Nov. 8, 2016
Volume 8 Issue 3
Making melodies with a message of peace Page 3
THE
PEARL POST
Daniel Pearl Magnet High School 6649 Balboa Blvd., Lake Balboa, CA 91406
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News 2
The Pearl Post
Nov. 8, 2016
“In One Instant” warns against distracted driving Alice Curran
T
Staff Writer
he junior and senior classes attended an assembly “In One Instant” by the Teen Safe Driving Program, on Nov. 3. “In One Instant” is an award-winning program dedicated to informing teenagers how to make smart decisions while driving. The presentation consisted of a powerful video on the consequences of reckless driving and a speaker who shared his story. The Los Angeles Police Department also brought a wrecked car that was involved in a fatal texting while driving accident, to further demonstrate how dangerous distracted driving can be. The reenactment video began ordinarily, with multiple families starting their days. Then three friends decide to ditch class and get drunk. Despite them all being intoxicated, they made the decision to drive back to school, a decision that would turn out to be fatal. At their school another group of four, non-intoxicated students are in a car, about to start driving. The video builds anticipation as the music gets louder and the drunk driver is struggling to stay conscious. As he reaches the school, he strikes the side of the other vehicle. The moment of impact is harsh and graphic, making the situation seem extremely realistic. The disorientation and confusion of the seven teenagers is just as unsettling. In the video, one teenager from the car that was hit and a teacher standing nearby were killed, and another girl was paralyzed. The teen driver was sentenced to 12 years in prison. “In One Instant’s” video powerfully
Photo by April Serrano Seniors Janay Lewis and Emily Rodriguez look at a car that was totaled in an accident caused by texting while driving. The Teen Safe Driving Program educates students about the consequences of driving while intoxicated and of using a cell phone while driving. showed the various outcomes that can occur when driving intoxicated or distracted. The use of details such as one character’s upcoming birthday and montages of teens in school made the video even more relatable and therefore more effective. Texting and driving can be just as fatal as when intoxicated. Through interviews with real people who lost a loved one because of texts that read, “lol,” “yeah” or
“where you at,” the message of, “No text is worth dying for,” was spread. After the video, senior Brandon Tapia led the programs’ “Vow to Live” pledge, which was recited by everyone in unison. Speaker Jesse Santiago then shared his story of drunk driving, and how his choices changed his and other people’s lives. “It’s important to realize that all our
choices have greater impact than in our immediate world,” Santiago said. As the assembly ended, Mrs. Bootel echoed “In One Instant’s” message that our actions and mistakes can drastically change lives in just one instant. “After seeing this video, it called attention to some of my own mistakes,” Mrs. Bootel said. Twitter: @aliicecurran
String quartet entertains students Emily Berk
Contributing Writer
Students at Daniel Pearl Magnet High School (DPMHS) were thrilled when they learned that the Kadima String Quartet was coming to perform and were eager to see the show. “I thought the show was very interesting and soothing,” freshman Bianca Lam said. On Nov. 2, the Kadima String Quartet came to DPMHS and played songs ranging from “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik” by Mozart to “All About That Bass” by Meghan Trainor. The performance opened with musicians Eric KM Clark and Brian Benning on the violin, Beth Elliot on the viola and Lynn Angebranndt on the cello, all sitting in a circle, playing their instruments. They wore black clothing and had focused looks on their faces. Throughout the show, students were taught about the history of mu-
Photo from Driftwood Dairy
Got chocolate milk? Photo by Angel Rivera The Kadima String Quartet engages students with their performance. sic and learned about these instruments. Students were able to vote on which songs were played. “I liked the Gremlins song. I love
the Gremlins,” said Cameron Vega. The quartet visited DPMHS as a part of their, Interactive Music Exploration Tour.
Chocolate and strawberry milk is finally being brought back into the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) cafeterias. In a vote of 6 to 1 held on Oct. 18, the Board of Education decided to reintroduce flavored milk back into the schools.
Read more at ThePearlPost.com
Nov. 8, 2016
The Pearl Post
News 3
Photo by Daniela Guzman Emcee Aaron Mejia addresses the audience while the choir stands ready to perform the next song. DPWMD is a product of the Daniel Pearl Foundation to celebrate Pearl’s life.
“Give Peace a Chance”
Harmony, poetry fill 7th annual Daniel Pearl World Music Day Eva Kaganovsky and Michael Chibachian Staff Writers
Photo by Daniela Guzman Music teacher Wes Hambright conducts students. The students had been practicing since early September.
Photo by Daniela Guzman Ruth and Judea Pearl attend the 7th annual DPWMD, having attended every show since the creation of the school.
The bright, purple lights of the stage illuminated the otherwise dark MPR. The walls were decorated with paintings of colorful peace signs. The audience chattered quietly as they waited for the show to begin. On Oct. 28, Daniel Pearl Magnet High School students performed in the 7th annual Daniel Pearl World Music Day (DPWMD) held in the Multi-Purpose Room (MPR). DPWMD is a series of concerts held around the world in October to honor the life and death of Wall Street journalist Daniel Pearl. Along with Dr. Judea and Mrs. Ruth Pearl, the MPR was filled with guests including members of the Lake Balboa Neighborhood council, Los Angeles Unified School District officials and third graders from Valley Alternative Magnet School. “I liked when they sang all the songs that I know and I liked celebrating Daniel Pearl because he was a great guy,” third grader Victoria Mejia said. Dr. Pearl, along with his wife Mrs. Pearl, attend every DPWMD as the school honors not only the namesake of our school, but what the school stands for: bravery, determination and acceptance. “Daniel Pearl World Music Day is all about remembering someone,” senior soloist Ruby Rodriguez said. “We sent out a message of peace and harmony because that is what we need right now.” Daniel Pearl’s parents started DPWMD to celebrate Mr. Pearl’s birth month with music, the way he would’ve wanted it. “Daniel was very unorganized except for his music collection which he prided himself with,” Mrs. Pearl said. The Daniel Pearl Foundation, created by his parents soon after his death in 2002, sponsors the world-wide
musical event. During the first year of Daniel Pearl World Music Days, there were 118 concerts held throughout the world. This year, there have been over 15,000 shows held in all parts of the globe to pay tribute to the work of the slain journalist. Senior Katie Lashley started off the show by performing her original poem, “Today Until Tomorrow.” Poetry is a new addition to the school’s DPWMD, letting the spoken word and music work in harmony. Senior Fairy Chotset opened Leonard Cohen’s song, “Hallelujah,” with a violin solo, the choir later joining in with the melody. Throughout the song, Wes Hambright conducted the choir. Throughout the show, there was a variety of captivating poetry. The Pearls commented that “Birth of a Monster,” performed by sophomore Emely Felix and seniors Katie Lashley and Juliette Tafoya, was one of their favorite performances. “It was very powerful and always ready with a punchline,” Mrs. Pearl said. Another memorable poem was given by junior Mirabelle Chernick. The poem, “Peace Seekers,” spoke about putting an end to war. Her poem directly referenced Mr. Pearl, giving the performance a personal touch. “I knew that nothing in the show at that point talked about Daniel Pearl and all that the family stands for,” Chernick said. For the finale, an explosion of confetti covered the room as the choir sang “Give Peace a Chance” by John Lennon. With the crowd on their feet and moving along with the beat, Dr. Pearl wiped away a tear. “Music is not a performance. It is a statement and you made a statement here for what Daniel Pearl stood for,” Dr. Pearl said. “It’s very heartwarming for us to see your school continue that message.” Twittter: @evakaganovsky Instagram: @michaelvchid
Features 4
Nov. 8, 2016
The Pearl Post
College Corner
Alternatives to post-high school life Eva Kaganovsky
Staff Writer
After high school, many students fear that college is their only option but college is not for everyone. There are many alternatives available for high school graduates.
The military
The military gives high school students the opportunity to gain knowledge in a wide variety of fields. The military provides healthcare, free/reduced college tuition and a salary similar to one of a college graduate.
American Corps
The American Corps is a network of hundreds of programs that give high school graduates an opportunity to learn work skills, earn money and travel across America to respond to community needs and aid in natural disasters.
Internships
Internships give graduates the opportunity to try out a career before committing to it. Although internships are usually not paid, they are an excellent way to gain experience.
A gap year
Instead of paying for college, another alternative is taking a year off. Malia Obama will be among a growing amount of students who decided to take a year off before attending college. There are so many opportunities out there that students are unable to experience by sitting in a lecture hall. Twitter: @evaakaganovsky
Photo by Anthony Weatherspoon Junior Roger Assad attempts to make a jump shot while being blocked by junior Ethan Abekasis during the first annual House Games.
House Games start with a slam-dunk Richard Mendiola
L
Staff Writer
et the games begin! Daniel Pearl Magnet High School hosted its first annual House Games. Watch as the houses Higgins, Salazar, Clemens and Hersey go head to head throughout the months of October and November. Organized by teachers Stephen Schaffter, James Morrison and students, the House Games is an event where the houses participate in various sports competitions against each other. The first game selected to be played at the House Games was basketball. Each house has its own team name. Hersey is under the team name Firebirds,
Salazar takes on the name Cobras, Higgins goes with Gryphons and Clemens with Pirates. The first round had the Hersey Firebirds against the Salazar Cobras and the Gryphons versus the Pirates. The Firebirds fell to the Cobras 8-12 and the Gryphons were defeated by the Pirates 0-8. The winners of the first round face off in the second round while the remaining teams face each other. The second round has the Cobras going against the Pirates and the Gryphons versus the Firebirds. The Cobras won against the Pirates 16-10. The Gryphons defeated the Firebirds 15-12.
Basketball Score Board (12-8) (W) Cobras vs. Firebirds (8-0) (W) Pirates vs. Gryphons (16-10) (W) Cobras vs. Pirates (15-12) (W) Gryphons vs. Firebirds
Twitter: @rsmendiola23
Students bring home awards, skills from Journalism Day Cristina Jercan Opinion Editor
Saturday morning is usually a time for waking up late, eating cereal and watching TV. However, Saturday Oct. 22 was a day of write-offs, new experiences and a gained new appreciation for journalism. The annual CSUN Journalism Day kicked off with an assembly where the students participating in the event were talked to by important speakers such as Kyle Finck, the head of High School Insider. Then the time had come for the most intense part of the entire morning: the write-off competition. All of the write-offs followed the typical model of a press conference followed by almost an hour of writing, except for the opinion write off. For opinion writers this year consisted of forming groups of five students and submitting spoken pieces for HS Insider’s
“Message to the Next President.” After students finished their write-off competitions, they attended the different workshops being held. The workshops included presentations from journalists including Adolfo Flores from Buzzfeed, who talked about covering Latino issues and Marqueeda LaStar, the community manager from BlackGirlNeeds, who talked about diversity. Once everyone was finished with the Subway sandwich lunch provided, it was time to announce the winners of each of the write-off categories. Staff writer Alice Curran won third place in News writing, Steven Guzman received honorable mention for the Social Media category, opinion editor Cristina Jercan won first place in the opinion category and photographer Richard Mendiola got honorable mention for Photojournalism. Twitter: @cristanabanana
Photo by Adriana Chavira The Pearl Post staff members attended CSUN’s annual Journalism Day and received four awards and new skills from professional journalists.
Nov. 8, 2016
The Pearl Post
Black Friday is dangerous waste of time and money for all shoppers Liliya Miroshnychenko Staff Writer
Thanksgiving Day, a time when you can sit down with your loved ones and be thankful for what you have; your family, friends and the impending doom of Black Friday. It is the call of consumerism that beckons many to load up on coffee, escape the comfort of their home and stand in the miserable cold. It’s a time for people to wait in a crazy line to purchase high-end electronics and scavenge in messy piles of clothing in desperation to find your size on that 50% off sweater. What drives people to sacrifice themselves to such a frenzy? The Black Friday tradition began in the 1960s to indicate the beginning of the holiday shopping season. Retailers went “into black” when accounting was done by hand changing red marks, meaning stores were losing profit, to black marks, meaning they were gaining it. Since then, it has evolved into what many know today as a night for mega sales, ferocious crowds and lots of overspending. This almost barbaric ritual has so many things wrong with it. The mass hysteria that possesses people to drive themselves to purchase as many things as possible goes completely against what many of the participants were celebrating just a few hours before. The only way the shoppers settle down is when they get home and look at
Editorial
Photo by Flickr Dozens of people fill stores every year in search of all the hot ticket items of the season. what they bought and the money they spent, slowly realizing that most of their purchases are neither needed nor very wanted. However, it does help people who don’t have a lot of advantages when buying things that they need or even want because of the drop in prices. People can also get started on their Christmas shopping, bond with their family and find a good price on something they may need. However, many of the things are bought on impulse and a lot of money is still wasted. There’s also a major safety issue that
haunts Black Friday. Not a year goes by when the news doesn’t report someone getting trampled by a person who threw away their humanity for the night to pursue their materialistic agenda. If someone really wishes to withstand the endless lines for one sleepless night for items they probably do not need, then there’s really no point in stopping them. However, they shouldn’t forget that there are other, much calmer and safer days for sales when it is not necessary to lose a night’s sleep or a limb over glorified discounts. Instagram: @liliya.miro
Enrollment becomes school-wide concern The average high school experience involves close friends, funny moments and most important of all, academics. However, can a student be able to experience this if the school they attend is slowly declining in its resources? There are many contributing factors as to why the school currently has low enrollment. Some of these factors is the very little promotion of the school and the limited resources we have. We do not have nearly as many advanced classes as other high schools. With a low number of all students currently enrolled, this means cuts in critical areas of the school budget, including teachers. This makes class sizes larger and more hectic to teach and grade. The school receives funding from Title 1, which is a federal funding source,
to help keep the school supplied with any things that might be needed. Yet the amount of funding received is dependent on the number of students enrolled. Due to the low enrollment, funding has lowered which prevents the school from providing certain things. One of which is no new technology for all students to access like iPads or computers for every class. With all kinds of cuts happening, this means no new supplies for teachers which can restrict their teaching, setting students back in their curriculum. The school has made an effort to work around the low-funding. This year, the currently cut music department returned because students need a visual or performing arts class for their A-G graduation requirements. It also helps to provide a gateway for those students who ex-
press themselves through art. As a way of recruiting future freshman from local middle schools to attend our school, Magnet Coordinator Nicole Bootel took current students out to speak at different middle schools about how great the school really is. We do think this type of promotion will help out by introducing our school to middle schoolers broadening their choices and possibly considering us as a choice. We would begin to draw in more students which increases our enrollment, greatly contributing to the school budget. Although with these major flaws in the school’s ability to stay afloat, we applaud all the effort done to help solve this concerning situation and hope it soon becomes a problem of the past.
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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 Sports Editor Winter Rawson Social Media Editor Kirsten Cintigo New Media Editor Maia Hito Copy Editor 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, Sergio Payeras, Angel Rivera, April Serrano Contributing Writers/ Photographers Emily Berk, Ashley Diaz, Thomas Short, Hayley Timsit, Deborah Zuleta 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.
Entertainment 6
The Pearl Post
Concert Review
Nov. 8, 2016
Finish Ticket brings good music to El Rey Theatre
Jessica Salguero and Cristina Jercan
Entertainment and Opinion Editors
A regular Thursday night, usually filled with studying and last minute homework assignments, was replaced with an array of phenomenal performances at the El Rey Theatre on Oct. 27. We immediately stood in the general admission area trying to find a spot that was as close to the stage as possible. It was quite a surprise that the concert wasn’t filled with a lot of people considering how good the live performances were about to be; we only filled up about half of the available space. The first opening act was a band called IRONTOM, made of lead singer Harry Hayes, guitarist Zach Irons, bass player Dane Sandborg, pianist Dan Saslow and drummer Dyl Williams. As Hayes sang the few songs they performed, including “Hookers” which was officially released the next day, he unleashed his dance moves that need to be seen in person to truly understand what words can’t describe. We were even lucky enough to be able to meet Hayes after his performance at the merch table by the entrance. “I’ve never seen someone feel music like Harry Hayes does,” said Alex Hwang, a member of Run River North and Steve Aoki look-alike. Run River North was the second opening act. They consist of six members:
Hwang on vocals and acoustic guitar, Daniel Chae on guitar and violin, violinist Jennifer Rim, bassist Joseph Chun, drummer John Chong and Sally Kang on piano and vocals. Their set included crowd pleasers, such as “Pretender” and “Superstition.” Each song was played with great passion and energy that drew the crowd to become immersed in the music. After the two amazing opening acts, it was time for the band everyone was waiting for: Finish Ticket. Lead singer Brendan Hoyes, bassist Michael Hoyes, guitarist lex Didonato, drummer Gabe Stein and pianist Nick Stein played some of their songs that were unquestionably going to pump up the crowd, including “Colors,” “Tranquilize” and “Wrong.” Although the music was phenomenal, the best part had to have been once they were exiting off stage. Didonato had just finished an incredible solo on the guitar and decided to throw his guitar pick into the crowd. Immediately a group of girls began frantically searching for it, but Jessica just casually picked it up and we rushed out. Concerts are always a good experience, but this one was truly remarkable. We’ll never forget the new music we were introduced to and the fun times that went along with it all. Cristina’s Twitter: @cristanabanana Jessica’s Instagram: @jesssick
Photo provided by MOXIE Finish Ticket band members from left to right: Nick Stein, Michael Hoye, Brendan Hoye, Gabe Stein and Alex Didonato performed at El Rey Theatre on Oct. 27.
Moana finally joins the Disney Universe Rachel Bullock Staff Writer
Screenshot by Julia Torres James Charles is a male makeup guru who has recently been sponsored as Covergirl’s first ever Coverboy.
YouTuber of the
month: James
Charles Julia Torres
Copy Editor
Seventeen-year-old James Charles, also known as JCharlesBeauty on Instagram and Twitter is a makeup guru and Covergirl’s first Coverboy. Charles came into the makeup world on accident when a friend asked him to help with her prom makeup. Last December, Charles started his first Youtube channel fully dedicated to makeup tutorials and challenges. For the full story visit www.thepearlpost.com
Get ready to set sail with the newest generation of Disney’s animated films as they continue to provide much promise for their upcoming release of “Moana.” On Nov. 23, “Moana” will take its audience into Oceania, where the title character Moana (Auli’i Cravalho) and demigod Maui (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson) travel across the ocean to a fabled island in order to save her people. The adventure is described to be a fantasy and an action-packed film for families. Moana is the daughter of a chief, has a talent for navigation and has a way with water. Moana’s name means “ocean” in Maori and Hawaiian as she is shown to have a strong connection to the sea throughout the various trailers. Moana, in addition to her adventurous personality, is going to be yet another independant princess if she’s inducted into the official lineup. She is not going to have a canon love interest unlike the majority of Disney’s female leads. The only character she depends on will be Maui, who is only along for divine intervention necessary to the plot. He is a companion who is supposed to help Moana become a master wayfinder and uncov-
Photo by Vimeo Moana (Auli’i Cravalho) will join Disney’s list of animated films and empowered female. er the mysteries of her sheltered upbringing through a quest of her ancestors’ time. There was a major controversy over the character Maui, who some say is a stereotype that represents polynesian men as fat. Critics say Disney needed to steer clear of that, but the character designers argued that he was made to seem strong and that this won’t influence a change in the important role he plays in “Moana.” There is a step forward in cultural inclusion within the expansion of lore and mythology that “Moana” is exploring by
being set in Oceania, the newest addition to the Disney Universe. Many people are overlooking this advancement because they are simply criticizing one character’s physical representation. Regardless, it seems as though Disney is trying to diversify their line of femle protgonists. It is the continuation of a new era of Disney animation that already masters the movie industry and is sure to capture the hearts of its audience once again with this film. Facebook: Rachel Bullock
Sports 7
The Pearl Post
Nov. 8, 2016
Fairy flies to first place in golf event Michelle Kaganovsky
Staff Writer
As senior Fairy Chotset takes her final swing, adrenaline and excitement courses through her. Her last shot secured her spot in first place in the tournament. “I remember thinking finally I got it,” Chotset said. At the league tournament, Chotset shot an impressive score of 90, a 10 stroke improvement from last year. With her total amounting to the lowest, Chotset’s score surpassed those of the other three schools respectively. “Fairy has gotten better each year. I just try to create a relaxed, non-anxious mindset so she can play her best,” coach Kevin Kelly said. Chotset’s win at the league tournament allowed her to advance to the southern California regional tournament scheduled for next week. If Chotset scores high enough, she could qualify for the state tournament. After three years of playing golf at Birmingham Community Charter High School (BCCHS) and ten years playing golf overall, Chotset brings a vital component to her team, experience. Her teammates count on her, which Chotset admits could be nerve wracking. “She’s the best one on the team and she’s extremely talented,” teammate Lauryn Uhlenberg said. When asked what advice she has for beginning golfers, Chotset encourages
Photo by Daniela Guzman Freshman Angelina Alonso warms up to begin wrestling her fellow team members.
Athlete of the Month
Photo by Juliette Tafoya Taking home the first place trophy, senior Fairy Chotset had the lowest score of all the schools competing in the tournament. them to work hard and stay dedicated. “If you love it, just do it. Many people think golf isn’t a real sport but golfers have to be precise and calculate so many things.
Just play a lot and you can do it,” Chotset said. Instagram: @michelle.ella
Boys water polo season comes to an end Ani Kocharyan Staff Writer
After three consecutive wins, the Birmingham Patriots lost 19-7 their second playoff game against Granada on Nov. 7. The Birmingham Community Charter High School (BCCHS) varsity team includes junior Shayn Gaft, sophomore Zachary Gephart-Canada and sophomore Ben Sanchez. Over the course of the last few months, the team has played 29 games and won 14 of them. The players have been working toward a stronger team and were hoping that their hard work would pay off. The first playoff game for the Patriots was a home game against Theodore Roosevelt High School on Nov. 4. Patriots won with a final score of 17-2. “We improved on communicating and having sportsmanship,” Gaft said. “We’re getting better because we’re building team chemistry.” The team won almost half of the games they have played and will have to continue working hard next season. Before playoff season began, players were feeling optimistic. “I was proud when we played against Granada because I made four goals,” Sanchez said. “I’d like to win the champion-
ships and improve on shooting the ball.” Players have already set their goals for the next season and they hope it’s one of the best seasons yet. “I’m working hard and getting better,”
Gaft said. “I’m still a junior, so by my senior year I’ll be stronger and better than I am now. I just need to keep practicing.” Instagram: @ani__kocharyan
Photo by April Serrano Sophomore Ben Sanchez shoots the ball to warm up for the game against Roosevelt High School. The Patriots lost against Granada on Nov. 7 and won’t be going to playoffs.
DPMHS’s 1st girl wrestler Liliya Miroshnychenko Staff Writer
Staring off her first ever wrestling season, freshman Angelina Alonso is excited to see what girls wrestling can do to influence her, and what she can learn from it. Initially, Alonso had no intent of joining wrestling in high school until a close family friend and sports coach suggested it to her. “He suggested that I try out. I feel like he thought I had potential,” Alonso said.“I was already deciding on what sport I should do for high school, and he thought I would do really well with wrestling.” Alonso is now happy with her decision to try out and is passionate about the sport. She hopes to continue wrestling throughout high school. Alonso meets with her wrestling team every day after school for an hour and 30 minutes. She enjoys that she can face her opponent one-on-one instead of a team, enjoying the individualism of the sport and being free to use her own moves and techniques. Though training is time consuming, Alonso has a strict schedule for herself and makes sure to follow it accordingly. Besides having strict time management, Alonso has to train her body to reach new extremes and improve her wrestling. The training she does builds up her endurance and skill, as well as tests her strength and improves wrestling positions. “My biggest challenge is not being strong enough or having enough stamina for the whole match, which results in me having to give up,” Alonso said. Instagram: @liliya.miro
Tech 8
The Pearl Post
End of 6-second Vine videos is here Thomas Short
Contributing Writer
It’s amazing to think that you can do so much and be so funny in just six seconds. It’s disappointing to hear that Vine is closing. I’ve been on Vine since December 2015 and have created over 100 videos. Plenty of Viners like Christian Delgrosso, Jerry Purpdrank and King Bach have millions of followers on Vine and will continue to have a web presence on their successful and popular YouTube channels once Vine is gone. For much smaller Viners like myself and many others that want to make a living off of Vine, they will not have any source of a career or entertainment to look forward to. Also, a lot of people who really love to make videos for the entertainment of their audience won’t have an audience to please anymore. With the Oct. 27 news from Twitter that it’s closing Vine, many young and not as well-known Viners are going to lose lots of money. Some of them don’t have much of a career planned out except creating 6-second videos. But honestly, people might very
Nov. 8, 2016
Nintendo Switch Announced Sergio Payeras Staff Writer
Screenshot from Poketom on Vine Sophomore Thomas Short posts videos on VIne and is disappointed about its demise. well be missing the obvious question. Why is Vine being deleted? Nobody has a clear answer to that question, not even Vine or its owner Twitter. All I have to say is that many people, including myself, are disappointed that one of the most popular source
of
video entertainment is ending. I still plan to keep doing what I enjoy most, which is making my longer YouTube videos. We still have many of our favorite Viners to look forward to, but now likely on YouTube.
With the official reveal of the Nintendo Switch on Oct. 20, Nintendo unites the mobility of handheld gaming with the power of home gaming. The Switch features a main tablet-like LCD monitor with slots on either side of it, “JoyCon” controllers that slide in and out of the slots and a dock that is used to charge the monitor as well as connect it to a television. The JoyCon controllers can be detached from the main monitor to serve as wireless controllers, much like the Wii Remote and Nunchuk. Nintendo’s president has said that the new system will not directly replace the current Nintendo 3DS and Wii U systems, but will instead offer new ways to play that will have larger impacts than that of the Wii U. After the Wii U failed to make much of a retail impact, the Switch can be seen as recognition of Nintendo’s vulnerable position on the gaming market. com
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Life unplugged: Students go a day without tech
Ashley shows it can be done Hailey cracked in 24 hours Hayley Timsit
Ashley Diaz
Contributing Writer
Contributing Writer
On Oct. 22, I made the decision to attempt a full day without using any gadgets. Usually when I first wake up, I look to the side of my bed and turn my phone on to see any notifications I received while I was asleep. I did exactly that but quickly remembered I wasn’t supposed to touch my phone all day. Once I turned my phone off, I set it down on my dresser. After I went downstairs, I said good morning to my family who was surprised to see that I didn’t have my phone in my hands. While I ate breakfast, I felt weird because I always check my timelines or watch Netflix at the table. This time, I had full conversations with my siblings and it wasn’t as bad as I thought. Once I ate breakfast, I went back upstairs to my room. I fell asleep since I didn’t sleep as long as I should’ve the night before because I was using my phone. After pacing my room trying to find something to do, I realized I hadn’t started on my assignment for AP Literature. As much as I procrastinated, I forced myself to finally start working on it. Because of the boredom I felt, I did break the rules once and checked my notifications. I didn’t open any apps, though. By 8 p.m., I finished my story and completely forgot about unplugging and accidentally watched a few minutes of
Photo by Deborah Zuleta Junior Ashley Diaz survived a day unplugged. television. Toward the end, I got really frustrated and wanted to quit the assignment. However, I continued to challenge myself and see how long I could go. At 9 p.m., I checked my backpack for more homework to do but found nothing, so I started reading an old favorite book of mine, “Looking For Alaska” by John Green. I got into it and discovered parts of the story that I didn’t notice the first time. This assignment made me realize how much I depend on technology. I did feel like I was going to die of boredom at random parts of the day. The experience really made me consider the thought of using technology way less and living life some more.
Going 24 hours without any use of technology was really tough and boring. I can’t say I went a full day without technology because I ended up cracking. When I wake up in the morning, I check my messages and all forms of social media. Since I couldn’t do that, I took my dog on a walk, a rare occasion for me. It was very relaxing, but I was still bored since I had no music to listen to. Since I had nothing to do and no one to text, I just went back to bed for a few Photo by Winter Rawson hours. When I woke up for good, I helped Freshman Hayley Timsit gave in to her my uncle make breakfast for my aunt and technology addiction. me. I don’t normally help with breakfast, bled and shot the basketball for a while in but that day I did. We turned on the radio the backyard. so we could listen to some music while I will admit, going 24 hours without cooking. technology was really hard. There were My day without technology hap- numerous times where I got to anxious pened on a Saturday and I had weekend to use my phone. But I managed to get homework. When I do my homework, through most of the day without techI listen to music and I text friends with nology. Surprisingly I was very productive questions. Without technology, I finished throughout that day. But unfortunately, my homework a lot faster. around 9 p.m., I cracked. I wanted to check my messages and It felt so good to respond to all my my Snapchat so badly. My aunt and uncle notifications and listen to music. I am diswere on their phones the whole day and appointed that I couldn’t complete the it was difficult to not grab their phones full 24 hours without technology, but I and log into my social media accounts. was proud of how productive I was withI usually don’t do physical activity by out any form of technology. choice, but I felt really good after I drib-