The SPHS administration expanded the list of exception courses that students could enroll in – in place of a study hall, to accommodate students who want to take a seventh class. Superintendent Geoff Yantz responded to the concerns of parents and students regarding the new mandatory study hall with a note behalf of the district. […]
Girls’ tennis prepares for bounce-back season
Photos by Richard Gomez Staff Photographer With a new season fast approaching, the SPHS girls’ tennis team is striving to improve their overall record of 7-7 from last season. This season, the team is starting anew with SPHS alumna Karina Akhmedova, who took over the varsity coach position midway through their preseason. Akhmedova will be the […]
CGI saves Jurassic Park: Fallen Kingdom from mediocrity
Story by Kimberly Hsueh Staff Writer Illustration by Nicholas Forman Staff Illustrator 3.5/5 stars With a predictable storyline, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom is another movie featuring prehistoric dinosaurs in the twenty-first century. Regardless, the visual effects greatly elevate the film, providing a thrill for its adrenaline-junkie fan base. Universal Pictures’ highly anticipated sequel to the Jurassic World […]
Tiger: Beyond L.A. – Copenhagen, Denmark
Story and Photos by Madeleine Yoo Staff Writer The sun burst through my hotel window at a painfully early 3:00 a.m. Summer days in Copenhagen begin then, and last until the sun sets at 11:00 p.m. I winced at the light and flipped onto my stomach, to the annoyance of my sister. When I woke up […]
Sights from St. Petersburg: Tiger visits the World Cup
Photos by Cat Flores Staff Writer Walking from the subway station to the stadium a couple of miles away, tens of thousands of Argentinian fans had already started celebrating their achievement to come. Nobody would take their seats until the final whistle blew to end the game, the crowd carrying their team to victory. After […]
South Pasadena city council outlines impact of the possible UUT repeal
Written by Dominic Marziali Staff Writer Photo by Helena Fu Staff Photographer The South Pasadena City Council discussed an initiative by the Pasadena-based political group, TeaPAC, to repeal the Utility Users Tax (UUT) Wednesday, July 18. Councilmembers considered the longer reaching effects of a repeal and plans of action should voters repeal the tax on the upcoming […]
Event Preview: Guide to the Summer South Pasadena Arts Crawl
Written by Madeleine Yoo Photo from Arts Crawl South Pasadena Locals will gather on Mission Street Saturday, June 21, to celebrate artistic expression in the city and community. The South Pasadena and SPACE Summer Arts Crawl — founded to spark creativity — will highlight music and visual art for its eleventh year. Festivities throughout the event […]
How Students Should Judge Colleges with a History of Slavery
Written by Cat Flores Staff Writer Illustrated by David Sohn There are many things that you can easily find out about colleges just by conducting a search. Their acceptance rate, tuition, different programs offered, and scholarships are all factors used in finding the ‘right’ college. However, one thing that’s not so easy to find out is whether […]
South Pasadena celebrates the Fourth of July with its annual Festival of Balloons
Story by Aanji Sin Staff Writer Photos by Tony Chen and Oscar Walsh Staff Photographers Residents of South Pasadena celebrated Independence Day with the annual Fourth of July Festival of Balloons on Wednesday, July 4th. Throughout the day, participants enjoyed food and games held at Garfield Park and gathered at South Pasadena High School later that […]
SPHS SkillsUSA members earn top marks at the National Leadership and Skills Conference
Story by Raymond Yeo Staff Writer Photo courtesy of South Pasadena SkillsUSA State gold medalists of South Pasadena’s SkillsUSA team traveled to Louisville, KY from June 25 to 29 to attend the 54th annual National Leadership and Skills Conference (NLSC). The team showcased their work in various areas of career and technical education and earned high […]
SPHS students teach introductory coding as part of the Next Generation Coding Camp
Story by Raymond Yeo Staff Writer Photo courtesy of Femineers SPHS’ Coding Club kicked off the third iteration of its Next Generation Coding (NGC) camp, a weeklong course teaching introductory coding to elementary and middle school students. Throughout the week of June 11, participants learned the fundamental aspects of coding and applied their knowledge by […]
Tianhao Wei: a rising star
Story by Raymond Yeo Staff Writer Photo by Helena Fu Staff Photographer Soft-spoken Tianhao Wei doesn’t want nor need to discuss of his accomplishments with others; his medals speak for themselves. The rising junior already boasts an abundance of accolades after just two years of competing on the varsity track and field team. Wei developed his […]
SPHS parents and students express concern regarding new study hall policy
Photo by Tony Chen Staff Photographer SPHS parents and students packed the SPUSD board room to voice their opinions regarding the new mandatory study hall policy on Tuesday, June 26. The policy — set to take action in the 2018-19 school year — requires students to take six classes with an additional study hall period. This […]
The Summer Reading Program: a paragon of South Pasadena’s academic climate
Story and Photo by Luyang Zhang Staff Writer South Pasadena Unified School District’s consistent recognition for superior academic performance through awards such as the Gold Ribbon Award, Honor Roll, and Distinguished School Award highlights the district’s heavy community emphasis on top-tier education. This dedication to academic excellence starts at the earliest educational levels: the Summer Reading […]
South Pasadena City Council approves an updated plan to combat homelessness
Written by Matthew Tsai Staff Writer The South Pasadena City Council approved a last minute plan to prevent and combat homelessness Wednesday, June 20. Initially, the original proposal was slated to be rejected, but a revised document was submitted the afternoon before meeting, prompting the council’s change in recommendation. During a previous meeting, Councilmember Diana Mahmud […]
Death doesn’t give our heroes a free pass
Written by Audrey Ernst Staff Writer Illustrated by Elaine Yang Design Editor This article contains descriptions of domestic violence that some might find disturbing. In June 2016, Geneva Ayala was faced with a difficult decision. How she would like to be sexually assaulted, barbecue fork or barbecue brush? She was given that choice by her boyfriend at […]