the bird on fire

The Yearbook is Coming!

May 24, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org 1 Comment

By Lilah Nick

Palm Valley’s yearbook committee has been working hard all year long to put together the 2021-22 yearbook. Mrs. Bernstein is the advisor for this class; Sara Habibipour is the editor in chief; and Abby Assefa is the business manager.

This year’s theme for the yearbook is Reflection. If you bought a yearbook, you’ll receive it this week, the last week of school, and you’ll be able to go around to get them signed on May 25th, the second to last day of school. If you didn’t buy one, there will be a limited few for sale for $70.

Here’s what the committee has to say about their experience making the yearbook:

“This is my 6th yearbook, so I’ve been here for a long time, and I’d say this year went by really fast with making it, but I think it’s definitely one of the best ones.”
– Sara Habibipour, Senior

“I love to take photos, and I thought it was interesting. Making the captions for photos was kind of difficult, but it was really fun overall, and being here with Mrs. Bernstein was really nice and fun.”
– Mia Meyer, 8th grade

“I basically joined Yearbook because I didn’t want to do chess, but after being here . . . I actually really enjoyed it, and I made a lot of new friends.”
– Rachel De La O, Freshman

“It’s fun, sometimes difficult, but the process is super enjoyable. In the end when you get to see the yearbook in person, it’s very rewarding.”
– Evan Wang, 7th grade

“It’s not easy, it takes a lot of hard work, passion, and dedication, so the people who have stuck through all year deserve the highest praise for their persistence. But, it is still fun.”
– Mrs. Bernstein

The New Leaders of the 2022-2023 School Year

May 23, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By Abigail Horwitt

This week the new Nest Captains and their Nest Deputies have been chosen. After tallying up all the votes from each of the Herons, Hawks, Owls, and Roadrunners, the new faces of the Nests have been finalized. Starting off with my Nest, the Hawks, our new leaders are Jerry Wang and Sierra James. Next, the Herons have new leaders Tal Maruvada and Rylie Conway. The Owls will be led by Lily Jones and Walker Craven. And finally, Ally Bankers and Evan Wang will lead the Roadrunners. Congratulations to all the new Nest leaders for the year of 2022-2023. Hopefully, you live up to the same or maybe even better standards of your previous captains. Say goodbye to the old and hello to the new faces of all the different Nests.

Next, is the current scoreboard of all the Nest points and where they stand.

Standing in first place is the Hawks with a total of 471.
In second place we have the Roadrunners with a total of 439.
Close behind in third place is the Owls with a total of 433.
And, last but not least, we have the Herons with a total of 328.

There was also another election that had taken place around the same time as the Nest elections. The new ASB Executive Officers for the 2022-2023 school year were elected this month. Each candidate had to submit to their own video to help encourage students to vote for who would fit the role the best. And, if you looked around the school, you may have noticed some posters of the different candidates who were running. There were four different offices up for re-election: Business Manager, Spirit Commissioner, Vice President, and lastly President. After all the votes were tallied the results were in.

Your new ASB President will be Harliana Otto,
with the Vice President Ani Madanyan,
Spirit Commissioner Jocelynn Montoya,
and Business Manager Abigail Assefa.

Congratulations to the winners of the new ASB executive officers of 2022-2023. Let’s see what they will bring to the table for next year and how they could even improve on and differentiate from this current school year.

End of the Year: Study Tips

May 23, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By Levi Kassinove

It’s the end of the year, and you’re probably cramming for finals. I’m here to teach you how to actually study efficiently, so that you don’t have to lose sleep. First off, for the night before the actual test, I personally don’t think you should study. The night before my APUSH test, despite several people telling me I was crazy, I didn’t review anything and relaxed the whole day. I got nine hours of sleep. By test day, I felt prepared and ready to take the exam. All of the knowledge you get from studying doesn’t get the chance to solidify if you don’t take a day off, in my opinion. Studying your head off the night before the test will only make you feel overwhelmed and probably forget a lot of what you studied.

Without further ado, here are some of the best studying tips*:

Eat well.

If you’re the type of person who eats either nothing at all or complete junk food, you’re going to fail at both life and your exam. Eat some actual fruit for once–stuff that’s not jam packed with artificial chemicals you see on ingredient labels like “blue 10” or “red 9.” And, try to eat an avocado. Those things are amazing.

Go through past quizzes.

One thing that I like to do before an exam is look through past quizzes. A lot of teachers either put similar questions to their old quizzes, or they just outright copy questions from their old quizzes. It’s definitely worth it to go through your old quizzes before taking a final.

Get good sleep.

We all know that getting enough sleep (ideally 9 hours, realistically 7-8) is good for studying. Try to have some self control with your phone. At 11 pm at night, ask yourself, “Would I rather continue scrolling through TikTok, or get enough sleep to secure a bright future?”

Don’t memorize.

One of the biggest mistakes that people make when studying is to only focus on memorizing facts. In any subject, it is much more useful to make sure you understand the concepts of your course. For instance, if I were studying for APUSH, instead of memorizing the fact that Lincoln won the election of 1860, I would rather try to understand why he won and what the effects of that election were. The latter study option allows you to answer a much broader range of questions, rather than hoping that the one specific fact you memorized is on the test. Even in math, as long as you understand the concepts and what’s actually happening in the problem, you could use logic to answer the question–even if you don’t directly know how to solve it.

Relax.

The best thing that you can do for yourself before an exam is to relax. Studying comes second. Constantly having test material bouncing around your head right before the test is not going to help you remember the material. Just relax, take deep breaths, and try to meditate. If you struggle with relaxation, I suggest that you practice meditation. It can change your life.

*The above study tips, while reasonable, come from the anecdotal knowledge of Mr. Kassinove and do not necessarily represent the educational community at large.

A Quiet Strength, Lindsay Anderson

May 20, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

Profile by Ani Madanyan

In our continued look at the graduating Class of ‘22, we turn our gaze toward Lindsay Anderson. We all know her as a soft-voiced, thoughtful person who likes to observe more than speak. But, do we know the REAL her? I interviewed Lindsay and she has some sass… let’s dig in.

First question,

Do you choose to stay silent?

“In my opinion, I’m pretty talkative with my friends.”

Oh, would you consider yourself sassy?

“Sure.”

What is your dream university?

“USC.”

Who is your favorite friend?

“I can’t choose. I love all my friends.”

Just choose.

“No.”

I see the sass coming out.

What is your favorite food?

“Pizza.”

What type of pizza?

“Veggie pizza.”

Skinny queen.

Who is your celebrity inspo for your aesthetic?

“Gigi Hadid and Hailey Bieber.”

What do you do in your free time?

“Online shop.”

What is your favorite beverage?

“Sparkling water.”

Boujee!

What’s your favorite subject?

“English.”

Do you like to read? And if so, what’s your favorite book?

“Yes, the Great Gatsby.”

Who’s your favorite artist?

“Phoebe Bridgers or Harry Styles.”

What’s your favorite show and movie?

“My favorite movie is ‘Scream. My favorite show is The Vampire Diaries.

Period!”

Let’s wrap it up, what are you going to miss the most about Palm Valley?

“The close-knit community.”

Awww. Lindsay Anderson might be reserved, but when you get to know her, she is very sweet, and a little sassy. I don’t think there’s a single person who dislikes Lindsay. She is a queen, and we will miss you, Lindsay!

Luke’s Top 5 MLB Fantasy Picks

May 19, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By Luke Sonderman

Although sports like football may capture a lot of the attention in the United States, baseball, in my mind, is the best sport by a long shot as each player plays such a unique role in a game that is very strategic. Every year I research the league leaders for my fantasy baseball team, and this year I have created a list of my favorite baseball players.

Number One

Nolan Arenado

redbirdrants.com

Nolan Arenado, of the St. Louis Cardinals, has been a star third baseman since his time on the Rockies. So far this year, Nolan has kept up a 0.330 batting average and is one of the league leaders in batting (mlb.com).

Number Two

Manny Machado

Manny Machado, also a third baseman, is the star for the San Diego Padres who is stuck in the shadow of Fernando Tatis, Jr., I think that he is incredibly underrated with a batting average of 0.385 so far this season (mlb.com). As Tatis is on the 90-day injured list for a broken wrist, Machado is finally getting the attention that he has deserved.

Number Three

Shohei Ohtani

I know, I know. Everyone won’t stop talking about Ohtani; I promise you I’m not a bandwagon. But Shohei Ohtani deserves the praise he is receiving as he is not only one of the best pitchers in the MLB, but also one of the best batters as well. It is very rare for pitchers to be strong offensively, but Ohtani is the most well-rounded baseball player in the whole league. With a batting average of .285 this season and an ERA (earned runs average per 9 innings) of 3.08, I believe that Shohei Ohtani is the #1 Fantasy Draft Pick because he is solid in all areas.

Number Four

Jazz Chisholm, Jr.

One of my first fantasy picks this year would have to be Jazz Chisholm, Jr., second baseman of the Miami Marlins. I have always loved 2nd basemen because of their crazy agility, and, usually, they are very good baserunners. Jazz Chisholm, Jr., has a batting average so far of .300 (baseball-reference.com) which has been a major boost to the Marlins’ lineup.

Number Five

Paul Goldschmidt

I didn’t want to put more than one person from a single team onto this list, but I have a special love for the St. Louis Cardinals. I have been surrounded by Cardinals fans my whole life, and I have lots of family in St. Louis. Cardinals fans are just so passionate about the sport which makes them very easy to like. Paul Goldschmidt, the Cardinals first baseman, has been one of the Cardinals’ stars this year, picking up a batting average of .283 (espn.com). Goldschmidt always comes in clutch when the team needs him to and is always scoring points in Fantasy. There are other first basemen ranked higher than him, like Freddie Freeman, but I personally like Goldschmidt as a player more than the others (maybe just because he’s a Cardinal).

So if you still want to put together a fantasy baseball team, there is plenty of time left in the season. I would definitely recommend you try to snatch these 5 players as they were on my top 5 for the Fantasy draft.

2022-23 New Head of Upper and Middle School

May 19, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By Luke Sonderman

After Mr. and Mrs. Coffey announced their departure from Palm Valley after the 2021-22 school year, a search looking for who would fill Mr. Coffey’s shoes began. After a thorough search, the school landed on Mr. Winter, a current history teacher at Palm Valley.

Mr. Winter came to Palm Valley this school year (2021-22) teaching 8th grade US History, 9th grade Human Geography, and AP US History. He has a background in teaching history and in administration. In an email interview between Mr. Winter and myself, Mr. Winter said, “I believe that it is important [to continue to teach], so I can continue to connect with students in the classroom. In my previous administrative experience in public schools, continuing to teach was never an option, so I am grateful that I can do this. What it is I will be teaching hasn’t been solidified yet, so stay tuned!”

When asked about current policy change, Mr. Winter said, “One of the first things I will be doing before school is out for this year is to speak with as many staff and students about those things that really work well, those things that may need to be looked at closer, and any new ideas to enhance the experience here at PVS. From there, I will start to work closely with Dr. Sherman to then take what I have learned from staff and students to inform any new policies or procedures that will benefit everyone here.” He also commented on students’ voices saying, “Student voice is very important, and I want to be able to help bring those voices forward. This does not mean everything that students would love to see in place or to change will happen, but it does mean that I will not make all decisions on my own.”

After the administrative merger of the Middle and Upper School in the 2021-22 school year, I asked Mr. Winter what his plans were for either keeping them together or creating privileges and policies to separate the Middle and Upper School. He responded saying, “I believe there are certain things that should be reserved for Upper School, so that Middle Schoolers have something different to look forward to as they move into the upper school.” Mr. Winter also commented on the AP and Elective selection choice saying, “This is the time of year when those decisions are being made, but the bigger contributing factor in class and AP choices comes down to how we are staffed, and what each staff is able to teach. Our first priority is to ensure that required classes are for sure being taught. Then, based on the number of staff we have and the number of periods there are available, we can get an idea of what can truly be offered in the form of AP or elective offerings. Currently, we offer 6 AP classes, and a handful of various elective offerings. If we are able to expand these, again based on staff availability as well as budget, I agree that this would be one of those things that could expand the high school experience.”

In conclusion, it looks like Mr. Winter has a very open mind about new policies and ideas for the 2022-23 school year. It will be interesting to see what changes come next year, and if you have any suggestions or ideas for next year, Mr. Winter encourages you to reach out to him.

Palm Valley’s Embarrassing Stories

May 18, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By Ani Madanyan

Have you ever told a joke and nobody laughed? Or been waved at and thought it was towards you, but it was for the person behind you? Embarrassment–I hate it. Let’s ask people what their most embarrassing stories are because as much as I hate it, they sure are funny.

As our first story-teller, we have Lilah Nick:

“In 5th grade, I was in a tap dance for a dance performance called Hot Chocolate. In the beginning of the dance we had to stand in one big line facing the audience, and I was in the front. This meant that I had to lead everyone out when we were placed on stage. On the first performance of it, I started walking out and told the girl behind me to follow, and she said, ‘Okay’ and started to follow behind me, and then she stopped before leaving the wings, and I didn’t realize. So, I was the only person standing on stage, and I turned around and saw no one there, and the whole audience started laughing, and I was so mad and embarrassed.”
Lilah Nick, Sophomore

Lilah decided to share two, so here’s the next one:

“In mock trial, I was super unprepared and was writing my cross examination questions right before the trial. It ended up going super well, and I was excited to do my closing because I thought it was super good. Once the defense finished, the judge asked, “Prosecution, are you ready for your rebuttal?” and I wanted to die right then. I had NO IDEA there was a rebuttal, and I was just sitting there wide eyed and so scared. I was so close to just saying, ‘Our other attorney will be giving that’ and throw Luke under the bus. I ended up doing it, but I messed up so much. It was just so bad, but I still got MVP for that round.”
Lilah

Next up, Sienna Price:

“When we were on holiday in Italy, like always my dad thinks he knows the directions to everywhere. So we were driving down the street and turned down this smaller alley, not knowing it was market day! Streets in Italy are small anyway, and with market stalls on either side of the road, it does not leave much road to drive. All the Italian market sellers started shouting and waving their hands at the car as my dad knocked down a few market stalls! It was one of the most embarrassing days in my life.”
Sienna Price, 8th Grade

Next Up Abby Assefa:

“Last year CSF held the Valentine’s Day Vignette, so my friends and I decided to do a little karaoke moment. We decided to perform L.O.V.E. song while spelling out love with our bodies. When we performed the song, we literally spelt love backwards and no one knew the words to the song. Right after we were done, a student that was in our group coughed into the microphone without wearing a mask. It was definitely a moment.”
Abby Assefa, Freshman

Do you have some fun embarrassing stories? Leave yours in the comments. I would love to see them!

A Little Bit About Jesse

May 18, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By Luke Sonderman

Jesse Denyer, Class of 2022, has recently committed to University of Alabama after receiving an academic scholarship. There is a lot to Jesse (mostly good things), so let’s take a brief moment to talk a little bit about her.

Jesse not only loves to play and watch sports, but she also loves coaching them. Jesse has been playing basketball, volleyball, and golf throughout high school as well as assistant coaching Middle School Flag Football. If you ever get into an argument about sports with Jesse, my best advice would be to run for your life. YOU WILL NOT WIN!!!

With this love for football and the Dallas Cowboys, you may have a hard time reaching Jesse on Sundays because she is probably in her favorite jersey watching the Cowboys’ game. When I asked Jesse who her favorite football player is, she said,

“All my favorite players are only my favorite cuz they’re hot (yes, Joe Burrow, I’m talking to you). Seriously though my favorite player last year had to be Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs. He was basically the light on the slowly sinking ship that is the Cowboys. I mean 11 interceptions in one season… come on. If you’re gonna watch your team lose it might as well be entertaining. Plus he went to Bama, so bonus points.”
Jesse

Recently, I have turned Jesse into a baseball fan by making her go to a San Diego Padres game and join a Fantasy Baseball league with me. She has become a very big fan of the Padres, specifically of Manny Machado and Joe Musgrove, and even has a Manny Machado jersey. Now, if you try to talk baseball with Jesse, she will school you about how her Padres are better than your team (especially if you’re a Dodgers fan).

Jesse’s music taste is very broad to say the least. When I asked her who she likes to listen to, she said,

“I’ll listen to anything from Merle Haggard to Doja Cat. Peter Tosh to 50 Cent. Pink Floyd to Justin Timberlake. Linkin Park to Frank Ocean. You name it, and I probably jam to it. I do have a special spot for country, though (sorry, everyone). Anything going on in my life, there’s a country song for it. Some of my favorite memories have a country song attached to it. They just do it different.”
Jesse

If you have ever been to Stagecoach Festival, you weren’t alone. Jesse was right there beside you, singing her heart out, always in the front row trying to make eye contact with whoever is performing and maybe catch a souvenir guitar pic or set list.

I asked some of Jesse’s classmates, friends, and teachers to describe Jesse with one word. This is what they said:

Ms. Zachik – Saucy
Mrs. Coffey – Efficient
Mr. Griffin – Confident
Ms. Castellano – Witty
Mr. Winter – Aggressive
Hambik – Depraved
Sara – Fierce-minded
Jane – Upbeat
Harli – Resilient
Roman – Realistic
Isabella – Blunt
Joss – Funny
Lilah – Bossy

If I had to describe Jesse in one word, it would probably be fun as she always does something to stir the pot. In all honesty, Jesse is a very special person to me and to the many people who know her, so if you haven’t had a nice long talk about literally the most random subjects with Jesse… definitely start up a conversation with her before the end of the school year. She will quite literally talk about anything with you!

Let’s Celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

May 18, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

By Alyna Rei

In the month of May, we celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month, like most memorial months, began in Congress. House Joint Resolution 540, proposed by Rep. Frank Horton of New York in 1977, declared the first ten days of May as Pacific/Asian American Heritage Week (asianpacificheritage.gov). Senator Daniel Inouye presented Senate Joint Measure 72, a similar resolution, the same year (asianpacificheritage.gov). Because neither of these resolutions passed, Rep. Horton sponsored House Joint Resolution 1007 in June 1978 to “proclaim a week” during the first ten days in May as “Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week” (asianpacificheritage.gov). On October 5, President Jimmy Carter signed this joint resolution (asianpacificheritage.gov).

Presidents issued annual proclamations honoring Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week over the next decade, until Congress approved Public Law in 1990, extending the celebration to a month. It was President George H.W. Bush who signed the bill extending Asian American Heritage Week to a month (apsva.us). Then, in 1992, Congress established a law designating May as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month each year.

The month of May is designated as Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month to honor the contributions and influence of Asian Americans and Pacific Islander Americans to the history, culture, and achievements of the United States.

There are many activities that you can do to celebrate this special month. But here are three of my favorites to do with a group of people or even by yourself (verywellfamily.com).

Book Clubs–Learning about Asian culture is best when you read from Asian authors. A few favorites are Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan, The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan, If I Had Your Face by Frances Cha, and way more.

Interactive maps--Interactive maps are a great icebreaker activity. The National Park Service hosts interactive opportunities to visit the “stories of ordinary and extraordinary Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders preserved in our nation’s parks, memorials, and historic sites” (nps.gov). And, teambuilders.com offers activities that highlight the different countries in the Asia-Pacific region and the ties we have to them.

Watching a movie–This one can be great for any family and for the people that want to learn about Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. If you log onto your streaming sites, you’ll see several Asian-American/Pacific Islander movies and series recommended. Movies that I like are mostly Disney movies. These would include Turning Red, Mulan, Lilo and Stitch, Raya and The Last Dragon, and the short Bao.

Reptiles as Pets are Underrated

May 17, 2022 by szachik@pvs.org 1 Comment

By Sienna Price, Animal Activist

When I ask people, “Do you have any pets?” they rarely answer with I have a reptile. However, I, Sienna Price, have a bearded dragon. I think a reptile is one of the best pets. The main reason I got my bearded dragon, Tuk Tuk, was because during lockdown I really wanted a friend and a distraction from what was happening.

Reptiles are interesting and make a very fun pet. Depending on the animal, reptiles can be relatively low maintenance. I would say bearded dragons are fairly low maintenance if you know what you’re doing. I researched A LOT before getting Tuk Tuk, and it still took some time after I got him to work things out. I got a bearded dragon because they are said to be the friendliest reptiles, but I think it’s like any animal. You can still get some that are not friendly. Luckily for me, Tuk has the biggest personality and is very friendly and sociable, but again I am glad I did research before getting him. I know if he’s stressed or if he’s hungry and even if he wants to come out of his enclosure. When Tuk Tuk scrapes his cage he wants to come out, and when he has ring markings on his stomach he’s stressed. The most popular reptiles as pets are leopard geckos, bearded dragons, blue tongued skinks, snakes and chameleons. Of course, there are many different types of species of snakes and chameleons, so make sure you understand the needs of the specific species.

Tuk Tuk in his holiday attire. You can get your own lizard Santa suit at PetCo.

Note, reptiles are not the easiest pets. You really need to know what you are doing. Everyone knows the basic needs of a dog without even owning one because dogs are so popular. If reptiles were more popular, I think their basic needs would be well known, too. They are also not the cheapest of pets to own–depending on the reptile you have. Tuk’s terrarium, which is forty gallons, cost around 200 dollars, and I would say forty gallons is the bare minimum for a bearded dragon. I have actually ordered Tuk Tuk a bigger terrarium that is one hundred and twenty gallons! It was a really good deal that I could not pass up. So, I think Tuk will be happy with my new purchase! Once you get your whole setup done, it does get cheaper again depending on the reptile. With Tuk, I order bugs to my house every two weeks, but I will feed him less as he gets older so it will get cheaper. And, note, many reptiles need heat lamps and a UVB light.

Before deciding on your next pet, I would strongly recommend considering a reptile. (As I just typed that sentence Tuk Tuk licked my leg.) Tuk Tuk brings me so much joy even if he is not the smartest sometimes. For example, yesterday he decided to jump off my bed. Don’t worry; my bed is really low to the ground, and he is okay. Thank you for reading, and, remember, next time, consider a reptile.