THE
POINT
PALOS VERDES HIGH SCHOOL - ISSUE 1, VOLUME 25 - OCTOBER 16, 2020
(Photo courtesy of Jack O’Connor)
Junior Pitcher Recruited to Play for UCLA
By Vikesh Dheeriya reporter
A top-five college baseball team in the NCAA and the number one ranked public school in the United States, UCLA will become the future destination for junior Jack O’Connor who recently committed as a baseball pitcher. O’Connor has been playing baseball ever since he was four years old and never slowed down playing little league, travel ball, high school baseball and in a few years, Division I collegiate baseball. Heading to UCLA, O’Connor hopes, won’t be the end of his baseball journey either. “If everything goes as planned, I will be drafted [into the MLB] after my junior year at UCLA,” said O’Connor. O’Connor knew he wanted to play in college at the age of 12 when he started competing at higher levels and reached the point where he was “actually excited to go to practices.” “It felt like something I wanted to do,” O’Connor said. Two years later, after pitching well in his first game at a showcase tournament, UCLA head coach John Savage approached O’Connor asking for his name and phone number. “[Meeting the UCLA coach] felt very exciting knowing I
had the tools to play [Division I] baseball,” said O’Connor. Ever since then, UCLA scouts have watched him up until his official recruitment in August of this year. Although entering high school originally felt like a completely different experience for him, the high school baseball team welcomed and accepted O’Connor into their team when he joined freshman year. PV coaches and teammates, he recalls, all gave him opportunities to reach his maximum potential and eventually lead to his UCLA commitment. “Watching the upperclassmen play and seeing them perform at that level kind of motivates me to one day play in their footsteps,” said O’Connor. “I think the coaches really emphasize giving you chances on being able to fulfill those guys’ roles once they graduate.” Although high school baseball is important for college recruitment, being on a club team has added more opportunities for scouts to make decisions. Unfortunately all his tournaments for his club team, the Playa Vista Orioles, were cancelled due to COVID-19. Through the pandemic, coaches recruited and scouted players with “one-on-ones” and videos. “[During the pandemic,] I was fortunate enough to have an ex-UCLA pitching coach as my pitching coach, so I was fortunate enough to do bullpens with him during the week
and work on my mechanics,” O’Connor said. “My pitching coach and UCLA would communicate back and forth so I could get connected with them.” Because of eligibility rules, college coaches cannot directly contact high school players until their junior year so O’Connor had to use a middleman to contact the UCLA coaches. “My middleman was my Playa Vista Orioles head coach who has connections with the UCLA coach, so everything the UCLA coach had to tell me, [he] would have to tell the Playa Vista Orioles head coach and then he would tell me,” said O’Connor. In the past few years, O’Connor has had to use his middleman to get information from the head coach. But, because he is now a junior, they can contact each other freely. If O’Connor isn’t drafted into the MLB by his junior year as a Bruin, all is not lost. UCLA still has one of the best educations out of any public school in the United States. “If I pitch and it doesn’t go well, then I think I’m going to stay the fourth year and get my degree,” O’Connor said. “The academic side is still a great route to go. But, I am going there for baseball. To still play [in the MLB] after would still be my end goal.”
Athletes “SeaKing” Recruitment Amidst COVID
By Alexa Dox reporter
Peyton Eberhard, Girls’ Varsity Soccer Senior Peyton Eberhard, a member of the girls’ varsity soccer team, has first-hand experience regarding the impact COVID-19 has had on recruiting. Eberhard shared that many steps of the typical recruitment process changed as a result of the pandemic. Most athletes were told much about the process in prior years but when the pandemic hit, athletes had to adapt to a new process. For example, instead of having in-person visits by college coaches, most of the recruiting and discussions were done online. “I imagined I would be going to [ID] camps, showcases, tournaments and more,” Eberhard said. “But instead, I am emailing coaches and making highlight reels in hopes of finding a college that will be a good match for me.” While the recruiting process did change, that change did not necessarily have a negative impact overall for Eberhard. “Quite honestly, I don’t think I can say if I think the results would be different or better if it was a normal year because so many things have changed throughout the course of seven months,” Eberhard said.
Jamie Robertson, Boys’ Varsity Baseball Another athlete impacted was junior Jamie Robertson, a member of the boys’ varsity baseball team who has recently committed to Loyola Marymount University (LMU). COVID-19 stopped all baseball games in March ending the season for the school team and ending the possibility of being viewed by scouts. To continue training, he spent the summer training locally and used his time to further develop his game both on the field and in the weight room. Robertson noted the recruiting process was unique given the restrictions the NCAA placed on in-person recruiting. “I was told different things on how recruiting would happen and I was worried about making the wrong decision,” said Robertson. Prospective athletes like him weren’t allowed to go on college campuses and see the different cultures that schools offered. Robertson is fortunate to live close to LMU which helped him learn more about the community and the school’s offerings. “I’m not a huge believer in ‘what ifs’ and I’m not sure how recruiting would have gone in a normal scenario, but I’m really happy with the way everything turned out,” Robertson said. “I am ecstatic to attend LMU and wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.”
Garren Rizzo, Boys’ Varsity Baseball Sophomore Garren Rizzo recently committed to the University of San Diego (USD) for baseball. Rizzo is an example of younger athletes colleges have been recruiting in order to get a leg-up on the process. Rizzo shared that the recruiting process was actually very long for him. “When l I finally decided to commit to the University of San Diego, I was getting recruited by multiple schools for about eight months and when [COVID-19] hit, it all remained the same,” said Rizzo. “I was out playing baseball weekly and they continued to follow me and check me out amongst that time.” Rizzo feels COVID-19 had a positive impact on his athletics. “My goal for when the pandemic hit was to add 15 pounds of muscle to my body and I achieved that,” Rizzo said. He feels the downtime from the pandemic helped him take his game to a next level. After months of the recruiting process, Rizzo is excited about furthering his caerer at USD.
(Photos courtesy of Peyton Eberhard, Jamie Robertson and Garren Rizzo)
NEWS
Louis DeJoy: Return to Sender? Postmaster denies claims USPS is being sabotaged on eve of mail-heavy election By CJ Haddad reporter
(Illustration by Zoe Klein)
Court Controversy: Nominating a Supreme Court Justice By Aidan Sun news editor After the passing of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Sep. 18, President Donald Trump and his allies in the Republican-controlled Senate were quick to nominate Judge Amy Coney Barrett to fill her seat. The appointment of Judge Barrett by the Trump administration has been met with controversy over whether or not a president should consider confirming a nominee so close to an election and due to Barrett’s right-leaning rulings in the past. After the passing of Justice Antonin Scalia in February 2016, Republicans in the Senate, led by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, refused to consider President Barack Obama’s nominee to replace Scalia citing the proximity to the 2016 presidential election. Republicans then said that the next occupant of the White House, not President Obama, should be the one to name a replacement justice. Many Democrats are shocked that Republicans have been willing to ignore their previous opinions and move ahead with a Supreme Court nomination less than one month before an election.
Leaders in the Democratic party including presidential nominee and former Vice President Joe Biden have pointed out the clear hypocrisy of McConnell, President Trump and other leading Republicans. The winner of the Nov. 3 election, Democrats say, should be the one to choose Justice Ginsburg’s replacement. Barrett, a former law professor at Notre Dame and now a federal judge, has been accused by Democrats of being too partisan on issues like abortion and immigration. Democratic leaders warn that if appointed, with her lifetime position on the Supreme Court, Barrett could make divisive decisions when it comes to certain issues. After being appointed at a White House ceremony on Sep. 26, in what seems to have been a “superspreader event” of COVID-19 seemingly leading to the infection of President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump, Barrett went through confirmation hearings by the Senate Judiciary Committee Oct. 12-14. Whether or not she will be confirmed before the election has yet to be seen but is certainly a hope for President Trump, Leader McConnell and other Republicans.
Editors-in-Chief Claire Hardesty Sarah Liu Adviser Cynthia Mindicino
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With a significant general election around the corner, the recent House testimony of Postmaster General Louis DeJoy is an influential event for many in the voting pool. Questioning by the House Oversight and Reform committee began amid disruptions in delivery service and suspicions that mail-in voting would be compromised. Dominating the internet, and therefore fueling this testimony, are viral images and descriptions of discarded mailboxes, broken sorting machines, and many other cost-cutting measures. In the hearing, DeJoy denied claims that recent delivery slowdowns were part of an effort to delay and suppress mail-in ballots. But what did people get out of this testimony? The United States Postal Service has been a longstanding, key organization that has often been regarded as
nonpolitical; however, DeJoy’s time in the limelight has people to doubt his qualifications for the position. Prior to this position he had been a long-prominent Republican fundraiser and donor, with stock interests in private mailing companies as well. Some representatives got into specifics when it came to his postal experience: Congresswoman Katie Porter (CA-45th District), in an attempt to paint the picture of a detached leader, asked DeJoy to recite the prices to mail items such as a first-class postage stamp, a square envelope, and a postcard, with DeJoy only knowing the stamp’s. Meanwhile, some attempted to draw parallels between 2020 and prior election years in the postmaster general’s defense: Congressman Thomas Massie submitted past United States Postal Service (USPS) press releases that mentioned disruptions in the Kentucky postal service in the 2012 election year. Some voices in the House
called for DeJoy’s immediate resignation, while others expressed enthusiasm for his holding of the position. But what are the steps going forward for the newest eligible voters at PVHS, especially with many voting by mail through the USPS? Even though the presidential race is ultimately decided by the Electoral College, important down-ballot races and propositions will also be voted on on November 3. History and Government teacher Louis Harley, a longtime mail voter, advocates for voters to rely less on the postal service, and to do what they can to make sure their vote counts. “I think it’s important to not get disenfranchised. I think everyone has an obligation to not use the US mail to vote,” Harley said. “I think you should either vote in person, using safety precautions for COVID, or drop off your ballot at different collection centers. I don’t think this is the year to put your ballot in the mailbox.”
Drive-thru Cafeteria
Food services worker Janet Mendez serves lunch to students. (Photo Courtesy of Cynthia Mindicino) By Matthew Valero reporter Ever since students across the country began distanced learning earlier this fall, many parents have faced the dilemma of trying to feed their children in the absence of school-provided lunches. Due to this concern, on Aug. 31 the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced that the federal government would extend free lunch programs through Dec. 31, 2020. With the new funds, our school district began providing free meals to all students through “drive-thru” style pickup stations set up across campuses on the peninsula. The Point interviewed
Editors News: Aurora Khatibi Garrity, Aidan Sun Features: Lucia Ruiz Centerspread: Alycen Kim Opinion: Kaylie Harley Sports: Emily Typrowicz Photography: Sierra Namvari Online: Curtis Liu Social Media: Sydney Lyle
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Christina Lin, the PVPUSD Director of Food Services, to get a better understanding of the inner workings of this program, and its success. Q: Who is eligible for this service? A: Beginning Sep. 8, we started offering free meals to all students 18 years of age and under. The USDA approved an extension to provide these free meals through the end of 2020 and we will be able to get federal reimbursements for every meal served. So the benefit is twofold. We are able to better meet the needs of the community and serve more students, while also receiving valuable funding for the district.” Q: How was this service created to accommodate the
students? A: “The goal of the Food Services Department is to serve nutritious meals to the district’s students. Despite all students starting in a distance learning model this school year, our goal remains the same. We adjusted our service model to a curbside pick-up so that we could continue to make meals available to those students who needed or wanted them. We chose a long service window, 7:30 a.m.-1 p.m. to capture as many students as possible. Q: What company is used to supply the food for students? A: “We make all the food inhouse” Q: What has it been like distributing the food? A: “The volume of meals we are serving increased dramatically with the introduction of free meals after Labor Day. The Food Services team has been working extremely hard to meet these demands and have done a wonderful job in producing enough food so that everyone is getting fed! Overall, we have received an overwhelmingly positive response and we love to hear that the school meal is providing a sense of normalcy to students! The community seems to be enjoying the program and we are averaging 3,500 meals daily!”
Staff Andrew Carpenter, Vikesh Dheeriya, Alexa Dox, CJ Haddad, Mia Harley, John Kim, Ethan King, Jonathan Liu, Mallory Meyer, McKenzie Olsen, Frances Stott, Natalie Tholan, Mathew Valero
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OCTOBER 16, 2020
Pier to Pier Goes Virtual By Emily Typrowicz sports editor For the first time, the 12th Annual Skechers Friendship walk will be virtual. The virtual walk will take place Sunday, Oct. 25. There will be a live stream presentation at 10 a.m. that includes a special performance by America’s Got Talent star, Kodi Lee. In past years, the walk has started and finished at the Manhattan Beach Pier with a turnaround point at the Hermosa Pier. The community would all come together to enjoy this event and support the same cause. Unfortunately due to COVID-19 and restrictions with mass gatherings, it will not be possible to walk in person this year. The walk is put on by Skechers and The Friendship Foundation with the goal of supporting schools in the South Bay and The Friendship Foundation. Their goal is to ensure inclusion for those with special needs. Although the walk will be virtual, the support from the community is greatly appreciated. People can still walk this year in their neighborhoods and register for the virtual event.
NEWS
The Environmental Impact of Disposable Masks By Sydney Lyle social media editor As the COVID-19 pandemic has escalated in the United States, the encouragement to wear a mask has increased, and items such as disposable masks and surgical gloves can now be found scattered up and down the coast of California. We are instructed to protect the lives of ourselves and those around us, but in the meantime, we have begun to disregard the health of other animals on Earth. Beach-goers have failed to properly dispose of their Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and blue surgical masks are now being discovered in the ocean and mistaken as jellyfish floating peacefully with the current. This year, carbon emissions are expected to decrease by 4
(Illustration by Alycen Kim)
percent as many countries, such as China, were forced to halt production when they learned that COVID-19 had infiltrated their borders. Unfortunately, the ocean will not be met with the same fate as it is estimated that more than 129 billion face masks and 65 billion gloves are being used globally every month. What used to consist of solely plastic cups, straws, and a variety of other plastic waste is now joined by masks, plastic gloves, and bottles of hand sanitizer. Avid beach-goer and climate activist Samantha Laurin has begun to notice an influx of masks at the beach. “Many people are careless about where their masks end up because concerns of their health have taken priority,” said Laurin. COVID-19 has directed people’s attention to the human lives being lost, but it is important to find a balance with environmental concerns. When combined with the waste accumulated from the lack of recycling and overall lack of environmental awareness during COVID-19, Earth and all its
inhabitants will see a more than 30 percent increase in waste than seen in 2019. The reality is that these disposable masks have a 450-year lifespan and if they continue to be disposed of improperly, predators such as turtles will continue to mistake these masks as edible jellyfish. At this point, the increased amount of pollution has not become monumental, but it does have the potential to grow exponentially and cause more harm to marine life if it is not addressed soon. “Taking personal responsibility to see to it that the mask you are wearing is disposed of properly really doesn’t take a whole lot of thought, or effort, for that matter,” said AP Environmental Science teacher Marie Kuhn. “You can protect yourself and protect the planet, you just have to be willing to do it.” While there have not been any local cases of masks impacting the health of our marine animals, seabirds and turtles have been found entangled and suffocated by masks in foreign countries such as Italy and China. The masks that we leave on the beach have the ability to travel great distances and harm animals in
other countries, so it is important that we dispose of them properly. Masks could also potentially impact ocean food chains. “If [the masks] collect and block out sunlight for ocean producers or if masks end up becoming impacted in various animals’ guts and the animals die,” Kuhn said. There are multiple ways that we can prevent this harm to other animals. “By cutting the ear straps of our disposable masks, we can prevent animals from becoming entangled in them,” Laurin said. While many turtles are ingesting the masks, birds and other wild life have become trapped within the elastic straps of the masks as well. People can also buy washable fabric masks or simply dispose of our masks in the proper waste bins. In this unfamiliar, stressful time, past priorities to protect our home have taken a back seat. And while the health of the American people is a main concern, the health of wildlife that we wouldn’t normally consider is being threatened. If masks and other PPE is not disposed of properly, the beaches and oceans will no longer be the beautiful, enjoyable places that we once visited.
A Vaccine to End the Quarantine:
The complex process of a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, from petri dishes to humans. By Aurora Khatibi Garrity news editor The question of the SARSCoV-2 (COVID-19) vaccine release date lingers in the air as individuals slide into the seventh month of social distancing and in some cases, complete quarantine.The complex process of vaccine development and testing can vary from two months to 15 years; according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it’s estimated that a vaccine may be ready by early November 2020. The last pandemic, the 2009 Swine Flu, was caused by the H1N1 influenza virus, and it took around three months to create and start distributing the vaccine for this variant of the influenza virus. The medical and scientific community has decades of experience creating the flu vaccine against different influenza strains, so the framework to create the vaccine was already present. While the scientific community was able to develop the Swine Flu vaccine faster, the community has never before created an effective vaccine against COVID-19, which explains why we still don’t have a vaccine after six months. At the same time, viruses such as HIV and the common cold still do not have a vaccine; the viruses only have treatments to keep the disease manageable. Normally, one would assume that the timeline to develop a COVID-19 vaccine may be extended, as the scientific community has never developed a vaccine against coronavirus before. However, the pressure
OCTOBER 16, 2020
to create a vaccine amidst the pandemic may cause this vaccine to differ from other vaccines. Ryan Sandvig, a clinical trial professional with 15 years of clinical research experience, has noticed the same. “The [SARS-CoV-2] timeline is much faster than we normally do clinical trials,” Sandvig said. “They are compressing something that generally takes 10-15 years in 1-2 years. We did have a headstart with vaccine development because of the first SARS virus, but since the pandemic was quickly controlled, research moved from a coronavirus vaccine development to other areas of interest.” According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “There are currently over 169 COVID-19 vaccine candidates under development, with 26 of these in the human trial phase.” The phases undertaken for the development of a vaccine, according to the CDC, begin with the Exploratory Stage, in which basic laboratory research is conducted over a period of four to five years. In this stage, funding from scientific and governmental organizations is sought. In terms of a COVID-19 vaccine, this step can be quickly completed as the government and various organizations
have supported the vaccine to be researched as quickly as possible. The Preclinical Stage, in which non-human testing occurs, follows suit. If the vaccine passes this stage, it’s onto Clinical Development, which is composed of three main phases: Phase I-III. In Phase I, there is a small number of patients, in which researchers are “very closely watching each patient to see what side effects they have from the vaccine, and if it looks promising they will go onto phase II and III,” said Sandvig. In Phase II, the research involves a greater number of patients, where researchers can get a better sense on the vaccine’s safety. In Phase III, thousands of patients participate, and researchers are looking at if the vaccine is safe enough, if the benefits outweigh the risks and how effective the vaccine is. The vaccine then goes through the regulatory review and approval, manufacturing, quality control, distribution and education, sales, and marketing. The need and interest in developing the COVID-19 vaccine has allowed for certain process modifications that can reduce the vaccine development timeline, including the time
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(Graphic by Aurora Khatibi Garrity)
reduction between each phase and manufacturing the vaccine before the vaccine is approved. If the vaccine passes Phases I-III and gains approval, then the ongoing Phase IV studies take place. In Phase IV, formal vaccine studies occur continually and act as a safety program in checking for and assessing for side effects of the vaccine, which are reported through the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). “In a regular clinical trial, you give an experimental treatment to someone today and it may take a year or multiple years for there to be an adverse event,” said Sandvig. “Due to the gravity of the situation, we don’t have the luxury of time to wait and see all the potential long-term adverse events.” Then the discussion of distribution blooms, in which healthcare workers, the immunocompromised, and essential workers fall to the front of the line. Bahareh Khatibi, a California physician, said it makes sense to offer vaccination to certain groups first, but she sees another issue within this. “Will the vaccine be a recommendation or a mandate?”
said Khatibi. “With the unprecedented speed with which we are creating and testing these vaccines, could we be missing serious long term, adverse events?” It’s reasonable to question the validity of a highly demanded, time-sensitive vaccine, especially in the political climate we have today, with the concerns that the administration could be influencing the CDC and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA has the ability to grant an Emergency Use Authorization for the vaccine without having finished trials, under the assumption that the FDA has reviewed a significant amount of data. In the past they have made errors, such as approving the use of hydroxychloroquine, whose authorization was revoked after emerging studies disproving its effectiveness. “When the states report their COVID-19 numbers, they are required to send them to the White House before the CDC, which is unusual,” said Sandvig. “Before July, the CDC got the numbers first. Election year means numbers and data can get politicized, but we can only hope that the vaccine reporting is unbiased and factual, and that it’s created and distributed soon.”
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FEATURES
Adjusting to the Unexpected
Online school is filled with disguised advantages and disadvantages By Lucia Ruiz features editor 2020, the year of COVID-19, has brought many surprises. No one could have predicted that schools worldwide would shut down because of the deadliest pandemic in over 100 years. Students, teachers and administrators are forced to adjust to a new learning environment. There is no doubt that students and teachers have mixed opinions about online school. “At first it was kind of weird, but now it’s not really an issue. I don’t prefer it, but it is what it is,” senior Lily Hamson said. Associate Principal Dr. Keely Hafer agreed that students and teachers have adapted well. However, it does not make the transition to online school any easier for administrators. “The hardest part for me is not being able to see students every day. Dr. Tyner and I loved being able to walk the hallways or pop into classes to see all of the amazing things that students are doing in class and that is not as easy to do anymore,” Hafer said. Many teachers are also struggling to see the good in this unideal situation. “I’m trying my best to see [online school] as temporary. I just keep telling myself it’s better
than nothing and eventually we’ll all get back,” English teacher and Junior Varsity Cheer coach Cari Secrist said. On the other hand, students find some unexpected benefits from online learning. “I can wake up like four minutes before class starts and I like being able to do whatever I want during lunch,” Hamson said. However, students also found drawbacks to distance learning. “It’s very hard to learn and I feel like we’re missing out on a ton of senior activities,” Hamson said. Students are not in this struggle alone. Online school affects everyone at PVHS, negatively or positively. Something that has been a negative influence is the workload. “[I wasn’t expecting] how much more work was going to be involved. There’s so much that you can do in class… but in online school… it takes a lot more time to go through each individual student’s work and then to enter grades, return it, and get it uploaded to Aeries,” Secrist said. Workload is an issue for everyone, but when you are a teacher and coach, the issue is doubled. However, Secrist stays positive about it all. “[The Cheer squad] started practices [on Oct. 5]. I think it
Green Light for Blue Light Glasses By Sierra Namvari photography editor Sitting up early in the morning at a computer everyday while trying to log into meetings minutes before they start can be stressful. When your vision is too blurry and you are already getting headaches just staring at the bright screen, it can be challenging to stay that way for the rest of the day. Online school is a big adjustment for everyone, but one of the main struggles can be managing to stare at a screen for close to six hours everyday, or more. A number of students have seemed to notice this issue, and decided to buy bluelight glasses. Bluelight glasses have lenses that repel the blue light coming from your screen whether that may be from your computer, phone, or television. They manage to reduce headaches, eyestrain, glare and have many other benefits. “I’ve seen a difference from when I used the glasses, and when I didn’t,” freshman Grace
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Moore said. “I started using them two weeks ago because I started getting eye strain and headaches, and those have definitely gone down. I would… recommend them to anyone who is thinking about getting them,” she said. According to LensCrafters, bluelight glasses can be ordered without prescription, or can be built into prescribed glasses. “I used to get a lot of headaches this year because all of my school work would be online, but the glasses have really seemed to help fix that for me and make it less stressful,” sophomore Janna Lee said. Critics believe that the glasses do not actually have any positive effect, but whether or not that is true, it has been proven to have yellow-tinted lenses to help filter out the blue light. If you find yourself having issues with looking at screens more than usual because of online school, many students recommend using them.
Math teacher Laura Palosaari teaching on Zoom in her classroom. (Photo courtesy of Cynthia Mindicino) was fun for everyone. I know that I enjoyed seeing and hearing the girls in person,” Secrist said. Nevertheless, coaching a team during these times is not an easy task. “You just can’t make the corrections or see what the corrections are when you’re online. You really have to see the girls in person, so I think that we’ve lost a lot of time with doing practices online,” Secrist said. Despite all of the differences and uncertainty that online school
has brought upon learning, there are a few things that have stayed the same for administrators and teachers alike. “My job has not changed and my role in the school has not changed. My goal is still to always support our students and staff in any way that I can,” Hafer said. There are many problems with being physically away from students and teachers, but there are also technological issues. If someone’s connection is down,
it is possible that they may miss all of their lessons for that period of time. “Even if we test our technology ahead of time, there is still a chance that it might not work or that there will be another problem that we did not plan for,” Hafer said. “We are constantly learning and trying to think ahead as much as possible to troubleshoot problems and help make distance learning easier for staff and students.”
New Voters Ready for Nov. 3 Election
By CJ Haddad reporter
As the Nov. 3 election draws closer, many PVHS students will be eligible to vote for the first time, with many having key issues on their mind as they pick presidents, propositions, and policies that will shape their futures. This entrance into civic duty comes with personal significance to PV’s 18-year-olds; it marks a new chapter of their lives where their voices may be heard, and where their newest privilege allows them to directly participate in our democracy. What is considered one of the most significant elections of our time lies in the midst of a civil rights movement that has shed a greater light on criminal justice reform, a pandemic that has affected millions, and a new online school year beset with challenges, along with many other influential events and people dominating the 2020 timeline. Such events have had a heavy influence on students’ voting plans and their political participation. Senior Chaya Holyfield has been looking forward to the election since finding out she was eligible, saying, “Ever since the Black Lives Matter protests and civil
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rights movement, I feel like I’ve gotten more involved in politics—I am part of the next generation that’s going to make positive change.” Our new voters also emphasized the importance of their eligible peers voting (and voting widely) as well. Senior Zoey Belliveau is committed to participating in every possible (Data courtesy of PTSA Mock Election) race and proposition on strings, but will set in motion the California ballot, noting the policy that will directly affect importance of a full ticket: students. “Even if the propositions seem Voting on this year’s like minute details, there are propositions will amend the some pretty important things state’s Constitution on poignant that we should be voting on… I issues—California may become would also want to vote because the first state to end cash bail I don’t want to be a bystander with Proposition 25; some 17 that judges a president or a year-olds may be allowed to vote representative if I didn’t do in primary and special elections anything to prevent them from with Proposition 18. Other topics being in office.” on the line include affirmative Voting—especially as a young action, rent control, and funds for adult—carries more weight than stem cell research. meets the eye. If you are eligible to vote this PVHS is a public school, and November, make sure to register those we elect to the school and make your voice heard— board and the state legislature your fellow Americans depend will not only control the purse on it.
OCTOBER 16, 2020
Seniors Help Secure Block Schedule By Vikesh Dheeriya reporter Through public board meetings over Zoom and carefully worded emails, a group of four seniors helped to convince the Board of Education to keep block schedule in online school. In early July, seniors Kapil Dheeriya, Daniel Belzburg, Chiby Onyeador, and Kai Mohl were concerned about what the District was planning to do with schools re-opening, if at all. “I found that the District was working overtime with ten different committees and subcommittees to determine the best, safest, course of action for students to return in August. Yet there was minimal student input [on issues] that directly concerned the health of students,” Dheeriya said. The disparity between the students and District grew, as the District implemented a standardized non-block schedule at PVHS for the school year. The board’s main goal was to allow for high school students “to take the same classes they would be able to take in a normal year.” President of the PVPUSD Board of Education Suzanne Seymour said. “We needed to make sure the [distancelearning] students have the same opportunities as the hybrid students.” Although the District had good intentions, the unintended consequences on students and teachers would cause more unwanted adjustments during an unprecedented school year. “I was shocked that despite the already high stresses caused by the pandemic, the district would choose to take away
[PVHS students’] beloved block schedule,’’ Belzburg said. Block schedule is one of many unique aspects that sets PVHS apart from other schools. Removing such an integral part of the students’ learning experience would force students and teachers to make a very difficult adjustment towards shorter and more classes per day. Dheeriya, Belzburg, Onyeador, and Mohl decided the best way to amplify their opinions on the importance of block schedule and student input in making important decisions would be at the Aug. 5 Board meeting. “We were hearing their messages at the same time we were trying to put together the puzzle of what classes can be offered where,” said Seymour. “As time went on, it just made more sense that we would be able to accommodate a more traditional block schedule.” President Seymour personally reached out to a broader range of students to receive different perspectives on the schedule change. This, combined with the group of seniors strongly advocating for change, along with teachers for classes working out at the different schools, caused a revert at PVHS back to the block schedule. During an unpredictable pandemic, it is expected that miscommunication between students and the district would happen. To prevent mistakes like these in the future, a student committee consisting of students from all over the distric was formed. “I hope that our input from a wider [student] audience will extend past COVID” said Seymour.
FEATURES
Quarantine-O-Ween
Students will need to get creative this year in order to celebrate Halloween safely. Unfortunately, large gatherings including the traditional senior Halloween costume reveal are not alloweed this year. (Photo Illustration by Frances Stott) By Frances Stott reporter This year, Halloween will be looking a lot different. Due to the pandemic The county of Los Angeles was going to “cancel” Halloween, but there was quite a bit of pushback from the community. Many parents were annoyed about this and now trick-or-treating is “highly unrecommended.” Few people will be out, and few people will be handing out candy. However, just because most people won’t be out, doesn’t mean people won’t be meeting up with friends. As you may know, every year the seniors organize a prank for Halloween. This year, they most likely aren’t
going to be able to do that. Although the chances are close to zero, if students do end up going back in the next couple of weeks, would there even be a plan in place? The whole senior year might not be able to organize an entire class prank in time, but they will still be enjoying Halloween on their own. “As a whole, I don’t think the senior class will be able to coordinate a school-wide Halloween costume,” senior Cameron Greene said. Even if they can’t all be together, they will still be there in spirit. While it is unfortunate that they won’t be able to experience the same things that previous seniors have been able to, they can still enjoy themselves. “While they might not be on
campus or have those same opportunities, we want them to feel special and be able to celebrate with their friends all of their accomplishments this year,” associate principal Dr. Keely Hafer said. The staff are, of course, very supportive of seniors during these tough times. They are going to try and make this year the best for them despite the unusual circumstances. While no one will be able to enjoy Halloween like they normally do, the senior year will have to miss out on a onetime opportunity. Although it is unfortunate that the senior Halloween tradition can’t be carried out as normal, seniors and other students can still make their own traditions this year.
Social Media for Social Justice
By Sarah Liu editor-in-chief
Following the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, a nationwide reckoning on race in American communities was impossible to ignore. Protestors took to the streets, but another group of activists was mobilizing behind the screens. For students at PVHS in particular, Instagram stories became the frontlines of the internet. Political and social justiceoriented Instagram accounts became a niche community on the platform following the 2016 General Election. Users from both the right and left used Instagram as a platform to repost viral Tweets. But, liberal-leaning accounts became reliable sources when it came to shareable content, specifically visual aesthetic-heavy posts. After the death of Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor, artwork by user Shirien Darma was widely circulated, as were posts of artwork depicting George Floyd by Nikkolas Smith. However, after George Floyd was murdered on May 25, 2020,
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the rate at which users- brands, politicians, and the average Instagram user- were posting about the Black Lives Matter movement increased drastically. Videos of protests and riots could be easily found on Instagram and were reshared thousands of times. Speeches given by organizers were accessible to those unable to attend, and Instagram stories became a convenient and effective way to disseminate information and publicize protests and direct action events. The phenomenon of online activism, or “slacktivism,” has been examined. In a paper from the University of Michigan, slacktivism is defined as “low-risk, low-cost activity via social media whose purpose is to raise awareness, produce change, or grant satisfaction to the person engaged in the activity,” and reposting on Instagram stories fits the bill. Reposting work that is not your own takes some of the potential burdens of defense off of the reposter, as it directs those who wish to see the original post to
the original poster’s page. Posts from popular accounts such as @soyouwanttotalkabout and @impact that were shared frequently on Instagram stories were able to build a reputation of being trustworthy sources of information, mitigating the risk of accidentally sharing misinformation on users’ own accord. And, resharing posts on Instagram has always been a zero-cost activity. With the COVID-19 pandemic still happening, social media slacktivism was a safe way to amplify information and new voices. It would be remiss to ignore the fact that aesthetics played a role in what got reposted or not. Widely shared posts were usually typographic and shared facts in a clean way with eye-catching colors, photos, clip-art and the like. However, well-intentioned posts became a topic of contention for activists. Among the most notable is the infamous “Hello Kitty Says ACAB” visual, in which the popular Sanrio character, adorned with glitter and occasionally other iconic
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cartoons from the franchise, has the phrase “ACAB” or “All Cops are Bastards” over her head. Similar to Sanrio ACAB posts is the meme “The Manny Will Not Be Televised,” where social media users took the Diary of a Wimpy Kid character, Manny Heffley, and made him into a symbol for the current civil rights movement as a spin on “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised.” Both memes have been widely criticized as trivializations of the Black Lives Matter and police abolition movements. Jeff Kinney, author of the Wimpy Kid series, publicly expressed his discomfort with his character being complemented with phrases such as “ACAB,” tweeting “Lots of people are asking me right now how I feel about my character being used as an anti-police symbol. Honestly, I don’t like it. The Black Lives Matter movement needs to be taken seriously. This isn’t helping.” The debate around posts like this center around a much broader question: how much heavy-lifting are you doing by
posting a picture, much less one of a cartoon character? And is Hello Kitty calling for the abolition of the police purely for decoration or the dissemination of information? All of this leads to the greatest question of all- is this “slacktivism” made popular over the summer sustainable at all, or is this one great performance? Students were publicly telling people to not slow down, posts were made warning others of “activism fatigue,” while others were explicitly saying “If your feed has gone back to normal, you’re following the wrong people.” “When [the Black Lives Matter Protests] were happening I was feeling so anxious, I kind of dipped out on [Instagram] after a little,” junior Liana Truong said. “I could not sleep. I posted for a while but I couldn’t after a week.” Ultimately, there exists no way to objectively measure if activism posting is effective or not, and that in and of itself may motivate users to either sit out from the social media front or be more active, because, simply put, it doesn’t hurt.
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6+ Months Apart,
What do our Sea Kings m “I miss running around the school to get to class and chatting during passing periods.” - Sophie Sun, freshman
“I miss cheering on ou friends. The memories are definitely seeing m in the stands at every see familiar faces show - Brianna Kunich, jun
“I miss the interactions between students and teachers in the classroom and being able to collaborate in a learning environment. Talking to people is always fun and meeting new people in the classroom is something I enjoy and miss.” - Jaden Camel, senior “I miss my students because they are a big part of my life and the thing I miss most about teaching. I have many, many memories of interacting with my students but the thing I have the most special memories of are my students’ laughter. I can’t hear my students laugh over Zoom.” - Louis Harley, teacher
“One specific thing I miss about school is going to football games because they were very exciting and I miss the energy of the crowd. I love cheering on the football team with my friends. The afternoon heat is exhausting, but being with my friends makes the experience so exciting and worthwhile.” - Caeden Kim, sophomore
It has been almost seven months since the fateful day PV High shut down indefinitely because of the coronavirus pandemic. Only seven months ago, students were roaming the halls of PV High without a mask or a care in the world. Since then, no student in our district has experienced a “normal” school day. Our worlds were turned upside down virtually overnight. Whiteboards were replaced with computer screens. Classroom desks were replaced with sofas and dining room tables.
Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months as we all pondered the same question: when is this all going to end? Things have slowed down since the uncertain chaos and battles over toilet paper of March, but the battle for an in-person school year continues to be fought. As of now, PV High students are still attending classes via Zoom and Google Meets, following a modified school day schedule. Comfortable desk chairs and blue light glasses have
, 6 Feet Apart
miss Most About School?
ur football team with my best s I cherish most from cheering my family members and friends game. It made me so happy to wing school spirit.” nior
“I really miss Be The Change and being involved in leadership on campus. It’s not the same having group discussions over Zoom and virtual spirit weeks don’t have as meaningful of an effect on the student body. I love being able to involve people on campus and spreading kindness and positivity throughout my community.” - Mia McCauly, junior
“I would love to be back in the classroom and interact with my teachers in person. For me, seeing my teachers and being able to talk with them makes it easier to learn. I miss jokes in Jarrin’s class and having free time with my friends.” - Aidan Olson, sophomore
become all the rage in this new era of remote learning. We are all adjusting to this new “normal,” but it is still difficult not being in a physical classroom with teachers and classmates. On October 6, PV High made a step towards reopening the school by resuming training for athletic programs on campus. This allows student athletes to come back to campus and practice during their designated time slot, while wearing masks and following social distancing guidelines.
COVID- 19 has taken away so many of the things we love and enjoy, like seeing friends, playing sports, learning in a classroom, and participating in school activities. Nothing has ended yet, but we are all still taking steps to stay safe and ensure that we will soon be back at school. While we continue to wear masks and wash our hands, we can reminisce with our fellow Sea Kings about a not so distant past and look forward to a (hopefully) not so distant future.
“I miss having a routine and getting up and dressed for the day. I also miss going to football games and supporting my brother while he plays.” - Ellie Van Wier, senior
“Something I miss about school would probably be playing on my softball team and seeing my teammates everyday.” - Brooke Stiebel, senior
OPINION Where’s the LGBT on TV? By Kaylie Harley opinion editor As a child, I always looked up to characters in television shows that I could relate to. Since most children in America grow up watching programs and idolizing characters, it would make sense for the shows broadcasted to appropriately represent its various viewers. Unfortunately, this is not the case for most young LGBTQ+ viewers. Television has been the primary form of entertainment in America since its creation in 1927. “The Hollywood Production Code, in effect from 1930 to 1968, and the Code of Practices for Television Broadcasters ... indirectly prohibited depictions of homosexuality” said University of Tennessee in an analysis of LGBT representation on television. Due to these codes, the only gay characters allowed were always child molesters, villians, or were killed within minutes of their sexualities being revealed (aka the “Bury Your Gay” trope). This left an extremely negative connotation on the LGBTQ+ community in the eyes of
America’s youth, as they only saw them as villainous figures or examples of why being LGBTQ+ would inevitably lead to death. Although more representation began in the late 1970s and 80s, the characters lacked complexity and often posed as the primary issue of the episode for the main heterosexual character to solve. It wasn’t until 1997, when Ellen Degeneres character in “Ellen” was revealed as a lesbian, that television have its first gay main character. Today, representation has improved, with this 2019-2020 season containing a “record high 10.2% [90 out of 879] of broadcast series regulars being LGBTQ characters,” according to GLAAD, an organization that tracks representation in the media. Although this is an improvement, the majority of the characters are gay men, such as Will Truman and Jack McFarland in “Will & Grace.” This one side of the community is only a small portion of a variety of identities. In fact, out of lesbian, gay, and bisexual people, “bisexual+ people actually make up the majority of LGB people at 52
percent,” UCLA’s The Williams Institute said. Bisexual people are underrepresented or poorly represented in the media, as they are oftentimes affected by stereotypes or harmful tropes, such as being confused, untrustworthy, obsessive or unnecessarily sexual. These harmful stereotypes cause bisexual people to feel excluded from the community, and less confident in their sexuality, which could be extremely harmful for children trying to make sense of their feelings for the first time. “Bi+ people are reportedly much less likely to be out than gay and lesbian people,” said GLAAD. “28 percent say ‘all or most of the important people in their life know [their sexuality]’ versus 77 percent of gay men and 71 percent of lesbians.” Another identity that is severely underrepresented in television is asexuality and aromanticism. In the 2019-2020 season, there was only one asexual character from Netflix’s “BoJack Horseman,” but that character is not returning next year due to the show’s finale.
Ending the Film vs. Book Debate
(Graphic by Kaylie Harley) This means the 2020-2021 season will have absolutely no representation for ace/aro individuals. According to “GLAAD and Harris Poll’s Accelerating Acceptance study, … 20 percent of Americans 18 to 34 … identify as LGBTQ.” Since America’s population is about 331 million people, that is approximately 66 million people who struggle to see themselves in the media they consume.
Children need positive examples of their sexualities and gender identities because it helps to shape their worldview and build confidence within themselves. Since nobody can choose who they love or what they know to be their true gender, it is extraordinarily important for widespread representation across all genres of television to have multiple LGBTQ+ characters in their series.
Viruses and Venues Why stadiums should allow fans back at games By Ethan King reporter
(Illustration by Alycen Kim) By Mia Harley reporter There are countless movies today that are film adaptations of books, and people need to stop comparing the two. In the 2020 Academy Awards, four out of the nine films nominated for Best Picture were screenplays adapted from some form of written work. Since these films adapt popularly read stories, they are often meticulously compared to the original source material, and are put down when they branch off from the story readers know and love. Despite being similar stories, books and movies are completely different art forms, and should be respected individually. Novels written by an author are completed works that tell their story to its entirety. When a screenplay writer adapts a novel, they have certain limitations. “Not every movie adaptation of a novel stays true to its source material,” Roane State writer Jennifer Harris said.
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“Sometimes the book is too long for a movie to include the entire storyline.” Screenwriters need to tell their story in 90-minutes to two hours so, depending on the original work, they may need to condense the story or expand details in order to fill the length or time a movie studio requires. “Books have the invested time of the reader to expand on closer details and give insight into characters that couldn’t possibly be created in two hours of film,” writer for The Collegian at University of Massachusetts Araz Havan said. In the case of the Academy Award Best Picture nominated film “Little Women,” the screenplay needed to shorten the plot from the original novel. The amount of details, events and time that occured in the novel could not be transferred completely onto the screen due to time constraints. Since audiences are used to a specific length of movies, they most likely would not sit through four or more hours of film to cover the story in its entirety. In contrast, “The Joker” was
adapted from a series of comic books, and the screenwriter needed to add a lot more detail in order to develop the back story and dialogue to fill up the movie. People seemed to either love or hate the film depending on their previous associations with the character, either from reading the comics or watching previous film and television depictions. The Academy of Motion Pictures analyzed both “Little Women” and “The Joker’, alongside seven other films, and decided to recognize them for their own merits and artistry. They did not compare them to any of their predecessors. Therefore, we as consumers need to recognize that books and movies are two different art forms, and can both be enjoyed without deciding on a “superior” version. If you liked reading the book, enjoy it, and if you liked the movie, appreciate it for what it is. You don’t need to forever debate the little details, but enjoy each form of creativity for what it is: art.
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With the NFL season well underway, some teams are beginning to allow fans into their stadiums at a lower capacity. The NFL has been one of the first leagues to allow fans, and many are wondering if this is worth the risk. This has been a question I have grappled with for the past few weeks. On one hand, it makes no sense to put people’s lives on the line to go watch other people play a sport, something most of us do via TV anyway. On the other hand, we need to start bringing the world back to normal or we may never be again. This has also been a question politicians have been arguing over since the start of the COVID-19 crisis: When is it worth it to open back up? After weighing the options, I believe it is time to open up stadiums to fans. One of the main reasons I believe this is because teams are taking large amounts of safety precautions to protect fans. Let’s take the Dallas Cowboys, for example, and their Safe Stadium Policy. The Cowboys opened up their stadium in week two to fans. They have numerous rules, such as wearing masks at all times, not accepting cash, and having a capacity no more than 25 percent. They are also separating
fans into “pods”, so groups are isolated from each other and, if a person ends up testing positive, this would ideally keep the virus from spreading outside of the pod. Most other teams in the NFL have also implemented rules similar to this. So far, it has worked out relatively well for the League. In Kansas City, a fan who went to the game tested positive afterwards. Due to the system put in place, the team was able to see everywhere he went in the stadium with a tracing technology, and was able to quarantine everyone he was in contact with. Thankfully, he was not in contact with a large amount of people due to the pod system. While this system sounds great, it unfortunately most likely isn’t foolproof. However, in anything enjoyable we participate in, there are always risks. You could crash and die when driving your car, but people still drive regardless. At some point, we have to take these risks with COVID-19. This virus could be a staple in our lives for years, as a vaccine may not be available for months, and people still may not take it due to the risks it has. We have to live our lives to the fullest, yet responsibly, and for many people going to sports games is a very enjoyable part of their lives.
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A Letter from the Editors (From awkward classes to silent Breakout Rooms, it’s time to put conscious effort into socializing.) Although many classic annual expectations for PV High students seem to have disappeared right in front of our eyes, one high school tradition has transcended time and location: feeling awkward. Beyond changes to in-class curriculum, the shift to online schooling has undoubtedly changed many aspects of students’ lives. Among the most discussed is the dramatic decrease in social interaction for students and teachers alike. A huge change can be seen by simply sitting in on one of the many daily Zoom calls. It must be noted that there are no side conversations between classes, and working together on group projects seems to be a thing of the past. It is no wonder that Breakout Rooms more often than not appear to be an experiment in how best to survive awkward silence. We have every reason to be concerned that the antisocial behavior observed in online classes now will become a breeding ground for escalated antisocial behavior in adulthood. While not all teenagers may thrive on social interaction, school is the ultimate lion’s den- interactions are not limited to friends, but with our peers
and other school community members we may not have the chance to interact with outside the classroom. Although Zoom offers the opportunity for Breakout Rooms, these groups are more of a painfully awkward experience than an educational one. It seems to be harder for teens to communicate properly through these online classrooms, both with each other and teachers, but it isn’t a problem we can’t fix. Students can no longer rely on the “talkative” kids when there is no guarantee of them even being in their Breakout Rooms. The need for in-class leadership has never been more apparent, and it is a skill that can be practiced in small groups. Break the ice and keep microphones and cameras on- it wasn’t like we were able to turn off our voices in class to begin with. The fact that the technology is there to virtually be not present can and will lead to a dangerous complacency with non-participation. Be the one to foster conversation. We always knew high school was going to be awkward. But, the solution to uncomfortable group discussions may require more discomfort before it gets any better.
OPINION
The Flaws and Benefits of Hybrid Instruction By Curtis Liu online editor In these trying times, many important daily routines are interrupted. Where can we go to eat? What entertainment areas are open? These are just two of many questions asked in today’s society, but one seems to rise above all of them: the education of today’s youth. Our whole future depends on the younger generation’s education, whether it be elementary, intermediate, or high school. This brings up an important question: under extraordinary circumstances (like the COVID-19 pandemic), what matters more to families in the long term? Health or education? Well, the simple answer would be health. Health is (and should be) the primary concern for everyone. However, digging deeper into this subject, we find that this answer may not be as easy as it seems. Will the lack of proper or traditional education during this critical time period actually do more harm in our near future? Perhaps, through an alternative form of learning, students’ needs would be better fulfilled. Some of the advantages that
hybrid learning offers is the ability to effectively manage one’s time and fit extracurricular activities alongside their education. According to Susie Zappia of the Seattle Pi, students also have the advantages of sometimes having access to recordings of class instruction if teachers record lessons or classes. This would allow them to replay lessons at any speed or interval they are in need of. Hybrid education saves transportation needs, while also weaving in-person instruction into the daily schedule of students. In-person instruction is absolutely necessary for a few factors, including overall engagement levels and credibility of test scores. It is common sense that overall engagement levels decrease in an online setting. Having assessments be a priority of why students return will lead to more credible scores on tests and, therefore, grades, allowing students’ applications to actually determine who is putting in their share of effort. However, there will most likely be some disadvantages that lie in hybrid instruction. First of all, hybrid instruction can be seen as lacking, partly due to the fact that it isn’t fully in-person education, so learning wouldn’t be exactly as optimal
as it normally was before the pandemic. Additionally, there is a variable risk of contracting COVID-19 on school campuses. Although it is unknown how the rates would decline if safety measures are strictly enforced, it is never safe to downplay the risks of a deadly and highly contagious virus. Some advantages of sticking with distance learning include a personalized daily routine. Classes can be taken whenever there is free time as long as the checkpoints are met at the end of each quarter. This may be an intriguing option for many students, but the effects of distance learning on this younger generation is still a glaring problem. How will the American education system ever return from this hiatus? How and when is it safe to go back to campuses? As of right now, there are already large amounts of schools resuming across the nation. What would happen if a massive second wave hits our country, possibly killing a larger amount of people? We may never know, but our best bet would be to stick with the hybrid system until we know more.
Discussion without Depiction: How J.K. Rowling got “Harry Potter” wrong By Alycen Kim centerspread editor Divination, dementors, dragons, and discrimination? “Harry Potter” and its creator have recently come under the public scrutiny for discrimination against queer people and minority groups. The first “Harry Potter” book was published more than two decades ago, and it is still one of the biggest franchises of all time. J.K. Rowling, the author of the books, is hailed as a literary trailblazer by many, and was named the first billionaire author. Everything from eight high-grossing movies to a Universal Studios theme park have been created to keep the magic of the books alive. Now that the magic is trending again, however, more and more people are speaking out about how uninclusive it seems to be. The root of the problem seems to come from the creator herself. Rowling has earned a reputation throughout the years for being a TERF: a transexclusionary radical feminist. Starting with a series of tweets, and then a multitude of public essays, Rowling has expressed
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her views on “gender and sex issues.” Her views are concerning and problematic, to say the least; she alludes to people struggling with their gender identity as being “predatorial” and confused. Rowling’s ideas have also manifested themselves into her latest book called “Troubled Blood”, which is about a male serial killer who dresses up as
a woman in order to catch his victims. Many critics have noted that the main moral of the story seems to be to never trust a man in a dress. Rowling also writes under the pseudonym of Robert Galbraith, an anti-LGBTQ+ psychiatrist who promoted conversion therapy, but she denies any connection. Another glaring issue with the
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African-American, and that Albus Dumbledore was gay. Many people insist that Rowling’s tweets are attempts to overcome her “guilt” about the lack of minorities and queer people in her novels. They question why she would discuss these things years after publication, while still not writing about any of them in her books. Practically everyone in the world has read or heard of the “Harry Potter” series, which is why Rowling’s opinions are so dangerous. Rowling is still a writer with a huge platform, and her words can have a negative impact on her large, impressionable audience, especially her LGBTQ+ fans. She needs to stop posting public essays and tweets perpetuating harmful stereotypes onto the transgender community. Rowling also needs to directly acknowledge that her books (Illustration by Alycen Kim) may have not been the most inclusive (instead of making up franchise seems to be the lack of post publication interpretations diversity in the books and movies to appease people on Twitter), of “Harry Potter” (two of which and say that she is willing to Rowling co-produced). portray more minorities and Rowling actually seems to be queer characters in her future aware of this, and tries to cover publications. for herself on social media by J.K. Rowling, the “wizard” tweeting random, post-publication behind the most successful book interpretations of the books and series in the world, needs to take characters. accountability and reinforce that In one tweet, she claimed that the lasting magic of “Harry Potter” Hermione Granger was actually is for everyone.
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SPORTS
Sports:1 COVID-19: 0
(Photos courtesy of Keely Hafer and Brian Shapiro)
By Natalie Tholan reporter COVID-19 has taken much from students and teachers at PV, such as sports. Throughout the time the district was able to put out a starting date and restrictions to practicing sports on the school campus. PVPUSD sent an email to all PV students regarding information of where and when and for what sport practices will take place. The email received from the district said that practices for all sports would start on October 5.
For our school’s teams to be able to practice there were some restrictions to keep everyone safe and healthy. With sports starting to practice, the district has given guidelines for students to follow. Before going to practice, students are required to fill out a questionnaire online. If a student says they do not have a fever and have not been in contact with a COVID-positive person, then they reach a green screen with the date and time which shows they are safe to attend practice. As they approach a tent with the Athletic Trainer, they show her this green screen. Practices are monitored by
coaches and athletes must wear a mask at all times, at no time should they be allowed to take it off. Students must maintain at least six feet between themselves and others. Teams are only allowed to practice at their specific times on those specific days and will not be allowed to practice during school hours. Practices have been going well and teams have gotten back into the swing of things. After almost seven long months without practicing with their teams, athletes are happy to be back.
Putting in the Extra Work By Emily Typrowicz sports editor When quarantine hit athletes were left with many questions: Would they be back in a few weeks? How could they continue to train? Would they have a summer season? All questions were left unanswered. Each week was different, sometimes there was good news and sometimes not so great news. Athletes had come to the realization that in order to be prepared for the day they would be allowed to play again, they would need to individually train. PVHS athletes found new ways to practice alone. From setting up a home gym in their house to finding open spaces to practice, athletes were creative when it came to training. Junior Harper Skeie used quarantine to her advantage. Skeie plays on the girls’ lacrosse team where she has been a starter on varsity since her freshman year.
During quarantine she ran and used her home gym to maintain physical shape. “I was able to work on the small things I needed to work on individually to help improve my game,” Skeie said. She used the time provided by quarantine to focus on skills and getting better. Over the summer, Skeie made the All-American team and was able to showcase her new skills from quarantine in a tournament. She played against some of the best players in the country around her age group. Practicing individually improved her skills and helped her make the team. Tara Bharadia, sophomore water polo player, put in hard work from the start of quarantine. One of the most important pieces to water polo is swimming. Before quarantine she would be swimming with her team almost everyday. At the start she was not able to swim but would go on runs and do workouts she had done in the past with her coach. “[Quarantine] helped me do more training in the gym and has mentally helped me be able to
push myself” Bharadia said. She was able to find a way to practice in the pool and continue growing as a water polo player. Senior Anton Richard has been playing baseball almost his whole life. When quarantine came, baseball took a pause and he had to figure out a way to practice on his own. He used this extra time to practice throwing and running. He would run miles each day to keep in shape. All this work helped prepare him for summer tournaments. “We were allowed to play without masks but would have to put them on when the coach brought us together to talk” Richard said. He was able to play in tournaments in Arizona where the rules regarding COVID-19 were different than LA. Restrictions included not being able to be in the dugout and having to stay apart from each other. Although the normalcy in sports has not come back, it is slowly getting better. Quarantine gave PV athletes time to get extra work in and focus on their own personal growth.
(From left to right, photos courtesy of Harper Skeie, Tara Bharadia, Anton Richard)
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Professional Sports Make a Comeback By McKenzie Olsen reporter In July 2020 Major League Baseball and NBA basketball announced that they would be back. Both leagues announced that they would be playing shortened seasons with playoffs, and just like that, professional sports were back. After their return many professional leagues followed. Though many expressed concerns and even doubts about the return, students seemed almost universally pleased with sports coming back. The return of professional sports symbolizes something even bigger: a longed hope to go back to normal which comes with in person schooling and high school sports. However, players and fans knew that their seasons, games, and virtually everything about their sport would be different this year, especially the fact the stadiums will be empty. The only way professional sports were able to start again was if they followed all the CDC’s guidelines. “I’m pretty sure we all missed pro sports, the feeling of pro sports coming back is fantastic because we all get to watch the sports and players we love,” sophomore Garren Rizzo said. “Empty stadiums of course suck, but it is sports and we can watch them on tv.” With stadiums now empty, many feel that when watching professional sports on tv the
excitement and competitiveness has diminished; while others are just excited to have professional sports return to national television. “It didn’t have the same atmosphere it usually has. So it wasn’t as exciting,” senior, Rachel Post said. However other students feel differently. The return of professional sports also brought students across the country hope for the return of their own sports. “We might just have a chance to be able to start our sports back up,” senior Jared Douglas said. Sports play a big role at Palos Verdes Highschool, and many are hoping they’ll be able to compete this year. Research shows that watching professional sports provide a healthy distraction and gives fans a way to connect with people. Due to COVID-19 the return of professional sports provides a sense of community that fans have been longing for. Professional sports being live on television have brought a sense of normalcy and an overall sense of community. It has uplifted students, giving them hope for a return to in person school and sports seasons. The return of professional sports reminds students and our community that even though we’ve been through a lot these past couple of months, we’ll get through this together and that there’s light at the end of the tunnel.
OCTOBER 16, 2020
SPORTS
Inside the NBA Bubble and its Success Plus, Lakers come out on top and win championship By Jonathan Liu reporter March 11th. The Utah Jazz and Oklahoma City Thunder were set to play each other, possibly foreshadowing a postseason matchup. Right before tip off, there was some confusion, as team doctors rushed onto the court, explaining to the teams and referees that Utah Jazz All Star Center, Rudy Gobert was infected with COVID-19 and that the game would be too risky to play. The league immediately took action, and suspended the season, leaving all fans and players clueless about what thefuture was going to hold. Would they return to play? If able to, where would they play? These questions were answered quickly. On June 3, the NBA announced that the season was resuming in Orlando, Florida at the ESPN World Wide of Sports Complex. It would include 22 teams with teams already clinched in
the playoffs and teams on the outside looking in. Scrimmages and playoff seeding games were scheduled to help teams get back into rhythm and have teams make a playoff push. Weeks before the restart, teams were notified about which players would decline going to Orlando. Players such as Washington Wizards star Bradley Beal, decided not to go because of a previous shoulder injury,
hurting the Wizards chances of making the playoffs. Brooklyn Nets starters, Spencer Dinwiddie and Deandre Jordan also declined the invitation because they contracted the virus previously, leaving the Nets with a short handed team headed into the restart. The league provided strict policies though, such as wearing a mask everywhere in the bubble, self quarantining for the first 48 hours, and getting tested every day. “I think it was a great idea and a good way to look forward to entertainment. I think it was a success. I thought the quarantining would be a struggle but I was strangely surprised by how organized and strict it was,” junior David Maemoto said. As the seeding games began, the bubble was looking like a success. Players such as 76ers rookie Mattise Thybulle and Lakers Javale Mcgee put out vlogs about life in the bubble on Youtube. Weekly reports showed that there were
Will COVID-19 Change the Olympic Games for 2021? By Mallory Meyer reporter In the middle of this global pandemic, it’s hard to believe that the Summer Olympics will be taking place in Tokyo 2021. Originally, they were scheduled to be held this past summer of 2020, but were postponed due to COVID-19. Since the first Olympic Games in 1896, the worldwide competition has only been cancelled three times, all due to World Wars. If the Olympics are allowed to open next summer, there will be a lot of modifications in place to insure the safety of all participants and spectators. The International Olympic Committee and Japanese Government are currently working on these guidelines. Some of the procedures being discussed are testing protocols for the athletes, requiring athletes to sign a pledge to stay within the perimeters of the Olympic Village, and limiting the amount of spectators. “COVID is going to make it harder for everyone in the games because there’s a lot more rules to be followed and other things to be careful of,” sophomore John Harris said. Even with all of the
OCTOBER 16, 2020
restrictions that will be enforced, the majority of the citizens in Japan still aren’t comfortable with the opening of the Games. “If we all manage to keep the numbers from plummeting it could be safe to open,” sophomore Sydnie Fuchs said. In a recent survey in Tokyo, only 23.9% of people in Japan were in support of holding the Olympics in the upcoming year. “2021 Olympics are not until next summer. We have enough time to help the cases go down,” said Fuchs. If numbers are not low enough by the summer, they could be postponed again. “By only broadcasting the games on TV and having everyone watching from home could help make the Olympics happen in the next year,”
sophomore Jonah Jones said. In addition to the reopening of the Games, it has been announced there will be five new sports added this summer. They include baseball, softball, karate, skateboarding, sport climbing, and surfing. “I’d be interested in watching skateboarding and surfing because you don’t usually see these types of sports competing at a high level very often,” said Harris. With cases of COVID-19 currently spiking throughout Japan and other countries, only time will tell if the Olympics will actually take place next year. If the Games do not end up happening in the summer, this will be the first time in history the Olympics would be postponed for the second time in a row.
(llustration courtesy of Calissa Meyer)
PVHSPOINT.ORG
NBA Finals: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Miami Heat
Game 1-
Lakers: 116
Heat: 98
Game 2 Lakers: 124
Heat: 114
Game 3 Lakers: 104
Heat: 115
Game 4 Lakers: 102
Heat: 96
Game 5 Lakers: 108
Heat: 111
Game 6 Lakers: 106
Heat: 93
zero positive COVID-19 tests. “I think it [went] well and It’s great for NBA fans to watch games on TV,” freshman Aaron Paik said. “I don’t like how they did the crowds, but I don’t know an exact solution to that. If I was an NBA player, I would be more than pleased to play in the NBA bubble,” he said. As games continued, there were surprises such as the Phoenix Suns going 8-0 in the seeding games and still missing out on the playoffs. Players such as T.J. Warren and Jamal Murray making a
name for themselves with their performances, and the 5th seeded Miami Heat making the NBA Finals. Although there were doubts and challenges, the NBA put together a great campus for play as they were able to crown the Los Angeles Lakers as the NBA Champions. Photos bottom to top: [Creator: Jim McIsaac, Credit: Getty Images], [Creator: Andrew D. Bernstein, Credit: NBAE via Getty Images], [Douglas P. DeFelice, Credit: Getty Images] (Graphic by Sarah Liu)
Athlete’s Corner: Checking in with senior Jessica Majka By Claire Hardesty editor-in-chief Q: What are you looking forward to when able to play for PVHS? A: “I think I speak for everyone on Varsity when I say that we are excited to play Mira Costa again. Last year, we beat Costa on our home court for the first time in our program’s history. It would be amazing to do that again.” Q: How have you been able to train during the pandemic? A: “When gyms were closed, I had to use my backyard as a makeshift volleyball court to get reps and keep up with my sports performance workouts. (Photo ourtesy of Jessica Majka) It was an adjustment learning how to play by myself had been pushed back, but because I was limited in what I was even more concerned skills I could work on without about how high school needing the rest of my team.” volleyball would overlap with my club season. Because a Q: How do you feel about the majority of the girls on the season getting pushed back volleyball team play club, there may be conflicts with A: “I was disappointed when practice schedules and travel I learned that our season tournaments.”
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BACK
The Electoral College:
Should it be preserved or should we let the people pick?
Keep it
By John Kim reporter Once again, with the upcoming presidential election, there is a debate on the legitimacy of the Electoral College system. The movement to abolish the Electoral College in the name of democracy has been gaining traction, especially due to the result of the 2016 presidential election. Now, many Americans are pushing for a Constitutional amendment to determine the winner based on popular vote. Their arguments tend to revolve around the core concept of democracy (one person, one vote). They believe that the Electoral College hinders democracy without fully acknowledging that is precisely the intent of the system. For example, votes from people of small states, such as Iowa, are weighed more heavily than those from people of big states like California. Although these claims against the Electoral College seem logical and attractive on the surface, they fail to recognize the complexity and flaws with the popular vote system, while also neglecting the entire purpose of the Electoral College. America, when it was created, was not meant to be a democratic nation: it was deliberately designed to be a federalist Constitutional republic. The founders, much repelled by the idea of pure democracy, intentionally instituted checks and balances into the Constitution to prevent chaos from overtaking the federal government. Article Four of the Constitution states “the United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government.”
Change it
Moreover, Benjamin Franklin famously said “Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what they are going to have for lunch.” Evidently, federalism is not only one of the most important American ideals, but also one that should be greatly protected; states should be entitled to a respectable level of sovereignty and significance on the national stage to prevent the federal government from possessing overbearing power. This idea is also demonstrated in the name of this sacred nation: the United States of America. The US is a collection of states, not of singular individuals. The Electoral College allows the states, the real fundamental political units of this union, to decide their president, which creates a more stable federal political environment in which all states are considered equal. This gives less populous states more voice than they would otherwise have under pure democracy, the same principle behind the bicameral Congress consisting of the House and the Senate. Consequently, presidential candidates are forced to actually campaign in less populous states (such as fly-over states) instead of only focusing on the big states that would provide them more popular votes. In fact, one decisive factor for Trump’s election was his focus on the “forgotten” Americans who don’t live in the big cities. Of course, the Electoral College is not a perfect system. However, through all its faults, it is part of the robust Constitutional checks and balances framework that preserves and protects hallowed American founding ideals.
The number of electoral votes per state in America. (Graphic by Kaylie Harley)
By Aidan Sun news editor If a presidential candidate were to receive nearly three million more votes than her opponent during a national election and still lose, how and why could this be possible or even allowed? Those were the exact feelings of many Americans during the aftermath of the 2016 presidential election, when Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton received 2,865,075 more votes than Republican Donald Trump. Despite Clinton’s overwhelming majority when it came to total votes, Trump is the one in the White House now, not Clinton. The Electoral College denies citizens the right to directly cast their vote and grossly misappropriates voting power, allowing for unpopular leaders (i.e. President Trump) to be elected against the will of the people. Once considered to be a sound compromise between White male voters in the more populous northern states and their counterparts in the less populated South, the Electoral College’s method of allocating votes based on the congressional representation a state has rather than the ballots cast by American citizens is a flawed system that must be abolished via a constitutional amendment. Because our election system relies on tallying electoral votes rather than the total number of votes from the country as a whole, states with more volatile voting populations are seen as “election battlegrounds.” While winning less-populated states would be of less importance if we allocated votes proportional to population, a candidate winning a state like Arizona, Ohio or Minnesota could make a significant difference with the Electoral College. Here in California, one electoral vote represents every 526 thousand people. Meanwhile, in smaller states, the electoral vote to actual vote ratio is much lower with 193 thousand voters being represented per electoral vote in Wyoming. This election, no different from the ones in the past, focus on states that make up the few, rather than those that make up the many, with the campaign for Democratic nominee and former Vice President Joe Biden spending $4.7 million on television ads in the state of Florida alone compared to $415 thousand in 47 other states. Candidates are incentivized to appeal to specific groups of voters in a small number of states rather than appeal to a majority of the American people. Why should Americans’ votes be valued differently depending on the state they live in?
In the words of James Madison, “The purpose of the Constitution,” (and therefore the Electoral College), “is to restrict the majority’s ability to harm a minority.” Also vested in the Constitution, however, is the mandate to insure domestic Tranquility and promote the general Welfare. Abiding by this mandate and the will of the people is the role of the president. Whether the face of our country at a global summit or leading us into war, the president must be accountable to the people and only to the people. Someone who is not trusted by voters, someone who has the support of three million fewer people than the alternative cannot be and will not ever be accountable to the American people, but only to the small groups of people that won him a small group of states. Abolishing the Electoral College would bring about a new wave of voter enfranchisement, as both parties would seek out new voters in places they hadn’t looked to before. While opposing traditionalists may claim that the electoral system protects rural voters, I would argue that the Electoral College actually disenfranchises more voters than it enfranchises. Banning the Electoral College would in fact bring more weight to the voters of small town America. No longer will voters in Bakersfield be overshadowed by voters in Los Angeles, or voters in Carson City be overshadowed by voters in Las Vegas. The popular vote would set every voter on an even playing field. “There is no liberal America and conservative America - there’s the United States of America,” said then-Senator Barack Obama in 2004. When it comes to choosing the president through the popular vote, it is not a majority asserting their numbers over a minority. Rather, it’s the American people asserting their belief in one man or woman whom they deem fit for our highest office. We have turned our elections into a contest to see who can flip the most states red or blue rather than focusing on what the country as a whole actually needs. Calling an abolition of the Electoral College an “uphill battle” would be an understatement. However, it’s a conversation worth starting, as the past four years have shown just how dangerous an unaccountable president can be. It’s about time we commit to honoring the American people’s choice and let the popular vote decide who leads.
Lobster Season Comes to California By Andrew Carpenter reporter For anyone who lives in California and is a water person or fisherman, October 3 is a very important day: the opening of lobster season. Many people, including myself, think of lobster season as “a combination of Christmas morning and Easter egg Hunting.” There are many ways one can catch a lobster. For example, you could dive for them. Diving for lobsters can normally happen either during the day
or during the night, but night diving is most common because lobsters are nocturnal and come out of their holes at night. To do this, you would need to find a rocky part of the ocean and dive down with a light. You could dive from a boat or swim out from the shore. Once you find the lobster that you want to keep, you grab it and hold on tight - just make sure you are wearing gloves! The next step would be to pull out your lobster gauge and measure the carapace, or the head and body of the lobster minus the tail.
The lobster gauge is a small metal measuring tool that is ‘U’ shaped and 3 ¼ inches apart. You place this tool over the carapace, and if the lobster fits then you have a short lobster. If the lobsters carapace does not fit in the tool then you have a legal size lobster and you can keep it. When you picture a lobster in your head, the first thing that comes to your mind would be the pincers. However, in California none of our lobsters have pincers. Instead we have a special species of lobster called the
California Spiny lobster that closely resembles ones you would see in the Bahamas or Florida. Unless you know someone who harvests their own lobsters or you harvest your own lobsters, you will probably never try a pacific lobster. This is mainly due to the fact that the price for them is so high. There is not enough of a market to support a commercial supply for California Spiny lobsters in the United states because people would not be willing to pay over 30 dollars a pound.
For comparison, a Maine lobster can usually be sold for about half that. The few California Spiny lobsters that are commercially fished are usually shipped live and directly to China. This is because there is a large demand for live seafood, and California Spiny lobsters are considered the most desirable because of their sweet and firm meat. If you want to try a California Spiny lobster for yourself, you expect to pay some serious cash or go catch them yourself.