November 2019 by The Arcadia Quill

theapachepowwow.net

the apache

november 2019

POW WOW

quote of the month:

“Impossible

arcadia high school 180 Campus drive, Arcadia, ca, 91007

the world is our campus

volume 67 • issue 3

@ahspowwow

is for the unwilling.”

est. 1952

Voter Pre-Registration Drive

FUTURE VOTERS! AHS hosted its second-annual voter registration drive on Nov. 15 after school in J-207. Read about how Apaches are taking the next steps to fulfill their civic duty! By ASHLEY ZHAO Staff Writer

Constitution Team held its Voter Pre-Registration Drive on Nov. 15 in J207, Mrs. Leahy’s room, where students over the age of 16 could register before the primary elections in March and the presidential elections in 2020. At the drive, a representative from the Los Angeles County clerk’s office came and led the team step by step into signing up to preregister to vote through its website. Constitution Team senior Jeffery Lee commented on how he “thought it was cool that the Los Angeles County was making changes to update the voting process. The shift away from using paper to technology was a welcome one to me, [and it] makes registering to vote so much easier and quicker.” When asked about the benefits of holding the

drive, Constitution Team senior Olivia Chen said she thinks “the drive is really beneficial in raising the voter turnout especially with [people who just turned 18] and raising awareness about the importance of voting and staying civically educated.” According to the statistics from the U.S. Census for the 2018 midterm elections, the voter turnout rate among the 18 to 29-year-old age group was the lowest compared to other age groups. “I believe that it’s because a lot of young people don’t realize the importance of voting yet and put the issue on the back burner,” Olivia stated. “However, the drive makes it a lot more convenient to sign up, [and it] removes the excuse many people have of being inconvenienced. By pre-registering, people will be more likely to vote because they will be notified of important dates and can feel a sense of responsibility and stake in the country’s future.”

azhao@apachepowwow.net Photos courtesy of AUSD DCI

w h at ’s in s i de

NEWS Democrats of the House of Representatives formally voted an impeachment inquiry plan into effect on Oct. 31. Hearings OPINION All aspects of the gun control debate have since begun to be more are greatly divided. Read two students’ differing publically publicized; public perspectives about gun buy-backs in this feature. attention to the proceedings aginst President Trump is “Implementing a form of a mandatory key to garnering more public buyback system is only one step that our trust and support. Make sure federal government needs to take to protect us to keep following the story from gun violence.” Photo courtesy of NYTIMES.COM on our website!

dems move forward with impeachment inquiry pg. 3

Furthermore, Gov Team senior Aditee Prabhutendolkar commented that she “thought it was a great opportunity for civic education and to encourage young people to vote in the future, which will be necessary for our government officials to accurately represent our beliefs as a community.” Just by pre-registering to vote in an election, anyone can become an active and engaged citizen in their own community before actually becoming an adult. Academic research and electoral analyses such as Yale University’s 2003 study has shown that voting is habit-forming, and the sooner you begin to vote, the more likely you will be to continue voting. Thank you, AHS, for helping more students get involved!

PROS AND CONS OF MANDATORY GUN BUY-BACKS pg. 4

CAMPUS FOCUS Each year, Pow Wow staff takes the time to write about AHS staff we are thankful to have in our lives. This year, however, we are using the season to acknowledge our entire community. From Arcadia Fire Departments to our AHS custodial staff, this is our “Arcadia ApGraphic courtesy of 123RF.COM preciation” series!

ARCADIA APPRECIATION ARTICLES pg. 12

theapachepowwow.net

NOVEMBER 2019

37th Horse Dies at

By ENZO GOEBEL Staff Writer

On Saturday, Nov. 2, thousands of spectators at the Santa Anita Race Track watched on as yet another horse got injured in the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic. Mongolian Groom, a 4-year-old gelding, was euthanized after sustaining a fatal fracture to his left hind leg while competing in the 11/4 mile contest with his jockey Abel Cedillo. Mongolian Groom marks the 37th horse that died at the Santa Anita Race Track since Dec. 26 last year. While race tracks in the U.S. tend to have high numbers of equine deaths, Santa Anita Race Track has exceeded the average, and many of the deaths remain unexplained. This has led to public outrage pressuring the track’s owner, the Stronach Group, to enforce new rules and implement stricter safety precautions. Non-profit American animal rights organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) condemned the string of deaths in a statement saying, “The racing industry must make a choice by doing the right thing by the horses or shutting down forever.’’ In September, California Governor Gavin Newsom told the New York Times that horse racing is a “sport whose time is up unless they

reform.’’ In a letter to the executive director of the

nia called the Breeders’ Cup a “critical test for the future of horse racing in California.” After

state’s horse racing regulatory board earlier this week, U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein of Califor-

Mongolian Groom was euthanized, Senator Feinstein renewed her call for racing to be sus-

By SHIRLEY HUANG At exactly 11:10 a.m. on Nov. 1, 2018, tens of thousands of Google employees poured out of their offices in a coordinated protest against the company’s abuse of power. To clarify, Google had protected and paid an estimated $100 million to high-up executives accused of sexual harassment and discrimination toward employees. Upon learning about these allegations, Claire Stapleton, a Google employee at the time, decided to create a group chat to unite the female employees at Google. The original plan was to coordinate “a day without women [to] register our dissatisfaction about how this has been handled,” as she stated in an interview with CNN Business. To Stapleton’s surprise, the idea quickly gained momentum, and a core group of organizers was soon established to serve as a central operation for the walkout. Meredith Whittaker, the co-founder of the AI Now Institute and former Google employee, was one of seven others willing to step up and lead the protest. After thirteen years at Google, she had risen through the ranks to become a “researcher and a public voice on AI issues.” Nonetheless, she never hesitated to speak up against the company, having previously organized “around a number of ethical issues involved with Google’s choices about where and how to deploy their technology,” she said. Nearly 20,000 workers in 50 cities stormed out of their offices to participate in the Google Walkout For Real Change. Google employees made it clear that day that they did not feel heard nor respected at their workplace. Many held signs that read “Women’s rights are human rights” while chanting “Time is up.”

pended at Santa Anita Park, according to USA Today. In response to such pressure, the Stronach Group reassured the public that they would replace the main dirt track with a synthetic one that is thought to be safer, and the California Thoroughbred Trainers Organization volunteered to raise money for an equine MRI at Santa Anita. Breeders’ Cup, Jockey Club, and Stronach Group have all voiced their support of the Horseracing Integrity Act to set a national standard for medication in the horseracing industry too. Still, many are skeptical or wish for bigger steps to be taken to prevent deaths. Santa Anita Race Track has since closed after its fall meet on Sunday, Nov. 3, and will open again on Dec. 26 for its winter meet. It is unclear if these measures will be sufficient in preventing further equine deaths at Santa Anita Race Track or if horse racing is facing extinction. Either way, this is a longstanding issue that must be resolved. egoebel@apachepowwow.net Photo courtesy of YAHOO.COM Graphics courtesy of SANTAANITA.COM

Staff Writer

Organizers of the protest read out anonymous stories from their colleagues who experienced sexual harassment or unfair treatment while at Google. Coordinating the protest, however, did not come without risk. In the months following the walkout, Google retaliated against core organizers of the protest. Claire Stapleton and Meredith Whittaker claim that speaking up cost them their careers. Both were pulled aside by management and explicitly told that they could either leave the company or face demotion until asked to leave. By the summer of 2019, Stepleton and Whittaker made the decision to quit. As a result of this protest, Google created a more efficient system for handling employee complaints. In February, the company announced that it would end forced arbitration for claims of sexual harassment and assault. But, protests continue as Google fails to meet a number of demands, one of the most prominent concerns being inequity in pay and opportunity. People like Stapleton and Whittaker have inspired others to speak up and advocate against injustice. Whittaker said, “I think that what we’ve seen is the widespread growth of something that is shaping up to be a formidable movement. People are saying, not only do I not want to be exploited at work, I refuse to contribute to harm outside of work. I refuse to build artificial intelligence for a military drone program. I refuse to work for the JEDI project.” shuang@apachepowwow.net Photo courtesy of FNTALK.COM Graphics courtesy of GOOGLE.COM and 1001FONTS.COM

NOVEMBER 2019

powwownews@gmail.com

Democrats Move Forward With Impeachment Inquiry By LESLIE CHEN Staff Writer

Democrats took the biggest step of their impeachment campaign on President Trump. On Thursday, Oct. 31, House Democrats voted on a resolution formally laying out the next steps and procedures of their impeachment inquiry. Although House committees have been in impeachment inquiries since September, this vote marked the next big step, as lawmakers are transitioning these talks from behind closed doors to public hearings. There are five key components to how the impeachment inquiry will be handled from this point on. The components include detailing how the House Intelligence Committee will actually conduct the public hearings, explaining who will get to ask the questions, and saying that the House Judiciary Committee will be in charge of advancing the articles of impeachment—if necessary. The resolution also stated how the House Intelligence Committee will provide public transcripts for some of the hearings and for the private dispositions that have already been held. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also signaled that Democrats are ready to a more public phase. “This process determining whether [the president] should be impeached [is] open to the public view, just as it should be,” she wrote. This resolution will move forward thanks to the House’s Democratic 233- member majority. However, that isn’t stopping House Republican leaders from urging their members to oppose the measure, saying it wouldn’t benefit Republicans and isn’t fair to Trump. The vote’s “limited and closed, and frankly I think we’re moving toward a preordained result,” said Representative Tom Cole, top Republican on the House Rules Committee. Several Democrats in competitive ‘swing’ districts expressed their frustration over the lack of coordinated leadership from the resolution and the lack of advance notice. Democratic Representative Jared Golden stressed that although he voted for the resolution, it doesn’t mean he supports impeachment. “While I disagreed with the initial decision to open the impeachment inquiry, it is clear that the investigation has confirmed [important] information,” he said. “For the good of our country and the public’s understanding of the process, the investigation should no longer continue in a closed setting.” During the hearing, Trump argued to close the case due to the open testimony over Trump’s actions in Ukraine. Democrats believe that this would advance Trump’s political interests. However, Republicans believe its a “desperate attempt” to take Trump out of the office. It’s still a big moment though; it is the first time lawmakers take a recorded vote on whether Trump is worth investigating. lchen@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of THEATLANTIC.COM and LASERAESTHETICS.ORG

s t a f f Editors Editors-in-Chief News Editors Opinion Editors Features Editors Student Life Editors Arts & Entertainment Editors Sports Editors Design Editor Executive Copy Editors Photography Editor Campus Focus Editor Publicity Manager

Writers

News Staff

Opinion Staff

Features Staff

Student Life Staff

Arts & Entertainment Staff

TWITTER BANS POLITICAL ADS

By EMILY CHEN

Staff Writer

Twitter announced on Oct. 30 its decision to ban political ads on its platform. The new rule was created to prevent misinformation, which is becoming increasingly more important as the 2020 presidential election draws near. On many social media platforms, ads can be created by any person or organization. When an ad is paid for, it appears on the social media feeds of users within its target audience. Unlike a post, which can spread only if users choose to like or share it, ads are spread automatically by the website. Twitter’s political ad ban was created to prevent political messages from being spread just because somebody paid for them. Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey wrote, “A political message earns reach when people decide to follow an account or retweet. Paying for reach removes that decision, forcing...messages on people. We believe this decision should not be compromised by money.” He added that the decision was made to uphold Twitter’s mission to stop the spread of misinformation. At first, the company considered only banning ads promoting political candidates. However, they realized legislative issue ads could be used as a way to work around the new rule. Twitter then decided to ban issue ads as well. Dorsey explained, “It isn’t fair for everyone but candidates to buy ads for issues they want to push.” Twitter’s attitudes towards promoted political content are very different from its rival Facebook’s. Facebook has long refused to fact-check or remove political ads on its site. The company has considered banning political ads because they do not make up a significant amount of its business. However, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerburg chose not to because he believes that banning certain ads would put a limit on free expression. He stated, “Ads can be an important part of voice... I believe the better approach is to work to increase transparency.” Dorsey criticized Facebook in his statement announcing the new policy. He wrote, “This isn’t about free expression. This is about paying for reach. And paying to increase the reach of political speech has significant ramifications that today’s democratic infrastructure may not be prepared to handle. It’s worth stepping back in order to address.” The decision received mixed reactions from ordinary users and politicians alike. While some praised Twitter and urged other companies like Facebook and Google to follow suit, others accused the company of silencing voices. Twitter’s final policy onpolitical ads was released on Nov. 15 and went into effect on Nov. 22. echen@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of WASHINGTONPOST.COM

Brandon Chen, Sandi Khine, and Alyssa Rave Margaret Lin, Samantha Rivera, and Jocelyn Thao Conner Hua and Tanya Lee Cassidy Chhay, Abby Choy, and Jocelyn Liao Emma Chen, Ariana Parizadeh, and Rebecca Tao Josie Chen and Kali Tam Michelle Lee and Anya Yang Jenny Qiu Moriah Chang and Roselind Zeng Gavin Do Lisza Lo Jasmine Oang

Sports Staff

Design Staff

Copy-editing Staff

Photography Staff

Campus Focus Staff Publicity Staff Adviser

Bonnie Chen, Emily Chen, Leslie Chen, Lilian Chong, Enzo Goebel, Kylie Ha, Shirley Huang, Robinson Lee, Kaitlin Lee, Branden Leong, Kayli Mak, Janell Wang, Anabell Xu, Tiffany Zhu Emily Banuelos, Brandon Chan, Becky Chen, Bonnie Chen, Kate De Prima, Vritti Godani, Enzo Goebel, Robinson Lee, Kaitlin Lee, Branden Leong, Kayli Mak, Linda Qiu, Kaytalie Shang, Phoebe Wang, Braden Wong, Anabell Xu Emily Chen, Leslie Chen, Nicholas Chhay, Olivia Ge, Vritti Godani, Kylie Ha, Shirley Huang, Robinson Lee, Kaytalie Shang, Caitlin Wang, Leilani Wetterau, Braden Wong, Annalise Xiao, Ashley Zhao Emily Banuelos, Becky Chen, Ethan Chen, Lilian Chong, Kirsten Fuu, Abhiyan Kota, Pamina Yun Ethan Chen, Leslie Chen, Alan Lee, Caitlin Wang, Ashley Zhao Brandon Chan, Victoria Cheng, Lilian Chong, Enzo Goebel, Kylie Ha, Zoe Lin, Melody Lui, Linda Qiu Nicholas Chhay, Emily Chen, Victoria Cheng, Kate De Prima, Kirsten Fuu, Shirley Huang, Zoe Lin, Janell Wang, Phoebe Wang, Annalise Xiao, Ashley Zhao, Tiffany Zhu Brandon Chan, Becky Chen, Ethan Chen, Hong Yu (Bonnie) Chen, Leslie Chen, Kirsten Fuu, Kaitlin Lee, Branden Leong, Zoe Lin, Kayli Mak, Linda Qiu, Kaytalie Shang, Janell Wang, Pamina Yung, Tiffany Zhu Emily Banuelos, Victoria Cheng, Nicholas Chhay, Lilian Chong, Alan Lee, Melody Lui, Caitlin Wang, Leilani Wetterau, Pamina Yung Melody Lui, Braden Wong Peixi (Olivia) Ge, Vritti Godani, Alan Lee, Kate de Prima, Leilani Wetterau, Annalise Xiao Mrs. Lesley Lee

Publication Information: The Apache Pow Wow is a student publication distributed monthly throughout the school year. The paper has been continuously published since Arcadia High School opened in 1952. Unsigned articles appearing on the opinion page do not reflect the opinion of The Apache Pow Wow editorial board. A student’s work does not represent the views of Arcadia High School or the Arcadia Unified School District. Address letters to the editor to: The Apache Pow Wow, 180 W. Campus Drive, Arcadia, CA 91007. To place an advertisement in the newspaper, email ads.powwow@gmail.com. Advertisement rates vary from $25 for a side strip advertisement to $100 for a full-page advertisement, with square and popup advertisement options available.

Graphic courtesy of ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

theapachepowwow.net

CONS

PROS By ROBINSON LEE

NOVEMBER 2019

By KAITLIN LEE Staff Writer

Staff Writer

Gun violence is an issue which Congress and our government has failed to address. While there have been many politicians giving their regards and wishes towards the victims of gun violence, these remarks have been largely empty due to the lack of action by our federal lawmakers. But as the 2020 election year arrives and more Democratic candidates scramble to win the nomination, we see these politicians talking about real change to confront this issue. Former Presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke campaigned on the promise of implementing a mandatory buyback program for assault weapons. While implementing a mandatory buyback program would be very questionable by the 2nd Amendment, implementing a mandatory buyback program on a smaller scale will be a major step forward in ensuring tragedies such as 2012’s Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting and 2018’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Shooting will never happen again. To uncover how mandatory gun buybacks will benefit our nation, let’s look at the details. First, let’s face the fact that our current gun legislation is woefully insufficient to protect us from harm. As an example, let’s look at assault firearms. Even now, 43 states do not have any additional requirements to purchase and possess an assault weapon. The semantics of owning an assault weapon are very questionable as the main reasons for wanting to own a gun are to hunt and for self-defense, are taken to an extreme when a military-grade weapon is involved. Assault weapons are made specifically to kill other people, and the way they are designed is tailored to pierce flesh and brutalize the opponent. No law-abiding civilian would morally use a weapon of war in sport or even self-defense as a handgun or hunting rifle would satisfy the criteria of sport and protection without the amount of cruelty an assault rifle entails. Implementing a mandatory buyback to protect Americans from such weapons of war is a step that we can take to limit the number of people injured in shootings. Holding a mandatory buyback program in specific categories of firearms is beneficial, especially for dangerous weapons. The semantics of orchestrating such a program is also sound as well. Many people who are wary and suspicious of the program stipulate that implementing such a program would cause “big brother” to eliminate citizen’s rights to own firearms in one fell swoop. However, the truth is that gun buyback programs, even mandatory ones can be smoothly implemented to help gun owners adjust by holding the program over long periods of time such as a few years. The best scenario would be where more egregious weapons such as assault weapons would be bought back over a period of a few years then repeated with other dangerous weapons such as semi-automatic guns until the list of guns available is exclusively for self-protection or sport. This is just an example of how a mandatory gun buyback program can help the greater good of protecting our communities by taking steps forward. In Australia, between 1996 and 2003, the Australian federal government bought 660,959 firearms in cooperation with revisited gun laws. The potential here for such a positive change cannot be ignored. Implementing a form of a mandatory buyback system is only one step that our federal government needs to take to protect us from gun violence. We need other measures such as universal background checks, lengthened gun license training, and providing safes to store firearms in are ways that we can help solve the problem of gun violence in this nation. If we don’t act now, then we are letting hundreds of more innocent Americans die from deaths they don’t deserve.

In the democratic debates, former presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke has caused a frenzy over his fervent defense of government gun buybacks, arguing this will reduce the number of shootings haunting the United States for the last couple of years. Even if O’Rourke’s heart is in the right place, his idea is incredibly and undeniably flawed. For one, government buybacks do little to reduce crime. Since the ’90s, there have been studies showing buybacks often do not amount to much. Often, “the guns you get back are nonfunctioning, that we’re paying money and we’re not getting real benefits,” stated President Ralph Fascitelli of Washington CeaseFire, a Seattle-based gun safety organization. Additionally, it is near impossible to significantly affect the number of firearms a community has with buybacks, since, on average, they acquire fewer than 1,000 firearms. Furthermore, the people who participate in these buybacks are people who weren’t likely to break the law anyway. Areas where there are high crime and violence rates often don’t hold gun buybacks. Criminals don’t go to gun buybacks. “They don’t get a lot of crime guns off the street,” said criminal justice professor Matt Makarios. “You’re only going to reduce the likelihood of gun crimes if you reduce the number of guns used in crimes.” Besides, there is one obvious question defenders are avoiding: can’t people just buy firearms again? Really, these buybacks are nothing less than publicity stunts. The pile of weapons creates a powerful, but nevertheless meaningless, image. They hold a “feel-good nature” to them and make people believe that they are achieving something great when really, it doesn’t hold any importance in the long run. “They make for good photo images,” said Director Michael Scott of the Center for Problem Oriented Policing, based at the University of Wisconsin’s law school. “But gun buyback programs recover such a small percentage of guns that it’s not likely to make much impact.” But the most concerning issue of these buybacks is how people can profit off of them. The way that gun buybacks operate is that individuals exchange their firearms for gift cards or even fiscal awards. The “no questions asked” policy that many government gun buybacks have utilized can lead “gun entrepreneurs” to abuse the system. “Gun entrepreneurs” are individuals who purchase weapons in one state, then cross the border and sell their weapons to buybacks. They can buy cheap weapons and sell them to the government for a profit. “There’s always that balance,” Scott says. “They want the financial incentive to be great enough to attract some people, but not so great that it increases the risk that some people would be inclined to take the money [from surrendering their gun] and use it to buy a better gun.” Instead of using government buybacks, there are better ways to encourage more gun safety. Experts have found stringent gun laws that limit the sale of certain weapons or require background checks are slightly more effective in reducing violence than gun buybacks. Gun buybacks also take too much funding and time that could be used to invest in programs that have been proven to statistically lower gun violence. It is true that, in general, gun buybacks are harmless, and in fact can help raise awareness of gun violence and suicide by firearm. However, these shouldn’t be the only things relied on to cause action nor should they be placed as more important than other methods. “There’s some merit to them,” Capt. Paul Humphries of Cincinnati Police said. “But if they’re done with an eye to reducing intentional gun violence, there’s not much evidence they will.” Thus, in the conversation of mandatory gun buybacks, it is crucial to look to other gun control initiatives.

rlee@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of WIN MCNAMEE

klee@apachepowwow.net Photo courtesy of DAVID GRAY

NOVEMBER 2019

theopinionsection@gmail.com

The Controversy Around Columbus Day By BECKY CHEN

Staff Writer

Have you ever noticed that AUSD still has school on Columbus Day? On the second Monday of October, several schools across the nation annually let staff members and students have the day off in celebration of this holiday. Of these people were sophomore Bella Calderon’s friends from other districts. She expressed that it was “quite upsetting” how they “all got a day off” while she was “stuck at school.” Arcadia is just one of many districts participating in this exclusion. In fact, many states and cities have renamed the holiday to “Indigenous Peoples Day,” with Los Angeles being the biggest county to do so in August of 2017. According to USA Today, “At least eight states, ten universities and more than 130 cities across 34 states now observe Indigenous Peoples Day as an alternative to the federally recognized Columbus Day.” Why is Columbus Day being shunned across the world? That’s because the history behind it isn’t worth celebrating, and should actually be condemned. At the arrival of Christopher Columbus and his fellow travelers, several indigenous people (who he has wrongfully labeled “Indians”) have been treated cruelly. Not only did Columbus bring deadly diseases to all of them, but he and his men also forcibly converted them to Christianity and even enslaved them. According to Salon, Columbus’ actions have set precedent for further enslavement of the Native Americans and “laid the foundations for the Europeans to introduce African slavery to the American continents.” It just makes more sense honoring the people who actually founded America and peacefully resided in it until Columbus and his men came. These Native Americans make up a huge part of our country’s roots and deserve to be recognized for that, not just as some people who were conquered by Europeans. In fact, Columbus Day was mainly created for the purpose of pacifying ItalianAmericans anyways. AHS Modern World History and AP Human Geography teacher Mr. Oliver Beckwith stated that Columbus Day “was an attempt to bring [Italian-Americans] into European

society because Columbus was Italian.” So why should we celebrate Columbus Day in the first place? Yes, Columbus is historically significant. But celebrating it under his name only seems like we’re honoring this man’s awful actions. So really, it’s not that big of a deal if AHS doesn’t take a day off for it. Additionally, aren’t we representing Apaches? Mr. Beckwith agreed that “if we identify with the Apaches, or Native Americans, it’s not a day to be celebrated.” Although Bella was disappointed at how her other friends were able to take a holiday off, she understands why Arcadia doesn’t do it in the end. “I like the idea of having a day off, but because we’re Apaches, I do understand the fact that it wouldn’t be right and it would be disrespectful,” she concluded. Several other students don’t mind attending school on Columbus Day either. Sophomore Veronica Chen expressed that she’s “cool with it” and that “it’s honestly not that big of a difference, because even though it’s a national holiday, I feel like it should be something left behind.” But it’s not like AHS is laboring away with an extra day of school. Mr. Beckwith explained that “every school district has the same length in school years: 180 days. What people need to understand is that if you don’t have that day off, you’ll get another day off. A student might not understand if they have friends or relatives in another district.” We don’t have to worry about extra hours at school in the end. AHS’ refusal to participate in the celebration of Columbus Day is simply out of respect. Veronica stated, “If we’re going to celebrate Columbus Day we should actually celebrate the real [people] who founded America and National Indigenous People’s Day.” Although we still have to go to school on that singular Monday, it’s more important to understand what message we’re sending out to the community. As Apaches, we should respect the people we represent and honor the indigenous people of our nation. bchen@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of VECTORSTOCK.COM and 123RF.COM

By BONNIE CHEN

Staff Writer

When you ask foreigners about notable aspects of the schools in the U.S., the first few things that will come in mind is definitely their school spirit. Born and raised in Taiwan, I was shocked at how prideful the students are about their school. From the energetic chants during packed football games, customized class shirts and spirit shirts, to people dressing up as school mascots; they are all significant aspects of school spirit. All of these events heavily involve the participation of the student body. One of the most important events that many students look forward to has always been the spirit weeks, where people dress up accordingly to fit the themes that ASB officers came up with. This year, we had our Homecoming spirit week from Oct. 7 to 11, with creative and fun themes such as “Midnight Monday” and “Outta This World Wednesday.” To me, it was very entertaining seeing the people who dressed up in their “wacky clothes” in the hallways. However, it can also be noticed that plenty of people have shown up to school with no efforts to participate. Most have claimed that they thought spirit weeks were “childish and lame.” At the schools in Taiwan, we must get used to the non-stop testing throughout the whole school year, with perhaps two to three events in between to give us tiny breaks before returning to our usual stressful routine. In the U.S., however, events that involve school spirit almost take place every week! This includes football games, as well as many other events of great variety, all conducted in moderation. This successfully removes some stress of the students as they participate, but ASB officers and teachers also make sure the events wouldn’t be too overwhelming for students to focus on their academic performance. Apart from this, school spirit activities also bring members of the student body together. This includes events such as the Freshmen Tailgate, which was determined to connect freshmen students by doing fun activities that require communication skills. School pride, in this way, helps foster a sense of belonging for everyone in the community. Additionally, a survey conducted by Harris Poll has shown that students with school spirit are more likely to be top achievers in school. This survey, which was targeted on 1,500 high school students, has shown a positive relationship between participation in school spirit activities and the student’s academics. “When students feel a sense of efficacy, they tend to be more involved, more in tune with the great opportunities which exist on their campus,” stated a principal who responded to the survey. I believe that school pride is a powerful factor that supports students emotionally. The next time there’s an opportunity, everyone should definitely give it a go! bchen@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of FONTSPACE.COM, ISTOCKPHOTO.COM, and PINTEREST.COM

By LESLIE CHEN Many YouTubers and other social media influencers are coming together to raise $20 million to plant 20 million trees by the year 2020. The project, called #TeamTrees, has since raised more than $10 million. #TeamTrees was initially started after the YouTuber MrBeast reached 20 million followers. His subscribers challenged him to use his platform and plant 20 million trees to celebrate; the challenge then went viral on social media platforms like Twitter and Reddit. MrBeast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, and Mark Rober, former NASA engineer turned YouTuber, partnered up with the Arbor Day Foundation, a non-profit organization that has pledged to plant one tree for every dollar raised. To help attract attention to the project, Donaldson and Rober each made a pitch video, and soon after, their videos completely dominated the YouTube trending page. “Let’s try and support each other, as well as amplifying each other’s videos,” Rober tweeted. “Our goal is to completely dominate the YouTube trending page.” Along with Donaldson and Rober’s videos, other top-tier YouTubers also released videos supporting #TeamTrees, with many amassing millions of views. In only 48 hours, #TeamTrees raised $5,000,000 from over 20,000 people. The fundraiser quickly surpassed ten million, though, with the help of large donations from celebrities and executives; Shopify CEO, Tobi Lutke, takes the top spot with a million-dollar donation. The project has since reached $12 million and counting, with around one month to go. As for how the trees will be planted, the

theapachepowwow.net

Staff Writer

Arbor Day Foundation will work with its partners around the world to plant one tree for each dollar raised. They will plant native trees in forest areas of great need. Obviously, it will take time to plant trees in the right places, but the foundation says they expect to have all the trees planted by 2022. “We really want to make sure they are being placed where they can do the most good for the Earth,” said a representative. Rober addressed concerns that this initiative wouldn’t solve climate change, stating that it has never been the goal for #TeamTrees. “The purpose of this whole thing was to have a constructive and positive way to send a message to the policymakers that this issue matters,” he said, “As influencers […] we have influence, and we’re using ours to make taking care of Mother Earth cool.” Regardless, planting 20 million trees does have many environmental benefits. The Arbor Day Foundation estimates that these 20 million trees will absorb around two million tons of carbon each year, equivalent to taking a million cars off the road for a year. They will also help reduce water runoff and filter pollutants from the atmosphere. Additionally, the trees are expected to generate $6 billion in environmental benefits. No matter the amount, donating to #TeamTrees will still make an impact! To donate, go to teamtrees.org.

lchen@apachepowwow.net Graphic courtesy of SHOPTEAMTREE.ORG

By EMILY CHEN Greenhouse gas emissions are the main cause of climate change and are a serious issue in today’s society. There are thousands of different things that can emit greenhouse gasses. Some of the best-known include factories, power plants, gas and diesel-powered vehicles, and livestock. A lesser-known producer is inhalers, which seem completely harmless, but also release greenhouse gases. Luckily, researchers have found a way to change that. Alongside switching from commonly used metered-dose inhalers to new dry powder inhalers, asthma patients can greatly reduce their carbon footprints. Metered-dose inhalers use a liquefied, compressed gas propellant to help spray asthma medication from the inhaler into the lungs of the patient. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) were used as an inhaler propellent until the late 2000s when the greenhouse gas was found to be harmful to the atmosphere’s ozone layer. CFC inhalers were phased out and replaced by hydrofluoroalkane (HFA) inhalers. Unfortunately, HFA is a greenhouse gas as well. The National Health Service (NHS) in the UK found that HFA metereddose inhalers made up almost 4% of its carbon footprint. Dry powder inhalers present a solution to this problem. Powder asthma medication is inhaled directly by the patient when they breathe in, so they do not require a propellant.

NOVEMBER 2019

Staff Writer

These inhalers have up to 37 times less of a carbon footprint than metered-dose inhalers. While they are slightly more expensive, they are much better for the environment. Dr. James Smith, a Consultant in Public Health from the University of Cambridge stated, “switching to inhalers which are better for the environment could help individuals, and the NHS as a whole, reduce their impact on the climate significantly. This is an important step towards creating a zero carbon healthcare system fit for the 21st century.” While doctors do encourage patients to make the switch to dry powder inhalers, they insist that the transition must be made with caution, as dry powder inhalers require a different technique for usage. It is important for asthma patients to be comfortable with their inhaler to reduce the risk of a life-threatening asthma attack. “It’s important to stress that patients shouldn’t stop using their usual treatments [just] to reduce their carbon footprint,” advised Dr. Alexander Wilkinson, a Consultant in Respiratory Medicine from an NHS Trust. “Instead we recommend patients review their condition and treatment at least annually with their healthcare professional and at this point discuss whether a more environmentally-friendly inhaler is available and appropriate in their situation.” echen@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of GETTYIMAGES.COM, PIXABAY.COM, and PNGIMAGE.COM

NOVEMBER 2019

By LEILANI WETTERAU

features.pw@gmail.com

Staff Writer

When children wonder how Thanksgiving came to be, they often find false stories about settlers and Native Americans sharing a meal together. Childhood books and movies such as A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, portray questionable tales of the “first Thanksgiving.” In reality, the European settlers from the infamous Mayflower had stripped land away from the indigenous people and eventually wiped out the majority of their population. This article will clarify any misconceptions you may have about the origins of Thanksgiving. Dating back to the presidency of George Washington, autumn festivals have always been in the U.S. In 1863, however, an official holiday was issued by Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln declared that the holiday would be called Thanksgiving and would be celebrated annually on the last Thursday of November. Through Lincoln’s efforts to unite the country during the Civil War, the idea of family and unity became associated with Thanksgiving. Many Americans are unaware that Thanksgiving was created by Lincoln. Instead, their minds jump to the Pilgrims. Senior Justin Li grew up thinking that the colonists and Native Americans “were having a party or something.” Sadly, this is far from the truth. There was, in fact, a meal shared between the settlers and indigenous people. However, the dinner in 1621 was most likely not a cheerful get-together amongst friends and family, like it is today. “In actuality, the assembly of these people had much more to do with political alliances, diplomacy, and an effort at rarely achieved, temporary peaceful, coexistence,” explains the National Museum of the American Indian. The three-day feast was held between 90 native men and 50 English settlers. Sadly, the era of peace only lasted ten years. By the time the Pilgrims, technically called Separatists, were settled in America for a decade, 25,000 additional Englishmen arrived in the United States, wiping out thousands of Native Americans who were not immune to European diseases. Another classic piece of the Thanksgiving story is about Squanto, actually named Tisquantum. He is known for being one of the main people to aid the Separatists with their agriculture needs. What most sources neglect to inform you is that the only reason Tisquantum was able to help the settlers was because he was one of the few native people who could speak English. The reason he was able to translate was because of his past as a slave in both England and Spain. This leads to another myth stating that the Pilgrims were the first Europeans in America. In actuality, the Spaniards had been traveling to and from the Americas since 1492. Sometime between 1492 and 1621, Native American leader Tisquantum was captured and sold into European slavery. Eventually, he made it back to the United States after crossing the Atlantic Ocean six times. It is because of this unfortunate sequence of events that Squanto was able to verbally communicate with the Separatists. Despite the gap between the harvest festival in 1621 and our celebrations today, Thanksgiving continues to be a meaningful time for many Americans. Sophomore Ella Yee stated, “I love Thanksgiving because it’s a time where I get to spend time with my relatives.” Many others share a similar affinity towards the holiday. As long as we recognize our country’s past and clear up myths about Thanksgiving’s origins, we can continue to celebrate and give thanks year after year. lwetterau@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of ANIMATEDTIMES.COM and FONTSPACE.COM

THE HYPE BEHIND By CAITLIN WANG Staff Writer

During the fall, families and friends enjoy going to a pumpkin patch together to spend an afternoon. At this point, we’ve seen so many pumpkin patch photos on Instagram that it is out of the question whether the trend of taking photos with pumpkins will ever die off. Typically, pumpkin patches are far and, therefore, inconvenient to visit. So, is it really worth the long drive this holiday season? Here is a detailed background on the concept of pumpkin patches and whether they are worth a visit or two. The most obvious point of visiting a pumpkin patch is to buy a pumpkin. This is for good reason because the experience of choosing one pumpkin out of an entire patch is more enriching than just choosing one at a local supermarket. If you take Halloween very seriously and want the perfect pumpkin to carve, visiting a pumpkin patch is your best option. According to Odyssey, it is very enjoyable to “walk up and down rows and rows until you find your perfect pumpkin.” Once you find that perfect pumpkin, you will not have wasted a trip to a far pumpkin patch. Taking photos at pumpkin patches to get the perfect Instagram post is also why many people love making the long trip. We’ve all seen the basic, yet cute, photos of people posed on a block of hay, with a pumpkin in hand. However, photos by the corn maze turn out just as, if not more, amazing. Once you see a corn maze, things become all too familiar. Exploring a corn maze, and taking photos in one, is the perfect adventure to go on with family, or the perfect fall date idea. Sometimes, pumpkin patches turn corn mazes into a haunted house, which can be really festive and get you in the Halloween spirit. As you can already tell, there is much more to do at pumpkin patches than just taking photos and looking at the same type of pumpkin over and over. The main reason why many families enjoy bringing their children to pumpkin patches is because of various activities, like the petting zoo. I personally recall visiting one just for the purpose of checking out the petting zoo as a child. Goats, chickens, and other farm animals are featured in these petting zoos, and it can be a great place to create memories, which is why the area is always so crowded. Snapping some pictures of the adorable animals, or getting the chance to pet them is always a wonderful experience. Senior Ethan Mac discusses his experience, “I go to a pumpkin patch every year so it always brings back happy memories. I love the environment and the happy vibes it gives off.” Although it may seem silly and childish from the way pictures and other posts carve them out to be, pumpkin patches are simply a nice place to spend time with the ones you love. The vibes of these patches are cheery, similar to that of Christmas tree farms. Even if you don’t have a specific reason to visit one, give it a try anyway because you might find yourself having the most unexpected time of your life. Make sure to bring people you know you can goof off with and enjoy it as much as you can! cwang@apachepowwow.net Graphic courtesy of FONTSPACE.COM and TOWNANDCOUNTRYMAG.COM

theapachepowwow.net

By ASHLEY ZHAO Try picturing a sandy beach scene, with waves serenely lapping at the shore, seagulls flying overhead, and the sun gently setting over the horizon. For most people, this is a menial task, but for a small population—it’s impossible. Known as “aphantasia”, it is thought that as many as one in fifty people have a condition where they are unable to voluntarily form mental images in their mind’s eye. The condition was first identified in the 1800s and has occasionally been described as a result of major brain damage, but the phenomenon, until now, has attracted little attention. In 2003, a 65-year-old man brought a peculiar problem he had to neurologist Adam Zeman, now working at the University of Exeter in England. Later dubbed “MX”, the patient told Zeman that he could not conjure images of friends, family members, or recently visited places. For the majority of his life, MX, a retired surveyor, had loved to read novels and routinely drifted off to sleep visualizing buildings, loved ones, and recent events. But after undergoing a procedure to open arteries in his heart, during which he likely suffered a minor stroke, his mind’s eye went blind. He was able to see things normally, but he wasn’t able to visualize them in his mind. Zeman had never encountered any condition like it and has since given it the name aphantasia (phantasia means “imagination” in Greek and the prefix a means “without”). Zeman and his colleagues began their analysis by testing MX’s visual imagery in several ways. Compared with control subjects, MX scored poorly on questions that assessed the ability to produce mental imagery. Surpris-

Staff Writer

ingly, however, he was able to accomplish tasks that typically involve visualization. For instance, he was asked whether grass or pine trees had a lighter shade of green. Most people would answer by imagining the colors and comparing the two. MX responded correctly in saying that pine trees are darker than grass, but he insisted that he had no visual imagery to make the determination. “I just know the answer,” he said. He also did well on a test of the ability to rotate objects mentally, where he was shown two pictures of three-dimensional objects and asked to say if they were the same shape after being rotated on its axis. In contrast to the control group, though, he took longer to decide, and the time he took wasn’t dependent on the degree of rotation like it is for most people. Functional magnetic resonance imagery supported MX’s claimed inability to produce mental images. Generally, when people are asked to visualize a person, object, or place, a network consist-

ing of various brain regions is activated. Some of them are involved in decision making, and others in memory or vision. In MX, the visual regions showed very little activity, while those responsible for decision making and error prediction were more active. The finding indicated that MX used a different strategy than the control group when tackling the visualization tasks. After Zeman’s team published their study on MX in 2010, several people came forward, all claiming that they had never been able to create mental images, unlike MX, for whom the problem had only just emerged. Some reported that their condition made them feel “alone” or “isolated”, knowing that they couldn’t mentally see things as most people can, and feel distressed that they can’t picture friends or deceased relatives. Tom Ebeyer from Ontario, Canada, didn’t realize he had aphantasia until he was 21. All of his senses were affected, and he cannot recall sights, texture, or even sound. “It had a serious emotional

By ANNALISE XIAO As of late, lo-fi music has topped the charts and gained a large following. Spotify showcases various lo-fi playlists, such as Lo-fi Cafe and Lo-fi Beats. Lo-fi is most commonly used for studying and other tedious tasks, and several studies have proved the efficiency of background music on learning comprehension. Lo-fi stands for “low fidelity”, which refers to the production quality and lower bitrate of exported music. This is the opposite of the contemporary hi-fi music used today, which is engineered and exported in high quality. Lo-fi music is a music quality where the “imperfected” elements of productions are audible. This may be regarded as a delib-

NOVEMBER 2019

impact,” Ebeyer explained. “I began to feel isolated—unable to do something so central to the average human experience. The ability to recall memories and experiences, the smell of flowers or the sound of a loved one’s voice; before I discovered that recalling these things was humanly possible, I wasn’t even aware of what I was missing out on.” However, some have learned to live with the condition, and simply believe that they just experience life differently. One example of such a person is Neil Kenmuir from Lancaster, England. “I can remember not understanding what ‘counting sheep’ entailed when I couldn’t sleep,” recalled Kenmuir. “I assumed they meant it in a figurative sense. When I tried it myself, I found myself turning my head to watch invisible sheep fly by. I’ve spent years looking online for information about my condition and finding nothing. I’m very happy that it is now being researched and defined.” 16 years have passed since MX brought aphantasia to Zeman’s attention, allowing those with the condition to be able to finally identify it. In contrast to those who’ve had aphantasia for their entire lives, MX did get back some of his ability to visualize. Presumably, his brain re-created connections that had been damaged by the stroke or built new connections. When MX dreams at night, he sees images. Occasionally, when someone mentions a place he knows, a picture pops up in his mind’s eye.

azhao@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of FONTSPACE.COM and MINDSPELLER.COM

Staff Writer

erate aesthetic choice in some cases as well. How is Lo-fi music made? The first step is to add a catchy melody and some chords to go along with it. Most catchy melodies and chords are derived from old funk and jazz records. Some melodies tend to have a nostalgic feeling to them, which attracts more people to the unique music quality as well. Dusty drum beats are added next. This is a distinct feature of Lo-fi music since it stands out and contributes to its unique characteristics. Lo-fi music tends to be mellow, but it still incorporates interesting rhythms, such as a unique bass line. An iconic vinyl crackle is included in some songs, but other creative elements are also added to increase the diversity.

Lo-fi has skyrocketed in popularity since 2018 and continues to increase its impact, but what qualities make it so appealing? Lo-fi tracks with soft, mellow beats help people relax and study. The sounds are so subtle, but still have enough presence. This allows a person to enjoy the music without having their full attention on it. The music’s presence is still there and it doesn’t distract people as easily as compared to other genres. Some lo-fi songs have lyrics, but most do not, which also contributes to their popularity. Lo-fi songs with lyrics still have mellow beats and melodies, so it is generally less distracting then today’s pop music. Some YouTube channels have also created long loops, which generally range from one to four

hours, and have usually gained a huge fanbase as a result. The loops are paired with anime or cartoon clips used as art. Some popular lo-fi artists include Keshi, Joji, Jinsang, and more. However, the emergence of lo-fi music has also caused controversy in the music industry. Some people may find it boring, but other artists have a different take on it. For example, Maël believes that the problem is that every sampled music with static recordings and downtempo was placed in the same category. Although lo-fi music is fundamentally imperfect, it continues to stay on the charts as it rises in popularity.

axiao@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of FONTSPACE.COM, VECTORSTOCK.COM, and WALLPAPER ACCESS.COM

NOVEMBER 2019 publicity.powwow@gmail.com

ADVERTISEMENTS 9

Alpha Science / Math Education Institute AP Physics 1, 2 AP Physics C AP Calculus AB AP Calculus BC Pre-Calculus

Algebra II Geometry SAT I / ACT SAT II Math SAT II Science

奧法教育 Let the WRIGHT brothers E-mail: info@alphascienceedu.com

ﬂy in the sky once more.

Temple City:(626) 614-0931 Arcadia:(626)821-9107 Rowland Hts.:(909) 595-2426 www.alphascienceedu.com

theapachepowwow.net

November 2019

By PAMINA YUNG Staff Writer

ACT stated that starting from September 2020, high school students who take the ACT test will be allowed to retake the individual sections they want to get a better score on , on Tuesday, Oct. 8. Taking the ACT costs $68 which includes the optional essay portion while it costs $52 without it. The test consists of multiple-choice questions that test students on English, math, reading, and science. The entire test takes about three hours plus forty more minutes if the essay section is being taken. Although a price has not been decided for an individual section, next year’s new policy many students time and money. However, according to The New York Times, “if the change encourages more students to retake portions of the exam, it may ultimately increase revenue for the organization.” Section retakers will receive a “superscore” which combines all of their highest scores for each section from all the times they took the test. The permission to repeat certain sections also eliminates the risk of getting a lower score on a section that one previously got a good score on. If students want to take this route and submit a superscore into their college admissions, they must include multiple test results. It is currently undetermined whether or not college admission teams will judge superscores differently from scores from only one test. Along with the option of a superscore, students who take the exam on Saturdays can take the ACT entirely online. By taking the ACT online, test results will come back in as few as two business days, while it takes around three weeks doing the pencil-paper method. By avoiding using something tangible such as paper, it is impossible for your test to be physically lost or stolen. Freshman Allison Chu said that she thinks “it is time-efficient for the proctor and for the students, and benefits the students.” She relates ACT’s new policy to taking the practice ACT test. Allison started to feel sick on the day of the practice exam and began to run out of energy by the time she reached the math section. From her past experience, Allison believes that the new rule “is a good way for students to be able to reflect and improve on what they have struggled on.” “It should have been done years ago,” said Mrs. Tedford, who teaches Beginning and Intermediate Dance at AHS. “Of course the first time you take the test, you take the whole thing, but you don’t have three to four hour exams even in college, so why have them in high school and make students retake the whole thing?” She thinks that the same guidelines should be enforced for the SAT. When her son was in high school, he performed well on the SAT but only needed to improve his score on the math section. Mrs. Tedford said that if next year’s ACT policy had been made for the SAT during the time her son took the test, his score would have been better. pyung@apachepowwow.net Graphic courtesy of TUMBLR.COM

By EMILY BANUELOS On Friday, Oct. 11 in the Lecture Hall, Ms. Osawa, Ms. Nakamura, and Mr. Fumitake Nakamura came from Sophia University (SU) and J. F. Oberlin University to speak to the Japanese classes about why they should attend universities in Japan. They gave the students a presentation that included information on tuition costs, housing, and courses that each school offered. Japanese teacher Mrs. Summers states, “As we all know, university tuition in the United States is extremely expensive unlike other countries around the world. That is why I would like AHS students to know there are other options of schooling around the world, where they could continue their higher level of education. Why not consider studying in Japan? Their tuition is cheaper and so is the cost of living.” The cost of tuition is very high to attend universities in the U.S. Therefore, students are opting to study abroad. These high costs have led to the development of the “Global 30” project in which internationally recognized universities in Japan offer degree programs and courses in numerous fields all spoken in English. All classes are in English for their international students, and credits are transferable to top universities around the world. There is no Japanese proficiency required to enroll in these universities, but Japanese is taught to all the students and culture instruction is provided. As a result, Japanese becomes a second language to add to one’s resume, along with intercultural skills. Also, 80% of these international students receive partial or complete tuition waivers. SU areas of studies include Sophia Programs for Sustainable Futures (SPSF), Green Science in the Department of Materials and Life Sciences, and Green Engineering in the Department of Engineering and Applied sciences. Applications come out in autumn; undergraduate programs are in English and tuition is approximately $13,500 for the first year and $11,500 from the second year on. The application process requires transcripts, SAT/ACT scores or IB Diploma or GCA A levels, TOEFL or IELTS score, recommendation letters, and an essay of 500 words.

Staff Writer

SU also has many dormitories off and on campus for students, all owned and managed by Kyoritsu Maintenance. Green Science Program Student, Choi Wonjoon explains, “As the son of a diplomat, I have traveled around the world and have encountered many unique cultures and environments. Through my journey, the high levels of pollution from third-world countries left a great impression on me to pursue a future in restoring the environment. The Green Science program not only has provided the resources to facilitate my dream, but also an exceptional environment and community which heightened and stimulates skills intellectually and socially. The connections I made with colleagues and professors in this international community was a priceless experience. The small class sizes allow professors to interact with each student individually and accommodate the source according to the students’ needs.” Another school is J. F. Oberlin University, in which 740 exchange students are currently enrolled and a total of 849 teaching staff. Their exchange and study abroad program is either one semester or one academic year (two semesters). They have three specialized courses in global communication: English, Chinese, and Japanese. Tuition fees for their school vary depending on each program. For example, the Masters program’s first-year dues are approximately $9,900. Eri Nakamura from J. F. Oberlin University states, “Many of the students in J.F. Oberlin University have an experience studying abroad. While pursuing a field of your dream, you will make many Japanese and international friends and learn together. We welcome you to join us and expand your horizons.”This is a great real-world experience to attend college internationally and embrace another culture. For more information, you can see Mrs. Summers, one of the Japanese teachers in E-105.

ebanuelos@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of Emily Banuelos

studentlife.powwow@gmail.com

November 2019

By EMILY BANUELOS

Staff Writer

Longley Way Elementary School is to be named a 2019 National Blue Ribbon School! The National Blue Ribbon School Program recognizes private and public elementary, middle, and high schools, on their overall academic performance. It is given to the schools with students displaying the mastering of challenging content. More than 9,000 schools globally have been recognized with the National Blue Ribbon School award. This recognition is given out annually by the U.S. Department of Education to schools demonstrating excellence in high academic achievements of students. It is getting increasingly difficult to receive this award with the rising competition among students. “As a National Blue Ribbon School, students’ success demonstrates what is possible when committed educators partner with parents and community leaders to create vibrant, challenging cultures of learning,” elaborated U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos in a video message to this year’s Blue Ribbon award recipients on what it means to receive this honor. Earning this award for one’s school is astounding, not only for the administration and student but, as a community. In addition, earning this distinguished award for the school district displays their academic and social achievements. Longley Way fifth-grade teacher Mrs. Wearp says that “it’s a privilege and honor to work for a school that has been recognized for their commitment to providing an innovative culture that inspires students to reach for their highest potential.” Longley Way fourth-grade teacher and Blue Ribbon applicant committee member Mrs. Davidson explains, “when I heard our school was applying for the National Blue Ribbon award, I felt very proud and honored to be a part of the process. We are fortunate to have so many opportunities in our district to collaborate with and learn from all of our elementary schools, middle schools, and our high school, so, to me, this title is a reflection of how great our district is as a whole.” Longley Way Elementary was also recognized last year as a California Distinguished School. AUSD was recently named by Niche as being in the 99th-percentile of the overall best school districts with the best teachers and best places to teach in America, California, and Los Angeles. The Arcadia district is home to the 2019 California History Teacher of the Year and one of 16 Los Angeles County 2019 Teachers of the Year. Longley Way Elementary will be receiving its official National Blue Ribbon award at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. which will be held on Nov. 14. If you would like to see more information on Longley Way Elementary’s National Blue Ribbon recognition you may visit the AUSD website.

ebanuelos@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of 1001FONTS.COM and TUMBLR.COM By PAMINA YUNG Staff Writer

On Oct. 17, The GRAMMY Museum announced that Heather Moore, who teaches AP, college prep, and U.S. History for English learners at AHS, won the 2019 Jane Ortner Education Award, named after a public school teacher who cherished music as a powerful academic aspect. Ms. Moore is also the faculty adviser to the Student Council Apache Commission. As established in 2011, the Jane Ortner Education Award recognizes K-12 educators across the country who teach ELA, social studies, science, math, or a foreign language and incorporate music into the classroom in ways such as using it as an educational tool. Winners can only be recipients once and collect a $3,000 honorarium and earn a $1,000 grant for their school. Applicants apply for the award by presenting an individual and original lesson plan that is judged on creativity, teachability, transferability, and levels of engagement. Ms. Moore’s lesson submission called “Getting Happy - Life in the Great Depression” is about analyzing the human condition during the Great Depression using songs to engage her students in learning. She will also be given two tickets to the 62nd Annual GRAMMY Awards in Los Angeles which will be held next year in January at the Staples Center. Ms. Moore thinks that music is a great way to retain memory. According to her, when teaching, “music helps the era come alive and allows students to understand the emotional truths of the human experience that transcend time.” She believes that it is a reminder about how history is so much more than presidents, laws, and wars. “It’s all about aspects of life and how people experience victories, love, heartache, frustrations, triumphs, and more.” After years of teaching with music, Ms. Moore has seen students connect with people of the past through universal emotions and understandings. Linked to the Jane Ortner Education Award is the Jane Ortner Artist Award which honors musical artists who epitomize the value of education through the arts. The previous winners of this award are Janelle Monáe, Jackson Browne, Lady Gaga, and John Legend. The GRAMMY Museum has now opened applications for recipients of the 2020 Jane Ortner Education Award which has a deadline of Dec. 4 this year. Past recipients of the Jane Ortner Education Award include California educational instructors Erica Amann (El Dorado High School), Jonathan Bernal (Topaz Preparatory Academy), Sunshine Cavalluzzi (El Dorado High School), Bianca Wilson Cole (Washington Prep High School), Kylie Ko (Mark Keppel Elementary School), Nicole Naditz (Bella Vista High School), and Nathan Strayhorn (Fayetteville High School) of Arkansas. pyung@apachepowwow.net Graphic courtesy of TUMBLR.COM

COMMUNITY

theapachepowwow.net

NOVEMBER 2019

By TIFFANY ZHU Staff Writer The transition from middle school to high school is unquestionably challenging. For students used to the small environment of middle school, high school can seem daunting at first and filled with uncertainties. Having a teacher who is passionate, supportive, and hardworking can ease the burden of this transition. Ms. Galloway embodies all of these traits. For a long time, I thought that history was a particularly tedious class. However, Ms. Galloway changed my perspective. Her theatrical personality turns dull topics into engaging discussions. I never had to worry about not understanding a topic in her class because she had an ability to break down a complex topic through her simple analogies. Ms. Galloway tries to motivate all of her students to participate in the discussion through a system that involves playing cards taped to each desk. She encourages each of her students to think deeply about their answers by asking a series of follow-up questions. Her policy of allowing students to turn in late assignments and do test corrections makes earning good grades possible and provides the opportunity for students to learn from their mistakes. She truly has her studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; best interests at heart. Her incredible sense of humor puts everyone at ease and creates an environment free from tension. Her open nature allows her to share amusing anecdotes. Her ability to share with students inspires them to be more open about their opinions and creates a more personal bond between her and her students. But, she doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hesitate to call her students out for not staying on task. Although she is usually a very understanding person, when it comes to her no phones during class policy, she is merciless. Every day, during the last ten minutes of class, she prioritizes watching CNN 10 to ensure that her students stay updated with current news. In a constantly evolving world, staying aware and informed about news is important to stay connected to the world. Being in Ms. Gallowayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s class everyday is such a privilege. Hearing her hilarious stories and witty jokes gives me something to look forward to at the end of the day. Thank you, Ms. Galloway, for making 9th grade such a memorable year!

tzhu@apachepowwow.net

NOVEMBER 2019

cf.powwow@gmail.com

APPRECIATION

By CONNER HUA Opinion Editor When humans have matured into functioning adults of society, many look back on their lives to humble beginnings. Often, when they reflect on which individuals shaped their childhood, certain figures are cited as monumental to their growth and development, teachers. Often, it is the way in which teachers nurture their classes and imprint life lessons and morals that influence the adult a child grows up to be. In this way, the role of teachers in our society is striking: the lessons our teachers leave on the children of tomorrow will stick with them for the rest of their lives. Characteristically marked by a multitude of students seeking solace from the harsh teenage world, the classroom D-102 is home to Mrs. Grubbs, an undoubtedly esteemed teacher at Arcadia High School. Teaching English curriculum at AHS and serving as one of two Senior Council advisors and Senior Men and Women (SMW) advisors, Ms. Grubbs plays an integral role on campus. Despite her class being known for its intellectually stimulating difficulty, she remains one of the most respected and friendly teachers on campus. A student can always trust that whenever he or she goes to talk to Ms. Grubbs, they will be greeted with a smile and open arms. By visiting D-102 any day after school, it is evident how many AHS students rely on Ms. Grubbs and trust her to provide guidance in various facets of their lives. The crowd of students that can be seen in her room everyday serves as a testament to her unique and positive effects on the students she encounters. Besides teaching English at AHS, Ms. Grubbs also serves as one of two Senior Council Advisors for ASB. In this position, Ms. Grubbs voluntarily gives up her time to supervise and chaperone Senior Councilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s events. Her job as advisor to Senior Council primarily consists of assisting in planning/executing events, facilitating discussions, and offering advice. These duties also extend to SMW, a well-known organization on campus. Through the various ways Ms. Grubbs contributes to a campus culture of love and positivity, she serves as an outstanding teacher, but an even better advisor. It goes without saying that the effect of Ms. Grubbs extends to the farthest corners of our campus, both directly and indirectly. The lives she impacts, the organizations she guides, the curricular and extra-curricular lessons she imparts on her students. The way in which Ms. Grubbs leaves an impression on all of the students she meets is a characteristic thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s difficult to find in this society. From first impressions to getting to know her on a deeper level, Ms. Grubbs radiates an inviting personality that students are able to pick up on and realize that she is a safe person to talk and turn to. Over her many years at AHS, many students across campus have taken a fondness to Ms. Grubbs, turning to her for advice in times of need. Renowned as a kind teacher that teaches her students well, as she continues to advise influential organizations on campus and garner the love and trust of students, her acclaim as a teacher will only continue to grow.

chua@apachepowwow.net

Graphics courtesy of BEFONTS.COM, NETCLIPART.COM, and VECTORSTOCK.COM Photos by EMILY BANUELOS

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

By ASHLEY ZHAO

arcadiaperformingarts@gmail.com

NOVEMBER 2019

Staff Writer

Ever since losing her eyesight in a botched eye surgery about 11-and-a-half years ago, Soul Train dancer Sylvia Taylor’s life was put on pause. “I was actually afraid to come out by myself,” she recounted. “If my husband didn’t take me, I didn’t go [out]. If a friend didn’t come by and grab me, I wasn’t going.” But now, Taylor is out rehearsing as a dancer for the Blind Dance Company, a newly formed troupe made up entirely out of blind dancers, like herself. “I was so happy to actually be dancing again,” said Taylor after joining the dance company a few years ago. Led by professional dancer and choreographer Hydeia Muhammad and artistic director Greg Shane, the Blind Dance Company is a non-profit organization whose mission is to raise money to help provide the dancers with access to professional instruction, competitions, and festivals. Muhammad, now 24, started teaching ballroom dancing professionally at the age of 16. Her work with visually-impaired dancers began in 2017, where “after volunteering, [she] completely fell in love,” Muhammad remarked. “I was just inspired by their diligence and optimism for dance, something they haven’t done since losing their sight.” Shane, also the co-founder of CRE Outreach (Create, Reflect, Empower)—a non-profit organization that aids at-risk youth, military veterans, and the visually impaired in Los Angeles engage with the arts and produced the Blind Dance Company—came up with the idea for forming the troupe in 2016 when working on a production of CRE’s flagship arts program, Theatre for the Blind. “I had a ballroom scene that I knew I wanted at the end of the performance,” said Shane, who is blind in his right eye. “I reached out to Hydeia, who actually choreographed a dance at my wedding, and asked her if she could help put some routines together. I was just so impressed with the way she worked with the visually impaired community.” The Blind Dance Company currently has ten blind dancers, several of whom lost their vision later in life. “Many blind people love to dance, and stopped dancing when losing their sight,” Muhammad said. “I teach blind dancers the same way I teach any clients. I feel like it’s easier to teach blind dancers because they’re not trying to figure out what’s happening ahead of time. They kind of relax and let the physical guidance teach them.” In order to rehearse, Muhammad and the dancers work together to create a customized teaching method that emphasizes touch, vocal instruction, and mental visualization. “For example, there are some steps in the routines that require [the dancers] to turn more than one time back-to-back and keep in a straight line,” explained Muhammad. “So, we developed a method for spotting where I just told them to imagine if they’re looking straight ahead, I want them to imagine a red dot straight ahead, so when they turn in their minds they have to get back to that red dot. And it worked.” Muhammad also had the dancers touch her as she demonstrated movements. “We jokingly call it ‘brailing,’” said Taylor. Hydeia “will tell us moves… and she’ll go around to us individually and allow us to touch her to feel the movement.” Similar to Taylor, the company has also helped 28-year-old Natalie Gross embrace dancing once again after almost a decade-long hiatus. “Dance was a constant reminder that I had gone blind. So, I stopped cold turkey,” stated Gross, who participated in cheerleading and dance teams in high school before losing her sight ten years ago.The Blind Dance Company has “taught me to just go out there and do it—be courageous, take risks—because anything is possible and no disability is going to stop you from something that you really want to do.” Muhammad hopes the Blind Dance Company will not only empower her dancers, but also encourage audiences to recognize that the ability to dance transcends beyond vision. “This is something that [members] do to embrace themselves, to be more confident, to put themselves out there,” she said. “I want people to see it and forget they are blind and realize they can dance like anyone else.” azhao@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of POLINABRIGHT.COM, SHUTTERSTOCK.COM, AND1001FONTS. COM

By ALAN LEE and CAITLIN WANG

Staff Writers

AHS’ Band and Colorguard have been doing well in their recent competitions and season. Their Mt. Carmel Competition was a success as they won overall grand champion and sweepstakes, and at a recent football game, they were surprised with the announcement that they have been invited to play in the 2021 Rose Parade. Here is an update on how both band and colorguard are doing so far this year. Band President and Alto Saxophone Section Leader senior Sydney Chang stated, “I think this season is very special in comparison to previous years because everyone has energy and passion for what we’re doing, even though rehearsals are really long and competition days are tiring as well. People keep pushing forward, and even when we have a lot of stuff to work on, the energy never goes down. We’re always there supporting one another, and I think that definitely helps. We aren’t doing as well in the competitions with our scoring as we did in previous years but honestly as a senior this year, I’m not really letting that bring me down because I am having the most fun in band this year and I really think it’s because of the people around and how positive their attitudes are. I’m really proud of how far we’ve come in the show and the growth of the people that are in band.” Even with long practices and late nights, band and colorguard are rewarding performing arts groups on campus. All students do their best so they can produce a wonderful final product

and be proud of their performances. Their hard work and determination shine through during competitions. This year is no exception. For example, both groups showcased a beautiful performance during the Homecoming football game against Pasadena, which staff, AHS students, and parents enjoyed from the sidelines. Colorguard Captain senior Sharon Hoang said, “The season has been competitively tough as the top 6 schools in our division have all scored in the upper 80s to 90 point region which is tough but exciting. It’s to the point where anyone of us could end up at the top. As of right now, we have been working nonstop to attempt and perfect our work and get us into the top 3 positions. I’m bold enough to say that our show this season has been one of my favorite shows to date. The work the students were given has been demanding but with the right training and dedication I am sure that we can make it out on top.” As both Sydney and Sharon detailed, band and colorguard have already had great successes so far this year, but they still think they have room for more practices and improvements. They are all for perfecting their passions and crafts. All members of the band and colorguard have a lot to look forward to this season despite the exciting achievements they’ve already earned. Go support band and colorguard in their upcoming performances! alee@apachepowwow.net\ cwang@apachepowwow.net OMGraphics Courtest of 1001FONTS. COM, 123RF.COM

NOVEMBER 2019

By ASHLEY ZHAO

arcadiaperformingarts@gmail.com

Staff Writer

You may be able to see it, you may be able to hear it, but you can’t touch a Theremin. Without using any physical contact at all, the Theremin is an instrument that you can string melodies out of just by moving your hands in the air above it. Although playing it may sound easy, “it’s a very hard instrument,” explained professional thereminist Robert Schwimmer, a member of the New York Theremin Society. “There’s nothing there to help you. You have no reference. Every other instrument you have something. And so if you’re standing in front of the Theremin and your body is a little bit this way or a little bit that way, or if you’ve put on an eighth of a pound, your field will be different.” “Who would have thought,” said Albert Glinsky, a music professor and author of Theremin: Ether Music and Espionage, “that you could create an instrument that you don’t actually touch?” The Theremin was named for its inventor, Leon Theremin, whose story is as mysterious as the instrument that carries his name. In 1919, 23-year-old Theremin’s new machine began to emit a strange noise. Built at the Physical-Technical Institute in St. Petersburg, Theremin’s device was originally developed to measure the density of gases in a chamber. As a brilliant and creative young Russian scientist, he had wondered what would happen if he added a sonic element to his new contraption, one that would emit a whistling noise that could indicate the ma-

chine’s reading. However, he quickly noticed that the sound wasn’t responding to the density of gases, but rather, he would merely move his hands back and forth and the pitch would change. After waving his hands back and forth in the air around the machine, an eerie noise emerged, like a quivering, disembodied voice. As his fellow scientists gathered around him and his noisemaker of a machine, Theremin realized that he had a new instrument in front of him. Theremin’s accidental discovery was that the electromagnetic field around an antenna could be affected simply by moving your body into that field. “It’s simply the electromagnetic fields in your own body, what we refer to as capacitance, affecting the circuitry through the electromagnetic field surrounding some device,” said Glinsky. After Theremin’s initial discovery, he placed one antenna vertically and horizontally, changing the device into a working instrument. This lets players control the pitch with their right hand and volume with their left, thus producing real melodies out of thin air. As word of his invention spread, Theremin would be invited to an audience with Vladimir Lenin, who was the Chairman of Russia’s new Bolshevik government at the time. Lenin absolutely adored the instrument. “He was so taken with it,” Glinsky says, “that in 1922 he sent Theremin all around the Soviet Union to demonstrate the instrument as propaganda for electrification.” After being sent on a successful tour all around Russia, Lenin would send Theremin to Western Europe in the late

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

1920s, where the popularity of his mysterious instrument would only grow larger. But what the audience didn’t know that Theremin was already working as a spy for the Soviet regime. As he wowed crowds with his ghostly tunes, he kept an eye out for any information that might be useful to report back to his homeland. “This was the great ruse because everybody was so focused on this magician pulling music out of thin air that he was able to gain access to industrial places and patent offices and all sorts of things,” explained Glinsky. In 1927, Theremin would make his way to New York City, where he got his instrument patented and made a deal with the RCA to produce 500 of Theremin’s invention. While living in America, he would perform in major venues like Carnegie Hall and the Metropolitan Opera House. “Critics almost didn’t know what to make of it,” said Glinsky. “There was one who said that if Theremin had lived 500 years ago or something, he would’ve been burned at the stake as a sorcerer.” Critics also had no idea that Theremin was a KGB spy whose mission was industrial espionage, which is a key reason why he turned to RCA (a cutting-edge electronic manufacturer at the time) to produce his device. The lead up to WWII made Theremin increasingly nervous that his identity would be revealed, and in September of 1938, he fled the US without even notifying his wife of his departure. Theremin was sent to a Siberian gulag, where he would travel through several prisons and camps unable to contact his friends or family. He would eventually return to the US

in 1991 after the fall of the Iron Curtain before returning to Russia, where he died in 1993. During his disappearance from western audiences in the 1940s, the Theremin made its debut in films when it was discovered by Hollywood composer Miklós Rózsa, who wrote the scores for The Lost Weekend and Spellbound. In contemporary films, the Theremin would also make a reappearance on the scores for Ed Wood and The Machinist, which both featured one of today’s preeminent theremin players, Lydia Kavina. Currently living in the UK, Kavina was born in Moscow as the granddaughter of Theremin’s first cousin, who taught her the instrument at a young age. “If you look back 20 years ago, there were almost no [theremins] to buy, almost no players to find,” she said. “There was very little information about the instrument in general. Today, we have thousands of theremin instruments and thousands of theremin players of different levels.” Although Theremin invented one of history’s most fascinating instruments, his genius was severely limited by somewhat tragic circumstances that shaped his life. However, his imagination could never be constrained by the forces that imprisoned him. Now over 100 years old, the Theremin can still inspire a sense of awe as the spectral voice of a machine calls to us from a time long ago. azhao@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of RAWPIXEL, 1001FONTS.COM

SPORTS

AN INSPIRING TRYOUT The Lady Apaches are looking forward to another great season as many talented Apaches are looking to contribute their skills to the softball team.

theapachepowwow.net By MELODY LUI

Staff Writer

AN EXCITING RACE The Apaches ran valiantly across dusty hills and tough terrain in the 2019 Apache Invitational, competing against 14 other Southern California high schools. Quinta, Culver City, Arcadia, and La Mirada followed after with a difference of only a fewpoints. Junior Trevor Carter placed 60th, junior Dominic Price placed 84th, junior Ivan Keath placed 86th, senior Peyton Chen placed 98th, and senior Mark Bonilla placed 122nd. The Varsity girls placed 9th out of 14 teams, with Great Oak taking 1st, Milikan, Oaks Christian, Culver City, Garfield, Downey SS,

of team chemistry and that we’re going to be really good this year because we have a lot of new talent. There’s a lot of incoming freshmen who are very good, and I think that we just have to compete.” With the strong freshman class as well as the equally strong returning classes, this softball season already seems to be a hit. Last year our softball team made it to round three of CIF, but this year everyone hopes to make it further into CIF. Coach Gills says that even despite only having two seniors on the team this year, “We are stronger in pitching and hitting, and we can probably compete for the Pacific League championship as well as run into CIF playoffs.” Sophomore Jasmine Ahdoot also states, “I think this year we’re going to have a better run than last year because we have a lot of freshmen coming in who have a lot of talent and we’re going to make a big impact this year. And hopefully, we will beat Crescenta Valley because last year we came pretty close.” The team is working hard and looking forward to another year of success. This year we hope that the Apaches will be able to meet and surpass their goals from last year. With the new potential and team dynamics, the team will be able to make the Apaches proud.

As fall comes to a close, winter sports are beginning to hold tryouts! Among them were softball tryouts, which took place took place on Oct. 28 and Oct. 29. During softball tryouts, the girls started by stretching and warming up to ensure no muscle strains, running a few laps around the softball field, and practicing throwing and catching. After warming up, Softball Coach Al Gills kept the girls active by letting them catch and throw his bats to the designated bases. The coaches look for a variety of different characteristics in the girls. Coach Gills stated, “As coaches, we like to see, first, that they are working hard and trying to make a good first impression. Their hard work, skill level, and confidence go a long way. We want to see how they take instruction and they are coachable.” Since our softball team has had an outstanding reputation in the past, it is no wonder that the coaches are looking for such a long list of outstanding qualities. According to Coach Gills, the Apaches should be expecting another incredible season. “We have a strong freshman class this year. So when combining them with our returning girls, we feel we will have a very strong team this year,” said Coach Gills. mlui@apachepowwow.net Senior Julianni Santa Ana also expects Photo by MELODY LUI a lot this season by saying, “Since most of us Graphics courtesy of FONTSPACE.COM are returning girls, I think that we do have a lot and PINTEREST.COM

By KYLIE HA Held in the Lakes area of Whittier on Nov. 1, AHS and 17 other schools near the Southern California area competed in the annual Apache Invitational. With numerous parents from the athletes helping out, this race was extremely significant, as it was the last race before league finals. The official course was set in Legg Lake Park, an area where many races were held before. With the coaches and team managers helping out in each race, this ensured that every single race would be successful. In the Frosh/Soph girls race, the team scores ended with Great Oak, Downey SS, Trabuco Hills, Granada Hills, Culver City, Schurr, Arcadia, Apple Valley, El Rancho, and La Mirada. Though they placed 7th, Arcadia picked up the pace in the next few races. Arcadia’s boys Frosh/Soph race placed 7th out of 14 teams. As Great Oak finished 1st, Trabuco Hills, La Quinta, Millikan, Downey SS, Granada Hills, Warren, Culver City, Schurr, Garfield, La Mirada, Serrano, and El Rancho followed. Although the JV girls did not have enough people to score officially, junior Geena Limfat placed 11th and junior Promise Li placed 31st out of 61 runners. In the Gold JV boys race, Great Oak took a major lead in 1st, Warren, Granada Hills, Trabuco Hills, El Rancho, Downey SS, Schurr, La

NOVEMBER 2019

Elsinore, Paloma Valley, La Quinta, El Rancho, Moreno Valley, Schurr, and Cleveland coming in next. In 34th place, junior Anica Maninang scored the first point for Arcadia, while junior Chloe Sorrell, sophomore Ella Yee, junior Ariana Parizadeh, and juniors Savannah Vuong and Britney Chieng followed shortly after. In the Varsity boys race, Arcadia placed 12th out of 15 teams, with freshman William

Lynn scoring the first point with a time of 16:08. Junior Jarod Cardenas, senior Brian Soong, junior Henry Hsieh, and junior Kyle La took the next couple of places. Senior Brian Soong stated, “Apache Invite was completely different and new to us and others this year given the new course due to the conflicting Breeder’s Cup. Overall, the course was extremely flat and forgiving, aiding in the quick times and PRs seen throughout the day. It allowed me to execute my race plan accordingly and come within a second of my lifetime personal record.” While the league-meet schools did not come to race, schools from El Monte, Temecula, Menifee, and more came to get in one last race before the season officially ended. By hosting the meet itself, numerous schools from all over the district and more came to race for a personal record and earning medals. With this being the last race before League Finals and CIF championships, this race was more than an advantage for many of the runners. Because this was towards the end of the season, this race was a progress check to see how far the runners had gotten. We wish the Apaches good luck at CIF and get ready to finish the last race of the season strong!

kha@apachepowwow.net Photo by KYLIE HA Graphics courtesy of 1001FONTS.COM

NOVEMBER 2019

sports.powwow@gmail.com

By LINDA QIU Staff Writer On Oct. 31, the AHS Boys Varsity Water Polo team and the Hoover High School Boys Varsity Water Polo team vied for the title of League Champions in League Finals. Having defeated Glendale High School in the League Preliminaries on Oct. 29, AHS would tie with Hoover for first in League if they won and place second if they lost. Unfortunately, the game ended with a loss of 6-10. The match between Arcadia and Hoover was a rough one from the beginning of the first quarter, with an ejection called within the first 30 seconds of game time. The two teams looked to be evenly matched and scored goals one after another against each other. Thanks to the skills of the starting players on both teams, the first quarter ended with a 3-3 tie. The second quarter was much tougher than the first. Both teams committed fouls multiple times when struggling for possession of the ball. Two minutes in, Arcadia was able to slip a goal in. After some more clashing in the pool, Hoover’s coach called a timeout. It seemed to have some beneficial effect on Hoover’s team performance, as they managed to score a goal in the last minute of the quarter. Once again, the two teams were tied - this time 4-4.

SPORTS

Unfortunately, in the second half of the match, Arcadia began to slip behind. As ejection after ejection was called, interrupting both teams’ plays, Arcadia did their best to keep up with Hoover. The Apaches managed to get two more shots in, but Hoover scored five more. Though they were at a disadvantage, the Arcadia players rallied together to prevent a greater gap in the scoreboard. They did their best to penetrate Hoover’s defense and score but were fended off. While the team was still recovering, Hoover ended the game by scoring one last goal. The game ended 6-10, and Arcadia was officially second place in League. The AHS Boys Varsity Water Polo members were a little disappointed, but overall happy with their final results. They expressed pleasant surprise at having come out on top of strong teams such as those of Crescenta Valley High School and Burroughs High School. “We tried our best, and though we didn’t win, we showed a lot of improvement,” said Varsity Water Polo Coach Janice Clark. This week AHS’ Boys Varsity Water Polo team will be participating in CIF. We wish them the best of luck!

lqiu@apachepowwow.net Photo by LINDA QIU Graphics courtesy of 1001FONTS.COM

A INTENSE GAME The Apaches played a close game against Hoover, both competing for the top team in the league. However, the Apaches ended with an unfortunate loss of 6-10, placing secong in the league.

By BRANDON CHAN Staff Writer From Oct. 22 to Oct. 30, 2019, the Washington Nationals and Houston Astros battled to Game Seven of the World Series. For all seven games of this series, the road team won all of the games, meaning the Washington Nationals won games one, two, six, and seven, and the Houston Astros won games three, four, and five. Going into this World Series, the Houston Astros were a huge favorite, with sports pundits waiting to call them a dynasty if they had won. The Astros won the 2017 World Series, the first World Series championship, but lost in the 2018 American League Championship Series to the Boston Red Sox. The Astros finished the 2019 season with a 107–55 win-loss record, which was one of the most impressive for the regular season. They won the American League West. In Game One, the Washington Nationals surprised the whole country by winning 5-2 thanks to a 3-run double by Juan Soto. In Game Two, the Washington Nationals shocked every viewer watching this game by winning 12-3, sweeping an incredible win against Astros. Going into Game Three, there was a feeling that the Astros would bounce back. After all, they were considered one of the most talented teams within the last few decades, and they just won 107 games in the regular season. On top of that, they had three aces on Gerrit Cole, Justin Verlander, and Zack Grenike. In Game Three, the Houston Astros won 4-1, and Zack Grenike had a magnificent game, al-

VICTORIOUS The Nationals celebrated their triumphant win in the 2019 World Series. lowing only one run through seven innings. In Game 4, the Houston Astros won 8-1, this time on the back of Jose Urquidy, who allowed one run through five innings. This was very surprising because Urquidy performances in previous games did not live up to his performance in this game. In Game Five, the Astros won yet again, 7-1, this time led by Gerrit Cole. The World Series shifted back to Minute Maid Park, the Astros stadium.

If the Astros were a huge favorite before the series started, they were an even bigger favorite going into Game Six. They had two chances to win one game. In Game Six, the Astros led 2-1 after the first inning. However, after that, the Nationals scored the last six runs of the game, eventually winning 7-2. In Game Seven, there were many surprises, for both the spectators and the players. Leading 2-1, in the 7th inning, A.J. Hinch, the Astros’

manager, decided to pull Zack Greinke, who was pitching the game of his life, after allowing a solo home run to All-Star Anthony Rendon, a decision that ultimately ended up backfiring. Next, A.J. Hinch put Will Harris in the game who immediately allowed a two-run home run. Through the 7th to 9th innings, A.J. Hinch decided not to put in Gerrit Cole; instead electing to pitch his not-so-great relievers. The Astros would lose 6-2, a disappointing ending to an otherwise fabulous season. Nationals pitcher, Stephen Strasburg would be named the MVP of the series. The Washington Nationals’ performance this season was the definition of a miracle. Entering the 2019 campaign, they lost Bryce Harper, one of the best players in the MLB. With a record of 19-31, they had a 0.1% chance of winning the World Series. They ended the season winning 35-16, securing a Wild Card berth. In the Wild Card game, they beat the Milwaukee Brewers by coming back from a 3-1 run deficit in the eighth inning. In the next series against the 106-win Los Angeles Dodgers, in a winner-take-all Game Five, they once again came back from a 3-1 run defeat in the eighth inning and won on a walk-off grand slam by Howie Kendrick in the 10th inning to advance. They went on to sweep the red-hot St. Louis Cardinals, and the rest is history.

bchan@apachepowwow.net Photo Courtesy of CBS17.COM and DEADLINE.COM

THANK YOU!

NOVEMBER 2019

“Our firefighters ensure that community members have the right to access invaluable services that are unfortunately lacking in other cities. To have the privilege of a large station and firefighting workforce is easily overlooked by Arcadians, but the firefighters’ contributions are nonetheless priceless and deserve recognition.” - Alyssa Rave, 12

“They’re the first to come in the morning and the last to leave: the custodial staff members are the backstage players in maintaining the school. From cleaning to organizing, and everything in between, the staff puts efficiency and student safety as their top priorities.” - Jasmine Oang, 12 and Rebecca Tao, 10

Graphics courtesy of BEFONT.COM, NETCLIPART.COM, VECTORSTOCK.COM, and WALLPAPERKUZ.COM

theapachepowwow.net

“City of Hope truly cherishes each individual soul. To the doctors, nurses, researchers, scientists, and healthcare professionals, thank you for transforming the future of healthcare and for having the desire and drive to find cures and save lives.” - Brandon Chen, 12

“Filled with wildlife and plants, it offers many opportunities for learning and exploring for kids, students, adults, and seniors citizens alike! The Arboretum is a beautiful place that Arcadia is blessed to have, and should be appreciated more for everything it offers to the community.” - Cassidy Chhay and Abby Choy, 11