The student news site of Daniel Pearl Magnet High School in Lake Balboa, CA

The Pearl Post
  • May 15No School on May 25 - Memorial Day
  • May 15Freshmen Slime Out during lunch in The Grove
  • May 15Fire Drill during period 2 on May 21
  • May 15iReady Testing during periods 4 and 5 from May 20 - 21
  • May 15Spring Music Concert at 6 p.m. in the MPR on May 19
  • May 15iReady Assembly during period 4 on May 19
  • May 15Senior Picture and Ice Cream Social at 12 p.m. in The Grove
  • May 15AP Environmental Science testing on May 15
  • May 15Prom from 6 to 10:00 p.m. on May 16
  • May 15Daniel Pearl Award and Scholarship due May 15

The Pearl Post

The student news site of Daniel Pearl Magnet High School in Lake Balboa, CA
The student news site of Daniel Pearl Magnet High School in Lake Balboa, CA

The Pearl Post
News
The class of 2026 throw their caps in the air at the end of their graduation ceremony on June 10.
Caps off to the Class of 2026
Valerie Sanchez • June 19, 2026
After a challenging year filled with unexpected changes, such as a new principal and counselor, former science teacher Timothy Hughes's arrest and a San Fernando Valley-wide walkout against ICE, the Class of 2026 had a 100% graduation rate...
Seniors gather together to take a group picture at the end of Senior Awards Night on May 28.
Class of 2026 is signing off for graduation
June 9, 2026
Junior Midori Lestrange and senior Jacob Ruiz participate in a Community Building Circle activity on May 19.
Leadership and Pride Club continue to succeed with awards
June 9, 2026
The sophomore student shows their injury allegedly caused by a stapler that science teacher Timothy Hughes used against the student on Nov. 3.
Criminal charges set to be dropped for former science teacher’s assault
June 8, 2026
Principal Kimberly Figueroa-Oliveira speaks to math teacher Gonçalo Fino De Sousa on May 15 about i-Ready math and English diagnostic tests.
2026–2027 school year brings new enrollment numbers, classes
June 2, 2026
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Special Reports
Students and staff around the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD,) are negatively affected by LAUSD website block, causing students’ academics to decline.
LAUSD expands online safety block across student devices
Desirae Carns and Silas Hinkle • May 22, 2026
Music teacher Wes Hambright often used Spotify in lessons with his students. However, since the district recently began blocking websites like Spotify, he's had to use his personal hotspot to use it...
Teens are negatively affected by cultural beauty standards, which can lead to detrimental health effects, including eating disorders.
Eating disorders, beauty standards and teens
April 30, 2026
While cellphones provide many of the media sources people use from day to day through streaming services, physical devices are making their return to the media scene.
Physical media from the pre-2000s era grows in popularity
February 24, 2026
Trinkets of all sorts, including Sonny Angels, Smiskis and Monochhihis come in multiple different colors, shapes and sizes.
From Labubus to matcha: how trinket trends fuel overconsumption
January 15, 2026
Students resort to forms of artificial intelligence for mental health assistance instead of meeting with a licensed therapist.
Effects of AI usage on students’ mental health
October 28, 2025
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Features
Seniors Mateo Zazueta and Ethan Sharifi started off the school year as a juniors and are ending as seniors and graduating on June 10 alongside with the Class of 2026.
Juniors look forward to graduating early
Kaleigh Tapaoan and Alex Salcedo • June 9, 2026

Juniors Ethan Sharifi and Mateo Zazueta made a bold choice in deciding to graduate one year early with the Class of 2026. “I wanted to get ahead with other parts of my life,” Sharifi said. “I...

Senior Jenny Marquez looks back on her high school years and anticipates her future at Northwestern University where she plans on majoring in journalism.
Valedictorian looks back on outstanding achievements
June 9, 2026
Senior Daniel Zarmora reflects on his hard work and looks forward to attending California State University, Northridge (CSUN) where he plans to major in either computer or electrical engineering due to his experience with engineering.
Salutatorian awaits a bright future following years of hard academic work
June 9, 2026
Instead of wasting your time on social media over the summer, there are a variety of ways you spend your time productively.
3 different ways to spend your summer productively
June 5, 2026
Freshmen Gabrielle Turner, Bethania Terefe, Jennika Vicents and Skyler Saji inform science teacher Ani Zohrabyan about the pre-registration to vote process on May 1. Although Zohrabyan is past the age limit to pre-register to vote, the booth was intended as a project to inform students and was hosted by Own Your Future, a new club.
Club Corner: Own Your Future teaches action beyond voting
June 5, 2026
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Sports
Senior athletes reflect on high school athletic careers
Senior athletes reflect on high school athletic careers
Valerie Sanchez and Jasmine Thompson • June 9, 2026
After four years, senior athletes have endured practices, games and championships...
Athlete of the Month: Valdez makes big hits during his junior tennis season
Athlete of the Month: Valdez makes big hits during his junior tennis season
May 29, 2026
Junior Emma Bullock catches the ball during practice at Birmingham Community Charter High School on Mar. 25. This is her third year playing varsity softball.
Athlete of the Month: Bullock swings back stronger for another year of softball
April 30, 2026
Many teens use social media and consume multiple forms of information on a daily basis, one of which would be content on body image. According to a research survey conducted by the U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory, 46% of teens ages 13-17 expressed that social media has a negative effect on their body image. For student-athletes, being online has opened opportunities in learning techniques and staying fit but also presents an adverse impact to their mental health.
How using social media has affected me as a student-athlete
April 16, 2026
Freshman Axel Jimenez is a student-athlete for the boy's junior varsity volleyball team at Birmingham Community Charter High School. He first started playing volleyball in sixth grade and continued playing throughout middle school.
Athlete of the Month: Jimenez bumping his way up to victory
March 26, 2026
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Opinion
Sex education should be more accessible to eliminate stigma surrounding sex. Showing the parallels of someone who is and isn’t educated on sexual education.
Sex education should be taught frequently
Jenny Marquez • June 8, 2026

Beside extremely awkward conversations of puberty with peers and brief mentions of genitals in science lessons, I never felt I received formal sex education.  Every time the topic of sex was presented,...

The job and internship market continues to get more competitive for students and there is a huge difficulty getting one.
Internships and jobs should be more accessible to teens
June 5, 2026
Print and Online Editor-In-Chiefs Jenny Marquez and Tania Lopez hold awards that DPMHS Student Media have won this school year, including the Newspaper Sweepstakes, pacemaker finalist and California All-stars first place plaque for the Room 22 podcast.
Editorial: Editor-in-Chiefs reflect on the 2025-2026 school year
May 28, 2026
A plethora of habits are promoted by social media, whether it be vaping, eating healthy and even "looksmaxxing." For a lot of teenagers, they often are unaware of how these habits affect them.
Editorial: Teens need to learn about the toxicity of social media
April 30, 2026
Junior Andrew Pulido Gonzalez looks up to figures such as Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, United States Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) and Dolores Huerta, in the wake of Cesar Chavez's sexual abuse allegations.
‘We mustn’t look at this as a loss of a role model, but instead the chance to chart a new identity.’
March 25, 2026
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Entertainment
The new one-episode finale of “Good Omens 3” is 90 minutes long and is packed with momentous events, which is streaming on Prime Video.
Show review: A heartfelt finale makes “Good Omens 3” worth to watch
Desirae Carns • June 9, 2026
As the Second Coming approaches, Aziraphale has to team up with his old, former-demon friend in order to stop it, while navigating through unresolved feelings toward each other...
Indie rock band Good Kid is currently on their biggest global tour, with the next stop being the United Kingdom on Sept. 16 at Newcastle University.
Artist of the Month: “No Time to Explain” Good Kid’s rise to stardom
June 4, 2026
Manon Bannerman, a member of global girl group KATSEYE, was announced to be on hiatus by the group’s management team, HYBE America and Geffen Records, on Feb. 6. The post on the social media platform “X” stated that the break was for Bannerman’s health, though she later commented that the decision was out of her control.
Manon Bannerman’s absence leaves emptiness for KATSEYE fans
June 3, 2026
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Blogs
Junior Andrew Pulido Gonzalez looks up to figures such as Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, United States Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) and Dolores Huerta, in the wake of Cesar Chavez's sexual abuse allegations.
‘We mustn’t look at this as a loss of a role model, but instead the chance to chart a new identity.’
Andrew Pulido Gonzalez • March 25, 2026
My grandfather marched in Oxnard in the same huelga (strike) with Cesar Chavez in the 1970’s. The day that I learned about the sexual assault allegations against Chavez, when I got home on March 18, all my grandfather could say was that the “TV was telling lies...”
Junior Jasmine Thompson attended the LAUSD BSAP HBCU tour in New Orleans, the tour was from Feb. 25 to 27. In this photo the group visited Southern A&M on Feb. 26.
‘I can really envision my future there’
March 10, 2026
DPMHS Student Media and journalism adviser Adriana Chavira hold up their awards on Nov. 16.
DPMHS Student Media staff return with awards and memories from NHSJC
November 25, 2025
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Trending Stories
1
The sophomore student shows their injury allegedly caused by a stapler that science teacher Timothy Hughes used against the student on Nov. 3.

Criminal charges set to be dropped for former science teacher's assault

2
Seniors gather together to take a group picture at the end of Senior Awards Night on May 28.

Class of 2026 is signing off for graduation

3
The class of 2026 throw their caps in the air at the end of their graduation ceremony on June 10.

Caps off to the Class of 2026

4
Junior Midori Lestrange and senior Jacob Ruiz participate in a Community Building Circle activity on May 19.

Leadership and Pride Club continue to succeed with awards

5
Seniors Mateo Zazueta and Ethan Sharifi started off the school year as a juniors and are ending as seniors and graduating on June 10 alongside with the Class of 2026.

Juniors look forward to graduating early

Photo of the Week
Senior Sebastian Olfatmanesh hugs Video Production teacher Tennessee Norton after being given an award during Senior Awards Night on May 28.
Photo of the Week

Every week, staff members of The Pearl Post send in the best photo they've taken that week. After an in-class vote, the most popular picture...

The Pearl Post June 2026
Podcast
Celebrating, reflecting on Pacific Islander identities
Tania Lopez and Jenny Marquez • May 29, 2026

In this episode of the Room 22 podcast, in honor of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, host Jenny Marquez and...

Spotify: May Flowers
Multi-Media
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