EDUCATION SPOTLIGHT

EDUCATION SPOTLIGHT What Champions Are Made Of

LACES boys varsity basketball team moves up in the rankings

By Michele Robinson

Winning a City Championship is an unparalleled victory, especially when it is seven years in the making. Not since 2015 has the boys varsity basketball team at Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies (LACES) won a championship in the CIF Los Angeles City Section. LACES is a Magnet Title 1 School located in Mid-City. It is academically rigorous with 50.4% of the student body identified as gifted/talented. With a very diverse student body, the school draws students from over 50 zip codes in LA. Many of LACES’ team players including Cody Yamaki, Donovan Cormelius and Bradyn Sochiratna come from the Westside to attend the prestigious school. “The first task was to change the culture with the goal to win the City Championship,” said head coach David Trujeque. Trujeque, who is relatively new to LACES, is in his second year at the school. However, his coaching time with the team was limited last year due to COVID-19 restrictions. “When I came to LACES, the team was in

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PHOTO COURTESY OF CARMEN COTTON PHOTO CREDITS: FARLEY ANUNCIACION

The boys varsity basketball team at Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies (LACES) won a championship for the first time in seven years in the CIF Los Angeles City Section.

Welcome to Paseo del Rey Natural Science Magnet, home of the Stingrays! Paseo is a campus rich with a diverse student body, highly committed and skilled teachers, and a rigorous curriculum. The relationship among teachers, families, students, and our community partners allows us to attend to each student’s academic and social needs. Paseo del Rey is proud to offer enrichment programs such as:

• Planet Bravo • Chess • Mobile Stem Lab • Dedicated Science Lab • Dedicated Computer Lab • Musical Instruments and Orchestra • Yoga • Dance • Garden

During the 2022-2023 school year, there will be exciting new changes at Paseo del Rey! We will offer the following three quality instructional programs:

• Residential Spanish Dual Language Immersion Program:

This program will be available to Transitional Kindergarten and Kindergarten students. Parents may apply at apply.lausd.net • Residential Programs: These programs are designed for residents in Playa del Rey and the surrounding communities for students as young as 4 years old. • Residential Magnet Program: Our residential magnet program has a natural science focus and includes transportation. Parents may apply at: https://echoices.lausd.net/ For more information, please call our main office at (310) 823-2356.

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Located in the heart of Santa Monica, PS1 Pluralistic School is a coeducational day school for children in grades K-6. At PS1, pluralism is our highest aspiration—for our children and our world. It also describes our methods for achieving that goal. The school’s name intentionally echoes our nation’s motto, E pluribus unum: Out of many, one. As our students master essential skills and knowledge, we ensure they understand themselves as individual learners and human beings, and as members of numerous larger communities. Why does pluralism matter? By attending to each child as a unique and valued individual, we build a kind, cooperative, dynamic learning community that models the larger world as we think it can and should be: one that considers, honors, and welcomes every person, so all can joyfully contribute their best selves to the greater good. When your child spends their earliest years in this carefully designed educational environment, they step forth prepared and energized to put their values into practice wherever they go. Today, we need such delightful, dedicated, effective thinkers and citizens more than ever. For more information visit: www.psone.org

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What Champions Are Made Of

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the development stage,” Trujeque said. “Last year was my first year here, but due to COVID-19 we played only 10 games in the season. We needed to change the work ethic.” At age 30, the young head coach has six years of coaching experience behind him. With a lot to prove and many obstacles to overcome, his goal was to get this team into the headspace of winning. “This season we had 19 wins and 14 losses, and went through a rough patch with a 7-streak losing sequence,” Trujeque said. “Plus, we had injuries and COVID-19 impacted our season.” Sochiratna, a shooting guard on the team, is one of the players who suffered from injuries this season. “I sprained my ankle twice,” he said. Sochiratna also remembers the COVID struggles. “During the winter spike a good amount of us got COVID and if a certain number of people get it, then they shut down the practices for two weeks,” he added. “We were almost at max.” As a longstanding underdog team, together they had to fight to move up in the rankings. During this season, the team moved up from third division to second division. “It is an accomplishment that we did together,” Trujeque said. One of the reasons that the team did so well this year is team composition. Currently, there are 10 seniors, one junior and one sophomore on the team. Being such a senior-centric team helped them bond on and off the court. “Before practice we would meet up and get food,” Sochiratna said. “At school we hang out at lunchtime. Everyone is friendly with each other.” The majority of the team has played together for about five years since eighth grade. This was also their last chance to win a championship, which made them even more motivated. “We really pushed for the City Championship,” Sochiratna said. And push they did. In order to be competitive, the team practiced during the summer and every other day after school in the fall. The team also occasionally practiced on weekends and had long-distance tournaments to compete in during their winter break. But the real work happened during the season. “From November to March, we practiced every day after school from 4 to 5:30 or 6 p.m.,” Sochiratna said. “I would come home, eat, do homework and do it all again the next day. I was tired.” Trujeque recognized their fatigue and would offer random rest days so they could

To celebrate every contribution acknowledgement

PS1 Pluralistic School Congratulates the Class of 2022 on their Middle School Acceptances!

Independent K–6 education in Santa Monica

Independent K–6 education in Santa Monica

PS1 graduates have matriculated to these middle schools:

The Archer School for Girls Arete Prep Academy The Buckley School Brentwood School Campbell Hall Chadwick School Crossroads School for the Arts & Sciences Geffen Academy Harvard-Westlake School Hesby Oaks Leadership Charter School John Adams Middle School Lincoln Middle School Lindero Canyon Middle School Malibu Middle School Mark Twain Middle School Marlborough School Mirman School New Roads School New West Charter School Palms Middle School Park Century School Paul Revere Middle School St. Matthew’s Parish School St. Raphael School Viewpoint School Westmark School Wildwood School Windward School

get some much needed downtime. During these rest days, the team did not practice and was not allowed to work out in order to condition their muscles. During the season, the seniors were also busy balancing commitments like college applications and Advanced Placement (AP)/ college classes. Many team members are also involved in other outside activities. “I also play golf and am an Eagle Scout,” Sochiratna said. “I’m a senior patrol leader for my Boy Scout troop. Luckily, during the season, my SPL meetings were on Zoom on Monday nights and the campouts were on the weekends, so I was able to find the time to go.” The team is led by two star co-captains: Yamaki, a senior, and Cornelius, a sophomore. Yamaki is in his fourth year as a varsity player. “I have pride in my school and am just so grateful to be a part of it,” Yamaki said. Trujeque also coached Yamaki when he was a sixth-grader on the Mar Vista League. “Cody is a big part of the reason why I interviewed as head coach at LACES,” Trujeque said. The varsity team was thrilled to stay the course, work together, and be mentally strong to win the City Championship. “It was a great ending to our senior year,” Trujeque said.”

LACES

lacesmagnetschool.org

Head coach David Trujeque helped lead the team to victory by changing the culture and getting them into the headspace of winning.

SMMUSD Enrollment for Residents is Now in Progress

State of Our Schools Livestream Event “Emerging Stronger” set for May 2, 2022 Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District is open for enrollment for Santa Monica and Malibu residents for the 2022-23 school year! Learn more about the high-performing school district! Parents, staff, students, prospective families and community members are invited to attend the SMMUSD’s State of Our Schools event, Emerging Stronger, on Monday, May 2, 2022 at 5:30 p.m. via livestream:

https://bit.ly/SMMUSDsosEvent050222.

Join Superintendent Dr. Ben Drati, Board of Education, district leadership, teachers, parents and students to celebrate the accomplishments of this school year, plus get a sneak peek at what is in store for the 2022-23 school year. Prospective families who live within SMMUSD boundaries in Santa Monica and Malibu are encouraged to view the event. SMMUSD officials will share updates on academics, mental health and wellness, facility improvements, sustainability, COVID response, visual and performing arts, athletics, early learning, special education, American cultures and ethnic studies, social justice, project-based learning, career technical education, science, technology, engineering, art, math (STEAM) and other programs. “We have a lot to be thankful for and much to celebrate,” said Superintendent Dr. Ben Drati. “We are emerging stronger together.” The event will be recorded and posted on www.smmusd.org a few days following the event. Contact your neighborhood school for enrollment information: www.smmusd.org/Page/419.

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