Issue 5 by The Pen Newspaper

VOL. XXXVIII ISSUE 5 February 16, 2018

BOOKS AND BILLS Los Angeles County libraries waive late fees for young adults under 21 to encourage reading OPINION PAGE 5

Girl Power

Finding a Voice

Muscle Madness

Peninsula girls attend Girls Build LA Leadership Summit

Students use their voices to share their passions

Junior pursues the sport of bodybuilding

NEWS PAGE 2

FOCUS PAGES 6-7

SPORTS PAGE 11

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news

students at peninsula attend gbla summit MINJI JEUN A group of 45 female Peninsula students, along with four teachers, attended the annual Girls Build Los Angeles (GBLA) Leadership Summit at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Dec. 15. There were 10,000 people in attendance who came to hear empowering stories from successful women of diverse backgrounds in different fields, from Olympic athletes to CEOs of beauty companies. The program consisted of interviews, fireside chats, speeches and a guided meditation session. Notable speakers included former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton as well as Sen. Kamala Harris. Former first lady Michelle Obama also contributed to the event by submitting a video message which touched on how empowered women are the key to progress. Chemistry Honors and Physio/ Anatomy teacher Paula Borstel organized this trip for Peninsula students. Borstel wishes to help increase the number of women in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math field. “A friend of mine who teaches at another school made me aware of this great opportunity,” Borstel said. “I thought this would be a great experience for our students. [As a start], it would be wonderful to help found a GBLA group here.” Advanced Placement Physics 1 and 2 teacher Mike Spalding accompanied

Borstel as a chaperone for the event. “I heard about GBLA from Borstel at our science department meeting,” Spalding said. “I asked her if I could chaperone because I wanted to hear Hillary Clinton and Kamala Harris speak in person.” As one of very few men in attendance, Spalding was able to view the event from a different perspective. He noted how the event was geared toward positively encouraging young women to achieve their highest potential. “I thought the whole day was great,” Spalding said. “We had good seats and the speakers were awesome. I helped make up the small percentage of males in the audience. There were very inspirational speakers and really great messages for girls to get involved in making the world a better place.” Sophomore Yeji Cho was among the 45 Peninsula students with a seat in the convention center. Cho was excited to be able to be part of this gathering of successful women in one event. “The GBLA Leadership Summit was an incredibly empowering experience,” Cho said. “I was inspired by the way the speakers included successful people from such a broad range of fields, from doctors to politicians to entrepreneurs. Each person spoke about their struggles as a woman in their fields and made sure we felt ready to grow into leaders. The sense of community and support was incredible. [It] made all of us feel united and strong.”

“The sense of community and support was incredible. [it] made all of us feel united and strong.” -sophomore yeji cho

jenna yamada / The Pen

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deadly Flu strain invades the south bay OLIN OSBORNE III

{ } The number of flu-related deaths have doubled in La County since 2016-17*

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*According to the daily breeze

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“The Hospitalizer” is the nickname of this year’s dominant flu strain, the H3N2 virus. According to data released by the California Department of Public Health, 163 people have died since the onset of this flu season with 36 of those deaths occurring in a single week. The South Bay has been hit particularly hard by the recent influenza outbreak, with the Torrance Memorial Medical Center reporting a record breaking number of emergency room visits this season. In a statement to the Daily Breeze, Dr. Eric Nakkim, medical director for the Torrance Memorial Emergency Department, said the emergency room is now at more than 300 patients per day, when it normally treats about 250 patients at this time of year. Junior Sarah Espiritu, who caught the flu in late December, recalls that this outbreak is much worse than anything she has previously experienced. “I have only caught the flu twice in my life,” Espiritu said. “The first time was when I was around seven, and the second was during winter break. Having the flu was awful. My headaches and body aches left me bedridden and for the first few days while ill, I could barely eat. I was so sick that my mom even suggested taking me to the hospital. It was way worse than any sickness I have ever had before.” The impact of this flu season is also felt on Peninsula’s campus, with a steadily climbing number of students getting sick. According to attendance clerk Bonnie Keilbach, a noticeable number of absences have occurred due to sickness in the past few months. “There have been quite a few students who have

been out for illness and parents who have called in saying their student has the flu,” Keilbach said. The increased number of reported infections could also be due to the lack of efficacy of the current vaccine and the low number of people who get the flu shot. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health reported that current flu vaccinations are more effective against influenza B and influenza A H1N1 viruses, but offer less protection against the current virus. However, in a press release on Jan. 10, LA County public health officials strongly urged flu vaccinations for everyone. Advanced Placement Biology teacher assistant and medical school graduate Ross Camua also strongly recommends getting the flu shot to help prevent spreading the flu to others. “Getting the flu shot is one of the best things you can do to protect yourself from the most common flu strains,” Camua said. “At the same time, it also builds herd immunity, which means that by getting immunized you protect others from getting sick by not falling ill yourself.” By missing school due to sickness, students negatively impact their studies, emotional well-being and even school funding. Due to this, school nurse Wendy Keller recommends that students take certain preventative measures. “During cold and flu season everyone needs to make sure to get enough sleep, fluids and nutrition,” Keller said. “Other things students should do to stay healthy include washing hands frequently with soap and warm water, staying away from those who are ill and refraining from touching their mouth, nose and eyes.”

PVPUSd votes to appoint a new board member SHENAYA YAZDANI On Dec. 4, Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District (PVPUSD) board member Malcolm Sharp submitted his resignation to the Los Angeles County Superintendent of Schools. Sharp’s term was set to end in November 2018, but he chose to step down after 12 years in that position so that he and his wife can relocate closer to family. His resignation was effective Jan. 18. The school board had the option of either calling a special election or appointing a replacement in order to select a new member to fill the vacant position. “At the board meeting, four of the five board members voted to appoint a person to the board for the remainder of the year rather than holding a special election,” Board of Education President Anthony Collatos said. “In general, most board members expressed reservations to spend district money to hold a special election.” The school board decided not to have a special election take place because it was estimated that a June election would cost approximately $80,000. This would have also caused the school board to be without a fifth member until voters selected a replacement on June 5. “I think most people would agree that an election is always preferable for a position as a public official, but

an election is also costly, so that needs to be taken into account,” Advanced Placement English Literature and English 3 teacher Bruce Colin said. The last time the school board had a vacancy, it was filled by appointing a new member.

“I believe it is important to select a candidate that is interested in serving all students and all schools throughout the District.” -Board of Education President Anthony Collatos “It was a good idea for the school board to appoint a member instead of holding a special election,” student board member and senior Ashley Knebel said. “This process allows the school board to select someone with similar qualities as Sharp, and this will hopefully create a smooth transition. A special election also generates a

lot of attention that could potentially prevent the board from running smoothly, and I think after a particularly tense beginning of the year, the board’s main focus is staying on schedule and keeping everyone as happy as possible.” The Los Angeles County Office of Education gave the school board until Feb. 2 to either appoint or have a special election for the new member. This time frame is what caused the school board to call a special meeting before their regular meeting on Jan. 17. At the Feb. 1 special meeting, the board appointed community member Richard Phillips to fill the vacancy of Sharp. Knebel stated that dedication and experience were the primary qualities that the school board was looking for in the new member. “Sharp had years of prior experience serving on the Peninsula Education Foundation Board as well as with other parent groups, so as a school board member he was familiar with nearly every code and regulation that applied to any situation,” Knebel said. The school board was looking to find a candidate that would meet the needs of the school district. “I believe it is important to select a candidate that is interested in serving all students and all schools throughout the district,” Collatos said. “In addition, [the candidate’s] commitment to share their professional, educational and personal experience is critical.”

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opinion

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

FOCUS EDITORS: Liana Korotzer Anne Lee WRITERS: Nicole Khalil Saffy Laurio Ailun Shi STUDENT LIFE EDITORS: Alison Kim Emily McGinn WRITERS: Sam Herrmann Elissa Luce Christine Youn SPORTS EDITORS: Rianne Aguas Christopher Chien WRITERS: Christopher Guanzing Sarah Liu Erin Okada Asumi Shuda GRAPHICS Rachel Liu Jenna Yamada Alex Yoo BUSINESS & ADVERTISING Sung Gyung Lee Elana Ho 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 Sung Gyung Lee 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 © 2018 Cover Photo by Taylor Yoo

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OPINION EDITOR: Nina Li WRITERS: JungIn Kim Gigi Wargin

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NEWS EDITORS: Jordan Chang Ana Willoughby WRITERS: Minji Jeun Kristen Lu Olin Osborne III Shenaya Yazdani

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DESIGN EDITOR Connor Tumelty

Over the past few years, Peninsula has begun to offer more presentations and programs in support of improving students’ well-beings and mental health. These range anywhere from afterschool presentations for parents about student stress to lunchtime activities provided to help students relax. Despite the good intentions of these proposed solutions to aid in reducing stress and supporting mental wellness, these attempts are not direct enough to fix high levels of student stress, a prevalent issue on our campus. As students face stressors which stem from such a competitive environment including GPAs, standardized test scores, extracurriculars and especially Advanced Placement (AP) classes, we need more concrete prevention methods for this stress. AP class caps would be a more direct approach to combating student stress. By limiting the number of AP courses students can take each year, it can help reduce the high levels of competition amongst students regarding the amount of honors and AP classes students may take. We acknowledge that we are the ones who bring this stress upon ourselves when we sign up for so many classes against the advisement of counselors, but the school can help us reduce this competition by leveling the playing field. With an AP class limit, students may feel less pressured to overwhelm themselves in an effort to keep up with their peers. In addition

to these caps, strictly enforcing the testing schedule is necessary to balance the coursework for students of all levels. The loopholes many teachers find in the schedule lead to additional stress that students should not have to endure. Giving students the authority to determine their own schedules and responsibly test their own limits allows them to exercise their maturity. But in reality, many students value academic success over their own mental health, and it may take a rule regulating course load and scheduling in order to prevent any further stress. In an annual survey from the American College Health Association, there was an increase in undergraduates reporting “overwhelming anxiety” from 50 percent in 2011 to 62 percent in 2016. If college students are facing these mental health issues, we should focus more on preventing them in high school students with concrete solutions, such as the enforcement of the testing schedule and limiting the number of AP courses students can take per year. It is not easy to change a school culture, and we do not think that promoting mindfulness and hosting presentations on how to deal with stress is necessarily a useless idea. But if we combine these notional solutions with more concrete guidelines, we can create a healthier environment for students. While we can and should be proud of our school’s ambition and work ethic, we should not jeopardize students’ well-beings in order to maintain those expectations.

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MANAGING EDITOR Phoebe Borsum

editorial staff

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EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Zoe Willoughby Stella Yoo

the sky should not always be the limit

New Member appointed to Peninsula School Board Alison Kim and nina li A new position on the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District Board of Education opened when 12-year member Malcolm Sharp resigned, effective Jan. 18. Sharp’s term was scheduled to end in November of this year. Superintendent Don Austin explained that there were two methods of going about this issue: a special election or an appointed replacement. According to the Daily Breeze, the cost for the special election could have been anywhere from $80,000 to half a million dollars, a considerable amount that could be used elsewhere, such as for the improvement of school facilities. The board’s decision to appoint a new member rather than to hold a special election was the most economical resolution. “Half a million is not just pocket change,” senior Jae Hwang said. “[This money] can be used in multiple ways that may help enhance our learning environment, which is the goal of the school board.” On Feb. 1, businessman Richard Phillips was added to the board by the appointment process. Phillips previously worked as the managing director for FocalPoint, an investment bank, and as Peninsula’s Athletic Booster Club’s financial adviser.

“[It] was definitely the right course of action [to appoint] a businessman who is accustomed to making good financial decisions,” junior Justin Watanabe said. Some community members were concerned about the method with which Phillips was selected. The board held a meeting to determine how they would appoint a successor at 2 p.m. on Jan. 8, a time when much of the

“Appointing a new member rather than electing one is also more convenient and more time efficient.” -junior amanda sharng community, including parents and teachers, would not be able to attend. This sparked controversy since it seemed as though the board did not want people to take part in the discussion. The public wanted the election so that they could be directly involved in the decision. Board member Suzanne Seymour voted against the appointment because she wanted to make sure that the community had a say in who would be a beneficial addition to the

board. “I know [the election might] cost half a million dollars, but if we select the right board member, then maybe the board member can save us more than half a million dollars,” Korean teacher June Choi said. However, utilizing such an excessive amount of money for an election is impractical. The election would have also been under a time constraint since according to educational law, the vacancy must be filled within 60 days. The time frame might have rushed the election process which could have prevented the public from truly getting to know each candidate, therefore impacting the ability to make an informed and sound decision. For the duration of time it would have taken to undergo the election process, the board would have also been left with four voting members, resulting in possible stalemates regarding district matters until a fifth member was elected. Hence, the appointment of the new member reduced the amount of time it took to fill the seat. “I believe that the board made the right decision in appointing a new member,” junior Amanda Sharng said. “Appointing a new member rather than electing one is also more convenient and more time efficient.”

opinion (5)

Balancing the books 80 percent of parents are more likely to allow their children to check out books with the removal of late fees*

3/8/01

Connor tumelty / The Pen

La public libraries stop charging late fees maybe somewhere in the inner city, where kids are [discouraged] from checking out books, [the Los Angeles County supervisors voted in removal of late fees] is important.” December to stop charging late fees to borrowers According to their website, the LA County under the age of 21 at all LA County libraries. This libraries also launched “The Great Read Away” motion received praise from LA residents since policy last June, which allows for a $5 reduction of the late fee policy prevented many children and fees for all library cardholders under 21 years old young adults from checking out books, even if they for every hour spent reading in the library. This only owed a few cents. The positive feedback is program lessened the hesitation of some parents logical because it makes a valuable activity not only to let their children check out books, because convenient, but also free. However, if the same some parents fear that late fees are inevitable. policy were implemented at Peninsula, it would not In the past, the Palos Verdes Library District has receive equal acclaim and may even damage the had a period of forgiveness in which debts were current library system. erased for borrowers with unpaid late fees. Both According to librarian Silvia Gutierrez, the Gutierrez and Galante agreed that a forgiveness library on campus relies period would not be functional on the revenue of late since the Peninsula library fees and holds a fair policy “I come back to books after collects fees annually rather with them. A student can than monthly. Therefore, a borrow books all year weeks at a time and deadlines program similar to “The Great long, even if he or she is Read Away” would be more late in turning in previous [can] stop me from going [to the logical. checkouts. Any incurred “I would like the no fee late fees will end up on a library] too often because I [am policy because as much as I love tab which students must reading, I do not always have pay by the end of the year unable] to enjoy my book.” the time [to return my books],” in order to register for senior Kayla Genato said. “I the following school year come back to books after or to graduate. Hence, weeks at a time and deadlines even if a student has a -Senior Kayla Genato [can] stop me from going [to growing tab, he or she will the library] too often because I never be turned away at checkout. [am unable] to enjoy my book.” “[Peninsula’s library does] not receive any For students like Genato who frequently take funding from the district, state or school; it advantage of the library on campus, the removal [operates] strictly from donations,” Gutierrez said. of late fees would be beneficial. However, the “So, the fees make a difference to us.” elimination of the fees would leave the library While the money collected from fees helps to shelves stocked with outdated books since a large purchase new books and repair old ones, there source of revenue would no longer exist. Late fees is another beneficial aspect to late fees beyond are important for the Peninsula school library, and financial support. Late fees are didactic: they teach thus it should not take the same action as the LA a person the importance of punctuality. County libraries. “[I think the effect of the fees] depends on “I think our system does work,” Gutierrez said. where the library is and what kind of funding the “We do let students continue to check out books library has,” textbook clerk Danielle Galante said. [despite their fees]. We would never turn anyone “For instance, our library relies on those fees, but away from checking out a book.”

GIGI WARGIN

The la county library system has cleared 3,500 blocked accounts with the new system*

About 15,000 students in la county have new cards that accrue no overdue late fees* *According to the la times

Rachel Liu / The Pen

Cliff Ford

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focus

Using our VOICES WOmen lead march for equal rights in downtown los angeles when you put in the effort to make a difference.” Over a year ago on Jan. Senior John Szieff also attended the 20, 2017, the Women’s March, a DTLA march. He was both surprised worldwide rally, was held in response and impressed by the variety of reasons to the election of President Donald people were protesting. Trump. This year, on the anniversary “People were marching for women’s of the first event, a second Women’s rights and the #MeToo movement,” March was held to continue protesting Szieff said. “[However], lots of people Trump’s presidency and many of his were there to fight for Deferred Action administration’s beliefs. Marches were for Childhood Arrivals as well as other held all over the world in cities such as immigration issues, climate change Chicago and New York City, with the awareness and even gun control.” largest one taking place in Los Angeles. Despite not being directly impacted Junior Rachel Edelstein attended this by many of the topics that were year’s Women’s March in Downtown addressed, Szieff still feels that it is Los Angeles (DTLA), where over important to support those who are 500,000 other people were also facing inequality. He feels this way in protesting. Edelstein, who considers particular for women who are a part of herself to be politically active, wanted to the #MeToo movement. take direct action to make a change. “The #MeToo movement is not just “I felt it was really important to a fight for women,” Szieff said. “Men go and show our support for fellow need to join in and speak up against the women and other people who are facing horrible things going on in our society, oppression,” Edelstein said. “It is whether they are directly affected or one thing to talk about policies and not. It is our job as men to listen to the wanting change, but it is another women who are victims of sexual assault thing to act on it. Nothing gets and fight back with them.” done when all you do is talk; Of all the subjects being protested, things only get done Edelstein feels that the main thing that

Saffy Laurio

needs to change is the lack of equality and respect for all people. “You see the serious lack of equal rights in our country in the wage gap,” Edelstein said. “It goes [beyond gender] because while white women make less than men, Hispanic women make even less, African-American women make even less and Native American women make practically no money to the man’s dollar.” Edelstein also hopes to one day see more diverse representatives in government, which would allow more people to have their opinions voiced within Congress. “Oftentimes, people do not feel represented by those who are technically representing them,” Edelstein said. “There are a lot of women, minorities and people of different religions in this country, and the current White House administration does not necessarily reflect that. Many people feel like the only way their voice can be heard is via protesting.” Junior Ariel Matsumiya, another attendee of the DTLA march, felt extremely moved after going to the protest. Celebrities like Viola Davis,

Scarlett Johansson and Natalie Portman gave inspiring speeches at the rally, which greatly motivated Matsumiya. “Before the Women’s March, I was not super interested in politics, but now I am much more inspired to take action,” Matsumiya said. “Seeing so many strong and powerful people who want to take initiative really [resonated] with me. I have always agreed with most liberal beliefs, but now [my beliefs are] more solidified.” Some may argue that protests do not make a large impact, but Szieff feels that coming together in protest makes everyone feels as though they are more empowered. “It is easy to look at marches and think that just walking does not do anything, but the fact that every person there got up early on a Saturday morning and found their way [and got together to] stand up for what they believe in says a lot,” Szieff said. “I think that making your voice heard in whatever way you can, whether it be voting or going to a march, is extremely important and undervalued.”

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focus (7) Some friends bantering: podcast shares students’ opinions and ideas Ailun Shi For seniors Brendan Fong, Hans Khoe, Paul Lee and Kade Wong, recording podcasts in the orchestra room during lunch is a hobby. The four students are close friends and started the podcast “SFB: Some Friends Bantering” over four months ago on YouTube. The podcast is not only a way for them to have fun, but also a way to present entertaining content and ideas and present current events from Peninsula and around the world. Wong first proposed the idea of starting a podcast. While it was never intended to be a serious commitment, the podcast grew from the boys’ desires to try something new to share their thoughts and conversations with the Peninsula community. “One day, I just said [to my friends], ‘Yeah, let us make a podcast about anything. Just try it,’” Wong said. “We thought it sounded fun, so we gave it a shot.” Although there is no overall goal or theme of SFB, the students do their best to entertain listeners with

interesting topics while bringing up points to make others consider different perspectives. The hosts sometimes feature guest students to voice their thoughts as well. They hope that their own personal, diverse opinions in the podcast encourage their listeners to speak out. “Our podcast inspires people to speak their mind,” Fong said. “People do not always have to keep their opinions and ideas to themselves.” Many of the topics discussed on SFB surround controversial issues, ranging from net neutrality to affirmative action. The podcast allows listeners to stay up to date and hear differing views on the same topic. SFB also updates listeners on the events at school and in the community, such as homecoming and the faculty union negotiations from the beginning of the school year. It was also a way for the friends to foster fun discussions of both serious and silly ideas such as opinions on Pokémon, animals and even jalapeños. “Sharing ideas is the only way for people to learn and grow,” Lee said. “If people were close-minded all the

time and did not share ideas, no one would be able to learn from [one another] and grow.” Senior Maansi Murty is a huge fan of SFB and has listened to and enjoyed all the released episodes of the podcast. “Even with [controversial] views, they manage to have a good time,” Murty said. “It always feels like I am right there with them. I think [the podcast] is pretty amazing [and that] they have managed to create a great project out of what originated as just a fun little idea from a group of friends.” Currently, SFB has six episodes and updates once every other week with a new episode. Further plans for SFB are uncertain with Fong, Khoe, Lee and Wong, as they are all graduating later this year. Whatever the future may hold, all four friends agree that SFB was and will continue to be a way for them to bond and have fun together. “We [use] the podcast as our voice,” Khoe said. “Hopefully, [it will continue to inspire] others to voice their opinions in fun, respectful ways.”

HUmans of peninsula account spreads students’ inspiring stories Nicole Khalil

[hatred] comes from misunderstanding and poor communication.” Due to the Instagram platform, students, such as sophomore Lauren Kim, were able to share their messages. In Kim’s post, she talked about her affiliation with team Never Ever Give Up, a foundation that raises money for cancer awareness, and how it has affected her. Kim hopes to spread her message of kindness through Humans of Peninsula. “I felt very excited and honored to have been asked to share my story,” Kim said. “I hope that it will inspire other students and individuals by presenting motivation.” Kim believes self-expression is an essential component to a diverse community. “We were all born to shine and stand out in our own unique ways,” Kim said. “I think that by focusing on the beauty of what we can bring into this world, we will be able to confidently express ourselves without hesitation.”

alex yoo / The pen

Humans of Peninsula, an Associated Student Body-run Instagram account, was created to emphasize the importance of self-expression and diversity at Peninsula. Since it was founded in 2015, Humans of Peninsula has aimed to give a voice to those on campus. From tales of success to declarations of school pride, each individual featured presents new insight. The owners of this account include seniors Thomas Jankowski, Maya Williamson, Alyssa Yeh, junior Morgan Maes and sophomore Troy Simpkins. “The objective of the account is to [show] how Peninsula is a special place with amazing students,” Simpkins said. Simpkins believes that Humans of Peninsula showcases the students that define Peninsula. He also believes it gives a voice to those who feel that they go unnoticed. “With the option of Humans of

Peninsula, we hope that students will find the courage to [share] their story and message in a safe environment,” Simpkins said. Yeh is one of the students on the committee and is responsible for recording and typing interviews. She thinks that Humans of Peninsula is different from what is commonly seen on social media and that it will help break down barriers in the community. “Everyone has a story to tell,” Yeh said. “Sharing these stories can reveal amazing things about a person. [It also] decreases judgment [because] once we know a person, we are more likely to accept him or her.” The administrators of the account hope it will encourage positivity within the campus. “Self-expression is the first step to a more understanding world,” Yeh said. “With all of the hate and division that exists today, I think that encouraging people to show their true colors is so important because most of this

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student life (9)

Batting for a cause

Peninsula club travels to Dominican Republic Elissa luce Six members of the Recycling Baseball Items Helping Impact Tomorrow (RBI HIT) Service Club visited El Tamarindo, a city in the Dominican Republic, from Dec. 14 to Dec. 20 to donate baseball supplies, bicycles, toys, clothes and food to children in need. Peninsula’s RBI HIT Service Club was created by freshmen Ethan Wang and Grant Zane and is associated with the RBI HIT nonprofit foundation, formed by their respective fathers, Michael Wang and Brett Zane. The group chose to go to the Dominican Republic because the Dodgers’ Vice President of Community Outreach, Naomi Rodriguez, is an acquaintance of Michael Wang and Brett Zane and informed them of the opportunity. The club implemented the idea to travel to the Dominican Republic when the boys’ Little League season ended in late spring. The boys had to upgrade their bats in order to play at the next level, and they decided to give their old baseball gear to players in the Dominican Republic who would benefit from the extra supplies. Last summer, the club obtained supplies to donate by collecting used gear from various Little League teams in the area. That fall, they shipped a 40-foot container of equipment and resources to the Dominican Republic. It arrived there in December, when the club visited El Tamarindo and distributed the supplies to the community. According to Grant Zane, the members of the club easily connected with the children in the Dominican Republic due to

Connor tumelty / The Pen Rachel liu / The Pen Alex yoo / The Pen Jenna yamada / The Pen

their shared passion for baseball, which they enjoyed playing together. “The most memorable part of the trip for me was being able to watch the kids and even people my age play baseball with minimal amounts of equipment,” Grant Zane said. “The fields were bad and everything was worn down, but they still played hard and got the most out of what they had. Then when we gave them equipment, I

“It was an amazing, oncein-a-lifetime experience and it was a completely different ball game when we actually delivered the items to the recipients. For several days, we positively impacted lives.” -Brett zane knew we were giving to the right people.” Michael Wang found the experience to be extremely gratifying for the RBI HIT Service Club and believes that the trip gave the club members a unique learning experience from which they could grow. “The boys definitely received more than they gave,” Michael Wang said. “They got to see firsthand

that not everyone is as fortunate as them. For them to see a bat they collected in Palos Verdes being given to a youth baseball player in a foreign country was a truly great experience.” The Manny Mota Foundation is an organization that provides necessary resources to underprivileged youth and families in the United States and in the Dominican Republic. During the trip, the RBI HIT Service Club went to the Manny Mota Academy, a facility in El Tamarindo that cultivates young baseball athletes. The group met and coached baseball players of all ages and played baseball with the members of the academy. In addition to their work at the Manny Mota Academy, they also donated toys to Pasitos De Jesus, an all-girls orphanage located in Boca Chica, a city also located in the Dominican Republic. This trip inspired the RBI HIT Service Club to continue donating supplies to the Manny Mota Foundation facility and travel to the Dominican Republic every year in the future. “It was an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime experience and it was a completely different ball game when we actually delivered the items to the recipients,” Brett Zane said. “For several days, we positively impacted lives.”

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sports

preston whelchel

varsity song begins first competition season sarah liu And Asumi Shuda The varsity song team is not only cheering on Peninsula athletes this season, but will now be participating in competitions as well. Only the varsity team will be representing Peninsula at these upcoming competitions as of now. The team’s first competition was the United Spirit Association (USA) Regional Competition at University High School on Dec. 9, where they placed sixth and qualified for a bid to USA Spirit Nationals. They attended the USA Regional Cheer Competition at Yorba Linda High School on Jan. 20 and came in third place in the Varsity Song/Pom Intermediate category. After basketball season, the team will be dedicating their time to preparing for Nationals. The team has a multitude of strengths

and weaknesses that gives them an advantage at competitions. “We have a very diverse group skillwise, which is really great because you want to be able to have a variety of skills and specialties when you are dancing,” varsity coach Loretta Alvillar said. “The girls have a very unique style, and they dance really well together as a cohesive group, which is good for a song team because it is not all about individuals.” Alvillar finds that the recent competitions have been opportunities for the team to observe and learn from other song teams. While they only see a limited number of teams at sporting events, the competitions allow them to observe teams from places such as Orange County and Los Angeles. “Since it is our first year competing, we have had a lot to work on,” junior

Chiara Grimes said. “Competitions have helped our team grow, and now we are able to critique ourselves in order to improve overall as a team.” This is Grimes’s first year on the varsity team, after being the junior varsity captain for her sophomore year. After being on the junior varsity song team for two years, Grimes has grown accustomed to representing Peninsula and has taken her skills to the competition level. Although the girls on the team have different dance backgrounds, they have worked hard and danced through the competitions together. “[Varsity song] puts a lot of time and effort into all of the routines,” sophomore Dana Goldstein said. “We definitely need to work on stamina since we have been out of breath easily

at competitions and practices, but it does help the team that most of us have competed in the dance world before.” Goldstein has been on the varsity team since freshman year and has competed before in other areas of dance, such as jazz and ballet. The team has become her second family and been a vital part of her transition into high school. Now, the girls have become closer through the time spent at competition and practices, giving them a stronger connection and chemistry when they hit the stage. “They rally together and put their best foot forward, [and] they push each other to really try to do their best,” Alvillar said. “When someone is having a bad day, they rally around that person and try to cheer them up and say that they are all in this together.”

new swim coaches join peninsula sarah liu The start of the 2018 season has brought on new additions to the Peninsula swim team, including new head coaches for both the boys’ and girls’ frosh/soph teams, Kai Shimizu and Lauren Myers, respectively. The team has high hopes for the coaches and hopes that they can help them reach their goals and continue the teams’ prior successes. Myers was previously an assistant coach at Mira Costa High School. “I hope that [Myers] can really teach us what it means to be a team and improve our lap times,” sophomore Charlotte Calvignac said.

kai shimizu

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“Last year, I feel that we had fun. However, we did not know what it meant to be a team.” On the other hand, Shimizu is not new; he has coached on and off alongside varsity Head Coach Brian Helmrich for the past 11 years. “[Shimizu] is really big on team spirit, team bonding and setting goals,” Helmrich said. “Every season that I have him, he seems to come up with really cool cheers and brings a lot of energy to the program, so I am very excited to have him back.” Shimizu works in the restaurant business and has been working around his schedule every other year to coach alongside Helmrich. Shimizu graduated

from Peninsula in 2007, where he was a California Interscholastic Federation qualifying swimmer and a water polo player. His passion for swimming and coaching is seen through his dedication to improve the swimmers during each practice and his focus on team spirit and cooperation. “I like how interested in coaching [Coach Kai] is, and he genuinely wants to help us get better, which is a really admirable trait,” sophomore Ryan Alimento said. “I think that some coaches do not really care about what they coach or they do not have enough experience with what they are coaching, but Coach Kai possesses both.”

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fitness with koush

Junior participates in bodybuilding competitions christopher guanzing Since the age of five, junior Kousha Nejad has participated in a variety of sports, such as soccer and track and field; however, no sport has made a greater impact on his life than weightlifting. Even though weightlifting initially started off as a way to change his body image, it soon became something significantly greater to Nejad. At the beginning of his high school athletic career, Nejad was on the Peninsula wrestling team. Soon after, he joined the track and field team, where he competed in sprinting and became the captain of jumping events. Nejad helped his peers improve in the long and triple jump events. Unfortunately, his role as captain ended midseason due to a back injury. While his injury prevented him from participating in any future track meets, it did not put an end to his athletic aspirations. Following his recovery, Nejad began working out in order to change his body image. While attempting to accomplish his transformation, he discovered weightlifting. Since then, he has grown more passionate about the sport and now finds himself training six to nine times a week. “As I became more involved with weight training, I loved the way it made me feel,” Nejad

isabelle wiederkehr

kousha nejad

said. “The blood rushing through my veins, the music pounding in my ears, my chalk-covered hands and clothes and the heavy barbell in my hands are all factors that make the sport a great stress reliever.” Each of his training sessions range from an hour to two and a half hours depending on which muscle group he is training that day. In addition, he must also regulate his diet.

“[Nejad’s] infectious attitude and support constantly inspire me to push harder than before.” -junior lenuka senaratna “Right now, I follow a semi-restricted diet because I am bulking,” Nejad said. “But as I approach cut season, I will start to follow a strict set of diet restrictions that I will make in the next few months.” Nejad’s devotion to the sport has not only positively impacted his daily life and mental strength, but has also affected the people around him. Junior Lenuka Senaratna has learned to improve his character and

fitness techniques through his experiences with Nejad in and out of the gym. “Nejad’s determination in the gym is only matched by his friendship outside of it,” Senaratna said. “His infectious attitude and support constantly inspire me to push harder than before.” Nejad’s mother, Sima Keshmiri, has provided her support for his weightlifting endeavors. “I have seen Kousha’s passion for sports, including weightlifting, as an avenue to live a better, wiser way of life,” Keshmiri said. “His persistence and perseverance in sports will make his future goals easier to achieve. I have always been proud of him for making sports his top priority.” Nejad’s passion for weightlifting has led him to participate in both bodybuilding and powerlifting competitions. He is currently preparing for the upcoming Muscle Beach International Classic, a bodybuilding competition that will be held in Venice Beach on May 28. Nejad will be participating in the classic physique category, where competitors are barred from using steroids and judged by size definition and proportionality. With this competition, Nejad continues to strive to improve his weightlifting ability.

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