June/July 2013

2

NEWS

Smartest Cities

By BEN GEISBERG

apachepowwow.com

Instagrammaholic or Vine Loyalist?

By ROY ZHANG

Staff Writer Staff Writer

There are many cities known for many things: San Francisco for its fog, Denver for its altitude, Chicago for its wind, and Seattle for its rain. But now, several cities, all of them small college towns, may have something else to add to their list of accomplishments: smartest cities in America. There have been lists like these out before, with cities such as Boston, Seattle, and San Francisco topping the lists. However, this new study, conducted by the training site Lumos Labs, which runs Luminosity.com, tests citiizens of these towns with assessments that test speed, attention, flexibility, memory, and problem solving. So, without further ado, here are the 10 smartest cities in America: #1: Princeton, New Jersey #2: Storrs-Manfield, Connecticut #3: Evanston, Illinois #4: Cambridge, Massachusetts #5: La Jolla, California #6: Amherst, Massachusetts #7: West Lafayette, Indiana #8: Ithaca, New York #9: Davis, California Although the tests may seem simple, the methodology used to determine these rankings based on test scores is much more complex. First, participants must participate in at least one of the aforementioned five assessments, which gave the research an initial pool of 3,385,648 people between the ages of 15 to 85 years old. Once the tests were conducted, the scores were normalized and compiled into percentiles for men and women as well as percentiles that compensated the effects of age.

Compensating for age eliminated bias for different cities based on age effectively leveled out the playing field for “young” and “old” cities. In addition to all of this, there was work done to determine the geographical areas of the different participants in the study, as well as the averages for different age groups and cities. In the end, Lumos Labs came out with lists for different metropolitan areas and cities, based on the average scores of participants, which can be divided up and viewed based on age group and how well participants did in the tests. Californian cities sat in rankings all over the place, but the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim area sits in the 309th place for smartest metropolitan area.

bgeisberg@apachepowwow.com

Photo courtesy of TRIPADVISOR.COM

Mock Issue 2013

The launch of Instagram’s brand new video functionality—laced with image stabilization and their renowned filters—brought up an obvious question: “What’s going to happen

to Vine?” Several people speculated that with Instagram’s already vast 130 million user base, Vine would slowly wither away and become nothing more than a fading memory. This was where the arguments began to rise.

Because Instagram’s current user base towers over Vine’s 13 million, the potential audience is great, but, undeniably, some people don’t bother playing the new videos. Vine is more quick-fire, with auto-play and video looping. At a glance, Instagram’s video function and Vine seem like parallels of each other—a simple way to share short videos. But with further inspection the differences become clear: comparing Instagram to Vine is like comparing apples to oranges.

The time you are given for each app has a striking difference: 6 seconds versus 15 seconds. “Vine’s users have utilized video looping to make 6 seconds of video into something much more amazing than one could imagine possible,” said social media expert Gary Vaynerchuck. Instagram’s 15 seconds allows users to convey a story in a very simple way, and this is where Instagram and Vine truly become apples to oranges. These apps both share short videos, but in very different ways. “Vine requires one to carefully plan their stories out, with each video precisely scripted and articulated,” described Amit Lavi, the marketing director at Slidely. Instagram, however, is more spontaneous—you see something you want to share a video of, and you do it.

The bottom line is that both apps are capable of flourishing because they offer very different actions and meet different needs. Certain people will pop up and be successful in one or the other; it’s the same concept as how some people are good at Facebook statuses while others are better on Twitter posts. Of course there are some who can be good at both Facebook and Twitter, or Instagram and Vine, which brings up the idea that user base is not the only thing that determines the app’s success.

Twitter has a great fondness of bolstering its ad platform, since it is a major source of revenue, which says a lot about Vine since it is owned by Twitter. Instagram will most likely follow suit. There is no doubt that it will

crave the same marketing success that Vine has achieved. With its recent adoption of hash-tags and integration with its parent website (Facebook), it’s a tough bet against this eventuality.

So in this regard, Vine and Instagram are no doubt competitors. Although user base plays a much more important role in each app’s success, ad revenue could also contribute to their success.

Vine has satisfied all the video-sharing addicts, feeding their craving of snackable videosharing before apps like Instagram could give it to them. With that being said, Instagram will no doubt slow Vine’s growth to an extent. It has the ability to glamorize videos with filters and even lends a helping hand to stabilize the videos. The result of this social media battle can only be told with time, so as we wait, just grab a bucket of popcorn. There are plenty of Instagram and Vine videos to wade through.

rzhang@apachepowwow.com

Photos courtesy of VERTICALNETWORKING.NET and KRCTV.COM

Dangerously Serious Teen Dramas education. The goal of bystander intervention is to teach students how to spot and prevent relationship violence. It could be as simple as encouraging a friend to talk face-to-face with his or her partner instead of avoiding the problem.

“Bystander intervention gives everyone a role to play in preventing relationship violence,”

“Safe Date” education have reported significantly less physical and sexual dating violence. “It Staff Writer takes more than classroom education to change Nathaniel Fujita was not pleased about cultural norms,” Professor Banyard noted. breaking up with his long-term girlfriend, Lau“It starts first by acknowledging that datren Astley, especially when they were both a ing violence is a community problem, [and then] few weeks away from graduating Wayland High analyzing risk factors and talking about them,” School in Massachusetts. He became resaid Professor Emily Rothman, an associclusive, antisocial, and shied away from ate of Boston University’s School of Pubhis friends at school. However, Lauren, lic Health. “Research shows that parents who was known for being caring, disare less likely to talk to children about datcussed the situation with her friends ing abuse than school, drugs, alcohol, the and decided that she should reach out to economy, even dating and sex in general... him. After a couple of weeks, Nathandespite the fact that it’s just as prevalent iel finally agreed to meet her on July 3, as frequent cigarette smoking and driving 2011. while drunk. That needs to change.”

The next day, Lauren’s corpse was “The problem is [that] we look at discovered in a marsh five miles from incidents like these as random acts of craWayland. Nathaniel had strangled her ziness instead of as dating violence.” she with a bungee cord, repeatedly stabbed said of Lauren’s death. To the public eye, her and sliced her throat. Lauren’s body this was a case of obvious dating violence. was disposed at a nature preserve he had However, Nathaniel’s parents did not see it learned about in science class. that way. To them, their son was afflicted Nathaniel was accused of firstwith mental illness and that he killed Laudegree murder in March of the follow- TEEN DRAMAS When tensions between teens rise, the ren during a panicky “crisis”. ing year and was sentenced to life in consequences can sometimes be deadly.

Because of this tragedy, high schools prison. This event shocked the U.S., as Wayland said University of New Hampshire psychology in Massachusetts have stepped up their dating was known to be a serene American community professor Victoria Banyard. “Chances are, you abuse programs. where “things like this aren’t supposed to hap- have a friend, brother, sister or neighbor who “Schools can’t afford to wait until the pen.” Town members were left pondering what will be affected by relationship violence. [But] next tragedy,” Patrick Tutweiler, the principal they could have done to prevent it. the question is, how good of a friend, brother, at Wayland High, said. “All schools should be Similar questions about what could have sister or neighbor are you going to be?” doing this. It’s an important part of students’ been done differently arose from similar cases in Since the incident, many schools across the education.”

Steubenville, Ohio, and in Torrington, Connecti- country have upped their programs that teach mhuang@apachepowwow.com cut. The Steubenville case especially stimulated about substance abuse, sex, and dating violence. discussion around the importance of bystander Statistics show that adolescents receiving the Photo courtesy of JSON.ORG

By MICHELLE HUANG

Mock Issue 2013

powwownews@gmail.com

Gay Marriage Legalized in California

By ERIC CHO Staff Writer

On June 26, the Supreme Court legalized gay marriage in California with a final vote of 5-4, leaving gay-rights activists around the world elated over their latest milestone.

While the Supreme Court’s decision will add yet another provocative flair to an already controversial topic, gay couples in California will receive federal benefits along with the right to legally marry one another.

“The federal statute is invalid, for no legitimate purpose that overcomes the purpose and effect to disparage and injure those whom the state, by its marriage laws, sought to protect in personhood and dignity,” Justice Anthony Kennedy explained. “By seeking to displace this protection and treating those persons as living in marriages less respected than others, the federal statute is in violation of the Fifth Amendment.”

Regardless, Supreme Court members along with

government officials refused to provide further justification regarding the constitutional basis for bypassing the law, satisfying supporters nevertheless.

With California as the newest addition, 13 states across the U.S. now allow gay marriage— roughly 30 percent of the country.

Despite being enthusiastically received by lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender, supporters around the world, the Supreme Court’s ruling on gay marriage stirred a multitude of arguments among thousands, including several conservative religious figures.

In an ominous article attacking the issue, Bishop Harry Jackson asserted that such marriages will lead to “terrible suffering” for children of such couples.

Bishop Jackson, an individual who had spoken out against gay-marriage legalization in the past, justified himself, explaining that “the looser we make the definition of marriage, the fewer people will feel bound to its obligations and constraints. And while broken relationships can hurt adults, they can destroy children.”

While others may state otherwise, a recent Gallup poll showed that at least

Editors

47% of Americans today share similar beliefs with individuals like Bishop Jackson on same-sex marriages. As a result, nearly two-thirds of the U.S. population, or 219 million people, continue to live in states where gay marriage is illegal, and instead have laws banning it.

While thousands continue to oppose the legalization of gay-rights, California—a major state—now supports gay marriage as a whole. With both Delaware and Minnesota also in the process of legalizing gay marriage, activists around the world now lie in a state of joy and excitement over their latest achievement and what’s to come. echo@apachepowwow.com

Photos courtesy of CRWFLAGS.COM, JAMEALLEN.COM, and TELEFLORA.COM,

were professionals, but we were not rich,” stated Rizvi. “America gave that opportunity for us all.”

If you turn onto East Walnut Drive Over the years, Rizvi was able to in Rowland Heights, you will see a blue open up several kidney dialysis centers. dome in the sky. As you approach this He was able to donate a six-figure sum seemingly “random” dome, you will noto the project. tice a large building supporting it.

Before the old mosque—a sigThis is the Islamic Center of San nificantly smaller building—was torn Gabriel Valley, also called Masjid Quba. down, prayers would be held there.

Masjid, the Arabic word for Mosque, is Saturday School, Sunday School, where the Muslim peoand Quran Academy (a class held ple go to worship. to teach children how to correctly The Islamic Center read the Quran, the Islamic holy of San Gabriel Valley, book) all took place in the old or ICSGV, is one of the structure as well. many new centers of When the new building was worship for Muslims in done and it was time to build the area. New mosques a parking lot, prayers, classes, have also opened in Misand meetings were all moved to sion Viejo, Anaheim, a small, rented space across the Irvine, and Rancho Custreet. Now, however, all mosque camonga, to name a few. NEW CONSTRUCTION The newly constructed mosque activities will be centered in the Before 9/11, large displays the efforts of the Muslim community. new center. mosques were funded by foreigners. Mas- men donated supplies and their services to Although the majority of the jid Omar, near USC, was funded by the help reduce the cost of the new Masjid. mosques in the United States are alLibyans. Similarly, in Culver City, King Shakeel Syed mentioned that many ready existing structures, a few, like the Fahad Mosque was raised by the Saudis. Muslims have risen to success over the last Islamic Center of San Gabriel Valley, Unlike these mosques, however, ICSGV few decades, and they feel it is appropriate are new buildings that show how the has been funded entirely by local Mus- to give back to their community.

Muslim community’s efforts have paid lims.

Dr. Arif Rizvi, ICSGV’s president, off.

The executive director of the Islamic is an example of a successful Muslim. He Shura Council of Southern California, came to the US from Pakistan in 1975, humerani@apachepowwow.com Photos courtesy of FLICKR.COM Shakeel Syed, stated that after 9/11, the clutching a single suitcase and $7,500. “We Staff Writer

Muslim people began to be more reluctant about accepting foreign help. He also said that the Muslim community thought it best to develop its own funding.

The Muslim community held up its commitment to self-funding. The women at Masjid Quba held a fashion show that raised $100,000. Several members of the mosque donated large amounts of money: anywhere from $100,000 to $500,000. Skilled crafts-

3

t s a f f

Community Effort Pays Off

By HAFSAH UMERANI

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

Christopher Cho and Vanessa Yu Ariana Arzani Katrina Chao and Terri Shi Kelly Ching and Erika Zheng Elaine Chung and Amelia Jin Lily Ling and Stanley Shiau Daniel Jenn and Victoria Yu Allan Gao and Zachary Yee Amanda Huynh and Helen Lee Mya Ho Kristie Sun Josh Bay Deedee Chuang, Dana Jee, and Shawn Xing Megan Hong Daniel Jenn and Helen Lee Jonathan Matsumoto Yoko Chan, Belinda Shoung, and Belle Zheng

Writers News Staff

Opinion Staff

Performing Arts Staff

Student Life Staff

Features Staff

Sports Staff

Academics Staff

Calendar Staff

Campus Focus Staff Center Spread Staff Advertisement Staff

Photo Staff Copy Editing Staff

Adviser

Eric Cho, Ben Geisberg, Michelle Gu, Michelle Huang, Andy Lu, Donna Sayphraraj, Justin Tang, Hafsah Umerani, Roy Zhang Lillian Chen, Eric Cho, Lauren Frank, Michelle Liu, Tiffany Liu, Andy Lu, Shirley Lu, Neven Wang-Tomic Eric Chen, Carolyn Hsu, Celine Lee, Eileen Lee, Elisha Lee, Donna Sayphraraj, Katrina Villacisneros, Ethan Zhu Eric Chen, Chelsea Cheng, Simone Chu, Hubert Co, Alegna Gnay, Carolyn Hsu, Michelle Huang, Kimberly Lo, Andy Lu, Briana Shen, Charles Xu Lillian Chen, Simone Chu, Angela He, Andy Lu, Cristian Nalbandian, Briana Shen, Justin Tang, Hafsah Umerani , Charles Xu Billy Bonney, Maddie Bruce, Chelsea Cheng, Hubert Co, Rose Li, Melody Lin, Allison Stevenson, Justin Tang, Brendan Tran, Charles Xu Simone Chu, Tiffany Liu, Kimberly Lo, Andy Lu, Christina Read, Donna Sayphraraj, Justin Tang, Flora Ung, Jessica Wang Lillian Chen, Michelle Gu, Angela He, Elisha Lee, Rose Li, Andrew Lim, Belinda Shoung, Emily Tong Briana Shen Kelly Ching, Shirley Lu Billy Bonney, Eric Chen, Lauren Frank, Johnson Hui, Melody Lin, Michelle Liu, Shirley Lu, Emily Tong, Flora Ung, Katrina Villacisneros, Madeleine Wang, Charles Xu, Ethan Zhu Maddie Bruce, Kylie Cole, Deedee Chuang, Celine Lee, Stanley Shaw, Roy Zhang Katrina Chao, Lillian Chen, Simone Chu, Hubert Co, Kylie Cole, Michelle Gu, Rose Li, Melody Lin, Kimberly Lo, Andy Lu, Christina Read, Briana Shen, Terri Shi, Hafsah Umerani, Madeleine Wang 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.

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4

OPINION

By TIFFANY LIU

apachepowwow.com

Mock Issue 2013

The New Generation of Professionals Staff Writer

Money is everywhere, and people can get it in many different ways. Why do parents hope for their children to be doctors, lawyers, or some other profession that requires years of schooling? They are stable jobs that provide good income, and through hard work and a positive mindset, having a job in the medical profession or as a business owner is a possibility, a possibility bigger than becoming a wellknown and popular celebrity. The chances of that are probably one in a billion, that is if you can’t act, sing, or dance.

Even if you can dance or act really well in your circle of friends, there are thousands of other people who can do the same. No amount of studying or book smarts can get someone on the big screen. To be known around the country requires a hefty mixture of both luck and talent.

As society progresses, especially on the Internet, a new profession has opened up.

YouTube is a site where literally anyone with a computer and camera can upload videos.

Popular channels on YouTube like Smosh, Nigahiga, JennaMarbles, Pewdiepie, etc. make well over $100,000 a year. But what do

By MICHELLE LIU

they do? They aren’t doctors or lawyers. They haven’t toiled through years of medical school or law school. They just have personalities everyone likes. Some may say that it’s unfair for them to earn that much money, but they make us laugh with their creativity. Their funny videos matter and they deserve what they make since it is not an easy job. As YouTube continues to grow, it becomes harder for people to be popular. Although what doctors and engineers

something new. It takes much personality and a decent camera to gain as many subscribers as they do. When YouTube was starting out in 2005, even 200,000 subscribers was impressive. But over the years, the new high has become ten million, and it only keeps increasing. YouTube invites these popular channels in and offers a certain amount of money for each view. But if one video every week brings in millions of views, that adds up to a huge

do are necessities to our lives, entertainers have their roles too. Many popular channels on YouTube do not operate on a high budget, but find success and enjoyment in creating in the comfort of their own homes. Many channels are known for their vlogs as well as creative skits that they come up with on a regular basis.

Other YouTubers may try to integrate education into their videos. Still more may upload videos on makeup, food, songs, covers, or just plain craziness. These videos are a source of relief and may make us laugh, cry, or learn

amount of money. What they initially started out with when making videos was never for the money, since back then, an actual job on YouTube didn’t exist. Now, people are able to actually gain money for doing what they love most. It can be a relaxing job with hours set up by themselves and the freedom to do anything.

Coffee break? Sure. Bathroom break? Okay.

Random Disneyland trip? Yes. They are not necessarily restrained by a boss, except maybe their conscience and subscribers telling them to make more videos, but nothing really holds

them back. Even though YouTubers do not usually save lives or design buildings, what they do is respectable since they truly enjoy the job, and at times there are things we can learn from. We look forward to all their videos as many fans support their channels with one like, favorite, and subscription at a time. tliu@apachepowwow.com

Graphics courtesy of YOUTUBE.COM

A World Uniformed in Uniform Staff Writer

We Americans are known for our “freedom of expression”, but is that right being exercised in society today?

Striding through the hallways, driving around town, or walking aimlessly in the mall brings us face to face with the same brands, style, and color, over and over again. The loss of individualism isn’t just prevalent in society, but in our own closets as well. We’re the farthest thing from being ourselves when we make that decision every morning to throw on the same clothes as everyone else. Rather than wearing what we feel the most comfortable in, we still find ourselves reaching for that name brand top or jeans. But why?

It’s a natural tendency for us to want to fit in, to be included and accepted wherever we go. Over time, people have turned to clothes

as an outlet for fitting in–a key to being wellliked, essentially. We find ourselves sporting similar dresses and shirts and pants. Heck, even our shoes are the same.

Unfortunately, the necessity of wearing similar clothes has become some sort of unspoken rule among the incoming classes.

You’re considered an “outsider” for not sticking to the current trend, whether it be skinn y jeans or flo- ral shorts, muted colors or neon colors. Students can feel pressured to abide by this style in order to fit in, especially during the transition from middle school to high school. When all your peers graduate from Hollister to Forever 21, it’s easier to just make the same jump rather than stick out, es-

pecially in a new school or situation. But this means that one opportunity to express who we are has already been locked tight and thrown away, and we haven’t even had the chance to find our own niche in school.

Finding acceptance through clothes isn’t necessarily a negative thing–after all, some gain confidence by fitting in, giving them the ability to show off their talents and express themselves in other venues.

Wearing similar styles won’t keep you from being the next virtuoso or artistic muse. It’s also one less decision we have to make each morning, and one less obstacle we have to surpass to make it through our day.

It’s convenient. And in some situations, wearing the same clothes and blending in makes it easier for people to focus on another task. It’s just like how our athletic teams all wear the same uniforms, enabling them to easily identify themselves as a team in order to make that pass and score the winning goal.

But an athletic team is different from us

students in our day to day lives. Those of us who have to decide between individuality and conformity should not even have to make this choice in the first place. Imaginary rules are exactly what they are–imaginary–and should not dictate what is socially acceptable and what is not. Sure, you might like what the current style is, but just

in a

don’t be afraid to be your nerdy, hipster, preppy, rebel self.

Then maybe one day we can stand out as our very own individuals, instead of feeling the need to identify ourselves withcrowd. mliu@apachepowwow.com

Graphics courtesy of FOREVER21.COM

Mock Issue 2013

theopinionsection@gmail.com

The ADD Generation

By NEVEN WANG-TOMIC

Staff Writer

Let’s face it, we are in a world of multitasking. Everywhere we go there is something new commanding our attention, and instead of taking one thing at a time, we often choose to take in multiple things at once. We are constantly being confronted by screens: phones, computers, tablets, and televisions, often all at the same time. With the almost ubiquitous presence of growing technology, it’s no wonder that we have been labeled the Attention Deficit Disorder generation. Along with this access to so much information and entertainment, we’ve began doing more and more in less time, but is this necessarily a good thing? There’s no doubt that having access to a virtually unlimited database of information has incredible benefits, but there is also no doubt that it takes a toll, namely on our ability to focus and work.

It seems that wherever I go the exact same pattern repeats- at restaurants, schools, and parks, I see kids and adults alike glued to their phones. I understand that I probably sound like a cantankerous technophobic, so don’t get me wrong, I love the ability to access the internet on my phone from anywhere, but perhaps in our crusade to keep up with bad NBA referees or the newest trends we have gone a bit too far. As a result, our

OPINION

society has begun to suffer from an inability to focus and enjoy or finish one thing at a time. We see this all the time when it comes to school work, intermittently shifting between that seven page English essay and Facebook, or that science presentation and the new season of Psych. We cannot ignore the fact that we simply lack the patience to do one thing at a time, and we have lost a lot of our abilities at finishing things efficiently and enjoyably.

We have also lost the enjoyment of being in the moment, of taking in our surroundings every once and awhile. Sure, maybe being stuck in the middle of nowhere on a singlelane road going endlessly in one direction validates our desire to engross ourselves in our screens, but maybe, just maybe, by putting away our phones or turning off our TV screens, we’ll be able to better take in our surroundings, notice things we wouldn’t or have never seen otherwise, and ultimately enjoy ourselves more.

And perhaps by simply making an active effort to focus on one thing at a time, whether it be playing an instrument, preparing for a test, or even writing a newspaper article, we’ll be able to produce better results faster, and enjoy it all the more. nwang-tomic@apachepowwow.com

Graphics courtesy of CARTOONCLIPARTS.COM

Getting Out of Our Slump

By TIFFANY LIU

Staff Writer

I think that failing is fine. In fact, all of us should fail at some time in our lives just to get the taste of that bitterness knowing that we could not accomplish something. It’s a horrible feeling to have. like someone kicking you right in the gut, but nothing you did could have prevented it. But the one important thing after failing is the ability to get right back up.

Instead of staying in a slump, depressed about our troubles in life, people should instead regain their self confidence and try again. They shouldn’t try the same thing since that would lead to another episode of failure, but rather try something new. We can’t always succeed and there will be times where we have a long streak of successes, but when all of a sudden, a big, sad failure can block our way. At school, some of our annoying “failures” may include getting an 88.9% in a class, or getting your first C or D grade on a test as a normally A+ student. These setbacks bring our confidence way down, as we can no longer brag about our streak of high scores. There maybe also times when we succeed and actually look brightly on our scores, but what determines that success also depends on what others have gotten. If in a class a person gets a 90%, but everyone else gets 100%, he or she no longer feel as happy about his or her score. Compared to everyone else, he or she is the worst. Even if 90% is a high score that others usually vouch for, because they have a score lower than everyone else, it just feels like a smack in the face.

After that, they should probably not study anymore and lose their confidence as their hopes of ever reaching their goals diminish. But no, while it is hard to gain back a sense of will to do better, perfect scores won’t necessarily help us achieve our biggest goals in life. The willingness to try again and again, with

results throwing you back down, is what will push us to our goals.

Perfection is nice, but what happens after you achieve perfection?

No more goals or interests can move you. Our confidence is one of the most important things when we are trying to do well in anything, be it taking a test, designing the best car, or coming up with a delicious new recipe. At school, we have little failures. Failures are failures either way and most of the time we can’t control them.

Results show us our efforts, although they may not always be accurate. Even if we try our hardest at accomplishing something, we may inevitably fail. Many authors in their early days go through this feeling of depression knowing that so many publishers have rejected their manuscripts. One popular author, Stephen King, wrote about his struggles with his family as his profession, writing, could not initially support them. Instead, he became a teacher, and wrote on the side. Many popular books today may have been rejected countless times, with publishers indirectly telling them “Why are you writing? This sucks and you should go do something else with your time.” But the hardest thing is to go up to yet another publisher and say “read this”. No matter how long it takes, or how many rejects these writers have, they just can’t give up. Writing makes them happy and no amount of rejects can stop them. They may submit a manuscript to no end until they find that one publisher that will publish their writing. Like these writers, gaining success in life is difficult, not that it is impossible to succeed, but that there are so many things telling us we can’t do this or we can’t do that. Rather than forget about your failures, understand that each time we fail, we know where we can improve. Always look forward to that next time because who knows, maybe we’ll succeed. tliu@apachepowwow.com

Graphic courtesy of PETITLEMBLOG.COM

5

This Summer, I’m Going To...

By LAUREN FRANK

Staff Writer

I love summertime—theoretically, that is. There is no doubt in my mind that it is liberating, being free from the confinements of school, having no pressure to keep up grades for six different classes and no rigid schedules to dictate when I can or can’t have fun. Throughout the year, pressures pile on and student life becomes stressful for everyone. And constantly, during those grueling times, I always find myself looking forward to summer. There are dreams that form in my head that I allow myself to wander off to during all that talk of S ATs and finals, colleges and the future. I look to the summer and think “when I get out of school, I’m just going to relax. I’m going to do so many things to ‘find’ myself and go on an amazing spiritual journey to know what I want to do.” Or sometimes it’ll be a thought like “I’m going to go cliff diving and skydiving and travel by myself!” whenever I feel like I’m trapped in a dangerously boring routine. I make goal after goal after goal, making the word “summer” synonymous with “living the dream”. It holds so much promise and hope that the list of things to do just piles up. It gets me through the stressful days and excites me even more on the fun days, promising a surplus amount of thrilling experiences in the near future. For that alone, I love summertime.

Yet somehow, every year when I break out of school, the same thing happens: nothing. Year after year, hope after dream, I can’t escape doing nothing but watch reruns of Looney Toons in the morning, rewatching my favorite Joss Whedon shows and movies, reading occasional sci-fi, fantasy series, and overall just being a couch potato.

And I’m not alone. I can find the video game addicts, int er net junkies, and b e d worshippers witho u t even trying.

Of

course, there are those days that crawl forward, when the timing’s right, that allow me to hang out with my friends. Even then, though, we do the same things. Where is the excitement? What happened to living the dream?

It’s as simple as this: we fall into habit. It’s just easy and natural to do what we know, especially when it comes to trying new things. With so much promised time, the idea of finally making this summer one to remember slips by and slowly ebbs into just what it always was: empty promises that were meant to get us through the school year. Without those dreams, I would have fallen to a brainless, mindless worker without excitement and joy. When the end of the summer comes around, though, the disappointment sets in and I start all over again. “Next summer, for sure, I’m going to…” lfrank@apachepowwow.com

Graphics courtesy of OPENCLIPART.ORG

6

OPINION

apachepowwow.com

Productive Summer

By LILLIAN CHEN

Staff Writer

So, it’s the summer once more. You hear the occasional congratulations to someone who was accepted into a summer program at Harvard. You notice some people already making plans to go to Europe over the summer for a unique environment to learn and grow in. And of course, you hear your parents barking down on you to do this or that, because, well, that’s what guarantees you a certain university.

All these wonderful achievements and experiences that our fellow classmates, and maybe ourselves, are working towards this summer are truly amazing. No matter what you do, whether it is a summer job, or preparation for standardized tests, you are making a difference for yourself this summer. A productive summer is what many of us hope for. However, no matter what your parents or anyone may tell you, there is no steadfast rule to what is “productive”.

Perhaps a better way of saying this is that you cannot judge someone’s success based on what they do over the summer, nor can something over the summer guarantee any success. A summer internship will not transform your innocent self into a responsible mature adult, nor will you suddenly gain the mindset and magic powers to be accepted into top private schools. After all, summer in-

By NEVEN WANG-TOMIC

ternships are not advertised as “making high school kids mature” or “95% success rate into Stanford”. Students, especially upperclassmen jump at the opportunity of summer break to enroll in the most prosperous and exciting internships. Whether they are attracted to it for the similarities of the working world or because it is a means of adding glam to their college resumes, everyone gets different results from their experiences. Those who hear about these experiences are free to assume that the internship successfully turned the intern’s personality 360 degrees, but I’m here to dispel the rumors. These unique summers should be to enhance the student, not transform them.

That’s not to discourage anyone from applying for future internships or taking adventures in South America or anything unique of the sort. Having those special experiences is something great, and you can choose what you want to make out of them. However, expecting something you are involved in to immediately bring success is flawed thinking. Individual growth can be achieved in any type of excursion or activity; it’s not restricted to certain types of programs or procedures. With this in mind, make sure that you keep close to heart the fact that being “productive” and successful depends on what you make out of your own opportunities, not the stat-boosting for college applications. lchen@apachepowwow.com

Mock Issue 2013

Who Cares?

By NEVEN WANG-TOMIC

Staff Writer

As long as there have been schools, there have been students asking, “Why am I learning this?” Admit it, at some point during your eight plus years as a student you’ve spouted this out; I’m sure we all have. Working in a biomedical lab this summer, I’ve just now begun to understand how painfully accurate this is. Truthfully, the work I’m doing requires a relatively small amount of specific scientific knowledge, just an understanding of membrane behavior and chemical reactivity, around a mere five percent of what most of us learn in our high school science courses.

So c’mon, who really cares? Why is it important that we know the date the Chinese Exclusion Act was passed? Who cares about the difference between a sine wave and a cosine wave? Why do we have to learn two-thousand vocabulary words for the SAT? That’s just asinine…or is it? Well, when it’s 2:00 in the morning the day before the math final that you’ve just started studying for, it’s easy to complain and dismiss seemingly unimportant knowledge, but when we do this, we are completely missing the point. No, we’ll probably never have use of many of the specific things we learn in school, but that isn’t the reason we learn them. The real usefulness is in something called indirect learning, which is the process of learning something by learning something

completely unrelated.

As funny as it sounds, learning the date the Battle of Antietam occurred doesn’t really matter, it’s the skills we indirectly gain from learning these things that really matter. Math makes us smarter, science makes us more rational, history makes us wiser, and English makes us better communicators. Even the process of studying itself teaches us things; it teaches us how to be diligent and how to complete something effectively. These skills are far more invaluable than the specific things we learn. Anyone can learn the process of cellular respiration at any given time, but it takes years upon years to develop a strong sense of rationale, logic, or communication. You see, these sorts of things have helped me immensely as an intern. My ability to think through a problem or to propose an explanation to a result has helped me progress in my research. Honestly, no, you probably won’t need ninety percent of the specific things you learn in high school to do a job well, but it’s the skills we learn indirectly that make all the difference. After all, isn’t the main purpose of school to prepare us for adult life, to give us the skills and abilities to survive as adults in a given career? If, along the way, we are required to memorize historical dates or learn obscure multivariable calculus, well, all the more power to us. nwang-tomic@apachepowwow.com Graphic courtesy of YOURMEMES.

Instant Gratification is for the Weak Staff Writer

The Powerball Lottery is one of the most popular lotteries in the United States, and it’s not hard to see why. It’s notorious for paying out ludicrous sums of money, clearly evidenced by the current grand prize which is sitting at a comfy $60,000,000. With that sort of payout, it’s understandable why many people spend money to try their luck. But what are their chances anyways? Well, as it turns out, the chance of winning the Powerball Lottery grand prize is 1 in 175,223,510.00. You have a higher chance of being struck by lightning twice than winning the lottery.

So then why do we even bother spending money on these things?

Why does society love to buy lottery tickets, enter raffles, pull the lever, and roll the die when we’re almost statistically guaranteed to lose money, when it’s better to just work for our own rewards? The answer is in our love for instant gratification. Ever since we were children, we’ve always wanted things sooner rather than later. We learned that the cookie now is better than the cookie later, and that the toy is more fun the earlier you get it. Now there’s nothing inherently wrong in this, but the problem arises when we all too often choose instant gratification over a better

reward later. Although we may not realize it, we do this all the time. Every time we push off school work in favor of our favorite TV show, or decide to spend a day vegetating instead of doing something more meaningful, we allow our innate desire for instant gratification to win. This isn’t a problem if it’s only an occasional occurrence; every one of us has days when all we feel like doing is plopping down and watching four seasons of How I Met Your Mother. The issue comes about when this becomes a regular pattern. We begin to lose focus as we turn to easy “feel good” activities and reject things that require time and effort.

However, the fact of the matter is, most accomplishments require time and effort.

Goals such as shortening your mile time or getting that promotion cannot be achieved immediately; they must be worked on again and again in order to be finally reached. When we prioritize instant gratification over long-term goals we begin to lose sight of the milestones we want to reach. Thus, mundane and simple pleasures begin to dominate our life, while true accomplishments slowly fade away. At its worst instant gratification can actually impede long-term progress.

We’ve all had moments

when indulging in a bucket of ice cream is our sole desire, but that desire ultimately hurts us.

Unfortunately, this sort of prioritization has become an incredibly widespread problem, one that many of us fall under without even realizing it.

So sure, surfing TV channels whilst eating a pint of ice cream sounds a lot more entertaining than studying. But the effects of this mindset can be very consequential. Remember how you wanted to learn to cook? Yeah might as well forget about that.

How about that goal to lose 50 pounds? Good luck. Or how about that promise you made to yourself about getting a 4.0?

Who cares, the new season of Breaking Bad just came out.

Look, I’m not saying that it’s wrong to enjoy yourself, but imagine how much more we could achieve if we just spent a little more time working towards a goal instead of indulging our instant gratifications addiction. In the end, the rewarding feeling of nailing that soufflé, watching the scale shave off fifteen digits, or looking over a full column of ‘A’s, will be infinitely more satisfying. After all, life is short, but it’s not that short. nwang-tomic@apachepowwow.com Photo courtesy of STRANGERRUSH.COM

May/June 2013

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FEATURES

By CHARLES XU

apachepowwow.com

Barbecue Safety Tips

Staff Writer

Summer is the time for vacations, hot weather, and most importantly, barbecues.

Mostly everyone loves the smell of ribs grilling and chatting with friends, but many dangers are presented during a barbecue. According to ABC News, 7,000 Americans are injured and over 3,000 homes are burned down during backyard barbecues each year. To have a safe and enjoyable grilling session with friends and family, follow these safety tips.

When preparing for a barbecue, remember to have a fire extinguisher handy and know how to use it correctly. Cleaning the grill is crucial because grease and food buildup on the bottom of the grill may result in a fire hazard. Additionally, if the grill uses propane, use the bubble test to check for potential gas leaks. Fill a spray bottle with dish washing solution and water, then spray the hose and other connections.

Any bubble that appears signifies a gas leak in the hose that must be patched or replaced. Other things to look for in a propane tank are heavy rust, dents, or greenishorange corrosion. Another step on the checklist for propane grills is to see if the flames are blue. Yellow flames suggest clogged air inlets

or burners that need adjusting. Finally, never turn on the gas when the lid is closed. This action causes a gas buildup inside the grill so when the lid is opened, a fireball erupts.

The placement of the grill is also essential for safety. Keeping the grill more than ten feet away from the house prevents the home from burning in case of an accident. Moreover, do not barbecue in an insufficiently ventilated area as grills release carbon monoxide, a poisonous gas. Decorations should be placed away from the grill as the materials in these aesthetics are extremely flammable.

Grills are not the only danger during a barbecue because poorly prepared food may also lead to

food poisoning. One rule of preparing food is to separate raw meat from ready-to-eat food.

Tools and utensils that have touched raw food should be washed or set apart, too. During a barbecue, a food thermometer would be especially handy to bring with you to check if everything is cooked at 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

Food left out in the sun for over an hour must be thrown away, so remember to put poultry, fruit, and vegetables in the refrigerator.

Barbecues during the summer are delicious, but without the proper safety measures, a grill can burn down a house and harm people. Following these safety tips will protect your family and friends from any accidents so you can enjoy your grilling session!

cxu@apachepowwow.com

Graphics courtesy of AUCKBAD.COM, COLLIDER.COM, ECLIPART.COM, EMOVIECLIPS. COM, and PUTERDR.HUBPAGES.COM

Shortcuts to Success—Driver’s Edition

By LILLIAN CHEN

Staff Writer

Every 15 or 16-year-old knows that they are eligible to take on the responsibility of adults with the ability to drive. Specifically, it’s the ability to get a permit and eventually be able to drive with a license after at least six months. Some of us will jump at the opportunity to get all the paperwork and testing done in the summer for the ability to drive before senior year sets in. However, there are still a couple of us who continue to slack off and procrastinate for this simple issue. Summer is the ideal window for driver’s education and completing steps that prevent you from taking a literal crash course lesson on the road and eventually taking the driver’s test. Here are some tips to make your learning experience easy: 1. Apply for a permit. This seems obvious, but there are a couple of steps you need to complete before getting a permit. You need to complete a Drivers License or Identification Card Application and have your parent or guardian sign it, present an acceptable birth date and proof of legal presence document (i.e. American birth certificate or passport), prove that you have completed driver’s ed, and pass the written test. This seems like s o many steps! However, what you need to really worry about is the driver’s ed and written test. Driver’s ed can be completed at school or online. Online driver’s ed is usually cheaper, usually costing around $20 total for the course and the mailing of your certificate of completion. The written test is also fairly easy, testing on speed limits in certain regions as well as signs and simple rules on the road.

2. Find time to practice. This is why I say that summer is the ideal time to work on driving. Most people have more time in the summer than in the school year, and this allows for time to slowly practice and get used to driving on the streets, getting accustomed to how the car moves in relation to your movements.

3. Find a place to practice. Well, now that you have the time, where should you practice? My number one suggestion: do not practice in the streets of Arcadia. Residential areas with little to no traffic are great for practice, but you do not want to venture out into busy streets like Baldwin or Duarte right from the start. People do not practice perfect driving etiquette, and without the experience to quickly recognize what is going on and adapt to the situation, you can get into serious trouble out on the road. Another place you may want to avoid is Pasadena. Pasadena is busier than Arcadia, and the streets there are usually jammed with traffic or restricted with construction or one-way signs.

Somewhere with more empty streets, like parts of El Monte, would be a good place to slowly drive.

These are some suggestions for your driving experience! Although some of these steps are generalized, they should provide an adequate outline and inform some of you what is required for starting out on the road.

Good luck with your adventures on the road this summer! lchen@apachepowwow.com

Graphics courtesy of CLKER.COM, INTERNATIONALACADEMYOFDRIVING.COM, and123RF.COM

Mock Issue 2013

“Modern” Classics

By HAFSAH UMERANI Staff Writer

Alice, Snow White, Cinderella... The list of fantasy characters could go on for hundreds of papers. They used to be classics, stories that we could read and revel in. Now, they are overused and, in some cases, sickening to hear.

These last few years have shown a great increase in the recycling of classic stories.

Once Upon a Time, Oz: The Great and Powerful, and Enchanted are a few examples of reused stories. These are all clever retellings of old narratives based on myth and spauned from the need for entertainment.

Billboards show that retellings are coming up everywhere. These will be undoubtedly very amusing, especially with the modern technology and twists incorporated into the storylines. However, the lack of an original plot line is becoming overwhelmingly common.

This recycling of tales could be a sign that more people today are interested in old folklores. Unfortunately, it could also be a sign that people are unwilling to accept new plots.

Fairy tales aren’t the only stories being reused. Adventure movies often have identical plots. A simple summary would be a sufficient covering of most action movies. The guy finds out he is somehow destined to save the world, he goes and sees this/these person/ people who help him with finding out his destiny. Mix in a pretty girl (or guy, if the girl is the heroine), a few betrayals and; voila!

There’s a mixture brimming with adventure.

See what I mean? Even if the plot above isn’t exactly the storyline of every single adventure movie, it’s still the main backbone of the entire action/adventure genre. TV shows and movies generally include this structure.

The only difference is that TV shows will have a significant number of extra scenes and a few more scandals and betrayals.

So, don’t be afraid! If you are tired (like I am) of seeing the same plot shown over and over under different titles, then step up and do something about it. Within all of us is the potential to be the next writer of the next best TV show. All we have to do is tap into that inner self. It may sound hard, but every interest is worth exploring. Your love for a certain topic might change the whole world.

This may sound extremely cliché, but we are the next generation. We shouldn’t be afraid of changing old traditions and making new breakthroughs. Who knows? Maybe one day our generation will be known as “The Golden Age of TV Show Plotlines”.

humerani@apachepowwow.com

Graphic courtesy of FOURPARKSONEWORLD.COM

Mock Issue 2013

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FEATURES

Not-So-New Movies

By BRIANA SHEN

9 Staff Writer

His uneasy expression worries the audience. He searches his surroundings for anything useful in his current predicament. With only one second left on the clock, he dismounts the bomb, saving the day and the unbelievably beautiful heroine. They kiss intensely and the lights turn back on, leaving the audience grumbling and displeased, wishing that they had a refund.

As the temperatures continue to soar, students find refuge at movie theaters to cool off from the heat. They anticipate the opening of the upcoming action flick and yearn to see the newest romantic comedy. These new movies would be promising—if only they weren’t dominated by one too many classic movie clichés.

2. Action Every action movie manages to have a car chase scene that looks too perfectly executed to even happen in real life. Then the bashed up vehicle, which should’ve already been broken, is still functional until it meets its untimely death—a car explosion. If movies have secret agents, they always have cool gadgets, which is so high tech that it’s unreal. When the hero is tied up, he seems to always have a hidden gadget that will allow him to escape oh-so-fashionably. Then the villain finally catches the hero, but never kills him 1. Romance outright and gloats by giving away all his plans and evil wrong3. Fantasy Those silly love triangles, squares, and even pentagons are the doings. Perfectly predictable. If only life were ever this exciting.

Magic wands, superpowers, and mystic potions. It essences of romance movies. Hate them or love them, they’re alhas all been done, and maybe overdone. The hero hapways there. Of course, the scriptwriters will try to make the story pens to be the “chosen one,” with a crazy destiny he has slightly less cheesy by messing around with the plotline. It really to fulfill. He usually has an insignificant family history makes you wonder how many handsome guys would be willing to to make the audience pity the character…when in realfight over that one girl…but then there’s always a vampire or wereity we pity the writers for coming up with yet another unwolf just dying to get involved. Then her genius plan is to have a original storyline. When the hero finally figures out that baby with a vampire and wait for the werewolf to fall in love with he has to save the world, an old mentor pops out to guide their baby. In those movies, when being in love becomes difficult, him past his struggles. What happened to learning from one character always tries to leave without notice, and the other mistakes? It’s something the writers need to learn as well. desperately chases behind. Classic move, so classic that it’s boring.

Even a stellar cast cannot save a movie from having a dull script. The elements that used to rack in huge box offices may have run their courses. Hopefully Hollywood will learn to stop stuffing their movies with bland storylines and clichés so that audiences can finally watch something refreshing for a change. But as the saying goes, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” bshen@apachepowwow.com

Graphics courtesy of CC-SD.EDU, MANILOVEFILMS.COM, RGBSTOCK.COM, and TUMBLR.COM

Useful Google Chrome Extension

By ANDY LU

Staff Writer

Google Chrome, now so widely used by many, was created merely five years ago. Not only has it provided a fast and smooth browsing experience, making Internet Explorer antiquated, Google Chrome also created a satisfactory user interphase with various application and extensions. On the Google Chrome web store, users can find a myriad of apps ranging from games to utilities and extensions that help enhance their browsing experiences. Drawn away by games, people can easily overlook the extensions that Chrome offers. Extensions, as insignificant as they might appear, can improve one’s browsing experience significantly and allow room for personalization for the most optimum experience.

Are you ever annoyed by the flashing advertisements that appears on the side when you are reading Sparknotes summary and trying to concentrate?

What about the new windows that pop up in your face trying to sell low prizes whenever you click on something. Thanks to AdBlock, there should be no more worries in seeing irritating advertisements. AdBlock can block any advertisement on the web, including Y o u Tube advertisements t h a t prevent you from watching

a video or listening to a song. Providing such great benefit to users, AdBlock can be deemed the most popular extension on Chrome. However, despite its widespread popularity, a looming legality issue against the act of blocking advertising is brewing, as advertisements are the main income that maintains many websites. Despite the battle between advertisers and “ad blockers,” AdBlock is legal, so cherish the extension while it lasts.

Another extension that could suit Facebook addicts’ needs is the “StayFocusd” addon. This extension helps anybody that cannot restrain themselves from checking Facebook or any other website every five minutes whenever they are doing work. This poor concentration is the cause for procrastination and pointless

all-nighters.

This typical teenage behavior can easily be avoided by installi n g StayFocusd. StayFocusd gives users the option of blocking any website that is hindering them from completing their work.

Once the lockdown begins, there is no way to waste any more time until the time expires. Incoming junior Justin Yeh exclaimed “StayFocusd is the secret to getting straight A’s,” claiming that this simple extension has changed the course of his life from a severely distracted middle school student into one who is extremely concentrated while doing his school work. If there are difficulties staying focused on doing homework, feel free to try this great extension out. It might even change your life!

Google Chrome, already deemed the best of all browsers, can be brilliantly optimized to suit your personal preference with its handy, little extensions. The above two extensions described are only a few of the many useful add-ons that are overlooked by many users. With the right combination of extensions, one can bring browsing to a whole new level. alu@apachepowwow.com

Graphics courtesy of LOGOBIRD.COM, MAKEUSEOF.COM, and TECHNGAMING.COM

Draw My Life

By JUSTIN TANG Staff Writer

I’m sure we’ve all played “Draw My Thing” at some point before, spending hours and hours sending drawings back and forth with our friends. The game was taken to a whole new level when “Draw my Thing”, the iOS app version, was released to let us take the entertainment everywhere we went. Little did we know, this extremely entertaining game would lead to even more entertainment in the long run.

In early January, Draw My Life was introduced as an Internet meme that originated on YouTube, where YouTubers would draw on a whiteboard while narrating their lives.

What’s inspiring about this is that each Youtuber has his or her own story to tell. YouTubers like Ryan Higa, Swoozie, Michelle Phan, Jenna Marbles, Anthony Padilla, and Peter Chao have all inspired others with their stories and may have changed lives. None of us would’ve thought that any of our favorite YouTubers were bullied as teens, but truth be told, most of them were. Bullying is still an ongoing problem to this day and their stories encourage others to step up and do something.

On top of the all-so inspiring stories, Draw My Life has also become an Internet sensation because we get to learn so much about our Internet celebrities. Before, we would only get glimpses of their personal lives from the videos they put out on a regular basis. With the new Draw My Life trend, YouTubers can reach out to an audience with their own experiences and adventures. jtang@apachepowwow.com

Graphics courtesy of LEHHIGH.EDU and YOUTUBE.COM

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May/June 2013

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STUDENT LIFE

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Good Ways to Beat the Summer Heat

By ANDY LU Staff Writer

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only time to swim without the need to worry about grades.” Not only is the pool able to cool people off, it can also be a way to relax and forget about the school work looming over us at the beginning of the school year. The pool can also be filled with toys and water noodles that could lead to an interesting water fight. However, one thing people should still be concerned with is putting on sunscreen a n y time they are outdoors.

The sun might not feel burning when you are enjoying the pool, but your skin will suffer the painful sunburn later. Nevertheless, whenever it is feeling really hot, feel free to jump into the soothing, cool water at home or simply take a cold shower.

Another way to stay cool is to go out with friends, either to the mall with free air condi-

tioning or to the beach enjoying the lapping waves. The mall provides a variety of entertainment such as shopping and movies, both situated within comfortable temperatures. Incoming junior Amanda Cheng considers the mall to be a fundamental key in getting through the tortures of summer. “I can just spend the entire day at Santa Anita with my friends, and it’ll seem like only an hour because the time passes by so quickly. We like to walk around the entire place and window shop, and maybe even catch a new release at AMC. I spend a lot, but it’s worth it.”

Getting cold drinks and ice cream could also be desirable during the hottest times of the day. If shopping gets too mundane, partying at the beach is another fun option. Scuba diving, fishing, surfing, and listening to the sound of the waves while watching the sunset makes beautiful memories of summer.

Even though summer can be painful with the extremely hot weather, being stuck in an air conditioned room just makes it even more unbearable. Instead, go somewhere that does not involve staying in the sun and just chill out this summer. Remember, it is important to rest up and have fun before the school year starts again. alu@apachepowwow.com

--

In the midst of summer and its scorching hot weather, students might be wondering about ways to beat the summer heat.

There are many different things people can do to cool off, and all they require is a little bit of creative thinking.

Many people might sit in an air conditioned room and play games or watch television, but why bother when they can have fun outside while not getting fried? The most common solution is to jump into the cool pool water and just chill out with your friends and family. Another option would be to go shopping at the mall and buy some ice cream. Even though summer may be excruciating for some people with its in-

tensely high temperatures, seeking refuge from the heat while getting the most out of the two month free time is easy.

Summer is the best time to have pool parties with family and friends. Incoming junior Justin Yeh said that he “loves summer for being the

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Zombie Blood Run: There is No Mud, Only Blood

By CHARLES XU Staff Writer

Halloween may be months away, but if you are craving blood, guts, and a scare, come to the Zombie Blood Run which will take place at 9:00 a.m. on August 17 in the Santa Anita Park. This terrifying event will be a 1.5 mile run through a zombie infested obstacle course full of surprises and scares. Tickets are $80.00 for runners, $45.00 for zombies, and $10.00 for spectators. After completing this course, nothing will scare you during Halloween! Here is a complete guide of the course and what to do in order to survive.

As participants check into the course, they will receive a bib with a number, a flag belt, three flags, and a numbered wristband. During the race, like in flag football, zombies will try to pull your flags off. These flags represent health, so finishing the course with at least one

flag still attached means you survived the zombie assault. While running through the course, participants may also encounter health packs containing flags. The only rule with these additional flags is that an individual can only have a maximum of three flags.

During this chill-inducing run, many obstacles will slow you down. The Intestine Climb is an example in which racers make their way across bloody tires.

Another feature in this course is the Biohazard Foam where individuals wade through the bubbles and run from the undead. In addition to these obstructions is the Zombie Sewer. This sewer will be brimming with rats and zombies lurking in the darkness. One of the most disgusting obstacles in this 1.5 mile run is the Body Parts Disposal section. Participants must drudge through a tank filled with organs and zombie waste. Then to add on to the terror, the Barbed Wire Alley will be there. This feature forces competitors to crawl under barricades and observe the missing limbs and organs of people who didn’t make it to the other side. Something that will keep hearts throbbing is the Insect Encounter. This area demands players to crawl through an abundance of giant centipedes, cockroaches, and spiders. The last challenge participants will encounter is the Skeleton Climb which consists of mutated skeletons shooting toxic liquid, as individuals climb through the area. Together, these obstacles give racers the ultimate thrill and scare that even

Halloween can’t match!

If participants do not want to run from zombies, they can join the undead! For the low price of $45.00, individuals can dress up as a zombie beforehand or have makeup artists transform them into one of the infected. The living dead in the blood run can play the role of a chaser, crawler, stumbler, or zombie with the main goal of spreading the virus by taking the flags of humans. To add onto the fun, zombie performers can also become a runner after their shift for a discounted price of $30.00!

Not only is the Zombie Blood Run enjoyable, but participants can also get their exercise. With 1.5 miles of sprinting, crawling, and climbing, racers will receive an intense workout, which begs the question: Why participate in an ordinary run when you can battle your way through blood and the undead? cxu@apachepowwow.com

Graphics courtesy of ZOMBIEBLOODRUN.COM and TWITTER.COM

Mock Issue 2013

Student Team

By KIMBERLY LO

Staff Writer

Everyone has his or her personal quirks. Distinctive habits and mannerisms are what make people different. In the entire world, no two people are identical in every single way. They make a person the individual he or she is. What are some of AHS students’ quirks?

Now and then, a person develops a habit unconciously until it becomes natural for him or her. “I like to be messy but I know where everything is,” said incoming junior Derek Lee. With others, some habits are carried out instinctively. “I run my tongue over my teeth when I am bored and I scratch my face without knowing it,” said incoming freshman Sally Zhu. Quirks can also be habits related to speech. Incoming freshman Ryan Fong said, “If you call talking to oneself a quirk, I guess that applies.” A quirk can be how one tends to react to something. “One quirk that I notice that I have is that I tend to laugh at the most random things,” said incoming freshman Derina Chou.

After a long time, daily actions can turn out to be quirks. Incoming freshman Clarice Kwan said, “I always wear my right shoe before my left, and I always wear my pants before my shirt.” With repetition, everyday actions can become second-nature actions for a person. Incoming senior Kelly Chang said, “I procrastinate, smell random things, and scratch random scabs. I have a habit of cracking my left big toe and right ankle. Also, although I remember to clip my fingernails, I forget to clip my toenails.”

A quirk can be what a person likes to do as a hobby. Everyone has different preferences on how to spend his or her free time. Incoming freshman Ryan Kong said, “I like to build things, draw, or do anything that includes making things from other things.” Hobbies can lead to the development of great skills. They can also just be pure entertainment. “I like reading books, especially fiction, romance, and mystery novels,” said incoming sophomore Namie Costa. Reading books is a wonderful way for Namie to pass the time in hot weather.

Incoming junior Ryan Su said, “I guess my main characteristic would be that I usually take life easily. I am the polar opposite of serious. Some of my hobbies are to sleep and to play basketball, volleyball, and soccer.” In addition, quirks can be what a person likes or dislikes. Incoming freshman Keri Fang said, “I love Pokémon and I hate Radio Disney. I like to collect paperclips.”

Quirks are what make you yourself.

Whether they are characteristics, hobbies, or skills, cherish your quirks and be proud of who you are. You may even meet someone with the same interests. What are some of your quirks? klo@apachepowwow.com

Graphics courtesy of CLKER.COM and TUMBLR.COM

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Mock Issue 2013

STUDENT LIFE

Hot Go-To Places to Check Out Over Vacation

By BRIANA SHEN

Staff Writer

With the heat blazing to extreme degrees, students are busy cooling themselves off and having fun in the sun. It seems like no one can focus on trying to prep for college or taking SAT classes. He or she would much rather chill with family and friends than stay home and waiting to be roasted by Southern California’s high temperatures. So what are some fun places that students like to hangout during the summer?

The Santa Anita Mall is close to home and popular among AHS students. It has plenty of restaurants, a theater, and a variety clothing stores which definitely attract teens. Best of all, it has free air conditioning that won’t rack up the monthly electricity bill. Incoming junior Andrew Wu commented, “For the most part, my friends

Cool Desserts to Cool Off With

By ERIC CHEN

Staff Writer

Summer in Southern California is like living in a hot spring. Everyone is desperately finding ways to try and cool off. With summer still on the line, people look to sweet refreshing desserts to give their bodies a break.

Incoming sophomore Vincent Song looks to eating ice cream as a way of cooling off.

“Since ice cream is the coolest and most convenient snack I can afford, I love it,” commented Vincent. “I don’t know what I’d do without ice cream. Now that I think about it, I would have just fainted on the first day of summer.” Vincent definitely survives summer with the help of ice cream.

Incoming junior Cato Ma looks forward to eating steak to cool off in the summertime.

When asked why, he replied, “Eating steak gives me a wonderful feeling inside because I love the taste of beef. A lot of people think that eating steak will leave me dead in the summer, but it actually cools me off and helps me calm down.”

Incoming sophomore Jeffrey Wang looks to eating fried chicken, eating watermelon, and drinking Kool-Aid to cool off in the summer. “I love eating fried chicken because it’s filling and it helps me assimilate into the African American culture,” said Jeffrey. “Watermelon and Kool-Aid just help me cool off. They are my favorite fruit and drink.”

Everyone has his or her own opinions on what he or she likes to eat to cool off in the summer; anything from ice cream to fried chicken can help. With the heat blazing hotter than ever, students look to their favorite snacks to keep refreshed, whether it’s by physically or mentally experiencing it. echen@apachepowwow.com

and I watch movies at AMC and occasionally go to Dave and Busters and play games in the arcade.” As long as the mall is still open to the public, it will always remain a top hangout spot for teens.

Eating out and having an afternoon snack is another great way to catch up with friends over the summer. Incoming junior Justine Hsiao shared, “I love going to Teabar Starry with my best friend, because we live near the store so we always walk there together. I usually order black tea with boba since it’s light and simple.

If we’re hungry enough we’d split popcorn chicken and fries.” Chowing on great food and having someone to share it with makes room for delightful conversation. As for Justine and her best friend, it’s usually about “guys, school, or celebrities, so pretty much anything that comes to mind.”

When staying cooped up indoors becomes unbearable, students imagine all the fun they could be having outdoors. But incoming sophomore Breanna Qin isn’t imagining them, she’s experiencing it. The alluring waves at Santa Monica Beach are only part of its glory. Breanna claimed, “The best part of going to Santa Monica is shopping with friends at the 3rd Street Promenade. It has decent prices and awesome food.” Shopping, friends, and food make

a perfect combination that girls find hard to pass up. Near the outdoor stores, the pier also attracts Breanna with its carnival games and famous Ferris wheel. Sightseeing and shopping are two past times that she loves, so Breanna believes that the beach is a great spot to visit over break.

Frequenting amusement parks in the summer is extremely satisfying, but cooling off at theme parks can be even more enjoyable. Incoming freshman Lindsey Young remembered, “I had an awesome time last year at Raging Waters, and I’m planning to go again this year with my friends.” Splashing around at Raging Waters keeps her refreshed but also allows her to spend time with friends. She decided that her “idea of an amazing summer involves riding Neptune’s Fury,” a thrilling ride with a painstakingly long drop.

For those who have been trooping through tedious summer school and SAT

13

classes, a quick break at an swesome hangout may be the perfect cure. After being cooped up in a classroom for hours on end, why not just sacrifice a few dollars and visit the nearest eatery or shopping center? Take the time that you have after all the homework and tests, and give your mind and body a break.

As summer nears an end, students take every opportunity they can to enjoy summer by hanging out with their friends. They keep their favorite spots in mind by making plans to spend time there during the summer. After working hard during the school year, take advantage of summer break to play hard and have fun. When the school year starts, there may not be as much time for such things.

bshen@apachepowwow.com

Photos courtesy of DONESLINE.COM

Celebrity Obsessions: The True Hollywood Story

By CHELSEA CHENG

Staff Writer

Do you obsess over the hottest celebrities, such as Mila Kunis or Dave Franco? If so, get ready to be the number one ultimate fan of some celebrity favorites.

Students from all grade levels adore their favorite celebs.

Some crazed fans have collectibles and items from their favorite famous people.

Others, however, enjoy their celebrity’s personalities, talents, or attractive qualities.

Marvel Comics could be a great inspiration for fans. Incoming freshman Claire Sung believes that Robert Downey Jr. is her favorite actor.

“I like Robert Downey Jr. because he has a cool personality and plays the part of Iron Man. Iron Man is smart, sarcastic, and can understand the use of his technology.”

One Direction has become a hit ever since it first started. Directioners all over the world believe that One Direction is their inspiration and life. Incoming freshman Jennifer Li adores

Niall Horan from One Direction. “He deserves his talent and he actually worked for where he is today.” Incoming freshman Jessica Guo said that her favorite celebrity is Harry Styles. “Harry once spent his day off in Los Angeles and spent $3,000 buying Domino’s pizza for homeless people,” she claimed.

Ever since “Blue Jeans” and “Video Games” became a hit, Lana Del Rey has written numerous songs, such as “Born To Die”. Lana’s fans adore her unique voice and her personality. “Lana Del Rey is my favorite celebrity because she isn’t afraid to be different and doesn’t care about what others think about her. She just focuses on what makes her happy, which is her music,” incoming junior Ashley Yan said.

Anyone a Pink fan? Incoming freshman Megan Shen said, “Well....she’s awesome. I like how are her songs are realistic in life. I mean, no life is a perfect fantasy. She usually sings about the real things in life. Like the real deal. Not the fairy tale.”

Love Australians that are multi-talented and blonde? Cody Simpson became a teen hit when he was discovered on YouTube

by Shawn Campbell, a Grammy-nominated record producer.

“Cody Simpson. Not only is he talented in singing, he can also dance, play several instruments, surf, and can swim very well. He is really sweet and cares about his fans. In addition, he is really attractive and is a gentleman,” incoming sophomore Victoria Cheng said.

According to incoming freshman Jeremy

Santos, celebrities can be normal people. Jennifer Lawrence played the part of Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games and Tiffany in Silver Linings Playbook, having won an Oscar for the latter role. “She is my favorite celebrity because she is very normal. There’s always stories about her saying that she tripped while going to accept an award or that she freaked out when meeting her favorite actor. Lawrence does things that a normal person would do and she’s not like Justin Bieber, who makes [questionable choices] and pretends to be someone else,” Jeremy explained.

Unlike most of her peers, incoming sophomore Mindy Kim admires a man who reached stardom in the business world. Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, is a man “with a whole lot of influence, yet he never lets himself forget his old ways, even with his billions of dollars,” she explained.

Apaches love their favorite celebrities in different ways. Whether the celebrity has a good personality or is compassionate toward others, students look up to their favorite celebrities as role models or dream lovers, who is your favorite celebrity? ccheng@apachepowwow.com

Photos courtesy of PEOPLE.COM, IMDB.COM, and CAMBIO.COM

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HERE COMES

Photos courtesy of ARTFIRE.COM, FREYSMLIES.COM, and ONLYPOSITIVE.NET

apachepowwow.com

Mock Issue 2013

Mock Issue 2013

THE SUN

centerspread.powwow@gmail.com

By SHIRLEY LIU Your schedule won’t be empty by the time you finish reading.

The dollar signs signify the costliness of each activity. $ = $5 to $10 $$ = $10 to $20 $$$ = $20 to $30

Staff Writer

1. Sing Your Heart Out: $$$ Karaoke with your friends at Energy Karaoke, located on Valley Boulevard! With about 15 different karaoke rooms, Energy Karaoke is a great place for parties both large and small. Though karaoke is a little bit on the pricey side, happy hour (from 4:00 to 9:00 p.m. on Mondays through Thursdays, and 2:30 to 8:00 p.m. the rest of the week) is a steal because you pay $16 per person for the whole session and a drink! Energy Karaoke has a wide selection of songs to choose from, and the machine is very easy to use, even for the technologically challenged. The best part is you get to belt your heart out in the privacy of your own room. For a bold night out, go to Energy Karaoke to feel like a rock star. Reservations are required to ensure rooms.

2. Stroll N’ Roll: $ Stroll at the Glendale Galleria, and then roll at the Moonlight Rollerway roller rink! With over a hundred different stores and boutiques to choose from, it is almost impossible to get through all of them in one day. After circling around in the mall, go across the street and get some fresh air at the Americana, an outdoor shopping area surrounding a beautiful fountain. Within a walking distance of three blocks from the mall is the groovy roller rink, a 70’s themed indoor roller skating rink. Prices per person range between $6.50 to $8.75 with rentals included—that’s a great steal! The DJ knows how to pump up the crowd by playing classics and starting games, creating a warm and friendly atmosphere. You come to find that the bang really is worth the buck.

3. Picnic & Show: $$ Choose from the many restaurant options on the strip of Old Town Monrovia (Myrtle Ave), and take out your food to the lawn behind the Monrovia Public Library where you’ll find free live music from different bands! Free performances are every Sunday night from July 7 to Aug. 25 at 7:00 to 8:30 PM. Each performance, the music style is different: one night, it could be jazz, and another night, it could be country. Bring a picnic sheet or sleeping bag, and listen to the music while you watch the sunset. Not done with the night yet? Walk over to the Krikorian Theater located on Myrtle Avenue and watch a movie. Show your student ID and get a discount on tickets. What a great way to conclude your week!

4. Visit the Aquarium! $$$ Located right next to the beach, Aquarium of the Pacific is a great way to keep cool and sheltered from the beating sun. Home to many exotic sea creatures, the aquarium has a manta ray pool where you can pet the rays and even sharks on select days. Typically the price for general admission is around $26 per person, but if you go during the discounted “late nights” from 5:00 to 8:30 p.m., tickets are a whopping $11 cheaper! After visiting the aquarium, relax on the beach or head to the shopping square and soak in the summer sun.

sliu@apachepowwow.com

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PERFORMING ARTS

apachepowwow.com

July 2013

Welcoming a New PA Generation ing season.

Band and Colorguard are not the only groups that are working hard this summer to prep for their upcoming events. Pep squad has started off their summer with practices starting from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. by practic-

practices in the summer so far; however, the new participants of both of Orchestra and Dance Staff Writer are definitely excited for upcoming bonding AHS is known for is excellent Performevents and music camp. Incoming Freshman ing Arts (PA) groups ranging from the famous Leann Lu stated, “I’m looking forward to new Marching Band to the advanced Orchesis Dance friends and a new environment to bond.” Many Company. These groups are of the Orchestra returners are welcoming its new particialso excited to meet their new pants and all of the incomaddition to the Orchestra faming freshmen with their own ily. Junior cellist Ryan Luu special way. stated, “I’m looking forward The new marching seato seeing the passion and talent son has already begun by that the new members bring.” introducing its new players Incoming Dance members are with New Marcher’s camp working hard individually on and Band has started its maintaining their skills to prep weekly sectionals. Our new for this upcoming school year.

Drum Major, senior Alex The incoming members Weisz, said that he is lookof the PA groups are starting ing forward to a new group their summer training hard for of dedicated and hardworkupcoming events and compeing individuals who contitions. Many are excited for stantly seek improvement. the upcoming events and what Practicing along side with this upcoming school year has Band, Colorguard members in store for them. BOCC and have also started their sumPep Squad really unites and mer off by learning their brings AHS together like a routines and they also learned dif- A NEW GENERATION PA welcomes both new and re- family. All united through sharing ferent workouts to stay in shape turning members for yet another fantastic year in the arts! the same interests and for the love during the summer. of performing.Ipienderia dolupta Freshmen that are in either Band or Colo- ing their routine. Freshman Samantha Beltran inctem quam qui aliatemquis aditionseres.Ro guard said that practices are tiresome and gru- said, “There’s lots of hard work and dedication berfers piendis dolupta ssitiatiis verupta pe net eling due to the blazing summer sun and the being part of the Cheer team.” Even though preptatust quibus ex enihit. humid air. However, most are excited and are Cheer still hasn’t decided on a leader yet and looking forward to upcoming bonding events, with Song only has one returner, the entire Pep clee@apachepowwow.com practices, and parades. With its newcomers all Squad is working hard to keep up its success Photo courtesy of RONALD LEE fired up and ready to go, Band and Colorguard they had in the past years.

Graphics courtesy of FREEGREATPICTURE. COM are off to a good start for their upcoming marchOrchestra and Dance did not have any

By CELINE LEE

Brancing Out at Band Camp

By ELISHA LEE Staff Writer

You know summer is slowly reaching its peak when the much anticipated Music Camp comes around and takes place on Aug. 18 to 23. Every year, Music Camp for Band and Colorguard, will be held at Idyllwild Pines Camp, while Choir and Orchestra’s will be held at Camp Maranatha. From an outsider’s point of view, Camp seems to be all fun and games, but unlike what most think, they spend quite some time rehearsing or marching. From 8:00 a.m. to 11:45 a.m., they will have sectionals, then after a short lunch break, they go back to practicing for another one and a half hours.

Band member junior Jessika Hua shared her experiences from previous years saying that she “thought constant rehearsals were tiring, but everyone got to bond and know each other better.”

Sore feet and fingers were inevitable, but that was what led Band, Orchestra, Colorguard, (BOC) and Choir to be so successful.

Without strengthening techniques and postures, how would they improve each and every passing year? Section leaders made sure to pick out each imperfection and morphed each member into professionals. Each detail was counted, because for those who do not know, those tiny details that most disregard are essential to a successful performance.

Despite the difficult rehearsals, Jessika also mentioned that “there were really fun events and the food wasn’t all to bad as well.

[Her] most memorable event was the night time activities, [they] had game night, skit night, dance night, and unity night.” But her all time favorite event at Music Camp was “when the seniors dressed [underclassmen] up for breakfast.” Orchestra member junior Mina Chua added “some seniors dressed their underclassmen cutely, while others went with embarrassing.” Mina had some creative cabin seniors though because they dressed her and her cabin mates up as One Direction; Mina was Harry Styles.”

Although Music Camp’s schedule may become a little bit tedious, all the BOC and Choir members got to bond and establish a more amicable relationship. There might still be a while until Music Camp, but many new and returning members are excited to see what fresh activities and practices they will have this year. Band member sophomore Alden Zheng “anticipates another exciting week at Music Camp because [he] really enjoyed last year’s.” Good luck newcomers, and have fun returning members! Optat quaeptatem quamusd aeprovid ut velest utectur mintem faccus non rem volupti berrorp orestia dolut ipicit et que nihit ut fuga. Epelique nectur,Rest ut ea consequid quis desti core enis am fuga. Ulpa consequi to b. elee@apachepowwow.com

Graphic courtesy of WEBCLIPART. ABOUT.COM

A Whole New Song: Four New Members

By EILEEN LEE Staff Writer

would meet up at school during the day, and start with warm ups that eventually lead on to challenging routines. The training can be harder for newcomers, because they require learning

Once again performing outstandingly, Song team ended the year of 2012 in great success. To keep up the amazing work, members are spending their summer practicing new choreographies and dance routines. The team has faced its turning point with a few changes for the upcoming season.

Song team is currently expecting three incoming sophomores, a freshman, and only one returning member, junior Kelly Tea. Unfortunately, two sophomores had to quit for personal reasons; due to graduation, Song Team had also lost two of its most talented seniors. WELCOMENEW MEMBERS Being the only junior and Song makes way for yet another experienced member, she year with four new members! was automatically nominated as the Team Captain. The team is now basic techniques and stretches to be prepared. heavily dependent on Kelly, since she is not Sophomore Emily Lin said, “The practices were only the oldest member who has better judg- pretty tough, but they were interesting. I got to ment, but also the sole instructor. experience new skills. I try to find them more The group members are working hard this enjoyable so I feel motivated to do better. The s u m m e r by practicing new choreography stretches aren’t that bad once you get the hang a l o n g with basic dance moves. They of it,” said Emily. She added, “Since I am new,

I will practice harder. I am willing to do whatever it takes.” Emily is truly determined for the upcoming year, and she hopes the team will make further accomplishments.

Because they have high expectations, performing to the school for the first time can be tough for most newcomers. However, with such dedication and hard work put into their performance, there is no doubt that Song will be successful in 2 0 1 3 .

Ota- t u r , temquaspic te volore rae.

Nam audit est assunt, nos expellate nonsequ atiamet audae niminusaes sum coris et es et quas que nimpel idest, occuscitae.

Iquame vellorem ut occum faceaqu assinum, simust, ut de eaquam aut ab ipidebitiur antur? At officta simust, et, sim quid qui occae etus, occus. Iquame vellorem ut occum faceaqu assinum, simust, ut de eaquam aut ab ipidebitiur antur? elee@apachepowwow.com Photos by PERSON

July 2013

performingarts@apachepowwow.com

By ERIC CHEN

PERFORMING ARTS Singing in Chanteurs

Star of the Show

By KATRINA VILLACISNEROS Staff Writer

Arcadia is known for its excellent efficiency in the performing arts category. Recently, senior Anthony Nappier won first for his performance in the Drowsy Chaperone at the Pantages Theatre. The prize was an all-paid trip to Broadway in New York for the national competition. Winners in New York will receive scholarship money. With the big screen on the line, Anthony Nappier traveled to New York to continue his acting competition. Anthony has attended a memorable four years at Arcadia and everyone wishes him the best of luck in the future.

“I’ve known Anthony since we were little,” incoming sophomore Meghan Pender said, “And it’s great to have seen him develop his acting potential. Great things are headed his way, and I hope he continues his acting in the future.” Meghan has been a part of the Drama Crew and deeply admires Anthony’s acting talent.

Anthony had to give up playing on the football team before he fully dedicated his time and heart into drama. He stated, “I felt like I was winning a Tony. I got up there and I was hoping to hear my name and then I hear my name and then I’m like...did that just happen?”

Incoming junior Dana Hsiang commented, “I’ve known Anthony for a while now and I am really proud of his success. He exemplifies true dedication and passion to what he does. I hope he will pursue his passion of acting in the future. Good Luck Anthony!”

Anthony’s drama teacher, Steven Volpe, also expresses his love for Anthony’s work. “He shows up everyday with a smile on his face, and always seems to cheer everyone up. He is one of the greatest kids I’ve ever known. I wish the best of luck to him on Broadway, and I really hope he will continue acting the way he does.”

A STAR IS CREATED

echen@apachepowwow.com

“I felt lke I was winning a Tony... I hear my name and I’m like..did that just happen?”

Graphics courtesy of MYCUTEGRAPHICS.COM Photos courtesy of NAME

Donna’s Colorguard article

By DONNA SAYPHRARAJ

Staff Writer

Arcadia High School’s Colorguard is known for its extravagant performances and wonderful technique. This summer, they continue to work hard to prepare for the upcoming school year.

Colorguard’s practice schedule is intense; the members do grueling workouts every time they train. Vanessa Tse, Team Captain, informed Pow Wow that at the beginning of practice, team members go through dance practice to warm up and stretch. After that, they spin flags and break off into weapons practice, which they have just begun.

In order for Colorguard to stay fit this summer, Vanessa said “We condition. We stretch a lot and do ab workouts.” They also do side workouts and dance exercises across the field. Judging from the hard work, Colorguard will most definitely excel this year.

In addition, the team is also learning positions with Band and everything else they need to know for field show in preparation for the upcoming season.

Colorguard will attend band camp with other Performing Arts (PA) groups late this summer. Vanessa said “We have practice spots with the band and we are going to music camp with the rest of the PA people.”

The captain said freshmen adapted to the hard practices very quickly. Tse said it was the quickest she had ever seen freshmen learn colorguard routines; she said “They’re doing really well it is the best I’ve seen in incoming freshmen. We usually don’t learn weapons yet but this year we’re going really fast.” Incoming freshman Gabbi Guo, said, “We learn stuff really fast.”

Many freshmen say that colorguard practice is hard and tiring. When asked about it, incoming freshman Lorraine Lee said “ they’re really tiring but worth it,” and incoming freshman Madeline King said “really long” when asked about the duration of practice.

Even though these workouts are difficult, freshmen tend to enjoy them. Incoming freshman Tiffany Wong, said, “it’s very fun. It’s intense but it’s fun,” and incoming freshman Michelle Hu said, “It’s tiring but really fun.”

Moreover, many of them attribute to the kindness of older Colorguard members. Incoming freshman Ruth Lee said, “All the captains are really nice.”

With all the practice time team members are putting in, there is no doubt AHS Color-

17

guard will once again impress all of us this year.Ihit renihicit omnihit atquam volorep tibus.

Uptasim aximolu picatem pedigni hiliatium inimint, optas aut et ipsus, il et fugia dolorum si dolorepudae dolut lauta invelestia atur molor sit, cum nus resseri orenis nis doloresentem is dolupti onsecul l u -

WHOOOOOOOO GOING TO INSERT SOME GRAPHIC/PHOTOS/PEOPLE IN THIS GENERAL AREA, NOT AN ACTUAL GRAPHIC :)

dsayphraraj@apachepowwow.com

Photo courtesy of PERSON Graphics courtesy of SITE.COM

Staff Writer

Chanteurs is the right group for students who enjoy performing for others.

Whether it’s participating in school assemblies or the annual May Show, Chanteur members always put on a great show.

In order to prepare for those performances, Chanteurs and other Choir groups from AHS are invited to attend the summer Music Camp. The purpose of Music Camp is to promote unity among the Performing Arts groups. It also gives them a head start in the upcoming year’s rigorous training. During Music Camp, singers practice various vocal techniques and learn new dance routines. Chanteur President senior Justine Hung excitedly shared how their “choreographer comes and teach a couple of practice routines.”

They also “do warm-ups, such as scales and matching pitch, before [they] sing.”

Incoming member senior Brittney Dang worked her way through her high school career in order to get in the program.

She explained how she is “very excited and is really looking forward to another year of choir.” She knows that there are going to be “some challenges along the way” but with a positive attitude and the right mind set, she “can overcome those obstacles and just have a fun year.” It’s not all fun and games however as she knows that being in the top department is “not easy and things can get very tense and stressful,” making her a bit nervous and scared. Nevertheless, she knows that she will have “the group to support [her] and [they] will be there for each other because at the end of the day [they] really are one big family.”

Senior Caroline Chen admitted that she thinks of Chanteurs as “a way to wind down from classes.” Chanteurs serves as Caroline’s outlet from stress. She also believed that “Chanteurs has given [her] the confidence to stand out and perform.”

Chanteurs serve as students’ escape from the pressure around them as it enables them to freely express their thoughts and feelings through various types of tunes.

After becoming more experienced with performing on stage, Chanteurs Vice President senior Carrie Zhang said, “I want to teach many of the skills I learned in Chanteurs. I would like to educate through music and performance because it helped me break out of my shell and was truly a wonderful experience.” Chanteurs not only teaches entertainers the art of performing, it also lets them grow as a person, gain more self-confidence, and learn about teamwork.

Overall, Chanteurs is where entertainers progress as an individual, a team, and a family. It exposes them in an environment where helping one another is crucial, as teamwork plays an important role in the group.

Chanteurs not only teaches students the art of performing, but it also lets them grow as a person and gain more self confidence. kvillacisneros@apachepowwow.com Graphics courtesy of DONRATHJR.COM

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May/June 2013

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20

SPORTS

Girls Volleyball Trains for Success

By BILLY BONNEY

Staff Writer

The Girls Varsity Volleyball team preformed exceedingly well in both the regular and post seasons of this past year. It went undefeated in Pacific League and only lost one match all year in the third round of the CIF championship, bringing an unfortunate closing to the girl’s remarkable season. Senior Captain Kristen Mueller recaps the season saying that “making it to the third round of CIF was an incredible milestone for last year’s team because there has been the Round 2 curse from past years where [they] would always lose in the second.” But in order to reach the program’s ultimate goal of winning CIF finals, Mueller said, “we would have to work really hard over summer, have strong team chemistry, keep our goal in mind and stay dedicated to the team.”

Senior Jessica Hopkins has no doubt that this year’s team will supersede last year’s accomplishments by making it to the CIF finals. She said, “we have an amazing team this year because most of our starters from last year are returning; we’ve also been practicing like crazy and doing extra tournaments during summer.” She expects the team will have a good chance to win league in the upcoming year and make it all the way to the final round of CIF. However, in order to accomplish its goal, Hopkins feels that the team must continue to work hard in preseason and improve their teamwork, which, Hopkins said, “shouldn’t be a problem because the team already feels like a family and all the girls are very hard working, giving everything they have in practice.”

To improve on her volleyball skills, senior Jackie Churchill said “she would work on composure and try not to get rattled during games.” Jackie felt that her greatest weakness was that when she misses a play or messes up, it would cause her to lose focus and break down, compounding into more errors. Churchill believes that being able to stay unemotional and quickly overcoming her mistakes while on the courts will increase significance to the team. She also believes that while the team is close and supportive it can benefit from more teamwork and leadership stemming from the older members of the team. Oddly enough, Churchill’s prime method to build on teamwork is also her favorite aspect of being on the volleyball team: celebrating after a win at her favorite restaurant, Kabuki.

Girls Volleyball has been training arduously for the school year. No doubt they will succeed! bbonney@apachepowwow.com

Graphic courtesy of MAXPREP.NET

apachepowwow.com

Mock Issue 2013

The Exit Of A Legend board is unreasonable and dubious. Coach O’ Brien can be an arrogant, demanding coach, but he has accolades to make up for it. Having coached cross country for 17 years at AHS, O’ Brien has two National Championships and

and pushes them to improve and become the best athletes possible. However, there is no Staff Writer question that Coach O’Brien has molded AHS’ Cross Country program into one of the best.

A new era has begun at AHS with Coach Seniors Thomas Tran and Estevan De La Jim O’Brien’s dismissal from his duties as AHS’ Rosa were also outraged at the Boys Cross Country Coach. The decision. Both thought that the decision by Superintendent Joel “firing was completeley unreaShawn is certainly questionable sonable and ridiculous.” Thomafter Coach O’ Brien has led the as believed the reason was “a Boys Cross Country team to two petty one and was used to cover National Championships in the up personal problems” between past three seasons. SuperintenCoach O’ Brien and the district dent Shawn originally declined staff. Estevan, on the other hand, to specify the reason why, which felt betrayed and “unwilling to upset many students and parents. represent AHS anymore.” He To show their support, students feels as if “the school does not have gone to school board meetcare about the Cross Country ings to plead for a reversal of deteam.” Estevan’s respect for O’ cision. They even started a FaceBrien has never faltered and book page titled “Keep Coach O’ that “Arcadia just fired the best Brien at Arcadia” that has over coach in California.”

3,000 likes. The page isn’t only So the question remainsm liked by athletes, but parents by even though the evidence is well. clear. Even after the countless Besides dominating in the pleas to bring Coach O’ Brien sport, Coach O’ Brien was a back have been so clearly made, leader, father-figure, and counwhy hasn’t it happened? It may selor. He helped kids earn colportray Superintendent Shawn A COACH THAT WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN lege scholarships to schools like Over the years, Coach O’Brien has molded the cross country program as a weak leader and pushover, UCLA, Navy, and Colorado. He but it’s what the community into a Nike National winning team helped prevent a student’s suiwants. We all know what Coach cide. He allowed an autistic student to participate in the cross country program. countless Pacific League and Division 1 CIF O’ Brien is capable of. After all, not many He didn’t care about what someone’s mile time Championships. Coach O’ Brien knows what coaches out there are as knowledgeable and was. Whether they ran nine or six minute miles, needs to be done to run a program. He is ex- selfless as him. Sometimes backing down is the he treated them all the same. He welcomed stu- tremely dedicated and only cares about the kids right thing to do, especially if you don’t want dents to join cross country. He only cared that and the sport. He has a strong passion, which the whole community on your back. members were dedicated and willing to work may sometimes be taken the wrong way or misunderstood, but is overall genuine and sincere btran@apachepowwow.com and improve.

Graphics courtesy of MAXPREP.NET Many think this decision by the school and is visible in the way he coaches his team

By BRENDAN TRAN

O’Brien’s Army Marches On

By CHARLES XU Staff Writer

During June, Arcadia’s longtime cross country coach, Jim O’Brien, was fired.

O’Brien led the AHS Cross Country team to two CIF State and the last three CIF Southern Section Championships during his 17 seasons as coach. His replacement, Michael FeracoEberle, is an English Teacher at AHS and will be in charge of coaching both the girls and boys cross country team.

When O’Brien was asked about how Coach Feraco-Eberle would do the next season, he responded, “He’s not me by any stretch of the imagination, but he has a pretty good idea. He could carry on what I’m doing. Especially if I’m willing to support him.

Which I am. I’m 100% willing to support him.” The dismissal of O’Brien has made

a dramatic impact on the boys cross country team, as many returners will have to adjust to a new head coach.

When a returning Cross Country runner was asked how he felt about having a new coach, he replied with mixed feelings. Junior Jacky Loh said, “I miss Coach O’Brien, but I am also excited to practice under Coach Feraco-Eberle. Hopefully, in the future, O’Brien can come back and coach again.” This quote represents a multitude of students with the same feelings. They believe they will enjoy working with Coach Feraco-Eberle, but wish O’Brien was not fired.

With the coaching change, cross country members will also have to adjust their game.

Junior Kevin Hsu stated, “Coach O’Brien had an effective training regimen that worked the last few years because we won a couple championships. I improved my times greatly with

his practices, so I’m not sure if I will abandon the exercise routines he taught me. Junior Eric Shen said, “I’ll have to adjust to having a Coach with a different personality than Coach O’Brien. I don’t think anyone can match the passion and intensity of my previous coach when it came to cross country practices and races.” Jacky was presented with the same question and he replied, “I really won’t do much adjusting. Both O’Brien and FeracoEberle are great coaches and what I learned is that the key to success is to always do your best. With the success we have had, I say to continue doing what we have been doing.”

Even after the firing of Jim O’Brien, the members of the AHS cross country team have stayed strong, and are hoping to repeat their cxu@apachepowwow.com

Photo courtesy of MAXPREPS.COM

Mock Issue 2013

SPORTS

sports.powwow@gmail.com

Incoming Nerves Cause Some Swerves

By ETHAN ZHU Staff Writer

For those of us sitting at home, the only thing on our minds is that summer is more than halfway over. Those who are planning to join a sport have a different story to tell.

With the year almost starting, athletes are taking every chance to impress their coaches. From basketball to football, swimming, and tennis, everyone is trying to maximize their chances of making it onto an award-winning team. However, freshmen must make extra efforts since this is the first time they meet the coaches. Not only do they have to balance the giant platter AHS classes serve up, they also have to carefully account for the extra time their sport requires.

Akhil Gampala, an incoming freshman, is hoping to earn the opportunity to join the Boys Basketball team. “The BoysBasketball team is a great team that consists of many talented players,” he said. Akhil, along with several of his friends, is determined to make the team. A common practice among freshmen

athletes is joining the AEF class for their sports since AHS coaches often are the instructors for those classes. As part of the class, Akhil says he demonstrates his “ball handling and shooting with his left

NEW GUYS AND BUTTERFLIES

All athletes have the case of nerves, some more than others. hand” because left hand shooting is usually more challenging than right hand shooting.

He hopes it will make him more appealing and heighten his chances. He looks forward to some friendly competition for a spot on the AHS Basketball team.

Girls Tennis Has High Hopes

By MELODY LIN Staff Writer

Girls Tennis did amazingly well last season: they breezed through league, going undefeated with a record of 12-0, allowing them to keep their title as league champions. They made it to CIF and won all the way up to finals, where they placed 2nd in CIF. Losing several great players this upcoming year, the tennis team has to make several adjustments to continue their winning streak.

The Tennis team will be facing some major changes. This past season, the coaches for Varsity and Junior Varsity Tennis decided to retire, leaving many questions as to who the new coaches will be and how well these coaches will lead the team. However, the team seems to take little consideration as to how the new coaches will influence their performance, speaking more of the new players joining the team.

After winning league and advancing steadily through CIF, the tennis team has big expectations for the upcoming season. Second-in-command senior Tiffany Hsieh hopes that “even with the graduates

Another freshman athlete with high goals is Adrian Lim, who plans on joining the Boys Swim team. “As a freshman, I feel proud to try out for Swim, and it

leaving, the Tennis team will win the league with its new members, and have a good run at CIF.” Captain senior Ashley Gao shares different expectations, admitting, “Last year, we had a stacked team, so we won easily. This year, with several new players, I still want to win, but I don’t expect us to get as far as we did last year.”

Mentioning the new coach, she adds, “Our new coach will be commissioned, so workouts will definitely be much more intense. We will probably have to do drills and run laps.”

Tiffany expressed her hopes to “have fun and play well” in the upcoming year, citing the previous years as the root of these desires. “Every year, we have so much fun in tennis, but we also do really well, and I think that’s a good balance, to have fun and to play well.”

Taking a more realistic view on the team’s upcoming performance, Ashley commented that they “are going to have six new players, so even if we don’t win, we can still help them become better players. We can also help the future team and their returning members for their new season.” Her focus on both the individuals and the team shows her belief in her team and in her fellow teammates. mlin@apachepowwow.com

Photo courtesy of PHOTOBUCKET.COM

gives me a chance to experience being part of a sports team. I heard many good things about the swim team.” Adrian also says he is “very eager and excited to join.” Although he is in AEF Swim, the instructor of the AHS Swim Team does not coach the AEF class, so they ac-

21

tually do not know each other yet. For Adrian, being a freshman on the swim team does not alter many things. “It may be harder to get into Varsity,” he says, “but other than that, I don’t think that there are many differences between being freshman or a sophomore in AHS Swim.”

Unfortunately, Akhil recently suffered a minor fracture to his finger but that will be enough to sideline him and prevent him from demonstrating his capabilities for the rest of the AEF Basketball term.

Adrian will be trying out for the Boys Swim Team during the tryouts later in the school year. We wish the best of luck to all athletes trying out for the 2013-2014 AHS Sports year! ezhu@apachepowwow.com

Photos courtesy of WATERPOLOTV.COM, API.NING.COM, and BLOGSPOT.COM

How Do You Prep?

By ALLISON STEVENSON Staff Writer

In the sports world, mentally and physically preparing for a match is critical for athletes.

The methods they use to mentally and physically prepare often define the quality of their performances during a match. Preparing helps them refocus from the distractions around them and on the most important thing ahead of them, the game.

But how does one prepare mentally and physically for a match? What does one look to accomplish during the time in which they prepare? For senior Kristen Mueller, preparing physically, means “staying hydrated and eating a good meal” so that she can “have the energy to withstand the whole match.” Additionally, she feels that one of the most important methods of physically preparing is stretching since it “helps to avoid injury”, allowing her to participate in all of her matches. Sophomore Kelly Dopke adds that eating a good meal “ allows her to have the energy to compete with the athlete she’s playing against” so that no other athlete can beat her without a fight. For other athletes however, mentally and physically preparing doesn’t always mean preparing while you’re awake. Senior Yeram Park states that getting a good night’s rest before a match allows her to “be more alert and retain more energy needed to stay focused during a game.”

Typically, most people believe that preparing for a game means getting angry and fired up to play your hardest, but that’s not always the case. Both senior Kevin Luong and Yeram state that listening to music before a match is

the one thing that helps them stay calm and focused. Yeram’s choice of music is not the typical music one believes would calm one down.

She believes that listening to soft rock before a game “calms her down” and get her head “mentally ready”, and she believes that helps her achieve her full potential. Junior Kelly Dopke says staying calm is critical to her performance as an athlete. She says that although her nerves overwhelm her as the whistle blows at the start of her soccer game, staying calm is the one thing that keeps her sane and helps her to get into the zone. Furthermore, staying calm allows her to “perfect her first pass and touch”, which then determines her performance for the rest the game.

Lastly, for junior Lexi resch, staying calm, listening to music, and stretching, are not all the things she uses to prepare for a game. In order to achieve her full potential during a volleyball match, Lexi visualizes herself before the game doing the things she has been “working hard on.” Lastly, she focuses on her breathing, “making sure it’s a steady pace” so that there are no last minute things that can make her nervous or “rile” her up. This is vitally important; without calming down, mistakes that normally don’t occur will happen much more frequently.

To many athletes, preparing is critical to their mental stability in and out of the game.

Preparing allows them to focus and reach their full potential, so when many people wonder how athletes keep composed during matches, the secret is this: they simply prepare. astevenson@apachepowwow.com

Photo courtesy of PHOTOBUCKET.COM

22

PERFORMING ARTS

apachepowwow.com

September 2012

The Life and Times of an ADD Cast Member

By NICOLE RICHCREEK

Guest Writer

The Advanced Drama Department (ADD) is more than just a class. It is a family that unites through hard work and sacrifices. As members, we dedicate our time and effort to this department for no other reason than for the love we hold for the craft. ADD is an audition-based class in which students can excel in their talents and work.

Every year, ADD works on multiple things at once. During class, all the competition magic happens! The cast members audition in front of several different directors, who cast the members for different scenes. Those directors are then required to spend 30 or more hours working on these scenes to help and guide the actors. 30 hours is a long time; we spend up to three hours a day on these scenes.

All the hard work pays off though, as seen through our great accomplishment of earning 2nd place in an overall sweepstakes award at the Drama Teachers Association of Southern California (DTASC) Fall Festival last year!

In addition to these long rehearsals for DTASC, we work on the Fall play, The Three Musketeers, by Ken Ludwig, at the same time. We have rehearsal every day from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m., followed by a rehearsal for DTASC from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. The show premieres Nov. 13 to 17 at 7:00 p.m. in the Little Theatre. We hope that you can all come out and support our hard work!

Though it might not sound like fun to an outsider, being in ADD is a rewarding and gratifying experience. The hours are long, but the time is spent with the family we have made here. I usually refer to the department as my second home, sometimes my first. I couldn’t ask for a better way to end my senior year than being in this department with the people I have grown to love and call my family.

performingarts@apachepowwow.com

Graphic courtesy of FREEWEBS.COM Photos courtesy of NICOLE RICHCREEK

Starting the Year Off with a “Pep, Pep, Hurray!”

By KRISTIE SUN Staff Writer

starting to learn routines, it was really hard for me to memorize all of the routines since I wasn’t used to the pace, which was rather fast.”

Many performers get the jitters or butterflies in their stomach right before a performance, including both new and returning Pep Squad members. JV Cheer Captain freshman

Kristin Escobar said, “Even though we all love to perform, I think it is safe to say that we are all a little nervous, but mostly excited!” While some become rather anxious about their performance, other members can’t wait to perform. JV Cheer member freshman Jennifer Burch said, “I’m very excited to get out there and show ev-

Performing can be very nerve-racking, especially when it is someone’s first time.

Many people get stage fright, which prevents the person from performing well in front of large crowds. Pep Squad members all have to go through the first few seconds of fear and nerves before their dance routines begin. All the hard work during the summer and long afterschool practices has finally paid off.

All the members of Pep Squad work extremely hard for their upcoming rallies, cheers, and assemblies, and continue to work hard during their practices until every little detail in their routine is absolutely perfect.

They have been practicing since the first day of school. Varsity Cheer member junior Alexis Trojanowski said, “To prepare for Cheer, we work hard on our stunts so they become solid, and if we are doing choreography, we practice it until we can do it in our sleep.” Memorizing and learning new dances are not always the easiest things to do, especially when the Pep Squad members are also under pressure to keep up their school grades. Song member CHEERING THE TEAM ON Pep Squad attends each and every football game, sophomore Kelly Li said, “When I was just whether home or away, to pump up the Varsity Football team and the crowds above.

eryone at AHS what Pep Squad is all about and make a fabulous first impression!”

Unfortunately, Pep Squad has not yet had a rally for the entire school to see, but they have been cheering at football games in front of many AHS parents. Pep Leader senior Elizabeth Yu said, “I would have definitely freaked out if I was performing at a football game! I think it is pretty nerve-racking because Pep Squad is so close to the audience. Especially when [the members] are doing the cheers facing the crowd, you definitely feel like all the eyes are on you!” Having to cheer and perform in front of your friends and family isn’t always the easiest thing to do. Not only is it more difficult, but it also makes many people more pressured to have to do really well, which often causes anxiety.

At the end of the day, after all the worries and excitement, Pep Squad is always able to impress the students of AHS. There will be plenty more performances coming from Pep Squad, including routines at the Homecoming Assembly and several rallies at lunch on the Rally Court! ksun@apachepowwow.com

Photo courtesy of TIFFANY KUO

September 2012

performingarts@apachepowwow.com

PERFORMING ARTS

Pep Band Grooves and Boogies to the Beat

By RANDY LEE Staff Writer

be more enthusiastic, and it’s definitely more enjoyable for us to move around!” John added, “It’s fun to see the faces of the freshmen as we pelvic thrust in one of our songs.” The environment in which this group interacts is much more free and dynamic than in a typical Concert Band atmosphere. Members are allowed to play to

It’s another beginning for the Performing Arts program at AHS, and as football games and assemblies begin, Pep Band is ready to hype up the crowd! Throughout the year, Pep Band attends many gigs for AHS, but specifically the Varsity Football game. At every football game, home or away, Pep Band is always there to pump up some school spirit. With senior John Christiansen as Pep Band Leader, this strong and talented group of players is always ready for action!

Although Pep Band is comprised of section leaders and Band 3 members of the Marching Band, rehearsals are still necessary and PEP BAND BOOGIES happen on a weekly Pep Band practices to perfect its basis. John leads prac- act for upcoming performances. tices every Thursday from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. During that time, the their heart’s group cleans up any messy parts in a specific content, and song and even learns body motions to enhance always with a the song’s performance. For example, in “Turn good tone! the Beat Around”, all the members of Pep What some people don’t know about Pep Band rotate left for one part of the song, and Band is that the group is allowed to play only then turn the opposite way for another portion. during certain parts of each football game.

Tr u m p e t Section Leader senior Michael Chu Since the sport requires so much concentration, said, “It’s a great way to get the audience to Pep Band is not always allowed to play. So if

you ever wonder why Pep Band never seems to play enough, it’s because they are not allowed to.

Just this past month, on Sept. 11, Pep Band performed at the all-school assembly, showcasing its talents and school spirit. During assemblies like these, Pep Band members must leave class early and head over to the assembly location to set up and prepare. This way, they can begin performing as soon as students and staff walk in. Sophomore Roman Chan said, “Pep Band is always the best part about school assemblies. They hype up the crowd and get all of us pumped!” He believes that Pep B a n d should play even more than they al- r e a d y do.

It seems as though this year’s Pep Band will definitely be one of the best AHS has ever had. John said he’s “really confident about Pep Band this year and the most important aspect to [him] is to have fun together.” Choosing upbeat as well as traditional songs that can excite the audience is always something John strives for. Whatever the case may be, it’s certain that this group will always be ready to “Jungle Boogie” for AHS. rlee@apachepowwow.com

Photos by BEN GEISBERG and WILSON LIN

Rehearsing Time Management with PA’s Apaches

By VICTORIA YU

Staff Writer

AHS students know time management best. As Apaches, we laugh in the face of AP and extracurriculars and aren’t afraid of participating in clubs and sports. Although some students pile on class after class, the toughest and bravest students will always be none other than our very own Performing Arts members. These warriors fight against time to fit rehearsals, concerts, and practices into their already-packed schedules. How do they do this?

Well, here are a few tricks that they do to manage their time.

“In New Spirit, we do the same activities as Chanteurs; we sing and dance when show season starts and continuously work to make our show ready for competition. [As a sophomore last year,] homework was not very difficult, so usually, when I knew I had a rehearsal after school, I would try to finish my homework during class because I realized that I [must] finish all my schoolwork [in order] to stay focused and put all my effort into the rehearsals. After joining New Spirit, my work habits have been more alert because I realized I can’t just lay back and relax when rehearsals are so important. I think after being in New Spirit, I have a clearer understanding of how Chanteurs works because I now know the ropes of the program and am just so excited for show season!”

—Caroline Chen, 11, Chanteurs Member “I don’t think it’s much of a stress regarding balancing schoolwork and Orchestra, but it’s definitely mandatory to make sure I stay focused on both, since music is such a big part of being [an AHS] student. I make sure that I maintain good homework habits and keep up with my violin studies, which usually last around an hour or two. Schoolwork and Orchestra may have time conflicts in the future when concerts start pouring in, but just being a part of the music program is worth it. For now, I’m just satisfied and happy to have made the commitment to the music program at AHS.”

—Rachaelle Villa, 9, Orchestra Member “During the fall season, [Colorguard] usually rehearses from 7:30 a.m. through first period daily and from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. We also always have events on Saturdays, whether it is a rehearsal or competition. I try to get my work done on non-rehearsal days since I have more time. I especially had to stick with [this system] in junior year when I took three AP classes. Colorguard forced me to be disciplined about my studies, but the performances and time I spend with my team makes all the work worthwhile.”

—Anna Miyajima, 12, Colorguard Co-Captain viyu@apachepowwow.com

Photos by COURTNEY HANG and DANA JEE

23

The Art of Dance

By TERRI SHI Staff Writer

From Beginning Dance to Intermediate Dance to Orchesis Dance Company (ODC), AHS’ dance classes are some examples of the many programs the school has to offer. Dance is not only a sport, it’s also a way of expressing oneself in a unique form of art. Ms. Liza Tedford, the dance instructor, trains newcomers and helps the returnees boost their ability to the highest extent.

Beginning Dance is offered to all grade levels. Freshmen are allowed to join for only one semester due to the health requirement for P.E., but they are encouraged to take the course again as sophomores. This course teaches the fundamentals and basics of dance more in depth than regular dance classes and prepares dancers for the challenges that lie ahead. Beginning Dance is a good option for those who are interested in dance but never had the opportunity to learn. It’s never too late to start something new, and it’s good to experience new things. Freshman Yue Brewerton said, “Beginning Dance class is pretty fun and hard at the same time, but Ms. Tedford makes it really enjoyable for us. I’ve made new friends and met up with some old ones as well. I look forward to Ms. Tedford’s dance class every day.”

Intermediate Dance is for more experienced dancers who have already mastered the foundation of dance and are ready for a challenge. The intermediate level is offered to all grade levels, but an evaluation is taken at the beginning of the year for proper placement.

Freshmen who have taken private dance lessons or have had extensive training in the past are also welcome to join the class, but it’s not easy to get in. The number of spaces are limited, so not everyone makes it the first time.

The intermediate level pushes eager dancers to a new and exciting level. Each dancer has potential and great abilities, and Intermediate Dance helps them improve both mentally and physically.

ODC is the highest level of dance AHS offers. The routines are complex and require more time and dedication than the other classes. Morning and afternoon practices are expected, and the intensity is extreme. The outcome is rewarding though. The dancers are pushed to new levels and have the opportunity to showcase their talents at performances. All dancers who have taken Intermediate Dance are encouraged to try out. The role of the ODC Dance Captain is important. The officers watch new members as they work together for the first time. ODC Dance Captain junior Nicole Wei said, “From working hard and spending time with the entire company, I can say that the new members this year have so much potential for greatness! This upcoming year, I hope that we, as a whole group, push past our limits both physically and mentally!”

No matter the grade level, dance is always an option. It’s a different kind of sport that focuses on both expression as well as physical strength. The AHS dance courses help dancers learn the foundation of dance and strengthen the skills that they gain through the course of the year. Dance is a wonderful program that should be taken into consideration. tshi@apachepowwow.com Graphic courtesy of NOVADANCESTUDIO.ORG

24

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26

CALENDAR Ask Kay

By ELISHA LEE

Staff Writer

Q: I’ve been stuck in summer school and it gets really boring; do you have any suggestions for me to make this summer vacation a more interesting one?

A: Summer school may be a bit tedious, but don’t think of it as a chore. To make studying more enjoyable, try making a study group with your friends so you get to hang out like how most would during vacation. And it may also help you in your studies too. Summer school usually only takes up half a day anyway, so the other half can be dedicated to relaxing or playing.

Q: What are some cheap and close hot spots my friends and I can go hang out at over summer vacation?

A: Nothing screams cheap and satisfactory like some nice, cold frozen yogurt.

There are plenty of “fro-yo” places in Arcadia, like Yogurtland, Nubi, and etc... If icy desserts aren’t your thing, you can always settle with a refreshing cup of boba milk tea which is sold almost everywhere. Getting boba at places like Honey Boba, Tea Station, and Tapioca Express is recommended. They all have a nice atmosphere with music and games and, not to mention, air-conditioners!

Q: I feel really stressed from all the AP homework given over the summer.

What can I do to release all that pressure?

A: Though it isn’t ideal to procrastinate, remember that there are around 85 days of break; if you set a goal for yourself on how much you want to get done every day then surely you’ll be fine! Try using an agenda—keeping organized is a great way to relieve stress because it makes you aware of how much time you really have and keeps you on track.

calendareditor.powwow@gmail.com

Superman to the Rescue

By ANDREW LIM

Staff Writer

Look, it’s a plane! No, it’s a bird! No, it’s Superman! The incredible Superman, wearing his usual skin-tight bodysuit with the flashy cape, hit theaters at the start of this summer.

This movie was directed by Zack Snyder and starred Henry Cavill (Superman), Amy Adams (Lois Lane), Michael Shannon (General Zod), and Russell Crowe (Jor-El). All I can say is that this movie had so much potential for bringing the classic Superman to his previous glory; however, it was only a decent movie.

First off, the main character and protagonist, Clark, AKA Superman, was sent to Earth after his homeworld, Krypton, was destroyed due to overuse of its natural resources. Before he was sent to Earth, his father infused Clark’s cells with a genetic codex of the entire Kryptonian race. However, the main antagonist General Zod wanted to capture Superman to gain the codex and revive the now almost-extinct Kryptonian race.

The entire storyline was extremely straightforward; it told of Superman’s origins and how he had to stop General Zod from terraforming the planet Earth into a new Kryp-

ton. However, the intro alone had so many flashbacks of Superman’s childhood that I lost count. All in all, the storyline was simple and decent, so it got the job done.

What really caught my attention were the beautiful visual effects and wonderful soundtrack. For example, the flora and fauna of Krypton in the beginning of the movie created a magnificent ambience and introduction to the movie. Although the special effects were brilliantly well done, it was slightly overused.

Along with the visual effects, the movie has a beautiful soundtrack, composed by Hans Zimmer (which would guarantee a fantastic sound track for any movie, in my opinion). When I first heard the music, I thought to myself that this was a great soundtrack that fit in with the scenes perfectly. The visuals and the soundtrack were eye candy to me when I watched this movie.

Overall, the movie was decent; however, I personally believe that it was not worth the hype. The simple story, magnificent visuals, and splendid soundtrack created a decorous movie. I give this movie a 7 out of 10.

Graphic courtesy of GENUARDIS.NET

alim@apachepowwow.com

Sudoku

Q: After this summer, I’ll finally be a freshman in high school, I’m really nervous yet excited. Do you have any tips that’ll help me survive my first year?

A: There is nothing to be nervous about!

Although high school may seem scary, it is not how Hollywood films depict it to be.

There aren’t any stereotypical cheerleaders that run the school or disrespectful jocks that dunk “the common people’s” heads in the disgustingly unsanitary toilets. It is quite the opposite really; you get to meet a ton of new people and make even more friends. It truly will be a fantastic experience, so don’t fret! elee@apachepowwow.com

Mock Issue 2013

Next Stop, Myrtle Ave.

By GLUTTON GIRL

Staff Writer

Among the many shops and restaurants located on Monrovia’s Myrtle Avenue, Sena on Myrtle is a one-of-a-kind food location serving American dishes with a unique twist.

The casual mood of the place is reinforced by the brick walls, signs written in chalk, and pop music playing from the speakers.

There is a full bar in the front and an outdoor patio in the back. Although this is not exactly an ideal location for families, it is great place to hang out with your friends. Numerous clothing and jewelry stores on Myrtle Avenue provide places to explore and things to do after eating.

Sena’s regular menu features typical café foods like sandwiches, tacos, salads, and desserts, but you can also drop by for brunch and have something tasty from their breakfast menu. I ordered the queso blanco, sweet potato fries, and crab cake sliders.

To start off, my friend and I decided to order the queso blanco when it was recommended by the waitress. This dish was basically chips with a rich cheese dip on the side.

I was surprised at the large portion and how perfectly crunchy those chips were!

The sweet potato fries weren’t all that special, but they were still tasty. I really enjoyed how they weren’t too overdone and crusty. Like the queso blanco, the sweet potato fries were also given in a generous portion.

Lastly my main dish, the crab cake sliders, arrived. This dish consisted of two sliders wedged between burger buns topped with a slice of mozzarella cheese and spicy cole slaw. Even though I don’t particularly like cole slaw, the first bite of the burger changed my mind. The crab was so delicious and the cheese melted at the top made me like the burger even more.

Therefore, I give Sena on Myrtle 4 out of 5 taste buds. Until next time! And who am I? That’s a secret I’ll never tell!

XOXO, Glutton Girl

Puzzle courtesy of NETPLACES.COM

Photos by GLUTTON GIRL

Mock Issue 2013

CALENDAR

apachepowwow.com

Washed Up Jokes

By ELISHA LEE

What do you call a dog at the beach?

A hot dog!

What did the pig say at the beach on a hot summer’s day?

I’m bacon!

Staff Writer

What’s the best day to go to the beach?

Sunday!

What happened to the popsicle when it left the fridge?

It had a meltdown!

What does the sun drink out of?

Sunglasses!

etong@apachepowwow.com

Graphics courtesy of CARTOONS-PICTURE.BLOGSPOT.COM, DESPOSITPHOTO.COM, and COLOURBOX.COM

Passion For Fashion

By ANGELA HE

Staff Writer

Dear Mr. Hipster, Everyone around me wears these socks called Nike Elites and this brand called Diamond. Are Diamond’s shirts really made out of diamonds and is there any way I can make them unmainstream?

For starters, please don’t call me Mr. Hipster. The word “hipster” is way too mainstream. Call me Retspih Smith instead. As you can see, backwards is the new unmainstream thing to do.

Nike Elites are my favorite! They are knee high socks that both girls and guys wear, although they are more popular for guys. Girls should take advantage of guy’s interests in these socks. Nike Elites give girls an easy job to find a present for their boyfriends. They also come in a variety of colors, from plain black to neon green.

If you really want to be Retspih, yet want your girlfriend or boyfriend to have something

to give you, wear Nike Elites on your arms.

These socks also make great gloves, and you can even cut holes for a one-of-a-kind masterpiece. You can even grow out your hair and use the socks as a hair tie!

As for the brand Diamond, in case you were not aware, its shirts are not actually made out of diamonds. They are just made out of polyester and cotton. Yes, suprisingly a polyester and cotton brand can be worth $50. A great alternative to having a Diamond look alike is buying cheap plain t-shirts from any store such as Walmart or Target.

Then you can write Diamond backwards onto the shirt. You can do this with any brand, it doesn’t have to be Diamond; you’ll save a ton of money while you can still look like a Retspih!

Until later, Retspih Smith ahe@apachepowwow.com

Graphic courtesy of DIAMONDSUPPLYCO.COM

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28

CAMPUS FOCUS

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Mock Issue 2013

Summer To-do List

By BRIANA SHEN

Staff Writer

Students are too distracted by the heat to do anything else but take a break and enjoy summer. It’s like the weather fried their skins as well as their brains! Instead of solving math problems or trying to improve their SAT scores, students would much rather be out and about. It’s the summer fever that’s too difficult to cure. But enough with fantasizing over the delights of summer; it’s time to actually do something. So what should they do? Here are a handful of AHS students who know the must-do’s over the summer.

“In the summer everyone should run around naked in the street because it‘s too hot.”

—Stacy Vuong, 9 “During the summer, it would be nice if we could achieve world peace. But seeing how that’s just wishful thinking, enjoying summer by eating ramen is a good second choice.”

Spencer Zhang, 10 “I think over summer break, everyone should take the chance to actually go out and do something exciting, like going to the beach to get away. I mean, the stress of school is finally gone for a little while, so enjoy it while you can.” —Niki Chi, 11 “During the summer, everyone should take walks in the evening. The air is warm and the views of nature in the summer are incredible.”— Carrie Zhang, 12 “It’s called summer vacation for a reason. Remember to take time to relax and have fun with friends.” — Abraham Gozali, 10 bshen@apachepowwow.com Graphics courtesy of BLOGSPOT.COM