The Conqueror | Volume LVI, Issue III | Nov 2016 by The Conqueror Staff

Volume LVI, Issue III

15325 Los Robles Avenue, Hacienda Heights

November 2016

Bond Measure BB - Investing Money in Children’s Future By Joshua Sanchez Take out a ruler, because the district is measuring out funds and models for brand new “21st Century Classrooms.” This initiative is meant to create engaging learning environments for students, and decrease the hassle of traditional classrooms - at a price. November 1st, a week before it will be voted on, Los Altos held a meeting in the Hacienda that transitioned to their campus model in the F-5 classroom where they further explained the new classroom. In the class “21st Century Model” furniture is on display, alongside blank walls to be customized. The design will change for each classroom, but each classroom will include color trimmed desks and chairs. The trimming of the desks is supposed to engage in learning, and blue doubles as the school’s color. All furniture in the classroom has wheels attached, which has both positive and negative effects. Excessive weight constantly on the wheels may result in wheels coming off or becoming broken in a different manner, requiring repairs. Another issue of concern is how much the furniture may move in the case of a natural disaster like an earthquake. An earthquake could send the furniture rolling around the room or worse, like uncovering a student taking safety under the desk, which leads to a potential safety hazard. The furniture’s structure can allow for varying configurations. There are triangle wedges that shape desks into a six student groups, and traditional square desks that can fit to the traditional Kagan strategies’ arrangement. Any classroom design is just a roll away, so every classroom can be modeled to fit both LAHS teacher and student needs. The chairs and desks’ heights are also adjustable, which is a convenience compared to the current arrangement of chairs attached to desks. However, it also may cause inconvenience to the next class if the previous class has adjusted their seat. That is a minor issue however, as the teacher gets an adjustable projector with wheels that can adjust to a sitting or standing position.

The adjustable chairs and tables allow students to preform to the best of abilities. Photo by Laila Jibrin .

The ambient lighting is quite bright, reflected nicely by the walls. Lighting and sound systems seem to be a priority in the building of each classroom, as they are designed to cater to every teacher’s needs. The classroom also includes a “clicker” which is a version of the ActiVote student response devices for instant feedback to the teacher. ActiVote systems were enacted in several middle schools like Orange Grove Middle School, and Valinda School Of Academics. Since then the Promethean technology has been made obsolete. Students found the ActiVotes were helpful when they were integrated into math, and when the results were displayed on screen, students could tell where mistakes were and fix them. "I'd say they [ActiVotes] were useful in making a quiz less stressful." Senior Janese Alvarado remarked regarding the technology. The closest current replacement is the Kahoot application. This program, which is not affiliated with the district, is a website and application in which students choose one of four onscreen options. Normally, students need a faster personal WiFi connection, as answer speed is a factor into a student’s overall point total. Comparing this year's Kahoot technology to ActiVote technology, Alvarado remarked, "Activotes and Kahoot are basically the same. They just have different means to use them. One is just using a remote button and the other involves logging into a website to connect." Both technologies strive to deliver instant feedback to the teacher. "Kahoot's a bit better, but it's unfortunate for those who don't have phones to really use it." She further explained, "My phone is bad, so I've only used kahoot twice." This statement is commonly echoed by several students as Kahoot has technological phone problems, ActiVote devices themselves sometimes did not register properly either. The proposed solution is a new “clicker” which seems to address these issues. Similar to an iphone and a standard clicker it combines both concepts into one technological innovative piece. With its integration in the teaching, the entire class can benefit and feel more engaged in their learning. This seems to be the desired result for the “21st Century Classroom” and if it does work in similar manner to ActiVotes and Kahoot students may find it beneficial. Also included in these classrooms is a new Lightspeed program, this service and its related systems, are useful to help teachers monitor their students’ online activity. All its related systems, are useful to help teachers monitor their students’ online activity. All computers are hooked up to the system, and it gives the teacher complete discretion. It has a built in timer and other features to track student work, which can prove helpful for in class assignments like “Timed Writes.” The issue of slow internet was also addressed with new Dell routers that heavily improve WiFi for all classrooms which has already been installed in most campuses and will be installed in the new classrooms. The upgraded classrooms would be implemented little by little in each quad at the same time in multiple stages. Students would move to portables while their classroom or wing is being upgraded. LAHS, on the other hand, had an empty classroom, and because of this, the work in F-5 did not impede the learning process. The five district members put this measure on the ballot only after it was put into a survey by the public. The measure was approved at 78% from a reputable company that works directly with the district. (Continued on News 3)

Excessive Amount of Littering Plagues Los Altos Campus By Nicolas Hernandez Throughout the past few weeks, inspecting the Los Altos campus in any direction, distinctly reveals the effects of students not picking up their trash. This increase in students leaving their garbage on the ground has not gone unnoticed by administration. In fact, due to this excess in discarded milk cartons and plastic bags alike, the school administration has threatened students with the removal of ISI. This punishment might sound familiar, to several returning students. Last school year, this overabundance of garbage resulted in the administration responding by fully going through with temporarily suspending ISI. Seeing as this littering is spreading throughout the campus, it’s clear that this affects the students here at Los Altos. On the issue of littering, students like junior, Aaron Pimentel, have strong opinions toward the issue of littering. Pimentel states, “I think it is disgusting. You have one job the moment you eat something, and it’s to throw away your own trash. There are trashcans everywhere so there should not be a reason to not throw it away.” When asked about the possibility of ISI being suspended until the problem is resolved, Pimentel responded, “It is the only way to get people to understand to throw away their trash.” The consequence of removing ISI was explained by Assistant Principal, Jeffrey Hess, who stated, “If the issues regarding trash continue and get progressively worse, we will be taking away ISI.” Hess, regarding students who do not throw away their trash, commented, “I think that students need to clean up after themselves instead of putting the extra work on the custodians who already do a lot of work for the students here.” It is imperative to think of the hard working custodians here at Los Altos and realize that picking up the trash after students leave it behind is not even the entirety of custodian’s lengthy job to maintain the campus. It is the responsibility of the students to do so. However, looking at the amount of trash that students do not throw away, it is clear to see a lot of the students are not getting the message, and in turn the custodians are working overtime. These thoughts on the large quantity of garbage being left behind are echoed by a new custodian to join Los Altos this year, Jessie Lopez. When Lopez was asked on his thoughts about the trash, he stated that the amount of trash is excessive and that it is very easy for students to throw away their garbage. Although Lopez is new to this campus, he has been a custodian at different schools. When asked how Los Altos’ trash compares to the other schools he’s worked at, Lopez remarks, “There is more trash here due to the higher enrolment of

students.” With more students, and more trash the custodial staff ’s job becomes more work. Lopez summarized the importance of students picking up their trash by stating, “It is common sense for students to throw away their trash. If you throw away your trash at home, you should do the same here.” The vast difference between students’ cleanliness at home and school is clearly demonstrated by an appalling amount of trash scattered throughout the campus, feet away from the nearest trashcan. Whether it be a lack of respect, laziness, or anything else; students need to realize that many of them spend more time here on campus than at their own homes, and the campus should be treated with respect. It is still unclear if the prospect of removing ISI will be enough to decrease the amount of trash throughout the school or if administration will have to go through with this action in order to make students pick up their trash. The Los Altos campus has been, and still is, a home to exceptional students and it is time that the state of the campus reflects this.

Trash is carelessly left behind to be later picked up by the hard working custodians Photo by Laila Jibrin.

WELCOME

2 Ta b l e o f C o n t e n t s

Newspaper Staff

News

Bond Measure (continued)

Editor in Chief -

Mateo Sandoval

Managing Editor -

Joshua Sanchez

St. John Vianney

News (continued)

Juan Morales

Magazine Editor Copy Editing- Bianca Flores

Jasmine Alonzo

Jeremy Chen

Danielle Porras

Veteran’s Day CBEDS - Attendance

Christian Ledezma

Visuals Editor -

Econ Choice College Applications

News (continued)

Quad Construction

Graphics- Sabrina Sanchez Layout- Nicolas Hernandez Photography- Laila Jibrin

AT&T and Time Warner

Entertainment Band Elsewhere

Valeria Alcantara

Cesar Moreno Brandon Vicuña

Day of the Dead and Esceulita

Politics

8-9

Tribute

Opinion

Mission Statement T he 2016-2017 Los Altos Jour nalism Staff strives to infor m the student body of upcoming events as well as to capture memories unique to the high school experience. It is our duty to ensure ever y student will have an amusing and infor mative paper to read and lear n about not only the school, but the world at larg e. With just one paper we wish to unite our school even closer tog ether, and have ever y reader glad they read this newspa per and “tuned in” to our campus. As for its jour nalists, the staff and prog ram exists to develop the skills of a pro fessional jour nalist, practice manag ement skills, as well as provide oppor tunities for aspiring writers, photog raphers, and car toonists to showcase their abilities. T his staff produces three high quality publications for the students, about the students and by the students.

Debate Opinions

LIFE HACK: ACNE

Black Mirror

Water Polo Faces West Covina LAHS Football Undefeated

Briana Munoz

Caley Asbee

Features

Dig Pink - Title Winners advance to CIF

Sumitra Ariel Bernardo

Online Editor -

Men’s Choir Concert

Sports

Adalilian Franco

Broadcast- Damien Alvarado

Rowling’s New Book

Black Friday

Damian Hernandez Josh Vivas

Congressional Election

Propositions 51-67

Analise Pacheco

2017l a hs j ou r nal i s m@gm ail.com T he-conq uer or.or g

LAHS Journalism proudly partners with LA Conqueror Athletics @LAConqAthletics / Losaltosathletics. org

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NEWS

Bond Measure BB - Investing Time and Money in Children’s Futures This November

Sabrina Sanchez This company, the Fairbank Maslin Maullin Metz & Associates discussed the issue for two years before voting in favor of the measure. For it to pass in the local area, it only needs 55% approval. If this measure is passed, current and future students throughout all K-12 schools may be unable to use these classrooms, the same way last year’s students could not use the field. However, this is an investment in the future much like the football field. Construction is planned to be an ongoing project at ten classrooms a month. The bond itself will be paid off in 30 years, costing over $148 million. This cost is mainly due to the fact that there are 965 classrooms including portables. Annie Bui, the district’s financial advisor, budgets it at $125k-$155k per classroom, and with those numbers the final price tag is astonishing. This Measure would cost anywhere from $4,250,000 to $5,270,000 per school. Taking into account all schools in the district, this results in an estimated projection of $120,625,000 to $149,575,000 to cover all classrooms. Measure BB accounts for about $148 million, with an additional $8 million, in funds for passing the Measure. The $156 million subtotal will be in a separate fund, but, is still intended to be spent on the Measure. The text of the Measure BB, along with Board President Penny Fraumeni’s explanations of the measure at informational meetings, remark that all funds will be spent only on projects listed in this ballot measure, and reads that bond funds cannot be used for administrators’ salaries or pensions. Penny Fraumeni further clarified that the funds will not be used for things aside from the text of the measure. She then explained the three ways in which the funds will be used, “The answer is no, it is going to be used for classroom technology, necessary repairs, and to ensure student safety.” The funds will be monitored by an Oversight Committee, which will take applications from not only HLPUSD staff and teachers, but parents and students as well when it is set up. This Oversight Committee, falls under state requirements. It’s purpose is like the name sug-

gests, to oversee how the funds are being used. In theory the committee oversees all transactions and votes simply to allow them to occur. There has also been discussion of audits, financial and performance, both to ensure funds are being used correctly. Homeowners would pay based on the assessed value of their homes. This system does not regard whether the individual paying has school age children or not, but rather how much their home is assessed at - which depends on how old it is, and when the homeowner purchased it and/or improved upon it. Critics of the measure find this an “unfair tax” yet those in favor liken it to how regular taxes are higher for those with more income. To better understand the tax, the following example will help visualize the controversy regarding its payment. For example, a home bought in 1985 within a mile of Los Altos High School, with a family that put numerous kids through the HLPUSD school system may only have to pay $53 for a house with 3 bedrooms and 1 bathroom. On the other hand, a solitary individual with a two story building would have to pay $212 for their property, regardless of the fact they never had a student enter the district, simply because the tax goes upon assessed value and not the value certain homeowners and their families may get out of it. Here are three more examples of three homes near other high schools in the area. By Wilson High School, a home assessed at $758,000 would have the homeowner pay $147.26. A homeowner in a home adjacent to Workman High School assessed at $402,000 would pay $150.04, and a homeowner near La Puente High School worth $427,000 would pay $183.04. Thus exhibiting the inequality of the tax based property assessment as protected by various laws. There is a tax cap of 2% per year, but the amount collected will rise over time, as these are only the totals for 2016, and assessed value goes up yearly. In this current economy the potential fiscal effect of such a bond may be worrying to some, but it is as an investment in HLPUSD children’s futures. Voters must also remember that this bond may not affect current students’ schooling, as they may graduate before the construction finishes. In the end, it is the voter’s decision to invest or not to invest tax dollars into classrooms for students in HLPUSD.

Parents visit F-5 and observe a “21st Century Classroom” and see the technology involved. Photo by Joshua Sanchez.

St. John Vianney Catholic Church Rises From the Ashes as Reconstruction Effort Begins By Bianca Flores After five long awaited years since the St. John Vianney Catholic church was burnt down, reconstruction is finally taking place and a new church is expected to open in October 2017. On April 16, 2001, devastation flooded the Hacienda Heights community with the terrible news of the destruction of their neighborhood church. Junior, Lauren Perez, a life-long member of St. John Vianney Church, said, “I remember it happened on my birthday, so it was really shocking. We were all in shock.” Although the disaster was a major setback for the church, they continued to spread the word of God and the community rallied behind them. It was not until July 2013, when someone was convicted of the heartless crime. 35-yearold Gregory Yusuke Shiga admitted to an undercover officer that he committed arson using rolls of toilet paper soaked in lighter fluid or another accelerant to set the church ablaze. He opened church windows to maximize the fire’s blaze and it became an inferno in about 40 seconds. This act of misconduct was likely taken as a cry for attention, and unfortunately, an entire community lost a part of their home. Shiga arrived to his trial with no attorney, witnesses, or testimony – choosing instead to represent himself - and was sentenced 18 years to life in prison.

New foundations for the construction effort rise to restore the church to its former glory. Photo by Laila Jibrin.

The remains of the burnt church will be renoatved with donations to be fully restored. Photo by Laila Jibrin. Leaving that situation in the past, St. John Vianney has moved on with it’s practice and has since installed a large tent where they have been temporarily holding mass everyday. “It’s really heartwarming to see how the community has been brought together by the church,” Perez comments. Last year, the Rise Again Campaign was launched to start raising money for the reconstruction of the church. Reverend Monsignor Tim Nichols says in a letter to the families of the church, “Our goal is $6 million dollars and I am confident that through enthusiastic prayer, and equal sacrifice by all, we can meet this challenge.” People can donate by submitting money in pink envelopes passed out during mass. For the funds to go to the rebuilding effort, they can write “Rise Again” in the memo section for use on the construction. People can also donate by visiting their website and clicking the donation link. Recently, reconstruction has begun and the community has started to get excited about the new upcoming church. Hopefully, Hacienda Heights should have a brand new place of worship by next year. Until then, people can view updates on the reconstruction effort via the website’s newly featured time-lapse camera and watch the church rise again.

NEWS

Veterans Day Prompts Conquerors Thoughts on Those Who Served By Sabrina Sanchez On November 11, all civilians across America will honor the brave veterans that have fought and continue to fight to protect this country, and those who call it their home. Veterans Day is a day to remember and appreciate the sacrifice and heroic actions that servicemen and women take every day to keep America safe from harm here in Hacienda Heights. Many veterans with remarkable stories work in Hacienda Heights and are apart of the Los Altos High community. Michael Shaw, AP European History and Psychology teacher, has served in the Air Force, and worked in the Pentagon. “[Veterans Day] means I get a day off and I remember some outstanding people from the past that I probably will never see again.” Shaw further explained what the experience of serving for his country has taught him, “Stress management; to not stress the small stuff and stress over the big stuff. The trick is knowing the difference between the two.” As Veterans Day approaches, Shaw hopes for students to know, “how honorable genuine service is. It is not self-serving or selfish. Your country and your fellow countrymen come first, not you. So many of my students don’t understand this because far too many adults don’t understand this either. We should care about each other more, it makes it easier to speak up.” English and World History teacher, Elysabeth San Martin, has multiple loved ones that have served and are currently serving in the military as well. Her brother-in-law had served in the armed forces, and her brother is currently serving in the military. San Martin shared, “ It’s very important to remember Veterans Day because [those who serve] are giving their whole lives to the service, and fewer and fewer people these days actually know someone who has served in the military.” San Martin continued to share what being affected by the military has

Sabrina Sanchez

taught her about Veterans Day, “My brother is two years younger than me and we’ve always been really close, and he’s currently stationed in Texas, and I don’t get to see him or his kids and he is away from them a lot too, and that to me is part of the sacrifice of serving, and Veterans Day is a day to remember that.”

Sophomore Amy Tam Wins Economics Video Contest Seniors Of Los Altos Prepare For College Application Season

By Jeremy Chen This year, sophomore Amy Tam has outdone herself once more, becoming the prized winner of this year’s Leading Organization for Economic and Financial Education. The Leading Organization for Economic and Financial Education is an organization designed to give and enhance students’ perceptions of economics. The video competition for the Leading Organization for Economic and Financial Education gives cash prizes to the few who do win. In Tam’s case, she won twenty-five dollars for first place. Tam’s win has been a groundbreaking accomplishment for Los Altos High School, as only a select few who have entered the competition have ever won. Economic enthusiast junior Patrick Akaraprimand shared, “I commend Tam for creating such a well thought out video, as she has truly shown her knowledge in the field of economics and she truly deserves to win the contest.” Tam not only sees the contest as a means to make some money, but also sees it as an outlet to voice her opinion on economic issues she believes the United States suffers

By Sabrina Sanchez

Amy Tam recieved the Economist’s Choice Award for her Video submission to the Center for Economic Education. (CEE). Photo by Valeria Alcantara. from today. Tan animatedly remarks, “I was All in all, Tam’s recent accomplishment really excited to talk about the changes I has rallied up many students to side with her thought it needed to be made in America, ideals. One such student is junior Vanessa in order to improve the economy which is Chen. “The ideas proposed by Tam capunder strenuous debt. I felt that, by making tured my attention through the video and this video, people could hopefully strive for it inspired me to rethink how our economy a change that would be prosperous for our works and how it could be improved upon.” nation.”

Renaissance Urged Students to Attend School in Return for a Minimum Day During CBEDS Check By Jasmine Alexander and Bianca Florez On Wednesday, October 5, all Los Altos students were encouraged by staff and Renaissance to attend school to meet the 99.5% attendance goal in order to be awarded an extra minimum day. Although students are always expected to be present on school days, it was especially significant on October 7 because The California Basic Educational System (CBEDS) administered their annual data collection. According to the California Department of Education, the purpose of CBEDS is to collect information about students and staff members in school and districts in California. Assistant Principal, Nicole Duquette, explains, “That’s one of the two measures that they use for the annual state allocations that funds the school districts, and it’s by student.” So, lets say if only half of the student body showed up, then the school would only

be given a budget suitable for half the student body. Therefore, it was imperative that as many Los Altos students appeared so the school could recieve the maximum amount of funds. Duquette names all the supplies the attendance money pays for, “supplies for the classrooms, teacher salaries, air conditioning, lawnmowers, textbooks, literally everything.” Last year, Los Altos met the attendance goal with an impressive 99.8% and earned the extra minimum day. This year, Renaissance tried their best to convince the conquerors to do their part and attend school. Senior and President of Renaissance, Alondra Luna, explains, “High attendance would benefit the school in general because we would receive more money, the students would retain for information since everyone is there, and we get a free minimum day!” “In order to promote [the attendance of

students], Renaissance made posters, made a digital poster for social media, and hosted a lunch rally for the students,” Luna says. During lunch, Renaissance gave out pizza to both motivate attendance and encourage people to wear pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, killing two birds with one stone. “I do not know if we met our goal, but I hope so with all my conqueror heart!” Luna expresses. Unfortunately, on October 5, Los Altos had an attendance of 98.7% with a total of 24 absences and did not meet the attendance goal of 99.5%. Duquette concludes, “98.7% is not bad. It’s a good day for a high school… Obviously, it’s better when we’re closer to 100%. In the long run, we’ll be okay. I hope we make our goal next year.” LAHS was given a minimum day because it was the only HLPUSD school with high attedance on CBEDS Information Day.

Eager and anxious seniors are rushing to fill out college application after college application as they see their futures race towards them. Several colleges’ applications are due this November and the students of Los Altos are preparing to begin the next chapter of their lives. High school has been prepping students since their first day of freshman year to be ready for college through rigorous classes, but first comes the application process. Seniors must pull out every tool they have learned throughout their high school careers and use them during this stressful time of application season. The application for Universities of California and private universities require an essay to be written in response to multiple prompts that are given to them to choose from. Senior Joshua Avila remarked on the matter, “The hardest part for me has definitely been writing the essays for the applications.” However, Avila continued to explain, “the English classes I’ve taken over the years have helped me able to express myself and what colleges to know about me in my writing.” AVID is a program that provides its students with academic instruction, encouragement, and other support to prepare them for eligibility to four-year colleges and universities. College has been the focus of AVID students every year and those who are members have been preparing for application season since day one. AVID member Vanessa Santacruz stated, “I’ve cried a few times, but [applying] is not as scary as I thought it would be because I’ve had AVID to help me.” Santacruz elaborated by explain, “AVID has helped me be realistic about looking at colleges and to know what my boundaries are as far as picking my major.” The application period for all UCs is during the month of November, and admission decisions will be released in March of 2017. For Cal States, no application will be accepted after November 30, and admission decisions will be released at various times depending on the school. Private universities’ application deadlines and admission decision times vary for each school.

NEWS

Los Altos High School’s New Quad Provides Ease of Access for Students By Adalilian Franco The new quad is under construction to make an area of shade for students. This will not only provide shade but also a place to eat. The issue of lack of seating is on its way to being resolved. A week before the Homecoming Dance, construction workers were seen building a fence around the new quad and breaking ground with jackhammers. The shade on the Los Altos campus is limited to a few trees and the eaves outside of classrooms. Not only is the student body concerned about a lack of shade, but also a lack of seating areas. Unfortunately, the California drought has left Los Altos students seeking shade during these relatively warm temperatures. The new quad will have dedicated areas for student enjoyment during ISI, nutrition, and lunch. This is an efficient way to address the student need for tables to stand or sit at outside of class. LAHS, with its limited shaded areas, leaves students only classrooms or hallways during times outside of class if students are unable to “claim” the few shaded areas on campus. Loss of shade followed in an accident a while ago, in which a branch injured a student. No harm was made to the perpetrator tree, but the victims included that girl and a tree on the opposite side of the campus. The collataral damage in the “war on shade” included the casualty of the other tree that had given its life, and shade to students. This construction is an ongoing effort to address and fix these problems. This area used to be the LAHS pool, prior to 2013, and it was subsequently cemented for the purpose of student ease of access. It will still serve that need as a new quad. The new addition of shade and tables will allow the student body to move in a whole new area and have the opportunity to have a nice shaded place to eat during breaks.

The newly designed quad will allow students a new area to relax once construction finishes. Photo by Laila Jibrin.

Tight Competition Rages Between Candidates Royce and Murdock By Danielle Porras

Nicolas Hernandez November eighth of this year is the Congressional Elections, so it is important to know who we are looking at as potential candidates in this year’s elections and what they have to offer as congress members. A tight competition runs between Ed Royce, a Congressman of 22 years, and Brett Murdock, the representative the Democratic hoped would run. The Republican front funner for this election is former congress member, Ed Royce. He

has been the voice of the people for twenty-two years now and is still trying to continue his streak. His policies for this campaign are to keep what he has accomplished and what he further plans to accomplish going. Royce serves thirty-ninth Congressional District. He is up for re-election this year. Critics opposed to his continuation of service in the district, claim that “22 years is enough”. Nonetheless, Ed Royce pursues to serve another term. The Democratic runner that has decided to run against Royce is none other than former mayor of Brea, Brett Murdock. He has formally challenged Royce and is his ultimate opponent at this point in the congressional race. Murdock proves to be able to cut into Royce’s advantage in Orange County. Royce is supported by Democrats and well funded, showing a possible win. Murdock portrays an advantage in this competition as he is a Business Democrat. He focuses on economically conservative conflicts and works to resolve them. He expresses traits or honesty and through that, courageousness. Royce was selected for this position and held it for his term length ending 2013. He is now trying to get his position back by winning this election. Murdock brings something different to the table. He is a B Business Democrat, which shows he knows how to make the harder decisions that are money related. With Royce and Murdock there is a great chance that voters will be torn with who to pick. It can be either Royce, the man that has been known to the communities. Brett Murdock may be someone who brings new ideas as our next Congressmen. Either way the most important is that the community is being heard and taken care of.

AT&T and Time Warner Make a Game Changing Merge For the Future By Laila Jibrin AT&T, the second largest wireless carrier and Time Warner, an entertainment and media corporation, came together and shook hands on the $85.4 billion that is expected to be closed in the year 2017, where they now share stock, and open a new adventure into the mobile entertainment growing industry. AT&T now gets access to the many benefits that Time Warner owned, such as HBO, CNN, and Warner Brothers. In a video publicizing the merge, CEO and chairman of AT&T explains, “The combination of Time Warner and AT&T creates a unique company that will lead the next wave of innovation and how people enjoy video entertainment.” This merge can also mean changes in apps and mobile streaming of more recent channels instead of waiting a couple months, and sometimes years, for the most recent episodes of TV shows to be streamed on Netflix and Hulu. The goal for the two companies is to offer an online-video bundle, instead of the average basic pay-television package. Time Warner also comes out with a success, due to the previous proposed merge between 21st Century Fox that was turned down, the corporation now came out with a better and more inclusive deal that would help them in the long run through the 100 million and counting customers of AT&T and the evenly split profits and stock. The flaws to this deal is the possible favoring of Time Warner channels on the AT&T cable service, DirecTV and the options for other channels outside of Time Warner’s ownership would be more limited than other competing cable services, although, investors are still unsure of what the uncertain future holds. Also, investors are predicting a raise in price of AT&T services and, to level the playing field, other competing cable companies would lower their prices. Investors are calling the merge the “most ambitious marriage of content and distribution of in the media and telecom industries,” and the deal is a symbol of the evolving mobile video entertainment, that is rapidly growing and changing. This merge is only the beginning, and as CEO Randall Stephan describes, “The future of video is mobile and the future of mobile is video.”

Nicolas Hernandez

ENTERTAINMENT

J.K. Rowlings Newest Release Leads to a Re-Release and Harry Potter Nostalgia By Caley Asbee Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them written by J.K. Rowling will get its big screen debut on November 18, 2016. The book tells the story of Newt Scamander and his adventures in 1926. The book takes place in the same world as Harry Potter, but years before his birth. Harry Potter fan junior Melody Lenero remarks, “I have read Fantastic Beast and Where to Find Them and loved it. I cannot wait to go see it in theaters .” This new addition has made it possible for the love of Harry Potter to live on for fans. October 13, all 8 of the Harry Potter films were played once again in theaters. However, only select theaters that are home to IMAX will play the films once again. The re-release of the movies is to draw attention that another one of J.K. Rowling’s writing will be brought into to life in the upcoming movie. The playing of the 8 movies has moved people who follow the Potter fandom. Junior Vanessa Chen states, “I have not yet read Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, but I plan to go watch it in theaters.” The nostalgia of watching the movies for fans only makes anticipation grow for the new addition to Harry Potter’s world. For people who are not fans yet, Lenero says, “I am constantly recommending people to read the books because they are so amazing and they will change your life.” Chen adds to this idea stating that, “I would definitely recommend Harry Potter. I’ve always been a bookworm. Both the book series and movies have been such a large part of my childhood.” Harry Potter films themselves have made 21 billion dollars. The books themselves have been translated into 67 different languages. J.K. Rowling’s stories reach out to everyone and have managed to create such an immense fandom. Therefore it is highly likely that Fantastic Beast and Where to Find Them will dominate the box office when it is released.

Image via Netflix.

Jeffrey Fahey’s Master’s Recital In Choral Conducting By Sabrina Sanchez

Men’s Choir amazes the crowd as Jeffrey Fahey conducts yet another stellar perfomance. Photo courtesy of Amber Stephens.

On October 24, Los Altos’ choir director Jeffrey Fahey, held a choir recital for his master’s degree in Choral Conducting at the Hacienda Heights Community Center, featuring the Los Altos Men’s Choir. Jeffrey Fahey is currently enrolled in Cal State LA, and is studying to earn his Master’s degree in choral conducting. Fahey needed to put on a concert that correlated with the topic of his thesis, which is teaching choral literature to a beginning level men’s choir. With the help of the Los Altos Men’s Choir, as well as Men’s Choir alumni, Fahey was able to display his conducting skills to all. Junior Carlos Zelaya, a member of Men’s Choir, stated, “Being apart of the Master’s Recital was a really big honor because the people that were in it were chosen by Mr. Fahey, and it meant a lot that he chose us to help him get his degree.” Zelaya continued and expressed what his favorite part was about working on the Master’s Recital, “I loved getting to sing a variety of music for this concert. We sang folk songs and songs in Spanish.” The different types of choral literature displayed in the Master’s Recital were of vast ranges and styles, and provided an interesting experience for all who performed them, and the audience. Junior Marissa Sareñana attended the Master’s Recital, and was able to experience the Men’s Choir’s sound. Sareñana commented, “Watching the concert was so fun because I got to see all my friends sing beautifully on stage.” The Master’s Recital consisted of four sections: Folk Songs, European Roots, Americana, and Sacred Selections. Each section contained four to five songs pertaining to their category. Sareñana added, “My favorite piece that they performed was called A La Nanita Nana, and this one was my favorite because of the beautiful guitar accompaniment that it had.” Fahey’s Master’s Recital left a lasting impact on the students who participated in it, as well as those in the audience.

LAHS Drumline Will Not Make an Appearance at Los Robles Academy By Caley Asbee “It’s a tradition, so it’s hard to picture the parade without the drumline.” remarks junior Alyssa Armstrong, a Los Robles Academy alumni. This year, Los Altos’ Drumline was not able to play at Los Robles Academy due to scheduling complications, but they will play at Kwiss Elementary School. A cornerstone of the tradition was Los Altos Drumline’s involvement with Los Robles’ annual “Books on Parade” which features students carrying books while dressed up as a character from the book they chose. Armstrong explains, “I would be disappointed if I went there now, and the drumline wasn’t playing. The drumline’s music helps tie the rest of the parade together.” Los Altos Drumline, providing the music, would always lead the costumed parade. Many Los Robles Academy alumni have fond memories of the annual “Books on Parade” and the sound of Los Altos Drumline’s marching tunes as they approached each classroom. This tradition had excitement for every student involved, but the tradition may change without the musical accompaniment. This enjoyable tradition has continued for so long, so there is noticeable disappointment that the schedules conflict. The drumline members usually get to share their music with these students, and really enjoy their excited faces. In this change, not only would students be upset by the recent change in routine, but the drumline members that wanted to play for them. Drumline member, junior Isabel Ivy, states, “It’s always fun to see all the kids get excited over the drums. I was a little disappointed to not be playing at Los Robles.” Ivy further explains, “The little kids always dance to the beat, we just like to make them as happy as we possibly can.” Despite the drumline and students both enjoying this tradition, this year they were not able to participate in the parade. Hopefully next year, Los Altos Drumline will not have a conflicting schedule and can enjoy the old tradition.

Los Altos drumline goes down to the field to excite the crowd during a Los Altos game. Photo by Valeria Alcantara.

FEATURE

Day of the Dead Celebration Hosted by Latino Leaders of Tomorrow By Valeria Alcantara

The Day of the Dead celebration took place on October 26 at the hacienda. The event featured musical performances, dancing, and poem recitals along with food sales. Day of the Dead, most commonly known as “Día de Los Muertos”, is an ancient tradition that is celebrated throughout Latin America, especially Mexico, to remember the loved ones that have passed away. Although the celebration takes place on the first two days of November, the Latino Leaders of Tomorrow, organized this event to take place on October 26. They launched the event at 5:30 pm with a performance from a female mariachi group, “Mariachi Divas”. The group played well-known mariachi songs and Juan Gabriel songs such as “Amor Eterno”. While the mariachi band was playing, two folkloric dancers danced along to the performance. The next performance that was featured in the event was the Aztec dance from the group “Tuyalcan”. The dance was performed by professional Aztec dancers along with elementary school children. The mariachi group “Tierra de mi Corazon” performed after the Aztec dancers. The poem recitals were the last performances, which closed the night. The food that was sold included classical Latin dishes such as tamales and enchiladas along with pastries like “Pan de Muerto.” The money that was collected from the food sale was used to fundraise for the Latino Leaders of Tomorrow club. One of the members of the Latino Leaders of Tomorrow shared their experience of planning the event. “The preparation for the event was not stressful because our club enjoys working together to make progress,” stated Junior Breeze Hernandez. “The event was very successful and it was really fun,” adds Hernandez, “This event enabled Latino Leaders to share their Hispanic/Latin culture to both Latinos and non-Latinos.” Junior Richard Valadez commented on his experience, “I experienced the Mexican culture at another level by watching performances from Aztec and folkloric dancers and mariachi. The event overall was enjoyable.”

Sabrina Sanchez

La Escuelita Extends Free Tutoring Program to Local Youth By Juan Morales One of the goals of the club of Latina / Latino Leaders of Tomorrow is to promote higher education to not only its members but also the community. In the effort to accomplish their goal, the club has focused its attention towards the children whom eventually may have higher education and be able to open avenues for themselves in strive for a better future. On October 3, the club began their free tutoring program for children of primary and secondary education. The aim of the club is to help young students who need help on their homework but likewise to help them excel in their abilities. Senior Jackie Torres remarks, “We all know how difficult school can sometimes be and so really what we want to achieve is to offer the children support and guide them in the right direction.” The name of the program is “La Escuelita” and will take place every Monday and Wednesday. Within just the first week, the program saw an estimated thirty students in attendance. One of the main reasons why La Escuelita was created, was to help the Hispanic community through education. The club not only wanted to help the community but also cover their biggest necessities. Torres added, “One of the difficulties we identified was that Hispanic families often are not fluent in English, something that prevents them from helping their own children in their homework.” Recognizing in which way the club could help the community the program was established and parents could bring their children to be helped on homework without difficulty. This year however, La Escuelita has had students who come to the tutoring not to be helped with homework in English, but rather to be helped with homework in Spanish due to the Spanish Dual Immersion program. Torres states, “One of the primary schools like Los Altos Elementary offers the Dual Immersion Program in which students are taught to read, write and speak in Spanish as a second language driving such students to look for help from those who are fluent in Spanish, leading them here.”

La Escuelita is a program in which youth can be aided, and was established in an effort to help the community. Photos By Mateo Sandoval.

Es Tiempo De Aprender En La Escuelita Una de las metas del club de Latina/Latino Leaders of Tomorrow es promover la educación superior ante no solamente sus miembros pero también a la comunidad. Para lograr su objetivo el club ha puesto su atención en ayudar a los estudiantes de escuela. Primaria y secundaria a tener una educación major y superior. Con esta nuera forma de educación más posibilidades están abiertas a los estudiantes. Desde el día 3 de Octubre, el club inició su programa de tutoría gratis a niños de primaria y secundaria. El objetivo del club es poder ayudar a los pequeños que necesitan ayuda en las tareas pero igualmente ayudarles a sobresalir en sus habilidades. Jackie Torres comenta: “Todos sabemos que tan difícil a veces puede ser la escuela y a veces nosotros lo que queremos lograr es poder ofrecerles a los chicos apoyo y guiarlos en la dirección correcta.” El programa, La Escuelita se reúne cada lunes y miércoles. Y en su primera semuna atrajo a Frienta estudiantes a su seminario. Una de las razones primerizas por cual La Escuelita fue creada, fue que el club discutió en qué maneras pudieran ayudar a la comunidad hispana. “La Escuelita representa su habilidad de ayudar a la comunidad por el hecho de iniciar este programa”: commento Héctor Gutiérrez, consejero del club. El club no solamente quería ayudar a la comunidad, pero tambien adquirir a las necesidades más importantes de ellos. Torres agregó: “Una de las dificultades que identificamos, fue que las familias hispanas en muchas veces no saben con fluidez el inglés, algo que no les permite de ayudar a sus propios hijos en las tareas.” Reconociendo en que area pudieran ayudar, el club decidió crear el programa en donde los padres pudieran traer a sus hijos para poder ser ayudados en las tareas sin dificultad. Este año La Escuelita a tenido estudiantes que vienen, no para ser ayudados con tareas en inglés, sino con tareas en español. Jackie comenta: “Unas de las escuelas como la primaria Los Altos ofrece el Dual Merging Program en cual se les enseña a leer, escribir y hablar el español a los pequeños como segundo lenguaje.” Por razón a esta padres de familia traían a sus hijos a alguien que habla en español y le pueda ayudar mejorar sus habilidades bilingües con el nuevo lenguaje. Gutiérrez admite: “Yo pienso que al fin del dia ambos los tutores y los niños benefician por que haci es la vida, cuando empiezas a dar a otros, entra la satisfacción de poder ayudar a tu comunidad.” Con la misma opinión, una de las ex alumnas de La Escuelita, Anahi Arellano, se siente orgullosa de poder regresar a La Escuelita, no como alumna sino como tutora. “Siendo una ex alumna de La Escuelita yo me da gusto poder venir y ayudar a otros niños porque siento que son estas las cosas que ayudan y motivan a los niños de temprana edad a poder alcanzar la meta de una educación major” opina Arellano. Cuando cada niño sale del salon el objetivo del club es que cada uno de ellos no solo haya terminado su careas, pero al igual que quiera seguir estudiando para una vida mejor.

POLITICS

CALIFORNIA PROPOSITIONS YES

voters have in their ballot the choice to vote in favor or against propostions

DAMIAN HERNANDEZ, ADALILIAN FRANCO, AND JEREMY CHEN Many states have long enabled citizens to propose, petition, or repeal legislation in state government. These ideals are rooted deep within the constitution, they allow citizens to give their input on state and federal issues, in addition to voting for officials which represent them. During the fall this right is put into effect through the use of propositions. Propositions are pieces of legislation written by a resident which can be accepted into the state government if passed. Propositions can be good for the state economy, or they could damage it by adding unnecessary taxes.

PROPOSITION 51 Proposition 51 regards public schools and taxes going to them. 51 would constitute that $9 billion in state bonds would go towards the construction and renovation of K-12 public schools, this would also include charter schools, vocational education facilities, and community colleges. Many school districts are lacking the ability to modernize and or create new schools due to a lack of funds. With this proposition, districts could fix deteriorating schools, upgrade classrooms, and provide job-training facilities for veterans and vocational education. Also with this proposition students could feel safe in schools where they can learn. Disadvantages for this proposition though could be that taxpayers would have to pay off both the $9 billion for schools, and extra $8.6 billion in interest, with this totaled it would be $17.6 billion. This means that taxes would be raised significantly, and the citizens would have to pay about $500 million per year for 35 years for this proposition to work. Activities Director, and History teacher Christopher Reeder said, “Keeping our current tax structure would keep things where they are, and if not we can vote for a proposition in the next 4 to 8 years that would help increase school revenue.” This may be a proposition worth approving, but taxes would be raised exponentially.

PROPOSITION 55 This year voters also have the ability to vote in favor for or against Proposition 55, an extension on Proposition 30, Governor Jerry Brown proposed in 2012, and planned to be temporary and end in 2018. Due to California’s financial crisis in schools, Prop 30 was proposed to give temporary aide to K-12 schools. The level of wealth corresponds with a certain percentage of additional taxes. Proposition 55 is the “Tax Extension to Fund Education and Health Initiative Constitutional Amendment”. Taxpayers earning above $250,000 have an increase of income tax but revenues are allocated to K-12 school, community colleges, and healthcare. The population of wealthy people is small compared to the other classes, once two years from the end of this increase income tax, instead now fourteen. The income collected is going toward funding education. Ninety-eight percent of the funding will go to K-12 school and eleven percent will go to California Community College. A “Yes” to Proposition 55 means a continued increase on high income taxpayers and extend into 2030 instead of 2018. On the other hand, a “No” the additional income tax on wealthy Californians will end as planned, in 2018. As with other propositions, the topic is up for controversy. “Prop. 55 helps students thrive!” in the proposition catchphrase. The income earned in the next years will prevent $4 billion cuts to public schools in California, and increase health care for children. History, and Advanced Placement Government teacher Richard Nares said, “Prop 55 is good because it keeps current funding for our K-12 schools, and also with Prop 55 state revenue would increase from 4 billion to 9 billion, so schools would continue to get funding vs Prop 51’s Bond which would have to be payed back by all taxpayers. Also I believe that its extra money added to our taxes that is not required.” Overall Prop 55 would be good for California because it keeps our current taxes.

taxpayers earning above

250 K HAVE AN INCREASE OF INCOME TAX

POLITICS

“Many states have enabled citizens to propose, petition, or repeal legislation in state government. ” proposition 57 CALIFORNIA PRISON POPULATION DECREASE OF

16.7% FROM 2011-2012

With California’s prison system still recovering from the 2011 U.S. Supreme Court order to reduce prison population, Proposition 57 would allow inmates who are serving time for nonviolent crimes with good behavior the opportunity for early release. This past summer there were around 128,000 inmates in state prison, with about 30,000 affected by this legislature. 57 would constitute that each year approximately 7,500 inmates would become eligible for early parole. Federal Law states that there are 23 offenses which are considered violent crimes, while the others offenses could be considered nonviolent. With Proposition 57 the state would continue to lessen prison population by amending California’s Constitution to allow a point system promoting rehabilitation, in which inmates can earn credits for good behavior and for participating in rehabilitative programs. This proposition would also allow judges the authority to decide where to hear juvenile cases, a decision that's typically left to prosecutors. Christopher Reeder said, “While Prop 57 sounds good there are certain offenses that are considered non-violent that would shock people such as Kidnapping, Rape by Intoxication, Assault with a Deadly Weapon, and others. I’m all for rehabilitating criminals, I believe we focus more on punishment rather than rehabilitation, and if criminals prove they are rehabilitated they should be given an opportunity to redeem themselves.” Overall, Proposition 57 could give inmates an opportunity to amend past offenses, by controversy remains about which offenses are considered non-violent.

proposition 62 California’s death penalty has had multiple issues in the past couple of years, with Propositions coming up California voters have two different options to vote for. Proposition 62 would end the Death Penalty in California, changing existing death sentences to life without parole. The Death Penalty has been a major issue that has plagued Californians for quite some time, and the best option might be to abolish it altogether because it is cruel and both immoral and inhumane. Also with Proposition 62 death row would be dismantled, with inmates spread out across state prisons as the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation sees fit. But transferring inmates from one location to a maximum-security facilities around the state would make it harder for the inmates to consult with their lawyers. One thing that might persuade voters to vote for Prop 62 is that there would be a reduction in cost. Ultimately, Proposition 62 offers up the idea that the justice system will be mended making it easier for the state to execute people, but with Proposition 66 the state might have some issues with convicts relocating.

proposition 66 An alternative to Proposition 62 would be Proposition 66. Prop 66 would change the way the Death Penalty works. While some consider the Death Penalty as inhumane or useless others have suggested an alternative which would fix the system. Proposition 66 takes the opposite approach, offering a menu of supposed reforms that citizens say would cut decade’s worth of delays between sentencing and execution. It achieve this by establishing time frames for Death Penalty review. Another positive outlook to this is that Californians could save tens of millions of dollars on taxes annually. Voters who support Proposition 66 think it is possible to speed up the process and make the death penalty work, but there are serious doubts that the proposition would achieve the kind of effect they promise. And if it does succeed, it would likely require unconstitutional compromises that violate our basic human rights, increasing the chance that innocent people might be put to death. Overall Proposition 66 could fix the way our justice system works when it handles Death Penalty cases, or it could affect the way Californians view how the revised Death Penalty would work.

Los Altos’ #1 Fan Leaves a Void in the Hearts of Many By Laila Jibrin A beloved father, an adored grandfather, a devoted husband and a dedicated individual who gave back to the Hacienda Heights community in countless ways, Rudolf “Rudy” Almeida, 91, passed away on August 9, 2016. Leaving a void in the hearts of many and blissful memories across Hacienda Heights and Los Altos High School, Almeida will remain remembered and cherished by all that knew and grew to love him. “[Rudy,] my dad was very loving, outgoing, loyal, trustworthy, and had a positive sense of humor.” explains Almeida’s loving daughter and involved conqueror parent, Roxann Rodriguez. “He always looked out for rather than himself,” Grandson of Almeida, sophomore Vicente Rodriguez reminisces, "My grandpa always treated people with kindness, like they were family." “The values that he passed on to this community are [still] very much alive,” explains another of Almeida’s grandsons and alumni of Los Altos, Phillipe Rodriguez, “[his] value of faith in God, and the belief that He knows what is best for you, the value of loving one’s friends and family, and being there when they need you most, the value of giving back and expecting nothing in return, except for a smile on one’s face and the faces of others,” were only a few of the many ideals of Almeida’s life that have exposed his grandchildren to a moral and kind life that they will remember as they grow and continue to face the hardships of life. “They will cherish his positive outlook on life, and his countless memories,” Roxann Rodriguez explains. Almeida would jump at any opportunity he was given to make Hacienda Heights a better place. He was the usher captain at St. John Vianney Catholic Church, a former member of Los Altos quarterback club, the Vice President of program ad sales, an honorary coach, the code enforcement chairman of the Hacienda Heights improvement association, and part of the Industry Sheriff Advisory Committee. “He was always reaching out to the community. Everyone knew my grandpa, he even had his own nickname, ‘The Mayor of Haci-

enda Heights’,” Vicente Rodriguez shared. “He wanted his voice to be heard. He even ran for mayor when Hacienda Heights was on the ballot to be voted to become a city,” explained Roxann Rodriguez. His determination and courage of taking the risks and wanting the position of Mayor, understanding the many responsibilities it held, rightfully earned his nickname of “Mayor”. “He had an honorary side line pass,” added Vicente, since Almeida went to every game that the Los Altos football team had played. “In his closet, he had [something] from every football game,” Vicente Rodriguez shared, “He has old school football jackets and [also] new school football jackets.” Almeida had a vast passion and admiration for the Los Altos football team, Almeida found joy in LAHS and LAHS will always be honored to have found joy in Almeida. Almeida’s light and smiling spirit that lit up the people around him will be greatly missed. “I will miss my dad dearly. I sometimes feel life without him is lonely… I don't want to forget his voice.” Roxann Rodriguez shared. Remembering the cheers at games, the jokes he shared and the devotion Almeida had will bring smiles to all that had the gift of knowing him. His undeterred personality, even battling illnesses and accepting awards in a wheelchair will be a symbol of strength and hope to many. Every action Almeida took was in hopes of making the Hacienda Heights a better place. The amount of time, effort, and money Almeida gave, selflessly and heroically will forever be apricated. Almeida made countless changes to Hacienda Heights will transform the community forever. Almeida’s mission, as Phillipe Rodriguez explained, was to “improve the quality of life and make it a better place to live.” This mission was clearly reached through all that he has done, and will surely “continue over the generations to follow.”

OPINION

Clinton and Trump Election; the Moderation, the Issues, and the Policy Decisions By Joshua Sanchez Finally, the public has seen moderation done right. Chris Wallace actually moderated the third debate between Trump and Clinton. Facilitating an actual discussion, this debate had the listening public actually learn both candidate’s policies instead of leaving them to insult each other. In many ways the debates were a progression, starting from rough off the cuff spit fire attacks to an actual reasonable discussion. The same could be said for the moderating. Holt and Raddatz, decided to actually intervene in the debate instead of actually moderating it. However, as it progressed the moderators got better, they began leading the discussion in the manners Anderson Cooper and Chris Wallace, actually getting information instead of anger. The debates also showed different sides of the candidates, both displayed far better temperament when they actually discussed the issues like adults. The issues were divided into segments: Supreme Court and views on the Constitution, Gun Control, Abortion, Immigration, Economy, Foreign Affairs, and back to the current debt. Voters found out each candidate's views on each subject with only banter compared to the insults of the past. Trump, on the issues believes that the Supreme Court justices must uphold the 2nd amendment, and admits the justices he would appoint would have a Conservative bent to them. He furthered his views as pro-life, against NAFTA, thinks rioters at his rallies are hired, wishes to cut taxes, and remarked that his tax actions are perfectly legal furthering that Clinton could have changed the rules if they weren’t, implying she kept them for her friends. Clinton, on the issues is pro-choice and upholds Roe v Wade, which the woman involved, Norma Leah McCorvey, better known as “Jane Roe.” claimed to be raped simply to get an

abortion, and sued for the right to get one, but ironically turned out to have her baby and be staunchly against the movement she started. Clinton wants to uphold other amendments of the Constitution, and suggests regulation to the second amendment, wishes to further Obamacare dubbing it as one of the steps Obama took to save the economy. That is, if you consider adding to the debt “saving the economy.” Clinton finally wants a “no fly zone” on Aleppo which many liken to a risky situation in which a Russian plane may fly over get shot down, and cause tensions for a war. Speaking of Russia, Clinton also believes Putin is “rigging” the election in Trump’s favor by claiming Russian spies are involved in his favor. Trump denies these allegations along with other women’s, and says he does not really know Putin. Many claim, Hillary Clinton is a war-mongerer and Donald Trump a misogynist. So, this election can easily be attributed as Clinton vs Bill 2.0. “One of the worst elections of this generation,” remarked senior Evan Perez. He feels that both candidates are awful, and that they both can likely worsen the debt, disliking both their policies. Regardless, many feel their vote does not count, regardless of each candidate's position or policy. Senior Juan Mejia remarked,”No matter how I vote, there’s millions against mine, so it doesn’t really matter” and his sentiments are echoed by several other Americans nationwide. With feelings of disgust toward the candidates and this election along with feelings of hopeless fatalism that nothing matters, this election is filled with emotions. One has to wonder what America will be like after either’s presidency, because regardless the losing candidate will likely claim it was “rigged.”

Black Mirror: The Portrait Where the Twilight Zone Meets Future Tech By Cesar Moreno The third season of the British series of a dystopian future, Black Mirror, premiered on Netflix on October 14. This follows a two year hiatus after the anthology was cancelled from the British Broadcasting Channel’s lineup. Netflix’s interpretation of the series is more American than the previous two seasons. Though the writing staff of the show has remained the same, the screenwriting brilliance of Charlie Brooker. Originally thought to be the downfall of Black Mirror, the American touch has added some unique perspectives on Brooker's series. ROP Graphic Design teacher, Mr. Hicks says that the American feel to the series has brought a lighter feel to the show than the previous seasons. Unlike the dark episodes, such as National Anthem (S1E1) and The Waldo Movement (S2E3), this new and Americanized entry on the serial is fun at times but continues to cast the dark reflection of society, as seen in Playtest (S3E2) and San Junipero (S3E4). Fans enjoy the show because of its mysterious feeling. As Mr. Hicks describes this feeling, the anthology radiates of a Twilight Zone and Alfred Hitchcock inspired aura. Sophomore Tanya Torres remarks that “The reason why I am a fan is because of the creepy vibe and how it reflects on how tech grows in the future, and how people get so involved in the tech.” Black Mirror is favored for the portrait of the direction of modern technology. In season one, the audience is given a look into a contact device that is reminiscent of the discontinued Google Glass. The contact is controlled by a remote with a single track ball. The contact can capture memories and contains the ability to replay the saved memories. “The plots in each episode had my interest because of the many twists and turns it has. For example, season two episode one’s twist surprised me, that a woman could feel complete after replacing her dead husband with a robot.” Torres further explained. Every episode harvests a gut busting twist, and is written with an incredible meticulous

Image via Netflix. style. Every episode manages to have the viewer questioning, "what is going on" and by the end of an installment to the serial the audience's jaw is so low that they struggle to say "what did I just watch?"

Black Friday Shopping Tradition Gets Quite Chaotic Over Store Deals By Briana Munoz For many people it is a tradition to go Black Friday shopping. Christmas comes around and most people wait in those long chaotic lines to get the best deals. Although, the deals are fair, the merchandise runs out quickly causing chaos. Black Friday shopping is great for getting merchandise half off. The majority of people go to stores like Best Buy to get the best prices on televisions, phones, and wearable tech because the prices drop dramatically. Junior Brianna Chang said, “People, who are involved in the holiday season, believe Black Friday is an important element of tradition”. Black Friday is a day to take advantage of the great deals that come with it, including the ability to buy Christmas presents for a better price than they normally would be. Marking things off of a Christmas shopping list must feel great, and getting discounts is a win for everyone. A downside to this situation is that people in the lines always get over-excited and start getting into fights. Junior Drake Huffman said, “Waiting in long lines is not worth waiting for sometimes the things you might want will most likely be gone before you even enter the store.” To avoid this problem, there are severa; people that camp outside of stores. Chang added, “It does not seem necessary for people to camp outside for prices that stay the same throughout the whole year.” In order to make Black Friday shopping fun, many people always search for the best deals while at a store. Once they get side tracked from finding something that catches their eye they do not think about the sales. That is where the companies can profit off of customers by using this scamming technique. Darren Lim said, “Black Friday is not worth it because companies higher prices of items and pretend to add a discount when in reality people pay the same price.”

SPORTS

24 - 0 Conquerors Crowned League Champs By Damian Alvarado The Los Altos Conquerors won the Hacienda League after finishing the regular season with no blemishes on their record. The 9-0 Conquerors played in West Covina against the Bulldogs Friday, November 5. West Covina only allowed Los Altos to score three points in the first half, but they were no match for the undefeated Conquerors in the second half. Junior Quarterback Kody Olmos said, “It’s been a great year, all the hard work is paying off, and it’s great to be league champs.” Los Altos defense shinned in a shutout victory over West Covina. Both offenses had a tough time scoring in the first half, but the Conquerors’ senior Kicker Hunter White connected on a 22yard field goal at the end of the first half, to take a 3-0 lead. Olmos commented about Hunter’s field goal make, “The kick was huge, nothing went our way and that gave us momentum.” Head Coach Dale Ziola said, “West Covina wanted a league title just as bad as we did.

We got their best game in the first half, so Hunter’s field goal was huge.” Los Altos came out of the second half with momentum and drove down the field. Olmos fired (in) a bullet to senior Wide Receiver Art Vargas for a 6 yard touchdown. Senior Running Back Tyler Nevens finished the game with over 120 yards and two touchdowns. Olmos went 8-17 with 95 yards and one touchdown pass. The Los Altos defense pressured West Covina’s quarterback all night. The Conquerors shut out West Covina 24-0. Ziola was proud of the way his team performed this year, “These kids love each other, so this is special and it’s all about these kids.” Los Altos finished 10-0 overall and 5-0 in conference making them League Champs in the Hacienda League. They rank number one in CIF Southern Section Division 6. With a target on their backs, the Conquerors enter the playoffs Friday in the first round of CIF.

Los Altos VS Charter Oak Highlight

21 -

When Los Altos faced off against Charter Oak on October 28, Nevens was stuffed many times throughout the night, but showed his ability securing the win with a 42 yard touchdown run. Nevens finished the game with 21 rushes for over 100 yards and 1 touchdown. Photo by Mateo Sandoval.

Conquerors Place Third at Annual Mt. SAC Relays

LAHS Water Polo Boys Defeat West Covina’s Team

By Brandon Vicuña

By Caley Asbee

Friday October 16, the Los Altos Cross Country team traveled to Walnut for the annual Mt. SAC relay race. The Mt. SAC relays are one of the most important races for our cross country team. The course is an exhausting three miles. Senior Wednesday Osuna placed 6 out of 100 plus racers and received a medal for the girls and senior Santiago Torres placed 11 out of 100 plus and received a medal for the boys. Santiago Torres said “I did okay, the heat made it difficult but I think I could have done better. By the time I realized I was going too slow it was too late.” The weather played a key factor in this race with the sun out and shinning. It was just over 90 degrees and the dust and dirt trails that Mt. SAC has did not help. Our runners had to prepare even harder for this course. Torres added “I prepared myself for this course by going to sleep early and staying hydrated along with mentally preparing myself. It was the last Mt. SAC course of high school so I wanted to make it count and do the best I could.” Adding to this Elizarraras said “I worked harder for this course than any other because I wanted to prove to myself that I do better than I did last year.” Typically, runners do not exert all their effort until the end. Doing this allows them to keep their pace and when it matter in the end more then can go faster and try to place higher. Sophomore Carolina Elizarraras said “I did better than I expected considering the conditions.” Our team placed third overall in this race behind Chino who took second and Walnut coming in first. Even though this race was important it is not the biggest for our team. Their biggest challenge will be the Riverside course because that is where CIF will be held.

On Wednesday, October 26, Los Altos Boys Water Polo team went up against West Covina. Both JV and Varsity Los Altos players won their games. This match followed up their senior night game, meaning the season is coming to a close. LAHS Varsity boys racked up a total of 25 points, beating West Covina who ended with a total of 7 goals. During the Varsity game, one memorable highlight was junior Jason Soohoo, assisting senior Kevin Pan’s goal. Soohoo remarks, “We were a team, one unit. This season we have bonded and played with good chemistry.” The bond between the boys on the team, ultimately has helped to guide them through this season. The JV boys finished with 10 goals, while West Covina’s JV team came in short with 5. Junior Ricky Tak says, “The game went by fast and easy. All the players communicated with each other during the the game, making it an easy win.” Right Wing Field player Juan Cervantes feels that their performance was impeccable. Sophomore Juan Cervantes remarked that “Overall, our performance against West Covina was great, it was one of our best performance of the season.” This feeling was echoed by Left Wing Field player whom commended the win as a sheer team effort, not just a reliance on the stars. Sophomore Edgar Magana further explains, “Since we played lower competition we did not need all our top scorers to shoot, making the win a team effort.” As for this season, Junior Eric Heng expresses, “We have played decently, but we could have played much better.” Players tend to hold standards higher than those watching their games because they themself know more about what goes into the game. Los Altos Water Polo Boy’s season came to a close November 4, at Schurr High School.

Los Altos Girls Volleyball Goes Undefeated in Pink By Bianca Flores Los Altos girls’ volleyball played their annual Dig Pink game, against Charter Oak, in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Along with the game was a Fan Appreciation Night to give thanks to the numerous students, staff, and parents who have given their constant support throughout their successful season. All volleyball players proudly wore their pink jerseys and socks, especially made just for the pink out game. There were tons of pink posters in the gym to welcome them, courtesy of ASB and Renaissance. Before and during the match, Renaissance sold pink breast cancer merchandise and candy for their Conquer Cancer fundraiser. Senior Mia Mercado, right side hitter, reveals, “I looked forward to [the Dig Pink game] because I knew a lot of people were going to come!” Students who attended the match showed up in pink, head to toe, and cheered for the Lady Conquerors. To show their appreciation for their fans, Los Altos volleyball had Christian Castro DJ throughout the night to keep the crowd energized. They also threw free T-shirts into the stands and Renaissance hosted a raffle, which was yet another part of their Conquer Cancer fundraiser. The Lady Conquerors started off the first game strong, having an 8-0 lead at one point. They dominated the rest of the game, winning easily 25-6. The second game was more of a challenge, with Charter Oak almost taking the lead at 6-4. However, Los Altos maintained their lead throughout the rest of the game and finished 25-12. The final game, unlike the others, got the crown a bit anxious. Charter Oak and Los Altos battled for the win, the lead going back and forth throughout the whole game. They were tied at 22-22, when the Lady Conquerors finally shut them down 25-22. Overall, this match was a quick and easy win for Los Altos. Mercado comments, “I think it went very well, we won in three sets and we worked together as a team very well.” Junior Bailey Chavez, defensive specialist, agrees saying, “The team did really well, especially coming in knowing we were league champs already. It was really important to stay focused and keep our minds on the win.” Senior Patty Degadillo, outside hitter, got the crowd going with an impressive 14 kills. Sophomore Stephanie Ramos, starting setter, finished the match with 32 assists and 3 kills. Senior Kaitlyn Iwamoto, libero, tried her best to not let any balls hit the floor and successfully made 15 digs. After this victory, the Lady Conquerors, League Champions for the fifth year in a row, have a 9-0 record. Girls’ volleyball had one remaining game against West Covina on October 24, which they won at another 3-0. They successfully finished off the season undefeated at 10-0, conquering the division. When asked about the team’s feelings about being undefeated, Chavez says, “It makes us excited and more motivated to work harder, especially going into CIF. It’s really important to have a first seat.”

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