Issue 8 by The Pen Newspaper

the

PEN

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

Issue 8 May 27, 2016

CHECKED OUT FOR COACHELLA Peninsula loses funds due to numerous absences caused by Coachella OPINION PAGE 5

CASTING AWAY CAASpp

Jammin’ to the top

Hole in Won

Students choose to opt out of state testing

Peninsula senior’s band signs with major record label

Boys’ Golf finishes season undefeated

NEWS

PAGE 3

STUDENT LIFE

PAGE 9

SPORTS

PAGE 10

NEWS

HOW DO YOU SAY YOUR NAME?

ANNA CHANG/The Pen

Nationwide push promotes accurate name pronunciation ZAIN RIAZ According to Education Week, pronouncing students’ names correctly has always been an issue for teachers in the classroom. As classrooms become more culturally diverse, the cases of mispronounced names are increasing. The National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE) has created a social media campaign called “My Name, My Identity” to raise awareness about the importance of pronouncing students’ names correctly. One of the main objectives of the campaign is for schools to emphasize the importance of building a respectful and caring culture in the classroom environment. Some students with names that are difficult to say could feel offended if their teacher does not take the time to learn to pronounce their names correctly. English 3 teacher and varsity softball head coach Tim Hall knows taking the time to learn a student’s name correctly helps strengthen the relationship between students and teachers. “For me, [pronouncing student names] is really important. While some kids might think it is not that big a deal

and they will tell me as much, for a lot of kids it is a huge part of who they are and their identity,” Hall said. “I think it is a fair expectation to have teachers pronounce kids names correctly. It is a matter of respect.” According to NABE, although not being able to correctly pronounce a student’s name may not seem like anything of importance to the teacher, it can make the student feel bad for creating an unnecessary problem. Doing something simple, like taking the time to learn the correct pronunciation of a name as soon as possible, can help both the student and the teacher to avoid uneasiness throughout the year. Junior Aaron Lum, who witnessed a student’s name being pronounced incorrectly, says that mispronunciation

can make a student feel uncomfortable. “It can just be really rude [for the teacher to not acknowledge the correct pronunciation of his or her name] and [the other students] make fun of them,” Lum said. NABE hopes to make more teachers aware of the fact that taking the extra time to learn a students’ names correct pronunciation can make a difference in the relationship between students and teachers. “It is so important for the teachers and substitutes to pronounce someone’s name correctly because oftentimes I find that it makes it hard to focus if someone pronounces your name wrong,” sophomore Armon Gorgani said. “I feel annoyed especially if they keep doing it over and over again after I correct them.”

“It is worth the time to do your research so that you pronounce [the student’s name right] on that first day and you automatically build a bridge instead of a wall.” -teacher Jonathan Stamper

Saying someone’s name correctly the first time a person is introduced to another can alleviate stress and anxiety from the start of the relationship which creates a lasting zone of comfort from the very first meeting. Teachers, who need to learn many new names each year, carry the responsibility of ensuring that they can pronounce each of their students’ names correctly. Some Peninsula teachers who have made an effort to perfect their students’ names at the beginning of the school year have found the rest of the year to be substantially more comfortable. Chemistry and Physics teacher Jonathan Stamper makes a big effort before the first day of school to practice his students names. When he takes attendance, he can refer to how he practiced and make sure he gets the names correct. This has helped him to get his students’ names right. “I once had three Hannahs in the same class. One of them pronounced it ‘Haw-nuh.’ ” Stamper said. “It is worth the time to do your research so that you pronounce [the student’s name right] on that first day and you automatically build a bridge instead of a wall.”

NEWS

Opting OUT OF CAASPP

Juniors receive flyers to opt out of CAASPP testing JOSEPH FOARD

1) Did you know you could opt out of the CAASPP?* Yes

73.3%

No 26.7% 2) Did your parent(s) consider having you opt out?* Yes

31.7%

68.3%

*Based off survey of 60 juniors on May 12

ANNA CHANG/The Pen

On May 9, Principal Mitzi Cress released an email to students and parents detailing an incident that occurred a day earlier, in which Peninsula students found flyers on their car windshields encouraging them to opt out of the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) Test. These flyers were also found on the cars of Palos Verdes High School students that same day. “Do not be deceived by the opinions coming from those who are not professionally responsible for the daily education of your sons and daughters,” Cress said in the email. “I can tell you they do not represent our school or school district and do not have your best interests in mind. I can assure you that the upcoming CAASPP testing affords several potential benefits to students and serves as an important metric of our efforts in working with them.” The CAASPP is a test annually administered to juniors in California in order to assess the academic ability of the states’ student bodies. According to

the California Department of Education, the STAR system’s focus was on academic prowess and knowledge while the CAASPP evaluates new standards that emphasize analytical thinking, problem solving and communication skills. However, California state law allows all students the opportunity to opt out of statemandated standardized testing. Some students, such as junior Jonathan McGinn, have chosen this option. Although some parents considered opting their child out of the CAASPP, in the end only 24 students out of 637 juniors actually opted out (3.77%). “I opted out of the CAASPP because I disagree with making the test harder if you get answers right or easier if you get answers wrong,” McGinn said. “It does not seem fair, and it keeps it from being a standardized test.” Students who wanted to defer from taking the CAASPP did so by having their parents send a letter to the principal asking for their child to be exempted from testing. “I am happy to speak with [anyone] about the facts of CAASPP testing, which in this case, are not to be found on the windshield of a car,” Cress said.

Science teachers recognized for knowledge and excellence KAITLIN BATES

Courtesy of mitzi cress

Appreciating teachers for their success in advancing their students knowledge throughout the school year is crucial to the Peninsula community. Teacher Appreciation Week highlights each and every teacher on campus for mastery in his or her subjects of teaching. Some teachers go above and beyond to contribute to the school and its students by implementing

Peter Starodub (left) and Ben Smith (right) pose with their awards at the NSTA Banquet.

new techniques of teaching. Advanced Placement (AP) Chemistry teacher Peter Starodub and AP Environmental Science and Honors Biology teacher Ben Smith traveled to Nashville, Tennessee in April to partake in the National Science Teacher Awards (NTSA) Banquet, an annual event that recognizes teachers for outstanding achievements in their areas of knowledge. There, the NTSA rewards the national and international leaders of science and science education. Starodub and Smith both received a phone call in January saying that they had been selected and invited to attend. At the banquet, both received the 2016 Vernier Technology Award. This award recognizes the innovative or potential use of data collection technology using a computer or graphing calculator in the classroom. “For me, teaching environmental science is truly a union, or a fusion, of my vocations and avocations,” Smith said. AP Environmental Science is a popular course that was introduced nationwide by Smith in 1996, when Mitzi Cress and former principal Kelly Johnson accepted

his request to unite the natural sciences with the social sciences. “[This class] helps create a course that students can find immediately relevant and applicable to their lives,” Smith said. Last year, Smith submitted a series of Environmental Science, Ecology Laboratory and Field Inquiry Investigations, which are materials that describe his approach to teaching environmental science and his philosophy and background about the course he teaches. His collection of lab and field experiments was selected from among thousands of other teachers who submitted their own projects. “I am grateful to be a teacher in the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District [and to represent] Peninsula High School, our school district, science teachers and specifically Environmental Science teachers,” Smith said. “It is a great honor to be recognized by NTSA.” During the 28 years Starodub has been a teacher and the 13 years he has taught at Peninsula, he has educated his students by incorporating his vast

knowledge of science with his lectures. Senior Rachel Oda, a former student of Starodub, values his lessons and believes it was one of the most memorable classes of her high school experience. Many walk out of his classroom with knowledge not only about chemistry, but also a greater understanding of the subject’s history. “He has so much passion for teaching which makes us students enjoy the class even more,” Oda said. According to Oda, Starodub provides each of his classes with informative notes that he wrote specifically for his students. He does not use the science textbooks provided by the school. Instead, Starodub wrote his own version of the science textbook by integrating his own comprehension of it in a way that makes it easier for his students to understand. “I got a glimpse [of] what a truly rigorous academic class is like,” Oda said. “It certainly helped me as I looked for and applied to colleges.”

Opinion THE PEN PALOS VERDES PENINSULA HIGH SCHOOL 27118 Silver Spur Road, Rolling Hills Estates, CA 90274 EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Lauren Lee Tunika Onnekikami Noah Werksman DESIGN EDITOR Jackie Uy MANAGING EDITOR/ BUSINESS & ADVERTISING Isabelle Wang NEWS EDITOR: Annie Benedict WRITERS: Kaitlin Bates Joseph Foard Ryan Frazier Saffy Laurio OPINION EDITORS: Marine Fujisawa Zoe Willoughby WRITERS: Chris Chien Nile Minn FOCUS EDITORS: Phoebe Borsum Esther Chu WRITERS: Anne Lee Nina Li STUDENT LIFE EDITORS: Amani Jalota Stella Yoo WRITERS: Alison Kim Emily McGinn Adrian Tai SPORTS WRITERS: Jordan Chang Zain Riaz GRAPHICS Jessica Nye Temishi Onnekikami ADVISER Jaymee Johnson “The Pen” is the student newspaper produced by the advanced journalism students of Palos Verdes Peninsula High School. It is published eight times per year. Advertising inquiries may be directed to Advertising Manager Isabelle Wang at (310) 377- 4888 ext. 652. The Pen editors appreciate Letters to the Editor, which are accepted up to one week before publication. You may submit them to H52 or to Jaymee Johnson’s mailbox. Copyright © 2015

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

4 EDITORIAL

stepping up to lead

Temishi onnekikami/ The pen

Editorial staff As digital technology spreads its reaches and transportation grows more accessible than ever before, the homogeneity of the world is quickly disappearing. It is giving way to a mixed Earth where people of all kinds are increasingly intermingled. Although it is still a work in progress, America is on the road towards a society where people of various races, genders, sexualities and religions can work in harmony. And yet, discrimination is still present on a global scale. Many public figures still fit a certain mold, regardless of the diversity of those they serve. This inaccurate rendition of the whole can only hurt the varied masses as groups struggle to find a professional voice in public affairs. It is essential that all members of a population be represented, and many areas

of the world are working towards inclusion. In early May, London elected its first Muslim leader, Sadiq Khan. With this victory, Khan will become the first Muslim mayor of a major Western city. According to the New York Times, one-eighth of the London population is Muslim; thus, this new election serves to better embody the significant Muslim population. This decision comes at a crucial time in Europe, where there are mounting tensions over the issue of immigrants coming from predominantly Muslim countries. While many face unfair discrimination solely due to their background, this historic decision can empower Muslims in London and make them feel more included. Diversity of those in leadership positions does not stop here. According to

NBC News, the U.S. Senate confirmed Eric Fanning as the Secretary of the Army on May 17, making him the first openly gay military leader. As discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people has been prominent in the military throughout history, this decision will empower other LGBT youth to pursue paths in the military. While the leadership of these two people may not directly influence us at Peninsula, they serve as symbols that those who identify with either or both of the minorities listed still have immense future opportunities. They also remind us of the importance of accurately representing the diverse student body. With students from all kinds of backgrounds, Peninsula has a bigger duty to accept the diverse nature of our school.

And, from simply taking a tour around campus, it is clear our student leadership embodies this and more. Coming from such a heterogeneous high school, striding into the scrutiny of places such as the corporate world may come as a shock. Thus, it is our duty to step up and to remain standing. We must not be intimidated by the disproportionate representation that precedes us, and we can be inspired by those like us who have aimed high and achieved their goals. We, and the rest of our generation, must build a culture of acceptance and embrace our differences to make a stronger, more globally-minded set of leaders. We are the future, and we will become the mentors of the future generations. There are no “good ol’ days” for us to return to; it is up to us to create them.

First gender-neutral bathrooms open in LAUSD Chris CHIEN Peninsula has always been at the forefront of issues such as equal rights for all students. In 2015, Principal Mitzi Cress decided to convert the singleton bathrooms to gender-neutral facilities. However, there are schools in other parts of the country where the concerns of transgender students have yet to be heard. Before this year, the schools of Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) were among the many schools in the US without these accommodations. That changed on April 20, when Santee Education Complex in South Los Angeles became the first school in LAUSD to open a gender-neutral bathroom. The groundbreaking decision was met with widespread support, with students and staff rallying behind the campaign of Santee’s Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) club by attending rallies and signing a petition that amassed over 700 signatures. The bathroom is located in a busy hallway and will be monitored by GSA members to ensure that it is being used safely and properly. However, the movement was not without its detractors, as students were met with a large number of counter-protesters fighting against the new facility. While there could be a number of reasons why some are not supportive of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT)

movements, the opinions of those people should not be infringing on their rights. Furthermore, schools everywhere should be considering the opening of gender-neutral bathrooms, as they foster a nondiscriminatory environment and cater to all students’ needs. “My first concern about the bathroom was that it could cause more incidents of harassment,” senior Peter Giuliano said. “However, given that it will be monitored regularly, I feel that [it] can provide more comfort for those who do not identify as male or female.” The 21st century has seen immense progress for LGBT civil rights, and gender-neutral bathrooms would be another step in the right direction. Transgender people find themselves in a tough spot when choosing which bathroom they should use. Especially for those in the process of transition, it is difficult to identify fully with any specific gender, generating discomfort. By getting rid of these boundaries, gender-neutral bathrooms provide an easy solution for this problem. Having them in widelyfrequented areas on campus also reduces the need for transgender students to take inconvenient routes to their classes, and the exposure could help to reduce negative stigma surrounding the issue. “I do believe that being transgender will become widely accepted at some

point, but the question is when,” sophomore Atul Jalan said. “Genderneutral bathrooms serve as the first step in which the goal is to foster a community of diverse people who feel comfortable being who they are.” Students with deeply-held personal beliefs may dislike the idea of a genderneutral bathroom. However, they should note that they will not be directly affected. The other facilities on campus will remain gender-specific, and everyone is free to choose which restroom to use. “I know a lot of people struggle with their gender identity so I think gender neutral bathrooms are a good idea,” freshman Julie Cuffel said. “I do know some people are not comfortable with this, but all they have to do is not use it.” At the end of the day, genderneutral bathrooms are a great addition to the Santee campus and should be considered at other schools if demanded. They provide reasonable accommodations for the growing number of transgender students without harming or inconveniencing others. As society continues to progress in terms of acceptance and understanding of different kinds of people, it is now time to embrace the diverse population of our schools and help create a welcoming and comfortable learning environment for each and every student.

Coachillin'

student-free days for coachella weekends could prevent huge losses in school funding Nile Minn Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is known for its amazing music and electrifying vibe, making it the perfect place for a legendary weekend. Taking place on the second and third weekends of April, Coachella attracts many high schoolers over the span of two weekends. Since the festival starts on Fridays, students who choose to attend this festival will miss a day of school. At Peninsula, 484 students were absent on April 15 and 226 were absent on April 18. Unexcused absences cost Peninsula $49.10 in funding a day per student, so Peninsula lost over $35,000 each in funding for the two days involved, according to the Principal’s Update. Though the loss in funding should not be happening, perhaps instead of asking families to pay $50 per unexcused absence, having these two days as student-free days would be the better option for both students and school funding. “I think the school should offer student free days for the Fridays of Coachella because it would be wise to dismiss people for going to Coachella and the school would not lose money,” junior and Coachella attendee Hutchins Hershberger said. “People are not going to stop going to Coachella. The school should recognize this present issue and not try to ignore the fact that absences will increase every year.” According to The Wire, some schools have already taken measures to ensure that valuable educational days and funding are not wasted because of absences caused by Coachella. Crossroads School in Santa Monica has implemented “grading days” for its teachers during the Coachella weekends when students are not expected to come to school, and teachers can grade papers, prepare for finals or take time to review for Advanced Placement (AP) exams. “After seeing the news on the Principal’s Update

regarding the funding loss because of absences due to Coachella, I realized how much of an effect absences can have on the school,” sophomore Joey Tsang said. “With that in mind, I am still considering attending Coachella next year because it is something I want to experience. Having a student free day during the Coachella Fridays would benefit both the school and the students, and I think that it would be a win-win situation for both the school and those who plan to attend Coachella.” Some schools, such as Harvard-Westlake School and Brentwood School, have taken a slightly different stance on Coachella absences. They require parents to state that their kids will be missing school to attend Coachella. Those students will also serve a day of detention for each school day that they miss due to Coachella. Some teachers at schools that are still in session during the Coachella season, such as Steve Klima at Palisades Charter High School, plan their lectures around Coachella’s schedule so that students do not miss anything major because they were attending the festival. “I remember going to Coachella when I was a senior in high school. It is almost like a rite of passage to go to Coachella as a young adult who lives in Southern California,” Palisades Charter High School graduate Irene Lim said. “Though the absences were not excused and school was still in session, I would skip school for Coachella again if I had to. The wanderlust feeling that many high schoolers have will not keep them from going to Coachella just because of a detention or some extra homework. Instead, putting off days around Coachella as instructional free-days would probably be the best way to have students and the school be happy.”

“ People are not going to stop “

Temishi onnekikami/The Pen

going to Coachella. The school should recognize this present issue and not try to ignore the fact that absences will increase every year -Junior Hutchins Hershberger

Day ONE On April 15, 484 students were absent

Day two On April 18, 226 Students were absent

unexcused absences cost $49.10 in funding per day per student

The Power of Jessica Nye/The Pen

Focus

[Politically correct terms affect people in different aspects of life.] Students battle with being racially stereotyped Alison Kim

“Various offensive racial slurs that According to the National Bureau are associated with black people are all of Economic Research, “white considered [disrespectful] and should sounding” names receive 50 percent not be directed to black people by any more callbacks for job interviews than person of any color,” Osborne said. “Muslim sounding” names. One of the Freshman Josh Zeitlin has faced most common and misleading labels of a stereotypical Muslim is insults “terrorist.” of being This is While it saddens me to see that cheap and because of authoritatively the Muslim people are quick to jump to weak for extremist conclusions in labeling Muslims being Jewish. groups that However, he are known negatively, it pushes me harder to copes with for being be the best person I can be. the insults by major remembering threats the thousands to global -Junior Hana Ayoub of Jews that peace. This survived the misjudged brutality image of the Holocaust and anti-Semitic of Muslims has created a problem that discrimination that has been going on for affects them daily. centuries. “Muslims follow the religion of Islam “I am extremely proud to be Jewish [and] the root word in Islam is ‘Salam’ because of the [number of hardships] which means peace,” Muslim Student that we have survived, and I try to Association President and junior Yusuf [surround] myself with good people,” Abdullah said. “But Muslims are rarely Zeitlin said. publicized as peaceful people [due

“

Being politically correct has become a subjective way to reduce discrimination against certain races, cultures and religions. Labels can have a powerful effect on the way people view each other and the political correctness movement has come about in recent years in order to remain tactful when regarding others. Muslims, African-Americans, Jews and others have often encountered questions about how to correctly refer to their ethnicity and religion. According to US News, only four percent of Peninsula’s students are African-American and the school’s ethnicity/racial makeup is dominated by Caucasians and Asians. Freshman Olin Osborne, an African-American student, believes Peninsula can help him explore new cultures by exposing himself to students of various races. However, Osborne has been in many situations when he has been referenced by a derogatory term that he believed to be offensive. Although some of the labels are common in the dialect of today’s society, Osborne believes that it does not change the fact that these slurs are disrespectful and unwanted.

to ongoing terror caused by Islamic extremists].” Junior Hana Ayoub, a Muslim student, says that many people who label Muslims as terrorists fail to recognize the true philosophy of the Muslim faith which is treating everyone with kindness. Despite people who tend to stereotype Muslims and portray them as hateful, violent and dangerous, Ayoub tries to regain the positive image that was once was recognized by society by wearing a hijab while radiating happiness and positivity. Many people who have been victims of inconsiderate labels have expressed similar thoughts of raising awareness to limit this sort of behavior in society. However, like students on this campus, many are proud to be the ethnicity/ religion they are. “I can wholly and confidently say that I am proud to be a Muslim,” Ayoub said. “While it saddens me to see that people are quick to jump to conclusions in labeling Muslims negatively, it pushes me harder not only to be the best person I can be and to work on my own character, but also to hopefully change people’s perceptions of Islam.”

Mental health stigma challenged by students Nina Li Awareness Week, students hung posters and usually last throughout a person’s used to demonstrate information on lifetime. health issues. The prejudice against Advanced Placement Psychology people who have mental illnesses and teacher Anne Leonard says that a mental cognitive illness is disabilities unlike a stem from disease People who have mental illnesses since the basic human nature. illness can are still human beings and they People are usually be do not deserve to be labeled conditioned controlled intentionally. We need to raise more by in a way so they regard awareness to address the problem medication others and does ourselves. around them not usually as normal affect the or abnormal senses. -Freshman Isabella Sarullo based on how A mental they appear illness does and act. not always According to the Centers for Disease develop as a cause of one accident. Control and Prevention, recent estimates Genetics, environment, lifestyle and in the United States show that about stress contribute to whether or not 15 percent of children aged 3 through someone develops a mental illness. 17 years have one or more cognitive The National Alliance on Mental disabilities. These conditions begin during Illnesses states that 50 percent of mental the growing period, impact daily living illnesses start to take hold at the age

“

In today’s society, discussions about mental illnesses and cognitive disabilities can cause people to feel uncomfortable. Mental illnesses are defined as a change in an individual’s thought processes and perceptions, but they do not directly affect cognitive abilities. On the other hand, cognitive disabilities directly impact the ability of a person to comprehend particular thoughts. Words such as “retarded” are sometimes used to describe people with cognitive disabilities and words such as “crazy” have been incorrectly used to refer to mental illnesses. These terms can be offensive to many people and may be considered politically incorrect. Political incorrectness is used to describe language, policies or measures which lack consideration for a certain group of people. Peninsula has many students who suffer from a cognitive disability or mental illness, yet many schools do not teach mental health past middle school, since the subject is seen as very personal. However, during Mental Health

of 14, roughly the average age of a high school freshman. Actions that may be considered normal behavioral changes in adolescents can cover up usual symptoms of a mental illness. By age 24, 75 percent of these illnesses begin to develop fully. Freshman Isabella Sarullo believes that misinformed labels of mental illnesses can have negative effects. “People who have mental illnesses are still human beings and they do not deserve to be labeled intentionally,” Sarullo said. “We need to raise more awareness to address the problem ourselves.” References to mentally ill and cognitively disabled people are considered a delicate subject and can cause problems if used wrongly. “I think high schoolers can understand that [these] words [can be] offensive, [but] they may not know someone who has suffered [from a mental illness or cognitive disability],” Leonard said. “[So], they may not understand the challenges that go with dealing with [these].”

LGBT community stresses appropriate pronouns Anne Lee

J es

Words carry immeasurable the best thing to do is to really just ask affect the lives of transgender people. significance and can play a large influence them what they would prefer. From what Although Peninsula is known to have in the identity of a person, especially I have noticed, it is just a matter of their an accepting environment, transgender Percent in the transgender community. A personal preference.” students often feel as if they are treated transgender individual is a person whose Junior and LGBT club secretary differently from other students. n gender identity differs from the sex the Annabelle David constantly reaches out “I think there could be a lot more ica r e e m doctor marked on their birth certificate. to the members of the club. She states done, especially with teachers,” David f A ts se o l Transgender people are often said. “I know of some teachers adu itical s faced with the incorrect usage of who do not really try to use pol ctnes words by society. correct pronouns or they [believe re ous A club at Peninsula that almost all people conform to their cor a seri in I feel like [people are] becoming reaches out to the transgender biological gender]. I feel like they do as blem * a lot more accepting, especially community specifically is the not mean to exclude transgender ro rica p Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and people on purpose but they do on this campus. I feel like we are me A Transgender (LGBT) club. The have this feeling, almost like they do heading in the right direction. LGBT club supports a diversity not even try to notice or think that of sexuality and gender identitythere may be transgender people based cultures. The club includes in their classroom and they are not -Junior Annabelle David students from surrounding high very careful and accepting.” schools in the South Bay area Over time, discrimination where club members are given towards the transgender the opportunity to meet with community has lessened and efforts Tw o students of the same age and with similar that some transgender people prefer to reach out to them have improved. of A -thir adu mer ds viewpoints. specific terms and there are others who Both Fidaleo and David feel that society i l h Peninsula LGBT club president and prefer to be approached and asked their has grown more accepting and will ate ts la can junior Ciro Fidaleo recently shared his preference. continue to do so as time progresses. ser spee bele d iou c views on the language used to label “You cannot group all the transgender “In more recent years, people are s pr h as a transgender people. people as a specific pronoun,” David said. becoming more open, not only just in t oble m “Usually, transgender people identify “Some people prefer ‘they’ and ‘them’ female to male trans and male to female cou he n themselves by what you would refer to pronouns, others prefer ‘he’ and ‘him’ or trans, but people who do not identify in try * them as,” Fidaleo said. “For example, ‘she’ and ‘her,’ so it is really difficult and the gender binaries,” David said. “I feel if you see a person acting or appearing it depends on the individual and [which] like it is becoming a lot more accepting, more like a guy, you would prefer to say pronouns [they prefer].” especially on this campus. I feel like we *According to Rasmussen Reports ‘he’ or ‘him’ and vice versa for girls. But The misuse of pronouns can greatly are heading in the right direction.” sic

ye/ The Pen

“

Want to advertise with The Pen next year? Contact us at thepen.business@gmail.com for more information.

Join The Pen 2016-2017 Staff! Come to H52 and get your application packet now!

Student Life 9

Emily McGinn

had to learn to avoid procrastination and When senior Brennen Bates was 12 prioritize in order to have time for both years old, he quit taking piano lessons school and the band. and taught himself to play the bass guitar. This year, Bates was accepted into the Following his piano teacher’s directions University of Southern California’s (USC) was not Bates’s strong suit, and playing Marshall School of Business, his dream the bass provided him an outlet to create school, but he deferred his acceptance to his own sound. pursue his dream with the band. “Once I started teaching myself bass, “This opportunity that I have in front I really fell in love with creating my own of me is something special that not a lot music, and just playing and performing in of people get, and I am extremely lucky general,” Bates said. to have gotten this far at this age,” Bates Bates first became interested in said. “[Music] is something that I really joining a band when a friend added him do not want to let go of and get away to a Facebook group for bass guitar from me. This is one of my few chances auditions. He auditioned, the judges to actually achieve my dream career.” enjoyed his music and he eventually Directly following graduation, joined his current band Weathers in Weathers will be performing at the August 2014. The other band members Firefly Music Festival in Delaware, and include Cole in July and Carson, the August they will [Music] is something that I really be performing drummer from Illinois; do not want to let go of and get in Canada, Cameron Boyer, Vermont, away from me. This is one of my Massachusetts the lead singer from Mira Costa few chances to actually achieve and Ohio. The High School and band will also my dream career. Cameron Olsen, release its the guitarist second single - Senior Brennen Bates from Bishop song in June and Montgomery a full album with High School. Bates helps write songs, RCA Records in early August of 2016. plays the bass guitar and keyboard and They plan to contact radio stations to provides backup vocals. get their songs onto local and nationwide “I have always wanted to be in a radio stations. Later in life, Bates hopes serious band and chase after the dream to become an artists and repertoire of being in a successful performance (A&R) coordinator, a manager or a group,” Bates said. “I have always loved songwriter. He plans to continue his music, and as soon as I started [being education at USC later, where he will in a band], I was inspired by the people learn useful information that he can use around me, the people who supported in the music industry in addition to what me and myself by finally doing something he has learned from his experience in the about my dream.” band. Weathers has already traveled across “My favorite part of being in the band the country to perform. They have is just the music,” Bates said. “It is really performed at Webster Hall in New York cool to go out [on stage,] perform, write City, the South by Southwest Music Fest [and] hang out with my best friends who in Austin, Texas and the Observatory in are basically my brothers. I really like to Orange County. They released their first enjoy the music because I would not be song, “I Don’t Wanna Know,” on Apr. 22. doing this if I did not find it fun [and] if Bates devotes 25 hours a week to this was not something I was ready to practicing with the band. He says he has put my entire life towards.”

“

Senior Brennen Bates performs at the Troubadour in West Hollywood. This was the first show he played after being signed with RCA Records.

PHOTO Courtesy of Brennen Bates

”

sports

Jordan Chang On April 16, sophomores Katie Hageman, Tori Wong, Danielle Cherry and Lisa Takai broke the frosh-soph school record for the shuttle hurdles event at the Mt. San Antonio College (SAC) Relays. The Mt. SAC Relays is a varsity invitational in which all events are meant to be run by varsity teams. They competed as the only frosh-soph team in their race, earning fourth place out of eight teams. The team of four finished with a time of 1:27, two seconds faster than the previous record. Shuttle hurdles is an uncommon event in high school track and field meets. During dual meets, in which two schools compete against each other, only the 100 meter and 300 meter hurdle events are completed. The Peninsula track and field team has the opportunity to compete in shuttle hurdles only at large events such as the Mt. SAC Relays and the last time it was run was in 2013. With this in mind, the runners practiced vigorously to be recognized for their success in the event. “We all really wanted to focus on leaving an impact at Peninsula,” Wong said. “We decided that since we don’t run shuttle hurdles that often we would go for it.” Takai, Cherry and two freshmen first ran in the shuttle hurdles event during the Paramount Relays in March and almost broke the school record. Adding Wong and Hageman to the team gave them the final push they needed to become record breakers. “As a freshman, I remember looking at the record board and admiring all of the athletes on there,” Takai said. “I am so happy that

future athletes can see our names and possibly feel the same way.” The team practices daily, working with hurdles and doing sprint workouts to prepare for competition. Track and field coach Otis Burrell commends them on their dedication to training. “The most difficult aspect of shuttle hurdling is being able to time the incoming runner and not false start,” Burrell said. “This is their second year and they have worked hard to learn that.” While attempting to achieve their goal, the runners have overcome multiple obstacles, the most major being competing as a froshsoph team in a varsity-level race. While varsity members usually take three steps between hurdles to achieve a faster time, the frosh-soph members take five steps. This was a daunting fact for them, but they tried to concentrate on themselves and compete to the best of their abilities. “We came in younger and with less experience and training, and we knew that would put us behind others,” Wong said. “However, we tried to stay focused on our race and on getting in the steps we needed.” Hageman, Wong, Takai and Cherry hope to continue to improve and eventually break the varsity shuttle hurdles record again. “In the future, I hope to be able to master more hurdling skills such as improving my form when I go over the hurdle and taking fewer steps between hurdles,” Takai said. “My goal is to compete for shuttle hurdles again and hopefully break the varsity record.”

Hageman hurdles during the Palos Verdes High School Invitational in March. Along with shuttle hurdles, Hageman also participates in individual hurdles and sprint relays.

courtesy of katie hageman

New school record set for shuttle hurdles

Boys golf goes undefeated, the first time in 15 years Varsity boys golf went undefeated this season, ending with a record of 17-0. Head coach Glenn Van Enk felt that the strong start at the beginning of the season in March was the key to this success. “We had started our play with some non-league matches against Mira Costa and they always have a strong team,” Van Enk said. “When we were able to beat them, I thought that the team could be capable of winning league this year.” Peninsula went on in the second week to win their match against Redondo and in the third week to win their match against Palos Verdes, giving the team momentum for the rest of the season. This season was the first time the team went undefeated since 2001. Van Enk feels this year was the most successful team Peninsula has had since then. “I had an idea we could get pretty far,” Van Enk said. “We have got a good core group of junior players who

have been playing varsity golf since freshman year.” Juniors Cole Yoshida, Rohan Krishnaswarmy and Takuma Yamashita individually advanced to play in the first round of CIF on May 10. They represented three of the seven players from the Bay League section there. None were able to advance into the second round individually. “I think we grew up a little bit,” Yamashita said. “We are looking good for senior year right now, and we hope good freshmen come to the team next year so we can enhance the quality of the team’s performance.” Peninsula did not advance to the second round of the CIF team tournament on May 16th after placing 11th with a score of 398. However, Van Enk is satisfied with how the team played throughout the season and is looking forward to the off-season and next year. “I knew from the start that this group would be good during their junior and senior season,” Van Enk said. “They have already proven that they are a pretty good team, and so next year it would be almost a disappointment if they did not do the same thing.”

west vs. Peninsula Peninsula wins against West High School with a score of 180, the lowest team score of the season

Junior Matt Lim had the lowest individual score of the season, at

34 strokes.

Temishi onnekikami/the pen

Zain Riaz