Issue 5

the

PEN

Palos Verdes Peninsula High School www.pvphsnews.com Vol. XXXVI I I

Issue 5 February 19, 2016

From the Inside Out Exploring relationships with ourselves and others FOCUS PAGES 6-7

DEFYING discrimination Redondo Union High School organizes counterprotest against Westboro Baptist Church NEWS OPINION

PAGE 2 PAGE 5

ON Point (Guard) Senior Mickey Babek reaches 1,100 point milestone SPORTS

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NEWS

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Ser ena tra mm an d Ja cki eU

LGBT students stand up to Westboro Baptist Church

T y/ he P en

saffy laurio Though same-sex marriage was legalized nationally on June 26, 2015, it has not been accepted by all groups of people.

The Westboro Baptist Church, a well-known antilesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) church based in Kansas, protested Redondo Union High School’s (RUHS) Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) club on Jan. 11. Five Westboro members came to RUHS and protested, holding signs casting phrases such as “God hates proud sinners” and “God brought the drought.”

Since rising to national attention in 1998 when it picketed the funeral of Matthew Shepard, a young man beaten to death because of his homosexuality, the Westboro Baptist Church has become known for its discriminatory and hateful nature. Besides LGBT groups, other targeted demographics have included Jews, Hindus, Muslims, victims of school shootings and veterans.

Lola Chase is a senior at RUHS and president of the GSA club. Chase felt the protest, though extremely offensive, was laughable.

“I think it was kind of a joke,” Chase said. “They showed up with their hateful signs, as we expected, but they were immediately overwhelmed by how many of us there were [at the counter protest].”

RUHS’s GSA club learned of Westboro’s plan to protest one week prior. In that period, the GSA club was able to organize a counter-protest of over 150 people. The counter-protest was created through a Facebook page. GSA members invited their friends, hoping to spark interest in the community. “[Organizing the counter protest] was rapid and overwhelming,” Chase said. “We got a lot of support

really quickly. I was just shocked that many people cared that much, but it shows what kind of community we live in. We don’t stand up for hate and we’ll always remain liberal and loving.”

In contrast to Westboro’s protest, the RUHS protest was based on the idea of love and compassion. The counter-protesters had positive signs of their own and were chanting, “God loves everyone.”

“It was loving and positive,” Chase said. “[We] didn’t make it about the Westboro Church; [we] made it about us. It was about how we care about love, how we care about each other, and how we support the LGBT community.”

Although Westboro’s protest was aimed at RUHS, many people involved in the LGBT community felt affected.

“I felt that it was just really uncalled for,” Peninsula LGBT United club president junior Ciro Fidaelo said.

“Being personally part of the LGBT community, this is almost like being victimized as a community since we’re so close. Their point of view is really hurtful not only to the people being [directly] affected by it, also the people around them.”

Many students in Peninsula’s LGBT United club are close to RUHS’s GSA club, including the club presidents, Chase and Fidaelo. To show support for RUHS, Peninsula sent its GSA club pictures of the LGBT United club holding a rainbow chord and wearing shirts that read “LGBT United.”

Will Mueller, a sophomore and LGBT United club member who participated in the support photo, acknowledges the importance of banding together as a community.

“No one achieves anything alone,” Mueller said.

“So we, as a substantial part of the LGBT community, have no choice but to help support the community as a whole.”

This is not Westboro’s first protest against a high school. Back in January 2014, the Westboro Baptist Church protested at El Segundo High School. The protest was similar; both schools had few Westboro members protesting outside schools while holding anti-gay signs.

Regardless of Westboro’s recent actions, Fidaelo believes that Southern California, the Peninsula campus included, is an open-minded, safe place for the LGBT community. He hopes that this acceptance will one day expand to all people.

“Here in California, or here in the South Bay in particular, it is really open and accepting in most cases,” said Fidaelo. “It will get better, but for the time being you just have to be proud with who you are and listen to yourself before anyone else.”

Teachers protest historical ruling of the

3

SUPREME COURT

temishi onnekikami / The Pen

kaitlin bates and ryan frazier Union dues, and whether or not teachers can be compelled to pay them, are at the heart of a U.S. Supreme Court case which is scheduled for decision in June.

In Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association (CTA), Rebecca Friedrichs and nine other California teachers are battling the CTA, which believes that teachers must pay collective bargaining fees to the local union, whether or not they are members. Collective bargaining is a negotiation between unions and employers aiming to stabilize and improve working conditions.

The CTA is referring back to the 1977 Supreme Court ruling which states that “public employees can be required to pay a ‘fair share’ fee to reflect the benefits all workers receive from collective bargaining.” This means that all teachers are obligated to pay a fee for collective bargaining, but they can opt out of being a union member.

California and 22 other states divide union dues into two parts. The first is the international portion, called the fair share fee. The fair share fee is used by unions to advance their political agendas and to support the goals of members on a national level. This part, according to

state law, is not mandatory. The second part, which goes to the local union, is reserved for collective bargaining.

California considers this part a mandatory fee. About 90 percent of California public school teachers, both union members and non-members, currently pay both parts of union dues (about $1000 a year). Ten percent have opted out of paying for the non-collective bargaining portion (about $300). The plaintiffs argue that they should not be compelled to pay any union dues.

“Their supposed benefits are not worth the moral costs.”

- Plaintiff and Teacher Rebecca Friedrichs

According to the union, joining is considered beneficial to teachers. The union considers those who want to benefit from union collective bargaining efforts, but not pay for collective bargaining, “free riders.” Friedrichs and the other plaintiffs consider the matter a free speech issue. They are frustrated because although they have the ability to “opt out” of being a member of a union, they are mandated to pay its collective bargaining fees.

CTA’s main argument is that without

mandatory fees in California, the union will not be as strong, weakening the union’s ability to engage in collective bargaining. Friedrichs and her supporters believe doing so is unconstitutional, as it forces a teacher to pay fees for a cause they may not support, therefore violating their First Amendment rights.

“I never asked the union to represent me,” Friedrichs said in Reason magazine.

“They are the ones who requested laws to give them the right to bargain on behalf of everyone.”

English teacher and Palos Verdes Faculty Association bargaining chair Tim Coleman supports the CTA. According to Coleman, being a member of the union is beneficial to teachers, because the union will collectively represent all teachers even if they are not union members.

“The union allows teachers a stronger voice in protecting their rights and getting fair pay for hard work,” Coleman said. “The best possible solution would be for all teachers to join the union and happily pay the fees that provide them with job and wage protections they enjoy.”

Most legal observers expect that the death of Justice Antonin Scalia will result in a 4 to 4 tie and a fallback on California law, ensuring a union victory.

New state education funds promote district improvements kaitlin bates Due to a continuous financial crisis, California has a history of extremely low rates for school district funding. But in early January, Governor Jerry Brown released a proposal to increase education funding. It is expected to increase funding to $2.4 billion, bringing Proposition 98 funding to $71.6 billion. Compared to four years ago, that is a 39 percent increase.

“Relative to budgets of the past, this budget is in good shape,” Brown said in a Jan. 7 press release. “We also ought to look at what the capacity of the state is, and what the taxpayer willingness is to spend more.”

Palos Verdes Unified School District (PVPUSD) falls below the basic average daily attendance (ADA) money received from the state. A standard ADA for any district in California is approximately $489 for the upcoming school year. PVPUSD, however, only

receives $288 per ADA. PVPUSD’s total ADA per year is around $3.2 million, which is lower than an average California school district, most of which are impacted by poverty and other factors.

PVPUSD Deputy Superintendent Lydia Cano, is responsible for making sure these funds are available to support the learning environment for students.

“This absolutely benefits our schools,” Cano said, referring to Brown’s proposal. “Any new funding, whether ongoing or one-time, allows the district to support our educational programs.”

The district hopes to benefit from this by improving educational programs, including future textbook adoptions, ongoing facility needs, increasing benefits and increasing operational costs. PVPUSD Superintendent Don Austin and the rest of the district are working on including proposals to spend the first $5 million in onetime money.

“We are hoping to make some nice improvements for our staff and students,” Austin said. “This may include an infusion of dollars to our STEM program, some facilities upgrades and new equipment.”

Austin ensures the district will benefit from this proposal. According to Austin, the proposal gives them a different way of working with the money coming from the state. The plans for future educational programs are expected to improve within the years ahead.

“We are taking a little extra time to make sure we use the money to the best of our ability,” Austin said.

Although PVPUSD may not currently receive as much funding as most schools, the Peninsula Education Foundation (PEF) helps with donations from the community. PEF is crucial to make up for the lack of funding from the state. By raising money through fundraisers, donations and campaigns, PEF is able to add to the district’s funding.

Opinion

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THE PEN PALOS VERDES PENINSULA HIGH SCHOOL

EDITORIAL

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Lauren Lee Tunika Onnekikami Noah Werksman DESIGN EDITOR Jackie Uy MANAGING EDITOR/ BUSINESS & ADVERTISING Isabelle Wang NEWS EDITOR: Annie Benedict WRITERS: Kaitlin Bates Joseph Foard Ryan Frazier Saffy Laurio OPINION EDITORS: Marine Fujisawa Zoe Willoughby WRITERS: Chris Chien Nile Minn FOCUS EDITORS: Phoebe Borsum Esther Chu WRITERS: Anne Lee Nina Li STUDENT LIFE EDITORS: Amani Jalota Stella Yoo WRITERS: Alison Kim Emily McGinn Adrian Tai SPORTS EDITOR: Chris Kong WRITERS: Jordan Chang Zain Riaz GRAPHICS Jessica Nye Temishi Onnekikami ADVISER Jaymee Johnson “The Pen” is the student newspaper produced by the advanced journalism students of Palos Verdes Peninsula High School. It is published eight times per year. Advertising inquiries may be directed to Advertising Manager Isabelle Wang at (310) 377- 4888 ext. 652. The Pen editors appreciate Letters to the Editor, which are accepted up to one week before publication. You may submit them to H52 or to Jaymee Johnson’s mailbox.

Copyright © 2015

Cover Design by Temishi Onnekikami Jackie Uy Cover Photo by Temishi Onnekikami

FLY To the Beat of your Own tweet Editorial staff Though Valentine’s Day is often regarded as a day dedicated to our loved ones, we forget to remember the most important relationship of our lives: the one with ourselves.

It is a relationship we spend a lifetime cultivating, one that establishes a baseline for our moral integrity and beliefs.

When we are young, our only sense of self stems from the influence of our families, our first major relationships, thus making the process of staying true to oneself much simpler. As we mature, however, external pressures blur the initial clarity we once had as children of who we were and who we want to become.

School provides many opportunities for one to express his or her individuality in the forms of club

participation and extracurricular activities. These varied activities, done seemingly for so many other reasons, help us discover our interests. However, with new opportunities come new pressures. Pressures to be “perfect,” to be “normal” and to be “successful” often cloud our judgment, causing us to stray from who we are.

Recent events compel us to search within ourselves and to be confident in our ideals. Prime examples of such pressures include the Westboro Baptist Church’s protest of Redondo Union’s LGBT club, which incited a community to remonstrate a group that unjustly subjugated another; the annual Red Ribbon week, which discourages students from abusing substances, causes us to reevaluate our stances on drugs and alcohol; and finally,

Black History Month, which prompts us to recall times where individuals refused to conform to the majority and fought through adversity for equal human rights. The game of life constantly challenges us to shift our morals and to reestablish our perspectives.

If every individual has the confidence to stand firm in his or her own beliefs and to accept progressive, new ones, then our society will inch closer to a true unity against discrimination and malice. It is in these moments when it is easy to conform to mass opinion that we assert these values.

There is no relationship that is as lasting as the one that you have with yourself. The way to best strengthen this internal bond is to know who you are and what you stand for.

jackie uy/The Pen

27118 Silver Spur Road, Rolling Hills Estates, CA 90274

State tries to restore public education system chris chien On Jan. 7, Gov. Jerry Brown proposed a new state budget for the 2016-2017 fiscal year that would increase spending in education, healthcare and infrastructure.

According to Reuters, the plan brings the total state budget to $122 billion, boosts per-pupil spending by almost $3,600 and guarantees that schools will receive an estimate of 40 percent of governmentapproved fund revenues. Gov. Brown’s proposal also increases healthcare and infrastructure spending and allocates an additional $2 billion to the state’s rainy day fund to be used in emergency situations.

While the plan still needs to be approved by the legislature, it shows that Gov. Brown is taking the initiative to improve the quality of this state’s public education system. For affluent districts like Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District (PVPUSD), the effect of the budget will be lower than that for low-income districts.

Nevertheless, students and faculty at Peninsula will still ultimately benefit from the new proposal.

“The proposed K-12 budget for 20162017 shows some increase over last year’s,” Board of Education president Malcolm Sharp said. “However, the amount of increase for districts like PVPUSD is less than for those districts with large populations of students in poverty and who are English language learners.”

Gov. Brown’s proposal comes at a time when California’s public education has

been ranked as one of the worst systems in the nation. According to a report done by the Education Week Research Center, California ranked No. 40 in the nation in terms of school financing in 2015 and No. 46 in adjusted per-pupil spending. An increase in funding will help this state catch up with other well-funded states, which will improve students’ chances of success.

For Peninsula specifically, more funding could help solve some prevalent problems on campus, such as overinflated class sizes and lack of resources for sports and other extracurricular activities.

Despite the proposal garnering widespread support, there are some early apprehensions. Considering California’s recent economic situation, some have raised the concern that the state debt is too large to allow for more public spending. However, under the temporary tax increase imposed by Proposition 30 in 2012, the state has seen a steady recovery, allowing for the restoration of some social services. In this way, the state can afford to strengthen education financing. Others have wondered whether the proposal will be passed through legislature. While some other parts of the proposal, such as the infrastructure aspect, have been debated, there has been considerable bipartisan approval for the overall plan, meaning it should remain mostly intact.

“We have a good amount of money right now as a state and are doing well

economically,” senior and Board of Education Student Member Michael McFarland said. “The budget should be adopted with minor amendments. I also believe that both parties view education as a priority and are willing to invest large amounts of money in the future of students. From the local level, there has been frustration as we as a district get the least amount of funding possible from the new funding formula, so we are not seeing as much of a difference as we probably should.”

The potential benefits of Gov. Brown’s proposal far outweigh its drawbacks.

California has been on the long road to recovery since the subprime mortgage crisis and the Great Recession, and as its economy stabilizes, more money can be allocated for public services, such as education. Gov. Brown’s proposal shows that the state’s government is finally taking steps to improve education financing across the board. While the increased funding is primarily focused towards underprivileged schools, the boosted funding still benefits Peninsula students and faculty.

“At Peninsula, we are lucky enough to attend a great high school, but we still have oversized classes, a lack of resources and a lack of funding for sports, sciences and arts,” sophomore John Szieff said. “We still have problems that need to be fixed, and I think putting more money towards education cannot hurt.”

5

Redondo Uni[tes]on

LGBT Rights nile minn Westboro Baptist Church recently targeted LGBT community as a whole, and I was trying to Redondo Union High School to protest its represent it the best I could.” lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) California is known for being supportive of its community. In past years, Westboro Church LGBT population, the 10th highest percentage has picketed El Segundo High School, Beverly in the United States of openly LGBT people at Hills High School and Santa Monica High School 4 percent of California’s adult population. Due because of their acceptance of the LGBT to the strong support of the LGBT community, community. The church’s members have also Westboro protesters were crowded out. In a targeted this group at military funerals and time when the LGBT community is starting to other churches. With the US Supreme Court be accepted by the world, it is time for those ruling in 2015 that legalized same-sex marriage, that disapprove of homosexuality to realize society has taken a significant step toward that love conquers all and that their harsh full equality opinions will not We advocate for love and peace in the change the minds of for the LGBT community.

LGBT community as a whole, and I was those in support of Westboro the growing LGBT trying to represent it the best I Church’s community. hateful speech “I felt as if what could. is a setback the church was doing -Redondo Union LGBT Club President was absolutely wrong to reaching complete especially preaching Lola Chase acceptance, very hateful terms but Redondo Union’s peaceful protest shows and phrases to such a young group of people but the Peninsula community the importance of a I am glad that the South Bay LGBT community nonviolent protest for a just cause. came together to show what it means to love Members of the Redondo Union community one another,” Peninsula’s LGBT president Ciro including members of the LGBT club and other Fidaleo (pictured on the left) said. students came out to show their support The protest at Redondo Union can serve for the LGBT community and to protest the as an example to the Peninsula community of views of Westboro Baptist Church on Jan. how to approach any similar situations should 11. They created signs and made a human they arise. The fight for acceptance of the LGBT wall that separated the Westboro Church community shows how fighting for a cause protesters from the Redondo Union campus. does not have to be violent. Peaceful protests, Approximately 150 people came to support signs and support from passionate people can Redondo Union and to show their acceptance of make all the difference, as shown by the RUHS the LGBT community. community.

“I am appalled by the fact that any group “While we are disappointed that a hate of individuals would target and harass minors group such as Westboro Baptist Church chose who are just trying to go to school,” Redondo to picket Redondo Union, we are proud of Union’s LGBT Club president Lola Chase said. how peacefully our students and community “So we thought we would open their minds in demonstrated their equally protected freedom the best way we knew how, by joining together of speech and assembly,” Principal of RUHS with love. We advocate for love and peace in the Nicole Wesley said.

“

“

Jessica Nye/ The Pen Kara lee/ The Pen Ciro Fidaleo / model

26%

of LGBT youth do not feel accepted by their families* *According to the Human Rights Campaign

4%

of adult Californians identify as LGBT members** **According to Statistic Brain Research Institute

Focus

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R E L AT I O

Students follow pathways to create re

Students find a sense of self nina li

The transition from adolescence into adulthood drastically shapes an individual.

As teens are expected to wield greater responsibility and independence, they begin to discover what their priorities are and what beliefs they hold as most important. Being content and grounded with such priorities ultimately establishes more stable relationships and fulfilling lifestyles.

According to Advanced Placement Psychology teacher John Wheeler, a positive perception of oneself provides the foundation for selfdiscovery. Only when meaningful introspection and constant improvement are achieved can a healthy relationship with oneself eventually solidify.

“To develop a relationship with [yourself], you first have to be self-aware,” Wheeler said. “Some people are more honest with themselves, and they know what their strengths and weaknesses are.”

Wheeler also argues that teenagers must claim full responsibility for their actions to properly build their characters and help them mature in relationships.

“If people are uncomfortable around others, they will go around the situation to avoid [the problem], instead of facing the situation head on,” Wheeler said.

This avoidance breeds conformity and a lack of self-confidence, causing others

to never truly know who they really are and what they are capable of achieving.

Lacking self-confidence can induce students to seek solutions, both mild and extreme, elsewhere.

Safe school counselor Christine Lopez, who has accrued eight years of experience at Peninsula helping students with their personal problems, advises students on how to find solutions to problems such as stress and depression.

She says that in addition to positive self-

is a crucial factor in the health of an individual’s conscience.

Low self-esteem, in severe cases, leads to depression and self-hatred.

According to Child Mind Institute Children’s Mental Health, the chances of teens engaging in risky behavior, such as drug abuse and alcohol consumption, increase when depression is left untreated.

Some sports and other extracurricular activities equip students with active outlets to constantly propel themselves into self-improvement.

For senior Emily Chung, swimming has enabled her to consistently set her sights above the masses and reach for a higher sense of purpose.

“With swimming, I have learned to become very determined and highly selfmotivated,” Chung said.

“There are times when I am not satisfied with my results and it is easy to start doubting myself, but through the sport I’m a lot mentally stronger.”

Similar to Chung, students engage in various activities to pursue their interests, to build relationships, and to discover more about themselves.

Once a strong sense of self-confidence and identification is established, one can truly understand oneself and begin to cultivate healthy relationships with others.

“If someone does not feel good about

who they are or does not have a lot of confidence, it will definitely impact [what kind of] relationships they have.

”

- Safe school counselor Christine Lopez

ISabelle Wang/The Pen Temishi onnekikami/The Pen

identification, many other factors, such as family background, cultural values and expectations from other people, impact relationship building with other people.

“If someone does not feel good about who they are or does not have a lot of confidence, it will definitely impact [what kind of] relationships they have.”

Lopez said. “How they treat the world and other people [around them] will also alter their relations.”

Wheeler explains that self-esteem

O N S H I P S

7

elationships with themselves and others

Multiples share special connections Anne lee Twins and juniors Keon and Keymia Ghodrati, and triplets and juniors Lindy, Ashley and Natalie Liu consider their sibling relationships to be unique.

The Ghodratis are fraternal twins that have grown up treating each other like best friends. Having similar interests such as dancing, Keon and Keymia maintain an intimate bond that allows them to encourage one another in all situations.

“I think we impact each other’s lives the most out of everyone,” Keymia said.

“I do not know how I would survive without my brother. He always has my back and supports me in any situation.”

Their inspiring views of each other never falter and both Keymia and Keon continue to follow each other and look up to each other and their inspirational lifestyles.

“My brother inspires me to try my best at everything and I learn a lot from

him,” Keymia said. “A lot of people admire Keon and I am glad that I have a role model who I get to see everyday and learn from,” Keymia said.

Like Keon and Keymia, triplets Ashley, Natalie and Lindy have spent almost all of their lives together. Children born with siblings spend more time with each other than anybody else. In a study conducted

by Pennsylvania State University, it was found that siblings spend up to 11 hours a week with each other.

“I love having two best friends who understand me and know what I am going through so well,” Lindy said.

“We can talk endlessly and be our truest selves with one another. One disadvantage of being a triplet is that my sisters know exactly how to get on my nerves.”

Although the girls do frequently argue, it is often resolved so quickly and

amazes them to see how easily they can reconciliate.

“I think our parents are still amazed by the fact that we can literally go from screaming terrible things at one another to laughing together uncontrollably in a second,” Lindy said.

Lindy, Ashley and Natalie are often asked questions about their appearance, similarities and birth order. They are also often asked about how they feel about being triplets, and the Liu sisters often find themselves with no automatic answers to these questions.

“I would say that I do not always enjoy it when people constantly compare us,” Ashley said. “People frequently ask us about what it is like to be a triplet, which is difficult to answer. It is basically like having a normal sibling, except that [my sisters] are much more involved in my life.”

Lifelong friendships withstand test of time Anne Lee For many students, stepping into high school means forming new relationships and meeting new people. However, to others, high school presents an opportunity to spend another four years with childhood friends. Freshmen Koichi Brennan and Kevin Hirokawa have been friends since childhood.

Brennan and Hirokawa, who have been friends for over ten years, became friends because of their older sisters’ friendship, seeing each other often.

“I specifically remember climbing into rolled up wrestling mats during our sisters’ basketball practices when we were young,” Hirokawa said. “We were practically forced to see each other a lot, and since we had a lot of fun together, we continued to hang out throughout elementary school.”

Hirokawa and Brennan eventually began to follow their sisters and play basketball for several years. Even though Brennan and Hirokawa attended different middle schools, Ridgecrest

Intermediate School and Palos Verdes Intermediate School (PVIS) respectively, and moved on from basketball to pursue different activities such as marching band and soccer, their relationship continued to grow.

“I think what makes [our relationship] stand out from others is how we are very different from each other, but still manage to be best friends for such a long time,” Hirokawa said.

Because of their contrasting interests, the boys come out of their own comfort zones to match the other’s preferences.

“Even though our personalities, hobbies and appearances may differ, there are times where we seem like the same person,” Hirokawa said. “There are and will be changes to ourselves personally, but [I believe] we will always be close friends that we are now.”

Seniors Jessica Hay, Emily Ericson, Maya Willis, Sarah Khattab and Melissa Hoey are best friends who met each other at Rancho Vista Elementary

School.

While Ericson, Willis, Khattab and Hoey attended Miraleste Intermediate School, Hay went to PVIS. Despite the separation, the girls managed to stay in contact with each other by being in Girls Scouts together.

“You obviously meet new people and make new friends all the time, but having a relationship with the people you have been through your whole life together is a different kind of relationship that cannot be replaced,” Hoey said.

Because all the girls have similar personalities and understand each other well, they avoid things that would create problems.

“Our friendship is different from other friendships in that awkwardness does not exist and big fights do not create obstacles,” Hay said. “I feel like with every little thing we do, whether we fight or laugh, our friendship becomes stronger and we help each other find out more about ourselves.”

Student Life 8

Magic Man candy shim/the pen akira higaki/model

Higaki masters his tricks at the magic castle emily mcginn

was truly inspiring and that is when I truly realized that the magic community is more than just people doing tricks but a network of people Watching professional magicians perform from all backgrounds brought together and tricks on YouTube sparked an interest in magic striving to achieve this one goal of wonder and for sophomore Akira Higaki at the age of six, inspiration.” who then used the site to learn tricks. After Higaki felt that Balasco explained what he discovering that his friends enjoyed his tricks, himself feels about magic. Higaki believes that he began to take his hobby more seriously and there is more to magic than just tricks, as it has spent several years practicing and teaching taught him life lessons as well. himself more tricks. He then joined the Magic “I think it is very powerful to know that you Castle, an exclusive magic club in Hollywood in can do anything,” Higaki said. “As a magician, September 2015. The club offers membership you have that mentality [that you] can do to professional and amateur magicians, but anything. [You] can requires an audition make things float, prior to making “I really love the fact that [you] can change an offer. Higaki things, [you] can auditioned both magicians can inspire more people make things appear in March and and disappear [and September before you can] hypnotize being accepted into to go out and find the secrets of people.” the club. During the world. It does not have to be Higaki does not his audition, he have a show planned performed a trick magical, but anywhere in life.” in the near future, but in which he used a he plans to continue small plunger to find - Sophomore Akira Higaki to perfect his act a person’s card. during the upcoming He is in a junior summer. He currently practices when he has section of the club that includes magicians that spare time. range from the ages of 12 to 20. He is one of “When I do [my act], I want to make it the only 50 magicians from California and Las Vegas best that I can be, and I have this idea that is in that section of the club. really great, but it takes a lot of time and effort “I joined the club because I wanted to work to achieve that,” Higaki said. on my magic as well as learn and develop with Higaki specializes in card tricks and the only people like me,” Higaki said. “I also wanted to main prop that he requires is a deck of cards. be with the people that saw the world through His favorite trick is one when a car appears in my eyes. Being in the club surrounds me with his mouth. people that I relate to.”

“The immediate reaction [of others] is ‘show Joining the club offers many benefits and me a trick.’ I do not usually do it because the resources to club members, including a library tricks are not what define me,” Higaki said. that contains many instructional magic books “Magic is simply a tool for me to convey my that help magicians perfect their acts and the message of wonder to people.” guidance of professional magicians at the club Higaki said that joining the Magic Castle is that advise and lecture magicians. Although the correct direction for him to take in his life Higaki has not done a public show, the club also right now and he looks forward to expanding offers the opportunity to perform paid magic his skills and knowledge using the extra shows. resources at the club.

Higaki feels that some of his greatest “[In magic], you do not know how it works, experiences in magic have taken place in the but it works,” Higaki said. “I really love the fact club. that magicians can inspire more people to go “We had this world-renowned speaker, out and find the secrets of the world. It does [Bodine Balasco], come and talk to us about not have to be magical, but anywhere in life.” achieving our goals,” Higaki said. “His speech

stem slays the game

panthers participate in new space program and in annual robotics competition

9

StellarXplorers is out of this world alison kim

The StellarXplorers program, run by Advanced Placement Computer Science and Engineering teacher Hassan Twiet, started last year as a response to demands for an intriguing, but educational program for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) students.

The high school program emulates a program that the military uses to build satellites. Each team has six members who compete in designing special orbits for man-made satellites.

Sponsored by The Air Force Association, the StellarXplorers program draws students from all over the United States to participate in the competition using math and science knowledge through computer programs. Peninsula is the only high school that currently has two teams.

This competition is split into three parts; the first part of the competition took place on Jan. 15 in Twiet’s classroom and lasted six hours during which teams built a virtual satellite and created a

mathematical equation that represented the path of orbit.

After completing the first part of the competition, each team received its score based on how well they completed their mission. The Air Force Association, based in Colorado Springs, then compared each team’s score with other teams around the U.S. One of Peninsula’s teams received first place in the first competition. This team, Team STLX02-0005, consists of Bethany Grenier, Harmont Grenier, Nathan Kim, Rishi Gattu, Amy Ross and David Noh. The second competition was held yesterday; students were tasked to design a virtual satellite that holds a camera that takes quality pictures.

(Results of the second competition were not available at The Pen’s publication deadline.)

Junior Yodai Takeuchi’s interest in the areas of space and science compelled him to sign up for the team.

“When I was doing the practice round, it was the first time I had done something on a

[computer program],” Takeuchi said. “Mr. Twiet told us some general information about it, but we had to figure out the rest for ourselves. It was challenging, but also fun to go through the trial and error.”

Before the competition, students met in Twiet’s classroom to prepare for various scenarios they might encounter during the real competition. One scenario they practiced was based on a broadcasting company interested in using a satellite to relay messages from New York to California. The students needed to calculate the distance of the orbit to transmit these messages.

“Students apply [many concepts] that they learn in math and science,” Twiet said. “What makes the StellarXplorers program so great is that [the program] is a real life experience where [students] combine their academic [skills] and real world experience to come up with something constructive.”

Started in 2008, the Robotics team has recruited 40 students dedicated to expanding their knowledge of mechanical, electrical and computer engineering.

As members of the Robotics team, students are required to think conceptually and mathematically.

Every year, the team enters the First Robotics Competition (FRC), an international competition that challenges students to expand their knowledge of mechanical and electrical engineering. The FRC’s primary goal is to design and create a robot that meets the requirements of the prescribed tasks against a field of competitors. Six weeks before the competition begins, the annual challenge is announced at the kickoff ceremony.

The objective of this year’s challenge Stronghold is to design a robot capable of going through obstacles such as bridges or gates. The team will be competing at the Long Beach Arena from March 9 to 11.

To prepare for FRC, the Robotics team participates in “build season,” when members work extensively on the Stronghold project for up to six hours a day.

“The team prepares for Stronghold by

brainstorming ideas for what kind of robot would be best, as well as what strategy would be best, prototyping different aspects of our potential robot, building our robot and testing it,” freshman Robotics team member Jenna Vokolek said.

The Robotics team has subdivisions within the team that specialize in different areas of developing the robot. The subdivision consists of Build, Electronics, Computer-Aided Design (CAD), Business and Programing.

“Build is the largest team, and they physically build the robot [by] attaching all the nuts and bolts and hooking up the chains,” Vokolek said.

“I like build [because] there’s always something being done. It is [intriguing to] be so close to the [physical] process of making the robot.”

Two years ago, the team won a creativity award at FRC. Last year, the Robotics team placed third of 66 teams in two of the competitions in the Los Angeles Regionals, one of the biggest tournaments in the world. The competition attracts international teams from countries like Chile and Canada.

Through robotics, students strive to learn the value of sportsmanship and respect, and to discover their best strengths and interests. The

Sophomore Tori Wong works with a mentor to build road rails for the FRC robot. This mentor is a professional at an engineering company. team also allows students to apply their engineering knowledge in an interactive learning experience.

“I have learned a lot [about] teamwork and [learned from] experiences. I am really interested in [robotics] and I don’t think of it as working [but] more [of] doing something I love,” sophomore Shayla Patel said. “It is worth spending a lot of time on robotics because the outcome received followed by hard work is satisfactory.”

jackie uy/The Pen

alison kim

sernea tramm/The Pen

Robotics club gears up for competition

Sports

10

SENIOR 6'4" 190 LBS

Gino abrajano/ The Pen graphic Courtesy OF pvphs abc

#13

1,100 + career points

Mickey Babek

Babek acclaimed as one of the school’s greatest basketball players jordan chang Scoring over a 1,100 career points as a high school basketball player is often regarded as a high achievement. Senior varsity basketball captain Mickey Babek has attained this feat, scoring over 1,100 points during his four years at Peninsula.

“I think Mickey has been so successful in basketball due to the amount he dedicates himself to the sport,” Mickey’s brother and fellow varsity player sophomore George Babek said. “He inspires and pushes me to do the same as he, and I praise him for it.”

Babek started playing basketball around the age of four at the Bogdanovich Recreation Center in San Pedro, once his father introduced him to the sport.

He continued to play throughout his elementary and middle school years, eventually earning his way onto the Peninsula varsity basketball team as a freshman.

“Mickey Babek has a passion for the game that all successful high school student athletes need to have,”

varsity basketball head coach Ryan Quinlan said. “He wants to get better each day and he puts the time and effort in to do so.”

To his coaches, Babek constantly demonstrates his hard work and positive attitude towards training.

“He enjoys the competitive nature of the game and raises his level of play when the stakes are at the highest,” Quinlan said. “Those characteristics are what make players like Mickey stand out.”

During games, Babek plays as a combination guard, which means that he takes on the roles of both a point and a shooting guard. This season, the Panthers are 14-12 with a Bay League record of 5-5. During season, he practices two and a half hours a day, and for two to four hours a day during the off-season.

“Mickey’s work ethic is second to none,” Quinlan said. “He is the first one in the gym before practice and the last to leave after getting extra shots up.”

Babek cherishes the memories he has made with the team over the past four years.

“Mickey Babek has a passion for the game that all successful high school student athletes need to have.”

- varsity basketball head coach Ryan Quinlan

“Last year’s CIF home game against Foothill is definitely my favorite memory of playing basketball on the Peninsula team,” Babek said. “Although we lost, the environment and support from the students, adults and community was amazing and a special atmosphere to play in.”

Babek’s memories of playing at Peninsula will definitely not be his last memories of basketball.

Babek hopes to utilize his talent by continuing to play basketball for a university at the NCAA Division I level.

“I hope to continue to play basketball throughout college,” Babek said. “I have about six schools that are heavily interested, so I will hopefully know where I am going by March.”

Although the loss of this year’s senior players will impact the basketball program, Babek has faith in the team’s abilities and believes in their future success.

“I would tell future players to work hard and to take advantage of your time on the team,” Babek said. “It goes by very quickly.”

MICKEY BABEK’S 2012-15 AVERAGES

0

5

10

10.3 Points 1.6 Assists 3.8 Rebounds 0.9 Steals 0.2 Blocks

*Statistics from MaxPreps

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