Issue 5 by The Pen Newspaper

VOL. XL ISSUE 5 FEBRUARY 25, 2020

PALOS VERDES PENINSULA HIGH SCHOOL www.pvphsnews.com

ERADICATE THE HATE

Coronavirus prompts increased prejudice against Asian people OPINION OPINION PAGE PAGE 55

PEER TO PEER

A PASSION FOR FASHION

PLAYING LIKE IT IS 1999

Peninsula’s Rotary Interact Club plans new program

Sophomore alters and sells thrifted clothing

Varsity girls’ basketball wins Bay League

NEWS PAGE 3

STUDENT LIFE PAGE 8

SPORTS PAGE 10

jack sedillos With competitive gaming, or esports, growing in popularity, companies such as Los Angeles based startup PlayVS are beginning to bring esports to American colleges and high schools. With its recent collaboration with video game company Epic Games, the company will begin this integration with Fortnite, an online survival video game that has recently been announced as an official high school and collegiate sport. By partnering with companies and game publishers, PlayVS has created an official esports league. Fortnite is currently the only game that has been introduced as an official high school and collegiate sport, but PlayVS will be adding more games to their league competitions in the future to encourage more high schools to join their program. High schools do not have to participate in esports, as schools must make the choice to register to join

the competitive league. According to Deseret News, high schools need to pay $64 per student to compete with neighboring schools during the Fortnite esports season, which will begin on Feb. 26, 2020 and last for eight weeks. According to the Washington Post, the high school division of the competition will consist of six conferences spread throughout the U.S. These conferences are formatted so that players will compete in the duos version (teams of two players) of Fortnite against other duos for approximately two hours with a

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Peninsula, I think there will be a lot of tech-savvy students who would be interested in participating.” Sophomore Ryan Marham is excited about Fortnite coming to high school and collegiate esports. He concludes that playing video games is a great way for students to spend time with their friends; this led him to believe that many Peninsula students will benefit from having an esports team because they will create more social contacts with people who have shared interests. “If Fortnite and a competitive gaming

and that by implementing an esports team at Peninsula, students’ stress levels will be reduced when they are given time in school to do something they enjoy. “At Peninsula especially, students tend to overload themselves with difficult classes and are often met with heavy workloads,” Sumi said. “I have noticed that many of them play video games to relax and destress, which is why I think many of these students will find esports to be beneficial.” The introduction of Fortnite as a highschool and collegiate sport marked the beginning of the growth of competitive gaming on campus, especially as esports continues to surge in popularity. As benefits such as potential collegiate gaming careers and increased social networking are becoming more apparent, students look forward to what esports can and will offer to them in the future.

I KNOW MANY PEOPLE AT PENINSULA ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT PLAYING VIDEO GAMES AND HAVING A COMPETITIVE TEAM WILL ALLOW STUDENTS TO PURSUE THEIR PASSION FOR GAMING. - SOPHOMORE RYAN MARHAM maximum of seven games. Advanced Placement (AP) Computer Science, AP Computer Science Principles, Computer Science Advanced Projects, Introduction to Advanced Engineering, and CyberPatriot teacher Hassan Twiet believes that the potential introduction of Fortnite esports to Peninsula will increase students’ interests in the activity. According to Twiet, many students will want to watch and play competitive esports if they are implemented at Peninsula because of the large number of students on campus that like to play video games such as Fortnite. “I think that introducing an esports league to high schoolers could be very valuable to students because it will provide students with an outlet in which they can do what they enjoy in a competitive setting,” Twiet said. “If competitive gaming does come to

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NEWS

league were to come to Peninsula, many students would be thrilled,” Marham said. “I know many people at Peninsula are passionate about playing video games and having a competitive team will allow students to pursue their passion for gaming as colleges are now beginning to give students esports scholarships.” Marham also believes that competitive gaming will encourage Peninsula students to communicate with each other because of the team aspect of the sport, allowing opportunities to build social skills and make new friends. “Not only will students be able to play video games at a competitive level, but they will also have the chance to interact with other students,” Marham said. Sophomore Ellison Sumi thinks that many students at Peninsula struggle to cope with stress

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NEWS

ROTARY INTERACT CREATES PEER MEDIATION PROGRAM 3 Sofia Lauro

[opportunity for them].” Rotary Interact members also hope that Peer Mediation would help make communication easier for Peninsula

creation of the program will provide a break from this pressure. “At any school, there are students who have conflicts from a variety of issues,” Spalding said. “Finding a way to work them out is a really nice

students, as it will create an environment in which students can freely express their fears and troubles. Junior and Rotary Interact treasurer Kaitlyn Ruiz believes that it is beneficial that the mediators are students themselves

SHAI BECKER / THE PEN

On March 14, Peninsula’s Rotary Interact Club will begin its process of creating a program called Peer Mediation. Rotary Interact, led by Advanced Placement Physics 1 and 2 and AVID 11 teacher Mike Spalding, was created to help people from ages 12 to 18 to take part in service projects for the students and the community. In the program, if two students are in conflict, they would be sent to room S44 at lunch by Associate Principal of Discipline Michael Wanmer to resolve the issue. In this room, Peninsula students of any grade level would be available to help mediate their issue. Anyone interested in being a peer mediator will volunteer to participate in the program and then be trained on March 14, after which they will be eligible to partake in the program’s daily lunch sessions. According to senior and Rotary Interact vice president Lauren Kim, any student is welcome to receive help, no matter what issues they may be experiencing at the time. “Once the program is up and running, we will meet one-on-one with any student who is facing any difficulty, whether it be academic, mental or emotional,” Kim said. According to Spalding, Rotary Interact is excited to implement Peer Mediation

because the club finds it necessary to provide help to students at Peninsula. At Peninsula, students are often put under pressure to succeed academically. The

because the closer age gap would help students feel more comfortable to talk about their issues. “It is hard to work out any problem in general and even harder when an adult is involved [because they may not relate to you],” Ruiz said. “Working out problems with another student should be easier because students have a similar perspective [as other students].” Another goal of Peer Mediation is to help students feel more at home at Peninsula. According to Kim, the program hopes to help students realize that they are not alone in their problems. Members of Rotary Interact believe that sometimes, the best thing to do when one is discouraged is to have the opportunity to talk about their troubles with others. “It is okay to not always be okay,” Kim said. “Peninsula has such a strong reputation of students with a ‘cando’ attitude, but we must learn to understand that it is completely human to not always feel well and not feel comfortable talking about it.” Rotary Interact hopes that using Peer Mediation to help students understand what they are going through will change how they feel about themselves and others. They want every student in the school to know that when there is trouble of any kind in their lives, they are here to help.

RECORDING STUDIO TO BE INSTALLED IN CHOIR ROOM Kaitlyn Ho and Kristen Lu

M AD D IE Y EH / TH E PE N

their voices.” Any student who has an interest in using the choir studio will be allowed to use it after signing up for a designated time slot with Doctor’s permission. While Doctor does not know what the future of the new recording studio may hold, he hopes that it will soon become more than just a class resource used by his own students. “I have no idea where the recording studio will end up taking us,” Doctor said. “It could someday end up turning into a class. My hope is to show students that they really have the potential in them to do a lot. I am hopeful that it is not only a recruitment tool but also a fun way for students to learn in a different way.”

SHAI BECKER / THE PEN

In order to enhance Peninsula’s choir program and provide students with readily available resources to further their musical passions, a recording studio is being added to the back of Peninsula’s choir room. Peninsula Advanced Placement Music Theory, AVID 10 and Choir teacher Daniel Doctor’s motivation for the recording studio was largely driven by his want to better his choir students’ learning experience. “I wanted an opportunity to be able to record choir in a choir setting and to give students the opportunity to work on their own material,” Doctor said. “I also thought that it was necessary to teach students about the general rules of sound production.” The recording studio is currently a work in progress and will be completed once the room is fully set up with the appropriate equipment. Much of the equipment was donated by district grants, the choir booster organization and the Peninsula Education Foundation. Senior Paolo Gonzalez appreciates having this facility open to students on campus. As a student who posts song covers on

social media platforms such as YouTube and Instagram, Gonzalez hopes to take advantage of the studio himself. “Choir students will learn their parts and practice songs more,” Gonzalez said. “Recording the songs we learn together will be a fun experience and will teach students how to record music. This recording studio would allow for the students who may not have the right tools to record by themselves to now have the opportunity to record their own music.” Junior Miyuki Mori believes that the recording studio will also have a substantial effect on the sound quality of her fellow students’ choir performances and the willingness of other students to pursue music at Peninsula. “The recording studio is a place where students [passionate about] recording music can use it under the guidance of Mr. Doctor, who will be helping people in the studio,” Mori said. “It will also allow us to take more time in improving our voices individually. Choir members will pay more attention to how each of our voices sound, which improves the music as a whole. It will also definitely provide a place for people to try something new and will [act as] a safe place to work on

OPINION EDITORS: Fiona Andersons Jacci Engler WRITERS: Maddy Christen Anna Mytko Imogene Tomicic FOCUS EDITORS: Minji Jeun Fiona Yang WRITERS: Caitlyn Lee Emma Mulligan Tilly Safavian STUDENT LIFE EDITORS: Keila Bara James O’Dea WRITERS: Rosalie Burich Yaseen El-Magharbel Abigail Shane SPORTS EDITOR: Casey Syal WRITERS: Jeremy Kim Marcus Kim Angelina Mendoza GRAPHICS Shai Becker Patrick Chan Helen Huang Alicia Jeong Ashley Kim Jihee Seo Maddie Yeh BUSINESS & ADVERTISING Ashley Deng Caroline Horn Lina Kugaya ADVISER Jaymee DeMeyer “The Pen” is the student newspaper produced by the advanced journalism students of Palos Verdes Peninsula High School. It is published eight times per year. Advertising inquiries may be directed to Advertising Manager Elana Ho at (310) 377- 4888 ext. 652. The Pen editors appreciate Letters to the Editor, which are accepted up to one week before publication. You may submit them to H52 or to Jaymee DeMeyer’s mailbox. Copyright © 2019 Cover Design by Mati Yang Andrew Sinsioco

RIANNE AGUAS / the pen

CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS ON THE PENINSULA DISRUPT STUDENTS’ COMMUTE Maddy ChristEN For the past few months, cities in the Palos Verdes Peninsula have been conducting various construction projects and roadwork to better the hill’s safety and security. As a result, roads such as Crenshaw Boulevard, Western Avenue and Silver Arrow Drive have all been partially or fully closed off, causing the traffic flow to slow down and become crowded. Although the ultimate purpose of these projects is to upgrade the community’s infrastructure, such as adding a new water pipeline, the numerous developments in progress have caused delays to students’ schedules and distress in the community. Thus, these construction projects should be planned out beforehand throughout the year to keep morning school traffic from becoming more hectic than it already is. “[While driving to school], one of the roads adjacent to my car was blocked off, so this one angry driver sped right past me and almost hit my car trying to take a detour,” junior Thy Do said. “If the endless amount of road work sites were decreased, drivers on the roads would become less impatient and put safety first over their destination.” When commuting to school, many students now need to become accustomed to the traffic by leaving earlier or taking a longer route. As a result, students often end

up with tardies which causes them to face the consequences of the attendance policy at Peninsula. Construction companies have suggested drivers use alternate routes and navigation apps to avoid the delays, but these options become futile because a number of drivers would then use such routes as a substitute for their normal commute. “During the first-semester finals week, I ended up being 30 minutes late to class since I took an alternate road instead of the intersection at Western Boulevard and Palos Verdes Drive North, which is under construction,” junior Jackson Grant said. “In addition to this delay, [I ran into] three more construction sites on my way to school. Now, I have to leave 30 minutes earlier in the morning in order to get to school on time.” Not only is the scheduling of these construction projects causing upset within the community, but the safety of the individuals who share these roads are also at risk. According to the Federal Highway Administration, the number of deaths in crashes that occur in construction and maintenance work zones is 27,037 individuals, which equates to about 773 people every year. Additionally, the frequent sightings of cones, construction workers, police officers, arrows, lines and traffic lights can cause confusion to commuters. Without a clear understanding of what guidelines to follow,

this can factor into the increase in accidents. The close proximity of the construction projects and the working road can also increase the potential hazards for all drivers who pass through these roads. “When I was driving down Crenshaw Boulevard to get lunch with my grandpa, a piece of metal flew out from the construction site and cracked my grandpa’s car windshield,” senior Aeris Ma said. “Because of all of the different roadwork projects underway, it would make sense that the risk of being in a construction-related car accident would increase. However, if the construction projects were spread out over increments of time, this would decrease these hazards significantly.”

NEWS EDITORS: Kaitlyn Ho Kristen Lu WRITERS: Sofia Lauro Alex Perez Jack Sedillos Clara Reckhorn

HEAD OF BUSINESS Elana Ho

DESIGN EDITOR Alex Yoo

Lancer Link, it is statistically proven that students perform better academically when they are dressed in clothes of their choosing-clothes that make them feel confident. Strict dress codes take this away for students, and students should not have to lose their selfconfidence to follow a school’s dress code. Outfits that a school deems inappropriate do not inhibit a student’s academic experience--strict dress codes do. Peninsula permits students to dress in a way that allows students to express themselves through their clothing and does so without hindering students’ self-confidence, and the code should continue to be enforced like this for its future students like Taryn Yamato. In a world that needs individuality and creative expression in education, the workplace and our youth, allowing students to find themselves through their choice of clothing is imperative now more than ever.

MANAGING EDITOR Ana Willoughby

Since the beginnings of America, freedom of expression is what has been emphasized, encouraged and listed in our constitution. Yet, the extent to this right has historically and currently been debated upon with topics ranging from hate speech to dress codes. On Feb. 4, local mother Carrie Yamato posted an article about this latter topic regarding the effects of different dress codes on her daughter’s transition from middle school to high school. This piece illustrated her daughter, Taryn Yamato’s, increasing concerns for the outfit she plans to wear at her local high school’s upcoming Shadow Day. Carrie Yamato voiced that her daughter’s transition from the dress code at her current school to the local high school is supposedly causing Taryn Yamato to become excessively self-conscious of her attire. However, increased contemplation of one’s attire as he or she transitions into high school can be also seen as an indication of growing up, as fewer restrictions on dress codes actually give us more freedom to discover our individuality through clothing. Although the flexibility of our dress code may open possibilities for indecency or increased scrutiny of one’s self-image, it gives us a chance to utilize our freedom of expression as growing young adults. At Peninsula, the dress code is outlined in the 2019-20 school year handbook guidelines and states that one’s dress or appearance should not disrupt the education

of others. The dress code notes that shoes should be worn at all times, clothing with revealing holes is deemed inappropriate, backless tops, bathing suits, and sports bras are not permitted, shirts must be worn at all times, no undergarments can show and clothing with alcohol, drugs, obscene pictures or language and derogatory remarks are not to be worn. Of course, this dress code leaves room for leniency in the length of clothing pieces, types of shirts and other possible outfit details, as it restricts options that would clearly offend someone on campus or would be defined as publicly indecent attire. Beyond these restrictions, however, the line of the appropriateness of a student’s clothing becomes more blurred, and those on the borderline and accused of violating the dress code are often judged subjectively and even unfairly. In addition, stricter dress codes such as the one at Taryn Yamato’s private school leave limited leeway for students’ expression of identity and if students violate the dress code, they often are met with some form of punishment. Being called out for violating a dress code can challenge a teenager’s mindset and hinder one’s selfesteem. Furthermore, according to The

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Rianne Aguas Asumi Shuda

editorial staff

27118 Silver Spur Road, Rolling Hills Estates, CA 90274

DRESS CODES SHOULD NOT ROB US OF OUR FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

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THE PEN PALOS VERDES PENINSULA HIGH SCHOOL

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Editorial

A PLAGUE OF DISCRIMINATION

OPINION

Coronavirus outbreak results in discrimination against Asian community anna mytko According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the first case of CORONA-19, better known as the coronavirus, in the United States (U.S.) was reported on Jan. 30. This caused the U.S. to begin to take precautions against this virus by banning travel to and from China. According to the World Health Organization, there have been 74,675 confirmed cases of this virus in China and roughly 2,126 casualties in the world as of Feb. 19. The coronavirus has also spread to other cities around the world, including Los Angeles. Based on research conducted at Shandong Medical University in Shandong, China, the coronavirus originated in bats and then spread to humans through the sale of exotic wildlife in Chinese markets. According to the British Broadcasting Corporation, the coronavirus’ origin in China has led to racial stereotyping being generalized toward the entire continent of Asia. According to an ethnic group report provided by Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District (PVPUSD), roughly 42 percent of Peninsula students are Asian. To ensure that its large population of Asian students are not discriminated against because of the coronavirus, PVPUSD should increase school-wide education on the topic. This can help ensure that fear of the coronavirus is not directed at a group of people simply based on association of race. According to the CDC, over 10 million people have evacuated China due to the coronavirus as of Feb. 5. There have been 15 cases of the virus in the U.S. as of Feb. 19, creating nationwide panic regarding the circulation of the disease. However, increasing panic has resulted not only from the new cases themselves, but from unfair assumptions made toward Asians regarding the spread of the coronavirus. Co-executive director of Chinese for Affirmative Action Vincent Pan states that the disease is a powerful way to turn groups of people against another. This group alienation can be seen with the new outbreaks, as Asian-Americans reported to the New York Times that they have purposely been avoided on public transportation. Such actions indicate how people have racially generalized this virus through placing unfair assumptions on people of Asian descent. This discrimination further demonstrates the need for groups of people to tackle this global crisis together rather than unjustly ostracize a single race. “I have seen people behaving rudely to any Asian-American who coughs or wears a face mask since the outbreak of the coronavirus,” junior Alexis Ferguson said. “I do not think they should be discriminated against because of where the

virus started. No one intended for this virus to happen and [mistreating minorities] out of fear or anger should not be acceptable.” While there are currently no cases of the coronavirus at Peninsula, it has still affected students on campus. Several students, including junior Erica Wan and senior Elaine Yu, have family members quarantined in China. These relatives must remain in China for two weeks until they are determined “clear” of the virus in order to return to America, and even then, there is no guarantee that they will be allowed back. President Trump attempted to aid those affected by the coronavirus through evacuating 500 U.S. citizens from China, but excluded dual-citizens from the group. This decision exemplifies stereotyping on a government level and creates more division in the U.S. “My mom recently travelled to China and has not been able to come home due to her dual-citizenship,” Wan said. “This is extremely unfair because she is still a U.S. citizen and should be able to return home. Not allowing dual-citizens to go back home indicates a large degree of stereotyping that should not be happening.” To combat this stereotyping, PVPUSD should educate students on the virus to help them better understand the need for unity. This can be done through emails, announcements and videos explaining the issue at hand and stating that PVPUSD finds unfair discrimination against any group of people unacceptable. Assemblies could be held to emphasize the problem’s importance and more serious consequences can be implemented for those who continue to scrutinize Asians due to the coronavirus. No matter the circumstances, people should never turn to stereotyping to combat their problems or reassure themselves. “We should not allow ourselves to mix fear with racism,” junior Jason Apostol said. “When it comes to combating this virus, we as humans must work together to find a cure.”

WE SHOULD NOT ALLOW OURSELVES TO MIX FEAR WITH RACISM. WHEN IT COMES TO COMBATING THIS VIRUS, WE AS HUMANS MUST WORK TOGETHER TO FIND A CURE. -JUNIOR JASON APOSTOL

Alex yoo / the pen

focus 6 ANDRES MAKES HER SKILLS KNOWN IN NATIONAL FENCING COMPETITION Emma Mulligan On Feb. 15, 2019, freshman Katherine Andres competed in her first Junior Olympics fencing tournament. Although it is often for most to begin fencing at the age of four, Andres began at ten years old when she came across an ad for fencing training in the local newspaper. Regardless, the past three and a half years of her training at the South Bay Fencing Academy allowed her to connect to many influential people, including her coach Matteo Gallo. Andres and Gallo met at an international fencing camp in Italy who has been training her for years. “I would never have imagined that I would move to the United States and [train young fencers] like Andres,” Gallo said. “I became a member of the coaching staff, and she was a very young American fencer attending the camp. Three years later, I became her coach, and we started our fencing journey together.” Fencers typically have to apply and qualify for Junior Olympic tournaments, but Andres was able to be positioned into the Cadet level at top 32 and overall 80th in Division I as a fencer in the age group Y-14, two levels above her age group. “Katherine was able to win a wonderful bronze medal at a Y-14 National Tournament, establishing herself as a contender for the National Championships,” Gallo said. “Of course, Katherine still has a lot

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Kath es

Andr Helen Huang / The Pen Julia Kahen

more to achieve, and it is a work in progress everyday. I feel incredibly lucky to have an inspiring student who is willing to challenge and improve herself every day.” However, during Andres’ second year at the fencing camp in Italy, she experienced a setback in her fencing career. From an accidental injury of a forceful interaction with another fencer, Andres ended up with a broken wrist, resulting in her attending physical therapy while being in a cast for four months. Although the injury to her dominant wrist significantly impacted her performance, she still continued to fence daily while injured. “I continued to train at my club and worked with everything but my wrist,” Andres said. “I trained myself to become [ambidextrous when it came to fencing]. When I started fencing again, it was like starting all over, [like I was a beginner].” After recovering from her injury, Andres began training two and a half hours for six days per week while playing on Peninsula’s golf team. According to her mother Charmiley Andres, her optimistic attitude and commitment toward fencing contribute to her succeeding above her own age group. “[After her injury], she [never settled down when it came to fencing],” Charmiley Andres said. “Katherine prioritizing school and yet [respecting her boundaries] when it comes to being an athlete, shows her commitment she has for the hobbies that are important to her. The commitment and dedication in everything she does, especially fencing, made her a top 10 ranked national fencer within the Y-14 Women Saber Division.” Junior Olympics fencing tournaments are made up of the highest skilled fencers throughout the world who are categorized by skill levels: Cadet (Y-17) and Juniors (Y20). Tournaments that last around ten hours of backto-back matches, depend on who can score 15 touches in five to eight minutes based on the type of fencing such as sabre, foil or an epee. “Fencing is a profound individual sport, so you can only rely on yourself [during a match],” Andres said. “There is no one to blame but yourself. On the other hand, you control everything that is yet to happen. Fencing has become my motivation [towards] my aspiration.”

BREAKING LIMITS

focus 7

FRESHMAN RYAN PA NG TAKES FIRST PL A Caitlyn Lee CE AT TAEKWONDO C OMPETITION cardiovascular an Peninsula freshm d endurance trai an Ryan Pa

ng holds a third belt in taek won -degree black do. At first , Pang began training in as an addition to taek wondo playing soccer, bu t he eventually pu it competitively. rsued Now, Pang trains six days per wee instructs taek w k and ondo to younge r children at the Kwon Do Cente K .S Choi Tae r. “[ When I first st ar ted,] I saw the black-belt studen training, which in ts spired me to be come like them,” “Taekwondo ke Pang said. eps me strong ph ysically and men fun yet challengin tally and is g, [especially whe n] memorizing al and moves.” l the forms Ryan Pang placed first for the 2018 America’s Taek w United States of ondo (USAT ) N ational competit which took plac ion, e in Salt Lake C ity, Utah. Before entering

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t he U SA c natio ompete i T compet n a st n al s f in v ar i t io n , or at io P sparr us taek w a week. e qualifier ang had t o At n a o nd o ing. R b e fo r ti y f he r s on’s d an Pang’s orms, incl onals, Pan e at tendin Ryan Pa “ Wi n e t e r mi n a m ot he r G ud i ng p o o g p ar t ic i p g c l e a a t ms r ac or r that ng’s paren io n t o ted G r ac ts m t he impro e Pang fe ae and e Pan lose, [my c omm e l s in son] g s a id ve th hi s b e itmen y suppor t ade it s w e p . i s nvolv ill a l ired b st a “ He t to t t h e ir e fo e a y Altho nd never g inspires m ways be m rms. the fa d with his ek wondo son’s i u y v e g e s up ch h mo m b P a ng t b e c au .” st along ilies of ot aek wondo y get ting e se he ampion,” s h Out o njoys com competit i a s t ud i d e l r e w stu hi ays tr or wit h p f ie s his pe m. Ryan P dents wh o and poom 10 0 comp eting in bo s focus o a ng i s o er s. n t s e “ We grate compete Pang ae. Despit titors, Ry h poomsa one form, are [c f u e a nd a fo u n d an P a e not R l to t n y d l o se w an wit h ng r a ravel s p ar r p l ac i n t he w “ It w ith] t t h n i t e k n g h a e g e o o fi d a . h k t le e x p r s t in s a gr e h w 2 e 0 t at h l e o r t h fo r e at e r ie tha te comp ndo team parents,” aek wondo e t it i much s in the co experienc nce unfor t categor y i s li stu Rya e , Ryan g u l On A ons,] we s ke a secon n Pang sa dio any to arger, and ntr y,” Pan to compe et table. id . “ upp df t he N pr il 4 , 2 te w g sa t he ur n 0 2 0 , or t a nd c a m i l y t o u T h e evada A con ament I h competiti id. “The t ith the to R h s. [A e s y S t at e q e a ave g our n a on w p s t ant I t is a ualifie tate Quali n Pang wi r for each t o a m n s s e t e a r c n l t s u fiers l be c l om pe rs , th ot he r in order trug gle fo g gle for R o before.” ot toughe t was o summ tition will e 2020 US Las Vega mpeting .” r t h an r hi m y an P to co in b s an A e to m pe n team r. He hop e held in S T nationa . Followin sate f fight wit g is his sh g e l t h t a ll a or t h o o s t t he n a r t s e t A o st e is, Ry “Taek uppor t an continue ntonio, T k wondo an Pa r opponen ature. d e w t x o tr a comp ng h a o nd o a s du alway vel ete s to w t s. In r in ha s or k o conti tr y my be s taught m alongsid with his c g the n e nu e t u s t ,” Ry rrent e to n t he m o [in co . a mpet train hard n Pang sa ever give u , i t io n s i ] and compete d. “My go p and a l s ar at a n make e ev t he n at i o n e n h i g h e r t o al t e a level m.”

Ryan Pang

STUDENT LIFE

A TWIST ON THRIFTING Sophomore alters thrifted clothing for profit

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In August 2019, sophomore Hunter Jung created a business where she thrifts and alters clothing. Jung was inspired to begin thrifting by a YouTube channel called “BestDressed” that shows its content creator thrifting, altering and selling vintage clothing. After watching this channel, Jung began to thrift at Goodwill and Salvation Army. Then, in November, she made an Instagram page to sell the clothing she altered to make a profit. To further improve her altered pieces, Jung purchased a sewing machine and taught herself new and more complex altering techniques. “The style that I usually thrift is a mix of softer vintage items and street style,” Jung said. “However, when I am thrifting, I try to have an open mind and choose clothes that stand out the most.” Jung has always been creative, and she has always had a passion for sewing and fashion. She not only uses her skills for her business, but also for her own clothes. For this year’s Winter Formal, Jung made her dress from scratch. Without a template, she gathered grey silks and cut and sewed pieces to form the body of the wrapped skater-style dress. Using extra fabric, she twisted and sewed a matching belt. Gold embroidery was then sewn onto the shoulder straps and the upper chest of the dress. Hunter’s sister, senior Hannah Jung, was with her throughout the dressmaking process and gave her advice on the outcome of the piece. “Watching Hunter make the dress was so inspiring because she put in her best effort and worked for so many days to have it look high-end,” Hannah Jung said. Hunter Jung uses a variety of techniques to alter thrifted clothes. Prior to owning a sewing machine, Hunter Jung would hand-paint items or apply iron-on patches to sweatshirts and shirts. Now, she incorporates styles that require sewing, such as altering or cropping the hem of a shirt or sweatshirt. To produce this particular style, Hunter Jung cuts open the bottom hem of a shirt and uses an elastic

band to produce a cinched effect by sewing it into the seam. She also fixes the sizes of her clothing by cutting and sewing the waist on a pair of jeans. These alterations vary in the time it takes to complete; a scrunched hem polo can take ten minutes, while cutting a pair of jeans into shorts could take one to two hours. “Once, I altered a size-36 waist pair of men’s jeans into a size-24 pair of mom shorts,” Hunter Jung said. “I then used the scrap fabric to sew a reversible denim bucket hat.” Hunter Jung’s instagram account, @alteredshop, has gained a following of 63 students from Peninsula. All of her items range from $5 to $12. Hunter Jung advertised her business through social media, and her friends helped and supported her by spreading the word of her business and buying from her. Sophomore Lindsey Burruss is a frequent customer of Jung’s business. Her favorite purchase is a pink cropped buttonup shirt with a cinched hem. Burruss also thrifts, and she notices the high quality in the clothing that Hunter Jung chooses to sell to her customers. “I believe that her= clothes are extremely well-made because she examines for stains and rips on the clothing and fixes them to look perfect,” Burruss said. In the future, Hunter Jung hopes to start making and selling beaded jewelry. She would also like to grow her company outside of Instagram and sell her items on Depop, an app where people can buy and sell used clothing. She finds selling her thrifted items extremely rewarding, for she can make others happy when they buy her clothes, and she believes that she is learning how to be more hard-working and self-motivating through this business. “My favorite part about altering and thrifting is seeing people’s reactions when I give them their item,” Hunter Jung said. “I tend to be overambitious and take many hours to complete a piece, but it is always worth it in the end. I would love to see this business grow so I can spread joy through what I create.”

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FERNANDEZ TAKES HOME FIRST Junior wins first place in pep flags competition

2019-20

DEMEYER’S

ISSUE 6 (3/20) ISSUE 7 (4/24) ISSUE 8 (5/22)

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On Jan. 4, junior Nicolette Fernandez competed as a soloist representing Peninsula in the Sharp International Dance Competition. This competition, which took place at El Monte High School, included pep flags, song, cheer and other dance teams. Fernandez prepared for this competition by choreographing and practicing her routine, resulting in her winning first place in the pep flags solo division and receiving a trophy. Senior Sydney Choi admires Fernandez’s dedication and hard work. “I am very proud of Nicolette for representing the Peninsula dance community in such a difficult competition,” Choi said. “Her winning first place out of the entire flags division is amazing, and she has made every one of her teammates proud.” Fernandez became interested in pep flags three years ago. The Peninsula team went to a pep flags camp during the summer before her freshman year, where she saw another team named Revolve perform. She was very impressed by the team’s talents, and they inspired her to devote her time to Peninsula’s pep flags team. “The members of Revolve were so amazing and really inspired me,” Fernandez said. “They opened my eyes to the possibility of competing.” When Fernandez finished choreographing her routine, she then spent time perfecting moves and making sure the routine looked

performance-ready. She also had to commit her movements to muscle memory while focusing on facial expressions simultaneously. On the weekdays, she would go home and practice her routine for at least an hour. On the weekends, she dedicated at least four and a half hours to practice. Fernandez explained that although the process of working on her routine was tedious, she constantly motivated herself with her ultimate goal of winning first place. Fernandez continues to find room for improvement, but she is always willing to work hard. Fernandez’s mom and pep flags head coach, Lori Fernandez, supports Nicolette Fernandez in anything she is passionate about and expressed how proud she is of her daughter. “Nicolette works so hard and is dedicated to doing her best,” Lori Fernandez said. “I am always very happy with her results, and I know that she will continue to achieve great things in the future.” Nicolette Fernandez hopes to compete in many more competitions in the future, and she plans on continuing to improve. She claims that although she might not always win or perform her best at every competition, she has to keep a positive mindset to do better next time. “You have to go into anything competitive thinking that you are going to do the best you can,” Nicolette Fernandez said. “All of the work you put in helps you earn you the firstplace spot.”

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YASEEN EL-MAGHARBEL

STUDENT LIFE 9

SPORTS 10 GIRLS’ BASKETBALL TAKES BAY LEAGUE TITLE ANGELINA MENDOZA On Feb. 6, the varsity girls’ basketball team won the Bay League title for the first time in 20 years. The girls’ overall record this season was 20-8 with a record of 8-2 in Bay League play. After winning against Redondo Union High School and securing their playoff spot, the team is looking forward to their CIF run. According to varsity head coach Natalie Kelly, the team worked on applying techniques from practice, such as on-court communication and transitions between plays. The team also continued to build on their strengths on offense and defense while adding more underclassmen players each season. “We executed our offense and defense really well, especially against the difficult teams in the Bay League this season,” Kelly said. “Over the years, the team improved both individually and collectively and worked together to learn their strengths and weaknesses.” Along with this technical aspect, the team focused on improving the team dynamic on the court. During practice, Kelly would make sure that everyone was on the same page so that they could fully execute their game plan on the court. Kelly says that she is looking forward to watching how the girls communicate in their upcoming playoff run. “During the season, I wanted the girls to get closer on and off of the court [so they could] become familiar

AT THIS POINT, I THINK WE ARE PLAYING AT A HIGH LEVEL, AND I AM EXCITED TO SHOW UP AND PLAY. - COACH NATALIE KELLY

with how they work and play together on the court,” Kelly said. “At this point, I think we are playing at a high level, and I am excited for my girls to show up to games and play.” Sophomore and varsity captain Kelly Au is happy to see that the work that they put in pay off. Initially, it took the team several weeks to learn how to play with one another and finalize their game plan for the season. Now, as the team reaches the end of their season, they have found their style of play and are working together as a team. “We definitely need to put in the work and improve our strategy because the competition will be just as good, if not better than us,” Au said. “However, I do not think the team dynamic should change much because we will bring our productive energy into CIF playoffs.” Sophomore Jami Galdones believes their Bay League win was well-deserved because of all the effort they put in throughout the season, and she has high hopes for winning a CIF championship. “I think we worked well as a team this year and supported each other when things were not going our way on the court,” Galdones said. The girls’ team won their second playoff game 5646 on Feb. 15 against Tesoro High School. They beat Yucaipa High School 55-35 in their third playoff game on Feb. 19 to move on to the fourth round.

JENNA YAMADA and Kelly AU KYLE FELLER

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JORDAN PINEDA

RILEY MATSUDA

STUDENTS HONOR BRYANT’S LEGACY

Megan HWANG

SHEFALI MISTRY

DANIEL MEYERHOFF

HOLDEN SANDERSON

JEREMY KIM AND MARCUS KIM On Jan. 26, Kobe Bryant, Gianna Bryant, Alyssa Altobelli, John Altobelli, Keri Altobelli, Payton Chester, Sarah Chester, Christina Mauser and Ara Zobayan passed away in a helicopter crash. When the news of his passing was first reported, many students at Peninsula posted on social media to say that they hoped it was just a false rumor. As it started to become clear that the news was indeed factual, students began to post their favorite highlights, quotes and images of Kobe Bryant. His death led students to reminisce about how much they had looked up to him and recall how much of an impact he had on their lives. To honor him, many students at Peninsula donned their number eight and 24 Kobe Bryant jerseys on the Monday after his passing. The week after, Peninsula’s girls’ and boys’ varsity basketball competed in Lakersthemed games against Redondo Union High School, where students wore the Lakers’ purple and gold colors in honor of Kobe Bryant and his legacy. The girls’ varsity team won 66-60 and the boys’ varsity team won 62-49. The group in the helicopter was on their way to Gianna Bryant and Alyssa Altobelli’s youth basketball game. After taking off from John Wayne Airport in Orange County, the helicopter crashed into an area in Thousand Oaks at around 9:45 a.m. The cause of the incident is still being investigated, but it is believed that thick fog may have been one of the reasons. Kobe Bryant was known to frequently use helicopters to travel around Southern California to maximize the time he could spend with his family. Kobe Bryant spent the entirety of his 20-year career in Los Angeles, winning five NBA Championships and being named the 2008 NBA Most Valuable Player. The fact that LA was his hometown meant that the Lakers player was an inspiration to a number of Peninsula students, including boys’ varsity basketball captain and senior Caleb Hall. He credits Bryant with being his role model as he started his career in basketball. During elementary and middle school, Hall wore 24 as his jersey number to pay homage to Bryant.

“I was devastated and confused when I found out that Kobe had died,” Hall said. “However, I chose to be happy that he got me, and millions of others, into basketball in the first place.” Boys’ varsity basketball player and senior Sanjay Kumar is another person who has been influenced by Bryant’s career. He often tries to incorporate elements of Bryant’s playing style into his own, especially under pressure. “I try to model my game after Kobe’s,” Kumar said. “I have always admired his ability to always come through for his team in the pressure moments at the end of the day.” Peninsula students also looked up to Bryant because of his work ethic. According to Fox Sports, Bryant only slept four hours a night and would often arrive to practice two to three hours before any of his teammates or coaches. Sophomore Bradley Soh has always tried to draw from Bryant’s determination and work ethic, known as Mamba Mentality, which is a reference to Bryant’s nickname, “The Black Mamba.” “Mamba Mentality means pushing yourself until you can not possibly go any farther. You can apply this to anything in life, not just in basketball,” Soh said. “The Mamba Mentality motivated me to continuously work on improving in basketball and go the extra mile without any excuses.” Throughout his life, Kobe Bryant tried to instill this Mamba Mentality into his four daughters. In order to help Gianna Bryant achieve her dream of playing in the Women’s National Basketball Association, Kobe Bryant became the coach of her youth basketball team. Girls’ varsity basketball head coach Natalie Kelly admires Kobe Bryant for being a prominent supporter of girls’ and womens’ basketball and his continued work with youth basketball leagues. “His support of girls’ basketball was phenomenal, as he was making a real difference by creating opportunities for young athletes,” Kelly said. “It was tremendous that he founded the Mamba Sports Academy to train and teach kids because sports are important for developing importantlife skills such as leadership, discipline and teamwork.”

SPORTS

CHRISTIAN MIRAMONTES

TROY SIMPKINS

MICHAEL TAKAMI

PIERson CAI

ASHLEY KIM / the pen CASEY SYAL / the pen EDWARD CHOI OLIVIA GRAY

SANJAY KUMAR

MARA MAHONEY

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