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The Student News Site of Sunny Hills High School

The Accolade

The Student News Site of Sunny Hills High School

The Accolade

The Student News Site of Sunny Hills High School

The Accolade

Sisters and doubles tennis partners seniors Hannah Saab (left) and Karina Saab hold their rackets while brother senior Lucas Saab prepares for a volleyball spike.

SUPER SAAB STORY: Senior triplets reflect on high school athletics bond; plan to pave their own path past graduation

Emily Kim, Staff Reporter May 16, 2025

They’re triplets. But they’re not all the same gender. Two are girls, and one is a boy. For the past four years, these three have taken their athletic talents to either the tennis or volleyball...

Party School by Jon Hart challenges the idea that success is tied to prestigious colleges, showing that growth and self-worth can be found in unexpected places. The novel critiques societal pressures and redefines success as personal development rather than external validation.

BOOK REVIEW: Coming-of-age novel flips the typical college narrative

Emily Lee, Social Media Team & Staff Reporter April 25, 2025

In his coming-of-age novel, Party School, Jon Hart reveals that growth does not always come with prestige. He explores the tension between self-perception and societal expectations. In a competitive...

Seniors Amanda Laurie Pascual (right) and Mohamad Ibrahim walk with their crowns and sashes after they were announced as prom queen and king, respectively, at the Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center on Saturday, April 5.

PROM QUEEN Q&A: Amanda Laurie Pascual reflects on her unexpected win

Emily Kim, Staff Reporter April 22, 2025

With the crowning of the 2025 prom queen, Accolade staff reporter Emily Kim conducted a Q&A with senior Amanda Laurie Pascual to share her journey leading up to the title.  Question: How did it...

Since the March 2020 lockdown because of the COVID-19 pandemic, terms like “test-blind” or “test-optional” for SAT and ACT have begun appearing in the college admissions process to adapt to the circumstances of being unable to take the exams in person. Test-blind refers to colleges not accepting or considering standardized exam scores.

VIRAL IMPACT ON SAT, ACT: Pandemic spurs ‘test-optional,’ ‘test-blind’ trend in college admissions

Kyuwon Han, Spotlight Team Reporter April 3, 2025

This is one of a series of five-year, COVID-19 pandemic anniversary articles The Accolade’s Spotlight team has expanded from its original print version that appeared in the Monday, March 24, issue.  Science...

Senior Lillian Foster poses with a tennis racket and balls at Northwestern’s tennis court on Monday, July 8, during the Northwestern pre-college program from Sunday, June 30-Saturday, July 13.

FROM SUMMER ACTION TO EARLY DECISION: Chance to study at Northwestern solidifies senior’s top college choice

Caroline Shin, Staff Reporter January 27, 2025

As the new year begins, students and parents may consider summer options for the former to enhance educational opportunities, especially at the collegiate level. The Accolade offers the second in a series...

Junior Irene Park (third from the left) takes a picture with a digital camera with her friends on June 24 at the bridge in front of Columbia Law School.

A SUMMER TO REMEMBER: Columbia University’s summer camp returns lessons, memories

Irene Park, News Editor January 8, 2025

“On behalf of Southwest Airlines and especially this L.A.-based cabin crew, we’d like to thank you for flying with us and welcome you to LaGuardia Airport.” I looked out the window as the plane...

Andrew Ngo (right), who graduated from Sunny Hills in 2021, holds his bachelor’s degree in business administration during his commencement ceremony at USC on Friday, May 10. Ngo earned enough college credits from passing scores in his International Baccalaureate and Advanced Placement exams to help him graduate from USC in three instead of the traditional four years.

ALUMNI ARTICULATION: Some recent Lancer grads take non-traditional route of finishing college in three years

Soojin Cho, Copy Editor January 7, 2025

The Accolade continues with its feature that focuses on those who have graduated from Sunny Hills and how they are contributing to their community and beyond. In this second segment, copy editor Soojin...

Juniors Chloe Aeum (left) and Renee Reyes, who attends Philippine Science High School, pose with a cue stick at Oxford University’s terrace cafe on Tuesday, July 30, during the Oxford Summer Courses held from Sunday, July 21-Saturday, Aug. 3.

CHEERIO: Then-rising junior travels across the Atlantic to get Oxford college experience

Caroline Shin, Staff Reporter December 2, 2024

As the fall semester nears its end this month and a new year begins next January, students and parents may consider summer options for the former to enhance educational opportunities, especially at the...

Parent volunteer Ivonne Wang (left) translates into Spanish principal Craig Weinreich's introductory message to the 20 Spanish-speaking adults attending the first meeting of the Hispanic Parent Outreach on Wednesday, Sept. 25, from 5:30-7 p.m. in the library. Wang, a council representative for the Parent Teacher Student Association, came up with the idea of forming the Spanish-speaking support group.

A NEED ADDRESSED: PTSA volunteer creates Hispanic Parent Outreach to update Spanish-speaking community on important campus, student issues

Emily Lee, Social Media Team & Staff Reporter October 29, 2024

It was during this past summer, a week before Lancer Days registration on campus in August. On the first of the school's three-day Summer Bridge Program for freshmen on Wednesday, July 31, their parents...

Cecelia Bartin celebrates onstage after receiving the majority of the votes to win the title of Governor in Apple TV+ documentary “Girls State.”

Q&A: Three from ‘Girls State’ cast thoughts on presidential election

Serenity Li, Copy Editor October 22, 2024

Released last semester on Apple TV+, “Girls State” focuses on select moments from an annual event of the same name held in Missouri for young ladies in high school. It follows five girls and their...

Seniors applying to colleges can have access to an admissions file once they start attending a university they applied to and got accepted into. The file contains notes from college admissions officers, and if students did not waive their Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act rights, they can even access teacher recommendations and notes during interviews.

DID YOU KNOW? College admissions file can be accessed to find out how your university rated you

Hannah Lee, Web Managing Editor January 28, 2024

When Class of 2022 alumna Rachel Lee first opened her Harvard University acceptance letter in December 2021 through an online portal, she was greeted by the word, “Congratulations!” in bold text. After...

After the U.S. Supreme Court banned affirmative action on Thursday, June 29, critics of legacy admits have expressed concerns over the credibility of college admission traditions. Johns Hopkins University and Pomona College are among numerous U.S. institutions that have prohibited legacy admissions.

Legacy admissions face scrutiny amid ban of race-conscious practices

Irene Sheen, Managing Editor December 8, 2023

Celebrated as one of eight prestigious Ivy League institutions, Dartmouth College highlights its exceptionally selective admissions and acclaimed education programs.  But earning recognition among...

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