Drama teacher takes center stage for year of excellence

Volume 1, Issue 2
March 28, 2014
Drama teacher takes center stage for year of excellence
Special points of
interest:
 Spring sports on pg. 2
 Student film festival on pg. 4
 Staff opinions on Bottle-Free
and Teacher of Year on pg. 5
 National Honor Society projects on pg. 6
Inside this
issue:
By Jorge Anaya
Staff Editor
one day make student feedback amount to about forty
percent of the nomination.
Drama teacher Michael
Aspinwall is still
Aspinwall was recognized
pleased to be this year’s
as POLAHS’ Teacher of
Teacher of the Year and
the Year on Monday,
appreciative of the support
March 24. This is Aspinfrom both staff and stuwall’s eighth year as a
dents.
teacher at POLAHS.
“I feel so fortunate to
Teachers are free to
teach with such an amazing
nominate any fellow teachstaff, and moreover to be
er they think worthy of the
nominated with a group of
award. Nominations must
such excellent educators.,”
be made according to critehe said. “Being named
ria like classroom instrucTeacher of the Year, for
tion and going “above and Drama teacher Michael Aspinwall doing
me, is beyond. I really
beyond”. A group of teach- what he does best.
could not do this job withers and administrative staff, Vanessa Enriquez/The Anchor
out the support of the teachincluding grade-level Lead
ers and staff that I work
teachers then review the nominations and vote
with, the students who I am so fortunate to get to
for the final Teacher of the Year.
Students do not contribute to the selection of know. I feel very humble and grateful.”
Students are in turn grateful to have AspinTeacher of the Year. Members of the committee
wall as a teacher.
are working on finding a way to increase stu“If you don’t know something, he’ll explain it
dent influence in the decision making. They are
in a way so that you get it,” said freshman drama
apprehensive in turning the election into a popstudent Robin Grayson. “He’s really creative.”
ularity contest for the teachers. They hope to
Sports
2—3
Calendar
3
Entertainment
4
By Alicia Moser
Staff Editor
The Growl
(Opinions)
5
Clubs
6
Mari-Times
(Community News)
7
Health
8
Features
9
Comics
9
Dear Petey
(Advice)
10
The SAT will change format in 2016, the College board recently announced. The new test will
closer resemble the format of the ACT, a competing college admissions test.
The writing section will become optional on
the new SAT and obscure vocabulary questions
eliminated. The test will return to its former 1600
point scale, which was the maximum test score
prior to changes made in 2005 that added the 800
point writing section. Points will no longer be
deducted for wrong answers on multiple choice
questions.
Change to the test’s vocabulary section is in
part a response to concerns that a student’s social
status has an effect on the words a student has
been exposed to. A student who grew up in Palos
Verdes may have been exposed to a more sophisticated vocabulary (i.e. “regatta,” for sailboat
race) than a student who grew up in Compton.
"I think it's fantastic," said POLAHS math
teacher Donald Ormsby, regarding the elimina-
College board announces future change to SAT
tion of obscure vocabulary. "There was an offensive socioeconomic bias in the old test."
College Board president and CEO David
Coleman claims there was a need to reshape the
test to better evaluate students and the skills they
develop in their high school years. The current
SAT is "far too disconnected from the work of
our high schools,” Coleman said to the press on
March 5.
Others maintain there is a darker side to these
changes.
"Many suggest that the College Board
[changed the test] because they are losing students to the ACT," said Sarah Soule of Shelburne
News. Statistics show that more students are
opting to take the ACT instead, with the ACT
reporting 1.8 million test-takers in 2013 compared to the SAT's 1.7 million.
This year’s freshman class will be among the
first to take the new SAT when they apply for
college as seniors in the fall of 2016.
Page Page
2
2
Newsletter
The Anchor
Title
Junior varsity softball:
Volume 1, Issue 2
1
Varsity softball determined to
remain champions
High hopes for the season
By Angel Munoz
Staff Writer
By Angel Munoz
Staff Writer
The 2014 POLAHS JV softball team is
hopeful about the new season and determined
to come out on top. The girls are confident going into their season and intend to play every
game to their full potential and end with wins.
“This season we have a better team and
coaches, so we feel confident that our team will
go far,” said left fielder Daisy Garcia.
According coach Holly Stevens, the season,
thus far, is going well. There are days where
performance is in a "valley" but there are also
peaks of talent and sportsmanship. The entire
team is progressing and giving their all in every
game.
“Our goals are to communicate better because we have a lot of new players this year
and we need to be a stronger, united team. Our
greatest strength is our defense, so that’s what
we’re going to rely on,” added second baseman
and pitcher Joelle Demonte.
The girls of JV softball are hoping to prove
any doubters wrong of their willingness to play
highlighting their talents on the field. They will
continue giving all their energy to have a winning season.
Volleyball starts strong
Analise De La Roca pitches
in the game against Rancho
Dominguez.
Julissa Cuevas/The Anchor
Our three time defending CIF champions’ girls
varsity softball team is at
it again. Just coming off a
tournament where the
team was able to capture
first place, the girls are
ready and feeling prepared for the season.
There are hopes for
the team to, for the fourth
time, repeat as CIF Varsity softball first baseman Allison Bayer, on base
champions, and it looks and ready for anything.
like they're headed in that Julissa Cuevas/The Anchor
direction.
Graduating
seniors are hoping to leave the school and enter college with another ring on their finger.
“We have worked hard on teamwork and communication skills because at the beginning of this
season, we were ‘flat’ as a team. We’re going to
come in strong this year because we have a lot of
talent,” said Emily Ibarra, the teams left designated
player and first baseman. “Banning is out biggest
rival right now, so we will work hard to be prepared
for them,” continued Ibarra.
By Madison Sigler
Staff Writer
Nicole Miranda, pitcher for the varsity softball team hitting against
Boy’s volleyball at POLAHS has only just be- Rancho Dominguez.
Julissa Cuevas/The Anchor
gun. Coach Felicia Ivie is excited about what this
season will bring.
“Now that our athletics director has agreed to a JV team the program will grow in
years to come, but this year has a lot of promise with veterans and new
additions,” Ivie said of the season.
With players’ grade levels ranging from 9th to 12th grade on the varsity team, the boy’s volleyball players enjoyed their first victory against
Mendez High School.
Amra Brucelas, outside hitter, commented about March 3rd’s game.
“Today’s game will be interesting,” he said. With the season just starting, the boys are showing their
potential through their first wins.
With new players to the POLAHS team, veteran players didn’t know what to expect.
“The new people to the team
will strongly improve in their
weaknesses,” middle-back Eddie
Ramirez thought.
The boy’s volleyball team will
Amra Bruselas
play
their next game at Bright Star
spiking the ball.
Charter School at 3:00 on April
Julissa Cuevas/
Boys’ Volleyball setting up a play.
2nd.
The Anchor
Julissa Cuevas/The Anchor
Baseball players ready
to bat in spring season
By Kelly Ko
Staff Writer
On March 17th the varsity baseball
team took a swooping victory of 7-2
at their home field, Harbor City Little
League, against rival Harbor Teacher
Prep. Winning their first league game
has set them on the road to an undefeated season.
“I felt really good about our win.,”
player Daniel Rubio said. “It was a
team effort and we pulled it off like I
knew we could.”
The teamwork and confidence was
clearly visible as the boys pushed
each other to become victorious.
“We have a solid team. If we play
to the best of our ability, we could go
very far,” Rubio added. “We should
have a great season like last year. I
just wish we can grow as a team like I
know we can.”
Volume 1, Issue 2
1
Page Page
3
3
Newsletter
The Anchor
Title
Athletes honored with banquet
By Staphany Ortiz
Staff Writer
On March 19 POLAHS’ winter athletes were recognized for their efforts at the Athletics’ Banquet held at the
San Pedro Fish Market’s “Top of The Market” restaurant. Athletes were excited and confident about their accomplishments.
Every winter athlete earned an award for participation.
Select awards were also given to certain positions, such as
Varsity soccer midfielder Ariella Martinez, who received
an award for midfield player of the year.
Other athletes were recognized as being the most hard
working and cooperative athletes in the field.
“Athletes show hard work by playing multiple positions,” junior varsity basketball player Aylin Yahuaca
said.
POLAHS athletes attribute their achievements to the
inspiration their role models provide to work hard at their
sport.
“Both my family and Ibrihimovic, a soccer player for
PSG, inspired me to play soccer,” said boys’ varsity soccer player Giovanny Salazar.
Girls’ Soccer receives recognition for their season.
Edith Hernandez/The Anchor
April Calendar
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
31
No School (Cesar
Chavez Day)
1
April Fool’s Day
Parent Conferences (5– 7 pm)
3
2
First iPad sold in
Noon Dismissal
Parent conferences the U.S. (2010)
(1-3 pm)
5
4
Boys Volleyball vs JV Baseball at
Carson High
Foshay Round 1
School
6
US Enters WWI
(1917)
7
World Health Day
8
Illustrator Trina
Schart Hyman is
born (1939)
9
10
Boys Volleyball vs National Sibling
Angelou
Day
V Baseball vs
HTPA round 1
11
SPRING BREAK
BEGINS
12
JV Baseball at
Banning High
School
Boys Volleyball
13
Palm Sunday
14
Titanic strikes the
iceberg (1912)
15
Taxes Due
16
Aviator Wilbur
Wright is born
(1867)
18
Good Friday
19
JV Baseball at
Culver City Round
2
20
Easter Sunday
21
BACK TO
SCHOOL
22
Earth Day
23
24
25
Administrative
Take Your Daugh- Arbor Day
Professionals’ Day ter to Work Day
V Baseball vs
HTPA round 2
27
Holocaust Remembrance Day
28
29
James Monroe is
Zipper Day
born, 5th President
(1758)
30
National Honesty
Day (JK)
Thu
17
Sherlock Hemlock
(Sesame Street
Character) was
born
Fri
Sat
26
JV Baseball at
Carson Round 2
Page 4Page 4
Newsletter
The Anchor
Title
Volume 1, Issue 2
1
Entertainment
Best picture winner Twelve Years a Slave a must-see
By Madison Flores
Staff Writer
Star-Crossed
invades the CW
By Jhoana and Josselin Ruelas
The CW’s new series, StarCrossed, is a fictional romantic story
that takes place in the year 2024. The
show, written by Meredith Averill
and directed by Gray Fleder, plays
Mondays at 8pm.
In the series, Atrains, also known
as aliens, crash onto earth for refuge.
The Atrians see planet Earth as liberation from their restricted planet. Yet,
humans take it as an invasion. One of
the Atrians, Roman, escapes the violent attacks from the U.S army and
must get help through his difficult
times. The show is full of suspense
and intrigue as Roman encounters
obsticles and is even left for dead.
Star-Crossed is a fast-paced and
entertaining series that is sure to captivate many viewers’ attention.
The Winner of the Academy Award for
Best Picture on March 2, Twelve Years a
Slave, is a must-see movie. Directed by Steve McQueen and based on the memoir of
Solomon Northup, this compelling film
shows what slavery was really like through
spot on acting and world class directing.
In the eye-opening movie, Solomon
Northup, a free black man in 1840s New
York played by actor Chiwetel Ejiofor, is
unlawfully kidnapped and sold into slavery.
He is sent to a Southern plantation run by
mal evolent slave owner Edwin Epps (actor
Michael Fassbender).
Under Epp’s control, Solomon gets a
firsthand glimpse of how cruel life really is
for an enslaved black man in the 19th century. For twelve years, Northup faces the brutality of slavery, the struggles of trying to
stay alive, and the loss of his dignity before
meeting a Canadian abolitionist who changes his life for the better.
This movie’s extraordinary performances
and gripping storyline truly move the audi-
POLAHS Film Fest.
12 Years a Slave movie poster
Photo courtesy imbd.com
Faction before blood: Divergent
By Julissa Cuevas
By Hannah Smith
Staff Photographer
Staff members, students and their families came to Staff Photographer
the POLAHS’ Second Annual Film Festival, held
March 25th in the MPR, to watch various student-made
films nominated for POLAHS Oscars”. The festival
was hosted by Kaela Razevich and Zachary Gardner,
who kept the audience entertained with jokes and comedy. The best films in the comedy, drama/suspense/
and
documentary films received their own personal
“Oscar”
awards. Senior
Victoria Geis’
film,
World War
Sneeze, received the
honors for best
suspense film
and make-up.
Her team felt
“Honored and
Divergent movie poster. In
satisfied that
all their work theatres now.
Left to right: Melissa Hurtado, Miguel
Photo courtesy
Salgado, Julissa Cueva, Zachary Gardner, was well apdivergentfans.com
Raven Johnson, Wyatt Freels, Victoria
preciated,” she
Geis, Cesar Guerrero, Joshua Ibarro reen- said.
acting the Oscars “selfie” after the festival
Hannah Smith/The Anchor
ence. It gives viewers a new sense of gratitude towards the freedom all Americans are
now granted. This is a one-of-a-kind film
which truly deserved the Best Picture award
it was given.
Divergent is the first book in a threebook series by Veronica Roth. It takes
place in dystopian Chicago that has been
split into five factions separated by human traits: selflessness, fearlessness,
knowledge, honesty, and peacefulness.
This series follows sixteen year-old
Tris Prior, born Abnegation, who must
choose whether to stay in her faction or
choose to live her life in another. Suspense builds before she chooses her faction, and she finds out that she is what’s
called Divergent: she has traits for two or
more factions. This discovery leads to
danger, and Tris is told that this must be
her secret and no one must know, not
even her family.
As she searches for answers about her
Divergence, she meets Four, her initiation
instructor.
Divergent, the movie, comes out
March 21 staring Shailene Woodly as
Tris and Theo James as Four.
Volume 1, Issue 2
1
Bottle- free solution
By Alexis Green
Staff Writer
The Growl: Opinions
Question: Why would anyone prefer to throw their
money away dollars at a time when filling up a reusable bottle at the tap costs little to nothing?
POLAHS Bottle-Free Club has proposed a plan that
will get POLAHS to ditch plastic water bottles in our
school. The plan is ideal because not only will it benefit our environment, but also send a greater message to
the public. And as a school in such close proximity to
the busiest port in the nation, we should make it our
greatest effort to contribute to improving the environment of both our
community and larger world.
Interviews with students of all grade levels revealed that the student body currently has little knowledge about the effort to make POLAHS bottle-free. However, they all knew plastic water bottles are
harmful to our environment.
Plastic bottles become toxic once they leach chemicals, which is
why switching to reusable bottles
is essential. 80% of the time, plastic bottles are not recycled. When
Last Issue’s
burned, they cause atmospheric
harm, and if buried, they take
centuries to decompose. In order
to prevent more large-scale damage, we must first do what we can
here in our own community. Going bottle-free at our school will
raise awareness and encourage
others to do the same.
Teacher of the
year process is
right
By Alisha Pedicone
Staff Writer
Page 5Page 5
Newsletter
The Anchor
Title
Poll
Not what it seems
By Nicole Masaki
Staff Writer
The question of going bottle-free is not whether we
are saving the environment, but whether we are harming our bodies.
According to the Mayo Clinic, reusable water bottles are more durable than traditional plastic bottles
because most contain a synthetic material known as
BPA. Prolonged exposure (i.e. using a reusable water
bottle every day) can lead to the underdevelopment of
fetuses, including the brain, which will affect a child’s behavior
and prostate glands.
Another inconvenience caused by reusable water bottles is that
a person can really only effectively use it for water. If you want
juice or a sports drink you have to buy it in the plastic bottle from
which it comes, making a reusable bottle not only inconvenient
but pointless.
Additionally, recycling cans
and bottles around the school can
be a good source of funding. The
Results:
bottle-free club has also proposed
installing hydration stations
throughout the school, where
students can refill their reusable
water bottles. These stations will
cost the school money and going
bottle-free would cut into a budget that is already tight as it is.
This Issue’s Polls:
Do you support POLAHS becoming a bottle-free
campus?
How do you feel about the current Teacher of the
Teacher of the
year needs
changes
By Leah Beccera
Staff Writer
Although the Teacher of the
Year selection process?
Every spring, POLAHS teachYear Award rightfully recognizers nominate the school’s Teaches teachers who show great comVote now!
er of the Year. The recipient of
mitment and concern towards
the award has always been a
Click Here
students, the selection procedure
teacher who has shown amazing
for the award could improve.
Or
go
to
teaching abilities and commitCurrently, any teacher can
http://theanchorpolahs.polldaddy.com/s/poll
ment to the school. Clearly, the
nominate a teacher for the
traditional selection process
award. A nomination form must
works and is the way to go.
be completed, consisting of three categories: classroom instruction,
While some have proposed including student input in the Teach- professional interaction, and evidence of going “Above and Beyond.”
er of the Year selection, it is teachers who know how to best The highest focus is on the teaching skills of nominees. Shouldn’t
choose who the nominees are. All teachers know and interact with students have a say in that category, since they are the ones who expeeach other, whereas not all students know all of the teachers at rience first-hand the styles and lessons of their teachers? Some teachPOLAHS. Students might just vote for their favorite teacher, and ers at POLAHS, who prefer to remain anonymous, argue that of all
not necessarily the one who deserves the Teacher of the Year three categories in the nomination process, classroom instruction is the
recognition.
section where teachers would know the least about each other. After
Including students would also complicate the process and pre- all, seldom is a teacher in a fellow teacher’s classroom. Students might
vent the selection from being made swiftly and efficiently. A few be a better judge of a teacher’s instruction.
teachers making a decision on this matter is much easier than havWhile the other nominating criteria is fair, the award is not an equal
ing the entire student body vote.
opportunity for all. In addition to not considering student input, lead
Teachers remain the ones who know how to best nominate and teachers are not eligible to be nominated because they are in charge of
vote on the “Teacher of the Year.” Teachers know what is required evaluating the nominations of other teachers.
of the job and what being outstanding at the job looks like. Who
Suggestions for changing the Teacher of the Year selection process
better to pick the Teacher of the Year than the teachers themselves? are plentiful. It’s time those suggestions be seriously considered.
Page Page
6
6
Newsletter
The Anchor
Title
SRLA crosses finish line:
LA Marathon a success
Volume 1, Issue 2
1
Clubs
By Kelly Ko
Staff Writer
POLAHS students and teachers participated in The LA Marathon on Sunday, March 9. Participants began their
run at Dodger’s Stadium and crossed the
finish line in Santa Monica in the hottest
marathon Los Angeles has seen in recent
years, as temperatures climbed to 81
degrees.
The heat was a challenge for runners,
as only 348 out of 21,829 crossed the
finish line. Despite the low ratio for all
marathon participants, the entire POLAHS’s SRLA team left Santa Monica
with medals dangling around their necks.
POLAHS senior, Lexi Ceballos finished the race in the 1st division with an
astonishing time of 3:36:12.
Junior Julius Page finished in
3:47:48, coming in as POLAHS’s fastest
male runner and placing 85th within his
age group.
“I was relieved the marathon was
over. I just wanted to see my parents,”
Page said.
This marked Page’s fourth marathon.
Despite the challenge, he plans to com-
Journalism class to
launch this fall
By Samantha Franco
Staff Writer
Jordan Langner gets in a final training run before the marathon with the support of friend
Kyerstin Galloway.
Kyara Galloway/The Anchor
plete more marathons in the future.
“A marathon is a difficult, but an interesting experience,” he said. “Everyone
should experience it.”
POLAHS advisors Nicole Gant, Lincoln Walden-Schulz, Jennifer Kelly and
Minh Lee started training 25 students for
the marathon last August. Eight months of
dedication, persistence, and arduous training paid off when all 25 students crossed
Students give back to community with
NHS projects
By Edith Hernandez and Melissa Navarro
Staff Photographer and Staff Writer
POLAHS launched a chapter of the
National Honor Society (NHS) last semester to acknowledge outstanding students with strong leadership skills and a
desire to serve their community. This
year’s 16 senior members have created
original service projects to help the local
community.
Inspired by her love of art, NHS
member Stephanie Gomez developed a
project to give elementary school children art lessons for 7 weeks.
“I chose to do this project because I
wanted to expose kids to the many possibilities that art can give them,” she
said. “Art has been there all my life. It
has been a safe haven for me and helped
me relax when I was stressed out.”
Raven Johnson also geared her project at children. She coordinated a creative writing program for 4th graders at
Stephanie Gomez and Raven Johnson are
two of the NHS members who are working
on projects to benefit the community.
Edith Hernandez/The Anchor
Pines Christian School. Johnson says she
enjoyed her project because she is a former student of the school herself.
“I went to Pines for elementary school
and I’ve known a lot of these kids since
they were in Pre-K, some I’ve even known
since they were babies. I first started writing at Pines too. So it feels good to give
back to a school that gave me everything.”
NHS members at POLAHS continue to
give back to the community in other ways,
including blood drives and food drives.
Beginning this fall POLAHS will offer Journalism as a seventh period. The
year-long class is open to all students
for 2.5 credits a semester.
Journalism will teach students about
the fundamentals of newspaper publication, including journalistic writing,
editing, photography and drawing. It
will be taught by English teacher
Rachael LopezLavalle and Government
teacher Allison Norman.
The Newspaper Club was founded
by current Editor-in-Chief Cassandra
Puentes, who felt that POLAHS needed
a student newspaper and approached
teachers for help in starting one.
The class was developed due to the
rising interest from the current newspaper staff of more than 30 members.
Students enrolled in the Journalism
class will work toward the monthly
publication of this newspaper in addition to participating in weekly lessons.
The 2014-2015 Journalism class
will meet Tuesdays and Thursdays after school. All interested students can
sign up now in the counseling office.
Childcare to be provided
at parent conferences
By Kelly Ko
Staff Writer
POLAHS will be hosting drop-in
parent teacher conferences on Tuesday,
April 1st from 5-7 PM, and Wednesday,
April 2nd from 1-3 PM. The National
Honor Society will for the first time provide child care for students’ younger
siblings by reading to them and making
bookmarks. Books will also be provided
in Spanish.
NHS’ goal of this project is “to promote a love for reading that has been lost
in the younger generations” according to
NHS member Hope Daley.
Volume 1, Issue 2
1
Page 7
Page 7
Newsletter
The Anchor
Title
The Mari-Times: Community News
Local skate park moves: Channel Street
Park closes
Women’s luncheon
By Anne Radinski and Samantha Franco
Outside contributor and Staff Writer
On Thursday, March 6, 2014, the annual
Women’s History Month Luncheon took
place at the Doubletree Hotel. Four esteemed students from the San Pedro area
were given the honor to speak about what
they have done, and continue to do in the
local community.
Two women from POLAHS were distinguished, including senior, Marilyn Rivas, and Environmental Engineering and
Spanish 1 teacher, Rachel Brunke.
Both of them spoke upon the theme of
this year’s luncheon, “Celebrating Giving
Back.” Brunke proudly spoke about her
work and about how women need to speak
up, saying, “It takes courage to speak up.”
The luncheon united a select group of
inspiring female leaders and students sharing their accomplishments, experiences and
their desires to help make our community a
better place.
APES students want to
change fishing practices
By Helayna Elmore
Staff Writer
Channel Street Skate Park is a "DIY"
skate park built in 2002, in San Pedro
located under the Channel Street 110
freeway onramp. The park will soon be
closed and relocated due to construction
of the freeway. The new park is planned
at Peck Park.
This move is an emotional one for
many skateboarders who visit the Channel Street Park. The local skaters built
this park on their own, making it unique
and a favorite hangout of many locals.
Together the skaters take care of Channel, picking up trash, cleaning skating
areas, and decorating with original artwork like a beautiful mosaic. They spend
hours on end skating and having a good
time.
Although many people are upset
about this news, some welcome the new
park.
“It's good that it is at least being replaced, rather than having no skate park
at all," said Dustin Bradley, a skater from
San Pedro High School.
Trusela’s reopens on
6th Street
By Jorge Anaya
Staff Editor
Move over Subway, a new family
owned restaurant has moved next door.
Trusela’s, was officially reopened on
March 14, 2014, moving from its previous location to its new home on 301 W.
6th Street. Specializing in Italian food,
specifically Sicilian, Trusela’s is sure to
transport guests back to Italy with each
bite. Be sure to stop by Trusela’s the
fish floats away and next time your stomach begins to rumcannot get back ble afterschool or if you’re in the mood
down to deep water. for quality Italian food.
By Diana Zaragoza
Staff Writer
AP Environmental Science students
Stephanie Gomez, Cesar Guerrero, Raven Johnson, Darryl Lewis and Belisaria
Sidener-Mercado are working to raise
awareness of barotrauma that occurs to
fish when they are caught and pulled up
too fast from deep waters. The students
presented a project at the Long Beach
Fish and Boat Show on March 9 as part
of the USC Sea Grant. They hope their
efforts will spread word about the little
known condition.
“We just want more people to know
about it,” Sidener-Mercado said.
The sudden pressure and oversized
bladders of deep-water fish force their
stomachs out of their mouths when they
are brought to the surface. The stomach
is then often mistaken by many people
for the fish’s tongue.
Some people toss the fish back. Others try to puncture the fish’s swim bladder to release built up gas. Both practices
often end up killing the fish. Because the
fish’s organs are severely damaged, the
The Peck Park Skate Park is under construction.
Jaelene Galaz/The Anchor
“The point is to
use certain devices
so [the fish] can By Leah Beccera
and Staff Writer
The stomach of a rockfish decompress
forced out of its mouth as live longer,” SidenThe Ports O’ Call restaurant is a
er-Mercado
said.
a result of barotrauma.
waterfront
dining experience that excels
Photo courtesy of oregon- Once lowered down
state.edu
to a safe depth, the in everything: setting, food and service.
It is located alongside shops, restaufish can recover and
rants and attractions of the Ports O’
swim away safely.
Ports o’ Call delights
Students hit the books
By Angel Munoz
Staff Writer
Saturday Study Hall is available to all POLAHS students every other Saturday from 8 to
11. Student can work on homework , study for
a test, ask questions about and work anything
related to school.
Science teacher and PASS instructor, Dean
Zrucky, lead the study time, and Roger Cosgrove frequently helps as well, handing out
textbooks students need.
Saturday Study Hall is a great place to be if
there is homework to work on or a test to prepare for.
Call Marketplace. With its waterfront
views, multi-level dining room and
huge outdoor patio, the restaurant caters
to many special events and banquets
and has been the location of innumerable weddings for over forty years.
The seafood-based restaurant offers
a variety of signature dishes- from honey-lime glazed ahi tuna to the grilled
swordfish and shrimp saffron.
Whether or not one anticipates on
spending an evening at the restaurant or
planning a wedding, the friendly staff
aims to help make each visit, big or
small, an unforgettable experience.
Page Page
8
8
Newsletter
The Anchor
Title
Health: Stress
Stress and your health
By Melissa Navarro
Staff Writer
Volume 1, Issue 2
1
Students polled about stress
By Jessica Jones
Staff Photographer
On Tuesday, March 4 and
Wednesday, March 5 “Stress
Tests” were administered to
survey how much stress students at POLAHS experience.
The survey asked questions
about how much sleep each
student gets a night and how
much time they spend doing
homework each day.
The surveys are meant to
provide feedback about how to
improve students’ learning
environment and decrease their
stress levels.
Senior Alex Gonzalez freSome students hope that the
quently falls asleep in class school cares enough about
students and acknowledges the stress
that comes with school.
“The staff and teachers should do
something about it [student stress],”
senior Cecilia Jimenez said. “I feel like
students are stressed because teachers
throw so much at us all at one time. I
don’t mind all the projects and everything but not all at once.”
Senior Pilar Ek says the stress
doesn’t end second semester of senior
year.
“Once you get accepted [to college]
if you get anything below a ‘C’ you
have your offer taken away and have
nowhere to go,” she said. “It makes
senior year 10 times more stressful.”
Stress, a frustration most people
has experienced at some point, can
negatively affect your health.
Health Magazine states that as
many as 70% of doctor visits and
80% of illnesses are connected to
or worsened by stress. Matters
such as family problems, school, or
even exams, can contribute to feeling of stress.
Stress can affect a person in
several ways. During stress, the
body releases the hormone cortisol, which leads to a craving for due to stress related sleep
sugar or fatty foods. This increases deprivation.
fat tissue and can lead to weight Vanessa Enriquez/
By Jessica Jones
gain. According to Health Maga- The Anchor
Staff Photographer
zine, stress can also increase blood
pressure, can initiate strokes, increase blood sugar,
One of the most stressful parts of student life is all of the tests that are needed to
trigger seizures, begin premature aging and can get into college and maintain a high GPA. Effective test taking and preparation strateventually reduce brain tissue.
egies can relieve some of the stress and anxiety that come with exams. Here are some
In addition to other common physical symptoms tips to keep in mind the next time benchmarks or college admissions tests come up:
like headaches, stress obstructs the brain’s creation
1. Narrow the answers down to the two best options.
of new memories and leads to forgetfulness. Peo2. If there is a long passage, read and answer the questions first, when possible.
ple’s sleep patterns can also be affected.
3. Don’t cram information in the night before the test; this will only lead to stress.
There are several actions that can be taken to
4. Ask your teacher about the material on the test so you know what to study. Test
prevent or manage stress. Activities such as calling taking can be a stressful process to deal with, but these simple practices can help
a friend, taking a bath, taking a walk, working out, relieve some of the anxiety.
writing in a journal, spending time with a pet, listening to music and lighting scented candles can
help relieve stress tension.
Test taking tips to reduce anxiety
Exceptional talent at
POLAHS
Features
By Leah Beccera
Staff Writer
Twelfth grader Nicole
Masaki is not well known at
POLAHS for dancing, so it
may surprise people to hear
that starting from age seven,
Masaki has practiced Irish
dancing.
“I wanted to learn it ever
since I completed my cultural
project of Ireland in the second grade,” stated Masaki.
“My mom also took me to the
Irish festival in Pomona when
I was younger and I thought
the performers were interesting,” Masaki later added.
Since viewing the dancers
at the festival, Masaki became
increasingly involved in the
practice of Irish dancing.
Today, she competes all
over the western region. First
competing in local tournaments
in Long Beach and Orange
County, Masaki then advanced
to national competitions.
Over the summer of 2013,
she competed in Anaheim for a
national dance trophy while
also participating in regional
championships and becoming
nationally qualified in Denver,
Sacramento, and Seattle. More
notably, Masaki competed in
the Arizona state championships and was awarded second
place for overall performance
in her age division.
Lack of awareness of Teacher
Appreciation
By David Carter
Staff Editor
The teachers at POLAHS work
very hard to ensure the success of
their students and help students
reach their full potential, but is
that hard work really acknowledged by anyone?
May i5—9th s Teacher Appreciation Week and is just around
the corner. What do POLAHS
students, faculty and parents do to
show that they appreciate our
teachers?
Principal Tom Scotti explained
that in the past, the school has
paid for a teacher appreciation
lunch brought in from a local
restaurant. The Parents of POLAHS Students (POPS) usually
organize a breakfast for the teachers.
This all sounds well and good,
but some POLAHS teachers were
surprised to learn that there was
even such a thing as Teacher Appreciation Week.
"I didn't even know we had
one," 11th grade English teacher
Nicole Gant said.
This lack of awareness suggests
that the student body and POLAHS
community could do more to recognize the hard work of their educators. While it may be difficult to
measure students’ appreciation of
their teachers, there are simple gestures students can make to show
their gratitude. Scotti suggests that
students put a poster up in the hall
and actually write thank you notes
to their teachers.
What drives many students to
come to POLAHS is the relationship
that they develop with their teachers. Students should give back some
of the love they are given from their
teachers.
Page Page
9
9
Newsletter
The Anchor
Title
Volume 1, Issue 2
1
Comics
By Ashley Anderson/The Anchor
By Ashley Anderson/The Anchor
The “child” Ukraine seeks independence and
closer bonds with Europe, while “father”
Russia wants to retain parental-like control.
He uses Crimea as a means to take back influence.
By Lori Quijano/The Anchor
Dear “Petey”
Dear Petey,
Dear Petey,
Lately I have been feeling overwhelmed with my classes
and extracurricular activities. I feel like I’m super stressed
out all the time. Are there any tips you can give me to help
me stay on top of my classes?
Desperate, Average Student
Dear Average Student,
Unfortunately for you, POLAHS has set a rigorous academic course for every type of student, whether are in honors, AP, or regular classes. It is always important to remember to stay organized. If you have an idea of everything you
need to complete, it becomes easier and quicker for you to
finish., so use an agenda to help keep track. The biggest tip
I can give you is to not procrastinate. I know it is more enticing to spend your afternoons on Instagram all day or
catching up on episodes of Teen Wolf, but don’t wait to do
something tomorrow when you can do it today. If you keep
your mind focused and stay on task, your workload becomes more bearable which, in turn, will lower your stress
levels.
My parents will not let me have a boyfriend because they are
afraid that I won’t succeed in school if I am in a relationship. Even
though I know my parent’s rules, I’ve been with my boyfriend for
about three months, and I actually want to tell them. Do you have any
advice?
Help! Modern Juliet
Dear Modern Juliet,
You little rebel you! First and foremost, you should make sure to
approach your parents on one of their good days. (That is- the conversation in the car ride home shouldn’t consist of any yelling or backtalk, but rather ridiculously large smiles and “Hi, how was your
day ?”). Secondly, make sure that you are fully prepared with what
you want to say. Also, because you are going against your parents’
rules, don’t bombard them with comments that will lead to negative
consequences. I think it would be wise of you to consider your own
answers to the following questions as well: Are you sure that you are
capable of being in a relationship AND doing your best in school?
Lastly, remember to be honest throughout the whole conversation. If
your parents continue to stand firm to their opinions, you must respect their choice. Hopefully following my advice will lead to the
outcome you desire!
Best of luck,
Petey
Hope that helps,
Petey
Editor-in-Chief/Health
and Features Editor:
Cassandra Puentes
The Anchor Staff
Staff Writers:
Nicole Masaki
Leah
Becerra
Sports Editor:
Angel Munoz
Jorge Anaya
Sophie Duran
Melissa Navarro
Helayna Elmore
Clubs/Maritimes Editor:
Staphany Ortiz
Kyara
Galloway
David Carter
Alisha Pedicone
Alexis Green
Anthony Reynoso
Entertainment/
Anthony Reynoso
The Growl Editor:
Jhoana Ruelas
Madison Flores
Alicia Moser
Josselin Ruelas
Samantha Franco
Madison Sigler
Kyara Galloway
Comics Editor:
Diana Zaragoza
Kelly Ko
Ashley Anderson
The Anchor
Port of Los Angeles High School
250 West 5th Street, San Pedro, Ca 90731
Phone: 310-832-9201
www.polahs.net / [email protected]
Photographers:
Julissa Cuevas
Vanessa Enriquez
Jaelene Galaz
Edith Hernandez
Jessica Jones
Hannah Smith
Artists:
Maria Mohan
Adrian Padilla
Lori Quijano
Jennifer Vargas
Advisors:
Rachael LopezLavalle
Allison Norman