Why I shot this photo

I had been following news reports for several days about powerful waves hitting beachfront homes in Long Beach, California, and the damage seemed to be getting worse. Monday was expected to be one of the last days of the strongest waves generated by the remnants of Tropical Storm Rachel, so I decided to go see this for myself.

The waves had been pounding these homes for days, washing away sand and threatening their foundations. I was struck by how little protection seemed to remain between the homes and the ocean.

https://archive.is/OhoOW

In the middle of an unpretentious, working-class neighborhood in Long Beach, California, is a century-old public school with a remarkable claim to fame.

Woodrow Wilson Classical High School churns out Olympians at a pace that other high schools around the country can’t match.