February 2021

volume 68 - issue 5 Arcadia High School 180 Campus Dr, Arcadia, CA 91006 arcadiaquill.com

THE

february 2021

ARCADIA QUILL

est. 1952

@arcadiaquill quote of the month: “No tree, it is said, can grow to heaven unless its roots reach down to hell.”

- C. G. Jung

CELEBRATING OUR COUNSELORS DURING NATIONAL SCHOOL COUNSELING WEEK

By LILIAN CHONG

tion to the students so they know the wellness center, as well as myself, are here to help. I feel

Staff Writer the biggest impact is making sure students know they can access these services remotely,” In honor of recognizing the hard-working counselors, the Arcadia Unified School District (AUSD) celebrated National School Counseling Week. With distance learning in place, the Arcadia counselors have worked diligently throughout the past summer and semesters to ensure a safe, welcoming environment for students in the 20-21 virtual school year. Despite challenges students may encounter with academics or social life, the AHS counseling team offers a plethora of student resources ranging from college to mental health guidance.

National School Counseling Week, which took place from Feb. 1 to Feb. 5, aims to recognize school counselors for their tremendous effort in guiding students to achieve school success, plan for careers, and assist in mental health. Throughout social media, school districts honor their counselors by posting the hashtags #NSCW21 and #NationalSchoolCounselorWeek. Typically, the appreciation week involves in-person activities and events; however, given the virtual setting, AUSD produced a recognition video, applauding and appreciating its diligent counselors.

The AHS counseling team comprises different centers and offices working collectively to create accessible virtual resources for students to utilize. Student resources, contact info, counseling newsletters, and many more are accessible through the AHS counseling website.

Despite the transition from in-person to virtual counseling, the counseling office still offers Counselor of the Day office hours. Different counselors will be available throughout specific days of the week.

In times of difficulty and uncertainty, AHS Wellness Center counselor, Dr. Deja Anderson, welcomes her support to students in need of assistance and care.

“When working with students my goal is to make sure they are feeling supported and taking care of themselves. I think the biggest hurdle is making sure our students are reaching out and getting the support they need. I enjoy working with students, and helping them during a difficult time is important work to me. It’s important they know they have a space or person who can assist them when times are tough,” she added.

Dr. Anderson illuminates how COVID-19 has challenged her work experience and goals as a wellness counselor.

“With distance learning, I am trying different avenues of delivering informa-

VIRGINIA MOVES TO BAN NEWS: The death penalty has always DEATH PENALTY PG. 4-5 been one of the most controversial forms of punishment, as some people think that it is too harsh, while others believe that it is the most justifiable punishment in the context. Virginia is becoming the first southern state to end Photo courtesy of PINTEREST.COM the death penalty.

she emphasized.

Although COVID-19 has impacted her usual duties, Ms. Kristen King, AHS counseling secretary, has found her silver lining despite this new reality of working remotely.

“Definitely, COVID has impacted me. However, I think most of the changes have been really positive. I’ve been able to work from home with my pup by my side, learn and utilize new technology and take on more responsibilities. I also feel more in contact with my coworkers as well as the administration,” she said.

Mrs. Sharon Sandoval, one of the AHS Class of 2021 counselors, embraces and reminisces on vivid memories with the students she has worked with ever since their first day of high school.

“Of course, I have many fond memories of individual conversations! But collectively, I would say that so much has been asked of the Class of 2021, but they have emerged as fighters and survivors. They have had to adapt rapidly to a myriad of changes and have had to sacrifice many rights of passage that other students before them had the privilege to enjoy.

The Class of 2021 has had to acquire new skills at break-neck speed. I admire them and am inspired by them,” she said.

With an unprecedented pandemic and daunting AP classes, the Class of 2021’s chaotic high school journey draws near to its ending. Mrs. Sandoval wishes all her soon-to-be graduating seniors the best of luck despite obstacles and challenges.

“To the graduating Class of 2021: To say that this past year has been extremely difficult would be a gross understatement. But I am heartened by your resiliency, ingenuity, and courage. So, whether you feel like you have finally overcome most of the challenges this pandemic has thrown your way or if you feel like you are still in the throes of it, one day you will look back on this time with a story to tell. Just make sure your story includes these words: ‘...but I never gave up. I never lost hope,’” she expressed.

We are indebted to our diligent counselors and their commitment to every student’s success. Without a phenomenal counseling team, students wouldn’t be able to navigate the resources they need to “survive” high school. AUSD’s students, families, and staff are proud to acknowledge the hard work our counselors do and the dedication they put in ensuring the best for parents and students.

lchong@arcadiaquill.com Graphic courtesy of HUFFMANISD.NET

WHAT’S INSIDE

THE TWELVE PG. 8-9

FEATURES: The Asian zodiac and its 12 animals are the basis for Cindy Lin’s middle-grade novel series, The Twelve and The Treasures of the Twelve, published by HarperCollins in 2019 and 2020, respectively.

“It’s interesting because I grew up here and so actually, all the TV and books I read were not Asian at all. I’d never [seen] myself, or anyone who looked like me, in any of the television I was watching... there was no k-pop, there was no Mulan, so for me, everything I read was centered around Western society,

PARA SNOWBOARDE SPEEDS TO SUCCESS PG. 16-17

SPORTS: After finishing in high rankings in several competitions, Kiana Clay has become the first para snowboarder to be signed by the Burton Team Riders. Although Clay has been making a name for herself, she may not be able to compete in the Paralympics until 2026.

Photo courtesy of SUMMITDAILY.COM

in this issue: policy 2 | editorial 3 | news 4 | opinion 6 | features 8 | student life 10 | center spread 12 | arts & entertainment 14 | sports 16 | campus focus 18

02

POLICY

Editorial Editors in Chief: Cassidy Chhay, Margaret Lin, and Jocelyn Thao News Editors: Leslie Chen and Rebecca Tao Opinion Editors: Emma Chen and Michelle Lee Features Editors: Abby Choy and Anya Yang Student Life Editors: Robinson Lee and Tanya Lee Arts & Entertainment Editors: Ariana Parizadeh and Jenny Qiu Sports Editors: Enzo Goebel and Zoe Lin Campus Focus Editors: Melody Lui and Ashley Zhao Design Editor: Kate De Prima Photography Editor: Kylie Ha Publicity Manager: Becky Chen

arcadiaquill.com

B o a r d

FEBRUARY 2021

S t a ff W r i t e r s

Staff Writers: Brandon Chan, Catherine Chan, Amanda Chang, Angela Chien, Lilian Chong, Jorge Espinoza-Gonzalez, Vritti Godani, Joy Herrera, Shirley Huang, Siddharth Karthikeya, Kate Larrick, Bryan Lim, Linda Qiu, Ashley Sioeng, Maggie Sun, Avari Wang, Greg Wang, Janel Wang, Stephanie Wang, Chloe Wong, Kailani Yamashiro, Sean Yang, Madison Yee, and Pamina Yung Design Staff: Catherine Chan, Amanda Chang, Angela Chien, Kate Larrick, Linda Qiu, Audrey Siong, and Avari Wang Photography Staff: Lilian Chong, Janell Wang, Kailani Yamashiro, Madison Yee, and Pamina Yung Adviser: Mrs. Lesley Lee

Social Media & Comments Social media will be used to promote appropriate media, to promote published content, and to engage with Arcadia and Arcadia High School’s community. The Editorial Board reserves the right to remove comments deemed inappropriate, offensive, or threatening. The information posted on social media platforms (i.e. Instagram) will be held to the same standards as all other reporting in terms of information gathering and fact-checking.

Bylines If more than one person works on a story or an editor has to rewrite a significant portion of a story (as determined by the editor), all names of contributing writers will be listed on the byline of the article. All articles, graphics, photos, and other media, with the exception of staff photos, will be bylined with the photographer or contributor’s name. All bylined writers will be held accountable for their work and the information contained within.

Editorial Policy The Arcadia Quill will not print anything in our publication (online or print) that is deemed libelous, obscene, or otherwise offensive or inappropriate, in accordance with the Supreme Court’s justified standards. Rights are reserved to postpone, edit or withhold from publication anything submitted which does not meet the specifications.

Unsigned editorials represent the view of The Arcadia Quill Editorial Board. It does not necessarily represent the view of other Quill staff members.

The Arcadia Quill refuses to print criticism which is not constructive and not supported by fact or evidence. The editors and adviser will make the final decision on all material appearing in The Arcadia Quill.

The Arcadia Quill will not intentionally invade the privacy of any person or publish facts and quotes given off the record. Opinions will be clearly marked and found on the editorial pages or as designated on other pages (i.e.- front page). Signed opinion articles and commentary are the expressed opinions of the author and not of The Arcadia Quill and its editorial board, adviser, or Arcadia High School’s faculty or school board.

Staff members are guided by the Canons of Journalism of the American Society of Newspaper Editors, a code of ethics which outlines the principles of responsibility, fairness, and accuracy.

Corrections Policy Corrections will be printed when brought to the attention of the staff. Original stories will carry bylines but additional contributors to a story will be listed on the byline.

Plagiarism Plagiarism of any form will not be tolerated. Story ideas and article content are to remain completely original with the exception of the use of outside graphics/images/quotes, which are to be duly credited.

Quotes Quotes are representative of a single opinion; they do not represent the beliefs of the student body and staff. Quotes are to be written in past tense with the correct style guide format.

Graphics courtesy of AESTHETIC.PNG HICLIPART.COM PNGKIT.COM PNGMART.COM STORE.LINE.ME Photo courtesy of BEYONG STAGE MAGAZINE

arcadiaquill.com

FEBRUARY 2021

EDITORIAL

ILLUSION of ACADEMIC SUCCESS

03

the

Academic pressure can be incredibly taxing on a young student, especially one who is still discovering what they enjoy and what they want to pursue in the future. It feels like this type of stress is encouraged by parents, schools, and organizations alike as white-collar jobs and the stereotypical idea of success have permeated every crevice of our community. This workaholic mindset isn’t healthy—just like the decreasing number of hours teenagers are sleeping—but that isn’t stopping students. With heightened testing standards, less time for play, and increased screen time, finding who you truly are without the resume lines is more difficult than ever.

Need for More Publicity of Different Programs On the surface, it seems like AHS does not advocate for industrial jobs or vocational paths.

As of Feb. 24, the bulletin board as well as the career page on the school website lead to dead ends. It takes some effort navigating the AHS website and searching the right keywords to find the resources, but after some digging, the AHS bulletin does contain plenty of opportunities, from immersion programs in healthcare to hands-on workshops. However, college events dominate these boards—such as everoccurring mock college admissions committee meetings—marketed like sport strategies, with descriptions reading “students will gain insider knowledge” to make their “applications more competitive”.

Even though the resources are available, when we asked 30 juniors and seniors if they read or were aware of the student bulletin, none were. Even if efforts are underway to present vocational paths, the lack of promotion prevents the information from ever reaching students.

The school has also attempted to incorporate career equality through CTE nights and career matching quizzes, but of 50 juniors surveyed, only two had ever attended a CTE session.

As of Feb. 26, there are only presentations and showcases for computer science and engineering pathways on the designated CTE page.

This limited scope fails to capture the myriad of CTE courses actually offered, such as Anima-

tion, Food Science, or Business Management.

Bringing these courses to students is a shared responsibility, and the lack of enrollment or discussion in them are correlated with student competition. It’s becoming increasingly unclear if students are enrolling in AP and Honors classes out of personal interests or because it’s what their peers are doing and they feel the pressure to conform. Hence, while it is true AHS offers students the opportunity to broaden their interests, it is largely ineffective as most students are unaware of these initiatives.

More work is needed on advertising and hosting events as large as Spring Preview to bring attention to these resources. The school website must be streamlined. This is not to say the school is fully responsible for students not knowing about these offers, but there remains a disproportionate exhibition of colleges over other programs. When the same 50 juniors were asked if they had attended an AP meeting or college rep visit before, 62% responded in the affirmative.

School Statistics At the root of this, not having adequate information about these options is another way our community has disregarded creating a wellrounded individual. Of the 2020 graduates, 67% students went on to 4-year college, 31% to community college, and only 2% to other options.

According to a study by PACE (Policy Analysis for California Education) of California public high schools, it was found 37% of students went to a community college, 26% to a 4 year college, 37% students chose to not attend college. The large discrepancy between AHS and the state statistics—98% of students going on to college at AHS compared to only 63% on average—show the homogenization of our student body and how narrow the view of the path to success is.

Academic Pressure This academic pressure leaks into students’ personal lives as well—compelling them to transform hobbies into resume accomplishments or just quit while they’re ahead. The concept of hobbies—or indulging in activities simply for fun—is fading away as they don’t promise mastery of something valuable in the eyes of a college or employer.

Junior Kayla Cheung shared that since elementary school she’s been pressured and “molded” by her parents to become a “wellrounded student”. She’s hopped around from all types of enjoyable extracurriculars like music, drama, basketball, but ultimately had to abandon them for ones that were more “college-worthy’’ and “beneficial” to her transcript.

On graduation recap articles, valedictorians are summated by their academic accomplishments with no mention of what they do outside of school and their hectic schedules.

For instance, 2018 valedictorian Stella Cho was described as an exceptional student with “101 consecutive classes, from 6th grade through 12th grade, with nothing but A’s.” The article then goes on to list her school activities: a total of nine organizations with leadership in a third of them.

This isn’t an isolated incident; many other valedictorians have received the exact treatment. While straight A’s are an exceptional achievement, especially at an academically rigorous school, exclusively including productive and scholastic activities propagates the idea that students should be so dedicated to their schoolwork that they have

no time for recreational activities done just for fun.

Internalizing work as fulfillment, happiness, and accomplishment may be dangerous.

Results from hard work are never guaranteed and the steps to success are often jagged and unpredictable. Barbara Killinger, a clinical psychologist, describes workaholics as those who “live a Gerbil-wheel, adrenalin-pumping existence rushing from plan A to B, narrowlyfixated on some ambitious goal or accomplishment.” It is true work or school are central to our identities, but once it negatively affects relationships and personal responsibilities, it becomes an unhealthy obsession.

Progress Being Made The mental health initiative and wellness center have been great initiatives to address the collective stress and negative thinking in the student population. The presentations on handling test anxiety and coping mechanisms for stress are especially culturally-sensitive to our school. As with the student bulletin and CTE programs, there is not enough promotion of these resources. One of the easiest ways to reach out to more students is to post on the school app and the official Arcadia School District Instagram or Facebook accounts, which have a following of over 12,000 people. Yes, that will break up the pattern of the athlete and student showcases, but for the slogan “schoolsclosedheartsopen” to be fully embraced, student struggles need to be recognized.

04

NEWS

arcadiaquill.com

FEBRUARY 2021

By CATHERINE CHAN Staff Writer On Feb. 1, the Myanmar military, known as the Tatmadaw, has seized power by staging a coup d’état against the civilian government and the de-facto leader, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. The military detained State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, President Win Myint, and more than 40 other elected officials from Myanmar’s National League of Democracy Party. Additionally, the military also announced the removal of 24 ministers and deputies, naming 11 replacements.

Myanmar, a Southeast Asian nation, formerly known as Burma, was under the junta’s (military) dictatorship. Since 1928, Myanmar has been shifting between civilian government and military rule. During 1988, student-led uprisings in Myanmar against the military led to extreme bloodshed. In fact, it was in 1989 when the ruling military changed the country’s name from Burma to Myanmar. Myanmar citizens lived under the oppressive military regimes for almost 50 years from 1962 until 2011, when power was transferred over to the democratic party after a landslide win. However, the military kept its political power through the 2008 constitution, which gives them at least 25% of the Parliament.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy (NLD) party led the country for five years after getting elected in 2015. The 2015 election was the first democratic election in over 25 years. The party was set to begin its second term in office, before the coup ever happened. Now, a decade after agreeing to hand power to a civilian government, Myanmar’s military has announced that it has taken control of the country.

This coup comes after a landslide victory by Suu Kyi’s NLD party in the November 2020 election, where Suu Kyi’s party won over 80% of the vote. This election was the second democratic election since 2011, with the NLD winning 346 seats, more than the 322 needed to control the government, yet the military insists the vote was fraudulent. The military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party only managed to secure 24 seats.

While Aung San Suu Kyi’s NLD party won the 2020 election, the country’s second democratic vote, the military has put out a statement declaring a state of emergency for one year, putting General Min Aung Hlaing in power. The military believes its actions are justified because of a section of the constitution which allows for the military to take over in times of “national emergencies.” Military-owned television said power has been handed to commander-in-chief of the armed forces, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing. The military began censoring the press, cutting off access to the internet, while disrupting some phone services and communication in Yango.

Fortunately, the military coup in Myanmar has been condemned internationally by the U.K., U.S., and several other countries, with the U.S. threatening to re-impose sanctions. Action is being taken all around the world as the U.N. Secretary-General and U.N. Security Council held an emergency meeting on Feb. 2 where they demanded the release of more than 40 detained government officials; however, they could not reach a resolution.

White House Spokesperson Jen Psaki recently released a statement on Myanmar, saying “The United States is alarmed by reports that the Burmese military has taken steps to undermine the country’s democratic transition, including the arrest of State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and other civilian officials in Burma.”

The statement addressed that “the United States opposes any attempt to alter the outcome of recent elections or impede Myanmar’s democratic transition, and will take action against those responsible if these steps are not revered. We are monitoring the situation closely and stand with the people of Burma, who have already endured so much in their quest for democracy and peace.”

Demonstrations have begun in Myanmar, both in favor of the military coup and against it.

The Myanmar diaspora is also protesting around Southeast Asia and globally. Many protestors gathered outside the Myanmar embassy in Bangkok, Thailand, and Tokyo, Japan. Additionally, doctors and medics have threatened to go on strike against the military in Myanmar.

Activists all around the world are taking action under the spirit of the detained, Aung San Suu Kyi. As Aung San Suu Kyi once said, “It is not power that corrupts, but fear. Fear of losing power corrupts those who wield it and fear of the scourge of power corrupts those who are subject to it.”

MYANMAR MILITARY COUP

cchan@arcadiaquill.com Photo by TIME.COM

By SEAN YANG Staff Writer

VIRGINIA MOVES TO BAN DEATH PENALTY

The death penalty has always been one of the most controversial forms of punishment, as some people think that it is too harsh, while others believe that it is the most justifiable punishment in the context. After years of being a red state, now that the state legislature leans mostly left, Virginia is becoming the first southern state to end the death penalty.

The death penalty has always been used when an individual commits an extremely heinous crime to where it warrants death. However, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam believes that capital punishment is too harsh and believes in other options.

“It’s important that we shut down the machinery of death here in Virginia,” said Northam.

Northam and other Democrats want to

abolish the death penalty fast after the Trump Administration used their power to execute 13 people. Republicans are against this as they believe the death penalty is warranted on people who commit evil enough crimes.

“These are savage crimes,” said Republican Senator Mark Obenshain. He was describing a 2017 case where a man invaded a home and murdered a family.

Democratic officials believe differently as they are ashamed for the 113 executions that took place after the Supreme Court restored the death penalty in 1976. It had the second-highest number of executions after Texas’s 576. Thanks to the Democrats, there have been no executions since 2017 as they rapidly move forward to abolish the law.

The death penalty will likely be removed as current president Joe Biden strongly supports abolishing capital punishment. Biden believes in preventing crime and reforming the criminal

justice system for it to be fairer towards specific minorities. Previously Virginia would be a swing state, but in the most recent elections, it has always been blue. Democrats believe that Trump’s decisions in the four-year term have actually damaged the Republican party’s relations in Virginia causing it to become blue.

Northam relied on the help of other Democratic senators in order to get the bill passed, all of whom believe that the death penalty is too harsh. One of these senators actually supported using the electric chair in the past but has now changed his stance to be against capital punishment.

“He’s changed his position, I think it took bravery for him to do that,” said Northam.

After the governor signs the final bill, Virginia will be the 23rd state to finally end capital punishment. syang@arcadiaquill.com Photo by PINTEREST.COM

news.arcadiaquill@gmail.com

FEBRUARY 2021

By CHLOE WONG

HAZARDOUS WI NTE R WEATH E R I N TH E SOUTH AN D CE NTRAL U.S.

NEWS Staff Writer

Millions of Americans were left without power after a winter storm swept through parts of the South and Central U.S, beginning over President’s Day weekend. The storm attacked unprepared power grids in the Southern Plains, New England, and the Deep South. Texas, North Carolina, Louisiana, Oregon, Kentucky, and Missouri were all affected by the historic snowfall.

The worst of the power outages took place in Texas, where over 3 million homes and businesses were forced to prevail through a deep freeze without electricity. So far, at least 21 have died as a result of the storm. Many also lack running water due to frozen or burst pipes, as most homes in the U.S. South, particularly Texas, are not built to withstand extreme cold.

Three people perished in North Carolina after a tornado struck their seaside town, four died in a Houston-area house fire, and 13 children in Fort Worth have been treated for carbon monoxide poisoning after families lit gas stoves in an effort to stay warm. Authorities also found two men frozen alongside a Houston road; children, the elderly, and homeless people are considered the most vulnerable to the weather.

On Feb. 12, Texas Governor Greg Abbott declared a state of emergency in all 254 Texas counties.

“Texans should heed the guidance of their local leaders and stay alert to changing weather conditions in their area,” said Governor Abbott.

“The State of Texas remains in close contact with officials on the ground and will provide any additional resources and support that are needed.”

In the chaos caused by the unforeseen deep freeze, cities worked to implement emergency warming shelters for the unhoused. Transportation authorities moved homeless people toward storm shelters when able, although many of these shelters were shut down due to further

05

loss of power. Several cities were faced with record subzero lows: in Minnesota, temperatures fell as low as -38° F. Americans took to huddling in their homes, piling on the blankets, and sitting in front of fireplaces in order to stay warm.

The conditions also delayed air travel, general transportation, and shipment and delivery of the COVID-19 vaccine, although officials stated that no vaccine doses were lost.

The state of Texas encouraged citizens to conserve energy, as meteorologists predict that the harsh weather will continue for at least another few days. Rolling blackouts persist through most parts of the state, and officials have faced criticism and pleas for help after the state’s independent energy grid continuously failed.

“Basically, everyone who lives here had no warning and is stuck on a blacked-out island with no major stores open and no lights on the road,” Galveston resident Jessica Knofla said. “It’s absolutely infuriating.”

As people struggled to find places to stay warm, outrage only increased when Houston, an area where most citizens lost power, kept its city center office buildings fully lit despite the weather.

“We noticed [the lit building] from the emergency operations center last night,” Harris county judge Lina Hidalgo said. “We called around asking those leaders to take the power down. Some of them did around 11 [to] midnight. Some of them didn’t. It just tells you everybody has to do their part. And as I’ve been stressing to my community today, that’s not just the individuals. That’s the businesses.”

“History is going to remember who did their part and who didn’t do their part,” she added.

cwong@arcadiaquill.com Photo by RAMMB.CIRA.COLOSTATE.EDU

WHITE HOUSE ANNOUNCES MAJOR IMMIGRATION BILL

By LINDA QIU

Staff Writer

President Joe Biden and Democrats in Congress have unveiled new legislation aimed to reform the U.S. immigration system titled the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021. On Feb. 19, Democratic lawmakers announced a sweeping immigration bill that will provide a faster route to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as a child, and an eight-year track to citizenship for immigrants already living in the country.

This bill was introduced in the House of Representatives by former chairwoman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Rep. Linda T. Sánchez and introduced in the Senate by Sena-

tor Robert Menendez. Democratic legislators from California made up over two-thirds of the bill’s supporters in the House. Sánchez has referred to the all-female team of co-sponsors as “the Closers.” The group includes Reps. Judy Chu, Karen Bass, Lucille Roybal-Allard, and Zoe Lofgren.

The bill, if passed, makes three groups immediately eligible for green cards and allows them to apply for citizenship after three years: farmworkers, people with Temporary Protected Status, and immigrants who came to the U.S. as children and are protected under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. People not in any of these groups would wait five years to be able to apply for a green card, and another three years to be able to apply for citizenship, a total

of eight years. It also will address root causes of people fleeing their home countries for the U.S., and includes a four-year plan to reduce poverty, corruption, and violence in Central America.

“The President’s proposal for immigration reform is a starting point for negotiations but it begins from a position of strength, as opposed to proposals that we’ve seen in prior years that condition legalization on massive increases to immigration enforcement, massive increases to personnel, and additional bars to legalization based on criminal conduct,” said Jorge Loweree, American Immigration Council policy director. “This is a meaningful rethinking.”

“President Biden has put forth his vision for robust immigration reform. Now, it’s up to Congress to deliver,” said Rep. Linda Sanchez

in a statement. “With a Democratic majority in both Chambers, and an overwhelming majority of the public on our side-- as well as a number of legislative tools at our disposal-- I believe we will be successful in finally securing solutions.”

Even with the House majority, Democrats will need at minimum ten Republican supporters in the Senate in order to pass the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021. Democrats are willing to make concessions, but not make major compromises during the legislative process. It is not expected that the final Senate bill will reach the same levels of potential immigration reform as Biden’s original proposal.

lqiu@arcadiaquill.com Photo by VOANEWS.COM

06

OPINION

By CHLOE WONG Staff Writer

another conspiracy theorist. And while Greene was recently removed from two congressional committees, her party has yet to condemn her, despite steadily mounting pressure from outraged Democrats. Greene’s removal from the Education and Budget Committees strips her of legislative and oversight influence, yet as the ring closes in, Republicans rally closer. Of the 230 to 199 majority, only 11 GOP members (four of whom are Latino) voted to banish her from various committees—a resistance that is characteristic of Republicans’ inability to condemn the legacy of Donald Trump.

“Unbelievable,” the former president called Greene in October 2019, while also saying that the QAnon-espousing, conspiracy theory-trafficking, self-proclaimed patriot was “doing great” in her campaign for a House seat. Trump, who was also reluctant to disavow QAnon, named Greene as a “future Republican star.” Now, Republicans are hesitant to take action against a politician that the very core of their party supports. Representative Kevin McCarthy of California, the top Republican in the House, argued that while Greene’s comments were inappropriate for a member of the House, she did not deserve to be punished or penalized for her actions.

“If we are now going to start judging what other members have said before they are members of Congress, I think it will be a hard time for the Democrats to place anybody on [a] committee,” McCarthy said.

Except the Republican Party has very easily judged the actions of its own—albeit, in a different time, under a different president. In 1991, the GOP was forced to contend with another unhinged member in its ranks, when neo-Nazi and former Ku Klux Klan grand wizard David Duke decided to campaign for a place in the U.S. Senate. It was not an impossibility that he’d take office, and 10 days before the election, President George H.W. Bush encouraged Louisiana citizens to vote for someone with class, character, and a record without so many obtrusive stains. He advised that Duke be firmly refused a place in office and that November, Duke lost to Democrat Edwin Edwards, who gained 61% of the vote. He was repudiated once again in 2016 by the Republican National Committee, which claimed that it would never support a candidacy fueled solely by bigotry and hatred.

Such is how Republicans used to deal with the likes of David Duke, which makes their reluctant hand-wringing over Greene that much more unbelievable. Instead, Republicans have thrown their influence behind the attempted censuring of Wyoming Representative Liz Cheney, who voted to impeach President Donald Trump for incitement of insurrection.

The faintheartedness we see today bears little resemblance to traditional Republican actions, where GOP politicians were at least able to condemn the most delusional and belligerent among them. The party is shameless in its insistence to keep a united front, even though they are uniting around a person who degrades the moral standard of America.

In the past year, critics set the Republican Party underneath a scrutinizing lens and posed its supporters a question: what exactly do you stand for? For the past few years, the Republican Party defined itself through its leader, Donald Trump, and for the past few years, demagoguery, hate, and conspiracy pervaded the GOP. Some rank-and-file statesmen have excused themselves from the political body.

One unmistakable obstacle stands in the way of Republican rehabilitation: Georgia’s freshman Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene.

Greene is not a typical congresswoman, nor does she have the background that one might expect from an elected official. To allow for a basic understanding of her politics, in 2017, Greene expressed doubt over the legitimacy of the Las Vegas shooting below the Mandalay Bay Hotel, a bloody catastrophe that resulted in the deaths of 58 people.

“How do you get avid gun owners and people that support the Second Amendment to give up their guns and go along with anti-gun legislation?” Greene asked in an online video.

“You make them scared, you make them victims and you change their mindset, and then possibly you can pass anti-gun legislation. Is that what happened in Las Vegas? I don’t believe [Paddock] pulled this off all by himself, and I know most of you don’t either,” Greene said. Despite its outrageousness, her implication that gun control advocates orchestrated the tragedy is anything but an isolated incident.

A known—though reportedly former— supporter of QAnon (a conspiracy group that believes Donald Trump is fighting a war against corrupt Democrat elites), Greene endorsed several outlandish theories as recently as 2019. She has mocked a survivor of the 2018 Parkland school shooting, insinuated that the Pentagon attack on 9/11 and the 2012 Sandy Hook massacres were hoaxes, and campaigned on violence against opposing Democrats, often utilizing racist, Islamophobic, and anti-Semitic rhetoric to her benefit. She posted that a Jewish company used deadly lasers to start a California wildfire, claimed that President Obama is a Muslim, and went on to attest that “Valerie Jarrett is too.”

She spread the idea that the Capitol riot was the Republicans’ “1776” moment, shared the views of Holocaust deniers, and entertained anti-Semitic notions of Jewish powers pulling strings in dark places. In February 2019, Greene even appeared in a video at the U.S. Capitol, arguing that Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib weren’t “really official” representatives since they had not sworn their oath of office on a Bible. Omar and Tlaib are not the only Democrats Greene has rallied against: she has liked posts pushing for the assassination of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and said that Pelosi is guilty of treason— a crime, Greene firmly asserted, that is punishable by death.

Cheering on right-wing extremists, making a mockery of gun violence, spreading bogus lies, saying that immigrants do not belong: these hardly mark the beliefs of a competent politi- cwong@arcadiaquill.com cian; they are the threats and ramblings of yet Graphic courtesy of FONTSPACE.COM

arcadiaquill.com

By MADISON YEE Staff Writer

FEBRUARY 2021

ing uproars amongst viewers. They brought disturbance to their community while inappropriately drinking and dancing—with per usual, no masks or social distancing. Although they ended up getting their power shut off by the mayor and expressed their regret, they have still continued to hold mask-free gatherings in front of the public eye.

“They apologize, not because they mean it, but only to get people to stop talking about them. If they truly were sorry they would stop going to social events and stay home like the rest of us. These influencers are responsible for being role models for their audiences and all they are doing is showing them that you can do anything you want and you don’t have to care about other people,” said YouTuber Kodee Tyler, also known as Kodeerants.

Increasing the risk of spreading the COVID-19 virus, Charli D’Amelio, Dixie D’Amelio, Chase Hudson, Noah Beck, Bryant, Avani Gregg, and Madi Monroe were also all caught fleeing to the Bahamas in December.

All throughout comment sections, users have expressed their disappointment in these influencers, and the selfish acts they put up for their fans. At this point, many have grown furious, wondering why these individuals cannot realize that a negative test does not completely verify that you can safely travel while people are dying. For some, this was even more appalling especially since Charli D’Amelio, with currently 107.7 million followers on TikTok, has voiced the risks of COVID-19 numerous times on social media.

“If you’re using this time to hang out with your friends since you don’t have school, please, I’m asking you, please stop being so inconsiderate to others… You may think this isn’t going to affect me, or it isn’t that bad. You are putting other people at risk to get hurt and to be in pain,” D’ Amelio said in a video.

As this hypocritical behavior seems to consistently transpire, these influencers need to be held accountable and begin to display positive role models for their far-reaching audiences.

Despite being in the middle of a pandemic, scroll through your social media feed and prepare to see posts full of influencers frequently hanging out and traveling—with no masks or any COVID-19 precautions taken into account.

While they claim to advocate for important causes like staying safe during the pandemic, they clearly flaunt the opposite. This is all while their “sincere” apologies are beginning to not sound so genuine anymore. If these influencers are the ones that this generation looks up to, why are they presenting themselves in a way that puts themselves and others at risk?

Based on paparazzi identifications, the widespread effects of the coronavirus has not stopped influencers from their usual behavior.

These same individuals have neglected to simply wear a mask, making it inevitable that this virus will not go away any time soon. People are suffering from the loss of family members and struggling with economic difficulties, while these celebrities will not stop with their dangerous actions. Their actions only undermine the gravity of the situation. It truly is not fair for them to have the ability to do this and still get praise, amid the many others who are facing devastating hardships.

Due to their young audience, influencers have a moral responsibility to be role models and uphold a good image. In fact, their behavior can easily incline their followers to engage in the same activities, believing that it is okay only because “Charli D’Amelio is doing it.” Some celebrities have expressed their opinions on this by taking it to social media.

“Funny how I haven’t hugged my best friends in six months, and y’all are out here partying,” posted popular music artist, Billie Eilish, on her Instagram story.

In essence, this behavior began in July, where the same group of TikTokers had fun showing off their exciting parties and breaking safety mandates. For instance, a few months ago there was a party in celebration of Bryce Hall’s birthday. For his “thriller” event, he had myee@arcadiaquill.com over 100 guests gathered into the popular con- Graphics courtesy of CLIPART-LIBRARY.COM, tent house known as, “The Sway House,” causFONTSPACE.COM, and ZEEOB.COM

FEBRUARY 2021

OPINION

opinion.arcadiaquill@gmail.com

07

Should Employers Continue to Hire Unvaccinated Employees?

By PAMINA YUNG Staff Writer With both Pfizer and Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccines having received approval by the Food and Drug Administration for emergency use in the U.S. back in December 2020, vaccines are now available to the public and are gradually being administered to millions at a time.

There has been a long-lasting controversy about vaccines caused by some people refusing to get vaccinated for themselves or their children due to misinformation, misconception or merely mistrust. But what happens when future circumstances, such as the permission to work, rely on getting vaccinated?

Before letting employees physically return to work full time, companies are urging them to get vaccinated. But on Dec. 16, 2020, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission updated a publication that “now includes a new section providing information to employers and employees about how a COVID-19 vacci-

nation interacts with the legal requirements of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA).” It essentially explains how and why companies can now ban unvaccinated employees from the workplace.

However, many companies have devised and are relying on incentives to encourage vaccinations instead.

Some of these employee incentives include monetary allowances. Neighborhood grocery stores such as Aldi, Trader Joe’s, Dollar General, and Instacart are doing just that.

Aldi and Trader Joe’s are offering hourly workers two hours’ pay per dose of vaccine and will adjust work schedules accordingly to allow workers to attend vaccine appointments.

Dollar General is giving its workers four hours of pay to compensate for travel time and mileage along with child care expenses and arrangements.

“We do not want our employees to have to choose between receiving a vaccine or coming to work,” said the Dollar General company.

Meanwhile, Instacart will pay its employ-

Treating Stocks With caution

ees who go to get a vaccine $25 to compensate vaccine should get one, simply out of consideration for the health and well-being of their for the time taken off.

“With COVID-19 cases continuing to rise co-workers. This is especially important for across the country, we’re taking proactive steps jobs where customers regularly make physical to advocate that contact or must be in close proximity with emgovernment ployees. The new vaccines are currently our a g e n c i e s nation’s biggest hope for drastically slowing recognize the spread of COVID-19.

Instacart shoppers as critical essential workers who deserve early access to vaccines,” stated Apoorva Mehta, the CEO and founder of Instacart.

Besides overall safety, there is another big reason why companies are urging their employees to get vaccinated. If a worker is vaccinated but still manages to contract COVID-19 at the workplace, that worker can simply self-quarantine at home for two weeks while the building is thoroughly sanitized and other workers are tested.

However, if an unvaccinated worker catches COVID-19 in the workplace and reaches a level of sickness that leads to hospitalization, pyung@arcadiaquill.com the company would have to take full responsi- Graphics courtesy of CLIPART-LIBRARY. bility.

COM, CREAZILLA.COM, FREEPIK. Liabilities aside, employees eligible for a COM, and GRACECOTTAGE.ORG

By LINDA QIU Staff Writer In recent weeks the Redditor stock market rebellion has been at the forefront of the news as well as many people’s minds.

What started as a half-joke, half-rebellion against hedge funds escalated to a landmark revolt against the professional investors of Wall Street. At a shallow glance the story seems appealing; Reddit subreddit WallStreetBets has established a story of humble retail investors taking advantage of the power of a coordinated buying campaign at the expense of wealthy investors and hedge funds.

“It’s shocking, really amazing, and gratifying to see a little bit of the pain going on the side of the hedge funds,” said Jordan Belfort, former stock broker whose story inspired the movie The Wolf of Wall Street. “The hedge funds have been beating up little investors since the beginning of time pretty much.”

Unfortunately, the bubble must pop eventually. Artificially inflated stocks like Gamestop stock (GME) will always inevitably plummet, and people will inevitably be hurt. Stocks like GME are incredibly volatile as they surge. The pace at which their prices skyrocket are a warning sign of a massive crash looming around the corner. When they do crash, the recoil harms investors who didn’t cash out at the right time.

“I’ve been looking at my phone nonstop for the past week, and it has worn me down,” said Reddit user Scott Smith. He had lost approximately $1,300 trading Gamestop shares. “I’m going to take a long break and focus on my student loans before I think about stocks again.”

Netherland college student Evan Oosterink experienced even more severe losses. Encouraged by popular opinion on WallStreetBets and GME’s rising price, Oosterink invested over $10,000 of savings into GME shares. As the stock inevitably crumbled, he, like many of his fellow Redditors, experienced thousands of dollars in losses. Yet he still hasn’t lost hope in this bet.

“Being a part of WallStreetBets, it’s like a religion you’re devoted to,” Oosterink said.

“There’s this enormous power driving WallStreetBets, this energy: ‘Hold the line. We aren’t giving in. We aren’t giving up. We are in for that ride to that moon.’ That is the power that keeps everyone holding their shares.”

Unfortunately, GME’s momentum seems to have completely fizzled out, making the mentality of Redditors like Oosterink seem a bit foolish. While GME will remain volatile for next few weeks or even months, its peak has long come and gone. For the investors who still have money left in the market, it would definitely be better to cash in what they still have instead of clinging to a sinking ship. lqiu@arcadiaquill.com Graphics courtesy of CLIPARTKEY.COM

08

FEATURES

By MADISON YEE Staff Writer As we are still facing a downturn of events that have come alongside COVID-19, small businesses have also had to adjust and make compromises for rising challenges. In response to this, it is now the city’s priority to support small businesses that are based in Arcadia, so that we can help our community during these unprecedented times. deCroupets Cake Sisters A woman-owned business originally created by two sisters in 1998, this company spotlights everything from cakes, to cupcakes, to cookies, and more. Their passion for baking has led them to make thousands of cakes for birthdays and weddings— each with a unique design catered to each customer.

“The biggest change due to the pandemic is that we can’t have customers in our store. And that our main business is selling cakes and cookies for parties, which no one can have right now.

We had to switch rather quickly to doing phone and email orders only, focusing on our social media and promoting small parties. We really focused on promoting happiness,” said co-owner Cheryl from the Cake Sisters duo.

Gokí Café “Gokí”, also translating to “noble or royal,” this family-run cafe aims to honor their Mexican roots, and to provide for the city that has hosted their family for six years.

“We opened in May last year and our family had already planned to open a year before we did. We had already bought equipment and many other things before the pandemic started. Our plan was to open in March, but for the same reason, we had to push the opening date to May. However, the hardest challenge for us has been to build a clientele during a time when many people are trying to stay home as much as possible, when a lot of people are working from home and when many offices, schools, gyms, etc. are closed,” voiced the owner, Patricia Webster of Gokí Café.

Featuring the perfect, refreshing drinks to bear with the intense heat that resides in California, they offer coffees, teas, blended drinks, smoothies, aguas frescas, shakes, and licuados— all of which come in endless flavor options. And, if you happen to come with an empty stomach, prepare to indulge in their bakery and sandwich selections that are all made in-house.

“Seeing and feeling how the community cares about these small businesses is very heartening, especially after putting so much effort on your business, always hoping you can survive the pandemic. One of the main things that keep us going is the fact that we have a very supportive community. A lot of people are trying to support small businesses, and if it was not because of this we might not even be open anymore,” Patricia said.

White Springs Cafe This Thai fusion restaurant that bonuses as a vegetarian cafe offers a variety of dishes that are organic, and non-GMO. With a background of building a happy and kind community, their website says that it is a place “for diverse individuals to work together, grow together, and thrive together.”

The empowering owner behind this facility, Na Sussman and her story really shows how opening up this business brought her American dream to life. Previously, she was actually one of the strongest women who survived an illegal Thai immigrant sweatshop ring in LA. Her efforts have led her to stand up for changing the unlawful actions that have been done to immigrants.

She truly is a hero, and her cafe has the best quality ingredients for everyone to try out!

Help Small Businesses “The only way to stay in business is to get community support. The federal government help has been complicated and provided very little help to us. One of the most supportive groups was Downtown Arcadia.

From the start they were actively supporting us and helped promote our business in the community,” mentioned Cheryl.

Speaking of which, Downtown Arcadia has been able to recognize small businesses and bring aid—which in turn has been greatly appreciated. In addition to promoting these places through their social media platforms, the City of Arcadia held a lottery that awarded grants to 49 small businesses that were affected by the coronavirus.

They were able to use the brand new Arcadia Works! Program which distributed $245,000 in Community Development Block Grant funds. The city has also lent extra resources and initiatives, that include complimentary help in various aspects. Currently, they are seeking to work on upcoming grants and funding opportunities to set forth financial assistance.

“Supporting small businesses is very important, especially during these hard times when on top of having to stay updated on new rules, protocols, etc, you also feel worried and stressed, and hope that you will survive the pandemic. Since many businesses have not been able to hire employees or have been forced to let them go, many business owners have been pushed to keep their business going, sometimes on their own or with the help of their family,” said Patricia.

The significance of lending a hand to small businesses that have been impacted by the worldwide pandemic has not been stressed enough. While the community hopes that COVID-19 cases will decrease, make sure to check out these places and to do further research on other small businesses to support. ymadison@arcadiaquill.com Graphics courtesy of SEARCHEGINELAND.COM and 1001FONTS.COM

arcadiaquill.com

By AMANDA CHANG Staff Writer Lunar New Year is celebrated throughout East Asia every year. This year, as many people in the Arcadia community may know, the holiday was observed on Feb. 12.

2021 is the year of the ox.

This version of New Year’s is often called Chinese New Year, though people from many Asian countries such as Singapore, Korea, and Vietnam, celebrate it.

It also revolves around a 12-year calendar that is known as the Asian zodiac and every year is represented by an animal. Unlike the Western zodiac, it is not based on horoscopes and stars but around animals and elements.

The Asian zodiac and its 12 animals are the basis for Cindy Lin’s middle-grade novel series, The Twelve and The Treasures of the Twelve, published by HarperCollins in 2019 and 2020, respectively.

“The best way to describe my book [The Twelve] is...an Asian-inspired, fantasyadventure… set in a mythical land,” said Cindy Lin, the author of The Twelve in an interview with The Arcadia Quill.

Her book is about gifted children who are blessed with zodiac animal powers.

Readers follow the protagonist, Usagi, a girl on a quest to save her sister from the evil Dragonlord. In Lin’s mythical land, an island kingdom called Midaga, the magic there selects some of its people to have the powers of the animal in the zodiac calendar based on their birth year. For example, Usagi, who is born in the year of the rabbit, can leap great lengths and hear the softest whispers while another character, Inu, is born in the year of the dog and has an incredible sense of smell and can communicate with dogs.

Lin was first inspired for her original idea––kids with zodiac powers and elemental gifts––12 years ago around Lunar New Year, also the year of the ox. “I started thinking about all the animals of the zodiac, and what it would be like if people had powers of the animal that ruled the year of their birth. People will say “I’m an Ox!” or “I’m a Tiger!” in relation to their birth year — so what would it mean if they actually had the powers of a tiger or an ox?” said Lin in an interview with mgbookvillage.org.

She was also “inspired by a number of island kingdoms that have existed in Asia

FEBRUARY 2021

over the centuries,” explained Lin, hence why Midaga is a mythical island kingdom.

Another reason why Midaga is mythical is because she had to find an effective method of displaying the characters’ powers in The Twelve. To do so, she had to go through many different drafts to organize her ideas in a way that would work in a novel. For example, even though her final version of the book takes place in a pre-industrialized fictional world, she had originally intended for it to be a contemporary story.

So, while many of the things in her novel, from the weapons to the places, are inspired by real-world instances and have a measure of accuracy, the book is not to be used to teach someone about the Lunar New Year or its traditions since much of the book also puts a fictional spin on many real things.

In addition to drawing inspiration from her research, Lin was also driven to publish her book in order to put more emphasis on Asian culture in literature.

“It’s interesting because I grew up here and so actually, all the TV and books I read were not Asian at all. I’d never [seen] myself, or anyone who looked like me, in any of the television I was watching...there was no k-pop, there was no Mulan, so for me, everything I read was centered around Western society,” said Lin. Growing up, she said she always read about young Western girls, she “really wanted to be a little girl living on the prairie in a covered wagon”, and never saw someone like herself in the media, but the different appearances of the characters did not affect the way that Lin enjoyed her books and other forms of entertainment. She hopes that the same can be achieved for all young boys and girls when they read her book; even though the Asia- inspired content may be unfamiliar to them or the characters are different in appearance, she hopes they can still relate. There are themes of friendship, perseverance, family, growth, and bravery that readers can identify with and learn from.

Lin is currently working on her next idea, a story that takes place in the same universe as The Twelve. achang@arcadiaquill.com Graphics courtesy of CINDYLINBOOKS.COM and 1001FONTS.COM

features.arcadiaquill@gmail.com

FEBRUARY 2021

By LINDA QIU Staff Writer The idea of immortality has fascinated people for nearly as long as humanity has existed. There are many reasons why people desire eternal life. They may feel like they aren’t able to reach their full potential in their natural lifespan. They might want to live on in order to experience the wonders of the far future. They might fear death, pain, or even the process of aging itself.

Because of these reasons, people have theorized about whether immortality is even possible for the human body. Some believe that human immortality may now be achievable in the 21st century due to technological breakthroughs.

One specific form of immortality is thought to be achievable the soonest because it relies on preservation of a person’s personality, not their body. It is digital immortality, the concept of transferring or storing a person’s personality into a long-

lasting media, like a computer. This stored data leads to a digital avatar that behaves and thinks like the person it was based on, and continues to live and develop even when the original person dies.

“Digital and genetic immortality are within reach,” theoretical physicist and professor Michio Kaku said in a Big Think video. “Already in Silicon Valley, there are companies, which for a price, will digitize everything known about you: your credit card transactions, your emails, Instagrams. And we have something called the Connectome Project which will map the pathways of the entire human brain, all your memories, all your quirks, personalities… we’ll put it on a disc and for the most part, we’ll put it in a library.”

FEATURES

Dr. Kaku claimed that through digital immortalization, it could one day be possible to meet the digital recreation of any historical figure.

The physicist added: “And one day we might be digitized as well.

We’ll be able to talk to our great, great, great, great, great-grandkids. And they’ll be able to talk to their great, great, great, greatancestors as well because we become immortal.”

Multiple projects have furthered this idea.

For example, there is the Etemine project, founded by Metabeta founder Marius Ursache, that preserves people’s memories and thoughts, allowing them to form avatars that can interact with each other and develop individually. Elon Musk’s company Neuralink has worked on developing an interface between the brain and a computer.

The idea of digital immortality has also been

By BRANDON CHAN Staff Writer

09

used in entertainment, like the episode Be Right Back of the sci-fi series Black MIrror, or the psychological horror video game SOMA. However, some scientists doubt that the complex human mind can be stored digitally. What’s more, the concept of digital immortality brings with it many dangers.

The power of companies to create avatars of people would be highly manipulative and dangerous. Not only could digital avatars be sold as a way to preserve your own being, it could also be sold to loved ones who miss you.

“The rhetoric around immortal digital selves focuses on our desire to be remembered,” wrote Courtney Humphries for the MIT Technology Review. “But wouldn’t most of us want our loved ones to be able to let us go?” lqiu@arcadiaquill.com Photos courtesy of 1001FONTS.COM, INDIAFUTURESOCIETY.COM, and PNGTREE.COM

There are seven unique insomniac worlds, including Insomniac Roots, Nocturnal Wonderland, Beyond Wonderland, Escape Halloween, Countdown, EDC, and Thank You Road. At the beginning of the drive-thru, while you wait to enter into the festival, there is music blasting with large screens that showcase Insomniac’s rich history.

Additionally, there are lasers, disco balls, light up mushrooms, and a warehouse rave. At the end of the experience, you can purchase merchandise or miscellaneous items such as assorted candies, light batons, diffraction glasses, sticker packers, lapel pins, and souvenir cups.

“My favorite insomniac world was definitely the Escape Halloween one,” said senior Emme Chen. “It was the most creative and the Halloween theme really put it over the top for me. However, with that being said, every insomniac world was a fun experience and I would definitely recommend this to anyone. Make sure to pack some snacks, food, and drinks as well. ” Electric Mile is an attraction that has brightened up the beginning of the new year.

Hopefully, you get a chance to visit because it is definitely a memorable experience.

Insomniac’s Electric Mile is a drivethru audiovisual festival located in Arcadia’s Santa Anita Park (recently extended their stay through February). Since you will be in a car at all times during this experience, it is completely COVID safe during this pandemic. At Electric Mile, there are hundreds of art installations and five million lights extending over one hundred and eighty thousand linear feet, which make this festival an immediate eye-catcher.

It has been described as larger than life, combined with immersive production.

“Going to Electric Mile with my family for the first time, I had high expectations based on what I have heard,” said senior Zachary Green. “And luckily, it did not disappoint.

Because of this pandemic, we couldn’t go to any cool festivals, so this was a fantastic alternative.”

Electric Mile welcomes people of all ages, ranging from children to the elderly. Each car’s price of admission is $69.99 (eight people max), but it’s worth going with your family.

“We went to Electric Mile for my cousin’s birthday, so we took two cars,” said junior Johnathan Liu. “We decided on this place because of the reviews that we saw online. It was a great experience for a good amount of people bchan@arcadiaquill.com and everyone enjoyed it. It can get crowded, so Graphics courtesy of 1001FONTS.COM try to go at an earlier time to get in line first.” and STUFFINLA.COM

10

STUDENT LIFE

arcadiaquill.com

FEBRUARY 2021

College Board to End SAT Subject Tests And SAT Optional Essay

By CATHERINE CHAN

By CHLOE WONG Staff Writer

Staff Writer

“Ivy Day” or “Ivy Admissions Day” is the day when all of the Ivy League universities announce their admissions decisions. After a long and stressful year, seniors all around the world are anticipating these announcements that are expected to be revealed in March. However, for the first time, Ivy Day has been postponed to April.

The Ivy League universities in the U.S. began as a group association of eight highly competitive athletic colleges. The Ivy League schools are Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Dartmouth, Cornell, Princeton, Brown, and the University of Pennsylvania. Admissions to these universities are incredibly difficult as the majority of them have acceptance rates below 10%. As of 2021, the most difficult Ivy League university to get into would be Harvard University, with an acceptance rate of 5.2%. Harvard University was proclaimed as the top-ranked Ivy League school of 2021 by the Wall Street Journal in their article titled, “Harvard Leads the Ivies in the WSJ/THE College Rankings.” Following Harvard are Yale and Brown. The allegedly “easiest” Ivy League university to get accepted into is Cornell University with an acceptance rate of 10.6%.

So far, 2021 has been a year of unexpected and unprecedented happenings. First, the College Board announced that they are putting an end to the SAT Subject Test and the optional essay section of the SAT exam, and now Ivy Day is being postponed. With a surge in student applications this year, the Ivy League schools agreed to change the date of the acceptances. For instance, Harvard University received over 54,000 applications this year alone.

Last year, the Class of 2024 opened their college application portals from the Ivy League universities on Mar. 26 while being quarantined. Many students happily shared their results online on TikTok for the public and underclassmen to see. Sadly, this year, current seniors and other applicants are thrown off the normal tradition and excitement of Ivy Day due to the complications of a digitized school year and the delays or inconveniences that come with it.

The new expected date for Ivy League applicants to hear back from their schools is set to be April 6th. With the drastic change in our lifestyles because of the pandemic, it is understandable for the entire college admissions process to be different than that of any year before. However, the statement that the most selective universities in the world and the U.S. have received significantly more applications than normal this year is frightening for many students.

While you wait for the finale of your college applications, remember that what’s most important is that you choose the school that is right for you, Ivy or not. While it is tempting to believe that an Ivy League education is the determinant for success, it likely cannot predict how your life and interests will change over time, and it is certainly not the only path towards personal and creative fulfillment. Whichever school you choose, know that you are in charge of your success.

It is not what kind of place you attend that matters but what you make out of it.

One of the sources of students’ stress is finally coming to a halt. On Jan. 19, College Board, the non-profit organization that develops and administers standardized testing for higher education, announced that it is ending subject exams and the optional essay part of the SAT forever.

The SAT Subject exams, also known as SAT II tests, are a series of 800-point multiple choice exams that test students’ knowledge of more than 20 subjects in science, history, math, English, and languages. Aside from taking the SAT that is required for most colleges in the U.S., students have been encouraged to take two to three subjects tests as part of their college applications.

“The expanded reach of AP and its widespread availability for low-income students and students of color means the Subject Tests are no longer necessary for students to show what they know,” College Board said in a statement on Jan. 19.

College Board has begun refunding fees for Subject Tests for U.S. students and will administer two more tests in May and June for international locations.

“I personally thought that the College Board made a great decision to scrap the optional essays and subject tests. This alleviates a lot of unnecessary stress off of students and would be a relief for 12th graders as well,” junior Sharon Shen said.

As for the optional essay, it will be discontinued after June 2021.

“There are other ways for students to demonstrate their mastery of essay writing,” College Board said.

College Board also noted that the process to discontinue certain aspects of the tests was already underway prior to the pandemic, which happened to catalyze it. There has been a steady decline in Subject Test participation in the past decade as many colleges began to drop application requirements for them.

And although this discontinuance may be a service to the majority of the classes of 2022 and 2023, it may be an obstacle for others. For example, this may impact students who attend the 2,000 high schools that do not have the AP curricula for them to showcase their knowledge as College Board advised, or homeschooled students who want to demonstrate their ability beyond a letter grade.

In September 2020, the University of California system suspended any use of test scores in admissions. Three-fourths of U.S colleges and the California State University system promptly followed suit, canceling their requirements for ACT and SAT score submissions. Some people believe that the standardized testing requirement in college applications will soon meet its demise in the future.

No matter how “standardized” these tests are, they are often not accurate portrayals of a student’s ability in handling academics.

cchan@arcadiaquill.com Graphics courtesy of EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG and NICHE.COM

cwong@arcadiaquill.com Photo courtesy of ED.STANFORD.EDU

By PAMINA YUNG

Stanley Liu Named a Top Scholar in Regeneron Science Talent Search Staff Writer

Senior Stanley Liu was named among the top 300 scholars in the 2021 Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS), “the nation’s oldest and most prestigious science and mathematics competition for high school seniors.”

Originally called the Westinghouse Science Talent Search, the Regeneron STS is an annual contest in which around 1,900 high senior applicants present original research and ideas in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math, commonly referred to by educators as STEM. The most outstanding ones of the bunch are selected and the chosen students receive recognition and earn monetary grants for themselves and their schools to use toward STEM-related activities.

“The Regeneron STS focuses on identifying, inspiring, and engaging the most promising scientists among the nation’s high school seniors,” as stated on its website. “Scholars were chosen based on their exceptional research skills, commitment to academics, innovative thinking, and promise as scientists.”

Stanley started the research on his project for submission during the summer of his freshman year. After contacting over 127 research laboratories in nearby universities, he was taken under the wing of Professor Suraiya Rasheed, the director of the University of Southern California’s Laboratory of Oncology and AIDS Research. Stanley has spent his after-school hours throughout the last few years at her lab building an economical microfluidic device for HIV diagnostics.

“Working with my mentor on this research project and pursuing my passion for biomedical engineering has been such an incredible experience,” said Stanley. “I’ve had the opportunity to present my work at international research conferences in Switzerland and Taiwan, publish my work in a peer-reviewed journal paper, and meet some of many like-minded high schoolers and aspiring scientists at science fairs.”

Stanley thanked his parents and two older brothers, Benjamin and Vick, who helped and inspired him throughout his academic career. He is also very grateful for his research mentors, Professor Rasheed, Neha Garg, and Mohammad Aghaamoo, along with his Arcadia High School teachers, Mrs. Mynster and Ms. Leahy, for supporting him and his love for biomedicine.

“I could never have made any of this happen without their support and love over the past few years,” said Stanley.

He is glad to be recognized as an STS semi-finalist and is elated that Mrs. Mynster, his AP Chemistry teacher, will receive $2,000 for new lab supplies that will aid her future students as a result of his recognition.

“I intend on majoring in biomedical engineering and minoring in computer science in college,” said Stanley. “I would like to pursue a career in biomedical engineering and possibly become a college professor one day to mentor future generations of budding young scientists, like my research mentors have done for me.”

pyung@arcadiaquill.com Photos courtesy of Stanley Liu

February 2021

studentlife.arcadiaquill@gmail.com

STUDENT LIFE

11

Friendships Teacher Recommendations During Online During Distance Learning School

By GREG WANG Staff Writer

Additionally, Anica expressed a desire to meet up with friends one last time before they went their separate ways for college, something many seniors may also wish for.

However, not all students have had similar experiences with maintaining relationships online.

“Online school has actually improved many of my friendships,” said senior Justin Wang. “By being online, we can talk more often and catch up with each other, sometimes during passing periods—something that we wouldn’t be able to do if we had class in-person. Additionally, with online school removing most physical restraints, I can talk with my friends over Discord and Zoom much more often. Even though going back to school in-person and hanging out with my friends would be better, my friendships have taken an interesting twist with online school.”

As the school year continues, it seems unlikely that there will be a return to campus.

As such, friendships will continue to deteriorate for some, while they will improve for others. Hopefully, friends will continue to stay in touch with one another.

School’s online format has affected more than just our education. The lack of opportunity to meet with peers has also put a strain on friendships, which may cause some to weaken or fall apart. With the ongoing pandemic preventing most from leaving the house, many students have not seen their friends in months now. Furthermore, it has become nearly impossible to communicate with friends during classes, which were a good opportunity to meet new friends and a good reason to keep in contact with people. Without a lunch break to talk and relax, some students may no longer have time to communicate with those they ate lunch with. As a result, friendships have deteriorated, and some students may have lost contact with friends altogether.

For seniors, this may be the last year they see their friends.

“Online school has made me feel very distant from my friends,” said senior Anica Maninang. “In school, I am able to get an in-real-life update and complaints about their classes. We can joke around, play cards, and hang out whenever we meet up. With distanced learning, there really isn’t anything to connect us anymore except when there’s a question about confusing gwang@arcadiaquill.com schedules ahead or major holidays. My friendGraphic courtesy of PINTEREST.COM ships don’t feel close anymore.” and DISCORD.COM

By JOY HERRERA Staff Writer

She urges juniors to try to make an impression on their teachers as it has become more difficult to get to know students through online learning. We are all trying to create connections in school but the online format means that there are less opportunities to truly get to know people.

I would encourage everyone to try to participate when the teacher asks a question or request an office hours visit for questions that you might have. Regardless of aspirations to a place of higher learning it will make your experience in the class better if you push past the awkwardness of the format. The lack of face-to-face interaction means that even if you are doing a stellar academic job in the class, the teacher might not have a solid impression of you if you aren’t expressing interest outside of assignments.

For the Common Application, teachers are asked to measure their students against every student they have had in the past. This means that you should endeavor to make your actual personality known. Teachers can tell if you are purposely putting on a false demeanor, and authentic connections will be more helpful in the long run.

Another helpful tip is if you need several letters of recommendation to approach teachers in different subjects, this way the colleges you are applying to can see that you are well rounded in several subjects. Even if you have not distinguished yourself in class so far, it is never too late to start making these connections.

Make sure to take note of any particular moments in class that you have enjoyed thus far as it can be helpful to bring up when you are applying for a letter of recommendation or simply talking with your teacher. By making notes yourself you can remind your teacher of this time and make the process easier for them. Once you have received your letter of recommendation make sure to thank your teachers for their time. Normally, this would mean meeting in person or writing a handwritten note but as face-to-face interaction is still prohibited in the near future a sincere email can go a long way.

For juniors with aspirations of attending their dream college, one crucial step is forming relationships with your teachers. Throughout the application process, if you wish to attend a private college, you will most likely be called on to provide a teacher recommendation.

Coronavirus also has the potential to change this process so it is better to ask your teachers soon than later. Many junior teachers are in high demand entering into senior year, so they have set up systems to choose which students they wish to write letters of recommendation for. This means that you may have to fill out an application or set aside time to attend an interview, but before this begins, you should express interest and express it early on.

“I send out in June what students need to do if they want a letter of recommendation. I set up a Google Classroom and let students know that they need to express interest. I really get to know those students over the summer from the information that I ask from them. I usually get anywhere from 50 to 60 requests. This is a lot for any teacher. They ask me and when I am making decisions about cuts I have to decide if I can write enough about this person or if they simply sat in class,” stated Mrs. Nicole Zaidi.

Mrs. Zaidi is a junior English teacher and she is one of the teachers who is asked to write the most letters of recommendation. According to her, this year will be much more difficult than normal years because she is normally able to make connections in class but over Zoom it is much harder to tell if a student is truly present.

She urges everyone to try to engage with their teachers and meet them halfway. It typically takes her anywhere from 40 minutes to an hour to write a letter of recommendation per student as wants to do justice to them. She has already begun to urge her students to try to get to know her in class.

“You have to make the effort to go in and make the connection. If you don’t ever go in and make the connection then they will sit down and write the letter and think that you are one of 800 seniors who all have A’s, but they won’t know you,” stated Ms. Ashley Novak.

Ms. Novak is an English teacher and the Speech and Debate coach at AHS, and she has had plenty of experience with the letter jherrera@arcadiaquill.com of recGraphics courtesy of PNGITEM.COM ommendation process.

12

BLACK

arcadiaquill.com

The Black Family:

By MELODY LUI Campus Focus Edtior Summer of 2020 was a season filled with heat and flames. There was a rise in temperature, but most importantly, there was a world full of frustration and people full of anger. The coronavirus was just starting to take full effect, making it easy to neglect the injustices and prominence of police brutality on Black people, not only in America, but around the globe. That summer, citizens ranging from the youth to the old, protested and advocated for change. So that no other lives would be taken, so that George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Elijah Mcclain, and many more would not have to die in vain. In the month of February, there is so much more to acknowledge and commemorate in honor of Black History Month and the continued protests for change.

Carter G. Woodson was a Harvard-educated historian who is credited with founding Black History Month in 1915. Woodson, as well as Jesse E. Moorland, founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH), which later became the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH). This organization brought attention to the achievements of Black Americans and promoted the study of Black history as the American history books of the 20th century failed to do just that.

“If a race has no history, it has no worthwhile tradition, it becomes a negligible factor in the thought of the world, and it stands in danger of being exterminated,” said Woodson.

The ASNLH sponsored a national Black History week in the second week of February 1926.

The second week of February includes the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln, therefore commemorating both leaders as well as how far the Black community has come.

As communities and schools around the nation began to celebrate Black History Week each year, it soon grew and evolved into Black History Month. Especially because of the civil rights movement in the 1960s, many college campuses began recognizing the entire month of February as Black History Month. A few years later in 1976, President Gerald Ford announced that February would be recognized as Black History Month, with every American president following doing the same.

“One hundred years ago, to help highlight these achievements, Dr. Carter G. Woodson founded the Association for the Study of Afro-American Life and History. We are grateful to him today for his initiative, and we are richer for the work of his organization… But, even more than this, we can seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history,” said President Ford on Feb. 10, 1976.

Each year, there is a theme for Black History Month to bring focus to a certain subject in the Black community. The theme for 2021 is “The Black Family: Representation, Identity, and Diversity” to acknowledge the importance of family in African American culture and history as well as in the modern day.

Black History Month also makes sure to commemorate Black icons from America’s past. Martin Luther King, Jr. was and still is undeniably a major figure in Black history. Guiding the people through peaceful protests and influencing America with his speeches, King will remain a prominent figure in our history books.

FEBRUARY 2021

Black Black Black Histo Hist His Mon Mon Mo

FEBRUARY 2021

cf.arcadiaquill@gmail.com

kk ory tory story nth nth onth

HISTORY

13

Representation, Identity, and Diversity Another notable figure is Marsha P. Johnson, a prominent transgender woman who took part in the infamous Stonewall Riots. An early advocate for LGBTQ+ rights as well as AIDS awareness, Johnson is an inspiration to modern youth. The Marsha P. Johnson Institute’s initiative seeks to reclaim Johnson as well as protect Black transgender Americans from the systemic violence and injustice they have face throughout the years.

The Chicago Defender was a weekly newspaper founded by Robert Abbott in 1905, and the first Black newspaper that boldly covered Black unemployment, rapes, and lynchings when no other newspaper did. At first, Abbott sent his newspapers by hand to each of his subscribers. As the newspaper grew due to the Great Migration, The Chicago Defender began traveling by train all over the nation. By 1917, the Defender reached a circulation of 100,000 copies, becoming the first Black newspaper to reach that level of national readership. Without Abbott to start this newspaper, many modern Black newspapers would have ceased to exist and news from the 1900s would not have featured any struggles of Black Americans.

The King of Pop is a loose term thrown around between different cultures and generations, however, Michael Jackson sits around the top of this umbrella term. Starting his career at age 11, Jackson was bound to be a musician when he decided to dedicate his youth to music. With songs like “Thriller,” “Smooth Criminal,” and “Billy Jean,” Jackson soon became known for his unique sound and enticing music videos. Media looked past his skin color and began to recognize him for his catchy music.

As President Biden and his administration continue to advocate for a reformed $20 bill, the face of this new bill will be familiar. She appears with her own section in history books and is recognized by the majority of American elementary students. Harriet Tubman led hundreds of slaves through the Underground Railroad and into freedom. She risked her own life in order to free many more even with a bounty on her head. If Tubman replaces Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill, she will be the first Black woman on American currency, continuing her legacy in American history.

The goal of Black History Month, as said by Woodson, is to continue acknowledging and educating the American youth about the accomplishments and hardships throughout Black history. Black youth used to grow up reading history books that seemingly erased any traces of Black history. But with continued advocacy and perseverance, Black history, along with many other minorities’ histories, made its way into the American textbooks and education system. The world still has a long way to go in terms of equality and justice, but Black History Month reminds us to stay focused on our goals and that advocacy goes a long way.

mlui@arcadiaquill.com Graphics courtesy of PNGALL.COM SFEXAMINER.COM

14

A&E

By JOY HERRERA Staff Writer Arcadia High School (AHS) has, like schools across the country, had to adapt to the changing circumstances of quarantine and COVID-19. Some of the most impacted programs have been our liberal arts who rely on the stage to showcase their work. However, through innovative solutions, AHS’ Theatre Department has continued to put on shows. On Jan. 29 to 30 at 7:00 p.m. the Coffee House, a variety show by Arcadia Stage Theatre Company was live streamed on the site, ShowTix4U. The performance was 50 minutes long and only cost $5. The funds were raised as a part of an effort to provide scholarships for seniors who plan on continuing their pursuit of the theatre in college. The Coffee House consisted of several segments recorded separately but incorporated together including vocal performances, duets, sketches and instrumental performances.

The night started out strong with senior Rachel Luu’s performance of “Drivers License” by Olivia Rodrigo. The performance was filmed in a style reminiscent of the music video and it transitioned seamlessly to junior Aurora Cordero-Melo’s performance of “Heather” by Conan Gray. “Heather” was performed in a black and white style which tied into the atmosphere of the song.

Between each performance, the students were given a chance to express themselves and in particular what drove them to the theatre and music. This allowed them to share a little bit about themselves and about the production. The Coffee House auditions were open to all levels of the theatre company and each performer selected their own piece which allowed a great variety of skills and styles.

“You get to challenge yourself in so many ways,” said senior Evin Gregor, the

arcadiaquill.com

next performer. Before, his piece he earnestly conveyed his positive experiences in the theatre and how he was continually driven to try new instruments.

The next section of the show was focused on musical theatre. Evin performed a duet with senior Ryan Hancock to the song “Agony” from the musical Into the Woods.

They masterfully edited the song together to produce a believable effect of singing in unison despite the distance. Seniors Sean Hancock and Rachel Luu followed up the performance with an emotional rendition of “Only Us” from the musical Dear Evan Hansen.

Sophomore Marie Sekiguchi followed them with a rendition of “Mystery of Love” by Sufjan Stevens, an original song for the film, Call Me By Your Name.

There was a brief intermission between the songs when sophomore Kariena Panpaliya performed an original sketch comedy piece depicting her dramatized experiences in Zoom classes with teachers that are less than understanding of technological issues.

The show then transitioned into instrumental performances with freshmen Matthew Ho proudly demonstrating his 9 years of experience with the flute with “The Swan.” Evin Gregor followed it up with his interpretation of the Rex Orange County song “Every Way.” Senior Sage Guzman ended the show strong with a return to the music video like performances and astounding vocals during the song “Cherry Wine” by Hozier.

Overall, the Coffee House variety performance was a testament to the skill and creativity of Arcadia Stage even in the worst of circumstances. Make sure to keep a look out for future performances by Arcadia Stage.

jherrera@arcadiaquill.com Graphics courtesy of ARCADIASTAGE.COM and PINTEREST.COM

By CATHERINE CHAN Staff Writer In a pandemic that has put thousands into quarantine with an abundance of spare time, no musician has been more productive than Taylor Swift. She released her surprise album on Dec. 10, Evermore less than five months after the release of her ninth album, Folklore.

Produced by the same creative team as Folklore, Evermore is a both a foray deeper into the mystical forest painted by the escapist Folklore and a return to Swift’s country roots and pop persona.

Evermore falls short of Folklore due to its overlap between genres and lack of standout songs. However, Swift compensates with her vocal performance and powerful narrative, as well as imagery.

In her Instagram announcement of the album, Swift said that Evermore was Folklore’s “sister album,” and that trope certainly applies. There are similarities – both echo a transcendental, romantic sentiment anchored in a fusion of indie rock and folk instrumentals.

However, Folklore’s sophistication is clear; whereas Folklore is beautifully mature, Evermore is overtly experimental. It is as if Folklore’s ruminative forest led Swift to a certain clearing, one in which she was not sure of which direction she should go.

Swift uses her brilliant prowess as a songwriter and raconteur to her advantage, weaving together fictional stories with her own family history; one song in this album, “marjorie”, is a heartfelt tribute to her grandmother.

Some of her best work is non-autobiographical; her song, “tolerate it” shines as a moving portrait of a forlorn wife who is fighting for her marriage all alone. Swift seems to use her own experience of her parents’ divorce to refine her portrayal of a strained marriage.

“While you were out building other worlds, where was I?” Swift sings painfully.

In Folklore’s sole vocal collaboration, Swift and Justin Vernon of Bon Iver complimented one another beautifully on “exile’’. In contrast, the collaboration on Evermore brings a sense of ambiguity to the album.

Evermore’s collaborations give Swift an opportunity to experiment with the genre. The vengeful theme of “no body, no crime”, featuring two of the

FEBRUARY 2021

three sisters of American, pop band HAIM, is reminiscent of Swift’s country phase, specifically her 2010 album titled, Speak Now. The song, “champagne problems”, tells the story of a rejected proposal related over a piano melody, is redolent of Swift’s 2012 album titled Red, which was full of similar acoustic heartbreak stories. Contrastingly, the faster-paced breakup reflection “long story short” mirrors her 2014 album 1989, sadistic yet sassy and more pop than any of her previous albums. Red and 1989 marked Swift’s transition from country music to pop music; that hybrid is influential on Evermore, almost ten years later.

All in all, Swift’s creative fire is admirable, especially in pandemic circumstances.

Though aimless at times, and not as full of what are to become Swift classics as Folklore and Evermore prove Swift, yet again, to be a lyrical and musical phenomenon.

Her voice lends itself to every song, and her storytelling is exquisite. I am left wondering where she will go next; somewhere remarkable, to be sure.

cchan@arcadiaquill.com Graphics courtesy of FONTMEME.COM and VERILYMAG.COM

A&E

ae.arcadiaquill@gmail.com

FEBRUARY 2021

By AVARI WANG Staff Writer Some viewers of the Super Bowl watch it to support their favorite NFL football teams, but some others watch it for the famous spectacular halftime show that happens after the first half of the game every Super Bowl Sunday. The 2021 Super Bowl game’s halftime show was expected to be rather different compared to previous years’ because of COVD-19, and Abel Tesfaye, better known as R&B artist “The Weeknd”, was invited to perform this time.

Unlike previous halftime shows, Tesfaye was the sole performer in this one, but still managed to pull off an amazing and captivating act. In 12 minutes, he sang a total of nine songs, including his 2015 number one hit song “I Can’t Feel My Face” and Grammy-award winning track “Starboy”.

These songs were chosen from various albums, from both old and recent ones. In re-

By GREGORY WANG Staff Writer “On that day, mankind received a grim reminder. We lived in fear of the Titans and were disgraced to live in these cages we called walls.” This is the unforgettable opening line of the anime Attack on Titan, which exploded onto the scene in the spring season of 2013, bringing with it many new anime f a n s while thrusting the anime community into the spotlight. The series quickly grabbed the attention of viewers with its shocking visuals and simple conflict. Humanity, trapped within the walls, began to fight back against the man-eating titans that forced them to hide. After almost seven years, the Attack on Titan anime will soon reach its conclusion.

Attack on Titan fol-

cent interviews, Tesfaye claimed to have taken inspiration from both Diana Ross and Michael Jackson’s Super Bowl performances and incorporated them into his own. However, without the usual gimmicks such as stunts, marching band interludes, and other guest stars, The Weeknd let his music truly steal the spotlight.

According to Vrittie Rashi Goel from CBS News, “The Weeknd even spent $7 million of his own money — above what the NFL shelled out — to produce the halftime show.”

Tesfaye’s backup dancers were wearing some questionable attire as well. They were featured in identical red blazers, black dress pants, and most importantly: face bandages. This concept was actually explored by The Weeknd in a

few of his music videos that were released not long before the Super Bowl.

Tesfaye himself stated that, “The significance of the entire head bandages is reflecting on the absurd culture of Hollywood celebrities and people manipulating themselves for superficial reasons to please and be validated.”

Some of his audience members considered the performance to be creepier and less cheerful-feeling than what is usually expected at the Super Bowl halftime show.

However, many celebrities, including Timothee Chalamet and Dionne Warwick, tweeted congratulations to The Weeknd for his show, while some other people quickly made memes on Twitter, Instagram, and other social media platforms

lows the life of protagonist Eren Yeager and his two friends, Armin and Mikasa. Throughout its first three seasons, the series has shown astonishing growth and reached amazing heights.

Throughout each season, the world the characters inhabited slowly became more complex, as each new season added new layers to the world.

The first season firmly established rules by which the world adhered to, the second expanded upon them and created a mystery, and the third season layered political conspiracies upon the world and delivered a satisfying answer to the mystery. The fourth season, and the parts of the manga that haven’t been adapted yet, further expand upon the world and unveil the true nature of the world and antagonists.

The characters of the world have undergone a lot of growth as well, complicating the narrative. The first season did an excellent job of introducing the main characters, while the second season helps flesh out the side characters. For example, Jean, a fellow member of the Survey Corps, got very little development in the first season, which showcased a small portion of his personality and did little else. However, it was the second season that added a layer of complexity to his personality. Jean went from an annoying, cowardly main side character

meant to serve as Eren’s foil to a complex person who acted the way he did because he valued the lives of those around him. The third season added another layer of complexity to the personalities of the characters, putting them in moral dilemmas where they would have to kill or be killed. Finally, the fourth season has blurred the moral line further, which will eventually unveil the series’ true antagonist’s motives, and the dilemmas that pushed them to their limit.

Thanks to its ever developing lore and the popularity it has had since its first episode, Attack on Titan has managed to ride the hype to its conclusion.

The fourth and final season of the anime will conclude soon, and a movie is expected to adapt what remains of the manga. The manga will be concluding soon as well, as it will end on

15

utilizing his unusual use of props, concepts, and dance moves as the basis for numerous jokes and puns.

The production crew behind this show reported that the preparation for The Weeknd’s 12 minutes on stage was extremely tedious because they had to maintain safety as their number one priority. Daily nose swabs and constant hand washing regulations were implemented while theyworked to preserve the health of everyone involved.

A dazzling combination of golden mirrors, fireworks, immaculate dance choreography, and chaotic camera work helped The Weeknd to make 2021’s Super Bowl’s halftime show one-of-a-kind and exceed everyone’s expectations of a typical singing performance.

awang@arcadiaquill.com Graphics courtesy of CLIPARTMAX.COM and FONTMEME.COM

chapter 139, signifying the 13 years the wielders of the Nine Titans have to live.

Hopefully, the series’ author, Hajime Isayama, will be able to deliver a satisfying conclusion to his masterpiece.

gwang@arcadiaquill.com Graphic courtesy of FREEPIC.COM and HICLIPART.COM

16

SPORTS

theapachepowwow.net

Opinion: Appropriation of Indigenous Culture in Sports

By ANGELA CHEIN Staff Writer The Chicago Blackhawks, Cleveland Indians, Kansas City Chiefs, and Atlanta Braves.

What do these names have in common? Beside being professional sports teams under their respective leagues and organizations, they are also appropriating indigenous culture by using Native American mascots and traditions as part of their branding.

Across the country, indigenous groups have been demanding professional sports teams to revise their use of Native American names and imagery for decades. For instance, the beginning of utilizing Native American mascots in American football began in 1926, when the assistant band director Ray Dvarak of University of Illinois thought of performing a Native American dance during its halftime show. Their symbol “Chief Illinewek” ran onto the field while performing a lively dance, and proceeded to smoke a peace pipe with “William Penn.” Then, the crowd soared with positive reactions, marking the beginning of the normalization of using Native American

imagery as mascots.

The exploitation of Native American cultures is more detrimental than it is at “honoring and celebrating Indians.” For example, the Washington Football Team was previously known as the Washington Redskins. “Redskins” being a racial slur, referring to the bounty hunters who were paid by the numbers of how many Natives they have skinned and killed, were defended by the fans and owner Dan Snyder. Such behavior perpetuates and normalizes racism by non-Native Americans, and in effect, emphasizes the blanket of dehumanization on Native Americans that they are no more than face paint and headgear with feathers.

“We’ll never change the name. It’s that simple. NEVER - you can use caps,” Synder said in a USA Today interview in 2013 when asked about the matter. It wasn’t until July of 2020 that the Washington Football Team released a statement about the retirement of its previous name.

Cultural appropriation of underprivileged and marginalized cultures poses negative psychological, social, and cultural consequences through misrepresentation (for example, the

Kansas Chief and their “tomahawk chop,” a team custom copied from Native American traditions) and offensive stereotypes. In a research paper by Robert and Hope Longwell-Grice, it stated that the equipment used by fans and cheerleading chats are essentially “bastardization of traditional and sacred practices,” trivializing the spiritual nature of their mascots and instruments. It also prevents historical and cultural apprehension of Native Americans.

Furthermore, it minimizes and strips away the impacts of Native Americans’ history in the United States, who forced the group to undergo genocide, racially-motivated violence, and segregation. Even today, native groups still have to endure little to no federal and state support as the government has limited their access to resources. In the 2018 U.S Census, Native Americans ranked first as the minority group with the highest poverty rate at 25%.

Activists are pushing for more teams and professional franchises to get rid of their racially-stereotyped mascots. Suzan Shown Harjo of Cheyenne and Creek ancestry has pursued protests and lawsuits to ban the use of Native nicknames and imagery in sports, vocalizing that

FEBRUARY 2021

such exploitations and misappropriation needs to be discontinued immediately. According to a Sports Illustrated article, the Washington Football Team was put on the line when their sponsors (Nike, FedEX, and PepsiCo) threatened to terminate their contract unless they changed their name, proving the effectiveness of corporate pressure.

Aside from name-changes, professional sport teams have yet to apologize to the Native Americans for inappropriate depictions. Nonetheless, sport fans can push for the removal of incorrect representation through building an understanding of Native American cultures and history. It is important to hold these multimillion dollar franchises accountable, for they have a huge impact on the fans and media representations of Native Americans.

achein@apachepowwow.net Graphic courtesy of ARCHIVE.WKSU.ORG and AMAZON.COM

Super Bowl LV Recap

By BRANDON CHAN

Staff Writer

Super Bowl LV kicked off this past Sunday, Feb. 7, with the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers battling for the championship. In terms of odds, the Chiefs opened this game as a 3.5-point favorite for good reason. They had the best offense in the NFL during the regular season in large part thanks to the most talented quarterback Patrick Mahomes and All-Pro receiving options in Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce (415.8 yards per game, 303.4 passing yards per game, 30.1 points per game).

They also defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 12, 27-24. However, in that game, the Buccaneers came back in the 4th quarter.

On the other hand, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers struggled through the regular season, having a 7-5 record going into their bye week.

After the bye week though, they were a perfect

7-0 including the postseason and all that mattered was that they had the greatest quarterback ever, Tom Brady.

In the first quarter, the Chiefs and Buccaneers didn’t do much during their first three possessions. However, at the end of the quarter, Tom Brady threw a touchdown pass to Rob Gronkowski, putting them up 7-3. That was their 13th postseason touchdown, the most ever by a quarterback-wide receiver duo.

Patriots cornerback tweeted. Chung, Patrick (PatrickChung23). “just witnessed history.

Blessed to see this @RobGronkowski @TomBrady greatest of all time. Both of you.” 7 Feb. 2021, 8:08 PM. Tweet.

In the second quarter, the high-scoring Chiefs once again could not get anything going through the air or on the ground, managing to only kick another field goal. The Buccaneers, however, scored two more touchdowns, another one to Rob Gronkowski and one to Antonio

Brown. It was 21-6 going into halftime. matter of seconds.

This year’s halftime show was performed “Mahomes ran for 497 yards before either

by The Weeknd. He spent $7 million of his own passing or being sacked tonight. 497,” said NFL money to put together what he envisioned. The analyst Scott Porter. “Bucs only blitzed 5 times. majority of the public enjoyed this performance, Pressured 29 times on 56 drop backs. Most ever highlighted by his song “Blinding Lights” at the in a Super Bowl.” end.

This Super Bowl victory marks number After halftime, the Chiefs quickly went seven for Tom Brady (he was also the Super down the field but only came away with a field Bowl MVP). After what he did in this game at goal because of the Buccaneers’ stout defense. the age of 43, he is now the undisputed GOAT The Buccaneers were relentless and scored in most people’s eyes. another ten points, pushing the score to 31-9.

“Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr., the At this point, the game was over. Neither team greatest of all time even greater at age 43,” said scored again in the fourth quarter.

Unidsputed co-host Skip Bayless. “Never been The Chiefs were doomed by some terrible anything like him.” drops, one by Tyreek Hill and another by Darrel Williams. Both drops could have resulted in touchdowns after Mahomes made some of the most ridiculous incomplete throws ever. The Chiefs offensive line was also atrocious and let bchan@apachepowwow.net the Buccaneer pass rushers get to Mahomes in a Photo courtesy of CNN.COM

FEBRUARY 2021

SPORTS

sports.arcadiaquill@gmail.com

17

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS SUE NEWSOM AS TIME RUNS OUT FOR FOOTBALL

By JOY HERRERA

Staff Writer In these unprecedented times, states have had to make decisions on how best to handle public safety. For the state of California, this has meant employing distance learning for schools since the quarantine first started in March 2020. All high school sports were also shut down due to health guidelines and most fall sports have still not resumed. With the last day for regional and state football championships slated to end in April under the new California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) calendar, time appears to be running out for football players.

Students Nicholas Gardinera of Scripps Ranch High School and Cameron Woolsey of Mission Hills High School decided that San Diego County is not providing adequate reasons for the continuing bans and brought a lawsuit naming the state of California, Governor Gavin Newsom, San Diego County, and the public health official Dr. Wilma Wooten as the defendants.

Gardinera and Woolsey, both football players, argue that in 47 other states high school level sports have been allowed to resume. California is one of only 17 states that did not allow the football season to play during the fall season. This led Gardinera and Woolsey to believe that there is not a correlation between allowing high school sports to resume and spikes in COVID-19.

For many seniors it is important to make a strong showing in their last year as it is a pivotal time for both recruiters and scholarships as they go on to college and collegiate sports. As a result, time is especially running out for seniors as the school year draws to a close with the CIF stating that for the season to play out, games would need to begin in March.

Furthermore, professional and collegiate sports teams have long been able to continue practicing and holding competitions as long as certain protocols are followed. The protocols include social distancing, mask-wearing, testing, and contact tracing. Notably, the suit mentions the San Diego-based Major League Baseball team, the San Diego Padres who were allowed to continue with the professional season and practices. On the collegiate end, both the San Diego Aztecs and University of San Diego Toreros’ basketball teams have been allowed to continue with their seasons.

“If a sport is safe for college students to play when following certain protocols, it is no

less safe were high school student athletes to follow these same protocols,” stated the lawsuit, comparing the continued playing of professional sports with the shut down of most high school sports.

Governor Gavin Newsom has already allowed cross country athletes to resume training, but he seemed to be hesitant to give answers to the fate of contact sports like football. Only time will tell if these student-athletes will have the time to get back on the field.

Questions like when to resume sports are going to become more numerous as vaccine distribution begins to be rolled out to more of the population. Schools are important to reopen, yet the danger of coronavirus is ever-present with California averaging around 6,000 new cases per day and with California alone having around 3.5 million cases of coronavirus since the beginning of the pandemic.

jherrera@arcadiaquill.com Photo courtesy of OCREGISTER.COM

PARA SNOWBOARDER SPEEDS TO SUCCESS

By SEAN YANG Staff Writer

syang@arcadiaquill.com Photo courtesy of SUMMITDAILY.COM

After finishing in high rankings in several competitions, Kiana Clay has become the first para snowboarder to be signed by the Burton Team Riders. This is a team that is composed of Olympic snowboarder legends such as Kelly Clark and Shaun White. Although Clay has been making a name for herself, she may not be able to compete in the Paralympics until 2026, but she is working to change that.

Clay first became a paralympic athlete after she suffered an unfortunate accident at a young age. After crashing her bike when she was just 12, she was unable to move her right arm.

Unfortunately only a few weeks after that incident, both Clay and her father were hit by a drunken driver which caused their truck to flip over. This event would result in her arm never being able to recover, even after an intensive 14 hour session of a nerve graft procedure.

To adapt to this situation, Clay began to train herself to do daily activities by using her functioning arm. She learned how to write, play video games, and even tie her own hair. However, it wasn’t until she found snowboarding that she truly discovered her passion as an athlete.

Clay garnered attention for herself after achieving promising results in a couple of domestic competitions which awarded her a spot in the Burton Team as well as in the Olympics. However, due to not having enough competitors in the 2022 Beijing Games, Clay is unable to compete as the game is not being included in the 2022 Games. To combat this, she is creating a petition in order to get her sport onto a spot in the 2022 Games.

“We really need that class in the next Games, it’s about encouraging the next generation, making that future possibility,” said Clay.

To get prepared for the Games, Clay trains at the gym almost every day. She also practices snowboarding as well as meets with a nutritionist and sports psychologists in order to stay sharp.

These days, in addition to keeping her snowboarding skills adept, Clay also works with Burton to enhance snowboarding gear for people with disabilities. She wants to develop a jacket that can be controlled by just one hand. Clay’s next goal is to amputate her useless arm below the elbow in order to remove dead weight.

Overall, we can all learn something from Clay’s story and that is to never give up. Even when she was put into a position of adversity, she came out strong and achieved success.

“I want to help people see beyond themselves, what their potential is and if they’re capable of putting in the work,” said Clay.

18

CAMPUS FOCUS

arcadiaquill.com

FEBRUARY 2021

happy valentine’s day!

Although COVID-19 has prevented many of us from spending Valentine’s Day together, we asked the students of AHS how they celebrated the holiday.

if you did, how did you celebrate valentine’s day this year?

“I hung out with my boyfriend and we designed and made matching sweatpants!” - Kya Reynolds, 11

what’s been your favorite part about valentine’s day?

“Since I am single I don’t really celebrate Valentine’s, but I do see a lot of nice bouquets around that time. My mom buys these as decorations at home.

They are aesthetically pleasing and sometimes are good references for art, so that’s what I get out of Valentine’s day.” - Ophelia Lu, 11 “My favorite part about Valentine’s Day is sending love messages to my families and friends. I just think celebrating and spreading love is my favorite part about Valentine’s Day and also getting sweet treats.” - Angelina Kim, 9

if you weren’t able to, who would you have wanted to spend time with on valentine’s?

“I normally don’t really celebrate Valentine’s Day but if I did, I would spend Valentine’s Day by myself! That way, I can focus on taking care of myself and giving myself the love that I need! Self-love is important.” - Alyssa Lin, 12 “I didn’t celebrate Valentine’s Day this year. I would’ve wanted to spend Valentine’s day with Tom Holland. I know that may never happen, but I will always dream of spending Valentine’s Day with Tom Holland and swinging around the city with him.” - Vritti Godani, 10