PEARL POST
www.thepearlpost.com
May 31, 2018
Volume 9 Issue 8
THE
Daniel Pearl Magnet High School 6649 Balboa Blvd., Lake Balboa, CA 91406
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News 2
The Pearl Post
May 31, 2018
Higher enrollment opens position for additional teacher Rudraj Koppikar Staff Writer
In the upcoming academic year, enrollment may increase, leading to the possibility of a new teacher position opening up in the mathematics department. “A larger student body could mean a larger selection of electives and greater scheduling options,” Principal Deb Smith said. Enrollment for the next school year is predicted to be at 376, above the norm threshold of 371. If the school stays above the threshold by Sep. 14, Norm Day, the district will fund another teaching position in the school. Norm Day is the day a month after school reopens when the school declares its enrollment to the district. Enrollment currently stands at 336 students. The school receives funding in two categories, norm funding and categorical funding. Norm funding is linked to the size of the student body while categorical funding is federal money and depends on factors such as the number of students enrolled for free or reduced lunch programs. The predicted enrollment is tentative, as the school loses its entire graduating senior class and predicts the number of incoming freshmen based on completed eChoice applications. The school also can’t predict how many students may not return next year, according to Magnet Coordinator Nicole Bootel. The school fell below the norm threshold in the 2015-2016 school year with only 363 students and the predicted enrollment for 2018-2019 is the first significant increase in enrollment since then.
Info-graphic by Rudraj Koppikar This graph is a representation of enrollment through the 2013-2018 school years. The total number of students has progressively been declining since the 2013 school year. The upcoming 2018-2019 school year is expected to bring in a larger freshman class. To increase recruitment each year, lies through various community activities.” year. Currently, the school doesn’t offer Bootel presents in middle schools during DPMHS has to compete for students Advanced Placement science classes as the enrollment season, which is from Oct. with other, often larger schools. Accord- small class sizes doesn’t warrant the cost 1 to Nov. 15 and encourages students ing to Smith, schools such as Granada Hills of the equipment necessary for this class. there to join the school. DPMHS also of- Charter High School with more developed At the end of every school year, adfers formal tours twice a week and in- STEM (Science, Technology, English and ministrative staff including Smith and Booformal tours to show interested parties Math) programs are the school’s biggest tel meet to discuss the effectiveness of the campus and how student life looks competition. STEM programs attract more recruitment efforts. The increased enrollon a normal day. The school has also students and are generally one of the most ment is a ray of hope in a school district launched a new website and an app. popular programs in a school. Though that’s been consistently losing students. “We primarily target middle schools next year the school will only be offering “We’re hoping that word that on the west side of the valley, although a single robotics class, Smith hopes there word is going to get out at Mulholwe also go to schools like Madison and will soon be a complete pathway for en- land that your kid doesn’t have to go Millikan that are on the east side,” Smith gineering to be offered in the school. to Reseda or Monroe,” Smith said. said. “Another way we increase recruitThis is one of the reasons the school ment is by word of mouth, kids talking to began to offer a robotics class during fourth other kids, families talking to other fami- period 4 and after school to students this Twitter: @rudy_beckom
Equity brings another Spanish teacher, one less math teacher Michael Chidbachian and Sergio Payeras Copy Editors
During a School Site Council (SSC) meeting, Principal Deb Smith announced that math teacher Anna Felix’s position will be closed, leaving teachers Leslie Hicks and Dan Cramer as the only ones in the math department. In order to be equitable to all departments, the SSC decided on a budget that traded a math teacher for a Spanish teacher due to the Spanish department only having one teacher and the math having three. “Mrs. Hurtado is one teacher who has to teach every single student on this campus,” Smith said. “That’s a tremendous burden for one teacher to carry all of that.” With Felix’s displacement, all of her classes will have to be taken up by Hicks and Cramer. They each have two free periods, one conference period and the other for Math for America, a program in which Hicks and Cramer try to increase persistent and deep, hands-on problem solving for more effective teaching. In order to make
room for the classes Felix taught, both teachers will have to use the MƒA period to teach a class. Even after redistributing Felix’s classes, there are not enough periods to teach all of the math courses. To fix this, an auxiliary teacher and college professor will have to teach one period a day to make up for the classes. However, this does not accommodate the students in each class. On a larger scale, it means an increase in class sizes within the math department. This poses problems for both students and teachers when it comes to learning. “We came to the conclusion that the thing that helps our students the best is lowering class sizes,” Hicks said. Because of the rearrangements, Hicks may be forced to trade in her AP Calculus class for another lower level math class if an auxiliary teacher, a teacher who comes to teach for one period, is not found. However, though AP Calculus may be in danger of cancellation, two Los Angeles Valley College classes, Math 240 (trigonometry) and Math 260 (pre-calculus) will be offered in the 2018-2019 school year. Math 240 will be offered in the fall while
Photo by Samantha Freyre Students in the second period AP Calculus class are working on projects that they would present to Pre-Calculus students as a way to encourage them to enroll in the class. Math 260 will be offered in the spring. Both of these classes are planned to take place during the school day. Another potential solution depends on whether or not the enrollment of the 2018-2019 school year will exceed 371 students. If this happens, then the district would grant Daniel Pearl Magnet High School another teacher, which Smith plans
on using for the math department. “The class sizes increasing for Algebra 1 is especially a big problem,” Hicks said. “The strongest correlation between a student’s early high school experience and not graduating from high school is failing Algebra 1.” Twitter: @justsergthings, @michaelvchid
May 31, 2018
The Pearl Post
Third annual Pearl Con proves to be a success
News 3
Melissa Hernandez
Staff Writer
Before PearlCon III opened to the public, teachers James Morrison, Stephen Schaffter and Charity Price had to think on their feet since almost everything placed outside was dampened from the morning rain. “It was harder than it normally was but then again when you pick a date that far in the future you can’t be guaranteed what the weather is going to be,” Schaffter said. Despite the weather, Daniel Pearl Magnet High School held its third annual PearlCon on May 12. The event was a huge success, earning a net profit of more than $2,000 for the PTSA and included the first ever car show. After taking down a comic book backdrop near the front entrance that was originally placed for visitors to take photos, PearlCon officially opened. Tables were lined up at the front gate to buy admission, comic books, t-shirts and pins. Tent booths leading up to the MPR had various sponsors to promote their brands such as the Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles, Los Angeles Public Library, the Los Angeles Police Department and more. Inside the MPR were booths where people sold comics, artwork, movies and video games. In addition, a costume museum was showcased. Vendors and comic book writers interacted with visitors by sharing information about their passion for comics and cosplay. “I started going to comic book shops and saw there were no women of color
Photo by Rosa Lemus Student store manager Erica Felicitas and her son pose for a photo next to Darth Vader, R2D2 and Rey at PearlCon III on May 12. on the cover (of books,) so I (decided to) create Rayven Choi,” Shequeta Smith said about her inspiration to introduce more graphic novels written by women of color. Car show vehicles were parked outside the MPR and featured models ranging from the 1940s to 2017. Vehicles included models from Ford, Buick, Datsun, Volkswagen, Dodge, Pontiac, Porsche and Fiat.
KITT, a car from the 80s television show “Knight Rider” was also on display. Workshops and presentations featured guest speakers such as character designer and film director Shannon Tindle, Emmy Award-winning producer Vance Kotria, special effects makeup artists Kelly O’Leary and Miranda Riddle, stop motion animator T Norton and professional cos-
players Liz Moss and Tahnee Harrison. “It’s great, like I’ve been to other comic cons before so doing something of this size and skill is kind of a new experience,” graphic novelist of “The Tempest” and “The Fire” Elaine Ho said. Instagram: @melissa_pikachu
Restorative Justice implemented to serve model for discipline Christine Valenzuela
Staff Writer
Students enter a classroom full of new faces during restorative justice, shy and unresponsive, while others are ready to pour out their thoughts and feelings. “I think it’s a good way to get to know people that you have an impression of but really you find out more about them,” sophomore Olivia Bullock said. As this is Daniel Pearl Magnet High’s first year implementing restorative justice, many students weren’t responsive during the monthly meetings. During group discussions, the advisory teacher passes around a talking piece that allows students to speak only during their turn with it. However, several students chose to stay silent or skip their turn when talking about events in their life or facts about themselves. “I hope that people will start participating and opening up more (during restorative justice),” Bullock said. On the third Friday of every month, students participate in the mandatory meetings known as restorative justice, a safe space where students can share their memories and feelings. Classes are short-
Photo by Julissa Rangel Senior Dean Khazanov passing around a sentimental motif in the first restorative justice session of the school year. This year was the first time restorative justice started. ened on thoses days to have time for a community with one another. 20-minute discussion. The school district “I don’t like restorative justice bebegan implementing this throughout the cause I think it wastes time since I don’t district hoping to have restorative justice learn about anything,” senior Jaleh Mosas a model for discipline. Los Angeles Uni- lemi said. fied School District initially adopted restorBetween fourth period and lunch, ative justice in 2013 for conflict resolution students are required to go to their adby having students sit down and form a visory teachers and a group of students
from different grade levels from their same house. Students who are new to the school are required to randomly select their house during orientation: Clemens, Hersey, Higgins or Salazar. Restorative justice will continue to be apart of students’ lives in the following years. Since the population of the school is not as large as typical high schools, the initial format of restorative justice was altered to fit the population of the school. “This year is the let’s get it going and see what is going to happen year,” said science teacher Stephen Schaffter, who organizes the monthly restorative justice activity. “We’re learning as we go. We’re fine tuning it. It’s not a final product and never will be a final product.” Several students and teachers gave positive and negative feedback regarding the restorative justice meetings. Contrary to popular belief among students, restorative justice was actually enjoyed and welcomed by many of them. “(Restorative justice in my class) was surprisingly engaging,” substitute teacher Charity Price said. “A lot of the students really enjoyed it.” Instagram: @cchristinevalenzuela
Opinion 4
The Pearl Post
May 31, 2018
Sexual harrassment remains a problem in schools Chelsea Bangert Contributing Writer
Jane (who’s name is not being published to protect her privacy), a 15-yearold ninth grader at Daniel Pearl Magnet High School, revealed to me how someone felt up her thighs and how he later slapped her backside as she was heading to the restroom. About 321,500 people are sexually harassed or assaulted per year in the US, according to the Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network (RAINN); 60,000 are children 12 and older. Among these incidents, eight percent of sexual harassments and assaults were done on school grounds. Despite the public outcry with the #MeToo movement, people are still committing these violating acts, even in schools. If we can stop the harassment stemming in schools, perhaps it won’t continue on into other establishments. Many people try to handle sexual harassment on their own at first. Eventually though, in Jane’s case he escalated, slapping her backside in a public place as his friends looked on and laughed. “I wanna say (I felt) surprised but not at the same time,” Jane said. “I didn’t know how to react at all.” Jane finally told administrators after he slapped her backside. His punishment was confidential but it included a letter he wrote to Jane, which she described as feeling “not very sincere.” “I didn’t like how someone was just going to force them to do something that they don’t want to do, because that’s dumb
Cartoon by Christine Valenzuela Some students, such as those at Daniel Pearl Magnet High School, have been experiencing sexual assault as cases of it increases in society. There have been some incidents where students dissuade advances but are still pursued by the assailant. and if he really meant it, he would’ve done it himself,” Jane said. “He should know what is right, and what’s wrong.” DPMHS has anywhere from 350 to 380 students at a time. It shouldn’t be hard to regulate this but apparently it is. “The number one thing we strive for here is to communicate to students what our behavioral expectations are,” Principal Deb Smith said. Tactics such as modeling behavior, conflict-resolution, detention and parent
conferences, with expulsion being the maximum punishment, are some ways to possibly regulate these occurrences. “Even though we should know better, we’re still talking about young people,” Smith said. “I’ve found that punishing students, punishing people, doesn’t work.” Students need to feel safe in schools. We already have walkouts and protests due to school shootings becoming the new “normal.” We shouldn’t also need to worry about sexual harassment.
That eight percent needs to become a zero percent. Stopping sexual harassment is a huge battle but if you need somewhere to start, start in schools. Schools have the same students on the same schedules with the same staff every single day; it is the easiest place to monitor for this sort of behavior yet it still happens. It’s unacceptable.
Lack of LGBT sex ed doesn’t display inclusivity to students Julissa Rangel Staff writer
As the negative connotations surrounding homosexuality begin to vanish, LGBTQ+ students are still deprived of the sex education their straight counterparts receive, ultimately leaving them more susceptible to serious problems regarding their reproductive health. Despite such warnings, a study conducted by the Advocates for Youth organization revealed that nearly 50 percent of high school students admit to a being sexually active. As this percentage grows, the mention or act of sex both seem to come as less of a shock to parents and school administration. Although high schools have responded to this by providing their students with some form of sex education (typically in ninth grade biology) and even free condoms, they tend to only produce a single heteronormative approach to the subject. For decades now, queer, gay and trans youth have been subject to blatant discrimination and have the highest chance of contracting the AIDs virus within their lifetime. Sexually transmitted diseases are much more prevalent in the LGBT community compared to straight people. According to a study conducted by the Cen-
Photo by Alice Curan A sign held up at the 2018 Women’s March contradicting the beliefs of the Anti LGBT. ters for Disease Control and Prevention in our youth on things that most affect their 2015, gay and bisexual men made up 70 health. Los Angeles organizations like Teen percent of people affected by the HIV vi- 411 have clinics at schools like Kennedy rus, despite only making up 2 percent of High School that confidentially offer all the United States population. their clients birth control, STD screenings, The further spread of such diseases pregnancy tests and sex education. can easily be avoided with the help of inEven though we’ve taught children clusive sex education that isn’t exclusive about abortion and clinics that offer their to straight students. Even though we’re clientele free contraceptives, we’ve combecoming more accepting as a society, pletely chosen to disregard the children we’ve completely refused to acknowledge to whom these two factors do not apply. that there’s an actual need to educate Schools hardly ever focus on LGBTQ issues,
sex-ed easily being the most neglected of these. Another argument is that same-sex couples don’t require protection as there’s never any risk of getting pregnant. However, consequences of not practicing safe sex in the lesbian community range from the spread of diseases like bacterial vaginosis, hepatitis, herpes and even HPV. Women often view same-sex intercourse as a low-risk activity, oftentimes not using protection, thus accidentally transmitting serious illnesses that could ultimately result in death if not treated properly. Simply granting information to this community gives them the opportunity to prevent and curb the further spread of diseases. Teachers and parents should encourage students to take medications like Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis to prevent the possible contraction or spread of AIDs, and receive regular STD screenings. Offices should also begin to provide students with free contraceptives like dental dams, as well as male and female condoms. Without these offered, we can only expect these numbers to rise, wreaking havoc on the health and lives of straight, trans, cis and gay students alike.
Twitter: @ju11ssa
May 31, 2018
The Pearl Post
Opinion 5
The Pearl Post
Photo by Rachel Bullock Print Editor-in-Chief Cristina Jercan and Online Editor-in-Chief Jessica Salguero conclude their third and final year on staff after a two years. Each weigh in on their opinions on this year’s achievements in both the print and online sections of The Pearl Post publication.
Editorial:
The chief weighs in on paper progress Cristina Jercan
Editor-in-Chief
Through a challenging yet progressive school year, The Pearl Post print publication managed to finish with consistently releasing a monthly issue that had exceptional pictures and groundbreaking articles that covered the year’s most controversial topics. Our staff was able to accomplish many goals for this year including timeliness, accuracy and communication. I had an expectation for this year’s staff to be able to communicate efficiently and effectively. Many times there was a lack of understanding over certain assignments and until the very last minute, then they were brought up. This eventually developed into a larger problem as we had
bigger and more important articles that had to be written and in the end were poorly completed. With dedication and hard work, I’ve seen the potential of this staff rise and reach new heights. Toward the end of the school year, many staff writers and photographers began to show more initiative and drive to complete their work to the best of their ability. I began to see people take on more assignments and work hard toward finishing their year on staff strong. They began to work on more investigative stories about the various movements that filled the mainstream media including the #MeToo movement about sexual violence, protecting Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals and the #NeverAgain movement. The hard work of the staff has brought many awards that have proved their de-
termination. During the Los Angeles Journalism Education Association Write-offs on Feb. 24, many staff members placed such as Rudraj Koppikar who placed 5th in News Writing and Karina Mara who placed 4th in Sports Writing. The staff also received 2nd place in the Sweepstakes Awards at this write off. This year has a very challenging yet hard working staff who with time came together to produce exceptional work. I am very proud to see so many staff writers, photographers and editors improve and reach their goals. I am very proud to be the Editor-in-chief of The Pearl Post and to see our staff accomplish more than they thought was possible. Twitter: @cristanabanana
Editorial:
Editor bids adieu to online Pearl Post Jessica Salguero
Online Editor-in-Chief
Throughout the school year, our online publication has managed to consistently post great content and achieve some of its primary goals. Some of the main goals for this year were to post new stories onto the website at least twice a week and increase the amount of multimedia packages published. Our staff was successfully able to attain these goals and even managed to work with PBS to create more videos discussing topics that were rarely covered compared with previous years. Another one of our goals this year was to improve the design of the website and make it more user-friendly. We ac-
complished this by creating a new logo, adding more sidebar widgets, including direct links to our Twitter account, color pdfs of our print issues and themed Spotify playlists. In a pursuit for better stories, we seemed to forget about some of the entertaining parts of the publication. This year we did not post any new quizzes onto the website. I wish I would’ve put more emphasis on these quizzes as a way to attract more viewers. Hopefully next year’s staff will take this into account and work on creating more entertaining content in the areas that this year’s was lacking. Overall I’m very proud of all of the hard work and dedication that the staff put forth this year. We were able to cre-
ate amazing high quality content including stories, photoslides and videos and we were able to make an impact on so many readers. This can be seen through the numerous awards we received, which include second place in the California AllStars competition, second place at the SCJEA state write-off competition and the Site Excellence and Multimedia Excellence badges given to us by School Newspaper Online (SNO). Although the online publication wasn’t perfect, I couldn’t be happier with the end result. I’m so honored to have been able to be a part of this fantastic publication.
Twitter: @jxssick
Print Editor-in-Chief Cristina Jercan Online Editor-in-Chief Jessica Salguero Managing Editor Nallely De Lara Features Editor Michelle Kaganovsky Opinion/Engagement Editor Kirsten Cintigo Entertainment Editor Amanda Jimenez Sports Editor Anthony Weatherspoon Tech Editor Sergio Payeras New Media Editor-in-Chief Maia Hito New Media Editors Anthony Freyre, Steven Guzman, Ani Kocharyan Photo Editors Rachel Bullock, Richard Mendiola Copy Editors Michael Chidbachian, Alice Curran, Zachary Gephart-Canada, Eva Kaganovsky, Angel Rivera Staff Writers/ Photographers Jadesola Ajileye, Jade Campbell, Mirabelle Chernick, Elizabeth Cortez, Daniela Dixon, David Eskichyan, Samantha Freyre, Melissa Hernandez, Rudraj Koppikar, Rosa Lemus, Karina Mara, Julissa Rangel, Maria Ruiz, Angie Rumbo, Christine Valenzuela, Angel Van Horn Contributing Writers Parampreet Aulakh, Chelsea Bangert, Martin Garcia , CJ Gorospe, Isabella Jimenez, Itzel Luna, Sara Marquez, Samantha Mills, Alondra Nuno, Tzlil Pinhassi, Cassia Ramelb, Jose Ramirez, Alliana Samonte, Christopher Sarenana, Jonathan Spahr, Shannon Sullivan, Casey Wanatick 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 916045529.
Features 6
The Pearl Post
Reflecting on RYLA experience
May 31, 2018
Karina Mara
Staff Writer
Chosen as one of the three students from Daniel Pearl Magnet High School to receive the Rotary Youth Leadership Award, I spent three days in a camp surrounded by nature, strangers and an aspiration to become a better leader. Upon our arrival to Blue Jay, California, anxiety and excitement gushed inside me. After registration, a counselor gathered a group of us “RYLArians” into a circle for introductions. I realized that although I came with friends, juniors Hailee Kessler and Lauryn Uhlenberg, the groupings were randomized and socializing with someone unfamiliar was inevitable. The purpose of RYLA is to further develop participants’ leadership skills through sessions with enlightening guest speakers and a series of outdoor and indoor group-based activities with students from all across California and some foreign-exchange students. The sessions focus on the “Four C’s”: compassion, communication, cooperation and creativity. On the first day, my group and I engaged in several activities to begin our leadership quest. The following day, I was assigned a different group to compete in the RYLA Olympics, where each group competed in sports-related activities. The games were fun yet intense. Throughout RYLA, everyone supported each other, which was the highlight of the whole experience. The smiles and encouragement everywhere empowered me and made me feel more confident. The three days I spent at RYLA felt like forever as I spent each moment gaining new knowledge, discovering more of myself and meeting new friends. I’m glad I decided to join and I enjoyed it more than I expected I would. RYLA is a once-in-a-lifetime experience but it’s an experience that lives on forever. Instagram: @karinaiv.m
Photo courtesy of Karina Mara Juniors Hailee Kessler and Karina Mara pose with a friend they met at the Rotary Youth Leadership Assembly.
Photo by Jade Campbell The new School Administrator Assistant (SAA) Lubia Gutierrez adjusts to her new work environment. Gutierrez previously held the same position at Gledhill Elementary School and is replacing Wynter Walker, the former SAA who left in April.
End of school year brings new SAA Alliana-Faith Samonte
Contributing Writer
Daniel Pearl Magnet High School (DPMHS) introduced a new member to the staff family, School Administrator Assistant (SAA) Lubia Gutierrez. Gutierrez previously worked at Gledhill Elementary School in North Hills as an SAA. She then transferred to DPMHS to have a change and work at the high school level. Being a new staff member, Gutierrez is looking forward to connecting with students. Although Gutierrez is just getting accustomed to her position at DPMHS, she expects the same respect and obedience
to rules, especially since she is working with more mature students now. “At the school, it is wonderful, everybody here is wonderful,” Gutierrez said. “I am an approachable person, but also, at the same time, I am a person that implements discipline. I like flowers but I also like the truth.” Wynter Walker, the former SAA, left earlier this semester after three years of working at this school. Wynter was known by students and staff for being organized, punctual and determined. Although her presence will be missed, Gutierrez is already making an impact on the school. “We’re getting along, she’s working hard,” Office Assistant Lupe Osorio said.
“She’s here not just because of her job, but she’s here for the students and for the school.” With only three weeks left in the school year, Gutierrez has shown commitment and gratitude for being given the opportunity to work with high school students. Next year, she hopes to gain more experience in working in a high school atmosphere. Gutierrez expects students to follow rules, show discipline and always do the right thing. “She wants to know as much as she can about the different things that she is going to have to work on,” Principal Deb Smith said. “It’s very clear that she wants to get off on a good start.”
vided by the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA), Cintigo received the Jolene Combs Memorial Scholarship from the Southern California Journalism Education Association (SCJEA). The scholarship awards underclassmen up to $500 to participate in any journalism training program over summer. Over three years of taking journalism classes, Cintigo developed a passion for writing and reporting. “She is a very dedicated student journalist,” The Pearl Post adviser Adriana Chavira said. “She puts in a lot of time and effort into making sure her stories are well done as well as her pages are well-edited and have good images.” Students aren’t normally appointed editor their sophomore year, regardless, Cintigo became the social media editor due to her dependable and responsible persona. Cintigo hopes to gain more experience in the journalism field so she can later apply it in college, with her top choices being University of Southern California (USC) and Syracuse University.
“I feel that these schools have very strong journalism programs and I really want to pursue journalism in the longterm,” Cintigo said.
Cintigo receives journalism scholarships Cassia Ramelb Contributing Writer
The highly-esteemed Asian American Journalism Camp (JCamp) accepted junior Kirsten Cintigo, the opinion editor of The Pearl Post, to attend the six-day camp this summer. “I thought they probably wouldn’t pick me, especially because they were super selective,” Cintigo said. Hosted by Wayne State University, JCamp invites the next generation of journalists to complete a training camp from July 30 to Aug. 4. From housing and meals to the flight to Detroit, applicants are offered an all-expense-paid experience. Recipients will have the opportunity to train with professional journalists and receive a hands-on experience in writing, photography, television broadcasting, online media and reporting. “The program is designed to help assure excellence in the profession for decades to come and to confront the lack of diversity in journalism,” JCamp said according to its website. In addition to the scholarship pro-
Photo by Rachel Bullock Opinion Editor of The Pearl Post Kirsten Cintigo poses with certificates from the Jolene Combs Memorial Scholarship, awarded by the Southern California Journalism Education Association (SCJEA).
May 31, 2018
Sports 7
The Pearl Post
Sanchez competes in state finals Rosa Lemus Staff Writer
Q: Does making it to the state competition make you feel like your hard work paid off? A: Yes, because that was my goal at the beginning of the season. Q: What goes through your mind when you’re at the competition? A: I’m very nervous and think, “Why am I doing this?” Photo by Rachel Bullock Junior Benjamin Sanchez starts his final lap of the boys varsity 500m freestyle on April 3 against Granda Hills Charter High School.
Swim takes on CIF championships Parampreet Aulakh
Staff Writer
Photo by Rachel Bullock Junior Ben Sanchez attempts to block his opponent during a game against Venice High.
After a long season of hard work and determination, reaching the CIF Championships has been a surreal experience for swimmers on the Birmingham Patriot swim team “I am relieved and happy now that the championship is over. It was a good feeling,” varsity swimmer Amelia Sanchez said. “I was nervous, but I tried to swim my best and do better than last time.” Going into the championship meet on May 11, many of the swimmers showed great confidence and poise when it came to discussing the level of nervousness they felt. Being out of their comfort zone and at
the big stage of the L.A Coliseum against a number of other schools was an intense moment for all of the swimmers. Ben Sanchez was the only of the three Daniel Pearl Magnet High School CIF championship participants to advance to the State. Nonetheless, doing this well as freshmen is quite a stellar accomplishment for Petra Vass and Amelia Sanchez . They were able to show that they were some of the best swimmers in the Los Angeles area and they will definitely be back even better next season. “It’ll mean a lot to me if I win the championship,” varsity swimmer Sanchez said. “I’ve put a lot of work into this season
by going to practice twice a day on most days.” All that hard work did end up paying off as, Ben Sanchez went to Fresno for the CIF State Championship meet on May 24 after winning the 500 freestyle and placing second at the 200 freestyle. By putting in ample amounts of time at the pool everyday, he was able do get his desired results and continue swimming for the rest of his teammates. “I definitely felt bad after not placing high enough at the meet, but I still went out and tried to get my best possible time,” varsity swimmer Petra Vass said.
Girls lacrosse dominates CIF championships Russia hosts World Cup
Julissa Rangel
Staff Writer
Sore muscles, endless trips to the water fountain and the satisfaction of having won the 2018 California Interscholastic Federation LA City Section Championship are what sophomore Maria Ruiz recalls from her first year on girls varsity lacrosse. “I was stoked when we won,” Ruiz said. “The last time we played against Palisades Charter High School was really intense and super close so we weren’t sure who’d win.” After practicing with the JV team for almost the entire Spring season, Ruiz was bumped up to a position as attacker on Birmingham Community Charter’s Varsity lacrosse team by her coach, Scott Silva. Although the move wasn’t the simplest transition she’s made, several of her teammates were transferred along with her, which made the move less difficult. “I’d say it wasn’t too difficult, but the other players and I definitely had to learn to keep up because the varsity team had their own dynamic going on,” Ruiz said. With only about a month of practice on the varsity team under her belt, Ruiz, the remaining Birmingham Lady Patriots, won the LA City Section Championship
10-6 against the Palisades Dolphins for the fifth consecutive year, making it their fourteenth win of the season. Junior Lucy Ishkhanian, who originally played on the school’s varsity team but left because of a torn anterior cruciate ligament, was unable to participate in any of the team’s games but was consistently present to take stats for her teammates
and even help coach the JV team. Though Ishkhanian’s involvement with the team seems to motivate her to recover faster in hopes that she can play next year. “This is my first year experiencing this type of win which gets me really excited to see what might come out of the next couple seasons,” Ruiz said.
Photo by Karina Mara Sophomore Maria Ruiz, player for Birmingham Community Charter High School girls lacrosse varsity and junior varsity team, moves her lacrosse stick towards the ball to catch it.
Maria Ruiz
Staff Writer
Russia will be hosting the 21st FIFA World Cup this summer from June 14 to July 15. Thirty-two teams qualified for the event including Germany (four-time champions), the champions of the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Brazil (five-time champs), Argentina (two-time champions), Spain (one-time champions), France (one time champions), Netherlands and Switzerland are also among the teams who qualified for the World Cup. An important team to note is Italy (four-time champions) who did not qualify this year. This will be the first time since 1958 that they have not played. The United States lost against Trinidad and Tobago 2 to 1, disqualifying them from the World Cup. This will be the first time since 1986 that the U.S. will not be playing in the event. This is the first year in 40 years that Trinidad and Tobago will be playing in the World Cup. The first match will be Russia vs. Saudi Arabia on June 14.
Sports 8
The Pearl Post
May 31, 2018
Athlete of the Month:
Karen Ticas keeps an eye on her goal Christopher Gorospe
Contributing Writer
Q: How long have you been playing lacrosse? A: I’ve been playing since last year. Q: What position do you play for JV girls lacrosse? A: I play attack and I want to do midfield for JV. Q: Tell me about what you like about lacrosse. A: I like my team, the thrill of running and shooting and passing, the friendships and the practices. The practices are exciting and I feel motivated when I’m around my teammatess. Q: What do you suggest to new student athletes about balancing school and sports? A: Keep up to date with all your work, don’t procrastinate, if you ever need help find some and try to be the best you. Q: What went through your mind when you made your first goal? A: I was thinking, finally, I’ve been waiting for this for so long. The adrenaline rush made me feel so happy. Q: What is the most challenging part of playing lacrosse? A: The conditioning is tiring. Our coach really tires us out but it is worth it in the end. Q: What do you think you need to improve on for next season? A: I need to improve on crossing my defenders because I don’t want to be touched by them and I want to be faster. Q: What do you look forward to the most next season? A: I look forward to the new players, the deals I’ll make, the people I’ll cross and the stronger relationships with my teammates.
Photo by Karina Mara Junior varsity Karen Ticas plays in a match against Crescenta Valley High School.
Photo by Jade Ajileye Senior Alberto Serrano prepares to defend against his teammates during a practice at Birmingham Community Charter High School.
Boys lacrosse put its sticks to rest Christopher Sarenana
Contributing Writer
Weeks of conditioning, endless drills and getting hit constantly with lacrosse sticks has paid off with a successful season for the Birmingham Community Charter High School boys varsity lacrosse team. “Overall this season, I was very satisfied because we had so many new players join the sport,” varsity captain Alberto Serrano said. “They picked up the game quickly and helped us accomplish this positive record.” After a long season, the boys varsity lacrosse team has finally come to an end. The team finished with a respectable
record of 10-7, placing third in playoffs. This year has brought more challenges. Rookies to the team were forced to step up their game and contribute in order to have a smooth season. These new players began to learn the basics of lacrosse and see what it takes to play. They also begin to instill consistency and determination into their mentality. Although they came up short of their goal of reaching championships this season came up short, all players were happy with the accomplishments of the team this year. The team’s performance this season has positively stood out from their past. In order to improve Birmingham’s reputation
of having a good lacrosse program, the team must maintain its performance next year. The future of this team looks bright as these up and coming players have the potential to reach great heights. The seniors, who have unfortunately played their last season for Birmingham, have no worries that this team will pick up where they left off. “I’m very confident for this upcoming roster for the lacrosse team because they are mostly freshman and sophomores,” Serrano said. “This is a time for them to play club and take advantage of the practices to better themselves.”
Boys baseball finishes with strong season Alondra Nuno
Contributing Writer
The Patriots had an excellent season despite not making playoffs, finishing their season with an overall score of 23-10. This season the team practiced on improving their batting average and their mindset. A team has to be able to have the same mindset to work together and get the best results out of everything. Although their season was cut short, they did everything they could to get back to where they ended up last year. “Our ability to know how to beat other teams has improved,” second and third baseman sophomore Joshua Fleisher said. The team worked hard to improve their batting average for this season, staying after practice in order to get extra hitting time. As a team, they had to come up with new ways and strategies to improve the batting average and their overall performance. Fleisher worked really hard this season to contribute to the team and become a better player. Not only did he want to improve for his team but
Photo by Christine Valenzuela Sophomore Joshua Fleisher throws the baseball to a teammate during a JV prematch. he also wanted to improve for himself. “I have pushed myself to gain more knowledge and practice,” Fleisher said.
“Internal motivation has helped me become the best baseball player I can be.”
May 31, 2018
The Pearl Post
Sports 9
Athlete of the Month:
David Mallari sets new goals Daniela Dixon
Staff Writer
Photo by Christine Valenzuela Birmingham Community Charter High School’s boys volleyball team gathers before its match against Grover Cleveland Charter High School on April 30. The Patriots lost against the Cavaliers 0-3 in a home match.
Boys volleyball looks back on season
Q: How did you become interested in volleyball? A: It was introduced to me by my older sister. She showed me the basics and when I joined the team I got more interested in it. Q: How long have you played? A: I’ve been playing for three years so far. Q: What do you like about volleyball the most? A: I like the energy that everyone has. You’re always striving to be better. It’s always a different scenario. Q: What position do you prefer to play? A: I like playing middle back. Q: What’s the most challenging part of volleyball? A: The most challenging part is how fast paced the game actually is. It’s overwhelming at times. Q: Do you plan on playing in the future? A: I plan to play in club but I don’t think I’ll play sports in the future because I want to focus on my studies.
Sam Torres
W
Contributing Writer
ith ambition and drive, Birmingham Community Charter High School’s boys varsity volleyball team finished their latest season with an overall record of 3-19 and are motivated and confident for their next season. “I think we had a lot of potential this year and we also have a lot of potential for next year,” varsity player David Mallari said. Even though the team faces a lack of players and efficiency, they are confident in their ability to improve their
skills for next season. The team also needs to work on poor communication as well as mastering the basics of the sport. “We need to get the basics down for next season,” junior varsity player Garrett Francisco said. “We’re starting to get more of the details and aspects on volleyball.” The boys varsity team ended the season with a league record of 0-10 while junior varsity ended with a record of 3-7. The junior varsity team had a similar outcome this season. They had felt the same in the results of their seasons and shared similar areas in need of improve-
ment, such as communication and practicing certain moves. “Be consistent on their serves and hitting but you could add a little bit of communication to that list,” junior varsity player Om Patel said. “I feel like there is always room for improvement.” The team feels they have the potential to do better, with the motivation of the players as the key factor to improve the quality in their plays and games. They are currently practicing plays and putting more energy into their practice, such as adding more drills to get better physically.
Photo by Karina Mara During a practice play, junior David Mallari bumps the ball to his teammate.
Softball bats up for next season after ending on a high note Casey Wanatick Contributing Writer
This past season, the varsity softball team overcame the poor play from last season and worked as a team to produce results that showed high hopes for the next year. “I feel like I played better than my freshman year,” sophomore Nattaly Villaseñor said. “My batting average went higher than my freshman year so I feel proud of that.” The team ended with an 11-18-1 record this season and lost in the second round of the playoffs to Venice High School 10-0. They ranked as the 465th best team in California. Villaseñor played in the outfield alongside junior Genevieve Avalos. Villaseñor earned a .200 batting
average while Avalos earned a .265 batting average. “Honestly, I think I did pretty good,“ Avalos said. “I did better than my sophomore season so that was a benefit. You always want to get better as the season goes so I mean strikeouts were less than last year so that was good and I got more contact on the ball.” The Lady Patriots will be preparing and training a lot this offseason, hoping to have a better season next spring. “Honestly, just getting a lot more power, getting stronger, going to the weight room,” Avalos said. “Maybe doing extra hours of practice and all that type of thing just to get prepared or better well prepared for the next season.”
Photo by Julissa Rangel Sophomore Nattaly Villaseñor practices bunting the incoming ball in the softball field.
Tech 10
The Pearl Post
May 31, 2018
Meet the musical instrument with friendly face: the Otamatone Itzel Luna Contributing Writer
With its quirky tadpole-like form, Japanese instrument “Otamatone” has gained an audience of intrigued musicians all over the world. After its launch in 1993 by Meiwa Denkai, a company based in Tokyo that consists of a group of musicians and toy makers, the Otamatone has sold over 120,000 units. Its popularity is mainly held in Japan, but it has spread all over Asia and the United States. Fascinating the YouTube community, the Otamatone has been played to cover songs like “Smells like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana and “Gangnam Style” by PSY. After hearing about it from a student, music teacher Wes Hambright couldn’t help but be curious as to what this instrument was. “I thought it was really cool so I ordered one,” Hambright said. “I’m no Otamatone virtuoso by any means. I figured out a few tunes and things like that.” The Otamatone is shaped like a musical note. Sound is produced by sliding a finger up and down the neck. The instrument ends with a Pac-Man-like face that can be squeezed to adjust the pitch. The instrument comes in a variety of sizes and colors. Hambright is the owner of a small black Otamatone, which caught the attention of senior Nathan Moz. “I was interested in playing it beforehand,” Moz said. “But when Hambright brought it in I just thought ‘it’s already in front of me, I might as well try.’” The Otamatone isn’t considered an official part of Daniel Pearl High School’s music class yet, but Moz believes that it would be a great addition. “The instrument has a certain amount of charm,” Moz said. “I think having more than one playing in unison would be amazing.”
Photo from theverge.com Play as your favorite wall-climbing, web-slinging hero as you swing around New York City and fight Spider-Man’s fiercest foes.
Spider-Man slings into PlayStation 4 David Eskichyan Staff Writer
From Sony Interactive Entertainment, Insomniac Games and Marvel comes “Spider-Man,” the newest superhero video game. This action-adventure game based on comic book superhero Spider-Man will tell a new story never featured on a previous Spider-Man game, comic book or film. With a stronger and more experienced Spider-Man, players get to play as both 23-year-old Peter Parker and his love interest Mary Jane. While fighting crime, players experience the life of Spider-Man as he protects
games, “Spider-Man” will have an option to manually change time and weather conditions, but only after the player has finished and defeated the game. Spider-Man will also wear different suits like the Spider-Punk suit and the Iron Spider suit, each with their own distinct abilities and powers. “Spider-Man” is a Playstation 4 exclusive game. It releases on Sept. 7 and is available for pre-order now. Instagram: dxvideskichyxn For more information on additional game features, visit insomniacgames.com
K-pop group BTS meets block-breaking fun Samantha Mills Contributing Writer
Photo from amazon.com The Otamatone is available in five sizes and eight colors. Prices range from $24 for basic models to $238 for deluxe models.
New York City. However, players are also given the chance to gain a deeper look into aspects of Peter Parker’s everyday life. Many well-known Spider-Man characters like Miles Morales, Aunt May, Norman Osborn and Black Cat will make appearances. Various super-villains featured in previous Spider-Man video games like Mister Negative, Kingpin, Shocker and Taskmaster will also be featured. Set in modern-day New York, “Spider-Man” features iconic aspects of New York City along with Marvel and Manhattan landmarks as players sling through the city in an effort to save it from villains. Unlike previous Spider-Man video
“Puzzle Star BT21” is a charming cross between “Candy Crush” and “Tetris.” With its cutesy concept and must-achieve goals, it’s easy to play for hours. The adorable BT21 Line characters: Koya, RJ, Shooky, Mang, Chimmy, TaTa, Cooky and Van guide you as you make your way through puzzles that get progressively harder. The point of the game is to use blocks and shapes given to you to clear rows or lines as they’re called in the game. Every move matters and you have to achieve your goal to clear the level. Running out of room leads to a failed level. The game was released on April 2 and has captivated millions around the world.
The characters are representations of the members of BTS, the Kpop group under BigHit Entertainment, with Van representing their fanbase known as ARMY. The game was a little frustrating to figure out at first, especially if you rush. I had to take a break that lasted a few days because I rushed through the tutorial and couldn’t figure anything out. The game is free to download on Google Play or the App Store and includes in-app purchases. It requires a bit of patience but it’s completely worth it in the end. “Puzzle Star BT21” has a cutesy vibe and is easily as addicting as Candy Crush. It’s just the right amount of mindless fun and strategic placing worth all the time in the world.
Screenshot by Christine Valenzuela Clear hundreds of eye-catching stages with cute critters in “Puzzle Star BT21.”
The Pearl Post
May 31, 2018
Special Reports 11
Coming together to keep schools drug free
An increase of illegal activity in the neighborhood brought community members together to ensure students’ safety. Eva Kaganovsky and Angel Rivera
D
Copy Editors
rugs. Truancy. Vandalism. A group of Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers, various undercover narcotic agents, city attorneys, shop owners and school administrators from the seven surrounding schools met for the second time on May 14 to propose solutions to these ongoing problems that take place at the plaza on the northeast corner of Balboa and Victory boulevards. “It’s illegal,” Principal Deb Smith said. “It’s against the law for a minor to have possession of or to use any kind of marijuana. There is also the issue of the use of other drugs and the concern of young people being under the influence. If you are under the influence, you are not really able to protect yourself.” Since the plaza has been notorious for the illegal distribution and selling of drugs, such as marijuana and Xanax, the various community members brainstormed innovative methods to end the rampant drug activity, which significantly influences the high level of truancy seen throughout the neighboring schools. In contrast to previous attempts made to quell the illegal activity in the plaza, the members plan to involve the property owner to ensure that the area is monitored as well as involve the City Attorney Neighborhood School Safety Prosecutor Jacquelyn Lawson. “We don’t wait for proof,” Lawson said. “We go out there and we make sure that it’s not going to happen anymore. We will get a lot more law enforcement presence; we will get the schools more involved and we will get the property owners from where the kids might be doing the drugs or exchanging drugs, to cooperate with us.” In addition to increasing the patrolling of the plaza Lawson advised that the store owners create visible “No Smoking” signs and signs that warn of the “Right to Refuse Service to Anyone.” “We’ve seen everything here,” a shopkeeper, who asked to remain anonymous said. “There is really easy access to drugs over here and it’s a really easy hideout. Kids are smoking and getting high in the morning.” Not only will the signs invoke a sense of control but they will also be utilized to convey strict enforcement of student at-
Photo by Angel Rivera Birmingham Community Charter High School’s People Service and Attendance Counselor Maya Holden and the Pupil Service and Attendance Coordinator Dionne Ash listen to Neighborhood School Safety Prosecutor Jacquelyn Lawson suggests solutions to resolve the illegal activity including drug dealing and truancy at the plaza on the northeast corner of Balboa and Victory boulevards. tendance by the business owners. In addition to the punishments that schools decide to enforce, students that
High School were brought in and asked why they were skipping school, which was answered by silence.
The shop owners can potentially face repercussions as well. If they are found providing service to students during school hours, the store owners will be in violation of Penal Code Section 373a because they are maintaining a public nuisance and therefore guilty of a misdemeanor. The next scheduled meeting will be on June 4. This committed group will also continue to hold meetings throughout the summer to ensure that the illegal activity is subdued before the new school year begins. “Drug activity is bad no matter who is involved, whether it’s adults, children or high school students,” Lawson said. “If there’s even a hint of it anywhere, we will aggressively pursue any and all investigations or arrests to make sure students aren’t harmed.”
“It’s against the law for a minor to have possession of or to use any kind of marijuana. There is also the issue of the use of other drugs and the concern of young people being under the influence. If you are under the influence, you are not really able to protect yourself,” Principal Deb Smith.
attempt to purchase food or socialize in the plaza during school hours, will be escorted to the local district office, where they will be held until a parent or guardian picks them up and takes them to school. As this was being discussed in the meeting, a group of four truant students from Birmingham Community Charter
“Make sure you spread the word on campus,” Pupil Service and Attendance Coordinator Dionne Ash said. “We’re all going to crack down on students being here during school hours. We’re not going to send you back to school anymore. Your parents are going to have to come and get you. You need to go to school.”
Twitter: @evaakaganovsky Instagram:@ aangel__rivera
Go to www.thepearlpost.com to read stories about: Juan Amezcua District Employee of the Year, Adriana Chavira Teacher of the Year and The Pearl Post’s two LA Press Club nominations.
Entertainment 12
The Pearl Post
May 31, 2018
Photo from Cuco’s Facebook page
Artist of the month:
Cuco rebirths dream pop for masses Julissa Rangel Staff Writer
Heavy synthesizers, melancholic guitar riffs, blaring trumpets, the contralto sound of the keyboard and lyrics in both English and Spanish nostalgic of failed relationships are only a few elements of lo-fi artist Cuco’s music. Music consistently plays a large role in 19-year-old artist Omar Bano’s life. With the influence of Chicano rap, Spanglish music, metal and Spanish oldies, the first generation Chicano has been able to build a large fanbase to zealously support his alternative-dream-pop music. Through lyrics like, “Will you love this part of me? My lover is a day I can’t forget,” Banos avidly incorporates emotions into his work, something Latinx men are typically discouraged from doing. Bano’s broad usage of the trumpet, guitar and keyboard allows him to create unique tracks, like his autotuned cover of Bobby Capó’s 1952 “Piel Canela,” which is only accessible on SoundCloud. Other songs, like dreamy Spanglish “Lo Qué Siento” and “Lover Is a Day” feature short pauses followed by a blaring trumpet, just one of the influences of his Mexican upbringing. Using his platform to advocate for immigrant rights, Bano often shares messages that shed light onto individuals and their families who could possibly be facing deportation as well as the increasingly confusing Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals deal. Banos’ May release of “Chiquito” or “Little” was a six-song release of his earlier SoundCloud work, including songs like “Summer Time High Time” which features rapper J-Kwe$T and the unexpectedly alternative “Dontmakemefallinlove.”
Twitter: @ju11ssa
Photos from YouTube Shane Blanchard of Bane’s World performs at the KCSB Courtyard on May 21. KCSB hosted the performance in summer of 2017.
Hot new artists to blast this summer Julissa Rangel
Staff Writer
Students often associate Summer break with their favorite memories, long days of unbearable heat, free concerts and finding new artists to jam to. Whether you’re traveling, spending time with friends or just staying home all summer, here are a few new artists whose music will make your summer feel endless. Artist: Rayvn Lenae At just 19 years old, Chicago-born Rayvn Lenae has already collaberated with Grammy winner Steve Lacy from the band The Inter net and independently released several records. Her 2017 record “Crush EP” exhibits heavy Neo Soul, indie and R&B influences.
Artist: Chicano Batman The Los-Angeles based band pays homage to Latinx culture through Spanglish music. The band’s psychedelic sound in songs like “Freedom Is Free,” “Magma” and “This Land Is Your Land” preach messages of peace, self-love and unity in a period of political conflict and discrimination. Artist: Aminé The Portland-born rapper known as Aminé first gained clout for the song “Caroline” off of the 2017 record “Good For You.” He’s most distinguishable for his more-than-clever lyrics that refuse to conform to the over-played mumble rap often found on SoundCloud.
Artist: Inner Wave Forming in Inglewood in middle school, indie-pop boy band Inner Wave creates contemporary music. With a sound unlike any other, the band produces music for every mood, which can easily be seen in their 2017 record “Underwater Pipe Dreams.” Artist: Bane’s World Long Beach native Shane Blanchard writes and produces all of his indie jazz music in his garage. The 21-year-old’s 2016 record “Drowsy” exemplifies his musical diversity, one song “Dream Boat” features electronic lo-fi artist Temporex, piquant bass and synthesized vocals on “You Say I’m in Love” and “Ain’t No Home” all back nostalgic memories for anyone who listens.
Twitter: @ju11ssa
5 free concerts to show up to this summer Angie Rumbo Staff Writer
Summer is right around the corner and everyone should always have a great time during this season. Here are some summer concerts that you can go to if you are on a budget but still want to have a fun time. KCRW Summer Nights July 27, Aug. 3 and 10 Union Station KCRW Summer Nights hosts DJ parties all across Los Angeles. People can enjoy the food trucks, music, art and vintage clothing shops all around. Farmer Market Friday Night Music May- September Original Farmers Market Fresh, organic and locally grown food can be bought while hearing live music. Here you can enjoy fun activities such as learning how to grow food, games and raffle prizes. This family-friendly outdoor event will have you feeling happy and content.
Photos from Flickr.com Concerts like KCRW Summer Nights and Off the 405 are both free music festivals. Twilight Concert Series July- September Santa Monica Pier The Twilight Concert Series is the definition of summer at the Santa Monica Pier. They host live music with performances from up-and-coming artists. Off the 405 May- August Getty Museum
Off the 405 is the Getty Center’s annual outdoor summer concert series, bringing today’s most exciting bands to the stage. Grand Performances June 1- Sept. 10 Two California Plaza This outdoor concert is located in DTLA. It features live performances from artists all around the world while celebrating diversity, poetry and Los Angeles.
May 31, 2018
The Pearl Post
Page 13
Protests, performances, opportunities . . . oh my! Aside from annual events such as World Music Day, the Spring Show and PearlCon, there were plenty of events unique to this year and there were plenty of events related to the current events happening around the country that took place this school year. Students saw changes in the bell schedule, smoke outside from the wildfires around the valley in December and had to go through the school’s first ever active shooter drill in light of the school shooting in Parkland, Florida. Despite all the change and tragic events, students enjoyed an increase in programs available to them such as a modern rendition of “Macbeth” and a presentation of “The Importance of Being Earnest.” Here’s a timeline of some other notable events students at DPMHS, from fall 2017 to spring 2018, had the chance to experience this year.
Photo by Amanda Jimenez Lin-Manuel Miranda shares his thoughts at a session with students at Panorama High School on Aug. 17, 2017. Students taking AP US History had the chance to hear Miranda speak and later attend the musical “Hamilton” through the #EduHam program.
Photo by Rachel Bullock Students had the opportunity to view a partial solar eclipse, part of the “Great American Eclipse,” visible on campus on Aug. 21, 2017 - the first solar eclipse to cross the entirety of the United States at least in some capacity since 1918, almost 99 years ago.
Photo by Amanda Jimenez Comedian Jessica Williams interviews former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton as the highlight segment of the GirlsBuildLA leader summit at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Dec. 15, 2017.
Photo by Jade Ajileye Junior Hailee Kessler, sophmore Kaia Greenwood, junior Melissa Hernandez and sophmore Marjina Haque lead the school-wide walkout at DPMHS on March 14 in solidarity with the victims of the Parkland, Florida, shooting that left 17 people dead.
Photo by Rosa Lemus Sophomore Andi Mendoza, performs her response poem, “Orange Boy” at the Get Lit Classic Slam on April 26. The Get Lit team from DPMHS placed fourth at the slam. They didn’t proceed to semifinals but proud smiles and hugs were exchanged afterwards.
Photo by David Eskichyan Superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District, Austin Beutner, visits The Pearl Post newsroom during his time on campus on May 24 in honor of custodian Juan Amezcua’s Exemplary Classified Employee of the Year award from the district.
Summer 14
The Pearl Post
May 31, 2018
Five stars for 1950s Star’s Drive-In Tabitha Quiroz
Contributing Writer
If you ever find yourself around Canoga Park in the Westside of the valley, check out Stars Drive-In to feel like you went back in time to the glorious 1950s. The restaurant is a very clean establishment filled with red and white booths, glass walls, jukeboxes at each table and an Elvis Presley statue along with a Betty Boop statue. As a tribute to the many famous movie stars of the time, you see walls with framed pictures and their iconic appearances in the 1950s that make for nice conversational pieces. The restaurant may be a little small but it is popular, lively, exciting and filled with customers. You can order many classic American dishes such as cheeseburgers with delicious lightly salted fries. There is also a dinner and breakfast menu that you can select from. For breakfast, order the waffle combo which includes two waffles, eggs and sausage or the turkey club sandwich with fries for dinner. Each only cost ing $6.49, Stars Drive-In is not only appetizing but inexpensive as well. Whether you dine in or take it to go, the food is always tasty and cheap. There is also a drive through which takes a while but great foods, such as those at Star’s Drive-In, take a while. While you wait for your food, you can scroll down the jukebox and select songs for your enjoyment, while you embrace a great time in Americana history. Another nice thing about this restaurant, is the family friendly environment it offers with pinball and claw machines.
Photo from littlejewel.la The Little Jewel of New Orleans is located in Chinatown. It brings the taste of New Orleans to Downtown Los Angeles.
The hidden Little Jewel Cassia Ramelb
Contributing Writer
Photos by Tabitha Quiroz Star’s Drive-In has many nostalgic aspects and iconic figures of the 1950s in the interior of the restaurant. The restaurant offers many orginal American dishes.
The newest seafood sensation at Poke Tiki Susannah Ness Contributing Writer
Poke Tiki serves delicious poke bowls that leave your mouth watering. Poke, a Hawaiian seafood salad dish, can be eaten as an appetizer or a full meal. Poke Tiki has six locations, all of which are scattered around Southern California; these locations are found in Tustin, Tar-
zana, Orange, Newport Mesa, Thousand Oaks and Costa Mesa. Poke Tiki has an assembly line-style ordering and there are three different sizes: small (two fish) $8.99, medium (three fish) $9.99, and large (five fish) $12.99. First, you pick the base, white rice, brown rice or urban salad. Next, you can choose from tuna, salmon, spicy tuna, spicy salm-
Photo by Susannah Ness This is one of the many poke bowl options avalilable to order at Poke Tiki. All poke bowls are customizable and can be made to fit your cravings.
on, albacore, baby scallop, cooked shrimp, octopus and tofu, for the fish. You can also add toppings, which are crab meat, masago, avocado, seaweed salad, red onion, edamame, cucumber, green onion, ginger, wasabi, crunchy onion, dry seaweed, sesame seed and furikake. Last, you select your sauces, which are poke sauce, spicy mayo, volcano 1, volcano 2 and volcano 3. Poke Tiki serves poke that you’ll never get tired of. As your order is customizable, you can change it up every time or just get the same thing. There are even options for meat-free or grain-free diets. When you order, you can take it to go or you can sit down and eat it at the vibrantly decorated restaurant. The employees are very friendly and you can tell they keep everything clean. When you order to go, they even give you a bag of ice to keep the fish fresh. Poke Tiki is a definite go to for fast, delicious seafood. Even if seafood isn’t your favorite, you will still love this poke. Once you try it, there’s no turning back.
The holiest of all holy food is the glorified crab mac and cheese, catfish and hush puppies from The Little Jewel of New Orleans. Priced at $13, the mac and cheese is loaded with fresh crab soaked in cheese and an assortment of kickin’ cajun spices guaranteed to set your mouth ablaze. At any ol’ creole, stop you must have straight from the water, battered, flaky catfish that releases an aroma of quenching heat into the air. Ultimately, you can not surpass the crispy boiled and fried hush puppies to give some sweetness to the whole package. Located in Chinatown, The Little Jewel of New Orleans serves mouth watering classic ol’ town creole plates from the South. The spacious restaurant is part grocery store and part dining with a wide vibrant illustrated menu lined across a wall. On the main floor situates small wooden tables and refrigerators holding refreshing classic beverages. The convenient store hosts old-fashioned drinks, chips and candy from the 90s back. The Little Jewel of New Orleans has a rating of 4 out of 5 star review listed on Yelp, however it deserves a whooping five star review. Given two thumbs up, this shack was featured on the critically acclaimed Food Network show, “Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives,” hosted by Guy Fieri. Anyone looking for a hefty filling meal should stop by this hole-in-the-wall banger. For a mildly pricey mouth-watering meal, the restaurant makes your money worth spending. With its delicious flavors, each bite le aves leaves you craving for more and wanting to order the whole menu.
May 31, 2018
The Pearl Post
Summer Movies 15
Hot movies to check out over summer break Mirabelle Chernick Staff Writer
Here are six highly anticipated films that are being released this summer. From animation to action to horror, there’s something for everyone.
Photo from marvel.com
Photo from universalpictures.com
“Ant-Man and the Wasp”
On July 6, the Marvel Comics based superhero film featuring Scott Lang as Ant-Man and Hope van Dyne as Wasp will be released. The film, which takes place in between the events of “Captain America: Civil War” and “Avengers: Infinity War” presents Lang juggling his role of being a dad as well as the duties of being Ant-Man. Michael Douglas returns to star as Hank Pym, the physicist and S.H.I.E.L.D agent who assumed the persona of the initial Ant-Man in 1963 following his exploration with the subatomic particles that would metamorphosize him into Ant-Man. In addition to Douglas, Michael Peña continues to portray Luis who is recognized as Lang’s best friend, former cellmate and partner in crime. Michelle Pfeiffer will star as Pym’s wife, Janet van Dyne who was the original Wasp but became stuck in the quantum realm after stopping an incoming bomb. The antagonist for the film is Ghost, played by Hannah John-Kamen, who uses advanced technology to phase through physical objects. In the comics however, Ghost is an antagonist for Iron Man and is a male.
“Incredibles 2”
“Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom”
Photo from starwars.com
“Solo: A Star Wars Story”
“Solo: A Star Wars Story” features Han Solo (Alden Ehrenreich) who is an integral character from the original Star Wars franchise. This film is considered to be the second movie of the Star Wars anthology following “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.” The plot of “Solo: A Star Wars Story” precedes the first of the Star Wars trilogy, “A New Hope,” delving into Han Solo’s excursions with Chewbacca, in particular their rendezvous with Lando Calrissian (Donald Glover) who is known as an old friend of Han.
Photo from firstpurge.com
Photo from disney.com
The long-awaited sequel to the 2004 film “The Incredibles” is now scheduled to be released on June 15, one year ahead of the original release date. “Incredibles 2” will once again feature the Parr family although Helen Parr, Elastigirl (Helen Hunter), has noticeably undertaken a leading role this time around. Elastigirl plays a key role in taking on the new villain, Screenslaver. While her journey is filled with crime-fighting and justice-serving adventures, Mr. Incredible, Bob Parr (Craig T. Nelson) is seen having quite the adventure at home with their children, Violet, Dash and especially Jack-Jack (Sarah Vowell, Huck Milner and Eric and Stuart Bluth) who is just discovering his superpowers.
On June 22, audiences will be enraptured by a rapidly approaching volcanic eruption on the fictional island off the coast of Central America that is threatening the extinction of its prehistoric inhabitants. Claire Dearing, former park manager and founder of the Dinosaur Protection Group is determined to rescue the dinosaurs by relocating them to a sanctuary home in America. There’s soon yet another menace endangering the dinosaurs once it’s discovered that the creatures are being auctioned off rather than protected. A rare hybrid dinosaur that was forced onto the chopping block escapes captivity and terrorizes the humans. Pratt, B.D. Wong and Howard continue to play the same roles from the previous films and Jeff Goldblum from the orginal franchise, will will return yet again as Ian Maclolm in the film. The first “Jurassic World” film quickly became one of the highest grossing films worldwide and is currently number four.
“The First Purge”
Photo from collider.com
“Mission: Impossible -- Fallout”
The sixth film in the “Mission: Impossible” franchise will hit theaters on July 27 in 3D format. The plot revolves around a failed operation by the Impossible Missions Force (IMF) and the worldwide repercussions that occur as a result. Tom Cruise continues to star as Ethan Hunt who is determined to undo his team’s mistakes.
Set to be released on July 4, “The First Purge” is a prequel to the 2013 original horror film “The Purge.” Since the film will take place just before the phenomenon of the Purge, fans will finally understand the origins and the unprecedented yet widespread effects of the Purge.The story line hones in on the first annually planned event by the New Founding Fathers of America (NFFA) authorizing 12 hours of anarchic crime in the hopes of tempering criminal behavior below one percent for the rest of the year. Things don’t go as the NFFA planned when the experiment that was meant to be restricted to a mere city results results in chaos nationwide. Instagram: @chernick4340
Seniors 16
The Pearl Post
May 31, 2018
Graduating seniors are in a Golden State of mind 1. University of California, Davis Francheska Vicents 2. University of California, Berkeley Michelle Kaganovsky Maia Hito Jade Ajileye Alice Curran
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18. American University Mirabelle Chernick
3. University of California, Riverside Nicolas Cowles Harmony Sanchez 4. University of Redlands Cristina Jercan
19. Grinnell College Dean Khazanov
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5. California Lutheran University Nallely De Lara 6. University of California, Los Angeles Eva Kaganovsky Jessica Salguero 7. University of California, San Diego Sergio Payeras Angel Rivera 8. University of California, Irvine Ani Kocharyan Zandro Mara Anthony Weatherspoon
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21. Northern Arizona University Rachel Bullock Taylor Price
9. California State University, Channel Islands Layla Calderon Janna Desamito Alberto Serrano 10. Los Angeles Valley College Bonn Chavez Shayn Gaft Ruzanna Manvelyan John Rivas Gabriel Valenzuela 11. Santa Monica College Christopher Gillen Christian Gillen Paola Rivas 12. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona Kaitlyn Arst Ryan Sokolov
22. United States Army Tatiana Velez
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13. Moorpark College Cesar Zeledon 14. Woodbury University Madsion Feinstein
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15. University of California, Santa Barbara Mabel Aceves Lopez 16. California State University, Northridge Maria Danan Anthony Freyre Eduardo Garcia Kevin Garcia Ana Gonzalez Nathan Kangavary Cristian Martinez Sepulveda Richard Mendiola Brandon Monegain Matthew MuĂąoz David Palacios Erick Rebolledo Hannah Tateel
20. University of Connecticut Jaleh Moslemi
17. Los Angeles Pierce College Adonis Arevalo Lisset Bayardo Alana Cush Desiree Davila Jaimy Fajardo Hugo Garcia Angie Gonzalez Kimberly Greenberg Jordan Hirsch Fernando Keossian Maksim Lisov Gilmar Ordonez Andrew Shehata Deborah Zuleta
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The Pearl Post
May 31, 2018
Senior Special Reports 17
Statistics on Class of 2018’s college plans Rudraj Koppikar
Staff Writer
Every senior has a unique journey ahead of them. We surveyed 57 seniors about where they’re going to college, how they’re going there and what they’re going to study. They plan to major in everything from liberal arts to cosmetology. The way they get there, however, varies wildly. They will be attending public and private colleges both in state and out of state. Most have recieved financial aid aside from Federal Student Aid. Here are just a few of the statistics we gathered. Surveys were conducted through written questionnaires handed out during seniors’ English classes.
There is an almost even split between students going to UCs, community college and CSUs.
Students are overwhelmingly attending college in California as opposed to out of state.
A few students plan to join a college team while almost half plan to play sports casually.
More than half of the seniors surveyed are recieving financial aid other than FAFSA.
Most seniors already have a specific major in mind, with only 11 undecided. Statistics compiled by Rudraj Koppikar
The Pearl Post
Seniors 18
Senior Advice:
May 31, 2018
Visits to college campuses brings new outlook Alice Curran
A
Copy Editor
fter surviving the stress that junior year brings, the last thing I wanted to do was spend my summer thinking about college. Yet, in order to familiarize myself with colleges, my family and I planned visits to a few in-state campuses. During the summer, I visited the following University of California campuses: Berkeley, Los Angeles, San Diego, Santa Cruz and Santa Barbara. For most of the schools, I planned an actual tour where a student took us around campus. On tours, you are able to visit the various classrooms, popular hangout spots and possibly the dorms. This was a really helpful aspect of taking campus tours because before I had only seen pictures of colleges online. However, although the tours were informative, you can find most of the general information about a college on its website or from articles online. The most beneficial aspect of touring campuses, that you can’t find online, is being able to immerse yourself in a new environment and in the surrounding area. By the end of each visit, I pretty much knew if I could see myself on that campus. I realized that I liked the idea of attending a college in an urban city, rather than a more rural area. Seeing a campus beforehand can especially help if you are unsure what school you want to attend or where you want to live for the next few years. The tour guides were also extremely encouraging and informative, always willing to answer any questions and offer advice. Since they are usually current students, it can be helpful to talk with someone who has firsthand experience at that college. When I recieved my acceptance letter from the Uni-
Photo by Alice Curran By visting college campuses, students can explore the school and receive first-hand experience of its environment. versity of California, Berkeley, I was instantly reminded of my visit to the campus and how much I loved it. However, it wasn’t until visiting it a second time at an event for newly admitted students, called Cal Day, that I decided it was the perfect university for me. So, while touring colleges and spending time in the campuses community can help you envision how the next
Class of 2018: Get FAFSA done fasta Angel Rivera Copy Editor
The cost to attend college can evoke anxiety and nervousness in a senior, however, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) may decrease some of the pressures a student feels. “FAFSA helps students by possibly providing them with the financial assistance for their college tuition and housing,” Counselor Martina Torres said. “If a student receives money from the federal government, that means they have more time to focus on their education instead of trying to figure out how to work to pay off their debt.” FAFSA allows the government to process the income of the applicant’s parents and their grade point average to determine if the student is eligible for any type of financial aid. A student is not guaranteed money through FAFSA but depending on their eligibility, they can receive gift aid, such as the Cal Grant, loans or a combination of both. Gift aids and grants will not have to be repaid by the student, however a loan an individual receives through FAFSA does have be paid back. “FAFSA helped me a lot and gave me an opportunity,” senior Lisset Bayardo said. “Without FAFSA, I would not be able to attend college but with it, it is possible for my sister and I to go to college with a single parent’s income.” The application for the 2018-2019 school year will open on Oct. 1 and for California, the uniform deadline to submit the FAFSA application to be considered for Cal Grant money is March 2. If a student does not apply before that deadline, they are no longer eligible for Cal Grant gift aid from the state of California. While FAFSA gives aid to students in the form of Cal
Photo time.com FAFSA provides eligible students with financial aid for college.
Grants and loans, it is also a document that is used to calculate what financial aid an individual will be offered from different colleges. The amount of aid given one year, either by the state or the specific school, is subject to change as the family’s income and student’s grade point average may fluctuate over time. “It’s important to apply for FAFSA because even if you only qualify for loans or gift aid, it’s better to receive some money for school than to not get any money at all and not go to college,” Torres said. Undocumented students are ineligible for FAFSA, but can still receive financial aid and scholarships through the California Dream Act. Instagram: @aangel_rivera
four years of your life will be, there is plenty of time to visit your dream college after acceptance letters arrive. If you have the ability and time to take a campus tour, it can definitely help you decide which colleges to apply to, but there are plenty of other resources available to help you during the college application process. Instagram: @Alice.Curran
Senior events Senior Sunset- May 31 @ 4:30-6:00 P.M Senior awards and dessert- May 31 @ 6:00-8:30 P.M. Senior Graduation @ William Mulholland Middle School- June 7 @ 5:00-7:00 P.M. Grad Nite @ Disneyland- June 10 @ 10:002:00 A.M.
May 31, 2018
The Pearl Post
Senior athletes reflect on their past seasons
Seniors 19
Tatiana Velez Swim “I’ve (been swimming) for 11 years. My favorite (stroke) is the breast stroke. My favorite memories are when I went to Junior Olympic from my club.”
Adonis Arevalo Soccer “One time, we showed up at practice and were messing around, so the coach made us sprint 40 laps on the long side and jog on the short side.”
Dean Khazanov Football “My favorite memories are when we scrimmaged against Fairfax because it was the first game of the year and it was for fun.”
Jessica Salguero Volleyball “I really like the practices because we get to practice a lot but we also get to have fun and make memories. Through practice, I’ve made a lot of friends.”
Nixia Bravo Track “It was really fun supporting my friends and encouraging them to do better.”
Kevin Garcia Soccer (club) “I’ve been playing for 13 years. My favorite memory was when I scored a penalty kick that took my team to the finals. It’s really memorable getting a win from a team that’s really well known.”
Alberto Serrano Lacrosse “Some of my favorite memories as a student athlete would have to be team bonding. Team bonding is one of the key things you do with your team because it allows you to connect with them. So on and off the field, you guys would be okay and there’s no tension between every other person.”
Maria Danan Golf “I had a lot of good memories but my favorite memory was the rush of when I was on the bus going to my first game because I was nervous but I had a good feeling about it.”
Layla Calderon Track “One of my favorite memories as a students athlete is bonding with everybody in track. You make new friends aside from those from DPMHS, which is a really good thing.”
Francheska Vicents Golf “I enjoy that it’s really relaxing but I can also goof around with my friends time to time.”
Photos by Michael Chidbachian, David Eskichyan, Melissa Hernandez, Karina Mara, Richard Mendiola, Angie Rumbo and Christine Valenzuela Interviews by Michael Chidbachian, Martin Garcia, Julissa Jaco, Isabella Jimenez, Sara Marquez, Tabitha Quiroz and Jose Ramirez
Prom Photos 20
The Pearl Post
May 31, 2018
‘A Night Under the Stars’ Photo by Rachel Bullock Senior Paola Rivas and her date take a selfie together for their social media accounts during prom.
Photo by Richard Mendiola Counselor Martina Torres talks with seniors as they wait for their occasional dinner to begin.
Photo by Richard Mendiola Seniors Sergio Payeras (The Pearl Post Tech Editor), Dean Khazanov and Cristina Jercan (The Pearl Post Editor-In-Chief) watch in awe as another student stacks champagne glasses.
Photo by Richard Mendiola Principal Deb Smith takes a photo of seniors Christian Gillen, Angie Gonzalez, Maksim Lisov, Deborah Zuleta and Nathan Kangavary during prom.
Photo by Richard Mendiola A student invites a group of seniors to dance with her on the dance floor during prom on April 28.
Photo by Richard Mendiola Seniors Anthony Freyre (The Pearl Post New Media Editor), Cristina Jercan (The Pearl Post Editor-In-Chief), sophomore Aimee Guzman and senior Tiffany Ramirez dance.
Photo by Richard Mendiola Seniors Angel Rivera (Prestige Yearbook Editor) and Anthony Weatherspoon (The Pearl Post Sports Editor) smile as prom king and queen on April 28.
Photo by Rachel Bullock Prom queen Angel Rivera (Prestige Yearbook Editor), prom king Anthony Weatherspoon (The Pearl Post Sports Editor) and prom court Desiree Davila and Andrew Shehata stand together for pictures after they were announced as winners.
Photo by Rachel Bullock Senior Alana Cush points her fingers up as she dances to the music during prom.
Photo by Rachel Bullock Seniors Tatanka Baskerville, Nikita Opel, Nathan Moz and David Palacios raise their drinks as the prom king and queen dance.
Photo by Richard Mendiola Office Manager Lupe Osorio dances with senior David Palacios at prom.