La Vista

By Michelle McKenna
Staff Writer

A recent Hermosa Beach ordinance banned smoking on its pier, in public parks, outdoor dining areas in its restaurants and in the Pier Plaza. This ordinance is a positive step toward improving life in the city.

The anti-smoking ordinance went into effect March 8. Those in violation of the code will face a $100 to $500 fine, as well as a criminal misdemeanor charge issued by the city after the third ticket. California anti-smoking laws have already banned smoking in any public place of employment, such as bars, restaurants and cafes. Smoking on the beach was banned in 2006 by the Hermosa Beach City Council.

This new law will further ensure the safety and cleanliness of Hermosa Beach by increasing restrictions on smokers.
This new, stricter law, first proposed in 2010, is based on smoking regulations initiated in Santa Monica and Calabasas.

According to Hermosa Beach City Manager Steve Burrell, about $19,500 has been spent on “Healthy Air Hermosa,” a public outreach program which hopes to educate local businesses on the new smoking ordinance.

This program will have positive outcomes as it will work to educate businesses and the public to the dangers of exposure to secondhand smoke.

Organizations such as the Beach Cities Health District, Surfrider Foundation and American Cancer Society have praised Hermosa Beach city leaders for taking charge and curbing exposure to secondhand smoke.

The ordinance will also reduce litter and attract more nonsmokers to local restaurants.

Some residents and businesses, however, believe the ordinance is too strict and has the potential to hurt commerce, especially in bars and restaurants that line the Hermosa Beach Pier Plaza.

However, the benefits certainly outweigh these potential drawbacks. By prohibiting smoking in these public places, nonsmoking citizens will be less-exposed to secondhand smoke and its consequences. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, secondhand smoke contains at least 250 known toxic chemicals. Nonsmokers should not be exposed to such dangers. Their experiences in public places shouldn’t be hampered by cigarette smoke and litter.

The ban also will discourage smoking all together by excluding smokers from smoking in bars and restaurants, while eliminating the litter commonly left behind by smokers. By getting rid of this litter, Hermosa Beach will be a cleaner city for tourists and residents.

Ultimately, the ordinance has the potential to bring in even more business by making Hermosa Beach family-friendly. Hermosa Beach and the entire South Bay are largely family-dominated areas; this ordinance reaffirms the healthy lifestyle encouraged throughout the area.

By Michelle McKenna
Staff Writer

The American Legion announced the Mira Costa winners for Boys State and Girls State last week.

Juniors Jack Hadley and Jackson Webster won the Boys State selections, and junior Hannah James won for Girls State. Participants are exposed through mock government to the various rights, duties and responsibilities of U.S. citizens.

“I’m honored to be nominated,” Webster said. “I look forward to the opportunity to spend an entire week learning about a field which greatly interests me.”

The other Boys State nominees were Carter Casady, Brian Sydow, Isaac Siegemund-Broka, Adam Gerard and Brady Currey, and the other Girls State nominees were Sarah Locke-Henderson, Kara Enomoto, Morgan Livingston and Joani Gillam.

“I was excited to be nominated,” Locke-Henderson said. “There were four other amazing candidates, so it was an honor.”

These Mira Costa juniors were chosen by the History Department, specifically Bill Fauver, Gregory Kloes and Bob Timberlake. The candidates were nominated based on their many academic strength, leadership potential and interest in the United States government.

“Every year it’s tough to try to whittle it down so as always, this year’s group is a great group,” Fauver said. “It is a solid group of people that love history and love politics. They are very articulate and should do very well.”

College and Career Center counselors Gail Currey and Katherine Folkman are Boys and Girls State representatives for Costa.

“It is a really big honor,” Folkman said. “This year’s nominees are all strong candidates, very nice kids and very well-spoken. I don’t think we could go wrong with any of them.”

A representative from the American Legion interviewed each nominee and ultimately decided who will participate in the week-long event. Boys State takes place at Sacramento State University, and Girls State takes place at Claremont College.

“I’m excited because I think it will be cool being surrounded by other like-minded guys, learning about what made our country great,” Hadley said.

Finalists that do well at Boys or Girls State can be nominated by their peers to advance to the nationwide competitions, Boys Nation and Girls Nation, in Washington, D.C., where they will act as their state’s senators.

“It is a really great program that has been going on for a really long time,” Fauver said. “It is one of the highest honors a student can receive.”

Katie Barger/ La Vista

Pro:College experience shows universal benefits

By Michelle McKenna
Staff Writer

Despite rising tuition costs and admissions competition, having a college degree is a definite benefit to any student.

Concerns regarding the viability of college have been raised because the unemployment rate for college graduates is unusually high. Also, 40 percent of college students don’t get a degree within six years, according to TIME magazine. Although these figures seem dismal, having a college degree can prove an undeniable advantage when seeking jobs.

According to Bureau of Labor Statistics, the 2010 unemployment rate was more than 10 percent for those with a high school degree. However, it was 5.4 percent for college graduates.

Additionally, 74 percent of college graduates believe they grew intellectually and 69 percent believe it helped them mature, according to the Pew Research Center, all of which are vital tools to succeeding outside of the classroom.

College dropouts such as Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg are often brought up in arguments regarding successful college dropouts; however, it is important to remember that these are extremely rare cases and are not likely.

College is often seen as the pathway to a brighter future and a higher salary. According to the Institution of Education Sciences, the 2009 median earnings for young adults with a bachelor’s degree was $45,000, while the median was $30,000 for those with a high school diploma and $21,000 for those without a high school diploma.

The college experience is another factor that should be considered. According to a Wall Street Journal study, the “college experience,” the social life and non-academic activities, deepens and enriches one’s life. College graduates tend to be happier and more satisfied than those with less education, according to a Pew Research Center study.

Although it is important for prospective students to explore their options, college is the most reasonable and effective course to take. Mira Costa students should weigh their options and determine what will help them achieve their goals. United States Census Bureau statistics show college graduates tend to have more variation in job opportunities, as well as higher earnings, both of which are key components of a successful career.

The College and Career Center at Costa allows students to explore their options. Although some students may decide not to attend college, it is the suggestion of the CCC that all Costa students meet the eligibility requirements for college, should they change their minds.

The most important things college and higher education provides are more opportunity and an abundance of choices. Student loans lead to $27,200 debt on average, according to Esquire, but there are few other negative aspects of a gaining college education. According to TIME magazine, 86 percent of graduates felt happy with their investment.

College is an incredibly useful commodity that should not be cast aside without fully exploring the benefits.

A college education is an important tool to succeed in life. Not only does it bring about more job opportunity, it also gives young people a time to discover themselves and explore their intellect, which is
important when achieving any kind of career or life success.

Con: Many alternatives exist for different interests

By Alec Lautanen
Executive Opinion Editor

With tuition costs rising and the quality of higher education in the United States seeming to stagnate, many high school students are faced with the choice of whether to pursue a college degree or enter directly into the workforce.

While higher education proves beneficial to a great number of students, by no way is it reasonable or logical to expect all high schoolers to follow this track. By no means is a four-year degree the only path for young adults to start careers, and many alternate methods of employment exist.

The average cost of college tuition has risen over 900% since 1978, according to a study done by FinAid, a financial aid group. Not only is this figure almost 550 points over the rise of inflation, but it comes with a college experience that is declining in quality.

In a survey of college presidents conducted by the Pew Research Center, it was found that only 19% believe the United States’ system of higher education is the best in the world now, and only 7% believe it will top the global list in 10 years.

These figures alone do not justify a shift away from college by potential students. However, when considering four years of work experience and related earnings instead of an average of over $25,000 in debt due to tuition fees, alternate paths such as apprenticeships and vocational training seem more substantial.

For a large amount of students, seeking immediate training in a profession of their choice may seem like a better choice. Career and occupation- oriented programs are offered by many high schools, including Mira Costa, which provides this education through the Southern California Regional Occupation Center, free of cost to students. The College and Career Center recommends all students shoot for eligibility for four-year universities but also stresses this path is not a one-size-fits-all path for students.

There is also a compromise between four years of college and direct work after high school. Vocational and technical schools provide directly applicable workforce skills at a fraction of the cost of universities.

According to a Michigan State University study, these types of education programs can also earn students
certification in certain fields, such as areas of construction and technological jobs. Certification almost always results in higher pay and at a much lower time commitment and price than traditional college education.

Although the average lifetime earnings of those with college degrees can be up to $650,000 higher than those with only high school diplomas, figures vary wildly on a case-by-case basis and do not take into account those who pursued education other than colleges after high school.

Another stance proponents of high education take is the benefit of job security. Even though the average unemployment rate of those with college degrees is about half that of those without, job experience has been found to be more beneficial than school experience for older workers (those who have worked for 15-20 years) interviewing for jobs, according to a TIME study.

For the majority of high school students, the investment in a college education is a smart choice. However, for those who wish to start work immediately or who do not want to take on excessive debt, many alternate avenues exist.

Pro: Standardized homework would benefit all

Ramie Landis/ La Vista

By Alex White
Staff Writer

A district-wide policy to regulate the amount of homework students can be assigned would be effective in improving student morale and the overall value of education.

Giving students a standardized amount of homework would give them more opportunities to develop outside of the classroom. When elementary school kids spend hours of their free time practicing cursive or multiplication tables, they are losing chances to learn necessary life skills that are not taught in school.

Recently, a group of Manhattan Beach parents created a petition to submit to the Manhattan Beach Unified School District board. The parents claim that their children, most of whom are of elementary age, spend so much time doing homework, that it affects their personal and family lives.

The petition simply wants the district to review homework at the elementary level and consider taking action. It also proposes that other, perhaps more beneficial, homework assignments such as 20 minutes of nightly outside reading, are under-used.

The topic will be discussed at future MBUSD board meetings. The school board will likely have to address the petition, which currently has over 350 signatures and is gaining rapid popularity, according to the petition site on change.org.

A study done by Duke University researcher Harris Cooper suggests that too much homework can be detrimental to a child’s development. He concludes that assigning less homework is beneficial to sleep habits, exercise frequency and more. According to Cooper, less homework would aid social development and health.

Standardization can mean many things besides just reducing the amount of homework assigned. Some teachers, such as English teacher Shannon Vaughan, believe that it is unfair for teachers to demand their students to focus on a single subject when the class has a disproportionate amount of work to others. A board policy preventing this kind of inequity would help create equal amounts of homework in each class, alleviating stress for students.

Homework does not necessarily yield higher comprehension of concepts or improved test scores. Based on a 2005 report released by the Stanford University Press, countries with high achieving students, like Japan or Denmark, assign little homework to their students.

On the other hand, countries like Thailand or Greece that perennially score lower give more homework than teachers in the United States do. The district would be well advised to propose caps for certain age levels on the intended amount of homework time.

Another issue that arises is lack of sleep due to high amounts of homework. A report published by the Trends in Math and Science Study organization showed that large amounts of homework, i.e., over 90 minutes per subject, did relatively little to help high school students.

A National Sleep Foundation survey also stated that a majority of high school students get at least one hour less of sleep per night than is recommended, a deficiency that has the potential to set cognitive abilities back years.

Proponents of the current policy argue that individual teachers should be given full control over their class homework. At the elementary level though, large amounts of work are detrimental, and this policy of control and regulation could seriously benefit these students.

Implementing such a policy would prove beneficial and a step forward in improving student morale and development.

Con: Homework should be up to the teachers

By Michelle McKenna
Staff Writer

A recent petition organized by parents of students within the Manhattan Beach Unified School District aims to regulate the amount of homework assigned in elementary schools. However, homework is a crucial and necessary part of students’ learning experience and individual teachers should be given discretion to assign homework for their classes.

Many teachers feel that homework is an important part of learning. Therefore, it is ridiculous to say that something so key in a successful learning environment should be reduced, as the petition proposes.

Manhattan Beach schools pride themselves on high test scores and academic excellence, which has been achieved in part through the work students have done outside of school. Homework is necessary to prepare elementary school students for middle school and, eventually, high school.

MBUSD parents who signed the petition believe that due to the amount of homework their children have, there is very little free time for them to spend with their families or engage in their interests and, therefore, think that there should be a standard for the amount of acceptable homework. Some parents believe their children’s homework is causing unnecessary stress and is inappropriate considering the child’s grade level.

According to Wendy Walsh, a Manhattan Beach parent who organized the petition, elementary school teachers told her that most Manhattan Beach parents support this kind of workload. If homework is too much, parents must consider cutting back on extra activities that take up their child’s time. Through assessments such as test scores, these sacrifices would prove to be positive in the long run, as homework helps to build the foundation for the rest of a student’s education.

Many proponents of the regulation of homework argue that an excessive amount of homework will cause sleep deprivation, which would be detrimental to the health and well being of students. However, most homework can be managed effectively if a student is focused and productive. Therefore, the frequent cause of sleep deprivation is procrastination or lack of focus.

Multiple teachers, however, do not support the standardization of amounts of homework. Costa teacher Andrea Collicutt believes that work not completed in class must be finished at home. These teachers also believe that homework is necessary in order to keep test scores high and reinforce material that was learned in class.

If teachers wish to help students balance school work and other activities, they should help students organize their time effectively. Teacher-based initiatives would thus benefit the students without reducing the authority of the teacher.

Issues regarding homework and other pressures in education have been raised in movies such as “Waiting For Superman.” This film demonstrates the problems that persist in public education. Students in every grade may feel pressure because of their challenging workload, but it helps them to prepare for the future.

Heavier homework loads may seem burdensome, especially at lower grade levels, but they will better prepare students for the future. Instructors know what is best for their students, and all involved will continue to thrive if homework decisions remain with the teachers.

Ramie Landis/ La Vista

By Michelle McKenna
Staff Writer

HotDoggers is a proposed skate-and-surf-themed restaurant that is appealing to the city of Manhattan Beach to operate 24 hours a day and serve alcohol. The bar would be located six blocks from Pacific Elementary School in a residential area, causing unrest among community members.

The city should not accept HotDoggers’ appeal and should demand that it meets all city ordinances before opening.

HotDoggers is to be located at 1605 Sepulveda Blvd., where Glacier Ice Cream and Gelato used to be previously. The proposed location is too small and provides easy access for drunk drivers to leave using residential streets, creating a danger for residents.

In addition, HotDoggers is appealing to operate 24 hours a day, with the patio operating 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sunday through Thursday and 7 a.m. to 12 a.m. Friday through Saturday. It will also serve alcohol from 7 a.m. to 12 a.m., play “low-level” background music, have a “take-out” operation with the option of sit-down service, and provide outside waiting/seating areas

Manhattan Beach residents have petitioned the city council to reject the appeal requested by HotDoggers owner Sandy Saemann. Though the patio itself does not present problems, in addition to extended hours where alcohol is served, safety and noise become problems for the community.

Although HotDoggers claims it is a family-friendly establishment, if the appeal is granted, HotDoggers could attract a rowdy, late-night crowd by serving alcoholic beverages and allowing patrons to rent the outdoor patio any day or night of the week, creating conditions unfit for an establishment so close to school and residential areas.

There must be balance between business and residential goals. However, nothing about the dismissive comments submitted by the applicant create a convincing case that HotDoggers would be a family-oriented establishment.

To create this friendly atmosphere, HotDoggers must reduce its requested business hours and remove the patio, thereby reducing risk, impact and noise.

Recently, it was discovered that HotDoggers failed to notify a third of the residents within the required 500-foot radius of the project site.

According to HotDoggers’ “Protest to Oak Street,” (their formal rebuttal against residents’ petition), they do not believe anyone living on Elm Avenue has a right to petition their requests, which has created a justifiably negative view of HotDoggers in residents’ eyes.

This failure to notify community members creates negative signs of HotDoggers’ willingness to work with the community to create a safe environment.

A public hearing June 7 provided an opportunity for residents to voice concerns about opposition to the appeal. Although there were some residents and business owners who supported HotDoggers, the majority of attendees strongly disagreed according to meeting attendees. Even if HotDoggers’ appeal is accepted, the lack of community support could lead to bad business.

Hopefully, the city denies HotDoggers’ request. If not, and their proposed hours stand, the best solution is to relocate the venue to a downtown location to avoid further opposition.

If this isn’t possible, HotDoggers should no doubt look to improve its community image through local events and cooperation with residents to mitigate current opposition.

The existing restaurant and bar on Sepulveda Ave., Mr. Pockets, is a prime example of an establishment that complies with Manhattan Beach city law while serving families, too. If HotDoggers could change their image to better appeal to the family crowd and placate those who they have troubled thus far, HotDoggers could find a successful niche in Manhattan Beach dining.