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

The Pearl Post
  • November 5Shelter in Place Drill at 11:45 a.m. on Nov. 13
  • November 5Field trip to JEA/NSPA National High School Journalism Convention from Nov. 12-16 with Ms. Chavira
  • November 5No school due to Veterans' Day on Nov. 11
  • November 5College Tour Field Trips to CSUN, UCLA, Pepperdine and CalArts from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Nov. 10
  • November 5J-Day competition at CSUN on Nov. 8
  • November 5PTSA Family Star Gazing and Movie Night on Nov. 7
  • November 5Coffee with the Principal at 9:00 a.m. in the MPR and via Zoom on Nov. 6
  • November 5Submissions for the “Reflections” PTSA Art Competition are due on Nov. 5.
  • October 16Fiesta Friday during lunch in The Grove on Oct. 31
  • October 16World Music Day Concert from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in the MPR on Oct. 30

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
Maggie Simonyan

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.

All content by Maggie Simonyan
Sophomore Tobias Bechdholt stretches during his workout practice on March 20. Bechdholt is on the Birmingham Community Charter High School varsity boys track and field team where he competes in pole vault and hurdles events.

[Photo] Athlete of the Month: Bechdholt vaults to triumph in varsity track and field

Linus Bossardt
June 10, 2024
Sophomore Tobias Bechdholt stretches during practice on March 20. Bechdholt is on the Birmingham Community Charter High School varsity boys track and field team, where he competes in pole vault and hurdles events.

[Photo] Bechdholt clinches first place in pole vaulting championship

Jasmine Thompson
June 7, 2024
Valedictorian Alan Ruiz is grateful for the support from his family and friends, as well as the life lessons he has learned during his time in high school.

[Photo] Appreciation and achievement: Top students look back on high school experience

Aidan Lia and Jasmine McNair
June 5, 2024
Senior Maggie Simonyan speaks at the Mid Valley YMCA on Oct. 25, 2023 during a thank-you event for Assembly member Jesse Gabriel, for whom she interned.

‘We are never too young, never too inexperienced to ignite transformation’

Maggie Simonyan
June 5, 2024
5 athletes from the Class of 2024 participated in various sports at Birmingham Community Charter High School, including swim, water polo, cross country, baseball, volleyball and beach volleyball.

Senior athletes reflect on their sports journey

Maggie Simonyan
June 4, 2024
Junior Gracie Huaman is in her first year on the Birmingham Community Charter High School JV girls swim team. She plans to remain on the team for her senior year as well.

[Photo] Athlete of the Month: Huaman makes a splash in JV girls swim

Jazmine Valerio
May 24, 2024
Junior Leeron Nakash is an athlete on the BCCHS girls JV swim team. Sophomore Marianna Alvarez-Patino is an athlete on the BCCHS girls JV soccer team. Senior Cheyanne Losino is an athlete on the BCCHS girls varsity beach volleyball team.

[Photo] Changing the game plan for women

Jenny Marquez
May 9, 2024
Junior Zion Waddell walks back to the start line during resistance training workouts at Birmingham Community Charter High School (BCCHS). Waddell is currently on the BCCHS varsity boys baseball team where he plays centerfield.

Athlete of the Month: Waddell knocks it out of the park in varsity baseball

Maggie Simonyan
April 23, 2024
Sophomore Kaleigh Tapaoan glides through the water during a swim competition at Birmingham Community Charter High School on March 18. It is Tapaoan's first year on the varsity girls swim team and she is excited for what is to come this season.

Athlete of the Month: Tapaoan dives into a season of varsity swim

Maggie Simonyan
March 21, 2024
Freshman Mateo Zazueta perfects his swing in the front grove of Daniel Pearl Magnet High School on March 13. It is Zazueta's first year on the Birmingham Community Charter High School varsity golf team.

[Photo] Athlete of the Month: Zazueta is fore the win

Yusuf Syed
March 13, 2024
Freshman Bronson Jackson takes a break from workout training at baseball practice at Birmingham Community Charter High School on Feb. 28.

[Photo] Athlete of the Month: Jackson winds up for varsity baseball

Vanessa Morales
February 28, 2024
Freshman Andrea Arosemena poses for a photo after winning the CIF Los Angeles City Section Open Championship at Pasadena City College on Feb. 24. The Birmingham Community Charter High School girls varsity basketball team secured a victory over Westchester High School with a final score of 55-50.

Birmingham girls clinch CIF championship, set eyes on historic state victory

Maggie Simonyan and Serena Elkins
February 27, 2024
Freshman Andrea Arosemena cheers on her teammate during the CIF Los Angeles City Section Open championship game at Pasadena City College on Feb. 24. The Birmingham Community Charter High School girls varsity basketball team secured a victory over Westchester High School with a final score of 55-50.

[Photo] Photo of the Week

August 19, 2025
Here are the upcoming girls softball games for Birmingham Community Charter High School.

[Photo] Bullock swings for softball success

Jasmine McNair
February 20, 2024
Freshman Ava Weinstein dribbles a basketball across the court during a JV girls basketball game at Birmingham Community Charter High School on Jan. 22. The game was against Granada Hills Charter High School and resulted in a victory of 63-34.

[Photo] Athlete of the Month: Weinstein lights up the court in JV basketball

Valerie Sanchez
January 30, 2024
Freshmen David Grigorian and Hovhannes Barseghyan throw air punches during warmups for boxing practice on Dec. 2. Shadow boxing helps them work on their footwork, technique and form without having to focus on hitting a target.

[Photo] Double trouble in the boxing ring

Yusuf Syed
December 15, 2023
Senior Maggie Simonyan hangs out with Alexander Hamilton Scholar peers at Columbia University during New York Leader Week on July 11. Alexander Hamilton Scholars is a five-year program that empowers high-achieving, underserved young leaders to thrive in college and beyond.

End of affirmative action guts fairness from society

Maggie Simonyan
December 13, 2023
Sophomore Maor Segalovich spins a basketball as he waits his turn to shoot the ball during basketball practice at Birmingham Community Charter High School on Nov. 29. Segalovich is on the boys JV basketball team.

[Photo] Athlete of the Month: Segalovich shoots his way to JV basketball

Emma Rosenberg
December 14, 2023

Traffic congestion raises safety concerns for school community

Maggie Simonyan
November 30, 2023
Junior Karissa Aguilar tackles an opponent during wrestling practice on Sept. 22. Aguilar is a new student athlete expressing her long-time passion for wrestling on the BCCHS girls wrestling team.

[Photo] Pin it to win it

Jasmine McNair
October 26, 2023
Tobias Bechdholt, junior varsity and varsity football quarterback, jogs on the field during a game on Oct. 13. The BCCHS JV boys football team secured a victory against El Camino Real High School with a score of 48-8.

[Photo] Quarterback Bechdholt makes history, memories during Texas trip

Serena Elkins
October 20, 2023
Freshman Ryan Killian plays Cornhole at the Freshman Social organized by School Climate Advocate Magaly Ruiz and the leadership class on Aug. 17.

[Photo] New schedule among changes for 2023-24 school year

Satenik Ayrapetyan
August 18, 2023
Junior Cheyanne Losino played in Birmingham Community Charter High School's first season of beach volleyball this semester. Losino took this season as a learning experience.

Athlete of the Month: Losino bumps the ball into new beach volleyball season

Maggie Simonyan
April 27, 2023
Junior Maggie Simonyan performs a cultural dance in her traditional Armenian clothing known as a Taraz. The Taraz and jewelery she wears originate from an Armenian region known as Artsakh, located in Southeastern Armenia. The Armenian national costume, having existed through long periods of historical development, was one of the signals of self-preservation for the Armenian culture.

The weight of remembering: Being a descendant of Armenian genocide survivors in the 21st century

Maggie Simonyan
April 20, 2023
Music teacher Wes Hambright sits in his garden with his dog. The garden is in the process of being replanted with native plants instead of non-native plants.

Teacher nurtures native plants

Maggie Simonyan
April 14, 2023
Members of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 99 display signs expressing their demands for higher wages, health benefits and better working conditions on March 21, the second day of the SEIU Local 99 strike. SEIU and LAUSD have made a tentative deal that will be voted on for ratification by union members.

SEIU strike ends, tentative deal reached

Maggie Simonyan
March 30, 2023

As SEIU strike comes to a close, no deal reached with LAUSD

Maggie Simonyan and Satenik Ayrapetyan
March 23, 2023
A picketer holds up a sign expressing discontent on March 21, the first day of a three-day Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 99 strike.

LAUSD shuts down schools on first day of union strike

Satenik Ayrapetyan and Maggie Simonyan
March 21, 2023
Juniors Emmanuel Valenzuela and Anthony Jimenez edit a group video project for their video production class on Feb. 27.

Students, staff react to schedule change for 2023-2024 school year

Maggie Simonyan
March 7, 2023
Junior Maggie Simonyan presents her solution proposal for medical malpractice in front of the National Assembly delegation on Feb. 12 in Sacramento. Simonyan's solution entailed lobbying Congress to renew the Medical Liability Reform Act of 1991.

‘We have a bright future ahead of us’

Maggie Simonyan
March 3, 2023
Junior varsity wrestler Anthony De La Maza practices a wrestling technique on fellow wrestler Draven Lukata on Jan. 26.

[Photo] Athlete of the Month: De La Maza is ready to rumble

Sabrina Robertson
February 16, 2023
On Thursday, Feb. 2, the Local School Leadership Council will vote on whether to keep the 4x4 schedule at Daniel Pearl Magnet High School. In this photo, students work on an assignment in AP World History on Dec. 6, 2021.

Local School Leadership Council to vote on 4×4 schedule

Maggie Simonyan
February 2, 2023
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