2007 november

The World Is Our Campus Volume 56, Issue 2

Arcadia High School 180 Campus Drive, Arcadia, CA

November 2007

Raging Wildfires Devastate California

In this issue:

Photo by GLORIA LIOU

CENTER SPREAD pg.12-13 Advanced Drama: Have You Heard? Rumors by Neil Simon

Photo by EMILIO FLORES

SMOKE INHALATION Students at the University of California, San Diego are forced to cover their faces when venturing outdoors due to the poor air quality caused by the raging wildfires.

By POONAM MANTHA & CHRISTINE XU Photo Courtesy of THE ARCADIAN

STUDENT LIFE pg.15 Band Steps to the Beat: A summary of Band’s success this season

Photo by ROYA F.

SPORTS pg.18 Boys Waterpolo Wins League: Varsity wins first title in school history

Staff Writers

With over a dozen wildfires raging in Southern California from San Diego to Los Angeles, nearly one million citizens have been forced to evacuate their homes and seek shelter from the greatest natural disaster since Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

A deadly combination of scorching heat, barren land, and the Santa Ana winds made “the perfect storm for fire,” according to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

So far, there have been approximately 24 different fires across Southern California, blackening nearly 516,000 acres of land, killing seven people, injuring 90, and displacing millions. This evacuation, the largest in California history, has prompted most citizens to seek refuge in schools, shelters, and stadiums such as the 60,000-seat Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, the National Orange Show in San Bernardino, and the Victorville Fairgrounds in Victorville.

In an effort to thwart reports of governmental inadequacy similar to those re-

ceived after Hurricane Katrina, President George Bush has officially declared the fires as a federal emergency in several local counties. He has also traveled to Southern California to survey the damage and offer his condolences to the newly homeless. The disaster relief funds provided by the national government will eventually help the entire area recuperate from the damage, which has budgeted at about $1 billion. Additionally, other states in the West are aiding California by providing firefighters and equipment to understaffed crews to help extinguish the fires.

In addition, the fires have greatly affected the students here at Arcadia High. All athletics were cancelled in order to protect the participants from smoke inhalation. Senior Giselle Sorial on Girls Cross Country was upset when her asthma prevented her from participating in the Apache Invitational. “The smoke ruined my senior year by hindering my ability to race. It would have been my final chance to run our course and break my record.” Katherine Lee, an AHS alumni and current student at UCSD, was forced to come home when all classes at the university were cancelled due to the spread of the wildfires.

“The air quality was so poor that there were

times when I would step outside and be unable to breathe. I was forced to walk around with a scarf wrapped around my face to keep from coughing.”

Many are speculating on the reasons why these flames have ravaged Southern California. Far-fetched and unsubstantiated theories, such as the Fox News report that an Al-Queda terrorist started the fire as the next attack on the United States, are easy to ignore. A more accurate report on October 31st, 2007 showed that a 10-year-old boy with matches was responsible for starting one of the larger fires, the Buckweed fire in Agua Dulce. However, this devastating tragedy causes us to shift out attention towards potentially larger problems.

The ominous effects of global warming on our planet have become increasingly evident over the last several years. With the severe lack of rainfall and record-breaking heat, California is experiencing one of the greatest droughts of all time, making it more vulnerable to firestorms. Scientist James Lovelock predicts that by the year 2020, similar natural disasters and droughts will be extremely commonplace due to the growing hole in the ozone layer and that, by the year 2040, the world’s population will have dramatically decreased in size.

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NEWS

theapachepowwow.com

November 2007

Briefs

By VICTORIA BIAN Staff Writer

Looking Ahead IN THE MONTH OF

NOVEMBER Hugs for Hope

Nov. 8th will be the last day for donations of new stuffed animals to help the Arcadia Police Department, the Fire Department, and Methodist Hospital give a “furry friend” to children in their time of need. Know that donations will provide comfort to a child during a tragic time. Please bring stuffed animal to drop off points at C2, F8, or the Front Office with Mrs. Harvey.

Arcadia Festival of Bands On Sat. Nov. 17, 2007 at 8:30 a.m. on Baldwin Avenue, Arcadia High School, First Avenue, Dana, and Foothills Middle Schools will host the 54th Arcadia Festival of Bands, show-

By KATHLEEN KAO Staff Writer

For competitive AHS students, sleep is a luxury. We’re used to pulling all-nighters; we’re accustomed to drowning ourselves in coffee and energy drinks for an artificially induced adrenaline rush; we’ve honed our ability to be half-conscious in school with a mere three hours of sleep; we’ve practically been programmed to fret about APs, tests, and projects in our sleep. All that is great for working towards the college of our dreams, but how great is it for our bodies?

Sleep deprivation is a reason for the infamous morning grouchiness, but we’ve never known why until now. Scientists have been able to detect the inner workings of the effects of sleep deprivation. The prefrontal cortex, which regulates logic and reasoning, fails when a certain sleep time quota is not met. The amygdala, a part of the brain that triggers our primitive “fight-or-flight” reaction, goes into overdrive.

Scientists managed to explain what this means with an experiment involving twenty-six participants, who were exposed to 100 “normal” to “increasingly” gruesome pictures. The wellrested group exhibited normal activity in the amygdala when exposed to images of mutilated bodies, but the group that stayed awake for thirty-five hours straight displayed an alarming jump in amygdala activity. The sleep deprived group was significantly agitated when shown the negative pictures. They were unable to distinguish make believe from real, because their

Westfield’s Week of Wonders

On the weekend of Nov. 16 through Nov. 18, Westfield Shopping Center will be hosting a charity. Colorguard will be selling wristbands for $5 that entitles purchasers to participate in an exclusive shopping extravaganza. 100% of proceeds will benefit the PTSA.

White Christmas From Nov. 26-30, Arcadia High School’s

By AKHILA RAO Staff Writer

Healthcare reform in California is on the horizon as Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger plans to proceed in his goal to require all Californians to have health insurance. On Oct. 9, the governor revealed his plan to use the state lottery to help fund the reform. Further explaining his proposal, the governor continued to describe his goal to lease out the lottery to a private

By JENNIFER CHANG & JANHVI JOSHI Staff Writers

nual White Christmas drive to help out the less

Infinite. A word that evokes an untold number of meanings, but more importantly, it is the theme of AHS’s ’07-’08 yearbook. The theme serves as both a tribute to the class of 2008, as an 8 is an infinity sign on its side, as well as the infinite number of memories captured throughout the year. A catchy play on words, “infinite” can personify just about anything. Infinite possibilities for students, an infinite number of topics to instruct, an infinite number of victories for sports, infinite opportunities AHS offers-to mention a few.

The theme “infinite” runs its way throughout the yearbook and senior Allen Chen, Executive Editor of The Arcadian, says “it is something people will want to continue to look back upon in ten, twenty, thirty years, because that’s what a yearbook does: it preserves moments and memories for an infinite amount of time.”

Presenting a bright white cover, this year’s yearbook will portray innovative magazine-style pages. The senior quotes are going to be placed

Students are encouraged to bring canned food, dry food and/or monetary donations and to drop off items into designated White Christmas boxes located in each classroom.

Intercultural Dinner “Harmony Around the World” On Nov. 26 from 6:30-9:00 p.m., the Arcadia Chamber of Commerce and the Arcadia Unified School District Intercultural Committee invites adults and children to enjoy an evening celebrating Harmony Around the World at the Community Center for $26 per person.

Dead-

line for reservations is Nov. 19.

prefrontal cortex, which controls reasoning and logic, had shut down and was unable to inhibit the activity raging in the amygdala that triggered their fight-or-flight response, resulting in increased levels of disturbance.

There is a clear relationship between sleep deprivation and psychiatric disorders. Clinical evidence has shown that in nearly all disorders, there are traces of sleep disruption.

In such a fast paced age, when everything demands our full, undivided attention, sleeping hours have dramatically decreased. The average adult in the 1800’s slept eight to nine hours a day. In the late 1900’s to present time, the average has dipped to six to eight hours. Statistics show that the range now applies to children,

whose physical and mental development relies strongly on getting enough rest.

To combat our dwindling sleeping hours, experts have suggested that people do not take naps during the day, as this disrupts our sleep pattern. Our sleeping schedules should be constant, and there should be no erratic flucuations on when we finally tuck ourselves in after a long, tiring day. Our sleeping environment is also a determining factor to how well we sleep. A big, illuminating clock blinking at the corner of our eye is certainly a sleep deterrent, and the kind of bed we use can decide how soundly we rest. Relaxing right before climbing into bed can help as well, because it prepares the body for rest.

group and consequently use close to $2 billion a year to finance his healthcare plan. This plan will be part of a larger healthcare financing program that will be up to the voters in November 2008 to decide upon. One of the biggest hurdles Schwarzenegger will have to deal with is getting the Democrats to agree with his plan.

The biggest conflict is cost while Democrats ask how the governor will make carrying insurance affordable to lower middle class residents. Governor Schwarzenegger pointed out at the news conference that California’s lottery is

making less money per capita compared to the other state lotteries throughout the nation and that it is time to seek for “someone who will do a better job (and) who will get more money for the taxpayers.”

Under the new plan, the governor hopes to lease out the state lottery for a 40-year lease of $37 billion. In turn, the state will use the money to generate a $2 billion annuity a year to help pay for heathcare. Education will still continue to receive $1.1 billion each year from the lottery.

2007-2008 Yearbook Theme: Infinite

Senior Men and Women will be hosting the anfortunate families during this holiday season.

Lacking Sleep Sophomores Mabel Lee and Michelle Mak try hard to stay awake during their first period class.

Lottery May Aid Healthcare Reform

casing 50 of the best High School Marching Bands in Southern California.

Photo by JENNIFER HANG

News Remember to Catch Your Zzz’s

beneath each senior’s portrait, making the quote students’ favorite memories throughout the more significant and personal to the seniors. school year.”

Overall, the yearbook is going to have a less On the bottom of the pages will feature conventional something design but will called “incontinue to finite conbe an all colnections,” ored yearbook similar to the for the 3rd “Six Degrees consecutive of Relayear. The photion” game, tographs are in which the now personally staff is going managed by a to attempt separate class, to connect in association everyone in to the yearbook the school to staff, who are another feldedicated to low student. taking dynamic Photo by JANHVI JOSHI “ W e shots and enhave an insuring quality WOrking diligentlY Mei Liu, Kevin Ma, credibly talpictures. and and Pai Hui Yu work hard to meet their deadlines. ented Allen rehardworking marks that The Arcadian staff is “trying to rev- staff; but on top of that, we are ultimately a team olutionize the yearbook, but at the same time, and are working really well together in order to maintain its essence of being an anthology of produce the best possible book,” assures Allen.

November 2007

theapachepowwow.com

First Avenue’s 100-Year Anniversary staff writer

On Oct. 27, 2007, Arcadia’s oldest middle school celebrated its 100th year birthday. First Avenue Middle School, established in 1907, once began as a meager two-classroom school, but has now flourished into a home for approximately 600 Spartan students. In honor of its Centennial, countless faculty and performers have worked together to host a celebration, offering attractions ranging from chalk murals, carnival games, musical performances by FA’s band and orchestra, as well as food and face paint.

Students both old and new, along with past teachers and new visitors, roamed

the halls, which were plastered with panoramas of graduating classes since FA’s beginning.

Alumni were welcomed back to contribute their artwork, decorations, or performances and current teachers were present to answer any questions. “It was great to see all the old teachers and ceLeBratiOn the Fa Orchestra some of the alumni at the performs for the students and teachers.

Centennial. The best feature of the celebration was the rows of a long way since 1907 and it continues class pictures on the hallways and see- to be a respected and loved school in our ing which teachers actually graduated city,” said senior Jack Pai, a First Avenue from FA. First Avenue has really come alumnus.

Photo by JAY ZHANG

By JeNNifer CHANG

Controversial Bill Passed in California Assembly acteristic that is contained in the definition of hate crimes…equal rights staff writers and opportunities in the educational institutions of the state,” (S.B. 777).

The author of the bill, Senator Sheila In mid-October, Arnold Schwar- Kuehl, believes the revised proposizenegger signed a new controversial tion will help students living alternate legislation designed to protect homo- sexual lifestyles face less persecution sexual, bisexual, and transsexual stu- while enforcing equality for other dents from kindergarten to 12th grade groups as well. against discrimination. Starting JanuHowever, conservatives worry ary 2008, schools across the state of that by requiring teachers and textCalifornia will be changing their poli- books to be unbiased, the bill will cies to meet the requirements of the have negative effects on younger stunew law, prohibiting bias in school- dents as they will have a higher likesponsored activities, textbooks, and lihood of being exposed to various classrooms. sexual lifestyles. “I believe that this The California Student Civil bill crosses too many moral threshRights Act, formally known as the olds,” said an anonymous student.

Senate Bill 777 (S.B. 777), was in- Moreover, because the S.B. 777 retroduced early this year in order “to stricts textbooks from printing any afford all persons in public schools, biased material, the issue of whether regardless of their disability, gender, the bill violates freedom of speech nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, also arises. sexual orientation, or any other charConversely, proponents of the

By JOANNA CHUANG & ANGeLA sHeN

new bill feel it will help end discrimination and reinforce equal rights for all students. According to Geoff Kors, the Equality California (EQCA) Executive Director, “this legislation will make sure that all students in California public schools are protected from harassment and bias. We owe all California students a safe and secure learning environment so they can do better academically and have a strong foundation for future success.” California’s largest public school district, the Los Angeles Unified School District, has already begun applying the bill in its schools.

The California Student Civil Rights Act affects students in California from kindergarten to 12th grade by introducing an unbiased learning environment. Although there is much controversy concerning the bill, views on a “correct” or “preferred” sexual orientation will no longer be allowed in schools as the bill will go into effect on January 2008.

NEWS Staff Editors Editors-in-Chief News Editors Opinion Editors Entertainment Editors Student Life Editor Features Editors Sports Editor Academics Editors Front Page Editor Center Spread Editor Calendar Editor Campus Focus Editor Advertisement Editors Associate Editor Executive Copy Editor Photography/Graphics Editors Webmaster Fundraising Chair

to Ashton’s kidneys, liver, lungs and the muscles around his heart. A surgery was to be performed to remove the infection from his lungs, but an inoperable blood clot was discovered, diminishing his chances of survival. This particular mutation of staphylococcus does not react to antibiotics and there-

making it a highly contagious infection which, according to the Journal staff writer of the American Medical Association, causes approximately 32 invasive On Monday, Oct. 15, 17-yearinfections per 100,000 people. Alold Ashton Darnelle Bonds passed though this number may seem small, away from what the government the American Medical Association calls “super bug,” a bacteria that has says that this numerical value is “ascaused multiple deaths in the United tounding.” So astounding in fact, States alone and could potentially that in the year 2005, MRSA was infect anyone at any time. responsible for an estimated 90,000 There exists over 30 differdeaths, which exceeds the number ent variations of the Staphylococcaused by AIDS in that year. cus bacteria (staph), all of which With MRSA acting as a plaucan live harmlessly on the surface sible threat in schools across the of the skin. When the bacterium is country, the Arcadia Unified School able to penetrate skin through an District continues to take precauopen wound, however, an infection tions in order to lower the risk facmay occur. The type of infection tor. Shirley Coulter, health assistant can range anywhere from harmless in the AHS health office, says that to deadly, depending on the varia- Photo by CHrisTiNe HOwArD the health office has always been tion of staph and the severity of the preVenting inFectiOnS nurse cleaned multiple times a day with a wound through which the bacteria disinfectant that is provided by the Shirley coulter treats junior iman issa. enters. Methicillin-resistant Staphyschool district. Sheets and pillow lococcus aureus (MRSA) is the an- fore, is difficult to get rid of. covers on the cots are changed per Previously, MRSA was typically use and the janitorial staff also cleans tibiotic-resistant strain of the staph bacteria that, when released into the contracted only in hospitals but the the health office daily. Mrs. Coulter, bloodstream, can cause fatalities, as bacterium has recently spread rela- in agreement with other health offiwas the case with Bonds. A week tively quickly in locker rooms, pris- cials, says that the best way to prevent prior to his death, doctors confirmed ons, and poor urban neighborhoods, as infections of any kind would be too that the MRSA infection had spread well. MRSA is spread through contact, simply keep clean.

Kyle Jacobsen and Hanan Kamal Lisa Chang and Jay Zhang Iris Jong and Gretl Lam Veronica Lim and Emily Rueter Mimi Kamal Cora Ormseth and Lily Wong Laura Kelly Melissa Chen and Jacqueline Yue Poonam Mantha Mitalee Khilnani Daphne Tan Elaine Chang Kayla Pang and Ivy Yang Hannah Gallaher Celeste Cheung and Christine Xu Roya Falatoonzadeh and Jennifer Hang Minda Wang Hannah Mathews-Ward

Staff Writers

News Staff

Opinion Staff Entertainment Staff Student Life Staff Features Staff Sports Staff

Deadly Skin Infection Spreads Nationwide

By JeNNifer HANG

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Academics Staff Calendar Staff Campus Focus Staff Copy Editing Staff

Center Spread Fundraising Staff

Adviser

Victoria Bian, Jennifer Chang, Celeste Cheung, Jennifer Hang, Ashley Johnson, Janhvi Joshi, Akhila Rao, Allison Zheng, Christine Xu Tiffany Chang, Aisha Elmarsi, Arthur Huang, Yan Man Brianna Beckman, Roya Falatoonzadeh, Angela Meng Michael Chen, Joanna Chuang, Jenny Lin, Scott Lyou, Parvin Shakib, Angela Shen, David Sun Rachel Cheong, Kristen Murakami, Christine Pao, Linda Wang, Erica Win, Chloe Yuan Hannah Gallagher, James Hernandez, Christine Howard, Mitalee Khilnani, Frank Lam, Hannah Mathews-Ward, Minda Wang, Gregory Zachary Kevin Kim, Grace Kwong, Tracy Lee, Daphne Tan Victoria Bian, Veronica Lim Sarah Lin Melissa Chen, Cindy Huynh, Grace Kwong, Tracy Lee, Kristen Murakami, Jacqueline Yue Chris Liang Brianna Beckman, James Hernandez, Christine Howard, Ashley Johnson, Janhvi Joshi, Poonam Mantha, Akila Rao

Mr. Johnny Lee

Publication Information: The Apache Pow Wow is a student publication distributed monthly throughout the school year. The paper has been continuously published since Arcadia High School opened in 1952. Unsigned articles appearing on the opinion page reflect the opinion of the Apache Pow Wow editorial board. All others represent those of their respective authors. Address letters to the editor to: AHS Apache Pow Wow, 180 W. Campus Drive, Arcadia, CA 91007. To place an advertisement in the newspaper, call (626) 821-8370. Advertisement rates vary from $30 for a business card advertisement to $360 for a full-page black and white advertisement, with quarter-page, half-page, and advertisement insert options available.

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Opinion

It Sucks to be a Freshman

By CELESTE CHEUNG & CHRISTINE XU Guest Writers

It’s a well-known fact at Arcadia High School that being a lowly freshman is extremely frustrating. We are, after all, at the bottom of the high school hierarchy. Some upperclassmen have forgotten their terrible freshmen days and may not think it’s so bad being the youngest in the school, but let us remind you that we freshmen still have to endure a hundred and eighty days of ridicule and patronizing head-patting. Not to mention a plethora of other irritating disadvantages.

As freshmen, we’ve noticed that upperclassmen rarely take us seriously. When we make astute observations like “Ooh! So there’s the ASB Office!” upperclassmen usually laugh, even if we are discussing a completely serious matter. We certainly don’t see what’s so funny.

Even our fighting over pencils or Cocoa Puffs amuses them to no end. They seem to particularly enjoy repeating, “Awww, you’re so cute!” around us. Sometimes they just giggle when we pass by.

We’re not sure why.

As newcomers to Arcadia High, we quickly learned that it’s impossible to find a table to sit at during lunch. On the first day of school,

perhaps you spotted an enormous cluster of freshmen wandering around, trying to find a table. All we wanted to do was find a place to sit so we could eat our lunches. Alas, we found out the hard way that freshmen aren’t allowed to sit under the pavilion—apparently, it’s designated as an upperclassmen-only area.

Speaking of exclusion and derision, remember the Homecoming Assembly? When Mr. Tung attempted to rally up some Apache spirit from each grade, we found out just how much you upperclassmen love to humiliate us.

When we freshmen began cheering, you upperclassmen began booing. Loudly. The booing was so loud, in fact, that it drowned out all of our cheering. You upperclassmen might think that because we are too immature for your tastes, we deserve to be booed and should be sent back to middle school, but still- booing?

Are you sure we are the immature ones here?

Well, perhaps we will find out what that is all about when we enter upperclassmen-hood.

As you can see, freshman life isn’t too swell. We’re looking forward to September 9th, 2008—that’s the day we officially move up the social ladder of high school and become sophomores. Even though we will still be considered inferior underclassmen, anything is better than being an insignificant little freshman. But of course, we’re going to keep dreaming of the day when we finally become seniors.

Graphic by DANIEL YAMANE

Poor freshies As the underdogs of the school, freshmen face ridiculous amounts of discrimination and humiliation.

theapachepowwow.com

November 2007

Take a Step in the Guy’s Shoes

By YAN MAN Staff Writer

Now that the annual Homecoming hullabaloo has come and gone, we are all faced with the daunting task of warding away post dance syndrome, and it’s a perfect time to reflect. Looking at the rows of portraits hanging in the front office, I muse over how things have changed since the leadership of solely male ASB presidents, since the days when guys in collared shirts were charged with the responsibility of pleasing their skirt-wearing counterparts with a romantic request to attend the dance together.

Times have changed. A new phenomenon is arising: girls are crossing traditional boundaries, boldly asking guys out to the dance.

Though we live in times where it is normal to have female ASB presidents and women running for president of the U.S., to have a girl ask a guy to a dance still borders on taboo. Where do these beliefs come from? Why is there such a mindset? No one can really explain, but senior Tim Sae Koo sums it up nicely: “It’s just the way it’s supposed to be. It’s like an unwritten rule.” For some strange reason, though men and women are now widely considered equals, there still exists a certain expectation for guys to make the first move.

Formal school dances have become synonymous with the daring, creative schemes guys concoct to flatter their prospective dates.

Every guy can attest to the stress that comes with not only deciding who to ask, but also how to ask. We teenagers expect a show. In the weeks leading up to a dance, we swap tales of huge posters, flashy setups, and scavenger hunts, nodding in approval after hearing about a particularly charming, particularly elaborate performance. Senior David Sun observes that these require incredible amounts of time and energy because “girls expect a really extravagant way of being asked,” and that these days, “standards are set really high for asking people to Homecoming.” Senior Michael Benipayo agrees: “I spend a lot of time planning how to ask because I want to make it something worth remembering. I believe the effort a guy puts into asking a girl shows how much he cares about her.” Cer-

tainly, girls are flattered when presented with a beautiful bouquet of flowers from a good friend or a boyfriend. But what’s wrong if the roles are switched? If the girl wants to do something nice for the guy? If the girl asks the guy out?

Just as girls are no longer confined to certain roles in society, they should no longer be expected to play the hopelessly helpless damsel in distress, waiting around for that one boy, that hero armed with a bouquet of flowers, to ask her to the dance. If a girl has a special someone in mind, she should be able to ask him without any reservations. Just because tradition dictates that guys must be the instigators, doesn’t mean a girl should be condemned to sit and wait. Who asked who really won’t matter when you’re out on the dance floor acting a fool.

And really, it’s not like guys have any problem with girls asking them to dances.

Truth be told, sometimes it’s even better that way because then, as Tim says, “the guy doesn’t have to do anything. He just gets to go. Plus, it’s a confidence boost for the next time.” Girls, here’s a secret- guys have an inherent fear of humiliation. Even the thought of being rejected brings on this dreaded feeling.

This is one of the main reasons many guys do not ask a girl to a formal dance, even if they want to go with her. What can I say? We have images to maintain, names to preserve.

Girls who ask are saving their lucky companions from being forced to take up potentially demoralizing, uncomfortable responsibilities appointed to them by a demanding high school society. Girls who ask also inspire confidence in their partners and allow those guys new to dances to develop familiarity with the elusive ways of this night of tradition.

Today, it seems like we want to uphold equal rights and at the same time respect a tradition where males play a dominant role. Because of this, girls hesitate to ask even when they know who they want to go with, and guys who aren’t instigators are ridiculed for not being “manly.” Just as girls are expected to play the game of “wait and see,” guys are persuaded, by peers and others, that they should always be the leaders. As evidenced by the large number of flowery schemes put into action this past October, the tradition of Homecoming lives on. Nevertheless, things are changing- slowly, to be sure, but still changing.

Why Aren’t You Doing What You Love?

By ARTHUR HUANG Staff Writer

Are you doing what you love? Are you still on that difficult, trying path that is riddled with doubt, or have you already settled for mediocrity? It’s never what we thought it would be.

It’s never laden with roses or ablaze with glory.

They say the hardest thing in life is to keep chasing after your dream. They say dreams are called dreams because they can never be achieved, will never materialize into reality.

They say this, they say that. Derisive chitchat.

Excuse me, you there. The high school teacher, walking around campus with armfuls of books, notebooks, binders, all the while toting a backpack or rolling a luggage-style one around. You walk around looking so discontented, yet so deep in thought. Are you thinking of what could have, should have, been? Being a teacher is very respectable and notable, but was this what you once wanted to be? What was it, then? A firefighter, an astronaut? U.S. National

TCID:

Park Ranger, star athlete? Perhaps a research scientist? A rock star, even? Then, a more important question arises: what stopped you?

And you. High school senior, still harboring doubts about where you will apply. Worrying about the university name that will be on your diploma years from now. You are burdened by impossibly high expectations, competing with the best and brightest of the 2008s, pressured by society to define success by wealth, instead of by happiness and satisfaction. And amidst all of this, you have lost sight, lost track of your childhood dreams. Perhaps you wanted to be a pilot? Aspired for the White House?

Hoped to become an artist, a Supreme Court justice, a renowned chef? Or maybe you simply yearned to stand atop a canyon and await the sunset, that one magical moment when the world is enveloped in a beautiful palette of color. Maybe you are still set on that path, and if so, you are already a hero in my eyes.

But to those who are not- what’s stopping you?

And then there are you underclassmen, under the intense, unrelenting pressure to maintain a 4.0 or become valedictorian or ob-

tain that highly coveted 2400. Those of you with parents who expect you to attend Harvard, Yale or Princeton. Those of you who, your whole lives, have lived in the shadows of your exasperatingly excellent, frustratingly perfect brothers and sisters, in the unrealistic hopes of your parents. To you, it must seem as though you must find a cure for cancer, must end world hunger, must win the Pulitzer Prize before turning eighteen, to be noticed.

Such intense pressure and sky-high expectation, from your parents, from the world, from yourselves. Such that you have been blinded from seeing your own path in life- the abandoned road on which you were destined to tread. Alas, this is not what you wanted. This is not who you are. You are not your brother or sister or cousin. You are not the perfect child your parents have deluded themselves into thinking you are. You have a name of your own and dreams of your own. Who cares if you’re not as good as your brother, Mr. Congressman, or the child of your parents’ friends, Ms. CEO? So what if you’re not the infallible robot your parents want? The most important

question is: are you doing what you love?

We face so many obstacles in our pursuance of the dream, be it doubt, disapproval, or fear. So many movies and songs are made with that same, overplayed theme: be who you want to be; it’s your world, take the plunge.

Personally, I find it very intimidating.

Personally, I yearn to do what I really want, but so many things hold me back. Maybe I am a coward, a hypocrite. I’m not, and perhaps never will be, doing what I love. But I find a bitter reassurance: I’m not alone. Everyone hides behind façade. Everyone clings to a masked personality, as though it is a defensive reflex, as though revealing our true self will be the end of us. And everyone pushes these façades, forces them, shoves them upon me, so much so that it’s become suffocating.

It’s become difficult to breathe. Is it because of your faked pretense or the thin veneer of a false personality covering my own face? You ask me what the new hot trend in society is, and I will reply with the two words that define us: superficiality and hypocrisy. It seems the person we want to be the least is ourself.

November 2007

Opinion

theapachepowwow.com

Preparing for the Inevitable The Second Great Flood

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It is the east, and Sparknotes is the sun.

By ARTHUR HUANG Staff Writer

How useful Our “swim survival” skills will certainly come in handy during a second great flood. Good thing we took those P.E. classes.

By KATHLEEN KAO Staff Writer

Apparently, God made another covenant with Noah that no one, except our school officials, knows about. Obviously, another destructive flood is soon going to devastate the world. Obviously, God had an “I-take-that-back” moment when he promised Noah that never again would there be such a massive flood, because, as far as I can see, that is the only reasonable explanation for the existence of the swim survival test.

The “survival” test is the hardest examination I have ever taken during my high school career- probably because I can’t swim. Even so, I passed, and am now a living testament to the futility of the exam. After covering half the distance with my leap into the pool, I disgracefully dog paddled across and became a “swim survivor.” But really. Will I actually survive in the advent of The Second Great Flood?

When students ask about the purpose of the swim survival test, P.E. instructors

stumble through ridiculous “what ifs” designed to shock students into silence with the absurdity of impossible hypothetical situations. What if someone tries to attack you by throwing you into the pool? (Yes, this “what if” has actually been used.) Oh please. Fathers have hurled their trembling children into the deep end in hopes that they will come gasping and thrashing to the surface. And as far as I know, none of these dads have been charged with attempted murder.

Another explanation P.E. teachers have given as the purpose for swim survival tests is global warming. We live pretty close to the ocean, after all. If the sea level rises quickly enough, Los Angeles might suffer the same fate as Atlantis! Seem impossible? Well... I don’t know about that- at least Gore would back up this theory. But honestly, this scenario will never happen in my lifetime. Or in my great-great-great-great grandchildren’s lifetime. Preparing us for an oceanic disaster by forcing us to dogpaddle right now is like preparing for the apocalypse by building a shelter out of an old cardboard box. It might happen. It might not. And if it does,

Graphic by IRIS JONG & GRETL LAM

I’m still not going to be able to save myself.

If authorities feel the need to prepare us for such unlikely and improbable events, they should teach us how to fend off locusts, cut bomb wires, and/or dodge alien lasers in case of galactic warfare.

Swim survival boosts the ego of swimmers and teaches non-swimmers that they have the ability to dog paddle (for a whole thirty seconds). But it’s not a tool to evaluate someone’s ability to survive an accidental dunk in the deep end, or another one of the Almighty’s global purges, for that matter.

There are thousands of other, and more useful, techniques they can teach us. CPR for instance. Driving, as a required course, for another. First-aid training, even. Or perhaps self-defense. Like I said- there are thousands of more useful things we could be learning.

So why swimming? Why, when we’re living in a desert-turned-city and the possibility of drowning is slim to none?

Next time your P.E. instructors sing praise for the usefulness of swim survival tests, ask them when The Second Great Flood is coming. It might not get you non-swimmers out of it, but it’s worth seeing your coaches trying to talk their way through this one.

I Am Not My SAT Score

By ALLEN CHEN Guest Writer

On the eve of the inevitable date that haunts juniors and seniors alike, it is a wonder that CollegeBoard does not scold its many solicitors and demand that they wait until dawn to check their SAT scores. It is our judgment day, the day we will determine whether our studious efforts were fruitful or futile. Sounds extreme, but that is just how we Arcadians work: we believe that the SAT is infinitely important and that what we score on the test is imperative to our futures—why else would we spend money on single-use prep books? Why else would our parents drop $2000 to send us to SAT prep classes? What is most harmful, however, is not the hole we are burning in our par-

ents’ pockets, but that, because of the weight we place on the SAT, we tend to define ourselves and each other by our scores, forgetting about everything else that’s truly important.

If I score 200 points higher than you do, am I 200 points smarter? Does that mean that when it comes down to applying for college, the admissions officers will believe that you are worth 200 points less? Am I 200 points better as a person? No. What it means is that on that morning, of that particular Saturday, I happened to answer more questions correctly than you did, and that says little about either of our intelligences. That student may have scored a 1600, but she is a loving sister who volunteers at the homeless shelter. That student may have scored a 2320, but he is inconsiderate of everyone’s feelings. What we score should not define us—it is what we do that should.

And so, to express my appreciation, I have composed an Ode to Sparknotes.

To Sparknotes. And all of her sisters.

Oh, Sparknotes, oh Sparknotes. You really are the best.

When I’ve only read one chapter, you fill me in on the rest.

Because you’re mostly right, you’ve helped me on so many tests.

If you were a woman, I would buy you many vests.

It’s already midnight, and I have a book report due.

I haven’t read my book, should I bid my “C” adieu?

Maybe I should stay home, and claim I had the flu.

But wait, what’s that? Sparknotes! Oh, yes, thank you!

Vague summaries and some analysis, it’s too good to be true!

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

I printed out your name, and stared at it for days.

You don’t have any eyes, but you still draw my gaze.

Othello, Macbeth, you’ve shortened so many weird plays.

“I’m sorry, have we met?

Oh—you’re 2380!”

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Too many times have teachers told me to stay away from Sparknotes without offering a plausible explanation. They discouraged it so much that of course I went home and employed it for my first book report. When I opened the site, it was love at first sight. Gone were the days when I skimmed through the entire book! My new best friend, the beautiful Ms. Sparknotes, has worked wonders for me, indeed sparking a spark in my notes. There is nothing I hate more than unnecessary effort and work, so when I received the same C’s and D’s and F’s on my book reports when using Sparknotes as when I actually opened the book, one can only imagine my exuberant joy. Sparknotes has given me what not even my parents can give me: time. Valuable, indispensable, tick-tocking time that I now dedicate to objectives of higher priority, such as lovely sleep and thrilling video games.

Graphic by IRIS JONG

LABELED We worship 2300+’s as gods and deride those with lower scores. Why jump to such conclusions?

Alas! The English language cannot grant you enough praise!

Oh Sparknotes, our beautiful relationship will never end.

If you had a home, my prized mediocre report cards I would send.

I know you’re not a woman, but I can still pretend.

You are like an angel; if only I could ascend.

I’ve many essays due, so together we can spend Thanksgiving, Christmas holidays until on turnitin.com I hit send.

6

Opinion

My Perfect Resumé

By TIFFANY CHANG Staff Writer

All seniors are fretting over college applications— I am the one exception. Everyone is worried, the weight of the world burdening them as they ransack their memories for accomplishments to list on that dreaded extracurricular section. But not me. I have prepared for this my whole life. I’m not sure why students, knowing that they’ll have to apply to college, knowing they’ll need to list accomplishments and dedications as evidence of success, don’t start earlier. If you really wanted to be successful, you would have done what I did. I’m the only one who does not have to strain in dire desperation to think of extracurriculars— I’ve got plenty.

My activities are various and noteworthy.

I spend three hours every day at the local retirement center, brightening the days of senior citizens and showing my gratitude for what they’ve done for our society. There is little interaction between us, but I show my respect by sitting at the table across the room from them.

Isn’t that enough? With my workload, it is unreasonable to expect me to take time to speak to complete strangers. Aside from my dedication to senior citizens, I also volunteer at the library, the hospital, Red Cross, the Arboretum and the Humane Society. I take time out of my life to lend a helping hand to all these people. I sacrifice the comfort of my room and my computer to complete my homework at said places.

I really don’t know why others can’t be as selfless as I am. I’m even selfless when it comes to my lunchtime. Five days a week, I spend my lunch at various clubs, all of which reflect my main interests: Instant Hours Club, False Productivity Club, Do Nothing Club, Moreto-list-on-your-apps Club, and last but not least, I’m-only-here-because-I-want-to-get-

into-Harvard Club. I give these five organizations my undivided attention, because after all, I really do want to be accepted to Harvard.

As an ambitious go-getter, I always aim to better the world. The other day, I was heading to my room and in front of my door was a stray hamburger wrapper. I, thinking of the Earth’s deteriorating atmosphere, kindly cleaned up the wrapper by moving it across the hall to the front of my brother’s door— because after all, it was the wrapper of his In-NOut burger, not mine. Immediately, I sensed the impact I had made on the world: the ground cleaner, the air fresher, the sky bluer, the grass greener. I had made a difference, changed the world for the better, saved humankind.

Of course, when I fill out my applications in the upcoming weeks, I’ll be sure to remember this momentous incident. I’ll be sure to note that I am a renowned environmental activist.

My commitments shall not go unrecognized.

But of course, saving our environment is only one of my many impressive dedications.

Another example- I once managed the construction of homeless shelters. You see, I saw my dog sleeping on the floor outside and out of the kindness in my heart, I grabbed a bunch of newspapers from the trashcan and a spare box from my neighbor’s to build her a quaint bed.

Though those are only a few examples of the charity work I do in my spare time, you can already see that I am well off and I have no reason to worry about being admitted to the college of my choice. You, on the other hand, are a different story. But no need for an anxiety attack. I have just imparted to you my knowledge of ideas. You may think it’s too late to start volunteer work now, seeing as it’s already the beginning of November, but you’ll be surprised at how much you can accomplish. After all, I completed the majority of my accomplishments in the span of a single day. Feel free to mimic. Feel free to fabricate.

The Skinny on Baggy Pants

By KATHLEEN KAO Staff Writer

Baggy pants originated in prisons, where the incarcerated are issued one-size-fits-none pants. Hip hop artists, having a penchant for crime-related topics, began adopting the “sag” to imitate favorite inmates. Soon after, baggy pants became the “in” thing to wear, and guys all over America began having to hitch up their pants as they toddled down the streets in jeans twelve sizes too large.

Just to make things clear, I have nothing against the loose fitting pants that most guys at AHS wear. It’s the wannabe gangstas who wear their pants around their thighs that disturb me. Have you ever seen one of them on television trying to outrun the cops? It’s hilarious. They can’t use their arms to help them sprint faster, because their hands are flailing all over the rim of their jeans as their pants succumb to gravity. For people who take the time to carefully plot their crimes, they aren’t very practical about their clothing. If I were orchestrating a convenient store robbery, I would force my gangsta underlings to wear leotards, so their pants wouldn’t be a nuisance.

What’s even funnier are those belts with mammoth “bling” buckles. Gangstas invented what I like to call “hitch handles.” Now, they can simply yank at their buckles if they want to shuffle around in ridiculous limping struts.

The only thing that prevents these people from de-pantsing themselves is their life-or-death

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grip on their gaudily rhinestoned buckles.

I’m not saying that guys need to wear skinny, circulation-stopping jeans out in public. I’m not saying that gangsta jeans are necessarily bad. I’m saying that, as a civilized, female human being, I find it odd that “cool” means having Spiderman boxers flapping freely in the wind.

Some gangstas have wised up by wearing oversized shirts that reach their knees, though that presents a new problem. With their behinds shielded from sight, these gangsters feel at liberty to sag even lower until their pants are dangling at their ankles.

Everything is migrating south, it seems.

I haven’t conducted formal interviews with any of the guys who choose to waddle around in gangsta pants, but from the many people I’ve demanded an explanation from, the consensus was that wearing such pants is comfortable, allowing the wearers to move more freely (really?). As they so crudely put it, it doesn’t feel like they’re wearing pants at all! I laugh. If these people don’t feel like wearing pants, why not go to school in boxers? They’ve practically managed to de-pants themselves anyway.

We’ve had some bizarre fashion trends throughout the ages. Men used to wear powdered wigs; people once adored afros; tie dye shirts were all the rage way back when. But never will I understand the penchant for boxer-revealing jeans. My hope is that someday, maybe in the near future, people will look back at this trend and see it as the ridiculous spectacle it is.

theapachepowwow.com

November 2007

The Pleasures Within these Pages

Graphic by GRETL LAM

undiscovered There are vast universes within every book left unexplored by those who don’t read for pleasure.

By IRIS JONG Opinion Editor

When, exactly, did people stop reading books for fun? The summer before high school started? Kindergarten? Indeed, it is difficult for teenagers to make time for such an activity. What with all the academic reading they must absorb each night, few can comprehend the value of relaxing into a sofa with a nice, thick novel. Even so, there exist high-schoolers who find time to read books- for pleasure. You can, and should, too.

Somewhere along the way, reading earned a reputation for being tedious and dull.

You can blame the invention of HDTV and iPods for the decrease in attention span. But maybe, it’s not just technological advancement that’s at fault for the decline in reading. Perhaps you are at fault.

After all, how simple it is, to consume entertainment that is instantly fed to you! How easy it is, to not have to think. Reading means having togasp!- use your mind when you have free time.

That’s unheard of! But that’s the beauty of it.

True, reading is challenging compared to other pastimes, and perhaps that’s why, to many, the phrase “reading for pleasure” seems contradictory. But when you finish watching an hour of television, do you leave with any sense of accomplishment? From staring at something someone else produced? Not so much. While reading does involve looking at something someone else wrote, it is infinitely more interactive, requiring the reader to listen to the author, to interpret a character’s subtleties, to concentrate, think, feel. Television delivers the goods in huge dollops of flashy color and noise, whereas books are, physically, only blocks of sentences, letters divided and distributed, essentially millions and millions of squiggly lines. But while television takes reality and sensationalizes it, books are an alternate form of reality, a form that comes alive only for those who want it to.

Pick up a book, and escape into an alternate universe that only you can imagine. What you visualize when you read a paragraph description is entirely unique. Books provide the basis of a story, and your mind completes the rest. Reading a book is an individual experience, something only you can do. Your interpretations, emotions, and understandings of a book are a product of your mind, your imagina-

tion. And that is why reading is so satisfactory.

Pick up a book, and escape into a fantastic world where dragons delight in cherries jubilee, or an innocent wardrobe leads to another world. Explore the facets of life that you will never experience: know what it feels like to escape death, to face Death himself, to die, to kill.

Experience the sensation of soaring across the sky, or understand the feeling of pure love, of deep hatred. Feel the impact of a close friend’s betrayal as though it were a colliding subway train. Discover the intricacies of the past, when people embarked on epic journeys every day, when the awe at natural phenomenons was palpable. Revel in the rhythmic lyricism of Virginia Woolf, the subtle derision of Mark Twain. Do all this, and more- without ever having to get up from your couch.

There is an infinite amount of wealth hidden in every book.

You can garner technical intelligence from nonfiction books, or worldly knowledge from fictional stories. See how someone completely different reacts to a familiar situation; listen to the strange patterns of someone else’s speech. Interesting, isn’t it, to flee the small, secluded bubble of Arcadia, of your own life.

But hey! Reading’s not an exclusively solitary activity. You don’t have to enjoy books alone. What, you think reading is for the socially inept? Not so. You’d be surprised just how many satisfying conversations you can base on books you’ve read, on which ones you loved, which ones you hated. It’s amazing, what deep discussions you can have about such-and-such character, about this-or-that author’s writing.

Not to mention, reading improves aspects of life every teenager cares about. How useful is studying thousands of words for the SAT if you never see them in real life? And how do you think you increase your reading speed? By reading whatever you can find, obviously. Reading a variety of writing styles even improves your own writing, your own style, grammar and fluency. And isn’t it ironic that the media often allude to literature? As one of the oldest forms of entertainment, the written word is connected to almost everything you do and see.

Books cover absolutely every subject, every idea. They contain every argument, every perspective, every character personality. Stop being passive; engage your mind; read for pleasure. The more challenging an activity, the more rewarding it is. And reading a good book is one of the most rewarding activities there is.

“Pick up a book, and escape into an alternate universe that only you can imagine.”

November 2007

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theapachepowwow.com

November 2007

Pandora: Playing Music You Love

By VERONICA LIM Entertainment Editor

Photo by ROYA FALATOONZADEH

APACHE NEWS Senior Julian Chu prepares the camera for another round of shooting.

A Week in the Life of APN

By ROYA FALATOONZADEH Staff Writer

Watching the weekly airing of Apache News on Fridays, it becomes difficult to tell how much work the cast puts into each episode.

Everything seems to flow smoothly. The stories are well organized, the jokes are funny, and the reporters seem lively and happy. One might assume that APN is a very stress-free class to take. However, the hectic lives of the APN crew are concealed behind the doors of room C7. The day-by-day lives of the APN crew require dedication, time, and a lot of effort.

The APN crew follows a weekly schedule.

On Fridays, a new producer and new anchors are chosen. This provides for a new tempo each week, with enthusiasm and creative ideas from each person. Fridays are also spent coming up

with story ideas and assigning them to different people. The news stories are prioritized over gag reels. On Monday, the scripts are composed. Most of the gag reels, intros and outros are filmed on Tuesdays. Wednesdays are dedicated to filming the anchors, while sports are done on Thursdays. Many hours are spent after school on Thursdays editing the episode, keeping a strict 15-minute timeline in mind. The final product is then turned in to the advisor, Mr. Citrin, at the end of the night. The next day, APN watches their TV broadcast with the rest of the school. They critique their work, compliment their achievements, and find ways to improve future episodes. The process then begins all over again.

However, this schedule is not set in stone.

Many times, stories take more time to film and edit than anticipated. APN cast members have

One of the biggest problems I have with listening to music is finding new material. We all have our old favorites and timeless classics, but there’s always that thirst for something new and refreshing, something that really connects with you. However, the search for this music is long and relentless-after all, how many new songs are released every week? Wading through the seas of different songs Photo by VERONICA LIM is a tiresome task, and though the fruits of labor are most definitely PANDORA RADIO A screencap of the worthwhile, they are far and few Pandora interface. between.

Pandora.com is here to help. You type in tionship with music - no one else has tastes a favorite artist or song, and Pandora does the exactly like yours,” and what it chooses isn’t rest. Its self stated mission is “to play music necessarily right for every person. you’ll love - and nothing else,” and it does its You can experience Pandora online at best to live up to it. With the help of the Music Pandora.com. Registration is not required, but Genome Project’s database, in which each and is helpful and, best of all, free. Facebook has every song inputted is studied and analyzed by a recently added a Pandora application, which team of music analysts for nearly 400 different syndicates all artists listed under Favorites aspects, Pandora does its best to give you muwith your Pandora radio, and shows you what sic that fits your taste by finding similar artists, your friends are listening to as well. For all songs, or styles and playing them online for you. you Sprint users, Pandora has also partnered In addition, you can further refine your playlists with Sprint to bring you music you love on by giving the songs Pandora suggests the ‘yay’ your cell phone. With a database that encomor ‘nay’, allowing Pandora to better choose mupasses over a century’s worth of music (and sic that fits you. After all, the people at Pandora counting!), Pandora is a great way to find new know that “each individual has a unique relaartists and songs right for you.

reported spending 20 extra hours per week outside of the regular school day working on their stories. Computer crashes, power outages, and lost files contribute to the problem. Also, audio from the film is frequently lost and equipment is constantly breaking. Time runs short while tensions run high between conflicting personalities as cast members try to compose a quality show before deadline. Yet the APN cast keeps a positive attitude during the hectic times. Senior Jonathan Ko said that “in this environment, you don’t think about it as work.” The difficulties in producing a show are more like milestones that APN has to overcome each week.

Being a part of APN provides many unique opportunities. Senior Jill Flanders said that APN has given her the chance to meet a reporter from the Pasadena Star News who mistook her as a professional cameraman. She was able to share advice with him and recieved real-life career experience. For Flanders, working in a good studio has been a great learning experience. “We [APN] probably have a better studio than what you would find in the Midwest, all thanks to ROP.” Many former AHS graduates have informed this year’s APN cast that they know more about video production than their college professors.

Walkin’ on the Moon

By ANGELA MENG & EMILY RUETER Staff Writer & Entertainment Editor

The Moonwalk was made famous by Michael Jackson, “King of Pop”, and is performed widely throughout the world. You too can become a “King of Pop” with these simple steps!

Steps: 1. Start with your right leg slightly in front of your left, with your right toes planted.

2. Drag your right leg back until it is behind your left foot. Both feet should be fully on the ground.

3. Lift the heel of your left foot, so that only your toes are planted.

4. Slide your left foot back until it is behind your right. You should now be in the starting position, with your right heel raised again, and repeat as much as desired!

MOONWALK Junior Joseph Liao shows a step-by-step example of moonwalking.

Photos by VERONICA LIM

November 2007

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entertainment

Shred This: Guitar Hero III Debuts

By MICHAEL CHEN

Staff Writer

Break out the plastic guitars and get ready to rock; Guitar Hero III has arrived. The latest installment in the series still retains the same formula of unlocking songs and rocking out with friends, but a hefty number of added features and a killer track list set the stage for a solid sequel.

Indeed, there’s something for anyone who enjoys rock in Guitar Hero III. From recent hits like “Knights of Cydonia” by Muse and “When You Were Young” by The Killers to classics like “Paint It Black” by the Rolling Stones and “Rock and Roll All Nite” by Kiss, there’s a lot to like here. Additionally, many of the songs are original recordings instead of cover artists.

While Guitar Hero III’s core gameplay is the same as before, there are a few changes that make it feel just a tad different. The artwork retains the same style, but many of the visuals have received a major overhaul. Additionally, the timing window for hitting notes has been increased slightly, making the game more accessible to players. Lastly, the guitars bundled with the game are all wireless.

The standard career mode, where most of

a player’s time will probably be spent, makes a support online multiplayer for battles over the return with some welcome additions. Every few information superhighway.

Guitar Hero III will satisfy anyone who ensongs, players will face boss battles against famous guitarists like Slash from Guns N’ Roses. joyed the previous games and will undoubtedly Everything else remains more or less unchanged, attract new players as well. Guitar Hero III is as players will be playing songs to unlock more. available in stores now for the Xbox 360, PlayIn addition to the usual career mode, players will station 3, Playstation 2, and Wii. be able to rock it out with a friend in a complete cooperative career mode.

Anti-social? That’s too bad, because a few of the songs are exclusive to the co-op career.

The biggest change this time around is the multiplayer mode, where players can compete against each other in grueling guitar battles. This time, players will be able to momentarily launch attacks against the opposition to disrupt his or her playing. After completing star power riffs (a series of special notes that normally help to increase a player’s score), tipping the guitar vertically will create problems for the other player including turning Photo by MICHAEL CHEN the difficulty up and forcing left handed play. Additionally, the Playstation PARTY TIME Mr. Villalobos and students 3, Xbox 360, and Wii versions will rock out to Guitar Hero.

DAMIEN RICE Touching the souls of music lovers everywhere.

Staff Writer

Remember the days when popular sitcoms such as Friends, 7th Heaven, and Married with Children dominated your family’s television screen in the late and early evenings? Or when your favorite characters weren’t eliminated due to partiality or lack of attractiveness or capability? To many, those days have seemingly come to a virtual end, having been replaced by one addictive reality show after another.

Prior to the days of The Real World, America’s Next Top Model, and Beauty and the Geek, sitcoms and other popular television series made tossing homework aside and turning on the television just as apparently worthwhile. However, that doesn’t go without saying that shows such as House and Grey’s Anatomy aren’t equally as stimulating and commendable. The primary difference between reality television and sitcoms is that reality television is principally competition-based, whereas sitcoms are fictional stories based on actuality.

Nonetheless, both involve an excessive amount of drama and effectively serve the same or a related function: to both amuse and captivate their viewers.

Although it may be difficult to draw a comparison, many people suppose reality television to be more addictive simply due to the fact that it’s just that: reality. According to senior Katherine Chen, “People are more attracted to the drama and they find that interesting,” while

“1234”- Feist

“Her Eyes”- Pat Monahan “Homecoming”- Kanye West ft. Chris Martin “Kiss Kiss”- Chris Brown ft. T Pain “When Did Your Heart Go Missing”Rooney Want to share your favorite songs?

Email them to: powwow.ent@gmail.com

Upcoming Movies: Nov. 9 Fred Claus Lions For Lambs

Damien Rice’s O So Good

By CHRISTINE PAO

Nov. 16 Beowulf Margot at the Wedding Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emoporium

Although his soulful music has already debuted in many mainstream films and television shows, such as the 2004 movie Closer and the popular drama Grey’s Anatomy, Damien Rice still remains my most treasured secret. With his two main albums, O and 9, released in 2004 and

The Reign of Reality Television

By BRIANNA BECKMAN

Download This:

Nov. 14 Southland Tales

Staff Writer

Photo Courtesy of www.thelisten.net

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senior Gary Westphal adds, “Reality shows are definitely more popular than sitcoms because people can relate to them; Hogan Knows Best is a good example.” However, many people argue otherwise, claiming that sitcoms and other action-based shows are more compelling and enlivening than the false portrayals of so-called “reality” in reality television. Senior Poonam Mantha asserts that “People want to see this ‘reality’ that has nothing to do with the terrible reality of the world as we know it. It’s easy to look at these things that clearly aren’t real, and pretend they are because it’s better than accepting the true reality of wars, etc.”

Results of a student poll prove that the preference of reality television over sitcoms is exceedingly overestimated. Of 64 students polled, approximately 56.3% claim that they prefer reality television, while approximately 43.8% favor sitcoms. Approximately 25% of students regularly enjoy viewing America’s Next Top Model and The Hills, both popular reality television shows, while approximately 26.6% prefer House and Gossip Girl. An additional 14.1% of students selected “other” in the “Reality Television Shows” category, whereas a smaller 12.5% also selected “other” in the “Sitcoms” category.

Clearly, the penchant of reality television amongst other options isn’t at all by a landslide.

Regardless of whether or not one flavor of television is more popular than another, in truth, it’s all a matter of personal preference.

2006, respectively, Rice has proven that he has the musical prowess to rival those of many peer artists.

Along with the typical guitar and bass sounds, Rice’s tunes feature mellow piano harmonies, unexpected yet pleasant cello melodies by band member Vyvienne Long, and the mournful vocal presence of Lisa Hannigan, who has unfortunately left the band to pursue her own creative career. Predominantly low-pitched background music allows Rice and Hannigan’s poignant, contrasting voices to take the spotlight in most of the tracks. Their vocals intertwine seamlessly, and since neither of their voices is flawless, they are able to reflect the human imperfection they so passionately communicate in their songs.

With simple yet surprisingly powerful lyrics, Rice is able to pack a lifetime of emotion into mere minutes. His voice is haunting. His music is so fitting that it borders the supernatural. He strikes you in the center of your heart and the impact never subsides. Even more incredible is the fact that the majority of O was self-produced and recorded at home.

Yet perhaps the one characteristic of Rice that I adore the most is his ability to capture and arrange the intricacies of life—love, friendship, despair, and anger—and express them melodically with such raw honesty. Rice’s work is so extraordinary that I feel guilty indulging in it; like pure, unrestrained poetry, his music is a profuse outpouring of passionate emotion, drenching me in gushes of unbounded mirth and unrelenting sorrow. Tracks such as “9 Crimes”, “Cheers Darlin’”, and “Elephant” drip with anguish, while songs like “The Blower’s Daughter”, “Eskimo”, and “Amie” are reminders of the beauty of the human spirit.

What baffles me is the labeling of Rice’s songs as “folk.” Rice reinvents music on so many levels that he cannot be placed in a single genre.

Nevertheless, Rice transcends the boundaries of usual music—his voice burns you, leaving a lasting mark, and I constantly find myself mourning the end of a song. So if you are looking for an amazing melodic experience, be sure to give Damien Rice a listen.

Nov. 21 Enchanted I’m Not There Stephen King’s The Mist Nov. 30 Awake

Music Corner:

She Wants Revenge @ Grove of Anaheim 11/07/07

Maroon 5 @ Staples Center 11/08/07 Evanescence @ Greek Theatre 11/10/07 Feist @ Gibson Ampitheatre at Universal City Walk: 11/12/07 New Found Glory & Senses Fail @ Avalon: 11/12/07 Teddy Geiger @ Glass House: 11/17/07 Kelly Clarkson @ Gibson Amphitheatre at Universal CityWalk 11/18/07 Myspace Music Tour ft. HelloGoodbye @ The Wiltern: 11/18/07 Social Distortion @ The House of Blues Anaheim: 11/19/07

10

Features

Pumpkins Add Nutritional Value to the Holidays

theapachepowwow.com

November 2007

Fun Fashion for Fall 2007

By RACHEL CHEONG & KRISTEN MURAKAMI Staff Writers

Pumpkins are generally characterized as seasonal items, appearing only during Halloween and Thanksgiving. However, this provisional status is no longer the same. A recent study reveals that pumpkins are good for more than decorations; pumpkins can be eaten in a variety of ways to provide a great amount of nutrition for the body.

Pumpkins are versatile and can be used in any dish. They can be mashed, cubed, or even pureed, and their taste can be adjusted by adding flavorful spices. Restaurants use pumpkins in numerous ways in soups, bread, muffins, various pastas, and savory desserts. Pumpkins are even used in coffee, such as Starbucks’ famous Pumpkin Spice Latte.

Not only do pumpkins taste good, but they are very nutritious and low in calories.

Eating a ½-cup serving of pumpkin (only 40 calories) provides immune-boosting vitamins and nutrients. This includes vitamin C and enough vitamin A to last a person three days.

Besides vitamins, pumpkins also contain a plentiful amount of fiber.

The potassium found in pumpkins can stabilize blood pressure while lowering the risk of cardiac-related diseases. The carotenoids in pumpkins protect against breast cancer and fight against lung cancer. Pumpkins also improve the external body by protecting vision and preventing age-related sight impediments.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies are a healthy but delicious alternative to classic chocolate chip cookies.

• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree • 1/2 cup brown sugar • 1/2 cup white sugar • 1/2 cup butter or trans-fat-free margarine • 1 egg • 1 tsp. baking soda • 1 tsp. milk • 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour • 1-1/2 cups unbleached white flour • 2 tsp. baking powder • 1/2 tsp. salt • 1-1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon • 1/4 tsp. ground cloves • 1/4 tsp. nutmeg • 1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract • 1 cup semisweet or dark chocolate chips • 3/4 cup chopped walnuts 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two cookie sheets with nonstick spray.

2. Cream together pumpkin, sugars, butter, and egg. Dissolve baking soda into milk.

Set aside. Stir together flours, baking powder, salt, and spices. Add baking soda mixture to flour mixture.

3. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture, stirring until just combined. Add vanilla extract, chocolate chips, and walnuts. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned.

Photo by ERICA WIN

Photo by CATHERINE CHEN

STYLISH

SHADES

Senior Kevin Ma flashes his style with modern aviators.

BABY-DOLL DRESS Freshman Briana Leung shows off her babydoll dress with leggings.

By ERICA WIN Staff Writer

Hold on, don’t rush to the malls just yet.

Some of this fall’s “it” clothes still consist of garments from previous seasons.

Skinny jeans, appearing ubiquitously throughout the campus as well as the fashion runways, are still acceptable for this fall season. However, the skinny-jeans-only façade is coming to an end as the season changes to the “anything goes” mood where simple jeans rule. Nearly any type of denim is acceptable unless rhinestones are involved, which will

Photo by LILY WONG

HIP HATS Senior Han-

nah Kim puts on her trendy white cap.

then turn them into a big no-no for the 2007 season.

The 1950s throwbacks are also no longer in style. Replacing them are the baby-doll and trapeze dresses, which are becoming increasingly common among Arcadia High’s students. Baby-doll dresses are suitable for school because they are neither too casual nor too formal and can be worn for the fall’s cool climate.

Hats will be everywhere this season as well. Hats are the newest and just about the biggest “in” thing this fall. Not only do they

Photo by ERICA WIN

SKINNY JEANS Junior

Tiffany Cheung flaunts her skinny jeans.

provide warmth, the types of “it” hats this fall have a wide range so just about any hat will do.

Origami-inspired dresses have been popping up at various designers’ shows during New York Fashion week, which can only mean one thing: it’s going to be “in” big time.

Sunglasses aren’t only to block the bright sun, but for style as well. Shades such as aviators are definitely “in” this fall season.

Sequins are also “in” this fall. They will be featured in a variety of vibrant colors, so look out for sequins in nearby malls.

Fashionable Flip-Flops are not Practical

By JENNY LIN Staff Writer

ropodist and podiatrist, “Many flip-flop wearers suffer from lacerations as well as foot pain.”

In 2002, almost 55,000 men and women went to the hospital with flip-flop related com-

plaints.

Flip-flops also affect people’s feet structure. Because these comfy shoes do not provide the proper foot support, feet begin to roll inward. It also forces wearers “into an unnatural, toe-gripping, foot-slapping gait,” says USA Today. All the gripping and pounding that flip-flop wearers suffer from give them callused heels and hammered toes.

Infections on the feet are something everyone detests. Flip-flops can give people toe infections, especially to those with diabetes and sensitive skin. Kim Painter of USA Today said, “Irritations between the toes [from the toe thongs]...can lead to nasty fungal infections.”

Of course, infections and bacteria will not simply grow if one only wears flip-flops in a locker room or shower room. But beware that disgusting infections and growing bacteria between the toes can be worse than Athlete’s Foot.

Most students wear flip-flops to school daily. In old times, flip-flops were a sign of laziness and were used in locker rooms to prevent Athlete’s Foot. Now, they are the latest trend in the fashion industry.

Many students would say that flip-flops are convenient and comfortable. But are these breezy, open-toed shoes healthy for feet?

Flip-flops do not support the heel and the arch of the human foot. Because of that, pain, tendonitis, and swollen joints plus muscles are found in many flip-flop wearers. Chronic foot pain, inflammation of the heels, toes, and Achilles tendon are some of the top complaints from flip-flop owners. Also, toenail injuries are one Photo by LILY WONG of the most common consequences from wearing flip-flops.

FLIP-FLOP FEET Most students are unaware of According to Stephen Kite, a chi- the dangers behind their daily footwear.

November 2007

theapachepowwow.com

Features

11

November’s Not-So-Known Holidays

By CORA ORMSETH & LILY WONG Features Editors

Graphic by CORA ORMSETH

The Secret Life of Thanksgiving Turkeys

By RACHEL CHEONG & KRISTEN MURAKAMI Staff Writers

Gobble, gobble. One probably recognizes that this is the sound of a turkey, but what else does one know about this traditional Thanksgiving bird? Not much, right? Does anyone think about the life behind their Thanksgiving meal? Well, check out this list of interesting turkey facts.

1. Turkeys are the only breed of poultry native to the Western Hemisphere.

2. A turkey under 16 weeks of age is called a fryer.

3. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, more than 45 million turkeys are cooked and eaten in the U.S. on Thanksgiving.

4. Domesticated turkeys cannot fly. How-

ever, wild turkeys can fly for short distances at speeds up to 55 miles per hour. They can also reach speeds of 25 miles per hour on the ground.

5. Turkeys sometimes spend the night in trees.

They fly to their roosts around sunset and when the sun rises in the morning, they fly back down to the ground, feeding and resting until mid-morning.

6. Gobbling starts before sunrise and continues throughout most of the morning.

7. Turkeys have excellent vision and can see in color. Their field of vision is about 270 degrees.

8. Turkeys have great hearing, but no external ears.

9. Turkeys are mainly found in hardwood forests with grassy areas.

10. The best time to see a turkey is on a warm, clear day or during a light drizzle.

11. Turkeys have heart attacks. When the Air Force conducts test runs and breaks the sound barrier, fields of turkeys drop dead.

12. Turkeys can risk their lives drowning if they look up when it is raining.

13. Benjamin Franklin wanted the United States’ national bird to be a turkey.

14. The ballroom dance known as the Turkey Trot was inspired and named after the short, jerky steps a turkey makes.

15. A case of mistaken identity resulted in the American Turkey being named after the country in the Middle East.

16. When the Spanish first found the bird in the Americas over 400 years ago and brought it back to Europe, the English mistakenly thought it was a bird called “turkey”, which is actually from Africa. The name stuck even though they realized the birds weren’t the same.

Homecoming 2007: Student Perspectives

By CHLOE YUAN Staff Writer

On Saturday, Oct. 20, 2007, the annual Arcadia High School Homecoming Dance was held at Jim Henson’s Soundstage in Hollywood with music from a private DJ and sponsorship from Wow! Events. Almost one thousand students attended this year’s Homecoming Dance that took place from 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. with King Jimmy Chang and Queen Dusty Gibbs leading the Homecoming Court.

Upon entering the venue, students encountered the outside patio where refreshments were served and students could catch a breath of fresh air. Dancing took place inside a huge, lighted room where the DJ was located

at the front.

The dance featured music from T-Pain, Baby Bash, Michael Jackson, and numerous other artists. Halfway through the dance, the Homecoming 2007 King and Queen were announced and Homecoming Royalty danced to the song “Swear It All Over Again” by Westlife. The second to last song featured the most-requested song of the evening “Since U Been Gone” by Kelly Clarkson, inviting the audience to sing along with the catchy lyrics and jump to its upbeat tempo. “After hours of other music, it was nice to have another song that inspired my friends and me to jump up and down to,” said senior Frankie Tong.

The dance also provided several slow dances for the couples there, including the last

dance. Senior President Nick Lin said that “the music was appropriate for the setting and set the mood just right.”

Sophomore Tiffany Huang said that “the atmosphere was really electrifying and it was obvious that everyone was having fun.”

Yet, when asked about this year’s theme, senior Sue Jiang said that “it was mediocre because it did discriminate against people who went by themselves.” Nevertheless, ASB Girls Relations Danica Shei “felt that the dance was a huge success because everything went accordingly.”

As the first formal dance of the year, “Homecoming 2007 certainly left great anticipation for the year’s upcoming dances,” said senior Bonnie Cao.

November is not all about pumpkin pies, turkeys, and mashed potatoes. Although many are aware only of the Thanksgiving holiday, November is in fact full of many absurd daily celebrations.

On Nov. 8, start off the four-day weekend by celebrating Cook Something Bold and Pungent Day with whipping up something creative in the kitchen.

For those students who may have taken the SATs on Nov. 3, beware because it was also Cliché Day. Even though the world might not be at peace, everyone can still show a bit of compassion on World Kindness Day on Tuesday, Nov. 13.

For seniors stressed about college applications, celebrate life’s hardships on Have a Bad Day Day on Nov. 19. Near the end of the month, the fourth Thursday of November is commonly acknowledged as Thanksgiving Day, but seldom people know that the day after is not only Black Friday, but also You’re Welcomegiving Day. Everyday is not only just an ordinary eventless day, but also a celebration of the most random occasions.

The New iThing

By ERICA WIN Staff Writer

The Apple company has done it again.

Not long after the release of the iPhone, a new type of iPod, the iPod Touch, has emerged with features it never had before. The new tool has the ability to flick through hundreds of songs with a single stroke on the iPod Touch’s screen by rocking the same multi-touch interface as the iPhone.

The iPod Touch functions as a regular iPod, but breaks away from the jaded ways of an ordinary iPod by the addition of the revolutionary Wi-Fi Web Browser. Popular websites such as YouTube and Facebook that are visited constantly everyday by teens can be accessed with a single tap. The Wi-Fi function also makes it possible to download songs while onthe-go with a wireless internet connection.

There are more apparent changes to the latest iPod. The iPod Touch has abandoned the old classic iPod look and has taken on the shape of the slimmer iPhone. Though the appearance has drastically changed, the features of a regular iPod still exist for the iPod Touch.

The iPod Touch’s image has been strongly influenced by its main function as a video player. The 3.5-inch widescreen, brighter than the regular iPod’s, allows its owners to watch movies on-the-go, show off digital pictures, or merely browse through collections of album art.

The iPod Touch is available in 8 GB or 16 GB. With such impressive revolutionary changes from the typical iPods, the iPod Touch is bound to be a hit.

12

Drama

theapachepowwow.com

November 2007

Advanced Drama Department Have You Heard? Rumors by Neil Simon

By MITALEE KHILNANI Staff Writer

It’s a new school year, and Advanced Drama is back with a bang, kicking off the 2007-2008 season with Rumors, a fast-paced, laugh-out-loud farce by Neil Simon. Anyone who went can tell you- it was definitely funny, definitely loud, and definitely a great show.

Rumors is set at an anniversary party for Charley Brock, Deputy Mayor of New York, and his wife Myra. It starts off with Chris Gorman (Tovah Goodman) and her husband Ken (Brian Poladian) scrambling to find out if their friend Charley had been hurt from the bullet hole in his ear, why he had shot himself, and where Myra had disappeared to. Next to arrive are Claire (Kassandra Zamanis) and Lenny Ganz (Jake Melton), who had just gotten into an accident, exploding into the room with shouts of pain and annoyance.

As Ken informs Lenny and Claire of the current predicament about Charley and Myra, their friends Cookie (Elizabeth Semerad) and Ernie Cusack (Andres Delgado) arrive. Chaos ensues as everyone tries to hide the truth from these two, and laughs are abundant as Cookie’s back spasms have her literally rolling on the floor in pain. When two more guests, Cassie (Nikki Caiello) and Glen (Matt Burstyn) arrive, the entire play turns into one giant, very fun disaster.

Overall, Rumors was a fantastic play and shows promise of successful productions to come. Everyone in the cast was perfect for their part. It was obvious they were having fun onstage, and their energy and comedic timing had the audience laughing the whole time.

Photos by GLORIA LIOU

November 2007

theapachepowwow.com

By CHRIS LIANG

Mr. Volpe

Drama

13 Staff Writer

He was once a vampire on Buffy. He’s had a one-liner on Will and Grace.

He’s done work in television and film, on stages and with lighting. And now he’s at Arcadia High School. “I always wanted to teach a drama class,” said Mr. Volpe, “but I wanted to be able to bring them real life experience.” So after spending enough time in show business that even the stars and starlets began to lose their luster, Mr. Volpe fulfilled his ambition, settling down with the students of the Advanced Drama Department. Although he has only been working in the department for about six weeks, he already has ambitious goals for the department. “These students have to realize that theater is not all about acting; actually acting is just a facet of the entire process. Overall I plan on providing a well-rounded education of what theater truly is,” he envisioned. However, with these new aspirations, also comes a new style of teaching. Acting is like football, he mentioned. It requires work, discipline and practice to “build the muscle.” While advocating dedication and sweat, Mr. Volpe also adds his own methods to the lessons, bringing in Hollywood make-up artists and technical crews to give seminars to the students. “All new teachers have their own styles and expectations so I am currently molding it my own style,” he said. “It takes time to build a theater department because you have to sell your product and make people believe in you.” And with his hardearned expertise, fresh insights, and love for the craft, Arcadia is ready to believe.

A.D.D.

Kassandra Zamanis

Class of 2008 Photos by MITALEE KHILNANI

Brian Poladian

Elizabeth Semerad

Juliet Sanchez

Matt Burstyn

Taylor Jansen

Nikki Caiello

Tovah Goodman

Jake Melton

14

STUDENT LIFE

CORRECTION The quote attributed to senior Daniel Lee in “Fives Lose Prestige: New AP Policy” was incorrect. The ApachePow Wow would like to apologize for any inconvenience that this may have caused. We will do our best do avoid such errors in the future.

–Kyle Jacobsen & Hanan Kamal (Editors-inChief)

By MIMI KAMAL & JENNY LIN Student Life Editor & Staff Writer

By DAVID SUN

Staff Writer Photo by JULIA NAMKOONG

ORCHESTRA STUDENTS At the Fall String Orchestra Concert, seniors Rachel Lee and Craig Pelletier fill the air with music.

song was slow at first, but then accelerated to hyper speed tempos towards the end. However, though the tempos changed, the orchestra was able to play through together and finish as one.

The next string concert is in December as the orchestras have already begun to practice newly selected musical literature for performances in the winter.

PROFILE

BEN SCHAULE

By KAYLA PANG Staff Writer

His name is Ben Schaule, pronounced Ben Shawl-luh. He may be recognized as “the new kid” or “the German guy,” but there is more to him than a mere label.

Photo by KATHERINE CHEN In the midAugust, junior Ben Schaule flew down to Arcadia from Erlangen, Germany, and has been residing with the family of AHS senior Anja Klotzle and First Avenue Middle School English teacher Mr. Ken Klotzle. Ben said, “I wanted to really get to know the American culture from more than just a vacation standpoint, and the opportunity came up to live here in Arcadia, so I decided to go for it.”

Ben will attend classes at AHS for only one year, because “in Germany there are 13 grades and to graduate you have to be there for

The Senior Sunrise Dawns Close

By LILY WONG Staff Writer

As this school year’s first senior bonding activity, the senior council is hosting its second annual Senior Sunrise on Nov. 9, 2007 from 5:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. at the Santa Anita Park nearby.

“This sunrise will be able to unite the Senior Class of 2008 and presents an opportunity in which all seniors can bond with one another

November 2007

APES Ventures Outdoors

Strings Play Strong On Thursday, Oct. 26, the middle school and high school orchestras held a debut of their latest work at the annual Fall Concert and performed for audience members at Pasadena High School with works by artists such as Mozart, Grieg, and Bach. The concert lasted a total of two hours and was an exhibition of the work which began at the beginning of school. Rick England, director of the High School Orchestra, said, “Things went smoothly, we’re just happy no one got hurt in the process.”

The total number of performers at the concert was around 600, as skill levels ranged from the middle school and high school students. Arcadia boasts one of the largest high school string instrument programs in the nation. In addition to the in-school class, many students also take private lessons to further their technical skills.

Audiences at these concerts usually include those who enjoy classical music, as upbeat music is usually reserved for the more pompous Pops Concert towards the end of the year.

The Dana Middle School String Orchestra, First Avenue Middle School String Orchestra, Foothills String Orchestra, Arcadia High School Orchestras 1, 2, and 3 all performed.

The high school’s orchestras consist of Orchestra 1, which consists of freshmen only, blending together the skill of the various middle schools and creating a balanced orchestra. Orchestra 2 is an intermediate class mixed with sophomores, juniors and seniors while Orchestra 3 is an audition filtered class which accepts only the most accomplished string players. Senior Nathan Shin said that orchestra was “like a hot mesh of talent, united by a sense of purpose.”

Generally orchestra members have positive outlooks on the year ahead, as one of the Concertmasters, senior Calvin Hsiao, said, “The orchestras were fantasmic; everyone played their best and the concert blew the audience away.”

Senior Clement Tsai, who is a Viola section leader, said “The performance at the concert was good in itself, but it also shows that our orchestra has the capacity to play harder music.”

The concert was ended by an adaptation of “Yankee Doodle”, played by Orchestra 3 and conducted by conductor Tom Forbes. The

theapachepowwow.com

with all expenses paid!” said Senior President Nick Lin. With free food, games, and activities planned for those who come, senior council is setting an even better incentive to motivate seniors to participate. A handful of seniors will be able to win free newly designed senior t-shirts, on a first come first serve basis.

Beginning the year with a sunrise and concluding it with a sunset in June, senior council is hoping to continue this tradition for years to come.

Did you ever wonder what it’s like to be away from civilization? Well, on Oct. 24, Ms. Joan Stevens took students from her AP Environmental Science class, also known as APES, on a field trip to Hahamonga Watershed Park in La Canada Flintridge. There, the students experienced what it’s like to live with nature.

The students were led by a tour guide and were taught how important the natural surroundings can be. They first learned about the basic necessities, like how to make a fire. Senior Yurika Teranishi said that her favorite part was “When I got to watch the guide make fire because it was so cool. He used tools you could find just lying around.”

The APES students also learned how to make sandals and soap out of the yucca plant, which is a pointy waxy plant. The tour guide led them through many different environments in the watershed so the students can get a feel of what it’s like to be in a natural environment.

In addition, the students also learned about

the 12th and 13th grades so 11th grade is the best time to go abroad.” In addition to the 13 grade system at Ben’s previous school, there were approximately 500-550 students from grades 5 to 13 enrolled. The school schedule is foreign to him as well, because at his previous school, students were with the same 25 peers all day for every class, and his schedule varied every day of the week. Before coming, Ben was aware that AHS would definitely be an interesting change, but the competition at this school is more intense than what he predicted and he “didn’t expect to stick out this much because of blond hair!”

His transition to the west coast has been increasingly smooth, especially since he doesn’t have to overcome a language barrier. Ben’s natural ease with English derives from speaking the language with his family – his mother is America- as well as reading American texts while living in Germany. As an ambitious young man, Ben is taking advantage of the sports teams offered at AHS by joining Boys Cross Country, and plans to try out for Boys Tennis in the spring. Ben reveals, “In Germany, you don’t do sports through school. It’s all through club teams, and I played tennis in a club team.” Along with playing sports, Ben has been playing the piano for nine years, as well as classical and electric guitar, and was involved with a musical theatre troupe. Although Ben fits well at Everyday, going to school with a senior class that accumulates to almost one thousand individuals, this Senior Sunrise promises to unite the 2008 graduating class. All AHS seniors are welcome and ate encouraged to come with friends and peers with a morning full of fun. Able to relax and simply unwind from the worry of college applications, essays, and SATs, seniors will be able to merely sit and enjoy the beautiful view of the sunrise at the park.

“It seems very entertaining to just be with your friends socializing as part of the Senior Class of 2008. And I look forward to attending the Senior Sunrise to kick off my four-day

life-and-death situations in the woods. They learned how to identify poisonous plants from nonpoisonous ones and that even several small plants and mushrooms can kill someone who eats it. The students also learned about cordage, which is very thick rope that could be very handy out in the wilderness.

According to Ms. Stevens, the highlight of her trip “was the willingness of [her] students to taste and experience what was available.”

Photo by MS JOAN STEVENS

IN A DEBRIS HUT From left to right, senior Tiffany Ly, junior Nina Nurena and senior Tiffany Lau experiencenature first-hand.

AHS, AHS students cannot replace his family and friends back in Erlangen. The nine-hour difference between time zones hinders Ben from communicating with family and friends back in Germany as much as he would like, but contact flows freely through email. He feels very at home with the Klotzle family here – “they’re great.” What he does miss though is “some good German chocolate.”

Despite a natural comfort in Arcadia, Ben notices the quirks of southern California that the natives probably either take for granted or have never realized. For example, the people on the west coast don’t have a “European mentality. The people on the west coast are more open, more out going.”

Beaches in California are nearby, whereas in Germany, Ben would have to drive about ten hours to visit the beach. Moreover, in Germany it would be raining with temperatures around 60 degrees, but in California, it still feels like summer with fluctuating weather conditions from chilly to scorching.

As for his plans during his stay, he says, “I would just like to fully experience high school in the US and every day life over here.

I’d like to soak up lots of sunshine, go to the beach, and play some tennis. I’ve already run more than I ever thought I would… I’m also going to get my driver license here, which is cool, because in Germany the driving age is 18, and it is a lot more expensive there.” weekend!” said senior Kristen Tom. With an expected number of over 300 participants, tables will be prepared with lines of food and beverages including, but not limited to: bagels, donuts, muffins, toast, fruit, cereal, juice, milk, coffee, hot chocolate and tea.

Groups such as the seniors of the Associated Student Body and Senior Men and Women will also attend in hopes of encouraging class and school spirit.

Any other necessary accessories such as blankets are encouraged to be brought by the seniors themselves, since the senior council will provide only a limited supply.

November 2007

theapachepowwow.com

STUDENT LIFE 15

Band Steps to the Beat PROFILE DUSTY GIBBS

By MICHAEL CHEN

By JOANNA CHUANG

Staff Writer

“Ladies and gentlemen, the 90th Rose Queen to reign over the 2008 Tournament of the Roses: Arcadia High School, Dusty Gibbs,” announced Tournament of the Roses President C.L. Keedy, early morning on Oct. 16, 2007.

Queen Dusty, along with the other six Rose princesses, have begun a new lifestyle where they must attend over Photo Courtesy of ASB 100 media and community events.

“Missing school is tough because I still have to take tests, and many times I don’t feel prepared. However, the teachers have been really awesome working with me,” said Dusty.

On top of her academic courses at school, Dusty must take an assortment of “fun and not stressful” classes such as etiquette and media press training classes.

Dusty’s Rose Queen experience is like a “whole new world” and is a “more conservative element.” However, Dusty is glad to be with the Rose princesses, with whom she is best friends. “The Queen is not the leader of the princesses although she may be introduced first in the events. My job is to incorporate the whole court because I wouldn’t be a queen if it weren’t for them,” she said humbly.

Dusty encourages every girl–juniors, sophomores and freshmen–to give the Royal Court a shot in the future. “Do it for all the right reasons. It’s a nerve-wrecking experience, but speak from the heart, be yourselves, and give it your all,” she said.

Dusty’s interests are spending time with her friends and sisters, eating, cooking, and doing activities like softball. She is hoping to become a physician’s assistant someday.

The 119th Rose Parade will take place on Jan. 1, 2008 at 8 a.m. “Watch the parade, because I’ll be waving to you guys!” said Dusty.

Staff Writer

Any member of Marching Band will attest that there is far more to the program than just a daily musical exercise; it’s a commitment that encourages its members to build teamwork and dedication. As sophomore Angela Wang, who plays the bassoon, said, “It’s a lot of work, but for the kettle corn, baked potatoes, and funnel cake–its all worth it.” Headed by Mr. Tom Landes and Mr. Kevin Sherrill, the Marching Band performs during halftime at every home football game and participates in tournaments during the weekends.

October marked the beginning of Marching Band competitions. Arcadia has started strong. They first competed at the Etiwanda Field Tournament on Oct. 13 with Band scoring Sweepstakes and Percussion and Drum Major scoring 1st. They then competed at the Chino High School Field Tournament on Nov. 3 taking Sweepstakes in Band and Percussion. Auxiliary placed 1st. As Mr. Landes said, “Band is making good progress and is heading in the right direction.”

During the first semester, Marching Band learned five field show pieces, entitled Romeo and Juliet, in addition to practicing complicated drills on the football field on an almost daily basis. Not only do members begin practice at 7:40 a.m. every weekday morning, they also spend Wednesday nights rehearsing in an effort

to keep routines flawless.

Band’s final halftime performance took place on Nov. 2 during the home football game against Burroughs High School. In keeping with the spirit of Halloween, Marching Band members dressed up in costumes instead of their uniforms. Junior Jimmy Lee, who plays the trumpet, said, “I dressed up as the Men in Black with several other(s).” The Band still performed the Star-Spangled Banner, a spectacular field show, and ended the night with the Alma Mater.

On Nov. 17, the Marching Band and Color Guard will host the 54th annual Arcadia Festival of Bands; where the band and color guard from the First Avenue, Dana, and Foothills middle schools will join Arcadia High School’s own and around 50 of the top bands in southern California in a parade down Baldwin Avenue. Later on in the evening, a field show of 16 bands will perform at the Citrus College Stadium in Glendora, ending with Arcadia’s performance at 8:30 p.m. Both are great opportunities to watch the band perform outside of football games and competitions.

The 410-member Marching Band and Color Guard has also been invited to perform in the 2008 Rose Parade, chosen alongside only 11 other bands from around the world. The band has performed at the Rose Parade 13 times over the history of Arcadia High School.

To keep with the latest news about Arcadia’s music program, view photos of events, and stay updated on upcoming events, visit www.arcadiamusic.org.

Photo Courtesy of THE ARCADIAN

FIELD SHOW Marching Band performed Romeo and Juliet at halftime.

Photo By MIMI KAMAL

CANNED FOOD ITEMS The White Christmas Drive will take place from Nov. 26 to 30.

SMW’s White X-mas Drive

By DAVID SUN Staff Writer

From Nov. 26 to Nov. 30 the Senior Men and Women (SMW) of Arcadia High School will host a White Christmas drive to help out the less fortunate this holiday season. Ms. Arroyo, an advisor for SMW said that the “White Christmas food drive began when a group of Holly Avenue Elementary teachers noticed that during the Depression in 1932, some students were malnourished.” After seeing this, these teachers banded together to provide essentials for those hit hardest by the Depression. These gifts were wrapped in white paper, thus starting the White Christmas in Arcadia. The tradition is continued annually, as Mrs. Tsouvalas, a coordinator, said “Students are asked to bring in canned and dry food items to school each day during the last week in November.” These items are then given to the less fortunate families of Arcadia. Boxes will be placed in homeroom classes and the accumulated products will then be collected by SMW members. These boxes of goods will then be delivered to the Arcadia Welfare and Thrift Shop, who in turn distributes the products to needy families in Arcadia. This year is no exception, as there are still those less fortunate out there, and they need active participation in this traditional holiday food drive.

By MICHAEL CHEN Staff Writer

1 - Spell our principal’s last name.

2 - How much is a hot dog and a drink at Cost-

AMMAR MOUSSA freshman

co?

3 - How many times was Julius Caesar stabbed?

Every month, the Pow Wow will find a student from each grade level to fight off random

DAVID MEJIA sophomore

questions. They’ll each be graded and their answers will be published right here. Think you could handle these? Send an email to apachepowwowads@gmail.com with the subject line “Three Lives” with your name and grade.

LISAjunior HUNG

Key X = incorrect C = correct

FRANCHESCA seniorMITSURU

Photos by MICHAEL CHEN

Trivia Challenge Questions: Three Lives To Go

X 1 - V-a-n-da-n-e-s-s-a-l C 2 - $1.50 X 3 - 26 times

X 1 - V-a-n-s-ad-a-l-l X 2 - $2.50 X 3 - 4 times

C 1 - V-a-n-n-as-d-a-l-l X 2- $3.00 C 3 - 23 times

C 1 - V-a-n-n(f, just kidding) a-s-d-a-l-l X 2 - $3.80 X 3 - 169 times

Score: 1/3

Score: 0/3

Score: 2/3

Score: 1/3

16

STUDENT LIFE

The Best College Is...

By MIMI KAMAL & CHRISTINE PAO Student Life Editor & Staff Writer

There are so many colleges out there to pick from, but which one is the best for you?

Probably not the school ranked the best in America, but the one that has what you consider most valuable. With college tuition rising at an alarming rate, it is only to your advantage that you do extensive research before finalizing your college list—you’re paying for four years (or more) of education, so why not make sure you get your money’s worth?

According to the U.S. News and World Report, the average college acceptance rate is above 70%. Why then, is it so difficult for people to get into the college of their dreams? It’s because a majority of students are all chasing after the same schools: the well-known minority of colleges that have low acceptance rates.

There are actually 2,533 four-year schools in the basket. So, how best to pick from thousands of colleges?

The single most important factor to take into account is personal fit. Keep in mind that prestige is only one of the numerous factors that should be taken into consideration. If your dream school is not suitable to your personality or needs, it may not be right for you after all. If you’re looking for the best, consider The Princeton Review’s 2008 Best Colleges Rankings, but don’t succumb to the impression that only the #1 school is good enough for you, or that good colleges are only for the nerds that take AP classes. Look at other rankings, and consider what you cannot live without, along

with what you absolutely cannot stand in a college. Do you want dorms that rival palaces, or a college library that you’ve only dreamt about in your wildest dreams? Are you concerned with political leanings, safety on campus, or drug use? Here are some rankings from Princeton Review to supplement your college search.

Care about campus food? Virginia Tech #1; Bowdoin College #2; Wheaton College #3.

Wishing for a dorm as beautiful as a palace? Smith College #1; Loyola College (MD) #2; George Washington University #3.

Want a gorgeous campus? Sweet Briar College #1; Princeton University #2; Pepperdine University #3.

Looking for a library packed with books?

Harvard College #1; Princeton University #2; Brigham Young University #3.

Love studying, and want to be with people who love doing just that all day? Reed College #1; Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering #2; California Institute of Technology #3.

Want to be around happy students? Whitman College #1; Brown University #2; Clemson University #3.

In love with politics? George Washington University #1; New College of Florida #2; Macalester College #3.

Is financial aid a major concern for you?

Princeton University #1; Stanford University #2; Thomas Aquinas College #3.

Need to be around a diverse student body?

Temple University #1; Wesleyan College #2; Mount Holyoke College #3.

To find more rankings regarding academics, demographics, quality of life, parties, school type, politics, extracurriculars, and social life check out www.princetonreview.com.

“The single most important factor to take into account is personal fit.”

ALUMNA WHITWORTH

By IRIS WU

Guest Writer

Photo Courtesy of IRIS WU

My roommate and I are chronically sleep deprived. Not because we are the typical giggly girls so often portrayed in slice-oflife commercials, talking deep into the night about trivial nonsense, but because of the community I happen to habit. Here at Whitworth University, home to some of the most conservative Christians I have ever met, community is of serial importance.

The process of waking up in the morning does not start at seven o’clock like most of the girls that live with me in Warren Hall,

the campus’s largest co-ed dormitory. Waking up begins at bedtime, at one thirty in the morning. “Why?” one asks. We blame the residents of 329, (who will henceforth, for all intents and purposes, be known sinisterly as “the boys upstairs.”)

Starting at roughly eleven, we are treated to an uninspired Hendrix tribute, replete with off key vocals and what seems to be dancing, filtered through our ceiling. Unfortunately, this continues and carries over into the wee hours of the morning. In theory, Quiet Hours are observed, but in reality, is rarely enforced. Just when you think they’re about to call it a night, the boys upstairs begin the Christian version of beer pong, sans the beer, sans the ping pong table. Spokane must have a shortage of ping pong balls because golf balls are substituted with great gusto. It is with great sorrow when I laud the builders of Warren for the magnificent job they did with the acoustics of each room.

Every imaginable surface is covered with hard substances, amplifying the each sound dropping above to decibels previously unattained by golf balls. We never sleep. We only go through the motions, but wake up more exhausted than ever.

My roommate and I proudly sport dark circles under our eyes as testaments to the sacrifices we make for the betterment of the people around us, or in this case, above us.

The Whitworth University experience is

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ALUMNUS STANFORD

November 2007

5 a.m. I just need to finish the conclusion of my essay and I can start studying for my Econ midterm. But I’ll take a break and describe to you the people of Stanford U n i v e r s i t y. in Photo Courtesy of T.WANG Apologies advance for the shoddy segways.

Metaphorically, Stanford students are like friendly ducks. Ducks, as you know, paddle furiously underwater, yet appear calm–even noble–on the surface. What that equates to is a lot of hard work, a lot of hard play, and yet, strangely enough, very little complaining. Case in point, one of my dormmates, a pre-med major, spends ten hours a day working in labs. When asked how he’s doing, he shrugs and says in his signature style, “Partying it uuuuuup, baby!”

This environment is quite alien to many freshmen and at first, it’s somewhat disorienting. I’m used to the incessant and often competitive–no, bid-like–complaining of the high school years, where “Oh my gawd, I have to write a thesis for my sophomore English class!” is always followed by “So? I have to write a paragraph by tomorrow.” Everyone here is–for lack of a better word–chill, despite our quarter system. Imagine a year’s worth of a high school AP class crammed into ten weeks, with the midterm given after

only four weeks. The quarter system means that (a) classes race by and (b) sleep is optional.

But though busy and aggressive, Stanford students are incredibly friendly. Dorm study groups ensure that everyone understands the material and I have yet to see a student refuse help to others. We’ve all heard stories about those Berkeley-like colleges where students tear key reference material out of library books to ruin the curve for others. Stanford is not one of them. At least in my mind, metaphorical ducks don’t backstab.

Perhaps this is a result of our counseling.

We are advised on day one not to “pee in our own pool”–that is, contaminate our campus with negative remarks. We’re encouraged to abstain from the “I am soooo fat!” competitions, and possibly as a result, Stanford has the happiest student body in the nation. As the weekends here start on Thursdays, we have free parties, events, and concerts four days a week, all of which certainly add to the positive aura.

If I had to name the biggest peculiarity about the students here, it’d be that there are no normal people. In fact, (if I may stereotype,) there are only two types of people. There’s the happy-go-lucky, former-ASB-president-andquarterback/cheerleader-type who sounds (at times annoyingly) like a game show host. And there’s the somber-and-serious, former-mathlete who keeps his door locked and eats lunch with the New York Times. It’s perplexing to watch the immediate split between the two major cliques on day two. I don’t mean to suggest that there are two rival factions. It’s just noticeable that the nerd/jock divide is there. But all of us are unified in the simple fact that we all have some hidden talent.

And perhaps the biggest talent to have here is the Superman-like ability to get things done quickly. When everyone else seems to be able to cheer at every sporting event, dance at every party, and succeed in every class, there’s a huge pressure for you to do the same.

So for the past four weeks, I’ve been one of a herd of ducks traveling at bullet-train speed.

We’ll see where this takes me.

analogous to consuming a marzipan confection.

The sweet is packaged and presented beautifully, with glazed surfaces, vibrant colors, and a sickeningly delicious allure. You are drawn to it, salivating inside like Pavlov’s dogs, excited to taste it, to fully experience the satisfaction of your sweet tooth satisfied. The first mouthful is heavenly. The second, slightly less so. By the time one reaches the fifth mouthful of sugar, his or her gag reflex kicks into action, forcing the glutton to feel slightly nauseous, rethinking their decision in their minds regretfully.

The pictures show you rollicking, lush landscape, dotted all over with large coniferous trees perfect for slack line practice and Frisbee.

Golden boys on longboards skate around with easy smiles and affable demeanors. Perfectly manicured grass is dusted with pine needles.

Trees all around are turning colors, preparing for the infamous cold that approaches. But wait.

Look closer and you begin to see the cracks and imperfections. Stay longer. That sinking feeling you are experiencing is the realization that you are now trapped in the biggest mistake of your life.

Community is key on campus, and everyone must belong to the Whitworth “family,” but with one minor caveat. You have to believe in the right God. Being associated with the Presbyterian Church, Whitworth has strong ties to Spokane’s Christian community and is con-

stantly trying to push students to “be active” and “involved” in church activities. The mindless devotion some of my peers have toward their beliefs is sometimes irritating. Political activism is discouraged, unless it is aligned with the school’s vision, or in other words, Republican ideology/Bush-ism. Gay students lay low, afraid of judgment from other students. Whitworth is not so much a school as it is a small, ultra-friendly, staunchly religious and conservative police state.

But Whitworth has its good points too.

Our academic calendar is set up with a January intensive study term that permits one to take a course, or go back home for a month if they so choose. Whitworth’s off-campus studies office is very accommodating, allowing students to study virtually anywhere they choose in the world. The philosophy, theology, and political science departments are very robust, with challenging professors with unique ideas. What Whitworth is lacking in socially, it makes up for in other areas, but barely.

Life here is quiet. People here are nice enough, but nice does not always work. The sense of belonging simply does not exist. Community may be enforced, but sometimes, it is not sufficient. I can go running. I can go hiking.

I can go huckleberry picking at a nearby farm if I wanted. But it will always be alone. Camaraderie is hard to come by in Washington.

By TIM WANG

Guest Writer

November 2007

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18

SPORTS

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November 2007

AHS APACHE FOOTBALL vs. CVHS FALCON FOOTBALL As the Apache and Falcon football teams square off on November 8th, the newspaper staffs reflect on what makes their team unique, or rather better. Focusing on subjects that center around football, Arcadia High School and Crescenta Valley High School have narrowed it down to the Top 10 Reasons they feel their team will be victorious.

By LAURA KELLY

By TALIN KHETCHOOMIAN AHS Sports Editor

CV Sports Editor

1. The Apaches beat the Falcons 4 years in a row.

2. We, unlike our friendly Falcons, use our football field instead of traveling to Glendale to call ourselves the “home team.”

3. The Apaches have merely 7 weeks off every year.

4. We have 2 All-State players: senior Kevan Walker and junior Todd Golper. Enough said.

5. The Apaches have bonded to create a tribe, blocking for their brothers. The Falcons have created a flock, snuggling in their nests.

6. The Apache Football coaches are impeccable, Photo Courtesy of google.com working not only during practices but collecting data and scouting various teams on the weekends.

7. The Apaches started off the season with an easy 16-7 victory over St. Francis, while the St. Francis Golden Knights clobbered the Falcons 31-10.

8. We own CV academically, as we have higher GPAs. 9. The Apaches are ranked #302 in state, #2 in league and have 12 players whose statistics have made them league leaders. On the other hand, the Falcons are ranked #627 in state, #4 in league and have only one league leader.

10. They are the Falcons. We are the Apaches. The Apaches hunted falcons. Needless to say, the Apaches never went hungry.

Coach’s Corner

By HANNAH MATHEWS-WARD Staff Writer

In lieu of winter and spring sports being just around the corner, the Coaches Corner asked the Girls Varsity Basketball coach to describe his pregame rituals.

Don Young Girls Varsity Basketball I attended Pasadena High School.

Our biggest games centered around our crosstown rivalsJohn Muir. When I played football, a Photo by A. JOHNSON lot of time was spent exchanging “pleasantries” with former teammates who attended Muir. There was a lot of heated talk but after the game, it was all love.

When I served as a varsity assistant for girls basketball at PHS, we did the same thing.

But as coaches, we spent more time during the week watching tapes and plotting our strategies on how we would win the individual matchups.

Typically, I would do my best to get a lot of rest two days before the game. Why? It’s simple...

I knew the night before I wouldn’t sleep well.

Ray (the PHS head coach) and I would call each other three to four times a day and just talk about basketball and how bad we wanted our team to perform well. We would even talk to Tuck (PHS Boys Varsity Coach) about what we needed to do to get our team ready. The key thing is to talk to your team about all of the implications of the match...If your team knows you are going all out they will do their best. Win or lose, that is all you can ask for as a coach.

1. Unlike the Arcadia Apaches, our mascot is not culturally insensitive.

2. While your football players drool on their pillows at 6 in the morning, our players are up working hard to perfect their game.

3. If this match-up was featured in any Disney movie made in the past 20 years, CV would win; everyone likes underdogs.

4. Our colors aren’t ripped off from USC. 5. Usually in a game, one team has to lose, Photo Courtesy of google.com the Falcons are modest enough to make that sacrifice at times.

6. Arcadia? Isn’t that a place where middle school boys go to play video games? Who names a school Arcadia?

7. Our head coach (Coach Z) is so cool he only needs one letter to his name.

8. We have kicker/punter Rana Parsanj who kicked 61 yards (only two short of the NFL record).

9. CV is so awesome, other schools let us use their field for home games.

10. There are eight schools in the United States called “Arcadia High School.” There is only one Crescenta Valley. The lack of originality will be apparent on the field.

Boys Varsity Water Polo Wins League

By MITALEE KHILNANI

distant goal in previous years, it is now a feasible

prepare mentally to compete in their final match against Glendale. Although Glendale was expectOn Oct. 29 the Boys Varsity Water Polo team ed to be a strong opponent, the Boys were pumped After 30 years of struggling to win the Pa- played an intense game against the Crescenta Val- and motivated to pull through as League Chamcific League title, the Varsity Boys Water Polo ley Falcons and were triumphant in their endeavors pions. This game proved to be incredibly strenuteam has finally found success. This year they because they “followed the game plan,” explained ous for the boys as they entered the fourth quarter have been working relentlessly to develop both Coach Janice Clark. Even though there was extra tied with Glendale, however, they managed to the mental and physical endurance to be ranked coverage on Robbie Pusic, a star player on the Boys prevail with an overall score of 15-12. According as number one in CIF. As the season continues, Varsity Water Polo team, other members of the to Coach Janice Clark, “The boys won this game because they are a deeply talented the team is building team. Thus, we can employ difstrength and creating ferent strengths at various times.” indestructible stratThis conquest is monumental in egies to take home Arcadia’s history because this is the league chamthe first time the Boys Varsity Wapionship, an honor ter Polo team has won and been unthat has never before defeated in League with an overall been brought to Arrecord of 9-0. Coach Janice Clark cadia High School. states “I am extremely proud that Even as the the Boys were able to endure an Boys Water Polo intense, emotional week without team’s season comes falling apart and I am extremely to an end, they refuse excited that we won League Chamto stop working hard pionships for the first time!” in hopes of making Coming this far hasn’t been their goals and aspieasy for the Boys Water Polo rations reality. Coach Janice Clark said, Photo by ROYA F. Team. Members of the team were required to attend early morning “This has been the best season at Arca- BOYS WATER POLO Senior Armstrong Kuo frantically swims to the ball practices from 6:00 a.m. until 7:30 a.m. as well as from sixth period dia High School be- as a player from the opposing team approaches him. until 5:00 p.m. Since the season is cause the team consists of players who are all strong swimmers team stepped up and racked up as many goals as wrapping up, the coaches have tapered down the and have had prior experience.” With only two possible. The excellent defense and offense tactics intensity of practices; however, the Boys Water losses thus far, the Apaches are determined to coupled with the goalie; Mitchell Fricke’s, ability to Polo team is still conditioning to keep in top shape remain the best among the other Division Six block nearly all the other team’s shots allowed the for upcoming games.

“This is a year we should get the job done teams. Although there are several other teams Apaches to gain victory with an overall score of 8-3. that have displayed tremendous potential such On Tuesday, Oct. 30, the Boys dominated Crescenta because the team has chemistry and each player as Pasadena Polytechnic, Cerritos and El Se- Valley in another challenging game with an over- depends on the other, which shows how strong gundo, the Boys Water Polo team is motivated all score of 8-4. These accomplishments made the our entire team is. We have never won CIF, so it would be historic on the CIF and league front.” to stay on track and take home the CIF and Pa- Apaches the top seed in League Prelims.

With only one day to recover, the Boys had to said Coach Janice Clark. cific League title. While this may have been a Staff Writer possibility for the team.

November 2007

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SPORTS 19

Girls Cross Country Makes History

By JOHANNE BOULAT Guest Writer

It is hard to find a closer knit group of girls than the Arcadia Girls Cross Country Team.

From its six day a week summer training to its early morning workouts to its pre-meet pasta parties, the team spends the majority of its days together. And it certainly seems to have paid off.

The Varsity girls’ squad has broken school team time records on nearly all the courses it ran this season, most recently on its own course at Arcadia Park and on the famed Mt. SAC course.

Sophomore standout Alex Dreves asserts that “Our biggest accomplishment was when we broke our school record by almost three minutes at Mt. SAC” where she ran a stellar time of 19:54. She attributes the girls’ success to “the miles we did over summer…especially going up ‘Hardcore’ at Mammoth.” Captain Tiffany Lin states that “part of it was the seniors really motivated us to get there.” Head coach Ray Mynster credits their accomplishments to “hard work, desire, and teamwork.”

The team has also benefited largely from a pool of talented underclassmen. Phenomenal

freshman Sydney Dreves has led the team on quite a few occasions, posting a season best time of 19:06 for three miles.

She is closely followed by freshman teammate Catrina McAlister, whose motto is “when in doubt, run it out.”

However, the team would not be complete without strong returner senior Giselle Sorial and greatly improved junior Caitlin Kelly who said, “we can make it to state if we really try.”

Although Cross Country Photos by GREGORY ZAJAC certainly involves a lot of running, it also involves a lot of GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY Left: senior Johanne fun. As sophomore Veronica Boulat sprints past the competition. Right: freshman Yee recalls, her favorite mo- Catrina McAllister and junior Caitlin Kelly continue on ment was at the Pepperdine the course.

Invitational “because after years since the girls team advanced to CIF Fithe race our Varsity team dove in the mud.” nals. But this year, as the girls toe the starting Assuredly, this Cross Country year has line at CIF Prelims, they will indeed have high been one for the history books. However, one hopes for CIF Finals, for never before has an Arimpressive goal remains. It has been 29 long cadia Girls Cross Country team been this good.

Girls Volleyball Spikes Back

By CHRISTINE HOWARD

for 161 yards. Kevan Walker completed only eight of his 16 attempted passes, and Troy Amhaz was limited to 76 yards on 15 carries. In contrast, Muir Staff Writer moved the ball a total of 457 yards. Muir scored 50 points against Arcadia’s 28.

The Apaches’ winning streak of seven The following week the Arcadia consecutive games was broken by Muir High Apaches played the Burroughs Indians in School in a game that effectively decided the Salter Stadium. Late in the fourth quarter, Pacific League Championship. the score was tied, and an Arcadia punt Quarterback Kevan Walker said that at planted the ball on the Burroughs twothe beginning of the season, Arcadia High yard line. Less than four minutes remainSchool students expected their football team to ing on the clock, the Indians managed to “hopefully get close to teams” in competition. fight across an entire football field before Apache football then proceeded to shock their the end of the game, bringing the score to classmates with a victory over St. Francis in 16-10, and a Burroughs win. their season opener. Now, “I kind of feel like While the Apache Football Team the students expect us to win every game,” said might have surprised their peers with running back Troy Amhaz. “But we expect that their successes, they came as no surprise from ourselves, too.” to them. They entered the season confiComing off a 43-29 win against PasaPhoto Courtesy of THE ARCADIAN dent that their hard work would pay madena, Arcadia had their eyes set on the league championship, and Muir had its on the Apaches. FOOTBALL The Apaches beat the Bulldogs 43-29 jor dividends. Coach Jon Dimalante said, “We work real hard. We put a lot of time Arcadia was ranked number one in the Pacific during the AHS Homecoming game. in it.” A successful season is “what we League, while Muir was number two. Arcadia Walker to Brian Rambeau. The first quarter ended shoot for.” With the post-league CIF season coming was statistically higher in average passing yards per with a Muir touchdown that evened out the score. up, Coach Dimalante plans to simply play one game game, average total yards per game, average tackles By halftime, Muir grabbed hold of a lead they would at a time and “do whatever it takes, however long per game, and average sacks per game. They were not release. it takes, to win” and believes that the team’s endurstatistically superior in everything but average rushThe Muir defense played mercilessly. Arcadia ance, love, intensity, and “willingness to be the haming yards and points per game. Kevan Walker knew passed 13 of 23 for 202 yards and had 28 carries mer and not the nail” will take them there. this upcoming game was important, and that if Arca-

Staff Writer The Girls Varsity Volleyball Team took the court, ready to face off against its rivals for the Pacific League Title, the Burroughs High Indians. This game was crucial, and both the court and the bleachers were filled with aggressive competition. The referee blew his whistle and the deciding game for the title began.

Although the Apache players had some amazing performances, the team had a hard time fighting against the well prepared Indians.

The Burroughs/Arcadia game opened with an explosive kill from the senior middle blocker Suzie Clinton, and the Apaches kept the fire burning strong throughout the entire first game. Senior outside hitter Stephanie Stillman executed nine flawless kills, and after some controversial calls from the referee and passionate cheering from both sides of the bleachers, the Lady Apaches won the first game 25-21.

Game number two started out pretty slowly, with the Apaches making some mistakes and the Indians taking full advantage of them. In spite of playing a slow game, the Apaches still managed to come up from far behind, ending up only three points behind the Indians, the final score 22-25.

Unfortunately, despite high hopes from both the players and the fans, the Lady Apaches were not able to turn around their bad luck. They lost their next two games, and their hopes for tying for the Pacific League Championship were quickly snatched away from them.

“We were fired up but Burroughs came out really strong. We didn’t play as well as we could have,” said junior defensive specialist Courtney Lee. Although the Apaches were not league champs, their season has been fantastic. The players are steadily improving, working well as a team, and going through League nearly undefeated. Their current record is 14-5 overall and 11-2 in league, barely trailing behind the currently undefeated Indians.

“Our season went pretty well, just look at our record. Each time we went out to play we wanted to improve and throughout the season we got much better as a team,” said Varsity Coach Chuck Freberg.

The Apache players displayed a lot of talent this year. According to MaxPreps.com, Stillman is currently kill leader in Pacific League. Senior setter Jennifer Tucker is first in Pacific League ace count and Clinton is in first for amount of blocks.

According to junior defensive specialist Sara Molina, “Overall we did really well as a team. We played well together, and had a lot of talent and a lot of dedication. We had a lot of fun especially at tournaments and on the bus rides to away games.”

The Lady Apaches’ season went well, taking second place in Pacific League. They improved in both skill and teamwork as the season progressed, and came out of the season as a solid and talented team.

year.” Omar’s passion for the game has only strengthened as he has grown up. As a little boy Omar would watch the ball run past the white line and into the net, constantly screaming “Goal!” with much eagerness alongside his father.

Many kids have aspirations of becoming professional athletes when they grow up; senior Omar Elmasri was astonished to discover that he actually might be able to fulfill his childhood dream of playing professional soccer. After many years of hard work, it has been recently announced that Omar made the U-18 Boys National Team and will represent the United States in Limoges, France. “As a kid everyone dreams of this. I’m very fortunate to have the opportunity of representing my country.” His team will compete against three other international soccer teams: on Oct. 29, the U.S. will take on France, and will then face Turkey before rounding out the tournament on Nov. 3 against Scotland. He

inspired me to do the same.”

Influenced by his dad, an enthusiastic soccer fanatic, Omar got into soccer when he was 4 years old and has loved it ever since. He remains passionate about this sport and said, “I like the fact that soccer is so unique and different, and even though it still hasn’t reached its popularity peak in the United States, it is the most popular sport worldwide.”

Omar has been on the Varsity Soccer Team ever since his freshman year and has developed immensely as a player since then. He advises other soccer players to never give up, “If you reach a rough point in your development as a player, don’t let it affect you, everybody goes through this. So just keep working hard and focus on the thing you’re good at and make sure you master that skill.”

We wish Omar the best of luck on achieving all of his aspirations as a soccer player. The Apaches are definitely rooting for him.

Varsity Football Takes Some Hard Hits dia won, “then we’re basically league champs.”

On the night of Oct. 26, the Apaches traveled to Muir High School. Arcadia took the lead in the first quarter with a touchdown pass from Kevan

By GREGORY ZAJAC

PROFILE OMAR ELMASRI

By AISHA ELMASRI & JAMES HERNANDEZ Staff Writers

Although Arcadia High school’s soccer season doesn’t start for another month, for senior Omar Elmasri, “There’s no such thing as soccer season.” In Omar’s world, “soccer season is every day, every week, evPhoto by A. JOHNSON ery month, and every

will be leaving his home for his exciting journey to France on Oct. 27th and will come back to Arcadia within the first week of November.

Omar said, “I’m really looking forward to seeing the talent of the other guys from different countries.”

However, this trip to France is not his first overseas trip and definitely won’t be his last.

Soccer has allowed Omar to travel to many interesting places: Brazil, Spain, and even Italy.

He has also traveled to other states such as Hawaii, Colorado, Oregon, North Carolina, Texas, Nevada, and Idaho. Although these trips were dedicated mostly to soccer, they have provided Omar, along with his teammates, with various experiences that keep their passion for the game alive. “When I was a kid, I didn’t realize how important it was to work on my weaknesses because soccer was just something I did for fun, but as I grew older I realized all the hard work previous soccer players have put in and this has

20

ACADEMICS

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November 2007

Intense Bowling with Loud Buzzers

By MELISSA CHEN & JACQUELINE YUE Academics Editors

Arcadia High School is home to three competitive academic teams referred to as “bowls.” Employing buzzers (ranging from the “quizzer,” a simple brown rectangular prism with a red light and same-hued, clickable button that triggers the light and a loud buzz, to “the judge,” which is notorious for fitting in a portable case but requiring players to slam on its rough, black surface that much resembles a gas pedal), the bowls value quick reflexes and

SB

thorough knowledge of the topics covered in the particular bowl.

While Quiz Bowl (QB) emphasizes comprehensive knowledge and consequently asks members to study topics ranging from the literary works of Aleksandr Pushkin to the names of Jupiter’s satellites, Science Bowl (SB) has members immerse themselves in all branches of science and Ocean Sciences Bowl (OSB) requires teams to focus on marine science, such as the physical features of a catfish.

The QB team at AHS is considerably laxer than the other two bowls because of the “handsoff” adviser and increased membership at 18

QB

Biology, multiple choice.

Barbara McClintock received a Nobel prize for her work concerning transposons, which she discovered in: w) cows x) fruit flies y) Indian corn z) bacteria

Answer: y or Indian corn

During the June riots, he is recognized by a street urchin and then captured.

He encounters the mayor of Montreuil-sur-Mer but does not recognize him until the man exhibits extraordinary strength. When Valjean spares his life, this man is thrown into disarray because of his straightforward interpretation of the law.

For 10 points, name Victor Hugo’s inspector who commits suicide by drowning in the Seine.

Answer: Javert

players, according to Co-captain Jarita Ta. Since its establishment at AHS, Arcadia QB has qualified for Nationals four times and enjoys an increasing trend of improvement, as statistics and overall performance have shown. Members are divided into Teams A, B, and C, with the strongest players competing on Team A. Due to the nature of QB competitions, teams are generally formed with a balance of knowledge in mind.

Team A: senior Neiman Tan (Co-captain); juniors Sean Maroongroge, Derek Sun, Jacqueline Yue. Team B: seniors Calvin Hsiao, Sunil Pedapudi, juniors Justin Chu, George Dewey, Tracy Lee; sophomore Alex Wang. Team C:

OSB Tossup, short answer. In anglerfish, this becomes an illicium and esca.

Preventing the fish from rolling from sudden turns and stops, for 10 points, name this fin located on the back.

Answer: dorsal

seniors Jeffrey Kwok, Jarita Ta (Co-captain); juniors Jeff Chen, Cliff Wu; sophomores Tim Zheng, Stanley Yuan; freshman Patrick Han Alternate: Janice Wu. According to Captain Sean Maroongroge, SB is probably one of the harder teams to get into. Study divisions include astronomy, earth science, physics, and math, suggesting that team members are more math or science oriented than those in QB, and questions (called tossups) are considerably shorter than the pyramidal, paragraph-form QB tossups. Multiple choice tossups and bonuses are also present, thus requiring players to focus carefully on the moderator’s words. The year before, Arcadia SB placed fifth in Regionals, and the team will be scrimmaging with North Hollywood and Troy High Schools, both known for their strong science teams. Team A: seniors Sunil Pedapudi, Neiman Tan, Solomon Wang (captain); juniors Sean Maroongroge, Karen Tsai. Team B: juniors Derek Ouyang, Alan Xie, Paul Chen, Russell Igarashi, Jeff Chen With topics more specific than those in SB, OSB demands a solid knowledge of everything related to the sea. Like the other two bowls, OSB graduated the majority of its Team A (which, on most teams, is primarily composed of seniors), but “we don’t plan on missing a step,” said Neiman. OSB competition format closely resembles SB, and like SB, is stricter and more formal than QB. Captain Sunil Pedapudi plans to organize scrimmages with Troy later in the year.

Team A: seniors Sunil Pedapudi (Captain), Neiman Tan, Solomon Wang; juniors Russell Igarashi, Alan Xie. Team B: senior Thomas Lam; juniors Gene Chen, Paul Chen, Kelly Guan, Sachin Raghunathan.

INTRODUCING THE THREE BOWLS From left to right: juniors Sean Maroongroge and Jeff Chen and senior Neiman Tan demonstrate different ways to hold quizzers.

Photos by MELISSA CHEN

The Ultimate Case: Liberal Arts v. University

By KEVIN KIM Staff Writer

During fall, many seniors are busy writing college essays and filling out their college applications, but many do not realize that there are plenty of great colleges outside of UCs, Ivy Leagues, and other top-tier national universities.

Liberal arts colleges provide just as great educations as those of national universities, yet students do not know about these smaller schools.

The matter of preference depends on what type of college a student is looking for: one that has a large population and provides a better range of courses, or one that gives a better student-to-professor ratio and a more well-rounded education.

Liberal arts colleges are fairly obscure among AHS students, but these colleges offer advantages over large universities. The smaller overall population of the school takes into account that these colleges do not have graduate schools, therefore focusing more on intellectual education rather than vocational-based or research-related learning. The smaller number of students allows the class sizes to be much smaller, thus allowing students to interact more with their professors. Whereas in large univer-

sities such as UCs, many classes are taught by teacher assistants, so students do not get to know their professors very well. Junior Jack Ching said, “I feel that liberal arts colleges offer a more personal and learning-oriented college experience but with fewer opportunities for research or faculty resources than a national university.”

Universities are the most familiar of colleges, much better known than their liberal arts counterparts. Mention the name “Harvard” or “UCLA” and almost every student in Arcadia should know the discussion topic. The advantage of universities is that they provide all degrees of academics: Bachelor, Masters, and Doctorate; while liberal arts colleges only offer Bachelor of Arts or Science. For this reason, some students feel that liberal arts colleges are somewhat limited. Senior Jonathan Lu said, “Liberal arts colleges provide a small variety of education while universities offer the full spectrum.”

Liberal arts colleges and national universities all have their own distinct advantages and disadvantages. It all depends on the type of environment that a student wants to fit into, and as time draws closer to choose what schools to apply to, seniors should look beyond just the common UCs and Ivy Leagues.

Photo by MELISSA CHEN

COLLEGE DILEMMA Senior Danica Shei contemplates whether to apply to a large university or a liberal arts school.

November 2007

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ACADEMICS

Chambers on a Monday Night

By JULIE MENDEL

Staff Writer

Academic Decathlon Decathlon’s theme this year is the American Civil War, which is taught through packets that junior Michelle Lee jokingly called “almost one foot tall.” According to adviser Mr. Brian Zurla, decathletes have been “spending the past two months studying...from Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address to various forms of infectious diseases and music of the late 1800s.”

All this studying for the ever-studious Decathlon is working to pay off in its first scrimmage of the year on Nov. 17 at El Rancho High School.

Photo by JULIE MENDEL

CONSTITUTION TEAM Members Bryant Leung, Steven Stark, Chloe-Rose Crabtree, and Angela Hu prepare for their Dec. 15 competition.

Every Monday night, the team assembles in their business-attire best at Arcadia’s City Council Chambers to present their prepared statements and face a six-minute round of free-response questions—or what some team members term “an interrogation.”

The questions are fired at them by a panel of

volunteer coaches, a group that ranges from program graduates to former Arcadia mayor Gary Kovacic. Unit Three member Bonnie Cao said, “Chambers is one of the most exciting yet tiring nights of the week, because we devote hours preparing for just 10 short minutes of showing our judges and peers what we’ve got.”

C r u ising on a Scholars h i p

By DAPHNE TAN

students be US citizens or permanent residents, high school seniors or graduate students, and Usually requiring an essay or piece of work, have a minimal 2.5 GPA. To apply, students must scholarships award students for their achieve- have notable academic achievement and write ments and are available in various amounts. two essays, 50 to 200 words “There are numerous ways to finance a each, one on a person who has college education,” said counselor had a great impact on applicant’s Laurie McQuaid. life, the other on what the apContrary to popular beplicant hopes to achieve in his lief, scholarships are open personal and professional life to everyone and allow after college. The application students to exemplify can be submitted online at alltheir talents and benefit ink.com/scholarship.aspx. Apfrom them. There are six main plications are due by Dec. 31, scholarship categories, with a possible 5,000 scholarbased on athletics, ship awarded. For more infordemonstrated need, mation, see all-ink.com ethnicity, institutional, 2) Especially for Californian general, and merit. Schol- Photo courtesy of google.com students, the California Student Aid arships suggestions: Commission is sponsoring the Cal 1) All-Ink.com has a college scholarship Grant A & B Entitlement Award program to high program. The eligibility requirements are that school seniors who are either US citizens or perStaff Writer

manent residents of California. For Cal Grant A, students must have a minimal 3.0 GPA, while Cal Grant B applicants must have at least a 2.0 GPA. The minimum scholarship money awarded is $700, and the maximum is $9,700. Applications must be turned in by March 2, 2008. Questions can be answered at calgrants.org 3) Another scholarship exclusively for seniors residing in California is the California Masonic Foundation Scholarship, sponsored by the California Masonic Foundation. Unlike the Cal Grant A & B Entitlement Award, the California Masonic Foundation Scholarship requires students to be US citizens as well as residents of California. The application requirements include an essay and transcript. To have higher chances of receiving the scholarship, students must have academic achievement with a minimal 3.0 GPA and financial need (along with a proof of eligibility: 1040-tax return, FAFSA). The maximum amount for this scholarship is $10,000. Submit applications by Feb. 15, 2008 to freemason.org.

College Profile: Carnegie Mellon

By GRACE KWONG

Staff Writer

Carnegie Mellon, a private university located in Pittsburgh, PA, has gained a reputation as one of the “New Ivies.” The university is ranked 22nd among national research universities (for some perspective, University of California-Berkeley is ranked 21st and Georgetown University is ranked 23rd).

Carnegie Mellon is particularly well known for its engineering and computer science programs. Approximately one-fourth of the school’s students apply for engineering school.

Its computer science program has ranked first for graduate studies in the US. Famous Carnegie Mellon alumni include John Nash, the subject

Academic Teams Update

By TRACY LEE

Guest Writer

Equal protection under the laws. John Locke. Federalism. If any of these things sound remotely interesting to you, you should meet Arcadia High School’s Constitution Team. Colloquially referred to as “Gov Team,” this year’s team is composed of 24 politically aware seniors under the expert tutelage of Mr. Kevin Fox. Judged on their knowledge of the Constitution and its many applications, the team competes at the district, regional, and state levels in a structure similar to that of a mock congressional hearing.

The team is divided into six units, each of which specializes in a certain aspect of the Constitution. Unit One, for example, delves into the historical and philosophical underpinnings of our country’s most important document, while Unit Six explores the role we play as citizens in our government. So far, the team’s already developed a close bond—as Unit Two member Chris Liang observed, “Gov Team is awesome.

Mr. Fox is a really engaging teacher and everyone is motivated to succeed, so it’s a constructive atmosphere.”

The Constitution Team has begun preparing for their first competition, which takes place on Dec. 15 during a weekly ritual called Chambers.

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of A Beautiful Mind; Judith Resnik, an astronaut who was on the Space Shuttle Challenger; and Andy Warhol, a famous pop artist.

Carnegie Mellon is also known for its diverse athletic programs, including basketball, track, cross country, football, golf, soccer, swimming, volleyball, tennis, cheerleading, frisbee, badminton, and roller hockey.

Carnegie Mellon is coeducational and located in an urban setting, which is also home to various idiosyncratic traditions. The only college to offer a degree in bagpipes, Carnegie Mellon trains bagpipers to perform at various University events. Another tradition includes “Mobot,” or “mobile robot,” a race where robots pass through a set of gates.

Constitution Team Only recently did the Constitution Team have its second Chambers on Nov. 5. The units are currently organizing meetings with their respective coaches and working towards the first competition of the year on Dec. 15.

Math Team Math Team has only just finished its tryout and formed its new team. While the members don’t have any imminent competitions, they’re studying away in preparation for Bay Math League—an inter-school competition which takes place four times a year. Captain Solomon Wang is confident in the bright minds of this year’s team and sees “a potential for sweeping the competition away at the Bay Math League Competitions.”

Ocean Sciences Bowl Ocean Sciences Bowl recently divided its members into A and B teams. The team is studying and trying to organize a scrimmage with rival Troy High School in December.

Quiz Bowl After placing fourth at Twain VIII and qualifying one team for Nationals, Quiz Bowlers await their next tournament on Nov. 10 at UC Irvine—CBCT VIII. They have currently divided themselves into two themed study groups for literature and social science, which junior George Dewey said “is a fun experience, since you find things you would never learn in school.”

Science Bowl Science Bowl is currently focused on studying for its February competition through bi-weekly meetings to simulate competition environment. It also divided into two study groups: astrology & biology and chemistry & earth science.

Science Olympiad Team tryouts took place from Oct. 15-19, but results have yet to be released. Co-captain Sean Maroongroge said, “Because of uncontrollable circumstances, we were unable to begin as early as we would have liked to, but our hard working team will undoubtedly overcome the time shortage.” For those interested, Science Olympiad is still accepting volunteers for the building team.

Photo courtesy of cmu.edu

THE UNIVERSITY CENTER A place for student recreation and service.

Speech and Debate As the Fall Novice and Varsity tournaments are coming up on Nov. 17 and Dec. 8 respectively, members of Speech and Debate are cracking down and preparing for competition.

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CALENDAR

Confessions of a Teenage Glutton

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November 2007

Thanksgiving Welcomes Tyrani-Turkey

By LEON CHEN

In the city, suddenly...

It’s the Tyranni-Turk!

Ahhh!

By VERONICA LIM Staff Writer

As a non-vegetarian, I had no idea what to expect when I went to Whole Foods in search of the elusive Tofurky (Trader Joe’s had none in stock).

Photo by D. TAN What I was presented with was a variety of brands and “meat” cuts, ranging from sliced “turkey breast” to whole Thanksgiving “turkeys.” I decided to stick with the good ol’ Tofurky brand, and bought a small whole Tofurky to take home.

Despite having a vague idea of what Tofurky is, and knowing of its existence from the mocking remarks of various sitcoms, I had no idea what to expect when I opened the box to my Tofurky meal. Instead of the turkeyshaped tofu I expected, inside the box was a log-shaped roll of Tofurky and a side of vegetarian-friendly gravy. Preparing the Tofurky was surprisingly easy, even for a kitchen hazard like myself, so I followed the recipe to a “t” and prayed that I had put my $9.99 to good use.

The moment of truth: Does Tofurky taste like actual turkey? Surprisingly, yes. The taste was reminiscent of that of actual turkey, though the texture of the Tofurky could have been better. The shape of the Tofurky was rather unappealing, and the spongy texture didn’t help, but the flavor of both the Tofurky and the stuffing was superb. The gravy especially stood out as excellent. While the Tofurky didn’t taste exactly like turkey, if I hadn’t known it wasn’t meat, I wouldn’t have ever guessed it wasn’t.

Would I do this again? Probably not.

Tofurky had both its good points and its bad, but I disliked the sponge texture too much to eat much of it, and had a lot leftover (luckily for me, my sister, on the other hand, didn’t seem to mind the texture at all and ate most of it right up). I would suggest it as a fun, animal-friendly alternative to turkey that others should definitely try sometime, though!

For now at least, I’ll stick with the traditional turkey-turkey for my Thanksgivings.

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Is there nothing that can save us?

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Yay!

Jack and the Beanstalk: Thanksgiving Edition

By VICTORIA BIAN

Ma! Guess what? I climbed a

beanstalk last night and stole a goose that lay GOLDEN EGGS-I can’t wait to SHOW YOU....What smells so good?

Sudoku: Use your brain SEE THEAPACHEPOWWOW.COM FOR ANSWERS

CARTOONISTS!

Courtesy of readingeagle.com

THANKSGIVING The typical package of

Tofurky that can be found at supermarkets.

Turn in comics to H-6 for the upcoming December issue.

November 2007

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CAMPUS FOCUS

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November 2007

New Art Class Colors to the Beat

By SARAH LIN Staff Writer

Long renowned for its exemplary academics and sports, Arcadia High School has recently begun to focus more and more on the arts. The 2007-2008 school year is witness to an expansion in the art curriculum, with new courses for the visually inclined. One such class is Art and Music, a class which integrates the abstract qualities of music and the tangible qualities of art. Students focus on different genres of music throughout this semester-long class and create physical manifestations of the emotions they derive from each song. “At first I thought it would be very difficult, but once you listen to the music more and more, the art just flows and comes together,” said senior Tiffany Tsai.

All forms of music are covered in this course, from jazz to hip hop, and the artworks that the students have to show are truly expressive and individual. Being exposed to new forms of music is also especially invigorating for students. Senior Justin Kwok said, “I usually listen to hip hop, so it was surprising when I enjoyed a little bit of rock.”

Just as there is a variety of music, a multitude of art forms is also covered, from cubism to collages. The wide range of music and art that is covered allows for students to work with familiar passions as well as to discover new interests.

After being exposed to cubism, junior Moon Choi, said, “I like cubism—it’s really random, and I can do whatever I want.”

Art and Music provides a new angle to Arcadia High School’s art curriculum, combining two forms of art together rather than focus on one.

Unlike previous art classes offered at the school, the course opens up both musical and artistic boundaries for students.

MOON CHOI, Junior Ella Fitzgerald - Cow Cow Boogie JUSTIN KWOK, Senior Motorhead - Ace of Spades

Influenced by the musical culture in Céret, a village on Catalonia, Pablo Picasso’s series of geometric guitar paintings marked the beginning of the Cubism period.

The Art and Music class similarly listened to music from Catalonia as inspiration for their own Cubism pieces.

TIFFANY TSAI, Senior Billie Holiday - Strange Fruit

GRACE LIU, Senior Music from Catalonia SARAH KURTOIC, Senior Music from Catalonia

GERMAN RUIZ, Senior Beastie Boys - Alive Photos by JAMES HERNANDEZ and ASHLEY JOHNSON. Graphics courtesy of GOOGLE.COM