Interview Archives - Page 3 of 5

A Sit-Down with Hambik, from a Sisterly Point of View

March 22, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

Ani’s interview is part of an ongoing thebirdonfire endeavor to present the graduating seniors of the PVS Class of ’22.

By Ani Madanyan

My brother, Hambik Madanyan, might be a little…strange. Some think he’s funny; some think he’s loud, and some just can’t figure him out. What goes on inside that strange brain? I think my brother is suffering from senioritis. Let’s get to know him better…

Hambik, how would you describe yourself?

“As a very outgoing and happy person.”

What’s your favorite thing about high school? What are you going to miss the most from high school?

“My favorite thing about school is the people I’ve encountered and all the relationships I’ve formed here at PVS. I’m going to miss my friends the most. Though I haven’t been here for a while, I feel like I am right where I belong.”

What’s your favorite thing to do when you’re bored?

“I usually just play games, watch shows, and talk to my friends.”

What’s your favorite class/subject?

“My favorite class is biology because I like how it challenges me.”

What’s your dream university?

“UCLA!”

Sounds like Hambik has a pretty boring life…Let’s ask the juicy questions…

Hambik, who’s the funniest friend in your group?

“The queen–Sarah Habibipour.”

What do you fear the most, and why?

“Failure because I hate not being able to finish something I started.”

What was the last lie you told?

Hambik seems to be stuttering here…Let’s ask him again. HAMBIK…when was the last time you lied? (my mom’s in the room…. this is about to be crazy)

“I haven’t told any lies today-uh.”

Hambik, is this the lie?

“No response.”

I’ll take that as a yes.

Anyways, let’s get back to the basics. What’s your favorite sport?

“Basketball or golf.”

What’s your favorite food ever?

“Hot wings.”

He didn’t seem to stutter.

What’s your biggest pet peeve?

“When people think they’re better than you.”

Ani: YOU ARE LITERALLY LIKE THAT!

Hambik: “But I hate when others do it.”

Strange…

Hambik… What‘s the most embarrassing thing you’ve ever done?

“Where do we start? Um, probably when I ripped my pants in front of the whole school.”

Interesting.

Final question, are you happy or sad to be leaving PVS? Are you scared of college?

“I’m both happy and sad. I’m happy because I’m moving onto new experiences. But I’m sad because I have to leave the old ones behind.”

Wow. What a boring life. Just kidding. I think my brother has . . . potential.

The Fastest 8th Grader on Earth

March 16, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

Oliver Martinez interviews 8th-grader Chloe Elbaz who has earned many prestigious awards in cross country and track-and-field events. Some of these awards include her team winning 1st place in Amateur Athletic Union’s (AAU) Cross-Country Nationals just last December in North Carolina, and, individually, earning 2nd place nationally at the same meet in the 14-year-old division.

By Oliver Martinez, Middle-School Correspondent

Word of her successes filtered over to Blog, so I went out and interviewed 8th-grader Chloe Elbaz. We know her as an accomplished cross-country racer and track-and-field competitor. Now, the nation knows of her as well. She has won and placed in several races and events around the country. She’s very good at running and jumping and throwing–I mean, nationally good. Check out the video interview, and hear her tell about running and running well:

8th-grader Chloe Elbaz is a nationally recognized runner.

ASB Presidential Candidates

May 29, 2019 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By Holden Hartle

In anticipation of the upcoming ASB elections, I thought I would do an analysis of those who are running for ASB President, similar to a post that I did detailing those who were running for President of the United States. I interviewed each candidate as well as read their candidate statements from previous campaigns, whether that be for a cabinet position or a class representative. Here is a brief profile on each of the three people running for Palm Valley’s ASB President.

Hannah Makkai

Hannah, a rising senior, enjoys being a part of the decision-making process. She has held positions in student government since middle school. She also mentioned being a student at PVS since preschool. She said that because of this, she has watched the school grow and has adapted with it. She believes being a part of the Palm Valley community for so long will allow her to note the diversity of the student body and make decisions accordingly.

One of her most defining achievements is the PVS Instagram page. I asked her if it was helpful or useful, to which she responded affirmatively. She did concede, however, that it is very difficult to make posts, considering the multiple hoops one has to jump through. It is something she would like to improve upon if elected President.

Finally, she has lots of ideas. She has the creativity to think up events, but has she thought of all the possibilities that could deter a night like “movie night” from taking shape? Expense? Enthusiasm? Availability? Moreover, it is possible that she is prioritizing ideas such as “movie night” and “team competition night” over ideas such as efficiency and democracy. Perhaps this is something that she will learn as President. Nevertheless, if you are looking for someone with copious amounts of creativity for fun ideas in ASB, then Hannah should be your choice.

Brennan Nick

When I asked Brennan, also a rising senior, why he wanted to run for President, he started by saying that it was a very difficult question to answer, but he went on to explain that he enjoys being a part of the decision-making process. He said that he did not agree with the 2017-2018 administration and some of the decisions made. He said that this year was a lot better than last year because the ASB process was more democratic. Along with being more democratic, he said that communication among ASB greatly improved, mainly due to the current president, Jackson Dean.

Brennan is a man of his word, and you can count on that. Last year, his campaign statement claimed that he was going to use Google polls to bridge the gap between students and ASB. He did just that. Honesty and transparency are rare in today’s political climate.

When I asked him if he had an edge over the other candidates, he said that he has experience at the second highest position that an ASB member can be, as he is the current Vice President. He also said that he has a document with all of the plans he has for the upcoming year. To me, at least, this shows that he is “on his game” so to speak. His pragmatism shows his motivation and willingness to be President.

My criticism is that if you want fresh eyes and a new way of thinking in ASB, Brennan might not be the way to go. The fact that he looks up so highly to Jackson means that he may model a lot of his platform and his style of leading after him. So if you are a fan of Jackson’s presidential style, then Brennan is the right choice, but if you want a fresh change, perhaps one of the other candidates would better suit you.

Caroline Scheil

Caroline, despite being a grade below the other two candidates, feels as though she can make a big impact in the school. When asked why people should vote for her, she said that her leadership qualities and ability to compromise set her ahead of the game. Also, being a grade below Hannah and Brennan protects her from the dreaded Senioritis that will most likely affect the senior candidates. Along with this, the other senior candidates will no doubt be stressing over college applications during the beginning of the school year, but Caroline said that she would stay motivated throughout that time and be dedicated to ASB.

My big question to her was whether or not she felt like an underdog. She said, yes, but she is still up to the challenge. This says something about Caroline’s character. The fact that even though she is afraid of a task, she has the ability to power through it.

Along with her status as an underdog, I wondered if her age would benefit or hinder her ability to lead a cabinet of mostly seniors. She said that it would benefit her, that her experience as a class representative would give a different perspective to the cabinet.

Her downfall, however, could be her optimism. She said that she is very “doe-eyed.” Perhaps this optimism could cloud her judgment to see a situation clearly. But, even if this is the case, her ability to compromise could counteract this, making her a fit choice for President.

Editor: Hannah Hall

Teachers Before They Started Teaching: Mr. Griffin Edition

February 25, 2019 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By Holden Hartle

In my 15 years of being a student, I have learned fun and interesting facts about my teachers. In learning these facts, I realized that teachers were so much more than just teachers. So, I wanted to learn their stories, and more specifically, I wanted to learn how their career and life decisions led them to Palm Valley School. In this post, I interview Mr. Griffin, a long-time teacher at PVS who is one of the faces of the Upper School English Department. Here is his story.

The story of Mr. Griffin began in Glendale, California, in a year that, for his sake, I will leave unmentioned. Years later, he was accepted to the University of Redlands and attended there for a year. During that time, he became very close with his English professor, who taught him the importance of books and literature in general. After that year, he transferred to UC Berkeley where he finished his B.A. in English Literature. Once he finished his B.A., he took a gap year in Europe before returning to UC Berkeley for his Masters. But, he didn’t want to pursue a Ph.D. Though he still loved English, he decided to pursue a different career path–film.

He was accepted to the UCLA Film Department as he was receiving his Masters but turned it down. He decided that he had “had enough of school.” Instead of pursuing film in a classroom, he booked a flight to The Big Apple and dove right into the industry. Of course, you don’t hop off the plane and start working on movies. First, you need money to afford the necessities, which Mr. Griffin made through various jobs, such as being a waiter. He needed these jobs to “stay alive.”

He started out on the bottom of the totem pole in the film industry as a Production Assistant; among many of his responsibilities was “fetching coffee for Al Pacino.” Eventually, he worked his way up to 2nd Assistant Director, and then to 1st Assistant Director. From there, he became a Production Manager and then landed a job as a Producer. His last major job was as a Producer on the TV series Nip/Tuck. But, what changed? Why isn’t he still in the film industry?

During his time in New York, his mother suddenly grew ill. He flew back to California, and his mother passed away. Losing his mother motivated him to spend time with his father, with whom he never had much of a relationship. So, he decided to relocate from the East Coast to California and pursue his career in the heart of the Hollywood beast. In the years leading up to his father’s death, Mr. Griffin grew extremely close to his father.

In the late 90s, Mr. Griffin bought a home in Palm Springs and moved there to enjoy the warmer climate and easier lifestyle. He continued to work in the film industry for another ten years, working on various projects in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Miami, and San Diego.

While in Palm Springs, he joined the Gay Men’s Chorus and met Mr. Sarkis. The pair were both baritones and sat next to each other. Mr. Griffin described their behaviors as being “mischievous towards everything.” They had similar interests, and soon enough, their friendship blossomed.

One day, Sarkis invited Mr. Griffin to a Marywood Palm Valley Middle School production of Guys and Dolls. Like any sane person, Mr. Griffin was dubious about seeing middle schoolers attempt to perform a play, but he attended out of friendship for Mr. Sarkis and found the production not only surprisingly entertaining but also impressively professional and unbelievably charming. This is how Mr. Griffin became connected to the school. After 30+ years in the film industry, he’d found that the work just “wasn’t that glamorous anymore,” so when Sarkis asked for his help on upcoming middle-school productions, he jumped at the chance. This transitioned into him accepting a job to teach 9th-grade English at the school so that he could return to his first love, great literature.

About ten years later, he is still teaching 9th-grade English, along with AP English Literature, all the while inspiring the next generation in the same way that he was inspired by his professor at the University of Redlands.

Editor: AJ Patencio

Passing on the Torch: The Freshman Retreat

September 28, 2018 by szachik@pvs.org 2 Comments

By Holden Hartle

Three years ago, in September of 2015, my freshman class hopped onto a bus for Lake Arrowhead for the Freshman Retreat. This is a three-day trip for the new high schoolers during which they get to know their classmates better through group activities, workshops, etc. They envision what will be and can be their high-school career and beyond.

Back then, the general consensus of the grade was split in half. Some thought that it was going to be a great experience for team building, making new friends, and just a simple getaway from the city. The other half were dreading it, fearing social interaction. But, nonetheless, the freshman class entered the bus and headed to Lake Arrowhead.

This year is no different. In mid September, the future class of 2022 traveled towards Lake Arrowhead. Though I went to the UCLA Conference Center and this year’s class went to a large cabin, and though we may have done different activities, the idea of bonding with fellow classmates was still present.

According to current freshman Kaiya, this was the “…best field trip so far.” I don’t want to spoil the activities of the Freshman Retreat in fear that it would ruin the surprise for the upcoming freshmen, but in a survey sent to the current freshman class, 75% said that it helped them learn more about their classmates, 100% said that they had fun, 100% said that they would recommend it for next year’s freshman class.

This tradition is something that I hope will continue for many years to come. This passing of the torch is how I made some of my best friends that I have today. The memories I made on that trip always make me smile. I remember our shared songs, games, and team projects. It is such a great way to not only learn about new students, but it is also a great way to learn more about students that you may have known your whole life.

Editor: AJ Patencio

Introduction to Shelby’s Shenanigans: Ms. Clark as Special Guest

May 23, 2018 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By Shelby Armor

Hello, and welcome to “Shelby’s Shenanigans”! This is a podcast that explores the people of Palm Valley School by talking to staff and students, taking a look at who we are as people, and how we shape a PVS community. Today, for our first episode, we’re talking to Middle and Upper School teacher, Ms. Clark. We examine her connection with yoga and the outdoors, as well as psychology and how that has influenced her life. I hope you enjoy the premiere episode of “Shelby’s Shenanigans”!

Editor: Claire Jenkins

First Words–Revisited

May 7, 2018 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By Claire Jenkins

According to Psychology Today, “If the eyes are the window to the soul, then words are the gateway to the mind.” The words people choose to define things often reveal a lot about the person. When we think, we only think in verbs and nouns (Psychology Today). Other words such as adjectives and adverbs are added in when we form our thoughts into spoken words. The words others use when speaking or writing provide a way to observe the characteristics and the emotions of these individuals.

A while back I listed off words to a select pool of Palm Valley students and recorded their first-word reactions. Then, I came back and listed the same words to the same people, but this time they had a chance to think about their responses, and the word they felt fit the best was recorded. Here are their reflected-upon responses:

Female

transformative, complex, lips, human, children, woman, rights, Iron Man (think about it: the sign for iron is Fe)

Male

surprising, tiring, leaves, human, female, man, blue, mailman

Smart

overrated, determination, you, understanding, well-informed, brain, books, wise

Dumb

disregarded, growth, me, speaking, stupid, brick, mud, silent

Future

complicated, far, blue, bleak, work, time-machine, gifts, Star Wars

Past

dependent, ignorance, unsuccessful, civilization, history, dinosaur, emptiness, history

Present

confusing, wasted, Claire, existence, now, Santa, thoughts, 2018

Alone

peace, rest, white, sensitive, pondering, corner, pillow, wilderness

Community

bond, love, people, people, family, homes, garden, civilization

What would psychologists say about these eight people? What do you say?

Editor: Brennan Nick

The Impact of the Digital Age on Adolescence?

May 26, 2016 by szachik@pvs.org 1 Comment

–A Blog Survey

The showing of the movie Screenagers on campus last Wednesday got us talking about the impact of computers, laptops, tablets, smart phones, video games, and television on teenagers. Many families, educators, and psychologists worry about the effect of teenagers staring at a screen for hours a day. Thebirdonfire Blog team wanted to know: Who calls the shots in your life? You or your Smart Phone?

We asked around the PVS Upper School, “Do you think you’re experiencing enough face-to-face social interaction? (Or, are you just staring at your screen all day?)

54% in the Upper School surveyed said, “Yes,” they get enough face-to-face time.
23% said, “Yes and No. ” They thought they met with enough interaction IN SCHOOL, but OUT OF SCHOOL, they were spending significant time in front of the screen. Henry Huang said, “In school, we have all these people we talk with about life, school, events. We have friends outside of school, but, perhaps ironically, we converse with them via text, email, SnapChat, Twitter.”
15% surveyed said, “No,” teenagers today are not connecting enough with humans.

We asked, “Hey! Whose responsibility is it to pay attention in class?”

54% answered resoundingly, “The student’s!”
46% said, “It’s BOTH the student’s and teacher’s responsibility.” Jordan King answered, “It’s up to the student to not use devices. It’s up to the teacher to engage students.”
NOBODY thought it was the teacher’s job exclusively. Everybody thought the student should take at least some responsibility for attentiveness.

When asked if cell phones should be banned in schools, the PVS Upper School responded 62% of the time, “NO.”
31% thought there should be parameters, or, yes, ban them in class, but not on campus.
Only one person answered, “Yes, ban ’em.”

When asked how much intervention do you want from parents and adults in monitoring your screen-time, 39% answered, “None. Leave me alone.”
54% thought a gentle reminder might be helpful or welcome. Jacob Langlois said, “Monitoring would be acceptable, . . . If I was 8!”
One adult said, “Monitoring is important.”

When asked if indeed our “lives” on social media have become a competitive sport and a popularity contest, 86% of females polled said, “Yes, of course.” Every boy, on the other hand, scratched his head and asked, confusedly, “What do you mean a competitive sport?”

The documentary Screenagers states kids spend on average 6.5 hours a day in front of screens BEYOND doing their homework or school work. When we asked “How much time do you spend in front of a screen daily (excluding class/homework time),” responses ranged from 2 to 6.5 hours a day.

When we asked how many hours do you spend daily playing video games, the girls overwhelmingly said, “0.” The boys averaged 1 to 3 hours a day gaming.
So, if you’re not zoning out in front of a screen, what are you doing? We asked. The replies? “Reading.” “Playing guitar.” “Snacking.” “Talking to my parents.” “Hanging out with my friends.” “Researching the stock market.” “Playing baseball.” “Doing homework.”

Does it add up? 8 hours a day in school. 6.5 hours in front of a screen. Hours a night doing homework, playing baseball, guitar, talking, eating. These are long days in the Digital Age. Perhaps our days are long because studies show our Digital Age has extended into our nights. Three quarters of young people fall asleep at night with their cell phone within reach (Huffpost Healthy Living) . . . so they can check Instagram one . . . last . . . time.

The “Power” to Change Your Life

February 10, 2016 by szachik@pvs.org 1 Comment

–by Ashley Zhou

Wednesday night, January 13, was a heartbreaking moment for many people—the
Powerball jackpot winning numbers were released and 1.5 billion
dollars were taken away. . . by someone else.
The US Powerball is run by the Multi-State Lottery Association, and it
was the most valuable lottery in the United States. If no one
wins a jackpot, the prize is accumulated automatically
into the next one until someone brings the bonus home. The week before January 13 was a
craze for purchasing lottery tickets because the bonus money was the
highest ever in history–$1.5 billion.(what??!!!)

“Normally, it is not worth it to buy a lottery ticket of any kind.
Your chances of winning . . . Powerball are less than 1 in 220 million.
You’re more likely to get struck by lightning twice in your natural
lifespan than you are to win the Powerball on a particular ticket. If
the jackpot is $40 million, then the expected value of a lottery
ticket (assuming you only care about the jackpot, not the smaller
prizes), is $40 million / 220 million = 18 cents. Since a ticket costs
$2, you are spending far more than you can reasonably expect to get.

However, last week, when the jackpot was 1.3 billion, the expected
value of a ticket was approximately $1.3 billion / 220 million, or
$5.90 — more than the cost of a ticket. So, in theory, it is worth it
to buy a ticket. In practice, of course, it is effectively certain
that you won’t win, but some–myself included–derive entertainment
from imagining that they can win. That’s why I dropped $10 just this
once. Buying 5 tickets increased my chances from 1 in 220,000,000 to
one in 44,000,000, which you should recognize is still very nearly 0.
From a financial standpoint, buying more tickets is more akin to
spending more money than it is to increasing your chances of winning.”

–Statistics and Calculus teacher, Ms. Emily McKee

Even though the chance of winning the jackpot is so small, it’s
very interesting to talk about: How would you spend that huge amount
of money if you had won the jackpot?
“I’d probably donate $10 million or so to Palm Valley and set up a
scholarship. I’d definitely keep working here because I can’t imagine
anything I’d rather do, but I might give my salary to hire a teacher’s
aide just to do the less fun parts of being a teacher–i.e. everything
except teaching kids. I’d also take college classes whenever I wanted
for the fun of learning. There’d be no pressure, since a bad grade
would have absolutely no impact on my life,” says Ms. McKee.

Our loyalest blog reader, Drama teacher Mr. Sarkis, shared his
idea with us:

After paying the taxes,
I would sit down with a pencil and paper and
while crying tears of joy,
take great delight in planning large amounts to give to:

21 nieces and nephews,… 35 grand nieces and nephews,… 2 great-grand nephews,
St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital,
Sisters of St Joseph in Rochester, NY,
a merit scholarship endowment fund for Palm Valley School,
a Dance Training and Performance School….free for young people who
love to dance and are willing to work.

I’d give to . . .
the United Nations Relief Organizations.
I would purchase . . .
• a 2-bedroom penthouse overlooking Central Park in NYC
• a 2-bedroom condo on Las Terrenas Beach in the Dominican Republic
(both of which I would share with friends who love adventure and art
and life)
• a state-of-the-art jumbo-size video-screen-tv communication
console
• I would travel the world and be especially generous in handing out
substantial sums of money to good poor people I encountered along the
way.

I would spend 1 year exploring China by car, and pay whatever the cost
for a chauffeur and a guide with the personality and intelligence and
energy of PVS Senior sudent, Henry Huang.

I would hire a personal full-time cook specializing in low cholesterol
high nutrition, exotic gourmet cooking and invite friends and loved
ones to lots of dinners….. and a personal trainer/masseuse skilled
in teaching old people how to do yoga.

I would contribute large sums of money for research to find a sure cure
for drug addiction.

I would treat 10 high-school students who LOVE American History to
a trip to NYC for a dinner and performance of Broadway’s smash hit
HAMILTON…. AND a comprehensive field-trip study of the memorial site
of the World Trade Center disaster.

I would make-come-true the Dream Vacation of Susie Zachik’s choice.

I would make sure that anyone I knew who needed money…. to support a
quest for Enlightened Happiness…… got it.

I would give meaningful presents to people who really meant it when
they hugged me.

I would pay for every person who goes to dinner or to a movie with me.

I would carry 100 dollar bills at all times…. and watch everyday for
random acts of kindness….. and surprise practioners by giving them
one.

I would pay for their gas everytime I saw a mother or father drive
into a station with children in the back seat of an old shabby looking
car.

I would pay someone to write down the rest of my Powerball dreams
because it is late now and I am tired and I want to go to bed.
Indeed, that much money will definitely change one’s life, but how to
use it is totally up to you. Buying a new Lamborghini? Donating some
money to a hospital? Or getting a mansion in Beverly Hills? However, if
you didn’t win the money, you better go back to work or go
study for your tests and quizzes after daydreaming. LOL. –Editor Gaven Li

Ben Can Fly

January 21, 2016 by szachik@pvs.org 5 Comments

Ben Ju, member of our senior class, went skydiving during his Christmas break. It was surprising to many people that he is indeed a fan of extreme sports. Palm Valley blog writers Zhenzhou Hu and Jim Wang interviewed Ben about this adventure. The following is the conversation between them. Be sure to play the video of Ben JUMPING out of a plane.

–Editor Amber Zheng

Zhenzhou Hu: I heard you went skydiving during this winter break. How was it?

Ben Ju: It was great! I went skydiving with my friends at Skydive Elsinore in Los Angeles.

Jim Wang: Did your parents know you went skydiving?

Ben: I told them after I did it. Otherwise, I would not have been allowed to go skydiving.

Zhenzhou: Was there anything that encouraged you to do this? Skydiving requires tremendous amounts of courage.

Ben: I did not have enough courage to do it before. However, I survived a car accident which happened during this past Winter Break. I realized that I needed to try the things I wanted to do while I could still do them. You know, . . . YOLO (You Only Live Once.) Skydiving is a way to celebrate my life!

Attached is the video of Ben readying for his jump, talking about his jump, flying, jumping out of the plane, landing, and his comments about the jump–all filmed by Skydive Elsinore.

https://youtu.be/mlDNancbY4E