Volume LVII, Issue IV
December 11, 2017
15325 East Los Robles Avenue, Hacienda Heights, CA 91745
ASB Highlights Student Abilities Through Talent Show By Bianca Flores
O
n a very special Friday night, talented Los Altos students showed off their skills to a crowd in an attempt to win them over. A variety of acts graced the Little Theatre stage for this year’s Talent Show. The event took place on December 1 and the lineup was jam packed with talented students with a myriad of acts including bands, solo vocalists, dancers, a beat boxer, pianist, and a group of dramatic hand clappers. Prior to this year the talent show was held second semester rather than first semester and in the spacious gym. The recent change in atmosphere was adressed by senior Justin Ochoa, who led the Talent Show committee. “The only major difference this year was the location move into the [Little Theater]. This was a drastic change in the setting, but [it] was definitely a cool change because of the intimate feeling.” The Talent Show
Photo by Nicolás Hernández
First place act, XIVE, performs original song, receiving praise from both judges and audience. usually took place second semester, in the Gym. While all performances were received well by judges and audience alike, the judges could only pick the top three acts for the winner to be decided. The judges were band director Jay Laging, dance teacher Kelsey Brennan, chemistry teacher Jason
Ackermann, and Spanish teacher Iris Preciado. After deliberation, the judges announced that their top three would be solo vocalist sophomore Gissel Mora, dancer senior Isabel Estrada, and XIVE, a band consisting of freshmen Isaias Marin, Brian Martinez, Landon De La Vara, and sophomore Darianna Alca-
ntara. After the top three were announced, the audience was given five minutes to vote for their favorite act by filling out an online poll. Then the MCs for the night, juniors Jessica Espinosa and Pedro Aguirre, announced the final results to the sound of audience produced drumrolls.
XIVE was announced the winner, with Mora and Estrada obtaining second and third place respectively. Each got a trophy to take home and first place got two tickets to the Sadies dance each. Marin admits that before their victorious performance in the Talent Show, the band was drifting apart, but the
show gave them a reason to continue working together. “It was a week before we tried out that we came up with the whole idea of making a song that was fresh, new, and relatable to anyone in the audience,” Marin reveals. After hearing that the band won first place, he describes it as a “blur” and it verified that making music was the right way to go. “Win or no win, I was glad enough to be up there on stage and to show people that we have something going. The energy was amazing overall, and I had a good time. It just felt awesome,” Marin describes. After witnessing the success of the night, Ochoa states, “It may sound cliché, but I honestly think it’s important we have a talent show to be able to give each and every student a chance to showcase something special. People showcase their talents as a way of expressing their feelings and their backgrounds… and to see that myself, makes the stress and hard work all worth it.”
HLPUSD Attempts Reconfiguration Amidst Dropping Enrollment By Nicolás Hernández With significantly lower rates of student attendance to school within the the Hacienda La Puente Unified School District over the past 20 years. The district is considering the reconfiguration of their schools’ grade structure. Reconfiguration, as explained by meetings in the Hacienda held on October 30 and November 13 is defined as “the arrangement of schools in a different form, figure, or combinations.” This would involve, for example, changing the current structure of a high school being from ninth grade to twelfth grade into seventh grade to twelfth grade. This was just one of the possibilities that Principal Jeffrey Hess mentioned at the community meeting to solve the issue of decreasing district enrollment. Hess explained his theory for the current trend in enrollment, “I think one of the big things [that cause]
our declining enrollment is that there’s a lot of people that live in this area, that haven’t moved out. My parents are on of them. My parents live up near Los Molinos and they’re not moving out because they bought their house in 1971.” He continues, “So because they don’t move out, then new families can’t move in,
I think that has a lot to do with it.” No matter the reason, the district recognizes this issue, and this meeting which students, parents, and teachers were encouraged to attend was the start of them attempting to fix it. The meeting began with Hess explaining the situation to those in attendance
followed by describing what reconfiguration meant in this context and saying that the district’s idea of optimal enrollment would be having 500 students in elementary school, 700-800 students in middle schools, and 3000 students in high schools. This is in stark contrast to the 1,777 students that are currently enrolled in Los
Altos High School, which currently boasts the highest enrollment in the district. Community members who were at the meeting were then asked to write down changes they would like to see in the district on one side of a large paper, and the configuration that would best suit these suggestions. Even with district
(projected)
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Graphic by Nicolas Hernandez
claims that change equals opportunities, there were some who felt concerned about these possible modifications. One parent expressed after the meeting her concerns, “My worry is that young students will be in the same school as older students.” She goes on to comment on the different student configurations saying that she only likes the fifth grade to eighth grade configuration adding, “that’s the one that I like the most, I’m still not sure about the other ones.” Senior, Alyssa Armstrong attended the meeting and commented on the district’s intentions, “I think the reconfiguration was a smart choice in brainstorming ideas for our school district.” Currently, HLPUSD is organizing these meetings to get an idea of what parents, students, and teachers would like out of their district and to explore the different possibilities, in terms of class organization, which would best suit those needs.
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Mission Statement The 2017-2018 Journalism team strives to provide the school and the community with reliable and factual information that encourages thoughtful conversations and discourse. On this diverse campus, we hope to report and respect the various viewpoints of all members of our community. We believe this to be an imperative role, as the students of Los Altos are going to be future leaders and deserve to be informed. We hold this duty with the utmost respect and responsibility and view ourselves as representatives of our campus.
Staff Editor-In-Chief: Nicolás Hernández Managing Editor: Karla Galaviz Magazine Editor: Caley Asbee Online Editor: Damien Alvarado Adviser: Adriana Guzmán Student Journalists: Brianna Arellano, Alexis Cardenas, Kessia Cisneros, Britney Cundiff, Bianca Flores, Jasmine Fuentes, Aaron Kim, Andrew Kodous, Douglas Lin, Briana Muñoz, Kaitlyn Orozco, Aaron Pimentel, Danielle Porras, Albert Sarkissian Contributing Artist: Analise Pacheco Contributing Photographers: Lauren Perez, Christine Castrellon
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Mock Trial Completes Competition With Two Impressive Trials By Douglas Lin “Order in the court!” The Los Altos Mock Trial team was presented this year with the case People v. Davison, where members were assigned to either defend or prosecute the murder case in a mock trial setting. After preparing for months, the team presented their cases, competing with schools all around Los Angeles County. While they were unsuccessful in advancing to the next round, the team won both verdicts
and gained more points this year than ever before. The national Mock Trial program is sponsored by the Constitutional Rights Foundation, an organization which works with thirty-six other states to educate and create a hands-on learning program for kids to learn about the judicial system. Every year, teams are broken into a defense and prosecution team consisting of attorneys and witnesses to defend or prosecute the case. The competition places prosecution and defense
teams against other opposing teams to allow students to face different teams with different approaches. Dressed in formal attire, the defense and prosecution teams boarded school busses, on November 2 and 9 respectively, to the Los Angeles County Courthouse. From there the two branches of the club were victorious as both defense and prosecution won their verdicts. However, Mock Trial is based off a scoring system where the verdict does not
have a significant impact on the outcome, which resulted in the Los Altos team being half a percentage point away from advancing to the next round. Co-president of Mock Trial Tiffany Liao, focused on the bright side which was that the team saw a 150-point improvement to last year, and stated, “I am grateful for my time at Mock Trial and I’m proud to work with this year’s Mock Trial team and its team of returning friends.”
Attourney Patrick Akarapimand delivers a convincing closing statement to the prosecution’s case. Photo by Nicolás Hernández
Girls to Women Club Supports Members, Empowers Women By Brittney Cundiff Bringing students together to talk about important issues, to help each other out in their daily lives, and to empower women are just some of the goals of the new Girls to Women club that meets every Wednesday at lunch in room B4. During meetings, students address issues they want to bring change to in school and society. Vice president, Senior Brittney Delgado, speaks for the cabinet about a general issue that plagues society, “There’s a lot of inequalities in the world between men and women. Now that times are changing, we want to really take advantage of the world we live in today because it’s like our chance to be just as equal as men. We want to show that women can be just as successful by supporting each other and potentially supporting the different causes women don’t get equal to men.” As a new club on campus, Girls to Women
has potential as Senior Julio Guzman-Garcia explains, “Girls to Women can impact our school by providing the guidance for some girls who are scared to go out of their comfort zone and be who they want to be. Now it is hard for girls because once they step out of their comfort zone, people put them down by slut shaming or making them feel dumb for trying to go above their goals when it really shouldn’t
be like that. I know Girls to Women can prove to anyone that girls and guys are equal and we should join together so women can be heard.” Members of the club have high expectations for the club since the club is supporting a good cause. Freshman Jade Hermosillo says passionately, “I believe that Girls to Women can help other girls realize that they are enough and should respect themselves and love
themselves without other people having to tell them things to make them feel better.” Delgado looks forward to the future of the club as she explains, “Our long term goals are to donate to women’s homeless shelters and run clothing drives for them. We also want to create a close bond amongst all our members and we want to make sure everyone feels welcomed.”
The club constructed ribbons for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Photo by Britney Cundiff
December 2017
NEWS
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Club Food Sales Create Jam-Packed Lunch Event By Brianna Arellano A congested quad filled with an immense amount of students, swarming around, squeezing through lines that stretch from one wall to another—club food sales at Los Altos had begun. On November 16, the first club food sale of the school year was put on by various clubs on campus such as Youth United, Conquerors for Christ, Key Club, and many more. The purpose being to raise funds for club activities, events, and personalized merchandise. Club food sales typically take place around two to three times sporadically throughout the school year during lunch, profoundly during each season. This clubs-organized event is favorited by many students due to the great food and snacks sold that are not usually sold on a regular school day. Food such as pizza, tacos, spam musubi, and even Jamba Juice were sold during the populous event. These favorable items sold quickly—tables
Freshman leadership sells Dip-n-Dots at the Club Food Sales to raise funds for the program. Photo by Kessia Cisneros of food did not take long to become demolished. Sophomore Alondra Gutierrez, president of the new club Youth United, explains, “Youth United
has been working towards this event for a few weeks now, preparation for pricing and estimations have been looked over many times. Our goal was to satisfy as
many students as we can, along with raising money for our upcoming projects. Jamba Juice definitely was a quick seller.” It has always been in-
evitable that the lines will be long, students wait in lines for their most favorable items from the start of ISI. Senior Raina Lee, an officer in Key Club, states,
“Usually the day of club food sales is a pretty intense day. The lines do become chaotic since there are so many people eager to receive their food before there is none left, but this annual event is definitely beneficial for the conventions we attend.” Not only are favorite foods sold during club food sales, but also new treats are added throughout sales amongst the year. Lee continues, “One of the newer quick-sellers is spam musubi. This favorited snack definitely speeds our sales process up since they run out pretty quickly.” At the end of the day, or lunch, clubs are not just solely purposed for selling holiday grams, food, and merchandise. Clubs create a unity within a large school— the perfect way to get involved with school along with creating many bonds. Club food sales not only show the hard work displayed by various clubs on campus, but also the devotion Los Altos clubs express for their school.
Conquerors for Christ Sponsors Operation Christmas Child By Kessia Cisneros A simple gift in a green box can make children happy. In the month of November, Conquerors for Christ hosted a school event known as Operation Christmas Child. A movement that started years ago to help give over 12 million children in more than 100 countries globally a special Christmas gift this season. The gifts were sent to kids who are in need for these gifts, because of poverty. Operation Christmas Child opens up an opportunity for young children to receive a special gift made by a student from LAHS. The gifts provided were packed in a box that was
shipped to third world countries. The boxes could have been dropped off at the Media Center. Students were also allowed to bring their own home made box and send their gifts to the Media Center. The gift box may contain toys, clothes, socks, toothbrushes, soap, and anything stationary except food. Conquerors for Christ member junior Elaine Fukushima says, “Students can go to the Media Center or if they have any boxes at home to fill up with anything except food that was sent over to third world countries.” Fukushima continues, “This would be great if students on campus can get involved and give a box to
these kids who have never received anything on this special holiday.” Operation Christmas Child ended on November 16 and once the boxes were all collected, in hopes of having a child receive a special gift made by one of many LAHS students. Junior Paloma Trujillo, a student that joined the operation says, “I chose to do this because I really believe that other underprivileged children deserve to have what I consider essential to life.” Trujillo also adds, “I am planning to put things like fuzzy socks, some little toys, simple things that’ll hopefully make a child’s holiday better.”
Zambian kids filled with joy as they receive their presents. Photo courtesy of Samaritan’s Purse
Most Inspirational Teacher Luncheon Recognizes Staff By Brianna Arellano There was gratitude and recognition abound in the Hacienda where the first Most Inspirational Teacher Luncheon of the school year took place in the Hacienda to recognize some of the senior fall athletes’ inspirations on campus. Hosted by Renaissance, the luncheon consists of
a special recognition for teachers who do so much for many individuals on campus. The purpose of this special event, hosted on November 2, was meant for senior athletes of each season to acknowledge a teacher or any staff member that has significantly impacted them in the most positive way. Both staff and students
are served lunch by Renaissance members and the chosen staff members receive a few words of thanks on the microphone from their athlete. Teachers such as Kelsey Brennan, Barbara Crowther, Todd Hedell and many more were chosen this fall season for their impact and love for teaching towards students. Senior cheerleader Ash-
ley McCloud expresses, “I chose Mrs. Brennan because she is one of my greatest role models here on campus. I look up to her not only as a teacher but as a coach as well. She does so much for my team and I have loved being coached by her these past 3 years.” Renaissance is known for the recognition granted towards students and staff on
campus. Junior Jasmine Valencia explains, “It is important to recognize teachers who love what they do and continue to inspire people every day. As Renaissance, we make sure their devotion doesn’t go unnoticed.” Valencia continues, “It is our way of giving back. Many of the staff here at Los Altos stay many hours after school for tutoring,
spend hours grading and lesson planning, and still care for their students’ success. This luncheon is dedicated for them.” Renaissance’s goal is to leave an impact towards teacher recognition. One that remains showing the importance and thanks towards teachers all year long.
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Students Head North, Touring College Campuses By Kessia Cisneros It was the start of an early morning at 6 AM in the front of the school on Friday, November 10. Students that have prepared and paid for this college trip are packed and ready to go. Luggage was stored and students checked in, ready to leave. The busses are filled with chatter as every student is excited to take off. Finally everything is set and in the distance, awaits the future colleges that students are ready to see. At the first stop in CSU Channel Islands, students were separated into groups depending on how many tour guides were available, which became the normal structure for the rest of the schools being visited during the 3 day campus tours. After the tour around Channel Islands, students headed back on the bus and went straight to Cal PolySan Luis Obispo where they would have lunch first and
Los Altos students tour the UC Berkeley campus on trip. the tour after. After the long treks that students walked at the technologically driven San Luis Obispo, busses headed to San Jose Hotel where the students and chaperones would be sleeping at the end of each day. Immediately at 7 AM students were up and eating breakfast provided by the hotel and at 8 AM sharp they were headed back onto the bus for 3 campus
tours of CSU East Bay, UC Berkeley, and San Francisco State University. Senior Carla Gonzalez described her experience at UC Berkeley, “UC Berkeley is such an amazing school. The campus has great history of the 60’s and the fact that the campus is right near San Francisco makes the school even better.” Gonzalez also said, “I love the fact that the teachers allowed us to walk around and see everything
Photo By Nicolás Hernández the town around the school has to offer. It’s just fun to hang around with friends at each school and not only understand what each campus had to offer, but the scenery around the schools as well.” After students finished their tour of San Francisco State, they headed to have dinner at Pier 39 in the Hard Rock Café. Before the dinner, students were allowed about two hours
of free time to walk around Pier 39 to explore a variety of spectacles including seals by the pier, the famous San Francisco clam chowder, and a retro arcade. Junior Alexandria Marrufo stated, “I loved being able to walk around and see part of what San Francisco is like. To be able to see the seals and be literally by the ocean was such a great experience for me. I enjoyed having dinner at Hard Rock because it was like one big family inside with all the students plus the chaperons having fun and enjoying the time together.” It was 9:30 PM when students arrived back at San Jose Hotel, ready to sleep and have another day of exploring the last two campuses on the list; UC Santa Cruz and CSU Monterrey Bay. At the beginning of the final day, students and chaperones were all packed and ready for the ride home after the last two tours. The
first tour being UC Santa Cruz and the last CSU Monterrey Bay. Marrufo opinionated, “UC Santa Cruz felt like I was smack in the middle of the woods, which is odd since the ocean is also near the school too, but that’s what made it so cool to know that I can get the woodies feel and still have the beach near me.” Each school had different characteristics and qualities that made them special which connected to the students, allowing them to see what school best fitted them. Junior Eduardo Villanueva said, “I thought the trip was an important piece in my life as well as the other students. It gave us a direction to the correct path for the future. The trip was overall very special and one of the best times I have ever had in my life. I recommend people to go on the trip next year because it will be one to remember.”
Los Altos Team Secures Second FBLA Charitably Hosts Canned in Congressional App Challenge Food Drive & Clothing Drive By Karla Galviz
School board member Gino Kwok, observes LAHS. Photo courtesy of Christine Castrellon school students, and must to get involved but don’t By Kaitlyn Orozco have a team consisting of know how to or where to The Richard Nixon Li- two to four people that are go,” said Galvan, “Our app brary was home to a pleth- free to create apps in a va- allows people the informaora of mobile phone app riety of categories including: tion to use their first amendproposals from California’s news, entertainment, educa- ment [right] and peacefully assemble for protest.” 39th district students com- tion, and games. One team consists of The app that secured peting in the Congressional Tiffany Liao, Kevin Ku, second place was created by App Challenge. Among competing teams, Breeze Hernandez and Isaac juniors Amy Tam and Vicky there were three teams from Santana, who designed an Zhai. Together has its roots in Los Altos, one of which was app known as Disaster Fore- the disasters that impacted the world this year. able to achieve second place caster. “We aim to minimize the Zhai elaborated, “Our in the competition. “The Congressional App destruction of natural disas- app unites communities in Challenge is a competition ters by educating individuals times of natural disasters. designed to bring out the regarding preparation and After hearing about all the software programming skills survival in the case of an natural disasters like the hurof those students who are emergency,” explained Liao. ricanes and earthquakes, we Seniors Christine Cas- felt we could do something interested in Science, Technology, Engineering, and trellon, Erika Galvan, and about it to help.” While this is the first year Mathematics (STEM) ed- junior Samantha Gonzales that Los Altos fell short of ucation fields,” explained created the app Rise Up. “Recently there have been first place, they were still Junior Participant Isaac Sanmany protests in America able to achieve admirable tana. This competition is open and sometimes, especially results and leaves the door to all kindergarten to high teens in or generation want open to future victories.
Los Altos Future Business Leaders of America club and they hosted a canned food drive and are going to be hosting a clothing drive open to students, staff, and parents. The first fundraiser was sponsored by Larry Ambriz’s Business and Leadership class and carried out through FBLA. The purpose of the Lead2Feed Canned Food Drive was to help the community as an act of charity. The event will also help FBLA members who can present it as a project that they have successfully accomplished when they go to competition making the charitable act not only helpful to just those in need.
To raise hype and awareness for the food drive, second period classes had the incentive of donating 30 cans or more, to be entered into a drawing in which the winning class would receive a donut party. This helped fuel many to donate and resulted in there being over 200 food items ready to donate, with proceeds donated to the Food Net San Gabriel Valley. Sophomore Alessandro De La Torre, commented on the food drive, “I love this fundraiser because it is building our moral character, as well as others.” The clothing drive is being hosted solely by FBLA from December 11 to December 16. Similar to the canned food drive, second period classes that donate two full
bags of clothing will be in another drawing and any additional bags will give the class and extra entry. FBLA president, Rick Li explained, “The second period class that is drawn will then be given the opportunity to choose between a pizza or donut party.” FBLA member Jella Lu states, “[the clothing drive] helps raise funds for competitions. They are national competitions so it’s important we attend and place, [if we do] we get a national recognition.” Overall, these two drives will help benefit the local community, FBLA as a whole, and will give lucky classes a nice treat before finals.
FBLA members packaging canned food for Lead2Feed food drive. Photo by Andrew Kodous
December 2017
A&E
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LAHS Advanced Drama’s Original Winter Show Brings Holiday Spirit By Britney Cundiff Since the beginning of the school year, the Advanced Drama class has been preparing for an original show called ‘Time Twister Christmas’ in order to raise money for AVID. The show took place on November 28, where audience members were invested in the show’s humorous yet heartwarming storyline. The show tells the story of a character named Frankie, who accidently travels through time with an app on her phone called Time Twister, her friends Tyler, Alex, and Sam go on a journey through time to find her. They encounter intricate characters through the different decades which show them the true meaning of Christmas. Preparing for the show was a long process, the Advanced Drama class had to come up with ideas for the show and then write a script. Senior Jocelin Narbaez, who played Sam in the show, explained what it was like to
work alongside her friends, “Writing the script was a lot of fun because the people who helped write it, Porscha Romero, Alejandro Ramirez, and Jordan Gonzalez, made the writing process exciting. We would always joke around, but the light hearted environment influenced our writing in a positive way.” Since the show was written by students, the audience had the chance to really connect with the performers and theme that the show portrayed. Senior Jordan Gonzalez, who plays a person from the fifties named Jesse, expresses the significance of the show’s originality, “It gives us a chance to show what we can do as writers and actors. I hope everyone that went had a fantastic time and I know that they were not disappointed. I love my drama class so I know we did great and that we put on the show of our lives.” Ever since the idea for the show was first pitched, the Advanced Drama class wanted a theme to drive
Advanced Drama thanks the audience after a succesful show.
the story along and put the audience in the holiday spirit. Senior Porscha Romero, who plays Frankie, expresses the significance of the theme, “The fact that the show is entertaining, but at the same time a lesson can be taught is what I like best and I think others will as well. I think the audience will learn that it’s ridiculous to be arguing with loved ones in general, but especially around the holidays.” Senior Julio Guzman Garcia, who plays a person from the ‘80s named Jamie, relates to the theme of the show, “What I like most about the show has to be how Sam, Alex, and Tyler are arguing all the time. It’s funny to me because during the holidays I feel like me, my friends, and my family are always arguing, but in the end we come to an agreement and hug it out.” Overall, the Advanced Drama class put on an incredible show to kick off the holiday season that the audience will surely remember for years to come.
Photo by Lauren Perez
LAHS Marching Band performs for middle school students.
Photo by Nicolás Hernández
Middle Schoolers Visit Campus, Spectate Performing Arts Students By Bianca Flores Los Altos’ Performing Arts Academy is highly praised for its award winning Marching Band, Show Choir, Dance Team, and Advanced Drama group, in addition with the Performing Arts Academy’s sold out musical production of “Grease.” This year, performances from each group were given to middle schools in the district to recruit future talented Conquerors. Orange Grove Middle School and Newton Middle School arrived in the morning of Monday, November 13 and reported to the stadium to watch entertainment unit’s field show, which included both
marching band and color guard, marching band played some pep tunes, and drum line played their famous cadences. Middle school students were led into the gym to watch the rest of the performances including a few dance routines from the dance team, improve games from Advanced Drama, a couple of songs from Grease, and Production Choir’s holiday performance. Finally, Jennifer Isley, the Advanced Drama teacher, Jeffrey Fahey, the choir director, and Kelsey Brennan, the dance team teacher and choreographer, address the middle school students and talked more about their programs.
The goal for the visit was to encourage middle school students who wish to be in the performing arts to come to Los Altos to participate in the performing arts groups. Junior Raymond Arroyo, who is in drum line, Production Choir, and was one of the leads in the “Grease” performance as Danny Zuko, admits, “Even though it’s a hassle being in so many groups, the result is so worth it. I know a lot of people because of it and I’m always on my feet.” Arroyo continues, “I love the performing arts simply because I can express myself, and a lot of kids who need to express themselves should be in the performing arts.”
Los Altos Students Join SCVA Regional Honor Choir Performance By Aaron Kim After only meeting together once before the Honor Choir weekend started, singers from all over the Southern California region worked hard to learn and understand the music they were going to be singing. All members attended their full day rehearsal on Friday, November 17, at Redlands University, before the actual performance which was on Saturday, November 18.
Following an intense audition process, five students from Los Altos who were accepted into the honor choir: junior Brittney Arnold, senior Carlos Zelaya, sophomores Amara Overmyer and Aaron Kim, and freshman Brandon Shih. These five had the opportunity to work with professional and unique choral conductors from all over the country, as they prepared for their big regional concert. Their weekend consisted of rehearsals last-
ing from 8 am mornings to 8 pm evenings on Friday, and more rehearsals on Saturday, topped with the actual performance later that night. Although there was a lot of work put in, the members also had time to have fun, bond with each other, and meet new people. On the night of the concert, many emotions and feelings were evoked from numerous members of the three choirs performing; the men’s, women’s and mixed choir. When asked about
her favorite part about the SCVA weekend, Overmyer states, “It was the intense feeling I got on stage while performing. It sounds cheesy but there is something absolutely magical about singing with a group of people who know exactly what they are doing.” Arnold also felt a variety of emotions as she recalled, “Performance night was just amazing. While I was singing I felt like I was transported to wherever the song took me, as if I was no longer in
the memorial chapel singing in front of a ton of people. Once my choir (Women’s Choir) ended our set, reality sort of hit me on stage and I couldn’t help but keep the tears back. It was a surreal moment and definitely one I will never forget.” The honor choir impacted our Los Altos students in a genuine and positive way. Shih states, “The performances made me love music even more and I can’t wait to audition next year.” All three choirs-Men’s
Choir, Women’s Choir, and Mixed Choir-gave an outstanding performance especially because the choirs were consisted of strangers who had less than 2 days to sing their songs all together. Zelaya stated that his favorite part about SCVA Honor Choir, “being able to create beautiful music that could change lives. The dedication and the effort each musician gave was beyond perfect. This is an experience that I will forever carry in my heart.”
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December 2017
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Wonder Tells Heart-Warming Tale Through Optimism By Alexis Cardenas The story that entails the true meaning of being kind through an evident example of being different, Wonder, the movie which is based on the book by Raquel J. Palacio, is now in theatres. The movie is humorous, moving, and hits the perfect spot in the heart. Wonder displays the story of the young August Pullman, Auggie, who has been born with a severe face deformity due to a mutation in his genetics. Pullman lived his life through homeschool teaching by his mother, as she was afraid that
he would suffer crucial bullying from others who see him. Junior Jasmine Pahimna expresses her feelings about Wonder saying, “I feel that this movie is beneficial towards learning self-acceptance, something many teenagers struggle with today. Auggie is a boy who decides to face a fear he has held for years, and eventually learns that being different is okay.” The movie hits various climaxes as it displays the journey Pullman ventures through his fifth grade year, discovering that not all of his friends are true friends.
Pahimna continues, “The movie was very intriguing at first since it was based on a well-known book. What lures many in is
ality.” Additionally, what is distinctly captivating about Wonder is the optimistic nature that radiates through the movie.
choose kind Graphic by Nicolas Hernandez
the lightheartedness expressed through all of the characters and the script that flowed naturally with each person-
The Pullman family’s an inspiring family that values all in life, even through the most malicious treatment and
constant obstacles. Pullman and his close friend that he grows up with, Jack Will, display a positive relationship that experiences hardship as many friendships do in reality. Another factor that the producer placed into the movie is the raw reality. Life is not perfect, and the script writers definitely showcased the hardships the characters went through from multiple perspectives. Junior Mary Rached expresses, “It was hard not to absolutely love Wonder. The movie is multi-dimensional as it is told in multiple perspectives and goes into
detail of Auggie, his sister Olivia, and even her best friend. It all plays into part as each storyline explains the message of Wonder.” Wonder is yet a movie that will have viewers tearing up from the emotional appeal as well as laughing through the sense of humor the unique persona August Pullman holds. “Although these characters are desperate to blend in, they are destined to stand out. The moral Wonder obtains is that different is okay, which is what many teenagers and adults might need to hear,” finalized Rached.
Latest Stranger Things Season Recaptures Fun & Fear By Alexis Cardenas After nearly a year of waiting, season two of The Netflix original series, Stranger Things was finally released and was absolutely astounding. After watching the new season the show became even more compelling than the previous season and was full of character development and loads of action. As soon as the new season of Stranger Things aired, the beginning of the bingeing began. While watching the beginning of season two, there
was a noticeable change of energy coming from season two compared to season one. Sophomore Eliza Figueroa states, “I liked season two but I think season one was better because it introduced all the characters. I think season two had more action and gets more into detail.” Sophomore Alessandro De La Torre also adds, “The first season became a phenomenon entirely by word of mouth and gentle nudging by the Netflix algorithm… [Season Two] was deeply flawed and hard to
shake, the kind of TV show you could love in spite of its worst moments, which was appropriate for a series about kids approaching adolescence.” The first season deals with understanding who the characters are and explores them. It introduced the wellknown character Eleven, as well as her posse and her special superhuman powers. It also introduced the first real idea of what the Upside Down is and the types of spooky creatures that were later seen throughout the show.
On the other hand, season two contained a great deal of action as well as new characters and angles of the overall story. Not all agree that the first season is better than the second. Junior Madison Hagerty said, “I really liked season two! I think it was better than the first season personally because even though some parts were a bit intense, there was still a lot of humor.” No matter which season is slightly better, the show overall is a must-watch. De La Torre expressed,
“And yet somewhere in the intersection between its synth-heavy score, its pitch-perfect casting, and its “always October” aesthetic, the show’s biggest moments and best characters had a tendency to stick in the memory.” Hagerty also added, “Overall, I think that Stranger Things is an amazing show that was very well done and I am hoping for another season to come.” Season two of Stranger Things was an overall success that accurately expands the world of Hawkins and ex-
plores the Upside Down in a more straightforward way with new aspects, creatures, and major conflicts. It was filled with action, new relationships, major conflicts in Hawkins, unanswered questions from season one, a lot of character development and detail about outside struggles the characters face, leaving many viewers eager for the story to continue. Netflix announced that a third season of the show is planned, allowing the cycle of waiting for a new season to begin once more.
Coco Embraces Mexican Culture, Spectacular Results By Briana Muñoz
Graphic by Nicolas Hernandez
The latest film to come out of Pixar Studios, Coco, marks a first for the studio this time around focusing on characters and a story inspired by the Mexican holiday, Dia De Los Muertos. Coco is an impactful film that deserves praise for its interesting story, vivid characters portrayed by an all Latino cast, and the important message of following one’s dreams. The movie tells the story of a young Mexican boy, Miguel Rivera who always envisioned himself as a musician, much to his family’s disapproval. Through a se-
ries of circumstances Miguel finds himself in the Land of the Dead. The many references to the Dia de los Muertos holiday throughout the film are used respectfully and delivers an homage to the holiday and the Mexican culture as a whole. However, it is still evident that Coco is a Pixar movie. Which is not a bad thing at all and rather is able to make many of Pixar’s staples its own. For example, just like many other Disney-Pixar properties, Miguel was accompanied with a cute companion meant to bring levity to the film. This too, however, is connected to the Mexican culture by making his
companion a Xoloitzcuintli dog named Dante. There has been a massive amount of hype surrounding this movie and it is safe to say that this movie meets the high expectations many have of it and even exceeds them. A lot of the hype was again connected to the movie’s close connection with the Mexican culture. Junior Anthony Carrillo said, “I love this movie, it’s the best Disney movie I’ve ever seen. I recommend it for any age. I love how they focused on the family, and them sticking together.” Senior Bailey Castillo commented on what she thought of the movie’s Mex-
ican roots, “My favorite part of the movie was when the mom or grandma would throw the chanclas because that actually does happen in the culture, so I thought it was funny that they added real things Hispanics do.” This movie was created with the Hispanic culture in mind. They tried to make the film as relatable as possible. Overall, Coco and the Mexican culture it drew from, allowed Pixar to tell a refreshing story about captivating characters with a universal theme that could very well be categorized as one of Pixar’s best films.
December 2017
OPINION
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Amazon Key Service Poses Security Concerns By Andrew Kodous Amazon’s new service, Amazon Key, allows delivery personnel to deliver packages inside users’ homes and allows users to remotely let guests into their homes. Amazon claims that this will make Prime members rest easy when they are not home. However, no matter how secure technology claims to be, hacking will always be a possibility, therefore, users who decide to opt in to this service might be subjecting themselves to a less secure front door. Although the service is secured by Amazon, it is not ideal to keep a user's home secured or locked digitally. Amazon might have secured
the service from Amazon personnel, but it might not be secured enough from hackers. It might be an easy way for hackers to easily get into homes, and they would surely be able to disable the security cameras. Amazon Key is available only for Amazon Prime users, and they have the choice whether or not to use it. If users choose to include that service to their delivery, they will be required to purchase and install the Amazon In-Home Kit. The Kit includes the Amazon Cloud Cam security camera and a smart lock that is compatible with Amazon Key. Even though Amazon has planned that the service
will not work if the Wi-Fi connection is down or if the camera is offline, there will
be many ways that will allow hackers to breach homes that use the Key service. If
a hacker is able to breach a user’s Wi-Fi connection, the hacker would most likely be able to have full access over the home’s main lock and security cameras, and the hacker might be able to block the user from seeing a live-stream of the home, and possibly displaying something else to the user such as giving the user an offline-stream of the home, and not seeing a realtime live stream of what is actually happening in the user’s home. Additionally, Amazon will send notifications the morning of delivery, just before, and right after the delivery happens. Users will also be able to watch delivery happening live or
view a video clip of it later. Junior Maelani Kemp shares her opinion about the service saying, “I don’t think this service is safe, because these days anyone could be a criminal. I think the service can be useful for people who would like to know exactly where their packages will be when they arrive.” Kemp also adds, “I wouldn’t like to experience this service, because I just like to be extra cautious and I don’t think I’d ever order something from Amazon so valuable that if it was stolen, it would cause a problem.” Overall, despite the usefulness that Amazon Key claims to provide users, the security concerns outweigh the benefits.
Holidays Should Be Time for Family, Not Homework By Karla Galaviz As holiday season rolls around, students are already beginning to imagine the work load of homework they will be receiving during winter break. The concensus is that homework should not be given on breaks. Break assignments are meant to serve an educational purpose, they are designed to prepare students for when they come back to school. Due to the amount of time required by the break assignments, they are viewed as useless and inefficient. Break assignments are beneficial during the summer when there is more time given to complete them. Assigning assignments for AP or Honor classes is
essential in preparing the students for the difficulty of the courses. Senior and AP student Lauren Perez comments, “Last summer I had to read a novel and parts of the Bible for AP Language and Composition and it helped me a lot in terms of background knowledge and it did a phenomenal job of introducing me to the difficulty of the course.” However, winter and spring break assignments are often problematic and interfere with a student’s break activities. Perez also argues, “Many times break assignments have restricted me from spending quality time with my family during the holidays.” Winter break is a time for friends and family to spend together. It becomes
difficult for students to be with their families when having to worry about completing assignments for different classes and each class requiring a lot of time to complete. Senior AP student Saraith Kreslake believes break assignments are not as terrible. Kreslake argued, “It is possible to relax while having work, it is all a matter of managing your time wisely.” Finally, Perez commented, “If teachers do decide to give break assignments, I would definitely hope that they take into account students have lives outside of school and understand that schoolwork becomes a last priority during the holiday season when time spent with family is prioritized.”
Comic by Analise Pacheco
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December 2017
SPORTS
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Girls’ Water Polo Team Shines, Season Opens By Aaron Pimentel
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igorous 5:50 AM morning practices and intensive afternoon practices consisting of swimming, weight-lifting, and shooting. Girl’s water polo does not mess around when it comes to preparing for a competitive season every year. The team plans to be victorious in their upcoming games through the preparation and hard work they have already been demonstrating. Co-captain Christine Castrellon explained, “Right now, the team consists of a lot of new players, but despite that, we’re looking at a good season ahead of us.” Despite a shaky start for the girls, losing against Chaffee High School, they were able to bounce back with a
Co-captain Kimberly Castrellon treading on the water, preparing pass in the season opener. decisive win against Mark Keppel High School. They dominated the pool resulting in an 11-6 victory. Castrellon explained her observations after their victorious game, “Although we lost on Wednesday, we came out strong today. We fixed
our mistakes from last time and worked better as a team. Castrellon continues, “The communication, teamwork, and patience was there. It allowed us to pass and shoot the ball more and get us the win.” The team was also able
to defeat both Wilson and Don Lugo high schools in a challenging tournament. Like with anything, the key is to prepare. The practices may seem long and tiring, but just like everything in life, there is a reason for it. Castrellon states, “Although
Photo by Nicolás Hernández waking up early is hard the majority of the time, it’s been worth it. I’ve been lifting a lot more than previous years and conditioning in the pool has allowed me to be faster.” Sister to Christine, and Co-captain of the team,
Kimberly Castrellon expressed her views on the rigorous practices, “It’s been challenging but I’m pushing myself more to do well in upcoming games.” Through practice, each player is hopeful to achieve different goals. Sophomore player Maggie Moreno is eager to see how the new team will perform together. “My personal goal for this year is to step out of my comfort zone by trying to be involved in plays and push myself to work harder during our morning workout and afternoon practices.” Girl’s water polo had a great run last year, placing first in league. Five of the starting lineup have graduated from the previous year, but that won’t stop the team from striving to achieve victory over the competition.
Preaseason Demonstrates Boys LAHS Girls’ Soccer Meets Goals, Basketball’s Preparation & Precision Hard Work Already Paying Off By Alexis Cardenas
Captain Jarod Lucas dunks during an offseason practice. Photo by Nicolas Hernandez
By Damien Alvarado Boy’s varsity basketball has been preparing intensely since the summer. Their preseaon performance displays that their preparation has paid off. This preseason the Conquerors played some of the top teams in the state, beating Harvard-Westlake, Cathedral, Mayfair, Vista (San Diego), and Villa Park. The first tournament of the year for Los Altos is the “Battlezone” sponsored by Adidas at Corona Centennial which took place from November 27- December 2. This was a challenge for the Conquerors as they faced some of the top teams in Southern California. To start off the tournament, Los Altos upset Foothills Christian, ranked number 1
in San Diego. The final score of the game was a close 7975. They advanced to the second round where they put on a show against La Sierra, winning 85-41. The team finished the “Battlezone” tournament with a 4-1 record, which featured wins over Foothills Christian, La Sierra, Knight, Temescal Canyon, and a tough loss against Mission Bay. The team has set high expectations for this. Junior Point Guard and Captain Jarod Lucas commented, “The team’s goal for this year is to take each game one by one and not look ahead. We want to trust the process this year and build off every game.” Junior Guard Matthew Barrera is confident for the new year, “I want to contribute to the team any way I
can.” The Conquerors have been doing a lot of extra work and have seen a lot of improvements in their game. Lucas commented, “We have 6 seniors on the team Julian, Bryant, Danny, and Cole, and my goal this year is to send them out on a great note. I want to lead our team and be the loudest player on the floor every night. Lucas continued, “Another goal of mine is to lead the team in charges taken and create an example for the rest of the young guys” Last year, Los Altos finished 21-6 with a second round loss in the playoffs; this year they hope to make it even further. Barrera commented “The team has worked hard all offseason and the goal is to win a championship.”
Girls Soccer began their 2017-2018 preseason last week and the team has already seen their hard work pay off. Andrew Gonzalez has been appointed to Head Coach and is eager to get to CIF this year. Both Gonzalez and Coach Amanda Robles are confident about their upcoming season due to the team’s preparation and offseason work that has been taking place since the spring of last year. The team lost the season opener to South Hills but won its next game against San Marino and went 2-0, beating Northview and Montclair, in the first day of the Don Lugo Tournament. The girls were on the road at Rowland, then finished up the Don Lugo Tournament on Saturday, December 9 being able to conquer the competition and taking first place in the tournament. Gonzalez stated, “As far as preparing, we are making sure that all of the new [freshmen players] as well as the new JV players are all on the same page as far as returning players.” Gonzalez also addes, “We look good. We look like we have a lot of good young talent and a lot of the new girls are not timid. Last year we had a problem with going to goal and scoring. So, a lot
of our trainings have been geared towards combination play to goal and finishing. As far as training overall, we are doing everything possible that is incorporating soccer aspects. Like technical ability, physical conditioning, tactical awareness, selfconfidence and motivation.” This year’s team is being led by seniors Zharria Ramirez, Cameron Verduzco, and Carina Chin. Player Olivia Baldenebro said, “I think our team is ready for this season. I see a lot of potential in all the girls, especially our goalies, [who consist] of a freshman and sophomore.” Many newcomers are not sure what to expect for this season but they are ready for the experience. There are four freshmen: Belle Salazar, Danielle Delatorre, Monica Ochoa, and Reagan Hagerty that are eager for this season and excited to see what high school soccer is really like. Delatorre stated, “I think [by] looking up to the returners and having them influence me, I feel it's going to be a really good season. I feel like everyone is going to get along as long as we continue building good chemistry.” Ochoa also added, “As a freshman, it's kind of intimidating because I have to go up against upperclassman which have had much more experience.
I'm kinda nervous because I have only had around three practices so far, so I need to get used to the team because I still don't know all of them. I think that we are doing really well though overall and all of their hard work really shows out there on that field.” The returners are ready for a new and different year considering the new coaching style. Both the returners and newcomers are confident in their chemistry. Sophomore Vanessa Johnson stated, “I feel like this season we are actually going to do great because we have new players and some of us have played all together before, like on club, and high school together so I think that the atmosphere is great. I feel like there's going to be a lot more team chemistry this year and more of a team bonding, rather than how to was last year. Last year, not too many people knew each other and everyone just felt distant. Thankfully, this year, everyone is close and I feel like it’s going to be a really good season.” The team have great momentum going into the Mater Dei Tournament on December 13. The team is playing together marvelously and developing team chemistry to better their upcoming league season in January.