January 2013

Volume 62, Issue 5

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Arcadia High School 180 Campus Drive, Arcadia, CA

January 2013

Lady Apaches Turned College Recruits

By ZACHARY YEE

By ANNA WANG Staff Writer

Staff Writer

Senior Melody Chang’s list of basketball-related accolades is hardly lacking. Two-year Girls Varsity Basketball Captain. Awarded “All-Area Second Team” by Pasadena Star News.

2012 Pacific League Co-“Most Valuable Player”. AHS Girls Basketball record-setter for most three-pointers in a single game—ten. Apache Girls Basketball all-time leader in points and steals. Now, she’s reaping the rewards for her talent and tireless efforts, having been wooed by college coaches desperate for Melody to grace their team rosters.

Melody’s current success has been in the works since her freshman year, when she led her Arcadia Lady Apache Frosh/Soph Team to a league championship. Crossing over to Varsity her sophomore year, Melody put in hours of practice and worked her way into a starting position. Girls Varsity Basketball Head Coach Don Young praised, “Melody is an extremely hard worker. She is very coachable and is constantly working on her game.” Now averaging 24.5 points per game, she is the star of the Arcadia Girls’ Basketball program and stands at the helm of an excellent team poised to win a league championship for the first time since 1979.

The recipient of attention from numerous colleges, Melody narrowed down her choices to Claremont McKenna College, Lewis & Clark College, and Occidental College. With the head coach frequently attending games to personally witness her skills in action, there’s a chance Melody may be donning Claremont McKenna’s gold and maroon next year.

Despite her basketball prowess, Melody has remained touchingly humble. “I honestly never had expectations for this success,” Melody said. “I was just playing to play, just pushing to get better. I didn’t think I’d be at this level. College ball is the chance for me to continue to work and improve. I never want to limit myself.”

Three years and sixty-six games ago, senior Francis Dean walked onto the tennis court, hoping to one day cement her name among the great players of Apache tennis history. What she didn’t know was that her goals and dreams would be accomplished, due in part to her excellent work ethic as well as a strong, supportive group around her. A star was born after Francis had won her very first tennis match, and a journey full of countless achievements and successes began.

Never looking back from her first win, Francis continued to breeze past the competition and established herself as an elite player in the Pacific League. With lightning fast agility and powerful ground strokes, Francis managed to win the league title for singles three out of four years. And in addition to leading the Girls Varsity Tennis team to the CIF finals as well as the second round of State Championships, she received All-League First Team honors each year.

All of the awards and individual accomplishments were certainly great, but Francis had her mind on something even better: a scholarship. Working harder than ever, Francis would actually stay at the courts long after exhausting games just to get extra training and practice.

Scouts started taking notice when Francis would come out on top over other highly regarded tennis recruits, going 15-10 against 4-Star tennis recruits and 9-0 against 3-Star recruits.

Finally, the University of the Pacific offered her a tennis scholarship, which she happily accepted. Teammate junior Tiffany Hseih reflected on the success of Francis as she stated, “She always works hard and has an amazing sense of sportsmanship; she definitely deserves everything she has gotten.” There is certainly more than enough for Francis to be proud of during her high school career. Keep up the great work Tiger!

awang@apachepowwow.com

Inside this Issue

zyee@apachepowwow.com Photos by DANA JEE and WILSON LIN Photos courtesy of WHITTIERDAILYNEWS.COM and WIKIMEDIA.ORG

Rally Court Renovations:

The congested hallways and green-tarped gates are minor pains to endure now for a more beautiful campus later.

Entertaining “Cat”-harsis or “Meow”-lignant Addiction?: From Youtube videos to online memes, cats and kittens have made their way onto the mainstream.

IN STUDENT LIFE (PG. 14)

INFEATURES FEATURES(PG. (PG.8)8) IN

Photo courtesy of CONSTRUCTIONSOLUTIONS-MANOJKUMAR.BLOGSPOTS.COM

Graphic courtesy of PHOENIXNEWTIMES.COM

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NEWS

Stories of 2012

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U.S. Barely Avoids Fiscal Cliff

By MICHELLE GU

By ERIC CHO Staff Writer

Staff Writer

1. The U.S. Presidential Election: After guiding the U.S. through a bad economy, high unemployment rates, and a fractured political landscape, President Barack Obama was officially re-elected as America’s 44th president for a second term on Nov. 6, 2012.

Recently, President Barack Obama called for a scaled-back plan that would stop tax increases for middle-class Americans and extend benefits for the unemployed. However, Republicans demanded more details on this proposal before deciding on a process for the Senate to vote on. This process was an attempt to get America out of a crisis: the fiscal cliff.

Both sides argued for most of the time before reaching a conclusion. Previously, Grand Old Party (GOP) Leader Mitch McConnell even remarked that his side wouldn’t “write a blank check for anything Senate Democrats put forward just because we find ourselves at the edge of the cliff.”

The principle dispute between the two sides continued to be over taxes, specifically the demand by which President Obama and Democrats produced to extend most of the tax cuts that were passed under former President George W. Bush.

The Republicans opposed

2. The London Olympics: Costing over £9.3 billion, or nearly $15 billion, the London Olympics stirred up excitement with its performances and organized events. With athletes from over 200 countries around the world, the Olympics had nearly 50 million viewers.

January 2013

3. Acts of Defiance Against SOPA: Also known as the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), SOPA promised to censor the Internet. When Wikipedia, Google, and other websites went dark in Jan. 2012 in protest, Internet users reacted with millions of complaints, mentioning the campaign over eight million times.

any kind of tax rate increases, which was evident in their rejection of Speaker of the House John Boehner’s fiscal cliff “Plan B”.

However, both parties were able to come up with an agreement a few hours before the Jan. 1 deadline. Under a deal created by Vice President Joe Biden and GOP Leader McConnell, Congress permanently extended the Bush income tax cuts at $400,000 and below, and kept the estate tax threshold at $5 million along with the extension of unemployment benefits for one year. The decision also delayed the issue of spending cuts across the board for another two months.

The deal also extended child tax credit and college tuition credit for another five years, and the Medicare “doc fix” for one more year. Capital gains and dividend tax rates rose from 15% to 20%, and a congressional pay fee was also put into effect, effectively halting a

planned salary bump for members of Congress.

The bill received a vote of 257-167, with only 85 of the votes in favor from the Republicans, and, unsurprisingly, the reaction from the senators was mixed.

“My main concern here is keeping this economic recovery going, and I think this package does that,” said California Senator Barbara Boxer. “The disagreement on this provision and that provision and other provisions

are large and wide, but the number of people who believe that we should go over the cliff rather than vote for this is very small,” stated Senator Chuck Schumer of New York. “It’s not that this proposal is regarded as great or is loved in any way, but it’s regarded as better than going over the cliff.”

Economists predicted yet another recession if the fiscal cliff occurred. But Republicans and Democrats eventually joined together, and in the end, they succeeded in saving America from the fiscal cliff. However, the upcoming months will bring even more congressional issues to Capitol Hill that must be resolved. On Mar. 1, the automatic spending cuts which the fiscal cliff deal postponed for two months will be the center of the government’s attention once more.

mgu@apachepowwow.com Graphics courtesy of BUSINESSWEEK.COM and DENVERPOST.COM

Increased Police Presence in Arcadia

By VIVIAN WANG

4. Hurricane Sandy: As Hurricane Sandy unleashed its wrath upon the East Coast, at least 105 citizens met a devastating end. Thousands of cities were met with power outages and ruined property, racking up a whopping $60 billion bill for the government.

5. Mars Curiosity Rover: With 17 cameras, a laser capable of surveying and analyzing the composition of rocks, and many other instruments, the Curiosity rover landed on Mars on Aug. 6, 2012, marking a huge step forward in society. echo@apachepowwow.com Images courtesy of IMAGESHACK.COM

Editor’s Note

In the December issue, the cover article, “Cross Country Victorious at Nationals”, was credited to Staff Writers Terri Shi and Erika Zheng. However, the writing of the article should be attributed to Staff Writers Shawn Xing and Erika Zheng.

both Representatives Chu and Napolitano have pledged to push harder than ever for improved mental health services and stricter gun control in Congress. “If we act responsibly today, we can prevent another mass casualty event from

funding needed to carry out mental health services and programs for all Americans.”

With regards to gun control, however, Senator Feinstein in particular plans to reOn Dec. 14, 2012, 20-year-old Adam introduce a legislation that completely bans Lanza, after murdering his mother at home, military-style assault weapons fatally shot 26 victims at Sandy and strengthen the 1994 Assault Hook Elementary School in Weapons Ban as soon as Congress Newtown, Connecticut. The is back in session, which is a move tragedy and loss of so many inthat Representatives Chu, Napolinocent lives shocked the nation, tano, and Schiff are also backing. prompting not only nationwide The entire AUSD has been grief and mourning, but also reaffected by the Connecticut shootigniting debates over gun conings as well; the Arcadia Police trol and school security. Over a Department has stated that in remonth later, the Newtown shootsponse to the shootings, it will ing is still making waves all review citywide standard safety across America, even in the San procedures as well as increase poGabriel Valley. lice presence on Arcadia school The shooting has spurred on campuses. a nation-wide call for the govIn the week leading up to ernment to strengthen the existwinter break, Arcadia Police Deing gun control laws and develop partment members made an active better mental health services in effort to reassure both students the U.S., issues which U.S. Representatives Judy Chu, Adam TRAGEDY IN CONNECTICUT Shooter Adam Lanza rampaged and parents by randomly visitSchiff, and Grace Napolitano through Sandy Hook Elementary School, leaving 26 deaths in his wake, ing and walking around various schools in Arcadia. Whether these and California Senator Dianne 20 of which were children.

Feinstein have all expressed their support for. happening tomorrow,” Representative Chu increased security measures will continue reThe representatives and Senator Fein- wrote. “We simply cannot afford to delay an- mains to be seen, but the police’s presence has most definitely been a comfort in these troustein have all made similar statements regard- other day.”

Napolitano chose to address mental health bling times. ing the Connecticut shooting: Representative Schiff expressed a reinforced determination issues rather than gun control as the main probvwang@apachepowwow.com to take on the National Rifle Association, lem and emphasized that everyone “must all a powerful gun rights lobbying group, and work together to secure and protect the federal Photo courtesy of NYNEWS.COM Staff Writer

January 2013

news@apachepowwow.com

Apocalyptic Instagram’s Big Slip-up Business

By LILY LING

Staff Writer

By MATTHEW LEE Staff Writer

12/21/12 Many believed the Mayan calendar predicted our demise, but Dec. 21, 2012 was just another day.

With the world still here, many people are having a good laugh while some are left with empty wallets and red faces. Dec. 21, 2012 started out as an occasion in which many awaited their impending doom, but by mid-afternoon, the long awaited celestial event soon turned into a big laugh as vendors and businesses dished out “end of the world” merchandise to make a quick buck. From mugs and t-shirts to sleeping bags and electric generators, trinket and survival gear companies ironically looked forward to the event. Although the prediction of the apocalypse was incorrect, the prediction of soaring sales in the survival gear market came true as many paranoid individuals stocked up on the latest gear. The survival gear website Firstaidglobal.com reported a 400% increase in sales of their pandemic survival kits, making it one of the top selling sites prior to Dec. 21.

Along with companies and vendors, hotels and restaurants tagged along on the “end of the world” craze by offering ridiculous deals and sales.

T.G.I. Friday’s, a restaurant that many seek refuge in at the end of the week, was offering alcoholic beverages at a discount and had its dance floors and photo booths open for free to those over 21. However, many are speculating on whether or not it was morally correct to feed off people’s fears to make a quick profit. According to Lisa Bedford, author of Survival Mom, “People who have seriously prepared for this will feel burned and foolish...

My choice is to inform and encourage, not feed the fear in hopes of making a book sale.”

Although some have suffered loss, others went out to celebrate the end of the Mayan calendar as the time cycle began anew. Though many companies celebrated an early Christmas, the start of the new Mayan calendar meant big business for Mexico as thousands of tourists came pouring into the region to witness the end of an era and the start of a new one. With the endof-the-world hype over, many are just relieved about being alive and that another apocalyptic prediction has been proven wrong. Maybe now, the movie 2012 will be moved from the action genre to comedy! mlee@apachepowwow.com

Photo courtesy of ACUS.ORG

“Fast, beautiful photo sharing”— over 100 million people see this logo every time they log onto Instagram, whether to post personal pictures or surf other users’ feeds. But with the company’s recent update of its Terms of Service, which stated that it had rights to share member photos to advertisement companies, some Instagram lovers became “Insta-haters”.

Because it did not include any way for users to opt out of the new policy, many began planning to delete their accounts as an act of protest. After several hours of a continued backlash, Instagram apologized for any confusion caused and attempted to clarify the change’s intent.

Founder and CEO Kevin Systrom wrote that the new policy “had been misinterpreted” and apologized for the outrage it caused. “It [was] our mistake that the language [was] confusing,” he admitted. This statement later proved to be insufficient, as many more Instagram users continued to leave the beloved service. The corporation reacted in an effort

to save face once again, this time by completely reverting back to the original terms which have been showcased since the application’s initial creation.

Systrom added, “Instagram has no intention of selling your photos…We don’t own [them], you do.”

It is unclear whether the current attempt to satisfy angry consumers has worked, as high-profile users such as National Geographic have discontinued all use of the photo-sharing tool, while others have also expressed grievances on other social networking websites.

The controversy has already driven users to its other competitors, such as Flickr, Pheed, and Camera+. While these networks’ populations are still minuscule compared to Instagram’s, the latter’s memberships are slowly diminishing while the competition keeps growing. However, there are still high hopes for Instagram to restore its reputation among its users, as it still has a large fan base and continues to be under the reigns of the highly popular Facebook. lling@apachepowwow.com Graphics courtesy of WIRED.COM

AUSD “Needs Improvement”

By MICHELLE HUANG Staff Writer

With the recent release of Academic Performance Index (API) scores in California, AUSD has been put into the “needs improvement” category by the state. This year, AUSD’s overall score was 929, which is more than 100 points above the state goal of 800.

For years, the No Child Left Behind act (NCLB) has been funding AUSD with money to help the schools.

However, it requires every student—including those in subgroups—to be proficient in English and math by 2014. NCLB identifies schools as “behind” after two consecutive years of not making acceptable yearly progresses. The federal NCLB act has required that all students gradually increase their scores each year.

All students must be at least proficient in English and math. Even though AUSD passed the target score by more than 100 points, some minorities did not meet the state’s expected growth rate this year.

The federal NCLB set a gradually increasing goal to reach 100% proficiency in all students by 2014. Because this is regarded as an impossible goal, members of the NCLB have reconsidered this bill

and are expected to reform it by 2014.

As a response to being placed in the program’s improvement category, AUSD is planning to restructure its Local Education Agency plan. According to the school website, AUSD will consult with parents and staff members to develop a method of improving student API scores. 10% of all NCLB funds will contribute to further advancing teacher and administration development. AUSD schools will be provided with assistance from NCLB to help subgroups meet state standards.

Parents can also help to improve AUSD’s situation.

How well a parent assumes the role of a guardian can directly affect a child’s education, which contributes to AUSD’s general API. The first step to improving a group is to help the individuals in the group.

Even though AUSD’s API score is higher than many other districts, our district will still be classified as “needs improvement” if the subgroups at AUSD are not all proficient at English and math. With a bit of motivation, hopefully they will reach the target score by 2014. Let’s do this, Apaches! mhuang@apachepowwow.com

Graphic courtesy of WRIGHT.EDU

NEWS

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t s a f f Editors

Editors-in-Chief Managing Editor News Editors Opinion Editors Performing Arts Editors Student Life Editors Features Editors Sports Editors Academics Editors Center Spread Editor Calendar Editor Campus Focus Editor Advertisement Editors Photography Editor Executive Copy Editors Webmaster Fundraising Chairs

Stacey Ng and Melissa Song Anna Naran Katrina Chao and Regina Liu Kelly Ching and Vanessa Yu Courtney Hang and Sarah Quon Christopher Cho and Christine Sun Ashley Chi and Stanley Shaw Edward Chao and Allan Gao Evan Delgado and Amanda Huynh Mya Ho Phoebe Shen Josh Bay Brandon Pang and Rita Wang Wilson Lin Daniel Jenn and Helen Lee Jonathan Matsumoto Ariana Arzani and Belle Zheng

Writers

News Staff Ian Chan, Eric Cho, Sirej Dua, Michelle Gu, Michelle Huang, Matthew Lee, Lily Ling, Terri Shi, Justin Tang, Vivian Wang, Erika Zheng Opinion Staff Ben Geisberg, Lauren Frank, Mary Guyer, Daniel Jenn, Lily Ling, Tiffany Liu, Goldie Shen, Wilson Tan, Khanh Tran, Victoria Yu, Erika Zheng Performing Arts Staff Deedee Chuang, Michelle Gu, Megan Hong, Elisha Lee, Jonathan Lu, Victoria Nakaganeku, Terri Shi, Victoria Yu, Erika Zheng Student Life Staff Ian Chan, Eric Cho, Michelle Gu, Michelle Huang, Allesandra Jasso, Elisha Lee, Lily Ling, Leanne Peres, Briana Shen, Terri Shi, Kristie Sun Features Staff Yoko Chan, Elaine Chung, Allesandra Jasso, Amelia Jin, Rosemary Lee, Jonathan Matsumoto, Briana Shen, Goldie Shen, Belinda Shoung, Kristie Sun, Brendan Tran, Anna Wang, Victoria Yu Sports Staff Rena Chen, Sirej Dua, Lauren Frank, Amelia Jin, Daniel Jenn, Karina Laigo, Tiffany Liu, Jonathan Lu, Justin Tang, Lauren Tom, Brendan Tran, Shawn Xing, Zachary Yee Academics Staff Sirej Dua, Ben Geisberg, Michelle Gu, Daniel Jenn, Helen Lee, Tiffany Liu, Leanne Peres da Silva, Terri Shi, Wilson Tan, Khanh Tran Calendar Staff Rena Chen, Elaine Chung, Dana Jee, Karina Laigo, Christina Liang, Goldie Shen, Belinda Shoung Campus Focus Staff Kristie Sun Center Spread Staff Erika Zheng Advertisement Staff Tiffany Chandra, Jacqueline Chu, Diana Kwok, Randy Lee, Khanh Tran, Shawn Xing Photo Staff Deedee Chuang, Megan Hong, Dana Jee, Matthew Lee Copy Editing Staff Katrina Chao, Rena Chen, Megan Hong, Elisha Lee, Lily Ling, Victoria Nakaganeku, Kristie Sun, Khanh Tran, Rosemary Lee, Erika Zheng Adviser 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.

Graphic courtesy of MYCUTEGRAPHICS.COM

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FEATURES

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Catfight For the Spotlight & Other Tails

By AMELIA JIN Staff Writer

looks like it will never fade away.

From 1894 to now, cat videos are becoming more popular with every click. An art museum even dedicated an entire evening to showing cats playing... and being catty! While normally viewed alone on a computer screen, silly cat videos were projected larger than life, one after another, at the first ever “Internet Cat Video Film Festival” on Aug. 30, 2012 at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis.

10,000 videos from around the world

While YouTube may teach viewers how to do their own makeup, bring people one step closer to President Barack Obama, and even introduce the world to Psy’s “Gangnam Style”, this video streaming site is also responsible for one furry phenomenon: cat videos. With an explosion of purrs and meows, these frisky felines are capturing people’s hearts (and their rats) with their adorable, round eyes and quirky behaviors. Garnering millions of CATSANDCATS,EVERYWHERE views every day, cat videos are going Cats have been captivating the minds of viral and taking over the Internet, one humans everywhere. fur ball at a time.

However, cat videos didn’t start to surface during the 20th century. The first-ever cat video was recorded by Thomas Edison, the renowned inventor of the light bulb. Created in 1894 to be viewed on a kinetoscope, an early motion picture exhibition device that Edison invented, the video showcased a 20-second moving picture of cats fighting in boxing gloves. The clip was digitized by the Library of Congress and uploaded to YouTube back in 2009. Apart from the black-and-white grainy quality, Edison’s video doesn’t look out of place amongst the many cat videos that reside on the Internet today. Being the person responsible for numerous inventions that dramatically influence our lives today, it’s fitting that Edison is the man behind the cat video phenomenon that

were nominated and considered for different categories such as “Comedy” and “Foreign Film”. Screened at the festival, 79 of the nominations were boiled down into 75 minutes of concentrated kitty shenanigans.

As the moody Henri, the box-loving Maru, and the piano prodigy Nora scratch their way

to the top, many are questioning if cat videos are becoming an unnecessary addiction. Rest assured cute animal lovers. A new study from Japan shows that looking at cute animal pictures such as adorable kittens can actually improve a person’s productivity at work. The idea is that tiny animal faces doing loveable actions can trigger a caring impulse in humans, much like seeing babies. Another research shows that watching cute cat videos can also help with depression.

For some 12 millenniums, humans have sought the company of domesticated cats. We feed them, shelter them, and love them. In return, they jump headfirst into empty grocery bags. That kind of hilarious action isn’t going unrecorded now. Whether you settle for watching videos of cats behaving badly, cutely, mysteriously, or sometimes all at once, every cat video displays the signature aesthetics: the surprise ending, the shaky camera, and a pile of kittens. ajin@apachepowwow.com Graphics courtesy of CLOUDFRONT.NET, LOYALKNG.COM, and PROXX.COM Photo courtesy of PETSIDE.NET

Cartoons for All Ages

By ALLESANDRA JASSO Staff Writer

It’s Sunday morning and the only programs that seem to be on the television are news and infomercials. No one is home and the television seems like the best bet for some mindless entertainment.

Different shows flick by as the channel changes, bringing back memories of being a little kid and watching cartoons. Spongebob Squarepants, Adventure Time, Invader Zim, and Regular Show still capture the attention of teens even after elementary school.

Bringing back old memories, cartoons continue to be entertaining. Spongebob Squarepants was one of those shows that parents and children could agree on. When teens see it now, it reminds them of the innocent humor that had them rolling on the floor in a fit of laughter. It gives them a chance to remember what it felt like to be so easily entertained. With the pressure of school and extracurricular activities, childish humor is gladly welcomed.

Newer cartoons like Adventure Time and Regular Show appeal to an older audience with their strange humor. A talking blue jay who is best friends with a raccoon can catch anyone’s eyes. As the characters complete odd tasks to save the day, it seems that the only option is to laugh at the lack of reality in it.

The shows can also become serious at a moment’s notice, showing their ability to effectively appeal to many age groups. Life lessons seem to get through to an audience when they are subtly told by favorite characters. In Adventure Time, Finn has to contemplate the heavy theme of death and its inevitable nature. The creator of Adventure Time, Pendleton Ward, said he enjoyed walking the fine line between not too childish and not too mature. Rather than creating overly stupid or smart female characters, Ward said he tried to make them seem like normal girls he would want to be friends with.

Cartoons allow people to experience their inner child by releasing the part of a person that laughs at silly things that have long since stopped being funny by watching cartoons. Sometimes it’s nice to laugh freely without worrying about being looked at as childish. For many students at AHS, cartoons are synonymous with childhood innocence.

January 2013

Grammys 2013: Snubs and Surprises

By ANNA WANG Staff Writer

The beginning of a new year welcomes more than a sea of New Year’s resolutions.

The 2013 Grammy Awards, the music industry’s biggest awards show, is just around the corner, and this year’s list of nominees is not without some surprising inclusions and exclusions.

Although Justin Bieber was awarded two nominations in the 2011 Grammys, he was not nominated at all this year. It seems that it takes more to impress the Grammy voters than a sold-out tour and three hit singles on an album. Bieber accepted the news gracefully, saying only that he was “bummed” while on The Ellen Degeneres Show.

Kanye West, whose history with the Grammys has been rocky (Taylor Swift remembers better than anybody), has again voiced his displeasure. Despite being nominated six times, the most any artist garnered, West unleashed a crazed rant during an Atlantic City concert on Dec. 29, 2012. Bemoaning the fact that his label’s 18 Grammy wins were “all in the black categories,” West then announced that Watch the Throne, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, and “Ni***s in Paris” had been snubbed.

Though most music fans, including me, know that “The A-Team” definitely merits its nomination for “Song of the Year”, Ed Sheeran was pleasantly surprised. The humble artist said that though his song was a smash hit in the United Kingdom and abroad, he was still “building up,” and didn’t expect a nomination this year. If he can get a Grammy nod now, then the world better watch out for Sheeran.

Frank Ocean took the Grammys by storm. His album Channel ORANGE is critically acclaimed and the public just loves his iconoclast style. He actually tied for the highest number of Grammy nominations: six! He is also the only hip-hop artist to cross over into the major categories.

There is no doubt that this year’s Grammy nomination list stirred up a lot of drama.

Though snubbed, Bieber will surely get his time in the Grammy limelight soon, and West will probably get over his tendency to cause some more controversy in the future. As for Sheeran and Ocean… we’ll have to wait until Feb. 10 to see if they can continue celebrating. awang@apachepowwow.com

ajasso@apachepowwow.com Graphics courtesy of BLOGSPOT.COM, HUBIMG.COM, MARVELGROUP.COM, and WIKIA.COM Photos courtesy of GOTTAHAVEROCKANDROLL.COM and VHS.COM

January 2013

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PA’s Resolutions

By ERIKA ZHENG

PERFORMING ARTS 9

Band: A Season in Review

By MEGAN HONG

Staff Writer Staff Writer

With 2013 starting with a bang, many PA members have set resolutions for the new year. Bigger goals are ahead for PA members, whether it is a musical, academic, or personal goal. They will be striving for greatness in 2013!

“Wow. 2013; I’m nearly done with high school. As a Band member, it’s been another amazing year full of achievement and fun. And, as always, time is lost. I know as a junior I should’ve perfected my time management already, but hey, I have the new year for that! I look forward to 2013 to enjoy my time at AHS and to prepare myself for the future. But in the end, you only go through high school once!”

—Justin J. Lin, 11, Band “My New Year’s resolution for 2013 is not very long or big. I just want to achieve three things: first, to stop procrastination when it creeps on me; second, to be neater and more organized and not make it look like a tornado hit my house; and third, to work harder on my studies!”

—Caryl Dann, 10, Orchestra No matter how daunting their goals are, PA members will be working hard to achieve their resolutions through personal trials and group challenges to make them even better musicians and students! ezheng@apachepowwow.com

Graphic courtesy of CLKER.COM

After long, enduring months filled with tiring, strenuous practices, Marching Band season has finally come to an end. From the beginning of summer to the end of 2012, members of Band, Colorguard, and Percussion had to stay for long hours after school and on weekends to work on their field show and marching routines. Their hard work has paid off as they concluded the season with a glorious number of awards and trophies along with new friendships and bonds. Let’s take a step back and see what they accomplished this year and how they managed to pull off such an astounding season.

Kicking off the season with the Rowland Field Tournament, Marching Band dominated its first field show as Band, Colorguard, and Percussion all came home with shining first place trophies. In their first marching competition, the Placentia Band Review, Band and Colorguard again received the highest scores.

Even in Northern California, the astounding group received sweepstakes in the Napa Band Review for marching, parade, and music.

Looking back at all their shows and parades, freshman Kaylee Shaw thought that “all the Marching Band performances showed how much everyone in Band has improved, from the first show to the last.” Along with daily practices from after school to around 9:00 p.m., each member’s hard work and dedication helped the group succeed this season. The extra rehearsals definitely paid off as Marching Band was able to “concentrate on certain parts of the show and improve on different areas one by one,” Kaylee explained.

With more time to focus on perfecting each part, Marching Band was able to pull together flawless shows and parades.

Besides winning awards and trophies, members of Marching Band also achieved something even more important during their rehearsals, parades, and competitions. They were able to create new friendships and bonds with one another. Kaylee said that one thing she enjoyed the most about Marching Band as a freshman was “being able to meet so many new people and creating new and lasting friendships along the way.” During the long bus rides to far away competitions, especially the seven-hour ride to Northern California, fellow musicians were able to enjoy some downtime to talk and bond with each other. Junior Kahui Lim “enjoyed the Northern California trip the most because [he] got to spend time with [his] friends.”

Being able to create friendships and bond with one another also contributes to the group’s success as they are able to work more efficiently as a team.

All the extra rehearsals have definitely paid off as Marching Band was able to enjoy a successful season and create new friendships along the way. Kaylee said, “Every time I watch our performances on video, it makes me feel proud to be in such an amazing Marching Band.” The hardworking group of musicians finished its last field show event for the Southern California Schools Band and Orchestra Association Championships on Dec. 1, 2012, and is now looking forward to the new year with different activities such as Concert Band. mhong@apachepowwow.com

Graphics by COURTNEY HANG Photos courtesy of RONALD LEE

Where in the World is Chanteurs?

By JONATHAN LU Staff Writer

The story of Carmen Sandiego, a former detective who becomes a thief, proves to be an interesting plot and storyline for a performance.

This year, Chanteurs is themed upon the franchise, Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego.

Chanteurs director Mr. Rick England chose this theme specifically because of the interesting ways that it can be interpreted. Chanteurs treasurer senior Jocelyne Liu stated, “I am super excited for this year because the dancing is going to be really fun due to the different styles we will learn as a group.”

Chanteurs is not only a choir that stands in rows and sings, but is also a group that incorporates dance moves. On Feb. 2, Chanteurs is going to have its first competition at Citrus College. Chanteurs member junior Joey Tuan said, “This first competition is going to be tough because we have quite a few new members, and it is their first time

competing. We are also going to see how our equipment will work against the other groups.

Since Chanteurs is self-funded, we don’t have a lot money in the program.” Chanteurs member junior Roger Hsu said, “I believe that [Chanteurs] has a lot of talent and the lack of accessories and equipment is made up by the dancing and singing.” Confidence displayed by the members of Chanteurs makes up for the lack of quality equipment.

Despite the lack of equipment and costumes, Chanteurs members have not lost interest in the competitions because the members love to sing, dance, and perform. Jocelyne said, “The songs may not be as good as last year’s because of the theme, but the theme of Carmen Sandiego has brought a whole new set of dancing styles, ranging from hip-hop to classic show choir dances.” The large variety of new dances also requires longer rehearsal times for the members. The incorporation of these different dances sparks a new interest for the members, even with the tough hours of rehearsal. With the new types of dancing that Chanteurs is learning, the extended rehearsal hours seem to fly by with the fun new dances. “The different genres of dance that we are learning together express the different emotions of the movie,” commented Joey.

As competition season approaches, Chanteurs members strive to be the best that they can be

through the practices that they have, but some are also in other extracurricular activities. “The season is going to conflict with the volleyball schedule that I have,” explained Joey. “Since Chanteurs overlaps with the volleyball season for about two months, I had to give up one or two games of the volleyball season to perform with the group last year.” Extracurricular activities take their toll as participants in multiple extracurricular activities tire from the fatigue of constant activities.

The new exciting changes to the Chanteurs shows this year will bring a different style to the previous Chanteurs performances. The members are working hard and striving to become a top show choir group, not only to participate in competitions, but also to perform for the school and a large variety of audiences outside of school.

Chanteurs continues to bring its top performance, as it does every year. Even though it competes in many competitions, the group also has a show in which the singers get to show off and present their individual skills. “I feel confident about the individual performances this year at the annual May Show. This show is all about fun, and it incorporates modern music, mainly to entertain the students rather than for competition,” explained Jocelyne. jlu@apachepowwow.com

Graphics courtesy of BOSTINNO.COM and MATTBABZ.COM

The Choice of Actors and Actresses

By ELISHA LEE

Staff Writer

Genres are not only for movies and plays, but also for categories of acting as well! Being an actor or actress takes a lot of skill because there are so many unique forms of characters and individuals to bring to life.

From dramatic to comedic to romantic, the list goes on and on! Since there are so many types, and everyone has different opinions and interests, we asked 50 people from both the Drama Department and other Performing Arts students at AHS and made a poll of their favorite acting genres.

Comedic: 19 — 38% Action: 15 — 30% Romantic: 8 — 16% Dramatic: 8 — 16% “I have to say comedic acting! Watching comedies is a great way to relieve stress; sometimes you just need something to laugh about. Also, I consider myself to be a silly person, so I often perform comedic acting for my friends. It’s a great way to entertain and to get someone laughing!”

—Ashley Zhao, 11, Choir “I like to watch plays, movies, etc. based on actions. This unique, yet common genre gets me excited and gives me an adrenaline rush; it really is a great feeling!”

—Ernest Lei, 10, Band “Dramatic acting is definitely my style.

When I watch it, it gets me thinking ‘what is going to happen next?’ It is also a great way to show off my acting skills.”

—Edwinson Chan, 10, Chanteurs “My favorite is definitely dramatic acting. I love the feeling of getting into my role and feeling all the emotions of the character I am playing. It is also really nice to see the audience’s reaction when something surprising happens!”

—Jordan Williams, 10, Theatre 2 “I prefer comedic acting because usually it is better suited for audiences. Sometimes on-stage romances can be a bit much for people; especially if the lovers don’t go well together. You absolutely cannot go wrong with comedy!”

—Keith Harmel, 12, Advanced Drama Department, President “I like something in between romantic and comedic, so romantic comedies. I really like performing romantic comedies because it is incredibly fun and uplifting, and it also gives off a nice atmosphere.”

—David Liu, 12, Advanced Drama Department, Treasurer elee@apachepowwow.com

Graphic courtesy of MATHWAREHOUSE.COM

10

HOW TO SURVIVE

apachepowwow.com

January 2013

JANUARY 2013 New Year’s Day

ke and wa n i p e e sl se h the Ro c t a w o up t on TV Parade

What happened to being productive over the break??, Time for an all-nighter to finish work I had 2 weeks to do .

to k c a B !!! l o o sch

O h m y go sh , w e had a quiz today?

I promise to follow this year. . .

Sparknote the book I was supposed to read over the break

Last Friday of the break.

I ‘ d better get started on my homework!

I Getting ekend, used to his we T l l ’ the constru yself I m e s i m ction... pro n work. catch up

o

DEAD WEEK!!!

Where did the weekend go?!?!

Another all-nighter. This won’t happen next weekend.

WHY DID PUT I ST OFF U UDYING NTIL LAST MINUT E?!

and kating s e c I Make a list of New h friends t i w l l a Year’s Resolutions that m

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

ol...

No Scho

ING CRAMM TIME!

FINAL 4

1 Periods

&

FINAL

Perio

ds 2 & 3

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5 iods 6 &

I survived.

wut chap OMG!!! str ! I’m so finals on? , but ho dy need 2 stu right no on mother is

Photos courtesy of DEPOSITPHOTOS.COM, ISTOCKPHOTO.COM, OVERSTOCK.NET, PHOTOSINBOX.COM, and THECALENDARSPOT.COM

January 2013

centerspread@apachepowwow.com

DEAD WEEK 11

haven’t f ollowed a single resoluti on so far

Gahh! I did n’t wake up to my al arm and no w the day is g one.

. Today, I have time relax.

I deserve to

the pters are I rlly ressed... your o w i met ttyl ow, lol :3

By Erika Zheng Staff Writer

where did the semester go? How to Study for Finals!

1. START NOW. Studies have shown that late-night, caffeine-spiked cram sessions are counterproductive. Long and periods of trying to ingest chapters and chapters of information will result only in grogginess of incoherency the next day. Joyce Walseben, an associate professor at New York University School they that so ahead day a it do should they Medicine, recommended that if students “need to cram, can get a good night’s sleep before the exam.” Start prepping and reviewing material now via short study sessions to reinforce the information in your mind before it is too late, instead of harming your health and the chances of doing well on finals.

2. HABITUATE YOUR SCHEDULE. Create an effective short term agenda that has plans by the hour. Study for the subject you will be the tested on the following day, but also remember to review for the finals you will take throughout ion informat the all week. Plan to focus on one subject at a time and a little at a time to ensure that you picked up during the semester gets filed into your long-term memory.

3. GET IN YOUR ZZZS. “Although studying is essential, sleep is important for learning,” Dr. Phyllis C. Zee, a professor of neurology at Northwestern University remarked. She continued on and said that “even one night five of sleep loss can negatively affect performance.” A night without rest causes clumsiness, and ers all-night nights of no sleep causes hallucinations. One can only imagine what four consecutive during finals week can do to your test performance and semester grade.

4. EAT HEALTHY. Healthful foods rich in antioxidants and Omega-3 will help your brain run better. Whole grains, for fresh fruits, and vegetables will help your brain work more efficiently. Healthy eating makes study and task on you keep healthy blood flow that will allow your brain to pump blood faster to more studiously.

5. UNPLUG. Ignore the notifications on Facebook. Stop tweeting. Take a pause from Instagram and stop scrolling down your Tumblr dashboard. Studying will become more productive with fewer and distractions to hinder you. Focusing on your notes and textbooks without constant beeping to also but world, buzzing will not only stop the aforementioned from notifying you of the outside keep you on track. Isolate your soul and be prepared for the onslaught of productivity.

12

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January 2013

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ACADEMICS

Springing Into Action

By KHANH TRAN Staff Writer

Speech and Debate (S&D) finished its annual Spring Varsity Debate competition at La Puente High School on Jan. 26. The event featured one-on-one debates, such as the LincolnDouglas Debate, and duo debates, such as the Parliamentary Debate. Both Novice and Varsity members were welcome to participate, as the competition was open to people with all levels of experience. With hard work and invaluble lessons learned from the previous Fall Varsity Debate, the team ultimately took home numerous trophies and medals.

This was the second Varsitylevel debate tournament that the team has competed in this school year. The Fall

Varsity Debate provided S&D members with priceless lessons and mistakes to both fix and learn from.

“Fall Varsity Debate was helpful for [Spring Varsity Debate] because it helped me adapt my style to fit the competition and judging pool in League tournaments, on top of also giving me some very valuable experience,” said freshman Victor Li, who was one of the finalists in the Lincoln-Douglas Debate along with sophomores Sukanya Mukherjee and John Quin and junior Hassan Noureddine. On top of the experience gained from previous competitions, the team has been holding workshops to enrich its ambitious and fierce debaters. Indeed, unlike the interpretational events, debate requires its

contestants to be quick and flexible thinkers on their feet, conjuring up logical and legitimate arguments in a matter of minutes.

Although the competition was intense and grueling, S&D members proved themselves courageous and unfaltering as they snagged trophy upon trophy from their opponents. Despite being only a novice, freshman Michael Chien paired up with junior Joshua Tran in their Public Forum rounds, ending with a 5th place trophy in their hands. “It’s my first time topping a [Varsity-level] competition,” Joshua proudly exclaimed. “The fact that I did it with Michael makes it all the more memorable for the both of us. I could definitely not ask for another partner.” Michael also echoed Josh’s statement as he smiled, “We put a lot of time and effort and it all paid off!”

The competition not only sharpened their speaking skills, but also sparked their newfound friendship. Other debaters have shared this long-lasting bond among their teammates, strengthening the team as a whole. Freshmen George Hou and Philip Chen, who reached 3rd place in Policy, humbly described their experience as one that would pay off when the team meets at the big State Tournament, which will be held later this school year.

The competition was a success, but do not rest yet, Speechies! Spring Varsity and State Qualifications tournaments are coming soon.

Continue to hone your wits, talents, skills, and, most importantly, friendships. ktran@apachepowwow.com

Graphics courtesy of NMACT.ORG

By TIFFANY LIU Staff Writer

What if everyone was promised admission to the college of their choice?

What if college students could choose to only learn about what they were interested in without having to bother with the basic general education courses?

In the movie Accepted, a spontaneous student named Bartleby Gaines creates his own college after being rejected from every university he applied to. Students begin to apply to his fake college, and soon enough, the institution becomes legitimate. His college allows students to come up with what they want to learn instead of forcing them to take classes they’re not interested in. Students are free to be creative and accomplish or learn whatever their heart desires without any strict rules to hold them back. The school offers many student-created classes that range from “Taking a Walk and Thinking about Stuff” to “Blowing Things Up with

My Mind”, and anyone who is interested in the class can simply sign up for it.

Although these classes may seem ridiculous, taking a class that a student is passionate about seems like a great idea and can be very beneficial. For example, one hyper and energetic student who wanted a way to exert his energy in class while also spending his time wisely found it in the “Taking a Walk and Thinking about Stuff” course. An athlete who was denied an athletic scholarship because of an injury chose to create sculptures, and it became his true passion. These classes focus on what the students truly want to learn, but while having this much freedom brings happiness, in the real world, it isn’t ideal. Students who study certain subjects, such as the arts, have a difficult time succeeding in the field after college. Though careers in these fields may have the benefit of a large paycheck, the level of competition is so high that it’s almost impossible to get a job.

Thus, people have to choose between their true happiness or something more reasonable when considering their future.

Of course, every student is required to learn the four basic subjects: math, English, history, and science. These classes are a good foundation for education itself, but some students may go through their entire educational careers finding themselves unable to truly excel or become interested in any of these subjects.

These students may end up failing or becoming trouble-makers instead, due to lack of passion or motivation. Additionally, the career choice that the student eventually decides on may not require a certain subject at all. But, while only taking desired classes is a possibility, the converse is also true: not everyone with a passion

will succeed in his or her endeavor. Talent and luck are required in addition to interest.

But in Bartleby’s school, there is no pressure regarding grades or rules, and imagination is always allowed to run free.

This may be one thing that keeps our society from improving with each new generation. The emphasis to “fit the mold” of this generations predecessors can be stifling, hindering new ideas and radical theories that may in fact prove to be beneficial to the world as a whole. Restraining creativity can stop people from being able to think outside the box and coming up with that one crazy idea that “just might work”. Careers that encourage imagination may add to the world more than simply working everyday as an accountant or as a shopkeeper.

However, in today’s day and age, many of these ideas are not acknowledged.

One may have an idea, but getting it approved by a company is itself a challenge.

Many times these ideas require a large amount of money to succeed, since competition in the real world makes it extremely difficult to come out on top. And of course, the money required to back your idea can only be provided with a stable job.

So, while being able to learn whatever one finds interesting would be great, in our society, many people cannot afford to take such a risk. tliu@apachepowwow.com

Graphics courtesy of BIGGERPOCKETS. COM and ZAZZLE.COM

15

Bryn Mawr College

By HELEN LEE

Executive Copy Editor

As an all-women’s liberal arts college in Pennsylvania, Bryn Mawr College offers women the opportunity to receive theeducation of a lifetime. And although it is an all-women’s school, men aren’t entirely excluded from attending: while the undergraduate program is reserved only for females, the graduate program is open to both genders.

The school has approximately 1,300 undergraduate students and 450 graduate students, and over 60 majors to choose from. This allows students to have a variety of choices in putting together a unique and personalized schedule. Since Bryn Mawr is a small college, it pairs up with Haverford College as part of its Bi-College relationship, giving students many more class options than what was already availible to them. In addition, students can also attend classes at University of Pennsylvania and Swarthmore College, making for 5,000 total classes availibile to Bryn Mawr students.

But if classes at other schools don’t fit your taste, you can always try the combined A.B./M.A. program. This program is fast-paced, but students are able to obtain their Master’s Degree while also studying for their Bachelor’s Degree. It presents yet another challenge in addition to the speed of the program: a student needs at least a 3.4 GPA for their undergraduate studies and is required to maintain a 3.7 GPA for their graduate studies. With hard work and determination, a student can earn his or her Master’s Degree with just four years of college education.

Don’t worry if continuous studying is not your thing, because Bryn Mawr’s Praxis program combines the education and the real research to further enhance students’ learning experiences. Praxis has three levels: the first two led by faculty and the third one by independent study courses. This incorporates education from the classrooms with the benefit of real-life experiences, and therefore gives students a better scope of how and where all their knowledge and expertise will come to use.

Although studies aren’t easy at Bryn Mawr, the college community is supportive; this is obvious in the Honor Code, a trust that all students will live with integrity and respect. To unify the students, Bryn Mawr has events such as Lantern Night, in which the freshmen are presented with lanterns of their class color to symbolize their acceptance into the school, and May Day, in which the students gather together and play traditional games.

This all-women’s college in Pennsylvania, just 11 miles from Pittsburgh, offers exceptional education in a comfortable environment while also allowing students to obtain real-life experience involving their interests. If you are looking for a small, liberal arts school, look no further, for Bryn Mawr just might be the school for you. hlee@apachepowwow.com

16

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January 2013

November 2014

CALENDAR

calendareditor.powwow@gmail.com

By ANDREW LIM

Big Laughs, Big Feels: Big Hero 6

19

Staff Writer

November featured a highly anticipated movie from the producers of Frozen and Wreck-It Ralph: Big Hero 6. It is directed by Don Hall and Chris Williams and stars Scott Adsit (Baymax), Ryan Potter (Hiro Hamada), Daniel Henney (Tadashi Hamada), T.J. Miller (Fred), Jamie Chung (Go Go Tomago), Genesis Rodriguez (Honey Lemon), Damon Wayans Jr. (Wasabi), and James Cromwell (Robert Callaghan). Big Hero 6 is an action-packed comedy-adventure that explores the relationship between Baymax, a plus-sized inflatable robot, and Hiro Hamada, a 14-year-old robotics prodigy.

When a traumatic event befalls him, Hiro is dragged into a dangerous adventure where he must turn to Baymax and his close friends to uncover the mystery behind the deaths of his older brother, Tadashi, and his mentor, Robert Callaghan. Determined to find the truth, Hiro forms the crime-fighting team known as Big Hero 6.

The story starts off with Hiro as an illegal bot fight participant in the San Fransokyo underground. He earns money through these fights; however, Ta-dashi wants Hiro to apply to the college that Tadashi is in. There, Hiro meets Baymax for the first time and instantly becomes motivated to oblige. Just when things are going well, one of the school buildings bursts into flames, killing Tadashi and Robert. Hiro undergoes serious depression and loses the will to go to school. However, when Baymax is left to Hiro’s care, he suddenly becomes tangled in a mystery involving his loved ones’ deaths and a new villain.

The story of Big Hero 6 was incredible to say the least. The story instantly lures the audience in and keeps it hooked. The film contained many plot twists that filled the room with gasps and sniffs. Baymax and his role as comic relief made him a beloved and invaluable part of the film.

The animation contained stunning aesthetics inspired by the cities of San Francisco and Tokyo (hence “San Fransokyo”). The animators paid a ridiculous amount of attention to detail and it is evident in every scene of the movie. To get straight to the point, Big Hero 6 offers a unique and vibrant atmosphere that can easily set the mood of every scene.

Just as vibrant as its animation, the soundtrack creates the majority of the mood in Big Hero 6. The producers made the score tie in with each scene perfectly.

Using songs from well-known and popular bands and artists, the producers were able to conceive a beautiful score that made the film even more memorable, adding to the enjoyment of the experience.

Overall, Big Hero 6 is a masterpiece. With visually pleasing animation and a great soundtrack, it is a treat for both the eyes and ears. For those who scoff at the cliche progressions of typical superhero cartoons, fear not: this piece offers significant plot twists and a compelling storyline propelled by a lovable cast. I give Big Hero 6 a solid 9/10 and recommend this film to people of all ages.

alim@apachepowwow.com Graphics courtesy of INSIDETHEMAGIC.COM, SHSTHETRIBE.COM, and WIKIA.COM

Horoscope Highlights: Sagittarius

By KYLE WANG Staff Writer

Whether you are truly superstitious or just curious about future predictions, look no further!

Firstly, what a horoscope? It is an assigned symbol according to one’s birth year.

Theoretically, everything from your personality traits to the way your life plays out all depends on the position of the sun when you were born. For example, if you were born between Nov. 22 and Dec. 21, then you are a Sagittarian. This month, we will be looking into the prospects of Sagittarius so that Sagittarians will know what to expect.

Social Life: If you need a reason to smile, here it is: there will be many good things happening to you the coming month. Many opportunities will open up to you, both at school and outside. Because of this, you will be the center of attention, excitement, and admiration.

You will have great intuition for future trends, and combining that knowledge with technology will make you more successful in life. However, don’t let it get too your head; remember to set realistic goals so that you don’t over-commit yourself this month.

Work: Get a job if you don’t already have one, preferably one as a salesperson because you’ll kick butt at it. However, be sure that you are

working with honest and trustworthy people, as pulling strings and cheating will definitely ruin you for life.

If being a salesperson is not for you, then consider starting an online business. You can sell anything from shoes, paintings, and even handmade soap. Your economic prospects are auspicious next month, and you will gain useful life experience from doing this, so there’s nothing to lose!

Relationships: When forming relations this month, be cautious in your judgment and make sure your new friends are genuine. Do not rush into new relationships, whether romantic or platonic. You may make your “friend” uncomfortable around you if you rush into things. However, if you are pursuing romance, don’t go too slow either or else you may remain just friends. Granted, there’s still a chance that you won’t find your soulmate, but even if you don’t, do not stress too much! Things will happen as they are meant to happen, and the stars definitely have a good plan for your life.

So there you have it, Sagittarians! Go out, have fun, and make the most out of this coming month! kwang@apachepowwow.com

Graphics courtesy of BLOGSPOT.COM and TEOTRANDAFIR.COM

THANKSGIVING Turkey Maze

cshen@apachepowwow.com Graphic courtesy of Cathleen Shen

20

CAMPUS FOCUS

campusfocus@apachepowwow.com

January 2013

“In order to prepare for finals, I study my notes and reread the material in my textbooks. I also try to find some practice tests online. At the end of it all, I ‘try’ to get a good night’s sleep.”

—Catherine Su, 12 “The way I prepare for finals is to study a little bit every day. Then the night before the final, I skim through everything again.”

By KRISTIE SUN

Staff Writer

—Justin Chiu, 11

As the end of the semester comes to a close, finals can be the most frightening test you will ever take and could potentially affect your final grade. Finals are something every student is expecting. Some students choose to study for it last minute, others choose to wing it, and some will even study weeks or months in advance. Here’s how these students prepare for finals.

“Well, for me, I don’t particularly enjoy cramming. It’s either I know it or I don’t. So I just briefly review previous test information, and I get as much sleep as possible!”

—Jessica Hsu, 12

ksun@apachepowwow.com

Photos by DEEDEE CHUANG Graphics courtesy of BLOGSPOT.COM and RAINBOWTRUNK.COM