October 2019 by The Arcadia Quill

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the apache

october 2019

POW WOW

quote of the month:

“Nobody who ever gave their best

regretted

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

the world is our campus

volume 67 • issue 2

@ahspowwow

it.”

est. 1952

AHS Haunted House

HAUNTED HALLS! Pep Squad hosted their annual Huanted House event at AHS from Oct. 18 and Oct. 19. Read about how AHS students enjoyed the tradition below! By MELODY LUI Staff Writer

Every year around Halloween, trails of hay scatter the hallways of AHS signifying Pep Squad’s annual Haunted House. The Pep Squad members worked hard throughout October in order to plan and set up a spooky experience for those willing to participate. Junior Jessica Khatib attended the Haunted House and stated, “I was in pep last year so I helped with the setting up process and I think maybe that made it a little less exciting for me just because I was so tuned in to all the little aspects of it so nothing was as surprising.” Despite being apart of the behind the scenes Jessica states, “It was still really impressive just seeing it come together and in a way, being apart of the set up made it more rewarding to

NEWS “Across the eastern U.S., a recent report has released information on a new health concern regarding mosquitoes being the main issue to a deadly virus. This dangerous virus known as the Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) has been populating these states since summer.” What does this mean and what should we expect Photo courtesy of LATIMES.COM in the future?

NEW MOSQUITO EEE VIRUS OUTBREAK pg. 3

see the outcome.” However, when Jessica attended this year’s Haunted House she was surprised by how much the Haunted House improved from last year. “They had new rooms and bought these crazy props and inserted moving mechanical features which I didn’t expect at all.” Overall, Jessica really enjoyed the Haunted House this year and would love to help set-up next year in order to see the production process of the new spectacles. Senior Ashley Chung also went to the Haunted House with fellow Senior Nikki Cruz who both agreed that this year’s haunted house was scarier than last year’s with the new rooms and moving machines. “With the loud screams of students that could be heard all throughout campus, I admire the hard work that the Pep Squad upholds each year,” Nikki states. As this year’s Haunted House was their last one together, they both enjoyed the effort pep squad

put into each and every haunted house. Pep Song member Brieann Chan reflected on this year’s Haunted House saying, “We worked hard on the rooms and created new ones that were scarier than last year, so I think a lot of people enjoyed it, but we wish more people would have come.” In addition, Brieann states, “I think it went well because our pep director said nobody said any bad things when coming out of the haunted house this year.” As October comes to an end, Pep Squad can celebrate another successful Haunted House and congratulate each other for their hard work each and every year. We hope that Pep Squad will continue to have successes with not only their annual haunted houses but their other events during the year as well. mlui@apachepowwow.net Photos courtesy of AUSD DCI

w h at ’s in s i de PROBLEMS WITH FIRST PAST THE POST VOTING pg. 4 OPINION “Voters should be able to vote for whomever they want without fear of a disagreeing party winning; there should be more choices in representatives; the system should be resistant to gerrymandering; and the election system should be open to new parties running.”

SPORTS “On Oct. 11, students from all grade levels gathered to watch the Apaches faced the Pasadena Bulldogs. The Bulldogs proved to be tough competition as the Apaches ended the game with a score of 10-44. As the football season comes to an end, we want to congratulate the Apaches for Photo by CASSIDY CHHAY their efforts.”

THE 2019 HOMECOMING FOOTBALL GAME pg. 17

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OCTOBER 2019

By KAITLIN LEE Staff Writer

After Aimee Stephens came out as a transgender woman in 2013, she was fired immediately from her job as a funeral director at R.G. and G.R. Harris Funeral Homes in Michigan. She sued her employer with the backing of her legal team from the American Civil Liberties Union. Stephens won in lower courts, where judges in the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals argued it’s “impossible to fire an employee based on that employee’s status as a transgender person without being motivated, at least in part, by the employee’s sex.” This case went to the Supreme Court on Oct. 8, where two hours of argument took place. This case comes right after the Supreme Court’s decision in 2015 that fully legalized same-sex marriage nationwide. However, that case was decided when Justice Anthony Kennedy, a strong supporter of LGBTQ+ rights, was still on the bench. His replacement, Justice Brett Kava-

naugh, has a more conservative outlook. From the start, it’s clear that the four liberal justices believed that federal law bars discrimination based on gender identity. However, currently, it’s unclear if one of the five conservative justices will join them. In one instance, conservative Justice Neil Gorsuch told David Cole, a lawyer on the LGBTQ+ side, “Assume for a moment I’m with you on the textual evidence,

give those protections; Congress would have to change the law. But in terms of LGBTQ+ communities, there is a lot on the line with this decision. “It would be huge for the LGBT community to have protections in the private sector from employment discrimination, which is pretty much a rampant problem to this day,” said Georgetown University Law Center Professor Paul Smith, who argued and won a landmark gay rights case in 2003. In short, this case will determine the future of LGBTQ+ people around America. Whether there will be more freedoms granted to the community or there will be more roadblocks, this will greatly change the path to equality that we are traversing on. klee@apachepowwow.net Photo courtesy of IMMIGRATION IMPACT.COM Graphic courtesy of DESERTSUN.COM and 1001FONTS.COM

By EMILY CHEN Mattel, the toy manufacturer which is best known for creating Barbie dolls, introduced a line of gender-neutral dolls called “Creatable World” on Sept. 25. The dolls can be customized to reflect any gender. The company’s goal was to create a doll “designed to keep labels out and invite everyone in, making play more inclusive than ever before.” The company has released six different Creatable World dolls, each with a different skin tone. The dolls resemble pre-teens and do not have any characteristically masculine or feminine features. Every doll comes with a variety of clothing options, such as pants, skirts, t-shirts, button-ups, jackets, overalls, sneakers, boots, and heels. The dolls have short hair and come with a wig with longer hair. The dolls are a push against gender stereotypes in the toy industry. Toys have long been labeled “boys” or “girls.” Many retailers have removed these labels in recent years, but are still creating toys targeted towards each gender. The Creatable World dolls break this mold. They are not targeted specifically toward boys or girls; they are targeted toward children who want to express themselves. Promotional im-

it’s close, OK?” This suggested he believed they could win based on the plain text of the law. However, later in the case trial, it seemed to appear that Gorsuch agrees with the position presented by the Solicitor General. Solicitor General Noel Francisco stated that the law does not bar discrimination based on transgender status or sexual orientation. From his position, the law does not

Staff Writer

ages for the toy line highlight this message by featuring slogans such as “#AllWelcome” and “Toys Are For Kids.” The gender-inclusive dolls allow children to be more imaginative with how they play. Kim Culmone, the senior Vice President of Mattel fashion dolls, said, “This line allows all kids to express themselves freely, which is why it resonates so strongly with them.” In contrast to Mattel’s Barbie dolls, which have been criticized for lacking diversity and portraying the female body unrealistically, the Creatable World dolls put an emphasis on creativity and customization. Before launching Creatable World, Mattel tested the dolls with 250 families from 7 different states. The dolls have received mixed reactions from parents. While some parents welcomed the idea of a gender-neutral doll that any child could play with, others spoke against the concept, claiming that it “feels political,” is too confusing, or is not suitable for children. Mattel’s President Richard Dickson stated that the company is “not in the business of politics, and [it] respect[s] the decision any parent makes around how they raise their kids. Our job is to

stimulate imaginations.” On the other hand, children who have gotten a chance to play with the dolls have embraced the concept. According to Monica Dreger, Mattel’s Vice President of global consumer insights, the research team “never talked to a kid who didn’t flip from joy when they saw the doll.” Dreger stated that many children, including those who are transgender or gender nonconforming, said that they could see themselves in the dolls. Others said that the dolls reminded them of their friends. Dreger added that the doll was viewed as “relatable and self-expressive.” The Creatable World dolls are one of Mattel’s many moves to promote inclusivity in the toy industry. The company has also released Barbie and Ken dolls with different skin tones over recent years, as well as dolls with different body types. Mattel is “hopeful [that] Creatable World will encourage people to think more broadly about how all kids can benefit from doll play.” echen@apachepowwow.net Photo courtesy USATODAY.COM Graphic courtesy of STICKPNG. COM and 1001FONTS.COM

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OCTOBER 2019

POWER SHUT DOWN TO CURB

WILDFIRES

By BRANDEN LEONG Staff Writer

With multiple destructive blazes flaring up in California in recent years, electric companies are taking preemptive measures to prevent wildfire risk. High winds causing downed power lines and vegetation contact with equipment can easily spark fires. Northern California was expecting high winds of 60-70 mph on Oct. 10 and 11. Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) implemented the Public Safety Power Shutoff in phases. The first phase began Wednesday morning in Northern California and affected 513,000 homes and businesses, which includes over 1 million people. The second phase began at 8:00 p.m. on the same day and affected over half a million people in parts of San Jose and Santa Cruz. All nine counties in the San Francisco Bay Area are affected, except for the city and county of San Francisco. PG&E plans to implement a new website for customers to track outage information and updates. Once dangerous weather conditions subside around Friday afternoon, equipment and power lines will need to be inspected for damage before restoring power. If there’s no damage to the equipment, power can be restored quickly. Areas with damage requiring repair will take longer to restore power. Parts of Southern California may lose power, too. An article by USA Today stated that “Southern California Edison said it was considering implementing the shutoff plan to cut power to 173,000 customers. San Diego Gas Electric said 30,000 of its customers were put on similar alert.” Affected residents in Northern California lined up at gas stations and stores to purchase generators, flashlights, batteries, and non-perishable food. Many schools and universities, including University of California, Berkeley and California State University-East Bay, were forced to close, bracing for days without electricity. There have been mixed feelings about these planned outages. California Governor Gavin Newsom stated these blackouts are necessary. Conversely, Rep. LaMalfa blamed the need for outages on decades of bureaucracies and burdensome regulations utilities face. Meanwhile, residents complained about spoiling food in the days to come. Many had to discard groceries that were just purchased. People with health issues requiring electricity for medical devices also shared concerns regarding how the outages would affect their health. PG&E has opened resource centers for customers to charge electronic devices, get bottled water, and use restrooms. PG&E spokesman Mark Mesesan stated that “it’s more of an in-and-out option. They’re not equipped as a place to stay.” California is bracing for another severe wildfire season. Wildfire season in California has become year-round, and the need for these blackouts may continue whenever there are gusty winds and low humidity. bleong@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of THEATLANTIC.COM

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MOSQUITO BORNE EEE VIRUS By LILIAN CHONG

Student Life Staff

Staff Writer

Across the eastern U.S., a recent report has released information on a new health concern regarding mosquitoes being the main issue to a deadly virus. This dangerous virus known as the Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) has been populating these states since summer. This mosquito outbreak in many Eastern states is resulting in the chance of illness or possible fatality. Since 2007, Rhode Island has not reported a single death from the EEE virus. As more and more residents come out with reports announcing their first or third death, other states are gradually being affected by this deadly virus. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), on average, five to ten cases of EEE are reported each year. However, the spread of this virus has reached six states including Massachusetts, Michigan, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, and North Carolina, which each reported a case of either illness or death. At least five were reported for the number of deaths and 21 others were infected by the virus. Approximately one-third of patients who contract EEE will possibly die due to no specific treatment for the virus. “Antibiotics are not effective against viruses, and no effective antiviral drugs have been discovered,” the CDC announced. “Severe illnesses are treated by supportive therapy, which may include hospitalization, respiratory support, IV fluid, and prevention of other infections.” After a bite, symptoms typically appear around the fourth to the tenth day of the contact. These symptoms can come with severe cases that progress to encephalitis. Moreover, this could result in a patient being unaware of this lethal virus’s outcome. “If somebody is over 50 years of age and under 15 years of age, they are not only more susceptible to it but also more susceptible to getting a serious infection,” noted Marcus Zervos, M.D. of Henry Ford Hospital. Namely, this rare virus has many varieties of horrendous and shocking symptoms to patients who are infected. These symptoms range from high fevers and severe headaches to brain swells and seizures. Health officials have stated that the best option to stay protected from this virus is to avoid contact with these mosquitoes. EEE “is one of a group of mosquito-transmitted viruses that can cause inflammation of the brain [encephalitis],” the CDC stated that severe cases “begin with the sudden onset of severe headaches, high fever, chills, and vomiting. The illness may then progress into disorientation, seizures, and coma.” Weather-wise, mosquitoes tend to thrive in moist and warm climate types, specifically in the summertime. Four human cases of EEE were reported; three of the cases were fatal. “All four were most likely exposed to infected mosquitoes sometime between Aug. 11, and Sept. 8, which was the peak period of mosquito activity in Connecticut,” stated Dr. Matthew Cartter, a state epidemiologist with the Connecticut Department of Health. Although the alarming rate of EEE cases rose to a high peak in such a short duration of time, there are chances that this rate can soon decline in numbers due to weather changes. As the season changes, the number of EEE cases are spreading across the eastern states will potentially decrease in number. lchong@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of FOXNEWS.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

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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.

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By ROBINSON LEE

OCTOBER 2019 Staff Writer

The mobile video game market is the largest sector of the video game industry having the most used video game console ever known to mankind, the smartphone. Most of the mobile games are categorized as “free-to-play”, meaning that they are free to download and play, but they have ingame purchases, ranging from limited-time items, cosmetics, and gameplay enhancements. In-game purchases are the bulk of profits earned from mobile games, because unlike traditional paid games, there is less effort involved, and these in-game purchases allow for people to spend as much money as they want. These in-game purchases are not necessarily bad in their own right but the way these items and other systems are used in free-to-play games are downright exploitative and deceiving. One system of bringing in a large sum of money is designed to appeal to a specific category of gamers, cynically called “whales.” Whales are players who have the loosest pockets and will pay the most for free-to-play games. In fact, these whales bring the most profits beating ad-revenue and profits earned from casual players. The tragedy occurs when a game centers around solely entertaining these whales. By definition, whales spend a lot of time and money on the game, which is why companies want to retain as many whales as possible, because they know that the whales will always reel in a profit. A method of retaining whales involves making purchases necessary to become good in a game. This makes it easy for whales to conquer other players and rewards obnoxious spending. As an added bonus, easy modifications into matchmaking during multiplayer games can rig the match. This always sets the boosted whales with less powerful players, encouraging the less powerful players to buy more premium items. However, this method is unsustainable. When you ask players what the most important feature in a video game is, they would respond with “social interactions.” The inclusion of the “friends” system in a majority of multiplayer games is no mistake. The more you are connected to the game via friends or through pure dopamine, the more time you are spending on the game and the more likely you will actually spend money in-game. Combining this advancement of in-game social interaction with whales is a recipe for profit. Keeping a constant supply of people connected via the social interactions in the game for the whales to prey on keeps this cycle continuing. Free-to-play video games have a place in the video game industry and our wider society. But despite the massive sums of money from these two mutually beneficial models, they will not advance the gaming industry. The lack of balance in profits and stability will dissuade future people from getting into video games as systems that pander to whales will make it highly difficult to play without shelling out a large sum of money, and new social mechanics in areas of the gaming industry hostile to such mechanics will convince veteran players to invest their money elsewhere. There must be a change or we risk greed ruining the art of gaming. rlee@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of CONNER HUA

By BECKY CHEN

Staff Writer

Reducing paper use is essential due to its negative effects on our environment. Paper fills up our landfills, emit methane when it rots, and requires a lot of water through its production. As a high school with over 3,000 students, AHS’ use of paper is highly extensive. One way we can help our environment is through recycling paper. Recycling paper has innumerous benefits to the planet. According to ThoughtCo, recycling just one ton of paper can save “17 trees, 7,000 gallons of water, 380 gallons of oil, 3.3 cubic yards of landfill space and 4,000 kilowatts of energy — enough to power the average U.S. home for six months — and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by one metric ton of carbon equivalent.” Additionally, recycling paper helps climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Thankfully, AHS’ waste company does recycle paper. Ms. Dillman, the principal of AHS, stated that although the “average staff member” wouldn’t know it, the company that collects our school’s waste already manually sorts them from recyclables and non-recyclables. The false notion that AHS doesn’t recycle paper because we don’t have a bin for it is entirely incorrect. But even though our school does recycle the paper thrown away in its trash cans, it’s still important to decrease paper usage. We can’t just expect to recycle all of our waste and expect them to just go away. Recycling can only diminish the effects on the environment, while conservation is always the best way to go. “We are all on the same page that we are just using too much paper,” Principal Dillman answered when asked about how the administration feels about our school’s growing paper usage. “It’s just too much.” Some solutions would be to encourage teachers to move more of their classwork online. Although Google Classroom already exists, there are still many teachers on campus who consistently pass out packets and handouts that consume so many sheets of paper throughout the school year. Teachers should be more knowledgeable about the technology they are using in order to have this happen, or at least give students the option to turn in work digitally. Digital work comes with its own problems at hand. Some teachers are afraid of how cheating and plagiarism is a lot more easy to execute online. They also believe that working on paper is a lot better for a student’s education. However, those have all of their own solutions. Cheating and plagiarism can be combated with the numerous plagiarism tools online such as TurnItin, which although isn’t free, is a lot cheaper than the costs of copy machines, ink, etc. Digital tools will be more present in classrooms as generations pass and modern solutions will be required. Furthermore, conserving paper would also make the teachers’ lives a lot easier. Ms. Dillman, a former History teacher, stated, “I cannot tell you how much time I’ve spent, as a teacher, in front of a copy machine.” Hopefully in the future, more teachers and students will be aware of the importance of the conversation of paper. After all, this is our Earth, and we are all responsible for taking care of it. bchen@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of CLEANPNG.COM

OCTOBER 2019

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By BRANDEN LEONG

Staff Writer

Awkwardly abbreviated FPTP, “First Past the Post” is a voting system many of us are familiar with. Need to elect a student body president, choose a movie to watch with your family, or pick a good restaurant to eat at with your friends? In most of these common situations, a system where everyone gets one vote and the candidate with the most votes wins is prevalent no matter where you go. FPTP is even used when voting for the President of the United States in the primary and secondary elections. Also called “Winner Takes All”, whenever something needs to be agreed on, this form of voting is certainly one of the most common forms, even though it has many flaws. FPTP only follows two rules: each person gets one vote, and the candidate with the most votes wins. Simple, fair, and logical, right? Well, quite the opposite. First, let’s view a mock election. As the voters eagerly submit their ballots for seven hopeful candidates, the results are as follows: Person A gets 9% of the votes; B, 18%; C, 19%; D, 13%; E, 20%; F, 15%; and Person G receives 6%. With the two simple rules in action, Person E is crowned the winner of the election, with 20% of the popular vote. Already, the first problem springs up. Even though Person E had the highest number of votes, 80% of the people voted against him. The problem with minority rule occurs as the majority of the population wanted someone else as the winner. With more and more candidates, one can imagine a candidate winning with, say, 5% of the vote or less, though the rest of the people voted against the candidate. However, this is only the beginning. The second problem with FPTP is that elections will inevitably lead to a two-party system, similar to our presidential elections today. In fact, this is exactly how the modern Democratic and Republican two-party system rose from dozens upon dozens of parties birthed since the beginning of the United States. Of course, you’ve probably never heard of the “Silver Party”, the “American Workers Party”, or the “Rent Is Too Damn High Party” until today, but the fact is that these minor and often hilariously named parties merge with one another or with one of the major parties in order to have a chance in the elections. The many people who have supported a minor party must face the brutal reality that they have backed an unappealing, unpopular candidate, who doesn’t stand a chance against the larger more popular parties. With our mock election example, let’s take a look at the next election. Person A voters are unhappy under Person E’s rule, and so they switch their votes from Person A to the one with the best chance of winning, Person C. Likewise, voters for Person G strategically back the current winner in the fear that Person C may win the election. And, just like that, what used to be a seven-person campaign turned into a five-person campaign. With more and more elections, we can only expect this to turn into a two-party election, where people vote for the candidate with the best chances instead of the one they really want. Inevitably, after enough time, FPTP trends toward two main parties, even

though most people would rather vote for another party. As with our mock election, this is evident as 61% of the original voters would rather vote for someone else besides the two major parties. It only gets worse from there. If the voters are first divided into groups before they vote, they are susceptible to something called gerrymandering. For example, imagine ten districts, each with one vote. Three vote for Person A, four vote for Person B, and three for Person C. If you were to group the three A votes with two B votes and group three C votes with the other two B votes, Person A and C would seem like they’re dominating the election when Person B would win the straight FPTP election. This happens every four years when the electoral college determines how each state’s vote should be spent. Though the voting system for the arguably most important election in the U.S. should be close to perfection by accurately representing the people’s wants, it actually does a surprisingly bad job at resisting gerrymandering. The last and possibly worst problem with FPTP is the Spoiler Effect. To explain this, first imagine that years and years have passed under the rule of Person A and B. Person C then decides to enter the competition, as he thinks that many who are tired of the status-quo would support him and give him a shot at winning. So, he sets up his campaign and receives a surprising amount of donations. However, when the votes are counted, he only receives a measly 15% of the vote. Because his ideology is similar to Person B, he draws votes away from Person B, making neither of them competent to beat Person A, whom all B and C voters hate. This is the FPTP system at its worst: the better a third party candidate does, the more it hurts its own voters by guaranteeing a win for the party they most disagree with. And, better yet, where do you think a majority of the donations came from? Person A isn’t foolish and is aware of how he might abuse the system to gain better chances in the election. So then, what makes up a good voting system, one where all voters are valued and votes are counted fairly? Voters should be able to vote for whomever they want without fear of a disagreeing party winning; there should be more choices in representatives; the system should be resistant to gerrymandering; and the election system should be open to new parties running. Luckily, there are many options for a solution. For example, “Alternate Vote” allows voters to rank their candidates so that if one candidate doesn’t fare well, their voters’ votes are transferred to their second choice, and “Single Transferable Vote” builds off of the prior and allows more than one candidate per area, removing gerrymandering. It is apparent that we ought to change our nation’s chosen voting system, and we the citizens can have an impact one movie night election at a time. bleong@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of CLIPART-LIBRARY.COM, FONTSPACE.COM and 123RF.COM

By ANNALISE XIAO Hydro dipping has skyrocketed in popularity in 2019. YouTubers and bloggers hydro dip shoes, water bottles, and more. What is hydro dipping and how does it work? Here are a few tips, tricks, and important background information for people interested in hydro dipping or learning more about it. First of all, what is hydro dipping? Hydro dipping is also known as water transfer printing, immersion printing, and hydro imaging. It is the process of applying graphics to almost any three-dimensional object. This unique process has been used in many fields, such as the auto industry. Various items like shoes, helmets, and water bottles are decorated by using hydro dipping. The most simple process of hydro dipping has been trending as of this year. For example, shoes are hydro dipped with spray paint to create a watercolor effect. In order to do this, the materials include a craft knife, masking tape, spray paint, a large container, water, and acrylic varnish. The first step is to cover the parts of the shoe that you do not want to customize. Use a craft knife and tape to cut out various shapes to fit onto the dimensions of the shoes. The second step is to fill a large container with enough water to dip the shoe in. Use spray paint to spray various color(s) and dip the shoes in the water. Add more spray paint if needed. After the dipping process is done, dry off the excess water and peel off the masking tape carefully. Let the shoes dry completely and spray acrylic varnish to en-

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sure that the print stays secured. This process can be done with other products as well. In order to end up with a successfully dipped product, there are many common mistakes that people should avoid. Insufficient planning is a big problem and one should be invested to dedicate the time, effort, and money to start this process. If a more complicated process of hydro dipping is chosen, a hydro dipping kit is highly recommended for beginners. Depending on what you’re hydro dipping, water temperature plays a role in the finished process. Further research should be done to determine the precise range for sufficient water temperature. I have personally never tried hydro dipping anything yet, but I’d love to in the future. Hydro dipping is a unique process for creating various designs on personal items. Junior Eric Lum says that he thinks that “hydrodipping is a unique form of art.” Eric says that “If I were to try hydro dipping, I would want to hydrodip a pair of crocs.” Sophomore Alec Tandoc believes that “hydro dipping is an interesting take on customizing personal items.” Alec would hydro dip his water bottle, “since it’s cheaper than buying a custom design.” Be sure to test the waters with this current trend!

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By CAITLIN WANG At a certain point, our childhood bedrooms don’t seem to accommodate our loads of high school textbooks and excess amounts of piled up junk. It seems that we have outgrown our rooms, or we have too many things to fit in such a small space. However, we all have a few more years until we move out to go to college or get a new room/house. It’s worth a try to make the most out of the small space you have, so here are some effective tips on how to do so! Chances are, your bed takes up a lot of the space in your room. After all, what is a bedroom without a bed? In many cases, childhood bedrooms do not have the space to accommodate a large desk. Therefore, a bedside table could serve as an efficient desk that could be used to put school textbooks and other study materials. Or, instead of nightstands, a small drawer could serve as a bedside table. These drawers could serve many different purposes. They could store clothes and other school essentials while still serving as a mini-desk. Moreover, a bookcase could work on the other side of your bed. That way, a stack of books does not have to take up more storage space in another part of your room. The bookcase could also store other knick-knacks and collectible photos. In most situations, when there is no storage space in a room, the room becomes very untidy and is no longer visually appealing. To help clean up the room a bit, try to make it a habit to clear out old clothes or worksheets that are taking up unnecessary space within your room. Without excess junk, you will feel like your room will have more space in general. This opens up the opportunity to look toward

OCTOBER 2019

Staff Writer

interior decorating. Some organized pieces of furniture or neat decorations could help you maximize your cramped room space and make it look a lot nicer. Fall cleaning can be enjoyable, senior Deborah Khaw accounts, “Whenever I clean up anything, I feel refreshed and happy that I finally got to do what I had put off for so long, but I also wonder how my mess accumulated in the first place.” Although it may be a bit dirty, it is always possible to store things under your bed. Considering your bed is probably the most essential part of your room, you can maximize it even more. Old memory boxes and other items that you don’t use daily can go in containers under your bed. This way, you can actually have walking space in a cramped room. When doing this, make sure to constantly vacuum the bottom of your bed and revisit the items stored below it. Hanging things on the back of your door, like a shoe wall, would also work. If your room has a closet, try to store as many of your beloved items in it as possible. At times, the best feeling is getting rid of old items, becoming more minimalistic. As junior Doris Chang describes, “After cleaning my room, I always feel refreshed and at ease. It puts me in a better mood.” Although you may feel like you are throwing away too much, it will leave your room a lot more organized and you may feel happier. Hopefully, these methods are effective in turning your bedroom around. Happy fall cleaning!

cwang@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of FONTSPACE.COM and SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

OCTOBER 2019

features.pw@gmail.com

By KYLIE HA

Staff Writer

The launch of the mobile “Mario Kart” app on Sept. 25 put “Pokémon Go” to shame after a one-day download. By any scale, the game is the biggest out-of-the-gate success on the app market so far, with nearly 90 million downloads, but what do students at Arcadia think of it? At its most basic, the “Mario Kart Tour” is a simplified version of the original “Mario Kart,” which you can play on your phone. It has clean graphics, all the iconic sounds, and familiar tunes, even with the ever-present red power-ups and banana peels! In terms of gameplay, the biggest change is that the entire game from start to finish is controlled by touch. Although your kart will drive automatically, the controls are extremely sensitive and sometimes imprecise, which means players have to do some specific direction reading. Sophomore Madison Yang stated, “I think the mobile ‘Mario Kart’ is fun because it brings back memories, but many aspects don’t make it the same. The format can be uncomfortable for many people who are used to playing the original version of ‘Mario Kart.’ It’s also sad that there is no way to connect and play with your friends. However, I still appreciate being able to play the game on my phone because I don’t have a Nintendo DS anymore.” In a typical “Mario Kart” game, you progress through the game by racing a series of cup events, which includes a handful of races and earning stars to unlock the next cup to play through. With the well-known courses like Cheep Cheep Lagoon and Rock Rock Mountain, everything is extremely simplified. It doesn’t matter whether you’re speeding across a city or through an underwater course, all the creative parts of the “Mario Kart 8” are not present. “I think the new ‘Mario Kart’ is good because it is easy to use, and you can play it wherever you go. The only bad thing is that the controls are a bit weird, but once you get used to them, it’s pretty fun. Nothing beats the original though!” stated junior Kyle La. Through reading multiple reviews and getting feedback from our Apaches, everyone collectively agreed everything but the controls were easy to follow. Despite what people say on how confusing the buttons are, a simple video on YouTube or watching others can solve the trick. While many of the students playing “Mario Kart” agree that it’s an addictive game to play, others disagree and say it can get repetitive sometimes. Junior Joshua Fan agreed, saying, “It got boring for me really fast so I don’t really play it that much. I think that the original is better because it feels more nostalgic than the new one.” Similar to other popular games like “Fortnite,” the mobile app offers a $4.99 monthly subscription to get more rubies or unlock new things, which can present itself as a bad deal to many people. Though it’s not mandatory and the game is free, many players may feel slightly tempted to spend some money and get up onto higher levels quicker. Though others may think that it focuses too heavily on unlocking virtual things to acquire, it appears that a full multiplayer mode is coming to “Mario Kart Tour”, providing much more excitement than chasing AI-controlled karts. The real question is, how fast can your fingers fly around the screen?

kha@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of FONTSPACE.COM and JOE.IE

By LESLIE CHEN Staff Writer

In the past month, Netflix released its new teen rom-com, Tall Girl. The film follows a six-foot girl named Jodie, who is constantly bullied and made fun of for her height. Contrastingly, her older sister, Harper, is not only average height but also a winner of multiple beauty pageants. However, everything changes when Stig, a six-foot tall Swedish foreign exchange student, joins their school and shows interest in her. Jodie becomes embroiled in a love triangle, and at the end of the movie, realizes that she’s far more than what her insecurities about her height has caused her to believe. While the movie seems like a typical, stereotypical rom-com on a surface level, it has angered many people online. Painted as a coming of age story, it shows the story of a character learning to love herself, despite her insecurities. Many critics pointed out that the film’s central premise of “tall discrimination” seems silly, and argued that there were many other groups more in need of representation. Following the backlash, Tall Girl’s director Nzingha Stewart responded by saying that “a movie doesn’t have to be about you or for you to be of artistic value in the world” and that “if it’s not offending you, let it live.” However, while some are criticizing the movie, others are defending it. Those viewers argue that there are many tall people who feel insecure about their height and that this film is perfect for those who feel that way. Several AHS students are caught on both sides of the internet debate. Sophomore Doris Ma sees herself agreeing with each side. “I can get why some people like the movie and its message,” she said. “It’s great for taller people who are struggling with embracing their height and want someone to relate to. But I do think that there are many other groups that need more representation than tall, pretty girls.” As controversial as it may be, Tall Girl’s message is still a sweet one: to love yourself and embrace your insecurities for what they are. It’s highlighted in Jodie and in all of the supporting characters as well; Harper struggles with her weight, and Stig feels like a nerd for liking classical music. At its core, it’s simply a typical rom-com movie with a talented cast!

lchen@apachepowwow.net Photos courtesy of YOUTUBE.COM Graphic courtesy of NETFLIX.COM

CONTROVERSY

theapachepowwow.net

By ASHLEY ZHAO

By ROBINSON LEE

OCTOBER 2019

Staff Writer

While many people simply view smiling as an involuntary response to things that bring you joy or happiness, most overlook the fact that smiling can be just as much a voluntary response as a conscious and powerful decision. Numerous studies have shown that just the act of smiling (physically making the expression), whether it comes as a result of real joy or not, can have both short and long term benefits on a person’s health and wellbeing. By choosing to smile, you can easily make a positive change to not only your daily life but others around you as well. Smiling can reduce stress The next time you feel pressured by schoolwork or other extracurricular activities, try cracking a smile. In a 2012 study published in the journal Psychological Science, University of Kansas psychology students Tara Kraft and Sarah Pressman recruited 169 participants and instructed them to hold chopsticks in their mouths in such a way to create a neutral facial expression, a standard smile (engaging only muscles around mouth), or a Duchenne smile (muscles around eyes and mouth). The participants were then asked to work on multitasking activities designed to be stressful, like submerging a hand in ice water or drawing a star with their non-dominant hand. The experiment revealed that subjects who put on a Duchenne smile experienced a substantial reduction in heart rate and quicker stress recovery compared to those whose expressions remained neutral. Smiling may strengthen the body Just like how smiling can relieve your stress, putting on this cheerful facial expression can release the tension on a cellular level as well, according to biochemist and artist Sondra Barrett. In her book, titled Secrets of Your Cells, Barrett details how cells can distinguish between safety and danger, locate and repair problems, and create an overall sense of balance in the body. Her writing also highlights how a person’s thoughts go hand-in-hand with a cell’s functions. When we smile, we reduce the rigidness of our cells, allowing for this physical relaxation to help combat the risk of stress-induced cell mutations that may lead to the development or persistence of various cancers. Smiles are contagious Whenever you share a smile around a friend or colleague, do you ever notice how they will reciprocate a smile back? According to neuroscientist Marco Iacoboni, we all possess something called mirror neurons, which are cells in the premotor cortex and inferior parietal cortex that activate when we perform a given action or when we watch someone else performing it. When it comes to smiling, mirror neurons respond to both acts of seeing and doing. “The way mirror neurons likely let us understand others is by providing some kind of inner imitation of the actions of other people, which in turn leads us to ‘simulate’ the intentions and emotions associated with those actions,” Iacoboni said in an interview with Scientific American. “When I see you smiling, my mirror neurons for smiling fire up, too, initiating a cascade of neural activity that evokes the feeling we typically associate with a smile.” In times of great tension or anxiety, what all of us truly need is a smile. At no cost whatsoever, we can all make a positive impact on the wellbeing of our own lives as well as those of other people with just a simple grin. As best said in the words of Mother Teresa, “We will never know all the good things a smile can do.”

You know those long blocks of text that show up before you play a game or register for a digital service? Those things are called End-User License Agreements (EULA), and these long blocks of unnecessary legal jargon and definitions can contain valuable information on how companies treat us as customers, as well as our data. But, I know that most people (including myself) just gloss over these documents, as they’re too complicated to read and the amount of time spent on it is incomparable to time better spent elsewhere. Companies know this fact and they use it to their advantage. Sometimes, they ridicule this fact by adding clauses to the EULAs, such as when the British video game retailer GameStation added a clause that states it has “a non-transferable option to claim, for now, and forevermore, your immortal soul.” Fortunately GameStation was generous enough to provide an opportunity to nullify this clause “if you a) do not believe you have an immortal soul, b) have already given it to another party, or c) do not wish to grant us such a license, please click the link below to nullify this sub-clause and proceed with your transaction.” Many thousands of people didn’t read it carefully enough, though, and now GameStation owns their souls for eternity. Fortunately, this was a harmless April Fools prank that capitalized on the lack of public insight into EULAs, but other companies have more sinister interests in mind when drafting EULAs. Popular apps and utilities such as Instagram, Discord, Sony’s Playstation Network, and Microsoft have instituted arbitration clauses somewhere within their EULAs and terms of services. Basically, if there is a major dispute concerning the product or company that the contract applies to, users forfeit their rights to file a class-action lawsuit to sue in court, instead, the dispute will be handled privately by an independent team selected by the company. This can leave users destitute and helpless at the hands of large corporations, as the bias of these independent teams is not known and since the user cannot hire an attorney to defend themselves, corporations are at a serious advantage. However, many times, if an arbitration clause is controversial enough it will be reported on the Internet so it doesn’t take precious blocks of time to scour over pages of hefty legal text to find potentially damaging clauses like these in EULAs with major companies. In conclusion, think of EULAs as complicated and long nutrition labels. They tell you what to expect from the product and a little about the company, but they can also be misleading and many times overlooked. If you want to ensure that companies don’t have unfair advantages, reading the EULAs is the most direct way, but considering the size of these documents, I would recommend that you should look up controversial EULAs and terms of services related to the company and its products on the internet before registering for any new digital product. Who knows, maybe one day a company will have legal rights to your soul.

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OCTOBER 2019 publicity.powwow@gmail.com

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OCTOBER 2019

By PAMINA YUNG Staff Writer

The Royal Court of the annual Rose Parade, hosted by the Pasadena Tournament of Roses, consists of seven women who are chosen by Tournament of Roses through applications and competitive interview processes. The number of applicants started as 617 and was narrowed to 238, 71, and finally, 25. The seven Royal Court members out of the 25 finalists were announced on Sept. 30. The 2020 Royal Court members are Cole Fox, South Pasadena High School; Camille Kennedy, La Salle College Preparatory; Emilie Risha, Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy; Reese Rosental Saporito, Marshall Fundamental School; Mia Thorsen, Marshall Fundamental School; Michael Wilkins, Maranatha High School; and Rukan Saif, Arcadia High School. AHS is proud to have senior Rukan Saif as a Rose Princess. “I genuinely didn’t expect to have my name called on Monday,” said Rukan. She was the last Royal Court Member whose number was called. Rukan added, “the six girls were standing in front of me, and I remember telling myself that I was so proud of myself for making the final round and so grateful for being given this experience.” The reveal and coronation of the 102nd Rose Queen will take place on Oct. 22 at the Pasadena Playhouse, and it was revealed Camille Kennedy of La Salle Prepatory was chosen as Queen. This year’s Royal Court will ride on the Royal Court float in the 131st Rose Parade presented by Honda. The seven ladies will also make an appearance at the 106th Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual and each princess will receive a $7,500 educational scholarship. The theme of the 2020 Rose Parade is “The Power of Hope”, which, according to the Pasadena Tournament of Roses website, shows the inspiration we can give each other to reach our goals. Rukan clearly exerts this concept as she stated that a reason why she applied for a Royal Court position was her “identity as a Bangladeshi-American Muslim.” She thought that “children who are minorities like myself deserved someone who’d make them feel like they could do anything.” These seven individuals will also attend countless media and community functions. Like last year, they will be doing community service at places such as the Huntington Hospital during Halloween, the Elizabeth House, the Boys & Girls Club of the Foothills, the Pasadena Education Foundation, and a few others of the 23 organizations that are supported by the Tournament of Roses Foundation. Rukan loves interacting with kids and is looking forward to going to libraries and reading with children. “I basically grew up in the Arcadia Public Library,” said Rukan. In addition, she organizes Public Speaking and Poetry Workshops for young readers at libraries in the local area. Rukan mentions, “I’m excited for the Rose Parade because I grew up watching it! My fondest memories are of little Rukan perched atop her dad’s shouldering, neck straining to get a peek at all the pretty floats.” Rukan also got to march in the Rose Parade in 2017 in the marching band. “It’ll be very interesting to see the parade from a different, more intimate perspective!” pyung@apachepowwow.net Graphic courtesy of TUMBLR.COM By KIRSTEN FUU Staff Writer

Most students experience some sort of public speaking anxiety, and about a quarter of people fear speaking in public. In the article, “Why Are We Scared of Public Speaking?” by Theo Tsaousides, he writes, “Sometimes the only thing that stands between you and your audience is fear.” Communicating your ideas and presenting them openly to the public is an essential component of success in life. So how do you improve your public speaking skills? In this article, I will be sharing a few tips that will help you become a better speaker! Practice How your speech comes across out loud compared to how it reads in your head can be very different. Practicing a speech enables you to work on pacing and pauses for optimal impact. Also, make sure you’re able to clearly and confidently pronounce your speech, and feel more comfortable with the message you’re delivering. Presenting your speech in front of family members, friends, or a mirror is a good way to memorize your speech and become more confident. If you only read it in your head, you don’t get enough experience to execute it when the time comes in front of an audience. That’ll only make you more nervous. Record Yourself Each time you practice your speech, record it on your phone and review it afterward. With this method, you can look for mistakes in your speech and what you can improve on. You can also assess your pacing, tone, and much more like this. You can also record yourself to see what kind of actions you perform while presenting. By doing this, you can critique and make sure your eye contact and other things, such as hand gestures, to improve your presentation further. Prepare for the Worst It might sound counterintuitive, but imagining the worst-case scenario that could happen during your speech could help calm you down. This is also known as inoculation training, where you think of the most severe thing that can happen and then think of the best way to respond to it. Doing this has the effect of minimizing fear, which can increase your poise come speech time. Get the Audience Invested If you want your audience hanging onto every word in your speech, you have to gain their interest in the beginning. Some ways include: posing a question the audience can think about, telling a story that captures their attention, giving a preview of what the audience will learn, etc. By doing this, you can hook your audience into listening to what you have to say. Smile One way to instantly relax is to smile, even if you don’t feel like it. Research reported by NBC News shows smiling can boost your mood and reduce stress. Smiling can make your audience more receptive to you too. Smiling makes people appear more attractive to others. If your speech isn’t solemn or serious, try smiling at the beginning and throughout. Gavel Club The Gavel Club focuses on improving students’ public speaking and overcoming their fear. The club meets every Tuesday at lunch in F103. At some point in your life, you’re going to have to speak in front of a group. It’s not always easy, but with preparation, practice, and a realistic view of the task at hand, you can approach your next public speaking engagement with confidence and a meaningful message! kfuu@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of TUMBLR.COM

OCTOBER 2019

studentlife.powwow@gmail.com

By ABHIYAN KOTA and PAMINA YUNG

Staff Writers

Ms. Milica Protic: Athletics Ms. Protic was originally a member of the Pasadena School District, for a long time in fact. She was the Athletics Director for Pasadena Unified for 16 years. Specifically, she taught P.E, Health, and coached for a variety of sports teams. Now, she has moved to AHS and has become our new Athletics Director. The reason Ms. Protic moved to our school was because of “leadership, reputation” and also because “Arcadia places a high value on its employees and encourages us to learn, grow, and innovate.” She also mentioned how the support system of AHS is fantastic, something that many teachers want and appreciate. Some things Ms. Protic is looking forward to are getting to know our athletes and to continue the goal of our athletics program: “Creating a caring, nurturing, and competitive environments tailored for the success of student-athletes through discipline, pride, and tradition.” We are sure that Ms. Protic will easily achieve these goals and that she will love being part of the AHS Athletics family. Mrs. Amanda Svetich: Choir Director, Assistant Orchestra Director Mrs. Svetich teaches three periods of Orchestra as well as two periods of Choir. She was drawn to AHS because of its amazing reputation and exemplary music program. She has previous teaching experience at a middle school in Glendale Unified School District in which she conducted band, orchestra, and symphony for seven years. Mrs. Svetich also taught band, orchestra, and choir at a middle school in Paramount Unified School District for two years. “So far, I am loving Arcadia High School. The students here are kind, respectful, and have such a strong work ethic.” Her pupils are always so diligent and follow the instructions, which allows her to focus on teaching and enjoying the music. Mrs. Svetich loves her amazing students and wonderful job. “I am looking forward to all of the concerts and competitions that the music students will present this year.” Ms. Vicky Valenzuela: Special Education Ms. Valenzuela first began teaching at Excel Charter Academy, a middle school located in LAUSD. She then moved on to Arroyo High School which brought her to El Monte. Finally, this year, she decided to join the community of Arcadia High School. Ms. Valenzuela has a Master’s degree in Special Education, which is the department she is a part of at our school. Specifically, she teaches Modified Math, English 10, Study Skills, and Academic Success. Just like Ms. Winston, she is heavily involved in the academic achievement of students with special needs. Ms. Valenzuela chose AHS over other schools “because of the great programs offered for Special Education and the tight-knit community on campus.” For her new year here, Ms. Valenzuela is looking forward to seeing her students achieve their academic goals, being involved in many of the great activities that our school holds, and being a club adviser. Ms. Andrea Winston: Special Education Ms. Winston first began teaching five years ago, four of which were spent at a high school in South Central Los Angeles. She has a credential in special education for students with mild to moderate disabilities. This year, she has come to Arcadia High School and is strongly involved in the Special Education department. Specifically, she teaches modified English, Government, World History, and two Study Skills courses, truly impeccable dedication right from the start of her Arcadia career. Ms. Winston decided AHS would be a great place for her to work since it is very close to her home, and she “wanted to be a part of a great district that supports teachers.” She even says that Arcadia was on the top of the list of districts in the region that support teachers when she was researching. Ms. Winston is “looking forward to building relationships with students and staff as well as growing professionally.” Hopefully, she will achieve these goals and much more and will come to love AHS as a warm, inviting place for everyone involved in the educational process. Ms. Rudolph, AHS’ principal’s secretary, commented, “They are all bright and cheerful individuals who seem genuinely excited to be apart of the Apache family. I look forward to all that they can contribute to school.” It seems that she has seen amazing qualities in the staff and is excited to see what impact they make on our community.

By EMILY BANUELOS

Staff Writer

AHS APP Development Team is recruiting students to join them in further developing an app called Arcadia High Mobile to make student life easier by making information more accessible to all. Potentially, they want to expand the usage of the app for staff too. This team is looking for programmers, graphic designers, and content editors, and each position requires certain criteria. If applying for the position of a programmer, students must have previous knowledge of Javascript coding and must know how to code for Android and iOS. The graphic designer position requires graphic design experience and proficiency and experience in design. Content editors need to be proficient in English and writing and must write eloquently and be responsible. As long as a student fits the criteria listed previously, a person does not need knowledge specifically on developing apps to join the team.

akota@apachepowwow.net and pyung@apachepowwow.net Photos by EMILY BANUELOS, LILIAN CHONG, MELODY LUI, and PAMINA YUNG

The students who apply for one of the positions above will need to also be ready to work hard and well with others on a team. To add, being reliable is another important factor and meeting deadlines. Currently, the team members are graphic designers Elle Yokota and Tiffany Thai and content editors Miranda Chen and Roselind Zeng. They run as a collaborative team, meaning no one, in particular, is in charge, but they intend to know and defined leaders for future teams. This team has existed since 2017 and referred to as a “passion project”. APP Development team is not associated with the school but is supported by it. The due date for applications and all the information was revealed at the meeting on Oct. 22. Team meetings are held every Friday at 7:00 p.m., and there are out of school time requirements. There are many benefits of joining this team including gaining valuable experience, leadership, and knowledge. Students can develop their teamwork and healthy work habits while also being a part of one of the first high school level app development teams in the nation. Alex Hitti states, “The vision to create an ‘app team’ for our school seemed impossible as many ideas initially do. We were tired of the old-fashioned structure of a traditional classroom: one run by teachers where the students are told to listen and blindly memorize everything that is presented to them. We were inspired to venture into this unknown terrain and flip the system around. As a team, we had full control over our projects, deadlines, and creative expression. Throughout the months, we learned how to cooperate as well as unlock talents that would’ve never been expressed in a traditional classroom. Our project’s impact greatly exceeded any of our wild expectations, with it reaching thousands of downloads across campus. Though the app was a quantitative success, it was truly the lessons we learned and the bonds we formed which made the journey more than a vision.” In addition, alumn Paul Lee explains, “We spent a year of streamlining code, refining the user interface, and adding content, we have transformed this app into a convenient tool that more than 1400 students actively use. Although we all take immense pride in that result, it’s the people we worked with and the memories we made in H-105 that made this project so worth it.” These students are of many who enjoy being a part of an inspiring and talented team. Having to work in a different environment greatly impacts their mindsets and makes them work outside the box. They hope for you to join their App Development Team this fall!

bemily@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of 360TECHNOSOFT.COM

CAMPUS

theapachepowwow.net

OCTOBER 2019

By MELODY LUI

cf.powwow@gmail.com

FOCUS

Staff Writer

past few years. With the legalization There is no denying that the LGBTQ+ community has reached outstanding achievements in the + community. October is the month of same-sex marriage in the U.S. in 2015, there has also been an increase in acceptance for the LGBTQ er its important historical movements. to commemorate those who helped the LGBTQ+ community get to where it is today and rememb were very open about same sex Historians argue that homosexuality has existed since the beginning of written history. Ancient Greeks in the Bible. As the Europeans started to relationships while those in ancient Israel were against homosexuality because it was prohibited this due to their biblical practices. invade the Americas, they found homosexuality between the indigenous peoples and objected to tion was formed, The Society For Fast forward a few years to the early 20th century when the first documented gay rights organiza 28, 1969, the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in Human Rights. The Society For Human Rights was founded by Henry Gerber in 1924. On June nt with the raids and began to protest, New York City, was raided by police. The bar’s customers and LGBTQ+ supporters were disconte Francisco city supervisor, becoming the which later became known as the Stonewall riots. In early 1978, Harvey Milk was elected the San Geoge Moscone were murdered by first openly gay man to be elected into office in California. However, later that year, Milk and Mayor stated, “We needed something to express Dan White. In honor of Harvey Milk, the first rainbow flag was stitched by Gilbert Baker. Baker our joy, our beauty, our power. And the rainbow did just that.” in Germany which helped people Magnus Hirschfeld came up with the term “transgender” and created the first transgender clinic Press for undergoing the Sexual Reasto come to terms with their gender. In 1952, Christine Jorgensen was exposed by the American known as the first transsexual in the signment Surgery (SRS). Despite the backlash, she became famous around the world and is now I have had corrected, and now I am your media. After Christine finished her surgery, she told her parents, “Nature made a mistake which daughter.” come a long way thanks to remarkWith the recent successes of the LGBTQ+ community, people can agree that the community has who helped the community become able people and events. As October comes to an end, we will continue to support and celebrate those thrive not only in the U.S. but all around the success it is now. And with the support, we hope the LGBTQ+ community will continue to the world as well.

mlui@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of VECTORSTOCK.COM and WALLPAPERKUZ.COM

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

arcadiaperformingarts@gmail.com

By ALAN LEE

By ASHLEY ZHAO

Staff Writer

Arcadia Stage will be performing their newest production, She Kills Monsters, in the PAC from Nov. 14 to 16 at 7:00 p.m. Student and senior tickets are sold for $10, general admission tickets for $15, and VIP tickets are $30. Written by acclaimed playwright and Vietnamese storyteller Qui Nguyen, the play recounts the tale of the protagonist, Agnes, who tries to understand, grieve, and unlock the mysteries regarding the death of Tilly, her younger sister. Discovering the Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) diary left behind by her sister, Agnes is transported inside the pages and ventures on a journey to get to know Tilly better through the game. Director Stephen Volpe commented on the overall message of the production and said that “as [Agnes] goes into the game, you get this feeling that—in this world—you can be anyone who you want to be and be accepted [by others]. But you also start to see that in our world, being different or being unique is not always embraced. It’s a really great message of finding the monsters inside us that hold us back, and being able to overcome those and find our own self-happiness.” Regarding the challenges faced by the team while creating the play, Director Volpe reflected, “There’s a lot of fantastical characters, and they are characters [many] people know especially if [they] are D&D fans. So working with all our set designers and costume designers [can be challenging] when finding our point of view on [something] and how we want to create it, like if we want something to be realistic looking or have a little more theater magic or mystery to it. Being that the story takes place in the ‘90s and Ohio, we had to do a lot of research on the art, music, colors, and architecture during that era to make sure we stayed true to the period.” Cast member senior Elizabeth Yeh added on with the difficulties she faced and explained that her “character lives both in the game world and the real world, [so] one of the biggest challenges is differentiating between those two. It’s been challenging to keep them the same character, but still have them be the total opposite of their personality. One of my favorite parts of working on this show is the stage combat, and I found that working on each of the fights [within the game] has been really fun!” Cast member senior Zoe Lam discussed her experiences working on the play, and stated, “I found this play really interesting because there are so many components that are put into one—with all the dancing, singing, sword fighting, lines, and characters. It was fun, but also hard because we’re not used to all the physical movements that we have to do. It’s a lot to remember especially with school work, but I think it’ll pay off and make a great show!” A tale full of companionship, loss, and acceptance, She Kills Monsters will definitely be a production worth watching. Don’t miss out on this chance to support Arcadia Stage and Stagecraft students, so grab your ticket from online or any theater/stagecraft student! azhao@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of AELEGANTWALLPAPERS.BLOGSPOT.COM and 1001FONTS.COM

Staff Writer

AHS’ own Pep Band is well known for their appearances on the football field, boosting the morale of the players and the fans, as well as assemblies. Playing a variety of songs, from 80’s music to modern hip hop, it peps everyone up for a good time. However, what is not well known is that it performs at other places besides what is stated above. On Thursday, Oct. 17, Pep Band performed for volleyball’s Senior Night Game, starting off as per usual with the Star Spangled Banner. After this, it played their its peppy music to set the mood and get the crowd ready for the volleyball team to honor its senior members. To conclude the Pep Band played the Alma Mater, rallying the team to get ready for their game. However, unbeknownst to many people, Pep Band has also been playing outside of AHS. Late last month it played at the American Cancer Society fundraiser, Bark for Life, to help support cancer research at the Monrovia Public Library Park. On the early Sunday morning of Sept. 29, it brought lots of energy through its music, shaking off the early morning grogginess of some of the participants. Its presence helped the fundraiser to

OCTOBER 2019

lift the mood and brought joy with the help of the cute dogs. Its earliest performance outside of school events may surprise you. Instead of sleeping in, it played at Albertsons’ grand re-opening on the early Wednesday morning of Sept. 25. It played outside the front door and in the parking lot as employees and customers enjoyed their music while they entered. The Pep Band brought liveliness and kicked off the re-grand opening with pop music, adding onto the decorations that were there. Even though you may only see Pep Band perform football games, remember that it plays not only for school but also for the community. Its members invests their own time and practice to ensure that they are providing fun and enjoyable music. So the next time you see Pep Band playing, make sure to jam with them and spread the good vibes. alee@apachepowwow.net OM Graphics courtesy of FREEPIK. COM,VECTORSTOCK.COM, and 1001FONTS.COM

OCTOBER 2019

arcadiaperformingarts@gmail.com

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

By CAITLIN WANG

Staff Writer

Our school’s Orchesis Dance Company (ODC) did an amazing job performing at this year’s Homecoming Assembly. Every spin, kick, and formation change had the audience in awe. Each member shined in their individual ways and had the crowd fixated with each move. Here is a background on the performance, from the choreography to members’ opinions on the routine. Each year, groups on campus such as Pep Squad and Pep Band performed at the Homecoming Assembly. The assembly is a great chance for students to get together and get excited about the football game and dance the following day. Orchesis Dance Company contributed to this effort of getting the student body excited. Orchesis decided to take on a different style routine this year compared to previous years. It was a more funk-based piece rather than their usual upbeat pop song or high energy jazz routine. The song the group decided to dance to was called “Dem Beats,” by Todrick Hall. To contribute to the upbeat vibe of the music, all company members wore shiny costumes and glittery makeup to complete their looks. Each member stood out in their own way and the formation changes kept the audience entertained throughout the lengthy routine. According to Orchesis Dance Company officer senior Jenny Namkoong, “Orchesis spent several weeks preparing for the performance, from officers choreographing the piece, to learning the routine and incorporating new makeup/hairstyles.” It is truly amazing that the officers were able to create such an intricate and stunning routine in such a short span of time! Furthermore, Jenny reflects, “Personally, making connections with the audience and dancers while performing was the most memorable factor.” The entire company’s hard work, determination, and passion for dancing definitely paid off! From dance captain senior Talia Yip’s perspective, the Homecoming Assembly performance was like no other. She gushes, “I was really happy about this routine. Being in Orchesis for the past three years, this dance has been my favorite Homecoming routine.” Since the dance was a little different for the entire company, the “hip hop based styles” were right up Talia’s alleyway. Each dancer was able to find their love and special connection to the routine. All in all, the performance was an amazing production that was enjoyed by both students and the administration. It was not easy to create, but due to the company’s diligence and close communication, the routine was executed in the best way possible! Good luck with your future routines and competitions Orchesis! cwang@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of ARTOLLO.COM, 1001FONTS.COM

By LESLIE CHEN

Staff Writer

YouTuber Shane Dawson has recently dropped the first videos of his latest documentary series: “The Beautiful World of Jeffree Star”. This series aims to be his biggest one yet, going behind the scenes with one of Youtube’s most prominent and controversial beauty moguls, Jeffree Star, at a time when the beauty community was going through its biggest feud to date. In September, Dawson dropped the first trailer after months of teasing. “I can’t believe something we’ve been working on all year,” he said in a tweet. “I’ve never felt this excited, nervous, and emotionally invested in my life. Thank you guys for letting us take the time to do this.” In the four-minute video, Dawson and Star are seen in the office of Star’s beauty business discussing a possible collaborative merch line, boarding private jets, and even crying together.

There are also clips of some reactions to the beauty community going into meltdown in May, when two of the platform’s biggest stars, Tati Westbrook and James Charles, had a very public falling out. Although there is no dialogue in the trailer, it’s clear that this series is going to be an emotional roller coaster. The documentary series will follow Star as he travels, works on his multimillion-dollar makeup line, and deals with personal issues. One of the key stories that the documentary will cover is the controversial feud between Charles and Westbrook, which dominated conversation within the Youtube community. However, the documentary won’t just focus on the drama. All of the big moments from both Dawson and Star’s lives, such as Dawson’s marriage proposal and Star’s dog dying, are expected to be explored in depth. It may seem strange that Dawson is starring in a documentary about another creator, but in many ways, his life is intertwined with Star’s. The two have been friends for a long time and have even collaborated on a previous documentary called “The Secret World of Jeffree Star”. Because of this, fans are looking to see Dawson tell Star’s story, while simultaneously sharing his own life events. The events documented in Dawson’s series will be familiar to people who follow him closely, making the intimate and emotional conversations even more personal. Dawson has since released the first two installments of his documentary, to much success. It’s unclear how many installments he’s planning on dropping, but nonetheless, be prepared to be glued to your computer screen for hours. lchen@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of PARTYCITY.COM, POPSUGAR.COM, and 1001FONTS.COM

SPORTS

theapachepowwow.net By VICTORIA CHENG Staff Writer

AN EXCITING GAME The Apaches shined in the game against the Crescenta Valley Falcons, ending the game with a sweeping win of 3-0.

The Lady Apaches came through yet again with another win on Oct.17. With solid technique, great teamwork, and strong players, the Girls Varsity volleyball team beat Crescenta Valley High School (CV) with a score of 3-0. This game was the last league game for the Apaches before moving on to CIF. It was also the Varsity Volleyball team’s senior night, where the team gathers together to celebrate the seniors who are graduating, as the season is coming to an end. The team’s libero, Lily Gustafsson, believed the team played an amazing season and that the team has improved dramatically from last year. In a sport like volleyball where the height of the players is extremely important, the Apaches were at a disadvantage going into the season because the players are much shorter than last year. However, the disadvatange did not stop the Apaches, and they still managed to win the majority of their games. The team had great chemistry and all the players worked well with one another, contributing to the many wins they garnered this season. Lily thinks they have all come a long way since their daily practices and games began in the summer. They ended league in second place because of their “strong defense, aggressive serves, and smart strategies.” The energy and excitement of the crowd on Thursday night brought out everyone’s full potential, and they

OCTOBER 2019

all had “so much fun.” Lily loves the team with “all of her heart,” and she knows they are going to compete well in playoffs in the following week. “The game against CV was really important because we had to beat them to place second in league,” Lily explained. Since they lost the previous game to CV, they were determined to win this one. From even before the season started, Coach Stephen has put them to high standards and has been training them to do their very best. They are always pushing themselves to play better and improve, and that definitely won’t change as they head into CIFs. The team is currently in Division 3. In the last set, Lily hurt her ankle and had to sit out. That was a really scary experience for the team, as she is such an integral player. However, everyone made sure to step up and execute their roles in order to finish the game as quickly as possible. Something like that could have completely thrown off the game, but everyone stayed focused and played well. Sofia Mediana, another player on the Varsity team, thinks that “wouldn’t have been possible without confidence in ourselves and each other.” It was a truly incredible game. The Varsity Volleyball team worked extremely hard this season and we wish the team the best of luck as it moves into the CIF competition!

vcheng@apachepowwow.net Photo by VICTORIA CHENG Graphics courtesy of FONTSPACE.COM

AN INTENSE GAME The Apaches team played valiantly against the Burroughs Indians but despite their efforts, the Apaches ended the game with an unfortunate loss of 11-12. By LINDA QIU Staff Writer The AHS’ Boys Varsity Water Polo team faced off with Burroughs High School on Oct. 10. Burroughs’ Boys Varsity Water Polo team has always been tough competition for the Apaches, and this game was no different, ending with a score of 11-12 In the first quarter, despite several attempts by the Apaches to score, opposing defenders kept our players from getting close to the goal, and the subsequent shots from far away went wide. Burroughs managed to score three times within six minutes. In the last minute of the quarter, the Apaches managed to break through Burroughs’ formation, and senior Christian Lowe got a shot in, leaving the score at 1-3.

Although they fell behind at first, the Apaches quickly pulled themselves together and upped their aggression. Tensions were high as players raced back and forth between the two sides of the pool, furiously stealing and passing the ball among themselves. The Apache goalie, Chris Harrison, made some impressive blocks against fierce rollback shots. With outstanding teamwork and skill, by the end of the quarter, the Apaches had evened the score to 5-5. As the game continued, AHS began to surpass Burroughs, but in the fourth quarter, an AHS defender committed a foul, resulting in Burroughs taking (and scoring) a five-meter penalty shot. As a result, the fourth quarter finished at a tie, 10-10, bringing the game into two three-minute overtime quarters.

Both sides made fierce struggles to pull fouls and wrestle the ball away from opposing players. Unfortunately, the Apaches only scored one more time while Burroughs scored twice, leaving the final score as 11-12, Arcadia’s loss. AHS’ Boys Varsity Water Polo players were a little disgruntled at the end result. “[The game] was dirty, it was tough, and I feel like my nose was broken,” remarked sophomore Alex Kelkelian. However, the players were not discouraged as they played a great game and tried their best to overcome their opponents. “In many respects, this was a big improvement for us,” said the Boys Varsity Water Polo coach Janice Clark. “While the boys were in the season playing tournaments, we weren’t able to match up to the stronger teams without falling

apart; today, we kept fighting to the end. Even though it didn’t finish the way we hoped, looking to the future, it’s very likely we will play Burroughs again in the League Playoffs. In the meantime, we’ll be working to improve so we’ll be ready.” She added that she would be focusing on improving performance under pressure and passing technique with the boys. As there is still plenty of the season remaining, the Apaches have plenty of opportunities to solidify their teamwork and skills. Hopefully, from here on out, they will take home many wins in both League and tournaments.

lqiu@apachepowwow.net Photo by EMILY BANUELOS Graphics courtesy of 1001FONTS.COM

OCTOBER 2019

SPORTS

sports.powwow@gmail.com

By MELODY LUI Staff Writer Every year, people are filled with anticipation for the Homecoming football game. For the first time, ASB hosted an all-school Homecoming tailgate with food and games before the football game. On Oct. 11, students from all grade levels gathered to watch the Apaches faced the Pasadena Bulldogs. The Bulldogs proved to be tough competition as the Apaches ended the game with a score of 10-44. In the first half, despite Pasadena scoring the first touchdown, Arcadia quickly rebounded when junior Eudene Thomas scored a touchdown leaving the score at 7-21. Both teams had great defense, and the score remained unchanged going into halftime. However, the second half did not turn out as planned. Senior Will Covey stated that the Apaches “were in the game in the first quarter,” but as the quarters passed by, the Bulldogs “were getting in their heads.” As the second half started, Pasadena quickly racked up the

By MELODY LUI Staff Writer The Girls Varsity Tennis team has had an ongoing reputation for being undefeated, and the players have many expectations to live up to. Girls Varsity Tennis player Jessica Young has waited two years to be on the renowned Varsity team, and as a junior, she has finally made it. Up until eighth grade, Jessica had no intentions of trying out for the high school tennis team. But when she realized she had the potential to play at the high school level, she worked hard during the summer before freshman year to improve her skills and successfully landed a spot on the JV team. During freshman year, Jessica was having a difficult time adjusting to the new high school lifestyle. “Freshmen year I was a singles starter, which was fun, but really stressful for a freshman to play three hours of tennis,” Jessica states how she was able to manage her time well and make new friends along the way. The competition during tryouts was very intense for Jessica in her sophomore year. During sophomore year, Jessica tried out for the Varsity team and almost landed a spot, but she was defeated in a tie-breaking match against another strong competitor. Jessica stated that she was not disappointed when she did not make Varsity, though. Despite not making the team, Jessica remained optimistic and did her best to

A FIERCE GAME The Apaches played an intense game against the Pasadena Bulldogs, but ended the game with a loss of 10-44. points. With a score of 7-37 now, the Apaches were more determined than ever. The Apaches then scored three more points with a field goal, leaving the score at 10-37.

show the coaches she was capable of making Varsity the following year. As a sophomore, Jessica became a JV team captain. She says that being a captain helped her develop her leadership skills as well as view the tennis program from a new perspective. The summer before junior year was the year Jessica was determined to make Varsity. Jessica states that junior year “was a good chance since many seniors graduated, which left several Varsity spots open.” She practiced the entire summer, and her practice paid off as Jessica made it into the Varsity team. “One of the biggest struggles, though, is time,” said Jessica. Like many athletes at AHS, Jessica has trouble managing the heavy workload while also doing her best during practice and games. “We travel to many schools and don’t get home until at least 6:00 or 7:00 p.m.,” But despite all this, Jessica still enjoys going to other schools and bringing snacks and drinks to every single game. The Girls Varsity Tennis team has been working hard as they are now in the middle of their season, yet still remain undefeated. As the season comes to a close, we hope that the team will continue to win their league games and make the Apaches proud.

mlui@apachepowwow.net Photo by ALAN LEE

another touchdown, and left the score at 10-43. With a punt, Pasadena earned another point leaving the score 10-44. Although all the players looked worn down, they still tried their best until the final second. Junior Leo Lai reflected on the game by saying, “Well for starters, last night’s game did not go as planned. We put in a couple of new plays specifically for this Pasadena team.” In order to improve in the next games, the Apaches are planning on strengthening their tackles, executing new plays, and making the right leads. Arcadia played a great season and even without the victories, we know that the players tried their hardest to make us proud. As the football season comes to an end, we want to congratulate the Apaches for their efforts. The Apaches still fought hard every single game. We wish the Apaches luck for the rest of the season.

During the third and fourth quarters, the odds remained in the Bulldogs’ favor. With a mlui@apachepowwow.net Photo by MELODY LUI few minutes to spare Arcadia was about to score Graphics courtesy of 1001FONTS.COM a goal, but Pasadena intercepted the ball, scored

By ENZO GOEBEL Staff Writer Sophomore Will Kelley had never been a serious runner. In fact, he first started “running seriously” during his freshman year at AHS. Now, he’s part of the Varsity Cross Country team. This means he is running against kids up to three years older than himself who have several years of experience behind their backs, and not to mention are the best of the best from across the state. But that’s far from what makes Will so unique. He has also experienced major jumps in his P.R. (Personal Record). His first high school race as a freshman was 19:54 for three miles. And now? “15:56. That’s the time I ran about a week ago,” Will said. That’s nearly four minutes less than his first time. Breaking time barriers require devotion and hard work. On a week without any races, “the sophomores run between 50-55 miles and do integral training,” according to Will. They work especially hard in the beginning, and train with hill repeats. Towards the end of the week, the runners rest in preparation for the race. Even then, there are a lot of factors that affect the outcome of a race. “The distance, the course, how fast people go out, how you pace yourself, things as simple as what you ate before, all have an impact,” Will said. When asked about his highs and lows, Will stated that he was excited to break 19 minutes at the end of the season, but struggled to beat his first race time through last

year. “It is very mentally challenging when you are running because it’s just a long time out there — Even if you are with people, in some ways you are by yourself.” Winning isn’t the only thing Will is focused on. During his interview, he mentioned how closely knit the community is. When he first joined the team, he said, it surprised him: “Everyone on the team and my friends, they are all different, but we all have one thing in common which is running. That’s how we first bonded and we still do. After over a year of running with them, we’ve become really good friends, and we all push each other.” Coach Chris Lee mentioned that Will has made huge strides. He also shared that “as a coaching staff, we’re excited to see how much more he can improve and how he fits into our varsity lineup.” To finish it off, Will tells me something I don’t often hear: “A lot of people think [it] cross country is just running and running is bad, but it’s really not. It’s a great way to escape and a great way to connect with people.” Will continues to achieve his goals while inspiring other burgeoning athletes as well.

egoebel@apachepowwow.net Photo by PAMINA YUNG Graphics courtesy of PNGLOT.COM and FONTSPACE.COM

CAMPUS FOCUS

theapachepowwow.net

OCTOBER 2019

By BRADEN WONG Staff Writer

As the end of October approaches, Halloween edges ever closer to AHS students, many preparing their plans for the special night. The history of Halloween dates back thousands of years, originating in the Gaelic festival of Samheim, when it was believed that the boundary between living and dead reached its thinnest point. The holiday’s name is a literal contraction of “Hallowed Evening”, and observers donned costumes to ward off evil spirits. However, over time, Halloween evolved into its modern interpretation of trick-or-treating, carving jack-o-lanterns, and famous pumpkin spice lattes. For some Apaches, festivities begin several weeks in advance. When asked about his plans, ASB Pep Commissioner Mark Lau replied, “I’m going to celebrate earlier, around the 18th or 19th, as that’s Haunted House.” With Pep Squad hosting its most iconic event of the year, Haunted House, there will be many Apach- es celebrating Halloween early. However, for ASB Senior Public Relations officer Elisha Wang, the end of October marks an entirely different prospect, expressing, “I haven’t gotten that far. I’ll probably be doing college apps.” For many other seniors, the end of October marks the significant Early Action and Early Decision college deadlines, falling on Oct. 15, or Nov. 1, or closely after. We wish everyone the best of luck as well as a Happy Halloween as October comes to a close!

bwong@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of ETSY.COM, TEEPUBLIC. COM, and WALLPAPERKUZ.COM Photos by NICHOLAS CHHAY and KATELYN WU