The Pen

the

PEN

Palos Verdes Peninsula High School www.pvphsnews.com Vol. XXXV Issue 4 January 9, 2015

EVERY FIFTEEN MINUTES Simulation program shares the tragic consequences of drunk and distracted driving. NEWS Page 2

THE AMERICAN DREAM

CREATIVE MINDS

TAKING A STANCE

New immigration laws crowd classrooms OPINION Page 4

Students exhibit their creative sides FOCUS Page 6-7

Fergurson and Garner verdicts spur student protest STUDENT LIFE Page 8

Photos courtesy of Sue Breitenstein

A bloody 15 As a part of the Every 15 Minute program, Peninsula simulated a car crash in which several students feigned death as a result of drunk driving. The school gathered in the gym on Dec. 12 to commiserate and learn about the potential consequences of drinking and driving.

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BY USWAH SHABBIR

1. Senior A.J. Hezlep “kills” his friend senior Andrew Phillips in the drunk driving simulation on their Dec. 11 car ride to school.

2. Seniors Nicholas and Christina Wainwright seemingly sustain severe head injuries after a mock car crash.

BY Sonia Desaidamle Students sat shocked and afraid on the morning of Dec. 11 as they watched a simulation of their fellow classmates dying in a drunk driving accident. For the rest of that day, a student was taken out of class every 15 minutes, a number taken from the 90’s statistic that every 15 minutes, someone dies in a drunk drivingrelated accident. No further contact was allowed with the student for the rest of the day, even from friends and family.

“It’s really scary for students when their friend is one of the victims that is removed from class, because all of a sudden you can’t pick up your phone and text them to see how they’re doing,” Principal Mitzi Cress said. “It really leaves an impact.”

This was Peninsula’s third time participating in this nationwide event. The project is implemented every four years so that every high school student can understand the potential hardship of losing a friend in a drunk driving accident. Palos Verdes’ local fire department, paramedics and Lomita Sheriff’s Department all participated in staging the crime scene, pulling students from classrooms, reading obituaries in front of the class and educating teachers and parents

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about first-hand experiences with drinking and driving.

Once all 24 students involved in the plan were removed from their classes, the group of students, along with counselors and supervisors, embarked on an overnight retreat. There, they wrote goodbye letters to their families, who were encouraged to write back, and learned about the severe consequences of drinking and driving through lectures given by counselors and peer exercises. The next day, the entire school, including the students apart of the retreat, gathered in the center of the gym, a couple of parents, including Ryan Agahe and JJ Accomando’s mothers, volunteered to read aloud the letters they had written to their “deceased” sons. Following their speeches, long-time Palos Verdes resident and parent Marlene Young told the story of her daughter, who was killed by a drunk driver. Her daughter, Whitney Young, was 19 at the time and had graduated from PV High in 2005.

“If just one person makes the decision to not drive drunk or not get in the car with somebody who is under the influence, then this project was a success,” Cress said.

The California Highway Patrol granted Peninsula $10,000 to cover the cost of the project. The grant paid

for hotel bills for the students who were pulled out of class and the production of the video involving scenes from the simulated crash, hospital, courtroom and jail.

The realistic scenes were intended to warn students of the potential consequences of making the same decisions that the students in the video did.

“We had doubts about doing this program this year.” safe school counselor Christine Lopez said.

“After being reminded of the impact, however, we knew that this was the right thing to do.”

A week after this assembly, the South Bay experienced a very real tragedy. On Wednesday, Dec. 17, a woman who was allegedly under the influence of prescription drugs while driving killed three people and injured nine in Redondo Beach. People were gathering after a Christmas show at James Catholic Church when the woman swerved into the crowd. Physics teacher Michael Spalding was at the event 30 minutes before the accident happened and knew several of the people at the scene.

“It just doesn’t seem real to me,” Spalding said. “The night had been so peaceful before I left, and then 30 minutes later I get a call saying that people had just died.”

An hour of Code:

NEWS

PVPUSD students partake in a week-long event that promotes computer science through peer mentorship.

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BY Sonia desaidamle

or the first time in history, almost 70 million students in 200 countries participated in possibly the largest learning event.

The Hour of Code, a week-long event from Dec. 8 to 14, was meant to promote the growth of computer science programs in schools worldwide. Co-founders of code.org Ali and Hadi Partovi raised $5 million. This money trained 10,000 public and private school teachers to teach computer science in schools that don’t offer it. Individuals, interest groups, or entire schools and districts could participate in or even host the event.

Peninsula High School hosted a session for the district in the school library, computer lab, and S.M.E.R.T advisor Hassan Twiet’s room for any student in the district or South Bay who was interested.

In this age, when technology plays a role in every aspect of our lives, 90 percent of schools in the U.S. still do not teach computer science, and in 27 states, computer science is not applied to math or science requirements, diminishing the school’s interest in building a computer science program. To change that, CEO’s including Mark Zuckerberg, John Doerr and Rich Barton have donated over $1 million to Hour of Code, and Bill

Gates and LinkedIn’s Reid Hoffman promise to match every donation dollar for dollar. Gates and Zuckerberg also provided some online tutorials for code. org on widely-used computer languages including Java, Javascript and HTML. Other parties pledged their support for the event by spreading the message to the public. Just days after receiving her Nobel Peace Prize, Malala Yousafzai posted a video on YouTube encouraging young girls in all countries to participate in this learning experience.

Over 100 of Peninsula’s computer science students and S.M.E.R.T members volunteered to teach at the event. The volunteers taught using online tutorials from code.org, codeacademy.com and khanacademy.com. They also showed their own classwork. Around 50 students from both high school and middle school and of all races and genders showed up each day. According to Twiet, there was actually a higher percentage of girls than boys who participated, even though the national average of girls in computer science fields is only 18 percent.

“Anybody has the ability to learn computer science,” Twiet said. “We just need to get kids to be less scared about the subject. In this day and age, computer science is just as important to know as any other math or science subject.”

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out of

10

k-12 U.S. schools teaches computer science

By 2020, there will Be

1 million

more computer -related than anticipated

Less than

2.4%

of college students graduate with a degree in computer science *Statistics taken from Daily Globe

“

I have seen the transition of women fighting for positions in roles that have long been dominated by men.

”

- PRincipal Mitzi Cress

ASB brings “Grinchmas” holiday party to community

BY Esther Chu The school’s first holiday party came to the block with 14 tons of snow, an 1,800 square foot ice rink and the Grinch himself.

On Dec. 18, 2014, campus transformed into a winter wonderland for everyone to enjoy before winter break.

The Associated Student Body began planning the party in the summer, when treasurer and junior Bianca Dietiker first proposed the idea to president Ian Sun. Sun and Dietiker started to organize the fees and paperwork needed to get snow, ice and the equipment for the skating rink.

ASB decided to call the event “Grinchmas”.

“The planning for Grinchmas happened just like homecoming, busy and crazy, so it is like a second homecoming to us,” Sun said. “Grinchmas is a great example of the

passion that ASB shares for the school and how we muster the motivation to keep going to do something we want to do.”

Activities Director Season Pollock, who coordinated the project, praised the students’ diligence.

“Actions speak louder than words, and Grinchmas could have easily died if ASB was not so passionate about making the event happen,” Pollock said. “It’s a great way for people to enjoy the holidays and have fun.”

Both Pollock and Sun hope that this event turns into an annual tradition.

“One day in 20 years, I want to come to another Grinchmas at Peninsula, perhaps an even better one,” Sun said. “I hope Grinchmas becomes just as much a part of Peninsula as are Homecoming and Walk for Life.”

The campus is covered in “Grinchmas” decorations in preparation for the night’s holiday festivities. Community members of all ages came to school to experience the inaugural event.

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PALOS VERDES PENINSULA HIGH SCHOOL 27118 Silver Spur Road, Rolling Hills Estates, CA 90274

COPY/ MANAGING EDITOR Fatima Siddiqui DESIGN EDITOR Angela Song NEWS EDITOR: Noah Werksman WRITERS: Annie Benedict Esther Chu Sonia Desaidamle OPINION EDITORS: Lauren Lee Alex Bologna WRITERS: Zoe Willoughby Marine Fujisawa FOCUS EDITORS: Chris Kong Sama Shah WRITERS: Amani Jalota Christopher Lee STUDENT LIFE EDITORS: Jina Kim Florencia Park WRITERS: Phoebe Borsum Stella Yoo Annie Tyler SPORTS EDITOR: Tunika Onnekikami WRITERS: Christopher Chien Jenna Henry GRAPHICS Yasmine Kahsai Jackie Uy BUSINESS & ADVERTISING Isabelle Wang ADVISER Katherine Dunlap “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 Giselle Velasquez 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 Katherine Dunlap’s mailbox.

Copyright © 2014

Front Illustration by Gino Abrajano Sue Bernstein Design by Angela Song

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jAckie uy/the pen

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Uswah Shabbir

editorial

BY EDITORIAL STAFF The events that took place the morning of Dec. 15 shocked most students. Ambulance sirens wailed and fire trucks rushed to respond to a mock car crash in the teacher parking lot.

“Every 15 Minutes” simulated a teenage tragedy to educate students about driving under the influence. Instead of pretending that drugs, alcohol and distracted driving are not an issue, the simulation made these behaviors an issue.

One in ten teens in high school drinks and drives, according to the Center for Disease Control. While drunk driving incidents have been cut nearly in half since the establishment of organizations such as MADD, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, driving under the influence remains a serious issue.

An essential step in preventing drunk-driving incidents is to teach the youth about potential

disastrous consequences.

Much of the district’s energy and resources are funneled into prevention education: Red Ribbon Week and health curriculum too often ask teens to simply say “no” or to be smart and not start. Instead of facing the fact that teens use drugs and alcohol, we ignore the reality until it becomes a 15-minute nightmare.

The Every 15 Minutes plan was much more engaging, which made it more successful in teaching students. By involving peers and classmates in the simulation, the Every 15 Minutes plan was realistic. It showed first-hand exactly how so many lives could be affected by one incident.

Though some may argue that acknowledging the fact that high school students drink may encourage such behavior or make it seem

acceptable, the program is actually taking a proactive stance against drinking and driving because it concentrates on the current situation and how to control it, not making futile efforts to stop teen drinking.

The Every 15 Minutes plan, instead, asked teens to call their parents for a safe ride, no questions

asked. It showed the tragedy when use becomes abuse. It touched our hearts by offering personal narratives and by involving real and familiar people.

In 2012, 239

The rate of drunk driving is highest among 21 to 25-year -olds

2 in 3 people will be involved in a drunk driving crash in their lifetime

child passengers (under 15 years) were killed in drunk driving crashes

*Statistics from Mothers Against Drunk Driving

Class curriculum limits creativity BY christopher lee On February 2006, author and education reformist Ken Robinson gave an immensely acclaimed Technology, Entertainment and Design (TED) Talk regarding the various ways schools “kill creativity.”

Since then, Robinson’s words have been heard by over 30 million viewers worldwide. Among the points made by Robinson, the idea that schools place an unhealthy emphasis on academic subjects, namely mathematics and science, is one that should be heeded by academia.

Many schools, while fostering an academicallyrich environment, are prone to taking a more formulaic approach to learning, limiting the creative opportunities offered by non-academic classes.

Learning cannot psychologically be accommodated by all students in a single academic environment. Creativity,

especially, is stimulated in different ways for different individual. Different modes of expressing creativity exist in a single academic environment.

However, given the heavy emphasis on core academic subjects, the creative learning offered by the fine arts is diminished.

In addition, some students may find themselves unable to fit in their desired electives due to the rigor of their coursework—a necessary passion, for some, is sacrificed for more academic classes.

Freshman Adam Lazarus, an avid surfboard maker and designer, finds that the current core curriculum stunts his ability to reach his maximum creative and artistic potential.

He believes that his creativity can only be exercised outside of the classroom, where he can fully embrace his artistry.

“The type of art that I like to do is the kind of thing that you can’t take classes and get good at,” Lazarus said. “You can’t be born with a gift and

[automatically] be good at it; it takes time.”

Also, the lack of creative outlets for students like Lazarus discourages the growth of creative minds in a school setting.

“We certainly do promote creativity through the various programs and clubs we offer, from literary magazine to glass blowing,” English teacher Lara Patterson said. “However, I wish more people could participate in these and other ‘creative’ pursuits without feeling they are taking time away from their curriculum.”

Because students are also required to fulfill specific requirements in order to graduate from high school and to meet college admissions requirements, several are concerned that the requirements fail to foster and consider their creative pursuits.

Students like Lazarus feel that colleges will simply disregard them as unpromising candidates when compared to applicants that were proficient in the math

and sciences throughout high school.

“I want colleges to say, ‘He must be committed, he must have the passion to do it,’” Lazarus said.

Some argue that while academic subjects do not always have the prioritize creative thinking, complex problems posed by traditional classes allow students to come up with novel ideas.

“Most people think education hinders creativity because we emphasize math [and] science more than fine arts,” math teacher Christian Kim said. “[However], math and science allow students to come up with new theorems, philosophies and designs.

We cannot say we prevent creativity just because a subject is not a performing art.”

That argument does not alter the fact that an obsessive focus on academic curriculum overlooks the different ways in which creative thought and expression are stimulated.

OPINION

immigration Policy affects the state of education

Of every 50 students, 12 students are from undocumented families. Obama’s new immigration policies encourages the permanent residency of illegal immigrants by creating educational opportunities for their children, while ultimately affecting the education for American citizens.

By zoe willoughby On Nov. 20, President Barack Obama announced an executive order that the United States will aid undocumented immigrants by allowing them to obtain work permits and protecting them from deportation. One and a half million children from undocumented families in the U.S. are enrolled in public schools. Though Plyer v. Doe, 457 U.S. 202 (1982) ruled that undocumented students have the same right as U.S. citizens to attend public schools from kindergarten until 12th grade, this legislation actually impedes the ability of educators to effectively teach students. The new executive order will convince more families illegally residing in the U.S. to stay here and send their children through the public education system.

“Crowded classrooms resulting from [the executive order] will decrease the amount of one on one teacher time for me, and might cause the teacher to skip over some things I do

not understand,” freshman Sung Gyung Lee said. “Also, more students will lower [the] quality of education just by the fact of overcrowding and a higher student to teacher ratio.”

Beginning in Jan. 2015, immigrants living in the United States illegally will be eligible for state financial aid to attend University of California or California State University campuses. In addition, California colleges are making it easier for undocumented students to apply and get accepted to state institutions of higher education.

“When I applied for colleges with the common application, I was asked to send a copy of my green card,” said senior Ji Kim. “But, when I applied for UC schools, I did not need any proof of documentation.”

Almost eighty percent of the eighth-grade English Language Learners (ELLs) scored below basic in the 2005 National Assessment of Educational Progress, and 50.1 percent of the foreign-born population in the United States spoke English less than “Very Well” according

to a U.S. Census survey. With larger classrooms, ELL students will get less attention than they need in order to succeed in the educational system.

However, Mindy Webster believes that since many immigrants already live here in Los Angeles, Obama’s new immigration policy will not greatly affect California.

“We have an enormous illegal immigrant population, especially around L.A., and schools are not required to check a student’s citizenship status...so I do not foresee a huge change,” Webster said.

Despite Webster’s beliefs, this new order will entice more students to come stay in the U.S. for education and thus magnify the stress on classrooms nationwide.

If more families immigrate to the United States after the announcement of Obama’s executive order, undocumented students will increase class sizes, leading to negative consequences in California schools and, ultimately, the future United States.

ONE AND A HALF MILLION

CHILDREN OF ALL UNDOCUMENTED FAMILIES IN THE UNITED STATES ARE ENROLLED IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS

*Statistics from 2011 National Center Database

50.1 % OF IMMIGRANT STUDENTS WERE PRESUMED LESS THAN PROFICIENT IN THEIR ENGLISH LANGUAGE ASSESSMENTS

*Statistics from 2005 National Assessment of Educational Progress

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creativity Students explore their creative sides through art, activism and research YASMINE KAHSAI/THE PEN

Senior Henry Han finds inspiration in art BY aMANI jALOTA

Jenny kim/the pen

S

Senior Henry Han adds the finishing touches to his most recent painting in the art room. Henry has been actively pursuing the arts since fifth grade.

enior Henry Han takes heart in art. Since fifth grade, creating visual art has been Han’s passion. Throughout his high school career, Han has spent over 30 hours each week at iD8 Art Academy, and, as a result, his techniques have improved dramatically.

“For me, art is not just a hobby, but an integral part of my life,” Han said. “Art has allowed me to express ideas I could never have simply through words.”

Han has won several national and international art competitions, including first place at the InHwa Art Festival, a Korean competition requiring

artists to create pieces reflecting the theme of tolerance. In addition, Han won first place in his division at an international duck drawing contest, a fun shift from the more symbolic artwork that he normally produces.

Han believes that painting has provided him with an escape from the stress that comes with his demanding course load.

“Having a passion outside of school can set you apart from others,” Han said. “Experience with the arts allows students to develop and helps them foster skills they will use throughout their lives.”

Han plans to study art in college and hopefully find a career that allows him to continue to create.

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Focus

Viva la Vaquita:

Senior raises awareness about endangered porpoises Take the Vaquita Blanket Challenge

Jenny kim/the pen

1. Get two twin bed size blankets.

Senior William Whittenbury speaks to students about the vaquita.

BY Chris lee The pursuit of creativity can also take the form of direct involvement with community. Senior William Whittenbury first heard of the Vaquita porpoise, the most endangered species of marine mammal, in 2009 from a fellow volunteer at the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium. Since then, he has worked to give the Vaquita the attention it needs to survive.

“In 2012, I did a research project on the Vaquita and was shocked to discover its dire circumstances. It is reported that there are only 90 to 97 left in the world,” Whittenbury said.

Through both legal and illegal fishing, the plight of the Vaquita has been exacerbated by the unregulated use of gill nets, which end up indiscriminately entangling and killing large numbers of local marine creatures.

As the president of Muskwa club, an organization dedicated to raising awareness about the Vaquita, Whittenbury urges students to come up with inventive solutions for conservation efforts that otherwise may be countered with trite, ineffective methods. The club has held 30 information booths in museums and local fairs and has educated approximately six to seven thousand people.

“It was a really unique experience for me because I learned

how to do public interface, talk to different people about this issue and convince them about our solution plans,” Whittenbury said.

Whittenbury is also a member of the Viva Vaquita Coalition, where he networks with Vaquita conservation efforts based in Mexico. With the help of the Muskwa club, Whittenbury has worked to officially establish July 12 as International Save the Vaquita Day, which in the past summer spread to 20 venues in six different countries.

In addition, on Dec. 24, the Mexican government passed a law banning the use of gill nets in the Vaquita’s habitat for the next two years. It pledged a total of $37 million to local fishermen to abstain from fishing and, instead, to prevent illegal fishing methods. During the course of the next year, Muskwa and the Viva Vaquita Coalition intend to set up a six-part plan that will further educate the public about the Vaquita, establish fishing technology that will prevent future issues with entanglement, and, in the long run, promote the distribution of said technology in order to allow fishermen to fish without risk.

“This is not just a theoretical problem we are solving in class,” Whittenbury said. “This is a real life issue that we are doing something about.”

2. Lay on the first blanket with your feet crossed at the ankles like a Vaquita tail. Clasp your hands behind your back.

3. Have someone wrap you tightly in the first blanket and then the opposite way in the second blanket.

4. Now, have someone time you trying to get out without rolling over, without standing up and with minimal use of your arms.

Can you get out in 97 seconds?

Senior Arjun Tambe’s initiative sends him to Spain

BY Phoebe Borsum

PHoto courtesy of arjun tambe

When senior Arjun Tambe enrolled in Science Research as a freshman, he had no idea that he would eventually have his research paper published in Spain.

After working on his scientific project for three years, Tambe submitted it to the Association for Computing Machinery’s Symposium of Applied Computing. Despite the vigorous competitiveness among researchers and PhD students from around the globe, Tambe’s paper was accepted for publication in Salamanca, Spain. ”My paper is about developing new game theory algorithms that can be used to improve security,” Tambe said. “The problem is that there is not enough security resources to protect all possible targets at the same time.”

Tambe wanted to figure out how to allocate resources in a way that minimizes risk against potential drug smugglers and terrorists going through airports.

His goal was to improve previously developed

algorithms. Tambe tested his project with human subjects and found that his work was better than the currently used processes.

“I asked my dad, who is a professor at the University of Southern California (USC), if there was a way to get my paper published,” he said. “He told me I could get it published in a major international conference.”

Once he completed his project, Tambe worked with a PhD student at USC in order to write a research paper about his findings. Tambe will go to Spain in 2015 to present his paper at the international conference. “[When I found out my paper was getting published,] it felt really good because I had been working on that project for the past two years in my science research class and spent from August until the submission date revising my work so that I could present it in a highly technical scientific conference,” Tambe said.

He is currently doing more research on the project, attempting to develop another algorithm to see if that would work more effectively.

Senior Arjun Tambe poses with his research poster. Tambe will present his paper at an international conference in Salamanca, Spain in April.

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STUDenT LIFE

“breathe”

passion into protests

ADRIENNE SHEH/ THE PEN

Students

Black Student Union members (left to right) seniors Jeremie Gates, Fatima Abdullah, Soraya Bazargani, Cheyenne Rogers, Albany Myers and Jazmin Davis put their heads down in remembrance of Michael Brown and Eric Garner. On Dec.5 and Dec. 16, BSU members held a silent protest of the Brown and Garner verdicts.

Students protest Ferguson and Garner jury verdicts BY annie tyler

When Black Student Union President Cheyenne Rogers and her father watched the news involving Officer Darren Wilson’s verdict, she remembers crying. She felt his verdict was unfair.

“I cried because [Brown] could have been my dad, future husband or son,” Rogers said.

On Nov. 24, the grand jury of Ferguson, Missouri decided to not indict Wilson who shot unarmed 18-yearold Michael Brown on Aug. 9

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six times after Wilson alleges Brown threatened him.

Another issue recently brought to the public’s attention is 43-year-old Eric Garner’s death on July 17 in Staten Island, New York.

Garner allegedly died as a result of Officer Daniel Pantaleo putting Garner in a chokehold.

Since the decisions not to indict Wilson or Pantaleo, protests have been conducted nationwide and even on campus. On Dec. 5 and Dec.16, BSU members wore signs with statements such as “Black lives matter,” “I can’t

breathe” and “Ferguson” to silently protest. Other clubs such as Amnesty International participated by signing an online petition urging action against lethal force by police.

“We are protesting to raise awareness,” Rogers said. “We are all so busy with our own lives that we do not take the time to sit down and focus on what is going on right now.”

BSU Treasurer and senior Soraya Bazargani feels that the failure to indict was wrong since there was video evidence of the altercation between Garner and Pantaleo.

“With the video of Garner,

we all thought that maybe the officer would get indicted but, instead, the officer walked free and the individual that made the tape got arrested,” Bazargani said.

On Dec. 10, BSU members met with Cress to discuss future plans for protest. Prior to this meeting, silent protests were approved by Principal Mitzi Cress.

On Dec. 17, BSU held an open forum in the PAC about racism, inequality and recent police brutality cases.

Attendees included staff such as Cress and Associate Principal Micah Farrell.

Riots have taken place in New York and Ferguson.

On Nov. 24, when the grand jury refused to indict Wilson, houses in Ferguson were set on fire and people looted stores. In response, people were tear gassed by officers who said the riots were getting out of control.

“Black people are dying daily and nobody does anything to help us, so I can understand why certain people may react violently,” Rogers said.

“However, I don’t believe in violence and I don’t believe it solved anything so we will stick to protesting peacefully.”

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Sports

Not so average Athletes

By Jenna Henry

Independent Study students practice their unique sports off-campus.

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Maya Tamhane/The Pen

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1. Junior Shannon Tsang has been doing rhythmic gymnastics for ten years. Rhythmic gymnastics uses more equipment, such as hoops and ribbons, than artistic gymnastics.

“It focuses on being graceful, expressive, and intricate,” Tsang said. “I love being able to master new skills and show how much I have improved.”

Tsang hopes to compete in college; however, since many universities do not have gymnastics studios near them, she admits it may be difficult.

2. Junior Anna Stockstad is the coxswain for the varsity women’s rowing team for Long Beach Junior Crew. The coxswain is responsible for steering and instructing the rest of the team. She and her team recently traveled to Boston and competed against teams from all over the world in the Head of the Charles Regatta competition.

She hopes to continue the sport in college.

“It is my job to make sure that my teammates are motivated and stay in sync,” Stockstad said.

“I love the feeling I get when the boat glides through the water and everyone is completely in-sync.”

Courtesy of Anna Stockstad Courtesy of Nigel Lipps

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Maya Tamhane/The Pen

1. Junior Shannon Tsang practices one of her gymnastics poses. She has participated in the sport for 10 years.

2. Junior Anna Stockstad directs her teammates from the front of the boat as they participate with her in the Newport Autumn Rowing Festival on Nov. 2, 2014. She has been coxing for nearly two years.

3. Junior Nigel Lipps sails a race in the Perry Series of the Southern California Youth Yacht Racing Association. He has been sailing since he was seven years old.

4. Sophomore Karyn Yong, an archer, poses with her arrow. She has been practicing archery for nearly three years.

3. Junior Nigel Lipps sails competitively; the object of the activity is to be the first to sail around markers placed in the water. Members of both sides of his family sail; he was signed up for his first tournament when he was seven.

He enjoys the competitive atmosphere at the Alamitos Bay Yacht Club. “[During competitions], there is always arguing and yelling,” Lipps said. “Everyone is 100 percent focused on winning.”

4. Sophomore Karyn Yong became interested in archery in elementary school when she read a book about it, but did not get the chance to try it out until three years ago. She finds it relaxing and hopes to continue archery in college, whether through a university or on her own.

“Competitions are a good opportunity to test your skill and see how you react to different psychological effects, and how quickly you can adjust to different variables,” Yong said.

It’s a stretch: Blended Learning Program reinvents the classroom

By Christopher Chien

requirements.

Senior tennis player Kenadi Hance There are special athletes on campus met with Principal Mitzi Cress her who go to great lengths for their freshman year in order to plan a schedule sports, including taking time off from that would allow her to be competitive school. In an effort to give competitive in her sport and receive the credits she student-athletes a route to graduation, needed to graduate. the administration offers the Blended “[In my freshman year], I needed Learning Program. It provides a special to take at least two core classes at schedule for some student-athletes, Peninsula and I took the rest online,” including additional online or community Hance said. “I worked really closely with college courses that they need to Mrs. Cress and the counselors to make complete in order to fulfill graduation sure I got the credits I needed.”

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For her sophomore and junior years, Hance attended classes at Rancho del Mar once a week and took an online course in Spanish. Upon returning for her final year of high school, Hance takes only three classes on campus.

Participation in this program is rare and student-athletes are allowed to participate based on state and national ranking. “[These student-athletes] are at a very high level in their sports, some even looking to the Olympics,” Cress said.

“They want to be a part of a public school. In order to be eligible for scholarships, they need to take courses that are NCAA-approved.”

Full-time athletes often enroll at a public school in order to receive all the benefits that other students gets.

“The program has been so helpful and it helps me work at my own pace,” Hance said. “I do not know how I would be able to maintain a national ranking and good grades if I took all my classes at school.”

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