Feb. 10, 2017
Be my dollar
Volume 8 Issue 5
$ign Page 4
THE
PEARL P ST
Daniel Pearl Magnet High School 6649 Balboa Blvd., Lake Balboa, CA 91406
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News 2
The Pearl Post
Feb. 10, 2017
DIAVOLO dancers teach the importance of TRUST Ani Kocharyan
Staff Writer
Math teacher Anna Felix didn’t know what she was getting into when she agreed to go on stage with DIAVOLO. “I volunteered because I didn’t think anyone else would and it sounded like fun,” Felix said. “It was a fun, exhilarating and scary experience.” On Jan. 27, DIAVOLO’s local division of dancers performed “TRUST” for Daniel Pearl Magnet High School students in Birmingham Community Charter High School’s Sally Field Performing Arts Center. “TRUST” is a series of dances that demonstrate the necessity for trust and teamwork. Felix and student volunteers went on stage without knowing what they were going to do. Looks of terror swept their faces when they were told that they were going to fall off ladders into the arms of performers, displaying the trust that DIAVOLO’s “TRUST” performance required. “The performance showed me how to work as a team and to trust myself,” junior Anthony Freyre said. Founded in 1992 by Jaques Heim, DIAVOLO’s mission is “to further the transformative style of Architecture in Motion by providing dance performances, training and community programs for all.” “I liked how every performer was different and they had different techniques like ballet, gymnastics and how one guy used methods of martial arts,” sophomore Alexsia Ishkhanian said. The name DIAVOLO is a combination of the Spanish word “dia,” meaning “day” and Latin word “volo,” meaning “I fly.” “They said they would be flying and they weren’t really doing that,” sophomore Bella Feinstein said. “They were rolling on the floor. I wasn’t expecting that.” The organization utilizes a team of dancers, design-
Photo by Daniela Guzman DIAVALO performers Andrew Corpuz and Daniel Glenn carefully watch Janine Montag during the Jan. 27 performance. ers, choreographers and engineers to convey how people are affected by the spaces they inhabit as well as to teach life lessons. “Being a performer is a testament to the importance of this work,” said Director of Marketing Chisa Yamaguchi in a Jan. 25 email. “It’s the vehicle for a voice of society that is a reflection of our lasting culture and legacy as people.”
With the use of acrobatics, an array of props and performers with various abilities, DIAVOLO was able to capture students’ attention and make a lasting impression. “My favorite performance was the one where they used the door,” Freyre said. “I thought it was interesting and a good way to show their talents.” Instagram: @ani__kocharyan
Students protest inauguration Amanda Jimenez and April Serrano Staff Writers
Photo by Daniela Guzman Senior Ruby Rodriguez discusses a poem with teammates sophomore Amanda Jimenez, senior Katie Lashley and sophomore Emely Felix.
Poets prepare for Classic Slam Daniela Guzman
Staff Writer
Junior David Palacios is confident the Get Lit team is prepared for the Classic Slam poetry competition that begins on April 20. “Our strength is that our team has experience, whether it be just writing poetry for fun or being part of Get Lit before,” Palacios said. The team, consisting of seniors Katie Lashley and Ruby Rodriguez, juniors Jade Ajileye, Angel Rivera and Palacios and sophomores Amanda Jimenez and Emely Felix meet in sponsor Ron Baer’s room
during lunch every Monday and Wednesday. “We work on getting ready for the competition by revising our poems and perform them out loud to receive constructive criticism,” Ajileye said. Compared to last year, the team began practicing much earlier and Baer is excited the extra practice will get them further in the competition. “We’ve never gotten past the quarterfinals and I really want to this year,” Baer said. “I truly believe we have the team that will accomplish that.” Twitter: @mazziai
Students nervously grabbed their belongings and headed for the main hallway after hearing the Breakfast In The Classroom (BIC) bell, knowing it signalled the start of the student protest against the inauguration of Donald Trump. As the gathering crowd grew in the hallway, students were relocated to the library and later the Multi Purpose Room (MPR). Principal Deb Smith reassured students that their First Amendment right to protest was being heard. “I’m scared to have him as president,” junior Kamryne Blake said. “He’s already been elected. He’s going to be president whether we like it or not but that doesn’t mean that we still can’t have a voice in telling him ‘we do not like you and that it’s still important to us.’” Once in the MPR the a faculty member provided students with poster paper and markers to express their ideas and opinions about the inauguration. Students from every grade level participated in chants and peaceful songs while creating their posters. “I don’t want Donald Trump to be president because I simply believe he’s
Photo by Daniela Guzman Senior Andrea Escamilla works on her poster during the inauguration sit in. not a good person,” sophomore Emely Felix. “He’s misogynistic. He’s racist and he’s sexist. I can’t believe our country is allowing him to be president.” The protest ended at the end of second period. Twitter: @TheGirlWithCrocs Twitter: @lirpa_cs
Feb. 10, 2017
The Pearl Post
Students go to LA County History Day
Features 3
Liliya Miroshnychenko
Staff Writer
Sophomore Lauryn Uhlenberg is excited to compete against other groups at the Los Angeles County National History Day competition. Uhlenberg’s group includes sophomores Astrid Cabrera and Kirsten Cintigo. Their project was about famous feminist and novelist Betty Friedan, who played a leading role in the second-wave feminist movement. “It’s relevant in our current society,” Uhlenberg said. “My group members and I feel strongly about equality.” The Los Angeles History Day competition will be held on March 25 at Azusa Pacific University. Sophomores Karina Mara, Alyssa Cancio, Farah Faiza, Alexis Gutierrez and Marina Sifuentes will also be competing with their documentary on World War I veteran and poet Siegfried Sassoon. “We wanted to focus on his writing because this was something unique to us,” Mara said. The group enjoyed producing the documentary and bonded with one another. “The biggest challenge we faced was when one of the group members procrastinated,” Mara said. “That really impacted our work.” Other participants include former competitor junior Kaitlyn Arst, whose project is an exhibition on Toby “Winema” Riddle, a Native American interpreter from the Modoc tribe. “I wanted to find a woman leader that was actually originally from America,” Arst said. Instagram: @liliya.miro
Photo by Rachel Bullock A parent observes junior Kaitlyn Arst’s exhibition on Toby “Winema” Riddle. Arst will be competing in LA County History Day for the third consecutive year.
Photo from Nelly Nazarian Senior Nelly Nazarian and her dance group perform at their annual dance concert. Nazarian has been dancing for over 11 years.
Love for dance meets love for culture Eva Kaganovsky
Staff Writer
Dance gives senior Nelly Nazarian an opportunity to leave her worries behind and enter into a trouble-free world. “I feel like I go to practice, mostly when I’m stressed, I could just forget it all and dance,” Nazarian said. “I get all my emotions out when I dance.” When Nazarian dances, she experiences a freedom that distracts her from the stress brought on by school. “I have fun with all the girls there,” Nazarian said. “We don’t do solos. Everything we do is as a group so we have all grown close.”
Nazarian began dancing when she was six years old after her mother enrolled her at Vanoush Khanamerian Dance School. She soon fell in love with traditional Armenian dancing. It is more than this freedom that compels Nazarian to continue dancing, rather the activity allows Nazarian to get closer to her Armenian roots. “Dancing is a really big part of Armenian culture and because of dance I’ve grown closer to my family,” Nazarian said. Through Nazarian’s 11 years as a dancer, her favorite dance is one that represents a traditional Armenian wed-
ding. Although Nazarian is uncertain to how she can incorporate dancing into her life after she finishes high school, she is confident that she will never lose her love of dance. “I don’t want to quit because of college,” Nazarian said. “I want to dance for I don’t know how long after.” Nazarian encourages all dancers to always be outgoing and confident. “Don’t ever be shy,” Nazarian said. “Everyone is doing the same thing as you and everyone messes up.” Twitter: @evakaganovsky
Club Corner:
Peering into the college application process Rachel Bullock
Staff Writer
Junior Maria Danan walks into the classroom, sits down, brings out her lunch and waits to hear what this week’s meeting will have in store. “I come to Peer College Club because I want to learn more about college and what I have to do to have a better resume,” Danan said. The Peer College Club started last November when juniors Eva and Michelle Kaganovsky came together to pursue a better understanding of how to prepare for college. Counselor Martina Torres has helped by becoming a guest speaker at the club every week. “The goal of this club is for these students to gain awareness of college information to help prepare them for their journey after high school,” Torres said. The club meets every Thursday in club sponsor Davy Mauermann’s classroom. Club members discuss career paths, colleges and scholarships. “The club is really helpful, we talk about financial aid and how to get accepted by the colleges we want to attend to,”
Photo by Daniela Guzman Peer College Club founders Eva and Michelle Kaganovsky enjoy a conversation on upcoming tour ideas with some of the members of the Peer College Club. Danan said. Michelle and Eva are the presidents of the Peer College Club. They are responsible for organizing meetings, inviting college representatives and arranging college visits. Much like Danan, junior Faith Alvarenga came to the Peer College Club with
hopes that she would gain a better understanding about college and to plan ahead for senior year. “I felt like I lacked knowledge about the application process,” Alvarenga said. Facebook: Rachel Bullock
Opinion 4
The Pearl Post
Feb. 10, 2017
Materialism behind heart-shaped boxes of candy Amanda Jimenez
Staff Writer
Nowadays, the average American spends over $100 trying to understand the real motive for the holiday of love and its hidden agenda. Everyone knows Hallmark created the concept of birthdays to sell cards. Through the same tactic, other large businesses like 1-800 Flowers and Necco have exploited Valentine’s Day. The iconic “Sweetheart” candies were created by the candy company Necco. They produce over 100,000 sugar hearts, 11 months in advance, to meet the high demand of Valentine’s Day. Every year, 1-800-Flowers gets a whopping 1 million new customers on Valentine’s Day. Over 144 million people send one of the 1,400 Valentine’s Day designed Hallmark cards to a loved one. “Every day has to be about love,” Cafeteria Assistant Maricela Rivera said. “Unfortunately, Valentine’s Day is a waste of money.” American society has glorified Valentine’s day to the point where if you don’t give, you don’t love. Subsequently, bringing young children to believe giving pres-
Photo from flickr.com Many people face the challenge of buying their valentine the perfect gift with the constant pressure to spend large sums of money. ents is how you show affection. Having a holiday drifted towards love and gifts makes teenagers compelled to get a boyfriend or girlfriend. Ultimately, this leaves a whole generation feeling lonely and broke trying to become a part of the Valentine’s Day trend. The day of love for romantics may seem valid and vital. For many couples,
it is a day to appreciate one another and show their love. However, people feel this way because they have been brainwashed by the unofficial rules of love created by multi-million dollar companies. “It puts pressure on our generation to find someone to like and it puts stress on people because it’s super commercialized,” freshman Rose Chevere said.
“They’re putting a label on love.” Genuine love can be shown everyday through compassion, rather than once a year with a stuffed bear and candy with hearts carved into it.
Instagram: @TheGirlWithCrocs
Music festivals overrated Kirsten Cintigo
Social Media Editor
Photo from Wikipedia. com Tesla Model S is an example of the few self driving cars beginning to enter the market.
New driver behind wheel Richard Mendiola Staff Writer
When an airplane pilot switches his plane to autopilot, nobody bats an eye. When a car drives itself, though, it’s a whole different story. Cars have been a staple transportation method for nearly a century. This whole time, there has always been someone behind the wheel. Recently, automobile company Tesla Motors has gotten behind that wheel, or rather, taken its hands off of it. Many of Tesla’s vehicles, such as the Model S and the Model X, now feature an auto pilot mode or also known as self-driving. Most self-driving cars have sensors programmed into them so that they’re able to calculate things such as the speed of the car and distance between other vehicles. Self-driving cars getting into accidents isn’t a surprise, however. The driver
isn’t manually maneuvering the vehicle and is letting technology be in control. Like most technology, there will eventually be malfunctions. Self-driving cars allow drivers to multi-task inside the vehicle. This leads to the driver becoming unaware of his surroundings and can cause many possible accidents. Being unaware of your surroundings while in a moving vehicle is unsafe. The possible accidents that may occur are endless due to the unknown and the fact that driving is a different experience every time. If drivers are to use the self-driving features, it should be noted that, they should still have their eyes on the road. Just in case anything goes bad, the driver will be able to recover and manually drive. Although self-driving may seem effortless, there has to be some effort looking at the road. Twitter: @rsmendiola23
Music festivals are often one of the most hyped up events of the year and are a place for people to see their favorite artists. However the pricing of tickets are way too up the scale making them unattainable to most of the public. Plus the benefits of these tickets include far too little than what people expect to see. Festivals such as Coachella or IHeartRadio have skyrocketing prices and sell out tickets within minutes. These prices tend to be impossible for most people, leading them to splurge money they may need in the future. Most festivals only have few major headliners and contain more unknown artists. With bigger known headliners, such as Beyonce or Drake, festivals can attract more attention and in turn higher sales. Even with these world known acts
performing, they often play fewer songs compared to those who are lesser known. Those who are attending these events aren’t really getting their money’s worth. It’s unfair to pay high amounts of money for a half hour performance from an unknown band and only get a 15-minute show from someone most people love. Even though these unknown artists can get exposure from these performances and become bigger, the people attending these festivals aren’t paying large amounts of money to see people they don’t know. They are going to see people they actually listen to on a daily basis. Although festivals make the perfect place to see your favorites play they are priced too highly for the benefits they come with. Twitter: @kzizzlee
Photo from wikimedia.org Popular music festivals like Coachella are often very expensive and not worth the price.
Feb. 10, 2017
Editorial:
The Pearl Post
Trump’s presidency brings much concern Photo from wikimedia.org The LAUSD schedule will not be changed.
Long vacation here to stay Anthony Weatherspoon Tech Editor
The board of the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) voted to reverse its foolish decision of beginning the 2017-2018 school year on Aug. 22 back to the traditional schedule. Instead of undergoing an unnecessary schedule change, the 2017-2018 year will continue to begin three weeks before Veterans day. If the district’s initial plan had gone through, students would have their Thanksgiving breaks reduced to two days and their winter breaks cut down to two weeks. The school board’s original decision to implement a later start date came from the district hoping to save money by reducing air conditioning costs. Starting the school year later on in the year would remove the urge to turn on the air conditioning, in turn saving the district money. The intentions behind the district’s plan were smart and conservative but attempting to change the schedules of over 650,000 students without viral backlash is an unrealistic feat. For the full story, visit thepearlpost.com
After the unfortunate presidential has at least temporarily blocked Trump’s inauguration of Donald Trump on Jan. executive order and ceased the travel ban. 20, a sweeping wave of executive orders This can only be altered if the US Court of and conservative cabinet members have Appeals reverses the ruling, which is a very washed over the American public that will difficult task to accomplish. ultimately lead to a step back for America. As for the presidential cabinet, The executive orders, ranging Trump has confirmed seven members from a travel ban that keeps citizens from including Betsy DeVos who will serve as seven Islamic countries from entering the Secretary of Education. DeVos was conUnited States to the construction of a firmed after Vice President Mike Pence physical wall to keep out immigrants from cast a tie-breaking vote in her favor. DeMexico, have stripped away the rights of Vos’ confirmation as a cabinet member many citizens. The travel ban, nicknamed can potentially affect all students, as she the “Muslim Ban,” has kept people from wishes to cut grant money for colleges and entering the is opposed to United States the idea of pubdespite their lic education. “No person should be discriminated possession of Cutting a green card based on what they believe in and the back on money and the conto stufact that the president is instituting these given struction of dents through wall has be- bans places a dark cloud over his term in grants would be come a heat- office, which has just barely begun.” a very bad decied discussion sion and could in Congress. potentially People cause fewer stuhave protestdents to move ed against onto higher edthis ban and lawyers have done everything ucation if they can’t afford tuition without in their power to reunite families that have the help from grants. been separated by this new order. Banning Being students and citizens of a person from entering a country based on the United States, we feel that Trump is their religious affiliation is not only morally not qualified to be president of the United wrong but is also in violation of the rights States due to his lack of experience and irgranted by the constitution. rational thought process. The presidential No person should be discriminated actions Trump has taken during these past based on what they believe in and the fact few weeks have done nothing but harm that the president is instituting these bans those that came to this country searching places a dark cloud over his term in office, for new opportunities and fleeing their which has just barely begun. previous lives to escape leaders similar to Luckily, a federal judge in Seattle Trump.
Pearl Voice: What’s your ideal Valentines Day gift?
Photos and interviews by Rachel Bullock Facebook: Rachel Bullock
Savannah Orrill Senior “A box of See’s Candies, a big box, not like a cheap one.”
Lisset Bayardo Junior “Something from the heart, something that takes thought.”
David Eskichyan Sophomore “Something memorable rather than something store bought.”
Opinion 5
The Pearl Post Editor-in-Chief Rebekah Spector Online Editor-in-Chief Tahra Hunter Managing Editor Kyrah Hunter Opinion Editor Cristina Jercan Entertainment Editor Jessica Salguero Feature Editor Nallely Delara Tech Editor Anthony Weatherspoon Sport Editor Winter Rawson Social Media Editor Kirsten Cintigo New Media Editor Maia Hito Copy Editor Elsie Morales Julia Torres Cartoonist Danielle Valenzuela Photo Editor Juliette Tafoya Assistant Photo Editor Brandon Tapia
Staff Writers/Photographers Rachel Bullock, Michael Chidbachian, Alice Curran, Daniela Guzman, Steven Guzman, Amanda Jimenez, Eva Kaganovsky, Michelle Kaganovsky, Ani Kocharyan, Richard Mendiola, Liliya Miroshnychenko, Sergio Payeras, Angel Rivera and April Serrano Adviser Adriana Chavira The Pearl Post is an open forum for student expression as allowed by California Education Codes 48907 and 48950, committed to excellence in reporting, writing and photography. The newspaper strives to inform and educate students and faculty on events affecting Daniel Pearl Magnet High School. The thought and opinions published in these pages are the work of journalism students and do not represent the position of DPMHS, its administrators or the Los Angeles Unified School District. An unsigned editorial is the opinion of the Editorial Boards, which is comprised of the Editor-in-Chief and the editors. Signed opinions in the Pearl Post reflect the views of the authors. A signed cartoon reflects the view of the cartoonist. The Pearl Post welcomes letters to the editor. They should be 250 words or less and may be edited for length. Letters with profanity and obscenity will not be printed. Unsigned or anonymous letters will not be published. Letters may be submitted to Ms. Chavira’s mailbox in the main office, in Room 22 or emailed to thepearlpost@gmail.com. The newspaper is published monthly and is the official campus newspaper of Daniel Pearl Magnet High School. The newspaper is also posted online at http://www.thepearlpost.com. Free copies are distributed to magnet students, teachers and staff. The school is located at 6649 Balboa Blvd., Lake Balboa, CA 91604-5529.
Special Reports 6
The Pearl Post
Feb. 10, 2017
PRESIDENT
Executive orders run rampant Alice Curran
Staff Writer
Donald Trump was sworn in as president on Jan. 20, and since then, he has signed many executive orders. Here’s a few:
Bring more jobs to America:
Trump plans on bringing 25 million more jobs to America. He plans to do this by taking back the jobs that are in China, Mexico, Japan and Vietnam.
Immigration Control:
Trump plans to deport illegal immigrants in the U.S. and instill stricter security by having a wall built at the U.S.Mexican border. On his website, Trump’s administration pledges to “suspend... immigration from some of the most dangerous and volatile regions of the world that have a history of exporting terrorism.”
Rebuild our military:
Photo by CreativeCommons.org President Donald Trump entered office on Jan. 20 among supporters and many protest. President Trump marks himself as the 45th President of the United States after a very long campaign race against Democrat and former First Lady Hillary Clinton.
Trump inaugurated 45th president Rachel Bullock Staff Writer
Inauguration Day pulled through with the transition of the presidential Donald Trump into presidential office among much controversy on Jan 20. “I think it was ultimately a peaceful transition of power, but I was grimacing at what’s going to come because I couldn’t see a face like that making America better again,” freshman Marjina Haque said. Trump is the United States of America’s 45th president. Even though there’s been backlash that followed Trump to the White House, the ceremonies and traditions provided a professional tone to the scene of unity and bravery. “I will fight for you with every breath in my body and I will never, ever let you down,” Trump said in a transcript from the Washington Post of his Inaugural Address in Washington D.C.
The ideals expressed by Trump’s wish to instill power in the people was widely discussed as patriotic and empowering. “I think he’s going to achieve that,” senior Floyd Brown said. “It’s about how and when.” Some people thought otherwise, taking Trump’s words as a fad, the first false promise of a new era. “He was very vague,” Haque said. “I think it was to insight power in people and make them feel like they had a voice.” Despite the protests and the fears that people have, Trump has attempted to unify the people when he was addressing the public. “We are one nation and their pain is our pain,” Trump said in his address on Jan 20. “Their dreams are our dreams and their success will be our success. We share one heart, one home and one glorious destiny. The oath of office I take today is an oath of allegiance to all Americans.”
Inauguration Day is supposed to be one of commemoration, hope and celebration. However, it ended up being full of confusion, chaos and protest. Washington D.C. was alive with distrust from protesters causing enough havoc to block off multiple streets and a mall. Most notably, access to the actual inauguration was limited at times because of the of protests. “We must speak our minds openly, debate our disagreements honestly, but always pursue solidarity,” Trump said in reference to the protests and division. Protesters dominated the news networks but they weren’t the only ones in D.C. Supporters were highly encouraged to attend by the president and many were glad to have gotten the chance to do so. “This is your day. This is your celebration,” Trump said. “And this, the United States of America, is your country.” Facebook: Rachel Bullock
Read about the Women’s March on our website ThePearlPost.com
In order to enforce immigration restrictions, Trump wants to increase the military to 540,000 active soldiers, provide 350 U.S. Navy ships, 1,200 aircrafts for the U.S. Air Force and 36 Battalions for the U.S. Marines.
Repeal and Replace the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare):
Trump has promised a health care plan that would be “better and more affordable” than Obamacare, however no concrete replacement plan has been revealed.
Defund Planned Parenthood:
Trump wants to defund the federally funded program, Planned Parenthood. Trump wants to stop spending on Planned Parenthood, which provides abortion services. “I would defund it because of the abortion factor, which they say is 3 percent. They say it’s 3 percent. But I would defund it, because I’m prolife,” Trump said at a debate in Feb. 25, 2016. @aliicecuran
Trump’s Cabinet
Chief of Staff: Reince Priebus Chief Strategist: Stephen Bannon Senior Advisor: Jared Kushner National Secretary Adviser: Micheal Flynn Homeland Security Adviser: Thomas Bossert Counselor: Kellyanne Conway Regulatory Czar: Carl Icahn White House Counsel: Donald McGahn II Trade Czar: Peter Navarro Press Secretary: Sean Spicer Secretary of State: Rex Tillerson Defense Secretary: James N. Mattis Transportation Secretary: Elaine Chao Education Secretary: Betsy DeVos Attorney General: Jeff Sessions
Feb. 10, 2017
The Pearl Post
Special Reports 7
Fake news sources affect journalist credibility Michelle Kaganovsky and Ani Kocharyan Staff Writers
The journalism community is quietly suffering in the hands of one misleading source: fake news. Fake news is information published to deliberately mislead readers. This includes hoaxes, propaganda and false information. The rapid spread of false journalism stemmed from the 2016 presidential election when multiple news outlets published false information regarding Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. “It’s affecting real journalists,” freshman Elijah Longboy said. “It’s hurting people since they’re not being told the truth about what’s going on in the world.” One of the main motives behind fake news outlets is money. Many fake news sites create eye-catching headlines in order to lure readers to click on their stories, which in turn brings in profit for the writers. These stories lack any facts and accuracy and usually consist of rumors, opinions and implications. Various sites also create fake news in order to influence public opinion. Those who create and share fake news tend to do so with messages they agree with rather than opposing views. A major source of profit for people publishing fake news is advertising. Also referred to as “clickbaiting,” fake news writers fabricate stories in order to make revenue off of online advertising. On websites that produce false news, writers can receive thousands of dollars solely off of advertisements. The writers then post their stories on social media, especially on Facebook, to get more readers. “I think fake news is just for the writers to get money and it doesn’t do any good for anyone else,” freshman Emily
Screenshot from Disclose.tv Websites like Disclose.tv provide viewers with false information about information ranging from politics to space discovery. Berk said. The influx of fake journalism began after the election. On Dec. 4, 2016, a man walked into Comet Ping Pong, a ping-pong bar and pizzeria, in Washington, D.C. with a gun. He fired at least one shot before surrendering to police. In a fake news story, Comet Ping Pong had been accused of being where Hillary Clinton ran a child-trafficking ring. The
man admitted that he had traveled from North Carolina to see if the story was true. Fake news is undermining the credibility established by real journalists. By spreading false information, many journalists are losing their trustworthiness among readers. Fake news sites are taking away readers from credible news sources, which results in less funding for publications that
actually try to provide factual information to the public. As a result, real journalists aren’t getting the recognition they deserve for writing honest and factual pieces. “Fake news, a total political witch hunt!” Trump tweeted on Jan. 10. Instagram: @ani_kocharyan Instagram: @michelle.ella
Beware of these fake news Journalism 1 students learn to decifer fake news websites Angel Rivera Staff Writer
Journalism 1 students have been participating in a pilot online media literacy program to learn how to spot fake news and determine news value. Checkology Virtual Classroom is a computer-based program created by the News Literacy Project founded by former journalist Alan Miller in 2009. In the online program, students learn different methods of identifying fake news from real news. “Now when I go on a website, I can tell whether or not the information is fake based on the strategies I’ve learned on Checkology,” freshman Marjina Haque said. “It has definitely made recognizing incorrect information much
easier.” Students are also taught how to check sources for credibility and receive an in-depth explanation of some of the basic principles of journalism. They are able to participate in online interactives and activities that propose different variations of learning a topic during class time or at home. The program’s videos feature journalists from various organizations, including PBS News Hour and The New York Times. With the aid of this program, students are able to detect wrong information from the media much easier while learning about the journalism profession. Instagram: @aangel_rivera
Entertainment 8
The Pearl Post
Must-see Netflix originals to watch this year
Feb. 10, 2017
Whether recent or six seasons running, here are shows bound to entertain. Liliya Miroshnychenko House of Cards A popular political drama that shows the harsh, dark side of politics. Majority Whip politician Frank Underwood, angered by not being nominated by the President to become Secretary of State, decides to become President himself. The show is suspenseful, gritty and also sophisticated as the series brings to life the hidden power play that politicians do to come in and stay in power, with little regard to the people they’ve sworn to serve.
Staff Writer
Ajin: Demi-Human This animated series is based on a japanese manga. Teenage boy Kei Nagai finds out he has rare powers that make him immortal. Knowing he’ll be sought after by the government to become a lab rat for experiments, Nagai flees his home. However, he soon learns hiding out will not be a choice as he is dragged into the middle of a terror war between humans and others like him. Screenshot from Netflix Narcos Travel back to the 1970’s, when the war on drugs was gaining traction during Richard Nixon’s presidency. While the newly created Drug Enforcement Agency was cracking down on finding local marijuana trades, a much bigger threat was finding its way into the coasts of Miami. Sickening the rich and famous, then spreading through the streets, and eventually invading the whole American drug culture. Its source? Medellin, Colombia. Discover the story of infamous drug lord and narco-terrorist Pablo Escobar as it is told through the perspective of DEA agent Steve Murphy, who is sent to Columbia to sever the deeply rooted cocaine trade. Making a Murderer Filmed over a 10-year period, this documentary series tells the chilling story of Steven Avery, a man sentenced to prison for 18 years for a murder he did not commit. After being exonerated in 2003 through DNA evidence and filing a lawsuit against the county that wrongfully prosecuted him, he is sent back into jail two years later for murdering a local photographer. Though slow, the show will definitely keep the viewer engrossed in this hazy mystery. Is Avery really a psychopath or is he the lurid creation of corrupted authorities?
Screenshot from Netflix
Screenshot from Netflix
Screenshot from Netflix
Screenshot from Netflix
Screenshot from Netflix
Stranger Things Stranger Things is probably the biggest Netflix Original that created the largest hype in just a few short days after its release. After a boy is reported missing, a small town is thrown into a panic as traces run cold to find him. It is up to the boy’s group of friends to find their lost friend. However, the closer they get to finding him, the darker their discoveries become. Thrilling, suspenseful and mysterious, the horror-fiction show has an unlikely lesson of the importance of friendship. Screenshot from Netflix
Screenshot from Netflix
One Day at a Time If you like sitcoms, this show is just for you. Though it is a comedy, the series does not lack character development as it mixes humor with serious life situations. From serving in Afghanistan to becoming a newly divorced mother, Penelope has her work and home life, sharing an apartment with her traditionalist Cuban mother, liberal teenage daughter and her adolescent son. Throughout the first season, the series addresses controversial topics like immigration, racism, feminism and homosexuality. Although the show is filled with humor, there are moments of harsh reality that Penelope and her family must overcome together. Luke Cage If you like superhero shows, you’ve probably already watched Daredevil. A lesser known Netflix Original is Luke Cage. The immersive story brings you into the heart of Harlem to watch the story of Luke Cage, a former convict with superhuman strength and unbreakable skin who escaped prison to lay low, but is then dragged into a battle with a corrupt politician to fight on the side of the people. It’s entertaining, action-packed, and has a soulful soundtrack that goes perfectly into the show’s setting to create a vibe that goes along ideally with the show’s character and the city. Series of Unfortunte Events Based on the popular children’s novels by Lemony Snicket, this shows bring to screen the haunting story that follows the lives of Violet, Klaus and Sunny Baudelaire. Their new life begins after their parents’ death in a house fire. The three children are placed in the custody of their uncle, Count Olaf, who devises a series of mischievous plots against the kids in an attempt to steal their inheritance that was left to them from their deceased parents. Dark, funny and whimsical, this show is an exciting watch from start to finish. Instagram: @liliya.miro
Feb. 10, 2017
The Pearl Post
Entertainment 9
CGI bringing back dead actors causes controversy Michael Chidbachian Staff Writer
With the recent release of “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” audiences have realized that the movie contained computer-generated imagery (CGI) for purposes regarding the plot. This has been controversial due to whether or not the decisions made were ethical. Some believe that bringing people back to films despite their death is a great way to recreate an original film or to make movies that fit perfectly with the storyline. However, others feel that new actors should be hired to replace the deceased ones. In certain cases where most of a film is nearly finished and an actor passes, it would be alright to use CGI so that it’s much easier for the studio to complete the movie without reshooting all of their scenes. This happened in “Furious 7” when, near the end of filming, actor Paul Walker died in a car accident. The producers decided to use his brothers Cody and Caleb Walker and used CGI to finish the movie. When it comes down to making sequels and further add-ons to popular series, it is alright to use CGI for dead actors only if they are an important character in the film. However, if the actor played a minor role, there should be a new, similar-looking actor to replace them rather than going through all the troubles CGI offers. In “Rogue One,” Peter Cushing, who died in August 1944, played a significant role in the storyline, therefore making it important that his appearance in the film looks exactly like him. New films that have no connections to previous movies whatsoever shouldn’t be using dead actors to fill in the spot of a character. With all the actors in the world, new and experienced, the filmmakers should work with them instead of doing countless hours of work for one actor. Instagram: @Michaelvchid
Screenshot from YouTube CGI revives Peter Cushing’s character in “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.”
Screenshot from YouTube “Riverdale” tells the story of a small town disturbed by the death of a close friend and the arrival of a new transfer student.
CW releases first season of dark adaptation of beloved Archie Comics Rachel Bullock Staff Writer
“Riverdale” has transitioned the Archie comics into a modern teenage drama, taking its iconic characters and molding them into a show most millennials are sure to enjoy today. It’s reminiscent of soap operas, contemporary stereotypes, societal trends and murder mysteries of late. This new series prevails in the template of an honest town and molds it into a dark sphere where chaos is due to take its reign. This show displays no restraint, letting the writers adapt Archie and friends the way they see fit. It works in a lot of ways on its own, so it’s best to drop the comparison because this is simply a new take on the classic comics as an adaptation for television. Archie Andrews (K. J. Apa) as the title character has changed through the various versions of the comics. In this series he retains a bit of his boy-next-door charm hidden under unrealistically red hair and
an intense six-pack. Told through the perspective of a bitter Jughead Jones (Cole Sprouse), the plot line revolves around the residents of Riverdale, not just Archie, specifically the students at Riverdale High who have dealt with a peer’s death during their summer break. Veronica Lodge (Camila Mendes) is a new student who brings her own family secrets and becomes close friends with Betty Cooper (Lili Reinhart). Later it is foreshadowed that the creation of a love triangle wil occur, like there was in the comics. “Riverdale” combines the main Archie comics with that of Josie and the Pussycats. Josie McCoy (Ashleigh Murray) is the leader of the musical trio yet it is still unclear exactly what role she and the group will play in the bigger storyline. The show is complicated and modern in every possible way and the dark twists are revealed in a well-paced manner to set up the drama. The acting is excellent and the tension that the music subtly implies
is enough to set a grim tone to this daring series. Costumes and settings are colorfully bubbly and match that of the comic’s exaggerated style but in a more current and surprisingly modest sense. With a slew of characters and various dynamics between them cohesively forming a new reality for audiences to come to know as a dark Riverdale, it’s safe to say that this show can both stand on its own and accompany its source in expanding the universe of the comics. This series is serious and deals with sexual, moody themes that are not appropriate for those who are not mature. The target audience is older teens and that’s the age range minimum that those considering watching should be. This show contains murder, frequent cursing and a teacher/student relationship- all of which are prominent and defining for the show as well as essential parts of the plot. Facebook: Rachel Bullock
Artist of the Month:
NoName debuts as singer, rapper, slam poet Julia Torres
Copy Editor
Chicago native Fatimah Warner also known as hip-hop artist “NoName” debuted her first album “Telefone” in July 2016. Growing up in the Bronzeville neighborhood, Warner started writing slam poetry in 2010 and freestyle rapping with her friends. Nearly three years later Warner started to gain attention after being featured on Chance the Rapper’s track “Lost” from his album “Acid Rap.” She was also featured on Mick Jenkins’ mixtape “The Waters,” contributing to the track “Comfortable” and more.
Warner announced the start of her debut album in 2013, and took nearly three years to complete it. Needless to say, “Telefone” was well worth the wait. Ten tracks were made inspired by all of the 25-year-old’s valuable telephone calls she’s had. Her one-of-a kind style and passion makes Warner so unique and intriguing. Warner incorporated slam poems into her songs while singing and rapping. “Noname” creates music to speak up about issues concerning black women and her hardships growing up in Illinois. Although Warner’s songs are very personal and uncensored , she stays very
quiet in matter of the press and interviews. Instagram: @julia.alinaa For the full story, vist thepearlpost.com
Screenshot from YouTube Fatimah Warner raps under NoName.
Sports 10
The Pearl Post
Feb. 10, 2017
Boys soccer shoots for victory again Steven Guzman Staff Writer
Photo courtesy of Keona Paniagua Black belt Keona Paniagua competes in a martial arts tournament.
Athlete of the Month:
Karate Kid Keonabelle Rachel Bullock
Staff Writer
As if playing two high school sports wasn’t enough, freshman Keona Paniagua is also a black belt in martial arts outside of school. Paniagua has been participating in martial arts since she was three when her father enrolled her in the sport. Not really having a choice to participate, she learned more about the activity, gradually coming to accept it, enjoy it and thrive in it. “I really enjoyed it so I continued to do it,” Paniagua said. Paniagua has been doing martial arts for 11 years now at the House of Champions. Just two years ago, she achieved what she had always worked toward: her black belt. It was a dream she had since she started martial arts. “It’s a really cool feeling,” Paniagua said. “I worked at it for years, it’s like accomplishing a lifelong goal.” Even though she continues to enjoys martial arts with her current success, it’s stressful continuing because she’s also balancing school work, volleyball and basketball on top of the martial arts. “I make sacrifices, like hanging out with friends, going to games,” Paniagua said. “It’s overwhelming sometimes.” Paniagua has also participated in martial arts tournaments, representing the House of Champions and bringing home trophies every time. Regardless, Paniagua has a passion for martial arts. She returns to the House of Champions for her matches and practices, determined in further enhancing her skills and doing what she loves. “It’s a way to express myself,” Paniagua said. “I’m not a dancer or an artist, but with martial arts I can be me.” Facebook: Rachel Bullock
With an undefeated streak, junior varsity soccer player Kevin Garcia is confident that they will keep up the good work this season. “We are undefeated in the season so far,” Garcia said. “We played against five teams in brackets and we are going to play again.” Last season, the Birmingham Community Charter High School (BCCHS) Patriots junior varsity team had an outstanding 16 wins and 5 losses. Some of these wins were against Granada Hills Charter High School and Taft Charter High School. With all these wins, junior varsity player Adonis Arevalo is sure that they will do good next season. Arevalo has been on varsity soccer since 10th grade and he admits that training mainly consists of possession, grid, running and formation. “We have been dominating all games,” Arevalo said. “We hope to keep up the work in the next five games.” Having a strong mentality and a good heart is the key to keeping up all these wins, according to Arevalo. Inner strength to keep playing is what truly matters out in the field. “You have to have compassion when you enter the field,” Garcia said. “You need a lot of heart.” Aside from wins, some of the team’s goals are to take away possessions from the opposing team to stop them from scoring and to socialize with one another
Photo by Rachel Bullock Varsity player Adonis Arevalo dribbles the ball to keep it away from his opponent during practice. so they can be able to coordinate better as a team. “I plan to communicate more with my mid-fielders and defenders,” Garcia said. “I
also plan to go physical against opposing players.” Instagram: @Strykemedown
Ask Athletes:
What’s the most extreme sport in school? April Serrano
Staff Writer
Photo by Daniela Guzman Lissa Favela, senior Sport: Volleyball
Photo by April Serrano James Wong-Young, junior Sport: Water polo
“Football is pretty intense because it’s a lot of physical contact and it’s physically demanding.”
“Water polo definitely. In swimming, you use all the muscles in your body and many might think it’s throwing a ball and swimming, but it’s much more under the water.”
Photo by April Serrano Blanca Larrañaga, sophomore Sport: Cross Country “Cross country because it takes strength, endurance and control to keep going. It is also competitive.” Twitter: @lirpa_cs
Feb. 10, 2017
The Pearl Post
Tech 11
The GOATCase is the GOAT of cases Richard Mendiola
Staff Writer
Sticking to almost anything, the GOATcase is taking phone case technology to a whole new level. Referred to as the Anti-Gravity iPhone case, the GOATcase from Mega Tiny Corporation has been trending throughout the internet due to its widespread use. The case can be used to help the user take photos or videos of themselves or of others without holding the phone. The case’s use has been highlighted through the social network Instagram. Promoters of the case film themselves explaining how amazing the GOATcase is. They stick the case on a surface, usually mirrors, which shows consumers how the case works. The phone case uses tiny suction cups to stick onto various surfaces and will stick onto almost any smooth surface, including glass, whiteboards, metal, kitchen cabinets and etc. The case doesn’t work on every surface the user tries to plant it onto. This
Photo from Postmates.com
App of the Month: Photo from goatcase.com The GOATcase provides a new way for phone users to take videos and pictures. may cause the device to fall and shatter. This case is more of a novelty case rather than a practical one. The use of the case is limited. It is only allows for front-facing photos or videos to be taken. Other than that, the GOATcase is the case for those who like to use the front-facing camera often. The case’s over-
all protection of the phone isn’t the most durable, focusing more the suction rather than the protection of the device. The GOATcase retails for $49.99 and is available for iPhone 6 and 6 Plus and Samsung Galaxy S6 and Edge phones. Twitter: @rsmendiola23
Apps to pave your path to college
Here are some college apps that won’t empty your wallet. Sergio Payeras Staff Writer
Photo from Collegehunch.com
Photo from schoold.co
Photo from pathsource.com
CollegeHunch Developer: Stipend LLC
Schoold Developer: Vested Finance
PathSource Career Developer: PathSource
CollegeHunch lets you compare data on more than 800 colleges. It allows you to easily create spreadsheets comparing up to 15 schools (in-app). You can compare tuition, financial aid statistics, deadlines for scholarships, neighborhoods and even weather data on the area. You can also find notable alumni from each school.
Schoold features college counseling and planning tools as well as data on more than 3000 colleges and universities, majors and costs. Other features include being able to calculate admission chances, search for more than 25K scholarships and career pathway guides to help find colleges with necessary programs for your career of choice. Available on the App store and Google Play Store.
This app is designed to help choose a career path. It grants easy access to education programs and can greatly help in finding a person’s right college and major. Other features allow you hear interviews from real people about their jobs and what each of them wish they knew before they started. PathSource Career will help you match your lifestyle of choice with the right career and learn what you need to do in order to achieve those goals.
Twitter: @sergio22ap
Postmates Eva Kaganovsky
Staff Writer
From Starbucks coffee to Nike apparel, the app Postmates delivers anything to your doorstep in minutes. “Postmates is creating a local on-demand delivery infrastructure,” April Conyers, senior director of communications at Postmates said during a private interview. “Before it was difficult to get things delivered quickly but now you can support your local business or have Chipotle delivered to your door.” In today’s fast paced society, the app Postmates allows for on-demand delivery anytime of the day. Through the app, you are able to order anything from food to cosmetics and clothing. By simply searching the items you want, Postmates works almost like Uber, picking up and delivering your order to the designated location. The app was created by Bastian Lehmann and Sean Plaice after Lehmann struggled to find a fast way to move goods around the city following his move to London. Over the course of the last year, their quick delivery app has become tremendously popular. Postmates currently operates in 46 metropolitan markets. The app itself is free to download on the App Store. The price of the delivery depends on the distance between the pickup and drop-off location and an additional nine percent service fee. If you refer a friend, both of you will get a free $10 delivery after their first purchase. With over hundreds of stores and restaurants to choose from, Postmates has redefined the meaning of on-demand delivery. Twitter: @evaakaganovsky
For a list of 2017’s five most anticipated games visit our website www.thepearlpost.com
Valentine’s Day 12
Feb 10, 2017
The Pearl Post
Valentine’s Day gifts that won’t break the bank
On Valentine’s Day, the smallest and most affordable gifts can be the most meaningful. Here is a list of gifts everyone, even students can afford. Daniela Guzman Staff Writer
Photo from luckies.co.uk
Photo from See’s Candy
Photo from amazon.com
Luckies of London You Complete Me Wooden Jigsaw Gift Set ($11.50)
Classic Red Heart Chocolates ($13.50)
Silver Plated Pendant Necklace with Engraved Heart Locket (16.99)
This heart-shaped jigsaw puzzle allows for one to write a heartfelt message to be pieced together.
For those who prefer celebrating Valentine’s Day in a more traditional fashion, a classic box of chocolates is the perfect gift. This can be purchased at See’s Candy.
This locket is suitable to place an image of yourself or you and your significant other. Though it is simple and compact, this locket will be cherished by your Valentine for life.
Photo from modcloth.com
What I Love ($11.99)
About You Journal
This journal contains 50 prompts that allows you to fill in the blanks on gushy statements such as “When we are apart, it makes me happy to think about ___.” Twitter: @mazzalai
Movies that will empty your tissue box this Valentine’s Day Ani Kocharyan Staff Writer
Whether snuggling with a significant other or watching alone, these films are ideal for this Valentine’s Day.
50 First Dates Photo from flickr.com
500 Days of Summer
Rating: PG-13 Genre: Drama/Romance Released: 2009 Two co-workers bond over a band in an elevator. After that, Tom can’t help but fall in love with Summer, until she breaks up with him. He tells the 500 day story of falling for a girl that doesn’t believe in falling in love.
Photo from Sony Pictures
Rating: PG-13 Genre: Romance/Comedy Released: 2004 Afraid of commitment, Henry does all he can to avoid long term relationships. Upon seeing a woman in a restaurant, Lucy, he becomes instantly infatuated. He soon learns that she suffers from short term memory loss and is unable to remember who he is on a daily basis.
The Tourist
Photo from Sony Pictures
Rating: PG-13 Genre: Fantasy/Comedy-Drama Released: 2008 Character Frank, takes a trip to Paris where he meets Chiara on a train. Unknown to him at the time, Frank is mistaken for Chiara’s criminal lover and because of this, various people try to capture the pair. Twitter:@ani_kocharyan
For the complete list of movies to watch this Valentine’s day, visit our website www.thepearlpost.com