THE
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PALOS VERDES HIGH SCHOOL - ISSUE 1, VOLUME 28 - OCTOBER 26, 2023
More Than a Coach
Remembering the Life of Coach Brian Edelman By Aaron Propst reporter Former Palos Verdes Varsity basketball coach, Brian Edelman, passed away after a long, grueling four-year battle with cancer. Edelman was very well respected and a beacon of light in the Sea King community. His positivity was relentless, even when life gave him the worst. Edelman led the Sea Kings to many historic seasons, most notably a CIF semifinal appearance in 2019 where he was acknowledged as the Daily Breeze Coach of the Year. This is the same year when doctors discovered that he had colon cancer. He was only 33 years old. If there is one thing Edelman is not, it’s a quitter. He proceeded
to coach the Varsity team until the 2022-2023 season, when he decided to step down due to his health conditions. Previous head coach Greg Clark stepped in to coach in place of Edelman. Clark’s favorite moment with Edelman came in the 2014 season. “My favorite moment with Brian was when we beat Peninsula for the first time in my first season as head coach,” Clark said. “We really had made it our mission to snap that streak and while the program had some rough years early on that let us know we were on the right track.” Shortly before the 2022-2023 season, former player Blake Goldstein took on the role of being the head coach of the JV basketball team. “I saw the impact that Brian had on my life and my
teammates’ lives, and he was a huge motivation in deciding to come back,” Goldstein said. “He helped introduce me to high school basketball and showed me what it meant to be a player at the next level. He had faith in me as a coach and as a player and always made me feel heard.” The B.E.lieve (Brian Edelman) foundation was a GoFundMe fundraiser which started to raise money to help his fight. The foundation raised over 50,000 dollars of generous donors all across Southern California. During the 2022-2023 basketball season, there was a B.E.lieve game against PV’s rival Peninsula, where shirts were given to the spectators and students. Edelman was told to come to
Wife Meggan Edelman and Coach Greg Clark this game, but was not told why. The crowd was a sea of red with T-shirts that read “B.Elieve” across the chest to show support for Edelman and his situation. Outside of school Edelman also coached for the PV Cagers, a developmental basketball program for grades K-8 that helps prepare young basketball players for high school basketball. Coach Edelman was not only a coach, but also a husband. He married his wife Meggan Edelman in August 2022 and they focused on his health and their relationship. The two were able to celebrate their one year anniversary together shortly before he passed. “Brian never wanted anyone to know how truly sick he was or
that he was in pain, especially in the end,” Meggan Edelman said. “He never wanted to hurt anyone. Brian always went out of his way to make others feel good and take care of them. Even though he was sick, he made sure to always take care of me and make me feel loved along with his family and friends. Brian fought this battle for four years and two months. We had our ups and downs. Our victories and our defeats,” Meggan Edelman said. “He always lived life to the fullest and never let cancer stop him from living his best life. Brian is a warrior and he fought his hardest until the very end. His big, loving heart was so strong. We all need to be like Brian.”
All athletes that played under Coach Edelman (Photos courtesy of Ed McClure)
Come Meet “The Addams Family” PVHS Drama Department Premieres Fall Play Starting October 27
By Kelly Bojorquez reporter The Palos Verdes High School Drama Department is celebrating the month of October with a spooky Halloween-themed musical: “The Addams Family.” This unique play incorporates several dance sequences, many musical numbers and comedic acting moments. “‘The Addams Family’ is a super fun musical that’s about families in all shapes and forms,” senior Rachel McGinty, who plays Wednesday Addams, said. “It’s about learning how to accept other people’s differences and learning how to accept yourself and embrace change.” Seniors Jenny Grennan and Jake Weyrick, who play Wednesday’s parents in the production, have expressed how excited they are for the students here at PVHS to witness the finished product of their efforts
invested in dance routines, singing and choreography. “I’m glad that I have a role where I get to not only act and sing, but I also get to be a big part of the dance numbers,” Grennan said. “One of my favorite things about musicals is the big flashy dance numbers.” Along with Grennan, Weyrick enjoys the bigger role that he has earned. “This is definitely a show where I’ve sung the most, which is something that I love to do,” Weyrick said. The magic on the stage isn’t all due to the actors, but also due to the backstage crew. “The behind-the-scenes environment is often underappreciated, despite the remarkable work that goes into it,” director Nicole Thompson said. The play opens Oct. 27 and runs through Nov. 5.
(Photo by Chloe Choi)
NEWS
New Upgrades on Campus
Our Sea King Center: The new and improved gym By Sierra Hickey reporter/social media In recent months there have been many new upgrades to the gym, including a new name: the Sea King Center. Other more material upgrades include two new media boards on either side of the gym, new paint, a mural on the outside and a fully updated sound system. Associate Principal Dane Hill and Principal Trista Ramirez came up with the new name, intending to make the gym a more versatile place. “The space is not just meant to be a gym, but a space where all students can enjoy different things, such as the recent speakers during Red Ribbon Week,” Hill said. The most noticeable installment are the new media boards on either side of the basketball court. Keith Propst, Administrative Assistant for the Athletic Department, has been trained to work the boards during games. “It is generally easy to use, however the part that I’m still learning is that there is a website where content is uploaded in order for it to be displayed,” Propst said. These new improvements have been noticed by people on campus and have a
positive impact on campus, especially for athletes. “The new paint looks amazing, and the updated sound system and big screens are a cool way to incorporate more school spirit at Class Comps, games and other events,” sophomore Avery Cardenas, an outside hitter on girls’ JV volleyball, said. The new screens are also beneficial to students as they make it easier to identify who is playing. “When you score they will put your name and number up on the screen sometimes,” said junior Jake Otto, a forward on the boys’ Varsity basketball team. “When scouts are watching, the screens help to highlight individual players.” Despite the numerous upgrades to the gym, some students expressed their desire for more change. “Especially during the warmer months of school, some kind of AC system, or overhead fan would be a great addition to the gym,” Cardenas said. Audience members cheering at games have also appreciated the new technology. “I think that [the gym] is creating excitement within the students and parents. Parents get really excited to see their kids pop up on the screen,” Propst said.
(Media boards used at 2023 Class Comp)
The Creation of the FabLab
By Jason Lee reporter With the start of the recent school year, PVHS has seen many new changes on campus, one of the more notable ones being the installation of PVHS’ newest facility: the FabLab. With 25 new desktops, a laser cutter, 3D printer, and vinyl cutter, the FabLab was built for one sole purpose— to give everybody the chance to fabricate whatever they want. PVIT advisor Lorraine Norris was a major contributor to the process of creating the FabLab. “I wanted a digital fabrication area the entire school could use. Students always came up to me asking if they could use the equipment, but the problem was they weren’t in PVIT,” Norris said. With the FabLab being open to everyone, Intro to Engineering teacher Jennifer Kim was one of the first to take advantage of it. “The technology in that room is a huge upgrade from what we’ve had before,” said Kim. “Everything is running more smoothly with the computers not crashing and loading quicker, which is important for Intro to Engineering classes.” Students and staff alike are enjoying the new engineering space.
(Photo by Chloe Choi) “I think it’s amazing that we have access to such powerful equipment and professional licensing of digital software,” freshman Dean Choi said. Besides giving all students the chance to dip their hands into engineering, the FabLab also supports the continuing excellence of the PVIT teams. PVHS hosts a multitude of PVIT teams, and the FabLab will also greatly support all of their endeavors. “We wanted a university-level facility because students were doing universitylevel work. Some of the teams are even competing against universities, so they needed a better facility,” Norris pointed out. One such team is ROV, led by junior Andrew Moore. “[The FabLab] helps us put all of the machines together. It’s much more convenient than what we had before, and it also comes with new machines that I’m excited to learn more about,” Moore said. But this is just the start. “The FabLab is still not done. We’re still raising money for more equipment,” Norris said. With the newly created FabLab and possible future improvements, like-minded students will now be able to gather and make things they are passionate about together.
Biden Administration Announces The $250,000 Bathroom Makeover: PVHS facilities will Office Of Gun Violence Prevention By Sophie Stoddart sports editor start getting an upgrade By Holly Alexander reporter/social media In 2022 the PVPUSD school district granted Palos Verdes High School and Palos Verdes Peninsula High School $250,000 each to upgrade campus bathrooms, splitting $500,000. California State Assembly member Al Muratsuchi, representing the 66th district of California that encompasses the South Bay and Palos Verdes Peninsula, granted the district the money. Renovations will be starting winter of this year and are predicted to end spring 2024. “PVPUSD Fiscal Services received the check from the State Treasury the first week of June and this restricted revenue was carried over in the adopted budget for 2023/24,” Brenna Terrones, the Assistant Superintendent who oversees facilities, said. The agreement between The State of California Office of Public School Construction and PVPUSD allows for many types of upgrades. “[The agreement] ... specifies bathroom improvements for 25-30 bathrooms that include paint, updated energy efficient lighting, new sink fixtures, new exhaust fan systems, and new partitions, including
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architectural fees and related costs necessary to obtain approval from the Division of the State Architect (DSA),” Terrones said. The PVHS Student Board representative was also able to have a voice in this issue. “[We] do get a report on what the OAC has approved and decided on, and then we get to talk about those issues,” PVHS Student Board representative Alaina Wong, senior, said. But even though the two schools received money to upgrade bathrooms, there are some things that they aren’t able to do. “Plumbing is much more of a deeper problem that we didn’t get enough money for,” Wong said. Despite a few things that weren’t able to be upgraded, staff and students alike are still looking forward to possible upgrades. “I am very excited about this opportunity to update our bathrooms at PVHS. It is such an important project for our school community, and I am so proud of the students who spoke up about this concern to our state legislators and district leadership,” said Palos Verdes High School Principal Dr. Trista Ramirez. “Their voices helped to enact this needed critical change for our campus.”
In late September of this year, President Biden announced the creation of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention. Its purpose is to improve the safety of students, teachers, families, adults and children alike. The new office will be led by Vice President Kamala Harris, and longtime policy advisor Stephanie Feldman will be the director. Biden has met countless families and individuals over the years who have been impacted by the tragedies of gun violence. “Every time I’ve met with families impacted by gun violence as they mourn their loved ones, and I’ve met with so many throughout the country, they all have the same message for their elected officials: ‘do something,’ ” President Biden said in a speech announcing the creation of the office. According to the Biden Administration, the creation of this office is just the start, and is a step in the right direction after years of much discussion and debate, but zero action. History and Wellness/Ethnic Studies teacher Christina Varela thinks the creation of this office could have a positive or insignificant impact on gun safety. “We have seen every year mass shootings in this country only get more and more prevalent, and every year we do
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nothing about it,” Varela said. “I’m hoping we’ll do something, but I don’t know how hopeful I feel. Politicians use this issue as a political hot button, or political football, but don’t actually get anything done, when it should be about public safety.” This new office will have a direct effect on the lives of students and teachers. “I think that it is a good idea because on the news you can see, across the country, all of these shootings are happening, and due to state-enforced laws not being effective in preventing them,” senior Cayden McGuire said. “It is unfortunate that it has come to this, but at least the country is moving in the right direction.” The establishment of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention is one of the first major signs of much needed action taken on part of our government officials to protect our communities from the devastations caused by gun violence, and one can only hope that this will lead to a new era in the U.S. where safety is always priority. According to the official White House website, the future plans of this office are to “keep especially dangerous weapons and repeat shooters off our streets; hold rogue gun dealers and gun traffickers accountable; provide law enforcement with the tools and resources they need to reduce gun violence; and address the root causes.”
OCTOBER 26, 2023
Entertainment Strikes Disrupt Fall TV By Sloane Houterman reporter
my favorite shows,” sophomore Rylee Rodriguez said. The unpredictability of the negotiation On May 2, 2023, the Writer’s Guild timeline between the members of SAGof America (WGA) went on strike over AFTRA and executives leaves the labor disputes with the Alliance of Motion networks in limbo to face the decision of Pictures and Television Producers shelving fully filmed and edited programs. (AMPTP). Streaming services are now rationing The WGA negotiated for better pay from the release of new content as the duration streaming shows, language governing the of the SAG-AFTRA strike continues with use of artificial intelligence and other labor no end in sight. If the actors in SAGprotections. AFTRA cannot return to work, production After 128 days, a tentative agreement of their shows will remain halted. was reached on Sept. 27, 2023, allowing This is unfortunate news for the fans the production of films and many popular because, after all, what’s “Euphoria” shows to resume. without Zendaya or “Stranger Things” “There is a collective sigh of relief now without Millie Bobby Brown? that the WGA is back at work,” President SAG-AFTRA is also facing uncertainty of Sony Music Film Division Spring surrounding their annual awards show, the Aspers said. Screen Actors Guild Awards, which has The WGA agreement is just one piece a tentative air date set for February 24, of the very complex relationship between 2024. the entertainment industry and their “When the strike began in July, studios audiences. As an added obstacle, the and networks were notified that all actor’s union, SAG-AFTRA, also decided SAG Awards For Your Consideration to strike on July 14, 2023 over similar campaigning would be paused until further issues and have been unable to reach a notice. This applies to events, screening tentative agreement thus far. invites, DVDs and digital screeners,” This means that daytime talk shows, stated the Union in an email dated Oct. such as “The Drew Barrymore Show” 11, 2023 to members of the Nominating and late-night talk shows, such as “The Committee. Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” will “Each year, members look forward to be able to resume working—however, receiving the promotional materials and, the production of scripted shows and unfortunately, due to the inability of the films using actors who are members of studios to reach an acceptable resolution, SAG-AFTRA will remain halted until an that has not been the case this year,” agreement is reached. stated Kristina Walsh, a SAG-AFTRA Due to the uncertain timeline of SAGmember and member of the Nominating AFTRA reaching an agreement, several Committee. networks have scrapped plans to have As of the time of this writing, new seasons of popular shows this fall. negotiations between SAG-AFTRA and “I feel very sad about the strike and executives have broken down with both delays because I’ve been looking sides being further away from reaching an forward to watching the new seasons of acceptable resolution than ever.
OCTOBER 26, 2023
NEWS
New Law Requires Gender Neutral Restrooms in Public Schools by 2026 By Valerie Villegas reporter On Sept. 23, 2023, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a new law requiring K-12 public schools to accommodate all students by installing gender neutral bathrooms alongside gendered restrooms by July 2026. Senate Bill 760 was passed in order to promote inclusivity in California public schools as the state has seen that “transgender and nonbinary young people reported lower rates of attempting suicide when...they had access to a genderneutral bathroom at school,” according to the Trevor Project. In the past years, California has passed bills working towards acknowledging and fostering diversity on campuses. A frequently overlooked struggle experienced by many LGBTQ+ and transgender students is finding an appropriate restroom to use at school as some students don’t identify within the gender binary, making the decision of which restroom to use confusing. The focus of these restrooms is to provide standard necessities to students of all gender identities. “Gender neutral restrooms are extremely important for the safety of [transgender] or non-binary kids, or people who don’t feel comfortable using the other restrooms,” GSA co-president Ryan Um,
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(Graphic by Valerie Villegas) senior, said. Having access to a bathroom during the school day is necessary for students. In a routine school day; a student with six class periods can expect to be on campus for eight hours, excluding extracurricular activities. “A child may not feel safe going into [packed restrooms] and so what, they hold it all day? That’s not okay either. That causes medical issues if you’re holding it all day,” Human Rights Coalition advisor and social science Christina Varela expressed. “Everybody is welcomed here…and deserves a restroom option that makes them feel comfortable and safe,” she said. On campus, the nurse’s office has a gender-neutral restroom that is open to all students, but it is not always accessible as it is on one end of the campus and is not open after school hours. “[Gender-neutral restrooms will] give more students …the resources that they need and have a more welcoming atmosphere,” junior Abby Cheung said.
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FEATURES
Lights, Camera, Action:
Sea Brew Coffee Cart:
The Story Behind the Live from 205 Leaders
An inside look By Ruby Mayrose reporter
By Ella Gardner reporter/social media
(Graphic by Ruby Mayrose and Quinn Kearns) The Sea King coffee cart has quickly become one of PV High’s most special and iconic programs. Students and teachers can catch the Sea Brew cart going around campus on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays, and pick up coffee and other treats. Many staff members rely on Sea Brews to get their morning coffee, making them a very meaningful part of our community. The Sea Brew cart was created in 2019 in order for students in the Transitional Opportunity Program (formerly Life Skills Center) to practice important skills. The students benefit greatly from these seemingly small interactions with teachers and other students. “It’s [teaching] vocational and job training and allowing them to learn important life skills for their future outside of PVHS,” said Special Education Department Lead Nathalie Hodjat. Since its creation, Sea Brew
has gained popularity among many teachers. They gladly pause class for a quick talk or a warm cup of coffee. AP Government teacher Tecia Barton has taken such a liking to the cart that she now makes monthly donations to allow them to give free coffee to their customers. “I saw how important these interactions are, and how there’s a certain aura of empathy and kindness when they come [into class]. I just wanted to capture that and let it grow,” said Barton. With just a quick walk around campus, these students can be seen collecting recycling from classrooms, walking around the halls with friends, chatting with other students and of course, serving coffee. This program has proved to be very successful in preparing them for opportunities outside of school as well as providing them with a deeper connection to the Sea King family.
Live From 205 is the award winning broadcast journalism program at Palos Verdes High School. Claire Kirk, Lucca Chrysostomou, Daisy Warner and Braden Colli are the leaders of this amazing group. Kirk is one of the anchors this year, and participating in Live from 205 has been a significant part of her high school experience. “It honestly has been such a cool experience…not all schools have a broadcast journalism program,” Kirk said. Kirk’s favorite stories are student features. “It’s such a unique way to showcase student stories that wouldn’t have been able to get told otherwise,” Kirk said. She hopes to take her role as an anchor and make it into a career one day. “Broadcast journaling is something I want to do when I’m older and Mr. Beaucar, Lucca, Braden, and Daisy have been a huge help in making that happen for me,” Kirk said. Chrysostomou is the other anchor. “It’s really rewarding when we get the show done. People underestimate the amount of time that goes into making a Live from 205 shows.” Chrysostomou said. He also described the fun times as a group including STN, winning the excellence award, and 205 Assassin. “The activities we have in 205 make our production so much better when we all get to know
Social Media’s Effect on Kids platform. Social media can also cause a lot of insecurity and mental health issues as kids who are too young Wearing high heels and a full compare themselves to the people face of makeup, kids nowadays they see online. seemed to have skipped right past “I spent a lot of time when I the “awkward phase.” Surrounded was younger comparing myself to by social media influences, there’s a models and celebrities I saw on TV,” lot of pressure on Generation Alpha said sophomore to rise to the Natalie Soliman. standards of “I can’t influencers even imagine online and how much to fastkids compare forward their themselves now, childhood. being exposed to “Growing people on social up, I spent media every a lot of time day.” outside and However, playing with (Graphic by Zara Deen) these young dolls. I never used to worry influencers themselves have a too much about looks because I different view on this topic. never had to compare myself to “I post on Tiktok because it’s a others online,” junior Victoria Rowe fun way for me to show my skills, said. “But now, scrolling on TikTok I and what I can do. I love doing it.” see 10-year-old girls showing their 10-year-old Humza Saeed said. makeup routines, talking about boy “I’m not affected by what other problems.” people say to me, I just focus on TikTok does influence the younger posting videos I like.” generation of kids because a lot of This shows that some kids can them post videos and content that be mature enough to handle the blow up, they start to mimic the pressures and opinions on social older popular influencers to get the media. But how do you balance the same amount of publicity. However, difference between kids who can they may not yet have the maturity and the kids who completely change to properly navigate this new themselves for a like?
By Zara Deen reporter
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(Photo credit: Daisy Warner) each other,” Chrysostomou said. “The thing I always have in mind is you have to have fun with it even when you’re under pressure, If you’re having fun, it will show on camera, and you won’t be nervous,” Chrysostomou said. Warner is the Live from 205 Executive Producer. “Watching people come together as a team, make new friends, become more confident, and create something they’re proud of is really cool especially when so much work goes into it,” Warner said. She also commented on the workloads that every member of Live from 205 has. “We try to work a week in advance, meaning every reporter and editor is making two different stories each week,” Warner said. Being a part of 205 to her means “trying new things I never thought I would do. I really have put my blood, sweat, and tears into 205 and wouldn’t have it any other way,” Warner said. Colli is the Live from 205
Executive Director. After being introduced into the world of film while taking Video Production his sophomore year, Colli then joined the 205 team his junior year as a photographer/editor. He quickly fell in love with the program and his commitment to quality videography is demonstrated through exceptional montages. “Whenever I have free time I’m always thinking about new ways I can improve 205 and trying to spend as much time as I can trying to make 205 as great as I can,” Colli said. “Every week I spend about 30-35 hours working on the show.” Despite the heavy workload of planning stories, filming, editing, and preparing semiweekly shows, Colli remains passionate about each one. Colli’s favorite parts of being a producer are “getting to share my passion for filmmaking with other people and being able to help them find the same passion that I have.”
Sea King Style:
Fall fits with Junior Patrick Lowenstein Where do you get your inspiration? I really like looking on Instagram for clothes, but sometimes when I don’t know, I’ll ask people if I like what they’re wearing.
By Sophie Sun reporter
Where do you get your clothes from? I like vintage stuff so I go thrifting most of the time. I just like anything with really baggy pants, so I got this one from Liquid Lagoon. Do you have any staples in your closet? These pants are! They’re like really big baggy pants...these shoes, they work with everything so they’re a new staple. Are there any pieces that are especially meaningful to you? When I went to Goodwill one time I found this cardigan that I really like and you can’t find it anywhere else.
(Graphic by Sophie Sun) PVHSPOINT.ORG
What advice do you have for people who want to experiment with fashion? Don’t be afraid to try anything I guess. If you go to school and you’re scared people are going to make fun of you, people don’t give a crap here.
OCTOBER 26, 2023
FEATURES
A Minute with Maemoto:
Learning about the 2023 LA County Teacher of the Year By Quinn Kearns design editor
Whether you have had her in class or seen her around campus, Julie Maemoto is a known entity within the Sea King family. From teaching to leading, the many contributions she has made as a teacher have officially been recognized. Maemoto kicked off her teaching career by working as a student teacher. Shortly after, she took time off to raise her two children but returned and has been teaching ever since. Although her career started in 1985, her goal from a young age was abundantly clear. Her mother was an Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Rick Licciardello, Teacher of the Year Julie elementary school teacher, which established Maemoto’s Maemoto, Principal Dr. Trista Rarmirez, and teacher Julie Munoz at the Teacher of the Year love for helping students in awards ceremony (Photo credit Julie Maemoto) every way humanly possible. “I have always had a knack for is given the award and has the chance to was such an honor, but my heart wasn’t teaching—tutoring, working at the receive the even more selective award: there to focus on that.” church, and helping with my mom in her LAUSD Teacher of the Year. Even though she teaches primarily classroom. I loved helping her grade and “From LA county teacher of the year, freshmen, Maemoto still finds ways to she was always so creative. I think my there was a chance to move on to the make positive impacts on all students mom was definitely my biggest influence,” California state teacher of the year and interested in science with her involvement said Maemoto. it was a lengthy 12-page application in National Science Honors Society and The Teacher of the Year award is a process. They only gave us three weeks Science Research. huge honor bestowed upon hard-working in June and my dad had just passed “I was a Spanish and molecular bio teachers across our district. Only one away. I was about a third of the way done major, and I did research in labs, which is teacher from the PVPUSD school district with the application,” said Maemoto. “It why I really enjoy helping students who
are in science research, sometimes helping them as their advisor or just helping them with projects,” she said, “Running the Science National Honors Society, I have the chance to get to students who are at a higher level and want to do more of that research. I still find ways to help students in those areas even though I’m not actively teaching them.” However, the rewards teachers get are not always in physical form. While it’s nice to get recognized for accomplishments, the real reward is being able to help students excel. “Every year you get to see some measurable growth, it can be anything from behavior to changing a student’s attitude towards school and the academic content. But I feel like I get that chance to get 170 students every year to be able to do that. I think one of the most rewarding things is when down the line we get [messages from students] like a student who is now finishing up med school. I’m not active on social media but she found my email address and she emailed me just something that I had done for her as a freshman that was impactful. She wanted to make it a point that she was about the graduate medical school, that all the little things that I had done for her had made a difference.” Every email and thank you card that Maemoto has kept has helped motivate her to continue the profession she loves.
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce: Two Worlds Colliding
By Hailey Kim reporter/social media The worlds of sports and music collided in an unexpected way on a September afternoon at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. The face-off between the Kansas City Chiefs and Chicago Bears on Sept. 24, 2023 seemed like a typical NFL game, but it ended up being a historic pop culture moment for the NFL and fans. The global sensation, 12-time Grammy winner, Taylor Swift was attending the game seated next to rumored boyfriend Travis Kelce’s mother in the VIP section. “Seeing Taylor Swift at an NFL game in Travis Kelce’s suite to watch him play was very surprising and I loved it so much. I think it’s incredible how this is bringing people together, even in unexpected ways,” said junior Kathryn Montgomery,
(Graphic by Olivia Kao) OCTOBER 26, 2023
a big Taylor Swift fan. Kelce and Swift’s story began when Kelce decided to attend The Eras Tour at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City on July 8, 2023. He said on his podcast, New Heights, a few days after the show that he was disappointed that he didn’t get to meet Taylor and that he had even made a bracelet for her with his phone number on it. From there, rumors began to circulate about them. The NFL even got in on the act, inserting Taylorrelated commentary into their announcements. On Sept. 21, Kelce revealed that he had invited Swift to watch him play. “I threw the ball in her court,” he said in an interview on The Pat McAfee Show, “I told her, ‘I’ve seen you rock the stage in Arrowhead, you might have to come see me rock the stage in Arrowhead.’ We’ll see what happens in the near future.” To many people’s surprise, she actually showed up. Since that historic game, Swift has attended several of Kelce’s games, bringing a new audience to the NFL. “I believe this will have an impact on Travis’s performance with more people tuning in as either haters or supporters of Taylor. She had a pretty big presence in the stadium with Mahomes trying to get Travis that touchdown, and if anything, the Chiefs, being one of the top teams in the league, will thrive off the extra attention.” said junior Keo Brady, a Chiefs fan. The NFL, along with Kelce, is reaping the benefits of what we can dub “The
(Graphic by Chloe Choi) Taylor Swift Effect.” According to Fanatics, Kelce’s jersey sales skyrocketed by 400% following Swift’s attendance at one game, making Kelce one of the top 5 selling NFL players. Furthermore, Kelce’s follower count across various social media platforms increased by a total of 1.3 million people. Additionally, StubHub, a ticket resale platform, saw a 175% jump in ChiefsJets ticket sales three days after Swift was seen at a game. These statistics highlight the influence and marketability brought about by this unique collaboration, benefiting both the sports and music industries. Notably, this news has captured the attention of not only from the media and major corporations but also from a significant number of PVHS students. A recent poll of PVHS students revealed
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that 82% of them support Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s relationship, while 18% do not. Additionally, 58% of people believe that Taylor Swift put Travis Kelce “on the map”, while 42% disagree. While the public has various thoughts and opinions about this match, the couple seems to be staying strong. What began as a playful invitation and a friendship bracelet transformed into a pairing that has fans, media, and corporations all buzzing with excitement. Moving forward, Kelce said he’ll “just keep living and learning and enjoying the moments” as he and Swift continue to get to know each other at a public level. “At the end of the day, I’ve always been pretty good about compartmentalizing and being able to stay focused in this building, so I’ll just keep rolling with that,” Kelce said.
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Spooky Seaso Trick-Or-Yeet? Sea Kings’ Top Candy Pick By Ryan Fuerte reporter
“I haven’t stopped trick or treating because I love going out with my younger siblings. There are a lot of little kids on our street, it’s nice to be able to participate and have fun with the other kids on the street.” - Avery Cardenas (10)
“I stopped trick-or-treating my freshman year of high school because it was no longer as exciting for me as it was when I was younger, and I didn’t want to ruin the amazing memories I made as a kid especially considering most kids participating are in elementary or middle school.” - Annika Gruettemann (11)
Trick-Or-Treating is one of the first things that come to mind when people think about Halloween. With Trick-Or-Treating, comes candy rankings. People like all kinds of candy, from sour to sweet, hard to chewy, and so much more. According to the pie chart, Reese’s Pieces and Twix are the most popular candy at Palos Verdes High school. People like Reese’s Pieces because it has peanut butter, and does a great job at combining both chocolate and peanut butter. Twix may be popular because people love that crunch satisfaction of the biscuit and the smooth sweetness of the carmel. Of course, both Twix and Reese’s Peanut butter cups are big brand names with tons of advertising, so it’s very easy to fall in love with these candies. Though these are the Sea King favorites, there’s so many other candies that people love. Candies vary from chocolate favorites, like Hershey and Twix, to chewy candies like Gummy Bears and Swedish Fish. Another key part of Trick-Or-Treating is not just the candy, but who receives it. Are people more likely to give candy to an elementary schooler, or an adult?
Most students believe that Trick or Treating should end after middle school, and definitely by high school. Some argue that it the joy of Trick-Or-Treating should have no age limit. Many of our participants in the survey brought up the fact that COVID took away a year of trick or treating. This impacted the opinions of some people because they felt that they should trick or treat more before the possibility of this classic tradition goes away. The idea of no more Halloween is one that many don’t want to think about because who doesn’t want free candy? I originally thought that people should stop Trick-Or-Treating after middle school but with COVID taking away a year, I changed my opinion from the end of middle school, to no limit. The reason being that Trick-Or-Treating isn’t really about the candy, but the enjoyment of being young (though the candy is a really nice bonus). Trick-Or-Treating is about reliving the memories of being young and getting to spend time with friends and after some time, it’ll eventually fade out. In the end, there’s no right or wrong answer to this because as long as you’re having fun and not doing wrong, what’s the harm in free candy!
Sea King’s Top 3 Favorite Halloween Candies Kit Kat
Reese’s Pieces
Twix “I stopped trick-or-treating in 9th grade because I felt like I was getting too old for it and wanted to try something new for Halloween.” - Caroline Chu (11)
3.
Data Collected via PVHS Point Instagram Story and Interviews
Six Flags Fright Fest
In last place, with only two votes, is Six Flag’s Fright Fest. Fright Fest has a general reputation of being the scariest of the park’s which might be part of the reason it received so little votes. Shea Albano, senior, says “the rides were really fun and the mazes were scary.” Six Flags is located in Duarte, which can be up to a three hour drive depending on the traffic. Albano’s cons were that “the drive there was very long, and the tickets were very pricey.”
By Enna Hosoi reporter
on Done Right Frightful Film Reviews Ranked first on my list because it is so well written. This movie mixes both reality and cinema with it being based on a true story. It sent chills down my spine the connection the viewer feels to the characters and the perfect combination of special effects. This movie is about a woman that gets a job as a nanny to take care of a doll that the parents used to cope with the death of their son. This movie played so many tricks on my mind, I felt like I was being watched. This movie is an absolute classic; it is chilling, haunting, psychologically confusing. I was so invested that my eyes were glued to the screen. It felt like it was never-ending and even when the credits rolled the terror crept its way into my skin. It’s a cinematic masterpiece. This movie is definitely not for people who don’t enjoy horror. There is a very even distribution of gore, dark humor, and emotion. I felt like I was taken on a gory rollercoaster that was ruthless and exhilarating to watch.
If you enjoy gore this is the perfect movie for you. When I watched this movie I was more disgusted than scared. The way the murders occur by the clown is truly horrific and very visual.
By Makayla McNeill reporter
1.
Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios
2.
Coming in second place is Halloween Horror Nights. During the months approaching Halloween, the regular park closes at 5 and then opens up at night for the Halloween Horror Nights portion. Petra Riggs, PVHS senior, rates her experience at the park. “The mazes are actually scary and fun to go through because some are actually complicated.” However, she reports that “there’s not that many people to scare you out on the floor.”
Knott’s Scary Farm
With over 75 percent of votes, Sea King students have a clear favorite; Knott’s Scary Farm. Knott’s Scary Farm’s exhilarating rides and scary decorations are a fan favorite, especially for the price. Tickets for Knott’s Scary Farm are significantly cheaper than other SoCal theme parks. Senior Anne Slingsby adds that “the scarers at Knott’s have very realistic costumes and there’s many of them.” Since the park is so popular, however, “every line for every ride is extremely long so it’s a little frustrating.”
OPINION
A Crisis of Culture
Why contemporary art doesn’t deserve all the hate By Ella Sherry news editor
Monet, Matisse, da Vinci, van Gogh, Caravaggio, Rembrandt, Michelangelo—these are all names of painters most people have heard of before. But what about Kara Walker, Kiki Smith, Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, Jeff Koons and Bill Viola? In school, when learning about history, we often also talk about the famous artists of the time. But mentions of historical artists and how their works were related to the time periods in which they were made seem to end around the time of Frida Kahlo, who died in the 1950s, and Pablo Picasso, who died in the early 1970s. After that, only a few classes discuss artists of the time. Basquait is mentioned occasionally, as are Warhol and Banksy. But typically the focus is almost entirely on the classics. I remember learning about “Washington Crossing the Delaware” in elementary school when we talked about the Revolutionary War. We never discussed pieces such as Kara Walker’s pieces and how they relates to the perception of African Americans in U.S. culture. Without modern and contemporary art in normal school curricula, people start to undervalue art that is currently being created today. “I could do that” is often repeated in museums. People have a hard time trying to decipher the meaning behind a squiggly black line on a blank canvas, and it’s an understandable struggle.
(Graphic by Ella Sherry and Chloe Choi) Contemporary art followed a “movement” where artists questioned the actual meaning of art: the Dada “movement.” Maybe you’ve seen images of a urinal flipped on its side to resemble a water fountain or a simple mustache and goatee painted on the Mona Lisa’s face—these are two of the most famous examples of Dada art. After the Dada “movement,” artists seemed to accept the idea that anything can be art. Hence blank canvases being sold for thousands of dollars and pieces of trash on the ground considered revolutionary works of art. This was liberating, perhaps,
but it greatly angered the public and continues to today. Artists are still struggling with an evolving definition of art and contemporary art can be viewed as a further challenge to the long-held conceptions and ideas about what constitutes art. Contemporary art has given artists a space to explore outside of the traditional conventions of art. They no longer have to adhere solely to realism or to historical depictions; now, they can experiment with things such as color in ways that would have been looked down on before, even though the general public seems to disapprove of this
practice. So why should we appreciate contemporary art? If audiences don’t understand what artists are trying to say, why should the public care about their work? That confusion (and sometimes hatred) of current artworks is exactly why we should value it. An audience’s reaction to these experimental pieces is a vital part of contemporary art. In an article in The Michigan Daily, Zhane Yamin argued that “the movement itself hinges on the idea that the meaning of the art comes from within the audience and the importance
shifts from whatever grandiose scene might be pictured in previous forms of visual art, to the person participating in the art itself.” Contemporary art is challenging society’s current ideas regarding art, which might make it (arguably) one of the most important artistic movements in history, alongside Dada. Art is subjective and there will always be people who question the value of today’s art. But that does not mean it has no value—contemporary art, though controversial, is paving a path forward for future artists and it should not be ignored.
Letters of Recommendation: We need to help our teachers out By Eva Yancheson centerspread editor
One more letter....
(Graphic by Eva Yanchenson) PAGE 8
“The U.S. college application process is overly complicated and time-consuming all around in my opinion, especially for students, and creates more stress and heartache than it should,” English teacher Angie Mogilefsky said. It is peak college season for seniors at PV High, which means multiple essays, different sets of applications, and at least two letters of recommendation. Completing these tasks is a long and difficult process, often taking students several months to complete. Yes - no one will argueseniors definitely have it rough this season. Yet, sometimes, people forget the teachers who aid us in the process. Teachers at PVHS can have up to 30 letters of recommendations to write a year, which in no way is necessary for them to complete
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in order to meet their job requirements. Their compliance is optional and out of the goodness of their hearts, which is a fact that many students forget when they ask them. For Mogilefksy, writing a letter takes about 30 minutes if she has access to Google Classroom, Turnitin.com, and Aeries to find specific examples of exemplary student work. But, filling out the questionnaires, uploading letters, and checking student deadlines can take significantly longer. District policy allows teachers to take a paid “writing day” for every 10 letters they write (up to three days), which means that they miss school to write these letters. However, missing a day of school can take a great deal of effort with creating lesson plans and class materials for a substitute. Yet, even with all the challenges, teachers still enjoy writing letters of
recommendation, and we as students should be grateful for it. Good letters of recommendation are crucial to applications, we here are a few things students can do do make the process easier for teachers. Communication: Make sure you are either corresponding over email or in person with your teachers as much as possible. Time lags can occur if students don’t get back to their teachers, and make them less apt to write your letter. Choice: Your choice in teacher should make sense and align with your academic performance or emotional connection with your teacher. It’s much easier to write a letter for a student who played an active role in the classroom. Deadlines: Teachers often require students to fill out a questionnaire that describes their achievements in that class. It’s crucial that this is completed in a timely manner, as it greatly helps in the writing process.
October 26, 2023
OPINION
A Letter From the Editors As many seniors celebrate their 18th birthday they are gifted with many new privileges including signing themselves out from school. One gift these seniors receive is the right to vote. Seniors who are registered voters can vote for the upcoming Presidential Primary election and next year’s General Presidential elections. These ballots provide the opportunity to vote for presidential candidate, California propositions, county measures and local government elections. Determining which candidate that best aligns with your values can be a difficult process, as America’s political landscape has become increasingly polarized and chaotic. Many Americans consult political commentators to help determine who to vote for because the commentators analyze current events and candidates. However, these political commentators are often extremely biased, integrating their personal views and opinions into their commentary, dismissing the opposing party’s views or policies. Additionally, these political commentator segments receive high cable news ratings and views online, indicating that many Americans tune into these shows because of their
Parents Need to Take Responsibility: Kids are not born for views
vibrant antics and entertaining digs towards defenseless opponents. Exclusively referencing biased sources when determining who to vote for may also diminish America’s abilities to fully form independent opinions about candidates or their policy. It is essential for all voters to thoroughly understand a candidate’s character, previous actions in their career and future policy plans in order to select who would best represent their beliefs. Voting for candidates that have similar values is essential as many of these politicians are much older than the average American, and due to the age gap, citizens and politicians may face ideological differences. Today’s youth are going to live under the policies that the people we elect will pass, making it crucial to understand the political landscape and what it means for the future of America. Here are some sources to reference during upcoming elections that have very little bias reccomended by AP Government teacher Tecia Barton:
By Ella Hansen reporter Although the invention of popular social media such as Instagram, Tik Tok, and YouTube opened up new opportunities to connect with other people through social media, it also created the issue of parents posting their underaged children for clout and views on their social media accounts. Parents should not be using their kids for clout on social media platforms because they are not old enough to understand the consequences and repercussions of being posted on social media. Additionally, the children are not old enough to consent to their pictures being posted on the various social media platforms. This may impact the kid in the future because whatever parents post online will be there forever and their kids may want their early life to be private. Their peers or future employers may find the pictures posted of them when they were young on these accounts. The popularity of having a family channel first started in 2008 and has further expanded over the years as YouTube gained popularity. Now, there are over 100
https://www.vote.org/ https://www.factcheck.org/ https://www.isidewith.com/
different family channels on the platform including a channel called 8 Passengers. The mom from the channel 8 Passengers named Ruby Franke has recently been arrested and charged with six counts of child abuse. Franke would physically abuse her six kids and (Graphic by Ella Hansen) would leave them malnourished for multiple days. She would bashed the trend because of the post frequently on her and her medical side effects this could family’s life while the internet have on the child. remained oblivious to what was Dr Meghan Martin, a pediatric happening off camera. emergency medical consultant Other examples of child abuse at Johns Hopkins All Children’s on the internet are some of the Hospital in Florida said “We are trends on popular social medias. literally smacking salmonella on One of the more recent their foreheads.” trends was called the egg crack An easy solution to these challenge on Tik Tok. This trend problems is taking accounts with involved a parent cracking a raw kids that are not yet old enough egg on their young child’s head to consent to being online off the while cooking and posting the internet. video. This would ensure that family Many of the kids used in this channels like 8 Passengers trend were young kids and would not be posted online as toddlers and it often resulted well as prevent harmful trends in the child being stunned and like the egg crack challenge. upset or crying. It would additionally improve Recently, doctors have the safety, well being, and privacy
Statesmen to Social Media Stars: A Change in Presidential Perception By Aidan Shen opinion editor The political playingfield of the United States is experiencing a massive culture shift and we the people need to shift with it. Comparing the last two presidential debates to all that came before, there is a noticeable change in how both candidates communicate with their audience and with each other while running. The 2016 election between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump is a good example of how debates have changed to a contest of humor from the prior judgements based on leadership. The evolution of presidential debates, which now consists more of intense verbal showdowns, are a far cry from the more formal discussion that characterized the first televised running between Nixon and Kennedy. The clear contrast begs a pressing need to revisit the real purpose of elections and rewind to a time when they were used to highlight the strong characteristics of a candidate. Not only politicians but people also have the power to do so with
(Graphic by Aidan Shen) social media playing such a huge role in how populations perceive people. The polarization of voters has become an increasingly prominent problem. Now that certain news outlets can be identified as liberal or conservative, many viewers are only watching the channels that support their views. This creates skewed perspectives that can negatively impact elections and who leads
Editors-in-Chief Chloe Choi Jonathan Liu Adviser Cynthia Mindicino News: Ella Sherry
OCTOBER 26, 2023
our country. Former President Trump is by no means a perfect leader or man for that matter, especially with the controversy around his criminal charges. But, social media has also diverted attention from important matters to something as pointless as his haircut which doesn’t speak at all to his ability to lead. The same can be said for Joe Biden, our current President and social media has a huge role.
Editors & Leadership Centerspread: Eva Yancheson Features: Olivia Kao Online: Ethan Sung Opinion: Aidan Shen Social Media: Holly Alexander, Sports: Sophie Stoddart Design Editor: Quinn Kearns Hailey Kim, Ella Gardner, Sierra Hickey
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Cancel culture, a trend that has increased on the internet among younger generations over the past few years has completely changed the game. Fortunately for some and unfortunately for others, cancel culture depends entirely on how an audience shapes one’s perception over platforms like Tik Tok and Instagram. Social media changed how the public can twist a story as well as how public figures can tell their own. One candidate that I’ve personally witnessed use their platform to good use is democratic candidate Marriane Williamson who has taken advantage of Tik Tok as a vital asset for answering questions while talking to younger audiences.
All the new changes in today’s political culture calls for the people to change as well. Voters’ objective for electing a president has changed over time. They not only look for a candidate that is physically attractive and good in front of a camera, but also for one that supports their specific laws and implementations. The contrast in opinions among the general public has become dangerous, focusing on individual values instead of the bigger picture, which is to improve our country and society overall. Almost twenty five percent of our Sea Kings here at PV High, including myself, will be eligible to vote in the 2024 election. Everyone is required to take a government course throughout their high school career but even so, they may not be completely prepared and informed when they register to vote. When voting, it is important to consider every side of an argument, to try and be unbiased and most of all, to be responsible. No matter how small you may feel in the nearly 350 million people in the United States, every vote counts.
Staff Claire Auer, Zoe Barton, Kelly Bojorquez, Nathan Chavira, Natalie Dardon, Musa Deen, Zara Deen, Ryan Fuerte, Ella Hansen, Enna Hosoi, Sloane Houterman, Follow us on Jaden Kim, Jason Lee, James Lew, Ruby Mayrose, Instagram! Makayla McNeill, Aaron Propst, Sophie Sun, Chris @pvhspoint Vasey, Valerie Villegas, Shazmah Zahra
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SPORTS Touchdowns All Around Introducing PVHS’s Newest Sport By Claire Auer reporter Flag football has been introduced to many Southern California schools. At PV, it has become very popular within the sports community. This is the first year there has been an opportunity for girls to play flag football at our high school. It’s new, exciting and the girls have never been more ready to kick off.
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The popularity of the sport is growing and flag football will be brought into the Summer Olympics at the Sofi Stadium in 2028. Ashley Hughes, the Flag Football Head Coach, is very happy to be part of this new chapter. “I have always been super interested in football… It’s a really good opportunity for women in sports to have flag football on campus and I wanted that opportunity to be available for the girls,” Hughes said. “It’s going to be brought into the Olympics, and they’re starting to do scholarships, so having that program here on campus is going to help people.” To ensure a successful season, the flag football team has been committed to rigorous practices. Four days a week for an hour and a half, practices include drills to help team members develop skills and scrimmages to help their plays run smoothly. “It’s definitely a learning experience since it is a new sport but I can’t wait to see how the sport is going to grow throughout the years,” junior Hannah Andersson said. She previously played lacrosse and volleyball. “I don’t have any experience with flag football and neither do any of our other girls, but we all are experienced athletes who are also participating in other sports here on campus,” Andersson said. Andersson plans on playing until she graduates. Playing for the team is a great opportunity to meet new people and build connections.
Palos Verdes High School tied Peninsula High School Panthers Oct.11 (Photos by Claire Auer)
“It’s really fun, and it’s a really special opportunity because I know a lot of other people don’t get to do this, so it’s very exciting,” said freshman Lyla Benton. Benton has a history of playing softball when she is not scoring touchdowns on the field. Vibrant school spirit is present at these games with Varsity Cheer and Varsity Song performing on the sidelines while
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Red Tide leaders play music to keep the crowd cheering. “There is a lot of energy on and around the field during the flag football games. I really like watching them make plays and run around the field,” said Varsity cheerleader Kate Warner. “If it wasn’t for cheer I would have tried out for flag football,” Warner said.
OCTOBER 26, 2023
SPORTS Sea King Freshman Phenomenon By James Lew reporter Star freshman quarterback Ryan Rakowski, who currently holds offers from Ole Miss and SMU, has transformed the PVHS Football team in the short time that he has been at the school. Although Rakowski is just a freshman, he has been warmly received by all members of the team. “Everybody has been really welcoming, especially teammates and coaches and it’s been really fun so far,” Rakowski said. Many students on campus know Rakowski as the star quarterback for PVHS, but he is involved with many other activities outside of football. “I like hanging out with my family, growing my faith and fantasy football,” Rakowski said. As of Oct. 25, Rakowski has led PVHS to a 9-0 start while throwing for 1372 yards, 17 passing touchdowns, and only 2 interceptions so far. Rakowski also has ran for 217 yards while having two rushing touchdowns, and has Palos Verdes ranked at 31 for all (Photo courtesy of Ryan Rakowski) high school teams in California by MaxPreps. on the Varsity as a freshman “We have had a really good players are Aaron Rodgers and comes with a big learning curve, start to the season, but we know Patrick Mahomes,” Rakowski but for Rakowski he credits his we have a lot of work to do said. teammates and coaching staff. before playoffs start,” Rakowski “I try to model my game after “It hasn’t been much of said. a few different players like Aaron an adjustment because my Rakowski has modeled his Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes game after NFL greats, as he is since they are able to do so much teammates have made plays to make me look good and our trying his best to improve day by with improvising.” coaches put together a really day. When fans watch the games good game plan every week “My favorite team is the Green from the stands, they probably which helps a lot,” Rakowski said. Bay Packers, and my favorite think that playing quarterback
MLB Playoffs Have Returned By Musa Deen reporter As October is almost over, MLB fans have been entertained by three weeks of the MLB playoffs. For a lot of PVHS students, it is one of the main highlights of their year. “It means a lot to me because I grew up watching it, and when it comes around it’s usually the highlight of my year,” junior Donovan Capozzola said. In the Wildcard Series, all series ended up being sweeps with the Texas Rangers, Minnesota Twins, Philadelphia Phillies and Arizona Diamondbacks advancing to the Divisional Series. Unfortunately, for the hometown Los Angeles Dodgers, they ran into the Arizona Diamondbacks, who were getting hot just at the right time. The series ended in a sweep in which the Dodgers averaged two runs a game. The Diamondbacks on the other hand averaged six runs a game, as their bats showed up when it mattered most. In the other Division Series the Astros, Rangers and Phillies advanced as star players Nick Castellanos, Yordan
OCTOBER 26, 2023
Alvarez and Corey Seager led their respective teams to the Championship Series. In the Championship Series, there were two exciting series. In the American League, the Texas Rangers and the Houston Astros battled it out, as the Arizona Diamondbacks and Philladelphia Phillies played in the National League. In the American League, the Texas Rangers won the series in a full seven games, after taking a commanding 2-0 lead in the series. The Astros then won the next three games pushing the Rangers to the brink of elimination. In games six Rangers’ Adolis Garcia hit one homerun, followed by two in the decisive game seven to lead the Rangers to their first World Series appearance since 2011. In the National League, the Arizona Diamondbacks won the pennant in seven games, as they overcame a 2-0 deficit along with a 3-2 deficit in the series. Corbin Carroll starred for the Diamondbacks in game seven, as he recorded three hits in four at bats, leading Arizona to a 4-2 victory. On Oct. 27, the World Series will begin in which should be an exciting series for all fans.
“Ryan has adjusted really well..obviously, that’s how his work ethic is,” coach Guy Gardner said. “He just came in and worked, and the team was very receptive to him, he works hard and is a competitor.Ryan is a student of the game, he came in with a high football IQ and I think the growth has been learning his teammates, it’s just been growth as a team, him knowing them, and them knowing him.” Rakowski has quickly become a leader for the PVHS team. Gardner described Rakowski as “both a vocal leader and a leader by example, he talks when he has to, but it’s mainly his approach, it’s how he goes about things that shows.” Sophomore Kavi Carlson described Rakowski as a “great, funny and supportive teammate who is extremely fun to play with.” “One thing that many people don’t know about Ryan is that he was also a great baseball player,” Carlson said. Rakowski will face the challenge of leading PVHS to a CIF title after PVHS fell to Yorba Linda last year in CIF play. PVHS is now 9-0 with one last Bay League game against Peninsula High on Oct. 27.
A Peek Into Girl’s Golf By Jaden Kim reporter As another school year begins, the PV Girls Golf team is starting their season. Girls’ golf coach Ray Rivera, started coaching Golf in 2004 and has been coaching for 19 years. At first he coached two years of JV and now he coaches many successful varsity players. “We got ranked 11th last year out of 565 schools, and some of my players went to USC, Cal Poly and more,” Rivera said. Coach Rivera has helped many players, and aims to help more players reach their true potential. “You guys should watch out for Raquel [Axtell] and Lauren [Kim],” Rivera said. “They’re some really talented, motivated and hardworking players.” As of this year, he has high hopes for the team and notes that the team is learning from their experiences. “So far we’ve experienced one loss and even though it was disappointing it was really a breath of fresh air and got us excited to try even harder next game,” Rivera said. Varsity senior Connie Lim has had a great golf experience, as she has learned how to come back from losses and make new connections. As of this year, Lim says that no matter the outcome of previous matches, she is confident the team will overcome obstacles. “You know, even though we suffered a loss we’ll probably pull through and have a good season like last time,” Lim said.
Prime Time in Colorado Coach Deion Sander’s Impact on College Football By Chris Vasey reporter Deion Sanders, also known as Coach Prime, is changing the scene of college football. In 2020, he accepted a head coaching job at Jackson State University, a small HBCU (Historically Black College or University) in Mississippi. Sanders accepted the offer with the intention of putting underfunded HBCUs on the map, and even used his own money to help improve Jackson State’s facilities. In his first year, he coached Jackson State University to an undefeated record and won the SWAC Championship. He was also able to bring elite recruits, such as the number one player in the class of 2022, Travis Hunter, to Jackson State. After two years at Jackson State, Coach Prime accepted a head coaching job at the struggling University of Colorado. In 2022, Colorado had a 1-11 record. Coach Prime brought in elite recruits and transfers to the University of Colorado, and in their first game of the season they beat TCU, the 2022 National
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Champion runner-ups. Sanders’ electric personality, hilarious interviews, and iconic reputation have drawn college football fans to Colorado. “I think Deion Sanders’ charisma is what allows him to turn football programs around,” senior Aaron Paik said. “It’s pretty obvious he is a great coach that really cares about his players and wants them to succeed.” Sanders has also brought unprecedented viewership to Colorado football. According to ESPN, Colorado’s rivalry game versus Colorado State peaked at 11.1 million viewers, making it the 5th most viewed college football game of all time. As of late, Colorado has taken a few tough losses, including Oregon, USC, and Stanford. Due to these losses, many sports analysts have started to claim that Colorado is overhyped and overrated. “I believe that Colorado is a little bit overhyped right now, but they are still a very good football team,” senior Alex Cacos said. “Their losses to USC and
Stanford were close, and I believe that next year with more experience and a better defense Colorado will win those games.” Many fans believe that Sanders has given Colorado football a bright future. “In the next few years, I think Colorado will be able to make it to the college football playoffs,” senior Tyler Morales said. “Winning a national championship is a stretch, but I believe Coach Prime has enough influence to be able to bring in key transfers and recruits to propel Colorado to one of the best teams in the nation.” Sanders’ rapid success at Colorado has changed the scene of college football. “After seeing Deion Sanders’ incredible performance at Colorado, I believe that we will see more schools following in Colorado’s footsteps,” Paik said. “He turned an irrelevant struggling program into the most followed program in college football, and I think we will soon see big football schools like Auburn hiring former NFL stars like Coach Prime.”
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New LA Harbor Dual-Enrollment Courses Offered at PVHS By Nathan Chavira reporter
In partnership with Los Angeles Harbor College, three new dual enrollment pathways have been introduced at PVHS. Each pathway consists of semester-long, college level courses earning students both high school and college credits. The Business Pathway includes classes such as Business 001, Business Law, and Applied Statistics. “I think the business pathway will help me a lot in college,” said senior Ty Sorenson. “I’m learning introductory skills and knowledge specific to my future degree, where I will build upon what I’m learning now. The difficulty is similar to an AP class.” The Data Analytics/Statistics pathway includes Applied Statistics and Research Methods, where students learn the fundamentals of data analysis. Although the class meets weekly, the majority of the class is held asynchronously - students are expected to complete weekly assignments and labs.
“This class has been really informative and practical. We’ve been learning about concepts like interpreting data, using appropriate charts and graphs to display data, and probability,” said senior Will Jorczak. “This class has been super interesting and is more about thinking and understanding statistics than math.” Additionally, a Culinary Pathway is offered on Saturdays at Los Angeles Harbor College campus. The pathway includes: Elements of Cooking, Voc Ed 540, Food Handlers Card, and Basic Math for Culinary Professionals. Students learn both culinary theory and skills that develop their proficiency in cooking. “At Harbor College, Chef Pastora has been teaching us numerous cooking techniques and methods. Some of these include how to sharpen knives, how to fabricate meat, how to plate food, and food proportion/ serving sizes.” said freshman Samuel Sun. Upon completion of each pathway, a certificate is awarded that recognizes the student’s achievement and proficiency.
(Graphic by Nathan Chavira)
Who is Dr. Serrano?
NEWS
California Dreamin:
Homecoming Highlights
By Zoe Barton reporter
Kate Fukushima (11), Sophia Kwon (11), Audrey Kim (11), and Kalista Wang (11) (Photo by Zoe Barton)
Traditionally, ASB choses the homecoming theme in early September, however this year’s theme was selected several months ago. The California Dreamin’ theme was all based on an In-N-Out truck. “I called to contact our event company that brings everything in, and they had the In-N-Out truck available. We jumped on it and we were like ‘Let’s do a theme where we can tie in how Californian’s love In-N-Out’, and so California Dreamin’ came about,” said ASB Director Jama Maxfield. “We decided to celebrate all the different parts of California that make us unique and special to different parts of the country.” Jersey day kicked off the week with students representing their favorite California sports teams from the Dodgers to the Rams. Tuesday had surfers vs. skaters with students wearing
to learn the school's needs and works with administration to help come up with practical solutions.” Serrano also advocates for students district wide. “She’s very enthusiastic and passionate about having a student voice in our district,” senior Alaina Wong, PVHS student representative to the school board, said. “She really wants to involve students in the inner workings of the district. She’s trying to incorporate middle schoolers and a lot of high schoolers to help her gain feedback on what the district can do better.”
Dr. Devin Serrano has been introduced to the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District as head superintendent. Serrano majored in Political Science at California State University Chico with the goal of practing law. However, after a job as a teaching assistant she knew that education was her calling. “I chose to go into education because I enjoyed working with children. I discovered that I loved teaching,” Serrano said. “I enjoyed planning lessons that would be fun and engaging for students. Through teaching I was able to make a positive difference in the lives of my students and families.” After many years of working in education, Serrano applied to become the new PVPUSD head Superintendent. “One of the big things she has already brought is support. Dr. Serrano made it clear when she introduced herself to the principals of all the schools that she wants to work with and support schools with their individual needs and unique cultures,” said Associate Principal D.J. Hill. (Photo credit Cynthia Mindicino) “She listens to school leaders
High School the night before, Homecoming kicked off on Saturday evening with an entry line wrapping around the corner. Students showed up in overalls, Hawaiian shirts, glitter tops, tye-dye, jorts, and much more to fit the Kingschella theme. The highly anticipated In-NOut truck was a huge success with the lines being up to thirty minutes long. Other attractions included a tattoo booth, a caricature artist, a gaming booth, foosball, air hockey, karaoke, and a photo booth. “I loved the food truck and the photo booth especially, it was so fun and I loved…to get cute pictures with my friends,” said Azalea Lurie (11). “The atmosphere was really positive, and everyone seemed like they were having a great time.”
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Lights Up:
PVPUSD Introduces New Superintendent By Ethan Sung Web Editor
everything from Hawaiian shirts to flannels and beanies. Wednesday was Gold Rush day with students wearing flashy gold outfits. Thursday was a tribute to Levi’s Jeans which originated in California, where students were seen sporting overalls and Canadian tuxedos (denim-ondenim outfits). Additionally, senior football players and cheerleaders performed a joint dance routine during nutrition. Barbie Friday concluded the week with students decked out in pink, following the pink-out dress code for the Friday Night Lights Homecoming game to raise awareness for breast cancer. Friday also featured the Homecoming court ceremony where seniors Ava Keshtkar and Jacob Reis were crowned Homecoming Queen and King. After a shutout victory of 42-0 against Redondo Union
New Contract Sheds Light on Night Game By Olivia Kao features editor A spirited energy roared through the packed student section at last year’s homecoming football game - the first night home game since PVHS reopened. A contract recently signed with the city of Palos Verdes Verdes Estates will allow Sea Kings to attend more frequent home night games in the near future, including this year’s recent Homecoming game on Oct. 13. PV Estates’ tranquil atmosphere is complimented by a lack of industrial lighting structures. PV High is located in an open space zone, requiring the school to receive city permission to use industrial lighting equipment. “Certain uses like lighting could interfere with the use and enjoyment of neighbors’ properties, so [the City’s Planning Commission] want to make sure something like lighting does not have an adverse effect on the neighborhood,” said Bob Wade, Chair of the Planning Commission at the City of Palos Verdes Estates.
(Photo by Natalie Dardon) Thus, a conditional use permit was issued by the city, allowing the school to hold one night homecoming game for the next five years to come. Aside from simply allowing yearly night games, the new city contract offers a chance for Sea Kings to participate in exciting and unifying experiences, according to Red Tide captain Ashlyn Jensen. “[The energy] was electric,” said Jensen, recalling last year’s homecoming night game. “You could feel the excitement
in the air…everyone was happy to be a Sea King.” Varsity Football coach Guy Gardner remarks on what the new contract might mean for Sea King football: not a change in the team’s performance, just the environment around it. “I think when the game startswhether in the day or night, we just play,” said Gardner. “But it is exciting to be under the lights… The vibe here- with our students, band and Red Tide is always awesome, but at night that will be even more fun.”