January 2019

@ahspowwow

Arcadia High School / 180 Campus Drive, Arcadia, CA

the apache

POW WOW

volume 66 issue 5 january 2019

the world is our campus.

Winter pep assembly GO BIG RED! Students and faculty alike came out in support of all of the academic and winter sports teams at the Winter Pep Assembly on Jan. 25, accompanied by cheerful performances from AHS Cheer and a skit from ASB in preparation for AHS’ Winter Formal dance.

By ANYA YANG

mal, AHS held its annual Winter Pep Assem- for Mammoth Monday was a Sled Relay, dle school memories! Labeled Throwback

Staff Writer bly on Jan. 25, where students came together which people from every grade level com- Thursday, students stepped out of their

From Jan. 28 to Feb.1, Apaches geared up in preparation for the long-awaited Winter Formal! Beginning with a fantastic Winter Pep Assembly followed by an exciting Spirit Week full of creative themes, each new day resulted in plenty of school spirit and photo opportunities.

The 2019 AHS Winter Formal will be the first one hosted in over a decade! Winter Formal is the only dance where all grade levels can enjoy, as underclassmen are typically not allowed at Homecoming and Prom. It will take place on Friday, Feb. 1, at the AHS North Gym from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.. There will also be food trucks and vendors outside before the dance for partygoers to enjoy a warm meal before dancing the night away.

To kick off the hype before Winter For-

to watch a stellar show featuring academic groups, sports teams, and clubs. The assembly started out with unique and fun introductions from groups like Speech and Debate, Quiz Bowl, and more! Apaches from every grade also volunteered to participate in exciting games led by our Pep Commissioners, Monique Aguilar and Sam Yasuda. With alternating performances from all of the Cheer groups on campus and a comedic skit from ASB, students were in high spirits by the end of the assembly.

Apaches started Spirit week off strong with Mammoth Monday, turning the dreaded, lazy day into a comfortable one! People bundled up in winter clothing, donning their snuggest sweaters, scarves, and fuzzy socks.

ASB also hosted different lunch activities for every day of the week, and the activity

OPINION

pg. 4-5

The Other Side of Self-Care: In an age where self-care seems synonymous with fancy face masks and procrastination, senior Alex Kim seeks to redefine the practice for what it really is: messy, difficult, and occasionally a pain, but necessary all the same.

NEWS

Photo courtesy of VOX.COM

pg. 2-3

Government Shutdown: Jan. 25 marked the end of the longest government shutdown in history—35 days. President Trump called for the shutdown after Democrats refused to sign a bill to fund his border wall.

“Self-care is a balance. Cry, but at some point, wipe away your tears. Sleep, but in the morning, wake up again....Most of the time, self-care is exactly the opposite of what you want to do, but it’s often the thing that needs to be done.”

peted in!

Next was Tired Tuesday. Perfect for the winter dreariness and slow days, the Pajama day allowed for Apaches to sleep in a few minutes more. Whether they were brightly colored fleece pants, plush robes, or even just a pair of slippers, students were dressed up–or rather, dressed down! The clothing theme matched the exciting Slumber Party Challenge at lunch.

Up next for the winter-ful spirit week was White-Out-Wednesday, aptly named for how the campus seemed to be covered in a layer of snow as students came to school decked out all in white. Snow gear was acceptable as well. At lunch, Apaches participated in yet another challenge, this one titled, “Can You Build a Snowman”?

Thursday brought back plenty of mid-

Apache gear and got back into their middle school merch. To further enhance the junior high mood, students played a game of Musical Chairs during lunch!

As Friday was the last day of Spirit Week as well as the day of the dance, the theme was a traditional Spirit day. Apaches kept the excitement for the dance high as they showed love for AHS through their spirit gear. Students met at the rally court at lunch for the last and most eventful challenge–The Winter Games. All of the spirit building up on campus will come to a close at the wonderful Winter Formal! We hope everyone who attends has fun, and a big thanks to ASB for hosting the dance! ayang@apachepowwow.net Photos by JOSIE CHEN

Also in this issue:

STUDENT LIFE pg. 8-9 Apaches’ Goals for 2019: As the new year comes around, so do New Year’s Resolutions. Here are a few of the goals our Apaches hope to achieve this year.

ACADEMICS pg. 14-15

Tips for Expository Essays: One of the fundaPhoto by KOBE YU mentals of any English class is the expository SPORTS pg. 18-19 essay. Freshman Jeslyn Chou shares some tips Making a Splash with Girls Varsity Water- on how to tackle this daunting feat. pg. 16-17 polo: Girls Varsity Waterpolo has been exceling PERFORMING ARTS this season with an undefeated league record of New Life for Live Theatre: Live theatre has been making a comeback, with musicals like 2-0. Best wishes for the rest of the season!

Hamilton making their way to the mainstream.

2

theapachepowwow.net

January 2019

By EMILY CHEN Staff Writer

A lawsuit against the Exxon Mobil Gas and Oil Corporation is currently in progress. The company has allegedly been hiding knowledge regarding the detrimental effects of fossil fuels on climate change for decades. The U.S. Supreme Court has recently approved for Maura Healey, the attorney general of Massachusetts, to begin thorough investigations.

The roots of the lawsuit, despite being about climate change, are in the economy. Exxon is being accused of misleading its investors about the future of the company. Because Exxon is a gas and oil company, any future laws or regulations put in place to prevent fossil fuel pollution would greatly damage its success. For this reason, the company has supposedly been hiding its findings regarding fossil fuels’ harmful effects for years. This action may have also been taken in order to keep its supporters and draw in new investors. A future without fossil fuel regulations would allow the company to continue to thrive, so Exxon could have been motivated to withhold information to make it seem that way. Healey’s spokesperson stated, “The public deserves answers from this company about what it knew about the impacts of burning fossil fuels, and when.” If the investigators’ suspicions are correct, Exxon will be confirmed to have lied about the future outlook of the company to deceive its investors.

The original investigation into Exxon began in late 2015, after scientists working for the company found that reducing fossil fuel combustion would greatly reduce the effects of climate change on our planet. The reports were based on Exxon documents from the 1970s and 1980s, which means the company may have possessed and hidden this information for around forty years. A similar lawsuit against Exxon took place in October 2018. The attorney general of New York, Barbara Underwood, conducted an investigation into the company for the same reasons as the current lawsuit.

She found Exxon had been conducting a “longstanding fraudulent scheme concerning the company’s management of the risks posed to its business by climate change regulation.” Exxon has been working to block further investigations into the matter, and has accused the investigations of being politically motivated.

If the accusations against Exxon are true, the company will likely lose the trust and support of its investors and customers alike. Many environmentalists have criticized the company for its disregard of the environment and have protested against it. Hopefully, the lawsuit against Exxon, regardless of outcome, will inspire the company as well as other fossil fuel organizations, to address climate change head on to improve the future for everyone on the planet. echen@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of VECTORSTOCK.COM and 1001FONTS.COM

GOVERNMENT

By REBECCA TAO Staff Writer

The federal government shut down for 35 days. At midnight of Dec. 21, 2018, President Trump ordered the shutdown, and on Jan. 12, 2019, it became the longest shutdown in American history. Those with governmental jobs were furloughed and national parks across the country were closed. During his presidential campaign, President Trump advocated for his idea of building the border wall between Mexico and the United States. He also said that “Mexico will pay for the wall.” However, the President and the Democrats had failed to come to an agreement about whether to actually fund this plan and as a result, Trump ordered the government shutdown. A few days before the beginning of the shutdown, President Trump stated that he would not sign any bill that did not contain funding the wall. The House responded by passing a bill that included a $5 billion fund for the wall and $8 billion toward disaster relief. However, the Senate did not agree with the resolution. The 166th Congress passed funding for the Department of Homeland Security and border security, but not the wall.

On Jan. 8, President Trump appeared on national television and stated that the wall needed $5.7 billion for completion. The President also did not mention any possible new proposals, and he defended his idea of a border wall with analogies. For instance, he attributed building the wall for the wellbeing of the citizens in the quote, “Walls work. That’s why rich, powerful and successful people build them around their homes. All Americans deserve the same protection.” Immediately after, Democrats Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer demanded an end to the shutdown and stated that President Trump’s address was full of misinformation.

Currently, around 800,000 federal workers are going without pay. Some government-owned companies, like NASA, have been shut down, and national services like food inspections have reduced. Furthermore, national parks throughout the country have been trashed due to an absence of rangers to control and regulate them. Some visitors of these understaffed national parks have gone as far as to cut down trees and set up illegal campsites. As of now, President Trump has threatened to declare a national emergency to secure wall funding. However, this statement was met with heavy disagreement that argued that President Trump had no authority to do so and that the action would be deemed “unconstitutional”. Moving forward, several protests—mainly initiated by furloughed federal workers—have taken place. On Jan. 25, President Trump signed a bill that outlined the temporary ending of the shutdown despite not receiving the $5.7 billion funding he demanded. The government will be open for three weeks until Feb. 15, when the government may shut down again. This was definitely not the first shutdown—but it was the longest and its effects have been in light due to the media. rtao@apachepowwow.net Photo courtesy of DUNANDBRADSTREET.COM Graphic courtesy of 1001FONTS.COM

January 2019

3

powwownews@gmail.com

defense secretary mattis resigns

s t a f f

By ANABELL XU

Staff Writer

The federal government ended 2018 on a pretty large down-note with the massive government shutdown, which has stretched into the longest shutdown in history. While Congress was scrambling over funding bills, however, a smaller blip in the crisis radar occurred: former Secretary of Defense James Mattis officially resigned from his office.

Mattis resigned right after President Trump announced his decision to withdraw all American troops from Syria, a controversial decision that may actually not be happening—the White House reported that there will only be a partial troop pull-back despite the initial claim from the President. Whatever is going to happen with Syria, though, will not involve Mattis. In his resignation letter, Mattis stated, “I believe we must be resolute and unambiguous in our approach to those countries whose strategic interests are increasingly in tension with ours… we must use all the tools of American power to provide for the common defense.” His core ideal, which places America as a global policeman, directly contrasts with President Trump’s plans for Syria. This has led many people to believe that Mattis resigned over the decision to pull troops from Syria. Mattis also directly addresses President Trump near the end of his letter.

He stated, “Because you have the right to have a Secretary of Defense whose views are better aligned with yours on these and other subjects, I believe it is right for me to step down from my position.”

This isn’t the first time rifts between Mattis and President Trump have occurred. In October, the President called Mattis “sort of a Democrat” and stated that he “may leave,” but in the end, “everyone leaves.” Many people have expressed dismay over Mattis’ resignation, unlike previous firings from the White House. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell stated, “I was sorry to learn that Secretary Mattis, who [emphasized the importance of alliances and a clear-eyed understanding of friends and foes], will soon depart the administration. But I am particularly distressed that he is resigning due to sharp differences with the president on these and other key aspects of America’s global leadership.” Agreeing with Senator McConnell’s sentiment, Virginia Senator Mark Warner tweeted, “This is scary. Secretary [of Defense] Mattis has been an island of stability amidst the chaos of the Trump administration.” Of course, like other White House staffers, Mattis hasn’t been completely free of controversy either. In Bob Woodward’s book “Fear: Trump in the White House,” Mattis is cited as saying that Trump understands issues related to South and North Korea at the level of a seven-year-old. Mattis has denied that statement. Whatever happens, there is still one more month until a successor is found. Until then, America will have to wait and see what the new Secretary of Defense will bring to the table.

Editors

Editors-in-Chief

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

axu@apachepowwow.net

National Parks Plan to Use Fees to Fund Cleanups

Features Staff

Sports Staff Academics Staff

By SAMANTHA RIVERA Staff Writer

During the federal government shutdown, the National Park Service said that it will use funds for future projects such as park cleanups. P. Daniel Smith, the deputy director of the National Park Service stated that the agency could use the money from the entrance, camping, parking, and other fees. Smith explained, “In coming days, the NPS will begin to use these funds to clean up trash that has built up, clean and maintain restrooms, bring additional law enforcement rangers into parks to patrol accessible areas, and to restore accessibility to areas that would typically be accessible this time of year.” Smith added, “We are taking this extraordinary step to ensure that parks are protected and that visitors can continue to access parks with limited basic services.”

Usually, national parks charge entry fees and keep 80% of the money to cover future projects while the other 20% is distributed throughout the park system such as to other parks which do not have entry fees. Before the government shutdown began, the estimated required maintenance was $11.6 billion. When the shutdown began, parks were not collecting entrance fees, and most park employees weren’t working.

Smith said that, nationwide, park businesses, government agencies, and various non-profit organizations had assisted 40 parks by giving goods that are worth more than $2 million. The visitor fee money was used for various “future projects” although the park services were intended to be used to “provide immediate assistance and services to highly visited parks.”

Two of California’s heavily visited parks are Yosemite and Joshua Tree. Volunteers made an effort to limit the trash found at these parks, however, many visitors reported issues of human waste and other sanitation problems. “The American people already own our national parks and fund their upkeep,” Raul Grijalva, House Natural Resources Committee Chairman stated. “The President expected them to pay” out of their own pockets “to keep the toilets clean,” Grijalva added. The Department of the Interior, which controls the National Park Service, was “very likely violating appropriations law” with this plan, according to Rep. Betty McCollum. “The law is clear: if the federal government is shut down, our National Parks must also be closed to protect public safety and pristine spaces,” added McCollum. Even so, to maintain operations, the plan remained to “utilize available retained recreation fees balances to provide basic visitor services,” but an area was to “be closed” if visitor access became “a safety, health or resource protection issue.” While Yosemite National Park remained closed in some areas, Joshua Tree National Park in California was forced to close at the beginning of the year because of “health and safety concerns.” srivera@apachepowwow.net Photo courtesy of CNN.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 Editing Staff

Publicity 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, 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, 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, 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, Manasvi Chandra, Justin Chen, Collin Gaja, Arina Miyadi, Jasmine Oang, Kali Tam, Christie Wang, Melody Yang, Nancy Zhang Emma Chen, Leslie Chen, Jeslyn Chou, Abby Choy, Ally Fung, Phillip Gan, Charles Su, Ella Tang, Rebecca Tao, Kaitlyn Tran, Rebecca Xu, Melody Yang Ailin Atasoy, Tanvi Batra, Emily Chen, Cadence Chen, Jennifer Fuerte, Yoko Inoue, Alex Kim, Iris Lim, Anncine Lin, Lisza Lo, Jasmine Oang, Caitlin Wang, Melody Yang, Kobe Yu, Ashley Zhao Anncine Lin 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 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 Gavin Do, Jennifer Fuerte, Jasmine Oang 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.

Graphic courtesy of VECTORSTOCK.COM

4

theapachepowwow.net

By ALEX KIM

The Other Side

of self-care

By ROBINSON LEE

Staff Writer

Self-care is an important word that is heavy in meaning these days. It’s a great place to start learning how to love oneself.

However, I often feel that the media overly-romanticizes the idea of self-care, limiting it to only the aesthetically-pleasing aspects and ignoring all of the other sides that may be difficult to digest.

Self-care isn’t always beautiful. It’s not all about the face masks, rose baths, movie nights, and warm tea. In fact, a lot of the time, self-care is hard and ugly. It may be forcing yourself to get out of bed on the weekend to finish your assignments and study for that test. It may be having conversations you’re afraid of having. It could be pulling through with your plans and engaging with your friends instead of isolating yourself. It may be taking a shower and then teaching yourself how to cook something other than instant noodles for once. It’s allowing yourself to take in some advice, not drowning yourself in overthinking, and making an effort to clean up the parts of your life that you’ve been neglecting for much too long. For some, self-care could be making difficult decisions, taking action, and doing what is best for you, even if it’s not always in the way that you want.

However, I understand that we are only human, and sometimes we burn out. Then, self-care can be a choice to take a pause.

In a life that feels like a never-ending marathon, we sometimes

Staff Writer

President Donald Trump’s signature border wall was promised to his supporters and the American people early in his campaign as he rallied support against illegal immigration. Whether you support the idea of a wall on the southern border or are against the idea of one, the proposed border wall has some merits. The wall itself has varied in cost and impact, and it is unsure whether it is going to be a literal wall or not, but for the purpose of clarification, the border wall in this article will be defined as a physical barrier preventing restricted entry accompanied by appropriate oversight and security. That being said, here are the benefits of building the wall.

More Jobs Building a wall around the southern border is no easy feat. To build the physical barrier, thousands of construction workers are needed, along with additional workers to import and produce materials such as steel and concrete. This wall is expected to take at least ten years to build. Such a project will drive a requirement for workers to be at the southern border, which will put Americans to work. Additionally, the terrain of the southern border is unique and contains mountains, wetlands, and forests, which means that the wall will need experienced and highly professional engineers and architects to navigate the project. Furthermore, in order to maintain and secure the wall, border agents will be needed, creating a demand for jobs there. All of these tasks result in an increase in demand for workers at the southern border.

Symbolize American Strength Key projects in architecture serve to display a nation’s greatness. The Great Wall of China is one of many monuments in Chinese architecture and symbols of Chinese national pride. Big Ben and St. Basil’s Cathedral are prized structures of the United Kingdom and Russia, symbolizing each country’s great accomplishments. The border wall would expand from California all the way to Texas, making it a great project to behold considering the expected time, effort, and dedication to build it. Regardless of politics, it would serve as a symbol of what Americans can achieve through hard work and dedication if completed.

Improve Border Security The border wall will improve border security by ensuring that no foreign entity passes without the knowledge of the U.S. With more personnel and fortifications at the border, unauthorized entry can be monitored and enforced. Additionally, since the border will be updated with such fortifications and additional support, immigrants seeking asylum can be guided through the process of U.S. residency in a more formal manner than before. Since the border wall and the surrounding area will have to accommodate border agents and other staff, there would also be utilities and temporary housing available for immigrants while they are being processed.

The wall itself may or may not ever be built, but these benefits should be closely analyzed by Washington as the decision is being made. rlee@apachepowwow.net

By PHILLIP GAN

Janurary 2019

don’t know when to stop and take a break. It’s okay to cry. It’s okay to treat yourself to those face masks and rose baths, the movie nights and warm tea, because sometimes you really do need a karaoke night and some chocolate bars. It’s honestly different for each person, and it doesn’t have to be expensive or time-consuming. Do what makes you feel better. You’re not a failure just because you’re taking a break. You are not running away from the challenges; instead, think of it as a way to prepare the best version of yourself in order to stand back up and face them.

Self-care is a balance. Cry, but at some point, wipe away your tears. Sleep, but in the morning, wake up again. Escape for a while, but remember to come back eventually. Live a little, but don’t forget your responsibilities. It is certainly not as easy to do as it sounds, but that’s also exactly why it needs to be discussed more in this realistic way instead of only focusing on the idealistic parts. You may only want to be happy, but decide to continue doing the things that you are responsible for. Or you may only want to drown in your feelings and self-destruction for hours, but please choose to use coping methods and allow yourself to be happy. Most of the time, self-care is exactly the opposite of what you want to do, but it’s often the thing that needs to be done. akim@apachepowwow.net Graphic courtesy of PICTURESBOSS.COM

Staff Writer

One of President Trump’s most famous quotes and ideas is, “We need to build a wall.” There are some reasons why this is not the best idea. True, illegal immigration is a large concern that needs to be taken care of, to say the least. With a significant amount taxes lost each year from illegal immigrants and the US debt increasing, increasing border security is a no brainer. However, there are also just-as-viable reasons as to why building a wall is the incorrect method.

Too Costly As a major part of his platform during the 2016 presidential campaign, President Donald Trump called for the construction of a much larger, fortified wall along the entire 2,000-mile-long Mexico–United States border, claiming Mexico would pay for its construction, which he estimated would be around $8 to 12 billion. Other estimates brought the cost of the wall closer to $15 to 25 billion. Obviously, Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto refused to pay for the wall and canceled a meeting with Trump at the White House. As a result, American citizens are tasked with the job of paying this massive cost through taxes. This money issue is even the main cost of the 2018 to 2019 government shutdown: Congress and the White House failed to agree on Trump’s new budgeting plan involving the building of the border wall.

Won’t Completely Solve the Problem Although it will help reduce the flow of illegal immigrants, the wall will not completely stop the flow altogether. The barrier has been criticized for being easy to get around. Some methods include digging under it, using complex tunnel systems, climbing the fence, and using wire cutters to remove barbed-wire or locating vulnerable sections of the border. Many people have also traveled by boat through the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Coast, or fly in and overstay their visas. Fake passports and IDs are always an option.

Poses a threat to the environment The border wall will have a significantly negative impact on many endangered species, the terrain, and the environment spanning from California to Mexico. It will cut right through a federal wildlife refuge, a state park, and the National Butterfly Center. Conservationists and wildlife managers consider this region to be one of the most ecologically valuable areas on the border: home to the endangered ocelot and jaguarundi, two beautiful small cat species in the region, as well as plants and 400 species of birds.

With over 7,000 deaths occurring due to attempts to cross the US-Mexico border since 1998, the number will only increase with the addition of the costly and inefficient border wall. Better methods should be brought, not only aiding the California landscape but also eager immigrants.

After all, America is the land of the free and opportunity, so why must we impose a barrier to those who wish to live a better life? pgan@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of CNN.COM, FONTSPACE.COM, and PINTEREST.COM

January 2019

By KAITLIN LEE

5

theopinionsection@gmail.com

l a c o V g n i Be olitics About P

Passion or Money

By MICHELLE LEE Staff Writer

Sophomore year was tough. I don’t know why it had to be exactly that year, but I felt the most lonely, isolated, and confused during that period of my life. It was horrible. And because of that, I felt less and less willing to open up, especially about opinions that I feared would be controversial, such as my political views. Even though I wanted to be argumentative, I felt that it was more worth it to make new friends first before showing that side of me.

Thank goodness sophomore year has passed. And thank goodness that now, as my second semester of junior year begins, I am no longer lonely and anxiety-ridden, but instead am more confident and assured in my abilities and myself. But even as I became more confident during the first semester, I found that I was still hesitant to open up about how I viewed politics. The system of behavior and mannerisms that I had locked myself in didn’t leave me even as I became more self-assured.

And for a while, I was uncomfortable around people who were openly political, no matter where they were on the political spectrum. To me, I felt that politics were growing more and more divisive. Because of that, I saw that it would not solve anything in our chaotic political situation since both sides were declaring that they were the “right” side or the “morally just” side. I was worried that politics would become a black-and-white issue, not the gray zone it is.

Then, the government shut down on Dec. 22, 2018, because of the Democrats’ and Republicans’ inability to compromise over the payment of the border wall. Currently, as I am writing this, the shutdown is still going. That means that thousands of government workers like people who work at airports or national museums, many of whom live paycheck to paycheck, are struggling to get by without any pay from the government. That means that national parks like Joshua Tree are left unguarded and unattended, so travelers who have gone to the parks have been cutting down trees to make way for their vehicles. Because of this mess, Democrats in the House of Representatives have been trying to push bills to stop the government shutdown, yet Republicans have squashed them and even threatened a presidential veto. For what? More people going without pay and more national parks being ruined?

Even if politics should be a gray issue, at the moment, it doesn’t really appear to be. There are dangerously unqualified people with tons of power at the moment who are willing to risk thousands of hardworking Americans’ lives over a disagreement. We can’t afford to stay away from politics.

Being ignorant is allowing powerful people to get away with this. That’s why we need to speak up when we see something is wrong.

“You have to choose the major that will make you the most money.”

As high schoolers on the cusp of our final years in general education, we hear these exact same words more and more often because in only a few years, we will be forced to make the big decision of what direction we want to take our lives in. Every one of us has our own calling, whether that may be science and technology, English and history, or art and design. However, increasingly over the years, personal interest and passion are being taken less and less into consideration when we are checking the box that will decide our majors in university. Instead of pursuing a field they are passionate about, many high schoolers are abandoning their interests and instead, choosing the field that they believe will give them the most job opportunities and make them the most money.

Although money may be one of the most important aspects society in this day and age, it is not the only aspect of our lives, and certainly is not the only thing we should be basing our decisions on. While income is definitely something that should be taken into consideration when deciding on a career, the most important things to be taken into consideration are our personal interests and talents. Becoming a doctor might be a reliable way to earn money, but if we despise what the job entails, is it really worth the couple hundred thousand dollars a year for the rest of our working lives?

Each field of study has its own unique opportunities and advantages, so choosing the career with the highest starting salary does not necessarily mean that you will never be able to be successful in other career paths either, even if they are more obscure. If one has a passion and talent in art, as a graphic designer they can be just as successful and make just as much money as a doctor or lawyer. It is not only the career that determines the salary, but also the effort and quality of work as well.

In the end, when considering a career path, both salary and interest are important aspects to take into account. Do not just choose the career with the highest salary for the purpose of making money and forgoing what you are passionate about. There is a career out there for everybody, and with some research, you will be able to find the career you can be successful in and find the personal satisfaction that comes with finding a job that you love.

mlee@apachepowwow.net Graphic courtesy of FIVERR.COM

klee@apachepowwow.net Graphic courtesy of KISSPNG.COM

By BECKY CHEN

YouTube’s Copyright

Issues

Staff Writer

Staff Writer

On Dec. 17, 2018, YouTuber Gus Johnson posted a video titled “Why Is Everybody Lying About Bohemian Rhapsody?” that got manually copyrighted by a company called EMI Music Publishing. The reason? He discussed the issue about other content creators lying about never having heard “Bohemian Rhapsody” before. But it’s important to note that he did not play even a millisecond of the song itself; he only talked about it.

And while this seems outrageous, this is actually a very common issue within the YouTube community. Johnson stated that in the past he had been copyrighted for posting a video of him playing “Drop It Like It’s Hot” on a paper towel dispenser. “If you even put the name of artists or songs in your title sometimes, you will be subjected to having your stuff copyrighted claimed,” he exclaimed. Johnson further explained that he had discussed this issue with other YouTubers, finding that all of them have also been copyrighted several times for outlandish reasons as well.

Another incident occurred with one of the most popular YouTubers, PewDiePie, who got copyrighted for only humming the theme song of the video game Halo at the beginning of his video for a couple seconds. He also mentioned that he once sang a couple seconds of “Despacito” and still got copyrighted, even though it didn’t even last a whole minute and it wasn’t audio from the actual song (it was his own voice!).

When somebody gets copyrighted, they receive a content ID claim. This means that although the video is not taken down, the YouTuber still loses all of the revenue made from that on that video to the company that did the striking. YouTubers can choose to appeal this dispute and argue that it’s fair use or that there has been an error. But that’s where one of the biggest problems of this copyright system comes in. Once appealed, it is not

YouTube itself that resolves the dispute, but rather the company who made the claim. And of course, the company usually does nothing about it.

Because there is only one party, the striker, who does all of the deciding on who gets the money, this system can be so easily abused. After all, why would the company want to listen to the YouTuber’s appeal? It’s like asking two children to debate over who gets candy and letting one of them decide who won. There will obviously be a biased result, as no third party is there to decide for them.

In most of these cases, the video’s revenue and attention are all dependent on the content and YouTuber itself, not a few seconds of some song. The purpose of copyright is to stop anybody from taking advantage of another person’s content and making money off of it. But it has turned into this twisted game of just copy striking something that isn’t even a significant factor of the video itself. PewDiePie even stated that he doesn’t care if he loses revenue;, he just doesn’t want the money to go to the greedy companies.

There are alternatives to this broken copyright system. Instead of having the company review the appeal, YouTube itself or a third party should make the decision on whether the strike was fair use or not. This way, the result won’t be biased and the YouTuber can finally have a chance of getting their revenue back.

This is a growing problem, as more and more YouTubers are emerging to speak of their own copyright experiences. But this issue doesn’t just give frustration, it also instills fear. Once somebody gets copyrighted three times, their channel gets taken down.

We need a change now, as our beloved content creators are at high risk. bchen@apachepowwow.net Graphic courtesy of AMBIENTMUSICGUIDE.COM

6

theapachepowwow.net

By CHARLES SU

Staff Writer

Out of all recent thrillers, Bird Box and A Quiet Place have received a large amount of public attention. They both recruit unconventional techniques to horrify or unnerve their viewers. Bird Box saw great success with more than 45 million views within its first week of release, and A Quiet Place received positive ratings among critics.

Unlike a typical horror film accompanied with jump scares and the stereotypical violin music, both films have their characters limited by one of their five senses. Freshman Matthew Olague found that the methods used completely (for A Quiet Place) make up for the lack of music and traditional jumpscares “and the fact that you rarely see the monsters makes it even more disturbing.” Before I continue explaining the uniqueness of both films, along with student reception, there is some background to know about both films.

A Quiet Place follows the Abbott family as they survive in a world seemingly devoid of other humans.

To survive, they can’t make any loud sounds or creatures will pursue and kill them. Throughout the whole film, we notice how the Abbott family adapt to their world, like placing sand on trails or marking spots on wooden floors that don’t creak. A Quiet Place ends on a cliffhanger as the remainder of the Abbott family discovers the creatures’ weakness, though many creatures are seen swarming to their house. The original story was created by both Bryan Woods and Scott Beck, while later on John Krasinski was hired to rewrite and direct the film.

John Krasinski directed the film and played the role of Lee Abbott, the father

By LISZA LO

January 2019

of the family. The two children are played by Millicent Simmonds and Noah Jupe, as each did a spectacular job in expressing the horror of A Quiet Place.

While the mother was played by Emily Blunt and she, along with Krasinski, were both the starring roles of the film. The film received a 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and the film was rated positively by other critics.

Bird Box takes place also in a post-apocalyptic world in which creatures, whenever looked at, cause people to become suicidal.

Along with the entities, people under their influence go around and make others “see [the creatures’] beauty.” Throughout the entire film, the creatures’ true forms is never seen, but it is known that they manifest the viewers’ greatest fear or saddest lost. Sophomore Angela Lopez enjoyed the film, though the “general rage around the film made it overrated in my opinion.” The film did not see as many great reviews as A Quiet Place, though it amassed 45 million views during its first week.

Both films are unique considering that not seeing or exactly knowing the threat that each film has is terrifying. One thing that was very apparent between both films that automatically grabs interest is the world of the film itself. Both the monsters and way human life changes are intriguing with mythology is already interesting and seeing the creative ways people adapt to a new world is also interesting. I highly recommend watching either one of these two films, as both are high quality and their plots are interesting.

csu@apachepowwow.net Graphic courtesy of PINTEREST.COM and 1001FONTS.COM

Staff Writer

Grey’s Anatomy. Killing Eve. The Golden Globe Awards. These may not have much in common, but what links them together is Korean-Canadian actress Sandra Oh. The 76th Golden Globes, a prestigious awards show in the film and entertainment industry, took place on Jan. 6.

With Sandra Oh and Andy Samberg hosting the show, the night was full of celebration as people were recognized for their contribution to the industry for 2018. Oh made history multiple times that night in both the Asian community and entertainment industry.

In the history of the Golden Globe Awards, Oh is the first person of Asian descent to host the awards show. Both she and Samberg actually co-hosted the Emmys last year together as well, and the pair brought laughter and fun to the stage once again. They started the show with an opening monologue, interacting with audience members such as Lady Gaga, Bradley Cooper, and Michael B. Jordan. Oh concluded their speech by addressing the ongoing diversity shift in Hollywood by saying, “I said yes to the fear of being on this stage tonight because I wanted to be here to look out into this audience and witness this moment of change.”

Later that night, Oh went on to win “Best Actress in a Drama Series” for her lead role as Eve Polastri in Killing Eve. Prior to winning the award, she has been praised numerous times for her performance in the TV show. In 2006, she also won a Golden Globe for her supporting role in Grey’s Anatomy as Cristina Yang. This made her the first woman of Asian descent to win multiple Golden Globes. Additionally, Oh became the first Asian woman in 38 years to win the “Best Actress in a Drama Series” award.

In Oh’s award acceptance speech, she gave thanks to the Killing Eve’s cast and creator, but more importantly, her parents who were in the audience as well. They watched her accept her award, and Oh said that she was “grateful” to have them there with her that night. She concluded her speech by addressing them in her native-Korean and bowing to them, which is a sign of respect in the Korean culture. In return, they bowed back while giving her a standing ovation and sparked many heartfelt reactions from people on social media.

Sandra Oh’s success and milestones at the 2019 Golden Globes has shown where her determination has gotten her to in her career. She is an inspiration for people as film and entertainment continue to diversify for the better. Oh will continue to be an icon in this industry with her talent and go on to be a symbol of representation in Hollywood.

llo@apachepowwow.net Photo courtesy of TIME.COM

January 2019

By ROBINSON LEE

Staff Writer

Spider-Man is a character beloved by all.

He is in every medium from television, comics, radio broadcasts, movies, video games, books, and theater performances. Though the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) started without any notion of the famous web-slinger, he still came back much to the excitement of fans everywhere in Captain America: Civil War. Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse is most certainly a different approach than its previous film adaptations.

While Spider-Man movies for the past decade have been predominantly live-action with everyone’s favorite Peter Parker taking on a villain in each movie, this new film takes Spider-Man to a different domain as Miles Morales. It is rare to see movies use characters originating from comics in a superhero movie, as superhero movies try to have franchises

By MICHELLE LEE

7

features.pw@gmail.com

Staff Writer

It’s finally a long-awaited minimum day and your friends have gathered together with plans to go out and each lunch.

“So what does everyone feel like eating?”

One friend asks. “Pasta? Korean Barbeque?” one friend suggests.

“How about something spicy?” another suggests with a wild grin as a collective groan rises out of the rest of the group, including yourself.

We all have that one friend who is able to eat chili peppers like chips and drink hot soup like water while the rest of us normal human beings are already crying after one mouthful.

But what makes someone have those intestines of steel, capable of handling even the hottest of hellfire? Is it genetic or is it just a lot of practice?

connect while keeping the central plot simple to entertain an audience. Comics can be produced at a faster pace, and, as such, have the potential for complex, expanded universes with multiple characters and plot lines always connecting with other comics and series, allowing comics to create whole universes of characters with different themes and a more diverse palette.

I was genuinely surprised to see Miles Morales take the mantle of Spider-Man given such circumstances, and I was also surprised at the appearance of Gwen Stacy, SpiderMan Noir, and Kingpin in the movie as these characters are usually afterthoughts in the franchise of the MCU. Yet despite the captivating and colorful action scenes, universally enjoyable comedy, and a deep plot,

Of the categories of flavor perception, it is the trigeminal sense that alerts someone of pain and irritation through nerve endings that are sensitive to pain.

Similar to how mint activates cool-sensitive nerves, capsaicin, the compound in chili, activates the pain receptors. So in reality, spice tolerance is very similar to pain tolerance.

Scientists have discovered that exposing children to spicy food at a young age can desensitize the nerve endings that perceive pain and can even cause them to die off, which is why many people who grew up eating spicy food are able to handle much greater

my focus was on the struggles of Miles Morales.

Miles is posed with the challenge and responsibility to save everything he loves and knows from obliteration. He is crushed and squeezed mentally as he struggles to properly use his power throughout the whole film. We see him yearning to achieve his goals only to be slapped in the face time and time again with failure. He struggles to harness his webslinging powers, his electrical shocks, his invisibility, and is frustrated with his lack of ability along with letting his peers down. He experiences hesitation throughout his heroic duties as he questions whether he has to be the one to save his dimension in conjunction with evaluating his relationship with his parents who are clearly supportive and caring.

In contrast, Miles is shown to be close with his Uncle Aaron who is an inspiration to the young hero, pushing him to achieve his goals, hopes, and dreams as much as possible. Despite these trials and tribulations, Miles is able to rely on the might of his friends and fellow Spider-People to support and guide him. Peter B. Parker literally struggles from symptoms of adulthood and years as the “friendly neighborhood Spider-Man” has made him grow experienced yet cynical. He still helps out Miles as he has some revelation of mentorship in the movie early on to guide the

levels of spice than those who are unused to the sensation. For example, many families in Mexico make their children eat packets of sugar mixed with chili powder in order to build up their spice tolerance. In areas such as Sichuan, China, where the regional cuisine capitalizes on spice, many people build up their spice tolerance from a young age by regularly eating chili.

On the other hand, a study performed in 2012 discovered that people who enjoy thrilling sensations such as riding roller coasters or participating in extreme sports have a higher affinity for the pain-inducing sensation of spice. Traditionally, the body perceives pain as

young hero despite his reservations. In his darkest moments, Miles is only able to persevere and succeed due to the advice and relatability of his friends as they each share some of their experiences with similar struggles they faced as Spider-People which ultimately drives Miles to find his resolve and take down Kingpin.

Though the premise is extremely exaggerated, Miles has problems that teens can relate to. We all experience hardships with a bumpy road, and we all struggle to try to achieve our own goals too.

Friends are another important role. We all have our Peter B. Parker and Spider-People who we look up to teach us the ways of life, and we all have our Gwen Stacy’s who are extremely cool to simply be around. Ultimately, when the going gets rough, friends are there to pull us out of trouble, and we also have opportunities to lift another friend out of hard times. Inside, Miles is a confused kid with a huge ambition imposed on him. I think we can all share his shoes and learn from his experiences (though without the addition of supervillains).

Miles is a model in the film industry for what adolescence is. The teenage experience is less of a dramatic scenario of carelessness and more of discovering identity in relation with the world around you, guiding teens to look within to discover their true self. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse mixes the experience of adolescence with everyone’s “friendly neighborhood Spider-Man” together to make a potent blend of action, drama, and realization. So on a scale between 1 and 10 on relatability, I would give it an 11.

rlee@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of BALTANA.COM, BEAUTYCOLORCODE.COM, and 1001FONTS.COM

a warning of danger, but when it realizes that there is no danger associated with eating spicy food, the sensation changes to simulate a thrilling sensation, explaining how some people who did not grow up eating spicy food can also build up a high tolerance for it.

Regardless of how people have built up their spice tolerances, those who enjoy eating spicy food are still essentialy deriving pleasure and excitement from a technically painful sensation, so don’t worry too much if you are not equipped to handle it. There is nothing wrong with eating mild chips and ordering your food with no spice, but if you eventually want to be able to handle the heat, take a leap of faith and try that spicy dish! It’s never too late to start practicing!

mlee@apachepowwow.net Graphic courtesy of FREEPIK.COM and VECTEEZY.COM

8

theapachepowwow.net

January 2019

2018

By JENNY QIU Staff Writer

Ever since Apple released AirPods, people have either raved about them or mocked them.

As one of the first truly wireless earbuds, news about AirPods has quickly spread around the world, sparking mixed opinions among AHS students.

“I can easily carry my AirPods around school and it’s really convenient since they’re super light and compact,” said sophomore Katherine Sun. “I can just place them in my pocket and when I want to use them, I can open them and pop the earbuds in my ears. I don’t have the deal with the usual tangling that comes along with a normal set of earphones.” Because of their size and shape as well as their simplicity, Katherine enjoys the AirPods’ beneficial features. Similarly, other students prefer AirPods over normal earphones.

“I think the audio quality of AirPods is really good,” said junior Emma Liao. “The sound is full and crisp compared some other earphones which have a thin and flat sound experience.” On the other hand, while Katherine and Emma enjoy AirPods, others have different opinions.

“I think the price of AirPods is way too high. $160 for some wireless earbuds is just not worth it.

My normal earphones sound just as good and cost much less. Also, I feel like AirPods can be a distraction to certain students who use them during class. In fact, I’ve even seen students use them while the teacher was teaching

without the teacher noticing,” said freshman Eileen Zhang. Like many people, Eileen does not feel that the price of AirPods is justified.

She feels that the high price point is not sensible as normal earphones function the same exact way. Similarly, sophomore Kate Silah does not understand the functionality of AirPods.

“I’m not a big fan of AirPods because I don’t understand the point of them. It’s a big inconvenience to have to go home and charge them every single night in order to use them,” said Kate. Also, if you lose the charger, then you won’t be able to use your AirPods. I think normal earphones are much more realistic as they don’t have to be charged and can be used whenever you want.” Unlike others, Kate sees the disadvantages of AirPods. She prefers regular earphones as they tend to be more functional than AirPods.

There are also students who see both perspectives, such as sophomore Sharon Hang. “AirPods are useful in some situations. If you’re always on the go, it’s very convenient to have them. But in other situations, it can be a burden, like if you accidentally lose one earbud,” she said.

Overall, AHS students see both the pros and cons of AirPods. In the end, it depends on the person, but people have come to a similar consensus that AirPods, no matter good or bad, is a technological feat. jqiu@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of FONTSPACE.COM and TELUS.COM

By MICHELLE LEE Staff Writer

There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that 2018 was a wild ride of a year. From peace talks with North Korea to the royal wedding, 2018 was full of heartwarming and historical events. However, moving away from all the seriousness, 2018 was also a year full of fun and excitement, with memes leading the charge on social media. As teenagers, memes are an integral part of our lives. They give us something to giggle at amidst the stress of our day, and scrolling through them is a much-needed respite from the monotony of our daily lives.

While many of the memes we loved last year seem outdated now, a good meme never fails to draw out a few laughs, and the top memes of 2018 do exactly that.

Is this a Pigeon?: “Is this a Pigeon?” is a quote said by the protagonist of a 90s anime, The Brave Fighter of Sun Fighbird. The stillshot is of the protagonist identifying a butterfly as a pigeon. In 2018, the still-shot has been spread over all social media platforms and is one of the favorite memes of 2018. Revolving around the context of obvious misidentification and irony, the meme started off as a comedic way to point out an ironic situation, but since then, it has been used to highlight a

wide of variety of social and political issues.

Evil Patrick: As one of the most iconic memes of 2018, Evil Patrick is truly a meme that can apply itself to a multitude of situations.

The still-shot depicts Patrick Star in the middle of an evil chuckle and is captioned with all the small, devious things that people get away with in their daily lives. Since its spread in late February of 2018, Evil Patrick has become one of the most popular and widely used memes on the Internet, and still remains a relatable and funny way for people to share the little things that people get away with.

Surprised Pikachu: When it comes to relatable memes, Surprised Pikachu still remains at the top of the ranks. The still-shot is from the anime Pokémon with its mouth open in surprise.

The still is usually accompanied by a caption in which a series of events lead to a predictable outcome, but still leaves one surprised. With its spread in October, Surprised Pikachu is one of the most relatable memes on the Internet and reminds people that they are not alone when it comes to being surprised after ignoring the obvious.

Without a doubt, 2018 has been a successful year for memes. As we enter 2019, the Internet is once again ready for a whole new slew of memes, and with those memes comes the source of our never-ending entertainments. New memes are in store, and hopefully, they will be just as entertaining as the memes of 2018. mlee@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of FONTSPACE.COM, PICSART.COM, and REDBUBBLE.COM

January 2019

By KYLIE HA

9

studentlife.powwow@gmail.com

Staff Writer

Fashion trends come and go in cycles, and the ‘90s is working its way around. Hair scrunchies of all sorts, hoop earrings, and coordinated outfits are back on track. For any girl from the ‘80s and ‘90s, scrunchies were the ultimate accessory to put on wrists and for numerous hairstyles. Most people don’t have to look far into fashion trends to see a massive ‘90s resurgence—platform sneakers, pom-pom accessories, crop tops, fanny-packs, and denim on denim outfits. Here’s a brief list of all the ‘90s themed fashion accessories or outfits that have made it to current fashion trends!

Scrunchies Stores like Urban Outfitters, Brandy Melville, PacSun, Lululemon, and even Free People sport scrunchies, a circular band of fabriccovered elastic used for fastening the hair. Typically in bright colors made of velvet, suede, or

silk, these hair ties are well known for adding a “pop” of color into your everyday outfit and not putting a ponytail crease after you put it down. Freshman Christine Yuan states, “I like scrunchies because they don’t pull my hair, and they provide color and a good sense of fashion.”

Denim Skirts & Overalls Although denim skirts were popular back in the ‘80s, it wasn’t until the ‘90s that denim skirts and overalls became the “look”, thanks to a rising grunge movement and movies like Clueless. Whether it be in Hollister, Abercrombie & Fitch, Forever 21, H&M, or more, denim skirts and overalls aren’t hard to find. Senior Coco Zhao likes denim skirts and overalls because they “have a vintage style to them that make them very fashionable and fun to style!”

Bomber Jackets

Simply to state, bomber jackets are the bomb. With an everyday or classy outfit, they can be simple or ornate, and come in with just about every color. Similar to a flight jacket, a bomber jacket is a little shorter and has a thick lining typically made of sheepskin.

Platform & Pom-Pom Sneakers Endless collections of platform sneakers have numerous benefits—adding height, giving a little boost, and making your outfit look exceptional. Brands like Nike, Fila, Urban Outfitters, Champion, and Vans all sell a different form of platform sneakers.

Freshman Anvitha Kosuri likes pompom sneakers the best because “they’re comfy and cute.”

Two-Toned & Mom Jeans While most can buy a pair of boring jeans that are all denim wash, why not get some cool two, three, or even four-toned denim jeans?

High waisted jeans are another classic staple that go with nearly every single outfit, whether it be a baggy hoodie or a crop top. Freshman Megan Lee stated that mom jeans “are the best because they match a lot of body shapes and look good on everyone.”

While the circle stops for the immense revival of the hottest ‘90s trends, it’ll only be a short matter before something else hits the track! If you walk around AHS, it won’t be long until you see the typical mom jeans, combat boots, puffy jackets, hoop earrings— whether big or small, and scrunchies!

kha@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of BRANDEPS.COM, CLIPARTLOGO.COM, DAFONT.COM, VECTEEZY.COM, and 1001FONTS.COM

By JESLYN CHOU Staff Writer

Everyone has their goals in life whether they’re as simple as drinking more water or as grand as starting your own business. Goals are what drive people to achieve their dreams. In this article, I’ll be asking students what some of their short-term and long-term goals are.

To start off, freshman Nicole Klatt replied that her short-term goal is to make first chair in Orchestra. She recently auditioned for the cello position after practicing and preparing for a while and she can’t wait for the results of her hard work! As for Nicole’s long-term goal, she strives to learn a third language so she can communicate better with others while she’s traveling and in our diverse city as well. She already speaks both English and Mandarin fluently, and although she hasn’t chosen another language to learn yet, Nicole hopes to do so before she graduates high school!

Freshman Ariya Shahid strives to maintain a 4.0 GPA for the rest of the year after doing so in first semester. Ariya’s long-term goal is to become a scientific medical researcher in the future.

She plans to study hard in both high school and college so that she is able to achieve this objective.

Similar to Ariya, senior Shria Alamkam’s short-term goal is to end second semester with a 4.0 GPA. She hopes to be able to do so while still maintaining healthy relationships with her family and friends. As for her long-term goal, she hopes to become a psychiatrist and to be happy and content with whatever paths she continues to take throughout her life.

Sophomore Kaylee Cheung has a list of short-term goals she’d like to complete soon. Her list includes being able to beat at least one more team before the basketball season ends, study for her tough AP Bio final, attend the Winter Formal, and to memorize piano pieces for her CM test.

Although it’s a pretty long list, she will definitely be able to do it if she works hard and perseveres!

Her long-term goals, as of now, are to be accepted into a college of her choice, finish level ten in piano CM tests, and to get a job in the medical field after she graduates college. To be more specific, Kaylee hopes to become a general practitioner in the future.

With 2019 just starting, many students (and people in general) have many expectations they’ve set for themselves. Hopefully we’ll all be able to achieve our goals for the year and for the years to come!

jchou@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of DAFONT.COM

By REBECCA XU Staff Writer

As the ASMR trend grows, it seems as though opinions on them has become more polarized. Many students dislike watching ASMR videos, while others think its calming, relaxing, and satisfying.

ASMR stands for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response, and it’s usually a calming feeling that is often accompanied by a tingling sensation that spreads throughout the whole body. There are many stimulants; the most common ones include whispers, lip smacking, tapping, and chewing. Sophomore Keyrell Meeks and freshman Matthew Ma both have two different opinions on ASMR, but also have some similarities.

Keyrell dislikes most food ASMR because “it’s gross when the mic is sensitive to every sound, and you can hear everything.” Most of the popular eating ASMRs the person’s mouth. In fact, Keyrell isn’t the only person who dislikes listening to sticky sounds that make people shudder. Many people feel grossed out watching someone eat, or hearing the crunchy sounds made from chewing food. However, Matthew seems to have a different opinion.

Like Keyrell, Matthew agrees that some foods and noises caused by ASMR are not pleasurable to listen to. However, he enjoys watching ASMR because “it’s entertaining.”

Similar to many others, he feels satisfied watching these videos.

ASMR is not for everyone; some people love it, and some people hate the sounds. If you have no idea what ASMR is, watch some videos and see if you get satisfied!

rxu@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of DAFONT.COM and XTINALEE.COM

12

ADVERTISEMENTS

theapachepowwow.com

January 2019

January 2019

ads.powwow@gmail.com

ADVERTISEMENTS 13

12

GOODBYE

theapachepowwow.net

By IRIS LIM Staff Writer

With the new year, there is a “new you” waiting to emerge. This “new you” needs good habits in order to have a successful year.

With the year just starting, you may need a refresher on how to be the best you!

These habits are formed through consistency and a cycle that lasts for 30 days. For instance, let’s say that you want to start waking up at 5:30 a.m. every day for the next year. The hardest time period would be the first 30 days of adjusting to your new lifestyle.

Thus, here are a few ideal and comfortable habits to evolve into for the new year!

With the new year, you want to be cleansed, stressfree, and most likely productive. Therefore, you may want to exercise and balance your mind. Exercising, no matter what, would release endorphins and keep you happier longer. Instead of doing hardcore exercising, weight-training, or any other societal push that we have been told to do for a healthier life, why not try some regenerative exercises that will cleanse your soul while staying healthy and happy? An example of regenerative exercising is different types of yoga, such as hatha yoga, tai-chi, or chi-gong.

January 2019

January 2019

centerspread.powwow@gmail.com

2018

13

Many even consider walking outside regenerative, refreshing, and vigorous for your body.

Another amazing habit to put forward into the year is to eat less meat and balance your diet out with nutritious fruits and veggies. In no way am I here to try to become an animal activist, but overall, eating less meat is good for your health and the world. Since some types of meats are open to many different types of bacteria, it increases the risks of different viruses and bacterial diseases.

Last but not least, a great habit to put forward is to treat the area around you how you want to be treated. Treat your home, school, or any other environment you are frequently in well. For instance, maybe pick up and throw away all of your, or even your friends’, trash to make the world a better place. Or, at home, ask your parents to switch to more natural home cleaners like DIY vinegar cleaners or natural home products you could buy, such as “Mrs. Meyers” or “Seventh Generation”.

In conclusion, I hope these habits and tips can help you start your new year off right!

ilim@apachepowwow.com

Graphic courtesy of WWW.SUNNYECKERLE.COM

14

theapachepowwow.net

January 2019

Finding the VPA For You

By PHILLIP GAN

Staff Writer

When planning your classes, you should not only keep your interests in mind, but also the mandatory college requirements of minimum years per subject. These requirements are important, but also relatively easy to meet. For English, math, and history, the track is already planned for you with one or two choices. Most students take PE and those who take sports know which ones to try out for. For language, you choose one and stick with it. Although it takes time to consider which science to take, there are relatively few choices offered. The only exception to this rule is choosing your elective. Not only is it difficult to decide on which one you should take, the college-required Visual Performing Arts (VPA) forces you to take one year of a VPA class. Here is a list of some of the available classes and information about them.

Looking to create something? Already taking art classes? Taking a visual-based VPA is just for you! From taking photos to designing patterns, there are a wide variety of classes to choose from.

Classic Film: You will watch both 20th and 21st-century films to expand on their knowledge of film genres such as drama, comedy, thrillers, science-fiction, animation, musicals, documentaries, action, and foreign films. Thematic or cultural comparisons and non-linear structures will be analyzed.

Photography (Requires material fees): In this course, you will learn and study in black and white 35-mm film photography, photographic careers, history, aesthetic composition and critique. Principles of light, properties of film and the use of the black and white darkroom will be explored.

On the other hand, you can try your hand at the performing arts!

Symphony Orchestra/Concert Band: These two classes (depending on which instrument you play) focus on developing proper technique and ensemble musicianship through performance of a variety of orchestral literature covering a wide scope of musical eras and styles and is designed to give students an opportunity to develop their individual technique and skills, musicianship and knowledge of literature in large and small ensemble settings.

Theatre Arts (Acting): In Theatre Arts, vocabulary, pantomime, voice, body movement, improvisation, play analysis, production structure, and general theatre skills will be emphasized as well as all aspects of public performance, competition, and in-depth acting technique. Students in Advanced Theatre Arts are the ones performing and creating the high quality plays throughout the year we all look forward to! pgan@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of FREEPIK.COM and 1001FONTS.COM

By JESLYN CHOU

Staff Writer

Writing essays or papers can be stressful at times. It can be hard to stay focused, keep sentence structure fluent, or think of what to write about. In this article, I will be reviewing some tips that can help students with writing expository essays.

Just in case you don’t know what expository essays are, these are essays that present an argument or point of view of a topic that’s based on the writer’s research. Put simply, expository essays explain and describe information on a certain topic. All you need to do is follow these simple tips and you’ll be sure to write an amazing essay.

Traditionally, there are five paragraphs to a standard essay. Starting with an introduction, then three body paragraphs, and finally a conclusion.

The introduction should include a thesis statement that introduces the topic and only brushes over the main points of your essay.

If needed, you should also briefly write about your thoughts on the subject.

To connect the introduction smoothly into the body paragraphs, make sure to use transi-

tion words in the opening sentences of your three paragraphs. As for the actual writing, talk about one important point in each paragraph and be sure to go more in-depth for each point.

In addition to the little details, it can be beneficial to add examples that can help strengthen and further push your opinion or help the reader understand the information easier.

The last paragraph in your essay should be your conclusion! In this paragraph, you should simply restate your thesis statement in a way that’s not identical to the introduction but still gets the same idea across. You should also make sure to provide closure to the essay in your last sentence. Some ways that can help finish your essay is to reconnect your last sentence to one in the introduction or to give a little piece of advice.

If you’re still feeling a bit confused, here are a few tips to keep in mind as you write your essay: Which Perspective to Use When writing an expository essay, you should typically write in the third person. This includes pronouns such as “she”, “he”, and “it”. Although expository essays are traditionally written in the third person, you may choose to write in first or second person as

well, depending on the topic. If your essay is about a personal experience, it may be more helpful to write using the pronouns like “I” or “me”. It’s also recommended to use second person in your conclusion, if you choose to connect your topic to the reader or to modern issues.

Planning and Structuring Before you start writing, it may be helpful to plan what you will focus your paragraphs on. A flow map or just simple notes can make a huge difference in the way you write your essay and can make the entire process much easier.

Revise and Review!

After you complete the first draft of your writing, be sure to read over your essay a few times to ensure that there aren’t any grammatical errors or any facts that may be incorrect.

It’s also a great time to catch any problems with word choice, sentence structure, or the flow of your sentences.

Lastly, here are some tips and common mistakes that English teachers at AHS have noticed in their years of teaching!

Mrs. Claudia Grubbs teaches sophomore honors and freshman English here at AHS. While this article is mainly about expository

essays, Mrs. Grubbs does not regularly assign this type of writing “as the purpose of those papers is just to present information.” She prefers to assign essays that involve an argument and challenges the writer to make a logical explanation for their stance. Although she does not assign too much expository writing, she notices that students make the mistake of simply “summarizing the subject matter or text on which they are writing.” Mrs. Grubbs wants to remind students to not only restate background information, but to give analysis on the reading and show a deeper understanding of the text.

A tip she has for writing an expository essay is to highlight all facts that students restate in their essays. She believes that this tool will help them recognize the ratio of their analysis to facts, which will inform the student to either integrate more of their own thoughts or deeper thinking, or to delete some unneeded data. In short, students should “focus on explaining how a piece of evidence connects to their thesis,” rather than directly reiterating information and background on the subject. jchou@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of FREEPIK.COM and 1001FONTS.COM

January 2019

15

academics.powwow@gmail.com

By REBECCA XU Many people drink coffee in the morning because they either can’t wake up until they have their cup of coffee, or they drink it because it tastes good. However, some research shows that caffeine can, in fact, harm your brain and body.

Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant that is most commonly used to improve mental awareness, which is why many teenagers drink caffeine. In order to wake up in the morning, or stay awake later in the night, caffeine stimulates parts of your brain to keep you awake and running. The reason why so many people consume caffeine is because it only lasts for a couple of hours, and usually people work a lot longer. Many people might not know it, but caffeine can be classified as a drug. In fact, it’s the world’s most widely consumed psychoactive drug. This drug can actually cause long term effects on your body such as muscle tremor, restlessness, and rapid heart rate.

Muscle tremors are usually caused by long term use of caffeine. Once a person uses caffeine for a long time, it can cause the muscles in your body to cramp or move. In addition, your other senses, such as speech and thought are sped up after the consumption of caffeine. Since caffeine is used to prolong thought process and keep the body awake, it usually ends up messing with all of your body parts that have to do with senses.

Staff Writer

Having a rapid heart rate while using caffeine is understandable, but one long-term effect on the body permanently is having your heart beat at a faster rate than normal. Once your body is too used to consuming caffeine, it will start applying the caffeine into your daily functions, such as your beating heart. In high doses, caffeine raises your blood level of adrenaline and can cause the heart to develop skipped beats from the upper or lower heart chambers.

Finally, restlessness is one of the most common long-term effects that caffeine can have on your body. Since some

people are more sensitive to caffeine than others are, the amount of caffeine they intake may cause unwanted effects such as restlessness, and being unable to fall asleep at night.

Although coffee and caffeine help us to wake up in the morning, it’s good to control your intake, otherwise your body may suffer the consequences! rxu@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of EMOJITERRA.COM, VECTORSTOCK.COM, and 1001FONTS.COM

ANTI Procrastination APPS

By EMMA CHEN

Staff Writer

As high schoolers, we understand the temptation of taking a 15-minute break from homework that soon may turn into hours and hours of scrolling through Instagram, constant texting, and binge-watching Netflix. However, there are multiple motivational apps that students can download to help combat their major procrastination issues. From Hatch to the “Downtime” feature on iPhones, there are many ways to keep your motivation going.

Hatch Focus: Hatch Focus is an app that prevents you from going on your phone at all.

Basically, you set a timer for how long you’ll be off, and if you give in, your imaginary egg from the app will crack. If you stay off your

phone in the set time, you’ll be rewarded with some sort of collectible animal to add to your in-app collection. The only downside is that when you’re texting for a group project or trying to do some math on your calculator, it’ll crack your egg anyway. Still, if you’re looking to just completely throw your phone away and disconnect, this app is the one for you!

Screen Time: With one of its recent updates, Apple came out with Screen Time, a feature on your phone that allows you to shut off certain apps for a certain amount of time that you customize. You can turn off Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook while you’re trying to get some studying in while still being able to use important functions like Reminders, Calculator, and Calendar. Though it blocks you from

using the selected apps, there’s a little button underneath the warning that says “Remind Me in 15 Minutes”. Those 15-minute snoozes certainly can add up, but it’s all about that selfcontrol!

Todoist: This app is one that helps you prioritize and keep all your assignments on your to-do list in check. Rather than feeling disoriented and lost in your work, using this app can help you lay out your tasks and keep track of everything that needs to get done and when. In this way, you’ll be more inclined to get working and check those assignments of your checklist rather than being too lazy to approach the monster workload that awaits.

Lock your phone away: Finally, sometimes no matter what tactics and tricks we try

to fool ourselves with, our phone manages to find its way into our hands anyway. The best way to combat procrastination would be to simply to put your phone away, out of sight and out of mind. Leave it in your closet or hand it to your parents, but the most important thing is to turn those notifications off. A nonstop Snapchat ringer is not going to help you focus.

Procrastination once in a while is a given, but don’t let it become your daily habit. It’s challenging, but as students, it’s important that we’re on top of our assignments and doing the best that we possibly can. The tips and tricks above should help you get back on track as we welcome a new semester and a new year. Good luck, and happy studying! echen@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of APPLE.COM

16

theapachepowwow.net

January 2019

Live Theatre: A Thriving Industry

By SAMANTHA RIVERA

Staff Writer

Although some believe theatre is a dying art, theatre has been around since the third century and has improved dramatically since then. In 2016, Broadway took in $1.4 billion in sales and is now much more financially stable than in past decades as its popularity grows.

Every time someone watches a movie, the shots, expressions, and tone are always the same. Hollywood perfects the lighting and shot selection for the strongest impact on the audience. In live theatre, the show is not identical every time, which gives the actors a new chance to perform differently each time. Regardless of making a mistake, the actors have to keep going.

What separates live theatre and film is the expression performers bring. Theatre is one of the most expressive performing arts there is. Performing live enhances the experience, from singing to acting. American actress and stage director Clare Eames stated that a good actor “makes clear the meaning of words” but a better actor also gives the “emotion of the part,” and the best actor “adds emotion of which the character is unconscious.” Actors pool emotions into the performance. As an audience member, you share these emotions with the actors on stage and the strangers around you. Junior Filbert Aung commented that, for him, “theatre is preferable to cinema because of the immersive environment of it all, it really cannot be beat.”

In addition, theatre also contributes to educating the audience. Theatre is a live performance of a story which may teach us a moral lesson. It teaches about human behavior and psychology while also questioning history, society, and controversial topics. Theatre takes these topics and puts them into the minds of audiences around the world in an entertaining way. Historical plays teach about lessons of leadership and government while contemporary plays teach about other cultures in our country and others. A National Education Association research report showed that young adults who had intensive art experiences in high school are more likely to show “civic-minded behavior.” These students are more 73% likely to read the newspaper, 47% more likely to volunteer, and 45% more likely to vote in national elections.

Live theatre not only provides a real experience but also sparks conversations within the community. Whether the audience members agree or disagree with the overall themes and statements, live theatre creates conversations and opinions on important topics. British theatre director Joanna Read stated that “theatre is an art form that brings people together to celebrate, challenge, and provoke through the telling of stories. Theatre is unique, you see transformation right in front of you—created at the moment. In a book; you pick it up, put it down and it remains—similarly with film—but with theatre, what you witness in any given moment is unique and only you and the audience will ever experience that.” srivera@apachepowwow.com Graphics courtesy of EMOJIPEDIA.COM, KISSCOCO.COM, and 123RF.COM

By ALEX KIM

Staff Writer

When you think of performing arts, the traditional response may be dance companies, orchestras, bands, singers, and theatre. However, apart from these, there are hundreds of other innovative performing arts groups to see and get to know. Here is an introduction to two groups who take their art to a different plane.

Cirque Du Soleil is the largest theatrical company in the world, and it produces shows that synthesize “circus styles from around the world, with its own central theme and storyline.” Filled with dangerously impressive acts and worldclass acrobats, actors, and athletes, Cirque Du Soleil employs extraordinary storytelling, live music, and high production to wow audiences all around the world. With hundreds of dazzling and creative performances, they are a must-see on tour.

Diavolo Architecture in Motion is a dance company by Jacques Heim, the choreographer for Cirque Du Soleil’s Ka. Encompassing “acrobatic and modern dance movement set on a variety of oversized architectural structures,” the shows often create metaphors for “humanity’s everyday struggles—relationships, the absurdity of life, and the attempt to maintain our humanity in an increasingly technological world.” If they seem familiar, you may have seen them on television, making it all the way to finals in America’s Got Talent. In addition to touring in several coun-

tries, Diavolo shares the power of dance, trust, and teamwork through their creative works and educational programs. They have even collaborated with AHS’ very own Orchesis Dance Company in recent years.

Blue Man Group is an theatrical company known for its abstract musical and artistic shows.

Join the three blue bald men in a journey filled with drums exploding with paint, creative uses of plumbing, rock bands, and technology. With greater themes of science, innocence, information, and being an outsider, it is no wonder that their performances have been so popular and highly praised.

Another innovative percussion group is Stomp, who uses everyday objects as instruments for their show. From brooms, newspapers, and trash cans to pipes and kitchen supplies, watch their brilliant choreography and listen to some fun rhythms.

As time goes on, more people are beginning to use their combined knowledge of dance, music, and theater to make something completely new and unique. Not only have they caught our attention but they have also captured the hearts of thousands of people, drawing more interest and appreciation toward the performing arts for all the world to see. akim@apachepowwow.com Graphics courtesy of CAROUSELDESIGNS.COM, GRANDVALIRA.COM, and 1001FONTS.COM

January 2019

By ANYA YANG

Staff Writer

Los Angeles (LA) is home to a slew of creators both professional and amateur. Among the artists in the cities, many choose to use graffiti to convey their message. Street art has always been prevalent in major urban areas, but there is something about the City of Angels that has brought people from all over the world to display their pieces here. The best part about street art is how accessible it is. There is no need to pay an entrance fee to a museum to catch a glimpse, and you are allowed to snap as many pictures as you want if you’d like to keep a memory of it. At the same time, graffiti is not very favorably viewed in the eyes of the law, so finding an amazing piece still untouched is like discovering treasure. As with all subcultures, some names have become more well-known than others.

RETNA: A LA native, RETNA’s real name is Marquis Lewis, and he specializes in kaleidoscopes and typography. Not only does he do his work in public spaces, but he has held exhibitions in many other cities as well. A CBS piece on local street artists stated that “each piece can only be deciphered by those rare few who have developed an intimate understanding of his work.”

What might that understanding be, you ask?

Lewis draws much of his inspiration from, as the LA-ist described, “Old English lettering...

Asian calligraphy, hieroglyphics, and Hebrew and Arabic writing.” Needless to say, his work is not easily interpreted, but it is an interesting sight to see.

Shepard Fairey: Shepard Fairey is an old hand at the game,

By ASHLEY ZHAO

17

arcadiaperformingarts@gmail.com

Staff Writer

Even if you’ve only heard a “catchy” song once, certain melodies have a special way of getting stuck in your head. Whether you’re in the shower or just on a small stroll, it’s almost impossible not to find yourself humming along to the chorus of a song that just refuses to leave your head. But why does this happen?

According to Keith Duffy, a musician and professor of rhetoric and composition at Penn State Schuylkill, “a catchy song makes the auditory part of the brain ‘itch’, and the only way the itch can be scratched is by listening to the song.”

According to a study done at Dartmouth College in 2005, Duffy further explained that “test subjects were played snippets of familiar songs that had segments removed. Participants said their brains filled in the gaps—in fact, they ‘heard’ the removed parts of the songs in their heads.” The study later revealed that this rang especially true in songs that contained lyrics, or those that evoked strong visual memories in a participant.

having worked in art since the 80s. He has also done graphic designs, one of his most prominent being the Obama “HOPE” poster. Not only that, he is the creator of the skateboarding company OBEY. Fairey’s mural work is just as impressive, using bold colors and mixing pop art with social commentary and Marxism, using a distinctive mix of red, black, white, and yellow. He spreads his work through stickers, prints, and other merchandise as well. Fairey has become incredibly successful in spreading his ideas, giving something for people to rally around.

Chaz Bojorquez: Nearing 70-years-old, Chaz Bojorquez grew up in East LA, and he draws from his Hispanic roots and the graffiti of the Latino gangs in his neighborhood for inspiration. Widewalls Magazine notes that “those gangs had their special tags and an honored code of writing on the streets,” something that fascinated the young Chaz. Most notable of his work is “Señor Suerte”, a grinning skeleton donning a fedora and fur collar. His style and aesthetic is distinctly Los Angelian, and even as he ages he continues to spread his work for others to see.

By ELLA TANG

Staff Writer

ctse@apachepowwow.com Graphics courtesy of DAFONT.COM, VECTEEZY.COM, and 1001FONTS.COM

Instagram is one of the most popular social media apps among teenagers. People go on Instagram to check how their friend is doing, look for things they are interested in, and post things for others to see. There are many famous people on Instagram who first started with Musically, TikTok, or just Instagram itself. Some people are known for their pictures while some are known for their music videos. These are the five most followed musicians on Instagram.

Selena Marie Gomez All the way at the top is Selena Gomez followed by more than 144 million followers.

She is also ranked 3rd on the list of most followed account on Instagram. Not only is Gomez a well-known musician and artist, but she is also the youngest ambassador to United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), having been appointed at 17 years old. Despite all her fame that she has, Gomez was close to death during a kidney transplant.

Luckily, she was able to survive and create more songs to bring positive encouragements to the world.

Ariana Grande Who doesn’t have an ex that they have actually appreciated or learned from? If you have not had one yet, maybe you’ll have one soon.

The song “Thank you, Next” brought Ariana Grande’s fame to another level. She also produced well-known songs that are often played on music channels and malls, such as “One Last Time”. Grande has been more famous because of her songs that are later created that’s related to relationships between people.

Beyoncé Knowles

Paul Barsom, a professor of music composition at Penn State added on, “It’s a pretty intangible thing. If it wasn’t, then everybody would be writing catchy songs,” he added, “Certain kinds of musical gestures or combinations seem to plug readily into our memory, like molecules coming together in a chemical reaction. ‘We will, we will, rock you’ is just easy to remember.

Barsom then listed a variety of different factors that might help clear up why specific songs are just so catchy. “A certain familiarity—similarity to music one already knows—can play a role,” he explained. “Unfamiliar music doesn’t connect well. It’s harder to own, especially on first listen.” For instance, try pictur-

ing a person whose music taste mostly consists of hard metal or punk rock listening to their grandma’s collection of orchestral works or vice versa. Speaking about familiarity, Barsom also added that a cultural connection can affect the relationship between music and listener. As a result of this “connection”, a song can become more appealing to listeners of a specific generation or ethnic background.

Repetition will also affect how hard it is to forget a song.

Barsom explained that “if you have a hook (a short catchy phrase or passage) in the song, and if that hook is repeated often, that could do it. You might only remember five seconds of the song—but sometimes that’s enough.” Additionally, Barsom noted that

Graffiti is an amazingly diverse medium, and it reveals as much about its surroundings as it does about the artist themselves. They are a way for people to express their thoughts, heritage, and nearly anything else to the rest of the world. The next time you head into the city, keep an eye out for some of the many pieces scattered and hidden throughout the city.

Beyoncé Knowles first captured the public’s eye as lead vocalist of the R&B group Destiny’s Child. She later became one of music’s top-selling artists with sold-out tours and a slew of awards. Her self-titled fifth studio album had been the fastest-selling album distributed in iTunes history, having sold more than 80,000 copies in three hours. At the same time, Knowles is also known as the first female artist to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with her first five studio albums.

Taylor Swift Don’t you remember the song “Look What You Just Made Me Do?” The lyrics are stuck in everyone’s heads. Swift started her career in singing first with songs that are leaning toward teenage groups such as “You Belong With Me”.

She, later on, changed her style of the song and created more songs such as “Gorgeous” and other songs that can be able to relate for all groups.

Justin Bieber Justin Bieber has always been very controversial. Some people loved him and now hate him; some have always loved him; some just hated him from the start. People don’t often think of Bieber as the talented musician that gain fame around the world with the song “Baby” when he was only 19. However, a few misdemeanors he has done is considered as unforgiven for some. Bieber dated Gomez after their first meeting in 2009, they eventually entered into an on- and off-again relationship which later ended with the marriage between Bieber and Hailey Rhode Baldwin. etang@apachepowwow.com Graphics courtesy of VECTEEZY.COM and 1001FONTS.COM

repeated play on the radio could force a song to become catchy. “You could hear a song 25 times a day. If it has a short refrain that everyone can remember, it will stick, even if it’s terrible.”

Fragments of songs that are especially appealing to a listener may also be enough to make it stick in your head. “Sometimes there’s a certain electric thing that really carries a mediocre song, just the manner in which it is played,” he explained, “But who could possibly figure out what that is?”

In the end, there isn’t a definite formula for constructing a catchy song. But for musicians like Duffy, “I know when I am composing and recording music, certain chord or note progressions will evoke an emotion in me, in almost a primordial way. When this happens, I am compelled to explore that relationship further.” If a catchy song is ever going to spread and stick to its listeners, it first has to infect its songwriter. azhao@apachepowwow.com Graphics courtesy of COLOURBOX.COM, THEGOLDLEAFFACTORY.COM, and 1001FONTS.COM

18

sports.powwow@gmail.com

On Sunday, Jan. 6, the Los Angeles Chargers played against the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens attempted to make a comeback in the

January 2019

quarterback Lamar Jackson was inconsistent and held on to the ball too long because of his indecisiveness. Many spectators cite Jackson’s

a close match. However, the Eagles came out on top at the end, winning with a score of 16-15.

One shocking play of the game was when the kicker for the Bears, Cody Parkey, The first game of the NFL missed the last kick of the game.

Wild Card round occurred on He said in a later interview, “As a Saturday, Jan. 5 and was played kicker, you live for those moments– by the Indianapolis Colts and the I had a lot of confidence going into Houston Texans. The Colts started that kick… I’m disappointed.” The out strong, scoring 14 points in the kick was a “double doink”, meanfirst quarter itself and 7 points in ing that it bounced off the crossbar the second. The Texans were only twice. Had he made the kick, the able to make a small comeback Bears would have won the game. in the last quarter with 7 points, The Wild Card round resulted ending the gamer with 21 points in the wins of the Colts, Cowboys, for the Colts and only 7 points for Chargers, and Eagles. During the the Texans. The Colts’ head coach Divisional Round, with games held Frank Reich commented that it was on Jan. 12-13, the Colts played “a great team win.” They are excitagainst the Chiefs, the Cowboys ed to be heading to the Divisional against the Rams, the Chargers Round of the playoffs. against the Patriots, and the Eagles Later that day, the Seattle Seagainst the Saints. ahawks played against the Dallas The games in the Wild Card Cowboys. The Seahawks played round were thrilling as usual. Fans consistently throughout much of of both teams will continue cheerthe game. The Cowboys, on the ing for them. All football fans alike other hand, played explosively and are waiting anxiously for the Super scored 14 points in the last quar- PREPARING FOR THE NEW SEASON Indianapolis Colts (white) and the Houston Texans (navy) dominate Bowl in February, and they are exter, winning 24–22. It was a game the first quarter with 14 points, continuing the second with 7 more. cited to see how certain teams will largely controlled by the defenses of both teams. During the game, the Cowboys’ last quarter but were six points short of a tie- inability to get the ball out quickly as the reason play during the most important game of all. wide receiver Allen Hurns suffered a gruesome game. In the end, the Chargers won 23–17. Crit- of the Ravens’ lacking performance.

The last game of the Wild Card took place ankle injury and was transported off the field. ics are disappointed by the Ravens’ offense’s mchandra@apachepowwow.net He had a successful surgery and is expected to performance against the Chargers’ reasonably on the same day. The Philadelphia Eagles and Photo courtesy of SBNATION.COM predictable defense. They say that the Ravens’ the Chicago Bears both performed well and held make a full recovery.

Graphic courtesy of 1001FONTS.COM

By MANASVI CHANDRA

Staff Writer

Making Waves

By JASMINE OANG

Staff Writer

Girls Varsity Water Polo has had a phenomenal season so far with an overall record of 11-11 and an undefeated league record of 2-0.

Earlier this month, the team applied their practice drills to the Western Tournament at Western High School in Anaheim. At the tournament, they faced the challenge of keeping up with high ranking schools like Garden Grove and San Juan Hills. According to Team Captain senior Chloe O’Connor, “nearly all the other teams were better than us and were one or two divisions above AHS,” but Coach Janice Clark “purposefully set [them] against really difficult teams this season so that [they] would be well prepared for league and CIF.” San Juan Hills definitely presented the challenge described. Chloe explained, “Against San Juan Hills, we went in thinking that we would only lose by a few points, but we were surprised at their skill.” The girls struggled to keep San Juan Hills from scoring but treated this game as a warm up after a long winter break. Chloe recalled, “As soon as we got back in the pool, I could feel all of us beginning to regain the chemistry we had had before the break.” She added, “It’s definitely hard being a winter sport since there are so many breaks, and

a lot of people tend to be out of town during those weeks, but I think we’ve been handling it pretty well.” The team lost 4-14, but Chloe ensured that the players took a lot away from the game and performed well overall: “During that game, we definitely weren’t taking as many shot attempts as we should have, but we had a good diversity of shooting, so they weren’t able to pinpoint one specific player to shut down.

Our coach, about halfway through the game, decided to use that game to give the bench players some experience, so we were all able to play with other people on the team whom we don’t get a chance to play with a lot of times.”

Against Garden Grove, the team put up a tough fight. Although Garden Grove is a division above AHS, the girls worked diligently.

Despite a full day of playing the day and a game before, the teams were neck-and-neck until the fourth quarter. After lots of effort, the players weren’t able to prevent Garden Grove from gaining the lead and scoring two more points.

The team lost 6-8, but Chloe reflected, “I’m really proud of how we played in that game because we never gave up. The Western Tournament definitely taught us a lot and prepared us well for the upcoming league games.”

When asked about the most memorable game, junior Yumin Ha described one of the team’s earlier games against Los Altos. Like the

UNWAVERING HARD WORK Our Girls Varsity Water Polo managed to put up a tough fight against Burroughs, ultimately ending 4-5. game against Garden Grove, the team stayed on top of their opponents and played a strong defensive game. However, the girls were able to pull ahead at the last moment and secure a win with a score of 10-9. Yumin credited the win to Coach Clark saying, “Coach J motivated us a lot because she told us to keep going and that it didn’t matter if we lost, just as long as we didn’t give up!” Reflecting on the season so far, she added, “Most of the games have been going

well. Instead of rushing, we’ve started to use our shot clock time wisely and we are working on a couple drills to help us shoot as soon as we receive the pass.”

So far, the team seems to be doing great.

Keep up the great work Apaches! joang@apachepowwow.net Photo by KOBE YU Graphic courtesy of 123RF.COM

January 2019

By COLLIN GAJA

19

theapachepowwow.net

Staff Writer

Over its last several games, Boys Varsity Soccer has been through the thick and through, managing to steal a victory against Herbert Hoover High School (Hoover). Their opponent may be tough, but the boys showed their mettle through the plays they made and the blocks they connected.

On Tuesday, Jan. 8, our Apaches played hard against Hoover and won in a clean sweep, 2-0. The boys played expertly, outmaneuvering Hoover in every play and gaining the upper hand in the offense.

During the first quarter, Hoover took the initiative and made a rush towards Arcadia’s goal. Their crossing and teamwork seemed to have the Apaches jumbled up, but quickly, the boys managed to steal the ball and push toward the opposing goal. The boys quickly made work of Hoover’s defense as they passed their balls to each other quickly, leaving Hoover to struggle to keep up. The boys made many attempts at their goal but were unsuccessful in their first few attempts. However, the boys managed to find the perfect opportunity and, with a strong kick, scored on Hoover, ending the first half 1-0.

In the second half, the game went much smoother for the boys. The Apaches led the charge and made a rush toward Hoover’s goal.

Again, with expert passing and communication, they left no time for Hoover to react. Hoover retaliated and strengthened their defense, leaving some opposition to be faced while the boys made their rush. Without much time left, the Apaches made countless attempts to score but were unable to find a connecting kick. With a perfect opportunity in the last few minutes, the boys took one powerful kick, scoring the last goal of the game and securing the win. Senior Joseph Hirasawa claimed, “this game proved to be tough, but with strong mental and passing it became one of our best this season.”

Their next game against John Burroughs High School (Burroughs) didn’t turn out as well as their game against Hoover. The game was tough as Burroughs, like Hoover, took the initiative and ran at Arcadia’s goal. The boys’ solid defense managed to stop many attempts at the goal, but an opening in our defense allowed Burroughs to claim the first goal, scoring 1-0.

The boys weren’t giving up yet and made a rush toward Burroughs’ goal. They showed off their skills and passed the ball quickly, giving no time for Burroughs to retaliate. Within minutes, the boys found their opening and made an attempt at the goal, scoring their first point of the game.

With the game now 1-1, it was anybody’s game. With such high stakes, Burroughs made no chance for the Apaches to react in time. Bur-

roughs managed to come close to our goal but were unable to successfully make any goals. The boys’ defense wasn’t strong enough for their final push and Burroughs scored, taking the lead 2-1. In the second quarter, it was back and forth between the teams. Neither teams managed to gain the upper hand, turning to a what seemed to be an eternal stalemate. Each team showed to have equal attempts on each other goals, and both teams had a strong defense, but none were able to score. The game ended with a loss for the Apaches with a score of 2-1. Joseph commented, “it was disheartening to lose in such a close game, but in the future, we will be able to come back stronger.”

In their game against rivals, Crescenta Valley High School (CV), the boys played hard but were unable to secure the win.

CV proved to be their hardest opponents yet as their skills were unmatched by any other team thus far. CV led the charge, passing between our boys and making quick work of our defense. Within minutes of the game starting, the boys were down 1-0. Again, CV made an attempt toward our goal as they stole our ball.

Shot after shot, CV tried to make the goal but weren’t successful until our defense couldn’t hold out any longer, gaining another point 2-0.

With time running out for the boys, the Apaches tried to kick a goal, but were met with opposition from CV and lost the ball in the pro-

cess. This resulted in the final goal of the half, ending it 3-0. The game wasn’t looking too great, but the boys were unwavering and determined to make a comeback.

At the start of the last half, the Apaches made a strong start by taking the ball from CV and ran towards their goal. They were able to get past many of the defenders but were met with resistance from the goal. With quick thinking, the boys juggled the ball to one another and with an opening, shot the ball; they claimed their first goal with the score of 3-1.

CV wasn’t done yet, as they quickly retaliated and tried to come at our goal, tiring out the Apaches. Our defense held out, managing to stop the oncoming CV, but by the final minutes of the game, CV was reluctant and scored the final goal 4-1. Joseph commented, “this game was by far one of the hardest this season.

Against our rivals, CV, it was high stakes and tension all game, keeping us on edge.”

Although the boys faced many tough opponents, they were able to play a fantastic game against each opponent. The season isn’t over yet, and the boys have a chance to claim the title of CIF champions. Good luck and Godspeed boys! cgaja@apachepowwow.net Photo by IRIS LIM Graphic courtesy of 1001FONTS.COM

NEVER GIVING UP AHS’ Boys Varsity Soccer playing a difficult game against John Muir. Although the boys came out 4-2, they played a great game, learning and adapting to weaknesses for their upcoming games. The season is not yet over and the boys are still confident as ever for success.

20

theapachepowwow.net

By CADENCE CHEN

Staff Writer

We’ve all felt nervous before. And most times, people describe nervousness as having butterflies in your stomach, a fluttering in your belly that can feel like dozens of little wings beating against the inner walls of your stomach. “It’s a really uncomfortable feeling and tends to make situations even worse,” freshman Kirsten Fuu admits. Why do our stomachs feel that way? Here’s the science behind that feeling.

Butterflies in the stomach may be linked to a human’s fight or flight response. Back when people had to be prepared to run for their lives, an increased heart rate and tense muscles helped them spring to action quickly. That is the fight or flight response that can cause the annoying butterflies. It is a response to a lifethreatening situation, and while a presentation

might not be considered a life or death situation, your body responds to stress the same way.

Researchers sometimes call the stomach the “second brain” because the gut actually contains 100 million neurons that link it to the brain. This is called the “brain-gut axis”.

So when you’re feeling nervous about whatever it may be, the brain sends signals to the stomach causing what we like to call “butterflies”.

Sometimes those butterflies can turn into nausea. This happens when the adrenaline rush from the flight or fight response temporarily pauses digestion. All your blood leaves places that are considered “unnecessary”, including your stomach. Then that blood flows to body parts that need it, for example, your muscles. This allows for quick reflexes and an increase in speed or strength, so a caveman’s legs could spring to action while he ran for his

January 2019

life.

Butterflies caused by nervousness is completely normal, and everyone gets it at least once in their lives. But if these fluttery feelings interfere with your normal, everyday life, it might be time to get some help. Frequent butterflies can be a sign of an anxiety disorder or a gastrointestinal issue.

Most of the time, however, butterflies are not a sign of an issue. To help the butterflies go away, or maybe just calm them down a little, try to convince yourself that you’re not in any actual immediate danger. Take deep breaths, give yourself an inspirational pep talk, and try to relax.

cchen@apachepowwow.net Photos courtesy of COLOURFONT.COM and 123RF.COM Graphics courtesy of DAFONT.COM and VECTORSTOCK.COM

By LISZA LO Staff Writer

*Warning: Spoilers Ahead* Just last month, Netflix released its first standalone interactive Black Mirror film titled Bandersnatch. This episode follows the choose-your-own-adventure concept, allowing viewers to make decisions for the main character, Stefan Butler (played by Fionn Whitehead). With both abrupt and meaningful endings, Bandersnatch has taken over social media platforms in the forms of memes and reactions.

Black Mirror originally started out as a British sci-fi television series before the rights to the show were given to Netflix in 2016. Since then, two additional seasons of the series have been released on Netflix in 2016 and 2017. Following some teasers, Black Mirror: Bandersnatch was released on Dec. 28, 2018, and gained lots of attention as it is a twist to the popular series. In the film, Stefan is a video game programmer who decides to adapt a choose-your-own-adventure book titled Bandersnatch into a computer game. The plot follows the struggles of Stefan as he develops the game, as he is constantly reminded of his childhood trauma of his mom’s death.

Black Mirror: Bandersnatch has numerous points throughout the film where viewers are asked to make a choice. As a result, the paths one chooses affect the storyline and are somewhat endless. From simple choices like choosing what cereal for Stefan to eat to difficult decisions like whether to kill his dad or not, you never know what ending you will get. Series creator Charlie Brooker has talked about the complexity of developing this film due to the different possible choices and endings.

As a big Black Mirror fan myself, I was extremely excited when I heard about the release and anticipated it for a while. Once it came time to finally watch it, I spent about three to four hours just trying to get through all the different Bandersnatch endings. I found the concept of the film very interesting and I enjoyed the fact that I got to make decisions as a viewer. In my opinion, some of the endings were too abrupt and can be improved on in future interactive films.

Junior Genevieve Ngo enjoyed Bandersnatch and thought that “for such a messy concept, it wasn’t really messy at all.” One thing they failed to do was make her “empathize with the main character” so she ended up picking “options that were more interesting rather than saving his life.”

Junior Markis Cheng had different opinions though as he thought “it fell flat in its execution and did not live up to expectations.” He sees that the “choose-your-ownadventure concept may have been a step forward, [but] Bandersnatch certainly did not define itself as its cornerstone.”

So, was it worth the hype? Based on my own experience and those of fellow students, it is safe to say that interactive aspect of Black Mirror: Bandersnatch is enjoyable.

On the other hand, the overall film itself lacks in some areas, which is understandable since this is the first of its kind for the Black Mirror franchise. It definitely did not live up to the hype surrounding it, but people should still watch it to experience this concept!

llo@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of DENOFGEEK.COM, DISSOLVE.COM, and RADIOTIMES.COM

January 2019

21

calendareditor.powwow@gmail.com

By YOKO INOUE Staff Writer

“They’re cool, but I don’t like eating them,” said freshman Kamea Vongfak when asked about her opinion on octopuses. Octopuses are very amazing creatures, not only because they have been around way before dinosaurs were, but also because of their high intelligence that has dumbfounded many scientists. But there’s more to know about octopuses than those two facts.

Octopuses Think With Their Arms, Not Their Head: The arms of the octopus have two-thirds of its neurons inside of them, which make the octopus an amazing multitasker. While the octopus is seeking shelter or just looking around, its arms could be working to crack open a shell at the same time. Octopus arms are much like our heads since the suction cups act like human tongues and allow octopuses to taste what they touch. Additionally, because there are so many neurons on an octopus’ arm, making it very sensitive, an octopus will eas-

By JENNIFER FUERTE

Staff Writer

My family was delightfully surprised when we received a gift from our family friend because we never get gifts.

However, we were even more surprised than usual to find out that the gift we received happened to be an Alexa in the Echo Pod form. Initially, we were more worried about finding a gift with a similar price point because we thought it was super expensive, but after learning it was only around $25, we became relaxed and more interested in playing around with the new technology. I was especially excited to use it because I heard about it from time to time on the internet, but I was kind of disappointed after I finally got to interact with it. Let’s just say my expectations differed from reality.

Expectation: Alexa could function as a phone.

Reality: While Alexa could make calls and leave messages, it could only contact others who had an Alexa on a connected contact list. This significantly decreases its amount of usage because not that many people own Alexas in this time and age. In fact, our family could only contact the family friend who gifted us Alexa in the first place, which wasn’t terrible but not that impactful on our overall experience. I’m guessing Amazon was relying on this function to increase in the future once it got more popular.

ily react to anything that touches it.

Three-Hearted: All cephalopods have three hearts and each serves a purpose. Two of the hearts pump blood through its gills, while the third one is used to circulate blood to the organs. This third heart actually stops beating when octopuses swim, which is why most octopuses prefer to scuttle, rather than face the strain of having only two beating hearts.

Additionally, these three hearts pump out literal blue blood, due to the copper base within.

Inky Carnivores: These squishy, boneless creatures look adorable and harmless—at least the small ones do. But they are actually frightful, carnivorous creatures.

Their diets include fish, sharks, clams, shrimps, and even birds, which they capture with their arms and suffocate or drown. You might be wondering, how does an octopus eat a shark without losing its life? As you might have guessed, octopuses fight against sharks and other predators by using their poisonous ink. This ink blinds and effectively disorients the enemy. Since it is so potent, the

octopus might be at risk of losing its own life if they don’t get out of the ink cloud quickly enough themself.

Intelligent Conundrums: Creatures that are considered intelligent, such as ourselves, live long lives, interact with each other, have the ability to adapt and react quickly, and are big-brained. Although octopuses are bigbrained, flexible, and even have forethought, they do not fit in any of the other characteristics. Octopuses live only for a short while and do not like to socialize. While octopuses are clearly intelligent creatures, they don’t fit the pattern.

If you go to an aquarium and see octopuses, take a moment to appreciate all its squishiness and mysteries. There’s more to them than meets the eye. And another thing: the next time you eat takoyaki or any foods that have octopus parts in it, remember, you might be eating brains!

yinoue@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of DAFONT.COM, DRIBBLE.COM, and VECTEEZY.COM

Expectation: Alexa could connect to your house and Expectation: Alexa could play any song on the Internet. turn off the lights and control the temperature.

Reality: I genuinely thought that as long as the song was on the Internet, Alexa would be able to play it freely.

Reality: Alexa can do this. However, you first need to Being someone who never uses Siri, I never learned the ca- purchase all the accessories for it to work online. Again, I pabilities of what similar AI could do, so there’s that. Going thought that once you had the device, it would be able to back to Alexa, it could only play songs that were available work with anything. That wasn’t the case, obviously, because on Amazon’s song selection. Since we had Amazon Prime, you need to buy all the compatible equipment first, which that meant we could also play songs from the Amazon Prime can be really expensive. This was one of the things I was song selection, which lengthened our list of songs quite a bit. looking forward to most because I’m kind of lazy, so I was However, there were a few songs I couldn’t play such as Ari- really disappointed after learning this. I might be able to use ana Grande’s “Thank U, Next”. Although this might just be this function in the future once my family buys all the accesbecause it was a new release at the time, I’ll attempt it again sories over time.

If you’re like me, the prospects of Amazon’s Alexa sometime soon. Regardless, it still has a large selection of songs, so my family was able to enjoy holiday music nonstop might excite you and bring your expectations to astronomical levels like it had to mine. However, after finally owning during the season. one, I was forced to face reality and realize that sometimes Expectation: Alexa could answer any question.

Reality: Like Siri, Alexa is capable of answering basi- Amazon can’t deliver unless you pay more. While Alexa may cally any question, except those that question her political have a bunch of great functions I can still use and haven’t stance, which my family asked for fun because of the things explored, for now, its primary function will be to play music we’ve heard on the internet. I didn’t play around with this for my family. function for too long because I usually rely on myself for searching up questions on Google, but I guess if there’s ever jfuerte@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of BESTBUY.COM, a time where my hands aren’t free or I’m too lazy, I might DAFONT.COM, FINEPRINTART.COM, consider using this function. Overall, I have no complaints FREEPIK.COM, and TARGET.COM about this function because it works just as well as Siri.

22 CAMPUS

FOCUS

By ANNCINE LIN

theapachepowwow.net

Staff Writer

Each new year, I’m sure you’ve heard that you should come up with New Year’s resolutions.

Most of the time they never get fulfilled. It’s often hard to figure out how to finish something that’s so large-scale and vague. Since it’s for the whole year, most people think that they must make it big.

However, this logic can make the resolution seem very far away, which kills most of the motivation to work hard towards it. Instead of creating New Year’s resolutions, sometimes think of smaller shortterm goals that are easier to accomplish. You can also use multiple smaller goals to help you get to your ultimate resolution. This method can finally help people whose list of resolutions keeps getting pushed to the next year!

Freshman Shoka Kawashima, an avid actress who participates in many musicals and productions, said that her goal for this year is to make it into Advanced Theatre. Sophomore Alyssa Lin stated that “a goal of mine this year is to stay committed to something because I tend to slack off and say that I don’t want to go to swim practice.” Lastly, freshman Kareem Ghannoum said that he wants to build a new PC. Although sometimes even the smaller goals are hard to keep up with, stay strong and never give up! Happy 2019!

alin@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of TRAVELANDLEISURE.COM and 1001FONTS.COM Photos by SHUMIN CHEN

Janurary 2019