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VOLUME 111 ISSUE 7 APRIL 25, 2025
IN THE NEWS
SOUTH PASADENA HIGH SCHOOL 1401 FREMONT AVE, SOUTH PASADENA, CA 91030
PROM
AP EXAMS
On Saturday, May 3, SPHS will host their Junior/Senior Prom at the Natural History Museum of L.A.
AP Exams will begin on Monday, May 5 and run until Friday, May 16. The SPHS library will be closed for testing.
HARTSOUGH ASSEMBLY RACC NIGHT
The annual Hartsough Assembly will be held on Friday, May 2 in the auditorium to commemorate exceptional faculty.
Annual Spring Eggstravaganza hops into town
FEATURE
The importance of mental health resources on campus
STORY RUBY FOUDY ILLUSTRATION LANAH KIM According to the National Institute of Mental Health, an estimated 5 million 12 to 17-year-olds have experienced at least one major depressive episode. The World Health Institute reports that one in seven teenagers will develop a serious mental health disorder, and suicide is the third leading cause of death among high schoolers aged 14 to 18. These statistics are not just numbers, they are people; classmates, friends, siblings, and children in need of support that is not always offered or available. The alarming rates of teenagers struggling with mental health highlight the issues of how mental health is treated by society and how schools handle struggling students. See full article on Page 11
SPORTS GARFIELD PARK was dotted with eggs and activities in celebration of Easter, catering to both children and adults. tying together the culture in a welcoming and inclusive manner.
carnival games, a small train ride, a teacup ride, and an egg hunt.
“If there weren’t events in the town … we would go somewhere else,” another South Pasadena parent said. “That takes away from the closeness that we feel with our neighbors and the friends at school. It keeps us here, supporting local businesses, supporting our neighbors.”
Children were divided into several age groups for the egg hunt. There, children participated in a playful experience where groups would search for colorful eggs containing prizes inside. During each round, flocks of parents swarmed the area.
The organizers of the event continue striving to make this year’s festival more open, offering the adaptive egg hunt. This newly introduced event held in Garfield Park’s tennis courts is aimed toward anyone with physical or mental disabilities. The ground is smooth and flat as opposed to the uneven grass, eggs can beep and vibrate for the visually impaired, and there are plastic obstacles for children to navigate and find eggs in.
“The kids love it. They love the different activities they could do, they love the train rides … of course, the Easter Bunny picture was first on their list,” a South Pasadena parent said.
Among these organizations are the public library, the police and fire departments, Brit West Soccer, and a few others, who all contributed to running and arranging the event.
Tickets could be pre-ordered digitally or at the event desk, a reception area located closer to the park playground, where children received wristbands to enter the event and gain access to the different activities throughout the venue.
This annual city gathering has brought together many South Pasadena residents,
Families participated in an array of activities, including Easter-themed
“Whether they cost money or whether they’re free, [we want to] feel like we’re continuing to support our neighbors and be with our neighbors and get to know our neighbors. Especially in this world where we all feel really isolated and busy … for everyone to come out and be together and talk to each other, that’s really important right now,” a participant said.
STORY GAVIN BARTOLOME & OWEN HOU PHOTO KAITLYN LEE
S
outh Pasadena’s Community Services Department organized its annual Spring Eggstravaganza, hosted at Garfield Park on Saturday, April 12 from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. An advertisement was sent out to families with children 18 and under to bond over egg hunts, games, inflatable displays, and a chance to take photos with an Easter Bunny. The Community Services Department was the primary organizer of the Eggstravaganza itself. To host the celebration, the department received money from the city’s general fund, which had been used for various services and events. Groups that had contributed to the event in prior years helped organize the Eggstravaganza.
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Organizers of the event started looking for feedback on its execution after the event, aiming to improve the systems they already had in place.
SPHS PHONE POLICY
SCIENCE UNDER SIEGE
Tiger deconstructs phone policy and usage at SPHS throughout the years, analyzing its implementation and surveying the student body for their perspectives.
Tiger discusses the impact of Trumps federal funding cuts and targets to foreign students on science, and what American stands to lose when science is no longer a priority. Page 6
TIGERNEWSPAPER.COM
A look into the Tiger Invite
STORY EVELYN DIAZ PHOTO SUNNY (SUNHYE) CHOI Each year, the South Pasadena Tiger Invite draws athletes from across the country, and even the globe, to compete in a one-day track and field event packed with energy, competition, and school spirit. This year marks the 14th year of the invite, a staple tradition that requires months of planning and coordination behind the scenes. Athletic Director CB Richards calls the meet “the biggest little track meet in the West.” While the Tiger Invite has grown into a competitive and spirited meet, it remains the smaller sister to the Arcadia Invitational, which is one of the biggest high school track meets in the nation. The Arcadia Invite typically draws over 4,000 athletes from 37 states and has featured young Olympians, including Noah Lyles, who competed at the Arcadia Invitational in 2016 before going on to win gold at the Paris Olympics in 2024.
See full article on Page 14