November 2018

Arcadia High School / 180 Campus Drive, Arcadia, CA

@ahspowwow

the apache

POW WOW the world is our campus.

a tribute to

By JASMINE OANG

Coach Iosia:

volume 66 issue 3 november 2018 A dedicated volleyball coach, a friend to students and faculty alike, and a cherished member in the Arcadia community.

Thank you, Coach Iosia. You will be missed.

Staff Writer

AHS remembers beloved Volleyball Coach David Iosia for his persistent work ethic, continuous optimism, and all-around dedication. Always encouraging his players and pushing them to the best of their ability, he set a high standard for the volleyball program while leaving an impact on everyone he met. His team and colleagues honor his memory and the legacy he passes on.

“Coach Iosia was a great man. He was a humble man. He was both tough and demanding towards his players; however, he was always fair and supportive at the same time. He loved and was dedicated to all of his players. He treated everyone with true kindness and respect. God Bless David Iosia!

Rest in peace our friend! You will always be held in the highest regard as the great Apache you always were!”

—Mr. Jon Dimalante “Coach Iosia was a wonderful colleague and an excellent coach who really cared about his players. He was always ready with a smile and a “Hello” when we met on campus. I will miss him greatly.”

—Ms. Janice Clark “As an athlete, Coach Iosia always taught me and corrected anything I did wrong. He took a chance on me when I was a freshman and put me on Varsity, allowing me to further my skills and grow as an athlete. Thank you for never giving up on me and seeing the potential in me, even when I didn’t see it myself.”

—Bryan Liu, 11 “Coach Iosia made me into the volleyball player I am today. Always smiling, he brought joy and happiness to our team while managing to tell us what we were doing wrong and helping us. Coach Iosia impacted me by helping me gain confidence and helped me better my work ethic: he trained me to become an aggressive setter. Coach IoTHANK YOU Coach Iosia poses with AHS volleyball from past years. sia led our team to the quarterfinals in CIF for the first time in over a decade and impacted the whole volleyball program.”

“What I think of and will remember about Coach is his smile. He always had a big —Jared Park, 12 welcoming smile which put everyone at ease.”

—Dr. Brent Forsee “Coach Iosia was one of the most sup“As an athlete, Coach Iosia’s love for volleyball was contagious, making me want to portive coaches I have ever had. He always came to practice with a smile and no matter continuously improve and teach others in hopes of sharing our passion of volleyball. Other how bad my day might have been, he always than being my coach, he was also my friend. This past summer, my friends and I shared brightened my mood. He had so many en- many lunches with him, and that was when I feel like I got to know him as someone other couraging words for everyone on the team than just my coach. We got to talk about volleyball and sometimes even what life was and when we were down he kept our spirits throwing at us. I am forever thankful for all the time Coach Iosia has committed to our team, as our coach, as well as our friend.” high.”

—Wesley Kam, 11 —Rachel Reedy, Alumna

“Coach Iosia impacted me in many ways on and off the court. Not only did he help further develop my skills as a player, but he inspired me as a person. He was that adult figure that I lacked, and I’m glad he was a part of my life. I would like to thank him for believing in me when no one else really did. Freshman year he brought me up to Varsity and ever since then, he’s had a special spot in my heart.”

—Alex Yen, 12 “Dear Coach Iosia, It is with the most heartfelt regret that we will not have the opportunity to tell you this in person.

We are so grateful that you coached our girls. You picked up the JV team when they were in need of a coach. As parents, the idea of having a coach with your expertise and experience was an amazing opportunity. We knew you would instill good work habits in our girls and would push them to new heights.

Your dedication throughout the summer and through the season was so greatly appreciated. You inspired the girls to work harder and to not accept mediocre performances. You led them to a league championship and challenged them at tournaments.

Your demeanor was always calm and collective and with a gentle smile.

Coach, from all of us, Thank you: for your dedication to the volleyball program, for your endless hours of coaching and training the girls, for your patience and kind words, for your knowledge of the sport, for your understanding, when the girls were having a tough day, for your compassion when the outcome wasn’t what was expected, for believing in them, and for leading them to victory.”

—Mrs. Cheryl Lopez joang@apachepowwow.net Photos courtesy of AHS VOLLEYBALL Graphics courtesy of HUABAN.COM and MOMA.ORG

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November 2018

MIDTERM ELECTION RESULTS

By ROSELIND ZENG

Staff Writer

On Nov. 6, the U.S. held its midterm elections, which take place at the halfway mark of a presidential term. Citizens cast their ballot for their local, state, and national officials. All 435 seats of the members in the House of Representatives, as well as 35 of the Senate, were open and up for apppointment. In addition, numerous city mayor, 36 state governor, and 3 U.S. territory governor positions were made available to a wide variety of candidates.

The midterms are an important aspect of the American political process, as its main purpose is to determine which political party will hold the majority within the legislative branch. Depending on the victor in the House and Senate, it may either further or hinder the executive branch’s power for the remainder of the president’s term. For control, each party has to obtain at least 51 seats in the Senate and 218 in the House.

Throughout most of the Trump presidency, all three branches of the government have been, for the most part, Republican-dominated. The 2018 midterms saw the Democrats attempt to regain lost ground, with the House of Representatives being a beacon of hope for the left.

NPR reports that this year’s midterms have set a historic precedent—voter turnout was the highest it had ever been in the last 50 years, with more than 47% of all eligible voters participating; the total was “more than 110 million Americans [who] casted a ballot for their congressional representative…” The most prominent cause for this intense surge of public participation was the Democrats’ resistance towards President Trump. As the Pew Research Center points out in their study, “The stark demographic and educational divisions that have come to define American politics were clearly evident. There were wide differences in voting preferences between men and women, whites and nonwhites, as well as people with more and less educational attainment.” Racial divisions saw minorities such as African Americans voting with an overwhelming 90% majority for the left. An age gap was also quite prevalent, as younger voters between 18 to 44 years old tended to vote liberally, while the older demographic tended to be evenly divided between the two major parties.

Seventy-two

hours of

TERROR FOR

AMERICA

Many milestones were reached on election night. Massachusetts championed its first black Congresswoman, Ayanna Pressley. The U.S.’ first openly gay governor, Jared Polis, is now serving his state of Colorado.

Deb Haaland and Sharice Davids are now the first two Native American Congresswomen, serving for New Mexico and Kansas respectively. Congresswomen Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar will be the first two Muslims to serve the U.S., while New York’s Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has been recorded as the youngest woman ever elected to the Senate, at age 29. Beto O’Rourke’s narrow loss to Ted Cruz for Texas senator, 48.3% to 50.9%, was historic as well, as for the first time in history, there’s a chance the Republican-dominated state could be flipped blue.

In California, a pre-established blue state has stuck with poll predictions to elect Gavin Newsom to the governor’s mansion, while the highly popular Senator Dianne Feinstein retakes her seat in Congress. With that, the Golden State will now most likely continue to oppose President Trump in regards to climate change, immigration, health care, etc. In the 49th district, Democrat Mike Levin snatched the victory from former Republican Assemblywoman Diane Harkey by a mere five points. Korean-American Republican candidate Young Kim suffered defeat at the hands of Democrat Gil Cisneros in the 39th District. Meanwhile, Representative Duncan Hunter has been re-elected while facing allegations of redirecting campaign funds for personal expenditures—and despite having labeled his opponent, Ammar CampaNajjar, a national security threat and a Muslim Brotherhood sympathizer, to much public dismay.

In a press conference immediately after the midterm elections on Nov. 7, President Trump remarked that “candidates who embraced our message of low taxes, low regulations, low crime, strong borders, and great judges excelled last night. On the other hand, you had some that decided to ‘let’s stay away.’ ‘ Let’s stay away.’ They did very poorly. I’m not sure that I should be happy or sad, but I feel just fine about it.”

By REBECCA TAO

rzeng@apachepowwow.net Photo and graphics courtesy of THEINDIANEXPRESS.COM

Staff Writer

In the last week of October, three horrific hate-filled crimes were committed, resulting in 13 deaths and nation-wide fear.

On Oct. 24, Gregory A. Bush killed two senior citizens in a shooting at a Kroger supermarket in Jefferson, Kentucky. Bush initially attempted to harm worshippers in a black church but was unsuccessful. As a result, he entered the grocery store and murdered two people. This raised debate on whether the crime was a hate crime or not. Shortly following the event, on Oct. 29, suspicious bomb packages were discovered in the mail to liberal campaign donor and billionaire George Soros; former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton; former President Barack Obama; CNN’s New York bureau; and former CIA Director John Brennan. This sparked panic in the nation as police scrambled to find a suspect and motive. The suspect, Cesar Sayoc, was arrested. Sayoc was a far-right Trumpsupporter who displayed his views publicly on his white Dodge van where he plastered anti-liberal and pro-Trump messages.

On the morning of Oct. 27, a man opened fire, killing 11 people in the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The gunman was identified as Robert Bowers. After the police investigation, it was discovered that Bowers channeled his hate speech and anti-Semitic views on Gab, a social media platform. Bowers also released xenophobic content and criticized Jews for leading the migrant caravan in Latin America. Bowers is currently facing hate crime, firearm offenses, and other severe federal charges that may result in the death penalty. While the rest of the country mourns the loss of the innocent lives that happened too quickly in the short span of 72 hours, President Trump has also released statements that he felt the massacre was a “terrible, terrible thing” and how “all of America is in mourning.” Oct. 27 marks the deadliest mass killing of Jews in United States history.

Gavin Newsom, the newly elected governor of California released the statement: “This is America. This doesn’t happen anywhere else on the planet. We can’t let folks forget that. We can’t allow this to be normalized.” So far the government has not taken immediate action to enforce stricter gun control laws, just as in previous acts of gun violence. Families have been torn apart by these incidents and citizens have united in protest against the government’s lack of action. There are many differing opinions on how our government should handle mass violence. However, if this issue is so widespread it’s able to occur 3 separate times in 72-hours, what does the future hold? rtao@apachepowwow.net

November 2018

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U.S. Preparing to Send

5,000

troops to u.s.mexican border

s t a f f Editors

Editors-in-Chief

By SARAH WANG

Staff Writer

In response to the “caravan” of undocumented immigrants crossing the border from Mexico into the U.S., President Trump has declared that he will be sending 5,000 more troops in addition to currently deployed troops to secure the border. The move, dubbed “Operation Faithful Patriot”, started on Nov. 5 and will end on Dec. 15.

Though troops are being deployed, officials maintain that the action is more symbolic of the U.S. taking a stronger stance against illegal immigration. Troops are carrying weapons to be used only in self-defense and are not expected to actually come into contact with migrant groups.

It can be helpful to clarify exactly what these troops can and cannot do. While Border Patrol agents can detain undocumented immigrants and drug trafficking and other criminal suspects, these troops actually are not allowed to engage in similar law enforcement capacities without authorization. Additionally, under the Posse Comitatus Act, they do not have the authority to warrant searches or arrests of individual migrants. Because there is no existing precedent, it is unclear if the Trump administration

intends to take action.

However, there remains a myriad of things that the troops can do. The troops will be assisting in aviation support in the transportation of personnel, medical teams, establishing command control facilities, providing temporary housing and protection for personnel, and providing engineering support in the form of barricades and fencing. At this point, it appears that the troops will be reinforcing the strength and coverage of the current active troops.

The caravan group, which formed in Honduras in mid-October, is estimated to be about 900 miles away from the U.S.-Mexican border. The migrants are moving at a walking pace, and some are riding in trucks while others are in small vehicles. Currently, AP News estimates that there are about 4,000 migrants in the group, and perhaps smaller groups will join the main caravan along the way.

Whether the caravan will actually reach the border in full force, the United States stands ready with secure borders and an abundance of military force. swang@apachepowwow.net Photos courtesy of MEXPERIENCE.DOM, RT.COM, and STANDARDFLAGAS.COM,

TWITTER CRACKS DOWN ON POLITICAL MISINFORMATION ACCOUNTS

News Editors Opinion Editors Performing Arts Editors Student Life Editors Features Editors Sports Editors Academics Editors Center Spread Editor Calendar Editor Campus Focus Editor Photography Editor Publicity Manager Design Editor Executive Copy Editor

Writers

News Staff

Opinion Staff

Performing Arts Staff

Student Life Staff

Features Staff

Sports Staff

Academics Staff

By EMILY CHEN Staff Writer

In light of the U.S. Midterm Elections, Twitter has made plans to deactivate several thousand accounts that were created to influence American politics and elections. The company had been working to remove many of these accounts throughout September and October. Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and many other social media platforms have all been taking steps toward eliminating political misinformation accounts from their sites, especially after the suspected Russian influence and interference in the 2016 Presidential Election.

The most recent incident of election interference was caused by several thousand bot accounts. A bot account is an automated account that has been programmed by a person to complete certain actions. Twitter bot accounts can follow other accounts, retweet and like tweets, and even create tweets on their own. Essentially, bot accounts can do almost anything that a human-run account can do.

While many bot accounts are harmless and are created just for fun, millions of them are being used to influence politics. Bot accounts can easily deceive users by making them believe that they are genuine accounts run by real people. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), a group that supports Democratic candidates running for the House of Representatives, has been working with a system developed by computer researchers at the University of Indiana that detects malicious bot accounts. The system also analyzes the way that the accounts behave. This includes how the accounts spread information—or misinformation. Filippo Menczer, a professor of Informatics and Computer Science at the University of Indiana, said that the system was made “free for anyone to use because people deserve to know what’s a bot and what’s not.” If everybody could tell which accounts were bots and which accounts were genuine, bot accounts would have much less influence on politics because they would be ignored by users or deactivated by Twitter.

The DCCC has used bot account-detecting system to uncover thousands of Twitter bot accounts that were posing as Democratic users. These accounts spread messages that discouraged Democratic men from voting. The messages claimed that if more men voted, the voices of women would be drowned out, which goes against the typical Democratic belief of gender equality. Twitter has since responded by deactivating the accounts for spreading misinformation. Additionally, Twitter has added a function that allows users to report tweets that they suspect were made by bot accounts. While Twitter and other social media platforms continue to work on keeping misinformation off of their sites, it is important for all people to remain informed about the information they consume online. echen@apachepowwow.net Graphic courtesy of HIPWALLPAPER.COM

Frances Cheung, Trinity Chhay, and Maggie Wong Sandi Khine and Maruko Myint Reiko Inoue and Tanya Lee Cynthia Lin and Alyssa Rave Cassidy Chhay and Rachel Lee Brandon Chen and Ariana Parizadeh Justin Cun and Christine Law Jeremy Du and Margaret Lin Camille Marquez Jocelyn Liao and Natalie Samadi Vivian Kwang Josie Chen and Conner Hua Tiffany Liang Jocelyn Thao Paul Lee

Calendar Staff

Campus Focus Staff Center Spread Staff Photography Staff

Design Staff

Copy Editor Staff

Adviser

Oishika Chattopadhya, Emily Chen, Shumin Chen, Justin Chen, Kylie Ha, Alex Kim, Robinson Lee, Iris Lim, Kayli Mak, Samantha Rivera, Kaitlyn Tran, Sarah Wang, Anabell Xu, Anya Yang, Roselind Zeng Ailin Atasoy, Jasmine Grace Castro, Manasvi Chandra, Becky Chen, Jocelyn Chin, Abby Choy, Phillip Gan, Conner Hua, Alexis Kim, Michelle Lee, Robinson Lee, Kaitlin Lee, Anncine Lin, Kayli Mak, Arina Miyadi, Katie Wen, Anabell Xu Oishika Chattopadhyay, Leslie Chen, Emma Chen, Jocelyn Chin, Kylie Ha, Alexis Kim, Samantha Rivera, Noel Shil, Kali Tam, Chuanchun Tang, Cindy Tse, Anya Yang, Nancy Zhang, Ashley Zhao Tanvi Batra, Becky Chen, Jeslyn Chou, Gavin Do, Ally Fung, Phillip Gan, Kylie Ha, Parisa Haq, Jessilin Lee, Michelle Lee, Jenny Qiu, Cindy Tse, Sarah Wang, Rebecca Xu, Anya Yang, Kobe Yu, Nancy Zhang Ailin Atasoy, Moriah Chang, Oishika Chattopadhyay, Becky Chen, Emma Chen, Jocelyn Chin, Collin Gaja, Kaitlin Lee, Michelle Lee, Robinson Lee, Lisza Lo, Rebecca Tao, Cindy Tse, Christie Wang, Caitlin Wang Tanvi Batra, Jasmine Castro, Manasvi Chandra, Justin Chen, Collin Gaja, Arina Miyadi, Jasmine Oang, Kali Tam, Chuanchun Tang, Christie Wang, Melody Yang, Nancy Zhang Emma Chen, Leslie Chen, Jeslyn Chou, Abby Choy, Ally Fung, Phillip Gan, Jolene Huey, Noel Shil, Ella Tang, Rebecca Tao, Kaitlyn Tran, Rebecca Xu, Melody Yang Ailin Atasoy, Tanvi Batra, Jocelyn Chin, Emily Chen, Cadence Chen, Jennifer Fuerte, Yoko Inoue, Alex Kim, Iris Lim, Anncine Lin, Lisza Lo, Jasmine Oang, Caitlin Wang, Katie Wen, Melody Yang, Kobe Yu, Ashley Zhao Katie Wen Iris Lim Shumin Chen, Gavin Do, Jennifer Fuerte, Ally Fung, Parisa Haq, Jessilin Lee, Iris Lim, Anncine Lin, Lisza Lo, Kali Tam, Kaitlyn Tran, Caitlin Wang, Christie Wang, Sarah Wang, Kobe Yu Abby Choy, Arina Miyadi, Ashley Zhao, Cadence Chen, Ella Tang, Emily Chen, Gavin Do, Jenny Qiu, Jessilin Lee, Leslie Chen, Moriah Chang, Roselind Zeng, Samantha Rivera, Yoko Inoue Jasmine Castro, Manasvi Chandra, Moriah Chang, Shumin Chen, Justin Chen, Cadence Chen, Leslie Chen, Becky Chen, Jeslyn Chou, Collin Gaja, Parisa Haq, Yoko Inoue, Kaitlin Lee, Kayli Mak, Jasmine Oang, Jenny Qiu, Charles Su, Anabell Xu, Rebecca Xu, Roselind Zeng Mrs. 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 $25 for a side strip advertisement to $100 for a full-page advertisement, with square and popup advertisement options available.

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November 2018

Classical Dance Lessons

By AILIN ATASOY

By MANASVI CHANDRA Staff Writer

Staff Writer

I’ve often viewed humility as the catch-22 of personality traits. According to the well-known joke, society dictates that if someone ever claims to be humble, that very action contradicts the definition of the word. It is one of those adjectives that, ironically, people can’t use to describe themselves.

I think my beef with humility is due to the obscure definition and use of the word. By definition, humbleness is “a modest or low view of one’s own importance” and is synonymous with modesty, unassertiveness, and submissiveness. It is interesting to me that a characteristic that many people would agree is positive is associated with all these other words with negative connotations.

After all, no one aspires to be a follower.

And although it seems that, theoretically, society would not approve of vain braggadocious individuals, Gen Z is obviously shifting towards a more radical culture, gravitating toward public figures who advertise themselves with less humility. From hip-hop musicians to politicians, it appears as if people are only responding to things that shock them, leading to an unhealthy culture of “extremes”. Clear examples of this are the rise of social media stars such as Jake Paul, Danielle Bregoli, and Lil Tay. Lil Tay is an 11-year-old who cusses at her haters that wealth alone makes her better than others. Those who show off their wealth or achievements shamelessly are rewarded with massive followings without any form of retribution.

So if there are more pros than cons, should people still try to be humble? I feel that the definition “a low view of one’s importance” should be interpreted differently to mean that people know they are good or important at something, but instead of lording that over others, choose to see that as not as important as other traits, such as empathy or kindness, when judging the quality of a person. Although we should recognize someone’s achievements, we shouldn’t encourage the success of outlandish figures, as it breeds a culture of extremes that borders on rude. We should cast empathic people as desirable figures, not sore-winners.

The American culture of prioritizing confidence and promoting their achievements makes it hard for people to understand. But I feel that this is best explained by Alexander Skarsgard, a Swedish actor who has talked about the struggle between a culture embracing humility and being proud of obtaining an academy award. In Sweden, there is a “law of humility” called Jantelagen which “tells everyone that they are not special” despite their accolades.

While it isn’t wrong to take pride in your achievements, you should not see them as reflections of who you are.

As an Indian classical dancer of ten years, I have found many benefits from taking lessons for such a long period of time. But before I get into the details of the beneficial effects, I’ll provide a bit of background on the dance form since it is not very well known.

Bharatanatyam is said to be the oldest dance originating in India, and it is most popular in Tamil Nadu, located in the southern region of India. It combines bhava (emotions), raga (melody), and tala (rhythm). It is very closely connected to Hinduism, and many dances and songs used in Bharatanatyam are in praise of the deities or show the dancer’s devotion. There are two components of Bharatnatyam productions: nritta (movements that emphasize speed and accuracy) and nritya (slower movements that convey a story or spiritual theme).

When I first enrolled in dance classes at the age of five-years-old, I was very skeptical because the basic movements my classmates and I were told to practice did not look anything like the performances I had seen in live performances or on TV. However, as I continued learning, I realized that those “dumb” exercises were the basis of the more complex dances that we would learn in the future. By the time I had finished learning the first routine, the Alarippu for new initiates, I was deeply immersed in the grace and rhythm of the dance form. From that point onwards, my passion and interest have only expanded as we continued learning more routines, from Thillanas that combined nritta and nritya to Varnams that were composed of sequences of difficult and tiring movements and everything in between.

After ten years, I can proudly say that Bharatanatyam has changed me for the better by increasing my self-confidence and keeping me in touch with my Indian heritage. I’m proud that I can learn elaborate dances within a few hours and communicate with the audience without even speaking verbally. And through weekly dance classes, I’ve learned so much about the Hindu religion and traditional customs. Furthermore, the bonds that I have created with my classmates all those years ago are still as strong as ever. We talk about everything—not just dance— and we enjoy each other’s company whenever we meet up.

In conclusion, I’m immensely thankful that I was able to find a passion that hasn’t faded and I hope you can do the same if you haven’t already.

aatasoy@apachepowwow.net

Graphic courtesy of 1001FONTS.COM

mchandra@apachepowwow.net

Photos courtesy of MANASVI CHANDRA

NOT ALL east ASIANS ARE THE SAME

By KAITLIN LEE

Staff Writer

A common misconception people hold about East Asian cultures is that they are nearly interchangeable. Perhaps not especially with most countries like Vietnam or Malaysia, but people certainly think that Korean, Chinese, and Japanese cultures can easily be blended together in a singular mish-mash of ambiguously East Asian symbols. In fact, one time in my English class, a guy incorrectly referred to me as Japanese American, when I’m actually Korean American. I corrected him, and he brushed off my comment by saying, “same thing.”

Usually, in popular media, it is somewhat acceptable to mix cultures together and represent them as one general group. In Moana, Polynesian cultures were blended together to show one story. However, even if there may not be much outrage with mixing cultures, East Asian cultures should not be easily mixed. And it all has to do with history.

Korea has had a history of being invaded. Because it started out as a small peninsula with access to the ocean, China saw it as a way to invade Japan, and Japan saw it as a way to invade China. This led to more than 3,000 invasions of the Korean peninsula; these invasions led to a survival mindset of protecting Korea and its individuality, which remains to this day.

However, when that mindset did not stick, Korea often would submit to China and Japan and suffer through their invasions. This got even worse when Japan colonized Korea in 1910.

Japan ruthlessly crushed any rebellion and exploited the already weak and poor nation. Korean men were forced to become unpaid laborers, while Korean, Chinese, and Filipino women were taken as “comfort women” for Japanese soldiers, and more than 80% of Koreans were forced to change their names to Japanese ones in 1939 as well as learn Japanese. Although shorter compared to other colonies, Koreans to this day still feel resentment towards Japan, especially since Japan hasn’t apologized for it still and refuses to acknowledge it.

While I admit this is a very Korean-centric way of viewing this issue, this is just one of many examples of how East Asian cultures shouldn’t be mixed and blended as one. There are so many aspects of history that have scarred societies. If you only can see Korea as a remix of Japan or as an extension of Chinese culture, you fail to understand how much trauma that it had went through and the ulterior meaning of lumping these cultures together. So, before you lump East Asians together, realize each nation has their individual, intricate history filled with sorrow and lasting pain. klee@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of YOUTUBE.COM

November 2018

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There is a plant in every single room of my house. There’s a spider plant obscuring the landline, a money tree behind the television, and two droopy ficus plants standing guard over the toilet. I’ve never been a fan of the leaves crunching beneath my feet as I go to make a call, nor have I enjoyed the presence of aphids as I brush my teeth. After so many summers plagued by mosquito bites and watching the television from behind the leaves of a spindly tree, I learned to be irritated every time my father came home with a new shrub in his trunk.

“It provides good oxygen!” he sputtered, heaving a weeping fig into my bedroom. I wept with it.

“They’re very pretty!” he called, lugging yet another dracaena plant into the guest bathroom.“Whatever, Mike.” my mother muttered.

It’s not like I hate plant life. I don’t. I like colorful flowers and watching pandas interact with bamboo. But up until recently, the mere sight of a new green leaf peeking out from behind the piano would send me into a fit of whining and my mother to the store for more bug spray.

However, sometime this year, something changed.

Coming home every night, exhausted and completely beaten down by whatever had happened that day, I looked at the plants, and I remembered bits and pieces of what I had learned in biology. Plants are alive, just like humans are. They live, they grow, and they occasionally get eaten at by annoying little parasites.

The thing is, the plants in my house have been in a state close to death since my dad brought them in. They’re slightly more brown than green at this point, and they frequently shed leaves all over the floor. However, as I go to take a shower after a long day, or flop onto the couch and reach for the remote, entirely prepared to never stand up again, I see life. I see

how, in spite of extremely poor care and tough conditions, that money tree behind the TV has grown nearly a foot in the last two years. I see that the droopy ficus plants are still growing new leaves, though the old ones are mostly strewn across the bathroom floor.

And I think to myself, “I wish I were a ficus.”

Maybe not really.

But I do aspire to reach the level of resilience that a ficus has. I hope to be able to be tired and cheerless, yet still have the capacity to grow farther, be better, and drop all of the dead aspects of my life that no longer serve any purpose. I want to be able to live in spite of imperfect situations.

I’m never going to appreciate accidentally folding a brown leaf into my sandwich. I’m always going to be uncomfortable taking a shower with a tree in the room. But I will remember what I admire about all of it.

tonight!” In another post, my sister and I are shown with a cow we saw on one of our trips to Hong Kong. Looking back at my feed, Google+ was my electronic photo album, bringing back memories from many years ago. My friends and I also used Google+ as “texting”. I would share a post privately to start a conversation, and the comment section would be our chat room. Google+ was the only social media we were allowed to have during that time. Since my parents made me a Google account but never let me get social media, Google+ was my “Instagram”. I was so overly excited about being a “big kid” with a social media account that I posted everything that came to mind.

Google+, for people like us who used it many years ago, is a good reminder that you should be true to yourself and prevent yourself from presenting a false image. Back in elementary school, we didn’t really care about what people thought. Nowadays, however, if

you saw someone’s Instagram whose feed was comprised of the things I posted back then, it would be considered as a spam account, which is an account that often doesn’t comprise of pretty pictures and beautiful scenes. Because of the immense social pressure on today’s Internet, the biggest worry to many teenagers is not whether you finished your homework or got a good grade, it’s whether your post met the number of likes you wanted, or if your Instagram theme was starting to fit together.

I worry about this too, constantly deciding my theme didn’t look good, often leading me to archive all my posts on Instagram. However, on Google+ there isn’t that big of an issue when it comes to social pressure. Since the way they present your posts isn’t as “aesthetic,” you wouldn’t get the feeling that each of your posts must be perfect, with the best lighting and a pretty pose.

Lastly, the like feature, called a +1, is rarely used. The way Google+ is set up makes it pretty

inconvenient to like a post. Back when we used it, no one liked posts unless it was a chain mail that went along the lines of “like this post and reshare or else a creepy girl will be in your bedroom tonight.” Other than that, there was no pressure of how many likes you got on a certain post.

Although virtually no one uses Google+ anymore, it’s still good to have a reminder of how social media used to be before worries about body image and popularity became a huge deal. I know that if you gave me a choice, I’d choose Instagram over Google+ any day.

But when taking the time to go back and look at the social media used years ago, I remembered how carefree everything was. I could post anything without feeling like I was spamming or caring about what anyone else thought. The shutting down of Google+ will take away the shred of social media’s more lighthearted past, and I believe that sometimes people do need to take a step back and remember how social media used to be. alin@apachepowwow.net

By KAYLI MAK Staff Writer

By ANNCINE LIN

Staff Writer

Due to a bug that leaked private information of up to 500,000 users, Google is shutting down its long-overlooked social media platform, Google+. Google+ was an place to post pictures that worked very similarly to Instagram or Facebook. Your posts could be directed to your followers, the public, certain people that you choose, or communities (similar to Facebook groups; you can set up or join). Although I often said I hated Google+ since it was definitely harder to use than many other social media apps, Google+ was filled with many memories throughout my elementary school years. It was like a journal that I shared with my friends, posting things about my everyday life.

Even though it’s been a while since I’ve used it, I recently revisited the website after hearing that it was going to shut down. Seeing all the content that I posted, I felt a twinge of sadness. Many pictures that I posted were from places I traveled to and food I ate. In one post, I took a picture of a homemade macaron put into a scoop of vanilla ice cream, captioned “desert

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By ROBINSON LEE Staff Writer

Sweet, delicious, divine! These phrases reflect the sounds that Candy Crush echo as the game unfolds its candy-themed puzzle action.

The game in itself is so tantalizing that it could lure you in to play for hours on end. This is no accident. The fact that many mobile games are able to grab your attention for so many hours is a calculated combination of psychological maneuvering and game mechanics. From fueling the chemicals which cause the system of risk and reward in your brain to building up your ego, these mobile games are designed to hook you in. Let’s look at the tactics used to accomplish this.

Habits are a universal human concept.

We build habits depending on our experiences as well as the surroundings that we are put in.

Brushing our teeth is a habit built by years of doing so as well as being aware that it prevents tooth decay and other mouth-related diseases.

Habits can also be built by a reward or accomplishment system. Some people find enjoyment in watching numbers grow, whether it be financial investments, stocks, likes, views, or comments.

In their core values, habits are built by repetition, and eventually, we get to the point where we accomplish tasks without even thinking about it. Sometimes we might even get paranoid or frantic if we don’t fulfill that.

That goes the same way for mobile games too.

We start a game, get involved, and get hooked by the reward system. Then, we start a cycle of playing, experiencing hardships, recovering from said hardships, and being rewarded.

Eventually, we may reach the point where we can’t skip a day without playing it. These mobile games encourage this addiction by offering free in-game items to players every day and even offer bonuses for playing consecutively for days. When asked about his addiction to NBA 2K Mobile, freshman Kevin Wong answered, “I play every day to complete

the daily objectives to earn money and collect free players.” In this way, the game captures more of our attention and continuously keeps us in this cycle of repetition, making us more likely to buy premium content and increase ad revenue for the creators.

Second of all, ease of access. People are deterred from doing an action if it takes an enormous amount of effort or time. After all, people are disturbed if they have to travel long distances for work or school and frightened at seemingly impossible tasks. It’s hard-wired in our instincts that humans are to be lazy, reaching out for conveniences whenever possible.

Harry Campbell, a contributor to Forbes and a Postmates deliverer, stated, “Look at the growth Postmates has seen over the past few years. It’s not exactly cheap to get a delivery (my delivery fee and service charge cost more than my meal) yet people are flocking to the service because of its convenience.” This is one example of how people are willing to pay more if the convenience and ease of access are available to them.

Furthermore, when asked about his crippling addiction with Puzzles and Dragons and Clash of Clans, junior Albert Chang stated, “I am addicted to mobile games because they are portable and easily accessible.” Mobile games can also exploit this as they are literally a few taps and movements from the hand to play. The fact that these mobile games are able to provide a game experience that requires so little effort creates an addictive result where people can’t stop themselves from falling into that habit.

Finally, and most importantly, variation.

The challenges that we face in everyday life can range from a quick walk outside to climbing a mountain of schoolwork and studying. The rewards in our lives vary too, from having a small

By CHARLES SU

Staff Writer

Humor. It’s something that brings a laugh to people of all ages. When we are faced with stacks of work, nothing is better than having a good laugh to relieve stress and anxiety. Freshman Brian Cheng said, “It’s especially good to relieve stress by having a good laugh.” Today, we find humor in memes, jokes that others deem as dark and weird. One of the oldest and what some consider the very first meme is a simple drawing that became extremely popular during the Second World War. To start off, it’s a simple image of a character peeking over a wall with the inscription “Kilroy was here”. Despite how simple the image was, it proved to be a morale booster for soldiers serving in Europe and the Pacific. The image was comforting, knowing that someone before you was there and thus, Kilroy became the U.S super soldier, the person who was always there first. Things like Kilroy and CocaCola proved to boost soldiers’ morale, and Kilroy became the sign that people have been here before them, and that they made it out fine.

Despite the Internet being nonexistent, Kilroy became an icon among the U.S. and British soldiers, with it being called “Mr. Chad”, who always complained about low food rations like saying, “Wot? No spam?”, in the U.K. Sophomore Rebecca Sun said, “Kilroy? That sounds like a violent nickname.” Though today we consider it simple graffiti, Kilroy traveled the globe in the fashion of a modern meme. With an icon very popular for its time, this brings another question, where did it originate from?

November 2018

treat to convince yourself to keep working to hitting downtown with a group of friends on a weekend. This variety of challenges and rewards keeps us going on in life, not knowing what lies in store for the future.

This has been utilized in mobile games through algorithms. Now, mobile games can use this in a variety of ways. By rewarding large rewards when starting the game, it’s able to immediately hook you in and boost your ego. Then, when the game starts to get harder, you feel a bit down with a crumpled ego; however, the game offers an instant way to solve that problem: rewards in exchange for some hard cash. Varying the risks, challenges, and rewards at the right time can cause you to cash out at least a few dollars to pass that one level. If not, the algorithm will be there to challenge you and test your ability to not spend a dime on these free games.

With these three tactics, free mobile games have been one of the most profitable industries in the world. With advancements and constant developments in game technology, one can expect an increase in ways companies will try to increase their profit margins.

However, with these tactics in mind, one can attempt to break free from the chains that large game companies have created. Instead, try to take that time to disconnect from that puzzle game, that adventure game, or technology in general. Keeping in mind that that “just one more” mentality is manufactured by corporations could be the key to finally getting around to finishing that homework in a timely manner.

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Most people accredit the man James J. Kilroy for being the origin of the joke. He was a shipyard inspector during World War II and wrote the words “Kilroy was here” to mark his inspection of the ship. For soldiers, it was a complete mystery, and it became a tradition among them. Everywhere they went, they marked the drawing and claimed that it was already there when they arrived. Notably, there may have been multiple people named Kilroy and some people have thought of them as the origin, but James Kilroy is often credited as the source of this joke. Funnily enough, the Germans believed that Kilroy was a highly secret allied spy when they found the marking on a piece of captured U.S equipment. During the Potsdam Conference, a special bathroom was built, intended to be used exclusively by Winston Churchill, Harry Truman, and Joseph Stalin. Supposedly, a worker wrote “Kilroy was here” on the wall, and Stalin was the first person to use the restroom. Later, he emerged and asked his aide, “Who is Kilroy?”

Though we have our own jokes and gimmicks, it’s important to know that humor back then served a great purpose, with small jokes like Kilroy providing comfort and keeping morale high in soldiers fighting for their country.

Kilroy and modern memes have left their mark on society, but their purpose remains largely the same. Modern humor, like its origins, is a quick relief from stress and anxiety, with students finding comfort in memes. csu@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of 1001FONTS.COM and PINALCENTRAL.COM

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By BECKY CHEN

Staff Writer

An icon, a talented dancer, and a young role model. I’m sure we’re all thinking of the same girl: Jojo Siwa. From appearing on TV at the age of 12 to having her own hit singles, Siwa rose to be one of the most relevant social media celebrities over the last few years. But who exactly is Jojo Siwa, and how was she able to conquer the media at such a young age?

Her fame started with her appearance on the reality TV show Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition as the youngest contestant at the age of ten. She started to get more recognition when she became a contestant on Dance Moms in the fifth and sixth seasons. Adding onto her multiple appearances on TV, she also started her own YouTube channel where she posts vlogs about her daily life. As her channel started to grow, she became known as a talented dancer with an energetic personality. Because of her positive and bright personality showcased in her videos, she started to attract a plethora of fans.

Her personality is clearly demonstrated in her music career. Her hit singles “Boomerang”, “Kid in a Candy Store”, and “Hold the Drama” all currently have over 100 million views on Youtube, with “Boomerang” having the most at 609 million! These music videos all have similar positive messages about standing up to hate and not letting anything interfere

By AILIN ATASOY

Staff Writer

It’s probably been a while since you’ve heard of Pokémon GO, which admittedly was incredibly popular for only a few weeks after its release in 2016. However, because of this, many of the old “trainers” have not seen the updates and additions that have made the game entertaining now.

The augmented reality game has come a long way from its frustrating repetition of encountering the same cartoon rats, snakes, and birds. Now, Niantic—the company that runs the game—has multiplied the number of Pokémon available to trainers by over four times.

They’ve added iconic legendary specimens and have made them easier to catch at certain time periods. Instead of a game stuck in sta-

sis, the new Pokémon GO has become more tantalizing with a new development every week, right before you begin to get bored of it.

Another major development has made the game more interactive. It is no longer for lonely individuals drifting in their own world of a cartoon GPS map; now, trainers can not only make friends, but also trade Pokémon with them, exchange gifts and items, and see each others’ outfits, Pokémon, and achievements. The more you interact with the friend, the more bonuses you get! “I keep running

with happiness.

Siwa’s impact is evident on social media and in real life as well. For example, on Halloween, several people dressed up as her by wearing her iconic side ponytail and putting on her signature bow. Senior Candace Chen was one of these people. “I like what she’s doing,” Candace stated when asked of her opinion on Jojo Siwa. “She’s positively influencing younger kids to be better and serving as a good role model.” But others criticize Jojo Siwa for acting too childish for a teenager at the age of 15. “I like her inspiring messages, but she should’ve already outgrown sprinkles and unicorns,” freshman Angelina Bertolini argued. “I was in that phase when I was back in fifth grade.”

Regardless of what you feel about her, Siwa has definitely made her mark on the internet.

With a large fan base on the internet and a net worth of $8 million, she’s one of the youngest and most successful social media celebrities. “She’s using her large platform for a good purpose,” Candace commented. This proves to be true, as Siwa spreads her positivity through her music with inspirational lyrics. As shown in her song “Boomerang”, Siwa states, “I don’t really care about what they say. I’mma come back like a boomerang.” bchen@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of ITSJOJOSIWA.COM and NICK.TV

out of Pokéballs and rely on friends to send me some in the gifts,” said Pokémon Go Master senior Katie Blastek.

The next, and probably most game-changing, update is the addition of gyms and raids. There is now a purpose to having different teams as they can battle for dominion over landmarks in your city.

However, gyms also promote cooperation between different teams through the new “raid” feature where teams of up to 20 people battle a very strong Pokémon, capturing and

keeping it if they win. Limited edition Pokémon offered during raids, such as Mewtwo, are enticing incentives; the first Mewtwo was available in Japan’s Pokémon Arena, prompting many to travel there specifically to capture the iconic creature.

Finally, the update that is the most important to me—Niantic’s change to existing Pokémon. Though subtle and understated, Niantic updates the look of the Pokémon according to the seasons are cute and endearing attractions of the game. For example, during Halloween, trainers could catch Pikachu dressed in a witch hat. So go out and try the new Pokémon Go update! aatasoy@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of 1001FONTS.COM, CLIPARTXTRAS.COM, and NERDIST.COM

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By CINDY TSE Staff Writer

In recent years, there has been a surge in the practice of using animals to relieve stress.

Pet therapy has been enjoying popularity for a while, serving as a vital asset to hospitals and recovery process. Colleges too are jumping on this trend with what PetMD describes as “a bit of ‘puppy therapy’ for study-weary students.” So it stands to reason that high school students, too, would benefit greatly from having a pet. Not only does it help create a relaxing routine, but it also teaches responsibility. A cat or a dog would be a lot of work, particularly for first-time pet

By NANCY ZHANG Staff Writer

School is expensive. With additional payments due for class hoodies, donations, and extra fees for sports, CSF, and other extracurriculars, being a student can definitely put a dent in your wallet. A social life, on top of that, is even more expensive. Eating at a restaurant on common core days, paying for study session drinks, and, in general, just hanging out with friends can cost a lot of money. It can be quite stressful to think about all the money that is spent on school and extracurricular activities each month—or even each week! Luckily, however, there are a few tips that even a busy high schooler can use to make some extra money.

Getting a job is not the easiest thing to do.

Because of child labor laws, whether or not a student can work at a certain place can be very confusing. However, visiting the website of a store to read about its job requirements can help with that confusion. Most stores have an age requirement of 16-years-old, but there are many exceptions. As age increases, so do job opportunities.

The first step to applying is to obtain a

November 2018

to play and spending time with their owners.

Like reptiles, they can get a bit messy, but in terms of feeding and housing, their needs are much easier to fulfill. Unlike the other animals on this list, rodent-related pets might get a bit noisy. Nothing quite as vocal as say, a parrot, but they have a tendency to be very active, even in their cages. But they’re very affectionate and smart creatures, with the added bonus of looking adorable. Because of their shorter lifespan, The Spruce Pets hamster care sheet recommends picking “young hamsters since they will most likely be friendlier from the get-go.”

Keeping a pet is a rewarding and enlightening experience. Being responsible for another living can feel, at times, like a burden.

But it is encouraging to see the results of your hard work and attention showing in a happy healthy pet! ctse@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of CLIPARTMAX.COM and FONTSPACE.COM

owners. Plus, they’re expensive and take up a lot of space in the house. So what kind of pets would be suited to the student lifestyle?

Fish: Fish may seem like a bore at first, but there’s a whole art to aquarium-keeping that makes the process so enjoyable.

Not only are fish very pretty, but their setup is also both reusable and simple. You can keep a community tank and fill it with a plethora of tropical fish. Or, you can keep it simple with a single centerpiece.

Pick fish that are more adaptable if you’re someone who has difficulty remembering to keep up with regular care. Betta fish are one of the most highly recommended breeds, but their care is often neglected because of insufficient space or feeding. Remember, fish are animals too, and they deserve proper care just like any other pet! If you’re looking to keep something aquatic, do thorough research as it is much more difficult gauging the conditions in water than on land.

Reptiles: Reptiles are a cool conversa-

tion starter, and they’re really chill. Of course, different types of reptiles have different levels of care. Beginner breed snakes such as corn snakes and milk snakes are both easy to own and don’t grow too large so you could conceivably keep one in your room. If you’re looking for something more of the lizard variety, crested and leopard geckos have a good reputation of being docile and friendly. Or, if you’re really looking to kick back, get yourself a turtle friend.

Red eared sliders and box turtles are the most popular. Generally, reptiles require more money to be spent on setting up their tanks, as they need special heating and light. Furthermore, some may need to live on frozen food. All reptiles require regular cleaning for their tanks since they smell quite a bit; however, they’re easy to handle.

Hamsters and Guinea Pigs: For those who want a fluffy cuddler, hamsters and guinea pigs are the best choices. They do well in both groups or alone, and generally don’t take up too much space. However, they do require more exercise and tend to benefit from being taken out

work permit from the Career Center. Signed by a parent and your employer, the work permit delineates the number of hours students can work per day.

Some stores that hire 14-year-olds would be Baskin-Robbins, possibly Chick-fil-A, and the local ShareTea. At 15-years-old, some stores that would be hiring might include McDonald’s, Dairy Queen, Papa John’s, and most supermarkets. At 16 or 17-years-old, more opportunities would open up such as Burger King, JCPenney, KFC, and most retail stores in the mall. As a student, keeping up with school work as well as handling a paying job will often result in scheduling conflicts, so finding a job that is part-time with flexible hours is essential to maintain that balance.

In addition to applying

for jobs, some other methods to make money tact and increase the possibility of somebody can be the basic babysitting, dog-walking, and reaching out. Jobs like these must include some interaction with the rest of the community. Usututoring jobs. Most of these jobs would make ally, there is somebody who is gratefully will10 to 20 dollars an hour, depending on the speing to pay. cific work that needs to be done.

In order to obtain one of these While being interviewed for a job, there are some tips that should be remembered: keep positions, more involvement with a positive attitude, show potential for growth the community is required. Askand learning, explain and describe personal ing around neighbors, friends strengths that can contribute to the hiring body, and their parents can lead to a babysitting job. Posting flyand always wear a smile! Practice general interview questions before, such as “Tell me someers as a dog-walking business thing about you,” or “How would your friends around the neighborhood as describe you?” well as on social media will inThere are many opportunities out there to crease the chances of being earn money, so don’t get discouraged by possia b l e to help somebody walk their dog ble rejections. Keep in mind that while earning extra cash is fun, the experience is what matters while earning the most. Good luck, Apaches! money.

To become a paid tutor, start by joining nzhang@apachepowwow.net Peer Tutoring to gain exGraphics courtesy of perience, as well as a repuCLIPARTMAX.COM, DAFONT.COM, tation as a tutor. Posting flyers STOCKPHOTOS.COM, around your neighborhood or on VECTEEZY.COM, social media will expand conand 1001FONTS.COM

November 2018

By ANYA YANG

Staff Writer

Music can be a huge part of a person’s life—whether you religiously listen to that one artist on Soundcloud, fall in love with Spotify Daily Mixes, enjoy shuffling through Apple Music, or use another app to satisfy your musical needs.

Songs can be a great way to convey emotions and positively lift up your mood. The question is: which music streaming service is the best?

Spotify is a music streaming platform developed by Swedish company Spotify Technology, known for its variety of music and easy-to-use functions.

Freshman Zoe Bui explained that she uses Spotify because “creating playlists is super easy, and there’s a bunch of [her] favorite artists on there.” With over 35 million songs, Spotify offers a free trial period for its Pre-

By PARISA HAQ

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studentlife.powwow@gmail.com

Staff Writer

We, as teenagers, are the future of our country, and we will have to deal with our nation’s problems. The age to vote is 18, but most of us aren’t exactly there yet. Adults don’t entirely help the situation either, as they continuously discourage us from wanting to be involved, saying things like “You are just a kid, what would you know?” or “It’s not your place to say or feel anything because you aren’t an adult.” But the truth is that teenagers have voices, and we will use them even if our credibility is put in question.

One teenager, senior Chelsea Ah-Quah talked about why it’s important for the youth to use their voices. She states, “To me, young, or student, representation is one of the most underappreciated voice today. We hear a lot about equity and representation, but a lot of that is not even directed towards young people. And I think that’s a problem.” Chelsea continues talking about how young Americans who voice their opinions are “patronized” when doing so. She believes that it is a “vicious cycle” when the youth are discouraged by older generations when on the topic of politics. She closes up by saying, ”It’s incredibly important for me that my peers know that their voice not only matters but is crucial to the democratic process.” There are many teens out there who are sharing their voice, just like Chelsea.

mium service (which normally costs $10 a month, and $5 for students).

With Spotify Premium, you can stream any song from the catalog on demand, listen to songs offline, and have unlimited skips. Zoe recommended checking out Daniel Caesar on Spotify, especially his song “Best Part”!

Apple Music, on the other hand, is a music and video streaming service developed by Apple Inc. It allows users to stream to their device ondemand or listen to existing, curated playlists.

Sophomore Josh Mar mentioned that he uses a mix of both Apple Music and Spotify.

He suggested the songs “New Light” by John Mayer, “Happier” by Marshmello, and “Supermarket Flowers” by Ed Sheeran. Apple Music

costs $10 a month, and the family plan is $14.99 a month for up to six people. Without a subscription, there is Beats 1, a selection of curated radio stations that is similar to Pandora, but with DJs. Soundcloud is an online audio distribution platform and music sharing website and app.

Unlike other music apps, users can easily upload, promote, and share their own tracks/media. Podcasts, simple beats, and songs can all be found!

Freshman Roy Shih said that he likes Soundcloud for this reason. “A lot of the artists I listen to aren’t on apps like Pandora so I just use Soundcloud,” he explained. “It’s also pretty easy to navigate and I like that I can click on a song and have it play, unlike Spotify.”

The importance of how we vocally express what we feel is needed because we are able to help push forward different ways to reform our society.

Not being old enough to vote shouldn’t stop us from creating an impact.

One way for us to make an impact is by joining a club. AHS is lucky enough to have clubs that discuss current politics. These clubs are the Young Democrats and Young Republicans. Both groups give students who are interested in politics the opportunity to share out their opinions. They also give students the ability to expand their knowledge about our government system. According to the description of Young Democrats, the main goal for the club is to discuss current topics and to get involved by attending lectures, rallies, and other events. Young Republicans also put an emphasis on being kind during debates, as well as giving respect to everyone no matter their political preference. These clubs help create a safe space and an understanding environment so that you can feel comfortable while engaging in politics.

You can join Young Democrats in room D112 on

Mondays and Young Republicans in room D111 on Fridays.

Another way to spread your voice is by creating a social media page. You are able to reflect your message by using the platform. With the accessibility of the Internet, you can raise awareness or be an activist for a certain cause from the comfort of your home. We can use social media in this way to respectfully put out a positive message. Many users on Instagram create accounts where they post about current events relating to their cause and share their ideas. This option can generate lots of discussion from users, both positive and negative Another way to get involved in helping our country is to join an organization. There are multiple groups with different causes that you can join. By going to their website, you can learn how they are advocating for the movement. The majority of websites also update about events that have occurred surrounding their purpose. Some organizations include Black Lives Matter, United We Dream, and March for Our

Everyone has different music tastes, but that’s what makes listening to your favorite playlist special! Junior Elliot Yoo recommended listening to Lauv, a San-Francisco based singer, songwriter, and record producer. “‘There’s No Way’ is a good song by him,” he said. Sophomore Ryenne Wenn, an avid K-pop lover, suggested the song “Lonely” by Jonghyun and Taeyeon.

Wherever or whatever you love listening to, music is perfect for working out, studying, or simply unwinding. Happy listening, Apaches!

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Lives. There are many activities and ways you can advocate for your cause, such as attending rallies, lectures, and simply educating yourselves more.

The teenagers in today’s society is important because we are the future. All the issues that have arisen are ones that we will have to deal with in the future. We want our future to be filled with kindness and joy, not hatred. By using our voices, we can help the future and improve what’s to come.

Fighting for a meaningful cause, no matter your age is significant and should be encouraged by adults. Look at teenagers like Emma Gonzalez, who is advocating for gun control, or Amariyanna “Mari” Copeny, who is trying to get fresh water for Flint, Michigan. No matter your age, race, or gender you are able to make a positive impact too.

Don’t wait until you’re 18 to show that you care or have passion for politics and social reforming. Just because you are a teenager doesn’t mean that your voice should be shunned. There are many things that have been implemented because we started using our voices. Remember, you are never too late or too you phaq@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of CDN.ICON-ICONS.COM, KISSPNG.COM and 1001FONTS.com

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By JASMINE OANG

November 2018

Staff Writer

Up Mount Everest, the trek to A-202 after lunch requires preparation: the high altitude of the second floor and the unusually stiff doors often leave students breathless. Although unlisted on the materials list, students of AHS should carry a parka, and about fifty fuzzy blankets in their backpacks, because, of course, the air conditioning is “broken” everywhere! Once you’ve survived the journey up the steps, waiting down the hall is Mr. Logan Maertens, a character as mind-boggling as Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson, holding open the door and readily accepting victims for Philosophy 101 AP Language and Composition (everyone else calls it APENG). With a grown, but groomed beard and weekly cycle of business casual looks, he looks like any other English teacher: intimidating but nice at the same time. But, this man has a unique connection with his students, one as inimitable as his elvish laugh (believe me, we’ve tried).

At times, he can be slightly predictable in his fashion to follow answers with “Why?”, “How?”, and “What do you think about that?”, but at least he is no coward to waiting out the awkward silences that follow his questions. His teaching style encourages students to look for their own answers while eliminating our dependability on immediate/obvious answers as a result of his claims that he “doesn’t actually know the answer”. He has left a precedent for students to question their perspectives and what they see or hear. By the time the bell rings, our class usually ends with a handful of awkward silences, another handful of laughs, and a sheet full of new ideas.

Buried even deeper underneath the teacher-philosopher suit, is a human being. One that liked/likes OutKast and old Hip Hop. One whose laugh makes others laugh. And one that would wear a Sriracha suit. Although his students love all the bits and pieces he has shared with us, for most of us, it’s still impossible to picture him without a beard and even a suit. Even after we wrapped our minds around his teenage interests, a few of us really just picture the same man with a beard but donning a snapback hat and oversized jacket over his usual suit. He’s too cool for us. But seriously, he’s actually pretty cool. He doesn’t attempt to relate to us by using text abbreviations or slang terms but attempts to understand our situations. Out of my six class periods, he is one of two teachers who allows students to eat in class (and the only one to throw a Thanksgiving party). Out of all my teachers this year, he is one of two who’ve assured students not to worry so much about a test grade, and to focus on solely doing our best so that we may gradually learn the necessary skills. And out of all my teachers, he’s the only one who holds the door open for all his students.

Those daily class discussions, moments of laughter, and tidbits of class bonding actually encourage me to subconsciously connect between lessons and everyday life. They make learning more relatable, less painful, and mentally attainable (4 AP life yay!). Thank you Mr. Maertens; please don’t roast me.

November 2018

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By LESLIE CHEN

11

Staff Writer

As someone who was never too confident with math, I have no doubt that Mrs. Rolfe is the best math teacher I’ve ever had. She is a teacher who genuinely wants her students to succeed, yet continuously challenges them to their full potential. She is incredibly patient with students who are struggling to understand the material and is always open to helping them out, even during her own free time. She is both consistent and passionate about her teaching.

For each lesson, she explains the information in a clear and engaging way, providing examples and a thorough explanation for each problem. Her “Try Questions”, which are harder questions that she gives at the end of each lesson, push me to challenge myself and allow me to collaborate with other students whom I’ve never interacted with before. I still remember the feeling of pride and satisfaction after solving the “Try Question” and getting it correct.

Whenever I have a question, I know that I can always go up to her and ask for clarification. In the past, I was always afraid to approach my teacher and ask questions, because I thought I would annoy them with my constant nagging. However, every time I approached her, Mrs. Rolfe would put aside what she was doing and patiently explain the problem to me, until I understood what I was doing wrong. Thanks to Mrs. Rolfe, I now understand the utmost importance of asking questions, since I would only get more confused if I didn’t clear up a question I had.

As for her tests and quizzes, I had heard rumors around school about how notoriously hard they were. However, Mrs. Rolfe quickly squashed those down. On the first day of school, she explained to us that all the material on her exams would just be like the examples we did in class and for homework, and we would do well if we studied. Sure enough, when I did my homework diligently and paid attention in class, I did very well on quizzes and exams. Once, when a student got a bad grade and called himself “stupid”, Mrs. Rolfe glared at him. “You are not stupid,” she said. “No one here is stupid. That’s why you’re here.” That simple reply meant so much to me. To hear an adult explicitly tell everyone that we are all smart and have the power to do better was so comforting and kind that at the moment, I felt so lucky and thankful to be in her class.

I can never truly thank Mrs. Rolfe for all that she’s done for me. She turned me from an unenthusiastic student to someone who looks forward to her lessons every day! From math tricks to a cool anecdote, each student is able to take away something special from her class. Ms. Rolfe, from the bottom of my heart, thank you.

By JOCELYN LIAO

Calendar Editor

Mrs. Goto is one of the two AP Chemistry teachers at Arcadia High School. She not only teaches chemistry but also physics. She is very hardworking, passionate, and dedicated to what she teaches every day. For example, her AP Chemistry students take a quiz two days before the test, and in order for the students to benefit from that quiz, she would have to grade the quizzes that night so she could pass them back to her students for them to learn from their mistakes the next day. So she stays up late at night to finish going over all the quizzes so that students can benefit from taking them.

This shows her kindness because all she wants for her students is for them to be succeeding in the class. AP Chemistry is a college level course but she tries to make the grading scale more lenient for students to overall do better in the class. Mrs. Goto gives so many extra credit opportunities to boost students grades; for instance, peer grading would be offered almost every week or two where students could come in after school or at lunch to grade labs to gain extra credit points. Mrs. Goto tries to help in every possible way so her students pass AP Chemistry.

The environment of Mrs. Goto’s classroom feels like a safe space to talk about the reality of situations, especially in AP Chemistry. Once you walk into her classroom it is the safest, happiest, and most loving space to be in. It is such a pleasure to work in such a caring environment because it is crucial to feeling socially at ease so that students can learn. Communication in her classroom is very important to Mrs. Goto because she wants to make a classroom setting that has everyone feeling comfortable and eager to learn.

Mrs. Goto is a considerate teacher and tries her best to make rational decisions by asking for her students’ opinions before making official decisions. She always wants to hear her students’ opinions about the curriculum to help either current or future students have a fair game.

Mrs. Goto is always so nice, respectful, considerate, and positive when greeting her students every day at the start of class. Coming into her classroom, students hear “Good morning [the student’s name]” by Mrs. Goto. That thoughtful greeting she gives everyone each day is so heart-warming because many other teachers have no other interaction with their students other than asking a student to turn in their assignment. Mrs. Goto feels like the one teacher who cares for you like your mother does. She is like the Momma-Bear to all of her Baby Cubs (students) so that her classroom can feel like one big happy family where there is no tension.

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ABOUT

November 2018

College

rankings

By ABBY CHOY

Staff Writer

When pursuing higher education, finding a college that’s right for you is difficult enough on its own, which is why some websites and news articles provide a ranking system for you to choose from. However, what does the “top ten colleges” ranking actually mean to someone searching for one?

The college ranking from U.S. News & World Report is based on the following: alumni giving rate, first-year retention rate, graduation rate, class size, expenditures per student, faculty compensation, faculty with a degree, graduation performance, student high school standing, high school counselor rating score, peer assessment, student’s SAT/ACT scores, and student-faculty ratio. Basically, it’s supposed to represent the number of resources and the quality of the students in the school; however, it just gives a general impression of a college, not an indepth analysis. If looking for a prestigious school, students can find them at the top of the list; however, prestige may not be what all students are looking for.

For example, one of the factors is the alumni giving rate, which is how much graduates will give back to their colleges. While this could be a showcase of how much money a graduate from that school can make, it may be unfairly balanced.

Those colleges that specialize in majors with large salaries will have higher return rates. There’s also the selectivity factor that colleges can take advantage of in order to boost their rankings. Some colleges have removed admission fees so more students apply to be rejected in order to lower their acceptance rates.

The system really isn’t perfect and shouldn’t be the only resource in choosing colleges.

However, these rankings can’t be completely ignored!

Most of the colleges on the top ten list are high-quality selective colleges such as Princeton University or Harvard University, and most of us can agree that those who graduate from there are the cream of the crop. My suggestion is to use a combination of other resources in addition to the ranking system in order to find which college best fits you. Our school counselor for colleges and careers, Ms. Amanda Fitts, suggests finding lesser known colleges with strong financial aid, scholarships, and honors programs. She also suggests students to go on college websites and to their fairs in order to find exactly what they’re looking for.

Senior Meritte Lofty used a combination of resources in order to determine her colleges, getting help from her relatives while aiming for higher ranking colleges in California. Senior Hannah Jian has also taken advantage of the ranking systems but hasn’t limited herself to the rankings. In fact, she included colleges that had “majors [she] really like[d] or good research opportunities” to look beyond the numbers.

College selection should be a careful process that incorporates your personal interests and expectations, so use any means to decide your list. The ranking of colleges is an imperfect system with factors that can be taken advantage of and definitely shouldn’t be your only source of judgment for what may be your future for the next couple of years. Aspiring students should do in-depth research and use other websites in combination with the rankings in other to decide a best fit college/university.

By JESLYN CHOU

Staff Writer

Everyone has their favorite genre of literature! Whether it’s fantasy, science fiction, non-fiction, or horror, it can be difficult to find a book just for you. In this article, I will go over each genre, and provide recommendations from our librarian, Ms. Lesley Ogle.

Fantasy: Fantasy is a genre we’ve all been familiar with since we were babies. Whether it’s a simple fairytale or a 1000page novel, fantasy books are sure to let your imagination run wild. Books in the fantasy genre contain unrealistic or make-believe settings, characters, or scenarios. This usually includes magic, mythical beings, or a supernatural entity. Ms. Ogle recommended the well-known Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. As you may well know, the heptalogy follows the young wizard Harry Potter and his friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, as they face many villains during their time at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Science Fiction: Science fiction is a genre of speculative fiction, typically including imaginative concepts such as advanced science and technology, spaceflight, time travel, and extraterrestrial life. After reading books in this genre, one can’t help but contemplate the way by which the universe works. Ms. Ogle recommended Otherworld by Jason Segel as one of her recent favorites. This work of science fiction introduces us to new virtual reality technology that can prove dangerous to the main character, Simon, and his friend Katherine. After Katherine suddenly disappears, Simon must enter a virtual world to try and save her, before it’s too late.

Non-Fiction: This genre tells stories and events that took place in history, but may exaggerate certain events or add drama and interesting quirks to the characters. Although Ms. Ogle doesn’t have a favorite non-fiction book, she loves to read memoirs written by comedians. Some of her favorites include Mindy Kaling’s Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) and Amy Poehler’s Yes Please.

Romance: Novels in this genre focus primarily on the relationship and romantic love between two people. The stories usually have an emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending, but occasionally opt for a less positive ending to remain unpredictable. One of Ms. Ogle’s favorite romance series is The Selection Series by Kiera Cass. This series includes five novels that focus on a competition for the current prince’s hand in marriage. This leads to a captivating story of a young woman named America Singer, and her choice between a lavish life with a prince or a strenuous life with the man she loves.

Horror: Books in the horror genre have the capacity to frighten, scare, disgust, and shock their readers by inducing feelings of fear and terror. Metaphors for larger fears in society can be interpreted from the central menace in a work of horror fiction. Rather than a favorite book, Ms. Ogle has a favorite author in the horror genre. She recommends Neil Gaiman, who composed works such as Coraline and The Graveyard Book, two famous horror novels for children and young adults.

All in all, it’s important to find a particular genre that fascinates you, as the right book can foster your scholarly prowess and a lifetime of reading.

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November 2018

By LESLIE CHEN

13

academics.powwow@gmail.com

Staff Writer

Study guides are an effective way to organize your notes and a great way to help you study for an exam. If you’re covering a lot of material, it may seem intimidating to consolidate all the information into one study guide. However, with organizing information and finding a design that works for you, you can easily make your own study guide!

Start with the basics.

In order to ace your exams, you need to start from the beginning. It’s difficult to create an effective study guide if you don’t know or understand the information. Start by completing the assigned homework, engaging in class discussions, and paying attention in class. This may seem silly and repetitive, but if you consistently do this, the process of creating a study guide will be much easier.

Take notes.

Whether you’re in class or reading on your own, make sure you have a pencil and paper or other note-taking devices ready. Try to find a balance between extracting the most important information and rewriting your entire textbook.

Focus on the main ideas.

Identify the most important concepts in a particular section or chapter, and make sure you

understand them. If certain topics, names, or dates appear more than once in your reading, make sure that they are prominent in your study guide. Something that appears multiple times is clearly important and will most likely show up on an exam.

Make sure your study guide matches your function.

There are many types of study guides, each formatted to suit different subject types and learning styles. Organize the information into the most user-friendly study guide you can. For example, if you identify as a visual learner, color-code your study guide and use thinking maps to make the information more accessible to you. Freshman Doris Ma reflected on how she formats her study guide. “I use Cornell notes,” she said, “then I color code them based on vocab, important people, dates, and big ideas.”

Study!

Create your study guides as early as possible, and set enough time aside for studying. Another tip for studying is to study in different places. Research has shown that changing the location of your study can help increase your ability to memorize information. For example, instead of studying from your bedroom, try switching it up between your bedroom, a lunch area, or even outside!

Studying for an exam may seem like a long and daunting process. However, learning how to create your own effective guide will make the process more manageable and efficient.

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By EMMA CHEN

Staff Writer

We have all inevitably worked with groups that certainly weren’t as helpful as they could have been. Most people would tell you to tell the teacher or just do your part and let the rest of the group’s grades suffer when confronted with such a problem. However, we, as students, know that that’s not always the best choice. Let’s explore some tips and tricks on how to work best with a rather dysfunctional group.

Let go of your pride.

Yes, you’re angry and frustrated, and it’s simply unbelievable how inconsiderate your group members could possibly be. Still, take a step away from the project, and think clearly: you being upset does nothing for the grade at stake. It does not magically make your peers do their part nor does it help you get any of the work done. Instead, decide if there’s anything you can do to ease your workload.

If not, accept the fact that it’s either you do all the work or you fail. Choose which result you want, and act accordingly. If that means doing all the work, then so be it. You should get the grade you deserve!

Confront your group members.

No one wants to come off as the bad guy in the situation, but you have to do what you have to do. Sometimes, you need to be straightforward with how you feel and effectively communicate the problems and solutions you have in mind. Being a leader and taking charge is not easy, but it definitely produces the most satisfying results. Don’t be afraid to lay down the law; tell your group members what they need to hear. Sophomore Leander Lu said, “I worked in a group that was not really motivated, so we talked it out with the other group members and ended up getting the grade we deserved!”

Find other students you can collaborate with.

Even if you’re not in the same group, you can always work with someone else to discuss ideas, work on the assignment, and ask questions if those are things you cannot do with your fellow group members. Sure, the work still has to be done by you, but I assure you it’s a lot less stressful when you’re figuring the task out with another student. Plus, you get an idea of how other groups are working and can incorporate that into your own work!

Group projects can be hard, but they don’t alway have to be. Just remember there’s a solution to every problem, and I hope one of the three listed above will be just that for you! echen@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of FREEPIKS.COM and 1001FONTS.COM

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By EMMA CHEN Staff Writer

Dancers are constantly looking for new ways to perform, share their passion, and get discovered by top schools and choreographers.

Thankfully, the world of dance offers many different competitive opportunities, ranging from Starbound National Talent Competition to Youth America Grand Prix. With that said, what exactly goes on at each of these different kinds of competitions?

Firstly, something that is consistent across the board is that dance competitions require a lot of hard work, practice, and effort. Music has to be cut, choreography has to be created, and the performance must be executed well. Getting competition-ready is time consuming and requires the best effort of all dancers involved.

Everyone needs to come together and work as a

team. There are physical, mental, and emotional growth to be gained, but it certainly doesn’t come easily.

On one side of the dance world, there are competitions, like Starbound National Talent Competition and Revolution Talent Competition, that are more relaxed and easy-going. The values of these competition include allowing dancers to have fun and rewarding all competitors for their performance. Everyone gets a trophy, and the “lowest” rank starts at a title along the lines of “High Gold”. No matter what, all of the dancers will walk away with a shiny pin, a glittery trophy, or a medal. Audience members are more likely to see jazz and hiphop dance styles at these competitions; classical ballet or modern dance are not common but are

nonetheless welcomed. Technique is less emphasized in comparison to components like performance quality and expression. These competitions are great for the average dancer to gain some experience and have some fun. Junior Alexia Chavez said, “Dance competitions are really nerve-racking because there’s usually a lot of good competitors. They’re also really fun because I love bonding with my team members.”

The other form of dance competitions is for those who are more serious about their training and are looking for a future career in a ballet or contemporary dance company. These competitions include the Youth America Grand Prix and the Prix de Lausanne. Dancers who compete there are often homeschooled and spend a majority of their days in intense train-

By ELLA TANG

Staff Writer

When pop music first began, songs included many curse words or sounded like rock and roll, contrary to most of the pop music we hear today. Although we still have some curses present in pop music, they have dramatically decreased in order to tailor to a more kidfriendly audience. In contrast, we often hear upbeat, electronic pop music nowadays. According to Slate’s “A History of Swearing in Music,” even though “the earliest indictments of [this genre] were aimed primarily at the music itself, it was not really until the 1950s that songs were being banned for their lyrical content.”

Pop music was exclusively mass-produced and popular during the mid-1900s. Yet, there is no ‘first pop musician’ because many pop music artists came out around the same time period. The first rock band—The Beatles—also formed around that time, 1960. The Beatles is ranked 1st on the list of bestselling music artists of all time, having sold 178 million units—30 million units higher than the 2nd place artist. Another famous musician was Elvis Presley, who focused his music career mainly on the sounds of rock. Ranked 3rd on the best selling artist list with 136 million units sold, he was later known as the “King of Rock” along with Michael Jackson, the “King of Pop”, who is ranked 7th with 81 million units sold.

In the early 2000s, pop music got popular in Asian countries such as China and Korea. However, many of these songs contained curse words. Because of this, it was frequently thought overseas that pop music was supposed to contain bad words. Until artist Jay Chou came up, there was not a modern, clean pop music style common on the Asian airwaves. His pop music catered more towards an enjoyable rhythm and qual-

November 2018

ing under master choreographers at prestigious academies. Technique is extremely important, and hip-hop and jazz genres are not allowed as entries. The competition level here is very high and demands the best of the best.

Whether one performs hip-hop at Starbound or a pointe solo at Youth America Grand Prix, all competitive dance, in general, require extensive skill as well as physical and mental strength. Dance itself is a highly-demanding performing art, and all competitors should be treated with the respect they deserve. Let’s not forget the memorable experiences one will acquire upon entering these competitions. A big round of applause for all dancers! echen@apachepowwow.com Graphics courtesy of CLIPART.COM, DREAMANGELS.NET, VECTEEZY.COM, and 1001FONTS.COM

ity of the music, and inappropriate words were often deleted and replaced with child-appropriate words.

In 2005, Beyoncé became famous with the cover song of “Dangerously in Love.” She brought pop music up onto another stage, one on which women were now more influential. In earlier times, the pop music industry was predominantly male; Beyoncé, as an outstanding female pop musician, encouraged all types of women musicians to try and get into the genre. Before Beyoncé, the top two female pop musicians were very similar in looks and style—Madonna, the “Queen of Pop,” and Kylie Minogue, the “Princess of Pop.” Besides those two pop musicians, other female pop artists pre-Beyoncé didn’t have much fame compared to a plethora of male pop artists.

Around the 2010s, Justin Bieber became one of the most famous pop musicians of all time. Although he has always been a controversial musician, he was still incredibly popular. One of his songs, “Baby,” was famous around the globe. Even in China, everyone walking on the street knew at least one or two lines from the song.

Now that it is almost 2020, we often think of pop music symbolized by famous pop stars such as Taylor Swift and Bruno Mars. Pop music has changed so much throughout the years that it has been repeatedly transformed and is now one of the most popular type of music. After a long journey, pop has developed into its own style and has split into many different subcategories, including teen pop, pop rock, and pop-rap. It has only turned out to be what we hear today through the series of pop music revolutions that have made the genre’s transformation possible. etang@apachepowwow.com Graphics courtesy of KISSPN.COM, VECTEEZY.COM, AND 1001FONTS.COM

November 2018

By KYLIE HA

Staff Writer

Researchers at City University of London and the University of the Balearic Islands tested out the responses of 19 ballet dancers and 24 people with “no dance experience” to videos and clips of ballet dancers performing. Throughout these videos, the ballet dancers were shown conveying a number of emotions through different movements and facial expressions. The results yielded evidence that dancing could make people more emotionally sensitive and increase empathy (the ability to understand and share the feelings of another).

Unsurprisingly, ballet dancers were better at identifying the emotions on display and had a strong physical reaction to them, measured by sweat-detecting electrodes on the participant’s fingers. All 19 ballet dancers and 24 people with no previous dance experience were asked to rate their emotional

By ASHLEY ZHAO

15

arcadiaperformingarts@gmail.net

Staff Writer

Even if you have amazing vocals and years of singing experience, the simplest bout of technical errors cannot only hurt your voice, but also your confidence as well. If you don’t know how to fix your vocal technique, don’t worry about it! Here’s a list of tell-tale signs of bad technique for people who are experiencing frustration over their vocal performance, whether you’re new to singing or not.

1. Your voice constantly sounds breathy, and you can never seem to get clarity in it.

2. You always push your throat in order to “belt out” high notes or when attempting to navigate through your vocal break.

3. Whenever you start singing, your jaw or shoulders start to ache.

4. No matter how hard you try, you struggle to get volume in your voice.

5. Your abdomen is often sore from trying

response and define whether certain movements made them happy or sad. In particular, the dancers’ were able to differentiate between the contrasting emotions that were exemplified in the clips.

According to the Cognitive Neuroscience Research Unit and Autism Research Group, evidence suggested that the training in physically expressing certain emotions made the dancers more aware and sensitive to them. This is indicative of the idea that neurocognitive mechanisms that make people more responsive to emotions could be trained over time.

The link? People’s feelings and the movement of their bodies. Research demonstrates that the transparency from dance training is what causes these dancers to be more aware of the expression of emotions.

Interoception, or the attention to internal bodily states, is sometimes referred to as a hu-

man’s sixth sense. Recent labs and evidence from neuroscientific experiments show that the awareness of body signals, such as the heartbeat, may be crucial for the reactions of our emotions; this process is examined as interoception. Because interoceptive ability is so closely related to emotional awareness, these findings propose that the dancers’ awareness of their bodies might help to develop their psychological strength. Many of us think of our five senses as hearing, vision, taste, smell, and touch; interoception is also a perceptual system and may be categorized as the “emotional sense,” or the sixth sense.

Findings by the Cognitive Neuroscience Research Unit and Autism Research Group advocate that “dance training may enhance this cognitive” sense, since dancers tend to be better at perceiving signals from within their body than non-dancers. The measurements from the electrodes gave an ab-

stract summary of emotional reactions, but the mystery behind why dancers are more emotionally sensitive remains.

Renowned Naturopathic Medicine Dr. Julia Christensen hypothesized “that dance makes you more empathetic because it seems that you learn to react automatically and more sensitively to other people’s expressions,” but added that “this still needs to be tested.” This idea relies on the instinctive and “subconscious” habit of emotional expression, whether it’s through facial or bodily reactions. All things considered, this expression normally involves the movement of our muscles and in the end, emotion is also motion.

to push a sound out.

6. After an hour or so of singing, you start to lose your voice.

7. You can’t hit your pitch correctly, even though you can hear that it’s slightly off.

8. You cannot sing especially low or high, making your song choices limited because of your limited vocal range.

9. You find it difficult to sustain notes or breathe during a performance, especially when vocal movement is involved.

10. The most tell-tale sign of all: your vocal teacher, manager, or someone close to your tells you that they can hear a problem with your voice.

Is there anything you can do to fix these issues? Of course! Make sure to write down whichever one of these you might be struggling with and consult your teacher about them. If you don’t have a teacher, do some self-research on that specific issue. By doing so, you can find a variety of exercises that focus on correcting

a certain vocal issue. Furthermore, don’t over complicate your singing by straining your voice in order to achieve a certain pitch or tone. During vocalization, take it easy and try to relax your throat muscles.

If you believe that your vocal cords may have already been damaged by bad vocal technique, here’s a few things to look out for. The first is to see if you’ve had a two-week period of persistent hoarseness or voice change. Hoarseness is often caused by colds, but is also the result of talking, yelling, or singing for prolonged amounts of time. In addition, if you find that you’ve lost your voice after about an hour of singing, you most likely have tissue damage in your vocal cords. This results from overuse of the vocal cords, so it’s recommended to take a 10 minute break for every 90 minutes of voice use. Furthermore, if you feel like you have to use a great deal of energy to sing, your throat is most likely experiencing muscle strain. When singing, only your vocal cords should be active,

but the muscles in your neck can also be used to produce sound. To help treat these issues, I would recommend visiting a laryngologist and a vocal therapist for help.

To save yourself the trouble of damaging your voice and your confidence, use this list to the best of your ability by fixing the issues you may or may not have. As said by Lesley Childs, M.D., an assistant professor of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and a Laryngologist in the Clinical Center for Voice Care, ”While these conditions can temporarily damage our vocal cords, with a little care— such as vocal rest and good hydration—we should recover fairly quickly.” Relax, and with more practice, you’ll be able to feel the real emotion of singing without thinking too much about your technique.

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sports.powwow@gmail.com

November Scores

Girls Varsity Volleyball Arcadia v. Alemany (1-3) Arcadia v. St Lucy’s (3-0) Arcadia v. Crescenta Valley (3-0)

November 2018

A STAR IN THE WATER

By JUSTIN CHEN

Staff Writer

When someone thinks of a great student athlete, one man rises above the rest. Junior Daniel Oo is not only a straight-A student at AHS, but also a top-notch player on the Boys Varsity Water Polo team.

With an athletic build and a charming smile, Daniel is the definition of excellence.

Starting with his classes, the ambitious student athlete is taking AP Calculus BC, AP Physics C, AP English Language and Composition, U.S. History Honors, Spanish 2, and Boys Varsity Water Polo. Daniel remarked, “School is really time-consuming and tiring. But I manage to persevere each and every day because of my friends. They are there for me when I’m down, there for me when I struggle, and most importantly, there for me when I need them most. For that, I’m eternally grateful to those close to me.”

Daniel could not have said that any better.

Because in the end, after all the tests, projects, and the SAT, it is ultimately our friends who raise us up. Daniel’s mentality may be what separates him from the rest. He doesn’t stress much and, instead, stresses the importance of enjoying the little things in life. “Go grab a boba with friends every once in a while; you deserve it, and it helps you take a breath and reset,” mentioned Daniel.

In addition to his stellar grades, Daniel is also a star in the water. As an integral member of the Varsity Water Polo team, Daniel com-

STELLAR ATHLETE Junior Daniel Oo, a predominant player on our Boys Varsity Water Polo team, smiles for the camera. mented that “we had a pretty successful season this year. We placed 2nd in league for the first time in several years, but at CIF, we were unfortunately matched against the top seed and lost. I know we tried our very best though, and I cannot be more proud of my team for all we achieved this year.” Well said Daniel, well said indeed. As Water Polo has struggled for the past few years, the team really pulled itself together and reached new heights this year.

When it comes to practice, Daniel does it all. From endless laps in the pool to endless

hours in the weight room, hard work truly does not stop for Daniel. “Hard work always pays off in the end, so that motivates me to always try my best in everything I do,’ says Daniel.

In addition to training, Daniel is also “looking forward to next season, where [he knows that the team] will have a chance at winning league.” Good luck Daniel! jchen@apachepowwow.net Photo by JOSIE CHEN Graphic courtesy of 1001FONTS.COM

LEAVING A LEGACY

By KALI TAM

Girls Varsity Tennis Arcadia v. Peninsula (10-8) Arcadia v. Pasadena (18-0) Arcadia v. Crescenta Valley (16-2)

Graphics courtesy of KISSPNG.COM

Staff Writer

Many of the athletes on our fall sports teams, including volleyball, water polo, tennis, and football, have worked extremely hard this year to reach their goals of making it into the CIF playoff rounds. While the athletes may not have gotten as far off into CIF as they would have liked, they all put in a ton of time and effort to ensure that they performed to the best of their ability.

With their strong seasonal record of 23-4, the Lady Apaches were given the opportunity to compete in the Division 3 CIF Playoffs. Their first CIF round, which occurred on Oct. 17, was against St. Lucy’s High School. Sophomore Lily Gustafsson, the team’s libero, exp l a i n e d that although “St. Lucy’s kept up a good fight throughout the game, they were unable to stop the Apaches’ phenomenal defense and offense,” which allowed the girls to successfully “kill the competition 3-0”! However, as they advanced on to the second round of CIF, the Apaches faced a more competitive rival, Alemany High School, and despite “putting 100% into the game, coming together with energy after every round, and sup-

porting each other on the court and bench,” the girls ended up losing the game 1-4.

Over at the pool, Boys Varsity Water Polo worked very hard to maintain its league record of 16-10, which was an improvement from its record last year. Because of the hard work that the players put in this season, they skillfully defeated their opponents from Chapparal High School during their first round of CIF. As they moved on to their second round of CIF, they were met with a tougher competitor from Capistrano Valley High School, which led to their 6-9 loss. Sophomore Tyler Ybarra reflected that the team “was filled with spirit and morale and played to their full potential during both rounds” but was unable to keep up during the second round due to the fact that most of their “shots did not make it in.”

With their remarkable league record of 21-0, it can be safe to say that our Girls Varsity Tennis players had a very successful season this year. During their first round of Open Division CIF against Peninsula High School, the girls made sure they incorporated all of the skills that they had mastered in their previous games, which allowed them to gain a 10-8 win. The girls then moved on to their second-round of CIF against Temescal Canyon High School on Nov. 7. Junior Grace Hong, a player on the team, stated that the girls

“ played extremely well during the first 2 rounds and started off being up 7-5 but ended up succumbing to the pressure during the third round,” which led to their 8-10 loss. She emphasized that the team “could have done much better during the last round since they were definitely capable of winning,” but is still proud of the progress that they made despite their outcome.

This year, Varsity Football not only moved up several divisions but also surpassed their previous seasonal record. With nine wins and two losses this season, the Apaches started off their Round 1 CIF game with an impressive game against Agoura High School, which ended with a 56-7 win.

They then faced their opponents from Temescal Canyon during the second game of CIF on Nov. 11 and defeated them 38-17. This victory allowed them to advance to the CIF semifinals game for the first time in 21 years, which was on Nov. 16 against Alta Loma.

Regardless of these outcomes, it is clear that all of our fall sports teams performed wonderfully and ended up being victorious in their own ways. Congratulations, and we hope these teams the best of luck for their season next year! ktam@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of PD4PIC.COM, PINTEREST.COM, ZAZZLE.COM, and 1001FONTS.COM

November 2018

TRAINING FOR SUCCESS

By NANCY ZHANG

Staff Writer

Although track season has not officially begun yet, many students are already preparing for it. Instead of taking regular P.E., they are taking preseason track as a class. This is a popular option for students interested in being on the team during second semester because track and field is a very demanding sport that can physically take a large toll on anyone.

“Preseason track workouts are more difficult than the actual season workouts because there are significantly fewer people for [Coach] Schultz to focus on,” sophomore Maureen Zhang stated. She observed that there is a correlation between the number of people and personal work, concluding that fewer people means more personal work for her.

The workouts are targeted toward the general idea of improving before the actual track season. Maureen elaborated, “the workouts are designed to increase our endurance and ability before the season starts.” As a result, they typically require more time and effort. As a hurdler, she and a few other hurdlers are coached by Coach Schultz “once a week to maintain and improve hurdling technique before the workout while other members continue to complete regular workouts.” Preseason track is important to Maureen because it allows her to focus on her event before the actual season begins, and she won’t be able to improve as much.

By MELODY YANG

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theapachepowwow.net

November Scores

NONSTOP WORK Track’s fall training team gathers for attendance before the beginning of a rigorous workout.

For sophomore Kenneth Lin, building endurance is also one of his goals. In preseason track, students work on “different types of workouts [and] on different components of running.” Sprinting is used as an efficient workout to build endurance. Kenneth says that “we have workouts to build endurance, [including] drills to practice our forms and weight training to build muscle.”

The biggest difference between preseason track and the actual season is that there are currently no competitions. “I personally think that being in preseason track will have a big impact [on] results because you get more used to the workouts over time, and if you put effort into your training, then you should feel that your times are improving even if it’s [just] by a few

seconds,” concluded Kenneth.

Preseason track provides athletes with a strong endurance, which is essential to being successful in track and field. The team’s workouts are meant to enhance key skills that must be applied during the real season when there are many competitions that test these skills.

Many track stars are born from preseason track because of the hard work and determination that is put into their potential for improvement.

Surely, this will be reflected when Apache track and field athletes proudly represent AHS next semester. nzhang@apachepowwow.net Photo by KALI TAM Graphic courtesy of 1001FONTS.COM

Boys Varsity Water Polo Arcadia v. Capistrano (6-9) Arcadia v. Chaparral (10-8) Arcadia v. Hoover (5-15)

Staff Writer

With tryouts ending, the new roster for the 2018-19 AHS Badminton team has just been decided. Coaches and players alike have set new goals that they hope to accomplish next season, along with plans on how to achieve them.

As a relatively new team, the AHS Badminton team has been improving at an extremely fast rate. Formed just three years ago, the badminton team has had promising results, with Varsity climbing to the final round of the highest level division in CIF last year. The team has also been the Almont League Champions for two years in a row. Last year, the JV team also ended the winning streak of Diamond Bar High School, who haven’t lost since 2003. Both coaches and players have shown confidence in the newer players. Sophomore Michelle Gao noted, “I feel that we have a strong varsity team this year. It’s a great mix of players who collectively bring an impressive range of experience, talent, skills, and play styles.” As for the JV team, Michelle remarked that “we’re a bit on the weaker side since good players moved on to Varsity, leaving JV with a shortage of experienced players. However, I think that the new players can improve quickly with the program’s frequent training.” Assistant Coach James Wang also expressed a similar view, as he mentioned, “The JV roster is more interesting for me because there is a mix of players that train and players that are fairly new to the game but look promising. I’m excited to work with them

Varsity Football PREPARING FOR THE NEW SEASON AHS’ Badminton team practices hard for the upcoming Almont League Champions in hopes of dominating again. and build upon their talent.”

Along with newer and better players, the team has also set a high standard for itself. Head Coach Mike Stiles stated that some goals he has for the team include “repeating as the Almont League Champions for the third year in a row while improving our placings in the Almont League Individual Championships.” Coach Stiles also wanted to “improve [their] collective understanding that team means family, which can be difficult in an individual sport like badminton.” Co-Captain junior Kevin Yoo revealed that the “team has been attending two open gyms every Tuesday and Thursday night while also doing physical training and condition Monday and Wednesday.” Coach Stiles also added, “from November through January, our training

becomes more formalized. With limited gym time during basketball season, we meet three times a week from 8:00 to 10:00 p.m. In these formalized training sessions, we will begin our strength, speed, and conditioning work.”

With the work and training going into the incoming players, it is likely that the team will reach their goals. Michelle asserted, “I’m very confident that the combination of excellent coaching, training, talents, teamwork, and commitment by every member of the team will enable us to reach our goals.” Good luck next season badminton! myang@apachepowwow.net Photo courtesy of KEVIN YOO Graphic courtesy of 1001FONTS.COM

Arcadia v. Agoura (56-7) Arcadia v. Crescenta Valley (43-10) Arcadia v. John Muir (41-14) Arcadia v. Pasadena (38-14) Arcadia v. Kaiser (35-38)

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By LISZA LO Staff Writer

In recent years, the rising popularity of matcha has made it used in many different desserts. Originating from East Asia, matcha powder is a finely-grounded powder made from green tea leaves. Its unique, sweet flavor makes it a perfect addition to drinks and desserts such as lattes, shaved ice, soft serve, and cakes. Here are some shops in the Los Angeles (LA) area with must-try matcha desserts!

Midori Matcha Midori Matcha is a matcha-based cafe in Little Tokyo that recently opened a new store in Pasadena. Their menu has so many options, consisting of matcha-infused pastries and drinks. The matcha soft-serve and tiramisu is a must-try item here! The portions are big for their prices, and junior Markis Cheng says that the “matcha flavor is not overwhelming, so first-timers will enjoy it.”

Sul & Beans Sul & Beans is a Korean dessert cafe with multiple locations throughout Southern California, with its first location in Koreatown. They serve bingsoo (Korean shaved

By MELODY YANG

ice), drinks, and toasts. A popular menu item is their “Green Tea Bingsoo”, which consists of condensed milk and ice (milky ice) with almonds, mochi, red beans, and matcha powder. The red beans and matcha powder balance each other out, making the “Green Tea Bingsoo” a dessert with many flavors. Sophomore Justin Liao thought “it was pretty good” but might be “too sweet” for some people.

Matcha Matcha Located in the Westfield Santa Anita Mall, Matcha Matcha is a small dessert shop with an entirely matcha-based menu. It features a variety of drinks such as lattes and teas, but their must-try item would have to be the matcha soft serve. Customers can add on toppings, such as red beans, mochi, and matcha cake, to their matcha soft serve ice cream. The ice cream itself emulates the flavor of matcha very well, and the addition of toppings only makes it taste better!

Lady M Lady M is a dessert boutique best known for its Mille Crepe cakes, which is created with many layers of paper-thin crepes and smooth, light cream. There are many different flavors such as strawberry, earl grey, and citron, but

llo@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of VECTORSTOCK.COM and 1001FONTS.COM

Wasabi and ginger are commonly served with gain weight at the same time, be careful and opt for something simpler such as a cucumber or ties as a result of their antioxidant compounds. avocado roll.

Despite these benefits, eating too much suWasabi, especially, contains many healthy vitamins and minerals that are beneficial to the body. shi can still be detrimental to your health. Eating Its antioxidants are able to inhibit the growth uncooked fish places you at an increased risk of of tumors and promote cell death in cancerous foodborne illness. Large, predatory fish, such as tuna also tend to have higher levels of mercells. cury, a known neurotoxin. However, these are Manages Weight Eating out is commonly associated with the both problems that are relatively low-risk. Sushi idea that it will lead to weight gain and bad eat- chefs are highly trained to handle uncooked fish, ing habits. However, sushi is an exception. It is so instead of making your own sushi, eating out mainly oil-free, thus providing you with a meal at a restaurant would be a better option. In orthat is filled with healthy proteins and carbo- der to lower the risk of mercury exposure, you hydrates. However, elaborate rolls that include could also choose to eat fish that contain lower toppings such as mayonnaise, fried tempura amounts of mercury, such as salmon and catfish. bits, and cream cheese can easily increase the number of calories in sushi by quite a lot. While myang@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of a plain tuna roll can be less than 200 calories, PIXELSCRAPPER.COM, one shrimp tempura roll can easily be over 500 PTVECTEEZY.COM, calories and contain over 20 grams of fat! So if and 1001FONTS.COM you’re eating sushi as a way to eat out and not

Staff Writer sushi, and both have anti-carcinogenic proper-

Not only does sushi taste good, it also has many health benefits! From reducing the risk of cancer to weight management, sushi is a hearthealthy food that won’t have you worrying about your health after enjoying it.

Protects Heart Health Sushi is an excellent source of omega-3 and fatty acids that promote cell regeneration and lowers the risk of getting heart disease. The cholesterol found in fish can also balance the cholesterol levels in the body, preventing clogged arteries and health concerns such as heart attacks and strokes. The best kind of fish to eat for omega-3 include lake trout, herring, salmon, and tuna, so the next time you eat sushi, try eating these kinds of fish for the health benefits!

Prevents Cancer This advantage of eating sushi doesn’t come from the fish, but rather from the sides.

the green tea variation would have to be their most popular. Each crepe layer is green tea infused, with a light cream between every layer.

Despite it being on the pricier side at about $9 per slice, junior Ethan Vuong believes that the “fluffy, creamy, and soft texture” is worth it.

Mikawaya Mikawaya, located in LA’s Little Tokyo district, is the birthplace of ice cream mochi.

This flagship store’s products can now be found in numerous supermarkets across America. They have tons of flavors that one can choose from at this location, but the green tea ice cream mochi is unbeatable. It is the perfect portion for dessert, especially if one just had a big meal at the nearby Little Tokyo restaurants.

Now that you have gone through a few recommendations, be sure to try out these shops’ matcha desserts if you have the chance!

The matcha dessert possibilities are endless, and there is bound to be something perfect for everyone!

November 2018

November 2018

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By ALEXIS KIM Staff Writer

Spoken word is performance poetry that focuses on the aesthetics of rhyme, intonation, repetition, and wordplay. It incorporates elements of hip-hop, storytelling, jazz, and folk music, making it quite different from written poetry as it is more concerned about how it sounds rather than how it looks on a page.

Originating thousands of years before reading and writing, spoken word is a traditional art form through which history, stories, myths, and proverbs are passed down. It is believed that repetition and rhythmical sound effects of the words help people remember things from important cultural values to long heroic epics.

Poetry was often recited in theatrical performances that had political, spiritual, or entertainment purposes. These performances were often accompanied by a variety of local instruments to intrigue the audience.

Spoken word first developed in the United States in the early to mid-twentieth century, attracting widespread attention starting in the 1950s. Notably, music influences of the Harlem Renaissance and speeches given throughout the Civil Rights Movement inspired a great rise until the 1970s and ‘80s when venues began presenting spoken word and poetry slams emerged, eventually airing on television as it gained popularity.

Now, oral performances are a means of self-expression, and they are often used to convey the poet’s ideas about politics, race, gender, and community, specifically messages of antibullying, de-stigmatization of mental illness,

By IRIS LIM Staff Writer

It is so hard and daunting to learn a new language. I mean, it’s a whole other form of communication! From reading, writing, and pronunciation there is no doubt you will have difficulties with a language you are so unfamiliar with. Here are some tips to make learning a new language less complicated and less stressful.

The first step to learning a new language is to start with an app, website, or whatever way you like to learn a new language. For instance, online resources, mobile apps such as Duolingo, and various channels on YouTube can really help you get out of your comfort zone to learn a brand new language. Some mobile apps even help you learn based off of your study habits and pace, making the language learning process

even smoother. With YouTube, you can pause videos and collect your thoughts before continuing on another lesson.

After you have decided how you will approach learning a new language, it is important to start with pronunciation. While learning a foreign language, scientific reasearch indicates that if you are unable to pronounce the words easily, it will be harder to memorize. The first step to take with pronunciation is to train your ears to becomce familiar with this foreign language.The easiest ways to train your ears are to listen to foreign music, foreign podcasts, or watch foreign movies/television shows. The second step is to train yourself to learn the language’s phonetic alphabet. I personally believe that you can find the best phonetic alphabet on Duolingo.

After you learn the phonetic alphabet of the language, it is time to cut out whatever language

inequality, sexual assault, body positivity, and LGBTQ+ topics. Other times, poets may also comment on subjects such as love, loss, and the meaning of life.

There is sometimes an unfortunate stereotype for poetry suggesting that it is boring or obscure. However, I can promise that it is not so, but when first diving into the world of spoken word, it may be difficult to know where to look.

Personally, my favorite poets are the ones who can be witty, humorous, and entertaining but can also drop stunning thought-provoking lines that make me speechless. Here are a few poets whose work you should definitely check out!

Sarah Kay was the poet who first grabbed my attention and never let me go. An incredibly charming performer, Kay is clever, imaginative, and empowering. Some of her most notable performances include “B” (a.k.a. “If I Should Have a Daughter), “When Love Arrives”, “The Type”, and “Table Games”.

Rudy Francisco is a passionate speaker who often focuses on personal stories involving race, class, and gender. Give a listen to “My Honest Poem” and “Adrenaline Rush”.

Spoken word can make you laugh and cry within minutes. It can inspire reflection and even can force emotions out of you that you may not have ever experienced before. There may even be lines that you will remember forever, and that is all part of the power and beauty of poetry.

akim@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of KISSPNG.COM, UWATERLOO.CA, and 1001FONTS.COM

you think in. While learning a new language, it will be even harder to learn and memorize the language while relying on the translation.

Therefore, it is best to start with fill-in-theblank picture flashcards.

As you continue to use your flashcards and listen to your new language, you should begin to learn grammar and speech. You can either immerse yourself in the language by thinking in your new language 24/7 or speaking with native speakers, thus forcing yourself to learn the language faster and more effectively.

Now you are ready to go to a foreign country and learn their language!

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Novermber 2018

While some teachers may simply teach day after day, Ms. Purcey goes beyond just teaching. She makes an effort to know the students in class and her genuine kindness goes beyond the classroom. Without thinking twice, Ms. Purcey never fails to cheer her students up when the class is moody, and she never leaves a student behind. Academically, Ms. Purcey has given her students the opportunity to prosper in her class by making the curriculum and content educational yet entertaining.

-Natalie Samadi, 12

Mr. Delfin is able to capture the arguments and importance of the texts while presenting these pieces of information in an engaging way. Despite the rigorous English curriculum, Mr. Delfin creates ways to provide engaging activities that match the in-depth thinking of these classes. Music Mondays are a perfect representation of this, giving a chance for students to analyze the theme, tone, and the author’s purpose of the song.

-Samantha Rivera, 11

The way in which Ms. Rodriguez leaves an impression on all students she meets is a characteristic that’s difficult to find in this society. From first impressions to getting to know her on a deeper level, Ms. Rodriguez radiates an inviting personality that students are able to pick up on and realize that she is a safe person to talk and turn to. While she may be relatively new to this school, many students across campus have already taken a fondness to Ms. Rodriguez.

-Conner Hua, 10

Graphics courtesy of PINTEREST.COM and 1001FONTS.COM Photos courtesy of KAITLIN LEE and KALI TAM