Issue 4

GYPSY-ROSE EXPOSED Gypsy-Rose Blanchard steps into the spotlight after being released from prison

IV Vol. X L 4

ISSU E, 2024

Febru

EDITORIAL PAGE 3

a ry 14

LYNN TAKAHASHI

IS SHARING CARING?

TERROR ON 1282

MIYAZAKI’S MIRAGE OF A MOVIE

Gavin Newsom enacts healthcare expansion law

Boeing 737 MAX 9 plane loses door mid-flight

Hayao Miyazaki releases his final film

OPINION OPINION PAGE PAGE 22

NEWS NEWS PAGE PAGE 44

ARTS ARTS & & ENTERTAINMENT ENTERTAINMENT PAGE PAGE 12 12

PALOS VERDES PENSINSULA HIGH SCHOOL PVPHSNEWS.COM

Opinion

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MAKING HEALTHCARE FAIR AARUSHI CHAUDHARI After decades of efforts, California has gotten one step closer to making universal health coverage a reality. In 2016, California began implementing a series of policies expanding the comprehensive version of Medi-Cal, California’s health insurance program for low-income individuals, to all undocumented immigrants. On Jan. 1, undocumented immigrants of all ages began to qualify, affecting over 700,000 undocumented immigrants (Associated Press News). This effort will end up costing the state $3.1 billion per year, a small price to pay for the benefits of expanding health care coverage. Providing health care for undocumented immigrants is an important milestone in the industry as it saves money for them, broadens opportunities for health care for minorities and increases welfare.

“Health care should be free for everyone and that includes undocumented immigrants,” junior Angelina Zhu said. “It is inhumane to charge people for necessities of life. Other countries have free health care and higher quality of life because of it.”

Historically, undocumented immigrants have been more reluctant to seek out health care services than non-immigrants due to higher uninsured rates, affordability challenges and linguistic and cultural barriers. Even if they are employed, they are often in lower wage industries that do not offer coverage, ultimately leading to higher

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uninsured rates and lower rates of private coverage (Kaiser Family Foundation). Typically, immigrants who live in California often delay taking action to gain preventative care because they are not eligible for health coverage, making it more expensive to treat them when the ailment worsens (Public Policy Institute of California). With this initiative, they will be saving money by getting treatment beforehand. Taking this step has shown citizens where California’s values of inclusion and fairness lie, emphasizing that everyone deserves the rights to basic necessities.

“It is important that [undocumented immigrants] are guaranteed somewhere to go in case of an emergency without fear of prosecution,” junior Helena Groskreutz said. “Telehealth [has been] successful, but it does not provide the same amount of care as an in-person doctor visit.”

Although they are often overlooked in global health care, humanitarian crises are very common and a prominent indicator of the state of global health. The United Nations (UN) has established initiatives which have successfully targeted specific diseases, like the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) by tracing early contacts and vaccinating 2,000 high-risk patients (UN News). Even though the DRC is the fifth poorest nation in the world, they were able to implement immediate care to those in need. Similarly, undocumented immigrant families are a large minority in California, yet they are not receiving

a comparable amount of health care services to citizens. Modeling the immediate response system from the DRC’s epidemic, an effective solution would be to utilize a hybrid public-private insurance plan available to all. This service would cover fatal illnesses by providing a range of services, including prescription drugs and diagnostic tests. For inperson visits, low-income households would receive subsidies for dental and eye care. Additionally, the majority of the population would receive vouchers to be included in a private insurance plan. France has implemented this system for almost a century now and it has proven to be one of the most efficient systems globally with high quality services (The Commonwealth Fund). Overall, global health is not possible without humanitarian health on a smaller scale, and ensuring emergency response for more people in California brings the world closer to addressing the bigger issue.

“More should be done on the humanitarian front to combat global health [which would] create a domino effect,” senior Rylee Izumo said. “[California] has taken a step in the right direction, but [until] there is an established system to treat those affected by epidemics, [only] then can we work on having universal health coverage.”

EDITOR: AL

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NO MONEY TO SPARE ANDREW LU California has become the first state to provide free health care access for undocumented immigrants following a deal struck by Gov. Gavin Newsom last May with state legislature (California Budget and Policy Center).

The deal, which went into effect on Jan. 1, completed the expansion of Medi-Cal access for undocumented immigrants aged 26 to 49. However, many Americans remain opposed to the plan. The expansion would serve to benefit undocumented immigrants over law-abiding citizens and increase California’s staggering debt.

However, this expansion may not be here to stay, as immigration is set to reemerge as a key issue in the presidential elections and as California’s budget deficit is ballooning to a record $68 billion (Associated Press).

Republicans have vehemently denied the effectiveness of this expansion, which would grant an estimated 700,000 people access to free health care on an already strained system and cost an annual $3.1 billion (Associated Press). This hefty price tag may warrant a future government bailout, meaning Americans across the country would have to pay for the program (The New York Times).

“The national economic state is not desirable [because of inflation],” senior Steven Yu said. “[Given that] inflationary pressures diminish the real value of wealth provided to these

undocumented immigrants, [a health care expansion] seems very ineffective.”

In addition to causing fiscal turmoil, the bill has alienated many Americans, as it disregards lawabiding citizens. More than 900,000 Californians lost health care access between June and October of 2023, with 90% of the coverage loss due to paperwork issues (CalMatters). Currently, about 25 million Americans nationwide still lack access to health care (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). This lack of coverage for citizens, along with other factors, may be why 69% of Americans are against expanding free health care for noncitizens (Kaiser Family Foundation). “[Supporters of the policy] are not actually looking at the situation, [they] are just seeing it as giving people health care,” junior Marc Epp said.

“We have to address the American people before we address immigrants. We have to take care of our citizens first, instead of people who are, by definition, breaking the law.”

As of 2021, the undocumented population stands at an estimated 10.5 million people (Pew Research Center), a figure that is likely underestimated given that 2.05 million undocumented people crossed the border in 2023 alone (New York Times). While California may be successful with its expansion, health care coverage for the undocumented on a national level, from a fiscal standpoint, may be harder to implement. “[The] affordability of a doctor should not be a monetary decision,” Economics and Advanced

Placement Economics teacher Allen Aronson said.

“When someone is in need, if they cannot afford their own insurance, the government should help them out. [But] it is going to be a heavy tax burden to fund that. Our government spending will be funneled to health care instead of military spending and other [programs].”

The policy of public charge will also add to the state’s woes. California law prevents an immigrant who is dependent on the government, or a “public charge” from becoming a citizen. As a result, many undocumented immigrants eligible for receiving health care have chosen not to apply, fearing it would jeopardize their chances at citizenship by becoming a public charge (Los Angeles Times).

Impending government action could also impact the expansion’s effectiveness. Democrats and Republicans have disagreed on how to approach the border crisis, but President Biden’s desperate need to secure aid for the war in Ukraine may lead to concessions for Republicans (Reuters). This may signal that harsher bipartisan anti-immigration laws may be coming, which could reverse the MediCal expansion sometime in the future.

California may be in between a rock and a hard place economically for choosing how much it should be helping undocumented immigrants. However, with government action currently in the works, there is no doubt that America will grow only closer to enacting future policies that curb illegal immigration and humanely treat everyone that crosses the border.

Opinion

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THE BUZZ ON BLANCHARD

THE PEN PALOS VERDES PENINSULA HIGH SCHOOL

MCKENNA MCCALLISTER & NOMUNDARI TSOGMAGNAI Unexpected posts and comments regarding her private life with her husband by the recently released convict Gypsy-Rose Blanchard have received praise from the mass media. Hailed as an icon living her best life, it seems the public has forgotten – or even willfully ignored – why Blachard went to prison in the first place. Although not directly responsible, Blanchard coerced her ex-boyfriend Nicholas Godejohn to murder the woman who had kept her caged and isolated: her mother.

Blanchard was deemed a victim of Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy, a mental illness in which a caretaker makes up fake symptoms or causes real symptoms to occur in their child to give them an appearance of illness. The typical motivations of this illness are to draw out sympathy from other people, as well as physical gifts.

Since her eventful return to the public domain, she has rapidly gained followers on social media and has been invited to various talk shows and interviews. Praised for her mature demeanor throughout these interviews, Blanchard even admitted that her mother was extremely sick throughout her life and that she missed her. Within these discussions, Blanchard separates herself from Godejohn and pushes relatively all the blame onto him. When asked in her first postrelease interview if she thinks it is fair that Godejohn is serving a life sentence while she is free after just eight years, Blanchard evaded the questions and claimed, “I am sure we both have a lot of regrets. All I can really say is that I did my time. He is doing his time for his part. And I wish him well on his journey.” What she neglected to mention is that she was the intellectually competent one in the situation; Blanchard was revealed to have no actual health or mental disabilities once examined in prison, while Godejohn had been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder,

27118 Silver Spur Rd, Dissociative Identity Disorder and has a remarkably low IQ. That is not Rolling Hills Estates, CA 90274 to say Godejohn did not know what he was doing, he actually says he would do it again– differently, but again– which proves just how easily EDITORS IN CHIEF he was convinced to do someone’s bidding. Blanchard took advantage of McKenna McCallister Godejohn and his hopeless love for her and became a master of the one Nomundari Tsogmagnai thing she had learned from her mother: manipulation.

During her time in prison, Blanchard declined therapy and other forms MANAGING EDITOR of help. In light of this, it is apparent that she is nowhere near healed Josie Kwak enough to be having such a massive platform straight out of jail. The media is completely disregarding and overlooking years of trauma she HEADS OF DESIGN suffered under her mother and the in-depth professional help that she Brian Wang should be receiving. Blanchard has never truly had the chance to grow Lynn Takahashi into her own personality, identity and person. She has been caged in her home, imprisoned in jail and now transitioning to being married before HEAD OF BUSINESS she even gets to experience a normal, single life without the overbearing Kylie Baik abuse of her mother. Blanchard never had the freedom and time away from the hoards of flashing lights to truly enjoy being herself and find who ADVISER she is, what her passions are and the small things in life. Whether it is a Jaymee DeMeyer publicity team, her husband or even herself that is pushing Blanchard into the spotlight for the money and 15 minutes of fame, she needs therapy, PUBLICITY professional help and some semblance of an experience akin to being a Savanna Messner Rodriguez normal person. The public is allowing Blanchard to steer the narrative Ricardo Escalante instead of analyzing the situation for themselves. While it is important to acknowledge how the traumatic life she was born into affected how she OPINION is wired to act, think and feel — which cannot be helped — it is equally EDITOR: Alena Rhoades as important to recognize that although she may not have held the knife, WRITERS: Andrew Lu Aarushi Chaudhari she did kill the mother she claims to love and miss. Social media and the Neekta Baghoolizadeh general public need to stop glorifying, idolizing and making a role model out of a person responsible for second-degree murder.

NEWS EDITOR: Sivan Stoler WRITERS: Gunnar Lee Allison Kumamoto

CASTING A NET OF CONTROVERSY NEEKTA BAGHOOLIZADEH From demigods and epic fantasies to hysterical jokes and deep friendships, Rick Riordan’s “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” has earned its place as a cultural landmark. Millions of readers found magic alongside the leading trio — Percy Jackson, Grover Underwood and Annabeth Chase — through the original series, and later its sequel series “The Heroes of Olympus.” With “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” defining so many childhoods, news that a TV adaptation would be available on Disney+ made big waves among fans. While most have greatly enjoyed the TV series, some have major grievances to air, especially when it comes to casting decisions.

Notably, this is not the first time an attempt at an adaptation of the popular series has been made. In 2010, movies based on the “Percy Jackson” novels were released and met with widespread criticism.

However, while the movies’ downfall was their faithlessness to the source material, the TV show has been careful to consider Riordan’s opinion.

Despite this, some continue to question the changes he endorsed. Percy, written as having green eyes and black hair, appears in the show with blond hair and blue eyes. Grover, originally described in the books as a redhead, is played by a South Asian actor with dark brown hair. Annabeth, featured in the book with blond hair and gray eyes, is portrayed by Leah Jeffries, a Black actress with neither of these features. Despite the myriad of changes made by the adaptation, many critics focus solely on the changes made to Annabeth, a discrepancy that raises eyebrows.

“Singling out Annabeth for not being blonde and gray eyed just because she is Black is racist,” junior John Park said. “If [critics] are not also talking about Percy not having black hair and green eyes, [solely focusing on Annabeth] is racist. Jeffries is a fantastic Annabeth, [and] she perfectly embodies who Annabeth is.”

Looking at reviews posted on Google for the Percy Jackson TV show, fans furious about Annabeth’s casting have flooded the forum with one-star reviews, raging against her lack of blonde hair and stormy gray eyes. Some even attach disclaimers, saying that they are “not racist,” they just want to see the book series accurately represented. Despite these statements, no one seems overly concerned about Percy’s casting. One commenter goes so far as to claim casting Annabeth as Black is “reverse racism,” a statement as nonsensical as it is dangerous. Racism centers around systematic oppression and discrimination, with people of color continually and intentionally being disenfranchised. To claim that white people – an incredibly privileged majority group – can experience “reverse racism”

FOCUS demonstrates a fundamental misunderstanding of how racism functions.

EDITOR: Juliette Lin While Black people may appear to be well represented based on numbers WRITERS: Jacelyn Chen alone, that representation is often slotted into harmful stereotypes, such Caori DeGuzman as “The Thug,” or “The Angry Black Woman” (Harvard Business Review).

These stereotypes prevent Black characters from having fully realized STUDENT LIFE character arcs, reducing them to nothing more than a plot tool.

EDITORS: Zahra Habib A somewhat stronger argument against Annabeth’s casting draws on Angelina Wang plot points: in the book series, Annabeth claims that she is often expected WRITERS: Melina Ajami to fall into the “dumb blonde” trope. Annabeth subverts this by being Jihoon Kwon one of the smartest characters in the series, and a daughter of Athena, the goddess of wisdom, to boot. Despite no longer fitting the stereotype, ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Annabeth’s battle to be recognized for her wit is only strengthened by SPORTS having her played by a Black actress. According to a study by Gallup, 25% EDITOR: Tessa Kang of Black people reported they were often treated as if they were not smart, WRITERS: Sura Kiasatpour as compared to only 5% of white people.

Neha Sambangi “[Black people] are often seen as if we are not as smart as white people,” junior and president of the Black Student Union Chiamaka Ukeje GRAPHICS said. “I experience it at school. Literacy has always been encouraged [for] Abby Lee white people, but for the first 200 years of American history, Black people Angie Jo were not allowed to learn how to read. [White people] praise us when we Anthony Jang Jiselle Nguyen perform for them, but not when we outdo them.”

Juliette Lin Arguably even more appalling than the unrelenting racism displayed is Kiara Lee the harassment that they have aimed towards Jeffries. The actress, who Veronica Chen is currently 14 years old, was only 12 when the casting decisions were announced; however, she began to receive intense hate for a decision ADS she did not make. It should go without saying that cyberbullying and Caide Jung harassment is always a disgraceful act, and exponentially worsens when Frederica Nishioka the target of the hate campaign is a child.

Kana Fujimoto-Taitano “It is ridiculous that [Jeffries is being harassed], because [it is] not her Marisa Tan fault that she is talented and she got picked,” junior Alesha Paramasivum said. “If anything, if [someone] has an issue with the casting, [they] “The Pen” is the newspaper should take it up with the producers and the directors.” produced by the journalism students Ultimately, Jeffries’ race has very little impact on the role she plays, of Palos Verdes Peninsula High and how she plays it. The film industry is notably not exempt from the School. Advertising inquiries may exhausting litany of microaggressions and racism Black people face every be directed to Head of Business day, as seen with the harassment Halle Bailey received for her casting in Kylie Baik (424) 458-8395 “The Little Mermaid.” Nevertheless, the critics cannot take away Jeffries’ Copyright © 2024 role, both as Annabeth and as an inspiration to other Black girls. In the meantime, it is imperative that everyone else focuses on building a better, COVER DESIGN BY safer world for Jeffries and every other Black person.

BRIAN WANG & LYNN TAKAHASHI

News

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THE 737 MAX’S DEPARTURE GUNNAR LEE On Jan. 5 at 5:07 pm, what should have been a regular, routine flight turned into an unforgettable nightmare. For around 15 minutes, the horrified passengers of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 which departed from Portland, Oregon heading to Ontario, California were midair with an opening in the side of their plane. The door plug had fallen off less than 10 minutes after the plane took off, causing depressurization throughout the plane. Although there were three minor injuries, all 177 people survived. The incident, which prompted a federal investigation into the plane’s manufacturer, Boeing.

This is just the latest episode in a string of very intense controversy and debate surrounding the 737 MAX jet (British Broadcasting Company).

As six staff members and 171 passengers were subjected to decompression so oxygen masks were deployed, with passengers describing the scene as loud and chaotic. According to The Seattle Times, a 15-year-old Oregon boy seated near the hole had his shirt torn off his body and his mother had to hold onto his body to prevent him from getting sucked out of the plane too. The pilots, despite having trouble communicating with air traffic and each other due to the deafening decompression, successfully U-turned and made an emergency landing at 5:27 p.m. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chair Jennifer Homedy stated that had passengers gotten up from their seats or sat next to the empty plug, a much greater tragedy could have occurred (Cable News Network). Although, the psychological damage was widespread, with many passengers sending what they believed were their final text messages

ANGELINA JO EDITOR: SIVAN STOLER

to loved ones, just a few passengers were physically harmed. Some 20 people filed lawsuits against Alaska Airlines and Boeing, citing extreme emotional duress, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), hearing damage and other injuries (ABC News). Among the plaintiffs were three children aged one, three and five.

One passenger was hit in the face by items sucked out of the plane, leading to whiplash and severe headaches, while another passenger suffered a seizure after landing. Many of the plantiffs claim that the oxygen masks deployed were faulty, with one person passing out as a result of their dysfunctional mask.

Dissatisfied with Alaska Airlines’ official apology, ticket refunds and $1,500 compensation, the plaintiffs are calling for unspecified additional monetary reparations and measures taken to ensure that such an event never happens again (Business Insider). AP Psychology and AP Statistics teacher Vararat ChaiyontKan discusses the varied mental impact on passengers in greater detail and offers possible solutions for passengers on the flight.

“One of the biggest psychological disorders [that passengers could develop is] PTSD, where they will relive the traumatic moment again and again,” Chaiyont-Kan said. “Because these people thought they were going to die, it is possible that when they are in a similar situation to the shaking and noise of the plane, it will put them back into that moment. [One way to cope] is talking to a psychologist and working through what their fears are. For the most severe cases, [there are] immersive virtual reality systems which simulate a safe and calm [airplane experience].”

In the aftermath of the flight, Oregon citizens found belongings, including two cellphones, which were sucked out during the incident. In fact, a Portland school teacher found the very door plug that fell off during the flight in his backyard. This discovery held an undercurrent of fear as anyone in the vicinity of the falling objects could have easily been hit and severely wounded by one. These objects were recovered by the NTSB and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in their ongoing investigation, which began on Jan. 6.

The NTSB and FAA ordered the temporary grounding of all 171 Boeing 737 MAX 9 jets, dealing a blow to United and Alaska Airlines, who have the most of these aircrafts, with 79 and 65 planes respectively (BBC). The NTSB found that the door of Flight 1282’s plane had been dislodged and that it was missing bolts when it left the factory. Both United and Alaska also reported loose hardware on an undisclosed number of planes in their investigations. Furthermore, the cockpit voice recorder of Flight 1282 was cut off during the incident after its maximum of two hours.

Although current U.S. standards deem two hours as sufficient to record accidents, in the case of Flight 1282, the voice recorder was not reset upon landing, overwriting information crucial to the investigation.

This prompted an effort by officials to increase the time to 25 hours, a goal which they consider feasible in the current digital age (BBC). Due to this issues, the FAA is investigating both the 737 MAX 9’s design and the Boeing company’s maintenance of their planes, although Boeing itself has stated that the incident was due to the poor quality of inspections rather than a design issue (AP News). The FAA completed an

initial inspection of door plugs on 40 planes on Jan. 17 and are evaluating whether or not the 737 MAX 9 fleet is fit to return to service (Bloomberg).

Freshman and STEM for the Future club member Mayah Singh-Barrett, however, argues that all the planes should stay grounded permanently.

“There have been problems with [the 737 MAX planes] in the past that have not been resolved,” Singh-Barrett said. “With this aircraft, [Boeing was] focused on software and a streamlined design, but the hardware has not been up to par. They should take the 737 MAX off the runways because it is too problematic to work, with all of its [reoccurring] issues.”

Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 was not an isolated incident: the Boeing 737 MAX has been described as the most scrutinized transport aircraft in history (BBC). The 737 MAX was launched due to pressure from Boeing’s competitors. Aviation industry insiders have claimed that Boeing executives wanted the plane to be designed quickly and cheaply in order to make as much profit as possible. These conditions have been correlated with a pair of 737 MAX 8 jet crashes in Oct. 2018 and March 2019. Both were caused by a malfunction in a new software system, resulting in a combined 346 deaths.

The recent Alaska Airlines fiasco has only heightened the crisis surrounding the Boeing 737 MAX’s safety (PBS).

The incident also brought the broader question of air safety into the limelight.

Three days prior to the Alaska Airlines incident, a Japan Airlines plane collided with an earthquake relief aircraft as it was landing. Despite the fact that all 379 people onboard the Japan Airlines jet escaped within 20 minutes, experts have begun to criticize current airline evacuation tests, which demonstrate how almost a thousand people can evacuate within 90 seconds, as unrealistic (Wall Street Journal). Despite the immense safety advancements of air travel, reminders of the importance of airline regulation (CNN). Among those calling for increased air safety precautions is senior Tristan Tang.

“Safety standards should be reformed across all air travel because there might be instances of careless maintenance [that have not yet been investigated] other airlines,” Tang said.

“This incident should make us more aware of flight maintenance and the role organization and regulation play in safety. [It is] important to fix the problems at the root in order to solve [them], by [learning from] the example of other experiences.”

News

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CONTROLLING KIDS’ CONSUMPTION ALLISON KUMAMOTO Social media apps such as Facebook and Instagram which are owned by the social media conglomerate Meta allow people to connect with friends and share entertaining content. However, these apps can also lead to people viewing triggering and violent images or videos. It is fairly common for users’ feeds to be full of alarming videos, including footage of women being harassed and assaulted, videos of bombings in Gaza and hate crimes committed against vulnerable groups.

Shockingly, 60% of teenagers have seen acts of real-world violence, such as war crimes and the abuse of firearms through social media (The Youth Endowment Fund). This horrific content is especially present on Reels, Instagram’s video sharing feature, as many creators are enticed by the possibility of gaining views and consequently earning money through Instagram’s Creator Fund.

Many psychologists believe that a possible reason so much violent content was able to thrive on social media before Meta’s censorship is that teenagers have grown desensitized to alarming topics after seeing them all over the news during the COVID-19 pandemic (National Institute of Health). Sophomore Aniyah Crumble believes that witnessing violence on social media can worsen teenagers’ mental health.

“With so much violent and dangerous content spread on social media, it only makes sense that teenagers would feel discouraged by the state of the world,” Crumble said.

“On social media it is so easy to get trapped in a bubble of bad news and content about horrific events happening throughout the world.

[Therefore], it is good that some social media networks are working to limit this content.”

In an effort to reduce the spread of such ghastly videos, Meta, the company that owns Instagram and Facebook, announced on Jan. 9 that they will begin blocking minors from seeing triggering posts.

Meta was pushed to implement this censorship after 33 states including California sued the company for endangering children. Continuing this effort, a bipartisan group of 42 attorney generals from across the country stated that Meta’s products violate law SB 287 and are key contributors to mental health problems among teenagers. SB 287 states that platforms cannot purposefully design algorithms so that children witness content about controlled substances, firearms or violence.

However, the posts that will be restricted do not just involve explicit violence, either; Meta aims to censor a slew of topics, including substance abuse, self-harm and content that promotes eating disorders such as calorie counting videos which frequently appear on Instagram (CNBC). Although eating disorders have existed for centuries, a spike has recently occurred among teenagers, especially young women, due to social media content that promotes disordered behaviors, extreme diets and unsafe supplements (Healthline). As a result of this growth, many are suggesting that uploads surrounding these topics be hidden so people do not fall into the dangerous pattern of disordered eating. Sophomore Ashlyn Roxas agrees with this idea.

“Instagram is full of filtered and photoshopped photos and videos [of conventionally attractive people],” Roxas said. “When users see these unrealistic, and oftentimes fake bodies and faces, they form insecurities which of course lead to a decline in teens’ mental health. Posts that directly promote

eating disorders and unhealthy weight loss add to this promotion as well.”

Even though Meta’s initiative can protect young people from seeing triggering posts and prevent them from being negatively influenced, it can also put them at risk (TIME). If a law requires a network to filter out harmful posts and media, help may not reach those who need it most. In particular, adolescents may feel isolated if they are unable to communicate or relate to others facing the same struggles, as online communities are a major source of mental health support. Furthermore, if a person resorts to social media to broadcast their cries for help, their posts may be flagged as inappropriate and subsequently censored, which undermines Meta’s original intentions of keeping its users safe.

Another aspect of Meta’s initiative is directing users to resources when they search for topics like eating disorders or self harm. Links to websites and phone numbers will automatically be the only search result.

These resources include National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and contact to mental health professionals.

Meta also allows users to report if they feel that someone they follow is struggling mentally. The user who got reported will then receive a notification with mental health resources. Sophomore Hannah Morgan feels that these filters will improve the quality of knowledge young people gain from social media.

“People under 13 years old should not be on social media, but they should be aware of what happens online,” Morgan said. “Social media can teach people about world events and important causes. However it is still harmful. When I have kids, I would only let them get social media in high school when they have an understanding of topics both educational and upsetting from a source other than the internet.”

JAEWON JANG

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Meet The Student Life Section

Hello! I am Angelina Wang and I am one of the Student Life editors for the PEN Newspaper. This is my third year on staff and I love everything about it. Being a part of newspaper has taught me a lot about what it takes to be a part of a publication and I am excited for what is to come. Let us keep supporting the amazing people that make this newspaper come to life!

Hi guys! My name is Zahra Habib! This is my third year on staff and I am one of the Student Life editors. Newspaper has helped me be able to better articulate myself and learn more about the Peninsula community and world around me. In my free time, I love going to the beach and subsequently trying every restraunt near the shore. I cannot wait to see how the publication grows this year!

Hi! I am Jacelyn Chen and I am a writer for the PEN Newspaper. I have been a part of this family for four years and have loved writing for them ever since! My favorite section to write for is student life as it has brought me closer to the PEN community. I hope you can all support and share our spectacular newspaper!

Hello! My name is Melina Ajami and I am one of the writers for student life. This is my first year on newspaper and I am really enjoying it. I am also in Drama 1 Adavanced, as well as on the Frosh Girl Volleyball team. During my free time, I like to hang out with my friends and family! Being on the newspaper is a wonderful experience and I want to thank everyone who helped me throughout my time on staff!

Panther Corner

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THE STANLEY FUMBLER JOSIE KWAK For years, the Hydro Flask has reigned supreme as the most popular water bottle at Peninsula, with its humble beginnings as a symbol of VSCO girl culture back in 2019. Now, however, it may come in second to the hottest new competitor on the market: the Stanley tumbler. Omnipresent in Peninsula classrooms, the tumbler does feature some impressive characteristics, including a 40-ounce capacity, three different drinking positions and vacuum insulation technology; moreover, the Stanley also has a wide array of colors for potential consumers to choose from, ranging from pastel pink, to bright mint, to even metallic finishes.

In theory, the tumbler sounds perfect, as it is cute, trendy and durable. But the fact remains: it is merely a glorified sippy cup that does not deserve an ounce of its 40-ounce hype. Every time the tumbler falls to the floor (which happens quite often), it creates

a deafening, strident clang that could wake even the sleepiest of Peninsula students from their unintentional slumber. Furthermore, the Stanley is everything but leak-proof, which leaves students scrambling to dry multitudes of its ever-growing water puddles on the cold, dirty tile floors. Hydro Flask would never.

One of the persistent criticisms of the Stanley tumbler has been its eccentric fanbase, whose members spend hundreds of dollars to collect tumblers of all colors; currently, the most coveted model is the limited-edition Valentine’s Day colorway, only sold at Target. Videos shared online showed customers sprinting and trampling others to get their hands on the Stanley, which, besides its blinding shade of hot pink, is surprisingly mundane. Additionally, creating a collection of Stanley tumblers is not only ridiculously expensive, but also pointless.

Stanley’s catchphrase is that their tumblers are “built for life,” which is not a stretch — in fact, part of the reason the Stanley craze began was

because it survived a car fire, as shown by a video that now has 9.1 million likes on TikTok. Their website description also reads that these tumblers “reduce demand for disposable products that end up in waste and water streams.” However, by growing a collection– or rather an addiction–to these tumblers, people abrogate its entire purpose, engaging in overconsumption and selfish practices–all of which Stanley facilitates, resulting in their net worth ballooning to a staggering $750 million (Consumer News and Business Channel).

Additionally, many of those who own a Stanley already have a plethora of completely functional water bottles. Kitchen cabinets have become dismal and dusty graveyards where S’wells, Nalgenes and Hydro Flasks are tucked away, victims of a baffling bottle trend cycle.

Before long, the Stanley will become obsolete, while some other, ridiculously banal bottle takes its place. Plain and simple, the Stanley cup craze does not hold water.

8

Focus

TRIBAL TONGUES TAKE THE STAGE JULIETTE LIN & CAORI DEGUZMAN Amid the new and reviewed movies of 2023, the historical film “Killers of the Flower Moon” was spotlighted at the 81st Golden Globes on Jan. 7.

Actress Lily Gladstone made the night memorable as the first Native woman to be considered for — and win — the title of Best Female Actor in a Drama Motion Picture. Furthermore, she/they are the first Indigenous actor to win a Golden Globe award.

Adapted from David Brann’s novel with the same name, the film is directed by Martin Scorsese and based on real events from Oklahoma’s “Reign of Terror” from 1921 to 1926. The term refers to the unsolved deaths and possible murders of members of the Osage Nation following the discovery of rich oil resources on their tribal lands. Starring Lily Gladstone, Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro, the film is an important commentary on colonialism and the ongoing neglect of crimes against Indigenous peoples (Teen Vogue). Gladstone plays the role of an Osage woman, Mollie Kyle, based on the real Mollie Burkhardt. Attendees applauded Gladstone’s accomplishment as best actress in a drama and the heartfelt speech she/they gave after receiving the trophy, where she/they express her/ their gratitude in the Blackfeet language (Gladstone uses “she” and “they” pronouns to connect with her/their Native heritage and resist colonial gender structures). She/they explain that she/they were lucky enough to learn the language as a child, emphasizing the importance of representation in both film and real life.

Originally, “Killers of the Flower Moon” was written from the perspective of Federal Bureau of Investigation agent Tom White, whom DiCaprio was meant to play. In a later rendition of the script, however, DiCaprio’s role was changed to Ernest Burkhardt, the white husband of Mollie (Lily Gladstone) who takes part in his uncle’s plan to kill

her for her oil fortune. Scorsese states he made this change because he realized he was writing from an outside perspective: the gaze of white characters (Variety). A few Osage viewers thought the film, now centered on Mollie and Ernest’s relationship, still tread too far using a white perspective. They wanted more criticism of Ernest’s crimes from a film that is supposed to highlight Native struggle and violent outcomes of greed and entitlement (Osage News). Advanced Placement U.S. History and U.S. History teacher Colette Dunn-Kottke, who has Algonquin blood and relatives from the Delaware Tribe, recognizes how the message of “Killers of the Flower Moon” is impactful regardless of plot details.

“Non-Native people might be more shocked by [injustices displayed in the film] than Natives who have personal experience with extreme prejudice,” Dunn-Kottke said. “Awareness sometimes happens more powerfully — or spreads more quickly — when shock and storytelling are involved.”

Nonetheless, many members of the Osage Nation commend Gladstone for her/their portrayal of Burkhardt and acknowledge the amount of labor involved in the film leading up to the historical win.

In her/their backstage interview on the Golden Globes YouTube channel, Gladstone stated that she/they were impacted by the beautiful Osage culture; she/they listened to Osage perspectives and participated in traditions such as dances to drumbeat. With a Nez Perce and Blackfeet father and a white mother, Gladstone grew up on the Blackfeet reservation in Browning, Montana until she/they were 11 years old. In her/their acceptance speech, she/they dedicate her/their win to “every little rez kid out there.” Gladstone’s efforts to both represent herself/theirself and the Osage community can have positive effects on a large scale. Junior Violet Wu says younger generations seeing nuanced characters they relate to can affect their well-being.

“I can confidently say it makes a huge impact to see representation,” Wu said. “[Many forms of entertainment and media] provide comfort and role models, and also heavily influence growth. A child struggling with their own issues [could] not only never see themself as being part of a white America’s story or as a positive character, but potentially be misrepresented and told they are inherently wrong or should not exist. [As a result],

serious harm will be done to the child that is nearly impossible to unlearn.”

Gladstone has blazed a trail of Native representation behind her/them, playing roles in productions such as the show “Reservation Dogs” and the independent film “Certain Women.”

Bringing Mollie Burkhardt to life in this 2023 film felt significant to many as the film relies on Native actors to highlight historical injustices against their community. Referencing how older films would reverse a white actor’s speech to simulate Native dialogue, Gladstone reclaims her/their tongues and rallies for representation. “Killers of the Flower Moon” received 10 Golden Globe nominations in total, and on Jan. 20, Gladstone became the second Indigenous and first Native American individual to be nominated for the Best Actress Academy Award after Yalitza Aparicio. In addition to her/ their onscreen accomplishments, Gladstone has spoken out about important issues. At events such as Variety’s advocacy-based “Power of Women,” she/they shared her/their appreciation for Native women’s organizations and raised awareness for the ongoing murdered and missing Indigenous women’s crisis. Senior Kayla Law recognizes Gladstone’s contributions to entertainment as well as Native causes.

“It is incredible [that] she spoke her native language onstage, which was beautiful and empowering,” Law said.

“She gets to be who she wants to be while also getting to be successful. Gladstone probably has the biggest platform of any Native woman in America right now. It is really up to her what she wants

to do with [it], but it is amazing [that she focuses on advocacy]. The fact that she is so directly related to [the issue] makes people notice it more because this is a Native person speaking about an individual experience that they are facing.”

Much like a lighthouse, Gladstone’s presence as an Indigenous actress highlights generational oceans of Native community and creative talent.

Her/their deep connections to NIWRC and the Osage Nation helped her/them make history for Indigenous folk, highlighting the sheer amount of love and joy involved in telling this story. To celebrate her/their win, Gladstone says that she/they will hug her/ their mom, call her/their family and answer texts from cousins.

EDITOR: JULIETTE LIN

9

Focus

KOY CHOKES AT THE GLOBES JACELYN CHEN “‘Oppenheimer’ is based on a 721 page Pulitzer Prize-winning book about the Manhattan Project, and ‘Barbie’ is based on a plastic doll with big boobies!” comedian and host Jo Koy exclaimed in his opening monologue at the 81st annual Golden Globe Awards. Over the span of Koy’s 30-year stand-up comedy career, he has accumulated six Netflix specials, 11 sold-out shows at the Neal S. Blaisdell Concert Hall and was awarded standup comedian of the year in 2018. The award show was taking place at a precarious time in the entertainment industry, with the writers’ and actors’ strikes ending in early November and tensions between workers and studios still

high (Variety).

Furthermore, this was the first Golden Globes under its new owner Dick Clark Productions after the award show’s former managing company, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, was criticized for its lack of diversity.

Perhaps as a result of these conditions, several celebrity comedians who were asked to host the Golden Globe Awards, including Chris Rock and Ali Wong, refused (Rolling Stone). Finally, Koy was asked to take the job two weeks before the broadcast, giving him nine days to prepare a script with his writers. When interviewed before the show, he was overjoyed by his first major hosting job and was excited to bring his comedy to the Globes’ stage (Associated Press News). Precalculus with Limits and Advanced Placement Calculus AB teacher, Henry Chou, believes there should have been an alternate

ABBY LEE

host to the Golden Globe Awards.

“As a comedian, even with [such a] short time to prepare for a national award show, the jokes should have at least been decent,” Chou said. “Although I [find his] stand up specials entertaining and [enjoy] his style of comedy, there should have been a more appropriate comedian or host to present [the award show].”

Koy’s comedic style incorporates a relatable, family-inspired sense of humor. The majority of his shows are based on observational jokes stemming from his childhood in a Filipino American household. Koy incorporates his signature style in every stand up performance; however, the Golden Globes Awards typically has a more conservative and professional approach.

Koy wanted to implement his humor into this year’s presentation, but felt his jokes fell flat due to limited time to compose a well-written monologue, which angered many viewers. Koy sensed the tension in the room as he tried to win back the audience by acknowledging it. He began to feel vulnerable, breaking from his script and blaming his writers for the ill-received jokes (Vulture). He received backlash for his racist and sexist criticisms on many of the nominated films and shows. Within three minutes of his opening monologue, Koy fired the infamous joke comparing plots of the films “Oppenheimer” and “Barbie”. The cameras immediately cut to the audience’s reaction, which displayed widespread disapproval and discomfort, including the director of “Barbie,” Greta Gerwig.

“Barbie” is a fundamental narrative about humanity and the complexity of emotions that humans bear; it also signifies that the sexism and misogyny women experience do not define them. During Koy’s speech, he skims past the importance of the story and the historically vulnerable topics within the movie, to which women have felt empowered, and reduces the film to a sexual joke (The Daily Tar Heel). As a viewer of Koy’s comedy specials on Netflix, senior Calla Seo is not shocked by his inappropriate jokes.

“After watching [Koy] for so many years, it is not surprising to see him make these sexual jokes, [seeing as he has made such jokes in previous shows],” Seo said. “It was very upsetting to see him make such remarks on ‘Barbie,’ diminishing [its female significance]. As I see it, the jokes and comments he prepared for this award show [were]

very inappropriate and [quite] frankly, extremely [cringe worthy].”

“Barbie” was not the only title that received commentary from Koy, with “Killers of the Flower Moon” and “The Crown” also met with his scathing banter that received uncomfortable silence and averted eyes from attendees. Halfway through his monologue, he commends the cast of the film “Killers of the Flower Moon,” but quickly follows up with, “One thing I learned about that movie is that white people stole everything, you guys stole like everything. The land, the oil, the premise of the movie…” After his remarks, the crowd did not have a reaction, causing Koy to immediately defend himself onstage with quips acknowledging his joke’s lukewarm response.

When reflecting on his performance, the comedian admits that it was a “tough room” and his jokes did not land the way he had hoped. Despite the criticism, the night did have accomplishments in terms of diversity. Koy, the second ever Asian host for the Globes, explained that he primarily agreed to doing the show to represent the Asian community in his interview after the production with the Golden Globes Press Preview. He was titled the first Filipino American to ever host the Golden Globes. Junior Kate Espedido was an observer of the award show who strongly disagreed with the host and his lack of preparation.

“As a Filipino, I respect the representation given to the [fellow] Filipino and Asian community; [however], casting Jo Koy as the host was just a disappointment [to me],” Espedido said. “I understand we need diversity, but people who joke about their native culture [with seemingly relatable jokes] are not suitable for this job. He [also] should have been more prepared for his jokes, which were rude and detrimental.”

10

Student Life THE MAGIC OF MUSIC

MELINA AJAMI Music can be found in every aspect of life, especially at the “Happiest Place on Earth.” Peninsula’s two orchestras were recently selected to go to Disneyland Park in Anaheim and participate in the Imagination Campus workshop on Jan. 19. At a recording studio in Downtown Disney, students were recorded while performing various movie soundtracks.

The recordings were then played alongside their corresponding movie scenes. When music is played in the background of a scene, it emphasizes the emotions in certain movie scenes and helps to make the movie more memorable for viewers.

The orchestras, directed by Advanced Placement Music Theory teacher and Choir conductor Dan Doctor, are recognized for their three annual concerts: a classical concert in the fall, a pop concert and a second classical concert in the spring. Because of how often they hold concerts, the orchestra students felt ready to take on the Disney workshop. The types of pieces both orchestras performed were difficult and required a delicate balance of music from the instruments to be pulled off. Having already achieved this, more attention needed to be placed on other details in students’ playing, such as tone quality and sound level, to improve.

Freshman Ryan Wang, a violinist in Chamber Orchestra, loves being a part of the school’s music department and enjoyed the Disney experience.

“My favorite part of the day is orchestra, specifically when we are rehearsing for upcoming concerts,” Wang said. “The workshop [was meaningful and the director] was very concise with his directions. The most impactful moment for me was when [a scene from] ‘The Lion King’ [was] played with our music behind it. Watching the scene [while] listening to [ourselves] play the backtrack highlighted a few things [the orchestra]

needs to work on as a whole, as I think that is important moving forward.”

In addition to understanding the impacts of music on media, the workshop showed students what it is like to be a Disney performer for a day and helped them recognize the subtle nuances in their playing. Students were taught by Joseph Alfuso, a renowned composer who has written music for movies such as “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” and “The Perfect Storm.” Through his instruction, Alfuso taught students how to perform their music with purpose by emphasizing dynamics, intonation and other overlooked aspects that help pull a piece together. Sophomore Abby Chiang, a member of the Symphonic Orchestra and a six-year cello player, thoroughly enjoyed the Disney collaboration.

“The collaboration was really fun,” Chiang says. “We put on Disney headphones and [were] studio musicians for ninety minutes. The conductor [showed us] a new [way to perceive music], teaching us how to focus on certain dynamics and intonation. After [the workshop], we spent the rest of the day [inside Disneyland] and it was a fun experience.”

While this is only the first year that the orchestras have gone to Disney, they hope to go often in upcoming years, as it shows students the importance of music during powerful moments. Imagination Campus helps prepare students by showing them how they can continue to play music in their future careers. Disney’s motto is that “dreams do come true,” and with these workshops, young musicians are one step closer to achieving their full potential in the music industry. Doctor could not be more proud of his students for working hard and being selected for this experience.

“Everyone did a really great job,” Doctor said. “We all walked away from this [experience] with a newfound perspective on trying our best. I enjoyed traveling with [the students and] seeing them all grow, as they are all very talented individuals.”

VERONICA CHEN EDITOR: ANGELINA WANG

Student Life SUNLIT SUCCESS JIHOON KWON Debate allows students to grow their communication, quick thinking, researching and writing skills. Most importantly, it helps them grow their teamwork. From Jan. 6 to Jan. 9, the Peninsula Speech and Debate team competed in the Arizona State Hugh Downs School of Human Communication Invitational, with senior Alex Borgas and junior Aaron Yi securing the win in the finals.

Debaters had to take a position on whether the United States should reduce its military presence in West Asia and North Africa. Yi and Borgas competed in Lincoln-Douglas Debate, a one-on-one debate event where the delegates take both an affirmative and negative stance. At the tournament, each delegate competed in six preliminary matches, after which the judges decided who moved onto the elimination rounds. Yi went undefeated and moved on to the qualifiers while Borgas qualified with a five-to-one record. In the quarterfinal, Yi was matched up against Austin Loui, a teammate. The rules dictate that when two delegates from the same school go up against each other, the delegate with the higher speaker points advances over the other delegate.

Yi automatically advanced, giving him additional motivation to win. In the end, both Yi and Borgas made it to the finals and became co-champions. Their success, according to Loui, stemmed from their ability to think on their feet.

“Yi is [skilled] at coming up with improvised warrants, thinking about arguments really quickly and ways to say them persuasively,” Loui said. “Borgas is the heart of the

11 EDITOR: ZAHRA HABIB

team. Everyone imagines him as the de facto captain, as he is the most logical thinker on [our] team. He comes up with the most efficient [ways] to [counter] an argument.”

Due to its small size, the team’s spirit is high and the members have strong connections with one another. The debaters treat their teammates’ victories as their own; even though Yi and Borgas are the official champions of the tournament, everyone on the team shares feelings of success.

Borgas feels that these relationships led to their triumph.

“It was a team effort,” Borgas said. “We could not have done it without Loui helping Yi. Peninsula has a really good team spirit. Some debate teams are so huge [that] they do not bond, but here we bond, everyone is [close].”

Through this experience, the team learned that the strong bond between each other is the source of their success. A lot of the preparation for the tournament was done with the whole team pitching in. The teamwork between the members makes processes like dividing up research much more efficient. The team also pooled their knowledge to help one another, by providing information about opponents they have faced before or with formulating arguments. Yi feels what makes the debate team an enjoyable community and competitive group is their friendships with one another. “[Everyone] has a place in speech and debate,” Yi said.

“The fact that [the team] is so close helps us do better. In the elimination rounds when everyone is not still in the tournament, we still want each other to win. Everyone wants [others’ successes] as much as their [own] and that is what makes being part of Peninsula debate special.”

JULIETTE LIN

Now Hiring Tutors For This School Year >Tutorials run Monday-Thursday 7:30 to 12:40 >Must be high school graduate working on college degree or graduated from college >Great classroom experience / resume builder for those wanting career in education >For more information or to apply, contact Mr. Mike Spalding at: spalding@pvpusd.net

12

Arts & Entertainment

BRIAN WANG

MIYAZAKI RUFFLES SOME FEATHERS Hayao Miyazaki’s “The Boy and the Heron” divides Studio Ghibli fans SURA KIASATPOUR After coming out of retirement yet again to make another Studio Ghibli film, acclaimed director Hayao Miyazaki left fans confused yet intrigued by “The Boy and the Heron.”

Released on Dec. 8, 2023, the tale follows 12-year-old Mahito’s journey with grief after losing his mother in a hospital fire in Japan during World War II. The film serves as a metaphorical autobiography of his life, with many of the metaphors and ideas coming from books he has read. One of the most notable influences is the novel titled “The Book of Lost Things,” which has a similar plotline of a boy losing his mother and hearing beckoning voices that lead him into another world in search of her.

The reason Miyazaki’s films are so highly acclaimed is his masterful storytelling ability and vast imagination that make his movies feel like a fever dream one has as a child, rather than the writing of a man who is in his 80s. Miyazaki gets his creativity across using hand-drawn paintings and animations which also play a very big part in the traditional aesthetic of Studio Ghibli films. This imagery holds a special place in the hearts of many, including junior and longtime fan Ella Cano.

“The animations in [‘The Boy and the Heron’] hold the classic style of Studio Ghibli films,” Cano said. “I enjoyed it because it holds nostalgia for me; I have watched his movies since I was young.

His son took over when Hayao Mizyazaki retired, but without [him], the animation does not hold that same feeling, so I am glad to see the original animation back again.”

The movie delves into a lot of heavy topics like trauma, grief, self harm and death, but displays them in a colorful and adventurous way that helps lighten them. A fan-favorite scene is when Mahito is in the land of life, death and reincarnation and sees the Warawara — a marshmallow-resembling flying spirit — getting sent from this fantasy world to the real world. Miyazaki intended for the Warawara to represent the souls of people who have passed who are now going back up into the world delivering souls to people as a form of reincarnation. This occurs while Mahito is on a quest to find his dead mother, connecting to the message of letting go of those who have passed.

Many argue that it is not his best work, with most of the criticism surrounding the confusing and overwhelming storyline. Fans are also frustrated by the fact that the parts that are easy to follow have a very surface-level story. Many claimed that the characters were hard to relate to due to the depth they lacked. Junior Luc Armamento, an artist and

avid anime watcher, agrees with the criticisms.

“The visuals, to be expected, are gorgeous, surreal and impressionistic,” Armamento said. “The plot, however, does not bring anything new to the table; in my opinion, it is just another anti-escapism and comingof-age story, with new allegories but no new substance. Even the symbolism and allegories used are rather convoluted, kafkaesque and at worst, underdeveloped.”

Despite these criticisms, not all of the fans are truly disappointed. Even less popular Miyazaki films are more captivating than most animation films today, due to his entrancing characters and storylines. Because the film may be difficult to fully appreciate after the first viewing, people use this as a way to criticize the film further, arguing that no movie should have to be watched twice to be understood; many people also think that that is part of the artistry. The storyline is doubtlessly hard to follow, but with further research, Miyazaki’s intentions become clearer, allowing for viewers to have a more personal connection with the film. For instance, it becomes clear that the ruler of the magical world represents himself. In the film, his world is about to crumble away and he attempts to pass it off to Mahito, who declines.

This scenario sums up the message of the plot, symbolizing how this is Miyazaki’s final film and that there is no successor to pass Studio Ghibli off to. Graphic design and animation teacher, Brendan Karg, offers a different perspective on the criticisms.

“The central message to ‘The Boy and the Heron’ is about the idea that to leave childhood, [one] has to let go of the selfishness that all children exhibit,” Karg said. “The idea that one has to understand that they owe more to other people, and they do not just owe it to themself. It addresses a more mature topic than other Studio Ghibli films, without the same other fun storylines. I loved it and thought it was great, but I am coming from a mature standpoint.”

Sports

13

SWASHBUCKLING THROUGH SAN PEDRO Varsity girls soccer places second at the Pirate Cup Tournament

NEHA SAMBANGI The varsity girls soccer team competed at the Pirate Cup Tournament in San Pedro, California from Dec. 27 to Dec. 30, placing second out of 16 teams competing. Typically, the team plays in the annual South Bay Holiday Tournament as a part of their preseason. However, in order to challenge the team’s caliber early in the season, the varsity girls soccer team participated in the annual Pirate Cup Tournament for the first time as extra practice before the Bay League games. In this tournament, 16 teams from different high schools in Southern California were split into two divisions. Eight teams were placed in the white group and eight into the blue group, then both groups were split into two groups of four teams. The team with the most wins from each group played the highest scoring team from the other group in their color in a championship round. The team opened the tournament by securing a 5-0 win over Bell High School (BHS), a 3-1 win over Leuzinger High School and a 3-0 win over Flintridge Sacred Heart Prep Academy to progress into the championship round.

However, in the final game, the team lost by a margin of 1-2 to a familiar Bay League rival, Culver City High School, placing Peninsula at second.

EDITOR: TESSA KANG JISELLE NGUYEN

Junior and varsity soccer player Avery Willis expresses the importance of the results at the tournament and how advantageous they were for the team.

“Our performance in this tournament really showed how much passion everyone had to do well,” Willis said. “We played back to back games for four days in a row, but everyone motivated each other to give it our all on the field. In the end, we were rewarded with wins and amazing team bonding.”

Since the beginning of the season, the varsity girls soccer team has been practicing every day and building a rigorous game schedule for their 2023-24 season, averaging three games per week.

Throughout the Pirate Cup Tournament, the girls focused on playing together as a unit and managing their physical energy. As the tournament brackets were released beforehand, knowing the opponents in the team’s group was useful for the team because the girls were able to match up players in the same position as a strategy to play better. To further improve their strategy, the team made simple passes throughout the games and forcefully kicked balls to their forward players to break the defensive line of the opponents. Senior and captain Roxanne Rahimi recalls how memorable this tournament was, making it an important part of her senior season.

“My favorite game from this tournament was the win against BHS,” Rahimi said. “It was such a high-scoring game, which made it competitive and fun for the whole team. This tournament was important for my season because I was able to score five goals from all corners, giving me confidence for the upcoming matches.”

Building on the team’s strong results in the Pirate Cup Tournament, the girls went on to continue their good form in the Bay League matches, playing in two close-scoring games against Division 1 teams, falling to Santa Monica High School with a score of 2-3 and Palos Verdes High School, 1-2. The team currently has one more round of Bay League matches, playing all five teams again with a goal to finish higher in the Bay League standings. Senior Maddie Triolo explains how much she is looking forward to finishing the season on a high note.

“We have such a raw and wide variety of talent on the team this year,” Triolo said. “I am really looking forward to seeing how our team spirit on and off the field will change our performances this season, as that is our biggest strength.

Everybody is looking to improve in all departments which is very beneficial for us.”