. He was inspired by Boosted, a company known for manufacturing remote-controlled skateboards that are faster and more versatile than ordinary ones. These skateboards typically cost between $749 and $1,599. Due to the high costs, Hashiro was motivated to create a cost effective alternative. Hashiro has taken robotics classes since 2015, which taught him skills that helped him engineer a skateboard with a wireless remote and motor. However, he had relatively little knowledge of the electronics involved in building one, which made finding the correct materials for the project challenging in the beginning. Hashiro used online resources to gain a better understanding of how to construct each component. Hashiro planned to build the skateboard in three iterations. He first aimed to build a version that could move on its own, and he then focused on making the contraption electrically functional with a remote printed in 3D. His last step was to ensure that he had made a functional board that could accelerate. Hashiro first attempted to build the final model with batteries, a wired remote and an arduino uno circuit board to program the remote. However, the remote broke down frequently and the skateboard’s brakes and acceleration systems were too strong. To correct these errors, Hashiro decided to buy prebuilt wheels and a motor. Hashiro’s skateboard is currently functional and uses Bluetooth to sync the remote, but the remote still experiences some software issues, such as its tendency to disconnect from the device.

“My expectations were not too high,” Hashiro said. “I knew from previous experiences that most do-ityourself projects where you are not following a guide [do not] work the first time.” Junior Suraj Anand rode Hashiro’s skateboard and described it as feeling similar to one that was professionally manufactured. Anand believes that the project coincides with Hashiro’s interests in engineering and coding. “I thought that his skateboard was an innovative and cool invention,” Anand said. “Electric skateboards are a creative mode of transportation.” Hashiro faced many challenges with both design and construction. Besides software issues, the project was time consuming and expensive, with total costs adding up to about $1,000. Hashiro explained that there were weeks when he would stop working on the project all together due to frustration. Throughout the process, his father Mike Hashiro helped him better understand his project and goal. Mike Hashiro was most impressed by the way that Hashiro solved issues he faced independently. “Doing this project relates directly to [Kyle’s] interests and [college] majors,” Mike Hashiro said. “I think it gives him a good hands-on experience that a lot of kids do not have.” Hashiro plans on majoring in computer science or mechanical engineering and the project boosted his understanding of mechanical, electrical and software design. He believes that with more experience, he could design a go-kart for his next project. “Building [the skateboard] has been an interesting experience,” Hashiro said. “I have made a lot of very expensive mistakes but I definitely learned a lot [throughout the process].”

josh kim / the pen

BOYS’ CROSS COUNTRY WINS FIRST PLACE AT MT. SAC MEET AIDAN MUSGRAVE AND AIDAN SUN

hard work since it obviously pays off in the end. [We hope] to return next year and win [the Mt. SAC Invitational] again.” While Macfarlane believes the team’s success is due largely to hard work and training, cross country head coach Chris Foster also thinks the team’s teamwork and mentality has helped lead to the team’s success. “I want [the team] to learn that they can do much more than they think they can,” Foster said. “The team pushes each other, no matter what level they are racing at. They want to get better as a group.” Since the season began, the boys’ varsity team received second at the Ojai Invitational on Sept. 15 and third place at the Palos Verdes Invitational on Sept. 28. The Bay League Finals took place at Redondo Union High School on Nov. 1. At the

Bay League Finals, Peninsula received fourth place of the five teams that competed, resulting in the team not qualifying for CIF playoffs. However, the team plans to continue to work hard and hopes to have a successful season next year. “We have [trained] hard, running on difficult courses and doing a lot of speed workouts, as well as making use of the weight room,” Hindman said. “We have never trained harder than we have this season.”

Rachel liu / The Pen

Peninsula’s boys’ varsity cross country team placed first on Oct. 20 at the 71st annual Mount San Antonio College (Mt. SAC) Cross Country Invitational, the largest high school cross country meet in the country. The event features a total of 35 races for different team levels and divisions in which almost 400 high schools from across the U.S. participate. The team ran in the three-mile Division II race against 20 other teams including Ventura High School and Glendale High School. Of the competing teams, the varsity team won with a score of 75. In cross country, a team’s score is determined by adding the overall finishing places of each team’s top four individual athletes. The team with the lowest cumulative score wins. Peninsula’s score of 75 beat the second place team, Ventura High School, who received a score of 92, and the third place team, Agoura High School, whose score was 106. Sophomore Ewan Macfarlane finished in seventh place in the race with a time of 15:15. He feels this score is a drastic improvement from his performance at last year’s Mt. SAC Invitational in which he finished in 90th place with a time of 19:30. “Last year I [was] ill and was not able to compete to the best of my

ability, so this year [was] redemption [for me],” Macfarlane said. “First place at Mt. SAC has been the goal of the varsity team since last year when we placed second. We had confidence that we would win this year, and in the end, the hard work we put in paid off.” Senior and varsity captain David Hindman placed 12th with a time of 16:22. Hindman, who has been running on the varsity team for three years, was ecstatic that Peninsula received first place. In 2017, Peninsula fell short in second place, and in 2016, the team placed third. “I felt really confident that we would perform well at Mt. SAC this year after [we got] second [place] last year,” Hindman said. “We have a much [better] trained team as a whole than last year, so it [was not] as much as of a challenge for us this time around. I was really excited about our victory. Mt. SAC is a huge meet, and it feels great to win a race by such a large margin.” The team credits their placing to their effort and dedication during practices and throughout the preseason. “Our training this season has [consisted of increased] mileage at faster paces,” Macfarlane said. “This [trained] our bodies to react to fatigue during the race and still be able to push [ourselves] through it. For future meets, I think we need to continue the

TOUCHDOWN AND ACROSS

ACROSS

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he Pen

1. Airborne robbery 3. Backwards pass from center 4. Fifty 6. SCOORRREEE!!! 7. Don’t feed the animals! 10. Oops! Dropped the ball 11. Kick boundaries 13. Wide DOWN 2. Team leader 5. Football equivalent of baseball’s home base 8. Offensive play caller 9. Form of celebration after scoring 10. downs 12. Point value of a field goal 14. Panther, for example

1. Interception 2. captain 3. snap 4. yardline 5. end zone 6. touchdown 7. zoo 8. quarterback 9. dance 10. fumble 11. goalpost 12. three 13. receiver 14. mascot

Sports

IN THE END ZONE

ethan han JOSH KAHEN / THE PEN

Peninsula’s football team kicks off into CIF jacey gibaldi and mitchell lin The Peninsula varsity football team beat Redondo Union High School by 14 points with a score of 21-7 in the annual homecoming football game on Oct. 19. For the first time since 2008, the team is playing in the CIF playoffs, which began on Nov. 2. According to senior and captain Zack Denney, orchestrating such a stark turnaround since the 2015 season, when the Peninsula football program was cancelled due to low enrollment and injury concerns, is a truly gratifying feeling. “[It is] great that [we have] come to turn the program around,” Denney said. “To come from where we were, where we [did not] even have a football team, making the playoffs [is] really indescribable.” Throughout the season, the team has followed a strict daily practice regimen that consists of weight training for an hour after school, during which the team completes exercises including deadlifts, bench presses, squats and power cleans. They then do workouts on the field for three hours, which consist of stretches, sprints, offensive and defensive drills and play repetitions. The players believe that the addition of coaches Joey Augello, Ryan Augello and Eddie McKenna this season has made a significant impact on the team.

They pushed each player to work out muscles that they previously neglected, such as their cores, which in turn has greatly improved performance. “[The coaches’ additions] have really made a big difference,” senior and captain Wyatt Chang said. “They [really make things better] for everyone.” Football coach David Young has coached the football team for three years and has observed tremendous growth in each player and in the team as a whole. Young believes that the players supporting each other has driven the team’s collective success. “[How] close the boys are [is] something that has really taken us far this year,” Young said. “They have [become more of a family] than other teams because they know that they have to take care of each other.” Young adapts his program to each player’s skills and interests. When he coaches, he draws inspiration from numerous coaches in the National Football League, especially the New England Patriots’ coach Bill Belichick. Young tries to learn from the winning culture of respect and discipline that Belichick has built and maintained within the Patriots organization. “If I love [my players], they will love me back,” Young said. “If I treat them the way I wanted to be treated as a football player, it goes a long way.” Senior and captain Ethan Han states that making playoffs this year was an immense accomplishment for him, Chang and Denney personally because they

were the ones who started a movement by adamantly refusing to give up on the revival of football even after the program was cancelled in 2015. According to Denney, to make it this far and finally beat Redondo has boosted the confidence of the three boys and the team as a whole. Young expressed his desire to send as many football players to participate in college football as he can, which is another primary motivator for him as a coach. He views this year as the beginning of a new era for the Peninsula football program. “Potential is bright [on the team],” Young said. “[The] future is brighter. I love our lower levels because they come in every day with an intensity and a passion for the sport. They remind me a lot of myself and guys I used to play football with. The future of Peninsula football is something [we are] going to be able to look back on in twenty years and say [was] really successful.” On Nov. 2, Peninsula beat Ontario Christian High School in the first round of CIF with a score of 52-28. On Nov. 9, Peninsula beat Pomona High School with a score of 58-13. Despite the excitement surrounding the recent success of Peninsula’s football program, the team’s focus remains on their upcoming Division 11 semifinal matchup against Hemet High School on Nov. 16. “[We are] exactly where we want to be,” Chang said. “[It is] up to us now.”

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