The Point, Issue 7, Volume 27 - May 26, 2023

Page 1

THEPOINT

Pages 2-3

Stellar Seniors and Their High School Accomplishments

Pages 5-7

College Map: See Where the Class of ‘23 is Going Next Year!

Page 10

PV High’s Annual Boat Race Tournament Photos

Pages 12

Sea Kings Bust a Move at Prom

PALOS VERDES HIGH SCHOOL - ISSUE 7, VOLUME 27 - MAY 26, 2023

Leaving A Legacy Representation Through Cultural Clubs Coloring

Some clubs have made very large impacts on the school dynamic, and several members of the senior class are leaving a legacy at the school through the representation of their clubs.

Seniors Sharlize Moayedi and Damon Pourmohsen started their club, MESU, earlier this year in October.

“MESU was created to provide a safe environment for students of Middle Eastern descent, as well as to educate students on campus about Middle Eastern issues,” Pourmohsen said.

According to Pourmohsen, many Middle Eastern students across the country struggle with ideas of their heritage as Middle Easterners and sometimes “feel like they have to hide their identity.” Pourmohsen had a similar experience.

“Growing up as an Iranian American and son of immigrants, at times I felt ashamed of the country in which I was from,” Pourmohsen said. “While everyone else had their Lunchables, I had traditional Iranian rice and stews in my lunchbox.

People would make terrorist jokes and other racist remarks frequently.”

Another upside of the club is new interest in Middle Eastern culture.

“MESU has made a major difference on campus,” Pourmohsen said. “Not only through the wonderful people that I have been able to meet through the club, but also random students coming up and asking me questions about Islam and the Middle East. It makes me happy to know students are taking interest in the Middle East.”

Seniors Alina Montalvan and Luka Ardón also started the Latin American Student Association during their junior year. “We started the club to create an environment of inclusion for Latino students on campus, and it made an impact on campus especially because we are a part of the Human Rights Coalition which has also increased the number of members in our club,” Montalvan said.

The club is very active on campus. For example, they contributed to the Food Fair earlier this year during Diversity Week.

“We put on events and meetings to spread awareness of the presence of the Latino community on campus,” Montalvan said.

Chow Shows How To Do It All

Jenna Chow is undoubtedly one of PV High’s most accomplished seniors. Headed to Yale University this fall, Chow plans on majoring in Mechanical Engineering or Computing in the Arts. She has made major contributions to the PVIT underwater robotics (ROV) team as President and CEO for the last two years, bringing the team to international competitions.

PVIT advisor and Pre-Calc Honors teacher

Lorraine Norris commended Chow for her dedication to the ROV team and for always doing everything to the best of her ability. Chow’s extensive experience on Palos Verdes’ ROV team has led her across the U.S. to Tennessee, where the team met competitors from across the globe and were able to get to know fellow robotics enthusiasts.

This past year, Chow had a large portion of the ROV competition technical report to complete, and despite being a senior and being tied up with APs and college visits, she successfully completed her work.

“I mean, she could’ve slacked off on it but when she turned in her part of it, it was just really beautifully done,” Norris said. “She really put in all the effort that was really necessary to have a competition level report. That’s just the kind of person she is.”

Chow’s close childhood friend Katie Choi described Chow as a “work-hard, play-hard” type of person who is always open to helping classmates with academic questions.

Norris detailed how Chow is a “very

Inspiration into

Campus

Many seniors have left behind impactful legacies, whether it is through leading and promoting ethnic clubs or student-led organizations. However, an overseen and more artistic form of leaving a positive impact on the school community lies in the hallways and on classroom doors.

Some seniors have creatively transformed the PVHS and PVIS campuses into canvases to leave behind their legacies before venturing into life beyond high school.

For senior Alexa Hirsch, classroom doors have opened up numerous opportunities to explore her passion of art while also being able to positively influence students and staff on campus.

“I was hooked on the creative flow that painting murals gave me and knew that I had found my passion and purpose,” Hirsch said. “[Murals] remind me of how much appreciation I have for the teachers and staff that have believed in me throughout my journey.”

In addition to expressing gratitude towards teachers and staff, Hirsch hopes to brighten up peoples’ days with her artwork.

“The doors have taught me that the greatest success and feelings of accomplishment comes from what you do for others,” she said. “Nothing beats the feeling of when my paintings bring a smile to someone’s face.”

Though not on PVHS’s campus, yet

another impactful mural can be seen in the halls of PVIS. Senior Korinna Kuerten was asked to paint a meaningful and symbolic mural to inspire many young Sea Kings.

“[Completing the mural] was especially challenging to create because I’ve never worked on large scale paintings before. Even though it was out of my comfort zone, I was able to stay committed and work through challenges, which then allowed me to have fun with it and be creative,” Kuerten said.

Similar to Hirsch’s outlook on her art, Kuerten also wants to positively impact viewers.

“I hope that my art can maintain the bond within our community, and [show] that students can be inspired to take on opportunities even if they seem difficult,” Kuerten said. “My mural emphasizes PVIS’s mascot of a ‘sea king’, which is demonstrated through the wave that is bigger and stands out against the rest.”

The Three Musketeers: Futures in Water Polo

Bowen Moravek - University of Toronto

Q: How did you first get into playing water polo?

you just want to keep playing it as long as you can. For me, it was always the goal to continue my water polo career, while simultaneously getting a good education.”

Q: What are you most looking forward to within the program?

“You

smart, very technical and super engaged” student.

“There’s a very serious, very studious side of her but there’s also…someone who loves life, there’s that side of her too,” Norris said.

As Choi explained, “There’s never a dull moment with her.”

Outside of school, Chow volunteers at the Orthopedic Institute for Children and runs a large Twitter account where she often posts about recent fashion news and music updates.

Chow is also an avid music festivaland concert-goer.

“I love standing in the pit and being with a bunch of other people who are just excited to be there,” Chow said.

To rising seniors and current high school students, Chow has some sound advice: “Getting rejected…shouldn’t be something that discourages you… It doesn’t diminish the value of your accomplishments; all it means is that the school wasn’t a good fit for you.”

A: “I grew up in Canada playing hockey, so I was never really an aquatic person. I came down to LA maybe nine years ago, where I started to swim for about three to four years before my coach told me I had outturned feet. He told me that was good for water polo, so I started playing water polo in seventh grade.”

Q: What do you think has played a big part in your success?

A: “I started to grow [taller] as a sophomore, and that was kind of a turning point for me because coaches started to recognize me as a taller guy. That’s when I started to get a little more attention, and when coaches started to pick me out of the group and push me towards a future in water polo.”

Kieran Kearns - MIT

Q: What pushed you to make the decision to play at a collegiate level?

A: “When you love a sport I guess

A: “I’m excited to play on a new team and get to know new people. It’s kind of reassuring to know that there are other people at MIT who share a lot of similar interests with me. The team culture is great from what I’ve seen and I can’t wait to join it.”

Aidan OlsonCalifornia Baptist University

Q: Why did you choose California Baptist University?

A: “CBU is a school in Riverside that gave me my first ever offer to play water polo a year ago. It was exciting to get recognized for my athletic achievements and overall CBU was a great fit for me.”

Q: What made you decide to play water polo in college?

A: “I decided to play water polo because I’ve been playing it all my life and I have been successful in my career so far. The relationships I’ve made throughout my career have made the sport so much more important to me and have pushed me to stick with it.”

SENIORS PAGE 2 MAY 26, 2023 PVHSPOINT.ORG
(Graphic by Sophie Sun) (Photo courtesy of Jeff Kearns) Kuerten’s mural at PVIS. (Photo courtesy of Korinna Kuerten)
“Jenna, I personally am really gonna miss you and the school is really gonna miss you. You have a great future ahead of you and I’m excited to follow you and see what you do and I really hope we keep in touch. Thank you for everything you’ve given to PVIT and all your hard work and dedication and for really holding the ROV program up to a really high standard and for helping us be successful.”
- Mrs. Norris
better come visit me once we’re on the East Coast!”
- Katie Choi
LASA and dancers during
Diversity Week.

Living Up to His Name

Johannes Eberhart aiming for major success in music It’s Not That Easy!

The seventeenth and eighteenth centuries had Johann Sebastian Bach. The nineteenth century had Johannes Brahms. And the twenty-first century has Johannes Anton Assigal Eberhart, a musician and conductor in the making. Senior Johannes Eberhart started his violin studies in the fourth grade, in Point Vicente Elementary’s string program. Although he does not come from a family of musicians, Eberhart was exposed to a variety of music throughout his early childhood because his parents enjoyed listening to it.

“I’m not sure if you’ve heard of ‘Baby Einstein,’ but I remember hearing ‘Fur Elise’ and stuff on a toy piano when I was little,” Eberhart said. “That was the beginning of it all.”

Since then, Eberhart has participated in a chamber group at the Colburn School of Music and has performed in the World Youth Symphony Orchestra at Interlochen. Additionally, Eberhart has taken virtually every music course PV High has to offer, picking up many instruments along the way. While he plays violin for orchestra, he also plays viola for string quartets and both upright bass and piano for jazz band.

“When you put your feet into multiple shoes, it broadens your horizons and makes you a more sensitive and effective conductor in terms of what you want to communicate to people,” Eberhart said.

Although Eberhart has accomplished a lot within the music department, such as co-founding PV High’s very own Cloyden String Quartet, he regards his proudest achievement to be his latest feat: conducting the pit orchestra in the spring musical “Something Rotten!”

“It was something that took a lot of work, research and preparation,” Eberhart said. “I was surrounded by a lot of talented and

hardworking friends and students. The product was really great—I know a lot of people liked it. It was one of the most flawless pit experiences I’ve been part of.”

Eberhart’s preparation began a full year ago. He first listened to the soundtrack religiously and tried to “gauge what the instrumentation was” based on that.

“I tried to acquaint myself with the story and the music,” he said. “But when I eventually found the [music scores] online, I started thinking more specifically about personnel, like which people would fit [the instrumentation I wanted].”

In the future, Eberhart hopes to continue being involved in musical theater as a regular pit musician.

“[Theater music] is a nice combination of popular music as well as a classical style of playing,” Eberhart said.

“I think I work pretty well in that medium.”

In addition to playing violin in an ensemble setting, Eberhart hopes to one day lead an orchestra of his own.

“In terms of what I plan to do career-

wise, the goal is conducting at the highest level feasible,” Eberhart said. “Since I am majoring in music education, the goal is probably to teach at the university level, as either a university conductor or a music theory professor.”

The broad range of music opportunities at UCLA allows Eberhart to entertain all these aspirations during college.

“I know that’s a lot of plans, but that’s the nice thing about music,” Eberhart said. “There are a lot of different possibilities out there. Whatever I end up doing, I hope there’s a lot of playing, conducting and teaching altogether.”

Before leaving PVHS, Eberhart wants to encourage the rest of the performing arts students to keep up their work.

“The life and craft of an artist is very important within society,” Eberhart stated. “We’re the ones who continue culture and that aspect of the human experience. We provide a sort of relief, an outlet for a lot of people. The work is hard, unending and unrelenting, but it is very, very worth it.”

If you ask, almost everyone will tell you junior year is the hardest year of high school. Of course, grinding to impress colleges and being your best self to impress teachers and get great letters of recommendation is difficult and timeconsuming, but everyone seems to brush off senior year as an easy year.

While most of the senior class does take fewer classes than other grade levels, they are also taking higher levels of math and English. Additionally, the required classes of Economics and American Government aren’t classes that you can put on the back burner.

But the biggest factor that makes senior year especially difficult is the lack of motivation.

During the second semester, most seniors are committed to a university, college or whatever post-grad plans they have. As the end of the school year nears, the excitement of embarking on a new adventure or the dread of coming to school when you’re only months away from graduation gets stronger and stronger.

Emotionally, this year can be very tough. There are two sides of the coin: students can be excited for something new, but also be scared or nervous of leaving home.

Many seniors will be leaving behind friendships that started in elementary school or middle school and/or leaving the city that they grew up in. All of these thoughts while also trying to keep grades up and resisting the urge to skip classes and assignments leads to seniors having a difficult time.

Serious thoughts and decisions are jumbled together with ideas motivated by lack of motivation. It leaves seniors in this gray area of caring and not caring.

SENIORS MAY 26, 2023 PAGE 3 PVHSPOINT.ORG
(Photo courtesy of Johannes Eberhart)

From Students to Service

Seniors Kyra Schmid and Lucas Coleman look forward to a future in the Armed Forces

Senior Kyra Schmid will have a very unique college experience compared to her peers. She will be attending the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland starting this summer.

“I became interested just before freshman year,” Schmid said.

“After realizing what it was going to take, I started to fall in love with the hustle and the grind.” Schmid has been working very hard for a long time to get accepted into the Naval Academy.

“I put an insane amount of effort into this,” Schmid said.

“Everything I did was for this. It was my absolute dream and I knew it would take a lot of time and effort. I had a lot of moments where I thought I wouldn’t be able to make it, which was absolutely terrifying.”

She is very excited to meet all of her fellow midshipmen in the summer during Plebe Summer.

“I’m most excited to meet everyone that will be a part of my class,” Schmid said.

“I know they’ve all worked as hard as I have, and I know that we’re mostly going to be similarly minded people. It’s going to be a great experience and knowing I’ll have everything I need provided for me makes it even more relieving.”

Schmid’s favorite part about the Naval Academy is the strong bond that the midshipmen have.

“My favorite part of the naval academy is seeing the brother and sisterhood forming among midshipmen,” Schmid said.

“It’s extremely inspiring to see people coming together and helping each other get to the finish line. The friends and relationships that I know I will have makes it all worth it.”

PVHS Seniors Give Advice To Underclassmen

Reddin Kehrli - I would tell underclassmen to embrace high school and all of the fun experiences, and don’t judge yourself or others.

Brooke Giordano - High school goes by WAY too fast! Attend as many school events as you can (sports games, formals, etc.) and get involved in things you are uncomfortable with!

Scarlet Bailey - When something seems very stressful and important, give yourself a moment to step back and look at it from a different point of view. Be present in the moment.

Caiden Falstrup-Finney - Stop focusing on popularity and how others perceive you and start surrounding yourself with those who can respect who you are and can support you over the next four years and beyond.

Luke Rafijah - I would tell the underclassmen to be more empathetic towards one another. Life is too short to be mean to others.

McKenna Butcher - Don’t take anyone or anything for granted and make the most of every opportunity you have. There’s no point in worrying about things that won’t matter in the long run.

Senior Lucas Coleman will attending the University of Colorado Boulder and training in their Navy ROTC program. Coleman plans to join the Marines in his following years.

“I’m really excited to be a part of the brotherhood in the Marines, especially because it is made of such a diverse group with people from all walks of life,” Coleman said.

With this excitement comes some nervousness.

“I am nervous about disappointing myself and others who I have told that I am joining. I don’t plan on dropping out, but the thought itself is quite nerve racking,” Coleman said.

Nerves are normal when it comes to a big step towards your future, but Coleman has been decided on this future since last year.

“I became interested in joining the armed forces back in October 2022 at the height of college admissions,” Coleman said.

Serving in the military comes with opportunities, including the GI bill that grants free college post service, as well as a place to mature in a demanding environment such as the military.

It also comes with a lot of hardships,

and the people who serve in the military should be treated with the utmost respect for sacrificing for our country.

The Marines is not easy to get into, known as the few, the proud. This made Lucas’ decision fairly easy.

“That was probably the easiest decision in the whole process,” Coleman said.

“After a lot of research, it became clear to me that the positive image we have of the military is best represented by the Marine Corps.”

How Has the Class of 2023 Changed Since Their Freshman Year?

Ceci Brown - I’ve definitely learned that at the end of the day, nothing matters. I continue to be myself and be confident in who I am, my insecure freshman self would not believe how far I’ve come.

Jack Balzano - I’ve become more intelligent in decision making and have a better point of view on issues I see often in highschool.

Lindsay Yaros - Since freshman year, I have learned more about the kind of person I am, and I have become more hopeful for the future and all the possible experiences I could have.

Erik Lee- I think I’ve warmed up to the idea of being wrong sometimes, and trying to iron out mistakes instead of beating myself up for them.

Marco Boardman - For starters, I’ve grown five inches. Overall, I’ve become a more mature and open person, am less awkward socially, and am happier about myself and how I look.

Naomi Kao - I have become a more confident person since freshman year. I used to be super shy and afraid to try new things, but after finding the right people and community, putting myself out there is much easier!

COLLEGE PAGE 4 PVHSPOINT.ORG MAY 26, 2023
(Photo courtesy of Kyra Schmid) (Photo courtesy of Lucas Coleman)

Class of 2023: In-State Destinations

San Diego State University

Danielle Fullerton

Mia Harley

Korinna Kuerten

Max Larkin

Audri Lee

Ami Okumura

Jacqueline Skoblar

Emily Snider

Natalee Soroosh

Lindsay Yaros

Santa Barbara

City College

Van Borda

James Cook

Sophie Ray Harrah

UCLA

Scarlet Bailey

Sydni Bednarek

Amber Chen

Neela David

Alex Donell

Johannes Eberhart

Cynthia Ho

Hayleigh Liu

Alina Montalvan

Zachary Moore

Oscar Park

Anthony Tomasevic

UC San Diego

Nasos Angouras

Patrick Hwang

Minji Kang

University of San Diego

Dylan Bigley

Sydney Goodrich

Tatum Lane

Kat Robles

University of Southern California

Alexis Choi

Claudia Goldsworthy

Grant Govel

Faizan Jaffer

Caroline Kelliny

Mischa Kharrazi

Frances Kim

Noor Mathew

Alyson Moulton

California Baptist University

Aidan Olson

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

Tate Ballard

Peyton Brusick

Jack DiBernardo

Brooke Giordano

Jonah Jones

Kennedy Jones

Sharlize Moayedi

Charlotte Pluimer

Sara Silvestri

Cal Poly Pomona

Jack Balzano

Elijah Huang

Cole Yamane

Chapman University

Caiden FalstrupFinney

Alli Furriel

Lily Kresser

Erik Lee

Jake Milam

Emily Milam

Samuel Rokaw

CSU Chico

Dakota Dwan

Kendra OConnor

CSU Fullerton

Sanghee Jun

Laylah Marron

CSU Long Beach

Elijah Munoz

Parham Seyedshakeri

CSU Maritime

Nicholas Finazzo

CSU Northridge

Matthew Dileva

CSU San Marcos

Logan Hill

CSU San Jose

Will Rizzo

El Camino College

Zach Ahmadi

Luka Ardón

Mia Castillo

Gabriel Gill

Katie Hoover

Pixie Kinsolving

Josh Munoz

Jett Palmer

Jake Tom

Michael Ward

Eli Weiss-Schmidt

Mikayla Wurzer

Dylan Zar

Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising

Diane Anderson

Golden West College

Christopher Wallace

Harbor Community College

Sarah Austin

Long Beach City College

Alaina Johnson

Matthew Madrid

Loyola Marymount University

Melanie Harris

Christos Tseperis

Irvine Valley College

David Zalmanovich

Orange Coast College

Maya Hamda

Henry Huss

Kayla Hirt

Yurii Holub

Lily Lynch

Santa Clara University

Daniel Lowe

Santa Monica College

Joey Gallardo

Josh Jun

Roz Tauvaa

Stanford University

Naomi Kao

Sarah Park

Toby Shiao

Andreas Tempereau

UC Berkeley

Cate Fasoletti

Zusan Hu

Jae Lee

Tatiana Lindahl

UC Davis

Emma Fasoletti

Jillian Gibson

Jason Hong

Gabriel Karmelich

Eva Mayrose

Luke Rafijah

Sean Slingsby

UC Irvine

Hayden Fu

Sasha HayesPleasant

Owen Hong

Tara Lofty

Arvin Rod

Anissa Vafadari

Kiley Wynn

UC Riverside Owen Brown

Kyle Cooper

Tara Lofty

Jack Wilhem

UC Santa Barbara

Samuel Bonner

Ella Brinderson

Daniel Chu

Madeline Delana

Audrey Munro

Sophia Potter

UC Santa Cruz

Arshia Maleki

Courtney Stroud

Hudson Wolfe

University of San

Francisco

Joey Dileva

Garren Rizzo

Ella Russo

Westmont College

Katie Lannon

Torrance Fire Department

Jason Soto

Scan the QR code for more photos from I Declare Day

SENIORS MAY 26, 2023 PVHSPOINT.ORG PAGE 5

Where in the World is the Class of 2023?

Whitman College

Jackson Chontos

Gonzaga University

Shay Lennemann

University of Washington

Miles Hong

Sarah Simon Kelsey Turnbull

University

Oregon

Nadia Cerda

Ava Coppola

Sean Cosgrove

Rowan Klein

Kate Moore

Emily Zimet

Armed Forces

Naval Academy

Kyra Schmid

US Army

Charlie Geniesse

Boise State University

McKenna Butcher

Jenna Ho

Taylor Malinofsky

University of Utah

Jacob Ambris

Marco Boardman

Thomas LaPine

Arizona State University

Alexa Dox

Erin Kelly

Reese Levendusky

Sierra Community College

Matt Mihelich

Dean Puckett

Arby’s

Derek Larkins

Northern Arizona Uniersity

Grace Trester

University of Arizona

Vincent Chor

Bella Luciano

Jake McDonald

Olivia Schnel

Flora Wells

Aria Ahrar

Michael Brock

Henry Carr

Lucas Coleman

Landon Corman

Maddox Gamble

Valentina Gardner

Riko Negishi

Kaia Van Buren

David Wingard

University of Colorado,

United Kingdom

Roehampton University

Kendra OConnor

Southern Methordist University

Niko Adoric

Jack Bowen

Ethan Eliasson

Emma Islava

Lucas Lees

Katherine Mandala

Maggie O’Hern

Natalie Tholan

Casey Norman University

Hawai’i Pacific

Heather McClung

Baylor University

Grace Monroy

Brynn Ottolia

University of Texas, San Antonio

Chriselda Jones

University of Texas, Austin

Grant Walther

Abroad Washington Oregon Utah Colorado Arizona Hawai’i Texas
Nebraska Idaho Illinois Argentina Canada France
of Colorado, Boulder Universidad del Salvador
Bury
de San Andres
Duran American University of Paris
Namvari University of Toronto Bowen Moravek Spain Universidad Francisco de Vitoria
Corral
University
Lolo
Universidad
Valentina
Sierra
Mafalda
Denver
of Hawai’i, Manoa
Kenzi Mclay
University
University of Anthony DePaul University Madison Wendel of
Angelina Aranda
Sofia Zavarella

Cornell University

Kelly Donahue

Skylor Sun

Syracuse University

Cecilia Brown

Fordham University

Luca Dileva

Parsons School of Design

Alexa Hirsch

New York University

Daniel Chon

Steven Guo

Angelina Lazar

Matthew Warter

University of Wisconsin, Madison

Dino Aguirre

Stuart Canario

Illinois

of Chicago

Yoon

University

Wendel

Butler University

William Bengston

Massachusetts

Emerson College

Sophia Ticknor

Suffolk University

Massachusetts

Institute of Technology

Kieran Kearns

Maine Bates College

T.J. Underhill

Andria Furriel

Worcester Polytechnic University

Michigan State University

Gigi Cole

University of Michigan

Tara Bharadia

Elizabeth Gray

Lucia Ruiz

Steel Weiss

Purdue University

Nick Cosgrove

Calissa Mayer

University of Notre Dame

Jack Flanagan

University of Missouri

Gabrielle Grillo

St. Louis University

Alex Forman

University of Houston

Ella Freebury

Texas Christian University

Davis Donaldson

Bridget Gormley

Grace Hebert

Raymond Moll

Audrey O’Toole

Jake Typrowicz

Meg Walsh

University of Mississippi

Cherise Stoll

Kendall Ward

Tulane University

Lucy Eaton

Kylie Welcher

Tufts University

Reddin Kehrli

Peter Kraemer

Carnegie Mellon University

Eugene Lee

Pennsylvania State University, Altoona

Tiffany Chang

Maryland

University of Maryland

Marielle Sandler

University of Virginia

Davryn McDuffie

Ainsley Schmitz

Virginia Tech

Natalie Engel

Wiliam and Mary College

Hayden Greene

Pennsylvania State University

Grace Gulcher

Brennan Shaul

Dartmouth College

Caeden Kim

Vermont

University of Vermont

Kharianna Gracie

Brown University

Vivian Chan

New Jersey

Princeton University

Katie Choi

Jenna Chow

Max Colomer

Rutgers University

Chandra Joy

Duke University

Bella Hokama

Owen Griffiths

South Carolina

Charleston

Southern Univerisity

Kahea Carvalho

Georgia

University of Georgia

Charlie Beuerlein

Davidson College

Melanie Tilles

University of South Carolina

Jason Roah

University of Alabama

Mallory Meyer Hampshire

University of Florida

Kaitlyn Tarakji

University of Miami

Lucas De Leon

Maya Merchant

Alabama Wisconsin Indiana Michigan
Florida
Island New York Pennsylvania
North Carolina Rhode
Connecticut
Missouri
*Results from The Point newspaper senior surveys, Instagram bios/posts *State placement not to scale Virginia Mississippi
Louisiana
Yale University
New

The Real College Decision: Choosing a Roommate

Creating New Paths Through Community College

With college acceptance rates getting more competitive by the year, the stigma around community college is clearing, and taking a more affordable path could be a better choice.

Community colleges are generally two-year colleges that provide an excellent education that some then use to transfer to a four year university.

While some don’t have a university in the cards due to GPA, or something else within the abundance of requirements needed to stand out in the application pool, more are choosing community college simply because of its benefits. Community college provides numerous perks, that make it a worthwile choice for higher education.

With a majority of private universities charging upward of 30,000 dollars, and public universities around 10,000 dollars, community colleges significantly reduce the amount of financial stress that affects four year university students.

On top of that, it lets students adjust to college life without having to leave the safety of their own home.

more free time to focus on job opportunities, students avoid the mountain of student debt that drowns most students far into their adult life. The median amount of college debt amounts to almost 26,000 dollars, which is far less preferable than the near zero that community college

able to afford prep classes that help tremendously to improve performance. This isn’t a worry for applicants wishing to attend community college. The students are equipped with open enrollment, which excludes looking at high school grades to determine eligibility.

Not only does community college give opportunities to aspiring high school students, but also presents a shot for a wide range of adult ages to re-attend if they didn’t have a prior education in higher levels.

Joanne Lewis in the College and Career Center stated that the flexibility granted to students gives students “time to explore their interests.”

For some, community college serves as their final stepping stone before going into the workforce, and for others it is only the groundwork before transferring to a four-year university.

There are many transfer opportunities that come with going to a community college. Around 40 percent of students who attend community college transfer to a university.

One student at PVHS, senior Pixie Kinsolving, voices that community college can give you a chance to “figure out what you want to do.” With the average cost of community college being seriously less than universities, it also presents other budgeting options.

With a lower living cost and

makes. For some people though, money isn’t the problem. Colleges these days are becoming more and more competitive. Ivy Leagues expect scores over 1500 for the SAT and 34 for the ACT to be a prime candidate for acceptance. A multitude of the American population isn’t

Many Sea Kings have transferred to top universities like UCLA. Community college fulfills a key role in teaching a career focused education that prepares students for whatever path they decide to pursue afterward, whether that’s obtaining a technical career certificate or collecting credits to transfer.

If you’re looking to save money, explore different fields, or simply find your footing in life, community college might just be the smartest choice you make.

Rating Typical College Meals College Tuition: More Expensive Than Ever

The rising cost of colleges in the United States has been a major concern for many high school students around the country.

The cost of college has risen by 143% since 1963, as referenced in an article written by Bestcolleges.com. From the years 2000-2020, we have seen the largest increase since the average cost of going to college back in 2000 was $13,000, and by 2020 the average cost of college was up to $21,000.

In addition to this, from the years 1995 to 2017, the amount of combined student debt has increased from $187 billion to $1.4 trillion dollars in the US. Some of the possible explanations that may account for the significant increase in college tuition include costs of salaries, medical insurance, and other benefits that continue to rise.

This includes student services such as facilities, health services, parking, food services, as well as school research labs, and athletics programs. Also, as mentioned in an article by guildededucation.com, the state government doesn’t provide as much support as it used to.

PVHS College and Career Center counselor Joanne Lewis gave her insight on why she thought costs of colleges have been rising so quickly.

“I would say that people forget college is a business,” Lewis said.

“When you have a great demand for something, and a somewhat limited supply, businesses can drive their prices extremely high, and we live in a name-brand society where people believe that the cost of something indicates the quality or value of something, when in reality all colleges provide a set of resources that a student can take advantage of or not take advantage of.”

Another big consideration is deciding between in-state versus out-of-state colleges.

An article by US News found that the tuition for in-state California students costs about $13,000 less than out-of-state state students coming into California for school. Another major point to emphasize regarding the rising costs of colleges is the question of whether there will be more loans and grants offered. Based on an article by fsapartners.ed/gov, in the year 1995, the minimum grant was $400 with the maximum grant being $3,900, while in 2017 the maximum grant was $5,775.

PAGE 8 PVHSPOINT.ORG MAY 26, 2023 COLLEGE
(Graphic by Sierra Namvari and Sophie Stoddart) (Graphic byAidan Shen)

Abroad Awaits

An interview with students going to international universities

American University of Paris Paris, France

How did you choose AUP?

I decided to study abroad mainly for the purpose of transferring after the first year. The more I looked into this opportunity though, I really started to like it, especially after visiting Paris. I think It’ll help me become more independent, plus the city is absolutely gorgeous.

What aspects of French culture are you interested in learning more about during your time abroad?

I’m looking forward to meeting new people, figuring out why the French run red lights constantly, and getting to eat amazing food everyday.

Why did you decide to study abroad, and how did you choose which country to go to?

“I decided to study abroad because I want to experience life in Europe and travel, and also reconnect with my culture and live around my family again. I was born in Spain and moved to the U.S. eight years ago, and always knew that I would want to go back at some point. That’s why I chose Madrid specifically, and this school has a lot of values that I resonate with. It has really good international programs to do exchange semesters in other parts of Europe and other countries too; it also has a huge humanitarian approach and philosophy [program]. I’m [not only] really excited to start a new chapter of my life in Spain, but also about the fashion and music taste that people have there [including] Madrid’s nightlife.”

What was the process for applying abroad? How was it different from applying to a national university?

“To apply abroad is very different from applying in the states. To enter schooling you must pass an intro course with six units of classes all pertaining to what will be taught in the future. The language is a major difference as well. As over here, college aps are needed and there are many factors, the only things needed are to pass all six courses and tests and to have a high school diploma. They have different medical schools such as public and private, all can attend the public schooling but for private just like I will be attending, the intro courses are needed and everyone has the same required fee but the total amount for all six years of schooling are less than one semester in the states. Overall, it’s a better option for me and what I want to achieve for my future.”

What part of this new chapter of your life are you most excited about?

“I am most looking forward to establishing myself in my culture and bettering myself in ways that I think I can only do out of the [U.S]. Immersing yourself [in Argentina] is like being in a different world. I want to learn more about my culture and travel to parts I haven’t been to. I want to learn about my family history and become closer with those I rarely saw growing up. Since I’m studying economics and finance, I think that going somewhere where the inflation rate has been high for a long time will help me to better understand worldwide issues. The economy in Argentina is not the best, but I hope to be of help and spread the ideals that make the United States so much more stable. I want to serve as a bridge between the two and take my knowledge that I have from living and learning here to a foreign country.”

What made you decide to study abroad in the first place and how did you decide what country/school to choose?

“I’m going to London to attend Roehampton University. I’ve always wanted to leave the US and I chose to go to London because they have an amazing film program at the university I’m attending.”

What are you most looking forward to about this opportunity?

“I’m hoping to experience a different culture that I’m not used to and I’m excited to meet new people.”

“When I Was Your Age...” Teachers share their favorite college memories

You have to get out of your comfort zone and join clubs and it will 100% pay off to help you find friends and find things that you’re interested in. Everyone goes to college thinking ‘Yay so fun’, but then they realize it’s hard. You have to find people you connect with. Roll with the punches a little bit and be flexible. Look at yourself in the mirror and embrace what you see and strive to be a better version each day. And remember, you are not your feelings, those are flighty. You are your actions. Don’t worry about moving away and losing touch with your friends. You won’t ‘lose’ them. They will always be right there where you left them. You’ll simply go off into the world and make even more friends. You have ENDLESS space in your life and in your heart to collect more friends.

“You don’t have to have it all figured out yet. I changed my major 3 times in college and it’s unrealistic to expect that everyone’s going to know what they want to do. So, don’t put a ton of pressure on yourself. Put pressure on yourself to learn, but also don’t put so much pressure that every class you take needs to necessarily apply directly to your career because that’s not real life.”

(Graphic by Eva Mayrose)

“For my funniest college memory, it was on my graduation day for my master’s degree, when the college wrote “university” wrong on the graduation handouts. They put “university” with the “v” and the “i” flipped. So it was ‘unviersity’.”

- Mrs. Driver

“My freshman year at the University of Guam I didn’t live on campus. I had a roommate and we just had a blast living in our little apartment off campus.”

- Ms. Wood

“I got to hear Ceasar Chavez speak in college. We were packed into a lecture hall at school with 800 people and it was so crowded I had to sit on the floor. I was so young but I knew that it was such an important moment and now being a history teacher decades later and you know still teaching about him to my students, I realize what an honor and privilege it was to sit in his presence. This man that gave everything… gave his life for other people.”

-Ms. Varela

“My favorite part about college was graduating.”

- Mr. Peterman

(Photos by Sierra Namvari and Eva Mayrose)

MAY 26, 2023 PVHSPOINT.ORG PAGE 9 COLLEGE
La Universidad de San Andrés Victoria Buenos Aires, Argentina Universidad del Salvador Buenos Aires, Argentina

BOAT RACE

Team Larkins Takes the Crown at the Annual Boat Race

Editors-in-Chief

Amber Chen Lucia Ruiz

Adviser Cynthia Mindicino

Editors & Leadership

News: Ella Sherry

Features: Kelly Donahue

Opinion: Eva Mayrose

Sports: Jonathan Liu

Photography: Sierra Namvari

Centerspread: Luka Ardón Chloe Choi

Online: Ella Sherry

Social Media: Quinn Kearns

Staff

Zara Deen, Enna Hosoi, Olivia Kao, Hailey Kim, James Lew, Aaron Propst, Aidan Shen, Sophie Stoddart, Sophie Sun, Christopher Vasey, Eva Yancheson

Follow us on Instagram!

@pvhspoint

PAGE 10 PVHSPOINT.ORG MAY 26, 2023
Boat race winners from left to right: Sean Slingsby, Aidan Shen, Jonathan Liu, David Wingard, Anthony Chor, Danny Stender, Mr. Larkins, Niko Tsangaris, Max Sinfield (Photos by Chloe Choi and Jonathan Liu)

I would like to thank my mom because she has helped me so much and has taught me a lot. She was always making sure I was on top of my work.

I would like to give a huge thank you to all the teachers I have had at PV, but a special thank you to Mr. Hill. Thank you for never failing to wake us up at 8:00 AM with your EDM music and thank you for never missing an opportunity for a high five.

I would like to thank Mr. Stoddart because he was such a compassionate teacher and he made me realize that Psychology is what I want to major in and what I want to pursue.

[I would like to thank] Mr. Harley (my dad) for helping me along the way. Ms Mastan for seeing potential in me and helping develop more leadership skills. I also want to thank Mrs. Munoz for helping me find the career I want to pursue.

I would like to thank Ms. Norris. I met her in 7th grade and I still remember how kindly she treated me. Due to that experience, I chose PVHS, and she was the best teacher and counselor of my high school life.

I’d like to thank my English teachers Ms. Olson, Ms. Mogilefsky, Ms. Lyons and Mr. Larkins for introducing me to different perspectives through literature and inspiring me to major in English.

SENIORS

Hopefully being a creative director of a fashion house or gallery, designing projected backdrops for concerts, starting my own street art based brand, and most importantly still painting for fun.

I see myself working with a marine mammal institute in Hawai’i to help conserve the population of the Hawaiian Monk seals and humpback whales.

10 years is a long time, man. I’m gonna just play it by ear, see what works out, what doesn’t. There’s always time to find another path.

I will have graduated college and will be living in my own house with lots of pets. I will hopefully be working on a forensics team as an investigator or scientist.

MAY 26, 2023 PVHSPOINT.ORG PAGE 11
- Amber Chen Alexa Hirsch Heather McClung Daniel Chon Jillian Gibson

PROM

House of Blues: Prom 2023

On May 20, Sea Kings spent a night “dancing in the moonlight” at the House of Blues, Anaheim

Top row left: Nathan Blakey, Lily Kresser

Top row right: PVHS administrators, drama and music departments and DJ Calvin Bailey

Middle row left: Josh Jun, Jake Weyrick

Middle row center: Griffin Galleon, Eva Yancheson, Chris Vasey, Quinn Kearns, Finliegh Pogson, Madalyn Barely, Amelia Hull, Polly Power, Kyle Smith

Middle row right: Dakota Dwan, Jake Weyrick, Madeline Delana, Danielle Fullerton, Caiden FalstrupFinney, Dean Puckett, Matt Mihelich

Bottom row left: Sydni Bednarek, Sierra Namvari, Brynn Ottolia, Lauren McDonald, Mia Harley, Azalea Lurie, Vivian Chan, Camilla Brady

Bottom row right: Madeline Delana gets an airbrush tattoo

Pint-Sized Stories: Senior Send-Off

VISIT PVHSPOINT.ORG FOR MORE PHOTOS!

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