February 2016 by The Arcadia Quill

The World Is Our Campus Volume 63, Issue 7

Arcadia High School 180 Campus Drive, Arcadia, CA

February 2016

Gov Team Heads to Nationals

In this issue:

Graphic courtesy of FLICKR.COM

NEWS pg. 3 Metro Gold Line: Officially opening on Mar. 5, the Foothill extension will connect our cities to farther reaches.

Photo courtesy of VICKY LU

CONSTITUTIONAL EXPERTS Gov team’s recent victory at the state championships in Bakersfield, CA, isn’t going to slow down its members, who are determined to win at Nationals. We wish them the best of luck in D.C.! By CHRISTINA READ & TITUS WU Staff Writers

Photo courtesy of NAOMI SILVER

STUDENT LIFE pg. 13 Student Feature: Dancer, check; actor, check; musician, check. How does sophomore Naomi Silver handle it all?

Photo by ANDREA LIU

SPORTS pg. 16 Kicking Forward: Girls Varsity Soccer continues on with its winning streak, using its teamwork and dedication for success. Have a question, comment, or concern about The Apache Pow Wow? Email the Editors-in-Chief at eic.powwow@gmail.com. Find us online at apachepowwow.tumblr.com

This month, Constitution Team—better known around campus as Gov Team— placed first in its state championship and earned a spot to represent California at Nationals, a feat Arcadia has achieved only twice before in the past 28 years. Gov Team, officially called “We the People: the Citizen and the Constitution Team,” is an academic team with a focus on the U.S. Government. But senior Michael Chien believes it is so much more: to him, “what defined [Gov Team] was the feeling of being wholeheartedly committed to something, and all the benefits that come with that passion.” And Gov Team isn’t simply a high school affair, either. Each of its six units is helped by a volunteer coach from the community, including Kevin Fox, Miriam Lopez, Mark Hong, Carl Nielsen, Bob Garrett, and Mayor Gary Kovacic. These esteemed citizens contribute countless hours to the team, providing invaluable assistance and advice to its members. Mr. Hong, coach to Unit 4, shared that “the coaches are proud of the team and everyone on it...While we expect them to win [at Nationals], if they do not it will not be for lack of effort, intelligence, or overall awesomeness.” This strong community backing of Gov Team has been a fixture

since the team’s inception over 28 years ago. In fact, Mayor Kovacic has, in his words, “had the pleasure and honor to be a coach” since 1995, when his own daughter participated on the team. To prepare for their competitions, which consist of simulated Congressional hearings, Gov Team dedicates hundreds of hours to practice testimonies, unit meetings, and most of all, to research. “Research is a huge part of the preparation process,” senior Fred Wang explained, and “some nights, we’ve stayed up until 4:00 a.m. trying to put together drafts.” Senior Christina Wang expanded, “We’ve dedicated countless hours to research and discussion...Now that we’re preparing [for Nationals], you can probably find us camped out at Starbucks working on our new questions.” This time spent researching paid off throughout the year with more than just knowledge, however, as Gov Team members also enjoyed hours—and hours—of bonding time. According to senior Katie Chiou, “Spending numerous hours with our own units researching also allowed [us] to get to know [our] teammates a lot better.” Katie believes the hours of practice were well spent, as they allowed her and her teammates to “form close friendships” and become extremely supportive of one another. This intense combination of practice, community, and friendship was clearly a winning formula: Arcadia snagged an impressive 1st place win at state championships this February. Senior Joshua Jen shared that “right before

they announced [2nd place], we were all holding hands in anticipation, not hoping to hear our name...When they finally announced 1st, we all stood up and cheered. That moment was one of the highlights of my high school career.” Meanwhile, senior Isidro Santa Maria added that he “didn’t even know or care if [they] were going to win.” After a grueling day of testimonies and questioning, Isidro was simply “satisfied because [they] did the best [they] possibly could.” And team coach Ms. Megan Leahy shared her pride in the team by stating that “the countless hours they put in have paid off. They have grown tremendously both as people and as a group.” Nationals will take place in Washington D.C. this April. Although competition will be fierce, the team hopes to repeat its State performance and become the national champions—as Fred recalled, “One of the coaches...joked that he would never talk to us again if we didn’t.” Christina added that regardless of what happens, the team is “honored and excited to be able to represent the state of California at our nation’s capital.” The team has created a GoFundMe (https://www.gofundme.com/ahsgov16) page to fund its trip to Nationals, so please contribute to help our state champions become national medalists! cread@apachepowwow.com twu@apachepowwow.com

OPINION A New Look for

By SIMONE CHU Academics Editor

The year was 2006. Daniel Powter’s “Bad Day” was #1 on the Billboard; George W. Bush was still in office; Troy and Gabriella had just met on the silver screen; I had just gotten my first-ever Barbie doll. My collection of Barbie dolls only expanded from there. Over the years, I amassed quite a few dolls (which I still have somewhere in my closet today), each one blonde-haired and blue-eyed with a perky little nose and tiny feet perpetually en pointe. There are slight differences in their hairstyles and degree of blonde-ness, but they all wear the same pretty pinklipped smile and have the same idealistically-proportioned legs that could probably bridge the distance from here to Dallas. So, yeah. I have a lot of pretty blonde Barbies, all evidence of the epoch: back in 2006, “diversity” meant having the occasional brunette thrown into the mix. Back in 2006, there were no Barbie dolls that even remotely resembled me, or anyone else I knew. Back in 2006, Barbie was pretty much the same blonde bombshell that she had been since 1959—the ideal American beauty, I surmised at the time, because pretty blondes made up the majority of the TV commercials and magazine covers. I remember wondering where the rest of us fit into that standard

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My Little E.T.

of beauty—what was considered pretty, then, for women of color? And maybe, I thought, maybe the answer was just that women of color weren’t pretty. Not because of the color of our skin, but maybe because we didn’t have those sparkling cerulean eyes and that little ski-jump nose. A ridiculous notion, but the media gave no hints otherwise. But here we are a decade later. Mattel has revamped Barbie; she now comes in seven skin tones, eighteen eye colors, and three new body types: petite, curvy, and tall. And I, for one, couldn’t be more thrilled. Each generation is becoming progressively more ethnically diverse than the last, and it’s about time that Barbie—an American hallmark—finally had an update to reflect the demographics of her pluralistic nation. It’s cool to think about: little kids today will grow up in an era where there are Barbie dolls with almond-shaped eyes, Barbie dolls with dark hair, Barbie dolls that don’t have perfectly flat stomachs, Barbie dolls that don’t have the kind of legs that you only see on mannequins or runway models. I haven’t played with dolls in a long, long time, but I think I’ll go out and buy one of these new Barbies, to show my support for the change. For old times’ sake—and because the little girl from 2006 would have liked one.

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By CHRISTY KANG Staff Writer

March 2005: I remember holding my dad’s hand, walking tentatively into the hospital room. She wasn’t exactly cute or pretty–pinkish skin, big head, no neck–in short, she looked like an E.T. Despite what I thought, adults were surrounding this “new princess”, calling her “adorable”, “beautiful”, making me questioning their eyesight. This newborn “E.T.” was called Alice, and started to take on human form. Still crawling on all fours, she had hair that was uncontrollable, chubby hands that grabbed everything, a mouth that drooled all the time, and sharp nails that scratched everything that came her way. Still very attractive, but she was beginning to be more endearing, especially when she slept quietly looking all cute and angelic, although she was still sort of useless–since all she did was sleep and crawl. She was boring, but I figured she would become more interesting when she started to walk. But I was completely wrong. When she could only crawl, the worst she could do was to grab my stuff and cover it with her saliva. Now she could walk, allowing her to destroy everything she could reach. Soon the walls were covered with her crayons, my things were broken with her grip, and worst of all, she would follow me around. I became even more annoyed when she started to talk–she babbled nonstop, saying complete nonsense. But there were some moments, like when she offered me her half-eaten cookie , or said my name, that made me sort of like her. When she entered kindergarten, she cried every morning because she didn’t want to leave mom. I thought she was weak: how was she going to make friends if she couldn’t even leave the house? But I was wrong. One month later, she was the most social kid in her class, loved by her friends and teachers. I guess it was then I acknowledged there might be more to her after all. She started to voice her opinions. When we went to a restaurant and ordered something she didn’t like, she would cry, whining for better food, and better food she would get. When we bought clothes, she refused to wear what mom chose for her, insisting that she herself had to choose. She would steal the remote, and switch to her favorite, Disney channel, even when I was watching the t.v., and I hated that. This year, she is going to graduate from Hugo Reid Elementary School and become a middle school student. Obviously, by any standard, she is not a little kid anymore: she watches Youtubers, does makeup, bakes, cooks, has a Macbook, wants an iPhone, watches Netflix, and has started to act like a teenager. Even though she’s grown so much, she still feels like a little kid. When she is standing among a group of friends, I am surprised by how mature she looks. When she makes pancakes for me, I am a little sad that she doesn’t need my help anymore. It is a bit sad, bittersweet. A few weeks ago, when I saw her playing the viola at the Side by Side Concert, I was so proud of her. After the concert, I told everyone in Orchestra 3 that this little kid was my sister, that she was kind of amazing. And seeing her grow up is scary. This little baby is now walking and doing grown-up stuff. It can also be a bit sad, too, knowing that she will no longer depend on me. But whether I like it or not, she’s going to grow up, and the best thing I can do is to accept it. She’s still pretty annoying, but I am proud of her and will always support her as my little sister and a friend. ckang@apachepowwow.com

Graphic courtesy of BEYONDTHEMARQUEE.COM

February 2016

By SIMONE CHU

theopinionsection@gmail.com

OPINION

Why You Should Go to Sadies Academics Editor

You might have heard of Sadie Hawkins dances. (Hint: we’re having one in the North Gym on Mar. 25.) It’s the dance where girls ask boys out, for a change—not as formal a dance as prom, but a dance all the same. Sounds like fun, doesn’t it? I was on the website Today I Found Out when I stumbled across an article about the history of this bold American folk tradition. The dance gets its name from a fictional character in the comic strip Li’l Abner, which ran for 40 years from the 1930s (Wham-o!) to the 1970s (Whoa, that’s far out, man!). Sadie Hawkins was not exactly a headturner, and consequently was also not very popular with the bachelors of her town. Her father, who wasn’t keen on having to support her for the rest of his life, came up with a way to marry his daughter off. He gathered up all the single men in the town for a race and declared that if Sadie managed to catch any man and drag him over the finish line, he would “earn” the “privilege” of being her husband. May I just say: yikes. But even though the story behind the dance’s origin is a tad questionable, the dance itself has been, historically, a fun way for girls to take the lead without fear of being judged. Granted, we no longer live in ye days of yore—gone are the days when high heels and civil rights were exclusively for men (fortunately), but the traditional view that boys should be the ones asking girls out still persists (unfortunately). If a girl asks a boy out, she might be viewed the way that the fictional Sadie Hawkins was viewed: desperate. And then again, being the one asked is nice. The one

asked doesn’t have to worry about how to approach the matter, or how to handle possible rejection; it’s much less

do away with antiquated mindsets about gender roles. Come on. Girls can code, girls can have jobs, girls can vote...and we can ask the boys or girls we like out to dances. Old gender roles constrict us as people because they imply that a person has to behave a certain way because of, what, the organs he or she was born with? Gender roles tell us that makeup and personal grooming and crying are for girls, and that strength and stoicism are for boys. Gender roles tell us who should and who should not be playing sports; who should be nurturing the children and who should not be nurturing the children; who can be sensitive and who cannot be sensitive; who can wear certain colors and who cannot wear certain colors. It’s a little bit ridiculous that we’ve been sorting ourselves into these neat little boxes for so long. It’s taken us a long time to get this far. Progress takes time. Progress moves with baby steps, not leaps and bounds. Sadie’s works as a kind of practice run, so that girls can get accustomed to taking the lead (without judgment!) in this kind of thing. The point of a Sadie Hawkins Dance isn’t to force girls into a certain role, but to give them the option of trying out something new without fear of being dismissed as desperate or overly aggressive. Plus, I’m sure that the prospect of stepping back and letting the girls take charge sounds appealing to the boys, too. For those girls out there who are brave enough to take the lead already, I salute you. Your confidence is inspiring—please don’t ever stop. Make sure to participate in this year’s Sadie Hawkins dance, because who knows when (or if) we’ll ever have another!

stressful to be asked than to do the asking. But it’s the 21st century, and I think it’s high time that we

schu@apachepowwow.com

Graphic by SUNNY WU Graphic courtesy of CLIPARTBEST.COM

Pick your Arguments By MAGGIE WONG Staff Writer

If I were to keep track of everything that made me mad throughout an average day, the list would probably be miles long. And I’m sure I’m not the only one, either. Even on the best day, there are bound to be things that dampen my mood a little. I’ve always had a struggle trying to decide which of those things is really worth getting mad over. As a very opinionated person, I’m all too familiar with wanting to yell at anyone who brings up something that I wholeheartedly disagree with. There are people who don’t share the same views I have on issues such as gender equality, and every time that topic is brought up, I want to start a debate over it. But if I were to start arguments with everyone that had opinions opposing mine, I’d never stop talking. There’s a time and a place for everything, and it’s usually not the right time to start a debate. There are a lot of small, recurring things that annoy me daily, like people leaning back into my desk. But really, I can deal with those small things until the period ends. It’s just easier to take a deep breath and ignore things like that

than to have to constantly be telling people to stop doing it. I used to start arguments over every little thing someone did that bothered me, and it honestly made me look bad. No one really wants to be around someone who would constantly be calling them out. And all of the arguments I started were completely unnecessary. I mean, so what if someone takes a really long time to reply to text messages? Not everyone is glued to

their phones like I am. It’s silly for me to expect everyone to be able to meet my standards and make me happy, when I’m sure my friends have complaints about me as well. There are times when it’s necessary to get angry over things someone does. I’m not denying that. If someone is doing or saying something harmful, then by all means, call them out

on it. There are a lot of instances where calling someone out on his or her behavior is a good thing. For example, if a friend is using derogatory language, it’s definitely a good idea to point out what they’re doing is wrong. A lot of the times people don’t even realize what they’re doing is bad, and I end up educating them on something they didn’t know before. It’ll help in the future too, because people now know not to do the thing, and you won’t have to control your anger about that anymore. But with little annoyances, it’s just easier to take a deep breath and get over it. Not everything has to have some deep meaning behind it. I drum my fingers on my desk a lot in class, which is a distraction to some students. I don’t do it with the intention of annoying everyone, of course; it’s just a habit that I don’t think twice about before doing. I obviously can’t please everyone around me, so I can’t expect everyone to please me. Life’s short and we’re all struggling with our own issues, so why start unnecessary arguments and add more negativity to the world when it can be avoided? mwong@apachepowwow.com

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FEATURES

Tech Tattoos

By TRINITY CHHAY

Staff Writer

Usually known for its fun projects like a shark-punching virtual game, a software company called Chaotic Moon has developed an efficient way of tracking someone’s medical and financial information. A “Tech Tattoo” is a dual-purpose tattoo involving an electro conductive ink that is embedded with microchips, sensors, LED lights, a micro-controller, and conductive inks to create a circuit board on the surface of the skin. Along with carrying around medical and banking information, the tattoo is also able to sense whether the carrier is getting sick or not. Eric Schneider, one of the developers and the company’s creative hardware technologist, explained, “Rather than going to the doctor once a year for your physical, this tech tattoo can be something you put on your body once a year and it monitors everything that they would do in a physical and it sends that to your doctor, and if there’s an issue they can call you.” Schneider continues on to explain, “The tech tattoos can really tie in everything into one package.” A more permanent version of Fitbit, the Tech Tat is able to detect stress and monitor body temperature, blood pressure, and heart rate. All of this data can be collected simply from electroconductive paint that is transmitted through a mobile app or computer that is monitored by health care professional. Other potential uses the Tech Tats may have are to track down missing children, pay for purchases, or track a military soldier’s location and condition. Not only are the tattoos functional and useful, but they also have fun designs and are inexpensive and unobtrusive for the wearer. They can just be stuck on the skin like a band-aid. The tattoo kits would be cheaper, uninvasive, and less of a hassle than charging up wearables. “This is the new wearable,” CEO Ben Lamm told TechCrunch. “The future of wearables is biowearables.” Lamm continued on to say, “It’s an eco-friendly, non-invasive use of a platform.” However Tech Tats are only in the prototype stage, like most high-tech temporary tattoos that other companies and researchers are developing. Included in the project is a UC San Diego team that created tattoos that can turn sweat into electricity, a group of Korean scientists who have made graphene tattoos and Motorola, the telecommunications company, who is thinking of creating microphone tattoos. With so many other concepts being researched, it seems that it won’t be long before there is an option for a connected tattoo. “We’re looking at this as a human circuit board and the human body as a platform that we can build on top of,” Lamm said. tchhay@apachepowwow.com

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By CHRISTY KANG Staff Writer

Even though the day for heart-shaped boxes of chocolate has passed, it’s never too late for smooth, melt in the mouth, luxuriant, silky, heavenly bliss, which would be perfect with a cup of tea, some fruit, or roasted hazelnuts. Chocolate is good any day of the month, but occasionally, we need something more unique and stronger than a Hershey’s chocolate bar to appease ourselves, and perhaps these chocolates will satisfy you. Trader Joe’s Uncured Bacon Ganache Bar I mean, who doesn’t love Trader Joe’s, bacon, and chocolates? Imagine these three things combined together to produce a chocolate bar that will satisfy both your sweet and salty cravings with just one bite and you get the Uncured Bacon Ganache Bar. It is amped with studs of uncured bacon and a hint of salt, and filled with rich and crunchy 70% dark chocolate with chocolate ganache. Also, you can find this heavenly confection for the astonishing price of $1.99. Ron Swanson can attest to this. Go get it, my friends. Cacao Prieto Selection Perhaps you were hoping for something more unusual and fancier. Then I suggest Cacao Prieto Selection. It comes in an elegant box with charming illustrations on the front. If you look on the back side of it, you will see dark brown chocolate bars studded with large pieces of fruits and nuts, depending on which one you choose to eat. The best part of it is that after savoring the chocolate bar, you can use the front of the box as an actual postcard which you can send to your friends, showing off your savvy chocolate taste. You can get this gorgeous piece of art for the price of $11.50 online. Whole Foods Market Organic Dark Chocolate Bar Although it’s ordinary looking, Whole Foods Market Organic Dark Chocolate Bar isn’t your average chocolate bar. It is around $10 and more importantly, a world trade guaranteed dark chocolate bar and a portion of the proceeds go to help fund the education of children in Tanzania. Purchasing this chocolate will not only improve your day, but also make some meaning out of it. It’s a double whammy: delicious chocolate and the joy of helping those less fortunate for yourself, and priceless education for children on the other side of the world. Hopefully this guide will make your day richer and more fulfilling. Chocolate makes any day worth celebrating, and these chocolates will melt away the pain and replace it with a heavenly taste of sweetness. ckang@apachepowwow.com

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By ANDREW MULIADI Advertisements Editor

Saying planet Earth has a twin is a preposterous notion, but saying it has a quote unquote older cousin is much more plausible. Kepler-452b, an alien planet discovered by NASA’s Kepler space telescope orbits in a similar pattern analogous to that of planet Earth’s. Jeff Coughlin, a researcher from the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Institute, explained that although Kepler452b is slightly bigger with a gravitational force twice as strong, it is the “first possible rocky, habitable planet around a solar-type star. We’ve gotten closer and closer to finding a true twin of the Earth.” Even though scientists have espied other planets that could be inhabitable, many of those findings tend to revolve around a red dwarf, stars that are much smaller in size and emit much less heat that our sun. Kepler-452b is 1,400 lightyears away from Earth, and it is currently the only planet astronomers have discovered in its solar system. Astronomers suggest that this exoplanet is 60% wider and approximately five times larger, hence the nickname “Super Earth”. In terms of orbit, Kepler-452b takes 385 days to revolve around its star, only 20 days longer than Earth’s orbit. Subsequently, the exoplanet’s star is comparable to that of our own, as it is only 10% bigger and 20% brighter than our sun. NASA’s Ames Research Center lead data analyst Jon Jenkins stated that it “would feel a lot like home, from the standpoint of the sunshine that you would experience.” The only notable difference, remarked Jenkins, is that our sun is 1.5 billion years younger than that of Kepler-452b. In a released statement, Jenkins noted that it’s “awe-inspiring to consider that this planet has spent 6 billion years in the habitable zone of its star, longer than Earth, and there is substantial opportunity for life to arise, should all the necessary ingredients and conditions for life exist on this planet.” His remarks on the necessities of the exoplanet alludes to the distance Kepler-452b is from the star it’s orbiting, something that determines the possible existence of water on a planet’s surface. The existence of Kepler-452b was released with the addition of 521 other possible “Earthlike” candidates in the Kepler space telescope’s latest catalog. As of now, the Kepler space telescope has taken visuals of approximately 4,700 exoplanets that can be probable Earth candidates. Although only 1,030 of these alien planets have been confirmed so far, scientists say that at least 90% of the exoplanets captured by Kepler will be similar to Kepler-452b. In its original mission, the Kepler space telescope viewed more than 150,000 stars concurrently. Data analysis on Kepler’s information reveals that roughly 20% of the Milky Way’s stars retain a rocky planet that is habitable. Lead scientific programmer Joseph Twicken believes that “investigation of the other candidates in this catalog and one final run of the Kepler science pipeline will help us find the smallest and coolest planets. I really expect that discoveries will be coming from Keplar for the next several decades.” amuliadi@apachepowwow.com

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February 2016

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PERFORMING ARTS

GREASE: LIVE By CASSANDRA GONZALES

By TRINITY CHHAY

Side by Side Staff Writer

Staff Writer

Grease: Live was a television special that recently aired on Jan. 31, 2016. It was a live, televised adaptation of the 1971 musical Grease, which starred John Travolta as the iconic Danny Zuko and Olivia Newton-John as the wholesome Sandy Olsson. Grease: Live, on the other hand, took on a much different cast, with Aaron Tveit as Danny and Julianne Hough as Sandy for this adaptation. Additionally, Vanessa Hudgens starred as Betty Rizzo. Grease: Live incorporated elements and songs from both the original stage musical and the 1978 film version of Grease. There were also songs added in this adaptation that were not present in either the stage musical or the film version. Live audiences were incorporated into the television special and it garnered over 14 million viewers. It made sense, at times, for people to be sitting in bleachers during the dances and in various crowd scenes. Although occasionally, it felt slightly odd to see them sitting there quietly at other times. The upside of the live audience was that it was visible how the cast was energized by the audience’s applause. Grease: Live got better and better as it went along. It was hard not to be impressed by what was being pulled off, when you think about how all of it was happening live with cast members rushing to transport from one set to another. The musical numbers “Freddy, My Love” and “Greased Lightning” both contained remarkable and instantaneous costume changes to represent the switch from the real world to an imaginary scenario. It was truly amazing how the highly-talented cast and crew pulled this all off. The Grease Live team had to juggle so many aspects to make this work and it was continually exciting to see it all get successfully pulled off. Grease: Live overcame technical glitches, a rare Los Angeles rainstorm, and the death of a key cast member’s father. Grease: Live got most of the big things right and many members of the supporting cast made up for any slow points. It is also important to note that the performers of this TV special were much more ethnically diverse than the cast of the movie 38 years ago. At a time when Hollywood is coming under scrutiny for overlooking minority actors and actresses, this inclusiveness was refreshing and good to see. Vanessa Hudgens and Keke Palmer delivered great renditions of their solo songs. Overall, the production smoothly incorporated backstage moments with “on stage” moments. Grease :Live was incredibly fun and thoroughly entertaining.

On Jan. 30, AUSD elementary school orchestra students had the opportunity to play alongside Orchestra 3 members at the Side by Side concert. The program, which started two years ago, pairs one to two elementary school students with an Orchestra 3 member. In this program, young students are inspired by their older peers to pursue music throughout middle school and high school, and experience playing in front of a large audience. Junior Jocelyn Chi shared, “It’s a great program for the elementary [school] kids because it gives them the chance to experience what it is like to play on a big stage with high schoolers at a higher level.” The Side by Side program not only helps the younger students, but also gives the high school students the opportunity to mentor. “My student was really outgoing and very eager to learn and improve,” Jocelyn explained. During the concert, the players had all of the elementary school conductors and two AHS conductors conduct a song of their own. “By having different conductors, it allows the elementary kids to be exposed to different styles of conducting and teaching. The goal for this program is to inspire these students to continue playing music and hopefully join the high school music program,” Jocelyn added. While the program allows the younger students to experience music at the high school, it also allows the members of Orchestra 3 to be able to reflect on when they were involved in music as an elementary student. Sopho-

By TIFFANY TSUI

more Stephanie Shen stated, “It was a great experience because you’re reminded of what you used to be like. Those kids have so much hope and love playing their instruments—something that we lose as we get older. It’s easy for us, as high schoolers, to get swept up into the competition aspect, but by getting paired up with these kids we remember why we started playing in the first place: for the sheer joy and love for the music.” To help both the high school and elementary students, the directors helped the high school students with their teaching skills in order for them to help the younger students as much as possible. “We worked with our directors on honing our teaching skills, so that we could be helpful mentors. The pieces were a lot of abridged classical works that showed the range of ability these kids had even though they’d been playing for a short while,” said Stephanie. Along with a fantastic performance, the high schoolers and elementary school students ended the program with a better knowledge of teaching, music, and a friendship. Jocelyn added, “Although the time spent with the elementary kids was very short, the parents and students seemed to enjoy the concert, plus the high school students established a friendship with their elementary students.” tchhay@apachepowwow.com

Photo courtesy of RONALD LEE

PEP BAND Staff Writer

You see them everywhere around school. Pep rallies, football games, school assemblies: you name it, they play it. The AHS Pep Band is a common sight on our campus and everyone, freshman or senior, can agree that this cheerful little group of musicians is a vital and beloved group at our school. After all, what would our school be without the infamous “Go Big Red” cheering our team on at football games, or without the alma mater linking us together at the end of every school assembly? But although most students just know the Pep Band from their school-related performances, it is a little-known secret that the Pep Band actually does much, much more outside of school than one might expect. What other gigs does the Pep Band perform? How do they prepare for performances? All these questions and more will be answered as we delve into the daily lives of multiple AHS Pep Band members. The Pep Band gets together once every Thursday and practices for about an hour and a half on the songs every AHS student knows by heart, and also new tunes that change by the season. You may know the Pep Band for playing the school anthem and fight song, but you may not know that the Pep Band members also learn plenty of other well known pop songs; this year’s new songs include “Everybody Talks” by Neon Trees, “Uptown Funk” by Bruno Mars, and “Sing” by Ed Sheeran. Even one of the youngest members of the pep band, sophomore Stanley Chang, feels at home when playing the upbeat music, saying that it gives him that feeling of “being pumped up without having to care too much about things.” As for performances, the Pep Band has quite a rigorous schedule outside of school assemblies and football games, and has had a huge increase in bookings this past year. Some of the performances on the band’s resume include the 2015 Rose Bowl reception,the opening for the Metro Gold Line in Arcadia, and even a few Mardi Gras performances in January. Because of the Pep Band’s large volume of performance opportunities, senior trumpet player Jackson Stiles said that Pep Band “is a great way for the band to be involved in the community.” The talented musical group is led by senior Addison Cheng, who leads the group practices and is the mastermind behind all the tunes you hear from the Pep Band. Senior Selena Chow, who plays the bass clarinet in the Pep Band, said that “Addison is great and he is very relatable.” As for the group as a whole, Addison said that “pep band is really just a group of people who are united by their passion for music and [are] here to enjoy [themselves].” From what we can see in the stands, this small group dancing around while playing really does seem like it is having fun! At the next school pep rally, keep an eye out for this small group of talented musicians! cgonzales@apachepowwow.com

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FINDING YOUR

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February 2016

Pa My motivation? BY CHRISTY KANG Staff Writer

Now that I am done with college applications and am just waiting to hear back from colleges, I sometimes wonder why I chose to do the things that I have done in the last three years of my life. Was it to give weight to my resume? Was it just a long and elaborate show, just to get into a college? Finding the balance between my academic and non-academic life was the hardest thing to do in my high school career. It was hard to get good grades, spend time with my family, work, do internships, and find a chance to relax in my limited time. There have been many temptations along the way: It seemed so easy to just give up on one aspect because that way it would be easier to juggle other parts of my life. I am proud of myself for not giving in, and finishing everything pretty successfully. As I reflected on these ideas, I wonder ed what motivated me.

Siblings? Twenty years seem short right now; I fear that the time will fly by, and I only wish that I knew how quickly the time would pass earlier on in life. It was in my junior year that I decided to prioritize my family over my academic life. I would study fewer hours for tests and go to Disneyland with my sister because I could make up for a bad grade the next time, but it was impossible to make up for the missing time with my sister. We would always wait until everyone was at the table to eat dinner so that at least we would be able to see each other and talk at some point in our day. However, spending time with my sister over school never felt like a sacrifice, and just a little bit of understanding and effort on my part helped me to balance family with school.

My of Po my a dema lucky me in will b Getti myse done I don the f ephe myse proud was m hard Alt my a more year, be th them is tru and s How live w with will le so m colle a job and l less our f them

February 2016

OWN DRIVE

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arents?

y parents don’t know about the existence owerSchool—they don’t ask me about academic performance, and they never anded that I get good grades. I am y, and grateful for my parents’ trust in n this regard. Now that I think about it, I be more upset if I don’t do well at school. ing bad grades is like disappointing elf because I know that I could have e more, and this is my responsibility. n’t want to live with “could haves” in future, hating myself for indulging in emeral relaxation. I’d rather be hard on elf now, and be able to look back and dly say “I have tried my best.” Perhaps it my fear of regret that drove me to work der and get good grades. though I don’t have regrets regarding academic life, I wish I could have spent e time with my parents. Before senior , I thought that my family would always here, and I could always spend time with m whenever I want to. In a sense, that ue. Family is family because parents siblings will always be to support me. wever, that doesn’t mean I will always with them and be able to spend time them. Many of us, including myself, eave the home that we have known for many years and live in a dorm or near a ege campus. After college, we will find b, perhaps get married, and spend less less time with our family. We only have than twenty years to actually live with family members, eat with them, see m, and spend time with them every day.

The end? Although I’ve done it for three years, balancing my academic life and non-academic life is still challenging. It’s stressful and sometimes frustrating to balance these aspects, and sometimes I feel like giving up and becoming a hermit. However, if there’s one thing I’ve learned from finding balance, it is that there is no “best” or “right” way to do it. Everyone’s circumstances are different, and this is just how I do it. But I do hope that my fellow students don’t give up on trying, because at the end of the day, you are doing this for yourself, and all the hard work and effort will be worth it when you look back.

Or the beginning? ckang@apachepowwow.com Graphics courtesy of PCWALLART.COM

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February 2016

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February 2016

STUDENT LIFE 13

Arcadia Youth Advisory Council By BRIANA SHEN and TERRI SHI

Student Life Editors

Often, input from the youth is overlooked, whether it’s at the voice from the youth to the City Council,” William provided. For exlocal, state, or federal level, but the Youth Advisory Council aims to ample, a past survey was conducted on safety in the city, especially bring opinions of the middle school and high school students to the walking at night. AYAC hopes to gather even more opinions through attention of the Arcadia City Council. social media, personal surveys, and interviews. Founded in 2012 as a private organization under the name of As of now, the AYAC is accepting applications for Fall 2016. the Youth Commission, a group of seven Travis believes that this leadership pomembers met quarterly to discuss issues sition is great for students “who are pertaining to youth in the community. willing and voluntarily interested in They first surveyed students from both city politics” and who can “attend a the middle school and high school on variety of events and be professional.” how they felt about city plans and then For him personally, it’s been a great opprovided a response to the City. portunity to “meet new, intelligent peoSince then, junior Travis Chen and ple [and] learn about local politics, in senior William Kyi have been active addition to gaining experience to work members in getting this Commission in the professional field at a young sponsored by the City Council. At first, age.” For William, it’s about “coming William mentioned, “The City Council together for the common good to better didn’t believe that this was the step to the entire city and learning how diffigo towards because the role was already cult it is to get something passed.” taken by organizations such as the StuTravis and William would like dent Council.” However, their passion From left to right: Travis Chen, William Kyi, to thank the Council for agreeing to for civic virtue convinced the City Coun- Dominic Lazzaretto, Sara Somogyi, Tiffany Yeh, sponsor AYAC and giving them the cil to reconsider. The Youth Commission Inga Huang, Benjamin Liu and Derek Li opportunity to work in a professional wrote a proposal and submitted it to the environment. Both hope that interested Council. In December 2015, their efforts finally came to fruition students will take a look at the application on www.ArcadiaCA.gov. when the Youth Commission made the “agenda and the Council “Even if the student is only slightly interested,” said Travis, “I hope voted in favor 5-0 and agreed to establish it as a working body,” that they will give AYAC a chance because it was a really memoTravis described. rable part of my middle school and high school experience.” Now, the Youth Commission has a new name under the jurisdiction of the city––the Arcadia Youth Advisory Council (AYAC). bshen@apachepowwow.com and tshi@apachepowwow.com Photo courtesy of TRAVIS CHEN Under new leadership, the AYAC aims to “bring an even stronger

By BRIANA SHEN Student Life Editor

Under Ms. Nicole Zaidi’s instruction, the Creative Writing class has moved on to study poetry. Ms. Zaidi has encouraged these students to create their own personalized website to upload their works online. These works include various poems ranging from slam poetry to sonnets as well as introductions about themselves and their interests. In particular, senior Amanda Qiu publishes her works on her website MusingsByAmanda.weebly.com.

By Amanda Qiu Red scribbles the dark corner of an alleyway wall on a rainy November, When you walk away from your lover and do not turn around. Red, the cry of frustration of an answer you can’t remember, The color of your pulse when you hear a gunshot sound. Red, the filthy tennis shoes you wear to your losing game, The color of her lips when she refuses to smile. Red, the hot feeling in your cheeks when you feel shame, The heavy heaving of your chest when you run for a mile. Red, the never-worn, faded dress bought years ago, The emotions that run through you when your friends leave. Red, the tears from your eyes trickle an uneven flow, The painful sobbing in which you grieve. Now, my children, red does sound miserable; but be that as it may, It is also the color of love on Valentine’s Day. MusingsByAmanda.weebly.com

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Graphic by DEBBIE MOON Graphics courtesy of 123RF.COM, DAFONT.COM and WALLPAPERCAVE.COM

Student Feature: Naomi Silver

By TITUS WU Staff Writer

Not many students play three instruments fluently. Nor do many star in TV shows and dance. But sophomore Naomi Silver does it all. Aside from playing the piano, she also plays the harp, and upon playing it her first time, she “enjoyed it, because it was just different. Later, people would say, wow, that’s such an amazing interesting talent you have, and it made [her] happy.” Indeed, Naomi has continued to master the harp, playing it for the AHS orchestra and even pursuing Certificate of Merit testing. When not playing the harp for the orchestra, she plays the bass as well. Since middle school, she as well has involved herself in the acting world. She hosts two shows: one is a relatively new cooking show and the other is called Bing Bing’s Magic House, a channel LA-18 program that teaches English kids Chinese and vice versa. “It’s pretty competitive,” she admitted, noting how for one spot thousands of applicants can audition. Yet, she was able to

succeed in getting the spots. As for acting, “I have weekly lessons where I go over the lines and rehearse. Then, we meet once a month where we film a bunch of episodes all in one sitting,” she said, and later the episodes are released one by one. She auditioned numerous times during middle school, but her auditioning has significantly decreased since high school. It is partly a result of increased workload, but also due to the fact that for Naomi, instruments and acting—despite her talent in these—were always just hobbies. Her real passion lies in videography—an area of which she still only considers herself a beginner. “My mom used to take me to her work at a TV station,” said Naomi, “where she would produce commercials.” From watching her mother edit and work with videos, she saw videography “as more than a fun way to spend life than a boring job at a desk.” Much of her video experience so far has been self-taught, teaching herself how to edit on software, how to film, etc. But she hopes to take on video classes where she can enhance her skill. Currently, she is part of the AUSD Digital Communications Internship Program, where many of her videos made revolve around promoting the district. But she urges to do more than school promotional videos, citing how she wants to make videos of her own ideas despite “creativity being a weakness.” Additionally, she plans on taking video and adding her love of speaking to it—to be a news reporter. “With acting, you have to take on another role,” said Naomi, “but with reporting, you can speak but still be yourself.” “Video is getting bigger,” added Naomi, “and less and less people are reading.” She wants to be part of that change, and she plans on doing so. twu@apachepowwow.com Photo courtesy of NAOMI SILVER

ACADEMICS

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February 2016

Books that Broke the Mold

By NOELLE NATIVIDAD Staff Writer

Any form of creative media is usually judged by personal opinions or the number of fans it attracts. Occasionally, however, the sales and records that they achieve are better for reaching a conclusive answer. Throughout history, books have come and gone. Some are greatly remembered and cherished, while others don’t have quite the same lifespan. Often times, a select few are written in the history books to remember for ages to come. These record breaking literary works are must reads! Don Quixote tops the list with approximately over 500 million copies sold worldwide. Published in 1612, the great Spanish novel has been selling copies ever since. The Goodreads summary tells all as it describes Miguel de Cervantes’s major work, “Don Quixote has become so entranced by reading chivalric romances, that he determines to become a knight-errant himself. In the company of his faithful squire, Sancho Panza, his exploits blossom in all sorts of wonderful ways. Sane madman and wise

fool, they roam the world together, and together they have haunted readers’ imaginations for nearly four hundred years.” A heroic knight’s tale of adventure in a later era, Don Quixote is the most read book in all of history. In second place is a reference book. Published in 1953, Xinhua Zidian, the Chinese language dictionary, is said to have sold around 400 million copies since its publication. Schoolchildren and those learning the language use this book to expand their knowledge of the Chinese language. Next, with 200 million copies sold, is Charles D i c k e n s ’s A Tale of Two Cities.

Entertainment.com summed it up: “First published in 1859, this novel by Charles Dickens examines the class struggles that lead to the French Revolution, and the uncomfortable truth that sometimes the revolutionaries are worse than the establishment.” Over the last 150 years, this literary piece has been published over and over again, making it almost impossible to track the number of copies. A piece of modern culture, Lord of the Rings is perhaps the fourth most popular book of all time with 150 million copies sold. Originally a single work, it was split by the publisher in 1954 to create the ultimate fantasy set. Following the fantasy classic is another series of the same genre, Harry Potter. With 107 million copies sold, Harry

Potter has taken pop culture by storm since its publication in 1997. The series was a hit, but the very first installment, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, is the record breaking read. These seemingly unlikely titles are the most popular worldwide. Millions of copies have been sold and connected people together through the power of literature. These novels from different cultures, different worlds, and different stories have made an impact on the world.

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Photos courtesy of GAMER.RU and PINTEREST.COM, Graphics courtesy of PROJECTFANDOM.COM

Speech and Debate By JOCELYN HU Staff Writer

If you enjoy speaking or arguing about various topics, then Speech and Debate is the perfect team for you. In Speech and Debate, members focus on an event of their choice. There are separate events and tournaments for Speech and Debate, so members are allowed to decide which ones they would like to join. This team is fun but also requires a lot of confidence, hard work, and memorization skills. To try out, applicants are given a short piece to perform. They must choose from a humorous script, a dramatic script, an original advocacy, and a debate. Each person must memorize his or her chosen piece and perform in front of a panel of judges, who are captains of the team. After some interview questions, some individuals are chosen to join the AHS Speech and Debate team. Freshman member Anusha Silla said that “Your confidence level and how well you present your speech will help you [make the team] more than your actual speech.” Once members make the team, they choose their events. The events range from Impromptu to Humorous Interpretation and International Extemporaneous for those giving speeches and from Public Forum to Congress and Policy debate for debaters. Members each need to prepare their own scripts or debate based on their given topic for upcoming tournaments.

In Speech, there are events in which a person performs a skit alone or with a partner, and there are also other events where you write your own philosophical speech or a speech about real problems in society that have solutions. There’s also an event where

Likewise, in Debate, there are also individual and partner events to choose from. These events all have given topics beforehand so members can prepare their debates. Some topics are given a month or two before while others are given with less time.

the member has to memorize a speech that has been given before by someone else and another where members can write poems or speeches about anything. In addition to all those events, there are Limited Prep events where the participant gets a word and prepares a five minute speech about it, or gets a “current event” topic and has 30 minutes to prepare a seven minute speech with evidence supporting his or her claim.

Other than these events with topics given beforehand, there is one where the topic for the debate stays the same for the whole year and another called Congress, when the real Congress is enacted with Senators and Bills. In Congress, participants debate over whether or not a bill should be passed and why. Each debate round is two hours or so. During tournaments, there are three tiers. The first tier is when there are four

rounds in which members try their best to break into Semifinals, the second tier, which are two rounds and then Finals, the last tier, which is one round. Members present what they have prepared and are ranked in each round. The ranks are accumulated and competitors with the highest ranks end up with trophies. Food is provided and tournaments are also a time to socialize and meet others from different schools. Anusha loves Speech and Debate, because “it’s like a second family where you get to bond over various things and it’s amazing being a part of Arcadia’s team because they’re one of the best speech and debate teams out there. It’s also an automatic way to develop speaking skills and confidence, which will come handy later in life. In this team, you get to experience everyone’s perspective on the topics and speeches.” Sophomore member Edison Liu said that “Speech and Debate are both equally very competitive so you really have to push yourself and have a challenge. I recommend joining Speech and Debate just for the experience and the friends.” As you can tell, Speech and Debate is a lot of work but it can also be loads of fun. It’s perfect for those who hope to have more confidence in themselves, meet new people, and enjoy talking in front of others. If that’s you, then be sure to try out for the team this spring! jhu@apachepowwow.com

Photo courtesy of ALEXANDRA SINGLETON

February 2016

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ACADEMICS

$cholarship $earch By NADINE TEMPLETON Staff Writer

Let’s face it: most four-year colleges are expensive, even with financial aid. According to a 2010 Trends in College Pricing report by College Board, public four-year tuition and fees have increased more than 5% annually since 2000. While many students use loans or grants to go to college, scholarships are a great tool that students should utilize when going to college. Getting a head start in high school on scholarships could make a big difference in being able to afford your dream school. If you’re still a freshman or sophomore, it’s great to start early. As a junior you should already be on the hunt for scholarships if you’re looking to go this route. But it’s not too late for seniors! There are countless scholarships out there for any grade level, but finding and applying for scholarships takes time. Large scholarships are great because they provide not only a large sum but great experience of applying. Remember to not

disregard smaller scholarships as well since several can add up in the long run. Start your scholarship search with your school counselor, parents’ employers, and local philanthropic organizations or bank. Or sometimes, universities offer their own scholarships. Treat it like applying for admission— put your best effort into the application because funds are limited and it’s important you do your best. Pay attention to the essay questions and don’t submit the same essay for all awards. Apply for scholarships that fit your interests and align with your background. Free online tools such as FastWeb.com, CollegeBoard.com, and Scholarships.com can help you quickly find these types of scholarships. Many scholarships consider GPA, test scores, activities, and may require an essay, recommendations, and an interview so “tailor” each application accordingly, but remember, finding the scholarships is only half the battle. ntempleton@apachepowwow.com

Graphics courtesy of SANJUAN.EDU

15 AP EXAM TIPS

By KIMBERLY LO Staff Writer

With AP exam weeks just a few months away, students are making or have made final decisions about whether or not they are going to register for AP exams in May. This year, the exams are taking place from May 2 to 13, a period of two weeks of testing. Here are a few tips on how to approach AP season prepared. Look up the details of the test you are taking. Find out how many questions there are, what topics are emphasized, and what knowledge is required. Having a general idea of what the test entails is a good way to approach the exam. For example, AP exams have no penalty for wrong answers, so students do not need to worry about getting questions wrong and being penalized for it. Take practice tests. While classes in school may equip students with all the knowledge necessary, it is even more beneficial if students find some sample tests to practice with. This way, they know what to expect on the day

of the real exam, and they will be very familiar with the whole structure of the exam. To take it one step further, consider simulating the real test and taking the whole three hour exam. This can be beneficial in the long run because then students can build up the stamina to continue through the exam and not get tired during the real exam. Relax as the test approaches. Understand that the material for AP exams is gained throughout the school year in AP classes, and it is a cumulative learning process where over the course of the year one learns the topics of the AP exam curriculum. While there may be the panicky feeling of needing to rush and review all the material last minute, just relax and let the mind take a break before the test date arrives. Regardless of which exam you are taking, know that you have been preparing for it since the beginning of this school year, and continue putting in effort so that you will be well-prepared when AP exam week arrives. klo@apachepowwow.com

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AcaDeca Sweeps Super Quiz By KIMBERLY LO Staff Writer

Academic Decathlon, or AcaDeca, is a team that completes in ten events, which are focused on India this year; the events cover a range of categories, from speech and essay to math and science. Recently, the competing A team of eight members placed first at the Super Quiz event, marking a major accomplishment for the team as they earned the title for the second time in AHS’ AcaDeca history. This year’s team is headed by Co-Captains seniors William Wen and Titus Wu, who led the group to win first place as a team and earn more than fifty individual medals in total. To his hardworking co-captains, senior Berton Lai credits Titus, who “pushed [him] to succeed”, and William, who helped “by giving [him] brutal critique and feedback”, while encouraging him to persevere and work hard in his events. From the start of the year, the team has been diligent with studies, as senior Patrick Wang detailed that they “study and do model tests” and outside of meetings they “review [their] materials and practice speeches”, and freshman Meghan Pham believes that team meetings “prepared them for the pressure of the actual competition.” Both group and independent practice was crucial, as members worked on their events. Berton also noted how “everyone found the time to commit to the team”, which was key to forming a prepared team. Moreover, junior Ally Qi attributes the

big win to the team’s “motivation” and “optimism”. All these were factors that led to the team performing wonderfully at their competition, and their hard work paid off. Through AcaDeca studies, freshman Cindy Qi acknowledges that she has “accumulated a lot of knowledge from reading

[she] didn’t know of during the first few meetings.” For Patrick, in addition to his academic studies, he has learned about “teamwork, communication, and sportsmanship” through his experiences in AcaDeca. While AcaDeca has made a great accomplishment, they didn’t start off completely

and studying about India” and experienced “a great environment with awesome people” who have “inspired [her] to do well in academics.” In the future, she aims to work on “becoming a better reader and knowledge accumulator, plus learning very interesting math principles!” Meghan liked how she “gained a lot of new friends, many of which

confident in their win. Patrick reflected how they had “started off weak and uncertain” but then “grew stronger and more confident.” After the recent victory, Patrick thinks back to the time they “joked about going to state” and then reaching that goal, conveying that “even the most impossible dream can come true when [they] work hard and are deter-

mined.” On the other hand, Cindy, Meghan, and Ally all enjoyed the awards banquet the most when they learned of their win; they recalled how the members held hands and at the announcement of AHS’ victory, they were “so happy [they] banged the table, causing much commotion.” Ally too continued that they are “overjoyed” and “proud” to be representing AHS at State. After learning of the win at the Super Quiz event, Patrick reflected that he is “calm” because being with his team “gives [him] confidence.” As for getting ready for the next competition, Berton shared that he will “invest more time in self-studying.” Furthermore, Ally remarked that the team continues to hold their “consistent meetings” and aims for “lots of practicing in all [their] events” in preparation for State. For State, Berton aims for the team to do their best. Similarly, Ally hopes that she and her team members “have fun at competition”, with the goal of placing in the top twenty teams. It’s a fun trip ahead for the team, and Cindy is “excited” because the team is going to Sacramento and she anticipates “meeting great people in AcaDeca.” As for how this win affects the AcaDeca team and its future at AHS, Patrick hopes that “can attract more members” in following years. Awesome job, AcaDeca. Keep up the stellar work, and best of luck at State! klo@apachepowwow.com

Photo courtesy of PETER ZHANG

16 slam dunking ON league rivals

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By TRINITY CHHAY Staff Writer

Girls Varsity Basketball had a great season with an overall record of 15-12. Leaving most of its competitors in the dust, the team has been through ups and downs together. With wins such as the game against John Muir High School with a score of 78-11, the team owes much of its success to each player. Its strong chemistry helps the team with its teamwork, along with dealing with losses. “Basketball isn’t just about throwing a ball into a hoop,”

junior Lindsey Young stated. “Being able to work well with the other girls is really important because they’re the ones who are on the court.” The team is very young this year, with only three seniors. Lindsey continued to say, “Not a lot of us have had that much experience. However, our chemistry and individual skill makes up for that and ultimately allowed us to be successful. Even though our overall win-loss record isn’t that great, success is not a [number], it’s a state of mind. And in our minds, we are successful.” However, during the season, the

BALANCED EFFORT Several members of the Girls Varsity Basketball team huddle up together on the side of the court during a home game to discuss game strategy and potential areas of improvement.

girls were determined to improve. “I’d say that the most important thing we need to work on is communication,” Lindsey remarked. “We really need to be able to communicate well in order to function as one unit. Whether we are on offense calling for the ball or on defense telling a teammate where to go, communication is needed. It’s not that we are terrible at communicating, but there’s always room for improvement.” The girls have had a rollercoaster season, but the memories shared off the court have been the highlight of the season. “This year’s season has been quite rough, but it is different from before. Our team has bonded. Basketball really is about memories.” Lindsey said that although she may remember a few important plays, none of them are more unforgettable and cherished than the memories the team has shared. “I don’t think I can pinpoint a specific time or event to be a highlight of the year. You can say that the highlight of this year is the team itself, along with spending time with teammates,” captain Kristin Shigenaga shared, echoing the same thoughts when asked about season highlights: “The highlights of the year are from all the laughs we’ve shared and the memories we’ve made. Whether we eat lunch

GETTING OFFENSIVE

Senior Victoria Hatfield scans the court to speedily pass the ball to one of her cutting teammates.

together, sing on the bus, go on food adventures before and after games or have sleepovers, we’ve all become a family. Spending time with the team and bonding with teammates is something I always look forward to.” Girls Varsity Basketball has finished off its season strong with a 15-12 record. Between its wins and losses, the team has had a great season with memorable moments. Good job Lady Apaches! tchhay@apachepowwow.com Photos by RYAN FANN

By ELLIE LEE Staff Writer

Every athlete has his or her own strengths and weaknesses. Anyone who is part of a team sport, can agree that every team member brings something different to the table. Although the term “team carrier” is often used, realistically, a single person cannot carry the team the whole time. A team needs every player to contribute something. What if, someone could actually carry his or her team to victory? Imagine this different reality for a moment, where there could be a “perfect player”. Specifically, imagine a player that has the best traits of various Apache athletes to create the perfect player.

Legs: You can’t spell “legendary” without leg day. Senior Yeab Garacha has been part of the Boys Varsity Track team for four years and works hard daily to make sure his legs are strong enough to run as fast as they can. With his legs, Yeab has the speed to have him running faster than his competitors.

Girls Soccer vs. Burbank By CHRISTINA READ Staff Writer

PERFECT APACHE ATHLETE

Arms: Whether to shoot hoops or to pump their arms while running, athletes need strong arms. Sophomore Ricky Cen has powerful arms and goes to the gym daily to make sure his arms will have the strength to perform well for his Boys Varsity Golf team.

February 2016

Core: People tend to ignore the core muscles when they work out. However, having a strong core will help towards balance and strength. Someone with a strong core would be junior Tenny Chong. Tenny has easily established himself as one of the best swimmers at AHS by winning CIF last year and being a part of the Boys Varsity Swim team throughout his high school career.

Stamina: Sophomore Eryca Yamane has starred in the Girls Varsity Cross Country team since her freshman year. Eryca has the endurance to sustain her speed, starting and finishing strong. She is able to pace herself throughout her practices and races. Her strong stamina plays a large role in her success.

With these different athletes all contributing to the “perfect player”, AHS could dominate in every sport with just a single person. However, if this “perfect player” could carry the team, then the concept of a team sport might as well be revoked. It’s perfectly fine to not have a flawless player, since AHS already has many talented athletes who play their positions extremely well. After all, there’s no “I” in team! ellee@apachepowwow.com

Graphic courtesy of FLICKR.COM

On a balmy Feb. 9 afternoon, Girls Varsity Soccer successfully upheld the Apache athlete standard and demolished Burbank High School (BHS) with an easy 4-0 victory. The girls’ latest win served only to further cement their status as 1st in their league, with a truly impressive record boasting 13 total wins and just 1 loss, making them the rightful champions of the Pacific League for the girls’ fifth consecutive year. The game against BHS was held on home turf here at AHS, giving the Girls Varsity Soccer team a much sought-after home-field advantage— although, frankly, it hardly needed it. When the two teams competed at BHS earlier this soccer season, the Arcadia girls came out of the match with a clear and easy 6-1 lead. The team was confident in that it could repeat its earlier success with similar ease. Despite the permeating heat of the day, the soccer game began quickly with the Apaches kicking off after winning the coin toss, a positive start to a positive game. Although Burbank initially made a strong run to start off the match, its attempt was ultimately thwarted by skilled defenders sophomore Peyton Thomas and junior Cammie Dopke. Peyton and Cammie, who quickly put Burbank back on the defensive, allowed Arcadia a crucial chance to launch a strong counterattack. Following some rough play on Burbank’s part, midfielder junior Valeria Mejia was knocked down onto the turf, but play quickly resumed, effectively demonstrating the Girls Varsity Soccer team’s capability to quickly recover after setbacks. Following the foul, Arcadia was rewarded a free kick, and the match continued smoothly afterwards. About 12 minutes into the game, midfielder sophomore Paige Acosta scored the first goal of the game, establishing an valuable early lead for Arcadia. Paige’s first goal was then swiftly followed by a second, a remarkable feat which allowed her jubilant teammates to enter the second half with a solid and commanding 2-0 lead. The game’s second half began strong as well, as the team’s third goal was scored almost right away after the latter half of the match commenced. Finally, the girls cemented their rightfully-earned victory over BHS with a fourth and final goal, fixing a decisive victory. Burbank was well and truly defeated while the Girls Varsity Soccer team again showcased its amazing skills. cread@apachepowwow.com

February 2016

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Athlete Profile: Annie Kong By THOMAS HUI & CHRISTINA READ Staff Writers

For many, senior year is a time to relax. But for senior Annie Kong, 2015 was a year to to develop new skills—she decided to join the school golf team. Annie is no rookie on the green. She has been playing golf since she was 10 years old, when she was inspired by her cousin, a Canadian golfing champion. Seeing her cousin made her “really interested” in golf. Since then, Annie has been playing—and winning—nonstop. In 2013, Annie won an American Junior Golf Association tournament. Her passion inspired her to play golf more and more. So why not join the school team earlier? Annie chose senior year to play her first year of high school golf because, “I was very busy with school... It was my senior year so I thought, why not?” Although Annie regrets not joining the school team sooner, she also feels she had “no choice because freshman year to junior year were way too stressful.” Adding golf into the

mix would have been too much for her to handle. Luckily, in Annie’s senior year, she found the time to join our school team. She joined without big expectations, “just hoping to play [her] best” and “have fun and make new friends.” Although winning was

A DRIVE FOR SUCCESS

Senior Annie Kong reflects upon her golf career both before and after joining the Girls Varsity Golf team. important to her, Annie’s favorite memories of the season were “meeting new people” and “being part of a wonderful team.” Annie’s achievements with

Athlete I.D.

high school golf are vast. She won the Pacific League Individual Title, then progressed through CIF. She was also awarded the Pasadena Star-News Player of the Year Award. When speaking about CIF, Annie stated that she found support, even from “people from different schools.” Annie was proud to represent AHS and bring victory. Next year, Annie is committed to play golf for Princeton University, a Division I school. She hopes to be able to amend golf with an economics degree. In joining Princeton, Annie stated that she is excited to spend four years at an amazing school and get an education while doing something she clearly loves. On speaking of her future, Annie stated that she is both “scared and excited” to merge her experience as a student athlete. Yet, all the while, she thanks her friends, her family, and all who supported her in her journey to success. Great job, Annie, and good luck in the future! thui@apachepowwow.com cread@apachepowwow.com Photo by TITUS WU

treading competition By DANIELLE SANTOYO Staff Writer

Girls Varsity Water Polo has started off its season with a 16-3 win against La Salle High School. The team is now going into its final games, and our Lady Apaches are making sure they end their season with a victory. The girls had a winning streak after playing against Burbank High School and winning 8-4. Our Apaches went on to play El Rancho High School (ERHS) on our home turf. The game was heated, each player contributing and giving it her all. The AHS goalie put up a good defense, blocking the goal at all costs. Sophomore Susan Harrison stated, “As a driver, I get ahead of the players and steal the ball or create a distraction to the other team.” Susan continued, “ I thought we played better than before, because the team has become more familiar through bonding.” She shared that the team “put up a good defense, had good drives, and played the game well.” Sadly, Arcadia lost with a score of 5-7. It was a tough one, but good effort Apaches!

RESISTANT BARRICADE

Junior Loreny Valdez successfully deflects an attempted goal shot. Five days after their ERHS game, our Apaches faced John Burroughs High School in the League preliminaries. The match was, sadly, a defeat for AHS, scoring 4-10. But the girls all tried their hardest and played against Glendale High School in the League Finals. Though AHS previously won against Glendale, this game did not result in a victory for the Apaches, ending with a score of 7-11. Then, a week after League Finals, in the Girls Varsity Water Polo’s CIF Wild Card game, our Apaches lost with a score of 5-9. Keep up the hard work Apaches, and good luck next year! dsantoyo@apachepowwow.com Photo by VIVIAN KWANG

Girls Soccer kicks off cif

By JOSHUA MA

By KIMBERLY LO

Staff Writer

As our athletes compete, mentalities, appearances, and behaviors differ from person to person. Some athletes are just out there to have fun. Others play the game as though they are fighting for their lives. Here, our winter athletes reflect on their unique characteristics from when they compete. “During games, I don’t think too much, so I can just have fun. From talking to friends and teammates, I’ve learned that I consistently play with my mouth open when I’m super focused.” —Ashley Sue, 9, Girls Varsity Basketball “When I’m competing in a sport, my mentality is that I work harder than anybody else and if anyone deserves to win, I do. On and off the court, I see myself as a completely different person. If we aren’t friends in person but put on the same jersey together, we automatically become family.” —Yves Shen, 10, Boys Varsity Basketball “I play better when I’m calm instead of hyped. On the bench, I get excited for my team to keep the energy going, but in the game, I keep calm.” —Russell Ma, 11, Boys Varsity Basketball “I try to play as hard as I can, which means tough defense, boxing out for rebounds, taking charges, and setting up my teammates for scores. Also, I play unselfishly and play physical even though I’m not big.” —Victoria Hatfield, 12, Girls Varsity Basketball “I have to be confident in order to achieve [my] goals and to help out the team. I can’t be complacent. I go into every game thinking that when I come off that field, [I’ll] be satisfied with [my] performance because I played to the best of [my] ability.” —Cammie Dopke, 11, Girls Varsity Soccer With their unique game faces and playing styles, our winter sport athletes showcase their different characteristics while competing. These unique game rituals continue to help our Apache athletes thrive this season. jma@apachepowwow.com

Looking at the season as a whole, the girls feel that this year’s soccer season has been stellar so far and are excited for future matches with League opponents. For Cammie, she experienced “a very different season with such a young team, but [she thinks] that only contributed positively to the energy both on and

win its next games. By being resilient, the Girls Varsity Soccer team Staff Writer solidified a very good record. Girls Varsity Soccer is on a roll Over the course of the soccer this season, earning the title of the Paseason, Cammie exclaimed how her cific League Soccer Champions folfavorite moment was “being with the lowing a victory over Crescenta Valteam and its bus rides!” In addition, ley High School (CVHS) on Feb. 11 she added, “It’s always fun singing that resulted in the score of 2-0! This the Alma Mater after a victory!” On year is the team’s fifth year to the other hand, Peyton’s most hold the title of Pacific League memorable moment with her Champions, and the team memteam this year was when her socbers currently have an imprescer teammates defeated CVHS sive 18-3 season record. The to officially secure the League girls have been playing exChampionship. As for playoff traordinarily well throughout aspirations, Cammie shared that the span of the winter season, the entire team’s goal is to “go and are currently competing in all the way and come home CIF the CIF Playoffs. champions!” Personally, Peyton The girls’ stunning sucaims to “continue working for cess this season comes as a re[her soccer] family and to stop sult of a trusty combination of as many forwards from scoring teamwork and dedication that DRIVE AND DETERMINATION Junior goals on the field” at the CIF brings the girls together to form Eden Hardy races down the field to score a playoff games. an awesome team. Junior Cam- goal, a common occurence with the stellar After winning League, the mie Dopke emphasized how play of Girls Varsity Soccer this winter season. girls kicked off CIF Playoffs on the “team chemistry, determination, off the field.” The team this year Feb. 18 with a 4-0 win against Artesia and passion for the game of soccer also didn’t include any seniors, so High School. Then on Feb. 23, our all greatly contributed” to the team’s the members were younger overall. Lady Apaches defeated Monrovia numerous wins this year. As indi- Moreover, Peyton reflected that so High School 3-0, courtesy of junior viduals, the soccer players are all re- far, the “season has been progress- Eden Hardy’s hat-trick. markably skilled, but as a collective ing very well, because [the team] Congratulations to the Girls team, they’re even stronger. Sopho- had to realize that everyone loses a Varsity Soccer team for its accommore Peyton Thomas thought that couple of games, but it all depends on plishments thus far, and best of luck the many accomplishments mainly how [it] comes back and [decides] to in CIF playoffs! stemmed from “how close [they] are come out stronger and work harder.” off the field. [They] all say that it is Although the team did, in fact, lose [their] family versus [the opposing] a few games, it recovered well and klo@apachepowwow.com team, and nobody can beat family.” bounced back from them in order to Photo by ANDREA LIU