The Pen by The Pen Newspaper

the

PEN

Palos Verdes Peninsula High School

www.pvphsnews.com Vol. XXXIV Issue 5 February 13, 2014

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Colorblindess and dyslexia are just two difficulties which can affect a student’s academic life STUDENT LIFE Page 8

BONES

Ancient whale’s fossil found only two miles away from Pen NEWS Page 3

HEY, OLD SPORT The case for modern literature OPINION Page 4

THE GIRL NEXT DOOR Teachers share their high school love stories FOCUS Page 7

NEWS By JOVEN DU An ongoing California court case has the potential to change California’s public school system. Plaintiffs in Vergara v. State of California hope to eliminate the teacher tenure system, and to allow teachers to be fired at will. Tenure, a right acquired by unions, prevents teachers from being unjustly fired; however, it has also made it difficult for school districts to fire unskilled or incompetent teachers. “Tenure is something that is tenuous at best. There’s good things about it and some not so good things,” English teacher Betsy Okamoto said. “If we do bad things, we should be held responsible for them and not just cry tenure laws or cry union and be completely absolved; we should be held accountable.” The trial originates from nine students from California who felt they were not receiving an adequate education. “Nobody wants teachers that aren’t performing,” Superintendent Walker Williams said. “[However], there is a lot of work in investigating a teacher’s competency and [such an investigation] would cost thousands of dollars.” According

weighing IN

to Williams, the district’s current evaluation model is very timeconsuming and thorough. The non-profit organization Students Matter is paying the plaintiff costs of the lawsuit. At least one of the students attends a charter school and her parent works for a charter school. In addition, that parent was recently elected, with the help of pro-charter school PAC contributions, to a San Jose school district. Dave Welch, founder and head of Students Matter, is also a partner in a venture fund that invests in charter schools. Recently, teachers at some California charter schools have shown an interest in unionizing. One point of contention is the lack of job protection at charter schools. The suit also takes aim

JACK IE

at the last-in first-out policy which frustrated some parents, school administrators and new teachers. Okamoto knows a recently hired teacher who “worked previously at other schools

UY/T

HE PE

where she did not have tenure and where [she was told that she would not be hired back], not due to poor performance or anything she was lacking, but because of [tenure].” If the teacher tenure is

A California lawsuit is brought to trial, testing the constitutionality of teacher tenure declared unconstitutional, it may eliminate teacher tenures from the entire state of California. In two similar cases in San Francisco and Sacremento, plantiffs lost their bid to get rid of tenure. The case could possibly go up to the Supreme Court. “It will probably take a long time [to introduce the change]; we don’t see it greatly affecting us,” Williams said. “If anything, [a new system] should be streamlined without hurting anyone’s rights to due process.”

A Whale of a Day: Ancient whale fossil is found in Palos Verdes The Peninsula is rich with fossils, mostly of sealife that inhabited the area when it was one of the Channel Islands. Recently, Chadwick seventhgrade science teacher Martin Byhower stumbled across a 12-15 million year old fossilized species of juvenile sperm whale. Byhower noticed the strange fossil embedded in a boulder. He realized the fossil could lead to an important scientific discovery and contacted several paleontologist societies to help him identify the unknown species. Paleontological Preparatory at LA County Natural History Museum’s Howell Thomas came to Chadwick to it check out. “I noticed the crest first, which is very distinct, and recognized [that it was a] sperm whale,” Thomas said. “It’s from an age and a place where we

have [only found] one other sperm whale. [This means that this] is probably a new genus or species, which makes it special.” Byhower’s excitement sprouted from his past involvement with whales. As he said, Byhower wanted the fossil to go to science rather than keep it to the school, knowing how important this discovery is. As head of Chadwick’s EcoCommunity, the environmental science program Byhower is very committed to the conservation of animals. “Interesting things are around us all the time,” Byhower said. “As a science teacher, I just want people to look and notice the things around them. [I want them to] wonder about it and ask questions.” The fossil was found in the type of rock called Altamira Shale, also known as PV stone.

Chadwick teacher Martin Byhower helps load the whale fossil onto a crate. It was transported to the LA Natural History Museum on Feb. 5

Courtesy of BO STRUYE

By AMANI JALOTA

According to Byhower, it is thought to be from the Miocene era, when Palos Verdes was still submerged under water. Now, the fossil has been moved to the LA County Natural History

Museum where researchers will be spending the next year studying and cleaning it up. Once the fossil is cleaned up, the museum will make a mold for the school to keep as a

memoir of the discovery. “Great discoveries come when somebody [looks] at something and notices something nobody else has,” Byhower said.

LaMonte takes over as the new Board of Education president By JOVEN DU After Barbara Lucky’s term as Board of Education president ended in 2013, the Board voted for Erin LaMonte to fill her postion to represent the district. As the new leader of the Board of Education, she is responsible for helping the district’s schools achieve higher standards and structuring the school system, including curriculum, budget and hiring policies. “As the president, I am still one voice out of five. I represent the Board of Education and will continue to set the agenda with [Superintendent Williams],”

LaMonte said. “Although I serve as president, we need three out of the five members to approve a decision.” LaMonte’s presidency will continue the agenda established by Lucky. Collectively, the Board plans to foster academic achievement, establish a safe, fiscal plan for the district, and improve communication among District staff members, parents, students and community. “We’ll continue to carry on what we were doing in an orderly fashion. One of our goals is full implementation of the Common Core. We also plan to improve

Teacher’s Union

communication both internally and externally,” LaMonte said. PVPUSD Board of Education has five members who are elected by the public to serve four-year terms. Elections are held in November of each oddnumbered year, and terms are staggered so that two or three seats are open each election. “This November, there was no opposition to the candidates who ran for the Board, so they were chosen by default,” LaMonte said. “We reorganize ourselves in December and [the board elects] those who will receive the

position of president, vice-president, and clerk. “It’s been a very smooth transition with Mrs. LaMonte. As principal now in my fourth year, I have not experienced any personal agendas from our Board members. They have all been quality people who serve the community to ensure the PVPUSD remains strong academically and financially,” principal Mitzi Cress said. “Did you know that they do not get paid? I always encourage them all to visit Peninsula High, attend events and visit classes. We have much to be proud of here at Peninsula.”

Some Peninsula teachers “collaborate” especially effectively!

Crossword By DAVID STEINBERG

Across

1 Root beer brand: 3 wds. 23 Touching on the shoulder 6 Make embarrassed 27 Sounded like bumping wine 11 Letters at the end of a glasses geometry proof 29 Julia’s “Seinfeld” role 14 Completely lost: 2 wds. 30 Des ___, Iowa 15 ___ syrup (pancake goop) 31 Farmland measures 16 Game with Draw Two 32 Pour water on a fire cards 33 ___ kwon do 17 Unimposing medic: 2 wds. 36 “ Dress for Less” sloganeer 19 Suffix for Hindu or Marx 37 Inventor Nikola 20 Garden hose knot 38 Flat gyro bread 21 How actors enter: 2 wds. 39 Retired 7’6” Rockets cen

10 See 38-Down ter ___ Ming 11 Fast-moving subway gates: 2 40 Applied grease to wds. 41 12” measuring stick 12 Happen afterward 42 Very low A, percentage- 13 Like the Capitol wise 18 Have a fancy meal 44 Breakfast bowlful 22 Compass point opposite SSW 45 Eyelash enhancer 23 About to start crying 47 What this clue—the 24 Reynolds Wrap maker best clue ever written— 25 Where to hear certain clerics certainly doesn’t show 48 “ DJ Got Us Fallin’ In Love” speak?: 2 wds. 26 Apple-filled desserts singer 27 “What ___ I have done?” 49 Baby powder mineral 28 “The Simpsons” girl 50 Place to get pampered 30 Walk leisurely 51 Central Florida flier: 2 32 Triangular Greek letter wds. 34 Constantly bothered: 2 wds. 58 Long, slippery fish 35 Like zero period 59 Twisting the truth 37 Wedding cake layer 60 Impressive display 38 With 10-Down, Lorde’s debut 61 NBC show with sketches, album briefly 40 Doing great: 3 wds. 62 Stop holding on: 2 wds. 41 British soldier in the American 63 Swap Revolution 43 Freezer tray cubes 44 “Hot n ___” (2008 Katy Perry 1 Remote control batteries hit) 2 24/7 cash source, for short 45 Nine sisters called upon by 3 Code-cracking government poets org. 46 Colorado ski town 4 Marina ___ Rey 47 Tropical fruit used in salsas 5 Customers without appoint 49 Powdery citrus drink ments: Hyph. 52 “The Catcher in the ___” 6 In the midst of 53 AP English course, informally 7 Support, as a Kickstarter 54 “It’s f-f-freezing!” project 55 Nest egg account: Abbr. 8 Appropriate 56 Cool, in ‘90s slang 9 ___-mo replay 57 Change one’s hair color

Down

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

80%

of Peninsula students believe that more modern novels should be incorporated into core novel curriculum in all English classes.

* In a survey conducted of 100 Peninsula students.

Classics continue to crowd classrooms

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Izma Shabbir Stephanie Minn COPY/DESIGN EDITOR Sunnie Kim

By SAMA SHAH

MANAGING EDITOR Zohair Lalani NEWS EDITORS: Mina Zhang Tunika Onnekikami WRITERS: Amani Jalota Joven Du Sonia Desaidamle OPINION EDITORS: Caroline Park Uswah Shabbir WRITERS: Prashila Amatya Robert Broadbelt Sama Shah FOCUS EDITORS: Lauren Lee Soolgi Hong WRITERS: Esther Chu Jina Kim Marine Fujisawa Valeria Park STUDENT LIFE EDITORS: Fatima Siddiqui Florencia Park WRITERS: Elisabeth Darling Jasmine Kim

DANIYA HAJI/THE PEN

SPORTS EDITORS: Amy Valukonis Noah Werksman WRITERS: Chris Kong Danielle Castaneda GRAPHICS Angela Song Jackie Uy Juliette Struye Justin Boisvert Yasmine Kahsai BUSINESS & ADVERTISING Liliana Pond ADVISER Katherine Crowley “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 Liliana Pond at (310) 377- 4888 ext. 652. The Pen editors appreciate Letters to the Editors, which may be accepted up to one week before publication. You may submit them to H52 or Katherine Crowley’s mailbox. Copyright © 2014

Front Illustration by Christopher Michel Design by Sunnie Kim`

Editorial

By EDITORIAL STAFF

Peninsula is obviously a high-achieving school that prides itself in its teachers. For the most part, this paper believes that this pride is reasonable. The teaching staff generally works hard to propel students toward future success. Despite this, there are a few teachers that, for one reason or another, do not meet students’ academic needs. Should they be fired? Perhaps.

But not without an attempt to correct real deficiencies and certainly not without due process. The ongoing California lawsuit, Vergara v. State of California, challenges teacher tenure based on claims that these laws protect bad teachers. Lawyers are suing both the state and Los Angeles Unified School District, saying that the students’ deprivation of a “fair” education violates their rights. Tenure ensures teachers’ job security by permanently employing them after a certain amount of time. At Peninsula, teachers must be fully credentialed and have worked for two years without being pink-

When students think of English class, books such as “Jane Eyre” and “The Grapes of Wrath” come to mind. Since the millennium, however, notable books such as “The Road” and “The Kite Runner” have been published and cherished by millions for their quality writing, relatable characters and potent themes. While many argue that only classics should be taught because they have stood the test of time, it is crucial that people remember age is not the only measure of merit. English teacher Rebecka Dibble believes “books that are more contemporary get glossed over because [they are] accessible enough that students do not need a teacher to teach them.” However, Dibble acknowledges that “there are modern classics that are starting to be appreciated more,” such as “The Kite Runner,” which Dibble hopes to start teaching in her AP Literature class. While many English teachers across America prefer teaching the novels of Orwell, Dostoyevsky and other old literary greats, modern literature should also be incorporated into school curriculum. Numerous acclaimed novels have been recently published with themes and characters that can prove

more relatable than those from books written decades ago. “I think it would be interesting to learn [more] contemporary novels in school to get a taste of how to apply what we learn in English class to the books we read for fun,” senior and National English Honor Society secretary Samantha Wathugala said. Students too often utilize websites such as Sparknotes instead of reading the perplexing works of authors such as Hawthorne and Huxley. Adding contemporary novels to reading lists may spark the interest of students who can better connect to the personal struggles of Subhash from “The Lowland” than to the woes of Hester Prynne from “The Scarlett Letter.” Additionally, young adult fiction, aimed specifically at teens, contains strong messages and covers issues that many teens face daily. When these books are taught in schools, teens begin to think critically about the problems being discussed. When both classic and contemporary novels are taught together, readership increases because a variety of literature appeals to the lovers of classics and modern literature alike. When students read literary works that they relate to and enjoy, they foster a lifelong love of reading.

slipped to become tenured. Abolishing teacher tenure is a radical move that will create more problems than it resolves. Unions argue that eliminating protection laws will repel skilled candidates from a profession that is deeply in need of them. The lawsuit centers on bad teachers or teachers that do not resonate with parents. However, this issue can be dealt with more reasonably. Parents have access to considerable opportunities to voice their concerns maturely and practically. By writing a letter or setting up a meeting with the teacher, parents can address the problem at the source, stimulating dialogue and conflict

resolution. The lawsuit is indeed both rash and unreasonable. Directly contacting a “bad” teacher is the obvious first step in solving the problem. Tenure was created for good reason -- to eliminate faulty and unnecessary firings -and abolishing it would only be a step backwards. The parents behind this case are fighting for the abolition of tenure and other related laws. However, they should instead realize that the problem is a result of convoluted laws needed to fire already tenured teachers, not tenure itself.

OPINION

STATE OF

MIND Depression has steadily become the common cold of psychiatric diagnosis. By PRASHILA AMATYA

inflicted behavior

disaster unavailable small

emotions harm neurology psychologist problem

feelings

illness

scared pain failure distress

seratonin

self- awareness therapy anxiety hurt

fear

negative

treatment

symptoms

moody thoughts sad senses memories worry trauma rumors

medicine helplessness health

signals

personality depression

warning

intervention pills

DEPRESSION mind frustration

chaos

therapist patient

hospital

thoughts

anti-depressant

lonely imbalance deep bad alone

drugs

mad

exhausting

empty

hormones obstacles

psychiatrist prescriptions misunderstood

conscious recurring

control

daily

struggle therapeutic problem sadness unfair neglect distant

An estimated 17.5 million Americans, about one in every twenty people, are affected by some form of depression. Over the past few decades, depression rates have risen alarmingly, especially in teenagers. According to the National Comorbidity Survey-Adolescent Supplement, about ll percent of teens have a depressive disorder by age 18. Although there are many causes of this dramatic rise, one of the major reasons is that depression is now diagnosed differently. “There are nine characteristics that are used to diagnose depression, including lack of energy and feelings of hopelessness,” AP Psychology teacher John Wheeler said. “Because depression is diagnosed based on the presence of certain symptoms rather than a holistic evaluation, it may be falsely diagnosed.”

In addition, the definition of depression has become more open to interpretation. “I think the media, along with people who are diagnosing others with depression, does not distinguish between normal, everyday sadness and actual depression when people are down, regardless of what is going on in their lives,” Wheeler said. “High school students especially, who are going through an emotional time of life, feel things more intensely, so when they are sad, they mistake it for depression.” Because of the statistically high prevalence of depression today, high school students often look to depression diagnoses as a solution to the pressures that are put on them. While taking medication seems simpler, it is actually a more dangerous solution for students facing tough problems. The FDA has instituted a

“black box” warning label on all depression medications because they present an increased risk of suicidal thinking and behavior. Although there are many cases of legitimate depression amongst teenagers, the term is often used too loosely and not viewed as what it truly is: a clinical disease. “For some, taking antidepressants can be beneficial, whereas they might not have the same impact on another person,” Safe School Counselor Christine Lopez said. “Medication by itself does not solve everything. If you can find out what is going on with yourself and how to resolve your issues, that is more ideal.” The pressures of high school can often be difficult to handle, but students should explore alternate solutions before seeking a diagnosis of depression or the medication to treat it.

THIS IS NOT YOUR TYPICAL

LOVE STORY

36%

OF STUDENTS HAVE BEEN IN A RELATIONSHIP

35%

OF STUDENTS BELIEVE THAT THEIR IS PRESSURE TO BE IN A RELATIONSHIP

No Strings Attached By ESTHER CHU

“Dude, did you hook-up with her last night?” High school students hear the term “hooking-up” on campus all the time. In general, the current generation’s perspective on dating is less rigid. Safe school counselor Christine Lopez, who has previous experience in marriage counseling, defines hooking-up as “situations where [students] are not in a committed relationship with each other.” She says these situations are a lot less formal. Hook-ups allow people, especially high school students, to explore the physical and emotional aspects of relationships. These hook-ups provide experience that impact future romantic relationships. “I would not necessarily say that [hook-ups] are ‘helpful,’ but I would have to say that hook-ups are a necessary part of high school because they allow teenagers to experiment and understand relationships,” senior David Lee said. Some students believe that because high school can be so academically rigorous, they do not have time for

real relationships and instead engage in quick, casual relationships. Amongst 211 students, 28 percent have participated in casual intimate behavior with someone they are not in a relationship with. “Because relationships are a lot of work and take a lot of time, some people just do not want to deal with the hassle of all that,” junior Alison Navarro said. “People always talk about ‘living up the single life,’ so it could be to have fun doing other stuff besides devoting your free time to one person.” Furthermore, 25 percent of students believe that this generation’s culture has developed into a “hook-up culture” because traditional dating has become less common. Students can be more emotionally healthy when involved in uncommitted relationships. “As long as the two people that are involved in the relationship have defined that they are not committed to each other, then that is what is important,” Lopez said. “[In relationships], if you are not truthfully communicating with someone, then it is emotionally hard. What is most important is to take care of your emotions.” Navarro believes that hooking-up does have emotional benefits. “In my opinion, hook-ups are a way for a lot of high school students to have fun and enjoy being young and to make lots of memories,” Navarro said.

28% 6

OF STUDENTS HAVE ENGAGED IN A HOOK-UP *A SURVEY OF 211 STUDENTS

FOCUS

FROM teenage kiss to wedded bliss

Webster pose for Mindy and Cory on photo. wedding invitati

their

She did not know it yet, but she would spend the rest of her life with the boy next door. “He said that he always had a crush on me all through elementary school,” World History teacher Mindy Webster said. But it wasn’t until several years later that their relationship bloomed, when her husband-to-be, Cory Webster asked her to prom—through his mom. Her date made the night one to remember by dyeing his hair silver to match Webster’s sparkly prom dress. “We really love to have fun with each other, and this was one of those times when we were had lots of fun,” Webster said. Despite separation after graduation and the thousands of miles between them, Webster and her partner remained best friends, calling each other every night. When she went to San Francisco for a job, Webster saw him twice a month. The two eventually decided to settle down in Palos Verdes and married on Valentine’s Day. “Communication was key,” Webster said. Webster’s love story is not the only

ITZ E ALB TIN CHRIS SY OF TE COUR

OF COURTESY

MINDY WE

COURTESY OF RE

BSTER

BECKA DIBBLE

By MARINE FUJISAWA AND VALERIA PARK

Rebecka Dibble and Ea rl Kwak were married at the neighborhood ch urch in 2003.

one to have sprouted on the Peninsula campus. English teacher Rebecka Dibble and her husband, Earl Kwak, also met during high school. “[His name] is part of the reason why I actually met him and knew who he was,” Dibble said. “His name was just so distinctive. I had heard everybody talk about him, and say how Earl was such a crazy, funny guy.” But like many great love stories, Dibble was in a previous relationship that prevented her from immediately being with Kwak. In fact, she was dating Kwak’s friend at the time. Dibble said it was during that time, though, that she realized what a “good guy” Kwak was. After high school, the physical separation brought on by college actually brought them closer together. With the advent of the internet, Dibble expressed her feelings through e-mail, and the two began their relationship freshmen year of college, even though she stayed in California and he was in Michigan. Thinking of Kwak, Dibble saved all of her paychecks for airplane tickets. All of these efforts to stay together paid off when they got

te and cle e n i t s i f chr graph o esk at work. o t o h p s thi her d sits on z t i b l a

married in 2003. Precalculus with Limits teacher and alumnus Christine Albitz and her husband, a then West High student, were already adjusted to a long-distance relationship. In the stands cheering for the Peninsula basketball team, Albitz noticed a player on the opposing team who later became her boyfriend. Despite the rivalry between the schools, she initiated a relationship. “I asked him to the Sadie Hawkins Dance, and we have been going out ever since,” Albitz said. Both went on to attend University of California San Diego, where they continued their relationship. “We’re each other’s best friends, we enjoy each other’s company, and we make each other laugh. I believe this is why we’ve stayed together for so long,” Albitz said. Like Albitz, Webster also believes that the key to a good partnership is friendship. “Being really good friends, having fun together, laughing--you have to make sure you are really good friends with your mate, otherwise everything else would probably fall apart,” Webster said.

STUDENT LIFE

Seeing school

differently

Peninsula students deal with daily difficulties Johannsen had trouble reading because the letters rearranged themselves When junior Shayan Ali was a third into new words in her head. She still grader, he unknowingly colored a picture experiences challenges affecting her of the Statue of Liberty in red. Once he schoolwork, reading and writing. had picked out the perfect crayon and According to Johannsen, some had colored inside the lines, he proudly teachers lacked understanding for her hung it up on the board among the struggles and did not make the effort to array of green-colored drawings. His help her. teacher called his parents to arrange She added, however, that Peninsula a colorblindness test. When he tested teachers have responded with support. positive for They try to red-green discuss helpful “I think I’d actually keep colorblindness, information [colorblindness] even if I had a with other he learned that this choice. It feels nice being unique.” teachers, and gene exists in continue to find Shayan Ali other family additional ways members too. to help her Ali’s peers learn. were amazed that disabilities could be “I have learned to be a more physical in addition to visual and mental. empathetic person and try to put myself Today, when someone discovers that in someone else’s shoes before I judge Ali is colorblind, he is bombarded with them,” Johannsen said. “ You never questions. know what they might be facing.” “Everybody asks me what color Although Ali and Johannsen both something is and when I get a color have been treated unfairly in the past, right, [they] refuse to believe that I’m they have decided to think more colorblind,” Ali said. “If I get a color optimistically. wrong they laugh in amazement and “Even though it’s not fair that some continue [to ask] more questions.” of us aren’t able to do things that others Similarly, senior Alexandra Johannsen, can, it doesn’t mean that we are worse who discovered that she had dyslexia than anybody,” Ali said. “Everyone has when she was in preschool, encountered a quirk and mine is colorblindness and problems because her peers did not see that is something I had to learn to live her disability. They did not know that with and not let bother me.”

By ELISABETH DARLING

*statistics taken from

of all men inherit a gene that codes for some degree of colorblindness

0.5%

of all women inherit a gene that codes for some degree of colorblindness

The New York Times, Dyslexia Research Institute, Education Week and American Academy of Ophthalmology

10-15%

of the US population has dyslexia BE R

GI A

NVE

CCH

IO/

T HE

PE N

5.8 million

children receive special educational services

SERENA TRAMM/THE PEN

Skills for Independence (SFI) students work on watering the garden. The students grew various types of plants and later harvested lettuce, spinach, radishes and carrots.

SFI Students tend to school garden By RACHAEL KU Tucked away in a secluded corner of the school, a garden fosters growth in more ways than just fresh fruits and veggies. Here, senior Ashley Owens spends her Thursdays outside of class watering plants, planting and relaxing. Smiling, she harvests spinach. “She loves to garden,” Owen’s one-on-one helper

Carmen Bollinger said. “It gives [the students] a break from their classes to come get some fresh air.” For the Skills for Independence students, students who have various disabilities, the garden is their hidden playground where they can play and learn. While tending the garden, the students learn important skills for the future. Junior Sonak Tank

also goes to the garden every Tuesday where he completes tasks such as watering the soil or the harvesting vegetables. He recently spent his time making compost and pulling weeds- his favorite task. “I like to dig [because] I get exercise,” Tank said. The district’s garden consultant Nancy NunezLemargie, along with Principal Mitzi Cress, brought the garden to

Peninsula last year to teach the SFI students responsibility. “They develop character by learning how to take care of something,” Lemargie said. “They learn how to follow directions and how to work together. They’ve never really taken care of anything before- they’ve always been taken care of. Now they’re actually responsible for something.” In addition to building

character, the garden teaches healthier lifestyles. Students get to eat everything they harvest, often making salads of the spinach, carrots, and lettuce they harvest. Lemargie plans to bring pumpkin and squash seeds soon so the students can enjoy fall treats next school year. The SFI students tend the garden every Tuesday and Thursday where, despite the drought, it thrives.

By JASMINE KIM The Greek language is used in many academic subjects, including physics, mathematics and statistics. Next school year, Peninsula will offer its very own Greek foreign language course. It will be the only public school in the state to offer it. Latin teacher RJ Parsons, the head of the classical language department, will continue to teach Latin 1 to Latin 4AP in addition to developing the Greek classes. “We will be exploring the most important elements of Classical Greek vocabulary and syntax while

communicating more or less in Greek,” Parsons said. Parsons is currently expecting around 20-25 students to be enrolled in the new course. Many students who are finishing Latin 4AP this year plan to take Greek in the coming school year. Junior Sean Nam is one of those students. “I actually really enjoy learning about other cultures,” Nam said. “I think I can learn more about [Greeks] relation to American culture and mathematics by learning Greek.” While some students are taking the class for its unique cultural aspects, others will

opt to take Greek for the exposure to its ancient texts and literature. “Mostly, I want to learn Greek to read the extraordinary literature that still survives in its ancient language,” sophomore Amos Gossai said. Parson’s inspiration to add Greek to the classical language courses mainly came from the enthusiastic Latin students. “I think they are excited at being the only high school in California,” Parsons said. “[By taking Greek], they can begin the journey to reading about philosophy, science, mathematics, literature and religion in the original language.”

YASMINE KAHSAI/THE PEN

Greek language to be offered on campus next fall

SPORTS

COURTESY OF LOUISE MOORE

Natalie Hill, Hannah McGuiness, Robbie Martin and Kiersten Hazard (left to right) engage in their second Bay League game against Redondo Union on Jan. 9.The visiting Panthers went on to win 13-5.

Girls’ Water Polo crests on wave of young talent By CHRIS KONG With a 20-6 record for the season, girls’ water polo continues to make strokes even without senior leaders. Junior captains Roberta “Robbie” Martin, Natalie Hill and Miranda Moore, along with two sophomore and five freshmen players, have led the team a long way since losing all of their senior players at the end of last year. “What we lack in experience is made up with strong leadership,” Head Coach Albert Garcia said. “The captains do a great job of providing positive support to our young, but strong team.” Despite the lack of upperclassmen, the underclassmen athletes have shown

their tenacity and talent through two decisive wins against Redondo Union and West Torrance, 12-2 and 14-1 respectively. Last season, Palos Verdes beat Peninsula in two consecutive matchups: winning 13-4 and 14-6. This year, however, Peninsula rebounded by splitting the series. After suffering a one goal loss at PV, the Panthers retaliated by winning the second game 13-5 at home. “This year we have more girls with a better understanding of the game and a better athletic ability in the pool,” Assistant Coach Matt Bloch said. “In a pool like Jackie Prindle, we are better able to test their endurance and strength rigorously.”

Freshman starting goalie Kiersten Hazard, 5’11”, the backbone of the defense, has saved 131 shots, averaging six blocks per game. Last year’s starting goalkeeper Arianna Haghighi finished the season with a total of 79 blocks. “Usually, having a freshman goalie is something you don’t want,” Garcia said. “For such a young age, she is doing extremely well.” Captains Martin, Hill and Moore began developing their water polo skills in elementary school. Their experience with the game shows in their reputations and numbers. “Robbie is definitely more of an extrovert,” Bloch said. “She voices her opinion more to everyone on the team;

when she has something to say, she is going to say it, and you don’t say no.” Martin leads the team with 81 goals, 41 assists and 52 steals. Last year, as a starting sophomore, Martin broke the season record for steals: she made 89. Co-captains Hill and Moore have put away a combined 102 goals. “The way that Natalie [Hill], Robbie [Martin] and Miranda [Moore] work off of each other is amazing,” Hazard said. “They make the most accurate passes and shots.” Currently 6-3 in Bay League, the Panthers are tied with Palos Verdes for first place, but whether or not they finish the season in first, they are guaranteed a spot in CIF playoffs.

Sophomore point guard Babek leads team on a fast break Sophomore Mickey Babek, captain and starting point guard of the varsity basketball team, has been playing the game since the age of three. As just a second-year varsity team member, Babek became a leader of the squad. “We can always trust Mickey with the ball,” teammate Kurt Milch said. “He’s an electric playmaker.” Babek serves as one of the four captains this year, along with seniors Stanley

ALYSSA MAKISHIMA/THE PEN

By DANI CASTANEDA

On Dec. 12 against Narbonne, Coach Quick stares over Babek’s shoulder as he leads the offense on a drive. Babek racked up 14 points, made two assists and hustled for one steal in their 53-52 O.T. loss.

Roberts, Matt Oh and Bo Prock. He plays for the Earl Watson Pangos Elite at Cerritos College during off-season, which has helped him earn the respect of his teammates and other basketball players around the South Bay. Being the youngest of the four captains and the second youngest on the entire varsity squad, Babek finds difficulty in acting as a mentor to athletes older than him. “Hard work during practice has helped me tremendously. [Being captain] gives me a large responsibility for holding my teammates accountable for their mistakes,” Babek said. “However, it makes me uncomfortable to give orders to teammates older than me because I am unsure of how they will perceive it.” Babek has played 24 games this season and has scored an average of 11 points per game. On Dec. 7, Babek set

a personal record by scoring 23 points against Beverly Hills. In the team’s game against Mira Costa, Babek’s 19 points helped the Panthers scourge the Mustangs 82-37. “Before a game, we run out for warm-ups, and I feel six inches taller,” Babek said. “The adrenaline makes you push farther into playing your best.” Babek’s enthusiasm and skill at the game has had a tremendous effect on the mindset of his teammates and coaches. “We face a lot of troubles if we don’t have a Mickey in a game,” Head Coach Jim Quick said. Schools like Yale, Harvard and the nation’s number two NCAA team, Arizona, have shown a keen interest in recruiting Babek. “Mickey is playing like a senior MVP, and I’ve convinced myself that I have yet to see the best in him,” Quick said.