April 2016 by The Arcadia Quill

The World Is Our Campus Volume 63, Issue 9

Arcadia High School 180 Campus Drive, Arcadia, CA

April 2016

Percussion: Living “the Dream”

In this issue:

Photo courtesy of JOBLO.COM

FEATURES pg. 7 Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Explore the magical wonders of Hogsmeade at the new Hollywood theme park.

Photo courtesy of AHS.AUSD.NET

BRINGING HOME THE BRONZE Arcadia Percussion is now ranked 3rd in the nation, medaling at the national level

for the second time in AHS history. By THOMAS HUI & TITUS WU

Staff Writers

Photo courtesy of TAEJIN HWANG

STUDENT LIFE pg. 15 Student Feature: Senior Taejin Hwang combines his talents for mathematics and music to create something new.

Photo courtesy of KEVIN HSU

SPORTS pg. 16 Phillip Rocha Signs with Colorado: Fellow Apache Phillip Rocha recently signed with a NCAA Division I university. 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 theapachepowwow.com.

While many students returned to school after spring break, Arcadia Percussion brought home the bronze in the prestigious WGI (Winter Guard International) Percussion World Championships from Apr. 14 to 16 at Dayton, Ohio. Arcadia Percussion consists of three groups: A-line, Open Line, and World Line. These past months, they competed in the Southern California Percussion Alliance against local groups, winning accolades and building up their ranking. They managed to rank in the top 15 in the nation, qualifying them for the WGI Championships to close off the season. However, such an achievement only came with hard work and dedication; members practiced three to four times per week in order to fully master their indoor season. Practices took place afterschool and occasionally on weekends, with sessions lasting until 9:00 p.m. Indeed, Percussion is notorious for its long rehearsals. Despite the long hours, “I really enjoy this program,” said World Line

member senior Ethan Chen, “because it does not only just teach me musicianship, but also work ethic, organization, responsibility, and other life skills.” Similarly, current World Line member senior Jessica Repko stated that the whole crew has “been working hard to load, prepare and compete in the future, to prepare for Dayton, Ohio and the culmination of such has proved to be grand as to the main scheme of the entirety.” For the championships, Arcadia Percussion performed an indoor performance titled “The Dream”. Percussion season, as opposed to marching band percussion, takes place mainly indoors. This allows the routine to be more fluid and bring together exemplary percussive and musical skills in a show that demonstrates all 30 to 40 members. The indoor season focuses more on the front ensemble, also known as the Pit, and the marching drummers, also known as the Battery. The concept behind “The Dream” is rather abstract. “I think it’s basically a mother telling a story about an astronaut mixed in with the child’s imagination of becoming an astronaut,” said World Line member senior Selena Chow, but she noted how even for the members themselves, the message is up to interpretation.

Regardless of the message, the competition was huge, including preliminary, semifinal, and final rounds. “Prelims is more for getting a feel of the arena and preparing for finals,” said Selena, but even so, Percussion was not prepared for the full stadium, loud cheers, and multiple cameras that documented their performance on TV. “There were like thousands of people in there,” she said. Ethan recounts that when they “announced Arcadia as the Bronze Medalists, they were all ecstatic and appreciative of all the staff members” who brought Percussion to the elevated prize medal that they won. He stated that the team is all very grateful and appreciative, as none expected the win to happen. Ultimately, by winning bronze, Arcadia Percussion now ranks 3rd in the nation. But even more than that, this is the first time Arcadia has won medals in at least the past five years, and the second time ever in AHS history. Medal or no medal, win or loss, “we had a fantastic last performance,” said Jessica, “and I am incredibly proud of the hard work each and every one of us put in.” thui@apachepowwow.com twu@apachepowwow.com

NEWS

Decrease in Soda Consumption

theapachepowwow.com

Masquerade: The New Face-Swapping App

By TRINITY CHHAY Staff Writer

By JOCELYN HU Staff Writer

Americans have been drinking less soda in the past few years. Statistics show that the demand for soda in the U.S. has declined for 11 years in a row, and the consumption has been the lowest ever since 1981. The total volume of soda consumed fell 1.2% in 2015, which is 0.3% more than the percentage that fell in 2014. Diet brands such as Diet Pepsi and Diet Coke lost the most volume and dropped more than 5% each. PepsiCo was hit the hardest and dropped by 3.1% in volume, while Coca-Cola and Dr. Pepper Snapple actually gained market share. The main reason for this soda slump is the increasing number of healthier alternatives available, such as juice and bottled water. These alternatives contain fewer calories and do not include aspartame, a sweetener, thus making them healthier choices, especially as concerns grow over artificial sweeteners and diet drinks. The soda tax debate and city policies in certain states have also discouraged people to drink soda. The drop in soda consumption has been the largest change in the American diet for the last decade, resulting in a reduction of the number of daily calories consumed by a single average American child. This change has also contributed to the sustained decline in childhood obesity over the past years. jhu@apachepowwow.com

Masquerade Technologies Inc., a young start-up company that is the creator of the popular face-swapping app MSQRD, has recently been bought by Facebook. MSQRD, a photo and video app, allows users to record video selfie animations that change the way they look to send to friends on messaging apps and social networks. Some of Masquerade’s most popular features include “face swap” and its celebrity masks. Masquerade has gained 15 million users in only three months mainly due to its Snapchat-like selfie-alternating tool. Masquerade has since announced that it is excited to bring its virtual effects software to Facebook’s 1.6 billion users, but that the company will independently operate MSQRD with several social media apps. Although Facebook acquired Masquerade to build its video services, Hardt, & Co Inc analyst James Cakmak stated that it is highly unlikely that Facebook would use Masquerade to draw away Snapchat users.

In the fall of 2015 Snapchat launched a new feature that was directed at the youth of its users. Lenses, a similar feature to Masquerade’s face-masking tool, became an instant success. Lenses included animals, an aging lense, and even a feature that allowed two people in a photo to digitally swap faces. Acquiring the Lenses tool was a strategy for Snapchat and was the result of acquiring Looksery last year,

a small start-up, for an undisclosed price. From the looks of it, the deal is starting to pay off, as Lenses is able to generate revenue by getting advertisers to pay for animations that mention their brand. In 2013, Facebook offered to buy Snapchat for $3 billion, yet it was unsuccessful in doing so. Repeatedly, the company has tried to

Glendale Park Proposal In The Works

By CHRISTINA READ

Staff Writer

Despite the presence of freeways intersecting the city, Glendale has plans to return to its roots—it hopes to build a spacious park on top of the 134 Freeway. The park, known for now as Space 134, will be a so-called “freeway cap”: a park which features large, grassy spaces and is typically built atop recessed roadways. These modernized neighborhood parks have begun popping up in urban locales across America. Last month, three Glendale officials travelled to Dallas to tour its Klyde Warren Park, a 5.2 acre freeway cap that serves as a connection between different areas of the city—this connective function is a major reason behind the popularity of freeway caps. While freeways have historically divided cities, freeway caps could provide a way to bridge that gap. Glendale councilman Vartan Gharpetian has high hopes that Space 134 “would do the same in Glendale;” he and other council members believe the park could connect the previously isolated North and South Glendale. While an exact plan is still in the works,

April 2016

Glendale officials envision the park as a 24-acre linear green space, with room for a Downtown area that includes restaurants, concert space, and more, along with a light-rail or other rapid transportation system. Other segments of the park would feature athletic courts, children’s play areas, a community garden, a dog park, and other neighborhood amenities. These park

concepts were generated with collaboration from residents through a series of community meetings. However, ideal as they may be, freeway caps don’t come without challenges. For one, Space 134 is an expensive project that could take years to plan and create. Just taking a study of the area—a preliminary step—will cost the

city about $300,000, while the finished project could end up costing over $350 million. This prospective financial burden has some Glendale residents raising concerns for the practicality of the idea. Resident Mike Mohill argued that while freeway caps may be feasible in large urban centers, Glendale will have a harder time procuring funds. He argued, “Dallas is a major city that can raise money. They have plenty of... private people to raise the money.” Meanwhile, he fears Glendale will be left in the lurch, with few willing to contribute to such an expensive and idealistic park. However, a recent poll found broad support among residents for such a project. Councilman Zareh Sinanyan urged citizens to stay positive, saying, “If we can pull something like this off in our city, we would really be on the national map, not just for public safety, but for having one of the best parks in the country.” The park will need plenty of community support if it hopes to survive the next few years of development. cread@apachepowwow.com

Graphic courtesy of LATIMES.COM

gain popularity for its similar Snapchat features on its apps, such as Poke and Slingshot, but again without success. However, its choice of integrating filters and adorable stickers on Messenger chat app has gained huge popularity and attracted more users. Facebook sees Masquerade as a solution to its ongoing push to engage the youth, as Masquerade gives users the ability to add filters, text, emojis and stickers to photos and videos. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has announced the acquisition by posting a video on his Facebook page, where he is shown with a digital Iron Man mask on while stating, “No, I haven’t also built an Iron Man suit. I’m using this app Masquerade that lets you put real time filters on your videos. And today I’m excited to share that the team behind Masquerade is joining Facebook.” Facebook recently stated, “Masquerade has built a fantastic app, MSQRD, with world-class imaging technology for video. We’re excited to welcome Masquerade to our team and continue enhancing the Facebook video experience.” tchhay@apachepowwow.com

Photo courtesy of TECHINSIDER.IO

The Dog Cafe By CHLOE O’CONNOR Staff Writer

The Dog Cafe, which opened on Apr. 7, is a regular coffee shop with a special twist: it features a lounge filled with dogs. These are not any ordinary dogs, but shelter dogs available for adoption, as customers can foster or adopt them. Sarah Wolfgang, the cafe’s founder and owner, claimed that she was inspired by the animal cafes found in South Korea. She decided that she would imitate the idea here in the U.S., but do so to help and promote a good cause. “The Dog Cafe’s mission is simple,” she explained, “We want to provide a second chance for shelter dogs that are often overlooked and for people to come in and cuddle with our pooches even if they aren’t interested in adopting.” Guests over the age of five are admitted for a 55 minute shift at the price of $10 per hour, which includes a drink. Located at 240 N. Virgil Ave., it is open Tuesday to Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. To provide a relaxed environment where the dogs can “show adopters their true selves,” they will be allowed to roam around freely in the lounge, engaging with the customers of the cafe. Unlike a “high-stress animal shelter,” the dogs will be comfortable in the cafe. coconnor@apachepowwow.com

Graphic courtesy of SCRAPART.CZ

April 2016

powwownews@gmail.com

Aquarium of the Pacific Expanding By KIMBERLY LO Staff Writer

The Aquarium of the Pacific is a popular public aquarium located in Long Beach, and it is soon going to be expanding to include even more fun for its visitors. Currently, the aquarium is planning a new expansion that can offer updated exhibits and establish the aquarium as a top research center as well as an exciting tourist attraction. These improvements will total around $53 million in cost for the whole process and will add many more parts to the aquarium. It is an important project, as it is the first major change the aquarium is making to its attraction since its establishment in 1998. Four key features highlight the benefits of the new Pacific Visions wing that is to be built. First of all, the main entrance and front plaza of the wing will have a larger ticket area and include an entrance for special members. Moreover, the Honda Pacific Visions Theater will be a two story structure with seats for 300 visitors and will boast a screen with a curve of 180 degrees as

well as a projection disc that stretches 30 feet; this will provide visitors with an enhanced experience when viewing movies. There will also be a gallery that changes its animal or media exhibits to allow for many different visitor experiences. To top it off, an art gallery, media wall, and orientation gallery will be constructed as well. The design of the building has been passed by the Long Beach City and the

California Coastal Commission, so the next step is to obtain a building permit. With the new additions, the museum hopes to raise awareness about environmental issues in society today and encourage people to get involved in solving these issues. Most of the funding for this project consists of contributions from private donors, the most significant ones being

the $5 million grants from two groups; the first from John and Michelle Molina and Mario and Therese Molina, and the other from the American Honda Motor Company. In addition, a $15 million grant from Long Beach City will help with the building effort. The campaign to fundraise money is also open to the public; donations can be made online, on site, or by reaching out to Director of Development, Ryan Aston. For those interested in finding out what the exhibits will look like and learning more about the features of it, a preview exhibit with a model of the design and informative videos is now available to the public in the Tropical Pacific Preview part of the aquarium. The building process is projected to start next year and open the year after. With this expansion of the Aquarium of the Pacific, the aquarium will be able to host as many as 2 million visitors every year, and many visitors will be able to experience the great new features the aquarium will have for years to come. Graphic courtesy of ABC7.COM

Staff Writer

Apple is always inventing new products that many consumers desire. On Mar. 21, Apple unveiled a new phone that caught the attention of many. Taking a step backwards this time, Apple shrunk the new iPhone down to four inches, similar to the size of an iPhone 5s. This new product has everything the iPhone 6s posesses, the only major difference being its size. It calls its newest invention the iPhone SE. The iPhone SE holds a powerful chip known as the A9, the same one used in the iPhone 6s. Apple’s newest invention also has a 12-megapixel camera, perfect for taking high-quality photos and videos. With a fourinch retina display, the iPhone SE is the most powerful phone ever created. The iPhone SE is an upgraded version of the four-inch iPhone 5s which was unveiled in 2013. It comes in four colors: gold, silver, space gray, and rose gold. The A9 chip is Apple’s third generation chip and the most powerful of all. The A9 has a 64-bit architecture. When compared to chips of the previous generations, the A9 chip improved the overall CPU performance by 70%

and boosted graphics performance by 90%. The A9 chip provides long battery life, lightning-fast speeds, and better graphics, making apps and games rich with details and clarity. The iPhone SE is two times faster in CPU performance when compared to the iPhone 5s. The A9 chip also made the iPhone

is tied to the compass, gyroscope, and accelerometer. This makes fitness tracking such as steps walked in a day easier to measure. Besides having a powerful chip, the iPhone SE also holds a high-performance camera. The iPhone SE has Apple’s next-generation 12MP iSight camera. The new and advanced 12MP sensor uses pixel technology to produce better and high-quality photos. With pixel technology, each image would have less noise and truer colors. Like the iPhone 6s, the iPhone SE can capture sharp images with crystal-clear details. When iPhone 6 models were released to the public, Apple sales skyrocketed. However, its sales may not raise the same way with the iPhone SE, but the new phone will likely still boost its overall sales to a certain extent. SE three The iPhone SE is aimed at consumers times faster who have not yet boughten the iPhone 6 in GPU (graphmodels, which were released two years ic processing unit) performance when ago. Currently, it is selling for $399. compared to the iPhone 5s. Embedded vkwang@apachepowwow.com in the A9 chip is the M9, Apple’s nextgeneration motion coprocessor. The M9 Photo courtesy of THETECHOLIC.COM

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 Advertisements Editors Photography Editors Executive Copy Editors Fundraising Chairs Webmaster

Victoria Yu and Erika Zheng Yoko Chan Justin Tang and Emily Wu Amber Chong and Tiffany Liu Jacqueline Chang and Katie Huang Briana Shen and Terri Shi Michelle Fang and Jessie Hui Charles Xu and Pearl Yang Simone Chu and Veronica Yu Elaine Chung Kristen Tran Kaitlyn Liao Tiffany Chen, Andrew Muliadi, and Andrew Lim Ryan Fann and Debbie Moon Michelle Gu and Hafsah Umerani Julia Lin and Flora Ung Elyse Yao

Writers

News Staff

Aaron Chan, Trinity Chhay, Cassandra Gonzales, Jocelyn Hu, Vivian Kwang, Eileen Lee, Eric Chen, Yanhui Li, Kimberly Lo, Joshua Ma, Andrew Muliadi, Cristian Nalbandian, Noelle Natividad, Chloe O’Connor, Ha Eun Park, Christina Read, Kayli Temple, Victoria Tovmasyan, Michael Tseng, Andrew Wang

Opinion Staff

Eric Chen, Simone Chu, Justin Cun, Christy Kang, Yanhui Li, Julia Lin, Ha Eun Park, Pourobee Saha, Kayli Temple, Cindy Tse, Faisal Umerani, Maggie Wong, Elyse Yao

Features Staff

Trinity Chhay, Christy Kang, Christine Law, Yanhui Li, Andrew Muliadi, Noelle Natividad, Kayli Temple, Victoria Tovmasyan, Cindy Tse, Michael Tseng, Faisal

klo@apachepowwow.com

Big Things Come In Small Packages

By VIVIAN KWANG

NEWS

Umerani, Andrew Wang, Katie Wen, Maggie Wong Performing Arts Staff

Eric Chen, Trinity Chhay, Cassandra Gonzales, Jocelyn Hu, Thomas Hui, Christine Law, Eileen Lee, Pourobee Saha, Nadine Templeton, Victoria Tovmasyan

Student Life Staff

Eric Chen, Trinity Chhay, Thomas Hui, Eileen Lee, Ellie Lee, Andrea Liu, Cristian Nalbandian, Noelle Natvidad, Chloe O’Connor, Ha Eun Park, Nadine Templeton, Kyle Wang, Maggie Wong, Titus Wu

Sports Staff

Trinity Chhay, Justin Cun, Ellie Lee, Kimberly Lo, Joshua Ma, Christina Read, Danielle Santoyo

Academics Staff

Chelsea Cheng, Jocelyn Hu, Andrew Lim, Kimberly Lo, Noelle Natividad, Pourobee Saha, Nadine Templeton, Michael Tseng, Faisal Umerani, Katie Wen

Calendar Staff

Chelsea Cheng, Vivian Kwang, Christine Law, Andrea Liu, Danielle Santoyo, Kayli Temple, Victoria Tovmasyan, Cindy Tse, Andrew Wang, Elyse Yao

Campus Focus Staff

Maggie Wong

Center Spread Staff

Christy Kang

Advertisements Staff

Yoko Chan, Eric Chen, Justin Cun, Cassandra Gonzales, Thomas Hui, Christy Kang, Eileen Lee, Kyle Wang, Titus Wu, Timothy Yen

Photo Staff

Aaron Chan, Vivian Kwang, Andrea Liu, Joshua Ma, Danielle Santoyo, Nadine Templeton, Titus Wu

Copy Editing Staff

Aaron Chan, Chloe O’Connor, Justin Cun, Vivian Kwang, Christine Law, Ellie Lee, Christina Read, Pourobee Saha, Cindy Tse, Kyle Wang, Katie Wen, Maggie Wong, Elyse Yao

Web Staff

Aaron Chan, Christine Law, Chloe O’Connor, Katie Wen, Maggie Wong

Adviser

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.

Photo courtesy of 7-THEMES.COM

academics.powwow@gmail.com

April 2016

ACADEMICS

What You Should Do In the Summer By KIMBERLY LO Staff Writer

Summer’s coming up, which means there are a few months for students to do whatever they want. While summer is a great time to relax, it’s a good idea to consider some activities to keep the brain academically active during summer break. Here are some things you can do during summer break. Register for AEF Summer School The easiest way to keep in the routine of the school year is to go to summer school. Arcadia Education Foundation offers summer school at AHS, ranging from electives such as Digital Photography and Art to required courses like United States History and Government. Going to summer school can be a great option to fulfill some graduation requirements while keeping the school day routine intact throughout the majority of the summer. Read or Write Reading is a good way to enjoy spending time on a certain topic you’re interested in, such as Japanese, history, or space travel, while also improving vocabulary and gaining exposure to different styles of writing. If you don’t want

to read, maybe you’ll like the idea of writing something yourself, such as a short story or a juicy novel. Take the story idea you always wanted to read about and try to create a story that stems from that idea yourself. It’s a great way to develop writing skills, and you’ll certainly learn more about the process of writing itself through this activity. Tutor Kids There are many opportunities to tutor others everywhere, such as with AHS’ Peer Tutoring program. However, if you’re not yet a part of any tutoring efforts, perhaps you’ll enjoy helping others strengthen their knowledge in physics or algebra. If you don’t want to learn yourself, then try teaching others instead. Doing this can help you reinforce your prior knowledge on various topics and learn how to convey that knowledge to others. It can serve as a learning experience for both you and your tutee. Go on Field Trips Keeping the brain active definitely doesn’t require sitting in a classroom and holding a pen and paper. Exploring different institutions can also be a rewarding activity. Find a museum, park, or any other location that you’re interested in and go visit the place. From the visit, you can learn stuff you might never see

in your textbooks, and you might even pick up a few new interests on the side. If not, it certainly doesn’t hurt to go outside and have some fun. Summer is the ideal time to go out and do stuff you normally might not have time to do, or you could always keep up the school day routine, or try them both. Most importantly, enjoy your summer!

Staff Writer

Bonjour. Hola. Ni Hao. Hello. If you understood two or more of those, kudos to you, but if you only understood one of them, then it looks like you might need to study up on one of these world languages. Why does the AHS curriculum stress learning a second world language? Languages are gateways into different cultures and can allow students to connect with different people through a common dialect. Because of the diverse culture of Arcadia and of the U.S. in general, knowledge in a second or third language will enhance your ability to communicate with the wider world. So, though it may seem tiring and unnecessary at times, being able to say that you’re bilingual or even trilingual will have guaranteed benefits in the future. First things first, multilingualism is the ability to converse fluently in two or more languages and statistics show that nearly more than half of the world is multilingual. However, linguists in America are particularly needed. Studies carried out by Dr. Joseph Mercola show that “only about one in four Americans speak a second language

well enough to hold a conversation.” This gives bilingual Americans an added benefit when applying for jobs or colleges. Some students learn a second language specifically for this reason. While adding another world language to your resume isn’t crucial, it is highly recommended, and at AHS, it is a mandatory course. AHS only requires students to take two years of Spanish, French, Chinese, or Japanese to gradu-

ate, while UC schools recommend three years. While it may not seem like it, learning new languages require added brain power to comprehend and learn. This is the main benefit. So, what can learning a new language do to your brain exactly? The Guardian covered the study of Swedish scientists as they unlocked the effect learning a language has on the human brain.

AP EXAMS BEGIN MAY 2 Monday, May 2 [Morning] Chemistry, Environmental Science. Tuesday, May 3 [Morning] Computer Science A, Spanish Language. [Afternoon] Art History. Wednesday, May 4 [Morning] English Literature (12). [Afternoon] Japanese Language. Thursday, May 5 [Morning] Calculus AB, Calculus BC. [Afternoon] Chinese Language. Friday, May 6 [Morning] US History.

klo@apachepowwow.com

Graphics courtesy of BEACHSIDEMONTESSORI.ORG and SMC.EDU

Benefits of Being Bilingual By NOELLE NATIVIDAD

Dates to remember

The Guardian reported, “The Swedish MRI study showed that learning a foreign language has a visible effect on the brain. Young adult military recruits with a flair for languages learned Arabic, Russian or Dari intensively, while a control group of medical and cognitive science students also studied hard, but not at languages. MRI scans showed specific parts of the brains of the language students developed in size whereas the brain structures of the control group remained unchanged. Equally interesting was that learners whose brains grew in the hippocampus and areas of the cerebral cortex related to language learning had better language skills than other learners for whom the motor region of the cerebral cortex developed more.” Simply put, languages increase the size of your brain. Languages activate regions of the brain that are only used when speaking or learning another language. And so, world languages aren’t just for credits towards graduation; they can have real life applications and can increase brain capacity for more learning! nnatividad@apachepowwow.com

Photo courtesy of BORGENMAGAZINE.COM

Monday, May 9 [Morning] Biology. [Afternoon] Physics C: Mechanics, Physics C: Electricity/Magnetism. Tuesday, May 10 [Morning] US Gov/Politics. [Afternoon] French Language. Wednesday, May 11 [Morning] English Language (11). Thursday, May 12 [Morning] Comparative Gov/Politics. [Afternoon] Statistics. Friday, May 13 [Morning] Human Geography. Make sure you arrive by 7:00 a.m. for morning session tests, and 11:30 a.m. for afternoon session tests!

ALSO KEEP IN MIND... May 18 & 19 - SBAC Testing for Juniors. May 23-27 - Program Adjustment Week (PAW). The Career Center will be open at lunch and after school. May 30 - NO SCHOOL for Memorial Day. June 13-15 - Finals Week (Minimum Days). June 15 - Last Day of School!

April 2016

arcadiaperformingarts@gmail.com

By TIFFANY TSUI

PERFORMING ARTS

The Beginnings of PA Staff Writer

When you trudge through the halls during passing period every school day, you pass by tens of hundreds of other students, all of whom are simply holding textbooks and carrying backpacks just like everyone else. But little do you know that the girl who just passed by you on her way to math class is actually a ballerina on stage on the weekends, and the boy walking in front of you in the hall is actually a violin virtuoso thinking about his performance that very evening. We go to a school with almost four thousand other students, so when you walk through the halls, you are actually walking among hundreds of budding artists, musicians, dancers, and much more. AHS is a place where the students are all different and each hone some type of talent, which is why there are so many performing arts students. But how exactly did each performing arts student actually get into his or her specific art? Here are just a few tales of how some students found their hobby. For some students, performing arts has been with them from as early as elementary school, leading to a childhood revolving around honing that specific talent. Senior Carmen Lau, the Alto Saxophone section leader in the Marching and Concert Band, started her journey with music all

the way back in elementary school, when she played the precorder. Although she didn’t like it at the time, it led to her teacher signing her up to play saxophone in middle school, and she has stuck with it ever since. Carmen now says, “Learning to play the saxophone not only helped me grow my passion for music, but also improved my self confidence and attitude.” For Carmen, growing up with music has taught her how to communicate better with others, just like how she communicates with audiences through her music. Other students started their hobbies with friends, just like junior Luke Jia, who plays violin in Orchestra 3. Luke says that he first started playing the violin in middle school when his friend pushed him to join with him. “We were super competitive in middle school and we signed up for the same extracurricular activities and competed at them,” Luke explains. What started as a competition has blossomed into a life long hobby, as Luke continues to play the violin; he even still plays with that same friend in Orchestra 3. So as you can see, many AHS students’ hobbies come from varying backgrounds, but one thing is clear: AHS is full of lots of great talent. Keep performing Apaches!

ttsui@apachepowwow.com

Graphics courtesy of HOMEJPG.ORG and 123RF.COM

Shuffle Along Through History

By JOCELYN HU

Shuffle Along, a Broadway musical, first became a hit in New York City in May of 1921. After its first pre-Broadway tour, it was in debt and set to open at a Broadway house on West 63rd Street. However, this musical ignited both Uptown and Downtown, which emerged together for the first time. Not only does this play have an outstanding jazz score and ebullient dancing, it also expresses the history of black performers in America. The new, 2016 Shuffle Along, now also known as The Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All that Followed, is recreated by a cast of great artists and led by Audra McDonald, a sixtime Tony Award winner. This story is brought back to emphasize the creation of the original and how it influenced the world. It is a revival that includes all the music and lyrics from the previous show and features the book as well. Recently, the Broadway producer Scott Rudin announced that all of the money earned from the Shuffle Along musical on Apr. 1 was donated to the Actor’s Fund. Ticket prices were also reduced throughout the Music Box Theater. The plot is centered on Sam and Steve who are running for mayor in Jimtown. They agree that if either one wins, the winner would appoint the other as his chief of police. Sam wins with the help of his crooked manager, so he hires Steve as his chief of police. However, they begin to argue over petty matters and resolve their opposing views in a rousing, funny twenty-minute fight scene. While this happens, their opponent Harry Walton vows to end their regime, using the song “I’m Just Wild About Harry”. He ultimately wins the next election and the girl, running

Staff Writer

Sam and Steve out of town. A review has said that “there is no better opening so hold onto your seats and enjoy. Kudos to costume chief: costumes were colorful, fitting the time period, vibrant and the 35 member cast were beaming in the many costume changes: they owned the period clothes.” This musical is also well known for being one with the most baggage, literally, since suitcases are used for percussion in clever tap dance numbers. The character Audra is said to be the best all around, singing and dancing as the heart of the show. Adrienne Warren steals the spotlight several times during production. Additionally, the four male leads in each of their scenes hit home runs; each can sing, dance, and have chemistry. Brian S. Mitchell has a commanding elegance and voice, and Brandon V. Dixon and Joshua Henry work as a unit on stage, complimenting the main characters. Billy Porter simply knocks out the blues ballad in Act 2 that “brought people in the audience to their feet in admiration.” This brilliant Broadway musical is brought back after years of history. Tickets for Shuffle Along can be bought online so make sure to check it out! jhu@apachepowwow.com

Photos courtesy of WSJ.COM

GREEN EARTH

www.theapachepowwow.com

April 2016

By CHRISTY KANG

Earth, a tiny blue dot in space, is the only world known We can visit the moon, Mars, or perhaps even Pluto. But s Apr. 22, Earth Day, is when we, the inhabitants of this first celebrated in 1970 and is now celebrated in more th movement in 1970. The idea for a secular national day to focus on the enviro After witnessing the destructive aftermaths of the 1969 m active anti-war movement with a rising public consciousn political agenda. Senator Nelson then worked to promote On the first Earth Day in 1970, twenty million Americ streets, parks, basking in the spring sunshine, and peacef political alignment, earning support from Republicans and of the United States Environmental Protection Agency an By 1990, Earth Day became global, mobilizing two-hun Earth Day 1990 encouraged recycling efforts worldwide, Today, the fight for a clean environment has become in still climate change deniers, well-funded oil lobbyists, stub Earth. However, Earth Day prevailed and this year the lan emissions, is scheduled to be signed by the U.S., China, an We live in an age when the global temperature is risin suffer from lung-related disease due to severe air polluti help us to write many more chapters—struggles and vict

April 2016

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CLEAN PLANET 11

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so far to harbor life. There is nowhere else, at least in the near future, to which we could migrate. settle there? Not yet. For the moment, Earth is what we have, and where we stand. s lovely planet, come together and demonstrate support for environmental protection. It was han 193 countries annually to mark the anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental

onment came to Earth Day founder Gaylord Nelson, who was then a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin. massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California, he realized that he could infuse the energy from the ness about air and water pollution, which would force environmental protection onto the national e his ideas and events across the land. On Apr. 22, 1970, his efforts came to fruition. cans from colleges, universities, high schools, and communities across the U.S. came out to the fully demonstrated for a healthy, sustainable environment. Earth Day 1970 accomplished a rare d Democrats, rich and poor, city dwellers and farmers. By the end of that year, it led to the creation nd the passage of several acts, such as Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts. ndred million people in 141 countries and pushing environmental issues onto the world stage. and eventually paved the way for the 1992 United Nations Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. ncreasingly urgent, as the ravages of climate change become more evident every day. There are bborn politicians, and a disinterested public who challenge global communities’ effort to protect ndmark Paris Agreement, which aims to limit the temperature increase and limit greenhouse gas nd 120 other countries. ng at an unprecedentedly fast rate. About 2,000 species are going extinct each year, and people ion. We might soon lose the beautiful blue sky due to pollution. Participating in Earth Day will tories—into the Earth Day book, and ultimately save our environment.

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April 2016

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STUDENT LIFE 15

Healthy and Hearty on the Go

Student Feature: Taejin Hwang

By TITUS WU

By HA EUN PARK Staff Writer

Breakfast is known to be the most essential meal of the day, but as students rush to get to school, they often don’t get the chance to sit down and eat a proper meal. Whether we needed the few extra minutes to sleep, or we just can’t find quick, reasonable breakfast ideas that could be spruced up within minutes, many students often skip this important meal that is needed to stay awake in class or power their brains for a test they’ve spent hours reviewing notes on. Here are some recipes that explore different ways to get in a healthy breakfast even on crunch time. Dressed-up Yogurt What you need: 7 oz container plain yogurt (I recommend Greek yogurt) 1 Tbsp. raspberry jam (or any other favorite—raspberry just happens to be mine) 1 tsp. honey 2 Tbsp. toasted almonds, roughly chopped Combine all ingredients in the yogurt container. Grab a spoon and go! Extra: Any jam or nut combination can be added. Pair strawberry jam with pistachios for a colorful alternative. Breakfast Pizza Margherita What you need: 1 whole wheat English muffin 1 large slice of tomato 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella *optional fried egg 1 tsp fresh basil, finely chopped Turn on your broiler.

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Many people at AHS are musicians, playing in the orchestra or band. Many also have touched upon mathematics, whether in the honor system or not. But very few can call themselves experts in these areas, let alone passionate in both. For senior Taejin Hwang, his passion for math and music is unparalleled. His mathematical experience has deep roots in his childhood. “My parents forced a lot of math into me,” said Taejin. He was taught mathematical concepts, and starting in second grade, enrolled in mathematical competitions by his parents. From the start, he did well. “Once you win something,” he explained, “you’re just more interested in it, and you want to do [it] more and more. You want to be better at it,” leading to his increasing dedication to math. Soon, he was learning math ahead of his years, recounting how he knew calculus in 8th grade and attempted to learn trigonometry in 4th grade. He learned this math from a combination of parents’ teachings and books, and soon, he was winning more and more. He admits, though, that he hates doing math homework at school. “Competition math is different from school math, because it is un-robot-

Top one half of the English muffin with the sliced tomato and then shredded mozzarella. Place it on a baking sheet, along with the other half of the English muffin. Slide under the broiler. Broil until the cheese is melted and browned in places. Remove from the oven and add the fried egg and the fresh basil. Top with the other half of the English muffin. Frozen Fruit Smoothie What you need: 2 cups frozen berries or fruit 2 Tbsp. orange juice concentrate (or 1/2 cup orange juice) 1/2 cup water 1/2 cup yogurt 1 frozen banana 1 Tbsp. honey Add all ingredients to your blender and blend until completely smooth. *Optional: Add 1-2 Tbsp. of flax seeds to the blender for even more nutrition. Tortilla Wrap What you need: 1 egg, cooked any way you like it 1 Tbsp. shredded cheese Diced avocado and tomato 1 flour tortilla Place egg, cheese, avocado and tomato into the tortilla. Wrap as you would a burrito. Serve with fresh salsa if you wish. Morning Milkshake What you need: 1 cup milk 1 tablespoon honey or sugar 1 tablespoon peanut butter 1 banana, frozen (or fresh bananas and add a handful of ice cubes) 1/4 tsp. cinnamon Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. (Great source of potassium and calcium!) With these simple, ready-to-go breakfast recipes, hopefully many of our students here at AHS can get a healthy, hearty breakfast going and understand the term ‘good morning’. Happy eating! All recipes are from parenting.com. hpark@apachepowwow.com

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ic and teaches you to actually be creative,” he said, “while with school math, it’s all formulas. Knowing all the formulas, however, doesn’t mean you know anything.” He credits this knowledge with why he has stuck with math, while for so many others, math classes have made students lose interest. It is also why, by many, he is seen as a math genius, to which he disputes. “I am not a math genius, because I know so many others out there who are way better than me. It’s more of experience than genius” that he is where he is now, said Taejin. The same could be said with his passion with the French horn, an instrument that attracted him with its unique sound. Originally playing the flute, Taejin decided to switch due to an overload of flute players at his middle school band. “I asked my band director what instrument I should try out instead. He redirected me to this website,” said Taejin, “and when I heard the French horn playing the Star Wars theme, it just seemed so awesome.” He practiced 30 minutes to one hour a day at home, all by himself, all self-motivated. Originally, it was hard to even get a sound out, but eventually, he was able to play pieces by himself. “The end of [that same year I switched], my director said I had talent, enough to get into PYSO,” an acronym for Pasadena Youth Symphony Orchestra, an elite orchestra consisting of middle school students. Taejin tried out, and got in, and from there he switched out to other various elite groups. As of now, he plays in the Colburn Orchestra. Although the French horn is not a string instrument, he enjoys playing it in an orchestra because it “sounds so much more exposed, and forces you to play better,” adding on how even though “it is a small part of the piece, it is the most noticeable part.” “Just listening to the French horn is satisfying for me,” he said. Indeed, with math as well, he has that same satisfaction, solving problems. But regardless of his satisfaction in either math or music, Taejin will definitely continue both throughout college and the remainder of his life. twu@apachepowwow.com Photo courtesy of TITUS WU

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April 2016

ARCADIA INVITATIONAL: A Glimpse at Future Olympic Stars Norman will be competing in the ing to try my best to win State this ishing time—considered the gold Olympic Trials for both his 200m year.” Lauren was named MVP of standard for a high school-level Staff Writer and 400m races, which, if executed the Arcadia Invitational for her in- 3200m race. The pack stayed together until about halfway through well, could qualify him to partici- credible performances. Even before the first starting pate in the 2016 Olympics in Rio Closer to the end of the meet’s the race, when early leaders began gun went off, many students and De Janeiro. Making it to the Bra- second day, the Invitational’s sig- to emerge, with eventual first-place athletes alike were expecting this zil Olympics would allow Michael nature event—the 3200m run— finisher Casey Clinger taking his year’s Arcadia Invitational to be to join the ranks of the 152 other maintained its long-standing tradi- position at the front of the pack. In one of the best ever—and the 49th the end, the 3200m run Olympian-Invitaannual “Meet of Chamcreated the season’s tional athletes bepions” certainly did not top seven national fore him, a truly disappoint. Thousands times, and 11 athletes prestigious honor. of athletes, representing clocked in under 9:00. Another notheir respective counTo put that into pertable participant tries from all around the spective, some state was junior Lauren globe, travelled to Arcachampionships have Rainn Williams, dia in order to experinever had a runner finwho competed in ence one of the highestish in under 9:00—Arthe 100m, 200m, level high school track cadia had eleven. and 4x400m races. meets in the nation. Even while batShe won the 100m From Apr. 8 to 9, tling stormy condidash by a fair marthe weekend’s stormy tions, this year’s athgin, defending her weather did little to slow letes gave their all to title and markthe athletes down, as they knocked down one NEVER TURNING BACK Sophomore Rebecca ing the 4th fastest SUPERSTAR STAMPEDE Top track athletes from produce one of the national record and sev- Troescher anticipates the start of her leg of the relay national time this elite schools all over the world congregate once a year highest quality Arcadia eral state records over race. Working in a team of four, runners like Rebecca year, before con- at the prestigious Arcadia Invitational to face off in their Invitational ever. They broke PR’s, smashed tinuing on to win specialized events and demonstrate their skill. the course of the two- have trained for months for the Invitational. day meet. Great Oak High School his 45.51 second 400m dash, plac- the 200m with the nation’s fastest tion of excellence. A full crowd of both state and national records, and ran an astounding 16:55.85 in its ing first in what “may [have been] time of the season. Lauren com- spectators, consisting of athletes, overall achieved amazing results 4x1600m relay, breaking a 40-year the highest quality 400 Arcadia has mented, “Rain isn’t the best of cir- parents, and onlookers, cheered throughout the Spring Break weekstanding high school national re- ever hosted,” according to AHS cumstances when you’re trying to as the Men’s Invitational athletes end. Simply put, El Niño certainly cord. Equally impressive, Rachel Track Coach Chris Schultz. Nor- run your best time, but I’m happy worked together, pacing them- brought a storm of elite marks to AHS. Baxter of Canyon High School man also led his team in the win- that I was able to repeat... I’m go- selves towards an under 9:00 fincread@apachepowwow.com smashed California’s previous pole ning 4x100m relay. This summer,

By CHRISTINA READ

vault record by four inches with her astounding feat of completing a 14’2” jump. One particularly noteable highlight of the track meet was Michael Norman, a senior runner from Vista Murrieta High School. Michael set a new meet record with

Phillip Rocha’s Signing Ceremony

Boys Tennis Aces Competition

By ELLIE LEE

By JOSHUA MA

Staff Writer

The Boys Varsity Tennis team is killing its competition in League, as it boasts an undefeated record of 12-0. With a team that consists of many young players, it still feels confident in members’ individual skills to prevail. As last year’s seniors left, new leaders had to step up to guide the team towards the right direction. The team contains four seniors who try to show the younger players what it takes to keep their position of being the best in their sport. Star player junior Charles Deng stated that the team’s overall goals “are winning League, winning CIF, and getting far in the regional tournament.” Compared to last year, Charles felt “that while [the team] does have many new faces, there is deeper and stronger connection than last year.” He truly believes that much can be accomplished. As one of the top tennis players in the nation, Charles’ personal goal is “preparing for college tennis” by improving his consistency and his mental game on the court. With many new additions to the team, “the team [already has] good chemistry together, as everyone gets along on the team very well,” stated sophomore Bradford Yau. Many hours of practice have led to this undefeated season. Players recall practicing every day before the season even started in February. Although many would say that the team is perfect as it is right now, Bradford stated that “the team needs to improve on staying focused and keeping strong results until the end of the season.” Members of the team manage to stay humble and aware of their shortcomings even with their strengths on the court. “Even though most of the schools that we played have not offered much competition, we need to improve on enthusiasm, energy, and team spirit,” expressed Charles. While individual skills and training are important to the game of tennis, the encouragement of other teammates is also key to developing as a player. “I feel that ever since joining the team, my skills have improved much more and I have realized how much of a team sport tennis can really be,” Bradford shared. With the vast potential that the team has to go far in its season, the Boys Varsity Tennis team must continue to show hard work and dedication. Since these traits are not easily handed over, it will need to keep the right mindset. Good luck to Boys Varsity Tennis in accomplishing its goals!

Senior Phillip Rocha, known all throughout our school as a cross country and track star, is undoubtedly one of the most admired athletes here at AHS. All of the sweat and hard work he has put into running over years and years has shaped him into the outstanding runner who he is today. Phillip has achieved innumerable honors in the past four years that he has spent at Arcadia. To send him off to the next chapter of his running career, let’s have an overview of the records that he has set and the barriers he has overcome during his high

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school years. Phillip set a course record when he won the Stanford Invitational with the time 14:32.5. At Mt. San Antonio College (Mt. SAC), he tied a school record with the time of 14:24. What’s more, in State finals, his time of 14:42.9 was the third-fastest ever completed at Fresno’s Woodward Park course. Phillip placed amongst the top 10 runners in all four of his CIF-SS Final and State races and in every meet since his freshman year. Phillip has not lost a high school race since Oct. 2015, and AHS won CIF State titles in both his freshman and sophomore seasons. He was also selected

to the All-Area team each of his four seasons. Of course, with all his achievements, Phillip will have a clear future. On Apr. 15, Phillip Rocha signed with the University of Colorado in the North Gym. He was supported with a crowd of family, friends, mentors, and coaches. One of Phillip’s teammates, senior Austin Che, said that “seeing [Phillip] age along with [him] for the past four years together and everything he’s accomplished is amazing.” Austin is proud that “Phillip started his AHS career as a freshman and ended as one of Arcadia’s best distance runners.” Another teammate, senior Michael Eng, added that it was an honor “being able to see him run and train everyday.” From being Phillip’s teammate, Michael was about to witness an “elite athlete being able to perform at his best. Watching him race was a treat in itself.” Michael shared that Phillip “was a great teammate as well, and he was always trying to help the rest of his team get faster and gain knowledge and experience.” Congratulations to Phillip for all of his achievements! Best of luck in fulfilling your dreams at the University of Colorado!

SPRINTING TO A BRIGHT FUTURE Phillip Rocha’s Apr. 15 signing ceremony, during which he officially committed to the University of Colorado moved the award-winning runner one step closer to a promising outlook.

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April 2016

Baseball Rising to the Top By CHARLES XU Sports Editor

Continuing the season with a 6-2 League record, Varsity Baseball is primed to capture the Pacific League Championship. After preseason, the Apaches have demonstrated that they have the grit and tenacity to not only compete but also take over games. League witnessed Baseball’s transformation from an above average team to a dangerous squad dominating the competition. On opening day, Arcadia came out against Burbank High School with a five-run explosion in the first inning, highlighted by junior Loren Iwasaki’s double off the wall. With the defense stymyeing the Bulldogs to only one run, the boys protected their lead for a 5-1 win. In their rematch on Apr. 1, the Apaches continued an attack by scoring in four out of seven innings for a 7-1 victory. Nevertheless, Varsity Baseball experienced its fair share of adversity in April. Against Glendale High School, AHS was stunned 0-2, the first defeat against the Nitros in a decade. Freshman Jeffrey Castillo stated, “Our team is doing really well defensively, but our weakness is offense.” With the team in an offensive slump, players responded with more focused practices, dedicating themselves to silent warmups and catch. Head Coach Nick Lemas emphasized, “I have high expectations, not to

win every game, but to compete every moment of every game. I expect our players to want to be on the field and give their all.” In its rematch against Glendale on Apr. 15, Arcadia displayed its renewed intensity, crushing the Nitros, 10-0. With momentum, the boys extended their hot offense against defending League Champion John Burroughs High School in a pivotal game in hopes to win League. Playing the game pitch by pitch, AHS struck first by putting four runs on the board by the fourth inning, with Loren and freshman Jacob Lopez driving in two runs each. Senior Brett Porter was electric, pitching six innings and fooling Burroughs hitters. However, the Indians were able to turn the tide in the seventh inning, tying the game. Already veterans to extra inning games played in preseason, the Apaches kept their composure, getting hit by the pitch six times to secure a decisive 8-4 victory. Nevertheless, Arcadia lost its rematch 2-3 on Apr. 22 after a seventh inning rally fell short. More important than Varsity Baseball’s record, however, is the shift in attitude in the dugout, with all 23 players and coaches buying into a single plan, a sign of a committed and mature team, a team poised for the Pacific League Championship. cxu@apachepowwow.com Photo by AARON CHAN

ELECTRIC ARM Senior Noah Falcon and the stingy Apache defense have held opponents to a miniscule number of runs this season.

Badminton: Shuttle to Success By TRINITY CHHAY Staff Writer

BIRDS OF A FEATHER (Left to right) Doubles partners sophomores Kenneth Tjhan and Max Li get into ready stance during a practice session at the Los Angeles Badminton Club located in El Monte. This year AHS began a new Coed Badminton team. With a 2-7 winloss record, the team is still looking positive in its outlook this season. Varsity Badminton sophomore player Max Li expressed his thoughts on the season so far. “Our season has been really good, even though we didn’t win that many games. This is our first year as a team, so we were able to really have competition with other schools.” During the team’s first week of the season, Max stated that it had lost to both the San Gabriel High School and San Marino High School teams. Max continued on to say, “However, two weeks later, when we played those schools again, the matches we lost were when two sets became three sets, and we won the matches that were already three sets.” Sadly, though, by the end of the match against San Marino, AHS lost with a score of 9-12. During the matches where AHS’ Varsity Badminton team played against last year’s CIF quarter-finalists and semi-finalists, however, it had only lost by one or two total points. “Many players of those schools have been playing badminton for more than ten years,” Max explained, conveying that AHS’ opponents have had

much more experience than all of the players from JV and Varsity Badminton combined. Junior Claire Sung, also a player for the Varsity Badminton team, agreed by stating, “We are doing really well for our very first season. We’re playing against teams that were League champions and that have also played with their partners for years, while we have had only around three months of practice.” The team is determined to improve with new ideas and more effective practices that will ensure that it will have a growing and long-lasting success in the future. Varsity player freshman Alan Wu explained, “Our team needs to start having a harder training routine, since our training right now isn’t giving us any benefits. We need to have a training practice that targets the areas that we want and where we are able to exercise the areas we need.” On the bright side, as the badminton season continues, both the JV and Varsity players have improved exponentially. Max stated that individually, each player just needed more practice and experience. “We have already jumped over that biggest hurdle, which is to have the individual confidence and courage

necessary to defeat other schools’ teams.” Emphasis is placed on the integral roles that personal strengths play in the performance of the team as a whole. Although the team’s win-loss record isn’t where it wants it to be, the team has developed a close-knit bond. Claire added, “On weekends, we all travel to East Los Angeles College for extra practice, than after we all always go out to eat. We have, embarrassingly, a group chat that never stops ringing!” Claire also remembers the lasting good memories that the team has made, “During our second game, our mixed duo, Sharie Kuo and Brandon Chang, was playing. They both went for the birdie, and Brandon got to it first, but snapped Sharie’s racket in half in the process! Another memorable time was when Max Li hit the birdie so hard that the birdie got stuck in the netting in the racket!” Overall, the Varsity Badminton team is determined to improve and try its best for the rest of its season. AHS wishes all players good luck on their endeavors! tchhay@apachepowwow.com

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Boys Golf on Par with League Opponents By JUSTIN CUN Staff Writer

Our Boys Varsity Golf team started off strong this season with a 195-205 victory against San Marino High School. The team is famous for being one the most prestigious squads on campus, and members surely hope to keep that title. The golf team itself has its own strengths and weaknesses that are comparable to all other teams on campus. “We have well-rounded players, and although golf is generally an individual sport, we have players who constantly strive to be the best,”

shared junior Douglass Nguyen. The team’s strengths lie primarily upon individual skill, while its weaknesses lie in the team as a whole. Douglass continued, ”Since golf is more so an individual sport, [as a team], it isn’t as close as the other teams on campus such as basketball and football.” Boys Varsity Golf has played four games so far into the season against various teams such as Crescenta Valley (CV), Burroughs, Burbank, and Pasadena, while tying comparatively close to these teams in terms of scoring. In order to claim victory and a definite spot in CIF,

Boys Varsity Golf has progressively enhanced its performance and conditioning from the very start of the season. Surprisingly, the team has become even more diligent after its recent loss against a prominent rival, CV. Edward Wu, one of the few freshmen on the team, explained, “Our practices are somewhat straightforward and have been pretty consistent throughout the season. We would often practice on the range and work on areas around the golf course that we have had struggles in.” Losing never seems to disrupt the team’s atmosphere, but instead

grants it an experience to reflect on. In other words, Douglass showcased, “Instead of bawling over a loss, we’ve learned to take that loss as a sort of learning curve. If the course was too difficult, we would practice at that particular course. If our shots were too off, we would practice more on the range.” There is no way to change the fact that there can only be one winner in a game. However, the way to go about these difficulties is learning from the mistakes presented in a game and using them as learning experiences. As well as the team’s strengths

and weaknesses, the team’s goals also relate to those of other athletic teams on campus. More specifically, Arcadia wishes to improve more as team and earn a spot in CIF. Although it’s a very ambitious goal, the team is often characterized as very persistent and determined, which can easily result in success. Boys Varsity Golf has truly demonstrated its well-known traits, and success never seems too far from reality for this team. jcun@apachepowwow.com

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