Larchmont Chronicle JUNE 2021
Congratulations,
Class of 2021!
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Local graduates reveal their choices for universities By Billy Taylor
Leaving lockdown for an active campus life New Covenant Academy student Rebecca Han has lived her entire life in the area, first in Hancock Park and now Larchmont. When asked about her senior year, Han says that she would describe her feelings in one word: “ambivalent.” On the one hand, Han says she didn’t mind taking classes while at home during the pandemic where she could stay “cozy and comfortable,” but on the other hand, she says it was disappointing to miss out on special senior activities, like the senior field trip and “Grad Night” at a local amusement park. “Not being able to experience any of the excitement that comes with senior year was quite a bummer,” Han told the Chronicle last month. “I am beyond sad that I wasn’t able to spend quality time with my classmates in my last year of high school.” Regardless, Han didn’t let the pandemic keep her from participating in school clubs and outside organizations.
Rebecca Han Prior to the pandemic, Han created a school club called “GREEN NCA” to raise awareness for environmental matters and give students an opportunity to consider issues like plastic pollution and global warming. “We were actually in the final steps of planning a school beach cleanup day as well as a community cleanup day, but unfortunately, we had to cancel it because of the pandemic,” said Han. Still, club members met over Zoom to contribute ideas for future projects. “One huge initiative that we developed from those meetings was a
project called “Recycling AtHome,” Han explained. Over the span of nine months, Han says they were able to collect enough material to donate $60 to the Environmental Defense Fund foundation: “Although $60 does not sound like much, the more than 20 bags of recyclable items that we were able to collect and turn in sure made a noticeable difference!” When it came time to apply for college, Han says that several factors were important to her search, such as school size, student life, academic rigor, cost and location. With those metrics in mind, she narrowed her top three picks to Pepperdine, UCLA and Vanderbilt. “In the end, it came down to two universities: UCLA and Vanderbilt,” said Han. “After a lot of contemplating and decision-making, I am beyond happy to announce that I’m committed to UCLA, where I will study for the next four years.” Han picked UCLA for several reasons. “From the moment I first visited UCLA at the age of 14 for an event, I have dreamed of going there,” she explained.
Han also wanted to stay in California (“Frankly, I don’t want to leave this amazing environment behind.”), and the architecture and campus life at UCLA didn’t hurt either. “Since I have attended a small, private school with under 200 students for the past 12 years, I wanted to go to a college where I would be able to meet a lot of new people and break out of my comfort zone, and UCLA offered that.” Han says that she hopes to study on-campus when classes start in the fall, although a final decision from UCLA has yet to be announced. Not sure about a major quite yet, Han says that she has a broad range of interests that she’d like to study: “I know that I want to study within a field where I can learn or grow to be a strong advocate for others.” Moving to Dallas to study business Loyola student Elias Mansour has roots in the neighborhood. Both of his parents grew up in the area, and the family now lives in Windsor Square. Mansour attended St.
Elias Mansour Brendan until high school, when he transferred to Loyola. When asked about his senior year, Mansour said that the pandemic greatly affected his plans: “As a freshman picturing what my senior year would be like, I did not expect to be doing it all from home on my laptop.” Mansour explained that Loyola has been conducting a “hybrid in-person format” for the past few months, but that it “definitely does not feel the same” as before the pandemic. When considering colleges, he started with a list of six. (Please turn to page 3)
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“My family and I had planned to visit schools over spring break last year, but the pandemic forced that trip to be cancelled,” said Mansour. Luckily, he was able to tour two schools, Texas Christian University and Southern Methodist University. Mansour said that he would have applied to more colleges if he had been able to visit them. Nonetheless, he says that he is “beyond happy” with his decision. “I will be attending Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas next fall. The first time I saw SMU, I knew it was for me,” says Mansour. In fact, after touring the campus last fall, Mansour says that he turned to his mother, then and there, to declare that’s where he wanted to be for the next four years. “I applied for ‘Early Action’ and sent in my deposit last December, leaving me stress-free for the entire second semester,” Mansour explained. SMU has announced that it will be fully in-class by fall, “which I cannot be more excited about,” said Mansour. He has been accepted to SMU’s Cox School of Business, where UL A T E H E
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person classes in the fall, and she is considering a major in history. “As for future career goals, I have no clue what I want to do with my life,” Lanza concludes.
he plans to major in Business. “I am also considering a double major or minor in Film and Media Arts. “My future career goal is to be in the entertainment industry working at a film production company.” Leaving Larchmont to find a major in Washington Immaculate Heart senior Quinn Lanza is no stranger to the community. Having grown up in Larchmont, Lanza attended Larchmont Charter for elementary before transferring to Immaculate Heart. You may even have seen her selling cookies for Larchmont Village Girl Scout troop 495 in years past. Lanza also served as the student reporter at her school for this paper. “Although the limited social interaction and virtual classes weren’t ideal, my senior year was fine,” said Lanza when asked how she had adapted to life in lockdown. “I was even able to get out of the house and play soccer for my high school team this spring,” Lanza said. “Our season was postponed and was shorter than usual due to the pandemic, but it ended up being a lot of fun.” For college, Lanza says that she applied to 10 different
Quinn Lanza universities. She was lucky in that she had visited most of them in the summer of 2019. “I was never set on one college, but I knew that I wanted a medium-to-large sized school that was either in or near a city,” said Lanza. It came down to Fordham, UC Santa Cruz and the University of Washington. In the end, Lanza committed to the University of Washington. “I could see myself there more than I could at any of the other schools. It was a difficult decision to make, especially because I do not know what I want to do after college and couldn’t base my decision off of a specific program or major.” She is excited to attend in-
Heading east to explore academic majors Larchmont Charter senior Kayla Kwak has attended the local charter school since kindergarten, and she credits the Larchmont community for shaping “a big part” of her youth. Positive about the past year, Kwak says that senior year was “overwhelming” but that it was still her “favorite year” of high school. “Sure, it wasn’t anything like a typical year at school, but I think that’s what made it even more unique and memorable. Outside of school I grew even closer with my friends, met so many new faces and took so many new opportunities.” Kwak says that the closeknit community at Larchmont Charter made it easy to engage with classmates and teachers. Still, she found herself constantly thinking about her future. “I knew I wanted to go to college and so a big part of my senior year was that search.” Starting with
Kayla Kwak a list of 15 colleges, Kwak first had to narrow the list. “I’m indecisive, so deciding on which colleges to apply to might’ve been the hardest part,” she says. Kwak was able to visit about seven of those schools, located in California, but she says that it was difficult to travel to schools in other regions. In the end, Kwak’s top three schools were NYU, Northeastern and USC. “I’m excited to say that my final decision is NYU!” said Kwak. “The school has an incredibly vibrant community, especially it being in the heart of New York City. I knew I would be able to thrive as a student. Being able to experience the diversity, the people, (Please turn to page 12)
Immaculate Heart Congratulates the Class of 2021! A Catholic, Independent, College Preparatory School for Girls Grades 6 – 12
Our graduates have been accepted at universities and colleges across the country, including: American University ArtCenter College of Design Bard College Boston College Boston University Brandeis University Bryn Mawr College California State University, All Campuses Cal Poly Pomona Cal Poly San Luis Obispo California College of the Arts Carnegie Mellon University Chapman University College of the Holy Cross College of William & Mary DePaul University Denison University Emerson University Fordham University Georgetown University Gonzaga University Hobart and William Smith Colleges Howard University Loyola Marymount University Loyola University Chicago Macalester College Mount Holyoke College Mount St. Mary’s University Muhlenberg College New York University
Oberlin College Occidental College Pepperdine University Reed College Santa Clara University Sarah Lawrence College School of the Art Institute of Chicago School of Visual Arts Scripps College Seattle University Syracuse University The George Washington University Texas Christian University The New School Trinity University Tufts University University of Arizona University of California, All Campuses University of Michigan University of Minnesota Twin Cities University of Oregon University of San Diego University of San Francisco University of Southern California University of St. Andrews University of Washington University of Wisconsin Madison Vassar College Wesleyan University Whitman College
5515 Franklin Avenue ♥ Los Angeles, CA 90028 ♥ (323) 461-3651 ♥ www.immaculateheart.org
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Schools recommence in-person graduation ceremonies
By Rachel Olivier During a year unlike most, seniors, their families and school officials worked together to create commencement ceremonies that were safe, hopeful and properly acknowledged the accomplishments of the class of 2021. ❏ ❏ ❏ Immaculate Heart High School, class of 1991 graduate, Tyra Banks, addressed 108 seniors Wed., June 2 at the Hollywood Bowl. Banks is an entrepreneur, supermodel and Emmy-award-winning television producer and personality. This year’s student speaker
TYRA BANKS
DANIELLE SANCHEZ
for Immaculate Heart was Danielle Sanchez. Last year, Immaculate Heart High School broke with their long tradition of commencement ceremonies at the Hollywood Bowl and held a socially distanced ceremony for 2020 graduates in the gardens on campus. Westridge School will present diplomas to 75 seniors at an outdoor celebration Fri., June 4. Accepting diplomas will be 46 students graduating at Shalhevet Fri., June 4. Loyola High School will honor 293 graduating seniors at Hank Hernandez Memorial
NEW COVENANT ACADEMY class of 2021 surrounds principal Jason Song, center.
Field on Sat., June 6. In addition, in acknowledgement of last year’s class, which held a virtual ceremony, there will be an on-campus celebration on the eve of the feast day of St. Ignatius, Fri., July 30, at the newly re-imagined Hayden Circle. At Pilgrim School, 20 high school seniors will graduate
Mon., June 7 on the “Field of Dreams” athletic field. The Girls Academic Leadership Academy (GALA) honors 45 seniors graduating at an outdoor on-campus ceremony on Wed., June 9. Episcopal School of Los Angeles will hold an oncampus outdoor ceremony for its 25 graduating seniors
Fri., June 11. Interim head of school Andrew Wooden will address the students. Last year’s commencement was held online. Harvard-Westlake graduates will number 285 as they accept diplomas in an outdoor ceremony on campus on Ted Slavin Field Fri., June 11. (Please turn to page 6)
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GRADUATES OF 2021 Schools recommence (Continued from page 4) There will be 425 Fairfax High students graduating at a socially distanced ceremony at Van Cleve Field stadium Fri., June 11. Larchmont Charter High School’s 89 seniors will be accepting diplomas Fri., June 11 at the Million Dollar Theater. Of those graduates, 18 have been together since kindergarten. Besides having an in person commencement ceremony this year, Larchmont Charter also is holding an in-person Prom and Grad Night. o o o
Earlier commencement ceremonies School principal Jason Song addressed 20 seniors who accepted diplomas in an outdoor ceremony at New Covenant Academy May 13. Capt. Estrada of the U.S. Navy officially welcomed graduate Vincent Kim to the Naval Academy. He follows his sister, Ami, (class of 2019) who was also accepted into the Naval Academy. There were 87 seniors who accepted diplomas on Booth Field at Marlborough School May 27. Marymount High School held an (Please turn to page 7)
CAP, GOWN & MASK was the academic regalia for Marlborough Head of School Dr. Priscilla Sands distributing MARLBOROUGH GRADUATES before diplomas to 2021graduates. their procession across the lawn.
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MARLBOROUGH CLASS OF 2021 members gathered on stage for their outdoor graduation ceremonies.
CAPS FLEW IN THE AIR to celebrate the end of high school and the commencement of the next stage of Marlborough graduates’ lives.
Photos by Laura Kleinhenz, Docuvitae
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COMMENCEMENT was held outdoors at New Covenant Academy on Sixth Street.
MARYMOUNT HIGH SCHOOL’S Class of 2021 graduated on May 28.
Schools recommence (Continued from page 6) outdoor ceremony for 95 seniors Fri., May 28. o o o The following schools had not confirmed details by press time, but have commencement ceremonies scheduled. Buckley seniors graduated Fri., May 28 on campus at the Disney Family Pavilion. Notre Dame Academy seniors accepted their diplomas Sat., May 29. Seniors at Los Angeles
County High School for the Arts graduated Wed., June 2. Le Lycée Français de Los Angeles has Mon., June 7 as the school’s commencement date. Los Angeles High School will hold a commencement ceremony on the athletic field Thurs., June 11. Right: NEW COVENANT ACADEMY school principal Jason Song addresses seniors at graduation.
VINCENT KIM, New Covenant Academy, is officially accepted into the Naval Academy by Capt. Estrada.
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AN OUTDOOR CEREMONY was held for the 95 seniors at Marymount High School.
Back to School Edition Publishes Thursday, September 2
©LC0621
Call Pam Rudy to reserve your space by Monday, August 16 pam@larchmontchronicle .com
BRAWERMAN
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL EAST
Congratulations to our Class of 2021 FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH
OUR GRADUATES HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED INTO THESE OUTSTANDING SCHOOLS The Buckley School Campbell Hall Crossroads School for Arts & Sciences Geffen Academy at UCLA Milken Community Schools Pilgrim School Tree Academy Windward School
For more information, visit: brawerman.org/east
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GRADUATES OF 2021 Marlborough story — 50 Years ago CONGRATULATIONS CLASS OF 2021!
“During the 1920s, the school was on five acres of land with a view of the Sierra Madre and San Bernardino mountain ranges and provided opportunities for walking, horseback riding and other forms of country life. The street cars ran only to Larchmont Boulevard, so a wooden plank from Larchmont to the school porch was provided for the students’ convenience.” This excerpt is from the Larchmont Chronicle Souvenir Collector’s Edition published in 1971 to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Larchmont shopping district. This coming October’s issue will salute 100 years of history.
WWW.BUCKLEY.ORG
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Graduation is on! And other good news from LAUSD By Nick Melvoin Masks off to the Class of 2021! We are nearing the end of an incredibly difficult school year for our kids and families, and as your Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Board representative, I want to provide an update on our plans to navigate the path to recovery for our students and families. Our schools are currently open for hybrid instruction with childcare options, and we are thrilled to be able to celebrate our graduates in person in the coming weeks now that schools can officially hold inperson, socially distanced graduation ceremonies this year. As we send our new graduates into this new world, we are also planning for a future that will give our school communities the guidance, resources, and funding they need to chart a path forward for next year’s students. This fall, all students will have the opportunity to participate in full-time, on-campus, in-person instruction. As we finalize labor negotiations, we know that full-day programs for both elementary and secondary students will look much like they did prior to
the pandemic. We will put all the necessary health and safety protocols in place in accordance with County and State public health guidance. We are currently enrolling students of all ages for next year — visit your local school or check out apply.lausd.net for more.
LAUSD Report by
Nick Melvoin Vaccination To continue leading the vaccination efforts in Los Angeles County, the LAUSD has introduced a new mobile initiative to offer vaccines at school sites to students ages 12 and over with a consenting parent or guardian present. In addition to our school-based clinics that have been vaccinating school staff and community members, this effort will expand access and help Los Angeles reach herd immunity as quickly as possible. This program is up and running and should reach every middle and high school before the end of this school
LAUSD Board Member Nick Melvoin speaks to Palisades High School graduating seniors in 2019.
year. You can learn more and sign up at dailypass.lausd.net. We are also preparing for upcoming summer learning programs available to every LAUSD student. These programs include both in-person and virtual options, with academic, enrichment, and childcare opportunities. Learn more at achieve. lausd.net/summer2021 Campus improvements Over the past weeks, the LAUSD Board has continued discussions and approved historic investments in our schools, including funding for additional mental health support, tutoring, teaching
staff and nursing services. The Board also recently voted for a more equitable path to recovery, increasing our Student Equity Need Index (SENI) commitment for next year to $700 million to be allocated to schools on the basis of need. This flexible, locally-controlled funding source will help your individual school sites meet the unique needs of their students and communities. As we continue preparing for the short- and long-term recovery from this crisis in our school communities, I will continue pushing for transparency, accountability and student-centered deci-
sions. We need to put the needs of our kids first in order to ensure that they can fully heal and overcome the trauma and loss of this past year. You can always find more information and sign up for our newsletter on my website at boardmembermelvoin.com and follow me at @nickmelvoin on Facebook and Twitter for more of the latest news and updates. Wishing you all a great summer and another big congratulations to the Class of 2021! Nick Melvoin is a local resident elected as one of the seven board members of the Los Angeles Unified School District.
Congratulations to the Class of 2021
2021 High School Acceptances: Arete Preparatory Academy* | Archer School for Girls | Brentwood School* | Buckley School* Campbell Hall School | Chadwick School* | Crespi Carmelite High School | Crossroads School for Arts and Sciences* de Toledo High School | Episcopal School of Los Angeles | Geffen Academy | Harvard Westlake School* Immaculate Heart High School | Loomis Chaffee School (CT)* | Loyola High School* | Marlborough School* Marymount High School* | New Roads School | Notre Dame Academy* | Notre Dame High School Pacifica Christian High School | St. Bernard High School* | St. Paul’s School (NH)* | Vistamar School* Wildwood School* | Windward School *Denotes Turning Point graduate(s) enrolling next fall.
8780 National Boulevard | Culver City, California 90232 | www.turningpointschool.org
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Yavneh student to apply lessons to future
By Sophie Rosenberg 8th Grade This past school year has had its share of challenges, but it has also been a positive experience. At Yavneh Hebrew Academy, we have been privileged to have in-person learning for the majority of the school year. There are many rules in place so that everyone on campus can be safe. Although we have had all of these new safety measures, Yavneh still has done their best to make school fun and enriching for us. The middle school classes took different outdoor field trips including the beach, snow tubing, and even color war. One day we also made signs and cards to bring to doctors and nurses at a local urgent care clinic to show our appreciation; we thanked them for being the true heroes during the pandemic. Although it was difficult to adapt to learning on Zoom, the students at Yavneh were able to cope. Sometimes, I would go to my friends’ house to Zoom with them in their backyards or bike-ride with them around the neighborhood. I have also grown in my knowledge of
IMMACULATE HEART By Quinn Lanza 12th Grade
technology like learning how to make online presentations, scan papers, and create my own Zoom meetings. Finally, I am grateful to all my teachers that gave so much to their students despite the pandemic. My upcoming graduation will be different this year because guests will be limited, but I am so thankful, however, that there will be an in-person ceremony. Overall, I will take the lessons learned from this past year and apply them in the future as I head into high school. Sophie will leave Yavneh this month as the valedictorian of her class to attend YULA Girls High School in Pico-Robertson.
The 20202021 school year has come to an end and this past month has been a busy one as IH closes out the year with such events as the Baccalaureate Mass, Class Day and Prom. Prom was planned, organized and decorated by the juniors, who chose an “Under the Stars” theme. Although Prom was attended only by the senior class and no guests were allowed, the night was a success! The event took place on the Immaculate Heart softball field and was the largest gathering of the senior class in over a year. Earlier in the month, some seniors also attended an ice cream social to celebrate the end of the college admissions process. They came wearing their college sweatshirts and were able to socialize over an ice cream bar. Seniors signed each other’s polos as they recognized their hard work of the past four years. Meanwhile, after completing Advanced Placement (AP) tests both in-person and online, all high school students successfully completed their final CAP
(Cumulative Assessment Period). The month of May is also when members of next year’s Associated Student Body (ASB) officers were elected. This year, we saw an increase in the number of students running for both their Class Board and for the school’s ASB. After the votes were counted, students chose Samara Halloway to serve as next year’s student body president, along with vice president Sophia Tang. In other news, Immaculate Heart High School sports ended on a high note with both basketball and soccer advancing to the California Interscholastic Federation Souther Section (CIF-SS) playoffs and both Varsity Swim and JV Swim doing well in the Sunshine League. It has been a tough year for sports but our teams have managed to go from virtual practices to dominating in their leagues. Coming up on Wed., June 2, the 108 members of the Immaculate Heart Class of 2021 will receive their diplomas on the stage of the Hollywood Bowl. The commencement speaker will be Immaculate Heart alumna Tyra Banks, a supermodel and award-winning television producer and personality who is a member of Immaculate Heart’s Class of 1991.
CONGRATULATIONS TO ST. BRENDAN’S CLASS OF 238 S. Manhattan Place, Los Angeles, CA 90004 | www.stbrendanschoolla.org
Jonas Abuel -Providence Lucas Bland - Loyola Sue Blando - Marlborough Brock Bojorquez - Loyola Lindsey Chang - Marymount Tyler Chong - Loyola Nicholas Day - Loyola AJ De Luna - Loyola Mia Fleming - Immaculate Heart Michael Hanna -Loyola Matthew Hoegee -Loyola
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Riley Houlihan - Immaculate Heart Spencer Hoye - Loyola Grace Interiano - Immaculate Heart Alexander Jankowski - Loyola Isabella Karkus - Marymount Henry Kaufman - LACHSA Dale Kim - Havard Westlake Elizabeth Kim - Bishop Conaty Jean Kwak - Marymount Joanne Lee - Marymount Samuel Lee - Loyola
BUCKLEY
By Jasper Gough 11th Grade Buckley had its annual fair May 19, this year dubbed To Buckley With Love: A Virtual Variety Show, which did not take place at the Santa Monica Pier, but was instead broadcast over Zoom. It featured performances by the 5th Grade Chorus and the Foo Fighters. The event raised money for the Griffin Relief Fund which provides short-term tuition assistance to families. We’d like to thank all contributors. The last day of final exams is June 1. This year, many final exams were video projects and research papers, although several teachers still hosted timed exams on Zoom. June 3 marks the last day of school before summer break. The Senior Graduation Ceremony will take place at school in our Disney Family Pavilion, and all seniors who test negative for COVID the week prior or have been vaccinated will collect their diplomas in person. Buckley will offer limited summer school programming starting June 7. Have a nice Summer Break!
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Jordan Lestz - Loyola Oliver Lifton - Larchmont Charter Chase Nam - Loyola Eion Nunez - LACHSA Lion Paulson - Loyola Julie Sok - Marymount Laszlo Suveg - Loyola Walter Thrasher - Loyola Stella Vernetti - Immaculate Heart Annie Wells - Marlborough
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GRADUATES OF 2021 THIRD STREET
NEW COVENANT ACADEMY
It is hard to write this, my last column for the Larchmont Chronicle as a Third Street Elementary student. When I first got the news that I had been selected to write on behalf of my school two years ago, I was both nervous and excited. I have always loved writing and I was thrilled with the idea of people reading my work. Reporting for my school has been a privilege and a great learning experience. It has also kept me more connected with the Third Street community that helps make our school so awesome. Even when the pandemic caused our campus to close, I was still able to write about all the creative virtual events organized by our amazing teachers, principal, staff, and volunteer parents. As you read this, I am eagerly waiting for my graduation ceremony. Although I do not know much about the ceremony itself (COVID makes everything more complicated), I do know that it will be extra special because Third Street events are always unique and creative. On behalf of the Class of 2021, I would like to thank all the teachers who helped us learn and grow! I am grateful for all the amazing friends I have made at Third Street and all the memories we made together. Third Street will always have a special place in my heart and I hope my writing has expressed how proud I am to have been a Third Street student. Hooray for the Class of 2021!
It has been a difficult year for us Huskies with online learning and events, but I am happy to report that school is reopening, and students are slowly returning. Everyone is following solid COVID-19 procedures set in place, and students are benefiting greatly from inperson classes. Teachers and our student council are working hard to create the most enjoyable and comfortable environment where students can learn. Hopefully, we get to see more of you at school soon. Seniors have received their college acceptances, and as per usual, have committed to exceptional schools. Our students were selected to attend Tufts University, Carnegie Mellon University, UCLA, UC Berkeley, USC, Pepperdine University, NYU, Syracuse, Case Western Reserve, Vanderbilt University, US Naval Academy, American University, and many other prestigious institutions. As for a note-worthy occurrence, siblings Ami and Vincent Kim will be studying at the US Naval Academy. Ami, also an NCA graduate, has been attending the academy for over two years, and Vincent will soon join her. Congrats, we are so happy for all you seniors! To celebrate our graduates, students can attend our in-person or online graduation. We have tons of fun and exciting events planned and wanted to congratulate every-
By Sofia Kirilov 5th Grade
By Dale Lee 10th Grade
one on an awesome year and more to come! Finally, our summer school program will be taking place starting on June 1st. Students will take classes in all subjects, preparing them for the school semester as well as the IB DP, PYP/MYP, and SAT testing. The IB DP is a program we’ve used for over 12 years, and we firmly believe it is superior to the AP Program. IB DP was only available for Grades 11 and 12, therefore we are so
excited to announce the new PYP/MYP, a program very similar to IB DP, which will be utilized for all students. In addition to those mentioned, we are also offering clubs and courses in which students can choose to meet their specific needs and wants. From a robotics club to a basketball team, gardening, we are sure there will be something for everyone. We hope you’re thrilled about NCA’s next great chapter.
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will be back on campus full time with the whole school beginning next fall. Marlborough summer school is still being offered, and rising tenth graders and beyond can apply to work at the summer school. It is a good way for students to stay connect with school even during break. Have a great last few weeks of school and happy summer everyone!
By Avery Gough 9th Grade
The school year is coming to a close, and Marlborough students are beginning to wrap up the year. In the past few weeks, students in the upper school have taken the SAT and AP exams. May 11 was last day of classes. It is a tradition for the graduating class to throw a senior prank. This year the seniors decorated the stairwell and surrounding areas with police tape and hung-up signs to make the school look like a fraternity party. They also dressed up to tie together the look. Usually, the seniors sleep in the library the night before their prank, but this year is unconventional, and instead the seniors slept on the field in tents. The last day of classes for Grades 7 to 11 is May 25, and graduation is May 27. Though I am sad that the year is coming to a close so soon after we were allowed back on campus, I am thrilled that summer is almost here, and it gives me hope that we
Graduates
(Continued from page 3) the extremely unique community that’s full of opportunities was a place I wanted to be at,” she explains. Kwak was accepted to a two-year program at NYU called Liberal Studies, which will allow her to explore multiple interests, and then she can transfer into a different NYU program depending on the path that she takes. This approach is exactly what Kwak was looking for. “There are so many things that interest me, and I don’t have a specific major in mind,” says Kwak, who plans to take classes in political science, media and marketing.
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By Emily Mansourian 6th Grade This past year at Hollywood Schoolhouse has been really informative and productive in my opinion. I feel like my grades have improved, and I’ve excelled in subjects I struggled with before. I also feel that our smaller class sizes led us to be more connected as students and life-long friends. One of my favorite things that I enjoyed this year was when my grade and I would play kickball and dodgeball. Playing together was a wonderful way to bond. We’ve done so much to get here and graduate that now, it doesn’t feel real. My 6th grade class is very excited to move on to our new schools this fall. My friends and I have each gotten into the right school for us. That’s the amazing thing about HSH; our students end up at a variety of schools. For example, my friend Noah is going to Harvard Westlake, while my other friend Zoi is going to Campbell Hall. Other students are going to Oakwood, Pilgrim, Buckley, Sierra Canyon, and the list goes on. Some things I will miss at HSH are the greetings that I receive from Ms. Madeline, and our P.E. classes with Coach Arie. Another one of my favorite things to do at the school is watch the talent show. It’s always so exciting when you get to experience the talent your school has! I know
there are many things to miss, but the thing I will miss most of all are my classmates. My fellow students and I have been together since we were 3 years old, as the Schoolhouse is a Preschool - 6th grade, and for that I am thankful. It is bittersweet to leave a school you LOVE so much. I will really miss Hollywood Schoolhouse.
MELROSE ELEMENTARY By Bella Cho 4th Grade
Here at Melrose Elementary Math/Science/ Technology Magnet School, the campus has finally opened. It has been about a month, and Principal Needleman says that approximately half of the students have come back to school, while the rest are still on Zoom. The school opens at 8:30 and ends at 11:30 for 4th graders who chose to come to school. For other 4th graders who preferred Zoom, school starts at 12:30 and ends at 3:30. Every morning, as we enter the school, a school staffmember scans the daily pass and takes our temperature. We are six feet distancing and are still wearing masks. We wash our hands often and get COVID tests weekly. Teacher Appreciation Week for Melrose has just ended, and we thank our school staff and teachers who are working hard to make school safe. We hope that the vaccine will be approved for elementary school students, and that the COVID pandemic will be over very soon, so we can meet everyone on campus without masks.
LARCHMONT CHARTER
SAINT BRENDAN
Larchmont Charter senior Goeun Lee will be attending Yale University in the fall. She is one of two students from Larchmont to be admitted into Yale. After being rejected from her dream school Stanford, she was discouraged. This led her to apply to many prestigious colleges. She was accepted to most of these, including MIT and Princeton. She explained, “Rejection is redirection. Don’t be scared to get rejected. It’s just a way to discover where you’re heading in the future.” Lee said that she isn’t “a genius or anything” — she just utilized resources around her and went after extracurriculars. She was a student reporter for the Korea Daily, the head of a few different clubs, and took classes at LACC. However, her true spark lies in mental health work. She volunteered with Cedars Sinai and she founded Larchmont’s Mental Health Awareness club. Lee said, “I’m a first generation low-income student and an immigrant from South Korea. I’m not a perfect fit anywhere, but I hope my story can inspire students to know they can do it too.”
St. Brendan School is wrapping up the school year by bringing all of its students back on campus. Since our students are returning, we are able to carry out many activities, which include an 8th grade Baccalaureate mass with Father Brian, a Fun Run, and a recycling drive to raise money for Ryan’s Well. In addition to these events, we will be hosting our annual talent show to let our students share all of the skills they have learned over the past year. We are also now able to perform more hands-on activities during class because of everyone’s return. Some of these include the egg drop, the natural disaster showcase, and the student council elections. As the school year ends, the 7th grade class will be hosting a luncheon to honor the 8th grade students leaving for high school. Our graduation will take place on the grass field where we will say farewell to our teachers and mentors who taught us to be the successful students we are today. Thank you, St. Brendan School!
By Sally Shapiro 11th Grade
By Lucas Bland 8th Grade
Virtual day camp explores dinos, city wildlife Registration is still open for the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County’s virtual day camp, which runs from Tues., July 6 to Fri., July 30. Kids in grades kindergarten to 5th grade can virtually learn about dino-
saurs, dire wolves and alligator lizards, depending on the theme of the week. Camp is $100 per camper for members and $175 for non-members. For more information, visit nhmlac. org/adventures-nature.
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Larchmont Chronicle
JUNE 2021
GRADUATE EDITION
W E
S A L U T E
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GRADUATES OF 2021 EPISCOPAL SCHOOL OF LOS ANGELES
Congratulations to the
Graduating Class of 2021!
©LC0621
Our graduates will attend the following Catholic High Schools Cathedral High School Immaculate Heart High School Immaculate Heart High School Immaculate Heart High School Providence High School Loyola High School Undecided Loyola High School Undecided Marymount High School Loyola High School Notre Dame High School Bishop Conaty-Our Lady of Loretto Bishop Conaty-Our Lady of Loretto Providence High School Loyola High School Bishop Conaty-Our Lady of Loretto Loyola High School Holy Family High School Marlborough High School Unknown
617 North ArdeN Blvd. l.A. 90004 (at Melrose & Vine)
By Scarlett Saldaña 10th Grade
By Hank Bauer 11th Grade
CHRIST THE KING SCHOOL
Elijah Allen Allison Bailly Valentina Chavez Scarlett Gonsalves Sophia Gonzalez Dylan Kim Jay Kim Tony Kim Cayla Lee Jacqueline Liego Lawrence Notar Francisco Paredes Karely Paxtor Kelcey Raiz John Sarmiento Benjamin Serafin Carmela Torralba Henok Tsega Valerie Valencia Wynter Williams Alex Zepeda
OAKWOOD SCHOOL
(323) 462-4753
Recently, ESLA students have been allowed to return to campus and take in-person classes, creating a new hybrid learning environment with new challenges; due to the small campus, middle schoolers can attend classes on campus on Mondays and Tuesdays, while upper schoolers can do the same on Thursdays and Fridays. In order to maintain safety, students must be socially distanced at all times, follow assigned seating, and wear a mask (except for during lunch, when they must eat outside while facing away from each other). Despite the faculty’s thorough preparations, complications were bound to appear. For example, the noon heat grew uncomfortable as summer approached, so the school adapted the aforementioned lunch arrangements by spreading students across assigned classrooms. Another surprise was the lack of trash cans in the new, COVID-prepared bathrooms, which yielded a lunch announcement requesting that students alert teachers of any other changes that may improve qualityof-life, alongside trash cans. I feel proud to be a part of a community that is willing to acknowledge opportunities to improve itself and work hard to adapt to this unprecedented situation.
As all of the schools shifted to online learning last year, going on Zoom and learning at home became a norm. Students grew accustomed to waking up minutes before school began, knowing that their classes were just a click away. Schools also needed to host everything online, finding creative ways to replace the usual in-person activities. Then this year, Oakwood students needed to adapt to the routine of having half of the student body learn on campus, while the other half learn online. While these continuous changes, especially the transition to hybrid learning, have been unnatural for students that became used to learning online, it has helped many of us gain a sense of normalcy and hope in this ever-changing COVID world. Due to these hopeful changes, Oakwood School has found ways to host a few small, in-person events before the last day of school arrives, while still taking certain safety precautions. A few weeks ago, we hosted “JustArt,” an exciting event that featured films, sculptures, paintings, and photographs, created by students, faculty, and alumni. Lastly, congratulations to all the graduating seniors, and hopefully, everyone will be back at school in the fall, and the days of Zooming are a thing of the past.
TEMPLE ISRAEL OF HOLLYWOOD
Briskin Elementary School congratulates every one of our sixth graders for being accepted to one of their top choice middle schools! Congratulations to Class of 2021! Raphael Alcairo Ashley Arguera Charlyz Aislinn V. Bayani Julio Cano-Aguilar Leilani Carbajal Michael Cavallier Yael Chavez Hernandez Francesca Mikayla Chavez Oviedo Erick Alexander Cruz Haylin Yissel De Leon Barrios Angella Rebecca Fuentes-Caceres Ashley Galindo Rios Maria Guadalupe Genis-Enriquez Charlie Marie Gonzalez Edwin Ha Rham Kim Jesus Al King Victoria Lara Cervantes
Natane S Latimore Nathan Morrison Lopez Hernandez Damien Reese Lopez-Hernandez Cristian Alejandro Luna Felipe Kylee Tuazon Macatol Gabriel Navarrete Paz Jaden Aaron Nolasco Beaux Daniel Quilatis Alexa Jackeline Rendon Giovanni Reyes Annabell Rodriguez Christopher Rodriguez Logan Kingsley Rodriguez Fabian Sanchez Alfonso Lee Taylor Rachel Stacy Vasquez Noah Eder Villegas
Van Ness STEAM School vannesselementary.com
501 N. Van Ness Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90004 323 – 469 – 0992
MAZEL TOV!
©LC0621
Enrolling TK – 5th Grade for 2021 - 2022 School Year
7300 HOLLYWOOD BLVD. | LOS ANGELES, CA | WWW.BRISKINELEMENTARY.COM
Mandarin Foreign Language Computerwisekids Technology Visual Arts Theater Arts
EnrichLA Edible Gardening GotGame PE Orchestra Dance Robotics
Larchmont Chronicle
JUNE 2021
W E
GRADUATE EDITION
S A L U T E
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T H E
GRADUATES OF 2021 Cathedral Chapel School
2017 Academic Junior High Decathlon STATE CHAMPIONS
Congratulations to the 2021 Graduating Class from Cathedral Chapel School!
GALA, Fairfax high school students receive scholarships Grace Kim, Grace Lee, Ashley Chang, Humairah Djafar, Raquel Bravo, Tora Hoar Vea and Angela Cui were awarded the 25th annual Irene Epstein Memorial Scholarship by the Los Angeles Chapter of the Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering (SAMPE) in an online ceremony May 12. Besides the scholarship, the students from the Girls Academic Leadership Academy (GALA) and Fairfax High School were presented with a
commendation signed by members of the Los Angeles City Council, as well as Mayor Garcetti. The Irene Epstein Memorial Scholarship program was initiated in 1996 after the death of Irene Epstein, George’s wife, to assist financially needy, academically deserving students attend college to study engineering, science, mathematics or medicine. For more information, visit lasampe. org.
Sander Im Loyola High School
Delano Oppong St. Monica High School
Brandon An Buckley School
Dylan Jacob Palos Verdes High School
Sean Park Cathedral High School
Antonio Ariza St. Augustine High School
Noah Jeong Loyola High School
Sanaa Pitter St. Monica High School
Aidan Arroyo Cathedral High School
Ava L. Johnson Cathedral High School, N.Y.
Veronica R. Salonga Notre Dame Academy
Sarah Baumann Immaculate Heart High School
Kyle Kim St. Monica High School
Victoria R. Salonga Notre Dame Academy
Michael Kim Loyola High School
Justin Sato CA Academy of Math and Science
Alexis Bodnar Ipoly High School Caitlyn Castaneda Bishop Conaty High School Beltran DeMendoza Loyola High School
Zaiden Kinney Mater Dei High School
Darrel Shin Notre Dame High School
Atticus Li Geelong Grammar School, Australia
Jacob Diaz Francisco Bravo Medical Magnet
Benjamin Song Loyola High School Giada Vargas Immaculate Heart High School
Elizabeth Lo Notre Dame High School
Matthew Gomez-Li Cathedral High School
Robert McGregor Crespi Carmelite High School
Julia D. Yanez Notre Dame Academy Maya Zagross Laurel Springs Academy
Joan H. Huh New Covenant Academy
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ZOOM SAMPE LA board meeting where 2021 scholarship students were honored included, from left to right, top to bottom: board members Sana Elyas, Alma Saiya and Clement Hiel, City Council 5th District Chief of Staff Joan Pelico, scholarship awardee Angela Cui, board member George Epstein and daughter Sue Epstein, board member Eric Ehlers, scholarship awardee Grace Kim, scholarship awardee Humairah Djafar, GALA college counselor Tiffany Harvey, scholarship awardee Grace Lee, GALA principal Elizabeth Hicks, scholarship chairman Howard Katzman, board member Alan Hyken, Fairfax High college counselors Bari Best and Virginia Morales and scholarship awardee Ashley Chang.
Yva Akounou Marymount High School
A Catholic Education is an Advantage for Life!
755 S. Cochran Ave • 323-938-9976
THIRD STREET ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Our 5 th grade class is off to great places! Beverly Vista DNA Prep Academy Garfield Middle School Girls Academic Leadership Academy Hale Charter Academy, VAPA Program Immaculate Heart John Burroughs Gifted Magnet
Marina Del Rey Middle School Millikan Performing Arts Magnet Thomas Starr King Gifted Arts and Tech Palms Middle School Stevenson Ranch The Science Academy STEM Magnet HGHA
John Burroughs Middle School
Thomas Starr King Environmental STEAM Magnet
Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies
Thomas Starr King Film and Media Magnet
201 South June Street Los Angeles, CA 90004
www.thirdstreetschool.com
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JUNE 2021
GRADUATE EDITION
Larchmont Chronicle
Congratulations,Class of 2021! We are incredibly proud of our Class of 2021 graduates who were all admitted to four-year collegiate programs and gained acceptance to over 150 college and/or university programs. Please note that all institutions with one or more graduates attending are denoted in bold, and that a school denoted with an * indicates multiple enrollees. Amherst College Barnard College Bates College * Bennington College Boston College * Boston University * Brandeis University Bucknell University Chapman University * Colgate University Cornell University Creighton University Dartmouth College Drexel University Emerson College George Washington University Gonzaga University Hamilton College Harvard University * Holy Cross College Loyola Marymount University * Marquette University Mount Saint Mary’s University New York University * Northeastern University Pennsylvania State University Pepperdine University Pitzer College
Saint Mary’s College of California Southern Methodist University * Syracuse University * Texas Christian University * The American University of Paris The University of Alabama Tufts University * Tulane University of Louisiana * University of California, Berkeley * University of California, Irvine University of California, San Diego University of California, Santa Barbara * University of California, Santa Cruz * University of Chicago * University of Denver University of Miami University of Michigan * University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University of Notre Dame * University of Oregon University of Rochester University of San Diego * University of Southern California * University of Wisconsin * Vassar College Villanova University Wake Forest University Washington University in St. Louis *
For more information on this outstanding group of young women, please visit: www.mhs-la.org/Classof2021