Issue 7 by The Pen Newspaper

the pen

Palos Verdes Peninsula High School

www.pvphsnews.com

Vol. XXXVII

Issue 7

April 21, 2017

False identities limit self-expression EDITORIAL PAGE 4

UNDER THE FILTER

JAZZ IT UP Jazz band performs with Peninsula alumnus Sammy Miller NEWS PAGE 2

NOW YOU SEE ME

SAILING AWAY

Coming out, finstas and vlogging foster authenticity

Freshmen trio wins second overall in the SoCal series

FOCUS PAGES 6-7

SPORTS PAGE 10

News 2 Sammy Miller and the Congregation perform with jazz band On March 21, Peninsula’s jazz band performed with a professional band, Sammy Miller and the Congregation, for the students and the community at the Kelly Johnson Fieldhouse. After attending Peninsula for two years, Miller went to Los Angeles County High School for the Arts his junior and senior year. He received his undergraduate degree at the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music and his master’s degree at Juilliard School. His career took off when Miller, who drummed for Joey Alexander on his album “My Favorite Things,” was told that the album was nominated for a Grammy award. He then began his band in 2013 and met some of his fellow band members at college and the rest after he graduated. The band is comprised of Miller (drums), Sam Crittenden (trombone), Ben Flocks (tenor sax), Alphonso Horne (trumpet), David Linard (piano) and John Snow (bass). Sophomore Josh Zeitlin, one of the trumpet players in Advanced Jazz Band, gave his input on what it was like to play with Sammy Miller and the Congregation. “It was really cool [playing with them] because over the past year, I have been listening to plenty of their music and watching their videos,” Zeitlin said. “It was like playing with an idol of mine.” For the music that would be played during the concert, Miller offered to share and teach the songs he was playing with his band. Director Fred Steiner and Miller looked over all the options and decided together on the compositions the students would learn. About two weeks prior to the day of the concert, the students received the music and learned the notes. Intermediate Jazz Band played “St. Louis Blues” and “Ain’t Misbehavin,”

while Advanced Jazz Band played “Liza Jane” and “Duke Ellington Medley.” Sammy Miller and the Congregation met with the students various times during their practices to review each member’s solos to witness for themselves how the concert would play out. Senior Yousef El-Magharbel, another member of Advanced Jazz Band, discussed Miller’s unique style of

“No matter what is going on in the world, take it upon yourself to help communities, both those you came from and those you [have] never even met.” -Bandleader sammy miller music and how it affects the people who listen to it. “The type of music they had us playing is not played very much today,” El-Magharbel said. “[Miller] and his band really focus on bringing fun and creative takes [to] old jazz standards. They show how to have fun with this music, and how to take simple arrangements and make them exciting

TWO LAURIO and brian mo / The Pen

Ana Willoughby

and fun to listen to and play.” Miller and his band are known for their distinctive style of jazz music that inspires those around them. “We play joyful jazz,” Miller and his band said. “[We play] music that feels good. It is a style that entertains and enriches, but most of all uplifts.” Miller described how his return to Peninsula to perform at the concert contributed to the community. He told stories of when he was in high school, the memories he made in jazz band and his gratitude for his teacher. Steiner discovered Miller when he tried out in eighth grade for the jazz band and was impressed with his drumming. When Miller started playing gigs all over the country, he reached out to Steiner and planned to showcase the band’s music. “I was glad when Sammy contacted me and asked if we would like to do a concert with his group,” Steiner said. “Since he was a student of mine many years ago, it is fun to do this type of thing with him. He is a great musician.” The concert showed off the band’s work and collaboration with the students. It also provided the students with the opportunity to learn about these styles of music and practice them in their performance. “No matter what is going on in the world, take it upon yourself to help communities, both those you came from and those you [have] never even met,” Miller said. “If you help someone, it may inspire them to help someone else.”

All That

Jazz

Trump cuts funds from department of education Rianne aguas On March 16, President Donald Trump released his 2018 fiscal year budget plan, which proposes a total of $54 billion cuts in government spending. Trump’s budget presents plans to cut the U.S. Department of Education’s $68 billion budget by $9 billion, equivalent to a 13 percent decrease. Doing so will eliminate many programs aiding public school students, such as the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), a program requiring $732 million to run which helps undergraduate students with financial needs. FSEOG provided funds to approximately 1.6 million students in the 2014-15 academic year. “I want to see many more students my age go to college, and that will not be possible without these financial aid programs,” junior Irene Kim said. “Trump is taking opportunities away from the students and some people will not have the chance to even attend college because of the financial aid cuts.” In addition, Trump’s plan will eliminate $1.2 billion in funding for after-school and summer enrichment programs and $2.4 billion in teacher training and support. English 2 Honors teacher Maria McCloud does not agree with Trump’s plans to cut teacher support.

“As a teacher I do not think [this] is right, McCloud said. “I feel attacked and demoralized, like our voices do not matter, and I feel like they are making decisions without taking a good look [at] what is going on. I think cutting the budget is also detrimental to the future because the youth will grow up to be our future.” Trump is also proposing to shift $1.4 billion towards expanding charter schools, private-school vouchers and other alternatives to public schools. He is suggesting a $168 million increase for charter schools, which is 50 percent above the current level. Additionally, he is proposing a $250 million private-school choice program, which will allow students to choose from a wider range of schools still within their intended budget. World History Honors and Ethics teacher Mindy Webster thinks funding private schools more than public schools is not a wise choice. Webster thinks that Trump should look at previous data regarding school funding before cutting the budget. “All the data regarding the voucher system shows that [the system] is not effective and it shows that test scores and education decrease for everyone that has tried it,” Webster said. “I think we need more support, since private schools do not require a credential to teach and there are no programs for those with disabilities and special needs because all of it is publically funded.”

“I want to see many more students my age go to college, and that will not be possible without these financial aid programs.” - Junior Irene Kim

Smert programs on track to receive gold ribbon award Ana willoughby The Gold Ribbon validation committee joined faculty, students and parents in the Kelly Johnson Fieldhouse on March 29 to review the Science, Math, Engineering, Research and Technology (SMERT) programs at Peninsula. The validation committee that came included Physical Education Consultant from the Los Angeles County Office of Education Tonya Moore, Special Education Coordinator from Torrance Unified School District Kumi Smart and Special Education Division of Curriculum and Instruction Services James McKenna. SMERT teams such as StellarXplorers, CyberPatriots and VEX gathered to present their projects to the committee as they came by to review each team. The representatives of each team described their program with basic information such as what it is, what benefits it has, what accomplishments they have achieved and how it relates to the SMERT program. After the validation committee completed their survey of the programs, they announced what impressed and interested them the most. The committee will reveal which schools won the Gold Ribbon Award in May.

Sophomore Sophia Wang has been a member of CyberPatriots, VEX and computer science since her freshman year. “Through the SMERT program, I have had a lot of unique opportunities,” Wang said. “CyberPatriots has opened [up] my views to the importance of cyber security in the technology-dependent world that we live in. Through VEX, my team and I have been granted the amazing opportunity to compete at a global competition in a few weeks.” Wang and many other students have benefited from joining the SMERT program because of the opportunities that come with it. For example, each team receives the chance to take part in competitions that are specifically geared towards their program. The robotics team won a national competition in Las Vegas, CyberPatriots had the opportunity to travel to Washington D.C. and StellarXplorers were invited to the Air Force Academy. At these events, the students are able to meet kids from different schools that work with the same kinds of subjects as they do. Sophomore Jocelyn Ma joined the SMERT program this year and is a member of Technology Student Association (TSA) Events and TSA Tests of Engineering Aptitude, Mathematics and Science, coached by Advanced Placement (AP) and Honors Chemistry teacher Charles Lee.

“I joined the SMERT program because Lee was always advertising it,” Ma said. “The more he talked about it, the more interested I became in the program and what it was, so I decided to give it a shot.” Many students participate in SMERT and contribute their specific knowledge to the program. The Gold Ribbon Award is given to schools that have made improvements in certain categories of subjects such as English Language Arts, Mathematics, California English Language Development Standards and Next Generation Science Standards. According to the California Department of Education, the Gold Ribbon Award is a temporary program to use for the schools while the California Distinguished Schools Program is adjusting their assessment standards. Advanced Placement Physics 1 and C teacher Mark Greenberg discussed the benefits of SMERT and what it can do for the students. “It might be unpopular to say, but there are some gaps between the way education is structured and the way the real world works,” Greenberg said. “SMERT fills in many of those gaps. Whether it be working in teams, finding solutions to problems with no one right answer or persevering through failures, these are real-life challenges. Whether or not you are pursuing a career in SMERT, these skills are invaluable.” BRIAN MO / Th

e Pen

opinion THE PEN PALOS VERDES PENINSULA HIGH SCHOOL 27118 Silver Spur Road, Rolling Hills Estates, CA 90274 EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Annie Benedict Marine Fujisawa MANAGING EDITOR Esther Chu DESIGN EDITOR Temishi Onnekikami NEWS EDITORS: Nina Li Nile Minn WRITERS: Rianne Aguas Alison Kim Ana Willoughby OPINION EDITOR: Chris Chien WRITERS: Anne Lee Asumi Shuda FOCUS EDITORS: Emily McGinn Zoe Willoughby WRITERS: Liana Korotzer Adrian Tai STUDENT LIFE EDITORS: Phoebe Borsum Jordan Chang WRITERS: Saffy Laurio Ailey Suzuki SPORTS EDITOR: Stella Yoo WRITERS: Haris Rao Zain Riaz GRAPHICS Two Laurio Brian Mo Connor Tumelty BUSINESS & ADVERTISING Isabelle Wang Sung Gyung Lee 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 © 2017 Cover Design by Temishi Onnekikami Cover Model Lucas Grenda

4 EDITORIAL Branding ourselves: delusive labels define who we are Editorial staff Since an early age, we have been taught not to lie: it misleads, it is frowned upon and it has the potential to hurt. But, such as many other things, the issue of lying – of truths and half-truths – has become more hazy. No longer do we have clearly defined right and wrong in this realm, as numerous other factors come into play. As students, we are surrounded by friends, family and teachers who generally encourage and support us. However, these pressures and expectations may backfire, causing us to perhaps create alternate labels for ourselves – something that is not an actual representation of our true self. It is these labels, these brands, which we create that blurs the division between the truth and lies of our identity. When one thinks of lies, one thinks of deliberate untruths which may hurt others.

However, the brands we create hurt no one but ourselves. We set a precedent – created either by ourselves or by those around us – and we feel the need to conform to it. This brand – the stellar math student, the playful dancer, the selfless animal shelter volunteer – may seem satisfactory, even beneficial, for a time. But what happens when this brand is challenged? What happens when we discover things about ourselves which deviate, if not completely break from, this self-image? This brand is often a high bar to reach; what happens when we fail? The mawkish, feel-good conclusion may be to be honest with other people, to accept others’ differences wholeheartedly and to be completely open about ourselves. However, this is easier said than done, and often impossible. While friends may know us more personally, acquaintances will regard us as these brands, simply because

they do not have the time or desire to know us better. Among college and scholarship applications, which force us to restrict our entire selves to 650 words or less, this brand has immense consequences, potentially defining our future. We, consciously or unconsciously, understand that creating our own brand is essential when we sell ourselves to teachers, strangers and colleges. Therefore, stripping away the very image that aids us in social interactions and academic endeavors just may not be an option for many people. However, it is also necessary that we maintain a sense of self through this process. In an attempt to successfully promote ourselves, we can end up constructing an alternate

connor tumelty /the pen

version of ourselves that fit the ideal mold others are looking for. Instead of striving to match a false creation, we should strive to approach the best versions of ourselves. Through the chaotic and incredibly confusing process of constructing an identity through high school, we should keep in mind the things we truly value over the factors others look for in us. Selling ourselves to those around us should never come at the expense of our happiness or sense of integrity.

trump cuts funding for after-school programs Asumi Shuda For the average high school student, standard academic courses do not make up their entire educational experience; many of them also take part in a wide variety of programs after school. Participating in debate, color guard, athletic teams and many other clubs and activities have become part of the routine for many students across the nation. However, in April, President Donald Trump brought forth a proposal to cut $1.2 billion from after-school and summer programs. He has claimed that there is no evidence that these programs have helped students academically and socially. However, this claim is simply untrue. After-school programs provide a channel for students to invest their time and energy towards pursuing their passion, as well as a safe and healthy diversion from unethical activities. “After-school programs help kids stay out of trouble after school hours, and gives them something positive to do on campus,” freshman Hannah Jung said. “Instead of going off and

doing things without rules or regulations, the students can be part of something that is safe and productive.” Several studies prove that President Trump’s claim is unfounded. For example, after-school programs have been proven to raise students’ grades and hone their academic

and English (36.8 percent). Furthermore, 49.4 percent of teachers reported an increase in homework completion, and 36.5 percent of teachers saw an improvement in in-class behavior. A report from the U.S. Department of Education from the 2013-14 school year supported 21st CCLC, stating

“After-school programs help kids stay out of trouble after school hours, and gives them something positive to do on campus.” -freshman hannah jung discipline. For example, the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) program was implemented in California to help lower-income students improve their grades through after-school tutoring sessions. Students who participated saw grade improvements in mathematics (36.5 percent)

that students who participated in the program saw substantial progress. “After-school programs can be the highlight of a kid’s day,” speech and debate adviser Kimi Hendrick said. “They can bring students to want to do better in school so they can go have fun in their clubs and teams.”

If these programs are cut from American schools, the funding would be diverted towards the Pentagon and the Mexican-American border wall. 21st CCLC and other similar programs would be eliminated. “After-school programs allow students to explore their passions more than they might be able to in a curricular course during the school day,” drama and broadcast journalism teacher Seth Cohen said. “These programs give students a place to be after school rather than sitting alone at home while their parents are working.” Taking funding out of afterschool programs is an act that would have overwhelming consequences, and could make the American education system take a turn for the worse. Redirecting the funding towards the military-industrial complex, which already receives the most funding out of any government branch, is unnecessary, and ultimately harms millions of students. Therefore, Trump’s budget cuts must be stopped before they cause too much irreversible damage to schools nationwide.

Anne Lee

gender inequality in stem careers

Over the years, women’s rights activists have worked hard to achieve workplace equality, and their efforts have brought about drastic improvements. Numerous laws that affect women have been passed or altered since the 19th century, bringing in positive change to issues such as equality, work opportunities, higher wages and voting rights. However, there remains a stark imbalance in the gender composition of certain aspects of society, specifically in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. According to the National Girls Collaborative Project, women remain underrepresented in the STEM workforce, making up only 29 percent of the field. The shortage of female STEM workers is an ongoing issue; thus, society should work harder to balance the gender ratio. As a result of outdated social standards, men continue to dominate in STEM fields. According to U.S. News, in the average computer science college class, men outnumber women as much as 4-to-1. This stands in stark contrast to most other college majors, which, according to the National Center for Education Statistics, have women outnumbering men 3-to-2 on

average. However, this inequity is not necessarily set in stone. Robotics adviser Monica Rudder shares her experiences as a female in engineering, a maledominated field. She emphasizes that becoming a successful engineer should have little to do with gender or any other physical factors and everything to do with hard work and dedication. “Sometimes, being taken seriously is a challenge for girls,” Rudder said. “To be valued for your contributions to a situation and to be accepted as part of the team, you have to prove yourself. Through my experience, it just seems like women have to go the extra mile to prove themselves, which is not fair, and I hope that changes. Anyone can enjoy engineering and succeed; it is a challenge

that comes with hard work, but is ultimately rewarding.” Increasing female representation in STEM has industry wide benefits. Engineering by nature demands constant creativity and out-of-the-box thinking, and having a narrow-minded approach to solving problems is generally detrimental to progress. Having a more diverse group of engineers to work with could allow companies to utilize a wider range of perspectives in tackling the same issue. “I think we would have a different and better world,” Advanced Placement Computer Science and Intro to Engineering teacher Hassan Twiet said. “In the STEM workforce, we need those differing and balancing perspectives. If not, [the STEM field] would be too onesided.” As of now, girls should continue to be exposed to STEM from as early as elementary school, motivating them to take STEM courses in high school and eventually pursue a career in STEM fields; ultimately, the gap between genders will continue to narrow. Women still face numerous challenges throughout

the world to attain this equality, but their efforts in STEM career fields must continue. Schools need to be more encouraging and supportive of girls in STEM in order for this to happen. Thankfully, the Peninsula STEM program plays a vital role in delivering that support for students. “At Peninsula, there are many girls in STEM classes,” junior Shannon Hearn said. “Most of the people I know who are majoring in engineering are girls. I have the privilege to live in a community that is extremely supportive of female engineers and actually help progress the growth of women engineers.” Rudder has observed the changes in the number of high school girls enrolling in STEM courses, and notices female participation has been steadily growing since her first year of teaching. Not only does she see these changes in students, but also in the school staff as well. She believes that this is a new movement that has not fully reached colleges and careers yet, but through time and continued effort, the number of boys and girls gearing towards a STEM career will eventually balance. “I do see it changing,” Rudder said. “We are finding more female speakers who have been in the industry for a long time and they are seeing that landscape change. Now we are seeing more high school girls who are meeting that challenge and loving it.”

COLLEGE MAJORS BY GENDER*

temishi onnekikamI and isabelle wang / the pen

*according to payscale.com

85% male

95% female

computer science

fashion

92% male

88% female

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nursing

Focus

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crystal

Students shatter expectations to reveal their true selves and inspire their community

lgbt STUDENTS COME OUT TO PEERS adrian tai In a society becoming more accepting of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community, individuals feel increasingly comfortable with expressing their sexualities and gender identities. Sophomore Anna Grant and juniors Will Mueller and Duncan Hoard are just a few examples of people who have come out to friends and family. “[Before I identified as female], I felt claustrophobic, like I was in a box full of balloons that were all inflated,” Grant said. “I did not feel like myself; I felt like I was pretending to be some other person.” For all three students, revealing their sexual identity took significant thought and consideration, as they had to figure out the best way to tell people in their lives. While Grant was wary of coming out because of how others would react to her or treat her afterwards, the majority of reactions she received were ones of acceptance and understanding. “I came out to my best friend at the time, but he really did not care,” Grant said. “That is how it has been with most people, a nonchalant attitude. [For me] it is honestly the best reaction I could get, to be treated as an equal.” Grant’s experience with coming out to her parents went very well and they have been extremely supportive of Grant, allowing their daughter to transition from male to female. With the support of her parents, Grant began treatment last year and currently uses estrogen and a testosterone blocker, Spironolactone. “My parents have been incredibly supportive, and I am very grateful,” Grant said. “Sometimes my parents mix up my pronouns, but they have mixed up my brother and our dog, so I am not hurt by it.” While Grant generally receives positive reactions, she has had some negative encounters. As a transgender female, Grant still faces discrimination, prejudice and ignorance.

“My worst experiences come from encounters with people who just do not understand,” Grant said. “I do wish [schools] would actually educate students on this.” Hoard first came out to a friend who accepted him for who he was and encouraged him to stay true to himself. “The first person I came out to was my friend Annabelle David, and she helped me a ton with [understanding] my feelings better,” Hoard said. “Afterwards, I went to my best friends one by one and asked to talk to them. I usually walked or sat with them, and I said ‘I have something important to tell you.’ My friends were very supportive, and it even brought us closer because I trusted them so much.” Mueller’s first time coming out fell short of his expectations and left him feeling discouraged. “In middle school, I had one encounter while on a Boy Scout trip where I was alone in a car with a friend and confessed to him that I thought I might be gay,” Mueller said. “He initially did not say anything because he was waiting for me to say ‘Sike!’ or something along those lines. After that, I was extremely scared to tell anyone.” However, in eighth grade, Mueller finally gathered the courage to formally come out and the experience went better than before. “I first came out to my sister, then my close friends, and soon I was known as an openly gay student and that was that,” Mueller said. “My sister’s only reaction was ‘Okay’ to which I responded with utter confusion because I wondered why she did not have more to say. Thankfully, one of my friends was openly gay at school and inspired me to be open about who I was. All things considered, the coming out process went pretty smoothly with friends.” Although coming out may have been a difficult process, eliciting both positive and negative reactions, Grant, Mueller and Hoard now can openly embrace who they are. “It was like the balloons deflated, like I was finally given room to breathe,” Grant said. “I have never regretted [coming out], and I am much happier now that I am out.”

connor tumelty/ The Pen

jocelyn ma

Alison kim / the pen

“It was like the balloons deflated, like I was finally given room to breathe. I have never regretted [coming out], and I am much happier now that I am out.” - Sophomore anna grant

clear

finstas revolutionize the online world liana korotzer Through the latest trends and increasing popularity of social media, teens have recently been using finstas, or “fake” Instagram accounts, in addition to their main Instagram account. Finstas are accounts more personal than users’ primary accounts. On finstas, users usually post content they are not comfortable with sharing on their main Instagram account and only allow close friends to follow. The “fake” accounts are also often private, meaning only users who follow the account can see the posts. Junior John Szieff posts often on his finsta and feels that there are less social standards associated with finstas in comparison to other Instagram accounts, allowing teens to be completely honest and transparent in their posts. “Nowadays, there is a lot of pressure on Instagram

in terms of how many likes you get on your picture [and] how you look in your picture,” Szieff said. “I think people make finstas so that they can be funny and post more real things for their friends and not have to worry about everyone else seeing it judging them.” Szieff posts on his account about twice a week and is highly selective of who he allows to follow his account. He believes that most teens are cautious while selecting the followers of their finsta because the posts show their true selves. Although Szieff uses the account mainly for extra photos and humorous stories, sophomore Jocelyn Ma uses her account for a variety of other reasons. “Because finstas do not have boundaries, the things you can post are limitless and up to the account holder,” Ma said. “I post old photos of myself from the past, funny videos and whenever something

worth remembering happens.” Although the “fake” accounts open a new opportunity for teens to express themselves freely, they can also have negative impacts. One study conducted by CNN in 2016 found that the average U.S. teen spends nine hours per day using media. Finstas require people to spend more time on Instagram, causing the average time spent on social media to increase. Another controversial issue with the accounts is that many teens post photos of themselves or others smoking, doing drugs or consuming alcohol on their finstas. Although only the account user’s closest friends generally follow and see the posts, they can be influential and cause others to feel peer pressure. “It is very dangerous [to post pictures of underage drinking or drugs] because by putting that out on the Internet, people have access

to it,” Szieff said. “I think this can negatively reflect on people’s personalities, even if it is their close friends.” While Ma and Szieff both have their own personal accounts, some teens share accounts with friends. “A two-person finsta is cool because you can see the other person’s thoughts as well as your own,” junior Alyssa Yeh said. “It makes it more fun for the users and followers.” Yeh shares a dual account with her close friend, junior Samantha Liu. They enjoy posting compilation videos and vlogs together. “Finstas are a platform to share our daily lives from the music we are listening to, to the food we are eating,” Ma said. “It is a place where we can rant, and it is especially a place to share our memories.”

VLOGging provides new perspectives liana korotzer Vlogging, or video blogging, has gained popularity in recent years through YouTube as it allows people to share their daily lives with millions of viewers all over the world. Sophomores Ryan Ramsey and Olivia Sampras film and vlog their lives on their YouTube channel LivRyte Vlogs, which is a combination of the teens’ names. Ramsey and Sampras post a video on their account every day, which usually consists of a challenge, such as the “blindfolded makeup” or “couples yoga” challenges. They also post videos of events, such as celebrating New Year’s Eve. “Some of my favorite adventures that we have

used in our vlogs are exploring downtown Los Angeles, Laguna Beach and Santa Monica,” Sampras said. Ramsey uses a Canon G7X Mark 2 camera and a GoPro camera to film the videos. After filming, the videos must be edited and prepared before they are posted on YouTube for subscribers to watch. He usually takes between one and two hours to edit each video. It is easier for them to make vlogs on the weekend because of the large amount of time needed to prepare each video, but Ramsey and Sampras still enjoy making videos during the week as well. The goal of LivRyte Vlogs is to spread positivity into the lives of others through each video. Ramsey and Sampras hope to make others

happier and to make people smile. “We both [have had negative experiences] and really wanted it to be nonexistent,” Ramsey said. “We started the vlogs not only to inspire people in our community, but also people around the world.” They also enjoy vlogging for the joy of going on adventures, thinking of video ideas and editing the vlogs. Sampras hopes that the vlogs can spread happiness to those who the pair cannot reach without YouTube. “We wanted something that allowed us to just be ourselves, have fun and be super creative,” Sampras said. “We wanted to spread encouragement, creativity and the idea that there is always light in the midst of darkness.” Sophomore Olayemi Okunubi, a close friend of Ramsey and

Sampras, watches the videos on LivRyte Vlogs and supports her friends’ channel. She is impressed by their consistency to post vlogs every day. “They are constantly smiling in their videos, which is not fake, and I love that,” Okunubi said. “They spread positivity both in real life and online.” LivRyte Vlogs, which began in December 2016, now has over 100 videos and has attracted over 13,000 subscribers. Viewers can see their daily lives, creating a sense of transparency between viewers and the vloggers. “I hope that our channel is able to eventually reach millions one day [and] that it will spread positivity around the world,” Ramsey said.

STUDENT LIFE 8

kicking into high gear Peninsula robotics team places second at competition saffy laurio On March 24 and 25, Peninsula’s For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) Robotics team competed in the FIRST Steamworks Robotics Competition in Long Beach. Peninsula’s team, also known as the Phantom Catz, was very successful placing second out of 66 teams, only five points behind the first place team. “We all were extremely happy after hearing that we won the entire competition,” junior Shayla Patel said. “Some of us even cried out of happiness. It felt like our year of working hard every day was worth it.” The competition itself is structured like a game between two teams. Robots are sent out onto the field to collect balls and shoot them into each team’s respective goals. The robots are also used to collect gears to deliver to the team’s bases. Points are based off of the amount of balls and gears collected by the end of each round. Robotics team member sophomore Olivia Bradley enjoys the competition days because of the positive mood all teams have towards each other, despite competing against one another. “The competitions are as energetic as a sports competition, but the concept of gracious professionalism sets us apart,” Bradley said. “Gracious professionalism is being nice and helpful to everyone, even when you are opponents. It creates a super happy atmosphere and I have met so many people from around the world because of it.” The robotics team works especially hard to prepare for their competition days, spending an average of 24 to 36 hours a week on meetings. Working engineers give up free time to act as

mentors to the team. Two robots must be made during the team’s preparation season. One robot must be completed after six weeks and cannot be touched until competition as to make it fair for international teams who must ship their robots early. “I believe that our team won by working together very well,” Patel said. “We have many sub-teams whose contributions are all vital to the success of our robot. We all motivated each other to work extremely hard and create the best robot possible. We all also really wanted to gain our first win at a competition.” Despite all the time and work that goes into being a member of the robotics team, Bradley enjoys participating in the program. She enjoys it not only because of her love of engineering, but also because of the people she does it with. “I have been taking engineering classes since sixth grade, and fell in love with it immediately. I love the creativity and [problem solving],” Bradley said. “[People in robotics] have become more than just a team; we always call each other family since we are all so close. Without them and robotics, I would not be as confident as I am now. [Robotics] has pushed me out of my comfort zone and taught me so much about engineering and working in the industry.” The team will be attending the next competition during the week of April 19. Junior Shayla Patel hopes to continue the team’s winning streak. “At the upcoming competition in Texas, I hope to see our team win our category and move on to the champs division,” Patel said. “I am also excited to meet other students from all over the world. It is always amazing to see that so many students share a love of robotics.”

“[People in robotics] have become more than just a team; we always call each other family since we are all so close. [robotics] has pushed me out of my comfort zone and taught me so much about engineering and working in the industry.” - SOPHOMORE oLIVIA bRADLEY

more than

58,000

students competed

2,300 teams 75 percent

competed in the competition

of FIRST alumni join the stem field

8 countries

had team representatives

The team is named “phantom Catz”, representing Peninsula High’s mascot. connor tumelty / The pen

ending on a high note

Peninsula choir wins first place in national competition saffy laurio During spring break, many students took a break from responsibilities and spent the holiday relaxing. However, this was not the case for Peninsula’s choir. Several members of choir traveled to New York City to compete at the World Strides Heritage Festival where they went up against 20 different choirs from around the country. The choir sang “The Gift to be Free,” “Bogoroditse Devo” and “If Music be the Food of Love.” They placed first in the Chamber Choir category with a Gold Rating, the highest possible scoring, and also received the Adjudicator Award. Because of the choir’s excellent scores, they were invited to the next round of the competition, which will happen in early 2018. “We do not normally go to competitions,” junior Steven Halling said. “We usually go to festivals where we hear other choirs sing and professionals give them notes. Not only did we get to do that this time, but we also got to perform in a beautiful venue far away from home. Performing with a group consisting of all the different choirs at Peninsula made the experience even more special. It was interesting to hang out with everyone.” Many members were initially surprised by the win due to their group’s size. The different divisions were determined by the size of the school, not the size of the choir. Because of this, the team of only 20 people had to compete against teams of 50. Despite this disadvantage, the team succeeded. “We were so surprised when we won,” Halling said. “We won gold first, so as they were calling names up we were shocked. We were not expecting it at all, but were very

excited about it.” Sophomore Carla Sudo feels that the preparation process went very smoothly. Much of this was due to choir director Dan Doctor’s guidance. “We did have quite a few lunchtime rehearsals as well as rehearsals after school, but we made it work,” Sudo said. “[Doctor] is very clear on what he wants and does not want from us, so he gives us many great simple but detailed instructions and tips on how to project our voices in effective and beautiful ways.” While in New York, the choir spent time touring the city. They visited places such as Carnegie Hall and the Rockefeller Plaza, and attended a performance of “Phantom of the Opera” on Broadway. Sudo felt as though the stress-free environment helped her connect with both her fellow choir members and her love of music. “I loved the trip because it was an actual break from school and other worries. We all got to spend the stress-free time with each other,” Sudo said. “This trip definitely deepened my appreciation and love for the people I get to sing with everyday, as well as music itself.” Sudo also feels that despite their talent and hard work, choir often goes unnoticed. This concerns her especially because each year there are less new choir members joining their program. “Choir is so much fun to watch, listen [to] and actually perform,” Sudo said. “We all work very hard for concerts and even just for fun, so I think we can definitely expand our program to the community and get more people to come watch us perform.”

the choir poses at the world strides heritage music festival. They won first place in the chamber choir category.

when not performing, the choir explored the city together. they visited landmarks such as carnegie hall and Broadway. PHOTOs COURTESY OF carla sudo

Peninsula welcomes new Korean honor society AILEY SUZUKI Peninsula offers a variety of foreign language courses to students such as Chinese, French, Latin, Spanish, Japanese and most recently Korean. The Korean class was introduced to Peninsula two years ago, thanks to the Korean community of the Palos Verdes Peninsula. June Choi graciously offered to be the teacher and now teaches Korean 1 and Korean 2. She, along with the help of a couple of students, recently created Korean National Honor Society and had their first official meeting on March 28. Junior Kara Lee is a member of the Korean National Honor Society and is one of many students who made the decision to take the Korean class. She originally took Spanish but switched to Korean her sophomore year to better communicate with her grandmother. Lee was pleasantly surprised with how popular the course was with the students at Peninsula. “I love [how] Korean has expanded so

much,” Kara Lee said. “[It is] awesome seeing people of other ethnicities having such interest in Korean culture.” Sophomore Renee Lee is also a member of the Korean National Honor Society and decided to take Korean her freshman year to be able to talk to her family members. Lee stated that taking the class helped her to further appreciate her culture. “I originally hated being Asian because of the many stereotypes that come with it,” Renee Lee said. “But [I have] really learned to love being Korean and now I have a large community to share that passion with.” Senior Monique Jurado is one of the Korean National Honor Society copresidents. She currently takes two language courses, Japanese and Korean. She decided to take Korean because it was a culture in which she had always been interested. She hopes to continue learning about both cultures in college as well. After Choi mentioned that she wanted to create an honor society, Jurado and

senior Trevor Williams offered to help with paperwork and were asked to be the co-presidents of the Korean National Honor Society. At the first meeting, they discussed hours, cultural points and the induction ceremony. Cultural points can be earned by experiencing new things related to the Korean culture. These activities include watching a Korean drama, going to a Korean restaurant and visiting a Korean history museum. They must commemorate the experience by taking a picture of their experience and writing a summary in Korean. There are currently 22 members in Korean National Honor Society, and Jurado hopes that more people will take the class and join it. “It feels great knowing that there are [many students] interested in the [Korean] culture and language and I hope there continue to be,” Jurado said.

Sports

SMOOTH SAILING Peninsula’s sailing team makes waves at the SoCal Series and prepares to participate in the Pacific Coast Championships this month haris rao

nd nd

PLACE OVERALL IN THE SOCAL SERIES with only

YEARS OF SAILING EXPERIENCE

Freshmen Matthew Sun and Cyrus Khaleeli have been sailing together since middle school, when they both took to the waters the summer before seventh grade. Khaleeli and Sun, accompanied by sophomore Kaitlin Chan, placed second overall in the SoCal Series, a year-long series of races along the coast of southern California, on April 15. The trio placed fourth in their penultimate round and eighth in the last round in San Diego, ultimately ending the series in second place overall. “We were very excited [to place second],” Sun said. “[Placing second as freshmen] is not something that you see every day. I think it was good teamwork and communication that ended up getting us the victory.” On the boat, Khaleeli is the skipper; he controls the boat’s acceleration and works on all of the team tactics. As the skipper, Khaleeli must determine which direction the wind is blowing and direct the sails to help the boat achieve its maximum speed. Sun maneuvers the small sail, also known as “trimming the jib.” As controller of the jib, Sun must guide the boat’s direction. Both positions bear equal importance in sailing and team members must collaborate to work successfully. The team loves to be out on the sea and master their positions. “I think I just like being out in the open and really being free to do what I want to do,” Sun said. Although the team faced some challenges during the fifth and final round, the team ended

the tournament with good outcomes. “The wind and currents were not in our favor for the first day, so we were not doing too well, but the second day I think we got an advantage because the wind [was in our favor], Khaleeli said. “[In the end], we defeated the third place team by three or four points.” The team’s head coach, Steve Natvig, utilized a training program that was an integral part of the boys’ success. Natvig had his team practice for two to three days a week throughout the school year and at least two to three hours every practice. The team competes in tournaments at least every three weeks. “I think most people think of [sailing] as not very physically demanding,” Sun said. “They think it is more like a leisurely sport, but with the boats that we sail it is a lot more difficult than you would imagine.” Khaleeli agrees with Sun’s opinion and wants others to know that his success in the sport did not come easily. “I felt so accomplished [after placing second] because I have been trying very hard to do well lately, and it finally happened,” Khaleeli said. “After our victory, we all were so excited that we jumped off the boat into the water and took a victory swim.” The group will be competing in the Pacific Coast Championships on April 22 and 23 and the Junior Olympic qualifications in mid-July. “If we place well at the upcoming tournament we have a chance of qualifying for the Golden Fleet, which is a more advanced racing crew,” Sun said. “[In Golden Fleet] we will get a larger boat than we have now and we will also have more competition.”

“After our victory, we all were so excited that we jumped off the boat into the water and took a victory swim.” -Freshman cyrus khaleeli

connor tumelty/the pen

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