Westchester/Playa Trivia Challenge

The Westchester/Playa Historical Society participates in the 2019 parade. The nonprofit will be celebrating on August 1 when they open their new Discovery Center.

Celebrating on the Fourth of July

By Cozette Vergari

As we celebrate the Fourth of July, we think of American Independence Day. However, how much do we really know about the historic date, July 4, 1776, the day the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence, which would become the day representing the birth of the United States of America as an independent nation? When the Revolutionary War broke out in April of 1775, those colonists who desired complete independence from Great Britain were few and considered radicals. However, by the middle of 1776, the tide had turned due to a bestselling pamphlet “Common Sense,” published by Thomas Paine earlier that year. The growing hostility against Britain had gained momentum. By June 7, 1776, when the Continental Congress met at the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia, Virginia Delegate Richard Henry Lee called for the colonies’ independence by introducing a motion that was aggressively debated. Congress tabled the motion and formed a five-man committee, which included Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, John Adams of Massachusetts, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania and Robert Livingston of New York, charging the five with the task of creating a formal statement, justifying such a break with Great Britain. On July 2, 1776, the 13 Colonies of the Continental Congress finalized the debate and voted to claim independence from Great Britain. Two days later, the Continental Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence. Philadelphia held the first annual commemorative celebration of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1777, while the Continental Congress was still occupied with the ongoing American War of Independence, later to be known as the American Revolutionary War that lasted from April 19, 1775 through September 3, 1783.

The tradition of setting off fireworks began in Philadelphia on July 4, 1777, during the first organized Independence Day celebration. A ship’s cannon fired a 13-gun salute in honor of the 13 colonies. On the same night, the Sons of Liberty, founded by Samuel Adams and John Hancock, set off fireworks over Boston Common. The patriotic tradition became more widespread after the War of 1812, after again facing Great Britain in battle. By 1870, the United States Congress proclaimed the Fourth of July a federal holiday. Independence Day remains an important symbol of patriotism, reflected in the tradition of displaying the American flag. John Adams always believed July 2 should have been the date dedicated to celebrating American independence and, in protest, repeatedly turned down invitations to appear at Fourth of July events. Coincidentally, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, our second and third presidents of the United States, respectively, both died on the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1826. This year marks the 245th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, and the Westchester/Playa Historical Society will be participating in a parade entry that celebrates our past, present and future. We hope you will join us in learning more about our local history, when our Discovery Center opens next month on August 1. In the meantime, check your Westchester/Playa knowledge with some fun trivia below and learn more at wphistoricalsociety.org.

Cozette is a lifelong resident of Westchester and is leading the charge to reinvigorate the Westchester/Playa Historical Society’s nonprofit status. Together with a group of dedicated volunteers, the organization is working on creating new programming and events to celebrate the history of the area and engage the community in preserving it for future generations. *Republished in part from the HTN’s July 2020 edition.

While you’re waiting for the Fourth of July Parade to start, test your Westchester/Playa knowledge with this trivia challenge courtesy of the Westchester/Playa Historical Society.

Visit us at facebook.com/thehtn and find our trivia challenge post and let us know how many you got right, and we’ll pick one participant at random to receive a $20 gift card to The Book Jewel. You can also email us at westchesterhometown@yahoo.com with your score!

1. What is the name of the first house that was built in the area that includes Westchester/Playa to the north and Redondo Beach to the south, and was constructed in 1835? 2. Where is that house located? 3. Who promoted the sales of land parcels known as Palisades del Rey in the 1920s? 4.. What Playa del Rey business now operates out of the original land office for Palisades del Rey? 5. What was the first name given to what is now Los Angeles International Airport? 6. When did the original airport open? 7. Who built the first commercial building in Westchester in the early 1940s? 8. Where is that building located? 9.. Who built the Spruce Goose? 10. What is the name of LMU’s mascot? 11. Where is the “Horse and Man” statue located and what is the name of the artist commissioned by United Savings Bank to sculpt it and other works of art throughout the Los Angeles region? 12. Where were star-studded movie premieres held in Westchester in the 1950s? 13. Name at least two other stores that have occupied the space that is now Kohl’s Westchester. 14. Where is the home of the Westchester/Playa Historical Society? 15. When will it be open to the public to explore all of the above and more?

During a June Westchester Del Rey Little League (WDRLL) playoff softball game at Carl Nielsen Youth Park, minor division player Annie Garcia turned in an exciting unassisted triple play.

Ten-year-old Annie was playing third base with the bases loaded. An opposing player hit a line drive, which she maneuvered to get in front of and made the catch, resulting in the first out. She then stepped on third base, forcing the second out and then tagged the oncoming runner from second base for the third out.

This is actually the second time this season that she has accomplished this special feat! The first came against a visiting team from Wiseburn Little League in May. In almost the same scenario, there were runners on second and third base. The Wiseburn hitter popped up to third base where Annie bobbled the catch for a moment, and the runner thought she would drop it, so they advanced. After securing the ball for the first out, she then stepped on third for the second out. The last out came when she tagged out the runner from second.

Congratulations, Annie!

From left to right: Jasmeet Singh, Chloe Jackson, Graciela Ayala, Sophia Scott and Kevin Antoine display their scholarship awards at the Westchester Family YMCA.

Graduating seniors receive scholarships.

On Saturday, June 19, the Westchester Rotary Club recognized seven very deserving graduates from local high schools with $2,000 scholarships!

This year’s recipients included: • Westchester Enriched Sciences Magnets graduate Jasmeet Singh who is heading to Loyola Marymount University. He was awarded the Judy Young Scholarship. • Westchester Enriched Sciences Magnets students Saman Wright and Jonathan Green who received the Jerry Madera Leadership Scholarship. Green will be heading to UC Berkeley in the fall. • St. Bernard grad Kevin Antoine was awarded the Kriston Palomo Scholarship. Antoine will be attending San Francisco State. • St. Bernard High School student Chloe Jackson, Westchester Enriched Sciences Magnets student Graciela Ayala and Marymount High grad Sophia Scott were awarded the Jim Hill Memorial Scholarship. Jackson will be attending Clark Atlanta University, Ayala will be attending UCLA and Scott will be heading to Harvard.

LAXCEF Awards more than $40,000 in STEM grants with SoCalGas.

The LAX Coastal Education Foundation (LAXCEF) ended the school year with good news by announcing that everyone who submitted a STEM grant for the 20212022 school year would have them awarded! This is the foundation’s fifth year partnering with SoCalGas to fund science projects, STEM programs and equipment for K-12 schools located in the Westchester/ Playa area.

This year’s recipients include Westport Heights, St. Bernard High School, Kentwood Elementary, Playa Vista Elementary School, Westchester Lutheran, Visitation School,

Recent WESM grad, Jonathan Green (center), poses with his family and members of the Westchester Rotary Club at the Westchester/Playa Historical Society’s Discovery Center. Katherine Johnson STEM Academy, WISH Academy High School, WISH Community School, Playa del Rey Elementary and St. Jerome!

Schools will use the grants for projects and programs that focus on carbon-free living, sustainability in the garden, a climate change STEM night, STEM fairs and more. Next up for LAXCEF is awarding art grants, a School Expo scheduled for October and a second Art Show and Competition in the fall. Learn more and sign up for their newsletter at laxcoastaledfoundation. com.

Daniel Arteaga Animo Leadership Charter Emanuel Arevalo Lennox Academy H.S. Taaliyah Caddell St. Mary’s High School Gustavo Castillo Lennox Academy H.S.

Ramiro Garcia Cervantes Animo Leadership Charter

Dana Herrera St. Mary’s High School Dulce Martinez Animo Leadership Charter

Daniela Montera Lennox Academy H.S. Quiudit Rodriguez Animo Leadership Charter Melissa Ulloa Animo Leadership Charter

Special thanks to our generous sponsors that supported these great students!

Using the fresh start effect with commitment contracts to reach your goals

By Jeff Blair

Opinion: Have you ever wondered why so many people set New Year’s Resolutions and seem highly motivated on January 1? The answer can be found in the “fresh start” effect. The fresh start effect is the tendency to view certain calendar or personal milestones as launch pads to achieve personal aspirations. Although at some level you know you are the same person on December 31 and January 1, studies suggest we might view ourselves as almost different people on these dates. The fresh start effect lets you visualize and internalize December 31 as the “old you” while January 1 will be the “new you.” If you have tried and failed to exercise consistently for years, you might get discouraged and lose confidence you will ever achieve your goals. The fresh start effect allows you to compartmentalize those past struggles and see yourself in a different light. This is called mental accounting. It’s a way to put past struggles in the rear view mirror and move forward with optimism.

New Year’s resolutions are the most obvious example of the fresh start effect, but fresh starts can happen near milestone birthdays (40, 50, 60, 70, etc.) and other personally significant occasions. The first day of a new week, month or season can also produce a fresh start effect. Geographical relocation and a change in marital status are other common fresh starts. In addition to increasing motivation, the fresh start effect allows us to step back from our daily obligations and take a big picture view of ourselves. Comparing where we are to where we want to be can help clarify our goals. We tend to take stock of our lives after we turn 30, 40, 50, etc. and people often make major life adjustments after these birthdays. College students often experience a “back to school” fresh start at the beginning of a new semester.

One limitation of the fresh start effect is motivation generally wanes the longer you get past the start date. If you have ever regularly attended a gym, you know January is usually the busiest month. Many New Year’s resolutions are abandoned by February. Trainers will tell you Monday is the busiest day of the week in almost every gym. Ideally, we would maintain the same level of motivation throughout the weeks, months and years after the fresh start and this would help us reach our goals. Unfortunately, research says this usually does not happen. Enter the commitment contract. A commitment contract allows you to turn the fresh start effect into goal achievement. For example, you might want to exercise at least 10 times in July. A commitment contract puts that goal in writing and establishes a deadline for the goal–but that isn’t all.

Commitment contracts can also impose financial consequences if you do not achieve your goal. A commitment contract could say if you do not exercise 10 times in July, you will donate $100 to a charity. These funds are usually given to a third party such as a friend or coworker at the beginning of the goal period. If you reach your goal, the money is returned to you. If you do not reach the goal, your friend mails the money to the charity.

Sometimes these commitments even come with a twist. Some people write their contract where the donation goes to a cause they are against. Imagine if you did not achieve your contract goal then you would have to donate to a cause you strongly dislike. This can be highly motivating for some people and might make you more likely to reach your goal.

Other common commitment contracts are used for things like stopping smoking, losing weight and finishing a race or other physical challenge. Commitment contracts can even address career or other personal relationship goals. By pairing the momentum of fresh starts with the practicality of commitment contracts, you can increase the likelihood of achieving your fitness goals. Try it out and tell me how it goes.

Jeff Blair (MS, CSCS) has been a certified personal trainer in Westchester since 2002. He started the SoCalSport and Fitness Personal Training Studio in 2011 and he has been featured in numerous fitness publications. Reach out to him at jeff@ socalsport.com for article comments or questions.

Information on fresh starts and commitment contracts in this article from Dai, “The Fresh Start Effect: Temporal Landmarks Motivate Aspirational Behavior”, 2013.

YOU CAN HELP!

FOOD PANTRY, LAX

Emergency Food Distribution to those in need. Sponsored by the Westchester Clergy Association Open Tuesday & Friday, 10am-12pm 355 Beach St., Inglewood

Bring donations of non-perishable food to Covenant Presbyterian Chuch. Volunteers and money donations also welcomed and encouraged!

For more information, please call (310) 677-5597

Ad donated by the Covenant Presbyterian Church

Finding freedom in your relationships

By Fay Craton

Opinion: Happy Birthday, USA! I grew up knowing we are a free country and valuing freedom. Listening to many different people, from many different walks of life, with many different perspectives about freedom, I learned that for some folks freedom in relationships can sometimes mean having little or no accountability to other people. Witnessing the outcomes of this perspective demonstrates to me extensive self-sabotage, a loss of selfesteem and damaged trust–in other words, poor quality connection with others. Let’s break down what I said into pieces. First, freedom in and of itself does not translate to contentment or happiness. Occasionally, a person may leave a committed relationship because they are just unhappy, only to find they still do not have the happiness they were seeking. Sometimes a person might not actually leave but is so withdrawn or cold they might as well have physically left. Other times, someone might just be bored, and they blame their boredom on their partner. The answer is not necessarily in leaving or isolating from the relationship. There are other, more lasting paths to gain long-term contentment and a sense of authentic freedom.

Let’s look at self-sabotage. Relationships are destroyed by individual actions. In a committed life partnership, your partner must be more important than others. If you say, “I will do whatever I want because I am bored or frustrated,” you are damaging your partnership. Another form of self-sabotage is attempting to overly manage your relationship, denying your partners’ age and experience. Managing your partner is demeaning and makes it seem as if they do not have the same level of intelligence you have.

Healthy relationships are built on trust. When trust is broken, there is always some form of self-sabotage which can take many forms. Take a few minutes to think about how you might have treated your partner as being less important than you.

While considering, ask yourself, • Am I pushing my will onto my partner without consideration of their needs? • Am I acting needy or naïve as a means to get my own way? • Am I frequently critical of how my partner accomplishes stuff? • Have I agreed upon an action, knowing I won’t pay attention to the agreement? • Am I acting as their boss instead of a partner? • Have I done the opposite of what my partner would like out of obstinance or anger? • Have I broken any understandings my partner and I have based our relationship on? • Am I faithful to my partner? Doing whatever you want and disregarding the needs of your partner creates a direct path to destroying trust between you. When accountability to a life partnership is lost, it becomes difficult to trust one another. Self-esteem is important. It partially comes from a personal sense of approval and acceptance reflected from another person. It also comes from developing new skills and gaining new experiences. Individuals and relationships need to be able to grow. Sometimes, the experiences could be outside of the relationship. A life partnership is not made of two cloned people. It is made of people who support and accept one another. Freedom found in relationships is a dance between your own needs and the needs of your partner. Success is tied to healthy communication. It requires being completely truthful about plans, events and interactions with others. Communication includes discussing your feelings, wants and concerns. It requires fully listening without judgment. The more you and your partner can express your thoughts, fears and dreams to each other, the greater will be your success.

My wish is for you to experience a form of freedom which gives to you a sense of meaning. Humans are social beings. Contentment comes from authentically and honestly connecting with other people. To have quality bonding with another person requires trust, good communication and straightforward speech.

Fay Craton, M.A. is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (mfc40011), which is the psychology license specializing in relationships (with ourselves or with others). She provides video-based counseling and is located in Westchester. If you have any questions, please contact Fay at (310) 645-6762.

Wednesdays | 6:30 - 8pm | Call Josh at ext. 138 via Zoom • $15/session

Thursdays | 5:00 - 6:30pm | Mark at ext. 246 via Zoom • $15/session

Tuesdays | 7:00 - 8:30 pm | Maya at ext. 150 via Zoom • $95 for 10 sessions

Thursdays | 6pm - 7:30pm | Call Nikki at ext. 206 via Zoom • $15/session | 8 weeks

Wednesdays | 4:30 - 6:00pm Call Lara at ext. 156 or Stephanie at ext. 216 via Zoom • $15/session | 6 weeks

Tuesdays | 5:00 - 6:30pm | Call Nikki at ext. 206 via Zoom • $15/session | 10 weeks

Now forming | Time TBD | Call Nikki at ext. 206 via Zoom • $15/session | 10 weeks

Robert Nortthcutt, LMFT Lic.#51430 Diana Hoffman, Ph.D. #PSY19281 Stefani Roscoe, LCSW, CGP #60100

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P R O P E R T I E S

Westchester AYSO boys soccer team captures championship for historic third consecutive season

The Westchester Blue Jets completed a rare three-peat capturing the Western States AYSO soccer championship for a third consecutive season.

The Western States Championship brings together the top AYSO soccer teams from California, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon and Washington for a tournament to conclude the season. The Blue Jets first captured the Western States Championship in 2019 and maintained their championship throughout the pandemic-shortened 2020 and 2021 seasons.

The Blue Jets competed in the U-13 AYSO Extra boys division for the 2021 season. The team finished in first place in the spring regular season for Section 1, despite playing against older competition, and earned a return trip to the Extra Championship Match in May in Redlands, California. There the team defeated Menifee 3-2 in the match.

The Blue Jets finished the 2021 spring season with a 13-2 record and also captured a tournament title at the City SC Temecula Wine Classic in June. The team had several impressive victories over local club and Extra teams from San Diego, Cathedral City, Santa Monica, Glendale and Alhambra. Over the course of their three years together, the Blue Jets amassed more than 100 victories and captured more than five tournament championships throughout California.

The Blue Jets formed in August 2018 and represent AYSO Region 7, which consists of players from Westchester, Playa Vista, Playa del Rey, Inglewood, Ladera Heights, Marina Del Rey and Mar Vista. The diverse team competed in the AYSO Extra Program, which provides a more competitive and progressive soccer experience from the recreation core program.

“The Blue Jets simply nailed it. The boys had a remarkable three-year run together,” said Coach Robert Milligan. “We stayed in touch throughout the pandemic and began to train as soon as we were able. The team showed a great deal of resilience and sacrifice, practicing social distancing, and using masks and a variety of local fields to stay in form. We integrated a few new players, worked on our development areas, and by the end of the season, we really hit our stride, capturing the Western States Championship again and a club tournament in Temecula against a nationally ranked club team. The team’s perseverance, patience and

The champion Blue Jets pose for a photo at Playa Vista’s Sports Park. dedication during an unprecedented and unpredictable life event paid off with a third consecutive state championship. They’re a special group with championship hearts.”

“We are very proud of the boys. The Blue Jets are a family, and we will have lifelong memories of fun, hard work, and success,” said Coach Harvey Galvan. “I almost didn’t come back [for the third season], but I am glad that I did. Over the course of three years, the team was simply unbeatable and embodied a winning culture of excellence. Their victory in the championship game was not a surprise and a demonstration of their championship character. They bonded as a group and never let any team outwork them on the pitch. Their success was no accident. It was because of their learning, studying, sacrifice and love of what they were doing. We will always remember Westchester’s Blue Jets. They are the champs!”

AYSO Region 7 is celebrating its 50th anniversary this season. Team formation and practice for Region 7 begins in August, with play beginning on September 11. Visit ayso7.org for more information about the league and about joining a team.