March 2022

the arcadia quill ISSUE 6 VOLUME 69

@arcadiaquill

MARCH 2022

EST. 1952

2022 Spring Pep Assembly

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By MADISON YEE

ARCADIA HIGH SCHOOL

Staff Writer Per tradition, groups including ASB, Pep Squad, Percussion, Pep Band, Colorguard, and Orchesis gathered in the North Gym for a lively 2022 Spring Pep Assembly. As the last Pep Assembly of the year, the livestream was produced by Apache News and brought virtually to students in their classrooms on Mar. 11.

Opening with an introduction from junior Anchors Terry Cheung and Nicole Nie, the assembly transitioned to ASB Pep Commissioners Zoe Bui and Anya Yang who welcomed Percussion as the first performance.

With unique costumes, choreography, and captivating music, Percussion created a story with their production called “Missing You Too.” World Line member junior Cassie Kao shared how this was her first time being a part of the experience and how she got to see the behind the scenes, along with the blood, sweat, and tears that went into making it possible.

“I’ve seen firsthand how much dedication, effort, and time each member puts into perfecting this art, whether it is synchronizing the choreography or music with painstaking precision or even just finding the inner performer and projecting that passion and confidence to the audience. And it is truly remarkable to see the beginnings of our final product come together. The teamwork, trust, and chemistry everyone in the group has with each other is truly what makes World special,” she said.

“We still have so much to learn and perfect but regardless, the focus and determination that each individual possesses in the group is so

180 CAMPUS DRIVE ARCADIA, CA 91006

inspiring, and I believe that we will continue to accomplish so much as long as we persevere until the very end.”

Afterwards, the assembly segued to ASB Athletics Commissioner Matthew Le who presented the Arcadia High School (AHS) 2022 Spring Varsity Sports Teams.

In this segment, teams including Volleyball, Golf, Softball, Swim, Track and Field, Badminton, and Baseball edited video montages of their seasons thus far with highlights from their achievements, comedic clips, and more.

To follow, Colorguard shared their amazing performance called “Making Our Scars Gold.”

“Having the opportunity to have more practice performing in front of an audience was very beneficial for the team and definitely my favorite part of performing in the Spring Pep Assembly,” said Winter Guard member senior Sebina Rothschild.

On that note, students were then able to finally get a sneak peek for the highly anticipated 2022 Prom Reveal. After a teaser with help from Ethan Tran, Sebina Rothschild, and Shawn Pardo, ASB Sophomore President Kelly Cheng and ASB Sophomore Vice President and Prom Chair Joyce Lee made the exciting announcement. During the Prom reveal, the two disclosed that the venue will be at the Los Angeles River Center with the theme being “A Celestial Night.” The event is officially set to take place on May 28 with ticket sales beginning on May 9.

With a quick round of applause for the Prom Committee’s hard work, the assembly progressed into a performance from Orchesis

what's inside

state speech quals tournament [pg 4] college names matter [pg 6] The Arcadia Speech and Debate competition team recently competed in their first of two State Qualifier Tournaments.

Competitors in these two tournments are all vying for a spot to compete in the State Championship.

Photo courtesy of AHS Speech and Debate

Dance Company. In the “Tap In” choreography, their high energy and lively dancing skills went above and beyond.

“Honestly, it felt so exhilarating performing in the assembly,” said sophomore Stella Luong, member of Orchesis Dance Company.

“Orchesis has not participated in the Spring Assembly in years, let alone done it with a hip-hop number. So I had such a blast performing with my friends while giving everyone a taste of what our dance team has worked so hard for. It really prepped us for our upcoming show next month, and I’m grateful we have these opportunities.”

After an exceptional dance number from Orchesis, Pep Squad put on their annual Unity performance which involves Pep Song, Pep Cheer, and Pep Flags. To an upbeat remix of numerous songs, they all worked as one while doing impressive stunts, flag tosses, turns, a kickline, hip-hop section, and more.

ASB then organized a Pop Culture Trivia with some of AHS’ favorite teachers. In three rounds, teams were asked to name popular singers, trends, demonstrate “the jerk,” and more. The final competition was Mr. Chris Schultz and Ms. Clara Choi versus Mr. David Seiler and Ms. Carlie Jones, Mr. Seiler brought his team to victory.

Finally, the assembly ended with Pep Band who played the Alma Mater. As the performance came to a close, it was a great last Pep Assembly of the year for the spring season.

ahs class feature: chanteurs [pg 13]

However, name schools will always hold the advantage over less recognized universities in the competitive hiring environment, and the success that their alumni have had speaks volumes to the significance of receiving costlier, more rigorous higher education.

Graphic courtesy of ISTOCK.COM

myee@arcadiaquill.com Photo courtesy of EMMALINE PAN

Although the Arcadia Choral Program has been around since the start of Arcadia High School (AHS), the program has developed into one with passion, artistry, and a love for music.

Photo courtesy of AUSD DCI

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

02

POLICY

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MARCH 2022

the arcadia quill. editorial board

Editors-in-Chief: Kylie Ha, Robinson Lee, Anya Yang News Editors: Leslie Chen and Lilian Chong Opinion Editors: Catherine Chan and Enzo Goebel Features Editor: Jorge Espinoza-Gonzalez Arts & Entertainment Editor: Pamina Yung Sports Editor: Zoe Lin Media Editor: Amanda Chang Campus Focus Editors: Chloe Wong and Ashley Zhao Publicity Managers: Becky Chen and Rebecca Tao

general staff

Staff Writers: Caitlyn Chau, Serena Chin, Aahana Dutta, Dhruti Kulkarni, Kai Wetterau, Stephanie Wang, Ainsley Najafzadeh, Emmaline Pan, Vanessa Valentino, Darin Buenaluz, Kate De Prima, Sabrina Lo, Lorin Teng, Michelle So, Henrina Zhang, Ashley Chan, Wesley Chen, Sohana Sahni, Anna Odell, Maryam Sadeghifard, Kira Camacho, Vritti Godani, Madison Yee, Sophia Li Media Staff: Caitlyn Chau, Wesley Chen, Kate De Prima, Lorin Teng, Vanessa Valentino, Ainsley Najafzadeh, Emmaline Pan, Madison Yee Advisor: 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.

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Policy The Arcadia Quill acknowledges the systemic inequities persistent in our country and community, and therefore we maintain a dedication towards equity, diversity, and inclusion. As a student-led organization, we strive to inspire high school students to use their voices to discuss issues that affect them in conjunction with our goal to provide a space of journalistic integrity and professionalism. We expect ourselves to be inclusive and respectful of everyone regardless of identity—including but not limited to race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnic identity, immigration status, socioeconomic status, ability, and religious belief.

We strive to put our values into action by doing the following: Highlighting the stories and experiences of students from backgrounds that have historically

faced inequality.

Assessing how The Arcadia Quill can improve by taking steps to avoid contributing to cultural appropriation and systemic injustice.

Working to educate our staff on the impact of systemic inequality, and equipping them with tools on how to advance equity, diversity, and inclusion within their own means.

Following standards set by Arcadia Unified School District to confront systemic injustice including racial inequity.

We hold ourselves to high standards in advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion. If you have any questions or concerns regarding these efforts by The Arcadia Quill, please email eic.arcadiaquill@ gmail.com.

MARCH 2022

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EDITORIAL

03

The Mask Since the beginning of the pandemic, the mask’s main purpose has always been to protect. Not only to protect the person wearing it, but others around them as well.

During the peak of the pandemic throughout 2020 and 2021, where safety and wellbeing were primary concerns, wearing a mask brings a sense of connection and unity by serving as a way of saying: “we’re all in this together.” Wearing a mask also displays one’s sense of selflessness, as it shows that you’re willing to give up some of your personal comfort for the sake of making others feel safer around you.

Scientific studies have also shown the effectiveness of masks in preventing the spread of COVID-19. One study conducted by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention found that at least 96% of the over 1,000 negative-testing participants wore some sort of face mask. Conversely, less than 4% of the negative-testing participants never wore a face mask of any kind while the study was being

conducted, thus indicating the miniscule chances of lowering the possibility of contracting COVID without a face mask.

Following California’s new guidelines on masking, school districts are now allowed to make their own decision regarding requiring masks. Arcadia Unified School District, like neighboring Pasadena and Alhambra school districts, has decided to no longer require masks but “strongly recommend” students and staff to continue wearing them.

Sadly, though the physical purpose of masks is to protect, it has become a symbol of great divide and polarization in our society. From the halls of Washington’s Capitol Building to countless households around the country, the mask has gained a separate, more polarizing significance for many. Some arguments state that mask requirements are insufficient in preventing the spread of COVID-19 and as such are unnecessary; others claim that the only truly efficient

way to prevent the spread of COVID is by wearing a mask, at least until herd immunity through vaccination is achieved.

At Arcadia High School, students are faced with making a difficult choice.

Throughout the pandemic, wearing a mask at school placed an individual in the majority, while those who didn’t wear one stood out—often with negative assumptions about why they weren’t wearing a mask. Now with the mandate being lifted, it is difficult for many to remove that negative association (whether politically-motivated or not) when they see someone choosing to not wear a mask.

The unwillingness and difficulty in understanding opposing viewpoints puts Arcadia students at a divide—and it will potentially hinder our ability to move forward.

Whereas the mask was initially a tool to protect, it has become so politicized to the point that wearing a mask on campus is no longer an issue of safety more than it is a social dilemma. Students who will

continue wearing masks can be judged as insecure, and students who don’t severely stand out. These factors prevent us from making our own choices regarding our body and our privacy. Everyone should be entitled to their own point of view regarding the new mandate—the choice to wear or not to wear a mask is entirely up to an individual. Judging someone for their personal choice only furthers the divide, not only for our own school but for the nation as a whole.

With so many false victories and deadly surges in the past year, it’s difficult to imagine a future where a new variant won’t dash our hopes of easing back to normal. But as we approach yet another year of the COVID pandemic, and things are finally looking up again, it’s about time we move away from polarization and towards unity.

Graphic courtesy of PNGTREE.com

04

NEWS

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MARCH 2022

SPEECH STATE QUALS TOURNAMENT

By SOPHIA LI

Staff Writer The Arcadia Speech and Debate competition team recently competed in their first of two State Qualifier Tournaments. Competitors in these two tournaments are all vying for a spot to compete in the State Championship Tournament, held on Apr. 30 in Culver City, California.

The first tournament was a two-day tournament on Feb. 25 and Feb. 26. Overall, the competition was a success, as Arcadia placed 2nd overall and gave their longtime competitor, Gabrielino High School, a run for their money.

The Arcadia High School Speech and Debate Team is a part of the Southern California Debate League (SCDL), with their head coach, Ms. Ashley Novak being the S C D L president. On the first day, Arcadia competed at Arroyo High School in the events of Lincoln Douglas (LD) and Policy. The following day, on Feb. 26, competitors competed at Montebello High School for all speech events.

In each event, only the very top performances advance to state, as the competition is very tough. However, several Arcadia students were able to achieve this task. Let’s congratulate those who moved on to qualify for state!

In US Extemp, Evelyn Tsoi placed 5th place. For Original Prose and Poetry, Arcadia had Swarit Srivastava in 7th, Amanda Le in 6th, and Oishika Chattopadhyay in 4th place.

In Original Oratory, Rebecca Tao placed 4th,

and Rachel Wang came away with 1st in Original Advocacy. As for Oratorical Interpretation, Arcadia had Zachary Sakti in 6th, Yana Verma in 3rd, Minnoli Shukla in 2nd, and Rachel Wang in 1st. In the event of Expository, Michelle Fan placed 2nd and Anvitha Marlapati received 3rd place. Then, in Impromptu, Tao was 7th, Chattopadhyay in 5th, Verma in 3rd, and Michelle Fan won 1st. There was only one representative for Humorous Interpretation (HI), and Andy Li won 1st. In the event of Dramatic Interpretation, Arcadia had a 1-2 sweep with Kaylee Wong in 1st and Sarah Chao in 2nd. Lastly, in Lincoln Douglas Debate (also known as L.D.), Arcadia had Ariana Hernandez representing, placing 6th.

“It felt really cool to represent Arcadia and take first place in HI. The community and people are Arcadia, especially the Speech and Debate Team, is really fun. We have a lot of great freshmen, sophomores, and JV people who are going to take care of Arcadia next year, so it’s really exciting to be able to compete with them and compete alongside them. Overall, the experience of the competition was pretty fun, and I love the food place that we usually get every single time we go there. I particularly like HI because I like making people laugh, as it’s been a part of who I am for the past 5 years, and I’ve always enjoyed doing the event,” senior Andy Li said.

Sophomore Euan Kelsey Laru-An was another competitor at the state quals tourna-

ment but unfortunately wasn’t able to break and qualify for state. However, he has some insight into his experience and how he will come back stronger next year!

“This is my second time competing at State Quals, but my first time competing at it in person, and my experience this year was certainly lively! Although the tournament was a competition, State Quals also felt like a celebration, because it was really nice seeing people appreciate everyone’s hard work throughout the year on their respective events.

I competed in Oratorical Interpretation (OI), and it’s basically where you re-perform an already given speech with your own interpretation of the piece, so the performances can be very creative! Overall, I feel like everyone on the team did a good job this year, seeing that we did really really well, winning second in sweepstakes for Division 1. I personally can’t wait for next year’s State Qualifiers for speech!” Laru-An said.

Freshman Ellie Gladson-Pang was also one of the competitors who was still getting the jist of competing, and was able to watch the speeches and debates given by her fellow competitors! Even though GladsonPang didn’t compete, it was refreshing to be able to see her competitors and see specific skills and techniques that she can improve on.

She is trying out Congress, a form of debate, and hopes that she can qualify next year!

However, it is all thanks to the support from parents and volunteers that the tourna-

ment was able to run smoothly. In Speech and Debate competitions, many volunteers devote their time and effort to be trained as a judge, to be able to judge events other than the one their child is competing in. Without volunteer judges, the process for selecting a winner would become very complicated! This past weekend, Yilin Ma, the mother of Li, who won 1st in HI, was one of the many parent volunteers. Ma judged in speech events like Informative Speaking, International Extemporaneous Speaking, US Extemp, and Oratorical Interpretation.

“Ever since Andy started competing in speech and debate competitions, I’ve dedicated myself to support him and his team through judging for competitions. I have been actively serving as a judge for local and online high school speech and debate tournaments, and I really enjoy doing it, as I get to expose myself to different ideas and views,” Ma said.

Overall, in this first tournament, Arcadia had a total of 15 students advancing to the state competition, but that number is expected to increase. On Mar. 5, there is a debate tournament that allows for students to qualify for state, at Schurr High School in Montebello, California. The events include public forum, Parli, and/or Congress events. Congratulations to the Speech and Debate team for an outstanding performance!

teachers was super crazy. Overall, it was a super exciting event,” said Link Crew member junior Dakota Lee. Because of the unfortunate situation we all have been put in for the past two years, this event wasn’t able to happen in the last years due to safety concerns. As we return to normalcy, this prompted the revival of the event once again.

“The Pi day event has been a big Link Crew tradition for years. I guess it’s been able to live on because of how much everyone enjoys it, students and staff alike. The whole concept of the event really embodies the fun, energetic high school atmosphere that so many people look forward to, and Link Crew really takes pride in the ability to bring that to life at AHS,” said Link Crew member Anabelle El Khoury.

Though, a lot of the time we don’t understand the amount of effort that goes into planning these occasions and the process it takes to get the event actually going.

“To plan this event, it took about a month

ago to make sure everything went smoothly.

On the actual day, we had to make sure to set up before the actual event during 4th period with a group of around 6 Link Crew leaders. We set up the chairs, barricades, the piemaking station, and the tables for check-in during 4th period. After the actual event, the highlights were that most of the teachers who got pied were happy after getting pied and that a lot of students had fun. The main highlight after the event was that after a student threw a pie at a teacher, as he was coming off the rally court stage he said, ‘Best two dollars I’ve ever spent!’” said Link Crew member junior Carlos Figueroa This excitement followed through, as the other Link Crew members remarked on their excitement for the event too, as well as the behind-the-scenes that we don’t see with Link Crew’s efforts in setting it up by lunch to be perfect for participants.

“Personally, I was super excited to be getting back to traditions like the Pi day event that were put on hold by the pandemic. With all the

stress going on, this event allows students and teachers to have fun outside of the classroom, helps lift school spirits, and is honestly just a great way for everyone to let loose,” said ElKhoury These traditions are held dear to all Arcadia students. Being able to participate in this event brought together not only the numerous students who paid to participate in the event, and those watching but also humanized the teachers who participated with their students.

This Pi day event not only was an incredibly fun experience for the students, but this was also the first time for more than half of the students at Arcadia High School has ever heard of the event, so this was a big step forward toward the forthcoming normalcy after the pandemic for about two years. Thank you to Link Crew for hosting this event and reviving a long-lost tradition.

sli@arcadiaquill.com Graphics courtesy of PIXABAY.COM

LINK CREW PI DAY

By MARYAM SADEGHIFARD Staff Writer

The long-awaited date that students and math teachers had all been waiting for, Mar. 14 finally arrived. In honor of this special day, Link Crew decided to commemorate it by hosting a “Happy Pi Day” event in which students were able to share their excitement for the day, along with releasing a little bit of the stress they’ve had all the way through Quarter 3. This event held on Mar. 10 at lunch was a perfect opportunity to spend time with friends at the rally court and teachers, too. By paying $2, any student could throw a pie respectfully at their teacher’s face.

“We wanted to have some fun and celebrate! There were a handful of teachers who were there, and anyone who bought a pie threw it at whichever teacher they wanted, who was participating! It was super exciting because there were some teachers who I knew were there, and I was so looking forward to pieing them. Also seeing other people pieing their

msadeghifard@arcadiaquill.com Graphic courtesy of FREESVG.ORG

NEWS

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MARCH 2022

Tweaking the build back better bill

By ANNA ODELL Staff Writer A climate emergency is upon us, and the U.S. federal government has been working to find solutions to the issue at hand. Unfortunately, they have made very little progress regarding the issue due to its complexity.

However, Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia has opened up negotiations regarding a new bill. He took President Joe Biden’s climate and economic bill and changed it to something more practical.

“Confirming that climate and clean energy provisions will be some of the few original pieces of Biden’s original Build Back Better bill he wants to pass through a Democrat-only bill,” stated Ella Nilson and Lauren Fox on CNN. One of Manchin’s points is to increase the amount of taxes on wealthier citizens and large companies and use that money towards climate solutions. He wants to address issues that are not “social problems.”

Although people do agree with many of his ideas, some disagree with his views on issues such as affordable childcare since he believes that it is a “social problem” and doesn’t think it should be included in the bill.

“Democrats spent over half a year in back-and-forth negotiations on the centerpiece of their domestic agenda. They may be ready to take what Manchin hands them on climate-related tax credits and whatever doesn’t register as a “social issue” with him,” said Joseph Zeballos on Business Insider.

His ideas formed when he expressed his distaste for the Build Back Better program that Biden wanted to initiate. This distaste stems from the $29 trillion debt that he believes should be addressed immediately. Taxing large corporations and wealthy individuals, as previously mentioned, Manchin believes will put an end to the debt.

“Half of that money should be dedicated to fighting inflation and reducing the deficit,” Manchin said on CNN. Other senators are optimistic about his ideas as it does address important issues.

“I think that is very good news, and my view of it is we need to find a way to get specific about what that means and do it,” Senator Tina Smith of Minnesota stated on CNN. It is controversial in the sense that he doesn’t necessarily want to get rid of fossil fuels.

This could “hamper the President’s goal to cut US emissions by 50-52% below 2005 levels by 2030.”

As the climate emergency continues to escalate, the government is working hard to come up with a plan which addresses the issue. Although Biden’s Build Back Better program has faced opposition from Manchin, his potential bill has gained cautious support from many senators.

Some believe that it needs tweaking but depending on how the midterms go, the public will know if the Build Back Better program or Manchin’s ideas will be initiated.

aodell@arcadiaquill.com Graphic by OPENCLIPART.ORG

05

PRESIDENT BIDEN'S STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS

By VRITTI GODANI

Staff Writer A State of the Union Address is a speech given by Congress each January and gives Congress a view of the state of the nation and how the President plans to move forward. On Mar. 1, President Joe Biden delivered the State of the Union address, although a few weeks late due to the pandemic and stalled legislative agenda, to Congress. He addressed a multitude of topics, but some topics stood out more than others. Here are some of the biggest takeaways from President Biden’s State of the Union Address.

Firstly, President Biden called out Russian President, Vladimir Putin, by name. Not only did President Biden denounce all that Putin is doing with Ukraine, but he also showcased his support for the Ukrainian people and stated that he will be employing further sanctions on Russia and banning all Russian airlines from American Airspace, following in the footsteps of Europe and Canada. President Biden focused on Ukraine for a significant amount of time during the duration of his speech and received cheers and audible bipartisan support, which is rare during a State of the Union address.

President Biden also focused heavily on combating inflation, especially after his low approval ratings. He began by empathizing with the American people and the economic struggles they are currently facing, and he stated that he aims to fight inflation by lowering prices and getting them under control. President Biden highlighted the need to increase domestic manufacturing and also discussed aspects of his “Build Back Better” Plan. He praised the nation’s ability to economically recover while still acknowl-

edging the disruption of supply chains and the closing of factories. Although the President stated that he aims to help the American people, attempting to stabilize prices will be difficult with a Supreme Court that has been hesitant to pass many of his social spending proposals.

“I think recent gas prices tell us a lot about inflation today, and I wanted to see how the president would address it. I think he could’ve done a better job addressing it, but I hope he takes steps to tackle inflation”, stated Junior Grace Titizian.

The President touched on the COVID-19 pandemic and acknowledged that America was entering a new phase of the pandemic.

He announced a new “test to treat” program where Americans who have tested positive for the virus at drugstores could receive free antiviral pills to treat the virus. He urged the American people to beware of new variants but stated that he is glad that the country is not in a state where COVID controls our lives.

The last thing the President emphasized was his desire to unite the nation and he will be striving for bipartisanship during his presidency. While he mentioned the “Build Back Better” Plan during his speech, he also mentioned and called for legislation for cancer research, to support veterans, and to tackle domestic violence.

Overall, President Biden touched on many important issues and topics during his State of the Union address while focusing on one overarching topic, unity of the nation.

vgodani@arcadiaquill.com Photo by COMMONS.WIKIMEDIA. ORG and PXHERE.COM

Current Volunteer Opportunities

By AINSLEY NAJAFZADEH Staff Writer With Summer break quickly approaching, many Arcadia High School (AHS) students are seeking volunteer opportunities within our community to gain experience and volunteer hours.

Arcadia’s Volunteen Program offers a variety of volunteer options tailored to students’ strengths and interests, enabling students to develop leadership skills and gain work experience.

It is applicable to people between the ages of 13 and 17. Volunteers must be able to contribute at least 10 hours per week for the duration of the summer program and applications will be available beginning Monday, Mar. 14.

Applications must be submitted by 5 p.m. on

Friday, Apr. 15.

Volunteers are always welcome at Arcadia Library, as they are needed to help with various tasks. Volunteer programs at the library provide opportunities to fulfill community service requirements. People of all ages and skill sets can apply to be a volunteer. The library asks that volunteers commit to volunteering at least two hours per week for a period of at least six months for the majority of volunteer jobs. To volunteer, you must be at least 13-yearsold.

Freshman Sabiha Ahmed said, “I believe that volunteering is a good way to help others while also learning about your community and environment. It can also improve a variety of

skill sets and let you practice your hobbies. Volunteering will allow you to break out of your comfort zone and try new things.”

In addition to Arcadia’s volunteer options, Sierra Madre and Monrovia both have upcoming volunteer opportunities. The “Carnival in the Park” at Sierra Vista Park is now asking for volunteers for 2-hour shifts during the event. The Stars Athletic Foundation is also looking for volunteers to assist with gymnastics sessions on Friday afternoons from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. in Monrovia. Helping with equipment set up and with one class of children aged

7 to 11, would be some of the responsibilities of a volunteeringsession. Volunteers do not need to have any prior gymnastics experience, as they will provide you with the necessary training.

AHS has a number of clubs that allow students to learn about volunteering and supporting their communities, one of which is Interact Club, a club where you can participate in numerous community events as a volunteer. If you’re still having problems discovering volunteer opportunities, TeensVolunteer offers a wide range of options for teens who wish to help out in their communities.

anajafzadeh@arcadiaquill.com Photo by PXHERE.COM

06

OPINION

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MARCH 2022

The Broken Badge Our Asian Parents Bear

By CATHERINE CHAN, LILIAN CHONG, BECKY CHEN, REBECCA TAO Editors

“Blacks and Hispanics don’t deserve to take our spots at college.” The words spilled effortlessly from my mother’s mouth. “Asians are smarter. Work harder.

Respectful.”

Hearing such sentiments from older generations is commonplace for the four of us, especially since we live in an ethnic cluster.

Their entitlement stems from one source: the model minority myth.

The model minority myth falsely molds all Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) into a studious, wealthy entity. Under the guise of this myth, we’re all socioeconomically successful due to our cultural emphasis on educational and economic prestige.

On the surface, this doesn’t seem far from the truth: AAPI ranks as the highestearning racial group. However, this myth assumes us to be a monolith. In reality, AAPI hold the largest income inequality gap as our community encompasses a wide range of ethnicities and socioeconomic backgrounds (Pew Research Center).

Being “model minorities” doesn’t make us any better than other people of color (POC); instead, it holds us to unattainable standards. The perceived success of Asians becomes incessantly weaponized against other minori-

younger generation, we’ve realized that this racial fracture between us and Black people is a manifestation of the myth.

For years and years, Asians and Black people were pitted against each other. The very essence of the “model minority myth” draws a dangerous comparison of us as minorities. The very journalist who coined this term of “model minority” did so to denigrate Black people as incapable of the docility and ability to succeed that Asian Americans seemingly exhibit. It has been used by white commentators to further divide us. Once seen as a lifeline for Asians in the past, the myth now reveals its true form as an anchor that inhibits progress towards unity.

Change starts small—our parents must register that the badge can’t shield us from being treated as aliens. We are hurt and exhausted from fighting our own battles alone, from generations of internalized racism and from being seen as “other”. We must unite as minorities, acknowledge our shared hardships, and amplify our voices, together. Silence is no longer an option.

As AAPI youth, we must be the catalysts for change. Let’s free our parents of this tarnished badge. ties—the “non-models.”

It would make sense for our parents to sympathize with other POC as they’ve experienced similar hardships, including U.S. citizenship denial and segregation to ethnic enclaves. So why embrace internalized racism? Why do Mom and Dad characterize other POC as lazy and incompetent?

It’s ironic. Our immigrant parents discriminate because they’ve experienced discrimination themselves. This oversimplified nar-

rative downplays the incomparable struggles of other immigrants: “I came here with no money, but I made it. I overcame racism. Why can’t they? It’s their fault.”

After our parents were cast aside and viewed as inferior for so long, it’s no wonder they readily accepted the title of “model minority” and reinforced its racist implications.

It was a badge of acceptance. But this badge is superficial.

Even though the myth promises equality and recognition, we’re still seen as “other,” as un-American.

The consequences of the myth take shape before our eyes today. While these hate crimes against Asian Americans have been performed by people of various backgrounds, recently, our parents have been specifically using Blackperpetuated anti-Asian hate crimes as reasons to broadcast anti-Black sentiments. But as the

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MARCH 2022

opinion.arcadiaquill@gmail.com

OPINION

07

:A Good Idea

for a Not-So-Good Audience

By AAHANA DUTTA Staff Writer One of the things the pandemic has taught us is that no matter how close we are to someone or how much we love someone, if we’re asked to live with them for 24 hours, every day, for months at a time, it can get pretty depressing and suffocating. Moreover, it can sometimes be hard to find a silver lining. Sometimes we need someone new to talk to for a change.

Sometimes we need someone neutral to open up to, to discuss things with. Someone who doesn’t already have an opinion on our life or problems.

In that sense, Omegle feels like the perfect tool to do just that. A person can anonymously log in, and chat with a completely random person without having to reveal their real identity. If they feel uncomfortable, or if they don’t feel like talking anymore, they can easily disconnect without having to explain their departure. It seems too good to be true. It seems just perfect. Except it’s not.

Internetmatters.org describes Omegle as “a video-chatting website that pairs random users identified as ‘You’ and ‘Stranger’ to chat online via ‘Text’, ‘Video’ or both. A user can also choose to add their interests, and Omegle

By DARIN BUENALUZ

will try to pair a user with someone who has similar interests. If not, you could meet anyone. Chats are anonymous unless the user states who they are, it’s free and no account sign-up is required.”

Omegle was created by Leif K-Brooks, an 18-year-old, mostly out of boredom and curiosity. The website was officially launched on Mar. 25, 2009, and a video chat feature rolled out in 2010.

The site allows users to anonymously chat with a random stranger, while simultaneously also providing them with the option to narrow their choices of the people they want to talk to by allowing them to add specific interests. The video chat has a similar format.

Even though Omegle seems like a good idea, and in some ways it is, the execution and user base are anything but good.

To begin with, Omegle has no age verification system in place. The site states that a person must be 13+ with parental permission or 18+ to access the site, but there aren’t any specific verification protocols in place to verify a user’s age or credibility. In essence, anyone can join Omegle. Even a 10-year-old. All they have to do is check two boxes that ask them to confirm that they’re either an adult or have parental permission, and they’re good to go.

This leads us to our second point–Omegle is full of people who say or send inappropriate stuff, both in the text and in the video feature.

The lack of safety protocols makes it easy for anyone to access the site and allows them to do as they please including saying racist slurs, cyberbullying, passing sexist and homophobic comments, as well as saying inappropriate and creepy things. In fact, Omegle has a warning on their page, that cautions users against possible predators on the website.

The interesting thing is, that even though Omegle has a banning system in place, it’s extremely easy to bypass, and the banning system is not super accurate in the first place.

Omegle bans a user using their IP address, and one can just “unblock” themselves if they access the site through another device, or use a VPN. The bans are also not long; sometimes they are even just a few days or hours long.

It can be argued that people can do as they please on the site because it’s an anonymous chatting platform, so what do you expect? But, that’s not true, considering the website clearly states that the platform should not be used to discuss inappropriate content, and it also redirects people to a different website if that’s what they want to do.

Nonetheless, I think that just telling peo-

ple what to not do, without taking any measures to actually ensure that those rules are being followed, is ineffective.

In my opinion, Omegle could put forth a stronger age verification system, so that younger people don’t have access to the website, and hence don’t get manipulated into giving out personal information, or doing something inappropriate, like the 15-year-old girl from Stearns County, Minnesota, who was manipulated into doing inappropriate acts, in exchange for money, with a 34-year-old man who she met on Omegle.

I also think Omegle could add more moderators who could moderate chats so that people would get fewer chances to engage in inappropriate or uncomfortable conversations. Though, even if that’s not possible, at least having an age verification system would mostly eliminate the possibility of minors being groomed or sexually exploited online.

Omegle could be a great site, only if it implements proper protocols, to prevent any sort of dangerous acts.

adutta@arcadiaquill.com Graphics courtesy of STICKPNG.COM

College Names Matter Staff Writer

Education creates opportunities that last a lifetime. As such, college enrollment in the U.S. has skyrocketed. According to a report by Statista, the amount of Americans enrolled in a university, either private or public, has gone from about 6 million in 1965 to nearly 20 million in 2019. Competition for acceptance into schools of higher education has been more competitive than ever, and the debate over whether the reputation of the school that one attends or not matters has come into question. Although attending any university should largely revolve around the programs, both academic and social, that it offers, the reputation of the school will ultimately be crucial when it comes to applying for high salary and well respected jobs.

There are several reasons why the name of a university matters. One of the most dominant reasons is credibility. Take for example the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California, run and funded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Many of its scientists, engineers and top executives are graduates and even former professors from renowned universities such as the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Stanford,

and Yale. While having an education from such schools is an impressive feat in itself, it’s the rigor of these universities’ educations that makes a graduate attractive to hiring employers. At the bare minimum to receive a degree from Caltech, irrespective of degree, students must take a minimum of five science and math courses in their freshman year. This doesn’t include additional classes that will help guide students in their particular majors.

When employers choose to hire a graduate from Caltech, they understand that the person has undergone a rigorous application process to their university, and endured an even tougher experience getting an education from highly intelligent professors and interacting with other bright minds in their classmates. As such, graduates from schools such as Caltech are much more likely to be trusted with high stress and complex tasks, as they have been accustomed to such an environment already.

Credibility goes beyond reassurance in the creation of individually intelligent graduates. With a history of former alumni who have achieved great success, universities become increasingly attractive to prospective students who want to achieve that same success. When Harvard has Sal Khan attesting to the quality of its education, or the University of Pennsylvania has Elon Musk to use as proof that they

fostered creative genius, students are naturally attracted to these notable schools. The results of one’s education from a well-reputed university speak for themselves in the achievements they are able to have.

However, it would be naive to state that the only way for one to achieve success is by attending a well known university. Steve Jobs dropped out of his university after just one semester, yet still went on to create Apple and bring the world into the age of the modern cell phone and personal computer. Bill Gates dropped out of Harvard before getting a degree, but his natural talent and passion for computer programming meant he was still able to create the first microcomputers with his friend Paul Allen. While graduating from a university can be and is extremely important to ensuring economic stability, it is entirely possible to achieve that same stability and even achieve major success by simply pursuing one’s dreams and being willing to make sacrifices to do so.

Despite this, not pursuing a college degree severely limits one’s job opportunities.

Many jobs that pay a six figure salary annually, from agriculture to commercial aviation to resource management, require at minimum a bachelor’s degree. Furthermore, internationally recognized companies such as Boeing,

Google, or IBM are more likely to hire individuals with educational backgrounds from more well known schools, due to the aforementioned rigor of those educational pursuits.

While it’s not impossible to be hired by a high paying, well respected employer holding a degree from a less known school, it is considerably more difficult. Big name schools often have programs or connections that expose their students to the working world before they even graduate, thus giving them a head start on being prepared for being part of the workforce.

Recognizing this, employers are more likely to hire graduates from such schools due to the gained experience.

University names don’t mean everything in life. You don’t need to have attended an Ivy League school to earn a well paying job that provides a stable lifestyle for yourself and your family. However, name schools will always hold the advantage over less recognized universities in the competitive hiring environment, and the success that their alumni have had speaks volumes to the significance of receiving costlier, more rigorous higher education.

dbuenaluz@arcadiaquill.com Graphics courtesy of JPL.NASA.GOV

08

FEATURES

the color pink

By SOPHIA LI Staff Writer The color pink. Too often deemed just a girly color or associated with youth, the color pink has so much to offer, symbolizing and being so much more than a feminine color. The color pink offers much history (especially of how it became a girly color!), has meanings and symbolism, and is one of the world’s favorite colors!

The color was officially recognized dating back to 800 B.C. in Homer’s Odyssey, coined by a Greek botanist, noting the ruffled edges of carnations. Throughout the mid-18th century, pink was a fashionable color among males and females, as a symbol of class and luxury.

Until the mid-20th century, pink was gender-neutral, but to reflect their service in World War II (WWII), men started to wear darker colors. As a result, advertisements targeting women depicted them in colorful clothing, predominantly in lighter colors, like pink. This was mostly due to the fact that women were transitioning to their traditional homemaker roles, after their removal from the workforce.

In 1927, in an attempt to figure out what colors were associated with girls in their clothing lines, TIME magazine took a survey of all the major department stores in the United States. As previously mentioned, the survey found that the color pink, among women, began to spread widely after World War II. Then, in 1953, eight years after WWII had ended, Dwight Eisenhower, became president. Now you might be wondering: “How does this even relate to the color pink?” Well, his wife, Mamie Eisenhower, known for loving the color pink, attended the inauguration wearing a pink ball gown with enormous rhinestones–which was unique especially since women were wearing dull colors was the norm during the pre-WWII period. However, thanks to her fame and the gossiping newspapers, the color pink became known as a more lady-like color.

“When I initially heard about this story, I was shocked that the color pink had become a girly color so recently, as I would have thought that it was more feminine a while ago! This story interests me because the color pink became a girly color through World War II!” Ashley Lin, a senior

at Arcadia High School (AHS) shared.

Pink is everywhere, and I mean that literally. Think of the iconic line in Mean Girls (“On Wednesdays we wear pink!”) or of the cupids and roses on Valentine’s Day. Pink was such a popular color that the Victoria’s Secret brand even has a whole clothing brand of the color: PINK. It seems pop culture also can’t get enough of the color, in instances like Elvis Presley’s iconic 1955 Cadillac, Marilyn Monroe’s dress in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, or even the singer P!NK, with her stage name also named after a color. Today, though, pink takes on new meanings, as it is also the color of awareness for causes like women’s rights, LGBTQ+ community, and can be associated with breast cancer awareness. In 2017 during Milan Fashion Week and during protests after the 2017 presidential inauguration, people wore so-called “pussyhats”, pink hats with ears shaped like a cat, as a symbol of the fight for women’s rights.

However, the color pink is taking an even edgier meaning these past couple of years. Before, pink had a notion of being associated with femininity, but now, that’s being challenged, as it’s androgynous and strong. Nowadays, pink is also everywhere we look online. For instance, year after year at huge awards shows like the Grammy Awards Show, female celebrities will wear full-on pink dresses, whether it be Rihanna’s cupcake-looking dress, Camilla Cabello’s sparkling pink dress, or the multitude of pink dresses worn by singer Ariana Grande. Not only that, food challenges like ‘Only Eating Pink Foods for 24 Hours’ are popular and have been done by many, like BuzzFeed or Youtubers like HJ Evelyn. Last but not least, world-renowned choreographer Parris Goebel incorporates pink into her routines, whether it be having the majority of her dancers with full-on pink hair (in the music video for the song “Yummy” by Justin Beiber) or all of them wearing pink, eyecatching costumes. Other artists like Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande are also constantly seen using hues of pink in their music videos, making them extremely appealing to the eye.

At the end of the day, no matter what use of meaning for this special color, pink is special among the others.. With a rich history to get to where it is today, representing various movements and fights for equality, everyone can have a little bit more of this color.

sli@arcadiaquill.com

arcadiaquill.com

MARCH 2022

TRUTH SOCIAL: THE NEXT SOCIAL MEDIA APP

By KAI WETTERAU Staff Writer With so many different social media platforms on the scene, it can be hard to distinguish apps from one another. All that considered, a new competitor, Truth Social, has entered the scene. Being developed by the Trump Media and Technology Group (TMTG), this program aims to spread only truthful information and bypass any censorship that other companies employ. It has seen widespread pushback following its more conservative political values and a delayed-release, along with an outage on the day of a new major update. A limited form of the app was expected to launch on Presidents’ Day, though most users were placed on a waitlist for the full release. This meant that the app wasn’t really accessible and so those working on the project have lease delayed the reby at least a month.

F o r now, consumers are stuck waiting patiently until the program is able to contain a bigger user base with the advent of more updates.

Truth Social is like most other social networking apps, allowing users to personalize their profiles, make posts to connect with friends and family, and respond to those posts however one sees fit. The app also seems in-

tent on being a separate news source, telling viewers that traditional mass media is always so biased and censored and that instead, Truth Social provides a non-biased view of what’s going on in the world, meaning it boasts itself as one of the best news sources in the world. In reality, the majority of the information sent through largely reflects that

of former President Trump’s viewpoints, providing a view that appeals more to the conservative parts of America.

Furthermore, the platform boasts letting all political groups state their beliefs, though current TMTG CEO Devin Nunes has promised to consumers that it will maintain some level of content moderation to remain “a familyfriendly space.” He wants the program to be “a very safe place,” where the team working on it is “very focused on making sure any illegal content is not on the site.”

The app, with a much smaller tech support team, has faltered where it could’ve shined. Its early beta release as far back as December has been slowly progressing as numerous issues with the app are being quickly combated and fixed.

It’s clear the app wants to compete with its larger competitor, Twitter, a n d is trying to implement all the s a m e features plus more. This means probably being able to edit already posted posts, or “Truths,” though as of now, this is not the case.

It has been seen to be towards the top of the new releases in the Apple App store, despite its bumpy beginnings and large delays. Truth Social would need more time to recruit, build, and work before it becomes fully operational and a possible competitor for Twitter.

The app’s late winter release approximately aligns with the one-year anniversary of then-President Trump’s banning on multiple social media sites following his role in inciting violence during the Jan. 6 Capital Insurrection. The opening of this app could return to a time when Trump could easily inform others instantaneously.

Truth Social signals a new age of social media, and has a shot at becoming the next big thing, especially for America’s conservative audience and those tired of traditional mass media.

kwetterau@arcadiaquill.com

Photo and graphic courtesy of PIXABAY

features.arcadiaquill@gmail.com

MARCH 2022

LINKEDIN: THE ULTIMATE TOOL

By HENRINA ZHANG Staff Writer

LinkedIn is a business and employment-focused online platform that offers professional networking and job opportunities to a variety of ages. With 810 million users and in more than 200 countries, it’s the world’s largest professional network. This app targets adults, but it can also help high school students With LinkedIn, students experience all sorts of real-life situations, from setting up a professional profile and presence to finding small jobs and internships to enhance their knowledge and resume.

LinkedIn’s vision and goal are essential to connect the professional world, enhance society’s productivity, and provide economic opportunities to all.

Here’s what you need to know about LinkedIn, and how you can utilize it.

First and foremost, is knowing how to set up a LinkedIn profile. After signing in with an email, LinkedIn will ask about your work experience, school, the field of interest (specialization), and degree, which you can mark as none. After verification, you are able to customize your feed.

The first great thing about this platform is that it provides you with many opportunities to learn and familiarize yourself with a multitude of different fields. If you are interested in medicine, there are hundreds of people who post about medi- cal content. If you are interested in STEM, you will find hundreds of people on LinkedIn with the same interest.

Next off, setting up a profile.

Your profile will basically make or

break your time on LinkedIn. It’s important to note that potential employers are looking at your profile, so make sure to brand yourself as a capable and confident candidate. Having a quality profile picture, with your full face and decent background and lighting, is the first step.

The LinkedIn summary is another building block to an effective profile.

Be short and sweet, show personality, and only mention important details.

Now you should look for the “Add Section” button, where you can input information about yourself, education, positions, skills, etc.

It’s important to emphasize your notable experiences, as these will make you stand out.

From sports teams to leadership experiences to accomplishments, include whatever you can on there to give yourself a brand that is sought after. Keep in mind that as a high schooler, you may end up with an emptier profile.

But even if there are fewer opportunities for us, LinkedIn still provides many chances for us to up our careers a few levels. For example, you can find potential part-time jobs and learn what employers are looking for. One important opportunity you’ll have is internships. You may find plenty of summer or regular internships that suit your particular field of interest. Take advantage of the student profiles section and search the Students’ Job Portal. To learn more about how to find internships and jobs, Using LinkedIn to Find a Job or Internship is a great summary on how to start. hzhang@arcadiaquill.com

Graphic courtesy of ICON SCOUT

FEATURES 09 AHS LIBRARY’S “BLIND DATE WITH A BOOK”

By AAHANA DUTTA Staff Writer

Choosing a book can be hard. Very hard, in fact. The more books, the more confusion. It’s hard to pick one book when there are so many other books, all equally intriguing and enticing.

If that sounds like your thought process, or if you find yourself spending hours in the library, reading the backside summary of numerous books and then being conflicted over which book to read, then worry not, because the Arcadia High School librarians have you covered. You can now borrow a book from the library without actually knowing the name or synopsis of the book.

The concept is simple.

It’s like a blind date, much like the name “Blind Date With a Book” suggests. You get to pick a random book based on just a few of its main themes.

Once you pick your book, you will be provided with a slip/bookmark where you can review your “date” with the book.

The teacher-librarian, Ms. Shannon Will, describes this as ”a seasonal activity in the library during the month of February.”

“We, along with the help of our wonderful student volunteers, pick out books, wrap them, and write vague hints about the book on the cover in bullet points,” said Ms. Will.

When you’re done reading the book, you can fill out the review bookmark, and return it to the library along with the book, in exchange for a small treat. The questions on the bookmark are extremely short, too. The deadline for submitting the review is Mar. 25.

“The main goal is to simply have fun and explore new books! We also know that sometimes books are overlooked because they are older or with less exciting covers, so this is an effective way to breathe new life into great titles that need a little attention,” said Ms. Will.

Not only does this activity introduce students to new books, but it’s also eco-friendly. Students are encouraged to neatly take off the paper cover from the book, and then return them to the library along with the bookmark and book so that the cover paper can be recycled/re-used.

When asked about the inspiration behind this concept, Ms. Will said, “I started doing this in my previous high school, but I’m not positive what the origin of it is. I’m sure one of my librarian friends posted it, or maybe I read about it in a library community group.

It is a common activity in both school and public libraries.”

S h e further explained why this concept is so popular, “The element of surprise is always exciting, which is why it is a popular concept across all libraries. Next year, I will start with double the amount of books to keep up with demand.”

So far, “Blind Date With a Book” has been extremely popular; so much that Ms. Will said that they are “frantically” searching for more books to wrap and put out for people to go on a date with.

As for future library activities, Ms. Will said, “Our creative writing club, The Writer’s Den, has something fun planned for our library books soon, but that will have to be a surprise for now.”

She ended by saying “To keep up to date on new books, activities, and library announcements, follow:@arcadiahighlibrary!”

If you’re interested in reading a random book, reviewing it, and getting a treat for doing that, “Blind Date With a Book” is definitely something you should check out! adutta@arcadiaquill.com

Photo courtesy of FLICKR

10

NATIONAL

arcadiaquill.com

a n l o n i t o a od n le

MARCH 2022

m ! th on

MARCH 2022

arcadiaquill@gmail.com

NOODLE MONTH

By ASHLEY ZHAO

century has made them a staple meal among travelers,

Campus Focus Editor college students, and noodle-enjoyers worldwide.

With March being National Noodle Month, what better time is it to celebrate this versatile but simple comfort food?

Although the origin of noodles has long been debated, a discovery in 2005 has shown that noodles find their origin in northwestern China. Buried beneath the Lajia archaeological site, a bowl containing thin yellow noodles was found overturned––presumed to be about 4,000 years old. Scientist Houyuan Lu of the Institute of Geology and Geophysics at Beijing’s Chinese Academy of Sciences and his colleagues determined the noodles were created with two kinds of millet, a grain common in China 7,000 years ago.

After visiting China in the 13th century, Marco Polo ferried barley-based noodles back to Italy where they would appear in Italian recipe books in the early 1200s. Only in 1765 was the term “noodle” first used, with the first noodle machine being invented in 1833.

Although previously sold as a luxury item, the creation of Hakumen’s instant ramen noodle in the 19th

The first pasta factory was opened in 1848 by French immigrant Antoine Zerega, casuing new pasta companies to pop up across the U.S. Some, like Chef Boyardee and Kraft Macaroni and Cheese still remain well-known as household favorites. Nowadays, you can find noodles of all shapes and sizes across the globe in soups, stir-fry, and even desserts!

National Noodle Month was established by the National Pasta Association to celebrate the history and versatility of the food as well as “amplify the benefits and joys of pasta to consumers”.

If you’re looking to observe National Noodle Month this March, explore the restaurants of your neighborhood and don’t be afraid to try something new! Whether it be a hot bowl of pho, hearty plate of kushari, or a crispy roasted gnocchi dish, make March a special time to celebrate noodles and appreciate the unique cultures and countries they originate from.

azhao@arcadiaquill.com

11

12

A&E

arcadiaquill.com

CHOIR’S ANGEL STADIUM FUNDRAISER

By CAITLYN CHAU

Staff Writer

Arcadia High School’s (AHS) Choir has recently been invited to sing the National Anthem at the Angel Stadium of Anaheim on Apr. 22! The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are going to be playing the Baltimore Orioles during the game. The Choir program is also selling tickets that will help fundraise for the program. The game will begin at around 6:38 p.m., and tickets are $22. The seating is located in sections 518-519, and it is the southwest area of the stadium.

AHS sophomore Choir member Kalei Chang stated that they are eager for the event and fundraiser.

“I’m quite excited about the event!”

Chang said. “It seems like a really fun performance opportunity so I’m really looking forward to it.”

Chang also mentioned that they are ex-

cited about getting to learn a new Star-Spangled Banner arrangement. “Even though we already learned one arrangement earlier this year, with the way the event is set up, I think we have to learn a different one,” they stat-

-ed. In terms of this event, they also added, “I’m also really looking forward to singing with the other Choir members, as always.”

AHS senior Choir member Abi Warren shared similar thoughts.

Warren said that she feels “excited, nervous, terrified, very anxious and scared but overall slightly proud and determined to make the most of the experience.” At the same time, Warren is also hoping to get familiar with singing for public events like the fundraiser in order to determine if this is something she would be interested in pursuing.

AHS’ Choir has already had a number of events so far this year, and a few of them were the Fall Choir Concert and other Choir perfor-

mances in the winter season. When generally asked about the past events they participated in, Chang mentioned that Choir’s past events have gone fine.

“It’s always really exciting to perform, even if they can be a bit tiring at times,” they said.

Warren added that they “hope that this (the Angel Stadium performance) will give [them] more experience and personally, more confidence.”

Tickets for the event can be purchased by emailing the Choir director of AHS, Ms. Connie Tu at ctu@ausd. net. Come to the Angels’ game to support AHS’ Choir program!

cchau@arcadiaquill.com Graphic courtesy of FREEPIK Photos courtesy of WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

MARCH 2022

WONDER :: BOOK BOOK VS. VS. MOVIE MOVIE

By DARIN BUENALUZ

Staff Writer

Wonder is a novel that was published in 2012, and written by R.J. Palacio. Though it is a book told from multiple perspectives, each perspective ultimately connects to the story of August “Auggie” Pullman, a fifth grader with a facial deformity who must adapt to a new school environment at Beecher Prep. This constant switching of storytellers expertly contributes to the novel’s main focuses of perseverance, selfconsciousness, and social acceptance. In 2017, the novel received a movie adaptation and was rated at an impressive 88% on Rotten Tomatoes for its masterful depiction of the varying emotions that each of the different characters experience. Though there are some discrepancies between the novel and its movie adaptation, the two are generally in sync with each other in terms of plot progression and character development.

One of the best ways that the film parallels the novel is its powerful display of the characters’ emotions. From the constant anger and discomfort he feels at school for all the states he receives and talk behind his back that he hears to the support he gets from his older sister Via, his parents, and the handful of classmates and friends who won’t put physical differences in the way of creating friendship, the story of Auggie Pullman is written as a heartbreaking tale turned heartwarming and it retains those same sentiments in the film. In addition, the film effectively recreates the feelings of the other characters, notably the anger yet understanding that those around Auggie feel about why people view him in the disapproving manner that they do. In both the movie and the film, Via is displayed as being angry at herself for feeling embarrassed of others knowing she is Auggie’s sister.

Her boyfriend Justin, her friend Miranda, and Auggie’s friends Summer and Jack, also share feelings of sympathy for Auggie and his terrible situation that he had no choice over.

However, one of the ways that the novel will always be superior over the film is its ability to open the imagination of the audience. In the film, Auggie has a set visual representation of the deformities of his face.

As such, it limits what the audience imagines Auggie looks like to just one face. By comparison, the detailed yet open description of Auggie’s physical appearance allows the audience to create their own unique picture of Auggie. Though the film does well in

portraying what happens in the novel, that in itself is a unique interpretation of the story of Auggie Pullman and the people around him.

The film provides one way of understanding the story of Wonder that may not be in line with how others may have.

Furthermore, the film omits some components of the novel that are crucial to developing the plot. One such omission is the significance Summer, one of the few people at Beecher Prep who truly feels sorry for Auggie and decides to sit with him and become his friend. In the novel, she is one of the first people at the school that A u g gie meets, alongside Jack and Julian, who the audience later learns is the ringleader of the bullying against Auggie. As such, Summer is there with Auggie from the very beginning and remains there until the end of the novel. In the film, she only sits with Auggie after Jack chooses to no longer hang out with him due to peer pressure. This diminishes the role that Summer plays in the original novel, and takes away some of the depth of her connection with Auggie.

Another major plot point that is left out in the movie is the story of Auggie’s hearing aids.

In the novel, Auggie is originally opposed to having hearing aids because he feels that they will make him look even uglier than he already is, as well as holding a sense of denial that his hearing is in a better condition than it actually is. Eventually, he realizes that he needs them after failing a hearing test, and afterwards has no issue with wearing them. Sadly, his hearing aids are also one of the things that the bullies at Beecher Prep cause him to lose. In the end, this entire part of the storyline was not present in the film.

“The book had much more time to flesh out the characters and did a really good job of explaining the story through the different perspectives,” said junior Tin Nguyen. “The movie attempted to do the same but was too condensed and felt like it was trying too hard to get to all the important plot points. However, the emotional impact of the important scenes was a lot more profound.”

Ultimately, while Wonder’s movie adaptation had many strengths, it made some sacrifices in important parts of the original plot for the sake of fitting a certain screen time. In addition, its existence in itself causes it to fall short of the unparalleled imagination that the novel allowed its audience to have. Nevertheless, the film is a wonderful retelling of the novel’s events and brings to life the story of Auggie Pullman and his story’s message that being someone who stands out isn’t always a bad thing.

dbuenaluz@arcadiaquill.com Graphic courtesy of FLATICON.COM

MARCH 2022

A&E

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13

A H S C L A S S F E AT U R E : CHANTEURS

By SOPHIA LI

Staff Writer

Although the Arcadia Choral Program has been around since the start of Arcadia High School (AHS), the program itself is underrated. Over the course of several years and under the direction of several wellpraised directors, the program has developed into one with passion, artistry, and a love for music. Of the two programs, Chanteurs and Concert Choir, Chanteurs is the advanced choir, the most notable with the highestquality productions.

Since Chanteurs is an advanced, auditioned choir, students must audition in the Spring to secure their spot on the team. In the first half of the year, students perform as a traditional concert choir, performing at festivals, school concerts, and concerts around the community. Then, in the second half of the year, after becoming more familiar with the process, students are able to raise their performances and transform themselves into a show choir. From here and on, the advanced show choir competes in local and state competitions, wowing audiences with not only their vocals but stunning costumes and performances as well.

In 2020, Chanteurs had two main performances, one at the 2020 Burbank Blast Competition and one with a take on Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Requiem for his late father.

In the first performance, the choir sang their own versions of “The Greatest Show”

by Zendaya Coleman, Zac Efron, Hugh Jackman, and Keala Settle; “A Million Dreams” by Hugh Jackman, Michelle Williams, and Ziv Zaifman; “Never Enough” by Loren Allred; “Rewrite The Stars” by Zendaya Coleman and Zac Efron; “This Is Me”

by Keala Settle and The Greatest Showman Ensemble. The performances were showstopping to say the least, as every member of the choir had elaborate costumes, resembling characters from the movie. Everyone was into the music, and the performance was a

huge success overall! Additionally, the 2020 Chanteurs choir also performed Pie Jesu from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Requiem!

Now, fast forward to 2021-22, Ms. Connie Tu is the head director of both choir programs at AHS and the Chanteurs group has performed several times so far, from football games to winter concerts. Ms. Tu has been singing in choir for several years, and this year was her very first year teaching choir! She loves teaching choir and enjoys every second of it, as the students are very engaged and easy to work with.

“My students always have a lot of energy and that’s what I look forward to coming to school every day,” Ms. Tu shared. “We worked on a variety of repertoires, and I am very proud of the progress that we have made thus far. Since this is our very first ‘real’ year back since the pandemic, a lot of events and concerts have been altered and modified.”

Kicking off the year strong, Chanteurs performed the Star-Spangled Banner for the Salter Stadium on Oct. 1, 2021, during a football game! It was an awesome experience to gain more exposure to the school and show off everyone’s talent.

Then, Chanteurs sang at the Winter Concert on Dec. 10, 2021, which also featured Arcadia orchestras and a few people from the AHS band. Chanteurs performed amazingly as they gave off jolly holiday spirit, and sang from a wide selection of pieces.

To start, they performed several pieces from “A Ceremony of Carols, Op.28”

by Benjamin Britten, then “Sing my Song for You” by Demi Lovato ft. Joe Jonas, and “Everywhere Christmas Tonight”

by Joseph M. Martin, and more. Afterward, several musical groups like the orchestra and singers performed pieces like “Christmas

Dreidel” by Rick England, “The First Noel” arr. by Dan Forrest, and “I’ll Be Back for Christmas” arr. By Michael Hopkins. To add on, there was a stellar trio performance that sang “Underneath the Tree” by Kelly Clarkson. Then, to make a statement, the AHS Symphony Orchestra and Combined Choirs delivered a grand finale of “Festival Sanctus” by John Leavitt and “Sleigh Ride’

by Leroy Anderson and arr. by Mark Brymer!

Overall, the concert was a huge success, as various musical groups came together to put on a fantastic show. Everyone’s love for music and having a good time really shined through to the audience.

As of right now, the Chanteurs choir is currently preparing for their third concert of the year and is in preparation for the Disneyland and Angel Stadium trips.

“Our Concert Choir will also join us on these trips and will make the choir even bigger and fuller,” Ms. Tu said. “For our May concert, we will showcase students individually and Chanteurs will put on a show choir number. Although we will be very busy, we are very much looking forward to the next few months.”

Sophomore Kelly Hong is one of the many performers in Chanteurs, and this is her first year in choir. In the beginning of the year, she really enjoyed the concert choir, being able to come together and sing unique songs. Hong was able to meet a lot of new friends and is looking forward to performing as a show choir! She is excited to perform because they will also have choreography and costumes to go along with the songs.

“I enjoyed Concert Choir during the first semester because it was great practice and re

ally prepared us for advanced choir right now, especially with music theory and rhythms,” Hong said. “It really helped people who were more new to music learn how to read and understand music notes.”

Sophomore Emily Tran is also a member of Chanteurs and has been in the program since freshman year. Through Chanteurs, Tran has been able to further explore her interest in music/singing. Originally, she was in a choir outside of school, but being exposed to an environment in school was cool to be able to learn more things and create bonds with people. Since Tran was in Chanteurs since freshman year, she also performed virtual performances.

“My favorite virtual performance was the Winter Concert because we were divided into small groups to learn different Christmas carols!” Tran shared. “Christmas is my favorite holiday, and I enjoy performing holiday songs. This year, my favorite song during the in-person Winter Concert was Sanctus by Libera and Robert Prizeman because it was so fun to perform with the orchestra as our accompaniment.”

However, Tran is not on her own, as Hong also enjoyed the Winter Concert the most.

“It was the most memorable because we were able to dress up in holiday attire and we got to do some more silly songs instead of traditional ones like a song from Alvin And The Chipmunks,” Hong said.

So far, the Chanteurs have gone off to a great start, being able to incorporate teambuilding skills along with a passion for singing and music. Good luck to Chanteurs for the rest of this year, as they have a really strong team of singers!

sli@arcadiaquill.com Graphic courtesy of FLATICON.COM Photos courtesy of DCI

14

SPORTS

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MARCH 2022

PACIFIC/RIO HONDO CHALLENGE VARSITY TRACK MEET

By HENRINA ZHANG Staff Writer With stormy skies and anticipation, Arcadia Varsity Track participated in the Pacific/Rio Hondo Challenge Varsity Track Meet on Mar. 5. As the track meet season continues, the Varsity Track team practices endlessly to build up their speed, endurance, and techniques. Track meets are the places for them to show off their capabilities and push themselves to the limit. With many ups and downs in the Pacific/Rio Hondo Challenge Varsity Track Meet, Varsity Girls placed 1st overall, with a score of 108.5, and the Varsity Boys placed 2nd overall, with a score of 98.

Overall, the Arcadia Varsity Track team performed very well, even if many members mentioned that the bad weather held them back. Despite this, however, they managed to push through, with multiple PRs and 1st place titles. For example, senior Sy’rai Yarborough, who placed first in the 100 meters, and senior William Kelley who placed first in the 800 meters, managed to outrun all their competitors. Full results can be seen on the Athletic Net. When asked how the Pacific/Rio Hondo Challenge Varsity Track Meet was, many participants stated that while it was

not their best, Arcadia as a whole still did amazing.

Senior Jacob Flores, who ran the 4×100 relay, 400 meters, and 4×400 relay, said, “One thing our team can improve on is technique. I find that our team has natural talent, but hard work can beat talent. If we can learn to use proper techniques, we can improve a lot.”

Sophomore Elizabeth Chan, participating in the pole vault, triple jump, and long jump, agreed that along with working on their technique, improving on the field events and the specific events for each person, expressing how “Something the team could work on is having more practice doing our field events.”

Other than the improvements to be made, the Arcadia Varsity Track team has just as many strengths. The highlight of the meet, according to multiple participants, was the 4×400 meter relay, since the team was able to recover the lead when they were behind. With the freezing weather, morale was fairly high, and Arcadia pushed through.

To prepare for the meet, the Varsity Track team has a whole list of things they do. Preparing for a track meet isn’t just a physical thing; it’s a mental challenge as well. Even before the track meets, participants make sure never to eat anything heavy, and to attend all the practices leading up to the meet.

Junior Irene Lema Madueno also men

pole

tioned how she wanted “to work harder and more efficiently during practice.”

In addition, track is a very injury-prone sport, so many participants work endlessly to recover from their injuries as fast as they can.

They also focus on their warmups, which give their minds a chance to prepare themselves, and their bodies a chance to loosen up.

The Pacific/Rio Hondo Challenge Varsity Track Meet had definitely given many people the motivation to work for their goals.

For instance, Chan’s goal is “to understand

vault better and break 32 ft for triple jump.”

And Flores’ goal was “to just improve on my time and not focus on what place I get.”

Whether their performance was disappointing, or if they broke a PR, these athletes are determined to work even harder to do better in the future.

a good fight, but the reason why I think Arcadia placed on top was because of our good synergy as well as all of us being placed in our strongest types of strokes.”

“This meet was actually formally called the Los Amigos relay meet because it was held at Los Amigos High School…I would say the change in location played a big part in making this year different,” shared Chow. “Because La Quinta High School has a much more open pool deck, it allowed more spectators…[creating] a really encouraging atmosphere for everyone.”

How fun was the meet?

“It’s always fun to swim co-ed just because it’s so different from what swimmers are used to,” said Chow. “In our individual events, we always swim against the same gender, and normal relays are also competitions against the

same sex.”

“The whole experience was absolutely unreal. Our team captains outdid themselves by buying us breakfast, bringing snacks, and taking photos,” said Shen.

“Obviously, waking up early was a pain, but being with your friends for the whole morning was really fun and winning the meet was the cherry on top.”

Arcadia’s swim team will continue to have many meets. Hopefully, they will be able to continue their winning streak throughout the season!

hzhang@arcadiaquill.com Photo courtesy of DCI

La Quinta Swim Meet

By SABRINA LO Staff Writer The Arcadia High School Varsity Swim team won first place out of twenty teams at the La Quinta High School Swim Meet on Mar. 5.

This meet was a co-ed relay-only meet, meaning unlike usual meets where boys and girls are separated, they swam together. The teams were picked by swim team coaches, Coach Janice Clark and Coach Sam Norconk. Varsity members were placed on the A-Team, while JV members were placed on the B-Team. The B-Team placed 12th out of the 20 teams.

In each event, there were four boys and four girls, alternating, with the excep-

tion of the 12x50 Freestyle Relay with six boys and six girls. Every place has a number of points attached to it, with the first place receiving 34 points. Second place received 31 points, and the following places received one-less point each. A disqualification would result in 0 points.

The events held at the meet were the 8x100 Individual Medley, 12x50 Freestyle Relay, 8x50 Breaststroke Relay, 8x50 Butterfly Relay, 8x50 Backstroke Relay, 8x100 Freestyle Relay, and the 8x50 Medley.

I spoke with sophomore Jolene Shen and senior Bethany Chow from the swim team regarding their experience.

“Because this was an only-relay meet, we all had to cooperate to place first! Swimming alongside my friends was extremely fun,” said Shen. “The other schools’ swimmers did put up

slo@arcadiaquill.com Photo courtesy of AUSD FACEBOOK

SPORTS

arcadiaquill.com

MARCH 2022

15

Apaches vs Athlete Feature: Evan Huang Bulldogs 3/8

By DARIN BUENALEZ Staff Writer The Arcadia High School (AHS) Apache Junior Varsity Softball team secured a sweeping victory over Pasadena High School (PHS), ending the match with a score of 25-11 on Mar. 8. From beginning to end, the Apaches showed their skills through their continuous shutout of the PHS Bulldogs inning after inning.

The game started off strong, with the Apaches scoring 10 runs in the first inning.

Though PHS put up many strong pitches, the Apaches managed to get in some solid hits. However, this impressive scoring came from more than just hits. A series of missed catches by PHS allowed the Apaches to steal several bases and convert those bases into runs. AHS’ capitalization off of their opponent’s mistakes would prove to be a crucial factor throughout the game.

Following this solid opening to the game, AHS ensured that their opponents wouldn’t be able to easily keep up, shutting down the Bulldogs in the bottom of the first inning. The Apaches were able to keep the number of hits the Bulldogs got to a minimum, and the few who made it on base would be tagged out through a series of agile catches and throws. The first inning would end with a score of 10-0.

The second and third innings would be largely reflective of the first, with the Apaches continuing to increase the points

gap. The Bulldogs, becoming increasingly frazzled, began to start walking more and more batters. This only continued to favor the Apaches, who ended the third inning with a dominating score of 20-0.

The fourth inning finally slowed down the pace, with neither team scoring any runs.

Though both teams successfully got multiple batters on base, neither could capitalize on the situation, and the long inning would end in a stalemate. This would be foreshadowing to the fifth and final inning.

Initially, it seemed that the fifth inning would be the one that would crack the Apache shield. PHS racked up 11 runs, their first points of the game. It seemed as if the Bulldogs would slowly but surely begin to claw away at the massive lead that the Apaches had created. The Apaches were struggling to keep the batters at home plate, with the Bulldogs getting several strong hits into uncovered spots of the outfield.

However, this hope would be dashed, as the Apaches finally were able to secure the three outs needed to end the game. The ApachesBulldogs matchup ended with AHS winning with a sound 14 point lead.

The Apaches commanded the flow of their game against the Bulldogs from the very first hit, and the results of each inning and of the game overall speak for themselves.

dbuenalez@arcadiaquill.com Photo by AMANDA CHANG

By ASHLEY CHAN Staff Wrtier At Arcadia High School (AHS), our Varsity Baseball team has proven to be a formidable opponent this season and is most definitely a force to be reckoned with. Junior Evan Huang, outfielder for the AHS Varsity Baseball team, offered insight into the ongoing season and detailed his personal experience with the sport.

Huang began playing baseball at eightyears-old, and “ever since then, [he has] fallen in love with the game.”

“To be honest, I started playing baseball because one of my friends encouraged me to join. I played soccer and football before, so baseball was not my first sport. However, in the end, I stuck with baseball and haven’t looked back since,” Huang claimed.

You can catch a glimpse of Huang hard at work during practices and games, alongside the rest of his teammates. From practicing and pushing himself to become better day by day, that is evidence enough to demonstrate how much he loves the sport.

In addition to his genuine love for baseball, Huang strongly believes that “one of the greatest perks of baseball is the team aspect and the memories you make as part of the team.”

“My favorite part of baseball has to be, hands-down, the everlasting relationships you create. Just this year, I have gotten close to some of the seniors and players on the Varsity team. It is going to be sad when the seniors leave after this season,” remarked Huang.

On Mar. 8, the AHS Varsity Baseball team started their season with a spectacular winning record of 8-0 against Hart High School. Not only did they start their season as a major threat to the competition, but they also won the Pizza Chalet Tournament for the third time on Feb. 24. They defeated Charter Oak, Northview, San Dimas, and South Hills in this tournament.

Huang acknowledged, “I think that the AHS Baseball team is doing so well this season because of the team’s work ethic. Although it isn’t seen, we practice executions that play a pivotal role in winning games. As one wise man once said, ‘practice makes perfect.’”

In terms of practices, Huang stated that “practices are fun” and that they “usually have the same routine every day.” Of course, the degree of practice depends on the team’s performance from the day before.

In those cases, “the intensity of practices can be ramped up or turned down.”

The relationship between all players on the team is crucial to the group’s success because a dysfunctional team has no chance of achieving as great of accomplishments as a team that blends seamlessly with one another.

“Our team chemistry is truly unmatched. We always have each other’s backs and will always pick one another up.

I’ve known many of the players on our team for at least five years. We crack jokes all the time and are having a good time together,” Huang said.

Although the season is not nearly complete, the team already has spent a lot of time together, on and off the field, and has created handfuls of fond memories together.

The AHS Varsity Baseball team has composed goals to strive for and reach throughout their season, both individually and as a whole team.

Huang personally looks forward to “going undefeated and getting better as the season goes on. [He] wants to make every moment special and not take it for granted, and ultimately win a Division 1 CIF Southern Section plaque.”

To all the rising baseball players out there, Huang put it best: “Have fun and be confident. Confidence goes a long way, and it starts with believing in yourself.”

Keep up the great work, AHS Varsity Baseball team!

achan@arcadiaquill.com Photo courtesy of EVAN HUANG

16

WOMEN’S HISTORY

arcadiaquill.com

MARCH 2022

women’s history month who’s your favorite woman from history and why?

“My favorite woman from history is probably Catherine of Aragon because her tragic story as the first of six wives to Henry VIII got me interested in history. Especially since her achievements and popularity are overlooked because she was a woman, I mean she led England to victory during a war while pregnant, yet she’s only known as Henry’s first wife.” —Stephanie Li, 10 “Mary Wollstonecraft is one of my favorite women from history. She is one of the foundations for feminism and she argued for equality for women. Being an athlete, there aren’t as many opportunities for women as there is for men. There are also a lot of women that drop out of their sport once they get to high school. But from her foundations ,there are an increased amount of opportunities for women now, and once male-dominated fields are now dominated by women.” —Olivia Ip, 9

do you plan to celebrate women’s history month?

“While I wouldn’t necessarily say I’m celebrating per-say, I definitely kept it in mind during the month and was aware of it.”—Jodie Tran, 9

is there an issue pertaining to women’s rights that you’d like to see addressed?

“There are so many issues I could talk about, from abortion rights, wage gaps, to blatant sexism, however the issue that I’m most concerned about at the moment is hygienic product accessibility. Periods are normal, but also super expensive. From pads, tampons, diva cups, heating pads, and even chocolate, having a period is expensive and taking care of it can be a luxury as they are also highly priced and taxed. Because of this, those who aren’t as privileged or fortunate have to choose between going hungry or taking care of their basic hygiene which shouldn’t be an issue in the first place.

Feminine products shouldn’t be a luxury and should be accessible to everyone because everyone deserves their right to hygiene.” —Stephanie Li, 10

Graphic courtesy of CLIPARTKEY.com