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On March 10th and 11th there will be an alternate schedule for all students to accommodate statewide testing for all Juniors. Juniors can find their testing room location posted outside of the Counseling and Attendance offices, as well as in an e-mail sent Thursday, March 6th. Additional information specific to Juniors was also sent in the Thursday e-mail. If you did not receive that message, please reach out to Dr. Panagos.

Today, I’d like to take a moment to recognize March 7th as a significant day—it's the anniversary of Luther Burbank, a remarkable horticulturist who made groundbreaking contributions to plant science and the field of conservation. This day is also celebrated as Conservation, Bird, and Arbor Day, highlighting the importance of protecting our natural environment.

Luther Burbank’s work was all about innovation, sustainability, and understanding the vital role that plants, trees, and wildlife play in our ecosystem. His efforts remind us of the impact that one person’s dedication to the environment can have. In today's world, his message is more relevant than ever.

As high school students, you are in a unique position to influence positive change. Whether it’s through organizing community clean-ups, starting sustainability projects, advocating for environmental policies, or simply being mindful of your daily habits, you have the power to shape a more sustainable future.

I encourage you to reflect on how you can contribute to environmental conservation, not just today, but every day. Think critically, act consciously, and remember that small actions can lead to big changes.

Let’s honor Luther Burbank’s legacy by committing ourselves to protect and preserve our planet. Thank you, and let’s make a positive impact together!

Follow Dr. Kuykendall on Instagram @pvphsprincipal for his weekly messages about what's happening on campus.

SPRING COLLEGE NIGHT – MARCH 18th at 5:30P

The College Career Center is excited to announce Spring College Night on Tuesday, March 18th at 5:30P. This event is targeted to Juniors and their families who are preparing for the College Application process this fall but all PVPHS students and parents are welcome and encouraged to attend. The evening will start with a Panel Discussion: "The Future of College Admissions: AI's Impact and Opportunities” from 5:30 to 6:25. Admissions experts form UCLA, USC and University of Utah will discuss the usage of AI in decision-making processes, improving applicant experiences, and ensuring equity in admissions. Additionally, what is the expected role of AI for students in using AI for college planning, search, and application process.

Attendees will then have the opportunity to attend three presentations from 6:30P to 8:15P. Topics to choose from include: Deciding Who Gets Admitted: How Colleges Make Decisions, College Admissions Testing: What’s New, What’s Changed, The Importance of Connecting with Colleges: Does it Matter, Telling Your Story: Understanding How and What to Write in the College Essay, Highly Selective Colleges: The Reality, and Money Matters. Additional information and details of the evening can be found here: https://pvphs.pvpusd.net/apps/pages/Calendar24

SCHOLARSHIPS

Seniors, check out the local scholarships available on Schoolinks. Click on the Finances Tab and then click on Scholarship Matching. To view scholarships from our local organizations, click on “District Posted” in the top, right corner. Scholarships with deadlines in the next 4 weeks include: International Longshore Warehouse Union Scholarship (3/13), Cabrillo Civic Clubs of California Scholarship (3/15), Elks California Student with Disabilities Scholarship (3/20), Jack and Elisa Bagdasar Memorial Scholarship (3/20), Chuck Chambers and Russ Urban Scholarship (3/21), Cornerstone Alumni (3/21), Palos Verdes Education Foundation (3/23), PVP Council of PTAs (3/28),Panhellenic Alumnae South Bay Association Scholarship (3/28), RH/PV Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Scholarship (3/31), Loma Rose Salatino Creative Arts Scholarship (4/1). Click on the name of the scholarship to find out more information including how to apply. Some scholarships need essays and letters of recommendation so don't put off looking at the scholarship requirements. Don't assume the name of the scholarship represents the qualifications, make sure to read the description on Schoolinks!

Attention 12th Grade Students! The application for the State Seal of Biliteracy is now linked on our website (State Seal Link). Please review the application to see if you qualify. This is another accolade/award to list on any future resumes or applications. If you qualify, please fill out the form and return it to counseling by Friday, April 18th. If you have further questions, please feel free to come to the counseling office for help.

ATTENTION PANTHERS (Grades 9-11)!
As you continue exploring the “Course Previews” (see the next section for session details and links), we want to make sure you're aware of some exciting updates. Recently, the school board approved new classes, which have now been added to the Course Selection Worksheets and the Course Description Handbook.

These new offerings include a variety of Engineering, Dual Enrollment, and other elective courses. For 12th graders, there’s also a brand new English 4 option to consider! Be sure to check out the updates, and attend the Course Previewsto help determine if these courses are the right fit for you.

You can access all the documents here:
Course Selection Documents

Important Dates:

• Junior one-on-one scheduling meetings: Starting March 3rd
• Sophomore meetings: Ongoing
• Freshman meetings: Starting the week of March 17th

Please take some time to review the website, and if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to your counselor!

Senior scholars in Ms. Dibble's AP Literature course played Literary Jenga this week, using the game to engage in deep analytical discussions about their book club novels. Much fun was had as each group tried mightily to avoid toppling their tower!

Juniors Explore Career Paths and College Planning

This week, all juniors participated in an important College & Career Center session during their English classes.

While waiting for individual meetings with their counselor, and after finishing, students engaged in a guided lesson on SchooLinks, with Mrs. Arico Director of the College Career Center. Through this session, juniors focused on researching careers that align with their interests and identifying the educational pathways needed to achieve those goals. They explored various majors suited to their chosen career fields and searched for colleges that offer those programs.

The session also covered the concept of college fit, emphasizing financial, academic, and social factors in the decision-making process. To assess academic fit, students utilized PVPHS admissions data to categorize potential schools as likely, target, or reach options based on their individual academic records.

As part of their college planning journey, all juniors were encouraged to attend the upcoming Spring College Night on March 18th, where they can gain further insight into the college admissions process, application strategies, and how to find the right college fit.

The College & Career Center remains committed to guiding students toward informed and successful postsecondary decisions. We encourage juniors to continue exploring their options and utilizing the resources available!

Brush up on your trivia and grab your smartest friends because it's Scholar Quiz time! Scholar Quiz is a trivia tournament where student teams face off in a battle of wits on topics from pop culture to politics, sports to science, and any topic in between. This playoff tournament begins with 32 teams and ends with the final 2 battling for the championship title and a $500 prize. Interested in forming a team? Come to the mandatory informational meeting on Tuesday, March 11 at lunch in the PAC to learn more.

Come see our Panthers perform in the musical Once Upon a Mattress March 13-16 and 20-23. Get your tickets here: https://our.show/mattressatpen

Mr. Stiles has installed the Annual Photo & Video Show in our Bradbury Smith on-campus gallery. An opening reception for the artists will take place on Thursday March 13th from 3-6 PM. Free pizza and refreshments will be served! Come celebrate with these great student artists! Additionally, the gallery show should be open for viewing from 9:30 am to 3:15pm until April 8th.

Make your “don’t want to cook” night all day Friday, Mar. 7 and order online from Panda Express. Use the code 9000552 and the Robotics Team receives 28% of your order. Code works nationwide, so please share with your family and friends and enjoy together!

El Camino’s Onizuka Space Science Day Invites Area Students Grades 5-12 to Meet NASA Astronaut Daniel M. Tani

NASA astronaut to speak at annual free event that highlights science and space exploration

El Camino College welcomes South Bay students and former NASA astronaut Daniel M. Tani to Onizuka Space Science Day 2025, scheduled for 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 15 at the college’s planetarium and science classrooms.

Onizuka Space Science Day is dedicated to Ellison Onizuka, a Space Shuttle Challenger astronaut who perished along with six other crew members during the tragic events of 1986. Coordinated by the El Camino College Astronaut Ellison Onizuka Memorial Committee, the annual free event is open to students in grades five through 12 and sponsored by Honda, Chevron, El Camino, and the El Camino College Foundation.

Astronaut Tani launched his career at Hughes Aircraft Corporation in El Segundo as a design engineer in the Space and Communications group. He later worked for the Orbital Sciences Corporation as a Flight Operations lead and then led the development of procedures for the launching of the Pegasus unmanned rocket. Tani was selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in 1996. His space flight experience includes serving as a mission specialist on the Space Shuttle Endeavour in December 2001, the 12th shuttle flight to visit the International Space Station. He performed a spacewalk to wrap thermal blankets around sensitive equipment on the exterior of the spacecraft. The mission was accomplished in 185 Earth orbits, traveling 4.8 million miles in 283 hours and 36 minutes, including a spacewalk lasting 4 hours and 12 minutes.

On his second spaceflight, Tani served as Expedition-16 Flight Engineer and spent 120 days living and working aboard the International Space Station from October 2007-February 2008. He performed numerous robotic operations and logged a total of 34 hours and 59 minutes during five spacewalks.

Tani earned a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from MIT, and considers Lombard, Illinois, his hometown.

Following Tani’s presentation, students will participate in a variety of hands-on science experiments, activities and demonstrations led by El Camino College professors, students, and guests from NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and other institutions. Robotics, math games, planetarium shows, and a chemical magic show are just some of the sessions on the agenda, along with activities involving making lava lamps, paint, spectroscopes and speakers. The day concludes with the traditional Egg Drop Competition, where students attempt to build the perfect apparatus that will let an egg drop from a rooftop without breaking when it lands.

Onizuka Space Science Day will take place rain or shine; registration is available online.

The El Camino Community College District encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation, or have questions about the physical access provided, please contact spaceday@elcamino.edu as soon as possible, but no later than seven days prior to the event.

For more information about Onizuka Space Science Day 2025, or to register, view www.elcamino.edu/academics/divisions/natural-sciences/onizuka-space-day/.