HS Insider hosted seven interns at the Los Angeles Times this summer in partnership with the Jack and Denny Smith Memorial Fund for Literacy. Throughout their internship, these young journalists shared feature stories from their communities.
Cricket players chase a passion for their sport, despite inaccessible playing fields by Sohum Sarwate
Southern California has far fewer training facilities and professional coaches compared to other areas of the country. Cricketers often spend hours training and traveling to play. Through uncertainty and adversity, these athletes stick to their sport.
LAUSD test scores are rising. But teachers say the focus on testing disrupts learning by Madison Thacker
Test scores are rising at LAUSD, but teachers and students say there is a large gap between scores and learning in the classroom. It’s left them wondering whether the focus on results, paired with “No Fail” and “Unlimited late work” policies, help or hurt students’ education.
Flag football surges in California and around the globe by Oliver Marks
Flag football, once seen as a safer alternative to its tackle counterpart, is well on its way to becoming a popular sport sensation in its own right. This success can be attributed to the sport’s accessibility, addictive action and plans for an eye-opening introduction as an Olympic sport in the 2028 Los Angeles games.
Beyond books, libraries bring communities together through pickling, magic and meditation by Satenik Ayrapetyan
Across Los Angeles Public Libraries, classes on meditation, access to hygiene kits, Lego building and pickling vegetables are just a few of the activities offered to bring communities together.
Young voices aren’t being heard in local politics. Alhambra native Nicholas Kiet Quach strives to change that. by Ellie Gladson-Pang
Nicholas Kiet Quach, a recent graduate of Alhambra High School, had already found a calling in politics by age 14 when he interned for then-mayor Sasha Renee Perez. At 18, Quach still strives to support his community in Alhambra through local politics.
Sinaloa Express serves a taste of authentic Mexican flavors in South Gate by Celeste Hernandez
A mustard yellow building stands on Tweedy Boulevard in South Gate. When customers walk through the front door of Sinaloa Express, the smell of homemade tortillas, barbacoa and freshly made salsa verde is in the air.
Meet the interns
Oliver Marks is a junior at Polytechnic School. (Photo by Ellie Gladson-Pang)
Oliver Marks is a junior at Polytechnic School in Pasadena. He discovered his passion for journalism and photography after taking a news writing elective in middle school, inspiring him to join the high school newspaper the following year. Now, he focuses on sports journalism, aiming to tell the unique and captivating stories that sports offer. Alongside his writing, Oliver captures the essence of sports through his award-winning photography, focusing on the quieter, more intimate moments with athletes. When not immersed in journalism, you can find Oliver on the baseball field, listening to music and watching the Dodgers on TV.
Satenik Ayrapetyan is a senior at Daniel Pearl Magnet. (Photo courtesy of Satenik Ayrapetyan)
Satenik Ayrapetyan is a senior at Daniel Pearl Magnet High School. She serves as the Editor-in-Chief on the school newspaper, the Pearl Post. She has been a member of the High School Insider Student Advisory Board for more than two years.
Madison Thacker is a senior at Van Nuys High School. (Photo by Satenik Ayrapetyan)
Madison Thacker is a senior at Van Nuys Senior High School, in the performing arts department. She is an Editor-in-Chief of the VNHS Mirror. Her journey through the performing arts started at just 5 years old, and today, she’s ever-present in the performing arts magnet at VNHS. Beyond the spotlight, Thacker has dedicated over eight years to the Girl Scouts, earning both bronze and silver awards for her commitment. As high school nears its end, Thacker’s plans point to a UC education, where she plans to major in education and minor in child development, shaping young minds for a brighter future.
Ellie Gladson-Pang is a senior at Arcadia. (Photo courtesy of Ellie Gladson-Pang)
Ellie Gladson-Pang is a senior at Arcadia High School and the Editor-in-Chief of the Arcadia Quill, where she started getting involved in journalism her sophomore year. She has served as a staff writer and Opinion Editor, and will be taking on the management and chief copy editor roles for 12th grade. She placed second in the 2023 Opinion writing competition for SoCal JEA, and enjoys writing about issues pertaining to social justice and politics, especially related to student activism. In her free time, she loves to read and write, and watch “The Newsroom” and “The West Wing.”
Celeste Hernandez is a junior at South Gate. (Photo courtesy of Celeste Hernandez)
Celeste Hernandez is a junior at South Gate Senior High School. She became interested in journalism once she started watching documentaries about true crime, learning more about politics, and realized how much she loves writing about those topics. “I realized it was something I wanted to do for my career choice when I joined my journalism class and actually started to report about school news,” she said.
Sohum Sarwate is a senior at Northwood. (Photo courtesy of Sohum Sarwate)
Sohum Sarwate is a senior at Northwood High School in Irvine and the Editor-in-Chief for his school paper The Northwood Howler. With experience at the School of the New York Times and as both a staff writer and editor for his paper, Sarwate has grown a passion for all things journalism, whether it be sourcing interviews, hands-on reporting or even the intricacies of AP Style. He has loved to write hard news coverage on school events along with opinion articles. Sarwate is an avid sports fan and loves watching basketball and football.
Kate North is a senior at Palos Verdes High School. She has been a reporter and an editor for her student newspaper, and a published author, peer tutor and teaching assistant. She has been on the Student Advisory Board of the Los Angeles Times High School Insider for three years, where she has enjoyed collaborating with her colleagues, volunteering at the Festival of Books, producing podcasts, attending J-Day, and learning from her incredible mentors. She is also a devoted advocate for children’s literacy and homeless animals.
