2012 november

Volume 62, Issue 3

Arcadia High School 180 Campus Drive, Arcadia, CA

November 2012

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Mrs. Schreiner: AHS’ Resident Wonder Woman

By ANNA WANG Staff Writer

The chilly Monday after Band competed at the 36th Annual Mt. Carmel Band Competition, I walked out the back doors of our music building, ready for field rehearsal. A woman with snowy white hair and a kind smile on her way to the Student Services Building veered off her charted course that would have taken her out of the freezing morning air, approached me and asked, “So how did Band do this weekend?” Unused to having staff members ask about Band, I cheerfully recounted the group’s performances. As she listened, she radiated genuine happiness. Walking away, I too was smiling because of the amazing woman who took time out of her day to ask about our music program. Mrs. Terry Schreiner left a great and lasting impression on me—just as she has left her mark on our school and the entire Arcadia Unified School District—as she goes above and beyond what is asked of her.

Working for our district for 28 years and at AHS for the past 18, Mrs. Schreiner is currently the principal’s secretary, overseeing his schedule and being the go-to person for anyone who needs her expertise. She cheerily helps anyone who walks through the door. Countless students have personally been affected by her organizational efforts by taking the PSAT, a test that Mrs. Schreiner coordinates. “Mrs. Schreiner is a wealth of information, knowledge, and [is] beyond organized. She has reached a point where she can anticipate what is needed before you ask it,” said Assistant Principal Mrs. Jennifer Lashier. With Mrs. Schreiner at the helm, it is no wonder that our office runs so smoothly and efficiently! “Our school would definitely not be as great without Mrs. Schreiner,” gushed ASB Vice President senior Kerry Wang.

This incredible individual has been invaluable to our music program. Starting as a music booster parent when her daughters were in the program years before, Mrs. Schreiner continued to volunteer even after her daughters graduated. She organized many of Band’s trips, such as the Presidential Inaugural Parade in 2005 and several Gator Bowl trips, and helped Orchestra as well by organizing ticket sales for concerts. Band Director Mr. Kevin Sherrill lauded “her spirit of volunteering.” “She is always concerned about others [while] never concerned about receiving attention for all the work she does,” he praised. Members of Band share Mr. Sherrill’s sentiments. Drum Major senior David Wang expressed, “We want to thank Mrs. Schreiner for all of her support for Band and for all the things she has done for us behind the scenes.”

Mrs. Schreiner is a warm and caring person who exemplifies the meaning of generosity.

“She never hesitates to help anyone in need,” said junior Nicole Wei. “Everyone really appreciates what she’s done for our school!” Mrs. Schreiner’s vibrant and warm spirit did not slacken even with the passing of her husband, Mr. Ed Schreiner, another selfless, involved, and remarkable person like herself, earlier this year. Thank you, Mrs. Schreiner, for being such an integral part of our school! awang@apachepowwow.com Photo by WILSON LIN

Inside this Issue Three Musketeers Theatrics: Advanced Drama Department exhibits its take on Alexandre Dumas’ classic tale of camaraderie, bravery, and true love.

IN PERFORMING ARTS (PG. 9) Photo courtesy of IMAGES.NYMAG.COM

Not So Happily Ever After: The innocent yet innacurate Disney facade of fairy tale endings is unveiled to reveal the Grimm tales behind them.

IN FEATURES (PG. 8) Graphic courtesy of 1.BP.BLOGSPOT.COM

2

NEWS

apachepowwow.com

November 2012

President Obama is “Barack” After Election Win

By ERIC CHO Staff Writer

As the 2012 presidential election reached its climax on Nov. 6, President Barack Obama was re-elected as the 44th President of the United States. Scoring key victories in Republican and Democratic states alike, President Obama reached a historical landmark with a whopping 332 electoral votes compared to Governor Mitt Romney’s 206 electoral votes. That wasn’t his only historical achievement though. Receiving a remarkable majority of the popular vote, as well as majority of the nation’s states, the 44th President of the United States won more popular votes than any other Democratic president in U.S. history. “No one should be surprised,” former White House official and campaign adviser Anita Dunn remarked. “The Obama campaign laid out its plan, told everyone what they were doing, and executed it masterfully.”

Although the President faltered in the first of the three presidential debates, he prevailed later on through an aggressive and well-funded campaign. Rather than supporting the message of his 2008 campaign, President Obama predicted that he would obtain better results by jeopardizing Governor Romney’s reputation. In depicting Governor Romney as an uncaring plutocrat, he succeeded in gaining approval from the majority of the nation.

Despite numerous polls expecting quite the contrary, President Obama won the popular vote by more than 3 million. Although the President won only 38% of the Caucasian vote, his trump card came into play: the Latinos.

Making up 16% of the nation’s population, the minority race made its mark on the election as 71% of eligible Latino voters chose President

Obama over former Governor Romney. “It’s aw coming and have seen hapsomething we saw pen for a number er of years now. Hispanics are increasing their share of their electorate,” Associate Director of the Pew Hispanic Center Mark ted. President Obama also reHugo Lopez stated. ming support from 93% of Afceived overwhelming rican Americans and 73% of Asian Americans. unger voters, as well as a 60% of the younger majority of the Jewish population elect President also chose to re-elect vely fortifyObama—effectively ing his campaign. gn. With ap% of the Jewproximately 69% ish population casting their ballots for President ident Obama, the President wass shown to rely on a coalition off voters broader p. President than it was deep. rt was Obama’s support also shown by the Senate. While 45 d senators voted for Governorr Romney, 53 sen-ators chose Pres-ident Obama.

Although many Americans initially opposed the idea of President Obama becoming the 44th president, President ned Obama later gained their approval not only because he

Props to California

By VIVIAN WANG Staff Writer

On Nov. 6, California voters not only voted for the next president, but also on the future of public education in California. While Proposition 38 was rejected as predicted, the relatively unpopular Proposition 30 passed by a small margin in a shocking g victory.

Proposition 30 willl temporarily increase the state sales tax and income taxes for citizens making more than $250,000 a year. ar.

The revenue will be used to help balance the state budget. Had the proposal not passed, state spending would have been reduced by $6 billion, with education programs taking most of the cuts.

California’s public school system has dodged d a bullet with the passage of Proposition 30; seniors should be glad l d tto hear that planned tuition hikes in the University of California system have been put on hold. California State University students can expect tuition refunds and state community colleges will be able to restore thousands of classes. Underclassmen and the entire AUSD should benefit as well, as a healthier state budget means that funding for public education will increase.

Many opponents of Proposition 30, however, argue against what they see to be a major flaw: the funds raised by the proposal do not necessarily go to public education, which Proposition 38 would have ensured.

Proposition 38 was extremely unpopular with voters and was shot down by a large majority. Had it passed, the ballot measure would have iincreased income taxes of many Cal California citizens for 12 years, and mo most of the money generated wou would have gone straight to publi public education. Opponents of the measure argued ag against raising taxes to fu funnel money back into aan economically-flawed eeducation system, dem manding reforms to both pu public education and spe spending instead.

Though funding for public education in California rema remains a questionable issue sue, the suc success of Proposition 30 has ensured that additional crippling budget cuts in public schools statewide will not occur. Thankfully, the future of AUSD and other school districts in California has become slightly more stable. vwang@apachepowwow.com Graphics courtesy of BLOG.CTA.ORG, BRYWOODPTA.COM, and WIKIMEDIA.ORG,

passed the American voters’ test of leadership, but also because Romney failed to convince Americans that he was the better choice. With the help of former president Bill Clinton, who made dozens of campaign appearances for President Obama and vouched his economic record, President Obama successfully passed Romney in numerous stretches toward victory. Still, there were detours along the way, most nota--

bly President Obama’s dismal performance in the first presidential debate, which breathed new life into Romney’s campaign. From a deadly attack on a U.S. consulate to Hurricane Sandy’s wrath, President Obama was constantly left open to attacks from the Republican Party. In an attempt to retaliate, he spent millions of dollars on television ads attacking Romney’s reputation—even before Romney became the official nominee of the Republican Party. The President, along with his advisers, painted Romney as a predatory capitalist who bought companies and laid people off in search for a quick profit. However, these att attacks were not in vain as he su successfully swayed thousan sands of voters to his side.

Stating that he has “never been more hopeful for America,” President Obama faced thousands of supporters with a surge of confidence and glory as he was formally re-elected as America’s 44th president. With four m more years to change Am America for the better, Presi President Obama is now faced w with many expectations ffrom the h A American people, expectations that the country is anxious for him to fulfill. echo@apachepowwow.com Graphics courtesy of RAREFLAG.COM and WALLPAPERSUP.COM Photo courtesy of MASTERFILE.COM

API Scores on the Rise

By MICHELLE HUANG Staff Writer

After a decade of improvement and hard work, more than 50% of the schools in California surpassed the Academic Performance Index (API) score of 800. On Oct. 11, Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson reported that 53% of California schools have either met or surpassed the target API score of 800 this year. Scores ranged from 200 to 1,000, with 800 being the state-wide standard.

Having 53% of all California schools surpass the benchmark is a 4% growth from 2011.

A decade ago, only a mere 20% of California schools met the target API score, which means there has been a 33% increase in just ten years.

API test scores are calculated by taking the average of all CST scores submitted every year by schools statewide. Students are tested on basic subjects: English, history, math, and science.

According to the data released by state officials, most of the schools that surpassed the benchmark were from the San Gabriel Valley and Whittier area in Southern California.

Out of the 37 schools established, 21 of them met or exceeded the 800 goal. Nearly all of the schools in the region saw an increase in their scores. The only exception was San Marino Unified School District. San Marino High School’s API score saw a decrease of one point this year. However, it still leads the area with a score of 954.

Pasadena Unified School District did not see much of a change in API, being only a mere two points higher than last year.

However, two of Pasadena’s schools scored above 900 points. Adam Wolfson, the district spokesman for Pasadena Unified School District, applauded these high scoring schools, but still remarked that there “is room for improvement.”

Thanks to the dedicated and hardworking teachers at AHS, the API score increased from 885 to 895 this year, nearly 100 points above the statewide target. Other schools in the Arcadia Unified district, though, saw a decrease in API scores. Elementary schools such as Holly Ave, Hugo Reid, and Longley Way all saw lower API scores. However, all of the schools remained above the 900 mark on the API scale.

Although California is seeing a dramatic increase in API scores, it is still considered behind by the nation’s standards. In California, only a fraction of students are above grade level, and many schools are still below the state’s average of 800. Growth in academic scores do not happen overnight, but over the course of many years. Still, students should work hard every day so that California’s statewide API can meet the national average.

Hopefully next year, all Californian students can supercede the API goal! mhuang@apachepowwow.com Graphic courtesy of SMUSD.ORG

November 2012

NEWS

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3

Hurricane Sandy Devastates Coast snatched from supply store shelves, and more than 5,000 flights were cancelled by a considerable number of airlines. Bridges were barricaded and blocked off from pedestrian traffic, resulting in chaotic departures. Evacuations were so out of hand that gas stations ran out of fuel after just a

swooped down the Ohio Valley. Wind speeds reached as high as 75 miles Staff Writer per hour in New York and New Jersey On Oct. 29 at 4:36 a.m., Hurricane during the next few days. In total, at Sandy was centered about 530 miles outleast 56 people were killed in the U.S. side of New York City with promises of and another 67 in the Carribbean. The floods, power outages, and more of the estimated cost of the damage reached like. Evacuations were or$55.6 billion. More than four dered immediately by New million people were in the York City Mayor Michael dark as water was pumped Bloomberg to move to highout of houses and subways, er ground. Some New York and debris was cleaned from residents complicated the the streets. The damage that evacuation process by refusHurricane Sandy inflicted was ing to move. Several of them devastating to the people of recalled the hype from HurManhattan and everyone else ricane Irene in 2011, which residing along the coast. ended up hitting New HaThe super-storm even afven, Connecticut harder than fected the 2012 Presidential New York. According to Election between President Mayor Bloomberg, “If you Barack Obama and former refuse to evacuate, you’re Governor Mitt Romney. Both not only putting yourself candidates were forced to at risk, but also the first re- RELEASE THE FLOODGATES As Hurricane Sandy hit reroute their campaigns and sponders who will have to the East Coast, waters surged and flooded a good number of cancel events in states such put themselves at risk in an neighborhoods and roads. as Virginia and Ohio. Vice emergency.” few hours. Meanwhile across the George President Joe Biden stated, “The last For the citizens of the East Coast, Washington Bridge, New Jersey was being thing the President and I want to do is things were not looking good. They ex- slammed with Sandy’s torrential winds and get in the way of anything. The most pected flash floods, intense snowstorms, widespread floods. The hurricane trans- important thing is people’s safety and and power outages all across the Mid-At- formed countless streets into rivers while people’s health.” lantic coastline. Subway and regional rail the entire city was blanketed in darkness. mgu@apachepowwow.com lines began to shut off in preparation for Things became even worse when the the upcoming storm, goods were quickly hurricane merged with a cold front that Photo courtesy of CNN.COM

By MICHELLE GU

A Study in Civic Education

By TERRI SHI Staff Writer

In a recent poll by the Center for the Study of the American Dream, it was noted that “one in three Americans would fail the citizenship test.”

Furthermore, “71% couldn’t name the Constitution as the ‘law of the land’.”

Why do so many citizens lack knowledgeable of basic American history and the government? More and more Americans have become disinterested in the news, and the subject is hardly mentioned anymore. News has been replaced by social networking and celebrity gossip, and it isn’t as highly discussed as before. As a result, U.S. civic education isn’t as strong as it used to be. Let’s see how students at AHS, compared to the rest of nation, did!

Students were chosen randomly and were asked the following questions, which were taken directly from the civics portion of the U.S. citizenship test: 1. What is the “Supreme Law of the Land”?

A: The Constitution.

2. What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress?

A: The Senate and the House of Representatives.

3. Who are two of California’s current state Senators?

A: Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feistein.

Kristie Lee, 9 O Q1: “The Constitution.”

O Q2: “House of Representatives and Senate.”

X Q3: “I don’t know.”

Mintra Janopas, 10 X Q1: “I don’t know.”

O Q2: “The Senate and the House of Representatives.”

X Q3: “I don’t know.”

Teresa Pershey, 10 X Q1: “I don’t know.”

O Q2: “House of Representatives and the Senate.”

X Q3: “No.” Zac Lew, 11 O Q1: “The Constitution.”

O Q2: “Senate and House of Representatives.”

X Q3: “I don’t know.”

Shelley Park, 11 O Q1: “The Constitution.”

O Q2: “House of Representatives and Senate.”

X Q3: “I don’t know.”

Serena Luong, 12 X Q1: “I don’t know.”

O Q2: “The House of Representatives and the Senate.”

X Q3: “I don’t know.”

Ms. Diaz-Grubbs, AHS English Teacher O Q1: “The Constitution.”

O Q2: “House of Representatives and the Senate.”

O Q3: “Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein.”

Ms. Wong, AHS Biology and Human Physiology Teacher O Q1: “Everyone is born equal. The Bill of Rights or Constitution.”

X Q2: “House of Representatives and Congressmen.”

O Q3: “Barbara Boxer.”

In comparison to the rest of the U.S., AHS did fairly well. Instead of the 29% average for the first question, AHS averaged a 60%. A majority of students answered “the House of Representatives and Senate” correctly. The answer to the third question, however, was known only by teachers. Answers such as “No idea” and “I don’t know” were mostly given, which were expected because the majority of students are unable to vote and have not been exposed to the candidates.

Overall, students at AHS did better than average, but there is definitely room for improvement. These questions are extremely important because like all other subjects, having the basic information in politics is key for everyday life. tshi@apachepowwow.com Graphic courtesy of SCRAPETV.ORG

s t a f f Editors Editors-in-Chief Managing Editor News Editors Opinion Editors Performing Arts Editors Student Life Editors Features Editors Sports Editors Academics Editors Center Spread Editor Calendar Editor Campus Focus Editor Advertisement Editors Photography Editor Executive Copy Editors Webmaster Fundraising Chairs

Stacey Ng and Melissa Song Anna Naran Katrina Chao and Regina Liu Kelly Ching and Vanessa Yu Courtney Hang and Sarah Quon Christopher Cho and Christine Sun Ashley Chi and Stanley Shaw Edward Chao and Allan Gao Evan Delgado and Amanda Huynh Mya Ho Phoebe Shen Josh Bay Brandon Pang and Rita Wang Wilson Lin Daniel Jenn and Helen Lee Jonathan Matsumoto Ariana Arzani and Belle Zheng

Writers News Staff

Opinion Staff

Performing Arts Staff

Student Life Staff

Features Staff

Sports Staff

Academics Staff

Calendar Staff

Campus Focus Staff Advertisement Staff

Photo Staff Copy Editing Staff

Adviser

Eric Cho, Sirej Dua, Michelle Gu, Michelle Huang, Matthew Lee, Lily Ling, Terri Shi, Justin Tang, Vivian Wang Ben Geisberg, Lauren Frank, Mary Guyer, Daniel Jenn, Lily Ling, Tiffany Liu, Goldie Shen, Wilson Tan, Khanh Tran, Victoria Yu, Erika Zheng Deedee Chuang, Michelle Gu, Megan Hong, Amelia Jin, Elisha Lee, Jonathan Lu, Terri Shi, Victoria Yu Ian Chan, Eric Cho, Michelle Gu, Michelle Huang, Allesandra Jasso, Elisha Lee, Lily Ling, Leanne Peres, Briana Shen, Terri Shi, Kristie Sun Yoko Chan, Elaine Chung, Allesandra Jasso, Amelia Jin, Rosemary Lee, Jonathan Matsumoto, Briana Shen, Goldie Shen, Belinda Shoung, Kristie Sun, Brendan Tran, Anna Wang, Victoria Yu Rena Chen, Sirej Dua, Lauren Frank, Amelia Jin, Daniel Jenn, Karina Laigo, Tiffany Liu, Jonathan Lu, Justin Tang, Lauren Tom, Brendan Tran, Shawn Xing, Zachary Yee, Erika Zheng Sirej Dua, Ben Geisberg, Michelle Gu, Daniel Jenn, Helen Lee, Tiffany Liu, Leanne Peres da Silva, Terri Shi, Wilson Tan, Khanh Tran Rena Chen, Elaine Chung, Dana Jee, Karina Laigo, Christina Liang, Goldie Shen, Belinda Shoung Kristie Sun Tiffany Chandra, Jacqueline Chu, Diana Kwok, Randy Lee, Khanh Tran, Shawn Xing Deedee Chuang, Ben Geisberg, Megan Hong, Dana Jee, Matthew Lee Katrina Chao, Rena Chen, Megan Hong, Elisha Lee, Lily Ling, Victoria Nakaganeku, Kristie Sun, Khanh Tran, Victoria Yu, Erika Zheng 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. A student’s work does not represent the views of Arcadia High School or the Arcadia Unified School District. Address letters to the editor to: The Apache Pow Wow, 180 W. Campus Drive, Arcadia, CA 91007. To place an advertisement in the newspaper, email ads.powwow@gmail.com. Advertisement rates vary from $30 for a business card advertisement to $250 for a full-page black and white advertisement, with quarter-page, half-page, and advertisement insert options available.

Graphic courtesy of MYCUTEGRAPHICS.COM

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OPINION

apachepowwow.com

November 2012

Whether or not it is realized, ASB holds the most power and control over most other activities and clubs on campus. Many decisions involving the actions of these groups are made by the students themselves in ASB. However, do they even have the criteria to make these decisions for their peers? Is too much power acquired through a too simple and insufficient election process?

By JONATHAN KWOK

By SELECT CLUBS Spokesperson

ASB President

I agree that ASB holds much power over activities, but I believe it is not more power than necessary. First, our two advisers, Dr. Ned Sutro and Mrs. Ginger Stemnock, have run ASB for many years and provide the experience of precedence and recommendations. Second, we pay great attention to activities to make sure there are no conflicts. There are 27 pairs of eyes that look at every activity to make sure that there are no legal problems or conflicting issues. Our restrictions are to protect the student body and are not made on a whim. Senate Bill 12, which outlines the nutritional requirements of items sold on campus, is a government law that restricts fundraising items. The time restrictions set in place are done to aid fundraisers rather than, as people have complained, to harm them. Take this situation: So you’re selling candy apples this week, but a negligent ASB doesn’t limit the time per fundraiser or check that no fundraisers overlap, so Key Club is selling fruit snacks, Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) is selling lychee jelly while Student Council Apache Commission (SCAC) has donation jars. You ask your friends to buy, but because they’re all such active Apaches, they’re selling their own items. You decide to sell apples for another week for a different result but alas, Link Crew is selling Goldfish, Prom Committee is selling kettle corn, while Pep Squad is selling Haunted Hallways tickets.

As you can see, ASB protects and provides equal opportunities for all organizations. As for the election process, I disagree with the question’s interpretation. ASB members are student-elected, meaning the filling of positions is in your hands. Complaining of the inadequacy is an insult to yourself. I believe that our students are wise and vote for people they believe can lead them, but if the students vote for someone inadequate, that is their choice. Our members are people who make a difference on our campus. Rather than standing by and simply commenting on problems, they go through a grueling campaigning process to become student leaders. The 45 AHS students in ASB give up countless hours to help our school and should be appreciated, not misunderstood.

ASB is an organization designed to help regulate school activities. However, it seems as if ASB is only concerned with recognizing itself and bigger clubs that may have a “bigger” influence on the school.

Smaller clubs that are meaningful and worthy of praise for commendable activities are not always recognized and denied equal appreciation.

With fundraisers and activity request forms, ASB has the most control regarding whether club activities should be approved or not. Although clubs appreciate this organized method of fundraising, all the strict processes tend to discourage the entire event. Fundraiser request forms are a hassle and sometimes, approvals for fundraisers are delayed by ASB, slowing the process and limiting time for fundraisers, thus showing that ASB may lack a bit of efficiency. Our peers also choose members of ASB; who we vote for is entirely up to us, but the candidates really have no true criteria on being elected. Those who initially signed up as a potential candidate do not have previous requirements to sign their name up on the list. Yet, those elected must follow through with promises made and expectations of voters when they assume their positions, but occasionally, this is not fulfilled. Finally, ASB has a “posse”; it seems as if they are exclusive and sometimes unapproachable in regards to helping all clubs and according to their purpose, they should be. They don’t necessarily pay attention to all the organizations that try to aid ASB. Yes, they have been around our campus for a longer period of time, but they seem to keep other organizations in the shadow. When other groups on campus put effort and time into helping ASB out they don’t recognize much of what we do. Also, at some events we don’t see all ASB members helping. Yes, they work hard and have busy schedules, but it becomes evident that not all ASB members are as dedicated in events as they promise to be. They don’t open up to recognize new organizations that will make a difference. The smaller groups are just starting to make their mark, but they aren’t as apparent because ASB is always seen as superior.

Graphic by BELINDA SHUONG

The Stress of Being Stressed

By LAUREN FRANK

Drowning in work each night, I find myself barely making it through the day. My backpack drags me down to the floor, making me feel like I’m shrinking beneath the weight of books and homework.

On good nights, I can squeeze in perhaps five hours of sleep, but only if I manage to stop worrying over what there is yet to do. On bad nights, sleep is a faraway dream. Sound familiar? Well, most of us have experienced the hardships of being a teenager. We have also probably heard that as teenagers, we are notorious procrastinators. The funny thing, though, is that we complain day and night to our friends, parents, siblings, and even to ourselves, that we are hopelessly and Staff Writer endlessly buried in stress. The catch: we are both the solution and the problem. The simple fact is that often, we do nothing to keep ourselves from disappearing under the pressures of stress.

Aside from uncontrollable causes of stress, we can only blame ourselves. We are given all the materials needed to manage individually: an agenda for planning, time for working, information for when things are due, and how much work we have. It’s hard to believe, but for the most part, teachers actually want us to succeed. They do not give five pages of homework so that they can laugh as we struggle to keep up in our classes. What is it then that keeps us from living free of stress? The easy answer would be to just say that teenagers have a “lack of better judgment” or poor “time management skills”.

Perhaps we simply just aren’t capable of being able to do anything differently; perhaps we were born to be stressed.

Or maybe it’s due to other reasons. In order to prevent ourselves from digging our own graves, we have to see what we need help in. For one, we could simply be setting unrealistic goals and expectations for ourselves, and setting ourselves up for failure. Failure certainly stresses me out. Sometimes an in-the-moment mentality is adopted so we only do things that we feel like doing at the moment. This makes it hard to feel the urgency of bigger projects—in other words, it is a form of procrastination. Facebook, video games, chatting with friends, listening to music, or watching TV all seem better than sitting down and finishing homework, so it makes sense that we do them. However, in the end, those things just contribute to the word that a lot of us hear much too often: distractions. My brain has been pounded with this idea more than I would like, but the truth of the matter starts to be more clear and reasoning trumps the stubbornness to say that I’m doing nothing wrong. All these causes are preventable; that’s the good news. Instead of sitting down and whining about the workload we have and later being upset by how stressed we are, it’s important to remember that we can only blame ourselves for causing this stress.

Eventually it all just becomes too much. It’s not like I enjoy the late nights, accidentally sleeping in, being late for school, missing materials, or anything else that comes with not being productive. The price of stress is too high to fall under it every day; we are only making it harder for ourselves to work and accomplish our goals. Though good in some cases, it causes numerous negative side effects, such as depression, moodiness, physical aches, and much more. Subjecting our bodies and minds to such torture does not make us healthy in any way. So save your body and your mind by finding some time to organize! lfrank@apachepowwow.com Graphic courtesy of TOONS.COM

TCID:

November 2012

OPINION

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The Anti-Social Network

Faith in the Fairies

By ERIKA ZHENG Staff Writer

I’m wedged between two beautiful ladies as the ceremonial chants of “I do believe in fairies!

I do! I do!” dissipate into the air. The Girls Cross Country team’s lopsided circle formation halts to a stop, and we’re out of breath and borderline euphoric. As the ritual goes, the whole team circles up before each and every race to do “Fairies” to bring luck and to instill into runners’ hearts the “I know I can do it” race mentality. I can only speak for myself, but whenever we do this ritual, it not only banishes a little bit of nervous tension, but also makes me feel more relaxed and prepared for the onslaught of pain ahead, to a degree that I would never have felt before.

Why does shrieking a silly, yet fun chant about fairies shake out race jitters to bring the team together? Does belief in abstract concepts or a higher power actually bring confidence to one’s ability? Whenever the team yells out “I do believe in fairies! I do! I do!” it is like we are chanting to ourselves to reinforce the fact that “I do believe in myself! I do! I do!” We are the fairies.

It is the same as the competing teams’ comparatively normal chants of their school name and pride; it is the mustering of courage and spirit, except the Girls Cross Country team channels this energy in an extremely bizarre way.

It’s the same with those who believe in unicorns or spirits. Their existence can be proven or disproven by science, yet we still believe.

On the t surface, our conscience tells us such nnonsensical things could never be true, but deep down, we secretly believe in the them, or even harbor a flicker of doubt of their nnonexistence. While we might not outwardly

believe in the existence of unicorns or fairies, w we do so secretly because it brings feelings of hope and innocence and whispers to us that seemingly impossible things do exist and do happen. They remind us to have faith that not all hope may be lost.

Skeptics may cringe and nonbelievers may cry for the restoration of common sense, but they’re only denying the inevitable truth. Wishing on a star and grasping on to something surreal brings us hope because it completes us. In essence, you become whatever you wished on, a representation of what you can accomplish and become. This is the truth of humanity. We have always wished on or prayed to a higher hand to help us achieve greatness. In times of struggle, we reach out to the craziest places to find something positive to cling onto. We all look for a bit of magic or a tiny glimmer of hope that we find in our childhood beliefs right before an important exam or a nerve-wracking interview. Wish-granting magical lamps, shooting stars—these are the things we reach out for.

As childish as it may seem, wholeheartedly believing works. Sometimes believing in the impossible brings unexpected results. Hoping for the best, despite knowing that it may or may not be possible, you might achieve the impossibly miraculous outcome in the end. Wish-granting magical lamps, shooting stars—these are the things we reach out for. After all, doubt can only equal doubt, but hope, fairy dust, or whatever outlandish charm you throw out there will only reap whatever magic you have sown. Most of the time, wholly believing in the unbelievable reminds us that we should havee some faith in ourselves too. I do believee in fairies, I do, I do. ezheng@apachepowwow.com Graphics courtesy of PIXIES.COM

5

By VICTORIA YU Staff Writer

When you need to tell your friends something important, what do you do first? Do you wait until the next day to tell them face-to-face at school, or do you just whip out your phone and begin texting or chatting with them on Facebook?

Most teenagers would choose the latter.

As a result of the Internet’s easy accessibility, communication through the use of social networks has greatly increased.

Rather than use the old fashioned faceto-face communication, people have been accustomed to use texts and social networks to communicate with others. This has contributed to a decline in our abilities to communicate with others directly.

Although using technology to communicate has greatly benefited us by making communication easier and faster, it has affected our abilities to interpret reactions as positive or negative. When online, people are able to say their messages without needing to interpret the reactions of others. They can now use emoticons to plainly state their emotions. However, in the real world, people need to communicate face-to-face when working and most importantly, be able to read the facial expressions of their co-workers and bosses to make the right choices. Although it is a much simpler and less nerve-wracking process to communicate through electronic mediums, we do not practice social skills that would otherwise be used in the r real world. Since we rely too much on this luxury of quick communication, our

skills to socialize outside electronic mediums have declined.

Now that we prefer chatting online to speaking, our writing skills have also deteriorated. Many times, I have caught my own mistakes, typing acronyms such as “IDK”, and more often, hearing people use the acronym “OMG” and “YOLO” when speaking casually. When we chat online, we use these handy acronyms in order to type faster, so now our ability to write properly has decreased.

Because typing is slower than speaking, people need to type faster than normal, which encourages a disregard for proper grammar. Additionally, when we chat by typing in phrases and consistently in lower case, we get in the habit of always typing with improper sentence fluency and improper writing conventions for school. When we come face-to-face with an in-class essay, we are burdened by these unconditional habits. Our way of communicating our ideas through writing is hindered by our lack of good sentence fluency and writing conventions. Although chatting and texting have made communication quicker and easier, they have many negative effects that may affect us in the long run. That is why it is important to be less dependent on socializing by modern technology, because after all, we do not want to come face-to-face with a communication downfall. vicyu@apachepowwow.com Graphic courtesy of THUMBS.COM

With such a large student population at AHS, naturally, an overwhelming number of clubs are established to accommodate our multiple passions. Large clubs, who tend to host fewer activities and generally do less work, are overrated with popularity and hype while smaller clubs, who tend to perform an abundance of club events and actually strive to complete their purposes, are underrated with publicity on campus. Why do you think this is? Is it necessarily a negative aspect? If yes, how can this be changed?

“Do large clubs host fewer activities than small clubs? I wasn’t even aware of that.

It probably has to do with the leadership: clubs are made when someone has passion, so they’re more likely to have strong leadership, host more activities, do more work, etc., but now, larger, more established clubs suffer from diluted interest. I think shyer people, with interests and passions but not the inclination to express or be noticed for it, gravitate towards larger clubs where they can become a face in the crowd. People should be encouraged to participate in clubs; they’re lots of fun, regardless of size.”—Isaac Klipstein, 11 “Smaller clubs initially want to be big so that they can accomplish tasks and gain new members. It’s not a negative aspect, but a motivation. When a club has accomplished what it had been aiming for, officers relax and end up not doing anything. Their only objective was to create a big name, gain people, and become popular instead of doing what they said they would have done. Some of the things clubs set out to do promote unrealistic, big changes that usually don’t happen. Things like promoting anti-drug use or trying to end bullying are both great reasons to start a club, but clubs just can’t actively accomplish much at this level. Instead, clubs boost social activity by making people believe they are sitting at a club for a reason, or for adding on to their college applications. Not all clubs are

TCID:

like this, but either way, clubs should still be kept this way because it’s traditional and some people really do enjoy the activities in clubs.”

—Anonymous “I think that because large clubs have so many people, there’s less work done individually. This makes it seem like smaller clubs do more work, even if that isn’t the case. This could be fixed if larger clubs put on more events to be proportional to smaller clubs’ events.”—Abby Rees, 11 “Because people generally prefer to join clubs that others—especially friends—are in, popular clubs will usually remain popular, while more obscure clubs will often fail to garner interest. As a result, those that do join a less popular club are likely to be particularly interested in that club; smaller clubs, therefore, will likely be comprised of dedicated members, and hold more events. The difficulty of coordinating and planning activities suitable for the many members of a large club—several of whom may only have joined to be in a wellknown club for an extracurricular, may also explain why large clubs have comparatively fewer activities. Having few members in a club is not necessarily a bad thing; take classes as an example. Smaller classes are typically preferred to large classes because, like smaller clubs, each individual has a greater impact.

Smaller clubs also offer the opportunity for

members to get to know each other very well, something that is not always possible in a large club. This isn’t to imply that large clubs are without benefits either—they have the potential to positively influence many people. One thing is certain: large or small clubs provide a way for students to share their interests with their peers.”—Nathan Chou, 11 “I think it’s because sometimes, larger clubs promote more effectively than some smaller clubs that don’t do much to promote themselves. It can be a negative aspect but then again, it’s up to the students to go and find these clubs that fulfill their purposes.

Clubs shouldn’t be holding volunteer events just based on size. If a club always has endless opportunities for the students, sooner or later students will be more willing to go to those events. That’s how you get a club to rise to greatness.”—Kalina Huynh, 12 “Big clubs get all the hype and are supposed to be ‘the clubs to join’. On the other hand, the clubs that actually have a goal get none of the credit. Students are all rallied up to join the big clubs and ignore the smaller clubs.

Their preconceptions of small clubs rob them of an incredible experience, and it is a pity that they don’t even realize that. So please, give all the clubs a chance before you make a judgement, and you may find one that you truly enjoy!”—Jennifer Chen, 11

“I think popular clubs that perform fewer tasks have more people because most of the student body join what their friends join.

It isn’t necessarily a bad thing because people are still getting involved in the school.

On top of that, what they do in the clubs benefits our community. Although popular clubs may have more members, smaller clubs have more devoted members. In the end, those who choose to join clubs do it for the experience, so it doesn’t matter whether the club is big or not. What matters is their willingness to sacrifice their time in order to contribute to the school.”—Michelle Wan, 9 “Large clubs receive more publicity than small clubs largely because, well, they have more people. This is due in no small part to the fact that large clubs tend to have broad, sweeping ideals that attract many people. They also might have prestigious reputations and names, for those who merely want to cram their résumés with club titles.

As a result, such clubs are filled with halfmotivated people who attend with little interest in anything besides the name of their clubs. Some of them simply become places where people can eat lunch in a classroom. A solution to ameliorate these large, stagnant clubs would be to place membership limits on them. The bigger clubs can get more focused, and the smaller clubs can receive a needed influx of people.”—Evin Zhao, 11

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November 2012

“Happily Ever After”? Not Quite

Byy VICTORIA YU Staff Writer

“And they lived happily ever after.” Did they really? Fairy tales always seem to have happily-ever-after endings, but none of them are meant to be happy. Disney movies have twisted all the original fairy tales to have joyous endings, making us believe that they were the real endings; however, the first fairy tales were gruesome and nothing like what Disney has portrayed them to be. Were Snow White and Cinderella actually kind and generous princesses, or were they cruel and harsh? Here are some of the original fairy tale endings that will transform your childhood stories into nightmares.

Cinderella: As lovely as the Disney movie may seem, the original Cinderella tale is far from pleasant. The Grimm brothers’ version bears many similarities in plot to the modern version. That is, until the prince comes to Cinderella’s house, and the oldest stepsister’s foot is too big to fit in the slip-

per. The stepmother hands her daughter a knife at their wedding, the pigeons come and peck to cut her toe off and tells her that when she both of the stepsisters’ eyes out, punishing them is queen, she will no longer need to walk. The with eternal blindness. stepsister cuts her toe off and forces her foot into Snow White: In Disney’s version of the slipper. The prince brings her back to the “Snow White”, the fair princess’ lips are as red castle as his bride, but when the carriage passes as roses while they are described as red as blood

by Cinderella’s mother’s grave, two mysterious in the original tale, but the difference between pigeons sing a tune that tells the prince that the the Grimm brothers’ and Disney’s version does shoe is bloody and tight. He brings her back and not end here. In the original story, Snow White asks for the younger stepsister whose heel is is only a 7-year-old girl when the queen oralso too big. The process of cutting the foot off ders a huntsman to kill her and bring back not and the warnings Snow White’s heart, UNKNOWN TRAGEDIES OF DISNEY but Snow White’s from the pigeons PRINCESSES Many original fairy tale repeat. He brings princesses did not in fact have perfect, happily- lung and liver so the her back and asks ever-after endings. queen could feast on for Cinderella. it. The queen also atShe is able to tempts to murder fit the shoe, and Snow White not

vyu@ apachepowwow.com Graphic by ASHLEY CHI Graphics courtesy of BLOGSPOT.COM, DEVIANTART.COM, and GRIMMSTA.COM

Deciphering Modern Language Byy ELAINE CHUNG Staff Writer

“Foshizzle my nizzle homie, that is wack.”

Of course, such extreme phrases are probably not used often by many people today. But if they were, then perhaps it is time to revisit the dictionary. Instead of communicating in “traditional” English, it seems nowadays that almost every conversation must be laced with abbreviated terms and disyllabic words. Have we actually set mankind back to a linguistic Stone Age with our addiction to slang? People who thought of such expressions must’ve been, like, totally cray-cray... I mean crazy. Some may cringe at the exchange of “slanguage”, but let’s face it—modern slang has become an irreplaceable part of today’s vocabulary.

I bet that nearly every student has heard the saying “YOLO” before. Made notorious after Drake’s 2011 hit song, “The Motto”, “YOLO” has become the epitome of slang that people continue to use today. Up there with “swag”, “broski”, and other overused modern slang terms, many argue that “YOLO” has lost its once captivating appeal. Are “YOLO” and “swag” here to stay? It remains as undecided as the next season’s trends. Other terms such as “legit”, short for “legitimate”, and “cray-cray”, the latest take on crazy, are all variations of actual words that are used to make a point. “Legit” is used so often that it has even earned an entry in many dictionaries.

Compared to the phrases glorified by pop

YOLO

culture media, minor slip-ups and unnecessary words are what makes Southern California’s slang and dialect unique to say the least. Attempt to go ten minutes without using the filler words “like” or “yeah”. Go ahead and try it now. Speaking as a teen, I doubt that even I can go that long without uttering these words. Our tendency to add verbal diarrhea to our language affects how we execute slang in our everyday lives.

Now imagine for a second how absurd modern slang would sound to a total outsider.

Phrases such as “You jelly?” would sound as if an illiterate person were trying to talk about breakfast jam spread rather than implying that someone else is jealous. “That is beast!” may sound like a nasty derogatory statement, but is actually used to describe something cool.

“They be trippin”, if heard for the very first time, may sound like someone had stumbled over his or her feet when it is simply a matter of overreacting to things. Just as Old English may be a challenge to read now, modern slang seems like something only today’s generation comprehends.

Though the concept of slang nowadays is more like real life chat-speak, it is also how people today can freely express themselves and relate with their peers on a more personal level.

It seems that today’s “advanced” vocabulary consists mainly of fewer syllables and shortened terms scattered here and there. However, as novelist George Eliot pointed out, “The finest language is mostly made up of simple unimposing words.”

swag

legit

once, but three times by suffocating her with a bodice lace and poisoning her with a comb and apple. Snow White isn’t awakened by a kiss, but actually by a jostle of her coffin when the prince was mysteriously bringing her—a dead girl—to his castle. At their wedding, the queen is forced to dance in hot iron shoes until she drops dead!

Little Mermaid: Did the Little Mermaid actually end up with the prince? In the original fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, the Little Mermaid drinks a potion to become a human in return for her tongue being cut off; however, every step she takes feels as if knives are piercing through her skin; additionally, if she doesn’t marry the prince, she will turn into sea foam.

In the end, the prince marries another princess and the Little Mermaid could only be saved if she plunges a knife in his heart; but she refuses and commits suicide in the sea, becoming sea foam.

Gameday Preparations Byy JONATHAN MATSUMOTO Webmaster

From September through December, Saturdays take on a new meaning for college football fans. Gameday is a time for fans to get together and celebrate their success. And whether it’s the players, the fans, or the coaches, there are certain traditions that are followed throughout the nation every Saturday.

If you were to visit Baton Rouge, Lousiana during football season, you’d probably see the college football version of Mardi Gras. Every Saturday, thousands of Louisiana State University (LSU) fans come out to the LSU parking lot to tailgate before the game. There’s always an assortment of music and culinary creations which some fans argue is the biggest college football party in the nation.

On the other hand, the University of Oklahoma is home to one of the most successful college football programs in the nation, and it all starts with a horse and carriage. The Schooner, first put to use in 1960, has become the university’s official mascot and a symbol of its dominance. A tribute to the settlers of Oklahoma Territory in the 1800s, the carriage is driven halfway across the field to the 50-yard line and back each time the Sooners score.

Another well-respected football program, Ohio State football celebrates its victory with

its marching band, one of the most respected bands in the country. In one famous tradition, the performers line up in the letters of Ohio, leaving the “i” undotted. A fourth or fifth year sousaphone player gets to dot the “i”, a prestige that members often compete for.

Meanwhile, at the University of California, Berkeley, alumni and students alike get to watch the game for free from nearby Tightwad Hill. Tightwad Hill, also known as Charter Hill, rises about a 100 feet above the stadium before plateauing off. Regardless of whether the stadium is sold out or blacked out, the seating area is always open for dedicated fans.

Speaking of California, there’s a taste of Death Valley in South Carolina. Clemson University’s Memorial Stadium has become known as “Death Valley” to the Clemson faithful. How does a stadium get a name like that? Besides its winning ways, Clemson University is home to Howard’s Rock— a rock from none other than Death Valley itself. According to local legend, in the 1960s, the head coach, Frank Howard, received a rock as a gift. Unsure of what to do, he placed it on a pedestal.

The players all touched the rock before the next game and they won. Howard’s Rock has become the school’s good luck charm ever since.

As the season winds down, some of these teams will go on to play in the Rose Bowl, the Fiesta Bowl, or maybe even the National Championship Game. Meanwhile, other teams will return back home early, empty-handed. Regardless of how the season ends for these storied teams, the traditions will always remain the same.

echung@apachepowwow.com jmatsumoto@apachepowwow.com Graphics courtesy of CELLTECH.COM and CLIPARTNOW.COM

Photo courtesy of FLICKR.COM Graphics courtesy of OU.EDU and DUCKSTER.COM

November 2012

Eating to the Beat

PERFORMING ARTS

9 Three Cheers for The Three Musketeers

arcadiaperformingarts@apachepowwow.com

By MICHELLE GU and TERRI SHI

By JONATHAN LU

Staff Writers

Staff Writer

There are a variety of restaurants in Arcadia, but it is rare to find one that features a performing group that serves and sings throughout the meal. Chanteurs hosted its annual Madrigal Dinner on Nov. 10 from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. A lot of preparation was needed to achieve this high-level performance. Chanteurs member junior Roger Hsu commented, “This year we had a good performance! Our members were all excited and worked hard to make the most of the opportunity.” Chanteurs members spent most of their lunch and after school time singing together to grow as a group in preparation for their competition season.

During dinner, Chanteurs performed for the audience until dessert was served.

Although the performance was fairly short, members made the most out of their time and sang 10 to 12 songs in the hour and a half they had. The members of Chanteurs carry a large amount of confidence as a result of the hard work they put into their shows. They continue to make great strides toward a great competition season, and the first step was the Madrigal Dinner.

The Three Musketeers was originally a novel written by French writer Alexandre Dumas. Due to the novel’s success, it was later adapted into plays and films with different variations of the story. AHS’ Advanced Drama Department (ADD) performed its take on the play from Nov. 13 to 17 at 7:00 p.m. in the Little Theater. Tickets sold for $10 for students and seniors and $15 for adults. The cast of the play gave a beautiful performance that left the audience wanting more. The sett was incredible, and the members off the audience tuned in n excitedly an and nd gave their undivided u atten-tion to th he actors. the The play starts with D’Artagnan, maain character, the main expressiing his wish expressing to join the t Musketeer of the Guard G in order to defend deefend the king.

D’Art tagnan, a country y D’Artagnan,

jlu@apachepowwow.com Graphic courtesy of CLIPARTS101.COM

boy, is continuously pushed down in his hopes, and called a “country bumpkin” who should not even dream of becoming a great and honorable musketeer. Nevertheless, he travels away from home to Paris to chase his ambitions but is also forced to take his sister. In Paris he meets and befriends three of the Musketeers: Porthos, Athos, and Aramis. His loyalty to his friends and relationship with one of the queen’s maids, Constance, entangles him in the affairs of the royal family, forcing him to deal with the threat of Cardinal Richlieu and his wicked plans causing him to join forces with h the musketeers, and venture through obstacles obstacles pushed against their favor. Along the way, the they y deal with romance and sword fighting. ghting.

I n spite of all the obstacles, D’Artagnan eventually eventua ly reaches his ggoal oal of becoming a musketeer. actor The act or who played D’Artagnan, D’Artagn an, senior AnNappier, thony Nappi er, did a wonderful job. He made the audiencee root for his audien character chara cter when he struggled strug gled through hardships hardsh ips and cheer when he was victorious. His fellow actors did an amazing job and cooperated

well; the way they were portrayed made the story even better.

“I think everyone [did] really great,” praised Director Steven Volpe, “the cast this year is very talented.”

The vivacious voices of the cast united the audience with the actors and tied the whole play together. The actors’ energy and dedication really showed during the course of the show.

The personalities the cast members gave their characters were entertaining, and the fast-paced plot ensured their fabulous performance. With every day since the beginning of “rehearsals eve year,” revealed by Director Volpe, thee school sch year cast was thoroughly prepared and the cas th showed show how no signs of nervousness.

Everyone could tell that tthe audience was impressed from the thunderous applause fr performers received at the end. the pe to the audience the best After delivering de show they could put on, ADD’s production came tto an end. It was a fitting end to the great yyears in the Little Theater. Their work ethics and stunning show will always resonate in the memories of all the people the play. who saw th mgu@apachepowwow.com tshi@apachepowwow.com Graphics by CHRISTINA LIANG Graph Graphic courtesy of BLOGSPOT.COM

Dancing with a Poll

By VICTORIA NAKAGANEKU

PA Traditions to Be Thankful For

By DEEDEE CHUANG Staff Writer

Imagine sitting down at the table on Thanksgiving Day with your family gathered around, knowing that none of it would be possible without them. As the years go by, many Performing Arts (PA) members come and go, carrying with them traditions dedicated to welcoming, encouraging, and saying farewell. These traditions are also meant to bring the PA members together. But how do these traditions work to impact the members?

It’s the hello/goodbye party that seems to bring the Chanteurs members closer together. “It always happens at the end of the school year, when new and old Chanteurs members eat and socialize,” explained senior Clarence Cheung. But the most important part comes at the end. It is a “secret tradition” in which the members introduce themselves and talk about their experiences. Although this tradition may seem to bring members a little closer together, “it’s really the rehearsals and competitions that [they] experience that bring ng [them] closer.

It’s really something that all members will be a part of forever,” Clarence commented.

As for Advanced Drama Department (ADD) ADD) members, instead of a single tradition, they go beyond d and have many traditions. “During the production week off each show, the theater officers choose an outstanding minor/ensemble /ensemble character who has gone far and beyond with his or her role and work ethics. We then give that at person an n old watch which the they must includee in his orr said her costume,” ostume,” sa aid

senior Keith Harmel. Senior Chloe Conrad commented, “All the seniors write letters to the underclassmen and vise versa, giving us a chance to reflect on the year and tell each person how important he or she is to us and how we value his or her friendship.” These traditions of the ADD members contribute to the overall feel of a family and “will be treasured more than a yearbook because by the end of the year, [they’ve] become such a close-knit family,” Chloe shared.

For Percussion members, eating and giving pep talks are the center of their traditions. “Open Line usually gets into a huddle and has a little pep talk before every competition. Then we put our hands in and shout something like ‘Open Line!’,” junior Langdon Van Sean revealed.

“We always go to a specific place to eat after a certain competition, like after Arcadia Festival of Bands; we go to a Korean barbecue restaurant,” junior Jonathan Chianglin commented. Jonathan reflected, “It makes [Percussion members]] more engaged in the program and helps [them] g ensemble.” As unity and trust builds befeel a part of the en ensemble member, so will the quality of their tween each ensemb performance. overall performa bonds such as these typically don’t grow Family bon over time but ccome from experience and caring for Through traditions, PA members are able one another. Th and affection they have for to show w the love an one o another and carry y traditions d that will never be forgotten. forgott

Staff Writer

To the audience, dance may seem like just a whimsical display of lyrical choreography. Although bystanders unknowingly dismiss the full effects of this art, viewing only for simple enjoyment, dancers embody this expressive exhibition of passion to the fullest. Capturing emotion through inspired movement, dancers must choose forms of expression that best represent themselves, thus their choices of dance reflect both their styles and their personalities.

So what exactly is the preferred dance style of AHS’ dancers? Survey says…

Contemporary...15% Jazz...37% Hip Hop...17% Ballet...12% Lyrical...8% Other...10% “I would say that I’m a big fan of lyrical and contemporary style dances because the dances are always so emotional and meaningful. The dances are so expressive that I feel like I’m so submersed that I can forget about everything else.”

—Michelle Tseng, 12, Orchesis Dance Company “Contemporary, because for me, it’s like a mix of my ten years of ballet, which can be kind of stiff, and everything else I’ve learned throughout the years. It’s kind of like a mix of everything. There isn’t a limit as to what you can do…[it] allows for creativity and freedom to just dance your heart out in whatever way fits your mood at the moment.”

—Alicia Lin, 10, Intermediate Dance “My favorite type of dance would be ballet because no matter how many times you watch a variation, you would never be tired of it. Every dancer dances it with a different style.”

dchuang@apachepowwow.com Graphics courtesy of COOLHOLIDAYGRAPHICS.COM, MINITRUCKINWEB.COM, SHIFTJOURNAL.COM, STEVEWEISSMUSIC.COM, SUPERAUTHORS.COM, TELEFLORA-FLOWERS.BIZ, and WORLDMARKET.COM

—Demi Cao, 10, Orchesis Dance Company vnakaganeku@apachepowwow.com Graphic courtesy of MATHWAREHOUSE.COM

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apachepowwow.com

November 2012

By ASHLEY CHI Features Editor

By EVAN DELGADO Academics Editor

At first glance Mr. Sylvia is a terrifying visage to any student. He seems strict and unrelenting, and has a reputation of being a harsh grader. But this couldn’t be any further from the truth. Behind his hard exterior, many students have realized that he is in reality a funny intellectual with a strong sense of humor. With his in depth analysis of classic works as well as comprehensive breakdowns of hard math topics, Mr. Sylvia has a way of sharing his incredible knowledge with his classes.

Q: How would you best describe Mr. Sylvia?

A: “Mr. Sylvia is hilarious. The fact that he looks like the least funny man on Earth just makes it better.”— Corry Wang, 12.

A: “Mr. Sylvia is an incredible conversationalist.

I can always count on Mr. Sylvia to have his door open with a pleasant anecdote and a drawer full of candy. He’s experienced so much of life vee and is easily one of the smartest people I have hoo ever met. He is one of those few teachers who can be a mentor, a role model, and a friend alll at once.”—Regina Liu, 12.

A typical conversation between me and Counselor Ms. Tammie Tran would follow this tangent: a quick catch-up of peer tutoring issues, a digression into the cuteness of her dog, the merits of wearing fringe, or a discussion about whatever trending political topic or pop culture item is circulating the news. Ms. Tran is not simply a high school counselor, her overflowing friendliness and the energy she invests in knowing, understanding, and helping students distinguishes her from any other counselor or faculty member.

Counselor Mr. Andrew Poon perfectly described Ms. Tran’s role as a counselor, stating that “she embodies all the positive qualities a counselor should have. She is caring, dedicated, and has a great sense of humor.” No matter how she’s feeling, Ms. Tran has a perpetual smile on her face, always ready to cheer anyone up, transcending the responsibilities of any high school counselor. Counselor Mrs. Toni Fox, Ms. Tran’s partner counselor, affectionately stated that she “can’t imagine anyone else [she] would rather work with.”

As an adviser for the AHS Peer Tutoring and Outreach organization (Peer Tutoring), Ms. Tran has done so much more than volunteer one hour of her time after school four days a week to help supervise the program. Peer Tutoring Secretary senior Timothy Thao loves Ms. Tran’s “infectious energy and her dedication to the program.” A regular at the Peer Tutoring officer table, Ms. Tran is always there with a smile and greeting for every one of the tutors and tutees, making them feel welcome and always “exuding a sense of care for our tutees,” noted Peer Tutoring President junior Annie Yang. Her dedication to the program “makes her one of the most stable parts of Peer Tutoring. Ms. Tran’s constant belief in this program, the officers, and the impact we have on our fellow students is always motivating,” stated Peer Tutoring Webmaster senior Benjamin Hsieh.

Being a counselor isn’t just about “fixing schedules and writing recommendation letters,” said Mr. Poon. It’s about taking initiative to interact and understand students, about putting out that extra smile and taking the time to personally know her students, and about opening herself up to students so that they feel welcome and accepted. So much more than a counselor, an adviser, or another AHS faculty member, Ms. Tran is a mentor to all the people she inspires with her limitless care and a friend to all who are fortunate enough to know her, someone who truly cares about the wellbeing of AHS students. If there’s one person on campus that I can always run to for advice, for comfort, or for a quick pick pick-me-up, it will always be Ms. Tran. achi@apachepowwow.com

Q: What is Mr. Sylvia’s teaching style?

A: “Mr. Sylvia is an intelligent man who bringss den en nttss, life to the work he presents to his students, h new w giving a most detailed lesson with each ned.”— — piece of literature, leaving no stone unturned.”— Mary Guyer, 12.

Q: What is the environment like in Mr. Sylvia’ss classroom? or teacher r.

A: “Mr. Sylvia is the epitome of a senior teacher.

He teaches us like we’re seniors and talks to us like we’re seniors. There aren’t any awkward ‘how do I get him to like me’ moments. We’re all past that phase and Mr. Sylvia doesn’t acknowledge it anyway. We’re very relaxed in his room, it’s great.”—Karina Laigo, 12.

Q: In what way in Mr. Sylvia involved in Academic Decathlon?

A: “As the adviser of Academic Decathlon, he guides all the students to take a more holistic approach to learning, emphasizing the details as well as the whole picture. Furthermore, he renders the literature infinitely more interesting umor.”— — with his insightful analysis and wry hhumor.”— Sue Wang, 12. pachepow wwow.com m edelgado@apachepowwow.com

Photos by BEN GEISBERG, DANA JEE, DEEDEE CHUANG, MATTHEW LEE, MEGAN HONG, and WILSON LIN Photo courtesy of ARCADIASBEST.COM, FINEARTAMERICA.COM, ONWARDSTATE.COM, and PANTRYSPA.COM.

By STACEY NG

Average high school teaching salary: $53,000. Average full-time coaching salary: $30,000. Average chooll hhours ourss w ou ithh 50 it 50 There are few and far between who would deliberately spend weekends and after sc school with But as one of several Senior Men and Women (SMW) advisers, Mrs. Rita Wilkins ns vvolunteers oluun ol unteeer ers hher er ti time imee to and several drives and fundraisers, it may get difficult for SMW members to catchh ttheir heirr breaths, bbrreaatth hs, b A trademark of her personality, “compassion is her greatest attribute” said aidd SM ai SMW W wallet waall l eett in my friend’s car [that’s in college] and she offered to get it for me! She he di ddidn’t iddn’t ’t She’ ee’’s a constant advocate for SMW and the individuals in the organization, “stand[ing] d[ing] She’s wee don’t donn do service for ourselves, but for the community,” said SMW Bookkeeping eeping While the organization is primarily geared toward students making a W lives live li vess oof each SMW member. Rochelle continued, “She makes us a priority and ve d m re tthan an adviser, she’s become a friend. Mrs. Wilkins extends her compassion mo sionn more as in “need of some advice and how talking to [Mrs. Wilkins] immediately y ttook oook he w was because bbeecauuss she didn’t have any obligation to listen to me, but she did.” ““Mrs. “M M Wilkins is really the heart and soul of SMW,” Andrew said. She eembodies mbod mb oddie iess th the the Mrs. Wilkins, you are truly priceless.

M

November 2012

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centerspread@apachepowwow.com

www w

By ARIANA ARZANI Fundraising Chair

In a high school of over 3,500, it is easy to get lost amidst the crowds, remaining nothing more than a face in a sea of students.

But most of us crave care, support, and assistance through high school, rather than neglect. And for Assistant Principal Mr. John Finn, the burdening task of being a supporter and caretaker of students is practically part of his job description. Mr. Finn seems to have found his niche here at AHS, working here for eight years, and spending a total of 25 years in the education industry.

Many don’t know everything he does, but he is a hero of sorts, protecting students and guiding them throughout high school.

As the supporter of students and staff, Mr. Finn wears many hats. He is in charge of the Dean’s Office, student support and discipline, counselor issues, and many other important duties. These tasks are not enough for Mr. Finn, who is also the adviser of Mock Trial as well a host and chaperone for many campus events. Mrs. Heather Moore, who is an adviser for the Student Council Apache Commission (SCAC), recalled Mr. Finn “on multiple occasions, hosting individuals or even groups in his own home,” as he is “one of the most giving and generous people [she] knows.”

This year, Mr. Finn banded together with Mr. Johnny Lee to advise the Mock Trial team. For sophomore Morven Sharp, Mr. Finn “is a very dedicated individual who cares about many organizations on campus, including Mock Trial.” Senior Mary Guyer finds that “Mr. Finn is a very respectable and well-mannered man who is always cooperative and polite. He is very straightforward and involved which is really good, especially on a school campus.” Mr. Finn also accompanies Government Team (Gov. Team) whenever they advance to Nationals in Washington D.C. Mr. Kevin Fox, adviser of Gov. Team, finds Mr. Finn to be “very supportive as a teacher, administrator, and friend. He is a believer in people, and his life mission is to serve people.” And although he is in charge of discipline, Mr. Finn “tries to help students find solutions to their problems, rather than punish them.” And with his seemingly endless kindness and generosity, Mr. Finn attracts the love and respect of all those on campus. Dr. Edmund Sutro described Mr. Finn as “very steady, he doesn’t get upset or emotional and he is very dependable.” Long time friend and coworker Keith Kerney describes Mr. Finn as “being the first one to speak up for the students” and has had dozens of jobs, including a head of security, coach, and private school teacher.

His tasks may go unnoticed at times, but Mr. Finn is a vital cog in our school system, listening to and supporting anyone who ou ountless needs help. His relentless dedication to all those at AHS is evident by his involvement in countless activities and willingness to dian, a watc chful prot help all those who need it. And all his work shouldn’t go unnoticed; he is our silent guardian, watchful protector, dark knight. aarz rzani@apac rz a hepoww wow.com aarzani@apachepowwow.com

By WILSON LIN Photo Editor

At first, Ms. Wang may seem to be the strict and intimidating type of teacher, especially with statements such as “Do your work!” barked whenever productivity seems to be going towards the constant stream of homework problems that await students every day. However, as her students have experienced, this impression is simply not the case. Instead, “sassy, sarcastic, and really fun” comes to mind, as junior Brenda Hua stated.

Ms. Wang is a truly dedicated Math Analysis and AP Calculus AB teacher who leaves a lasting impression through infusing her love for math into all of her work.

Whether it is with the infusion of math with humor, or the common accord Ms. Wang strikes when she provides insightful advice after actively listening to her students’ qualms and successes.

Ms. Wang is truly appreciated by her students.

Thank you, Ms. Wang, for cultivating an interest in math in all of us!

Q: How would you best describe Ms. Wang?

A: “She is truly one of the most understanding, c cap capable, and down-to-earth human beings on t planet. She may only teach math, but she is this t tru truly capable of teaching anything and everything b be because she is just that good. I can’t emphasize h how much of an impact Ms. Wang has made on her students, both past and present, because her contributions and significance have and always will be incalculable, just like the slope of a vertical line!”—Andrew Sun, 12 .

A: “Dutiful. Ms. Wang is always doing her best to fulfill her duty to teach and make sure her students know how to do calculus.”— Jimmy Wu, 12.

Q: What is your favorite memory ?

A: “One fond memory I had in her class was during AP Calculus when someone tried to tell her a joke.

‘Ms. Wang someone said you look like an owl!’ they exclaimed, expecting the usual response of ‘Who who who!’. However, she just responded, ‘I don’t care, now lets get back to work,’ and the whole class just burst into laughter. Fun stuff.”— Calvin Ho, 12.

Editor in Chief

adviser salary: priceless, literally.

0 sseniors enio en iors o ((sans compensation), especially after having gone all of the school week surrounded by students. do just that.

Between jusst th that hat a.B Be tweenn Homecoming dance practices, Wednesday morning meetings, volunteering events, but it’ it’s ’s rre really eallly Mrs. Wilkins, the organizer of it all, who deserves most, if not all, of the credit.

P Pr President resid iden ent ssenior Claiborne Huynh. SMW member senior Karina Laigo remembered, “I left my y ha have ave tto, o, bbut u she so kindly did!” Mrs. Wilkins appears to specialize in going above and beyond. ond. dd.. o uuss when we are disrespected by adults, but also keep[ing] us in check, making sure th or haatt upp ffor that Secretary Seccr Se cret retar etar et aryy senior Rochelle Lai. diff di difference ffee in the community, it’s plain to see that Mrs. Wilkins is making a difference in n tthe he he challenges us to be more mature than the average high school students.” But much ch h wh hen and kindness beyond SMW matters. SMW Treasurer senior Andrew Sun recalled whe when tth h stress and worries off of his shoulder[s].” He reminisced, “It made a huge impact paacct the perf perfect rffe combination of an adviser, a mother, and a friend. And no salary could every buy tthat. hat. hat. ha t

com co m sng@apachepowwow.com

A: “My favorite moment in Ms. Wang’s class so far would be this one time when my friend and I were sharing a math book and listening to music.

We were listening to Clarity by Zedd, fist pumping and getting really into the song. Ms. Wang was just staring at us like we were crazy but she just rolled h eyes,, told tol me to ‘get to work’, and looked away. her Somehow S w, even with all the crazy dancing, I still Somehow, w ablee to finish all work!”—Brenda Hua, 11. was wlin@apachepowwow.com

12

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STUDENT LIFE

14

“Bucks” for the Holidays

By LILY LING Staff Writerr

In the recent years, there have been n hard times for most Americans due to the he frail economy, but people tend to overerlook the struggles we experience as high h school students. Most students aren’t employed, don’t have a bank account with piles of cash, and can’t always ask their parents for everything we want.

Those occasional cravings for a nicee cup of boba, a bag of chips, or even a fulllout meal seem to be mocking us. You know w I’m broke, so why do you want to rub it in n my face?

When asked about her spending wor-ries, sophomore Louisa Kwan complained d that her “wallet is almost always empty, ty, and those few times that it isn’t is when en [she] already has something to spend it on. My money goes to two needs: food or fun,” she said. But what can students like Louisa do when all their cash has been spent, you ask?

Well, here are some basic tips to your financial success: 1. Resist the urges. I know that after school you might want a little treat, especially since you just spent the past six hours using brain fuel, but remember that once you give in to the temptation, your

m money is permanently gone, and the food wi will soon be too. Start bringing a light snac snack to eat during school; why not just ea eat the food your parents already paid for for?

2. Hang out with friends at home.

T There aren’t many places offered to bored teen teenagers looking for something to do without using money, so just spend time with frie friends at your house. Watch a movie, bake som some cookies, or even play an old-fashio ioned game of cards.

3. Do some extra chores. Some oof you may already receive allowances, but attempting to do some extra work may ma make your parents realize that you deserve som some extra cash. As long as you stay on top of school, parents are sure to appreciate your efforts and reward you somehow.

Maybe that reward could be a few Benjamins, if you know what I mean.

The road to adulthood may be a long ways ahead, but practicing how to survive on a budget will benefit us in the future. When we have our own jobs, spending money will be a more serious matter.

It’s important to get in the habit of saving money while we’re young. lling@apachepowwow.com Graphics courtesy of PRLOG.ORG TECHGENIE.COM and US.TOSHIBA. COM

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Just Ask: Advice from Alumni

By TERRI SHI Staff Writer

In the beginning of the year, freshmen, sophomores, and juniors practically get a whole report on each teacher and class they have listed on their schedules. Luckily for them, they have upperclassmen to look towards for advice, but the seniors don’t have anyone to look up to at school. Here’s what some of AHS’ alumni had to say to them.

“I know that at many seniors, as soon as they graduate aduate from high school, will want to get some sort of internship in the summer to get ahead. ad. pBut in college, opp portunities pop up everywhere, so re-ally, the summerr of your senior year is the last time you have to relax. Take advantage of this. Go travel, have fun, do something you take pleasure in; if you really feel a need to do something productive, get a part-time job to earn pocket money. But seriously, enjoy yourself—it’s one of your last chances.” —Jasmine Li, AHS Alumna “You’ll be ‘young’ again in just a bit, so make the most out of your senior year while you’re ‘old’. Make the most out of everything

Animal Lovers Unite! Popular Pets at AHS

By BRIANA SHEN Staff Writer

Many students who beg and pray for a pet dog or cat are faced with lectures about responsibility, and at the end of it all, they might be lucky enough to receive a goldfish.

After all the constant pleads, parents finally compromise and allow their children to own a low-maintenance animal that does nothing but swim around in circles in a glass bowl all day. Yet in all a fish’s glory, students still hope to own a larger and more active animal companion.

Another freshman, Tina Yueh sympathizes with other pet owners because she has “a reddish bloodhound with several black spots over her body that is named Molly” and “a mackerel tabby cat named Mittens.” Because she has the responsibility to take care of her pets, Tina needs to make sure that they are in a healthy condition and has “to know when they are hungry, sick, when to take them to get their vaccines, and give them baths.” Like any other pet owner, she has to “feed [her] pets, make sure they have enough water to drink, and clean up after them.”

Freshman Sydney Cheung had “about 13 or more pets in total, including a tarantula, frilled lizard, blue tongue skink, chameleon, horned lizard, three bearded dragons, four monitors, and two rabbits.” At the moment, she said, “I have a male white-throat monitor named Jake, a male bearded dragon named Finn, and a male black lionhead rabbit named Fluffy.

Jake and Finn are of course named after characters in the TV show, Adventure Time.” Having many animal friends means more animal troubles to resolve.

Even with all these responsibilities, students still have the urge to own a pet because “having a pug allows me to get exercise, learn responsibility, keep a routine in life, and cheers me up when I’m down,” said sophomore Vinson Ton. He has a “pug that [is] named Benji.”

Vinson has a great relationship with Benji, but he stated, “I originally wanted a Miniature Schnauzer Chihuahua Mix, but after I heard Benji sing, I thought it was really cool.”

November 2012

Although owning a pet is a lot of work, Tina agreed with Vinson that taking care of a pet is a joyful experience. Not everyone may have their joyful happiness. Sydney sighed and claimed, “My pets don’t show any signs of affection, but they definitely make me happy just by being a scaly or furry friend.” Her bunny is blacklisted as a notorious scratcher, but she loves Fluffy all the same. She even added, “One special memory that I had with my pet, Fluffy, was the shocking moment when [my [m my family and I] realized that he was a boy!”

Having the privilege of owning an animal brings along the responsibility necessary to take care of it and keep it from getting sick. Cleaning up after animals and making sure it has enough food is crucial in their well-being, and it’s unfair to push all the responsibility to adults. So next time your parent rejects your request for a pet, realize that they understand the responsibilities that come with caring for an animal. bshen@apachepowwow.com Graphics courtesy of BLOGSPOT.COM, PETSUNLIMITED.COM, PRLOG.ORG TECHGENIE.COM, and US.TOSHIBA.COMw

you do. Don’t be afraid to go all out because this is it. Just don’t go so extreme that it causes you to fall. Go leave your mark on AHS!” —Shawn Liu, AHS Alumnus “Overall, my advice to any senior is if you know what you want to do in the future, then good, pursue it with everything you’ve got. If you don’t, it’s fine, take your time. The world isn’t over if you still can’t figure out what you want to do. It just means you have more time to try out new things. Pursue your passion!”

—Vicky Yen, AHS Alumna Alu “Take each day three school days at a time, meaning study at lleast three days ahead of tim time before a test rather than cram the day before.

Do Don’t get distracted by oother things, especiallly games.” —Jason Zheng, AHS Alumnus Seniors have so much to look forward to in their upcoming years that sometimes it’s easy to lose track of all the opportunities that are available. Asking alumni for advice is a great way to prepare for college. It’s time for seniors to shine in their final year at AHS as they prepare for the bright future that lies ahead. tshi@apachepowwow.com Graphic courtesy of CLKR.COM

You’re Welcome Day

By ERIC CHO Staff Writer

With Nov. 23 marking the annual “You’re Welcome Day”, we should be reminded of the proper manners and etiquette necessary in society. Many of us high school students sometimes forget the most basic manners in daily life, such as “you’re welcome” or “no problem”. While some may deem these phrases unnecessary, they could actually brighten a person’s day.

As “you’re welcome” immediately follows the typical “thanks”, it’s mere logic that this holiday occurs immediately after Thanksgiving. The holiday serves as a reminder to keep our manners at a decent level, whether it is for the smallest of reasons or formal events. These manners can go far, if they are sincere and good-natured. Not only will a good-natured personality bring about respect, but also new bonds of friendships could also be created! After all, who doesn’t like to be treated with proper manners?

Whether it is to make new friends or to simply express your courtesy, there are multiple aspects of this holiday. Although “You’re Welcome Day” isn’t as famous as Thanksgiving, it’s still celebrated in numerous areas around the world. Remember this holiday and show a bit of gratitude everyday. echo@apachepowwow.com Graphic courtesy of BIBLESTUDYOUTLINES.COM

November 2012

academics@apachepowwow.com

ACADEMICS

Academic Decathlon Assembles

By MICHELLE GU U Staff Writer

Academic Decathlon thl h on o ((Acadeca) A ad Ac a ec e a)) is perhapss the most challenging g academic team at AHS. Created by Mr. Robert rt Peterson o ffor on or a ggroup roup ro u of nge Coun u ty, Ca aliforn rnia i in local schools in Orange County, California me very popular. By 1981, 1968, Acadeca became it had expanded to include lude schools across the nation. Annual academicc decathalon competitions are managed by a non-profi n-profit organiited States zation called The United n AssoAcademic Decathlon ciation. California, T Texas, e as, ex and Wisconsin teamss have all been National Champihampi82. onship winners since 198 1982. m made Last year, AHS’ team lifying school history by qualifying ion. for the state competition. of Members Acadeca meet twice a or week to get ready for rn competitions and learn pics new material. The topics itions tested in their competitions —lit iare the objectives—litry, erature, art, history, science, math, music, economics—and the subjectives— speech, interview, and essay. This year, the team’s time and intense studying sessions are devoted to the Great

Depression, many call De D prressi s on, a time period that man anyy ca all l a significant era in American history.

The team captains teach the subjects to the h members through lectures, tests, quizzes, and games.

These activities ensure that everybody

understands unde deerstands and remembers what they have learn.

To include a more diverse and wellrounded group of sstudents, tudents, the decathletes competee in different categories based on their GPA. The Honors Division has students with a 3.75-4.00 GPA, the Scholastic 3.00-3.75 Division has students with a 3.00-3.

3 75 GPA, and the Varsity Division has students with a GPA of 2.99 or lower.

Althoughh the team has ar aaround ouund 20 people, the actual team sent to compete is narrowed down to nine individuals, made up of three members division. The people m me mbers from each division

selective chosen acin n this hi hhighly ghly y selec e tive ggroup roup are cho ccording performances cordin i g to t their ir perfo orm mances at the annual ual members don’t scrimmage. While some member n’t still have make it into the final team, they st ve create junior the opportunity to t cre r ate a juni n team m that competes alongside the finnal team. m. the 2012The team captains for th 2school 22013 20 13 sch hool year are ssenior eni Sue ue Wang and junior Shreya Udani with Mr. Al Sylvia as tthe team coach. Commitment is crucial, competitions and the grueling comp studying and require hours of studyi preparation. Although m meetings everybody are held twice a week, eve time outmust spend additional tim reviewing. side of their meetings revi “I think the har rdest subject hardest to prepare for is economic economics,” said Shreya, “You don’t get muc much exposure to the topic un ntiil senior yyear.” In until addition to retaining all the mater material they have learned, certain members mu must also work even n harder to gain an unders understanding of unfamiliar subj b ects aand nd concepts. subjects The team is currently preparing for the upcoming Regional Competitions held at the end of January, wishingg to rea ach its goal of reach 1stst place at Nationals this year. Despit Despite a long and arduous road ahead full of many stu study sessions,, a multitude of examinations, an and other unforseen challenges, these students are not only ready for the coming year, but ex excited to put their kn now o ledgge to the test. knowledge mgu@apachepowwow.com mgu@apachepoww Graphic by CHRISTINA LIANG

Late Nights: Necessary or Not?

By BEN GEISBERG Staff Writer

The plea of “Mom, please! I have to study for the AP U.S. History (APUSH) and AP Chemistry tests that I have tomorrow!” is all too common throughout the households of AHS students. They ask for more time to stay up late and hit the books in order to get all of their studying done for multiple Honors, AP, and other high-level exams the next day. Lights stay on until the wee hours of the morning while parents beg their children to get rest. Do teachers, however, approve of all this studying that students seem to think is for the better?

First off, let’s start with the students. Most of them believe that spending a long time studying is worth the effort and pays off the next day when they sit down for a test, a belief that AP Comparative Government and APUSH teacher Ms. Angela Dillman supports. However, she is on the fence about late nights, when she said, “I support kids taking APs and staying up late if they have a good base of support, such as parents and friends.” For some, staying up also seems to be a good way to power through a large chunk of homework or perhaps finish up some last-minute assignment in order to meet a deadline. Ms. Dillman has the same line of thinking and said that students “can learn perseverance by working through a huge workload.”

In reality, however, does it really take all of that time to study? When students stay up until three in the morning, which book is open more: APUSH or Facebook? Some have a sneaking suspicion that not all of that time spent staying

up late is used for studying, a suspicion that can be turned into a fact with a quick peek at any student’s browsing history. For many students, long nights are unnecessary. Ms. Dillman had mixed feelings about late nights, she also noted, “Many late nights could be vastly reduced if distractions were avoided.”

This is one point that many other teachers are advocating as well. Contrary to popular belief, teachers aren’t trying to kill their students with homework, whether by the backpack weight or exhaustion the morning after.

Teachers want their pupils to do well and think that late

nights are necessary in some cases, but not every night. And the multiple cups of coffee combined with lack of sleep in the morning do not bode well for many students, as late n i g h t studying does them no good if they’re just going to fall asleep in the middle of the test anyway.

As lights shut off one by one in Arcadia, many stay on as an indication of students working hard and late into the night. Although the teachers have gone to bed already, students are topping off their minds with more AP knowledge goodness. But this doesn’t have to be the case. The next time students consider getting that next cup of coffee at 11:00 p.m., or pulling out their books to study, they should realize that they might not actually need all of that if they just applied themselves and powered through their work. bgeisberg@apachepowwow.com Graphics courtesy of STOCKPHOTO.COM

15

By HELEN LEE B Executive Copy Editor

Are you looking for a career in pharmacy or dentistry? If you said yes, University of the Pacific (UOP) may be the perfect school for you. With its 5, 6, 7-year programs, UOP offers the option of finishing undergraduate education and obtaining the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm. D.) or the Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.) degree within a short amount of time.

By reducing the time spent in school, students are able to cut down on the amount of money they spend on education. Students are also able to get a job earlier to pay off their college debt, if any. More experience would open up several job opportunities to students fresh out of college. A student can expect to pay around $70,000 per year for pharmacy and $90,000 per year for dentistry in just tuition but, in the long run, the cost evens out.

However, just because one can obtain his or her degree earlier does not mean that the classes are easy; in fact, it is quite the contrary. To advance to the Pharm. D. or D.D.S. graduate programs, a student needs to meet all pre-pharmacy requirements and maintain a 3.0 GPA during his or her studies as an undergraduate student. This includes the general chemistry and biology courses necessary for the ground work of pharmacy, and human anatomy and physiology courses necessary for dentistry.

For students who wish to pursue a career more reasearch-based, UOP offers the Proposal Strengthening Grant and the Faculty Seed Grant to fund students. And every year, UOP displays research done by students at its annual Pacific Undergraduate Research and Creativity Conference (PURCC) so that students are able to get a first-hand look of the education at work.

The private college of approximately 7,000 undergraduate and graduate students lies in the heart of Stockton, California, a little north of the San Francisco area. Stockton, the 13th largest city in the U.S. with a population of 291,707 in 2010, has a climate similar to that of Arcadia’s, so adjusting to the weather should not be a problem for AHS students.

Just like many other big cities, Stockton sets up many festivals and events, such as the Chinese New Year’s Parade and Festival and the Hmong New Year. Although Stockton is not the safest city to live in, UOP has officers all over the campus to ensure the safety of all its students. However, it is important to keep in mind that the dentistry program is in San Francisco, not Stockton, at the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry.

The road ahead won’t be an easy one. Although keeping up with the contracted education time and paying the tuition may be stressful, earning a degree, whether it is a Pharm. D. or a D.D.S., in a short amount of time may be one of the best decisions a student makes in his or her lifetime. hlee@apachepowwow.com Graphic courtesy of COLLEGEBOUND.COM

16

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18

SPORTS

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Set, Spike, Win

By TIFFANY LIU

By ERIKA ZHENG Staff Writer

Sports are a large part of AHS. Athletes have their own tips and tricks on preparing their fierce game attitudes with an unstoppable spirit.

Little actions such as extra hours of sleep or better breakfasts can heavily impact performances.

“I usually don’t eat lunch because eating before a game slows me down. I usually try to avoid junk food; instead I drink Gatorade and eat fruits.”

—Thomas Gao, 9 Boys JV Water Polo “I like to listen to music and think about what I’m going to do in the game. I also eat steak and eggs; it’s my game-day meal.”

—Joseph Leonard, 10 Boys JV Basketball “I get around eight hours of sleep two nights before the game and make sure to drink three to four bottles of water on race day. I also listen to my pre-race track on my iPod and eat PB&J sandwiches.”

—Tansica Sunkamaneevongse, 12 Girls Varsity Cross Country Being a part of a sports team is all about turning a serious game into a fun one. Pressure and doubts can easily engulf an athlete’s physical and mental being, but as these Apaches demonstrate, there’s nothing stopping them from achieving the victories they deserve. tliu@apachepowwow.com

Staff Writer

“We have a tremendous amount of grit and it fits us,” said Volleyball Coach Charles Freberg. Finishing one its most successful seasons yet, the Girls Varsity Volleyball team dominated at its Pacific League games and snatched a close win from Fullerton’s Troy High School during the CIF playoffs bracket game, 3-2. The indomitable spirit of these girls has paid off, as they finished the season as League Champions and managed to ward off the “round two curse” at CIF. The girls of the Varsity Volleyball team tirelessly fought their way to becoming League champions and scored a major win at the Arcadia Invitational Tournament. “The volleyball season this year was a really memorable one!” said Captain senior Catherine Su. Even though the team faced minor offsets during League play, Catherine felt that “as a team we never failed to work together and pull through.”

Making it to the quarter finals of CIF was a major victory as the girls have struggled with the “round two curse” at CIF for many years.

The curse hindered the team in past years; they couldn’t get past the second round of CIF. “We broke the curse in 2010 and [again] this year,” explained Catherine. The team beat Troy High

School, breaking the dreaded round two curse.

“We fought even harder when we got to CIF and beat Rio Mesa High School and Troy High School, but lost in round three to Chadwick High School,” commented senior Dakota Bundesmann. Although the girls lost to Chadwick School, 0-3, overcoming the round two curse brought the team together substantially, and it really tested the team’s strength. “Our season went really well and I’m glad we got as far as we did my senior year,” Dakota noted. The team was noteworthy during its League games too. Senior Lauren Pulciano said that the team’s success comes from “working really hard for it during practice” and that “although we didn’t win CIF, we did have a great team [that] I’m going miss.”

The Girls Varsity Volleyball team is best described as fiercely determined.

The trials the team have faced this season may be a factor of its grit, but ultimately it is the girls’ heart for volleyball that makes them incredible. No one can doubt that the Varsity Volleyball girls have learned and bonded with one another through every trial and match to become an amazing team. Great job ladies!

ezheng@apachepowwow.com Photo by WILSON LIN

Serving League on a Silver Platter

By ZACHARY YEE Staff Writer

Having its best season in years, the Girls Varsity Tennis team had a special past couple of months. With dominating wins in the regular season and phenomenal plays in the playoffs, the Girls Varsity Tennis team capped off the season with a hard fought battle in the CIF finals and a sweet win in the first round of State Championships, cementing a season to be long remembered.

Reigning undefeated in the regular season for the past three years, the Girls Varsity Tennis team has impressively done it a fourth time, displaying its consistency and high level of play.

Junior Ashley Gao shed light on a reason for her team’s success when she said, “We don’t really have any weaknesses for opponents to target, so in that sense we are a tough team to beat.” With strong serves, powerful ground strokes, and quick, aggressive defense, the girls are solid in all areas of the game. But this season has been exclusively unique, as the girls advanced to CIF final for the first time in many years. Although they lost in the CIF finals to San Marino High School, Ashley spoke about the resilience of the team and how the girls stayed positive and confident. They, within a week, went into the first round of State Championships to pull off an upset victory.

But how was this season more successful than previous ones? Their victories in the playoffs have been credited to hard work, as the girls have been training relentlessly to become the best players they can be. Preaching the idea that there is no traffic when going the extra mile, senior Francis Dean revealed her work ethic when she stated, “A lot of times, I stayed after matches to practice even more, something I know very few people do.” That sort of mentality Francis displayed was embodied by the entire team, which raised the bar for the level of play throughout the season.

With lots of pressure lying on the shoulders of the tennis players, each of them were able to count on the support of their teammates and families to help them relax and stay positive. Senior Firdaus Jahangir revealed how one of her biggest strengths is the support she has from her loving parents and teammate Francis.

Firdaus also explained how the time spent together meant so much to her; “I loved the bus rides to our away games because there were a lot of hilarious stories told that made everyone laugh, releasing any tension there was and bringing the team closer together,” she said.

The season has been filled with memorable experiences and the frequent wins just made those moments that much sweeter.

Placing second in CIF finals and winning the first round in State Championships,

the girls have accomplished so much this season. Though their season came to an end in the second round of State Championships, Francis explained how “every one of my teammates, including myself, played her hearts out in each game and left the court with no regrets.” With happy, memorable moments, the girls have only positive things to reflect on. zyee@apachepowwow.com Photo by WILSON LIN

0-7 4-7 21-8 12-0 12-0 lfrank@apachepowwow.com

November 2012

A Feast Fit For Apache Athletes

By AMELIA JIN Staff Writer

Unlike most people who stuff themselves with gravy and turkey on Thanksgiving Day, athletes have a moral obligation to their teams and themselves to watch what they consume, especially during the holidays. While not being able to eat his or her favorite holiday dish may seem a little extreme and unfair, the food an athlete consumes always affects his or her performance. Whether their seasons have started or not, athletes at AHS certainly know how to watch their diets. Here are some of their tips on how to survive the hectic belly-bulging holidays.

1. Pre-plan food portions. By doing so, athletes are able to enjoy their meals and not worry about overeating. Also, gaining control of their food intake allows athletes to curb their impulses when tempted with the ‘forbidden’ casserole. Football player junior Abel De Castro said he “minimized [his] dessert intake by becoming full off of all the right dishes.” By pre-planning allowable food portions, athletes are less likely to indulge.

2. Prioritize and eat healthful foods that have nutritional value and low caloric content. Although gravy and pumpkin pies are some of the most tempting and irresistible dishes on the table, they also are loaded with fat and can pack on the pounds.

Football player sophomore Alvin Zhao ate “a lot of yams and potatoes to replace the stuffing in the turkey.” It is extremely important for an athlete to have in his or her diet the proper amount of carbohydrates to provide energy. However, athletes also need fat, so they just eat small amounts of healthy fat and don’t stuff themselves with oil and sugar. Soccer player sophomore Elizabeth Tseng “skipped the gravy, corn, dressing, and everything with bad fats in the name of soccer.” Eating the necessary amount of protein, carbohydrates, and vitamins and minerals are vital for an athlete in training.

3. Enjoy everything in moderation.

This rule is a given for anyone; however, it especially applies to athletes. As they constantly consume energy, athletes need a little bit of fat to fuel them through training and games. At a Thanksgiving feast, one of the greatest benefits is having the entire food pyramid available to you. Though athletes need to watch what they ingest, allowing themselves a few guilty pleasures is completely healthy.

Due to intensive training and conditioning, it is completely normal for athletes to eat more than typical students. However, when tempted with decadent dishes, athletes know how to maintain and regulate what they take in. So, though you may have splurged on your calories and ate far more than normal during Thanksgiving, to an athlete, splurging is no excuse to expand his or her waistline. ajin@apachepowwow.com

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November 2012

Any Day is Good for Sunday’s

GOOEY DELIGHT: Craving sweet, salty, and crunchy? These “dirty fries” will surely hit the spot.

By GLUTTON GIRL Staff Writer

Settle any argument about where to eat out at Sunday’s Old Town Bistro, where different cravings and tastes are sure to be satisfied! This French and Italian establishment has everything—breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, and dessert—all for reasonable prices.

Start the meal off with a meaty, barbecue-flavored bang. One of the bistro’s most popular appetizers is its “dirty fries”. Straying from the standard chili-cheese topping, these shoestring fries are smothered with a generous heap of juicy barbecue pulled pork and sprinkled with small bits of cheddar cheese. The sweet and tangy barbecue sauce combined with the salty and crunchy fries complement each other perfectly.

Don’t stuff yourself with those fries though! Be sure to save some room for the entrée. I ordered the eggs benedict breakfast plate which came with two servings of the eggs and a side of country-fried potatoes, which were nicely seasoned and cooked. The English muffin was toasty and chewy, the ham had a smoky essence, the egg was perfectly poached, and the hollandaise sauce had plenty of a yolky flavor.

The dish wasn’t hot and became cold fairly quickly, but all of the flavors melded well into a classic, hearty dish.

I also tried the tri-tip steak sandwich, which was a French roll filled with chunks of tri-tip enveloped in a buttery mushroom-garlic sauce with several onion rings on the top. The sandwich filling had a tasty mushroom and garlic essence, and the steak had great flavor, but I was disappointed that there were so little of the steak and mushrooms.

All in all, get ready to delight your taste buds and pay a visit to this Downtown Monrovia gem. I give this eatery a generous 4 out of 5 taste buds. Until next time! And who am I? That’s a secret I’ll never tell!

XOXO, Glutton Girl Sunday’s Old Town Bistro details Location: 520 S. Myrtle Ave., Monrovia Prices: Dirty fries, $6.95; Eggs benedict, $10.95; Tri-tip steak sandwich, $9.95 Closed on Mondays gluttongirl@apachepowwow.com Photo by GLUTTON GIRL

Ask Kay Q: The weather has been so weird lately.

How am I supposed to dress when the week’s temperatures vary from 60-90 degrees?

A: The answer is layering! You don’t have to wear only a wool coat or a summer dress.

Instead, you can put something atop another, especially when it comes to tops. Plus, you can look up the daily forecast on the Internet! It’ll give you a prediction of how your day will go weather-wise so you can plan your outfit from there.

Q: I don’t know how much time I should give myself for college apps. My due dates are later in the year, but I know I’ll forget sooner or later. Any tips?

A: Use a calendar to schedule reminders and manage your time. The first step is to constantly remind yourself how many more days you have left to work and turn in your apps, and the second is to manage your time so that you’re not left scrambling to finish anything the night before. However, even if you’re cramped for time, don’t force out an essay when you know you can do better after a day or two.

Q: I want to ask one of my teachers for a recommendation, but I’m afraid I’ll be turned down! Help?

A: Your teacher has the right to be upset with you because you are asking him or her later than expected. But if you present your case well enough, I’m sure that the teacher will be willing to write one for you, especially if your due dates are further down in the year. Don’t keep this habit of procrastination up though, and give your teachers their forms ASAP! Q: When is it the appropriate time to start celebrating the “holiday season”?

A: If you’re referring to Christmas, you’re a month early! But there is no “appropriate” time. The celebrating part doesn’t have to be only associated with holidays. Having a smile on your face and good thoughts in your head is enough to keep the holiday spirit all year round! askkay@apachepowwow.com

CALENDAR

19 Flicks to See After St.Nick’s

By ELAINE CHUNG & GOLDIE SHEN Staff Writers

Along with this holiday season comes a whole package of films to see. Here is a glimpse inside the many movies that will be in theaters this winter.

1) The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Rating: PG-13 Genre: Fantasy, Adventure Peter Jackson’s newest cinematic achievement takes place in the Third Age of Middle Earth, in which the hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, is swept up in an epic adventure to reclaim a treasure stolen by the dragon, Smaug. Accompanied by 13 other dwarves, Baggins sets out on a journey to prove that size is not a measure of strength. A familiar face will also aid Baggins, as Ian McKellan returns to play Gandalf the Grey. For longtime fans of J.R.R. Tolkien’s works, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey will be showing Dec. 14.

2) Jack Reacher Rating: PG-13 Genre: Crime, Mystery Jack Reacher, a former military investigator, is launched back into the spotlight after a sniper kills five civilians. In belief that the suspected gunman was framed, Reacher ventures deeper into the case, knowing that a mysterious enemy anticipates his every move. The answer wil wi ll ““reach” reac re ach” h oout h” ut to aaudiences udie ud ienc nces es tthat hatt go ssee ha ee will this th is aaction ctio ct ionn film oon n Dec De c. 221.

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3) The Impossible Rating: PG-13 Genre: Thriller, Drama On the darker spectrum of this season comes The Impossible, the story of a family’s struggle to survive when an innocent Christmas vacation turns into a disaster after a catastrophic tsunami hits. Separated from each other in the destruction, the survivors are tested on how well they cope in the midst of the terrible disaster. Nature’s great fury has the power to test people’s will to survive, and The Impossible is possible on Dec. 21.

4) Les Misérables Rating: PG-13 Genre: Historical Fiction On Christmas Day, watch out for the newest film adaptation of the musical inspired by Victor Hugo’s novel Les Misérables. The classic tale of Jean Valjean’s quest for redemption from his life as a convict depicts the hardships of the French Revolution. Director Tom Hooper promised to stick to the musical format, so there are only a few additional dialogues. The film features a star-studded cast, including Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean, Anne Hathaway as Fantine, Russell Crowe as Javert, Amanda Seyfried as Cosette, as well as Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen. echung@apachepowwow.com gshen@apachepowwow.com Photo courtesy of COLLIDER.COM

20

CAMPUS FOCUS

“Mr. Monden got me interested in biology with his quirky tips on how to remember topics and the connections he made between biology and everyday life.” —Wilson Tan, 11 “Everything he teaches us, no matter how the students may respond, is taught for the sole purpose of advocating a principle of biology. Everything he teaches is relevant.”

—Rohan Anand, 11 “Mr. Monden is one of the teachers who really devotes his time towards actually helping his students, and this is why I regard him so highly as a person.” —Salman Bana, 11

campusfocus@apachepowwow.com

“Mr. Munoz is my favorite teacher because of his fun disposition and great teaching. He is very dedicated to teaching his students, so he makes his class a lot of fun.” —Caryl Dann, 10 “Mr. Munoz’s teaching was not only fun and easy to understand, but creative and left [me] wanting to learn more about biology. Because of him, biology became very interesting to me.” —Allison Limfat, 10 “Mr. Munoz was very nice, but stern when necessary, which is an ability many teachers lack. He was able to keep his class under control, which allowed students to learn even more. As well as that, his grading was very fair and most of his students got the grades they deserved.” —Martin Wei, 11

“She genuinely wants the best for us and will not settle for anything less. She truly wants us to exceed our limits and be our own person.” —Larissa Sun, 10 “Mrs. Tedford entirely devotes herself to what benefits her students. She is always looking to improve the dance program, so that it may be an amazing experience for every student.” —Julie Poladian, 11 “Yes, dancers look to her for advice on how to properly execute a double pirouette, but they find more than just dance techniques. She truly wants us to exceed our limits and be our own person instead of being a robot who only does things because it has to.

She gives dancers, new or old, a passion to dance.”

—Julia Peng, 12

“Throughout the year, Senora Lopez made sure that her AP students enjoyed her class, while they still learned Spanish. She’s scary to most students on the first day, but we were able to clearly see afterward that Senora Lopez is relatable to her students.” —Anthony Kuo, Alumnus

“Yes, Mr. Shen is on crutches. Yes, he takes the elevator up to his classroom on the second floor of the A-Building. However, he refuses to let any injury keep him from doing what he enjoys most: lovingly teaching his students and emotionally disrupting them at the same time.” —Kelly Ching, 11

“Ms. Zaidi takes time out of her day to make sure her students are confident in what they are doing. She always goes the extra mile to ensure her students’ success and is always willing to do whatever it takes for her students to get the help they need.” —Tim Yu, 12 Photos by DEEDEE CHUANG and DANA JEE Courtesy of FONTSPACE.COM and FINEARTAMERICA.COM

November 2012