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

The Pearl Post

April 12SBAC Testing from Monday, April 22 to Monday, April 29
April 12Mario Kart Tournament from 3:45 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the library on Wednesday, April 17
April 9Concert by the Gay Men’s Chorus in the MPR on Friday, April 12
April 8Lockdown Drill at 10:25 a.m. on Wednesday, April 17
April 8Fiesta Friday during lunch in the Grove on Friday, April 12
April 8RESCHEDULED: Biliteracy Testing during Period 3 on Thursday, April 11

Photo of the Week

Photo of the Week

April 16, 2024

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 is chosen and posted here.

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photo of the week

About the Contributors

Casey Wanatick, Sports/Tech Editor

Casey Wanatick is a senior and Sports/Tech Editor for The Pearl Post. Hopeful for his last year in high school, Wanatick looks forward to seeing his friends and spend his last quality moments before he goes off to college. His ambition is leading him to a passage out of state for college, striving to be in the sports management industry. Wanatick’s biggest wish is to attend his dream school, University of Michigan to study sports management. He is prepared to live independently and learn the basics of life himself as he begins to live adulthood alone.

Valeria Luquin, Newsmagazine Editor-in-Chief

This is Valeria Luquin's third year on The Pearl Post staff. She is excited to be back on campus and working with everyone in person. Outside the classroom, she is very active in her school community as ASB Vice President, part of LAUSD's Board District 3 Student Advisory Council and President/Founder of the Bullet Journal Club. She plans on making the most out of her senior year.

Cassia Ramelb, Copy Editor

Yearbook Design Editor Cassia Ramelb has been on staff for three years and this is her second year as an editor for Prestige Yearbook. When designing pages for the yearbook, Ramelb uses Pinterest to help her come up with ideas to incorporate to the book. While being an editor, she also takes four Advanced Placement classes for her senior year and is an intern for Sports High where she has met influencers like Bobby Brown. Ramelb is also very involved in many social justice groups including West Valley People’s Alliance, Climate Collilation and Ethnic Studies. She does all of this while craving sushi the majority of time.

Valery Barrera, Digital Media Editor

Kicking off her film career, senior Valery Barrera is a Digital Media Editor this year for The Pearl Post. Since the beginning of her journalism career, Barrera found joy in inspiring people with her work whether through stories or videos. In her role as editor, she hopes to achieve as before and bring some light into the school during this time. Her heart of gold and contagious smile leave the newsroom filled with positive vibes and you could always count on her to help you when you’re struggling. Barrera will most definitely bring some fun into the madness that is our class.

Alan Ruiz, Print Editor-in-Chief

Alan Ruiz, a senior, is so excited to work on The Pearl Post this year as the Print Editor-in-Chief. In his third year on the DPMHS Student Media staff, Ruiz is looking forward to refining the writing, editing and photography skills that will help him pursue a career in journalism. Outside of school, Ruiz participates in the Student Advisory Council for LAUSD Board District 3, contributes to the Los Angeles Zoo Teen Council for Conservation and manages his sports news YouTube channel called All Things Dodgers. He also enjoys organizing and volunteering at school events, playing baseball and spending quality time with family and friends.

Itzel Luna, Print Editor-in-Chief

Itzel Luna is the Print Editor-in-Chief for Daniel Pearl Magnet High School’s student website and magazine, The Pearl Post. This school year, Luna hopes to help lead the staff and improve the magazine. She is very excited about the content that the staff has been producing and can’t wait for the upcoming issues. When she’s not editing or stressing about college applications, she enjoys reading and watching Netflix. Some of her favorite shows are “Friends,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” and “Elite.”

Naamah Silcott, Yearbook Editor-in-Chief

Naamah Silcott is The Prestige Yearbook Editor-in-Chief and this is their second year on staff. They also serve as Black Student Union (BSU), Pride Club and Art Club President. They also have been Birmingham Community Charter High School Varsity Volleyball captain for two years. They are looking forward to what this year's staff will bring to the table.

Yusuf Syed, Staff Writer

Yusuf Syed is in his first year on the staff of The Pearl Post as a staff writer. He is in his junior year and hopes to get good grades and go to a concert. When he is not at school, he is part of the ISVW (Islamic Center of West Valley) community. He likes to go to the beach once in a while, listen to music and hang out with his friends.

Delilah Brumer, Newsmagazine Editor-in-Chief

Delilah Brumer is The Pearl Post Print Editor-in-Chief and this is her third year on staff. She also serves as Student Body Secretary, Local School Leadership Council Secretary, School Site Council Secretary and National Honor Society President. She has served on the Los Angeles Times High School Insider Student Advisory Board for two years so far. She can't wait to lead this stellar staff.

Jenny Marquez, Social Media Editor

Jenny Marquez is this year’s Social Media Editor for The Pearl Post. This is her first year on staff and she’s beyond thrilled to see what awaits her this year. At school, she serves as the Secretary of the Class of 2026. She hopes to improve her journalism skills such as writing and photography this year. She loves listening to music and hanging out with her friends.

Mahali Sanchez, Photo Editor

Photography editor Mahali Sanchez looks forward to producing great photos while enjoying her last year at Daniel Pearl Magnet High School (DPMHS). Sanchez has been taking photos for three years with the DPMHS Student Media, however she has been involved in photography for five years. Along with her involvement in photography, she spends her time working on AP classwork. Apart from schoolwork, Sanchez invests her time in her church by singing in the choir. With all her hard work, Sanchez hopes her dedication pays off in the future.

Jasmine McNair, Staff Writer

Jasmine McNair is in her first year as a staff writer for The Pearl Post and is in the 11th grade. She enjoys listening to music, being with friends and baking during her free time. McNair aims to improve her writing skills, boost her confidence and form better communication skills. This is the perfect opportunity for her to try something new and be more involved with her school.

Emily Short, Yearbook Editor

Senior Emily Short is starting their first year as a Yearbook editor after a year of being a staff writer. While they are a bit nervous to be on the yearbook staff, they are excited to see what their team can come up with for their 2022-23 yearbook. They love to be creative and help people whenever they can. They also enjoy art and video games and always indulge in them when they have the time to. They hope to stay on task and keep a steady workflow.

Sabrina Robertson, Sports Editor

Sabrina Robertson is The Pearl Post Sports Editor. This is her first year on staff. She also serves as Student Body Vice President. She previously was on Birmingham Community Charter High School Varsity Swim Team for three years. She is looking forward to working hard and having fun.

Grant Asner, Entertainment Editor

Grant Asner is this year's Entertainment Editor for The Pearl Post. This is his first year on staff and he is eager to better his skills as a journalist. For fun, Grant is often at the gym, watching movies, listening to music or hanging out with friends.

Emma Rosenberg, Staff Writer

Emma Rosenberg is in her junior year of high school and first year as a staff writer for The Pearl Post. She enjoys spending time with family, listening to music and reading. While at school, she plans to be active in the school community and maintain good grades in all of her classes.

Andre Arcilla, Digital Media Editor

Junior Andre Arcilla is entering his first year on staff as the Digital Media Editor of The Pearl Post. Arcilla enjoys drawing art and editing videos. His goal this school year is to lessen his procrastination and to wear better outfits.

Alliana Samonte, Managing Editor

Alliana-Faith Samonte is on her third and last year with The Pearl Post. She has bumped up to becoming Special Reports/Managing editor. Samonte is excited to spend her last few days of high school being part of the publication with some of her favorite people. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family, going on road trips and traveling. Alliana wishes to be as fierce as Mulan one day. She hopes to be the most successful one out of her family after college and spoil her mom with all the designer products she wants as she grows up to become an optometrist.

Maggie Simonyan, Sports Editor

Maggie Simonyan is The Pearl Post Sports Editor and this is her first year on staff. She currently serves as the school Student Body President, National Honor Society President and is the founder of the non-profit organization Armenian Youth Education Aid. During her free time, she likes to read books, go on runs and perform Armenian dances. As a senior in high school, she is most looking forward to preparing herself for college and life beyond this year.

Kristin Intal, Visual Editor

Kristin Intal is a junior and in her first year on staff. As the Visual Editor, she plans to contribute by expanding her knowledge of both journalism and the students of the school. Outside of classes, she can be found volunteering or exploring different hobbies, such as digital art and martial arts.

Alysa Basmadzhyan, Yearbook Editor

Senior Alysa Basmadzhyan is excited to be a yearbook editor this year. She was a staff writer last year but is thrilled to try something new as it is her last year at DPMHS. She is looking forward to bringing out her creativity. Getting to know more people and the challenges she will face as a yearbook editor are what she is looking forward to the most this year.

Christine Valenzuela, Copy Editor

Christine Valenzuela is a Design Editor for The Prestige Yearbook and a part-time cartoonist. She hopes to be able to incorporate creative spreads and make interesting memories with her fellow yearbook staff. Christine is currently a senior at Daniel Pearl Magnet High School and on the tennis team for Birmingham Community Charter High School. Christine enjoys spending time with friends and eating junk food while binge watching TV shows from 10 years ago.

Farah Faiza, Staff Writer

Farah Faiza is a staff writer for The Pearl Post, making this her first year on the team. She’s camera shy and definitely prefers to be the one behind the scenes, whether it’s taking photos or writing. She’s an avid reader and writes in her spare time whenever the mood strikes as she loves how words can create a whole world. Music plays a big part in her life, to the point where she can’t imagine ever being without it. She thinks origami is relaxing but no one’s ever seen her make anything but a paper crane.

Aidan Lia, Staff Writer

Aidan Lia is a junior in his first year as a staff writer for The Pearl Post. While in school, he plans to join multiple clubs and really enjoy school life at Daniel Pearl Magnet High School. When not in school, he enjoys meeting up with friends and playing video games.

Jazmine Valerio, Yearbook Editor

Jazmine Valerio is a senior and is in her second year as one of the Prestige Yearbook editors. While being a yearbook editor, she is also the 2023-2024 ASB Vice President. In Valerio’s free time, she enjoys reading, sewing, spending time with her family and friends and collecting stuffed animals. Valerio is looking forward to helping design the last yearbook of her high school experience and take part in the Leadership class.

Jason Arevalo, Staff Writer

Senior Jason Arevalo is The Pearl Post Staff writer. He mainly does art in his free time. Otherwise, Arevalo is hanging out with friends either online or in person. He is the older brother of one younger brother. He likes to help others when he can be quiet at times.

Harlow Frank, Digital Media Editor-in-Chief

Aside from being Vice President, Harlow Frank is also Digital Media Editor-In-Chief for the Pearl Post. Although this is Harlow's first year being Digital Media Editor-In-Chief, he has been video editor for one year and has been on the staff for three years. Harlow's favorite part about being video editor-in-chief is creating content for people and seeing how they react to the video. When Harlow isn’t stressing about creating new content or finding ways to better our school, you can find him hanging out with friends, playing video games, or even making himself appear more like Maui. “I want to leave a mark for future editors, that way they won’t struggle as much as I did.”

Angela Ledesma, Features Editor

Angela Ledesma- Grattarola is The Pearl Post Features Editor and this is her first year on staff. She also serves as the Student Body President and outside of school she likes to spend her time volunteering. She has played the violin for four years off and on again but always goes back to it. She loves speaking to others and is looking forward to a great year on staff.

Satenik Ayrapetyan, Managing Editor

Satenik Ayrapetyan is in her second year on staff, serving as the Managing Editor of The Pearl Post. She is in her junior year and serves as the National Honor Society’s Vice President and President of Pride Club. Additionally, she is also a member of the Los Angeles Times High School Insider Advisory Board. She is looking forward to a productive year on staff and hopes to be a good mentor to newcomers.

Rikka Dimalanta, Online Editor-in-Chief

Rikka Dimalanta is in her third and final year on staff, this time as the Online Editor-in-Chief. In addition to working for The Pearl Post, she is a performer and director for the school band. She hopes to build a future in music, which is one of the things she is most passionate about. She is also looking forward to having an unforgettable senior year with her friends.

Maribella Ambrosio, Photo Editor

Maribella Ambrosio is our cat-loving, Photo Editor here at The Pearl Post. When she’s not playing with her cats or watching “The Office”, she loves to cook and help her mom out around the house. She has one younger-brother who she helps to take care of, so she’s really good at balancing her responsibilities at home with her work at school. Maribella makes sure to go to church every Sunday to pray with her family and loves to cook them pollo con arroz after. She comes from a family of immigrants and she knows what it means to work hard. She is bilingual and extremely organized. Maribella likes this organization style called Bullet Journaling where she draws out her agenda and plans for the week.

Serena Elkins, Staff Writer

Serena Elkins is a staff writer in her sophomore year of high school and first year on The Pearl Post staff. She is the sophomore Class President, Head of Membership in PTSA and Leadership Council Secretary. She loves to plan and volunteer at school community events. Outside of school, she enjoys painting, baking and archery. She is very excited to be a part of The Pearl Post staff and get to know the other staff members and editors while writing and taking photos.

Alia Galvan, Staff Writer

Alia Galvan, in her junior year of high school, is a new staff writer for The Pearl Post. Writing is not her only hobby though. She paints, reads and is most passionate about listening to music. She listens to almost all music genres and hopes to further broaden her range. She also hopes to finish the year with a high GPA, plus score well on her AP tests.

Karina Mara, Copy Editor

Karina Mara is a Design Editor for The Prestige Yearbook. Karina is looking forward to creating a masterpiece with her fellow yearbook staff members Zachary Gephart-Canada, Alyssa Cancio, Cj Gorospe and Christine Valenzuela. Karina enjoys spending time on the internet and watching random, cool videos on Youtube, especially tennis videos because she loves tennis. She plays for Birmingham Community Charter High School’s girls varsity tennis team. She listens any song, not really country, but so long as it’s good in the ear and perhaps the lyrics are fantastic, then it’s a win. She hopes for the best this school year.

Chareena Pascua, Copy Editor

This is Chareena Pascua's second and last year on staff. She is this year's Co-Editor-in-Chief of the Prestige Yearbook and a Copy Editor for The Pearl Post. In addition to being on DPMHS Student Media, she is the ASB Treasurer. You will always catch her listening to music. Traveling and spending time with friends and family are two of her favorite things to do in her spare time. Chareena's goal is to have a memorable senior year.

Elizabeth Rose, Staff Writer

Elizabeth Rose is a staff writer for this year's Pearl Post. This is her first and final year as part of the staff, but she's eager to expand her journalism skill set and make the most of the projects she'll be a part of. In her free time, you'll find her writing novels or taking part in various volunteer work, from taking care of children to picking up trash in her local neighborhood.

Gabrielle Lashley, Art Director

Gabrielle Lashley is in her third and final year on staff of The Pearl Post, now as the new Art Director. In school, she's co-president of the Art Club, Vice President of Black Student Union and officer of Pride Club. Off campus she participates in her art-oriented internship with Inner-City Arts and volunteers for local organizations. She hopes this work will aid her in the future and as Art Director in this wonderful publication.

Sam Torres, Opinion Editor

Sam Torres is the Opinion Editor in his second year with the Pearl Post. In his spare time, he likes to play Rage Against the Machine songs on his bass, write short stories with his friends, and listen to one of his many Spotify playlists. He is interested in journalism but would also love to work in public relations. His strengths are public speaking and his weakness is deadlines. His favorite artists are; Crimson Apple, Rage Against the Machine, Social Distortion, Johnny Cash, and Tupac. His favorite movies are Inglorious Bastards, Baby Driver, American History X, Blood In Blood Out, and La Bamba. He developed senioritis in 10th grade but is very motivated for college.

The Pearl Post

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Photo of the Week

The Pearl Post

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