February 2015

The World Is Our Campus Volume 62, Issue 6

February 2015

Arcadia High School 180 Campus Drive, Arcadia, CA

ADVANTAGES ON THE FIELD

In this issue:

Graphic courtesy of WIKIHOW.COM

OPINION pg. 4 Still You: Regardless of the years that pass by and the obstacles that present themselves, you will always be yourself.

Photos courtesy of KELLY DOPKE

ANOTHER FIELD DAY Girls Varsity Soccer has been dominating this season—the girls have been knocking

down one oppenent after another and have made their way to the second round of CIF.

By MICHELLE HUANG Photos courtesy of ARCADIASBEST.COM

CENTER SPREAD pg. 10-11 Grand Opening: Take a look at the newly renovated library and cafe, and the ceremony that took place to commemorate them.

Graphic courtesy of YTIMG.COM

CAMPUS FOCUS pg. 20 Moving Forward: Science Bowl has secured a spot in the National Finals, giving it a chance to win big.

Have a question, comment, or concern about The Apache Pow Wow? Email the Editors-in-Chief at eic.powwow@gmail.com Find us online at arcadiapowwow.wordpress.com

Staff Writer

After dominating in League, the Girls Varsity Soccer team, led by coaches Ryan Piszyk and Paul Myles, is moving through the rounds of CIF playoffs. The undefeated Pacific League team, with a record of 14 wins and 0 losses, will be fighting for the title of Division I Southern Section champions.

However, this is no easy task. In order to be named the best, our girls must fight their way through an extremely competitive pool of teams.

Last year, the girls reached the second round of CIF, where they lost to Oaks Christian School. This year, they hope to make it further.

In League, the team emerged on top, time and time again, defeating slews of local schools and leaving a trail of destruction in its wake, and its success is reflected in this year’s ranking: the girls made it within the ranks of the top 100, placing 93rd in California.

The girls’ first CIF playoff game was against Apple Valley High School (AVHS), taking place

on Feb. 19 after school. Unsurprisingly, it was another dominating win for the team. The score was 4-0, with 3 goals scored in the first half.

AVHS relentlessly tried to score many times in the first half, but Lily Wood prevented all kicks from getting in the goal. Then, during the second half of the game, freshman Stephanie Yen scored the first goal during a corner kick even though everyone was crowded around the goal.

Stephanie was on the outside waiting for the ball to come out, and as soon as it did, she booted it over the crowd and into the net. Soon after the first goal, senior Kelly Dopke headed the ball straight into the goal on another corner kick that was meant to fly past the crowd.

AVHS continuously tried to score so as to prevent a total shutout, but it never got the chance to do so; the Apaches dominated the field.

Senior Lucy Swift was ecstatic about the team’s success. She said, “We practiced very hard for two hours every day and we worked tirelessly on perfecting our movement and formations.” Their skills were not the only reason why they won, though.

Lucy said, “We also worked hard to

bond with each other, which also promotes chemistry on the field. I can’t even put into words how proud I am of this team especially because most of the Varsity squad is composed of underclassmen. We have truly grown as players and as people this season, and it is thanks to this chemistry that we were able to play so well. Mostly, I’m proud of the fact that we want each other to succeed, that we work hard and play hard for each other as sisters.”

Not only are these wins are a great way for the upperclassmen to end their season, they are also a morale booster for the underclassmen who are just starting their athletic careers.

Freshman Serena Ross stated, “I believe we can win this whole thing. We all have the dedication to get championship rings. We are a very talented group of girls that have a chance of win this.”

At the time of publication, the girls were playing in their second round of CIF against the private Catholic school, Notre Dame Academy, with the score at 1-0. mhuang@apachepowwow.com

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NEWS

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February 2015

Amazon Partners with Colleges the world, and they spend almost 3 times the amount that non-Prime members do. Members of Amazon Student Prime will be able to receive on-campus deliveries the next day, which is even faster than the regular Amazon Prime two-

websites. For instance, over the course of three years, the University of Massachusetts Amherst Staff Writer will be paid a minimum of $1.45 million, and over a period of four years, Amazon will pay Amazon has always been a popular place Purdue University a minimum of $1.7 million. for students to purchase merchandise, and now Purdue University president Amazon is bringing its and former Indiana governor products to universities.

Mitch Daniels finds this colAmazon is cooperating laboration very convenient with Purdue University, and said, “Many of our stuthe University of Califordents, we found, were Amania Davis, and the Unizon customers anyway, so versity of Massachusetts it made sense for us to do a Amherst to open websites deal with them.” This could where students can purpotentially be a very profitchase textbooks, snacks, able partnership for both and other products.

Amazon.com and the uniAccording to the versities that partner with it.

National Association of This change will defiCollege Stores, around nitely make it easier to $10.3 billion is spent evobtain materials without ery year in bookstores on having to physically visit college campuses. Much a bookstore. For example, of the market has been Purdue University student dominated by compaEvan Markley believes nies like Barnes & Noble this will be a great change, Inc. and Follett Corp, but now Amazon is delv- SHOP IT LIKE IT’S HOT Amazon has partnered with some universities to since bookstores can become very crowded and ing into the market. Class make textbooks and other school necessities readily available to students. materials will be available for next-day ship- day shipping. Ripley MacDonald, director of are often understocked. With Amazon, he ping, whether or not the student customers Amazon’s student programs, commented, “Col- was able to order a textbook and a Bible and have Amazon Prime membership. However, lege campuses are an opportunity...We hope received them within a day. With this new other products require the subscription in students like it and continue being Amazon cus- system, undergraduate students may be able order to be eligible for one-day shipping. tomers.” Distribution centers are planned on the to save as much as a few hundred dollars by For students, the membership only costs campuses so that students can easily get their ordering course materials from Amazon. $49, half of the regular Amazon Prime price. orders from Amazon employees or lockers.

Universities will get 0.5% to 2.5% of the Analyst Gene Munster noted that there are klo@apachepowwow.com roughly 40 million Amazon Prime members in money made from purchases through their Photo courtesy of WSJ.COM

By KIMBERLY LO

By AMBER CHONG Staff Writer

Over 50 years after publishing To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee is going to release its sequel, Go Set a Watchman.

Lee’s publisher stated it will be available July 14 with an initial print run.of..2-million copies.

Go Set a Watchman came to fruition by accident. Tonja Carter, Lee’s lawyer and close friend, had been foraging through archives in the author’s house for the original manuscript of To Kill a Mockingbird when she stumbled across something different entirely. Attached was a copy of the book the 88-year-old Pulitzer Prize winner had set aside, which had been presumed lost.

“In the mid-1950s, I completed a novel called ‘Go Set a Watchman ... It features the character known as Scout as an adult woman...”

Watchman is set in the 1950s, and follows the story of an adult Scout returning to her hometown Maycomb, Alabama. It focuses on Scout’s relationship with her elusive and haughty father.

“She is forced to grapple with issues both personal and political as she tries to understand her father’s attitude toward society, and her own feelings about the place where she was born and spent her childhood,” a press release said.

“In the mid-1950s, I completed a novel called ‘Go Set a Watchman,’” Lee added. “It features the character known as Scout as an adult woman, and I thought it a pretty decent effort.

My editor, who was taken by the flashbacks to Scout’s childhood, persuaded me to write [what became To Kill a Mockingbird] from the point of view of the young Scout.”

“I was a first-time writer, so I did as I was told. I hadn’t realized [the original book] had survived, so I was surprised and delighted when my dear friend and lawyer Tonja Carter discovered it. After much thought and hesitation, I shared it with a handful of people I trust and was pleased to hear that they considered it worthy of publication. I am humbled and amazed that this will now be published after all these years.” achong@apachepowwow.com Graphic courtesy of NYDAILYNEWS.COM Photo courtesy of NBCNEWS.COM

Obama’s Free College Plan

By MICHELLE HUANG Staff Writer

Recently, President Obama announced a new program that will provide free community college tuition for students across America. The plan, dubbed America’s College Promise (ACP), will cover a student’s community college tuition as long as the student maintains a minimum GPA of 2.5.

Unlike plans that have been already implemented in areas such as Chicago or Tennessee, which are only available to high school graduates, Obama’s plan, if approved, will cover charges for non-traditional students, such as older adults over 24, as well.

Evelyn Waiwaiole, a director for Center of Community College Student Engagement at

University of Texas, Austin, said, “The average age at a community college is 28. It is not 18 or 19. To say we’re going to go in and serve high school students would be a disservice to many, if not most, of our students.”

ACP would merely require students to attend school part time. A reasonable offer, considering 60% of community college goers already attend part time.

In his State of the Union address, Obama stated “two in three job openings will require some form of higher education. Two in three, yet we still live in a country where too many bright striving Ameri-

cans are priced out of the education they need.”

Because 40% of college students are community college goers, this plan would benefit many students dramatically. A lot of students who choose community college over other colleges are also parents or have a full-time job. If the act is passed, then these students will be far less stressed, as they will be relieved from the burden of college costs.

However, there’s a problem. Each year, the government—federal, state, and local—would have to pay a combined amount of about $60 billion. With a Republican-controlled Congress, there’s a minimal chance that the ACP will get passed at all. mhuang@apachepowwow.com Photos courtesy of TBPARCHITECTURE.COM and WKBW.COM

powwownews@gmail.com

Fix Your Vision without Glasses February 2015

By VERONICA YU

Staff Writer

If you’ve ever had blurry vision or a hard time reading but refused to wear glasses, this new solution for poor eyesight may be for you. Recently, a new lens has been developed and approved by the FDA that helps patients whose vision have been damaged by cataracts. A cataract is a growth which clouds the lens of the eye, so that the patient has blurry vision. It has been common among the elderly, but is becoming more and more frequent among younger people. The new breakthrough lens, called the Tecnis Multifocal IOL, simultaneously corrects nearsightedness, farsightedness, and reading vision. This advance in eye lens technology will definitely help patients who have been suffering from blurry vision and open their eyes to a clearer world.

The Tecnis Multifocal IOL is a tiny lens that requires a simple surgery to insert. The surgery requires the doctor to first numb the patient’s eye, then make an incision in the eye to remove the old, cloudy lens. The doctor then inserts the new lens into where the old lens used to be. The whole surgical procedure takes less than an hour, and the patient doesn’t even have to go to sleep. The simplicity of the procedure and the great vision improvement the lens provides makes it a favorable treatment for those with cataracts and vision problems.

Melissa Crow, one of the first patients to receive this new treatment, now has 20/20 vision, whereas before she suffered from blurry vision due to cataracts.

Before receiving the treatment, she stated that her vision was “blurry during the day and at night when [she was] driving [she would] notice that the lights reflect off of it and there’s a halo.” Thanks to the new

eye lens technology, she can now see and read without any problems.

The major improvement in her eyesight shows what a great success this new lens is to anyone with cataracts or a desire to improve his o r her vision. This new breakthrough in technology can greatly improve the quality of many people’s eyesight and make a difference in their daily lives. With better vision, the patients who have these lenses are able to see and read many things that they weren’t able to see clearly before.

The Tecnis Multifocal IOL is a step in advancing technology that will inspire many more medical technology breakthroughs, which will improve more people’s lives. vyu@apachepowwow.com

Staff Writer

In Dec. 2014, an outbreak of measles began at Disneyland in Anaheim, California. This incident brought the long-standing argument between parents, politicians, and doctors to light. Perhaps it is because of the irony of the situation—a horrible disease spreading so violently at the supposed happiest place on Earth—that, suddenly, the Internet has erupted in a heated debate over the ethics, usefulness, and risks of vaccines.

The scandal involving vaccination can be traced back all the way to 1998, when a study was published hypothesizing that the M.M.R (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine would lead to autism in young children. Initially, this caused a huge stir, particularly among wealthy liberal communities, such as Orange County, CA. Since then, however, the study has been disproved by over 13 other experiments, the hypothesis has been retracted, and the author has been stripped of his medical license.In the past few years, however, vaccination numbers have been dropping.

A study done in 2013 revealed

that the vaccination rate for measles in the U.S. may be around 91%—lower than that of Zimbabwe and Bangladesh. Online communities, comprised of middleupper class American parents discussing the risks correlating between vaccinations and autism, have sprung up at an alarming rate. Doctors around the nation have been struggling to convince the public of the safety of vaccines. However, instead of trying to quell these disruptive rumors, many important government officials have fueled the debate.

Although support for vaccines should be bipartisan, Senator Rand Paul (R) from Kentucky recently told CNBC that there have been “many tragic cases of walking, talking, normal children who wound up with profound mental disorders after vaccines.” Soon afterward, he retracted his statement and even tweeted a photo of him receiving a Hepatitis A vaccine to show his support for the pro-vaccine cause.

Unfortunately, the damage had already been done, as his statement was made when most people were still reeling from the shock of the outbreak at Disneyland.

Immediately after the outbreak, an influx of parents who had previously delayed the vaccine flood-

ed pediatricians with requests for a dose for their children. However, measles has already spread throughout Southern California. Many parents who have children

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Katrina Chao and Stanley Shaw Belle Zheng Simone Chu and Terri Shi Victoria Yu and Erika Zheng Amelia Jin and Briana Shen Daniel Jenn and Justin Tang Elaine Chung and Lily Ling Allan Gao and Charles Xu Helen Lee and Tiffany Liu Josh Bay Brittanie Gaja and Rose Li Flora Ung Elisha Lee Ben Geisberg and Millie Wong Michelle Gu and Hafsah Umerani Yoko Chan and Chelsea Cheng

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with immunodeficiency diseases or cancer are now afraid to take their children out, fearing that their kids, who cannot receive the vaccine, will be infected. The same goes for parents whose children are too young to be vaccinated, because measles is particularly deadly for infants and young toddlers. In spite of the quickly-spreading fear, many parents are still adamant and refuse to vaccinate their children. Healthcare centers, especially in Southern California, have set up protocols inquiring about symptoms of measles for parents bringing children into a clinic to lessen the risk of their child infecting others in a crowded waiting room.

The shocking outbreak of measles at Disneyland in December rekindled a decade-long debate about the safety of vaccinations. With politicians, doctors, and a plethora of self-appointed ‘vaccine experts’ weighing in on the issue, it’s no wonder that America stands divided over the question of vaccines.

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s t a f f

Photo courtesy of MACHOARTS.COM Graphic courtesy of NORTHERNOHIOEYE.COM

The Vaccine Debate

By DONNA SAYPHARAJ

NEWS

Academics Staff Calendar Staff

Campus Focus Staff Center Spread Staff Advertisement Staff

Photo Staff

Copy Editing Staff

Adviser

Eric Chen, Amber Chong, Jessie Hui, Michelle Huang, Eileen Lee, Kaitlyn Liao, Andrew Lim, Julia Lin, Kimberly Lo, Sukanya Mukherjee, Emily Quach, Donna Saypharaj, Kristen Tran, Shawn Xing, Veronica Yu, Roy Zhang Tiffany Chen, Niki Chi, Amber Chong, Teddy Chu, Michelle Fang, Ben Geisberg, Julia Lin, Andrew Muliadi, Donna Saypharaj, Lauren Trajano, Madeline Lee, Sukanya Mukherjee, Titus Wu, Veronica Yu Jacqueline Chang, Eric Chen, Katie Huang, Celine Lee, Eileen Lee, Ellie Lee, Erin Li Eric Chen, Ryan Fann, Eileen Lee, Ellie Lee, Andrew Lim, Andrea Liu, Emily Schube, Kristie Sun, Tiffany Tsui, Emily Wu, Sunny Wu, Shawn Xing, Gary Zhu Tiffany Chen, Katie Huang, Michelle Huang, Celine Lee, Julia Lin, Cristian Nalbandian, Emily Schube, Cathleen Shen, Sunny Wu, Pearl Yang, Elyse Yao, Veronica Yu, Gary Zhu Tiffany Chen, Amber Chong, Katie Huang, Michelle Huang, Celine Lee, Julia Lin, Andrew Muliadi, Cristian Nalbandian, Emily Schube, Cathleen Shen, Jessica Wang, Sunny Wu, Pearl Yang Tiffany Chen, William Hsu, Peter Ju, Ellie Lee, Erin Li, Andrew Lim, Christina Read, Lauren Trajano, Titus Wu, Shawn Xing, Pearl Yang, Roy Zhang Jacqueline Chang, Jessie Hui, Peter Ju, Kaitlyn Liao, Andrew Lim, Debbie Moon, Emily Quach, Cathleen Shen, Kristen Tran, Andrew Wang, Kyle Wang, Emily Wu, Sunny Wu, Pearl Yang, Elyse Yao Emily Quach Katie Huang Jacqueline Chang, Niki Chi, Teddy Chu, William Hsu, Michelle Huang, Peter Ju, Andrea Liu, Andrew Muliudi, Tiffany Tsui, Kyle Wang, Emily Wu Teddy Chu, Ryan Fann, Brittanie Gaja, Derek Lee, Debbie Moon, Stanley Shaw, Cathleen Shen, Kristen Tran, Titus Wu Michelle Fang, Ryan Fann, Jessie Hu, Madeline Lee, Kaitlyn Liao, Debbie Moon, Christina Read, Emily Schube, Andrew Wang, Kyle Wang, Elyse Yao, Veronica Yu, Gary Zhu Mr. Johnny Lee

Publication Information: The Apache Pow Wow is a student publication distributed monthly throughout the school year. The paper has been continuously published since Arcadia High School opened in 1952. Unsigned articles appearing on the opinion page reflect the opinion of The Apache Pow Wow editorial board. A student’s work does not represent the views of Arcadia High School or the Arcadia Unified School District. Address letters to the editor to: The Apache Pow Wow, 180 W. Campus Drive, Arcadia, CA 91007. To place an advertisement in the newspaper, email ads.powwow@gmail.com. Advertisement rates vary from $30 for a business card advertisement to $250 for a full-page black and white advertisement, with quarter-page, half-page, and advertisement insert options available.

Photo courtesy of IPAD.WALLPAPERSWIKI.COM

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OPINION

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Battling Senioritis

By BEN GEISBERG Photography Editor

By TEDDY CHU Staff Writer

Change is a concept that may come hard to some people. It occurs for better or for worse. A concept to consider is the constant loop in which things change; bits and pieces are sometimes only rearranged rather than added or deleted. However, there are only so many permutations for relationships, situations, and feelings.

Think of any situation as a Rubik’s Cube—there are millions of different combinations and permutations for each row of colored cubes, and yet the pieces will remain the same as you rearrange them. Does change have to mean something new or different?

Change is important to consider when building and strengthening relationships with anyone in your life.

People change whether or not we would like them to; our experiences do not directly influence their path of character development. This change is especially subjective to the people around you as well—many may not agree with your definition of “better” or “worse”.

Whether one’s perception of a certain change is positive or negative, change is inevitable and everyone must accept and grow with it.

Remember that when change comes to friends and family around you, you possess limited ability to alter it. Change usually occurs whether you’d like it or not; it is a result of a culmination of emotions and reactions to little situations over time. For the longest time, I had a terrible habit of saying “yes” to any sort of request— usually some sort of video production request or help with essay writing. This continued probably up until the October of 2013. Prior to that day, I always found myself agreeing to help out anyone in need, regardless of my own agenda. It was extremely stressful; I found that I eventually had little to no time for either my own work or play. After continuing this cycle for a couple months into the new school year with even more people, I decided that it was time to take a break—to say no. Sure, people were upset because I couldn’t make a time commitment anymore, but it really taught me who my real friends were—those who supported me and understood that I was doing this to take care of myself. The thing is, I’m still the same person I was before that October.

By saying “no” to things, I never removed a part of my character. Instead, I became my highest priority.

Change does not take definite form, as in something is not always added or subtracted. People’s characteristics can be rearranged without warning but that does not necessarily mean that there is anything inherently “new” about the people themselves. Unconditionally supporting someone means that you support them, regardless of the fact that they can change on a whim.

On the same token, you will always be “you”. You, like change, are never definite. You are always adapting—adding or subtracting bits and pieces of yourself and possibly rearranging them at times. You ultimately will be a different person, but the same person in a sense. Regardless of how drastic of a change you may undergo, you still will retain your identity at heart. Keep this in mind when you stumble upon both compliments and criticisms for the “new” you, as well as when you find someone you’re close with to have changed. When everything changes, nothing changes at all; you still are, and always will be, you. tchu@apachepowwow.com

Graphic courtesy of WIKIMEDIA.ORG

February 2015

The prognosis is bad: 2 C’s, 3 B’s, and a lone A. There is absolutely no chance of recovery and treatment is futile. It looks like you have…Stage 4 Senioritis.

This is the grave news many seniors must face every year; their fates are sealed as they ride into the golden sunset of a glorious four years in college. Nothing can save them. What lies in their path is a grim five months of relaxing, minimal homework, mediocre grades, and, at the end, goodbye to their friends. At home, patients with senioritis are afflicted with many severe symptoms, including an abundance of free time, greater freedom, and a more active social life. Many victims of senioritis spend up to eight to ten hours per night in their beds, getting the fullest, best sleep they have ever gotten in their four years of high school.

But fear not second semester seniors, for there is help out there. Many sufferers just like you join Facebook group pages often entitled “Admitted Students Class of 2019”, where

they can find people just like them, suffering from the debilitating effects of senioritis. These people hail from places all over the nation, sometimes even from around the world, and are present at all times to offer support, help, and almost any kind of assistance. These are the people that you can turn to, since they have similar symptoms as yours.

However, the most serious effect of senioritis, by far, is the ability to dream big. As a sufferer myself, who is well into his first month and progressing steadily, I have felt this part of the affliction on myself. Most see the world in front of them as a bright place, filled with opportunities that arise from what they may experience in their last few months of high school, in college, or even beyond. This kind of thinking is the most consequential mental effect of senioritis as it gives sufferers a view of the outside world and allows them the opportunity to dream; even though many sufferers may not achieve these goals, especially with the deadly liberal arts major (100% mortality rate), it is important that those around them help them through that difficult time. Their second semester of senior year is a crucial time in indulging these desires and allowing patients to become as close to reaching these goals as possible. For those who do manage to beat senioritis and make it through this dangerous period of unrestricted thinking, creativity, and imagination, their future years both in college and beyond are priceless and important.

For those who don’t make it through, and end up with the majority of sufferers, graduated and off to college, they can live with the consolation that, even though they failed to achieve their greatest goals, they strove for their dreams and managed to not succumb to senioritis. bgeisberg@apachepowwow.com

Graphic by SUNNY WU

By SUKANYA MUKHERJEE

Staff Writer

To the single hearts out there, The alarm clock goes off and jolts me awake. Oh dear.

She’s glancing at the calendar. No, don’t do it! Live in ignorance. But alas, she zeroes in on the 14. It’s Valentine’s Day—no, let’s call it Singles’ Awareness Day. She sighs and I (the heart beating inside of her) feel a pang, similar to the heartburn I felt yesterday after that spicy burrito.

But this one leaves me with a sick feeling in my the stomach. Oh, these days are so hard for hearts like me—lonely ones. Let me give you some advice, from one lonely heart to another, or if you’re one of those lucky ones, please give us lonely hearts a break. We don’t necessarily love seeing all that affection in public. Most importantly, Valentine’s Day is about loving yourself (me), something you should be doing every day!

First things first: if you’re single, you have plans. None of “but I’m single and—” No. You have plans. You’re going out with your friends, with your homework, and my personal favorite, with Netflix. Netflix is really all you need. You have the variety, the laughs, the thrill, the fear, the tear-jerker and everything that makes for a roller coaster ride of a relationship in one compact place!

Next, treat yourself. Indulge in that pricey restaurant you were saving for that special occasion because hey, you are the special occasion! Your heart starved waiting around for someone special to take you out for dinner, but all along that

special someone was you. Be your special someone and take us out to that fancy restaurant; we’ll consolidate your wallet later.

Whip up some sugary concoctions for your sweet tooth or grab take out if the relationship between you and your kitchen is similar to that of you and your ex: incompatible. Personally, chocolate is my first love and it pairs so nicely with my second love, Netflix. But please don’t buy those heart shaped boxes with an assortment of fillings. How many pieces are you going to go through until you find the one that doesn’t leave an odd aftertaste in your mouth? Life is a box of chocolates… but on Valentine ’s Day, let’s just skip to the good stuff.

Whether it’s Valentine’s Day or not, you have to love yourself. If you really think about it, and this is not me being biased because I don’t have my other half, Valentine ’s Day ought to be all year long.

Cramming love into one day doesn’t seem very romantic. You don’t need a baby in a diaper to remind you to tell others you love them. If anything, people should show their affection toward each other all year long, and especially toward themselves. At the end of the day, we want you to feel loved by those we love most, and that’s you. Spend a little time every day for yourself and you’ll light up our lives, that is until you drag us into your next bad-boy relationship…but that’s another story.

Forever yours, A single heart smukherjee@apachepowwow.com

Graphics courtesy of ETSY.COM, PIXSHARK.COM, and TUMBLR.COM

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February 2015

OPINION

Subjecting Yourself to the Day when she recieved that well-deserved Oscar.

English: Enough with the in-class essays, am I right? It certainly is no fun sitting for 50 minutes writing another analysis on why the excerpt relates to the depravity of mankind (and yes, I’m talking about Lord of the Flies).

But view it like this: in-class essays train you to be quicker on your feet. That means you’re only enabling yourself to come up with ideas faster and faster. The next time your friend insults you, at least you can formulate a sick burn on the spot and leave that kiddo in the dust.

Science: Mitochondria.

Nucleus. Ribosome. These are only parts of the cell that we’ve all been forced to study sometime or another in basic Biology. But what are we really getting out of learning why the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell? Well, in actuality, a lot. If you’re tired, blame it on genetics. Sorry, my mom and dad’s genes weren’t superhuman. Sorry, my red blood cell count doesn’t match up to yours. Sorry, I can’t climb up the stairs without sweating. My immune system is terrible, and it isn’t just because of all that boba I drink.

By NIKI CHI Staff Writer

Do you hear that? Ah yes, it’s the sweet sound of the alarm ringing, forcing you to get up and punch that devilish creation quiet. I’m sure we all know how that feels. Each morning is a struggle.

Having to leave the depths of a warm cavern to return yet again to another grueling day of subject-induced schoolwork is truly painful. But do not fear, there are coping methods. Every subject has a different path to take, so let’s get started.

Math: Have another 7:00 a.m. test tomorrow? Or is it that never-ending proof for symmetry? Don’t sweat it. Just think of it like this: math is a mystery. The more you do it, the more you understand it. What better way to feel good about yourself than to finally figure out how to solve a problem using matrices after spending the last three grueling hours bemoaning the topic (yes, that was actually me at one point or another)? People will flock to you asking for help, and at that point, you can probably feel as good as Lupita Nyong’o

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What could I possibly do about my situation?

Nothing. Science is just a great way to get out of less fortunate situations.

Language: I’m sure we’ve all had our doorbells rung only to find out that it wasn’t the package containing the iPhone you bought on Ebay a month ago that still hasn’t come yet. Rather, it’s someone asking if you’re interested in purchasing a new carpet cleaning product that even Billy Mays would be proud to advertise for. This is where that language class you’ve been taking at school comes in.

Remember some key phrases that you could use and then whip them out as soon as you accidentally open the door and have to deal with the salesperson. English? What English? You only speak French. Quoi?

We’ve all had our doubts about what we’re learning in school. But hopefully, after reading this, each subject is more than just a grade grinder for that “well-deserved” A. Applying these simple concepts from school is exactly what a successful learning experience is all about. Show and demonstrate just how far a dedicated study towards the art of education can help in the real world. nchi@apachepowwow.com

Graphics courtesy of EFINANCIALCAREERS.COM and BLOGS.NET

A Letter I’d Rather Keep

By VERONICA YU Staff Writer

Dear Anti-Hoarders Organization, As a response to all those scornful, derogatory statements you have made towards the Hoarding Community, I am here to inform you that the members of the Hoarding Community have not only found your comments spiteful, but quite offensive, and will not continue to sit back and tolerate this kind of behavior. Because of all those negative reality TV shows about hoarding that you have been sponsoring, the public has been misled to believe that hoarding is a nightmare and a form of heresy that needs to be wiped off the face of the earth. Hoarding is not a sin, but a hobby that is quite delightful and comes in handy during times of need.

The Hoarding Community members are the most well prepared people you will ever meet. If you need anything, we have it!

From that newspaper read thirty years ago to the napkin that we took from a restaurant fifteen years ago, we have it all. Hey, you never know when you’ll need those types of things! Life is always unpredictable. People always come looking for us whenever they need anything, and we always have the items they are looking for, even though it may take a few days to sort through all the mountains of treasured items in our homes. To clarify, our homes are the best storage rooms open for public use. Although it may be slightly inconvenient for us hoarders, we make sure we keep everything for the sake of those

around us just in case a situation pops up in the future that will require one of our most treasured objects.

Hoarding is not a disorder, but just a

a serious case of OCD, obsessive collecting disorder, yet no one says anything bad against them. Instead, people praise them and admire them for their great collection

Anti-Hoarders Organization storm into our private homes to “help us”, it is only natural for us to stop you thieves from stealing all our things. And, under the Fourth Amendment, you have no right to search through and pillage our homes, so we are entitled to kick you out. If someone just came into your home and began throwing away your most cherished items, of course you would revolt and be reluctant to give those things up without a fight. Also, you members of the Anti-Hoarders Organization have no heart or soul. How can you just throw away precious treasures without a single regard to how we as hoarders feel? Just because they are old and do not function anymore doesn’t mean you should just throw them away like trash and forget their loyalty to you. Unlike you inhumane wild beasts, we hoarders are much more civilized and have real feelings.

As you can see, hoarders deserve much more respect than they are given. But because of your heinous deeds and slandering, we are continually scorned by society. Please understand how insulting and disrespectful you have been to the members of the Hoarding Community, who have done nothing to wrong you, and stop with your evil doing. No one likes a neat freak.

Sincerely,

more intense form of the hobby collecting. Nobody sees the negative side to those collectors who have thousands of the same items. Who needs 4,519 different Hello Kitty toys?! They are not practical at all and take up so much space. Those collectors have

of useless things, unlike how they scorn at hoarders for collecting useful items. Hoarding is just like collecting, except we collect a larger variety of more practical objects.

We also do not appreciate or need your so called “help”. When the members of your

A concerned member of the Hoarding Community vyu@apachepowwow.com Graphic courtesy of REDBUBBLE.COM

6

FEATURES

Chinese New Year Highlights

By VERONICA YU Staff Writer

Chinese New Year, also known as the Lunar New Year or Spring Festival, is one of the most celebrated holidays in the Chinese culture.

This year, Chinese New Year took place on Feb. 19. It is a 15 day long festival where extensive preparations must be made and traditions must be followed to ensure a lucky new year. What are some Chinese New Year traditions that must be done?

1. New Year Preparations In order to sweep away the old year and welcome the new year, people must thoroughly clean their homes a few days before Chinese New Year begins. They are not supposed to sweep the house when the new year begins or else all the good luck will be swept out the door.

Children’s hair should also be cut before the new year begins because the Chinese word for hair is “fa”, which is a homophone to the Chinese word for prosperity. So, cutting your hair during the new year is like taking away your prosperity for that following year. In addition, new clothing and shoes are also bought to represent a fresh, new start.

2. Decorations Houses are decorated with new year paintings, red lanterns, red couplets, and pictures of the zodiac animal; this year’s animal is the

goat. People also paste pictures of door gods on their doors, which supposedly scare evil spirits away from their house. Red paper cut outs are also taped on windows to symbolize the merry atmosphere.

3. New Year’s Eve dinner The New Year’s Eve dinner is a family reunion dinner where everyone must return home to eat dinner with their family, even if they live far away. The two main dishes that must be served are fish and dumplings. Fish symbolizes always having a surplus; it is expressed in the saying “Nian nian you yu”, meaning “May you always have more than you need”, as the Chinese word for fish and surplus are homophones. For dumplings, they are shaped to look like Chinese gold ingots, which symbolize wealth.

4. Red Envelopes Red envelopes containing money are handed out to children by adults, who are mostly married couples and the elderly. The red envelopes are believed to keep evil spirits away from the children.

5. Firecrackers Firecrackers are used to scare away evil spirits. They are lit at midnight of the new year.

In some cities in China, government funded fireworks are set off and families come out to watch the display.

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February 2015

Interview With the President

By KATIE HUANG Staff Writer

On YouTube, there is a video on almost anything, from one’s favorite song to random cat videos. On Thursday, Jan. 22, three of the YouTube stars that have reached prominence on the Internet came together to do something that one doesn’t usually see on the site: interview the president. Hank Green, GloZell Green, and Bethany Mota all had a chance to ask President Barack Obama a few questions that pertained to their fields in an ongoing effort for the White House to utilize social media.

Hank Green is best known for cocreating videos about technology and science with his brother, John Green, on their popular YouTube channel “vlogbrothers”.

As he was the first to sit down with Obama, Green immediately addressed the State of the Union speech that was presented the previous Tuesday. A lot of ideas were proposed and introduced, but Green asked the looming question on everyone’s mind: Will they actually be implemented, or are they just talk?

Obama responded by stating, “There are some areas where I think we can get some Republican cooperation...some areas where it’s important for us to frame the debate and get the American people behind us.”

Glozell Green, who’s gathered over 42 million views on her Cinnamon Challenge video, is the most popular African American woman on YouTube. Her interview with

Obama focused on race and policing. She used her humor to tell a story about how she cut the hood off her husband’s jackets because she fears for his safety, with the recent issues regarding the “gap between black, African-American males and white cops.” The President admitted that there “are still biases in our society,” but that “we always have to just remind ourselves that the overwhelming majority of police officers, they are doing a really tough job and they’re doing it well.”

Bethany Mota, better known as “Marbarbie07” on YouTube, is one of the world’s most famous beauty and clothing gurus, and in terms of age, the most connected to the students at AHS. She started off her interview by admitting that “she never really followed politics that much.” Her questions were shockingly relatable, as she addressed the issues with bullying in today’s younger generation, and how America’s youth should become more involved in politics.

Obama answered by stating that it’s important for teens to be aware of the decisions that will affect them, such as “the environment, student loans, and LGBT rights.”

The interview revealed snippets of each YouTuber’s personality through their questions as well as the interview “studio” they designed, but still managed to incorporate important topics that are now more easily understood. This incredible opportunity has given the youth of America a refreshing new view on politics.

vyu@apachepowwow.com

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What’s Your Sleeping Position?

By JULIA LIN Staff Writer

Zzzzzzzz….did you know that your sleeping position may correlate with your personality? Not only do sleeping positions impact your health, but they can also develop your posture and lead to shifts in body language. Below is a list of sleeping positions and the attributes associated with them; these should be taken with a grain of salt.

Fetal Position - The fetal position is considered the most common sleeping position, and is twice more common in females than males, according to WebMD. Individuals who curl up as they snooze are likely tough on the outside, but vulnerable within. If you are one of the many who sleep in the fetal position, take care to shift to the right side instead of the left in order to decrease pressure on delicate organs such as the liver, heart, stomach, and lungs.

Log Positions - Studies have shown that people who sleep on their sides with their arms parallel to their torsos are typically social butterflies. The other log position with arms out in front suggests that the individual is suspicious of his or her environment. Another interpretation is the chasing of dreams, as the arms symbolize reaching. Both types of loggers can be severely stubborn and headstrong when it comes down to their beliefs.

Starfish Position - Sleeping on the back with both arms around either side of the head and legs spaced apart implies that the individual is a trustworthy friend. Despite the positive traits associated with the starfish position, sleeping on the back can lead to heavy snoring and poor breathing. In turn, this can lead to restless sleep.

Soldier Position - Similar to the starfish position, the soldier position differs with arm placements at the sides. People sleeping in this stance may be reserved, detached, and have high standards. Again, this can also lead to heavy snoring and poor breathing. When disturbed while sleeping, people who sleep in this position are usually grumpier when awake.

Freefall Position - In this uncommon and sometimes uncomfortable position, the sleeper has his or her arms up on either side of the pillow with his or her belly down, which apparently aids digestion. A freefaller will often feel anxious when waking up and feel as if his or her life is uncontrollable. Freefallers tend to take criticisms to heart, as they can be sensitive towards others’ perception of themselves.

Your sleeping positions can also vary based on muscle tension. Like horoscopes, sleeping positions offer fun insight into aspects of a person’s personality. jlin@apachepowwow.com

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February 2015

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FEATURES

DIYs for the Not-so-BrokenHearted

By MICHELLE HUANG Staff Writer

What is perhaps more exciting than the Super Bowl game itself is the commercials that air along with it. Each 30 second spot costs an astounding $4 million. While marketers may shake their head in exasperation at this price, the statistics are real: Americans are more likely to watch commercials during the Super Bowl than any other time, which is why the price is so high. This year’s commercials didn’t stray from the norm. Here are the top commercials, ranked by popularity.

1. McDonald’s: Pay with Lovin This month, McDonald’s announced a new way of paying for a meal: expressing love. Random orders could be selected to engage in this act. In the commercial, buyers display a show of gratitude and love toward their family, friends, or whomever. In return, their meal is free!

2. T-Mobile: Kim’s Data Stash Kim Kardashian West encourages you to switch to T-Mobile so you can compile your leftover data from previous months and use it in the current month, viewing her “makeup…backhands…vacations, and [her] outfits.”

3. Coca-Cola: Big Game Coke’s new commercial targets cyber bullying. It depicts various people typing hate messages such as “I hate u I hate u I hate u” and “loser.” A few cool digital effects later,

the scene cuts to a support guy spilling a can of Coke into the computer servers. Magically, computer screens all over the world transform into the Coca-Cola logo, and everyone becomes happier. Every message becomes a heartfelt compliment, and every video shows people laughing.

4. BMW: Newfangled Idea The scene starts off in 1994, with a couple of presumed TV hosts debating over the “@” sign in an email address. The male TV host apparently doesn’t know what the Internet is. Fast-forward 21 years later, and the same two people, who have amazingly not aged one bit, are arguing over what is inside a BMW I3 car. This brand new model of the BMW features all-electric power, built in turbines, carbon fiber coating, and “BMW performance.”

5. Snickers: Brady Bunch Like any other Snickers commercial, this one includes someone angrily eating a Snickers bar out of hunger and before magically transforming into a civilized human being again.

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57TH GRAMMY AWARDS

By EMILY SCHUBE Staff Writer

Rapper LL Cool J had a lot on his shoulders on Sunday, Feb. 8. Handing out over 80 gold gramophones, the rapper entertained millions of people watching, including over 100 nominees nominated for their outstanding musical creations from 2014. As the red carpet filled with flashing lights, artists posed in their dazzling outfits and proudly smiled. As the show continued on with hilarious presenters and amazing performances, everyone went home content. That night was a night to remember, but in case you missed out: here’s what happened at the 57th Grammy Awards.

The talk that night was all about Sam Smith. His success thus far has earned him much recognition, including four Grammys. As he traveled back home to London with the Grammys for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best New Artist of the Year, and Best Pop Vocal Album of the year, the other nominees, Iggy Azalea, Taylor Swift, Meghan Trainor, Hozier, and many more proceeded home without any. Sam Smith’s face was priceless, and he was just as surprised as the rest of us. “Thank you for breaking my heart, because you got me four Grammys!” Smith shouted to the audience and his ex-boyfriend. He explained that the inspiration for his songs was a bad breakup with his ex-boyfriend; in Smith’s case, love and pain paid off!

Among the audience was the famous couple, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West. Even though Kim rocked the red carpet in her radiant dress, West was the one that took the spotlight.

Just like in 2009, West jumped to the stage to interrupt, yet again, another artist that claimed the Grammy for Album of the Year, which he believed had rightfully belonged to Beyoncé. This time Taylor Swift was not the victim, but the singer Beck. Although Ed Sheeran, Sam Smith, Pharrell Williams, and Beyoncé were upset over their losses, they were not as agitated as West was.

“Beck needs to respect artistry and he should’ve given his award to Beyoncé,” he stated to the E! Network after the show. Beck seemed to be more surprised over winning his fourth Grammy than over West’s uproar.

Even though all the 32 artists that performed Sunday night were astonishing, some performances stood out the most. One of them was Sia’s performance of her hit single “Chandelier” with dancer Maddie Ziegler and comedian Kristen Wiig. Both Maddie and Kristen did an excellent job dramatizing Sia’s powerful voice. Before moving the audience with her stunning voice, survivor of domestic violence, Brooke Axtell, took the stage to deliver a powerful speech against domestic abuse. Stunning the audience with her words, Axtell made clear to everyone that “authentic love does not devalue another human being.”

The 57th Grammys was a night to remember for the stars and viewers at home. Iggy Azalea’s hair, Rihanna’s dress, Big Sean and Ariana Grande, Sir Paul McCartney, Rihanna, Kanye’s remarkable song, Madonna’s incredible performance, and much more occured at the Grammys.

Music, no matter what genre, has influenced many lives today. Receiving a Grammy is wonderful, but even without one, everyone is still a winner! eschube@apachepowwow.com

Photo courtesy of BLOG.RDIO.COM

7

By CELINE LEE Staff Writer

Valentine’s Day happened earlier this month, but just in case you’re one of those people who didn’t get your special someone a present on Valentine’s Day, don’t fret! Here are five simple, cost-efficient gifts that you can give to your significant other to make him or her feel loved!

52 Things I Love About You a. Materials: i. Regular deck of cards: around $3-4 ii. Sharpie or permanent marker of some sort iii. Hole puncher (any is fine) iv. 2 pieces of ribbons or 2 binder rings b. Instructions: i. Use the hole puncher to make 2 holes around 1 cm away from the top and bottom edge of the cards. Repeat until all 52 cards are done. ii. Use sharpie or marker (any colors you desire) and write one reason/thing that you love about the person on each card. iii. Use the 2 pieces of ribbons or binder rings (whichever one you prefer). Slip all of the cards through and secure the ribbon or clasp the binder ring together. Repeat until all of the cards are secured through both the top and bottom hole.

Lovely Succulent Planter a. Materials: i. Mini Metal buckets (preferably pink and white colors but choose any color desired) ii. White fish tank gravel iii. Assorted cacti or succulents iv. Hammer and nails v. Succulent Soil or just regular soil b. Instructions: i. Punch a few holes at the bottom of your mini metal buckets and hammer about 9 to 10 holes evenly. ii. Fill half of the metal bucket with soil or up to the roots of the cacti or succulent. iii. Carefully remove the cacti or succulent with thick newspapers or cloth and place it in the metal bucket. iv. Fill soil around the roots of the cacti or succulent and spread out the white fish tank gravel on top of the soil.

Love in a Box a. Materials: i. Get a cardboard box or any box you can find. ii. Things that your significant other likes or needs. iii. Tissue paper (preferably shades of red or white) b. Instructions: i. Decorate the cardboard box any way you’d like. ii. Layer the bottom of the box with tissue paper. iii. Fill the box with the things that your significant other likes. iv. Top it off with a cute ribbon and a cute little card!

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PERFORMING ARTS Orchestra: Vertical Style

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Got Moves?

February 2015

By KYLE WANG Staff Writer

By EILEEN LEE Staff Writer

On Feb. 26, Symphony Orchestra presents the Orchestra Vertical Concert in the Performing Arts Center (PAC).

The annual Orchestra Vertical Concert is very distinctive compared to other performances by Orchestra: the show not only features AHS Symphony Orchestra, but also orchestras from the three different middle schools. Though it is not the first time Orchestra 3 is collaborating with middle school students, the concert is meaningful as it carries on the tradition. Tickets for the concert to watch various orchestras from Dana Middle School, First Avenue Middle School, Foothills Middle School, and AHS Orchestra 3 will be available at the PAC Box Office the day of the event.

Junior Leona Chow plays the viola in Orchestra 3. Leona mentioned that she has always been wanting to participate as a member of Orchestra. Leona said, “Since the Orchestra Vertical Concert is strictly allowed for only Orchestra 3 to perform, I didn’t have a chance before to become a part of the show. I was in Orchestra all my years in high school, and this is my third year as a member, but I’ve only seen the concert as an audience.”

She added that she was grateful for the opportunity to perform in her junior year. When asked what special meaning the Orchestra Vertical Concert has for her, she mentioned its uniqueness in featuring orchestras from nearby middle schools to collaborate on stage.”

These kinds of opportunities to work with middle school orchestras don’t come by often. Usually it’s just members of orchestra from our school, but practicing with new groups is always fun as they bring something new to the table.

Orchestra 3 has worked hard to perfect its performances for the concert, hoping to set a good example to the orchestras of the middle schools once they have attended. The concert will undoubtedly end in great success with the members’ hard work.

There are so many variations of dances around the world that they can even be put into hundreds of categories. Here are some dances that are not commonly known to many, but are unique in their own way!

Flamenco: No, not “flamingo”. The Flamenco. This type of dance requires movement from all parts of the body, but usually emphasizes the arms, hands, and feet. If someone wants to learn the Flamenco, they should be flexible with their wrists.

Belly Dance: Although it is called belly dancing, this type of dance actually includes all parts of the body, not just the belly. There are three catagories to this dance: percussive movements, fliud movements, and shimmies and shivers.

Ballroom Dance: This is one of the few types of dance meant for pleasure, but has also been transformed into a competitive and professional type of dance.

Ballroom dances are extremely coordinated with rhythm. For example, the waltz follows a set rhythm of 1-2-3-1-2-3. Learning this type of dance is considered to be fairly easy, usually only requiring rhythm and elegance for avid dancers.

Every dance has its unique features. Who knows what new types of dances will come in the future?

There could even be one that has the Merengue and jazz as its core!

elee@apachepowwow.com

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Pep Tryouts

By ERIC CHEN

kwang@apachepowwow.com

Graphics courtesy of CLIPARTPANDA.COM and THEGRAPHICSFAIRY.COM

A Trip Around the World

By ERIN LI

Staff Writer

Staff Writer

Go Big Red! Go Big Red! Go Big Red! Do the blood-boiling chants from the most recent pep rally still ring through your mind? Are you peppy enough to be a part of Pep Squad? Here are the respective captains of Cheer, Song, and Flags to tell you more: Cheer Captain junior Jillian Martinez stated, “Cheer is an amazing experience all around. It is a great way to become involved and support both athletic and academic teams. It gives you a second family and allows you to grow with your teammates.”

Song Captain sophomore Sarah Zhang urged, “Anyone can try out for Song. [The current members did] not need any prior experience in dancing, cheer, or song at all. They do [have the] willing heart and dedication to work hard. Most importantly, Song is all about having fun while reaching a goal.”

Flags Captain senior Alyssa Pidlaoan commented, “It’s a fun and competitive sport. You can develop skills such as flexibility, dancing, stunting, sportsmanship, time management, etc.

Pep Squad also gives you opportunities to attend events such as SHARP, Regionals, and, of course, USA Nationals competitions.”

Pep Squad is well-recognized locally, regionally, and even nationally. If you see any Pep Squad members, make sure to thank them for their constant enthusiasm and energy!

There are many famous historic performing centers, located all over the world. Performers dream of sharing their talents in these iconic theaters. Some of these venues take the audience back in time or help create new memories.

Shakespeare’s Globe Theater Shakespeare’s Globe Theater, a reconstruction of the original Globe Theater, attracts a multitude of visitors to London. Transporting visitors back to the Elizabethan Era, this theater keeps the true sense of a Shakespearean play.

Shakespeare’s Globe Theater has no electronic devices for music, special lights, or microphones. All light comes from outside, and music is played live.

With a capacity of 3,000 spectators, the Globe Theater towered at 3 stories.

There were different colored flags outside in order to advertise what kind of play was being performed—a red flag for a history play, white for comedy, and black for tragedy.

During a cannon-firing accident in Henry VIII, the original theater burned down in 1613. Three hundred years after the incident, the new Globe Theater opened to the public in 1997.

Walt Disney Concert Hall Home to the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra and the Los Angeles Master Chorale, the Walt Disney Concert Hall presents all genres of music. In 1987, Lillian Disney, Walt Disney’s wife, donated $50 million for a building in memory of Walt Disney—a strong supporter of the arts—to the city of Los Angeles. The Walt Disney Concert hall was completed in 2003 in the shape of a boat.

Not only does this concert hall feature classical music, but it has also holds pop culture events. American Idol hosted its week of Idol Gives Back at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. The hall’s exquisite exterior was depicted in movies like Alvin and the Chipmunks and Iron Man. The seating of the concert hall is also deserving of attention. When the orchestra performs, visitors sit around the stage, creating a sense of intimacy which people love.

Teatro alla Scala Most of the Italy’s greatest opera singers have performed at the world-renowned opera house, Teatro alla Scala.

It’s home to the La Scala Theatre Chorus, La Scala Theatre Orchestra, and La Scala Theatre Ballet. Teatro alla Scala was burned down in 1776 and bombed in World War II. The newly reconstructed building incorporates original designs with a modern twist. Renata Tebalidi sang at the re-opening of the Teatro alla Scala in 1946. Teatro alla Scala holds a variety of productions from Fidelio by Ludwig van Beethoven to Cinderella.

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February 2015

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10

NEW LIBRARY

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February 2015

By RYAN FANN

This month, AHS completed two projects that have been in and the Apache Café. These were both exciting parts of a M ceremony on Jan. 19 commemorated the end of ongoing con these two projects. Here’s a quick rundown of everything th Superintendent David Vannasdall gave a rousing speech thank the Board of Education and various sponsors for passin support and affirmated that the “library was a place for know Dr. Brent Forsee, proudly stated that this was a “great moment to the opening of these two projects.

Upon the time of the ribbon cutting, the audience was members and ASB students participated in this event.

Those who attended this event were excited about what with friends, utilize private student halls, and access cuttin library is really nice and honestly, I didn’t expect it to be tha and more efficient.”

Junior Nina Gardner added, “I think the little rooms they to be a game changer, as students will easily be able to work The opening ribbon ceremony celebrated the culmination evident by the audience of supporters that AHS continues to p the best resources to the evolving student population, but als

February 2015

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AND CAFETERIA

11

Staff Writer

n the works for a while: the new AHS Library Media Center Measure I project that was passed in 2006. An outstanding nstruction throughout the district and the grand opening of hat happened that day. to celebrate the wonderful occasion and also took time to ng Measure I. He thanked the community for its continued wledge and a place for exchange of ideas”. AHS’ principal, t for our great students and hardworking staff”, culminating overwhelmingly excited for the moment. Several board

the new facilities could offer: a place to study and gather ng edge technology. Senior Arsal Moin stated, “The new at spacious. AHS is definitely making progress to be better

y added for studying and collaborating are definitely going k together on group projects.” n of several years of planning and execution. It was clearly play an essential role in the community by not only offering so providing students of excellence to the society.

rfann@apachepowwow.com Photos by RYAN FANN, STANLEY SHAW and MILLIE WONG Graphics courtesy of ARCADIASBEST.COM

12

STUDENT LIFE

By ELLIE LEE Staff Writer

February, a month some dread and others await. With Valentine’s Day as one of the most important holidays in February, people start thinking about relationships. The couples get more lovey dovey while the single just feel more single. To all the single students at AHS, it’s okay to be single! Sure being in a relationship can be fun, but what are some perks to being single?

First of all, you can save so much money!

Every meal you eat with your significant other will ultimately leave your wallet crying rivers.

Save your money and eat at home with your friends or family! It’ll be a lot more fun than an awkward conversation with your boyfriend or girlfriend.

It’s high school. How do you have time for a relationship when you barely have enough time to do your homework and study? Instead of spending your time looking for a relationship, start studying to keep those grades up!

When you’re in a relationship, you don’t really spend a lot of time with your friends and , unfortunately, start growing distant from them.

Your friends probably know you better than the person you’re in a relationship with. Dating someone leaves you with no time to talk with old friends. More often than not, you will cherish the memories with your friends more than the memories with your high school romance in the long run.

You know what’s hard when you’re in a relationship? Making choices. Spending time with your friends on a Friday night as opposed to with your significant other is far more relaxing. There’s no need for choosing which movie or restaurant you want to go to. Watching a movie with your best friend is better than agreeing to go somewhere that you didn’t want to go to.

Most importantly, you can do whatever you want! Why not devote some time to yourself? You don’t need to spend time wondering, “Ugh, why isn’t my bae texting me back?” You can go out and hang out with your friends or binge watch all the shows you want. You don’t need to impress anyone but yourself!

Senior Howard Liu said his plans for Valentine’s Day were “to stay home or hang out with [his] friends.” Senior Melanie Chen added, “I went to the gym, and worked on my basketball skills. I also decided to go sledding on the Mammoth Mountains because I’m a strong independent women who doesn’t need a man to comfort me. Plus, I had my friends and family for company.”

Freshman Sarah Lee spent Valentine’s Day like everyone should: “I stayed at home watching Mean Girls while eating In-N-Out. No Valentine, no problem!” What did you do during Valentine’s Day? elee@apachepowwow.com

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February 2015

A Box of Delights

By EMILY WU Staff Writer

What season is it? Girl Scout cookie season! The cookies we have all been waiting for this year are back, and there are two new delicious flavors. Little Brown Bakers, the producer of Girl Scout Cookies in the Greater Los Angeles, is bringing back Do-si-dos, Samoas, Savannah Smiles, Tagalongs, Thin Mints and Trefoils. The two new flavors they are introducing are Rah-Rah Raisins and Toffee-tastic.

With a large assortment of Girl Scout cookies, AHS students have a hard time agreeing on their favorite cookie flavor. Senior Judy Wang likes the “texture, crunchiness, and perfect amount of sourness” in Savannah Smiles. Sophomore Allen Bohanan named Samoas as his favorite because they “contain the perfect combination of cookie, chocolate, caramel, and coconut.” Junior Tiffany Chang prefers Trefoils due to their simple and not overly sweet taste. Thin Mints are sophomore Cindy Chang’s favorite, because she loves “the blend of chocolate and mint in each cookie.”

This year there was a $1 price increase

per box. Most flavors of Girl Scout Cookies now cost $5 a box, as compared to $4 last year.

When asked about the price increase, Allen responded that he does not like it, but thinks that “it’s necessary to keep up with production costs.” Freshman Erika Luu, a Girl Scout since first grade, reasoned that “at the end of the day, the cookies are for a good cause and help support troop funds.”

Buying Girl Scout Cookies is more than just handing over money for a box of delights.

Freshman Kyla Dang, a member of the Girl Scout community, shared that selling cookies “teaches Girl Scouts how to handle money and advertise [their] products.” Erika agreed with Kyla, and revealed that she also “gained public speaking skills, the ability to cater to a variety of audiences, and money management skills.”

If you haven’t seen Girl Scouts around school but would like to buy a box or two, go to the Girl Scouts website to find locations of nearby sales. Girl Scout cookie season is almost over, so don’t miss your chance to get your hands on these delightful treats! ewu@apachepowwow.com

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Who Is Your Hero?

By SHAWN XING Staff Writer

In movies, heroes are characters who usually possess super powers or save the world from ending. However, in real life, our everyday heroes are usually the people who have personally touched us in some way and are our role models (and most, if not all, do not possess super powers as in the movies).

Ranging from a basketball coach, sibling, or teacher to a mentor, parent, or historical figure, heroes are heroes for a reason.

Heroes might have helped us grow and mature, as their characters and achievements have instilled inspiration in some way. AHS students take the time to reflect and share some of their childhood and current heroes.

According to junior Danna Xue, her hero is her own mother. Danna states that her mother “dedicates everything to the family, even sacrificing her own dreams to focus on making theirs come true.” She describes her mother as “the most strong, independent, and hardworking woman and although” they may get into arguments, Danna is “overwhelmed by the love and dedication” her mother puts into everything. While Danna has

many people whom she looks up to, she is still amazed every day by her mother’s resilience and determination. Danna believes that having a hero is how we are inspired. “By looking at our heroes, we are able to model ourselves after certain aspects that will bring us closer to our definitions of success.”

Like Danna, sophomore Travis Chen’s hero growing up is also his own mother.

“She has shown me what unconditional love truly is, how to appreciate others, and how to help others whenever possible,” Travis explained.

Although his mother is frequently overseas and away for business trips, they exchange text messages every day and never fail to end their conversations with “Love you!” Travis looks up to his mother because she continues to give him support, love, and lessons that textbooks cannot offer. Travis also asserted that having a hero is important because it allows us to set goals in order to continue to grow.

According to senior Soham Patel, his childhood hero growing up was his father. Soham explained

that his father “is very committed to serving telligent. Tony explained that “their theories the less fortunate. Instead of heading to the completely overthrew the old Newtonian movies, we spend our time together mak- theory.” Tony has also read their biographies, concluding that ing sandwiches for both Einstein’s the homeless.” Even now, Soham still looks and Hawking’s lives are venerup to his father as his father has influenced able as well. As him greatly. His father for Hawking, he cultivated his love for continued working and changcommunity service and now his dream ing the world job after school is to despite his disenter “the workforce ability. To Tony, in a way to serve the having heroes motivates him less privileged” PIVOTAL PARENT Sophomore Travis in society. Like Chen sees his mother as a pivotal figure in his life. to do something greater.

Danna and Travis, Sohan also believes it is important “Even if I decide not to go into the physics to have a hero. field, their innovative thinking is something For junior Tony Li, his that I respect and admire.” hero had always been Albert While we may all have someone we adEinstein. Tony recalls that mire, respect, and look up to as role models when he was younger, or heroes, it is important to remember that anyone who won Nobel each one of us may be heroes to someone Prizes were his heroes, else as well. The general consensus is that but Einstein stood out to heroes are strong, loving, hardworking, intelhim because Einstein was ligent, and resilient. Whether they are a parrespected and “was said to ent, a coach, a teacher, or a historical figure, be the smartest one.” Today, it is important to take time to appreciate the he looks up to both Einstein people you know, admire, and love. and Stephen Hawking. As Tony continues to study more physsxing@apachepowwow.com ics, he realizes that Einstein and Photos by BRITTANIE GAJA, CATHLEEN SHEN, and KRISTEN TRAN Hawking are both incredibly in-

February 2015

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ACADEMICS

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February 2015

Science Olympiad Prepares for Regionals

By LAUREN TRAJANO

Staff Writer

The Science Olympiad team continues to take part in proper preparations for its upcoming competitions. The team must compete in 23 individual competitions, also called events.

These events are then split into two categories: testing and building.

In testing, members of our Science Olympiad team must be well-acquainted with natural sciences such as Biology, Chemistry, and Physics since the majority of questions will fall under these three categories. However, there are other interesting topics covered during the testing section, such as Astronomy, Forensics, and Fossils.

For building, the team must sacrifice a few hours after school and on the weekends to get together as a group and practice building bridges, airplanes, proteins, and other scientific structures. The members meet on Thursdays after school for two hours to prac-

tice together for both the testing and building sections. They meets on Saturdays as well for another two to three hours in order to properly prepare as a group for the building part of the competition.

According to Science Olympiad Co-Captain senior Chelsea Lee, she occasionally has to spend “around five to seven hours to practice each week” for her airplane event.

Chelsea explained that “this particular building event is about building a rubber band powered monoplane that can have the longest flight duration possible.”

She uses balsa wood and Mylar wrap to decrease the mass as low as possible in hopes that it will increase flight time. Just

Speech and Debate two big wins. Junior Vicky Jin placed 3rd with her speech on carbon monoxide. Although it Staff Writer was only her first year as a member of Speech On Jan. 31, Speech and Debate hosted its and Debate, so she said that “if you are doing annual Spring Varsity competition. Among the the same type of speech in every event, you see students from AHS were other participants from familiar faces, and we make friends throughout nearby schools, such as Alhambra, San Marino, the year.” Vicky was excited about winning beand their main rival, Gabrielino. Aside from the cause she “definitely felt more confident about competitive speech tournaments, there were [her] speech during this tournament and [she’s] food trucks from Fluff Ice and Chanos Mexi- passionate about [her] topic, which luckily paid can food, so everyone had a good time. This off.” year featured no Junior Kelshortage of talent, sea Jeon, who is and AHS to took also an officer of home 2nd place for Speech and Desweepstakes. bate, won 2nd Each competiplace in Spring tor who signs up Varsity for her for a section is alOriginal Adlowed at least two vocacy speech speeches, no matter on honeybees, how good he or she and combined is, with the results with 1st place for semi-finals anin Fall Varsity, nounced after the she automatirounds. This year, cally qualifies many Apaches were for State Finals. semi-finalists or It is no surprise placed in every catthat Kelsea will egory. For Humorbe moving on to ous Interpretation, State, because sophomores Gabbi she had done so Guo and Brianna last year. This Fluhrer placed 7th year, however, and 6th, respecshe explained tively, while senior SPRING VARSITY From left to right: Brianna that she “has alMelody Wan semi- Fluhrer, Gabbi Guo, Melody Wan. After the ways wanted to finaled an impres- competition, the girls happily receive their awards. auto qualify since sive 3rd place. Sophomore Victor Luo placed freshman year,” and that “hopefully this means 5th for Dramatic Interpretation. The juniors had [she] can do better than [she] did last year at an impressive bunch, as Rohan Barg placed 6th state. She will be “working hard to qualify for for Impromptu, Emily Zhang and Joseph Yang State Finals and become the state champion.” placed 7th in their respective categories for Pow Wow wishes everyone at Speech and Original Interpretation and Congressional Ex- Debate good luck for future competitions, and temporaneous, while Shawn Xing and Michael will continue to support Kelsea at State.

Chen took home 2nd place for Original Duo. khuang@apachepowwow.com There was no doubt that Arcadia domiPhoto by STANLEY SHAW nated the category for Original Advocacy with

By KATIE HUANG

building the airplane takes about six to seven hours. Then, she and the rest of her team also take part in multiple three-hour sessions at a church’s gymnasium for testing. When they are testing the airplane, the team members check if any parts need adjusting. The placement of the airplane’s main wing, the number of rubber band winds needed, and the pitch angle of the propeller are all taken into account in order to increase flight time.

Other members of the team, like senior Kathy Lee, make use of their Saturday hours to perfect their machines and gather data. Kathy is proud to be doing a building

event this year called Bungee Drop which deals with springs and free fall motion. She is also helping out with two testing events: Green Generation (which closely resembles some of the activities AP Environmental Science students choose to do) and Entomology.

Kathy hopes that she and her fellow teammates will be able “to defend [their] regional championship title since [they] have had it for quite a while now,” while fellow teammate senior Alan Shum adds that the entire team’s ultimate goal is “to achieve first at State this year and hopefully move on to Nationals,” which the team has not done in a long time.

With more competitions headed their way, the members of Science Olympiad remain dedicated in their practice sessions and determined to perform well. They hope to win Regionals and move on to Nationals. ltrajano@apachepowwow.com

Graphics courtesy of CLIPART.COM

Academic Decathalon

By SUNNY WU Staff Writer

The California Academic Decathlon (AcaDeca), a non-profit statewide organization that encourages educational experience, consists of teams, each with nine high school students that compete in academic events. California has performed in an outstanding manner since the national competition began in 1982.

The competition centers on one major theme every year. This year’s theme is the Great Depression. All California public and private high schools are eligible to compete, so yes, AHS is definitely eligible!

A typical AcaDeca roster is comprised of nine members. Three “A” Students (4.00- 3.75 GPA), three “B” Students (3.75- 3.00 GPA), and three “C” Students (3.00 and below GPA). They are called Honors, Scholastic, and Varsity divisions, respectively. So anyone is eligible to join!

On Jan 31. and Feb 7., AcaDeca competed in the regional competition at El Rancho High School and USC respectively. Members competed in speech, essay writing, and an interview at El Rancho. At USC, they took tests on Art History, Economics, Literature, Math, Music, Science, and Social Science. All seven of these subjects were focused around environmental sustainability and con-

servation. On Feb. 12, they got their results at an award banquet. Though they were not as great as expected, Arcadia has historically scored in the top 15 of 50+ of schools at regional competition. This year, however, the team finished in the bottom half, around the top 30 of 50 or more schools.

However, this was because they competed without a full roster. AcaDeca lacks a varsity division, thus it was unable to attain as many points as schools with full rosters. Nonetheless, each individual member performed exceptionally. Each member averaged 6,000 points out of 10,000 possible. Three members, senior Larry Hu, and juniors Chrixy Lam and William Wen, received bronze medals for their interview. Alvin Neo received a gold medal for his interview.

William received a gold medal for his speech.

In fact, William also had the highest scoring speech out of all competitors and was asked to deliver his speech at the awards banquet for an audience of 500 or more students, teachers, and Los Angeles County Office of Education officials. Reflecting upon the past year, William said, “Each one of our individuals put up spectacular results, and I can only imagine what w o u l d have happened had we been a full roster this year.”

Congratulations to AcaDeca!

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Photos courtesy of ALVIN NEO

February 2015

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By BRITTANIE GAJA

ACADEMICS

Math Team Divides and Conquers Staff Writer

Here at AHS, not only do we pride ourselves in great musical and artistic talents, but we also honor our high academic achievements and studious students. From science and physics to debates and mathematics, our academic teams have been training hard all year long to live up to their award-winning statuses. Thus, our fellow Apaches on Math Team were on the move again as they prepped for and competed in their February line ups.

Since the beginning of the school year, the team has been practicing hard in preparation for its competitions. It meets weekly to review competition-styled problems as well as topics ranging from geometry to calculus. The members help each other out by giving each other useful tips and suggestions while discussing problems they have difficulty with. Those who excel at a particular topic are invited to give a short lecture to the rest of the members. With this level of concentration, prowess, and teamwork, Math Team is well prepared for any of its upcoming challenges.

On Feb. 3, it competed in the annual American Mathematics Competition (AMC) hosted by our very own Ms. Beatrice Nairi. It’s a competition that “consists of 25 questions of

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increasing difficulty,” explained senior Kaiwen Zhou, a member on Math Team. These questions range from fairly simple algebraic equations to notations and number theories “much more difficult than what you’d typically learn at AHS.” Despite the difficulty, the team was able

vous. I have confidence that our team did well.

Now, the only thing left is to wait for hopeful results!” Kaiwen commented on how a few of their members were likely to advance to the next round. The team’s goal beyond the AIME is to have at least one of its members qualify

to send around ten of its members last year to the American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME) and won a School Merit Award.

“Our goal this year was to do as we have done in [previous] AMC(s),” said Co-Captain senior Sungwoo Park. “Thanks to a lot of prepping, not that many members seemed to be ner-

for the United States of America Mathematical Olympiad (USAMO).

Math Team also competed in its third Bay Math League (BML) competition on Wednesday, Feb. 11. The BML is composed of a series of competitions in which ten high schools in Southern California compete until a winner

alongside AVHS at Nationals as well.

Gov. Team is separated into six units, each unit specializing in topics ranging from the philosophy behind the Constitution to the modern day application of the Constitution today. Simulating a congressional hearing, each unit prepares four minute

different perspectives to a question.

Senior Anthony Ramos is “extremely proud of how much [the team knows], and how [it] did at state. Many of the team members commented that their performance at state is the best the team has performed thus far, with more opportunities to go further present at Nationals.

Senior Soham Patel loves that “everybody on the team has learned a lot about the

other. Coach Megan Leahy said, “This team exceeded my expectations. I am thrilled to be their coach and watch them grow both individually and as a group. Their bond as a team goes well beyond just this competition.” From hiking trips to late night bites and cracking inside jokes to political quips, the team is truly a family.

With March coming soon, any juniors even slightly interested in joining Gov. Team should come to the informational meeting. Senior Edward Chiu looks “forward to guiding the next generation of Gov. Team to civic enlightenment.” When the team began this journey, it didn’t know what to expect. It grappled with the Constitution, The Federalist Papers, the works of Aristotle and John Locke, Supreme Court cases…and gained a new-found appreciation for our government system today.

written responses to three questions posed early on in the year and then practices for the eight-minute free response section. During this portion, all five members of the unit try to balance the number of answers they provide, striving for equal participation and a variety of

government, has become a better speaker, and, most importantly, become a better citizen,” the ultimate goal of the program.

Many of the team members note that even though the days after state don’t feel the same, the team makes efforts to spend time with each

And at the end of everything, it was all worth it.

is decided in the fourth round. “In our last competition in December, we fell for the first time in many meets down to second place,” said Kaiwen. Yet, despite its drop in rank, the team was not discouraged and practiced even harder for its third competition. The team hopes to win its first place title back so that it “can continue in [its] successive victories.”

We asked our interviewees see if they had any general remarks about their experience on the team. “I love our team. I haven’t seen any team or club whose members bind together so much,” Sungwoo remarked. “I would like to say [to the team] to keep working hard, and don’t lose [your] love towards our school, team, and mathematics.” Kaiwen as well expressed his attachment to and love for his team, commenting on the fun he had while sharing a similar interest for mathematics with his fellow teammates. “I hope that Math Team will continue to be every bit as exciting as it has been for the past few years, and I’m looking forward to have this year finish with a bang!” exclaimed Kaiwen. The rest of us at AHS love and continue to support you as well, Math Team, and wish you the best of luck on your future victories. Fight on Apaches! bgaja@apachepowwow.com

Graphic courtesy of FLICKR.COM Photo courtesy of ACADEMICS.AUSD.NET

Gov Team Advances to Nationals

By SUKANYA MUKHERJEE

Staff Writer

After working in groups through the summer, attending Monday night practice sessions at the Arcadia Chamber of Commerce, and spending countless hours with unit coaches, the We the People Constitution team (Gov. Team) gave it its all at

the state competition.

On Jan. 31, Gov. Team took 2nd place at the state competition in Bakersfield, California. After a long day of mock Congressional hearings, Amador Valley High School (AVHS) garnered the 1st place title and will be competing at the National Finals in Washington D.C. this April. Our Gov. Team, having been selected as a Wild Card team, will be competing

smukherjee@apachepowwow.com Photos by BEN GEISBERG

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February 2015

Swinging into Spring: Girls Basketball Ends On-Key March Preview

By ELLIE LEE & ERIN LI

Staff Writers

By CHRISTINA READ & TIFFANY CHEN Staff Writers

Next month marks the beginning of the spring season for Arcadia sports.

Our hard working Apaches are hungry for wins and are sure to achieve success this year. Be sure to support our athletes as they strive to represent the excellence of AHS. Baseball Boys Varsity Baseball aims to improve upon its wild card playoff exit last year. The boys are eager to start the season and showcase the results of their continuous hard work.

Tune in during these home games...

Mar. 24 at 6:30 p.m. vs. Fullerton Apr. 3 at 3:30 p.m. vs. Burbank Apr. 7 at 3:30 p.m. vs. Hoover Apr. 21 at 3:30 p.m. vs. Muir May 5 at 3:30 p.m. vs. Pasadena May 8 at 3:30 p.m. vs. Glendale May 12 at 3:30 p.m. vs. Burroughs May 15 at 7:00 p.m. vs. Crescenta Valley Softball Girls Varsity Softball’s 9-5 League record last year gave us a glimpse of the girls’ limitless potential. Armed with new players and a passion for the game, the team looks forward to exceeding expectations.

Show you Apache pride on...

Apr. 2 at 3:30 p.m. vs. Burbank Apr. 21 at 3:30 p.m. vs. Muir May 7 at 3:30 p.m. vs. Glendale May 12 at 3:15 p.m. vs. Burroughs May 14 at 3:30 p.m. vs. Crescenta Valley Track and Field Track and Field has established itself as a Pacific League powerhouse in recent years, and shows no signs of slowing down. This season will witness numerous broken PRs and gold medals.

Boys Tennis Boys Varsity Tennis enjoyed a successful season last spring. Coach Bo Wintin will have an arsenal of weapons to work with as the team battles its way to the top.

Support Boys Tennis at home on...

Mar. 9 at 3:15 p.m. vs. Temple City Apr. 23 at 3:15 p.m. vs. Burroughs Boys Golf In a tough league, Boys Varsity Golf has mastered its exceptional play under pressure. Hopefully, the players will be able to putt, slice, and drive their way to victories.

Boys Volleyball Last season’s early playoff exit will serve as motivation for a talented Boys Varsity Volleyball team. The squad’s cohesion will propel it to the top.

Join the Red Sea at home on...

Mar. 10 at 3:30 p.m. vs. Glendale Mar. 19 at 3:30 p.m. vs. Burbank Mar. 31 at 3:30 p.m. vs. Burroughs Apr. 23 at 3:30 p.m. vs. Hoover Be sure to come and support AHS athletes as they dominate during the spring season, and battle their way through the playoffs. Good luck to all the spring sports! cread@apachepowwow.com tchen@apachepowwow.com

February concludes the Girls Varsity Basketball season! This season, our Lady Apaches faced Glendale High School and won with a score of 57-42. Unfortunately, they lost against Burroughs High School (BHS) with the score of 36-44. They quickly recovered with a 65-22 domination over Pasadena High School.

They continued the long win streak against John Muir High School with a blowout of 78-20. Unfortunately, in their final game of League season, they lost against Crescenta Valley High School, just barely falling short with a score of 34-46.

Junior Kristin Shigenaga said that her personal high throughout her season was “scoring 15 points in the second half of our game against BHS. It felt like there were some key shots that helped keep us in the game. There was even a move that was never attempted before during a game.” Her low point this season was “losing the game against Burroughs.”

Kristin said, “I felt like I played well, but we couldn’t end the game with a

win. This was pretty upsetting since we only lost by four points. I missed four free throws that game, and I felt like if I made those shots, I could’ve gotten us a second chance to beat BHS.” Freshman Kailey Thai said, “Our success came from communication on and off the court, teamwork, hard work, dedication, trust, and some exemplary coach-

one.” Rachel said the team’s low est point during the season was “losing against BHS since it was the first loss of the season, making it harder to establish good chemistry between the coaching staff and the team.” A high point was “being able to get motivated by the other teammates.”

Rachel’s personal goal for the CIF playoffs is “to be able to make it past round two with hard work and dedication.”

With the season coming to a close, Rachel felt “satisfied with the way things went. [She] had a lot of fun.” Her “last year in this program is bittersweet,” making her realize she will “never have a team like this SCORING IN SIDE again. [She’s] honestly AND OUT Senior so blessed.”

Caira Benton has aided Through teamwork, Girls Varsity Baskeyball dedication, and diligence to victories by providing this season, the team has creativity on offense and been amazing, showing patrolling the paint on that hard work does pay defense. off. The girls’ season ing.” Sophomore Michelle Kam addended with 20 wins and 7 losses. ed, “We’ve been able to focus on the Good job this season, ladies! court and do the best we can.”

Team Captain senior Rachel elee@apachepowwow.com eli@apachepowwow.com Chavous said that the biggest “objective for playoffs is to win round Photos by KRISTEN TRAN

Boys Soccer: Quest to be the Best Oceanside winter break tournament, where they played “some of the best teams in the nation.” At Staff Writers the tournament, the boys “realized The Boys Varsity Soccer team how much [they] can do.” is kicking it into high gear this seaThough Adam is graduating son. The team played against some at the end of this year, he has faith of the top teams in the nation and is that “the team next year will work even more competitive and capable really hard and the underclassmen than last year’s team. will step up and become leadDuring the pre-season, ers.” Tyler will be a senior AHS played against teams member on the team next year like Warren High School and and plans to “continue to pracSalesian High School, two of tice every day and work hard” the top teams in the nation. with the rest of the boys.

This year the team has played The team’s goals this seaagainst schools like Burbank, son were to “win League and Hoover, Glendale, Pasadena, CIF.” While the boys came in Burroughs, Muir, and Cres2nd in League, Adam thinks centa Valley High Schools. that the team has “a good shot Outperforming last year’s alat winning CIF.” Winning CIF ready competitive team, this is by no means an easy task. year’s soccer team placed 2nd But the boys“just have to in League. keep doing what [they] do and According to Team Cap- UNSELFISH PLAY Senior Lucas Berger hopefully [AHS’] game will tain senior Adam Alonzo, one rapidly scans the field, looking to pass for a goal. top the opponents’,” stated of the greatest changes made Oscar. The boys will continue to the team was “changing the for- High School. In the last five minutes to do well and work hard towards mation from a 4-4-2 to a 4-5-1.” of the game, the team was down the CIF title this year. Go get’em, Athletics aside, the Boys Varsity 1-2. However, senior Lucas Berger Boys Varsity Soccer!

Soccer team also noticed a signifi- “scored two quick goals to help [the alim@apachepowwow.com cant improvement in team chemis- team] win 3-2.” sxing@apachepowwow.com try this year. “We really developed a For Oscar, the most notable Photo by TITUS WU special bond on and off of the field,” memories were made during the

By ANDREW LIM & SHAWN XING

commented junior Tyler Rivera, and senior Oscar Chen added, “Although we had many talented players last year, we played more like a unit this year and didn’t just rely on individual abilities.”

Adam and Tyler agreed that the greatest moment this year for the team was its game against Glendale

February 2015

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Success in the Water

By LAUREN TRAJANO & PEARL YANG Staff Writers

Despite facing many disadvantages, such as not having a pool and having the bare minimum number of players, the AHS Girls Varsity Water Polo team has had a great season.

Through hard work and resilience, the players have not only won important games this year but have also bonded more closely as a team.

Sophomore Megan Lewis stated that the girls have all “worked well together” and focused on performing to the best of their abilities. Sophomore Katie Nigolian agreed that the girls “have definitely bonded as a team, despite the last minute changes with the pool.”

According to sophomore Lucy Zhang, two matches have held the most significance out of all the games the team has taken part in this year. On Jan. 29, the team competed against Glendale High School (GHS).

GHS has “one of the best teams in our league,” informed Lucy. It was simply an honor for the girls to be able to compete against such an excellent

team. Although our girls didn’t win that particular game, they still surpassed their own expectations. Lucy proudly stated that the team was “up by two points by halftime” and that “everyone played exceptionally well in that game.” More recently, our Girls Water Polo team faced off against Hoover High School (HHS) on Feb. 4. Arcadia “completely demolished” HHS in that match, Lucy revealed, with an amazing score of 13-1. She expressed, “This game really brought out the best in all of us.

Although we haven’t been doing as well as we’d like to this season, we all ‘flipped the switch’ and played one of our best games.”

These highlights of the Girls Varsity Water Polo season truly signified the team’s compatibility and potential. The past few months have been everything the girls have hoped for, and they continue to stick together through thick and thin, creating memories that will last for years to come. ltrajano@apachepowwow.com pyang@apachepowwow.com

Graphic courtesy of FLICKR.COM

Making Their Own Luck

By WILLIAM HSU Staff Writer

No matter how many countless hours our athletes at AHS spend practicing on the field, in the water, or on the court, there is one thing that they cannot control: luck. But here, our athletes reveal their intimate pre-game rituals, telling us their secret traditions when it comes to bringing home the gold.

“Ever since the start of sophomore year, I would eat a pre-game banana and chill out to some tunes before my track meets—I usually start out a meet by listening to classical music, and then I transition towards more modern music when I get closer to my event.”

— Weston Chang, 12, Boys Varsity Track and Field “I usually stretch by myself to some Beyonce before a meet and try to crack a few jokes on the starting line to break the ice.”

— Lauren Buehner, 9, Girls Frosh-Soph Track and Field “Before a big game, I always eat a big bag of Skittles to get myself ready. Also, the team has a ritual of getting in a circle on the field and touching each others’ toes before saying an elaborate prayer in Spanish, asking for some good luck and great health.”

— Megan Acosta, 12, Girls Varsity Soccer “Usually, before a game, the whole team gets together to take a team selfie. But personally, I like to chill out to some music and get focused on winning the game and playing like a team.”

— Erika Olofson, 12, Girls Varsity Basketball “I don’t have a pre-game ritual. I never did, and I never will. I just play the game as well as I can.”

— Matthew Hatfield, 11, Boys Varsity Basketball But even for all these rituals, ceremonies, and superstitions, these athletes can all agree that nothing brings success more than dedication, hard work, and tenacity. Only through their sweat and tears—and maybe a little bit of magic— will our athletes come out on top. whsu@apachepowwow.com

Athlete Profile: Chris Paul

By TITUS WU Staff Writer

Arcadia soccer has had a great season this year, placing 2nd in league. All the soccer players have done extremely well in aiding the team to victory, but a big part of the success of the soccer team can be attributed to one driving force: senior Varsity player Chris Paul.

A diverse athlete, Chris is on the track team and played football his freshman and sophomore years. However, it is soccer that is his favorite sport, having played soccer ever since the second grade. “I just started watching soccer one time, and it looked super fun to me,” said Chris. Initially it wasn’t fun.

Chris admitted that he “sucked the first year.” Despite this drag, he pushed on, and in his second year playing, Chris had his breakthrough moment where he “stepped it up” and soon “started scoring [almost] every game for [his] team” after that. “That’s when it started to get fun,” explained Chris, and soon he was joining club teams and eventually played for AHS. Player-wise, Chris is considered one of the best, possessing exceptional speed and ball-handling.

But even then, he acknowledges his weaknesses, struggling for three years on what he calls “shot creativity and vision,” such as knowing when to pass to a player or being

able to hit a curve ball accurately.

Even now, he hasn’t completely “gotten it,” said Chris. However, it has definitely pushed him to do “a lot of individual training and practicing every day,” key factors in making Chris a more successful

NOT JUST A NAME Senior Chris Paul not only has the same name as the LA Clippers’ point guard; he also shares his competitiveness and quickness player.

It isn’t just his individual skills that he is accredited for but his role in the team as well. He noticed his team “tends to slack off in the second half of games” and “could use a spark of intensity.” It is Chris’ job to provide that spark, often try-

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ing to “set momentum by scoring” or “using [his] speed to excite the team.” Indeed, anyone watching an Arcadia soccer game will notice one guy who is constantly in action and stirring others into movement—that guy is Chris Paul.

In the end, he recognizes that individual play isn’t the most important: “The biggest thing is team chemistry,” stated Chris, “and my team is my family and I will put out my heart for them.” He has had memorable experiences such as “beating Santa Maria in CIF and shutting up a crowd of 300 booing fans.” Calling it “the greatest moment ever,” Chris still realizes that only moments like these can happen “with the help of [his] teammates.”

Upon graduating from high school, Chris will still be playing soccer, planning to play for Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. “Soccer has definitely kept me away from trouble, and my life revolves around sports, so I definitely want to be around it for the rest of my life,” said Chris.

This passion, this devotion to the game, is what Chris credits most to his success.

And when asked about his name and its similarity to that of the LA Clippers basketball star Chris Paul, he laughed happily and quickly said, “Yeah, I always get those jokes.” twu@apachepowwow.com

Photo by TITUS WU

Boys Basketball Steals the Limelight

By PETER JU & ROY ZHANG Staff Writers

The game of basketball requires physical as well as mental strength.

Not only that, but players must spend countless hours in the gym or on the court. They put in the hard work to either strengthen their bodies or improve their game. Similarly, this time and effort put in to becoming better basketball players defines the AHS Boys Varsity Basketball team.

Even though the basketball team has an overall record of 6-18, the team has been fighting every step of the way. The record doesn’t reflect all the hard work and effort put in by the players and the coaches this season. Junior Matthew Hatfield had this to say about the team’s season: “It was tough this season. We lost a lot of close games this year, but one top moment was when senior Daijuan Buchanan hit a buzzer-beating three pointer against Pasadena to send our team to overtime. That was amazing.”

Senior Joseph Leonard reflected on this basketball season. “We’re like family. Despite all of our losses, we

SCRAPPIN’TOVICTORIES

Sophomore Andrew Quon carefully looks for an opportunity to score. stuck together. Although it’s not fun to lose, I had the best times with my teammates. I’m closer to them than ever before, and I wouldn’t want to change that. We know we messed up along the way, but we had fun in the process. I love these guys.”

When asked about his and the

team’s top moments, Joseph said, “For me, I thought I was going to be out for the entirety of the season, so definitely being able to play with my brothers for a part of the season is a top moment for me. As a team, we didn’t win many games, so the top moment this season was us growing together as a family.”

Matthew talked about his goals and the team’s goals for next year.

“For me, my goal is to shoot a higher percentage. A team goal for next year is to win League.”

The boys have battled through many obstacles and dissapointments.

One certainty during this hectic season is their team chemistry and work ethic. No matter what the score is, our players consistently aim for greatness.

Despite having an average season this year, Boys Varsity Basketball will continue to work hard and improve for next season. pju@apachepowwow.com rzhang@apachepowwow.com Photo by RYAN FANN

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CALENDAR

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February 2015

Chinese New Year Word Search

By KRISTEN TRAN

By PEARL YANG

Staff Writer

Staff Writer

How well do you know your romantic movie quotes? Find out by taking this quiz!

1. “Let’s never come here again because it would never be as much fun.”

2. “It is so nice when you can sit with someone and not have to talk.”

ARCADIA

HAPPINESS

DRAGON

HOLIDAY

DUCK

LANTERN

FAMILY

LUCK

FESTIVAL

LUNAR

FIREWORKS

SHEEP

3. “I’m the king of the world!” ktran@apachepowwow.com

4. “Can I stay for awhile?” “You can stay forever.”

7. “It was a million tiny little things that, when you added them all up, they meant we were supposed to be together.”

8. “So it’s not gonna be easy. It’s gonna be really hard. We’re gonna have to work at this every day, but I want to do that because I want you. I want all of you, forever, you and me, every day.”

9. “I’m not a smart man, but I know what love is.”

10. “I promise to never forget that this is a once in a lifetime love.”

Answer Key: 1. Lost in Translation (2003) 2. When Harry Met Sally (1989) 3. Titanic (1997) 4. Notting Hill (1999) 5. Water for Elephants (2011) 6. Annie Hall (1977) 7. Sleepless In Seattle (1993) 8. The Notebook (2004) 9. Forrest Gump (1994) 10. The Vow (2012) pyang@apachepowwow.com

Common Core Day: A Joy for Everyone

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The Dishonorable Seventh Son

By ANDREW LIM

Staff Writer

It’s February! The time of love and joy is here, but who cares about that? Hitting the butchering table this time is the poor excuse of a film, Seventh Son. This movie was directed by Sergey Bordrov and stars Jeff Bridges (Master Gregory), Ben Barnes (Tom Ward), Julianne Moore (Mother Malkin), and Alicia Vikander (Alice). Long review short, this movie is overall a huge disappointment and a sorry excuse for what could have been a decent fantasy action adventure.

Criticism aside, Seventh Son has a somewhat decent introduction to the plot. The film follows Tom Ward, the seventh son of a seventh son, who must train to become a Spook, a person who slays the dark creatures of the world.

Master Gregory, with a heavy burden and secret hurting him, searches out to find Tom after his apprentice was murdered by Mother Malkin, the strongest of the dark creatures inhabiting their world. Together, Tom and Gregory must stop Mother Malkin, otherwise the world will be enveloped in darkness.

Despite this somewhat promising start of a ridiculous but entertaining story, the execution was incredibly rushed and awful. The majority of the characters were introduced too quickly and died off just as fast. Also, Tom manages to defeat the most powerful and strongest of the dark creatures despite having absolutely no training at all. This is either for the convenience of the plot or that every demon is absolutely useless and that killing them is just as easy as killing ants. Jokes aside, this sort of superhuman strength and power just comes off as something ridiculously unbelievable.

Other than its mess of a story, the acting in the film was also abysmal. Normally, I don’t critique the actors simply because they get the job done well, but this time, the cast was just so bad that I have to discuss it. The performance of the actors was mediocre, to say the least. The actors barely managed to show emotion or actual motivation to say their lines.

In addition, the special effects of the movie were poorly done. It seems to the audience that the producers put little to no effort into the CGI or practical thematic effects. The soundtrack was forgettable. Nothing stood out; the score was just generic medieval-themed music.

Ultimately, Seventh Son was a huge disappointment. The plot is horribly written, the acting dreadful, the special effects mediocre, and the soundtrack not memorable in the least. I give this film a gracious score of a 4.5 out 10 and don’t extend my recommendation for this waste of time. alim@apachepowwow.com

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By Cathleen Shen

6. “Love is too weak a word for what I feel — I luuurve you, you know, I loave you, I luff you, two f’s.”

SENIORITIS

5. “You’re a beautiful woman. You deserve a beautiful life.”

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February 2015

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February 2015

National Science Bowl

By Emily Quach Staff writer

The AHS Science Bowl team recently won 1st place at the California Regional Science Bowl competition to secure its spot in the National Finals in Washington D.C. Science Bowl is a fast-paced, buzzer competition with questions regarding general science, biology, physics, chemistry, math, astronomy, and earth science. The team is divided into a Team A and a Team B, each consisting of five members, four team players and an alternate. The five members of Team A compete in a regional competition every February at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory with only the 1st place team going to National Finals. For the last three years, Science Bowl has been a regional finalist and in 2010, it won 1st to be able to compete in Washington, D.C. This year, with winning 1st place, Team A will head on to Washington D.C. to compete at the National Finals against top teams from all across the country. Here are some Science Bowl members about what they have to say with this high achieving team.

ARCADIA “A great moment in Science Bowl was making it back to the final round and helping our team tie our opponent.”

-Bruce Xu, 12

“My favorite moment was when we won the tiebreaker round to get first at Regional. Since we were undefeated , we had to be beaten twice to be eliminated. So, we lost once and we had to win the second round which we did.” -Alan Shum, 12

Graphic courtesy of BLOGSPOT.COM Photos by EMILY QUACH