Off the Grid
Beginning on Sept. 7, a series of heat waves rolled across Southern California as Peninsula students began online school. Hot days are growing increasingly frequent due to the increase of greenhouse gas emissions, according to the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions. These heat waves forced heat advisory warnings across the state, as Southern California faced record-breaking temperatures. Rancho Palos Verdes was not exempt from the heat, as temperatures approached highs of 113 degrees. Due to these heat conditions, the state’s electric grid was strained, forcing electric companies to issue community-wide blackouts. The loss of electricity directly affected online school, preventing students from joining their meetings on Microsoft Teams and complicating communication with teachers. The power outages led to students facing difficulties both inside and outside of school, impacting their ability to perform academically to their best ability. Sophomore Sean Ferguson is one of many who experienced a blackout, his lasting three days before the power returned.
“Luckily, [my] power outages took place [over] the weekend, so I did not have school,” Ferguson said. “However, we faced challenges like having our food rot and not being able to use the air conditioning [unit] or any electronics for schoolwork.”
Other Peninsula students experienced blackouts at more inconvenient times. The power outages and absence of cellular data on school days made it difficult to contact teachers about complications with joining meetings and missing assignments. Senior Amy Huang missed classes and tests because of the blackouts.
“The greatest challenge was letting my teachers know beforehand that I could not make the meetings and it caused a lot of stress,” Huang said.
Students who had experienced blackouts or had been affected by the heat waves were expected to make up their homework assignments. They were also responsible for communicating with their teachers regarding missing classwork. Peninsula teacher Marie- France Sam instructs French 1, 3 and 3 Honors as well as Advanced Placement students. Sam expects students to treat interruptions in their ability to access online classes as they would a normal absence.
“Students are still expected to complete their work in a timely fashion,” Sam said. “However, if the blackouts last a long time, I make sure to give [the students] ample time to finish their work. The best approach for students who are aware of an incoming blackout is to talk to teachers ahead of time.”
In addition to being responsible for the loss of electricity, the heat waves posed health risks for people of all ages. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, increases in temperature affect cognitive functions in humans, including reaction time and ability to focus. The inability to escape from the heat can lead to mental health issues as well, such as heat stress. Huang believes the health deficits of extreme heat presented additional difficulties on top of her everyday schoolwork.
“I feel like the heat waves made it hard to focus while doing homework, especially without air conditioning,” Huang said. “Luckily for us, we had a fan, which really helped with the heat.”
Although the peninsula’s weather conditions have become more tolerable, it is recommended to stay cautious while experiencing the South Bay’s higher temperatures. To help cope during a heat wave, it is advised to take necessary precautions to stay cool, such as wearing light clothing and drinking ample amounts of water. Consumer Reports recommends that people should stay in areas with air conditioning as much as possible while staying hydrated.
“Even during these trying times, Peninsula’s staff members are always more than willing to help,” Huang said. “Together, I believe we can overcome this issue as a tight-knit Panther community.”
