Volume LVII, Issue 2
15325 East Los Robles Avenue, Hacienda Heights, CA 91745
November 2018
LAEU Says Goodbye To Marching Band Season By Briana Trujillo Despite all the hardships made from members and staff, they lied in 18th place. In order to qualify to the Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association, bands must be placed 12th or higher under their division. This year’s field show was West Side Story, being entitled “Maria.” The Los Altos Entertainment Unit had a setback due to lack of fundraising which resulted in losing two tournaments. LAEU was under the 4A division and were able compete in four tournaments: Baldwin Park High School Tournament, Glen. A Wilson Tournament, Los Altos Tournament, and Ramona High School Tournament. Both drum major, Daniel Rios and band director Jay Laging conducted the band throughout the Oct.20 performance. In their first tournament, LAEU played their entire show unlike many other years. Freshman Ismael Santacruz
Melanie De La Torre passionately performs her routine in band tournament. said, “I was so nervous. I felt all these feelings, like nausea but I also felt really excited. When we first lined up, like I said, I was nervous, but with all the band members and
Laging comforting each one another, I felt like a family so I felt a little less nervous.” Waiting for their first tournament to come, incoming freshman were gaining the
experience of playing on an unfamiliar football field in front of judges, causing emotions to fluster. Santacruz said, “During the performance, I knew I had
By Laila Jibrin to do the best I can. My emotions were proud and happy because our band had gone such a long way and it
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School Rivalry Set Aside In Support Of Alumni Julian Lopez
Class of 2018 Alumni Julian Lopez pictured in last year’s staff versus students basketball game.
By Damien Alerado The Hacienda Heights community came together on October 30, as a Conqueror Alumni united the Los Altos and Wilson Family as one. The love and affectionate feelings from both sides were
felt as both schools competed in the “Havoc in the Heights” staff and alumni basketball game. Julian Lopez a 2018 graduate and four year Varsity Basketball player, had an open heart surgery four weeks ago in San Francisco.
The surgery went well and he is currently in his recovery stage. Lopez will continue focusing on his education at Cal State East Bay after a few weeks at home with his family. The recovery process will be four to six months, but his ultimate goal is to
Photo by Nicolas Hernandez play for the East Bay Panthers next fall. Julian’s mother Julia commented about her son’s surgery, by considering it a blessing in disguise, “It was a surprise for all of us but at the same time we were very thankful because all these
years he has played without anything happening, so we were not upset, we were just very thankful and he was very thankful. Faith in our family plays a big role because I believe in God and he has given us love and strength.” In a rare case where one out of a million peopled are diagnosed, Julian found out he had an anomalous coronary artery (ACA). It is a coronary artery that has an abnormality or malformation. Lopez first found out about the news during a routine physical in August. The chest pain he was feeling had nothing to do with his heart but rather a muscle. After further tests doctors informed the family that Lopez would need to have open heart surgery. During the surgery, Julian’s sternum had to be broken in order to perform a successful operation. The recovery time frame for Lopez will take about four to six months before he can return to activity.
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Novermber 2018
LA FOCUS
Mission Statement The 2018-2019 Journalism team strives to provide the school and the comunity with reliable and factual information that encourages thoughful coversations 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 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 Online Editors: Damien Alvarado Briana Muñoz
Managing Editors:
Journalists: Briezae Aparacio Adrian Banuelos Jasmine Fuentes
Danielle Porras
Kimberly Gonzalez
Laila Jibrin
Magazine Editor: Alexis Cardenas
Adviser:
Adrianna Guzmàn
Students Recite Stanzas And Rhymes By Giovanna Fernandez Colorful lights washed over the room as several courageous students took turns on stage sharing their stories with shaky hands and a powerful voice. The purpose of Poetry Night was to give all students, regardless of their identity, an outlet for them to share anything they wanted. The performances ranged from stories about the loss of loved ones, corruption in today’s society, and being proud of their background. Darien Celis, a senior and president of the Poetry Club, said, “In poetry, we want peo-
ple to have that vulnerability, and think about things you usually don’t think about.” However, the most important component to this event were the student poets who went up to the mic that night. The “Rise Up” Poetry Night event, presented by the LAHS Poetry Club, took place on the 18th of October. Rebecca Rangeo, a freshman and student poet that night said, “Poetry is important to me because it speaks to me personally- it’s just a way of escaping my feelings, and it gives me a voice.” “I think it’s important for everyone to have a voice in this society, especially stu-
dents, because there’s not a lot of times they get to say what they want,” said Rangeo. With such a high turnout at the event, it’s clear that this year’s first Poetry Night was able to give students the voice they deserve. “I feel like students are underestimated by society. I think people still see us as kids without a working brain, heart, or emotions and that we aren’t useful until we’re adults. Giving students a voice makes them feel like they matter, even if other people don’t think they do,” Celis said.
Giovanna Fernandez
Lucy Argaez
Photo Editor:
the-conqueror.org
Megan Hackbarth Jenica Hernandez Douglas Lin Richard Loza Elias Robles Brandon Soung Briana Trujillo Leslie Vides
Media & Contact For even more content including up-to-date articles and videos visit our website: The-conqueror.org For any comments, questions, ideas, or concerns contact us through our email: 2019lahsjournalism@gmail.com Journalism proudly contributes to LA Conqueror Athletics: @LAConqAthletics Losaltosathletics.org
Alex McKinley confidently recites his poem during Rise Up Poetry Night.
Giovanna Fernandez
LAEU Says Goodbye To Marching Band Season (Continued from page 1) felt good to experience that with them but with a crowd as well. Hearing the crowd cheer meant we entertained them and it was an amazing sensation.” The tournaments resulted in getting a score of a 67.5 and being placed fourth under the 4A division. Clarinet Section Leader Jackie Sandoval said, “I’m very proud on the energy that was produced on our first tournament performance. Our score was actually very high for it only being our first tournament. For the
next 3, I’m confident that we can increase it.” The Oct. 27 Glen A. Wilson High School Tournament was the LAEU’s second tournament of the season. The heat of the day affected the energy produced during their practice. Junior Emily Rodriquez said, “During our practice, no one was locked in our rehearsal, myself included, because of how hot the weather was and how fatigued we were.” Despite the heat, LAEU kicked off their performance, resulting in impression by the members.
Senior Briana Tercero said, “We did better than expected. However, it shows our growth. I feel like we accomplished a lot in a week. Now we truly need to accomplish more visually.” The awards contributed the placements of divisions from 1A to 5A. They first stated the placements for Axillary, known as color guard, and the unit was placed fourth out of all units. Fortunately, the band was placed second out four bands and scored 73 points, earning a six point increase. Out of all bands under the 4A division, the unit was so far
placed 16th. Rodriquez said, “From where we stand now, with how rehearsals go and the actual mindsets of each individual, I’m not sure. There are some who thoroughly enjoy the show and other that could care less about their performance. West Side Story has truly won my heart over and I really hope we can work hard to make it to championships.” Multiple bands across southern California walked their way into Los Altos High School to perform at the 50th anniversary field tournament: World of Pagentry.
Entertainment Units, the size of 20 people to 100 people all gathered to perform their field show on November 2, 2018. LAEU was required to perform. Under the rules of SCSBOA, if bands perform at their own tournaments, they cannot place, however, their scored may count over championships. Sophomore Amy Liu, member of the Glen A. Wilson High School Entertainment Unit said, “I enjoy watching Los Altos’ field show. Every time I hear them play,
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November 2018
FEATURE
La Escuelita Club Contributes To Community Through Tutoring
Junior, Leah Ortega, helps struggling fourth grader with division problems
By Kimberly González La Escuelita is an on school campus club that focuses on tutoring kids from preschool up to 5th grade that may be struggling in school or who’s parents are unable to assist them in their studies. The club provides tutoring for kids from 3:30 to 4:30 every Monday and Wednesday. The hours the tutorees give are counted as community service hours so not only does it help the kids but students of Los Altos as well. “Our goal is to help students that are unable to receive any help at home due to many factors such as an only Spanish speaking household.” The club also provides tutors that are Spanish speak-
ing for those that are not capable of doing their homework. They are also able to easily communicate with the parents of the children. Though the clubs’ main focus is primarily to have kids improve in school, they try to make the students feel comfortable enough to meet new people and create friends. “It’s a wonderful experience, at the end of the day we basically become a huge family,” Arellano said. One of the advisors and creator of La Escuelita, Hector Gutierrez said, “It has always been about giving back to our community. Our club, Latino/a Leaders of Tomorrow has the four"C's" that drive us- College, Career, Culture, Community- and "La
Photo By Kimberly Gonzalez Escuelita" lends itself perfectly to reflect our values.” The four “C’s” is a quick and easy statement that helps the tutors remember why they dedicate time in helping their community. With this, the students realize the power in giving back as it provides a powerful experience, Gutierrez said. La Escuelita continues to expand it’s help to our community, giving more students the powerful feeling of giving back. Gutierrez said, “ It continues to grow, when you give your time and effort to those you have nothing to gain from, it provides an empowering experience.”
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Artificial Intelligence Club Takes LAHS To The Future By Megan Hackbarth Artificial Intelligence is not just the movie plotline of robot killing machines from the future. It is here in the present, it’s also all around us that many may not realize its important impact it has on the modern world. The A.I. club led by Christina Liao and Austin Wong is a new club at Los Altos High School and has a mission to educate us about the importance of this technology. President Liao’s purpose of the club is to “promote awareness, educate, and encourage teens to learn about the myriad applications of artificial intelligence.” Liao’s club on campus is now available to welcome new members. “Basically, artificial intelligence is a branch of computer science that deals with the ability of a machine or a computer program to think, act, and learn like humans,” Liao said. “It’s important to point out that A.I. is not a ‘technology,’ but rather the science of creating machines and computer programs that are able to process, analyze, and deal with problems and tasks as humans would essentially, in ways we would consider smart or intelligent. A.I. matters for the simple reason that it has rapidly permeated our daily lives. Ready or not, A.I. is here to stay.” Wong, the Vice President said, “Artificial Intelligence is the cotton gin of our time. It’s revolutionary. And by definition of that word, it is penetrating through every aspect of our lives. So it’s
important that we discuss about its complexity.” Many people have viewed this new technology differently. The club’s goal is to reintroduce this topic. Liao said, “I started Club A.I. because I realized that artificial intelligence is a growing world and community, so it’s going to expand to the whole world, and I feel that teens right now at this age need to learn more about it because in the future it’s basically going to be our whole entire world.” “For this first year of Club A.I., we have a basic, but very important goal; and that is to establish an exciting and vibrant learning culture for our club from which we can grow and proliferate awareness of A.I. amongst our peer group.” Liao said. “If we can achieve this goal in our first year, I will be very happy. The long term potential of Club A.I. extends beyond promoting awareness and education of A.I. of students … I can envision collaboration and sharing of knowledge amongst A.I. clubs and organizations from high schools around the world.” She feels the club is needed more than ever because of the developing world. “The Club will meet monthly to discuss new developments in popular and easily relatable A.I. topics. For example, A.I. applications for online shopping, games, entertainment, healthcare, consumer tech and lifestyle. In addition, the Club may invite guest speakers from various industries to share their perspectives on how A.I. is impacting their businesses.”
New Los Altos Conquerors App Encourages Digital School Spirit By Elias Robles A new way to keep students updated with upcoming events and share their experiences plus receive rewards for attending school events was recently introduced to students. Los Altos Conquerors, the new app, provides all this in a fun, innovative way. Introduced at the homecoming rally, students are able to gain points for showing their conqueror spirit and attending different school events, earning rewards such as free meals and Los Altos merchandise. Freshman Belen Sibal said, “The app pushes stu-
dents to be more interactive. When students see other students getting prizes from going to events, more will want to be more involved.” Advertisements posted on the app inform students of what they can receive for attending these certain events. There are also advertisements for the upcoming events students can attend to gain more points and get closer to earning prizes. Points can quickly add up for students the more evens they attend. Their points are counted towards receiving rewards for their support for the school. The app also gives students a voice in how the
app is utilized through polls. Los Altos has a strong community of spirited Conquerors. This app can bring new students into that community. Students can feel encouraged to attend events since they know that they will be rewarded for going. If given a good motive, more students will want to be a part of the Conqueror Crazy community. Freshamn Emily Gonzalez said, “It will bring students closer together. This app is for the whole school, not for a select few. It can help people make new friends and meet new people.”
Photo By Megan Hackbarth Excited Conqueror takes out her phone to see the amount of points she has collected.
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November 2018
REVIEW
the-conqueror.org
Bohemian Rhapsody Earns Oscar Worthy Praise With Portrayal Of Queen By Brandon Soung “Bohemian Rhapsody” was one of the most anticipated movies to come out in 2018 so far, with a near decade of problems during production consisting of cast changes. The movie is a PG-13 biopic that centered around the career of Queen and the challenges they went through. Senior Paloma Trujillo said, “Rhabby Malek portrayed Freddie Mercury really well, and you could tell that he put in a lot of effort to play the part. It's not like just any actor is able to depict the life of one of the most influential artists in the past century.” The movie starts with a short scene of Freddie Mercury’s preparations for Queen’s performance at Live Aid which is considered to be one of the greatest performances in music history. The story then moves backwards and portrays the band’s startup and the challenges that Freddie had to face including the relationship with his ex-wife, his solo career, and his battle against AIDs. Trujillo said, “It was much better than I expected, and I really enjoyed all the differ-
ent periods of Queen’s career that the movie highlighted” Although the movie did receive some backlash for their inconsistency with actual events, much of the movie remained true to the actual life and scenarios the band experienced. Senior Giselle Amador said, “I really liked the final Live Aid performance since comparing it with the actual live performance, you’re able to see how good of a portrayal the actors really did.” The movie also highlights many of the unknown facts about Queen, such as the origin of the signature half mic stand and Queen’s addiction with cats. However, the most important scenes that the movie depicted was the relationship between the band members. Amador said, “I was able to really appreciate the context and the effort that Queen put into their songs. I'm much more appreciative for their music and how much passion they had despite the odds of them becoming successful.” Overall, the movie is a 4.5 out of 5 stars with its superb acting that brought the characters to life, which is not an easy task to accomplish.
The Nutcracker and the Four Realms
By Adrian Banuelos
The Movie was recently released on November 2nd. It is one of the newest Disney movies out. It made over thirty five million in just a couple of hours, breaking new records for a Disney movie. Freshman, Isabella Gomez said, “I have been anticipating this movie, since the beginning of school. After watching the movie, it has lived up to its expectation. Disney did very well on this movie, and so far has been one of my favorite Disney movies.” In the film, a young girl named Clara needs a magical key to unlock a box that contains a unforgettable gift. A golden thread leads her to the key; however it soon disappears into a strange fantasy world. In that world, she meets a soldier named Phillip, and a group of mice and the regents who preside over three realms. Clara and Phillip then entered in a fourth realm to retrieve the key and restore harmony to the unstable land. Gomez also said, “I cannot wait for the next Nutcracker to come out. The
movie brightened up my day, because of the joy in the movie. It made me escape to my own fantasy world for a couple of hours. It made me finally relax after a hard week at school.” The movie starred over 13 celebrities that have been in past Disney movies. Sophomore, William Gomez said, “My little sister would not stop talking about wanting to see the movie. She was so excited to see it, because she loves Disney movies. Once we finally saw the movie at the movie theatres, she could not stop saying how much she enjoyed the movie.” The movie was released for the entire world, and it made every country escape into a magical world, and made them come out of reality for a while. The movie increased people’s imaginations and made them be kids once again. It even brought back people’s childhood back. Gomez also said, “The movie was actually super interesting, and I enjoyed the acting of the characters in the movie. It also brought my entire family together, because we don’t usually watch movies all together. ”
Rami Malek in Bohemian Rhapsody dances in a concert.
Photo Credit: New Regency Pictures.
Barbara Streisand Sings What’s On Her Mind By Elias Robles Barbara Streisand has hit fans with a brand new album, “Walls”. Released on November 2, the 11 song album featuring both new and old songs was a way for Streisand to voice her opinions on the current political state of our country. Streisand utilized her platform to state her opinion on the current, tense political state of the US. Speaking up for what she believes we need as a nation and what is wrong with it, her powerful voice touched many yet again, presenting thought provoking lyrics with beautiful compositions. Freshman Adrian Lopez said, “It is important to voice your opinions. Many people silence themselves nowadays. That's not how
it should be. If someone like Barbra Streisand has an outlet, they should use it to voice their opinions.” Prior to the release of the full album, Streisand released “Don’t Lie To Me”, addressing her feelings towards President Trump. Streisand sings, “All that we built has come undone. How do you sleep when the world is burning?” The power in her voice during the meaningful chorus of the songs is truly impactful towards the overall energy of the song. Junior Ariana Robles said, “Her political views are strong. They are powerful because someone like her who has lived through multiple presidents has to advocate how she feels our current president isn’t doing the best for our country.” Freshman Mikayla Lowe said, “She is being strong and
Streisand poses on her album cover. Photo Credit: Columbia Records.
saying what is on her mind in her songs. It is a good thing what she is doing.” “What’s On My Mind” and “Lady Liberty” give a more mellow sounding approach to strong opinions, unlike the more upbeat “What The World Needs Now.” She addresses how everyone is welcomed to our country, despite the current tension towards immigration to the US. She promotes others to raise their voices while also encouraging the need for more love among one another. Robles said, “Her strong arguments are really what catches her audience's ears when it comes to trying to bring a new perspective on the politics of today. Barbra Streisand is definitely a person who should be looked up to with her powerful voice through her lyrics and how she advocates to truly do the best for our country.” Although there are multiple messages given throughout the album, the song “Better Angels” properly sums up the main theme and lesson of “Walls.” The lyrics read, “Hatred only breeds more hate and darkness in our hearts. May we find compassion in a world so torn apart.” This lyric is one that more need to think about nowadays. There is enough darkness in our country, so why should others encourage more? The solution to our toxic issue is plain and simple. Streisand sings, “Rise up and find better angels in us all… there are better angels that surround us all. And we will find our differences, hear the better angels, listen to their call.”
November 2018
REVIEWS
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A holiday Classic Has Come To Theaters to Steal Your Tears, and Laughter By Brianna Munoz The holidays are around the corner and what better way then to kick it off with a joyful, colorful, and inspiring holiday original DR.SEUSS’ THE GRINCH. The movie came out on Friday November 9th. The movie is narrated by Pharrell Williams. It goes backs to Dr.Seuss classic book about the hateful Grinch played by Benedict Cumberbatch who lives in a mountain north of Whoville town. Christmas has arrived and the Whoville mayor of played by Angela Lansbury is expecting Christmas to be three times bigger than previous years. Senior Elvira Aguilar said, “I liked how the narrator kept saying the little rhymes throughout the movie. It took me back to when I was younger, and loved to read Dr.Seuss books. It gave a better point of what the Grinch’s intentions were.” Most will have their own opinion on the movie some may say it does not come close to matching the effectiveness of the original live action film The Grinch.
Senior Lainey Cardoso said, “From the trailers I’m most excited for all the laughs and seeing how much it is like the live action. I do hope it lives up the expectations that people have for it.” The Grinch's lovable loyal dog, Max, makes the famous Grinch of whoville a bit more sympathetic, as The Grinch reminisces about his sad backstory that explains his motivations for hating the holiday. Aguilar said, “The Grinch was exactly what I had expected the movie to be it was a little changed up, but the story seemed to be the same as the original Grinch movie.” Throughout the movie the Grinch’s point is to make sure that because he did not celebrate Christmas no one should be celebrating it either. Cardoso said, “The storyline was pretty straight forward, it related so much to the past movie, and the book. Him giving a brief look at how he never had a family really is what shapes the movie to be called The Grinch.” He disguised himself as Santa Clause and stole the en-
tire town's presents and decorations. Along the way he met young Cindy Lou Who played by Cameron Seely whose mother, Donna Lou played by Rashida Jones is
a hard-working single mom who works long hours to support Cindy, and her twin baby brothers. Cindy has a plan of her own to trap Santa, and ask him
for a very special gift. It just shows to come how dedicated young children are in meeting Santa Clause and making their wishes come true.
Photograph: Illumination Studios
The Newest Release of Call of Duty Black Ops 4 By Adrian Banuelos Call of Duty Black Ops 4 was recently released on October 12. Many had been waiting for this day for a long time now. It was one of the most anticipated games to be played in 2018. People all around the world were thrilled and anxious to get their hands on the newest popular game out. The game was brought up so much on mainstream media, that the game makers were able to get the attention of many gamer’s eyes. Junior, Seth Gonzalez said, “Overall I was so ex-
cited to finally play the video game on my ps4, with all my friends and family. The game had amazing graphics because the quality of the game was phenomenal. This has probably been one of the best Black Ops that has come out so far.” This time around in the game it includes multiplayer, blackout, campaign, and zombies. In which new maps were released for the game. Gonzalez also said “Since then the game has come out it has brought me and my friends, and family even closer. Once my family gets home on Fridays, I love play-
ing with them because we get quality relationship time that increases, from enjoying each other’s company. It also brings my friends closer because we are able to talk to each other over a headset, and we get to talk about life in general.” Even though parents may be concerned of the game being a little too violent, the game was made pg, so it could be appropriate. In this newest game it allows players to compete against each other in different locations, including land, sea, and in the air. Players are also able to communi-
cate with each other through headsets, which is a newest feature added to the game. Junior, Joey Delemora said “I was so happy that the game is available to be played on any counsel, such as PS4, Xbox, Pc, and Psvita. This is because I tend to play with one counsel every now and then. This allowed it to make it easier for me, so that whenever I feel like playing the game on a certain counsel, I am able to switch and play the game.” The game was developed by Treyarch and published by Activision. The game made over 500 million dollars in its
three-day launch weekend. This has created a newest world record, ever recorded in the gaming business. Delemora also said “The game successfully lived up to its standards because everyone I know really liked the game, and the newest features that it included. The game in the future still has potential of even getting better, because technology is always advancing, making it a lot easier for newest things the game makers can add to the game.”
Joseph Khan’s Bodied Film Produced By Eminem By Jenica Hernandez The movie Bodied, under the direction of Joseph Kahn and produced by Eminem, hit the Burbank theatre for its premiere on November 2. The movie would have very limited showings from the 2nd to the 4th, with three showings a day. The movie features main character Adam, who finds a new passion and skill
for battle rapping as he tries to research the topic for his college thesis, and must adjust is real life with his street life as a growing champion. The movie also features many battle rappers such as Kid Twist, Dizaster, Charlamagne tha God, and Dumbfounded, who help show the true culture of Battle Rap and how it changes lives for many people. Calum Worthy, the actor who plays Adam said,
"What I learned while shooting this movie is the lines in battle rap have a plan behind them and it's really an art form and technique, almost like professional athletes, but their skill is writing and acting at the same time." The humorous raps each character gave made the audience burst out in laughter, and all the audience went through the heartbreak of loss, hate, love, and fun that went into the lives of
the battle rappers Jackie Long, the actor who plays Behn Grymm said, "I think for today's time, the way the world is with people into killing and all that stuff, this movie is trying to show how instead of violence, people can get things off their chests with words. In Battle Rap, they try and teach you that anything goes, just like in life." Bodied is set to hit Youtube Premium on Novem-
ber 28 and is sure to bring more audiences on their emotional rollercoaster as they see life in the eyes of battle rappers and their everyday struggles. Long said, "It's just like when they say, 'when it's time for peace prepare for war', you don't know what's going to happen, and you have to do what you have to do. That's what this movie will show you."
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November 2018
OPINION
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Affirmative Action: Hurting More Than Helping sions. The most qualified people should be given admission, regardless of which race and cultural background they were born into. A person’s abilities and skills should be their defining criteria, but with Affirmative Action these traits effectively take a backseat to a person’s skin color.
By Megan Hackbarth The highly watched trial of Students for Fair Admissions versus Harvard University has recently begun and put the policy of Affirmative Action in the spotlight. First introduced in 1961, by President John F. Kennedy to secure employment free of discrimination was later adapted for use in college and university admissions. Affirmative Action has had a negative impact due to the acceptance and lenient rates toward minority group by creating social division, making favored unprepared minorities struggle academically, and discriminating against Asian American applicants. From the Boston Courtroom, it was discovered that in 2013, Harvard conducted an internal investigation in their admissions and found they were bias toward Asian American applicants. Harvard never released their findings to the press. Data from a 2014 Department of Education investigative study under the Obama administration uncovered communications among admission officers from Princeton showing bias against
Asian American applicants. This investigation’s findings on Princeton’s opinions are similar to many other prestigious schools. Asian American applicants should not be punished for their overachievement and for their families investing their time and effort in their child’s success. In an Espenshade study in 2005, Chang Chung, a se-
nior staff member in Princeton's Office of Population Research, examined data from elite colleges to see the outcomes if race and ethnicity factors was removed from the admissions process. It was concluded that without Affirmative Action, Asian American admission rates would rise from 17.6 percent to 23.4 percent. Now Harvard’s admissions
Affirmative Action policy has been criticized of discriminating against Asian Americans. It doesn’t change the fact that specific groups are apparently receiving extra levels of special consideration in inequitable ways. It is called “reverse discrimination.” The process destroys the idea of being selected by ability as it puts race as the number one factor in admis-
New Podcast Made by Teens, for Teens By Giovanna Fernandez The problems that teens face in high school may often be looked down upon. However, the youth no longer have to hunt for a kindly ear to listen to their issues. Fortunately, today’s social media is teeming with younger generation who strive to be heard and work hard to provide outlets for each other by creating various platforms. Starting in mid-September, a new podcast surfaced around Spotify and Apple Music called “Teenager Therapy.” The podcast was created by a tight-knit group of sophomores in Anaheim: Gael, Isaac, Kayla, Mark, and Thomas who record episodes that are released every weekend. Each 40 to 50-minute episode covers topics that are condensed into thoughtful yet casual conversation. The podcast, as a whole, is something that surely
attracts the attention of young people solely because it’s made with them in mind. Freshman Belen Sibal said, “I like how it’s not an adult’s point of view on kids. Nowadays, it’s common that older generations scold young people for being too sensitive or obsessed with their phones. The podcast is a reminder that teen struggles matter, and gives that message in a really fun and relatable way.” Still in its early stages, the podcast has grown the following of a couple thousand listeners. The episodes they have done are filled with their real, raw conversations over topics like anxiety, depression, sexuality, or simply getting through their freshman year. “Because they’re sophomores, this podcast is like a guide to how I should go through my year as a freshman. It’s really helpful and a good way for others to cope with their issues,” said Sibal.
Each member does a great job in answering their audience’s questions to the best of their ability, always ending the episode with a new moral. Sophomore Jessica Guerrero said, “I listen to this podcast because I’m not always up for talking to an adult about my situations or problems because they grew up in a different time period. When they talked about anxiety, I was really touched because this issue also faces a huge group of high school students now.” Within every generation, there is that repeated statement that adults don’t understand what kids go through. “There’s not many platforms like this today that are run by people who actually understand the growing issue of teens with anxiety or other issues. This representation of youth is really important because we are the future,” said Guerrero. Without a doubt, the group
has done and will continue to provide a great outlet for high school students who feel as if they have no one in their corner.
“I think that Harvard discriminating and being illegally biased towards Asian Americans is unacceptable. Everyone works so hard to be able to apply to Harvard with hopes of being accepted. They get the highest GPA possible, or the highest SAT or ACT scores,” Freshmen Rufina Chow said. “Colleges consider different aspects of an applicant and race shouldn’t be one. You should never decide someone’s future or limit their capabilities due to their race or where they come from.” As flawed it can be, it is worse than it was assumed to be. It is common practice for Admission offices to use Affirmative Action, thinking it will create diversity on campus, it relentlessly continues to turn down qualified Asian American applicants--even those with higher grades and test scores.
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2019 LAEU Members Say Goodbye To Band Season (Continued from page 2)
Awards started soon after the last band, Baldwin Park High School, performance. All the bands stood in an arch, nervous and excited to see their placements and scores. The scores ranged from high 60’s to low 80’s. Despite the awards brought out, South Hills High School ended up winning majority of the awards. They took home with a sweepstakes of auxiliary and music performance. Freshman Emily Orozco said, “The home tournament was a great experience especially as a freshman because being in marching band is all about teamwork and working together. On Saturday, we worked together to run the tournament smoothly and it was fun because I was with my friends.” LAEU and staff said farewell
to marching band season bringing sadness to seniors who have been in band for the past three years. The last tournament, Nov. 20, determined whether or not the band was allowed to attend to championships. Despite all efforts, LAEU earned 18th place, which did not qualify them for SCSBOA championships. Senior Heaven Mendoza said, “I have learned championships would’ve been a great thing for all of us but it wasn’t necessary. I was satisfied with how hard every single person of the unit work and how much time and precision went into this show. The biggest win was we gave it our all and we always strived for the best could’ve reached, and that’s all that truly mattered. No trophy could ever amount to that specific feeling I have.”
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Varsity Baseball Coach’s Achievements Honored In San Jose State Universitiy Sports Hall Of Fame By Elias Robles Varsity baseball coach Gabe Lopez was recently inducted into the San Jose State University Sports Hall of Fame for his time as a baseball player. His legacy has lived on and is now impacting the lives of Los Altos Baseball players.
Lopez displays his award.
Lopez played at Cerritos College for a year and San Jose State University for 2 years. Soon after, he was drafted by the New York Yankees, playing for 6 seasons along with one season with the San Diego Padres, playing Triple-A for the teams. He went on to coach for 7 years at El Rancho High
Photo Credit: Los Altos Athletics.
School prior to coming to Los Altos, having worked for 3 years with the Conquerors. At San Jose State, Lopez hit .353 and led the 2002 team in RBI’s, batting average, hits, doubles, walks, and stolen bases. He never missed a beat, starting 62 games that season. “I’ve always had a love for the game since my first time picking up a bat when I was very young. My parents always put me in a position to succeed whether i t was taking me out to the park or putting me in a team and just allowing me to do what I loved, the drive has always been in me as a player and now as a coach,” said Lopez. Although many view their careers only seeing their accomplishments with the sport, Lopez looks past that and reflects on his opportunity to take more out of the sport than stats, as did his fellow players on the weekend of his induction. Lopez said, “A lot of the stories that were shared that weekend were about our relationships with our teammates and the coaching staff.
Girls Varsity Basketball Prepare for Winning Their Winter Season By Jenica Hernandez With winter fast approaching students of Los Altos are getting ready for chilly days, Christmas, Thanksgiving, and the upcoming girls' varsity basketball season. The girls have been anticipating this season to be another fun, thrilling ride. Since summer the team has been working with each other and adjusting to new freshmen along with some transfer students. Coaches Mark Nakamura and Danny Rodriguez have been working with the girls in the weight room, on the track, and of course, in the gym. Rodrig u e z said, "We are working on being more physical to force other teams to look for other alternative, m o r e complex ways to
score. It is our job to make it difficult for them." The girls work hard in the gym working on both offense and defense, preparing them for preseason, season, and possibly CIF. Last year the girls were defeated by Redondo Union by just 3 points in the third round of CIF, and ever since they have been working to get back to that high shelf. Senior captain Kiara Moreno said, "This year we are really focusing on communication skills and being more vocal, that way we help each other be loud. The team this year have certain teams in their m i n d s that they want to beat, even more than last year if possible, such as Wa l n u t , Diamond Ranch, and even Redond o if they had the
chance to do so. The girls also work on speed and agility both on and off the court. When they get the chance to, the Lady Conquerors take their time learning and perfecting plays, whether they've used them for a few years or for the first time this year. They also test their speed out on the track, making themselves quicker for the upcoming competition. Rodriguez said, "We need to make it easier for us to score the ball faster and more efficiently. These plays and speed training help with pushing the team and setting higher bars for themselves." The girls are working to eventually start their season towards the ending of November, but in the meantime, their training keep pushing themselves, and the girls go to work every day with one goal in their mind: to win.
That holds a dear place in my heart.” Taking from his own time and insight as a player, Lopez has encouraged players on his team to view their whole expe-
rience, supporting each other as a team, teaching them more than just new baseball skills. Sophomore varsity pitcher Rafael Arredondo said, ”He has taught us that our team is a brotherhood and that we should always have each others backs and everything we do is done together.” Besides being a coach to many young players, he is also a role model to them, helping them every step of the way. “He helps me and my teammates develop by push-
ing us to work our hardest during practice. He corrects our mistakes and bad habits and shows us what we need to do to get to the next level. Coach Lopez has helped make me a better person by showing me the values of respect on and off the field,” said Arredondo. Coach Lopez is well d e -
serving of his spot in the hall of fame, not only due to his achievements as a player, but also because of his character that impacts many around him. Lopez said, “ As a player, there was a leadership aspect, leading those men on a daily basis, on and off the field, and trying to be a good example to my teammates. Now I’m here and have the responsibility to teach these young men the game of baseball and teach them how to be good students and good people. The biggest thing I bring to the program is my love and passion I have for the game and the want for these boys to succeed in every aspect of life.”
Alumni Julian Lopez Support (Continued from front page) “I just get tired, and I can’t get out there like I used to. I am limited to what I can do. I am not allowed to open doors or do any type of upper body movement such as pushing or pulling,” Julian Lopez said. The events profits were donated to help the family with medical and travel costs. The Lopez family has ties to Wilson, as the oldest brother played at Wilson 5-6 years ago and Julia was apart of their booster club at that time. Los Altos senior and best friend Jarod Lucas commented about the unfortunate circumstance Julian has faced and the impact it had on his game, “As soon as I found out about his condition I decided the next game I would be wearing his number three. He inspired me to keep on pushing on the floor, knowing that he couldn’t play.” The gym was filled with intensity as both sides were ready to root for their teams, but not only was there a feeling of rivalry, there was also a real sense of pride and love as both schools set aside their
differences and came together as one, for a great cause. Julian was greeted by friends, family, administration, and teachers in what felt like a true homecoming for the Conqueror Graduate. “He is very grateful for all his friends and all of the community reaching out and messaging him. He is very grateful to that and all the prayers. That is what has given him strength,” Julia Lopez said. Not only did people from the community come together Adidas and Pizza Co made donations do their own for the event. Lucas commented on the event saying, “It was great to see the community come together and support him, it showed the impact he made on our community.” The Lopez family were thankful for everyone that supported them thus far and will continue to help Julian. He hopes to complete his Bachelor’s Degree as a Kinesiology major, and will pursue a career in sports medicine.
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November 2018
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Girls Varsity Volleyball Dominates Season By Jenica Hernandez
The Los Altos Girls Volleyball Season began on August 14 for their first preseason game against Whittier Christian and ended on October 18 for their first and last CIF matchup against Pacifica. The Girls had a League record of 9-1 and an overall record of 23-6. Senior Jennifer Martinez said, "This season has been very special to me in many ways. With it being my senior year, I was eager to see what it had in store for us. Watching our progress during practice, I definitely knew this season was going to be our best. " This fall season began with our girls having a strong winning streak of 5-0 games in league. Each game, the girls set both personal and team goals. Their energy contributed greatly to each and every game, and the girls made sure to rattle the walls with their voices, even if the game was away. The Lady Conquerors made sure that their name would be in everyone’s mind, and the target on their back was enormous as they entered ever gym. Every team wanted to beat them, yet they pushed through and played their game, as they have for the past 7 league seasons. Junior Solidad Sibal said, "Everyone played together like a
Photo By Danielle Porras
Stephanie Ramos sets the ball to be spiked and turn the game in Los Altos’s favor. symphony and we had the mindset where everyone knew their roles and their positions." The girls went up against teams of different caliber during pre-season to help them prepare for league. They went up against short teams, tall teams, challenging teams, and teams they may have seen in CIF. They tried out new plays, switched around the
positions, and figured out a way to click together. Sibal said, "I knew we had the capability to win the season once we started the season, we had the power to do it. Mentally, I believe we knew we won the season at the second round Walnut Game." Not only did the girls win the Hacienda League Cham-
pionship title for the seventh year in a row, an amazing accomplishment, but also made it to firstround CIF. The matchup against Pacifica sadly ended the Lady Conquerors' season with 3 sets to 2 for Pacifica, another tough heartbreak. Nonetheless, the loss was not too shattering for our Los Altos Varsity Girls Volleyball,
they will come back next season stronger than ever and hungrier for the league title once more, and for the CIF ring as well. Sophomore Alyxine Villanueva said, "This season has given this team the time to develop trust and confidence in each other, as well as opportunities to improve our skills for next season."
Conquerors Wrap Up Season With First Round Exit By Damien Alvarado The Los Altos Conquerors wrapped up their season with a first round loss on November second. The Conquerors engaged in a tough battle against the number 1 ranked CIF-Southern Section Division 5 playoff foe Aquinas. Los Altos previously lost to the West Bulldogs, and the team made it into the playoffs with an at large bid. The Falcon defense forced turnovers, sacks and only allowed Los Altos to gain just 126 total yards. “It was tough to keep up with them, we made to many mistakes early on which caused the game to get out of hand. I feel like aquinas was a beatable team and we had a chance. All week at practice we were going 110% and I thought be were prepared for the game. But their was a reason why they are #1 in division 5,” said senior Linebacker Anthony Licea. It took the Falcons nearly four minutes to score
after repeatedly running the ball, which gave them a 7-0 lead. The Conquerors were able to answer back with a score of their own off of a 6 yard run from junior receiver Avery Torres. This would be the closest the game would be as the Falcons ran
away with the score 48-7 Senior backer Joel Garcia said, “It was a tough game both sides came out strong. The first quarter 7-7 really got both sides excited. But at the end of the day it came down to who wanted it more and it was them.”
Los Altos and Wilson line up to battle for the wheel.
Aquinas capitalized on all the Conqueror mistakes such as a recovery of a squib kick, which pretty much shifted all momentum in the Falcons favor. It only took two snaps for the Falcons to score off a 30-yard touchdown run
Photo By Laila Jibrin
which turned a close game into a 20-7 Aquinas lead. “Although I will never be able to play high school ball again, I am glad I got to play for Los Altos and had a great year,” said Licea. The Falcons persistent run game wore down the Conqueror defense, which capped off the final game for Los Altos football. The team finished the year with a 4-7 record, a win over rival Wilson, and Charter Oak, as well as a first round playoff spot. This team defied all odds as 90 percent of the team is filled with juniors and sophomores. Although the team held a losing record it is a learning experience and step in the right direction for the future of LA football. “Out of the 4 years of playing football here at the school it was a roller coaster, but to top it off I’m glad I had my boys by my side every game,” said Garcia