October 2013

The World Is Our Campus Volume 61, Issue 2

Arcadia High School 180 Campus Drive, Arcadia, CA

October 2013

National Bullying Prevention Month

In this issue:

Graphic courtesy of 6AMING.COM

FEATURES pg. 11 Gotta Catch ‘Em All: Nintendo’s latest additions to its hit video game franchise are captivating fans.

Graphic by ROSE LI

A Frightening Statistic In the poweful realm of the digital world, 95% of teens who use social media

have witnessed, engaged in, or been the victims of cyber-bullying. It’s time to take a stand.

By SHIRLEY LU

Photo courtesy of YMCATLOUIS.ORG

ACADEMICS pg. 17 Halloween on College Campuses: These mysterious myths prove that you’re never too old for a good scare!

Photo by BEN GEISBERG

SPORTS pg. 20 2013 Homecoming Game: AHS’ Football Team wins at the most highly anticipated game of the year.

Have a question, comment, or concern about the Pow Wow? Email the Editors-in-Chief at eic.powwow@gmail.com. or find us online at apachepowwow.com.

Staff Writer

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me—that’s all I can recall my elementary school teachers emphasizing about bullying. Even though verbal abuse was not a pressing issue at my school, my teachers wanted to make sure that students would not be hurt if ever faced with it. I admire my teachers’ attempts at preventing us from being victimized by others, but let’s face it—words can hurt.

With the prevalence of social media in our society today, there are so many opportunities for cyber-bullying to occur. Be it in the form of a text, a Facebook message, an image, a forum post, a blog, a hack, or countless other electronic means, cyber-bullying can be extremely deleterious to a victim’s life. Believing that they are safe behind the veil of anonymity, most cyberbullies relentlessly torment their victims for attention, entertainment, or satisfying their plain boredom. However, they aren’t considering how dangerous their actions may prove to be.

Because cyber-bullying often occurs behind a computer screen, the damage is not always easy to discern, and thus, cyber-bullies may not immediately realize the horrible repercussions of their bullying. Ciara Pugsley, Erin Gallagher, Jessica Laney, Joshua Unsworth, Daniel Perry, and Hannah Smith are all young teens who, in the past year alone, took their own lives after being cyber-bullied on the anonymous Q&A forum Ask.fm. But the list doesn’t end there; it goes on

and on. In fact, around 20% of cyber-bullying victims contemplate suicide, and 10% of those victims actually attempt it. There have been so many tragic cases of suicides attributed to bullying that the term “bullycide” has been engendered.

It’s no lie that some of us have been involved in cyber-bullying at one time or another, either on the receiving end or the giving end. In fact, over 50% of teenagers have been victims of cyber-bullying, and nearly as many have been cyber-bullies. Females are twice as likely as males to be victims of cyberbullying, and, ironically, they are also more likely to be the cyber-bullies.

We don’t stress enough the severity of cyberbullying even though such offenses are all around us in a world dominated by technology. Indeed, we may be desensitized by all the tragic news reports of school shootings and teen suicides, but that is no excuse for turning a blind eye to posts consisting of harsh words and slander.

It is not uncommon for adolescent victims to inflict self-harm as means of coping with bullying, and since cyber-bullying takes place in the virtual world, victims may not feel the need to let others, especially their parents, know about the harassment. This can be extremely dangerous as cyber-bullying threatens a victim’s emotional health in which the damage may not be as evident from an outside perspective. Thus, it may be harder to detect the threat until it’s too late.

Can bullycides be prevented? Yes. They most definitely can be. Any of the following can be methods of prevention: stopping the bullying at the source, being there for victims, or seeking external help for victims. It is imperative that if you or someone you

know is being bullied that you notify someone trustworthy before the case worsens.

Because October is National Bullying Prevention Month, let us all make an effort to take a stand against hurtful and disrespectful behavior. Instead of just being bystanders, let’s get involved. Instead of ignoring an offender’s nasty comment, let’s call him or her out. Instead of laughing along with the crowd, let’s lend a hand to the victim. Step by step, we can make social networking sites positive environments for people to communicate and interact with each other without fear.

We can choose whether or not to be bothered by words, and I believe that’s the message my grade school teachers were trying to deliver. Though we can’t control what bullies say or do to us, we are in control of the way we and others react to such offenses. We can choose to let them win, or we can disregard whatever they say because it’s not worth our time anyway.

In our ever-growing technologically-dominant society, it’s getting harder to escape from cyber-bullying. No longer are victims safe within the walls of their own home. But together, we can make a difference in the fight against cyber-bullying by taking simple actions. Stand up when you feel someone is being victimized, and show that you genuinely care.

Do not be afraid to report cyber-bullying incidents, especially to a trusted adult. Be a companion, for you never know when you’ll be helping a victim choose life over death. If you do, you can help bring change, one person at a time. slu@apachepowwow.com

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NEWS

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October 2013

Walking the Dogs iPads for the LAUSD

By MICHELLE HUANG

from Disney Channel’s Dog with a Blog) padded alongside the attendees.

Staff Writer Other non-famous walkers included people On Sept. 29, more than 4,000 pet owners of all ages. Tessa Rodriguez, age eight, came in and their dogs partook in the Wiggle Waggle from Pasadena. Her mother, Catherine Thomas, Walk around the Rose Bowl stadium to raise said her daughter felt “sad to see them in the funds for the Pasadena Humane Society (PHS) shelter,” and when the dogs “can be taken care and Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Ani- of a little better, it makes [her] feel really good.”

Top honors went to Wil and Anne Wheaton mals (SPCA). Starting from 9:00 a.m., dog lovers took their pets for either a three mile walk for raising $43,012.02 and “The Punk Rock Rovaround the Rose Bowl Loop or a one mile stroll ers” team for raising more than $61,618.02. In total, all walkers combined around Rose Bowl Area raised over $317,000.

H. With this money, the Dog owners from PHS could open up its anall over the San Gabriel ticipated new Animal Care Valley area came on Center (ACC) later this Sunday to mingle and year. Sponsored by Wells have a good time. “The Fargo, JoAnn Turovsky, Wiggle Waggle Walk is VCA Animal Hospitals, a fun event that brings Community Bank, Boeheveryone together to help ringer-Ingelheim, and animals in need,” said LETTING THE DOGS OUT Merrill Lynch, the new PHS and SPCA President and CEO Steve McNall. Thousands of dog owners gathered to ACC will feature a spay/ However, “the Wiggle participate in the Wiggle Waggle Walk. neuter clinic, a dog dayWaggle Walk is not only about dog lovers com- care, a behavior training center, and the Shelter ing together to have a good time; it’s also the Shop along with underground parking.

Overall, the 15th annual Wiggle Waggle PHS’ largest annual fundraiser.”

Other organizers of the event stated that the Walk was a huge success. “We had an incredible funds raised through the event help care for the turnout,” says PHS President McNall. “The com12,000 homeless animals taken in by PHS every munity rallied together to help the animals. We thank all the walkers, donors, sponsors and volyear.

This year, even famous stars came to visit unteers who made it a great day for the animals.” the walk. Adrianne Curry, cycle one winner mhuang@apachepowwow.com from America’s Next Top Model, hosted the Graphic courtesy of WFTV.COM event, while canine celebrities Brigitte (“Stella” Photo courtesy of PASADENANOW.COM from ABC’s Modern Family) and Kuma (“Stan”

By MEGAN HONG

By CHARLES XU

Staff Writer

During the summer, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) proposed a $1 billion plan to give an iPad to every one of its 640,000 students to replace textbooks and transform teaching. Devices would cost $500 million total and the rest of the money would go toward equipping schools with Wi-Fi capability. This plan was unanimously approved by the school board as it offered less privileged students equal learning opportunities and gave teachers more teaching flexibility. However, drawbacks include the iPads being incessant distractions for younger kids and the cost of the iPads.

During the first stage of this plan, the LAUSD will spend over $30 million for a total of 31,000 iPads. A week after America’s second largest school district launched phase one of the plan, 300 high school students had already cracked the security settings. Without any website restrictions and monitoring, students began to go on Facebook, send tweets, play games, and stream music.

Another problem was the difficulty of typing on an iPad. During online standardized tests and essays, the on-screen keyboard becomes a nuisance. Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium Director Jacqueline King stated, “The key-

board pops up and will obscure part of the page, which is a problem, and for typing extended responses, a kid is going to be really slowed down by a keyboard that shows up on a screen.” Now, the LAUSD must spend an additional $38 million on keyboards.

An elementary school teacher in the LAUSD expressed her concerns as she responded, “I do think there is something to be said for encouraging media literacy in the classroom, but never in lieu of funding for basic subject matters like art and science.”

Others argued that the money going toward iPads could be used for “teacher salaries, tutoring programs, lower class sizes, saving art/music/athletic programs, and avoiding furlough days.”

While using iPads to improve education is an innovative idea, the LAUSD demonstrated that there are still many flaws and drawbacks to its expensive plan. Once this plan is perfected in the future though, iPads may be available for schools in the AUSD. Students in Arcadia could benefit from this technology upgrade by decreasing the strain on their backs, as the tablet can store multiple textbooks. Most importantly though, an iPad will be able to adapt to each student, since there are so many educational apps offering a plethora of learning methods and styles. Right before our eyes, the iPad is revolutionizing education. cxu@apachepowwow.com

Photos courtesy of IMAGESHACK.COM

The Government Shutdown Staff Writer

For 16 rugged days, the Statue of Liberty, the White House, and other monuments were closed to tourists. National parks, museums, hiking trails, and even zoos were completely dark. From Oct. 1 to 17, the U.S. federal government was in shutdown. Besides the hiatus of well-known landmarks, many services were also unavailable due to the government shutdown, including making visas and passports, inspecting imported food, treating cancer patients, and even saving whales from becoming endangered. However inconvenient these effects may sound, they were just a few of the minor impacts caused by the government shutdown, which was the result of a disagreement about health care among partisan Congress members.

So what caused the federal shutdown in the first place? Well, a couple of crises led to the final downfall, including the debate over funding for health care, conflicts among the Republicans and Democrats over the government

funding bill, and maxing out the federal debt.

To sum it up, because Congress couldn’t agree on which spending bills to pass, the government could not receive adequate funds and therefore was required to shut down. Ever since the new healthcare system was introduced by President Barack Obama in his first term, ObamaCare has received controversial opinions, especially from the conservative Republican party. Although it provides affordable healthcare for the country, the prominent healthcare system comes with a dire setback: more taxes. After unsuccessful attempts to repeal ObamaCare, Republicans from the House of Representatives quarreled with the Democrats, which ultimately led to their inability to agree on how to fund the government’s bills. After many heated debates and disagreements pertaining to raising the debt ceiling, and right before the government maxed out the budget, $16,699 trillion, a decision was finally reached. On the deadline of Oct. 17, members of Congress and the President agreed

to boost the government’s spending limit for another few months. Although this authorizes the government to borrow more money for a while, raising the budget may cause a plunge in the economy in the future.

Now that the first government shutdown in 17 years is over, we can all learn a few things from the chaos and inconvenience that clouded the country for 16 days. Whether it is to calm the strident waters between the two political parties or to get rid of all bias in politics completely, it is evident that changes have to be instilled as soon as possible. The government shutdown is only one of many events that have highlighted not only the changes that the country needs to make as a whole, but also specifically, the Republicans and Democrats’ inability to agree on a solution. Not only do these divisions affect many aspects of our government, but as seen from the shutdown, they are ultimately causing a toll all over the country as thousands of workers in government-funded positions had to be temporarily

furloughed. And although the government shutdown is technically over, partisanship disagreements, the maxed out bill, and the controversial health care issues might still cause problems for the country in the future. President Obama is still attempting to make adjustments to ObamaCare, and the debt limit has only been extended until February 2014. Economists estimate that the economy will be damaged by $24 billion, or about $75 for every U.S. resident.

President Obama said, “These last few weeks have inflicted completely unnecessary damage on our economy.”

On the other hand, the shutdown has also imparted a constructive lesson to everyone in the U.S. Although many American households were not affected by any inconveniences, families with federal workers were unemployed for over a week, many were unhappy about the closure of monuments, and cancer patients were denied treatment from the National Institutes of Health. We can probably all agree with President Obama; this shutdown “showed just how many things, large and small, the government does to help people.”

mhong@apachepowwow.com

Photo courtesy of BLOGSPOT.COM Graphic courtsey of WIKIPEDIA.ORG

October 2013

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Ads on Instagram

By ROY ZHANG

Staff Writer

We all know Instagram, the vintage camera icon that lingers in about everyone’s smart phones. Needless to say, millions around the world all use Instagram, whether it’s for capturing a memory, shooting a video, selfie Sundays, or even becoming a “professional food photographer.”

Instagram is our friend, a companion to display to us the outside world when those pesky AP classes are slowly taking time away from our social lives.

There’s even a good chance that you have an unbreakable bond with Instagram; it might even be your BFFL. Now take a step back and just imagine—what would Instagram be like…with ads? To some this may be devastating, while to others it would be something expected, as ads are a major part of many social networking sites.

Taking into account that Instagram is owned by Facebook, the eventual presence of ads was nothing but inevitable. Money makes the world go around, and Facebook’s $264+ million ad revenue from 2012 alone is quite the influence.

The idea of ads on Instagram has a very large risk-reward factor, and

some argue that comparing Instagram to Facebook is silly since ads will be much more disruptive to Instagram than to Facebook. This is why Instagram has to handle this procedure with safety gloves; the goal is to generate enough quality ads to have a meaningful revenue, but not so many that it will anger

users and cause them to move onto another app.

Don’t be too distraught about the whole, “Instagram: Version Sell-out”, though, because Instagram said in its latest blogspot, “Ads will be made to feel as natural to Instagram as the photos and videos many of you already enjoy.”

Along with this, users will be given

certain ad controls, which involve choosing which ads they liked or did not like, then giving feedback to the Instagram database, which will tweak its ad selection accordingly.

The ads themselves will be just like a post from a fellow friend—as you scroll down your, feed there will be posts from advertisers.

Instagram reassures us that since this is such a drastic change, it will “start slow, focusing on delivering a small number of beautiful, high-quality photos and videos from a handful of brands that are already great members of the Instagram community.”

If all goes well for Instagram, its expected ad revenue over the next three to four years could be around $800 million.

Ads are practically everywhere we look: Facebook, Twitter, Youtube. Having products that support ads is slowly becoming the norm rather than an exception.

The path of having ads is a big decision for Instagram, a “makeor-break” situation, and what will decide Instagram’s fate will be how well it execute its ad integration. rzhang@apachepowwow.com

Graphics courtesy of MONEY.CNN.COM and WORDPRESS.COM

New Education Center

By JUSTIN TANG

Staff Writer

When was the last time a new building was constructed in Arcadia?

Apart from the usual construction of roads and new houses, rarely do we ever see recreational buildings being built.

Due to the high demand of increased recreational activities in the city, the Arcadia Historical Museum Foundation has made a joint effort with the City of Arcadia to undergo a project for the Arcadia Museum Education Center. The new education center will be located between the Community Center and the Gilb Museum of Arcadia Heritage.

In addition to the donation made by the Arcadia Historical Museum Foundation, the Arcadia Rotary Club also donated money to help build the new education center as well.

Rotary is a nationwide organization that promotes high ethical standards in order to build goodwill in the world. “This donation was made in memory of Bob Daggett, a longtime club member and the architect who designed the building for the education center, the last project he worked on before his passing,” said former

Arcadia Rotary Club president Dr. Brad Miller; Daggett was “known for his wry sense of humor and generosity, he was loved by everyone.”

Elementary schools also regularly take field trips to the Gilb Museum of Arcadia Heritage, where students can

However, the demand from schools for field trips to the museum has increased rapidly and thus, a new facility was required.

According to Linda Garcia, the city’s project manager, the primary focus of the new center is to provide space for educational programs and activities plans. The 2,650 sq.ft center will house a lecture hall that splits off into 3 separate rooms, modified kitchen facilities, and storage spaces.

This new education center could provide something Arcadia could always use an abundance of: extracurricular activities to invigorate the minds of students.

The budget for the building is $877,339 with the majority being donated by the Arcadia Historical Museum Foundation. On A NEW BUILDING FOR THE CITY Oct. 1, a groundbreaking Soon, Arcadia will be getting an education ceremony was held to mark center to add to the already rich history and the start of the construction culture of the city. for this new education cenhave a hands-on experience with the ter. Many citizens of Arcadia have city’s rich history. Arcadia’s founder, held the call for a new recreational Elias J. “Lucky” Baldwin, eventually building, and it seems like they will made his home in what is now the Los finally get their wish in May of 2014.

Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic jtang@apachepowwow.com Garden. The Arboretum is filled with early Arcadian history, dating back as Graphics courtesy of ARCADIASBEST.COM and ARCADIAMUSEUM-FDN.ORG early as 1839.

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t s a f f Editors

Editors-in-Chief Managing Editor News Editors Opinion Editors Performing Arts Editors Student Life Editors Features Editors Sports Editors Academics Editors Center Spread Editor Calendar Editor Campus Focus Editor Advertisement Editors Photography Editors 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 Shaw 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 Maddie Bruce and Ben Geisberg Rena Chen and Khanh Tran 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, Hubert Co, Michelle Gu, Megan Hong, Michelle Huang, Elisha Lee, Donna Sayphraraj, Briana Shen, Justin Tang, Hafsah Umerani, Charles Xu, Roy Zhang Lillian Chen, Eric Cho, Lauren Frank, Ben Geisberg, Michelle Liu, Tiffany Liu Eric Chen, Hubert Co, Michelle Gu, Celine Lee, Eileen Lee, Elisha Lee, Andrew Lim, Melody Lin Neven Wang-Tomic Eric Chen, Chelsea Cheng, Simone Chu, Hubert Co, Lauren Frank, Angela He, Carolyn Hsu, Michelle Huang, Kimberly Lo, Briana Shen, Charles Xu Lillian Chen, Lauren Frank, Carolyn Hsu, Jonathan Matsumoto, Cristian Nalbandian, Briana Shen, Justin Tang, Hafsah Umerani, Jessica Wang Billy Bonney, Maddie Bruce, Chelsea Cheng, Rose Li, Melody Lin, Allison Stevenson, Justin Tang, Brendan Tran, Ethan Zhu Tiffany Liu, Kimberly Lo, Christina Read, Donna Sayphraraj, Justin Tang, Flora Ung, Jessica Wang Chelsea Cheng, Allan Gao, Michelle Gu, Angela He, Elisha Lee, Andrew Lim, Belinda Shoung, Emily Tong Briana Shen Kelly Ching and Shirley Lu Billy Bonney, Eric Chen, Jonathan Chu, Lauren Frank, Johnson Hui, Michelle Liu, Shirley Lu, Emily Tong, Flora Ung, Katrina Villacisneros, Madeleine Wang, Ethan Zhu Deedee Chuang, Celine Lee, Stanley Shaw, Katrina Villacisneros, Roy Zhang Katrina Chao, Simone Chu, Elaine Chung, Kylie Cole, Michelle Gu, Rose Li, Michelle Liu, Melody Lin, Tiffany Liu, Kimberly Lo, Shirley Lu, Christina Read, Briana Shen Mr. Johnny Lee

Publication Information: The Apache Pow Wow is a student publication distributed monthly throughout the school year. The paper has been continuously published since Arcadia High School opened in 1952. Unsigned articles appearing on the opinion page reflect the opinion of The Apache Pow Wow editorial board. A student’s work does not represent the views of Arcadia High School or the Arcadia Unified School District. Address letters to the editor to: The Apache Pow Wow, 180 W. Campus Drive, Arcadia, CA 91007. To place an advertisement in the newspaper, email ads.powwow@gmail.com. Advertisement rates vary from $30 for a business card advertisement to $250 for a full-page black and white advertisement, with quarter-page, half-page, and advertisement insert options available.

Graphic courtesy of MYCUTEGRAPHICS.COM

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NEWS Arsenic in Poultry

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Water on Mars

By DONNA SAYPHRARAJ

Staff Writer

POULTRY CONTAMINATED

Recent reports from the FDA put a halt to arsenic pesticides in poultry.

By HUBERT CO Staff Writer

The Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently ordered the discontinuation of 101 drugs used to promote growth and prevent disease in chickens, turkeys, and pigs on the grounds that they contain arsenic compounds which are potentially harmful.

Public awareness of arsenic-contaminated food has increased significantly since the discovery of a substantially high level of arsenic in rice. The contamination is said to have been the product of the unclean groundwater and soil made filthy by farmers’ use of poultry waste as manure to fertilize their land.

Arsenic poisoning may not strike many to be as awful as lead intoxication, but exposure to arsenic has been proven to be just as fatal. Arsenic can spell fatality at a mere 40 mg (70 for adults). The element and its compounds have been defined as category 1 carcinogens which means it is known to cause cancer.

Arsenic is likely to cause hair loss, strokes, diarrhea, vomiting, internal bleeding, convulsions, nyctalopia (night blindness), muscular and organic decay (lungs, skin, kidneys, and liver), and diabetes. Despite its longstanding recognition as a toxic substance, arsenic has only been recently banned from use as animal feed. However, this new regulation only demands three of the four deadly arsenic compounds roxarsone, carbarsone, and arsanilic acid to be discontinued in its current use.

The fourth compound’s—nitarsone’s—ban is being held off as it stands as the only known defense against histomoniasis, a deadly disease which affects the lungs and cecum of birds, caused by a parasitic infection. Symptoms of the infection include depression, reduced appetite, poor growth, increased thirst, sulphur-yellow diarrhea, listlessness, and dry, ruffled feathers in birds. There is no other known treatment for the disease as of yet, warranting nitarsone’s continued use.

As aforementioned, even a miniscule dose of arsenic can pose life-threatening dangers. In a nation where pork and poultry consumption per capita is 146.1 pounds, allowing our pigs and fowl to feed on arsenic drugs can spell disastrous effects.

The FDA does assure that it will be continuing its study on the effects of nitarsone. hco@apachepowwow.com

Photo courtesy of POLICYMIC.COM

For years, NASA has been trying to discover elements on Mars that will sustain life. It is possible that due to overpopulation and lack of natural resources, humans might just have to move there someday. A recent discovery by the Curiosity Rover makes colonizing Mars a lot more plausible.

In a soil sample taken by the Curiosity Rover, water, carbon dioxide, oxygen, and sulfur were present. The dusty, finely grained soil came from a sandy, surface-level patch of land known as “Rocknest”. A scoop of Rocknest soil was fed into the rover’s Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) analytical suite. SAM includes a gas chromotograph, a mass spectrometer, and a tunable laser spectrometer. These tools allow Curiosity to identify chemical compounds and to determine the isotope ratios of key elements. Once inside SAM, the dust, dirt and fine soil—collectively known as “fines”—were heated to 835 degrees Celsius. The results showed that the particles contain several percent water by weight, so if people go to Mars, they can simply dig up soil and heat it up in order to find water.

Laurie Leshin, Dean of Science at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, said in a press release that “about 2% of the soil on the surface of Mars is made up of water, which is a great resource and interesting scientifically.” Scientists at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) have discovered

that some time in the past, Mars had an environment inhabitable to humans. Melissa Rice, Postdoctoral Research Fellow of Caltech, said during a recent presentation that researchers “don’t know if that era would have also been habitable, but it tells [them] that there were at least two major wet stages.”

In addition to the Curiosity Rover, NASA’s Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutionN (MAVEN) mission project is set to launch in November. The bus-sized vehicle will orbit around Mars for a year, plunging down until it is only 77 miles from the surface of the Red Planet—the lowest attempted orbit ever.

This mission has been given an emergency exemption from the governmental shutdown, and final preparations are continuously being made.

As it flies through the atmosphere, MAVEN will take samples of the gases there in hope of measuring the levels of water vapor and the rate of which it is being lost.

Curiosity Rover will continue to probe the Martian surface for signs that life could exist. To this day, analytics sent from Mars have not been enough to prove that there was once life on the Red Planet. In time, there is no doubt scientists will find a way to make Mars hospitable. Thanks to the hard work of NASA, humans might soon have a safe place to go if Earth is no longer habitable. dsayphraraj@apachepowwow.com Photos courtesy of IMAGESHACK.COM

Mind Those Prosthetics

By BRIANA SHEN

muscles, the prosthetic leg is set in motion. Those nerves were surgically rewired to read contractions from his muscles and nerves, so it works Accidents occur every day and many times like a normal leg. The joints work accordingly when people least expect them. Luckily, with and are based on the signals from his brain. new and improving technology, there are many Vawter explained, “In my mind, it’s still the ways to treat wounds, and there is much more same thing in terms of moving my ankle down hope for recovery. Now, the unexpected is slow- or up, or extending my leg forward or back. It’s ly changing into a reality. People who have lost just walk like I would normally walk. It’s not their limbs can hope to special training or buthave arms or legs that tons or tricks. That’s a are controlled by their big piece of what I think brains. is groundbreaking and Prosthetics are arphenomenal about this tificial body parts to work.” Instead of havreplace those that were ing to control his leg lost from accidents, mechanically, his mind diseases, or other condoes all the work for ditions. Scientists have him. now discovered a way Though this is to control the movegroundbreaking technolments of a prosthetic leg THE LATEST INNOVATION With ogy, scientists still have with the human brain. brain controlled prosthetics, the future of much work ahead of Although arm prosthet- prosthetics could be changed. them. They believe that ics that worked similarly have been made before, the leg still needs to be refined, so they hope to a group of engineers, neuroscientists, surgeons, smooth out all the kinks with the leg before ofand prosthetists were the first to apply the tech- fering it to the public. Vawter only wears it for nology to a prosthetic leg—and succeeded! a week when he works with scientists who are Zac Vawter, the “lab rat” for this technology, working on the leg. Currently, Freedom Innovalost his leg from a motorcycle accident in 2009, tions LLC is working on improving the leg, so but now he can walk and climb stairs using a leg the machine is smaller and quieter. The leg may that is completely controlled by his mind. By not be completely finished yet, but it has definiteimagining what he wishes to do with the leg, the ly changed the future of prosthetics. leg is put to action. Using sensors that carry out information passed from the reinnervated nerves, bshen@apachepowwow.com otherwise known as the nerves that control leg Photo courtesy of TELEGRAPH.CO.UK Staff Writer

October 2013

Moving Forward in Africa

By ELISHA LEE Staff Writer

After centuries of being a complete patriarchy, Africa is moving toward a more equal direction with its feminist movements. One of the most impacted states from this movement in Africa is Rwanda. Since 2008, women have taken up half of Rwanda’s parliamentary seats. And from Sept. 16 to 18, the most recent parliamentary election displays that 64% of the seats are held by women. But with the increasing amount of female equality spreading through Africa, why aren’t people questioning how they achieved this accomplishment?

Women all around the world have been seeking political equality, but now that Rwanda has found it, these Rwandan women’s success has been looked over.

Many non-governmental organizations and international bodies suspect that the high female population in the Rwandan parliament was caused by the genocide in 1994. In the genocide, around 800,000 Africans were killed. What does this have to do with women making up most of parliament?

Out of the 800,000 people, most were men. The genocide was a huge reason for the sudden rise of feminism in Africa. For example, on Sept. 1, Aminata Touré was named prime minister of Senegal. Touré has been supporting the women’s rights movement and has been working on social and economic justice struggles.

Although Rwanda is the only country in the world with women making up the majority of its government, many women in other countries are gaining independence as well.

Malawi, Liberia, and Senegal have all been breaking out of their patriarchal society in recent years.

Despite all the rumors of adopting western values, the main reason why Rwandan women find themselves the majority of parliament is that Africa’s organized feminist movement has picked up.

Some feminists have formed their own organizations, such as Judith Kanakuze who started Twese Hamne, also known as ProFemmes, to seek equality and ensure that it becomes an important factor of African society. It was further strengthened after the genocide and influenced the election through its campaign acts and support. These feminist leaders made sure to incorporate the efforts of women while rebuilding the country after the genocide, and contributed to the spread of the idea of women’s rights and helped increased its awareness and popularity.

Though feminist movements in Africa are still overlooked by some countries, this development has raised awareness and connected many other movements around the world. elee@apachepowwow.com

Photo courtesy of WIKIPEDIA.ORG

October 2013

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OPINION

Life’s Rare Eraser

By LAUREN FRANK

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By TIFFANY LIU

Staff Writer

Everyone makes mistakes—it’s something we’ve been told since we were young, yet some mistakes, no matter how much we learn from them, end up causing awful repercussions that appear to be impossible to fix. When the pangs of regret overcome the ability to move on, or even to forget, many of us look to second chances as a means to fix them. Second chances, however, are tricky. When any kind of trust is betrayed, repercussions follow closely behind, and those who caused the loss of trust often cannot deal with that change. Second chances give the opportunity to revert life, at least a little bit, to a state before any trust was broken. True, they are a do-over, another opportunity to start afresh, to learn from mistakes and improve upon them, but in nearly all things, the trust, no matter the amount one previously had, will have been skewed before any such opportunity is met with action.

Just a second, though. Why do people want second chances in the first place? Life has generally been a repetition of making mistakes, learning, and moving on. Failure should be welcomed and used as a way of growth. However, through second chances, the situation that results is predominantly the same situation as the mistake was made. People want these opportunities to right their wrongs, and it could even be said that this is one way of changing the past. But change is hard, especially after a first chance has been abused. Despite that abuse, it can be both easy and difficult to get a second chance. On one hand, people can just give them out, saying that the “second chancers” can do what they will to earn back trust. It’s one thing to say that a person can have a second chance, though, when most of the time, people are waiting on the person who made the mistake to take action for himself or herself and try to make things right. Once again, it becomes another case of “actions speak louder than words”, a battle of empty promises. Trust is lost, and with that amends must be made, so on top of utilizing that second chance to its full potential, the person who made the mistake has to compensate in other ways if he or she so chooses.

The question becomes whether or not he or she will actually take that second chance and really turn it into a new, successful opportunity. The tricky part about this new possibility of change is that it’s hard. People take their time changing, if they ever change at all. Of course, this is just relating to everyday occurrences, not life-altering events in which people change drastically. Either way, so many of us are set in our own ways and when second chances are granted to us, we just let them slip by. An extension on a homework assignment that I bombed? Whatever, I don’t care enough about it so it doesn’t matter if I bomb it again. Thoughts like these are what give second chances a dismissing glance.

It’s not easy to accept, but a lot of people don’t give you another glance in the harsher realms of our world. Second chances are rare.

They are a kindness done to people who may or may not deserve it, and they allow for the possibility to grow. That is why when people get them, they should be treated as a gift, an opportunity that has been long sought after. It doesn’t end there. They have to be fought for and made into the successes that couldn’t be at first. They don’t come easy, so they shouldn’t be treated lightly. lfrank@apachepowwow.com

Graphic courtesy of ECCAREPACKAGE.ORG

October 2013

Staff Writer

One of my parents’ most frequently asked questions is, “What are your plans for the future?” While there are some of us who have planned every bit of our lives following high school, college, and beyond, many of us stare blankly and think, “How should I know? It’s not like I can predict the future.” Even though we aren’t armed with what would be an awesome superpower, it’s perfectly okay to not know what you’re good at or what you’re truly interested in. When life hands us a basket of lemons, we are free to make whatever we want: lemonade, iced tea, sorbet, or even lemon cake. The problem is that most of us spend time stressing over what we actually want to do with these lemons instead of just letting the lemons guide our paths.

These “lemons” represent our previous experiences and knowledge. Every time we learn something new, whether we like it or not, we are handed a lemon. Some lemons are sour; they show us what we’re absolutely terrible at. Some are slightly sweet; they remind us about all the things we are great at. Each “lemon” is an important reminder of who we are and what we’ve accomplished or learned to a certain point. They help us understand who we are, which is why it’s so important to gain as much experience as possible before making a big decision.

We’ve all probably seen or heard accounts of people who have switched careers midway in their lives. One case in particular was about a man who realized in his mid 30’s that he hated his office job. He hated waking up everyday knowing that his job sucked, and that if he didn’t quit immediately, he would be forever drowning in his misery. One day, he finally gathered up his courage to quit his job. He always knew he would be a great teacher since his own teachers were great mentors. In the end, he did become a teacher and is now a happier and more confident man. He finally knew what he wanted to do with the lemons he was given. A big decision like this may come early on or much later on, such as in the case of the initially unhappy man.

As students, most of us may dream of the glamorous lives of doctors, astronauts, or actors without truly understanding the obstacles, dedication, or sacrifices of pursuing these careers. Some of us may walk blindly into these careers without knowing what we truly wanted to do. Some careers require years of school, which can be costly if one day you decide to change. Decisions made rashly without previous experiences or specific research can turn us away from what we really want to do. We are restrained by so many circumstances either financially or mentally that may even force us to give up on our dreams. Too many “stumbling blocks” stand in our way of making a perfectly iced lemon cake. There may not be enough powdered sugar, or not enough butter to create our cake. Although many of us have an unclear image of where our futures lie, we have many chances to get things right the first time around. The opportunities or the “lemons” waiting to be handed to us in a basket clear the way to let us know what we are truly passionate about.

tliu@apachepowwow.com

Graphics courtesy of ALLGAMEWALLPAPERS.COM, FLICKR.COM and PSDGRAPHICS.COM

The Debate Over Junior Year

By BEN GEISBERG

Photography Editor

It seems that everyone exclaims the same thing: Junior year has to be straight A’s! Do well on your SAT’s! Do lots of volunteering! Make this year count for college! This may all be true, but does it have to be exceedingly true? Confused? Let me explain.

Junior year is infamous for being the most stressful year for many reasons. This is, for most of you, the first year taking AP’s, the year you take the SAT, and the year when you generally try to ensure that your résumé looks good. Of course, colleges appreciate a strong academic transcript filled with AP’s and good test scores, along with volunteering and other extracurriculars. This sometimes means that students overload themselves and don’t have enough time to do what teenagers do best: be teenagers. These high school years are the time for friendship, fun, and all of those (sometimes) reckless things that teens do. Of course, this comes with moderation because of the high standards that AHS has. But high school, especially junior year, shouldn’t be devoid of things that make being a teenager great.

What am I getting at? Well, I’m saying that taking all of those difficult classes and constantly studying in a dark room like a vampire should not be all you do as a junior. “But,” you say, “I have to make junior year the best year and get all good grades!” True, but that shouldn’t mean sacrificing all the things in life that you love, such as sports, music, or just hanging out with friends. Colleges, after all, don’t just want to see a great transcript, which really matters, but they don’t want you to be a robot and be burned out by the time you’re there. Make time for

friends, sports, and other fun things. Colleges, and other people, want and appreciate people who will add to their campus or lives. A student who only studies is great, but to a point. Sure, he or she will make your college look good on paper, but getting to people and communicating is what really matters. Universities and colleges enjoy having well-rounded students, and being this way by striking a balance between fun and academia starts in high school, which is a good thing. Making time for other things will not only be good for you and your physical and mental health, but will also show colleges how well-rounded you are and show them what else matters to you besides grades.

In the end, junior year comes down to this: a challenge, but doable with moderation. Sure, good grades are important. Sure, a high SAT score will help. And sure, volunteering looks good on a transcript, but should that force you to detract from your life? Not one bit. Being a person who isn’t an academic robot may be, dare I say it, somewhat even more important than grades. When you’re seeking the jet-setting career your first year outside of college, employers are not going to be interested in a drone. So, for you, if that means dropping a class, quitting one of the million clubs you’re in, or stopping volunteering for a while, it will be worth it in the long run. Making time to be a human and enjoy what being a teenager and attending high school entails is just as crucial as good grades. bgeisberg@apachepowwow.com

October 2013

OPINION

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Goldilocks and the Three Bears: Public Image Edition

Mom, What Are You Doing?!

By LAUREN FRANK Staff Writer

Dear Diary, I don’t know if I should write in here anymore after the incident with Mom yesterday.

She found this, read everything, and cornered me as soon as I got home. She even read the parts where I mentioned going off campus and buying lunch with my bus money, even though I’m supposed to save it for the entire week. She also found out about my friends driving me places even though most of them don’t have their legal licenses yet. I am so angry right now, though! I can’t believe that she would do that!

She disregarded my closed door and searched my room in places that I haven’t seen in weeks! My diary was hidden under my mattress, for goodness’ sake. Geez, to think that my privacy means so little to my mom. I mean, she said that cliché line that goes something like, “As long as you’re under this roof, you follow my rules.” I want to respect her, but how can I when she doesn’t respect my privacy?

Okay, yeah I know. Step away from the teenage angst. I just want to understand why I can’t have at least some privacy now. I’m growing up, I’m stepping out of my comfort zone, and I really want some independence.

When I was younger, I would have totally agreed with my mom. Heck, if I had kids, I

By MICHELLE LIU

wouldn’t let them out of my sight. But right now, privacy seems to be a starting point for independence. Sure, my mom is trying to protect me, and I’m grateful that she has been able to all these years. But I feel like I’ve grown up enough to have earned the right to keeping what I write to myself. Maybe keeping my affairs public is my mom’s way of showing that she cares about me. She’s probably swamped with stories of how my peers were given too much independence and left out of their parents’ lives, and that the privacy drove my peers to do things they may possibly regret in the future, or just crazy things. But that’s not me. The wildest thing I’ve ever done was set my jacket sleeve on fire, and that was by accident. Still, I want her to trust me to make the right decisions or at least learn from the bad ones. My mom needs to take a break for a bit and let me stretch out into the world, and get the feel of things before I’m plunged headfirst into chaos. After all, I’ve heard reality kind of sucks.

So I guess I’ll talk to her soon, now that I’ve calmed down a bit. Maybe by not reading my diary every five seconds, she’ll realize I’m trustworthy enough not to end up in a car crash or max out her credit cards. I won’t always be keeping secrets; it’s that I’ll have the space to find out what is right for me. And then maybe she’ll leave me and my diary in some peace. lfrank@apachepowwow.com

Graphic by BELINDA SHOUNG

By BEN GEISBERG

Photography Editor

What’s the thing that people see first and judge the most? Take a wild guess, but it’s probably pretty obvious: your public image. Especially at school, first impressions are everything, and having a good appearence is everything. How important is a public image?

First impressions for teachers, classmates, and future friends are all based off of the image that you create for yourself. A public image can make a person seem attractive rather than unappealing, friendly rather than mean, or smart rather than dull. Every day, then, is a new opportunity to make friends and promoting how your want to be seen and to be how you want to be. And while not putting effort into that image or making a bad one from the start is repelling, so is overdoing it. Now, to be clear, I’m not saying that people shouldn’t think about what they’re wearing and wear anything that they can pull out of their closet, or that presentations don’t deserve a suit and tie, and that sometimes you shouldn’t try to look nice for special occasions. But on the same note, overdoing and, when it comes down to it, overthinking the public image can drive people away just as much as somebody who doesn’t put much effort into what they wear. After all, who are you trying to impress?

7

Special occasions are one thing, but putting too much effort in everyday sometimes isn’t the way to go. In this case especially, moderation is the goal. This is where the Three Bears come into play. Remember the old tale in which Goldilocks went around the house trying out the different furniture? Similarly, you should do this with your image. You’re most likely not going to find that perfect fit on the first try. I mean, look at Goldilocks, who never got it until the third try. Looking nice and putting out a good public image while not overdoing it is the key to making the best first impression possible. Even more important, this image will travel with you to college, future, jobs, and even farther! What you become known for now will have effects farther than you can imagine and in the end, this reputation and image will be why people are or are not impressed with you.

Even though you may change yourself, that image that you put for yourself now will stick in people’s heads for long.

This is something that people should not overlook, and is not something that people should “underlook” either. Your public image is the first impression, treasure it. At school especially, it is crucial in forming lasting friendships, impressing teachers, and being yourself. bgeisberg@apachepowwow.com

Graphic courtesy of ALISHAW.CO.UK

The Average College Tuition: $32,500 The Cost of Your College Essay: Priceless Staff Writer

The average price of a Big Mac in the California is $4.75. Gas prices average around $5 per gallon. A new Toyota Prius costs about $25,000. House prices can range in the millions. We’ve always measured our personal belongings by their costs, and it’s easy to see why.

The results from spending money are easy to see in the form of dinner, a new microwave, or a new pair of shoes. In our minds, the price tag is justified by these tangible benefits. College is another one of those things that has a huge price tag. Heck, college tuition has risen in the last 20 years and doesn’t seem to b e

stopping anytime soon. UC Berkeley’s total-school-year cost in 1961, at around $680, has far been surpassed by the $33,320 estimated total today. Even applying to schools adds to the amount of money spent, and you don’t know whether it will all be in vain. And to justify the cost, many people turn college applications into just another assignment that needs to be chugged out before January. The average rushed, stressed, and amateur college procrastinator will end up shaping the essays around a specific college to please those that will peruse it in the coming months. And the writing usually reflects they believe the college wants to hear and is carefully tailored to fit these imaginary guidelines. However, we soon discover that these essays aren’t our typical school assignments, but something that we h a v e to spend time on. Our blank documents, just sitting idly on our computer screens, prove that we don’t normally take the time to think about our world, reflect on influential events, or consider achievements as well as our fail-

ures.

As we take the time to really write and rewrite (and rewrite and rewrite) these drafts, we’ve gained a better understanding on how to present our personalities to a complete stranger. Traits like happy, smart, and friendly just won’t cut it anymore; it’s time to actually use our vocabulary to find words that truly define us rather than vaguely encompass the average Joe. We’ve learned how to see things in a new light and make simple actions extraordinary. And

we’ve also discovered things about ourselves individually—whether it’s something about our family, uncovered from a story told by a great-aunt or our own personal characteristics. It might even be something simple, like discovering that you have a new liking to coffee at 6:00 a.m.

W e should remember that college applications are priceless.

We’re not only paying in money, but also in time. And treating the essay as “just another one” won’t make as good of an impression as an essay that is you in a nutshell, the accumulation of all your personal discoveries. And while we might not be able to grasp its worth in money until after we get a job or are retired and lounging on a beach somewhere, the knowledge we can gain about ourselves is worth every minute spent. mliu@apachepowwow.com

Graphics by BELINDA SHOUNG

8

OPINION

apachepowwow.com

October 2013

I’ve Got the Music in Me

By MICHELLE LIU Staff Writer

Whenever I feel myself on the verge of explosion because of that one kid that taps his or her pencil during a test, I tell myself it’s just because he’s musical. Maybe he’s composing a symphony to express his frustration about the test. Or she’s rewinding the song she made to memorize terms for the vocabulary test.

We all remember Hannah Montana and her ridiculously catchy “Bone Song” right? Regardless, the term “musical” has transcended from simply playing an instrument and has become synonymous to simpler, everyday actions—whistling, clapping, or just moving to the beat. There is so much more than music in your headphones or blasting from your car stereos.

This is because music is such an intrinsic part of our lives. Sure, there are the songs on Pandora and the Top 40—stuff we listen to on a regular basis. But everyone has created music, even those who are not involved in the arts. After all, the continuous pounding of feet on the track is like a staccato, keeping time.

The melody of a tennis player’s swing swells at the climax, the contact of the racket and ball, and gradually decreases again.

The continuous presence of music in our day to day actions shows just how important it is. It can bridge nations, different languages, and opposing cultures. A symphony played in New York can be enjoyed by those in Europe.

Consider for a second a famous pop singer.

Whoever you have in mind has surely been on international concert tours to countries other than the U.S. This is just another example of

music having a reach that extends far beyond one single nation. Fans all around the world swarm around the artist, just as they would if the star was in his or her hometown. Sure, we can’t exactly send a message—can you meet

In fact, music can evoke emotions. Those educated in music know that a minor, a half step lower than a major, can alter the mood drastically—from something cheerful and lighthearted to sad and melancholy. It is the

AN EMOTIONAL CONNECTION Music gives us the ability to escape the realities

of the world with a simple note.

me at Starbucks in five—but it’s just as important for feelings to be united to create a universal community. We can just as well tell a story of a meetup at Starbucks through the use of music.

evoked emotions that are so influential to our own lives. Just listening to music from your favorite genre can lift your spirits after a difficult test or offer some tranquility in the midst of deadlines and stress. A Christmas song can

bring you back memories of days being swallowed up in a blanket and immersed in a book with the rain pounding outside, rather than simply saying the word “Christmas”. Likewise, singing “Happy Birthday”can help you recall past birthday experiences, more so than the word alone. Some might have the misconception that the birthday cake is the aspect that brings us most joy, but psychological studies have shown that it is most often the joy of the song itself that stimulates the happy feelings we get from the overall birthday celebration.

Start singing the iconic song and you’ll surely start feeling the smile creeping on your face.

It is the memorable tune that reminds you of those childhood memories, crowded around family and friends while you blow out your candles.

There is a saying that says “the pen may be mightier than the sword,” but I would like to believe that music can truly hold its own against the former. In a culture that is so driven by text, communication, and stimulation, whether with social media or in articles, short stories, or blogs, music can express things that words cannot.

Overall, music is the crutch that we continually find ourselves constantly leaning against.

It is the only means of evoking as many emotions as the human heart does. While friendships may fade over time or life may fly by with the blink of an eye, music is constant and ever-present, providing comfort and solace to us no matter our stage in life. mliu@apachepowwow.com Graphics courtesy of NIPIC.COM, EBAY.COM, and NOPROBLEMMAC.

Going Through Phases is Just a Phase

By LAUREN FRANK Staff Writer

“Oh it’s just a phase.” I have heard this phrase so many times that I’m actually beginning to believe it. Time and time again, I have mulled over this issue in my head, trying to figure out what the truth is. According to others’ wisdom, is what I am doing wrong? Following this train of thought, if I don’t listen closely to others, my own thoughts and wants will ruin my future. Are the wiser adults in my life right? Does anything that I do or say really matter when it’s all a phase?

I can’t say that adults’ wisdom is not useful; however, I would be lying if I said I followed most of what they say. When parents and teachers, even older cousins and friends who have already graduated, tell me that what I want one moment will change in the near future, my mind goes blank.

They say that everything I’m pursuing now is meaningless; playing guitar, hanging out with friends, having fun, or just being a teenager. Everything is going to change, so why not focus on the future now? It’s as if I’ve been transported back to when I was seven and obsessed with beanie babies. I begged my mom for the latest beanie baby, but she would urge me to calm down, saying in a few years, I wouldn’t even care about my entire collection. What an absurd idea! Hadn’t she seen my growing numbers of stuffed friends? As if

all 30 something beanie babies would mean nothing to me in two or three years! Sadly, however, she was right. Two years later, I had moved on to loving outdoor activities and spending all my time in the backyard instead of inside, playing with my toys. The point is,

though, that at the time, all I could think about were my beanie babies. They were all I knew, after all.

Skip a few years to the present, and I’m curious as to how this all plays out. Where subject courses replace toys and decisions for the future become huge fac-

tors, we have new things that hold meaning in our lives. At this age, everything is a little bit new to us. Listening to the wise and soaking up their own experiences on what sort of people to date or to avoid, study tips, or how Friday’s football game is not as important as Monday’s test is tiring. Although their advice is probably the best, I find that I let it go in one ear and out the other. How are they to know I can’t handle the work I have? Questions like these pop up with every “forget about that, focus on this” or “you shouldn’t do this,” but it should be up to me to find the answers.

Right now, as naïve and inexperienced as I am, all I want to do is find out for myself what advice works and what doesn’t, even if I end up flying too close to the sun and crashing back down to earth. It’s foolish to not listen to the good judgement of others, but when people tell me from their own experience why what I say, want, or does not matter, I have the urge to try it out for myself. We step out into a scary world full of new things, from that first step into high school all the way to the first day of an important job. It’s the urge to try things for ourselves or to try new adventures that drives us to forget the lessons of our mothers. It’s hard to listen because right now, in the present, it’s all we have, and it’s all we know. lfrank@apachepowwow.com Graphics courtesy of ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

October 2013

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10

FEATURES

Gross Halloween Treats

By LAUREN FRANK Staff Writer

Finally, the best time of the year has come around: Halloween season. It’s the time when anyone can knock on strangers’ door and get free candy among other benefits of Halloween. The thrill of sticking your hand into a bag and pulling out a night’s worth of treasure, feeling the power of having one more piece of candy than any of your friends, and having the best candy is what makes Halloween so awesome. But sometimes, from your bag of delicious, sugary treasures, you pull out a bad egg; a disgraceful, tainted piece of bad candy. Here are a few bad candies that when pulled out, puts frowns on faces: 1. Sixlets: Okay, what are these?

Other than traffic light colored M&M imitations, that is. But they’re not even real chocolate; they’re “chocolate-flavored”, and what’s worse is that they’re made from carob. Yup, that’s right. It’s the stuff in health stores.

2. Non-Chocolate Tootsie Rolls: The chocolate flavored ones already don’t quite taste like chocolate. Now there are other flavored ones too? And they’re also ten times worse. They come in sickly sweet flavors like grape, banana-berry, smooth cherry, root beer, cranberry, and more!

Imagine getting banana-berry and root beer flavors stuck in your teeth all night…

3. Good and Plenty: It’s a licorice candy. That in itself is a no-no for many candy-lovers. Fun fact: the pink candies were once made with K-Carmine, which is produced from the crushed bodies of the female cochineal insect. Now doesn’t that just make you want to eat more!

4. Necco Wafers: These pastel colored disks kind of look like Tums. With flavors like clove, cinnamon, wintergreen, and licorice, it’s hard to resist these gluten free, kosher tablets that have the consistency of chalk.

5. Strawberried Peanut Butter M&M’s: It’s common knowledge that people should stop while they’re ahead.

Too bad Mars incorporated didn’t listen.

6. Boston Baked Beans: If you’re iffy on peanuts from the start, then these red things are not the treat for you. Trust me, you can find better. These “candies” are actually just sugar coated peanuts, and the sugar doesn’t even taste that good!

Halloween’s a big deal, and dealing these candies out is a big crime. Just a small taste of them sends trick-or-treaters reeling for a trash can. Admittedly, these houses do have strangers ringing their bell and harassing them for sweets all night, so it really isn’t pleasant for either party. In the end, even if there is reluctance in receiving any of these sweets, it’s still free candy! So grin and bare a smile while you still have cavity-free teeth! lfrank@apachepowwow.com

Graphics courtesy of CLIPARTHEAVEN.COM, MUSTHAVEMENUES.COM, and 2.BP.BLOGSPOT.COM

apachepowwow.com

October 2013

Food Combo Break Tastebuds

By CAROLYN HSU

Staff Writer

When it comes to tasty food combinations, the possibilities are endless. Although some stay as far away from potential kitchen disasters as possible, there are others who stumble upon gloriously weird discoveries.

When certain individuals claim their food preferences to be strange, they’re not kidding.

Let’s start small with the more commonly eaten snacks: apples and celery with cream cheese or peanut butter. It doesn’t taste as odd as it sounds, surprisingly enough. The creaminess of the spread compliments well with the refreshing crisp of the apples and celery sticks, and overall, it’s filling and tastes good. Plus, if you’re getting sick of bagels and cream cheese, you have an option B. It’s a universally known fact that peanut butter and jelly are like inseparable elementary school friends. However, as many high schoolers know, not all friendships last. Truthfully, the “match made in heaven” can taste less heavenly after eating it every day for lunch. What better time to switch things up than mid-semester? Swap out the jam for mayo and throw a dill pickle in the mix, just for fun. The pickle, with its crunch and saltiness, mixes well with the sweet and smooth peanut butter spread.

Peanut butter is a common household ingre-

dient that tastes good slathered on anything– pizza, burgers, or, as some people swear by, rice. It sounds like a peanut butter rice krispie, but that would be far too normal. Take a spoon, pick up some peanut butter, decorate it with a chunk of rice, and enjoy (or don’t enjoy).

Think of the rice as a blank canvas. It cooperates with any taste due to its own blandness (sorry rice, you’re still much loved), and peanut butter adds a smooth dimension to it.

Unfortunately, the health content in these foods deteriorates significantly from here, and the hesitance to try them increases... the first of the sinful combinations: sweet or plain popcorn dumped in milk. Although it’s difficult to describe why it tastes like it should have been discovered centuries ago, it certainly reinvigorates the traditional milk and cereal.

Ah, the smell of grilled cheese sandwiches sure brings back nostalgic memories of fifth grade. However, given that most people hated the fifth grade, internet bloggers have livened up the cheesy classic with maple syrup. Eaten just like fries and ketchup, grilled cheese sandwiches with a side of maple syrup make for an occasionally acceptable lunch or dessert.

Speaking of French fries, the overused ketchup bottle deserves a break. Instead, try the potato dipped in ice cream and milkshakes. There’s something about the sweet, chilly dessert paired with the crisp french fry

that builds into an odd unobtrusive love. Before you know it, ketchup bottles will be replaced by tubs of ice cream in the freezer.

Feeling disgusted? Don’t t u r n away just yet. If you’ve tried the list of food combinations stated above and loved it, or loathed it with the passion of your next midterm, there’s still one more option. Turn away, health conscious students; this one’s a killer. Burgers with Krispy Kreme donuts imitating the bun has become so popular, it’s adopted a name: the Luther Burger. Many who have tried it promise it is the worst thing for you, and the best thing you’ve ever tasted. Ironically, some suggest sticking a sugar cookie inside the burger for “a less diabetic option.”

Less diabetic? Well, try again.

To conclude today’s lesson: firstly, people have varying personal preferences, so while some may be averse to strange foods, others may view it as an interesting twist to their day; secondly, peanut butter tastes good on pretty much anything. While humans may seem odd, the Earth can’t help being home to those who like Siracha and peanut butter on toast for lunch. chsu@apachepowwow.com

Graphics courtesy of ARTICLES.BALTIMORESUN.COM, SAIRAMBAKERS.COM, and THEKRZYCOUPONLADY.COM

Haunted Stories for the Ghostly

By BRIANA SHEN Staff Writer

Footsteps near the entrance of the house make little skittering sounds on the pavement...

Kids chatter by the gate as they prance down the walkway. Then suddenly, two figures jump out and scream, “Boo!” The kids scream and laugh in surprise. These types of haunted houses may be fun and exciting, but with their kid-friendly environments, it is quite hard to actually be frightened. But what if there are places so mysterious that they could actually be called spooky?

Whispers of ghosts, phantoms, and even aliens pass through these mysterious areas.

Pasadena’s Suicide Bridge Just a few miles from Arcadia, Pasadena’s own Colorado

Street Bridge has rumors about strange sightings.

It was constructed in 1912, but after claiming over 100 lives in only one century, it was nicknamed Pasadena’s Suicide Bridge. Only a few years after it was built, the bridge had its first recorded suicide in 1919. But during the Great Depression alone, it claimed almost 50 more lives.

After so many tragic deaths, the city made some safety precautions to prevent further casualties; a suicide barrier was built in 1993. Unfortunately, the suicide barrier only reduced the number of suicides instead of stopping them completely.

Due to these suicides, locals and visitors report strange sightings of paranormal activity and hazy or misty appearances. Some people have reported seeing a man with glasses and a lady wearing a billowing robe. If you’re brave enough, visit the bridge and see it for yourself. But be warned!

Knickerbocker Hotel Down Ivar Avenue lies a building hidden by the busy streets in Los Angeles. Its cream colored exterior masks its once glamorous history. After its construction in 1925, it opened as a luxury apartment building, but was later renovated into a hotel which housed some of the biggest names in Hollywood.

Rudolph Valentino, a silent

film star, frequented the bar...and still does.

But what began the haunted stories were the many tragic tales and scandals which took place at the Knickerbocker. Frances Farmer had a brief career as an actress, which ultimately crashed and burned in the lobby of the hotel. At the time, she was facing many problems with her marriage, which ended in divorce. She transformed into a party animal—until she was arrested at the hotel and shut away in a sanitarium until she died. But perhaps the first supernatural occurrence at the hotel was on the night of Halloween 1936.

Before Harry Houdini died, he claimed that he would contact Bess, his wife, from the spirit realm. After his death, Bess attempted to contact her deceased husband with a team of magicians, but nothing happened. Yet, right after she had given up, a violent thunderstorm struck, scaring the team to death. Houdini was known for his flamboyant performances, so just maybe, it was his way of saying hi.

If you are not frightened of ghosts, visit these spooky sights. Instead of staying at home moping about how Halloween is a childish holiday, take a trip down to see them, as they aren’t too far from Arcadia.

These places are very real, but it is up to you to decide whether to believe in their stories. bshen@apachepowwow.com

Graphics courtesy of ELLWOODCITYLIBRARY.COM Photo courtesy of HDWALLPAPERSINN.COM

October 2013

FEATURES

features.pw@gmail.com

Faster than Fiber

By JONATHAN MATSUMOTO

Webmaster

Life in the 21st century has become synonymous with the likes of YouTube videos and Facebook, which reach broad audiences of millions. It has quickly become the responsibility of Internet providers to maintain service for all these millions of users while constantly increasing speeds. Each year, programs like Verizon’s FiOS and Time Warner Cable boast improvements for an added price tag of $50 per month, promising slightly faster speeds at a hefty price.

Google, on the other hand, has become synonymous with the web search service that it has provided for over 15 years.

However, Google has taken its first step into a territory previously uncharted for the technology mecca with Google Fiber. Google claims that the Fiber technology will be able to provide speeds roughly 100 times faster than traditional broadband networks, bringing an immensely larger number of cat videos to home networks in a shorter amount of time than ever imagined.

The key to Google’s high speed offering is a method called Fiber-optic communication, which, although discovered more than 30 years ago in England, has only been made accessible in recent years. The main focal point of a fiber-optic setup is the optical cables themselves, which are slightly thicker than a human hair. They are fine light receptor signal trans-

By JESSICA WANG

porters. The light is then converted into data.

The current technology used in most areas, broadband, is actually a range of technologies that are often crude and unrefined compared to the newer fiber optic connections. The average American has download speeds in the range of 6-10 megabytes per second (a measuring unit for data), but in Kansas City, where Google Fiber was first launched earlier this month, users receive an average download speed of 50 megabytes per second, five to ten times faster than before.

Other companies like AT&T and Verizon have created networking options using the same fiber optics technology that boast similar speeds. However, Google has excitement of users on its side. It aims to take its large servers and use them to complement the technology; Fiber users can now store larger amounts of information online where they can be accessed more quickly. Fiber is also integrated into televisions and DVRs. Among many competitors in a growing consumer field, these features will define the failure or success of Google Fiber. jmatsumoto@apachepowwow.com

Photos courtesy of FIBER.GOOGLE.COM and WASHINGTONPOST.COM

11

Lego My PhoneBloks

By JUSTIN TANG

Staff Writer

What do we do after our phones break or get worn out? Well, we usually throw them away and get a new one. Piece of cake! Yet by doing this, we unmindfully create excess electronic waste that inevitably contributes to global warming. Take the iPhone for example.

Within a year, a brand new iPhone awaits your greedy hands, and your old iPhone takes its place in the drawers.

It’s estimated that global ewaste amounts to between 20 and 50 million tons per year. Scary isn’t it? To put into context, if that much ewaste was loaded onto trains, it would stretch all the way around the globe!

Dave Hakkens, the creator of Phonebloks, has a dream of getting people to purchase a Lego-like phone, where parts can be easily replaced without having to dispose of the entire device. “I don’t like the direction electronics are heading,” said Hakkens. “They get more disposable and get a shorter life with every model.”

In a sense, PhoneBloks is Minecraft brought to life. It’s made of detachable blocks that are all connected on a uniform base, with electrical wires that power the device.

The concept of PhoneBloks is the ability to change a specific component of the phone without needing to get a new one. If you’re a hardcore movie watcher, you might decide to upgrade the storage block. If you’re someone

who loves to take photos, you might decide to upgrade the camera. And even if you use your phone for nothing but music, you have the option of choosing the speakers you want from your favorite brands. Pretty cool, right?

Sure, if you can put up with an ugly phone.

Some argue that PhoneBloks is an ironic idea and will produce more e-waste because of its replaceable parts. Others remark that it’s impossible to build a functional smartphone in such a fashion. The design of PhoneBloks isn’t all that appealing either, making many skeptical about the whole thing. Hakkens remarked, “People who support PhoneBloks really understand what my intention is. It’s not something you can just make in one year. It’s a revolution in the way technology is made.”

For now, PhoneBloks is just an idea. However, the concept has captured the imagination and celebrity endorsement of thousands.

Hakkens has received over 1 million supporters and almost half a billion in social shares. To put into proportion, about 1/7000th of the entire human population has seen the PhoneBloks concept! For an idea that isn’t even real yet, not bad. Hakkens is certain that gaining the support of a large audience is the first step to getting major companies involved in the future.

The big question now is: will it actually happen? jtang@apachepowwow.com

Graphics courtesy of CNET.COM and CNET.CO.UK.COM

You’re Never Too Old for Pokémon Staff Writer

Every year or so, a select group of people are faced by a professor in their region. The people are all asked the same question—are you a boy or a girl? Jokes aside, people have been asked this very question within the past few weeks, as the release of the latest series of Pokémon games swept the world with its international release on Oct. 12. Pokémon X and Pokémon Y are truly mind-blowingly phenomenal works of art with impressive new features. Unsure whether or not to get the game for yourself or for a friend? Here’s a brief overview of the newer aspects of the game.

At the very beginning, you are allowed to choose which language you want to play the game in. There are multiple languages available: English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, and Korean. While this feature may appear trivial, it is actually a major leap from previous games, which had you buy a game in a particular language (which was a massive hassle for some people).

With the Nintendo 3DS’ abilities, the entire game now uses 3-D characters, Pokémon, and battles instead of 2-D pixilated people and sprites. This 3-D perspective is reinforced with new camera angles and appearances.

For the first time in Pokémon history, the player is able to customize his or her character’s appearance. In the beginning, only the hair color and skin tone can be altered, but as the story progresses, new clothing and hair options are unlocked. This allows players to fully express themselves as a person rather than as a number.

Each Pokémon game in the main series has its own set of starter Pokémon. A starter Pokémon is the Pokémon that the players pick at the beginning of the game to accompany them on their journey as their very first Pokémon, hence the name “starter”. In the very first games, Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue, the starter Pokémon are Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle (no, Pikachu is not a starter Pokémon in Red and Blue). In the newest generation of Pokémon games, players actually get two starters, a Kalos region starter and a Kanto starter. Kalos is the region where Pokémon X and Pokémon Y are set, whereas Kanto is where the first Pokémon journey began in the Red and Blue versions. The starters in the Kalos region are varied: Chespin, a grass type, known as the Spiny Nut Pokémon; Fennekin, a fire type, known as the Fox Pokémon; and Froakie, a water type, known as the Bubble Frog Pokémon. The player gets to pick one of the three, as well as Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle. This last set of Pokémon play an important role as one of the biggest changes in the game involve these three.

Mega Evolution is introduced in the newest generation as a form of temporary evolution. As stated on the official Pokémon website, “A Mega-Evolved Pokémon will be able to tap into a strength far greater than it could before. When a Pokémon becomes a Mega-Evolved Pokémon in battle, Trainers will have a great opportunity to turn a battle around and snag a win!” In order for a Pokémon to Mega Evolve, a special stone is needed, and the effects only last the duration of the battle. However, only a limited number of Pokémon can Mega Evolve, including Venusaur, Charizard, and Blastoise, the final evolved forms of the Kanto starters.

One of the more significant aspects of the Pokémon game is the battles. Two new types of battles are introduced: sky battles and horde battles. Their names define them quite well; sky battles take place in the air, so only flying-type Pokémon or Pokémon with the ability Levitate can participate. Horde battles are basically one on six battles, which can be quite challenging for newer players.

Sky and horde battles aren’t the only drastic change to battling. A brand new type has been confirmed as the “Fairy” type. Not much is known about this new type other than the fact that it is super effective against Dragon type. The Pokémon Eevee also receives a brand new evolution known as Sylveon, which is a Fairy type. However ridiculous the name may sound, the type effectiveness of the Fairy type can balance the playing field against Dragon types, who terrorized competitive battlers before.

Of course, I’ve saved the best for last because if you’re a Pokémon fan and you’re not pumped up already, you should be now. For the first time in over 16 years, the player is finally able to walk… diagonally! Calm your frantic heartbeat before you continue reading, please. Diagonal movement has been confirmed, a development made possible by the introduction of the circle pad on the Nintendo 3DS. For non-Pokémon fans, it’s okay if you don’t understand. But for those who have been playing for years, they finally did it! A lot of time can now be saved to focus on enjoying the actual game instead of trying to figure out how to get from Point A to Point B. Nintendo’s really outdone itself this time, folks. jwang@apachepowwow.com

Graphics courtesy of MEADIA.COM and I9876.PHOTOBUCKET.COM

12

PERFORMING ARTS

apachepowwow.com

October 2013

Displaying Their Best For Homecoming

By MELODY LIN Staff Writer

On Friday, Oct. 18, Choir, Band, and Colorguard performed for the halftime show of our Homecoming Game. Despite the pressure to put on a good show at the game, all three Performing Arts groups displayed their best skills and amazed the crowd. However, the members of these groups had their fair share of troubles and tribulations before and during the show.

Performing at the Sept. 11 assembly, Choir learned the national anthem several weeks before. The whole group learned the song and practiced diligently. Octet members broke off and practiced at lunch once a week for a month.

Octet member senior Carrie Zhang explained, “We started by singing with a piano accompaniment, then gradually started to sing the song acapella for the Homecoming Game.”

Even though every Choir member was familiar with the national anthem, performing the song live definitely had its challenges.

Choir President senior Justine Hung described the performance as “scary because the feedback was so glitchy that [they] couldn’t hear each other. The microphones were unbalanced, so [they] just had to hope that everything sounded okay.”

Carrie was also worried, but for different reasons. “It was kind of nerve-wracking be-

cause there were so many people in front of us, excitement of the crowd was contagious and al- cause it’s something [Band members] do every and it was also the national anthem, so most tangible. Vanessa exclaimed, “The au- week,” but admitted, “When we started, I felt an we really could not mess up.” dience gave us a lot of energy dur- adrenaline rush.”

But overall, she described Band responded to the enthusiasm of the ing the performance, and I felt the performance as so accomplished whenever crowd in a similar manner. Band member senior “a lot of fun!” Rethe audience responded Jonathan Suszynski recalled his experience in ceiving the piece with cheers. I was performing during the halftime show as simply only a day or very proud of my amazing. “The rush of excitement from pertwo before the team and I was forming is unimaginable. The entire show takes actual perglad that we so much energy from every individual [that] formance, were able to per- you sometimes swear you can feel the whole Band only form in front of field pulsing.” He added, “The feeling of being had a cous u c h a part of something bigger than you are—someple of days a thing 400 times bigger—is really awe inspiring. in preparaIn part it’s that connectivity that links to every “The tion to learn single one of those 400 people you have to have the piece feeling of on the field that makes our show something and also run spectacular to watch.” Clearly, the connecbeing a part of through the tions and energy between all of the performsomething bigger ers was what made the halftime show so entire field show with Colorguard. than yourself—it re- spectacular. And as Jonathan stated, “You Colorguard just can’t find that anywhere else.” ally is awe-inspiring.”

Captain senior Vanessa Every performer on the field felt a con—Jonathan Suszynski, 12, Band Tse described performing in nection that united them all. Overall, Band, front of her peers Colorguard, and Choir all performed highly at and alumni in the HOMECOMING GAME Band, the Homecoming Game. That night, the peraudience as “a Colorguard, and Choir gave a formers fused into a harmonious being, giving thrilling experi- spectacular and much-anticipated large and a truly breathtaking, memorable performance. ence since the performance at the halftime show. supportive audience.” stands were not Band member senior mlin@apachepowwow.com usually as filled for other football games.” The Catherine Hang felt “nonchalant” at first “bePhoto by STANLEY SHAW

Arcadia Festival of Bands

By ERIC CHEN Staff Writer

At the Arcadia Festival of Bands (AFOB), the finest bands in Southern California will compete for a chance to prove their talents. This year marks the 60th annual AFOB and will once again be hosted by AHS and the three middle schools of Arcadia. Since the AFOB is one of the biggest parades of the year, AHS is looking forward to winning sweepstakes and taking home medals of victory on Nov. 16 and 17.

With less than a month left to spare, Band has been practicing hard for its big event. Band continues to work on its marching routine as well as perfecting its repertoire. Every morning, Band practices from 7:40 a.m. to the end of first period. Band also “has rehearsal on Wednesdays from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.” Flute player sophomore Megan Tse explained, “For the flute section, we have sectionals from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m.”

Band leaders are also contributing to the strenuous practice routine by acting as role models for the underclassmen. Members are “always preparing for the parades,” regardless what parade it is. Drum Major senior Alex Weisz stated, “We’re already really

proud of how prepared we are this early in the year, so I’m sure after six more weeks of work, the [festival] will be great.” As each day passes, Band grows increasingly ready for its showcase at the annual AFOB. Colorguard and Percussion are also involved in AFOB. Colorguard member sophomore Anita Xie stated that Colorguard members plan on “constantly practicing to get themselves more prepared.” Despite a heavy practice schedule and numerous competitions to come, Colorguard maintains a cool and calm state by “gradually getting used to the practice schedule.” Percussion member sophomore Alec Choy stated that “percussion members practice almost everyday to make sure that their parts are solid and ready to perform to [everyone].” He thinks that the event will be “pretty big because it is Percussion’s only event for the first semester and members plan to make it their best.”

Undoubtedly, Colorguard, Band, and Percussion will make huge contributions toward Arcadia’s success at the AFOB. With all of these groups refining their already excelling talents, Arcadia readies itself for a fantastic performance at the AFOB this November.

echen@apachepowwow.com

Graphic courtesy of CDRAMBAND.ORG

What’s Your Forte?

By ELISHA LEE

Staff Writer

There is one thing that all the different Performing Arts (PA) groups have in common: music. 50 people from various PA groups were surveyed, and as shown below, the poll consists of four genres of music: pop, hip-hop, jazz, and rock. PA members share their thoughts on their favorite genres of music.

What’s your favorite?

ould nre w rite ge e usually o v a f “My . W be pop melhave to ical pieces and it’s s o s s play cla in Orchestra, mes o g s n o to sten low s nge to li ore excita h c e ic an nd m appier a thing h .” pop ing like 2 rchestra a, 11, O u h C a —Min

uas pop z isn’t gh not z a j t a pity th Althou “It’s a was before. t anymore, I i t i lar as ople listen to The mixture e . p e r ether gen many y this ruments tog ilo j n e l fam stil inst erent ng and of diff eally soothi rted liking it r ta sounds h is why I s c i h w , iar ace.” first pl ard in the olorgu n, 12, C a r t l e asha B —Nat

“I lik e my f all types of mu avorit e s hop.

I like is probab ic, but ly hi the b hop s pea on ten to gs have; t most hip overa it bec ll, a easy t o find use it’s cat I lischy on the radio. and —Ald ” en Zh ang, 1 0, Ba nd

“Rock in mi used to be dd s people le school, o popular but I grew guess Strang out of e t much. ly, I still e hat phase. nj I of this won’t be g oy it very ro phase anytim wing out e soon —Ma .” de Advan line Meyer s ced D rama , 11, Depar tment

elee@apachepowwow.com

Graphics courtesy of ZAMORA.COM

arcadiaperformingarts@gmail.com

October 2013

PERFORMING ARTS

L.A. County Fair Performance

By CELINE LEE Staff Writer

Uniform…check. Hat…check. Marching shoes…check. Instrument…check. Band got to perform in its first parade of the season on Sept.

26 at the L.A. County Fair in Orange County.

Before this event took place, Band spent several weeks perfecting its march and marching techniques.

Band members went through nerve-wrecking auditions in order to perform in the parade.

After they passed the elimination process, these members practiced on the street every Tuesday and Thursday. Drum Major senior Alex Weisz stated that they “have a great group of new playewrs in the parade block, ranging from freshmen to returning members who have decided to switch their instruments. They are all extremely devoted to what they do.”

On the day of the parade, anticipation filled the atmosphere. Band and Colorguard members, especially the freshmen, were extremely excited as it was their first time marching in the parade block.

Trumpet player freshman Soha Lim spoke for the freshmen when she stated, “I was really nervous yet excited because it was my first Band parade…it’s

an experience I’m going to remember.”

Band and Colorguard members were excused from their sixth period class to get ready for the parade. Colorguard members had their makeup and hair done while Band members hurried to don their uniforms. After doublechecking their inventory, Band and Colorguard were on their way toward the L.A. County Fair!

Upon their arrival, Band members witnessed a fun-filled fair with booths, rides, and crowds of people! Band members warmed up and quickly assembled themselves in files and diagonals. Soon, the street had a distinct block of marchers wearing red and white with the Colorguard

princesses accompanying them. Band began to march down the street, exuding Apache pride.

Before they knew it, Band and Colorguard were on their way back home after an impressive performance.

Despite being “breathless and sore,” Band marched on and gave its all. Mr. Kevin Sherrill, one of the Band Directors, said “The members did a great job considering that it’s still early in the season. However, there are still things that they will have to work on. I’m excited for the upcoming competitions because they are definitely in a good shape.”

Overall, Band’s performance was phenomenal and everyone that performed had a great time. Band definitely kicked off the marching season with a good start. Most Band members, especially new members, can’t wait for the upcoming parades and competitions! New memories and friendships were made during this parade. Baritone player junior Adry Hardiman summed up the entire experience when he exclaimed, “It’s a good feeling to move as a unified band… creating music and watching people smile at our performance!” clee@apachepowwow.com

Photo courtesy of RONALD LEE

Haunted Hallways: AHS’ Own Nightmare

By EILEEN LEE

Staff Writer

As is the case with most holidays in the U.S., Halloween preparations began several weeks before the actual date. Pep Squad prepared for another year of Haunted Hallways, which has become a regular event every October. This year, the Haunted Hallways took place on Oct. 11 to 12 near F-Hall and G-Hall from 8:00 to 11:00 p.m. In order to give its customers a good scare, Pep Squad, along with many student and community volunteers, dressed up in scary costumes and decked the attraction with spooky decorations. Under Pep Instructor Mrs. Tamra Erikson, different sections of Pep Squad took part in organizing the event, from decorating the house to fundraising. Students from many different schools and even curious neighbors came and checked out the awesome event. The entrance at the back of the school allowed customers to form lines of two, in order to separate the VIPs and the non-VIPs. If you bought a VIP ticket, you had the privilege of entering first while non VIP ticket holders had to wait in an endless line of people. After you got through various themed sections and jumped a few times from the monsters—not that they could touch you—the exit showed up near the S-Building. Pep Squad also prepared other forms of entertainment, such as a snack shack and a carnival with eight game stations.

Song member sophomore Alison Lin said that participating in the Haunted Hallways was one of the most memorable experiences she had with Pep Squad. Alison shared, “I was at the event almost all day on both Friday and Saturday. It got tiring after a while, but it was

definitely worth it. On the second day, cleaning up lasted forever; I got back home after 1:00 a.m. It really was a lot of work, but I enjoyed every part of it, from fundraising to decorating.

Being together and working toward the same goal really allowed the entire Pep Squad to bond and have fun.” Flag member sophomore Shannon Lee was responsible for the front entrance portion of the Haunted Hallways. Her job was to attract customers; she would stand near the entrance and look for students who would like to have a fun and memorable night. Shannon said, “The front entrance is the most important part because it’s what actually draws a crowd to want to come in and see the house.”

Aside from the amazing decorations, Haunted Hallways is successful every year due to the large-scale promotion and advertisement of the event. Some might have wondered if orange was the new “it” color, since there were girls wearing orange t-shirts all around school.

Truth was these shirts were for Pep Squad members who had been prom o t i n g Haunted Hallways.

Students could have walked up to

any girl wearing an orange t-shirt with a Pep bag and asked for a ticket to the event. Members were more than happy to sell since they highly encouraged all the students to come and have fun. Shannon said, “Fundraising was hard at first but got easier as the Haunted Hallways dates became closer because more people started to buy. The best part about the event was when you actually saw it open because it didn’t seem like something high school students could make; it was actually really amazing!”

Like previous years, the Haunted Hallways fundraiser for Pep Squad was highly successful. Students who visited had a “boo-tiful” time and made memorable events with friends and family members. If anyone missed out on the event, make sure to be there next year!

elee@apachepowwow.com

Graphics courtesy of CRAZYWEBSITE.COM, CHILDRENSHALLOWEENCOSTUMES.COM, and IMPERIALHAYSALES.COM

13

What’s Next for ADD?

By NEVEN WANG-TOMIC Staff Writer

With a new school year comes a new season of musicals, comedies, tragedies, and dramas from our very own Advanced Drama Department (ADD). No time is wasted at all: right from the beginning, ADD has been planning out its schedule, providing the rest of us with a promising year of amazing performances.

Naturally, putting on such thorough performances, in addition to constant competitions, requires plenty of practice and polishing, something ADD is no newcomer to. ADD member senior Emily Johnson explained that ADD “has rehearsal after school from 3:00 to 5:30 p.m.,” along with “all cast rehearsals on Thursdays and Fridays from 3:00 to 5:30 p.m.”

Besides general practice, directors of different pieces may work with individual members from “3:00 to 5:30 p.m. or 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. if [they’re] in a scene from 3:00 to 5:30 p.m. that day.” On top of that, ADD members “also have Saturday rehearsals on occasion if we feel we need the extra practice,” explained Emily. Clearly, it goes without saying that ADD members dedicate many hours to honing their performances.

The result of this extensive practice schedule is equally clear. ADD has received tops scores at regional and state-level competitions. It also defended this impressive reputation at the Drama Teachers Association of Southern California Competition on Oct. 26.

ADD’s hard work does not come without any fun—far from it in fact. “I love the sense of family that is created within ADD. People come from all sorts of backgrounds; you really learn to be accepting of one another, and you always have each other’s backs,” explained Emily. It is clear that the long hours ADD puts into its work does not detract from the experience. On the contrary, it creates a source of friendship and experience.

ADD’s upcoming show, The Man Who Came to Dinner, is a comedy by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart. Without giving too much away, it’s “about a famous radio host who goes to a dinner at the house of a wealthy industrialist. However, on his way inside, he trips on a piece of ice and shatters his pelvis, confining him to the house for the next few weeks. While there, he acts like a spoiled child, demanding full control of the house and generally being a nuisance,” explained ADD member senior Liam Swan.

Emily elaborated, “This is the first time we’ve done such a large scale comedy, but with our new stage and dynamic cast, we won’t disappoint.” ADD’s performance will continue to uphold the high standards the group has displayed in the past. Perhaps with the new theater, it may even exceed our expectations. Be sure to purchase tickets from ADD members soon, as the play will be showing from Nov. 14 to 16 at 7:00 p.m.! ntomic@apachepowwow.com

Graphic courtesy of PICSTOPIN.COM

14 THE

END OF BULLYING

apachepowwow.com

October 2013

By KELLY CHING Opinion Editor

PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Month in October begins with a simple theme: The End of Bullying Begins with You. There are three very important words in that previous sentence. October. End. You. October, because what better time to start your personal (and group) campaign against bullying than right now? People are more accustomed to joining in on a wide, popular awareness plan when it is set in motion for a specific time. The National Bullying Prevention Center has done just that. It has hosted a “Champion Against Bullying” Petition continuing on all throughout the month, along with a few walk-a-thons and national Unity Days to keep up the spirit and encouragement.

End, because there is no word more superior to attach to bullying. It signifies exactly what needs to be done: spreading awareness to the bullies and the bullied that there is another solution than verbal and/or physical abuse. The Center has made available a variety of resources for educational purposes and reminders in the hopes that teachers, parents, and students alike will encourage the diminishing of bullying.

You, because it’s you who holds the most power. You cannot control your friends, but you do have the ability to change yourself. Each and every one of us has the potential to revamp our role. The bullies will see in themselves that abuse is not the answer they’re looking for. The bullied will discover their courage and seek the help they have for so long been denied. The bystander will step in from the stands and do something to help stop the problem. The unaware will get educated by the aware spreading knowledge. This is what YOU have the capability of doing. Now, it’s up to you to identify yourself with one of these five and figure out your next move.

This year, more than 13 million kids in the U.S. will be bullied at school, home, or online. In 85% of the incidents there is no intervention of any kind. Why? Maybe because it’s hard to be in that 15%. But that doesn’t mean we should give up. Find your mission that will lead you straight to the end of bullying. It’s almost the end of October. Seize your chance.

For more information, please visit http://www.pacer.org/bullying/nbpm/spreadtheword/. kching@apachepowwow.com

Photos courtesy of ANTIBULLYINGBLOG.BLOGSPOT.COM and ITGETSBETTER-PROJECT.TUMBLR.COM

Hey UGLY, come here often?

Your size isn’t a book, don ’t judge it

Was I tal k you? No. I ing to ’d rather talk to a wall.

ook l r e v e N n d o w n o e ss e unl n o e m so ping l e h e r ’ you p them u

October 2013

centerspread.powwow@gmail.com

Calling someone UGLY doesn’t m ake you PRETTY

BEGINS WITH YOU

’t n s i e f i l r u Yo a film, don’t edit it

are If there bad lking a t e l p p eo et them l , u o y about e less you talk. Th happier e care, th ill be you w

Stop trying to fit in.

Nothing is better than being yoursel f

Your face isn’t a mask , don’t hide it

Nobody has the right to define who you are

15

Nobody wants to hear what ay, you have to s stupid.

ake You just t up space.

You’re worthless.

You look like you live in a dumpster.

16

ACADEMICS

Just Read!

By JESSICA WANG Staff Writer

By TIFFANY LIU Staff Writer

Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) is known for its excellence in teaching art by providing its students with various programs that allow them to have more exposure to the field of art they wish to pursue. Whether in graphic design, photography, or architectural design, the school nourishes the creativity of its students. Located in Providence, Rhode Island, graphic design is the name of the game at RISD. It is ranked first in the world for graphic design, and RISD’s undergraduate program emphasizes a natural exploration of art over the course of each study.

The main goal is for students to be able to take part in real world design opportunities through their understanding of design, culture, and society. RISD has career programs that give students information about internships, portfolio reviews, and workshops. It also offers recruitment and job opportunities, as well as a chance to visit a prospering artist or designer. Students build their knowledge while preparing for the professional world through this program.

As undergraduates, sophomores usually take on classes such as typography, communication, and the history of graphic design.

Typography is especially important since it is used everywhere, from websites to advertisements. Typography is still emphasized for juniors as well as color and relational design, which focuses on how media serves social and informational needs. Last but not least, the seniors work on their independent Senior Degree Projects. This project grants them their Bachelor’s Degree, filling in their final graduation requirement. Other elective classes, like Music Video or Public Art Studies, teach students about video and sound design, while Graphic Design for the Web teaches students about the things that make a website accessible, interesting, and efficient.

From designing books, posters, videos, and websites, RISD students learn it all.

As stated on the school’s website, RISD looks for applicants with solid drawing and design skills, as well as those who excel academically. Graduates of graphic design are said to go into publishing their works of art or taking part in fashion, cinema, or Internet design. Karen Kavett, a very successful alumna, is an example of what students in graphic design could achieve. A few months after graduating, Kavett got a visual designer job at YouTube in its graphic design department. Nowadays, Kavett frequently designs things for people like Hank and John Green while posting YouTube videos about design.

Through her success, design has definitely proven itself to be both a useful and profitable skill, while RISD patiently waits to accept the next outstanding designer. tliu@apachepowwow.com Graphic courtesy of USNEWS.COM

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Sometimes, books are your best friends.

You two can go on amazing adventures together and learn new information. Other times, you just want to dramatically throw the book into the sea and watch the waves pound it into the rocks. It’s understandable. Then again, there are times when you want to read, but there’s “nothing good to read” or “my parents won’t let me buy books” so “I can’t read.” It’s really easy to lose the motivation to read. It’s so much easier to laze around in front of the TV for a few hours or go on Facebook and Instagram. However, watching television and liking your friends’ statuses can’t exactly: 1) Improve your vocabulary as well as a book can. So what if your buddy learned some fancy French word that you only half-understand? Chances are, you could pick up many more French words by reading Les Misérables or some other book about France.

2) Improve your memory. Reading a book and discussing the information with friends or family can allow you to practice your memorization skills. Trying to retain information as you read can later prove to be useful because it can make you an active reader, meaning that you constantly engage with the text.

3) Relieve stress the way books can. In a study conducted in Britain, “participants [were

asked to] engage in an anxiety-provoking activity and then either read for a few minutes, listened to music, or played video games. The stress levels of those who read dropped 67%, which was a more significant dip than that of the other groups.” Books are patient. They will sit there with you and let you learn at your own pace, unlike TV. They will accompany you to far-away places or transform you into a spy who is headed into enemy territory. Whatever the book may be about, it’s probably different from your own life troubles and can provide a place to escape to and hide from your problems for a while. Everybody needs a time-out once in a while, even the toughest of people.

4) Boost your analytical thinking ability.

Doctors, lawyers, and detectives are trained to find patterns in almost everything, and books are known to have patterns. These patterns are found in anywhere from a character’s actions to the settings of a book. Focusing on the changes and the relationships between the changes can connect your memory skills to your ability to communicate.

5) Stimulate your brain. Your brain is like a muscle; it grows weak from disuse. Watching a movie doesn’t require your brain to do much; watch, absorb, remember for a while, and that’s it. Reading forces your brain to be active and alert, but not in full power like when trying to figure out a difficult math problem. Reading is a nice cool down exercise for your brain.

6) Improve your focus and concentration. When you’re reading for long periods of time, you are basically forcing your brain to sit down and focus on a single thing. With phones and the Internet, it’s so easy to be distracted by passing advertisements or the need to check our email or texts. When reading, try to focus only on the book and nothing else. It trains your brain to focus when there are other minor distractions. If you’re the kid that notices the girl four seats in front of you who has a stuffy nose during a test, then you probably aren’t entirely focused on taking the test. This is incredibly useful when taking important timed tests such as the SAT, as the SAT does not provide enough time for you to think about other things.

Reading isn’t going to kill you, as shocking as that may seem. Just picking up a book and reading for 20 minutes a day can have a significant effect on your working skills. It doesn’t even have to be a non-fiction book; reading fictional books is usually what gets people to think outside the box. Besides, because of some stereotype conceived ages ago, reading makes you look smart, so why not improve your reputation while at it? Books can bring together the most interesting of people, so it’s safe to say books are pretty powerful. Don’t underestimate the power of books. Just read. jwang@apachepowwow.com

Graphic courtesy of IMGUR.COM

The Legendary History Bowl

By DONNA SAYPHRARAJ

October 2013

material assigned to him or her. There are questions that pertain to both ancient history and Staff Writer modern day events. Surprisingly, the questions Ever since its induction in 2011, the Histoare not just about history; they include quesry Bowl at AHS has been winning regional and tions related to art, music, pop culture, etc. Durstate championships. Now, as an officially charing tryouts, applicants were given a written test tered academic team, History Bowl is looking to determine whether or to make 2013-2014 another not they would move on eventful school year. History to the buzzer round. Since Bowl Co-Captain senior BoyHistory Bowl is a buzzerang Jiao said, “This means type competition, applithat we will be changing most cants were tested on how aspects of how the team is run, well they would do under from the leadership structure those circumstances. to who is accepted, and how.

When asked about Our success comes mostly what makes History Bowl from the individual contribuso successful, Yuqiao tions of our members.” said, “Well, I think it’s As one of the newest acathe members of a team demic teams on campus, Histhat defines it, and I really tory Bowl has made a lot of don’t believe there is rehistory in the past two years. ally any magical formula In History Bowl’s first year, it for success. I think the won the only regional compebest part is that the team tition in Southern California is a fostering ground for and qualified for Nationals, learning and appreciatbut didn’t go. Last year, it won ing history, and the trotwo regional competitions and phies from competitions the state championships, and serve as motivation for also moved on to Nationals.

ONE BIG HAPPY FAMILY Last year’s History Bowl Team poses for a picture that goal.” Boyang added, The Varsity team won 17th “Our success has partially during its trip to Washington D.C. for Nationals. place in the nation, and the relied on the fervent supJV team placed 5th. History Bowl adviser Mr. tively short route between H-107 and P-104, port students and staff have shown for our enGerry Wang noted in an interview how proud he the rooms of our advisers, which allows us to deavors. Finally, the enthusiasm and devotion was of the team and gestured toward its many run two simultaneous meetings and thus give of Mr. Wang has encouraged us to do more, to achievement plaques. new members more training and attention.” Mr. be better.”

History Bowl is looking forward to this ac- Wang said that this year, he will hold members With the hard work and dedication team ademic year. This year, the team hopes to once more accountable for learning the material in members are putting in, there is no doubt that again win state championship and go to Nation- order to make them more prepared. the team will make Nationals once again. als. History Bowl Co-Captain junior Yuqiao The team meets once a week to discuss Zhao said, “Our main focus from here on out is progress and catch up with each other. Each dsayphraraj@apachepowwow.com to ensure that we can continue to have new and team member is responsible for knowing the Photo courtesy of CORRY WANG talented players every year to fill the shoes of departed upperclassmen to maintain the team’s excellent record, and with experience from last year’s Nationals at Washington, D.C., we hope to improve our performance there this year.”

He also explained, “This year, thanks to progress with construction, we finally have a rela-

October 2013

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ACADEMICS

Destined for Greatness

By KIMBERLY LO Staff Writer

Creativity is the root of change. It is the element in life that can turn dire situations around. If you want to explore and expand your creativity, then Destination ImagiNation® (DI) is the team for you.

For this competitive academic team, the most important skill needed, as implied by the name, is imagination. What DI encourages most is not knowledge on many subjects or a fast reaction speed, but creativity and resourcefulness to solve difficult challenges. According to its website, DI “offers youth a framework to develop their teamwork, creativity, and problemsolving skills.”

Although DI is technically one big team, it has about five to six different sub-groups.

Each of these sub-groups consists of about five to seven people, and every sub-group is given a different challenge. Teachers provide packets which contain instructions to the challenges.

Ultimately, the goal is to find the most innovative solutions that the team members can think of for that challenge. DI is more about develop-

ing skills rather than displaying skills already mastered. Critical thinking and problem solving skills are essential when dealing with these challenges given by DI. There are two parts to this program: the Team Challenge and the Instant Challenge.

The Team Challenge takes months to accomplish, and it is made of two parts: the Central Challenge and the Team Choices.

The Central Challenge has many different options: Technical/Mechanical Design, Structural/ Architectural Design, Theatrical/ Literary/Fine Arts Elements, and Improvisational Techniques. In each of the options, the challenge focuses on its specific category. For example, the Structural group builds structures, while the Theatrical group creates a skit that is relevant to its given challenge. Last year, se-

nior Renee Chen and her teammates “had to create intricately designed vehicles that each could independently function to reach a certain point.” Renee explained, “We had to create vehicles that functioned differently, and so we made three; one used a string mechanism, [another] used electricity, and [another used] a motor.” On the other hand, the Team Choice Challenges are very open to variety. In this element, team members are supposed to present their own talents in the most creative way possible.

This challenge focuses on individual developments. After months of preparation, teams attend tournaments and reveal their solutions. Those who win continue to the next tournament. If the teams win at the regional level, they will compete at the state level, and then maybe even at the Global Tournament if successful.

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The second part is the Instant Challenge.

The Instant Challenge is a challenge that is not revealed to the team until the members are at the tournament. Then they are given a limited amount of time to come up with a creative solution to a challenge. For the Instant Challenge, team members have to think on their feet to create create structures or create a skit that best fits the given directions. One of the most valued aspects is working together under all the time constraints. By working together instead of independently, team members can find out the best solution to the challenge when talking with each other and brainstorming aloud.

Renee recalled that being on the team and competing at the tournament “was overall, a fun and interesting experience, and [she] believes this year will be even better.” DI is a remarkable and unique academic team that can certainly get your brain working. If you are interested in DI, do not forget about tryouts, which will take place during the first week of November. Good luck to all who try out! klo@apachepowwow.com

Graphic courtesy of ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

Spooky College Stories

By FLORA UNG Staff Writer

There are many myths that we hear over and over again. Most of the time, these stories are made up, and when you hear them, you already know what’s about to happen. However, how would you feel if you were staying at a college, where the rumors are supposedly true and there’s always fear of knowing that there might be something behind you? These are just a few of the scariest myths people swear are true.

There is a class that can be taken named “Intellectual Inquiry: Ghosts and Human Perception,” where students can spend a night in the Monterey Guest House. The students that camp out there say they’ve seen specks of light or dark shadows, and even heard a baby’s cry.

Mary Reed Building, a former library, is supposedly haunted. People who have visited the library say that they have seen books moving on their own, lights being turned on and off, and elevators rattling between floors. One story claims a student walked into a dark room and saw a woman in a black dress reading a book, and the student ran away in fear.

In Birmingham College, people say that they hear their retired theater department director, Charlie, haunt the theater on campus. Theater students claim they hear footsteps, voices, and the stage lights flickering on and off continuously. However, the ghost only visits when music is playing or someone is singing.

A ghost tour is held and stops by Mary Green Residence Hall, which is haunted by a girl who was hit by a train during move-in week. Students have claimed to see odd happenings such as phones ringing with no one answering, alarm clocks going off when they were never plugged in, and posters being turned upside down.

North Hall is supposedly haunted by a ghost the students named Sarah. Sarah fell to her death from the sixth floor and students say they can still see her roam the hallways. Although the building closed in the 1980’s, people can still see her image in the windows. When the building was renovated in 1996, Sarah still haunted it. A picture was taken by the Members of the Central Pennsylvania Paranormal Research Association, and in the picture you can see Sarah’s head peeping around the pillars. They also caught Sarah’s voice on a tape. In this tape, students called out asking if Sarah was there and a breathless voice responded back, “never, never, never.” No one knows what she means exactly, but I’m sure we don’t want to know.

fung@apachepowwow.com

Graphics courtesy of BACKGROUNDSY.COM, IMGUR.COM, and ISTOCKPHOTO.NET

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ACADEMICS

apachepowwow.com

October 2013

Television Isn’t Only for Entertainment

By KIMBERLY LO

Staff Writer

Watching television is a beloved pastime and a treasured part of our daily lives. Whether it be cartoons, anime, or sitcoms, many people enjoy spending time watching their favorites on television. However, does television serve as more than a form of entertainment? Can students learn from television or is it only an activity for leisure time?

“Yes, you can learn from television. MythBusters taught to me to always experiment with extra caution and to learn more about the world. Discovery Channel shows like Shark Week interested me in marine biology and the unknown world beneath us. Also, the wonderful cooperation among scientists around the world to research sharks ended in positive results, encouraging me to enhance my social skills with others.” —Derek Lee, 11

“In foreign language dramas, you can learn phrases, culture, history, and random trivia about the country that the drama is set in.” —Kelly Chang, 9

“I believe television shows can be pretty helpful. The two shows I like to watch are NBC’s The Voice and Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern. I like watching Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern because it is interesting to see what types of food that people from all around the world eat. This show essentially broadcasts the different cultures around the world and their foods to show to the audience.”

—Natalie Lin, 12

“I learned how to cook on the Food Network. [Additionally,] there are many shows that are helpful, like cooking, fashion, and [interior design] shows.” —Yue Brewerton, 10

“You can definitely learn things from television, as long as you know what to watch and what to listen to, not just shows like How It’s Made, although that show is quite informative. Programs such as documentaries, whether they be on nature or history, are very helpful. Personally, I love the documentary series Mankind, which details the history of humans from the very beginning.” —Ryan Fong, 9 Regardless of whether or not you learn helpful things from the cartoons, anime, or sitcoms you love to watch, television is a significant part of everyday life. Without television, our lives would not be as wonderful! klo@apachepowwow.com

Graphics courtesy of TVSHOWLOGOS.COM Photos courtesy of MYTHBUSTERS.NET FOODNETWORK.COM, DISCOVERY.COM

October 2013

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STUDENT LIFE

By LAUREN FRANK

apachepowwow.com

October 2013

Cruising Through Homecoming Week Staff Writer

The week of Homecoming was a time to remember, especially for the seniors who experienced their last Homecoming before “cruising” away to college. Spirit Week, full of activities, aimed to pump up the student body, all leading up to the final nights of the game and dance; the former was a great victory for the Apaches, while the latter paved the way to fun and was filled with flowers from those asking one another to the dance.

The days before had been full of themes and activities that energized students to show their pride in being Apaches, all in preparation for that Friday night. For Spirit Week, each day was filled with fun games and dress-up themes. On Monday, students could dress up for Mismatch Monday, which meant that they could wear completely wacky things and blend right in with everyone else. For Tuesday, people dressed up as twins, wearing matching outfits with either their closest peers or random acquaintances. Wednesday was “wonder”-ful, with many decked out in superhero costumes,

cape and all. Throwback Thursday gave students the opportunity to take out their middle school spirit shirts from deep inside the closet and wear them once again, this time as symbols of a distant memory. Fi-

nally, Spirit Friday was a fun way to get pumped up for the game and dance, with students wearing spirit shirts and anything else AHS-related.

At the game against Pasadena High School, the playing teams were not the only thing that

made the night amazing. The fireworks and the shows performed by Color Guard and Band

ing even more reasons to celebrate. The fans in the stands, toting towels and blowing horns, showed their support enthusiastically.

During the dance at the Peterson Automotive Museum, cars arrived in a parking garage, and students strolled down a red carpet leading up to glass doors. Past the greeting committee in the front, students were led up to an escalator to a floor filled with exotic cars and motorcycles. Outside there were black tables lined with plates of mouth-watering cookies, brownies, and other sweets. Caricature stands and photo booths were provided for entertainment, all for free. Students took home funny, cute, or romantic pictures and drawing, as reminders of the glamorous night. On the dance floor, the DJ played energizing and booming music that gave many a chance to show off their moves. Students flocked to the dance floor which was set ablaze with colorful lights and booming speakers. There was plenty to do and see all night long. Indeed, this year’s Homecoming was a remarkable night not only for all HOMECOMING WEEKEND FESTIVITIES those vintage cars and intricate arIn addition to all the events that took place prior to the chitectural structures, but also for football game, the Apaches topped the night off with a those glimmering, irreplaceable memories. win for AHS, which all lead up to the swanky dance.

made for a truly breathtaking spectacle. Of course, the football team took a major win, giv-

lfrank@apachepowwow.com

Photos by STANLEY SHAW

Former Valedictorian Competes in Solar Decathalon Competition

By CHARLES XU Staff Writer

As the world experiences dramatic climate changes, countries have turned to renewable sources for energy. One natural resource that is rapidly revolutionizing clean energy production is solar power. Solar energy has steadily improved its efficiency each year and is becoming cheap enough for most households to install.

Since 2001, solar energy use has grown over 700% and prices have dropped over 50%.

This dramatic increase in solar energy can be credited to our generation’s young innovators and engineers. Among these environmentalists is Derek Ouyang, an AHS alumnus and former student at Stanford University who majored in architectural design and civil engineering.

Two years ago, Ouyang submitted an application to the U.S Department of Energy (DOE) to organize Stanford’s first ever Solar Decathlon team. DOE approved it in Jan. 2011 and selected the prestigious university as one of the 20 international teams competing in the DOE Solar Decathlon which took place from Oct. 3 to 6 and 10 to 11.

The rules of this government-funded competition are that each team has two years to build their solar-powered homes and will be judged on architecture, market appeal, engineering, communication, affordability, comfort, hot water, appliances, home entertainment, and energy balance. During a presentation on Oct.

1 at AHS, Ouyang mentioned he designed his green home based on the quote from Winston Churchill, “We shape our buildings, and afterwards our buildings shape us.” The house his team created aimed to change the way people live, as new eco-friendly technology cannot be effective if the owner doesn’t know how to live sustainably.

Ouyang wishes that in the future “people will re-examine their own relationship with energy and begin to see themselves as part of an overall energy narrative. Great design and engineering can change the world, not just by creating sustainable buildings but sustainable communities. I hope that we can educate the public about technologies and ideas of the future, and excite students about pursuing careers in building science and design. We have a major energy problem to solve, and we need more bright minds to solve it!”

When asked about the most troubling environmental issue on Earth, the AHS alumnus replied, “Personally, I’m worried about food production in this country. We’ve really destroyed our environment through increased demand for meat and other foods that we don’t actually need that much of, and that turns a sustainable agricultural ecosystem to a factory-based industry that is doing terrible things to our land, water, and quality of life.” Ouyang urges us to reconsider the “lifestyles we are used to and demand something different from what corporations and politicians are giving us. It takes creating a cul-

ture that values conservation and fights against waste.” Changing our lifestyles right now may not seem very important, but everything we do today will affect the lives of future generations.

After the Solar Decathlon, Ouyang will travel with his best friend from high school for a year and “return to Stanford for a masters in structural engineering and then start working.”

He hopes to “get an architectural license and start a firm designing buildings of the future.”

As the class of 2009 Valedictorian, Ouyang knows what it takes to be a successful student and has plenty of tips and suggestions for high school. He advises kids to enjoy high school as “you’ll make friendships that last and decisions that count. Value the amazing education you are getting at AHS, don’t let it go to waste. If you’re applying to college, pick somewhere that matches your interests and values over somewhere that gets you a great job. The job will come once you’ve found your true passion in life.” Regarding the environment, Ouyang encourages students to “research how much electricity and water costs in your home” and “create a schedule to see how many total [Kilowatt hours] of electricity and gallons of water you personally consume. Find ways to cut those, calculate the monetary savings and ask your parents to add that to your allowance.” Not only does this plan conserve energy, but it also helps people earn a little more money!

With the Earth suffering the consequences from decades of wasteful living, the world must learn to have a sustainable lifestyle for future generations. Something as simple as turning off the lights or installing solar panels in your home can go a long way toward preserving the environment.

cxu@apachepowwow.com

Graphics courtesy of DAVEY.COM Photo courtesy of STANFORDESP.ORG

October 2013

STUDENT LIFE

studentlife@apachepowwow.com

Be Aware of the Red Ribbons

By MICHELLE HUANG Staff Writer

As we all know from seeing the red decorations and posters hung up during recent weeks, Red Ribbon Week, which started on the week of Oct. 21, is one of the oldest and largest drug and alcohol prevention programs in the U.S. The goal of the Red Ribbon program is to promote commitment for a healthy, drug-free lifestyle. Designed to educate adolescents on the dangers of tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs, Red Ribbon Week prompts teenagers to pursue a safer way of life.

Although many people know the purpose of Red Ribbon Week, only a few know the history behind it. Red Ribbon Week was created in memory of Drug Enforcement Administration Agent Enrique Camarena, who was kidnapped and murdered in Mexico on February of 1985. He was only 37 years old. Agent Camarena had revealed to the public a multi-billion dollars drug scandal, in which members and officers of the Mexican military, police force, and government were suspected to be involved in.

As a result of this tragic event, Agent Camarena’s Congressman friend, Duncan Hunter, and his high school pal, Henry Lozano, launched “Camarena Clubs” in his hometown, the Imperial Valley, which is located near the border of Mexico. Hundreds of citizens showed up at the first club meeting and pledged in honor of Agent Camarena. Members began to don red badges and ribbons as a symbol of being drug-free. Soon, these “Camarena Clubs” caught the attention of the national government, and was upgraded to a countrywide commemoration: Red Ribbon Week.

Because Red Ribbon Week is mainly dedicated to promoting drug-sobriety in teens, many students have participated in a variety of ways. In the past year, Students Against Destructive Decisions club has contributed to the Red Ribbon movement by, as Co-President junior Jonathan Matsumoto stated, “setting up red banners around campus.” Other schools such as Dana Middle School have students wear red pins and tie ribbons around poles on campus. Not only do these decorations raise awareness for Red Ribbon Week, but they also promote a sense of unity around the schools. The red ribbons and banners hung up to commemorate this event signify the dangers of drugs to the community.

Red Ribbon Week is celebrated to encourage people of all ages to refrain from doing drugs. Although the program started as an honorary dedication to an agent who lost his life in the front against drug trafficking, it has become so much more in the years to follow. Today, students from all over the nation uphold staying drug and alcohol free while educators oversee them down the right path. mhuang@apachepowwow.com

Graphics courtesy of DRAGONARTS.COM

Haunted Hallways Spooktacular

By ERIC CHEN Staff Writer

To celebrate Halloween, AHS created an annual haunted house event. For years, the event has given the community, not just AHS, an unforgettable, spine-tingling sensation that leaves many both shocked and spooked. Finally, the spook-fest arrived once again earlier this month. The annual AHS Haunted Hallways took place on Oct. 11 and 12, while tickets went on sale much earlier. The monsters from last year evolved to accommodate this year’s event.

Brave mortals who dared to visit the ghost house last year narrowly escaped with one reward: their lives. With an upgraded collection of monsters from last year’s event, AHS strived to make the Haunted Hallways the freakiest event of the year.

Ms. Erickson and her Pep Squad team planned effortlessly to create the spookiest event of the year. She has been the coordinator of this event for seven years now, and looked to make her eighth year the best of them all. To prepare for the special occasion, Ms. Erickson “planned poster designs, advertisement distribution, Haunted Hallways construction, costume distribution, etc.”

The AHS Pep Squad is also involved in the Haunted Hallways each year. They are responsible for being the frightening, bloodcurling monsters at the event. Frankly, Pep Squad has been some of the spookiest monsters many have encountered. Pep Squad member sophomore Chrixy Lam thought that the event “would be different than last year’s because of all the construction.” Pep Squad member junior Michelle Xu looked at the bright side by saying that “if everything went as planned, the haunted house would turn out amazingly!” Pep Squad member sophomore Shannon Lee considers the event to be “the greatest event of the year!”

Despite the construction issues, Pep Squad met its goal to make the Haunted Hallways a spooktacular event in Arcadia.

With the grand event on the line, Pep

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Squad aimed to turn the Haunted Hallways into a horrifying spook-fest that left the mortals trembling on their feet.

echen@apachepowwow.com

Graphic courtesy of COSTUMECITY.COM

Arcadia Volunteen Program Works with All running errands and making sure the bikers are in good shape. The volunteens also keep in the festive mood by holding a Winter Camp and Spring Retreat for kids that lasts a week. Volunteers play games and sports to interact with kids and end their breaks with a blast.

Though the Volunteen Program holds many events outside of school, they also help AHS during track season. Volunteers sell water

and find themselves through different events by interacting with people of all ages. They are put Staff Writer in a position where they have to communicate Most students may be involved with volwith other people.” unteering, but some may not be directly imAs a new member herself, sophomore pacting the community. Students who are part Chrixy Lam noted, “Personally, I am hoping to of the City of Arcadia Volunteen Program are be a part of the after-school program because those who aim to enhance “the quality of life I love kids, but on a deeper level I’m excited in the community by providing positive recreto meet other teenagers in the community that ation and leisure opportunities for I don’t already know, as well as people of all ages.” By meeting improve my social skills.” She at least once a month at the combelieves that through this program munity center, the Arcadia Recshe can give back to the communireation Department Leadership ty and make some new friends. She Team plans events that will hopecontinued, “Arcadia is a wonderfully bring joy to members of the ful place, and I see the Volunteens community. program as one of the things that Unlike other volunteering keeps it together.” programs of the kind, the City Junior Kevin Chou is a reof Arcadia Volunteen Program turning member and has continued holds monthly and year round for three years because he “wishes events that will allow volunteers to be able to see children of the to directly interact with the differcommunity grow up.” He said, “I ent age groups of those who live feel great that I can contribute to in Arcadia. Volunteers can work the community through volunteerwith elementary school students ing at a variety of community funcafter school and play with them, so I have continued for three ARCADIA’S VOLUNTEEN PROGRAM ACTIVITIES The tions or visit seniors at the Retirement years. I feel this is a worthwhile volunteers work with all sorts of individuals, including the youth of the Village. The Volunteen Program community. cause deserving of my dedication recognizes that high school could and something that I also enjoy dobe quite stressful, so it holds The Apache Pit, and other products during the track meet, hop- ing.” an event that allows teenagers to hang out with ing to ease students’ spirits and help the track The Volunteen Program attracts teens of their peers and relax. The program also allows meet run smoothly. various grade levels since it has a worthy cause volunteers to connect with adults and the elPresident senior Katrina Villacisneros has and it allows volunteers to have a great time. derly. given much thought as to where the program is Arcadia provides habitants a safe environment, Though these events are monthly, the Vol- headed. She explained, “I want to change up and an especially studious one for students. It unteen Program has much more to offer. The the monthly meetings by having more bonding promotes learning and many are grateful to live volunteers concern themselves with Arcadian’s time or holding events depending on the sea- in Arcadia, so these students wish to go even health, and hope to keep people enthusiastic son. I want the volutneens to be more bonded to further and give back to the community. about exercising. They help plan and hold the make the program even stronger.” She wishes to Community Bike Ride in which volunteers give new volunteers a warm welcome. Katrina bshen@apachepowwow.com Photo courtesy of HEATHER SAYERS hold signs and the Recreation Department by added, “The program helps new members grow

By BRIANA SHEN

24

STUDENT LIFE

apachepowwow.com

October 2013

Hope Can Cure Cancer Club: Breast Cancer Awareness Month

By SIMONE CHU Staff Writer

Besides being host to World Vegetarian Day, Columbus D a y , United Nations Day, National Nut Day (yes, really), and Halloween, October is also Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Cue the pink shirts and ribbon loops; this month is dedicated to the second largest cause of death from cancer in women. The largest cause is lung cancer, but Lung Cancer Awareness Month isn’t until next month. Either way, stay clear of those cigarettes.

According to the American Cancer Society, roughly 39,620 women in this country will die from breast cancer by the end of the year. Approximately one in eight women will develop invasive breast cancer during her lifetime. Mortality

rates for this cancer are around 3%. Currently, there are over 2.8 million cancer survivors in the U.S., including both those who have completed treatment and those who are still undergoing treatment.

Despite these rather depressing figures, death rates from breast cancer are decreasing.

The American Cancer Society attributes

these decreases to earlier detection and increased awareness about cancer.

The earlier the cancer is detected, the better. Earlier stages of breast cancer are generally easier

Students’ Pet Peeves Originating from All Hallow’s Eve

By KIMBERLY LO

Staff Writer

Another Halloween has arrived! Although dressing up and getting free candy from strangers is fun, what about the scary spirit of Halloween? What elements of the spook-tacular holiday creep students out the most? Is it blood, dolls, ghosts, all of them, or is there more?

Of course, all of things listed above are essential parts of Halloween. Without these, Halloween would not be as exciting as it is.

For many, dolls are the scariest factors of Halloween. Sophomore Kelly Xiao exclaimed that dolls are disturbing because “they are creepy looking and make me relate to scary movies.”

Junior Jessica Chen elaborated on this, saying that dolls are very unnerving and give a sinister feeling because of their “lifeless, plastic eyes that never blink and stare at you with a vague humanoid resemblance.”

These are all vital to the scary Halloween spirit. Without deep red c o l ored blood, chilling stares

from dolls, and a good shock from ghosts, Halloween may not be as scary as it seems.

In addition, Halloween is the perfect time to play a good trick on a friend and scare the wits out of them. Sophomore Richa Misra exclaimed that “people jumping out at” her are scarier for her than inanimate objects like dolls or blood. If getting scared is old and boring for you, scaring others is another way to have fun on this holiday!

Despite all the fun, there are students who are more concerned with their safety than receiving free candy. Junior Christine Chang expressed her worry of how a stranger handing out candy to kids can be bad “because there might be poison in it”. However, for those who do not go out to trick-or-treat, there are other Halloween activities that can give a good scare without risking their well-being. For instance, haunted houses and scary movies are fun alternatives for those who do not want to go trick-or-treating.

Halloween is a spook-tacular holiday that is a great time of the year to have fun!

klo@apachepowwow.com

Photo courtesy of BLOGSPOT.COM

to treat than worse prognoses. However, if the cancer continues to go undetected, it may reach a later stage. In Stage Four (the last stage) of breast cancer, it’s not just breast cancer anymore--at that point, the disease spreads to other areas of the body like the brain, lungs, or liver.

If i n creased awareness is helping to lower cancer mortality rates, all those organizations across the country are doing their jobs right. And it’s not just the big organizations like the National Breast Cancer Foundation and Komen. Even high school clubs, such as AHS’ Hope Can Cure Cancer, Club (HCCC) are contributing to this factor.

Co-President senior Jasmine Li announced that this month, the club “will have [members] make pink breast cancer ribbons that they can pin to their backpacks or pass out to other people.” In addition, the club “will be attending Walk for Hope in November, a movement that raises the necessary funds for

research at the City of Hope for women’s cancers.” HCCC will also give a presentation about breast cancer this month, including methods of prevention, causes, and symptoms so that members can learn more about the disease.

HCCC isn’t just a seasonal thing; the club educates members about its cause all year round. ICC Representative senior Shreya Udani stated, “We have cancer awareness presentations, games and activities during meetings.” Club members also attend “events to fundraise for Relay for Life such as [their] annual comedy show.”

Guest speakers, Shreya also noted, come throughout the year to share their inspirational stories with students.

The club is a great place to learn more about cancer and work towards a cause students are passionate about. As Jasmine shared, “My favorite part about the club is how we are all united for a common cause, and that is to fight against cancer. We are all taking footsteps in this long battle...and journey to find the cure.” schu@apachepowwow.com

Graphic courtesy of FINEART.COM Photos courtesy of CONQUER.COM

The Guide to Stopping Procrastination

By HUBERT CO Staff Writer

Juniors may be sweating over how little sleep they get from their huge AP workload, sophomores may be worrying about taxing AP Biology labs, and freshmen…about freshmen things. If you were to recall your last all-nighter, you would be lying to yourself if you did not remember wasting at least a couple of hours sitting there, listening to music, getting the perfect buttprint into the couch, or spinning around until you fell off of one of those swiveling office chairs. Fortunately, overcoming your procrastination is easy to do if you put your mind to it.

Make yourself a list. Compiling the several assignments your teachers graciously bless you with would help you better pace your working speed. Creating this to-do list would, aside from the supposed time management, will also boost your motivation.

Do the small things first. If you are ever stuck with an assignment that seems short, but for whatever reason, you don’t want to do it, or you’re thinking about putting it off, you should set aside a few minutes to just get it out of the way so you don’t run the risk of your teacher pulling it from your desk while you’re hurriedly working on it in class.

Due dates are actually closer than they appear. One of the teachers at school has a little poster which reads, “Due dates are closer than they appear,” which is a

play off of the whole car mirror thing, and though it’s humorous, it’s really true. Teachers would often allot us a generous amount of time for this one essay or project and we naturally put it off. Take Bob for example. He’s saying, “I still have a week,” which evolves into, “Pfft, I still have two more days,” which ends up turning into an, “OH MER GERD! THERE’S ONLY TWO HOURS LEFT BEFORE SCHOOL!” Don’t be like Bob; tackle the project whenever you have free time.

Give yourself a break. If you’re just sitting there with writer’s block staring at your computer screen while your laptop is getting that perfect sear off your legs, give yourself a break. Walk around or watch TV; just make sure your break doesn’t stretch for much longer than ten minutes. You don’t want to be Bob. Remove yourself from distractions.

Lock yourself in your room and ignore the everyday distractions coming your way.

Turn your cell phone, TV, and laptop off so you don’t feel compelled to text or watch videos.

Though it may seem tough to kick old habits, with some good discipline and enthusiasm, everyone can beat the procrastination buzz! hco@apachepowwow.com

Graphics courtesy of DEPOSITPHOTOS.COM Photo courtesy of LOGOSOFTWEAR.COM

October 2013

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CALENDAR

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Recipe of the Month: S’mores

By CHELSEA CHENG

Staff Writer Ingredients: -8 squares of graham crackers -1 king-size Hershey’s Bar Chocolate (Your choice) -4 marshmallows (You can use marshmallow creme too. Use 3 tablespoons of marshmallow creme for all the servings.)

-optional: 3 tablespoons of Nutella or chocolate-hazelnut spread *You may add extra garnishes and decorations to make your s’mores look “spook-alicious” (especially if you want to make these on Halloween).

Materials: -measuring spoon or a spoon approximately a tablespoon -work surface (plate, cutting board, etc.)

-2 plate knives (one for the Nutella spread, and one for the marshmallow creme if you are using it.)

Directions: 1. Prepare and set 4 graham crackers in your work space.

2.Take your plate knife and spread the Nutella on the 4 graham 3. Place 1 chocolate brick/block on each of the 4 crackers.

4. Place 1 marshmallow on each of the 4 crackers.

5. Top each of the 4 crackers with 1 cracker to make a sandwich.

6. Take the s’mores sandwiches and place them on a plate.

7. Put the plate of s’mores in the microwave on high for 30 seconds.

9. When finished microwaving, be careful. THEY ARE HOT! 10. Decorations and garnishes are optional. Serve immediately.

crackers.

ccheng@apachepowwow.com

Graphic courtesy of WEBDESIGN.ORG

October 2013

October 2013

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CALENDAR Rod’s Grill

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Rod’s Grill Details

41 W. Huntington Dr., Arcadia CA 91007

Prices: Peaches and Cream $4.95

By GLUTTON GIRL

Staff Writer

As the season transitions from summer to fall, I find myself straying away from the ice cream places and cafes and going out to restaurants that serve delicious, homestyle comfort food. And the one place that serves the best comfort food is Rod’s Grill.

This traditional diner is family-friendly and perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Walking into Rod’s Grill, I felt like I had stepped back into the 1950s. The interior décor was simple and quaint. There were booths with turquoise colored seats and black-and-white framed photos of old Arcadia and the Racetrack covering the walls.

It’s no surprise that Matthew Weiner, creator and director of the T.V. series Mad Men, decided to film an episode here.

I came to Rod’s for breakfast, feeling starved after a long run. Glancing through the menu, I was really conflicted of what to order; everything looked so good. There were omelets, pancakes, bacon and hash browns, and crepes. I finally decided on Belgian waffles with peaches and cream. The waffles came topped with a generous amount of whipped cream and peaches. After my first bite into the crunchy waffle and juicy peaches, I knew I had picked the right dish. I was really impressed with the whipped topping because it was obvious that they didn’t get their whipped cream from the Cool Whip bottle. This whipped cream was the real deal, fluffy and creamy and perfect. The waffle wasn’t so sweet that it felt like I was eating a pancake, and the peaches really enhanced the deliciousness of the dish. I gobbled the entire thing down. Suffice to say, these waffles exceeded my expectations.

Rod’s is the place to go if you love classic diners and delicious food. Everything from the attentive servers to the warm atmosphere makes you feel relaxed and, well, at home. I give this place 3.5 out of 5 and encourage everyone to give this place a try. Until next time! And who am I? That’s a secret I’ll never tell!

XOXO, Glutton Girl gluttongirl@apachepowwow.com

Photo courtesy of LOMO.ARCHITECTUREBURGER.COM

Q: My friends and I want to wear matching Halloween costumes this year.

What are some good group costume ideas?

A: There are plenty of costume ideas to choose from. If you are willing to spend money, try going to Party City; it has an abundance of creative outfits to choose from. But if you aren’t willing to spend as much money, a creative way to obtain a costume is by making one yourself. For example, if you were to put together a superhero costume, just wear the color that is associated with the superhero you wish to be, then print and tape his or her logo on the front of your shirt. Easy! You and your friends will surely find something to wear this Halloween.

Q: Where are some good places to go trick-or-treating?

A: There are many good places to go trick-or-treating, such as on Longden Ave. in Temple City. Every year, this one house sets up a spooky haunted hallway with people dressed up as goblins and ghosts to scare those who visit. The best part is that the owners give out candy afterward. As a more uncommon option, you can go trick-or-treating at the mall if squeezing through the crowds isn’t your thing. Stores usually put candy on their checkout desks for us to take and enjoy.

Whether you visit the mall or saunter through the streets in search for candy, these are both ideal ways to spend Halloween.

Q: I have a fear of all things superstitious, but all my friends want to go to Knott’s Scary Farm on Halloween. What should I do?

A: Just because your friends are going, you shouldn’t also feel the need to go.

However, if you do go keep in mind that all those ghosts and zombies walking around are just normal people like you! The costumes and makeup may look realistic, but if you are able to take your mind off the scary “monsters” wandering around, it will be a lot less scary. askkay@apachepowwow.com

Graphics courtesy of UVM.EDU

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CAMPUS F FO OCUS

“I love going trick-or-treating with my siblings. Once, I even dressed up as a witch!” —Brittanie Gaja, 11

“I use last year’s candy and pass them out during Halloween.”

—Alex Tan, 10

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October 2013

“Halloween is the only time I’m allowed to use a knife... to carve pumpkins of course!”

—Jonathan Nguyen, 10 “On Halloween, I hang out with my friends. We spend our time watching horror movies.”

—Eric Shen, 12

Perhaps we remember Halloween as the holiday when we coerce nice neighbors to give us candy with our young, cute faces and a chant that has to deal with feet and underwear.

Now as teens, it seems harder to be passionate about Halloween. Yet, there are still many ways to celebrate this spooky holiday. Here, some students describe their favorite ways to spend Halloween.

Briana Shen Photos by DEEDEE CHUANG Graphics courtesy of BLOGSPOT.COM

bshen@apachepowwow.com