Volume 60, Issue 4
December 2011
Arcadia High School 180 Campus Drive, Arcadia, CA
Windstorms Wreak Havoc on Arcadia
In this issue:
Photo by TOMMY LIAO
PERFORMING ARTS pg. 5 Charity Dance Show: Orchesis and professional guest performers dance to give back.
Photo by LEO JIANG
SURVEYING THE DAMAGE Amazed Arcadia citizens take photos of a huge tree that obscured their street, only one of many that fell or caused severe damage in the aftermath of the windstorm. cause Homes remained crippled without power for up By HELEN CHOU Staff Writer Photo courtesy of MEDIAITE.COM
FEATURES pg. 9 Worst Gifts...Ever: Take a look at some of the most disastrous gifts given throughout history.
Photo courtesy of CCI CCI.UTK.EDU UTK EDU
STUDENT LIFE pg. 16 Diversity Week: A recap of this year’s exciting week full of fun activities and more. Have a question, comment, or concern about the Pow Wow? E-mail the Editors-in-Chief at editorsinchief@apachepowwow.com or find us online at apachepowwow.com.
On the seemingly typical afternoon of Wednesday, Nov. 30, students went home after school expecting the same old routine of homework, Facebook-ing, studying, and at some point, sleep. Little did they realize the impending disaster on the horizon. That night, massive Santa Ana winds of up to 80 mph struck the majority of the San Gabriel Valley. Toppling trees and leaving thousands of homes without electricity and some without running water, it was the biggest wind storm the area has seen in over a decade. The cities of Arcadia, Alhambra, South Pasadena, Pasadena, San Marino, San Gabriel, Temple City, Sierra Madre, Monrovia, and Glendora, along with much of Los Angeles County, declared states of emergency due to the damage. Due to the large amount of debris, the local emergency command center at the Arcadia Police Station issued a statement the next day that anyone who did not need to be on the road should remain at home. As a result, all school activities were cancelled on Dec. 1, and again on Dec. 2. According to Principal David Vannasdall, “school, along with other basic city functions, was closed for the safety of the citizens to allow the police, fire trucks, and city workers to get where they needed to be.”
to a week, some even longer. According to Southern California Edison, Arcadia was hit the hardest, with nearly 36,000 customers affected since Wednesday night. The lack of electricity proved to be a greater obstacle than some had anticipated. As senior Lawrence Bai puts it, “having no power for a week was kind of a reassessment of my life. It was really a big blow because I never really realized just how much I needed electricity to do the most menial tasks like hygiene.” For those of us who have grown up with technology, the gaping hole that the lack of electricity created from the impact of the storm taught us the hard way what life without electricity is like. While the power was out, students still found alternatives to get their work done, whether it was taking advantage of Starbucks outlets or crashing at friend’s house. Junior Rita Wang, whose family had no power for six days, went “to [her] cousin’s house to do homework.” The lack of power was inconvenient, but not an obstacle that could not be surpassed. Along with the lack of power, tree debris became a road hazard throughout the city. Falling trees uprooted lawns and obstructed driveways, hindering drivers and pedestrians alike. At some locations, “the trees were so large and heavy that when they toppled, they also pulled out the concrete slab they were attached to,” noted freshman Stanley Shaw. Trees even fell onto houses, rendering seven buildings in Arcadia uninhabitable. Stanley added that those were the worst cases because “the damage they inflicted [will]
the home owner [to] pay thousands of dollars to repair their home.” Some trees directly damaged homes, knocking down basketball hoops and destroying roofs. “The shingles on part of our roof fell off, and we had to get someone to come in and fix it before it rained,” said Rita. She added, “Also I saw one of the trees in the park near Second Avenue fall into and severely damage the side house.” Whether or not students were directly affected, the ravages and impact of the wind storm affected the entire community. Amidst all the damage and destruction, the lack of electricity turned out to have an unexpected upside. For senior Annie Hsu, her entire family ended up going out “to watch The Muppets, the first movie [they watched] together since Star Wars came out.” Lawrence shares a similar story: “I definitely bonded with my family more after the event; having nothing else to do, we would just gather around for dinner and talk by candlelight.” Without electricity, families were able to enjoy each other’s company even better without the distraction of technology. The impact of the unprecedented wind storm was and will continue to be felt for weeks to come. School resumed after a mere four days, but it will take much longer for cities to recover fully from the damage. Even if Southern California will never have a “snow day”, we can at least claim that we have had a “wind day”. hchou@apachepowwow.com
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Africa Rises: On the Path to Prosperity By JONATHAN MATSUMOTO
Staff Writer
Africa is home to 22 of the 24 United Nations’ (UN) “Low Human Development” areas. With famine and natural disaster ever present, African economies have suffered from slow growth. But with major changes in the last decade, Africa is now looking at an opportunity to follow in the footsteps of Asia. The International Monetary Fund expects subSaharan African economies to expand by 5.75% next year, with some countries growing as much as 10%. The World Bank said in a report that Africa “could be on the brink of an economic take-off much like China was 30 years ago.” Once labeled as “the hopeless continent” by The Economist, the future of Africa remains bleak. Africa accounts for a large part of world poverty; the majority of Africans live on less than $2 a day, and the life expectancy in some countries is under 50. However, the growth in the middle class gives reason to believe in a turnaround. Approximately 60 million Africans have an income of $3,000 a year, and that number is expected to increase to about 100
million Africans in the next four years. South Africa is among the sub-Saharan countries aiming to improve their situation. According to Bloomberg Magazine, an agency reported that the country added 59,000 jobs this third quarter. According
to an index from Adcorp Holdings Ltd., a majority of these jobs are in financial services, which rose 0.7% in November to 1.63 million. Loane Sharp, Adcorp’s labor economist, stated in an interview that “there is strong growth in [their] unrecorded economy and it’s their banking needs that [need] tapping into.”
Another factor that will help Africa is its demographics. The population is expected to double over the next 40 years, an increase that will alter the economy. The median age is now 20, as opposed to 30 in Asia and 40 in Europe. As the majority of Africans reach the working age, the dependency ratio— the amount of non-working to working—will decrease. This demographic factor was crucial to the economic growth in East Asia, and is expected to have a major impact on the entire continent. African delegates hope that their natural resources, which are important to development in other countries, can be used as an engine for economic growth. As Africa has half of the world’s gold reserves and a third of its diamonds, harnessing these resources could be the key to economic prosperity. UN Economic Commission for Africa member Stephen Karingi believes that Africans “should join hands to address this challenge. If not, Africa will remain poor despite its abundant natural resource wealth.”
NEWS s t a f f Editors Editors-in-Chief Kaitlyn Jeong and Rhiannon Yee Managing Editor Nancy Xiao News Editors Evan Delgado and Utthara Rameshbabu Opinion Editors Victoria Tran and Valerie Yu Performing Arts Editors Yejean Kim and Christine Sun Student Life Editors Edward Chao and Ashley Chi Features Editors Eileen Chow and Grace Song Sports Editors Stacey Ng and Andy Qin Academics Editors Regina Liu and Melissa Song Center Spread Editor Alwyna Lau Calendar Editor Michelle Zhang Campus Focus Editor Katherine Bay Advertisement Editors Becca Lu, Laureen Ma and Brandon Pang Photography Editor Elliott Lee Executive Copy Editors Ariana Arzani and Christopher Cho Webmaster Emily Zheng Fundraising Chairs Belle Chuang, Lena Kalemkiarian and Anna Naran
Writers News Staff
jmatsumoto@apachepowwow.com Graphic courtesy of SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
Opinion Staff
Eurozone Crisis Escalates: Collapse of the Euro
Performing Arts Staff
By ALISON FU Staff Writer
In 1999, the European Union (EU) developed a new currency known as the euro, which eventually unified 17 countries into a region known today as the eurozone. Now, as the principal currency of most European countries, the euro has established itself as one of the main currencies of the world, matching the American dollar, the British pound, and the Chinese yuan. Yet, with the pressures of the global recession, the eurozone has begun to fall apart, with many countries now heavily in-debt and unable to pay off their loans. Back in 2008, the United States plunged into a great economic crisis as the housing bubble collapsed, affecting the global market, including many countries in Europe. Greece has been one of the hardest hit by the recession, with a current deficit of about 13% of its gross domestic product. Due to its excessive debt, Greece has been forced to implement austerity measures, in which the government has reduced benefits and agreed to an austerity budget for 2012. Italy, which has the third largest economy in Europe, has a debt of about $2.6 tril-
lion and is also beginning to implement austerity measures to cut down its spending, such as reducing pensions and raising the retirement age. Many worry about Italy’s current financial state—if Italy defaults on its debt, the EU could enter a
INTERNATIONAL CRISIS
Mishandling of government funds has created a financial crisis in Europe. recession and cause the U.S. to follow. Overall, the eurozone, along with the rest of the world, is suffering, with the Standard & Poor warning 15 out of 17 countries in the eurozone of possible
downgrades in the future. Since May of this year, the euro’s value has dropped down 10% from a height of around $1.48 to $1.29. French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, leaders of the two largest countries in the EU, have called for a more efficient use of the budget and a revision of the original EU treaties to allow more involvement in the budgets of EU countries. “A sequence of interventions of increasing intensity into euro area member states’ rights should be allowed as a focused response to continued infringement,” stated President Sarkozy and Chancellor Merkel in a joint statement. While globalization expands at a startling rate, there are certain dangers, such as interdependent world economies, that must be considered, and the euro has recently brought attention to them. As stated by Chancellor Merkel, the euro “represents Europe’s will to unite within and to face global challenges”—though the results of these challenges, however, remain uncertain. afu@apachepowwow.com Graphic courtesy of ECONOMIST.COM
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Ariana Arzani, Josh Bay, Christopher Cho, Alison Fu, Daniel Jenn, Shreya Maharana, Jonathan Matsumoto, Stanley Shaw, Lauren Trajano, Jing Wang Rena Chen, Helen Chou, Allan Gao, Mya Ho, Ivy Jenn, Jeanne Kuang, Helen Lee, Sophia Tang, Vanessa Yu Kelly Ching, Albert Hu, Amanda Huynh, Phoebe Shen, Emilie Wang, Vanessa Yu Niki Chi, Kelly Ching, Allan Gao, Courtney Hang, Daniel Jenn, Ivy Jenn, Helen Lee, Stanley Shaw, Kristie Sun, Emilie Wang Josh Bay, Courtney Hang, Daniel Jenn, Jeanne Kuang, Jonathan Matsumoto, Victoria Nakaganeku, Sarah Quon, Sophia Tang, Emily Wang, Josie Yang, Belle Zheng Ariana Arzani, Josh Bay, Stephen Chu, Karina Laigo, Alice Lin, Victoria Nakaganeku, Josie Yang Ariana Arzani, Vivian Chan, Ashley Cheou, Amanda Huynh, Leo Jiang, Belle Zheng Phoebe Shen Josh Bay, Katrina Chao , Rena Chen, Niki Chi, Alison Fu, Jing Wang Courtney Hang Stephen Chu, Hazel Chuang, Courtney Hang, Albert Hu, Anna Naran, Kristie Sun, Kenneth Vuong Vivian Chan, Leo Jiang, Tommy Liao Katrina Chao, Rena Chen, Kelly Ching, Helen Chou, Courtney Hang, Stanley Shaw, Lauren Trajano 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 LEEOPHANSEN.COM
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OPINION Santa Believin’ By MYA HO Staff Writer
I am 6 years old. Mommy told me that The big, sparkly star Is our Christmas tree’s hat. I’ve been a good girl. All year round, I just know That Santa Claus and his reindeer Will let me see snow. That is my big wish. To see snow, that is. I’ve heard it’s magical and white, And that it’s where Santa Claus lives. I am 9 years old. Daddy made me cry. He told me Santa wasn’t real. I don’t know what to believe—Daddy never lies. But I’ll still wait up this Christmas, Under the tree, so green and bright, Sleeping under the stars And the twinkly, colored lights. I’ll listen real hard To hear Santa’s sleigh. Maybe I’ll even see him! I’ll prove Daddy wrong this way.
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Realizing the Power of Power Outages
By MYA HO Staff Writer
Day One of the worst long-weekend of my life:
“So then I was like…and then he was all like…OMG, I know right! So like…” Suddenly, and oh so tragically, my phone line cut off right as I was about to tell Jillian about the cute guy in my Spanish class. I desperately tried to redial her number, not satisfied with leaving the conversation unfinished. The voice of a little robotic woman filled my ear, telling me I had no signal. No, this just could not be happening to me. “Maybe I can log onto Facebook and chat with her instead,” I thought as I ran to my laptop, quickly turning it on. As the soft glow of the computer finally flickered to life, I frantically moved the mouse cursor to get on the Internet. But no, there was no reception. Defeated and without electronic e to keep me from procrastinating on excuses ework, I su homework, sulked back to my desk. And then it went dark—completely and utterly dark. I nearly peed in my pants.
I am 11 years old, And I know better by now, That dumb old Santa isn’t real. He and his elves, I never believed in them anyhow. I knew all along. Mom and Dad couldn’t fool me. I waited up all night and saw them, Putting presents under the tree. When I caught them last Christmas, ain. They came to my room, tried to explain. I didn’t want to hear it. They ruined the magic, anyways. I am 17 years old, Helping my parents clean the house. Relatives are coming over soon. I just can’t wait to get out. My friends and I do Secret Santa. We have been for the past couple years. It’s a way to get us all in the spirit. Get our minds off of school and college careers. We all get together at someone’s house. Throw a little party for Christmas’ sake, Rewatch episodes of Charlie Brown, Nostalgically laughing at the old VHS tapes. I am 20 years old, And I live in a dorm. My two roommates have never, ever Tasted eggnog before. While I’m trying to understand How they missed out on such a Christmas thing, I run down to the store to buy eggnog, But end up drinking it on the way back to our wing. I guess I’m just craving A little bit of home. I miss my mom and my dad And our Christmases from long, long ago. I am 40 years old, And a mother of two. My little boy is named Oscar. His older sister is named Sue. Of course, I have told them That Santa Claus is real. What mother wouldn’t? I remember when I was a kid, it was a big deal. There are some things that I’ve learned That will always stay the same. Besides Santa, Charlie Brown, eggnog, It’s simply the magic of this holiday. mho@apachepowwow.com Graphic courtesy of CLIPARTOF.COM
December 2011
From their respective corners of the house, my family emerged. With hands outstretched, we blindly searched for the flashlights that always manage to be misplaced during times of need. I started to wonder how I would finish my vast amount of work in the dark. With an armload of candles and a handful of matches, I retreated to my room…sad and Internet-less. BANG, BANG, BANG! I dropped my pencil and jumped a foot out of my seat. For the past couple of hours, the wind had been distracting me from my homework. Eventually I gave in to the dark, overpowering scent of candles. The windows in my bedroom trembled as I peered through them. I watched the tree in our front yard sway dangerously. Cuddling up in bed, I knew I was in for a long night.
Day Two of the most isolated long-weekend of my life:
I awoke to the frigid morning air after a restless night’s sleep. The wind, after howling all night, decided that it would be a good idea to keep the whole neighborhood—nay—all of San Gabriel Valley, awake. I groggily rolled out of bbed, ed and soon after, found out that I wouldd have hav no school that day. Suddenly, I wasn n’t ’ so angry at the wind anymore. wasn’t But what would I do for a whole day with thout electricity? What would I do without th without text x ,T text, Tumblr, Youtube, and MTV? What would I do without Jillian and my 943 other Facebbook bo ok friends? I was disconnected from everyone one. I was a caveman, with no way to contact th the outside world—no way to update my statu tus. I was truly suffering. That is, until I real-
BLESSING IN DISGUISE It’s amazing how power outages can bring us so much closer together.
Graphic by MICHELLE ZHANG
ized that there were other people living in my house. These people so called my…my family. Sure they weren’t great to text and hang out at the mall with, but at least I had some people to waste away my hours with in isolation.
Day Three of the not-so-bad long-weekend of my life:
The sun sunk to the ground and candles were lit around the house. My brother pulled out the poker set as my stepmom pan-fried the noodles we had made during the day, filling the house with a mouth-watering smell. I turned on music with the little battery I had left in my computer, and soon enough, we were dancing around the candle-lit house without a care in the world. We were having ourselves a little party for no other reason other than that we could. How long had it been since I had played with my brother? How long had it been since I had made noodles and spent time with my stepmom? How long had it been since we had all just put everything aside and laughed together for once? I realized then that enjoying each other’s company doesn’t require electricity. In fact, at times, it’s much better without it.
Day Four of the best long-weekend of my life:
I awoke to a heated house, and was able to get out of bed without shivering to death. As I followed the smell of breakfast into the kitchen, I realized that the lights were on and that the refrigerator was humming back to life. Instead of dashing to the nearest outlet in order to charge my phone and finish my conversation with Jillian, however, I helped to set the table. Together, my family and I sat down to a nice breakfast—one we hadn’t had in a long time—and knew that the weekend without electricity had done us a lot of good. mho@apachepowwow.com
Stop and d Stare: St Silence that Speaks Volumes By JEANNE KUANG Staff Writer
On Sept. 17, the ongoing Occupy protests that began in New York City spread to the quiet California city of Davis. Over the next two months, the protest fused with the University of California (UC) Davis campus. Then, on Nov. 18, Occupy Davis finally garnered national attention when the UC Davis police pepper-sprayed a row of nonviolent students. But the most haunting of images in the ensuing media firestorm was not that of the seated students bowing their heads. It was not the policeman in full riot gear holding the pepper spray can in a seemingly nonchalant manner. It was the reaction video, the one filmed on the night of Nov. 19 as the UC Davis Chancellor Linda Katehi walked out of a meeting on the issue. Hundreds of student protesters were gathered outside her office. But what was extraordinary was that they didn’t riot, didn’t block her path. They didn’t
WALK OF SHAME As UC Davis Chancellor Linda Katehi departed on the night of Nov. 19, students formed corridors of deafening silence. TCID:
shout, didn’t wave signs, didn’t even speak or move. They simply stood together and watched Chancellor Katehi walk to her car. The result is chilling. Watch the video and you’ll sense the palpable uncomfortableness in the air, the feeling that Katehi is accountable for the hundreds of pairs of eyes fixated on her. That’s the power of silence in a world overrun with noise. We always hear stories of violent protests and victims screaming to demand justice. But how many riots truly get their messages across? Students demanding more opportunities and relief from crushing loans are drowning out their voices in pithy rhetoric and furious chants. Protests in Oakland were completely overshadowed by the violent clashes
with police. Occupy encampments in New York and Los Angeles were so crowded with anger and sign-waving and fist-shaking that people are still confused about what the occupiers want. But UC Davis proves that no one needs to raise a voice just to make an impact. That eerie vigil the students held? That is showing solidarity—not gathering to share anger or shout together, but uniting for a cause, and doing it in a way that makes people pay attention. Before the pepper-spraying incident, as students protested the “traditional” way, Katehi simply ordered the university police to remove them. But in those silent stares Katehi was forced to acknowledge the students, acknowledge her responsibility. With all the rage and screaming, people naturally tune out. To stand still and forgo all action, to surprise naysayers who are resignedly convinced of another clash, to do nothing but simply force someone to accept their presence is what “occupy” truly means. That is how to send a message. Silent protest—perhaps it’s an odd phrase to hear in the midst of all the occupying and chanting and arresting that’s been spreading like wildfire across the globe. But I commend the students of UC Davis, because of all the Occupy protests, the most unheard gathering was the one that speaks out the most. jkuang@apachepowwow.com Photos courtesy of WASHINGTONPOST.COM and BAGNEWSNOTES.COM
December 2011
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PERFORMING ARTS
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A Warm Welcome for Winter Break Hope for the Holidays: Charity Show By ALBERT HU Staff Writer
“Deck the halls with boughs of holly...” It’s that time of year again, when festive tunes flood the radio and holiday cheer starts to spread, so can you guess what that means? It’s time for the annual Holiday Assembly! With an all-star lineup including Chanteurs, Symphony Orchestra, Band 3, and Orchesis Dance Company (ODC), this year’s Holiday Assembly looks to continue the traditional send-off into the winter break with a great show. All the groups are looking to wow the audience with their renditions of holiday classics. As Orchestra Vice President senior Ivana Ro admitted, “It’s always a challenge bringing life to holiday songs; everyone’s heard them before! But I think it’s always fun to play your favorites” and to brighten up the classics we all know and love. Band member senior Bryan Mak agreed, and said that he “loves playing the songs [he] grew up listening to” and watching the crowd delight in the holiday tunes. Both Orchestra and Band have been hard
at work preparing their songs, spending hours and hours getting ready for the assembly. ODC has been feverishly preparing as well, getting ready to collaborate with Orchestra for a snowflake-themed ballet that is sure to wow the audience. The assembly will be hosted by the always interesting Advanced Drama Department. Though senior Gabriel Rousset wouldn’t give any specifics, he said to be “on the lookout for something new and fresh,” and hinted at the timeless Charlie Brown having a role in the assembly. All in all, the assembly looks to be great, and members of all groups agree that the Holiday Assembly is one of their favorites, both as members of the audience and performers. The only downside, as Ivana put it, was that due to the size of AHS, the assembly has to be done three times, which is always a tiring affair. But despite that small setback, the assembly is always fun for all those involved, and is also a great way to spread the holiday cheer. ahu@apachepowwow.com Graphics courtesy of PCLIPART.COM
match the theme of the music we are dancing to,” said Orchesis Vice President senior VeStaff Writer ronica Yu. It doesn’t matter if the songs are fast Kaba Modern Legacy, Rhetoracle Dance and bouncy like “Steam Heat”, or slow and sad Co., and the Laker like Adele’s “SomeGirls—all beheld one Like You”; the as professionals and dancers will be sure champions in the to dance their best. dancing world— “The best part is will soon be joined that half the proby our very own Orceeds go to Child chesis Dance ComHaven. It’s such an pany (ODC) and amazing feeling to Intermediate and dance for a cause,” Beginning Dance said Veronica. All on Dec. 21. But in all, it’s a winan amazing show win-win situadoesn’t come tion. You get to naturally. PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT Orchesis watch an amaz“Rehears- practices diligently for the upcoming Charity Show. ing show, abuse als have been victims get a intense; but all our sweat and hard work is chance at healing, and the dancers get to show worth it to ensure a perfect show,” said Orchesis their moves, all for only ten dollars a pop! member senior Ivy Liu. Costumes only add to the impact of the show. “This year’s costumes ewang@apachepowwow.com Photo by TOMMY LIAO are beautiful! Each costume is unique, and all
By EMILIE WANG
All Performing Artists Want for Christmas is... By VANESSA YU Staff Writer
“All I want for Christmas is you…baby!” Christmas is arriving, leaving not only Santa and his elves busy, but also our own Performing Arts (PA) groups, who are working hard to set up a Holiday Assembly that will make even the Grinch smile! But PA members have their own special Christmas lists, with some “all I want for Christmas” wishes listed below that they can’t wait to tell Santa!
By AMANDA HUYNH
“This Christmas, the top three things I want [are] to get good grades, be able to maintain great relationships with my friends and family, and most of all, not get tons of homework during break so that I can eat, sleep, and party all day long!” -Katrina Villacisneros, 10, Orchestra 2
Staff Writer
“My Christmas wish would be to spend my last year in Band making great memories. I hope my winter break will be well spent with my fellow band-mates at Disneyland and the Rose Parade. I hope we all survive our five-mile march!” -Karen Choi, 12, Band 3, Flutes Section Leader “One of my Christmas wishes is to have an awesome winter break of sleeping in, eating, and spending time with my family and friends! My second wish would be to have an amazing dance performance for the winter pep assembly and competition. I want to have fun with my song team!” -Karissa Nemis, 10, Pep Squad, Song
“I hope that New Spirit has an amazing performance at the holiday concert and that by the second week of January, we’ll be editing our show instead of learning all the choreography and music. My Christmas wish is that my entire family will be over at my house to celebrate the holidays!” -Janise Qin, 12, New Spirit
“Chanteurs is an exceptionally talented group this year. With competition season coming up, my Christmas wish is that we grow, not only closer together, but also in commitment and ability. I really want to hoist first-place trophies for all our competitions this season!” -Shawn Halim, 12, Chanteurs “My Christmas wish is to just have fun celebrating the holidays this year and to give meaningful gifts to my friends. For Colorguard, I hope that we will represent the name of Arcadia when we go to Bandfest, Disneyland, and the Rose Parade.” -Holly Yamagata, 11, Colorguard
A Performer’s Winter Break
“My Christmas wish for Orchesis this year is to have every member remember all their routines, cleaning, and [techniques] when we come back from break, so that we can kick butt when it comes time for our annual Orchesis Spring Show, [which] everyone should come out and watch! My personal Christmas wish is to see snow lightly fall from the clear sky, because there’s just something so magical about it that always brings me comfort. But if all else fails, give me a cup of hot cocoa and a warm blanket and stick me in front of a TV with all my best shows, knowing there is no school, no work...yup, that will do.” -Claire Lin, 12, Orchesis Dance Company vanyu@apachepowwow.com Graphics courtesy of CLIPARTPAL,COM, PAMSCLIPART.COM, and CLIPART.COM AO Photos by VIVIAN CHAN, LEO JIANG, and TOMMY LIAO
With the holidays coming up, there is no doubt that many of us will be busy even during break. Some of us will be going out of town, others will be enjoying time at home with their families. Here are some of the things that PA members will be doing during break! “Over the break I’ll be staying at home watching Disney movies. I’ll also do some last minute Christmas shopping, hang out with my friends, and sleep.” -Jasmine Ma, 10, Orchestra 2 "I will be spending time with [my] family, but I will also be studying [and] analyzing scripts, memorizing lines, practicing singing techniques, and learning a proper southern Oklahoma accent. Also, I’ll probably [work] out, sleep, [hang] out with friends, and occasionally [play] video games." -Gabriel Rousset, 12, Advanced Drama, Vice President “The first week of winter break, I’m going to Lake Tahoe to spend time with my family and go snowboarding. The second week, I’m going to work full time again at an accounting firm to get some cash because I’m broke!” -Samantha De Castro, 12, Orchesis Dance Company “I plan to spend Christmas break [studying] for [the] SATs in January and with my family. There’s going to be rehearsals for [the] Rose Parade and I’m super excited! I hope we make Arcadia proud. Last but not least, I’ll be spending New Year’s Eve at Disneyland with all my friends!” -Joyce Li, 11, Band 2 ahuynh@apachepowwow.com Graphics courtesy of CHRISTMASGIFTS.COM
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FEATURES
9 Presenting: The Worst Christmas Gifts By JEANNE KUANG Staff Writer
Not sure what to give your friends this holiday season? Don’t worry—whatever you get can’t be as bad as these gifts, which are possibly a few of the most bizarre and unfriendly things ever given. The Trojan Horse It’s a classic tale—the Greeks and the Trojans are at war over a beautiful woman. Both sides fight bravely, and after ten grueling years, Odysseus of The Odyssey comes up with an idea... a Trojan priest guesses his plot and tries to warn his people with the legendary line “Beware of Greeks bearing gifts.” But of course, the Trojans do not believe him. So when the Greeks seemingly abandon the war and leave behind a gigantic wooden horse as a gift, the Trojans wheel the horse inside their city walls. Overnight, Greek soldiers hidden in the horse sneak out and defeat Troy, effectively winning the war. The Second-Best Bed Of all of playwright William Shakespeare’s writings, his will is given remarkable
Cocoa Loco! By EMILIE WANG
scrutiny. In it, Shakespeare certainly isn’t giving gifts, but he bequeathed to his wife Anne Hathaway only his “second-best bed”. Many speculate that circumstances such as English law or Shakespeare’s concern for his children may have factored into this odd decision, as Hathaway would only have been entitled to a small portion of his belongings. Another theory states that the second-best bed in the h house would be the couple’s bed, with the best one being reserved for guests. But most of all, amused observers wonder whether Shakespeare’s specifi fica fi ca caa tion of “second-best” is any indication of his various rumored infidelities. Pandora’s Box It seems that the Greeks were bearing gifts from the very beginning. Mythology has it that Pandora (meaning “all-gifted”) was the first woman, created by the gods who each made a contribution to her. Then she was given a box and told not to open it and the gods took Pandora and gave her to mankind. As all plot twists go, Pandora opened the box, revealing the contents to be all the evils of the world, which were released and set free to torture mankind for acquiring
fire. The dismal cloud’s silver lining came in the form of Hope, the only other thing left in the box—but in any case, Pandora and her box were a gifts of near-fatal proportions. Human Sacrifices Just one example of many human sacrifices in cultures around the globe, Aztec sacrifices are some of history’s most infamously brutal gifts to the gods. With festivities and celebrations surrounding each sacrifice, the Aztecs paid tribute on top of their temple pyramids. A priest would take a flint knife and make cuts in the abdomen of the chosen sacrificial subject, whose beating heart would be ripped out and the body thrown away. Whether the gods found this an appealing gift is anyone’s guess, but then again, it’s the thought that counts, right? As the saying goes, “don’t look a gift horse in the mouth”, but in these cases, it might be better if you don’t approach the horse in the first place... jkuang@apachepowwow.com Graphics courtesy of 01SJ.ORG, BLOSPOT.COM, and JACOBANDLEVIS.COM
Christmas Movie Classics By SARAH QUON
Staff Writer
Staff Writer
Chilly mornings are solely made for mugs of steaming hot chocolate. Those of us who like to sleep as much as possible don’t have the time or ability to make hot chocolate from scratch. Therefore, we resort to the next best thing—instant hot chocolate packets. But there’s no shame in going instant, especially if you jazz it up with the additions below. Caramel or Peanut Butter: A tablespoon of caramel sauce or even peanut butter can do wonders for hot chocolate. Spoon in your favorite brand and give it a good stir right before you take your first sip. Dark or White Chocolate Shavings: Dig that Hershey’s bar out of your bag and grab a grater. Or, if you’re in a rush, snap some pieces off the bar and plop them in. Sprinkling a few shreds of the real deal into your drink—or on the whipped cream on top of it—makes it even more heavenly. Habanero Pepper or a Shot of Hot Sauce: Got a hankering for something hot and spicy? A dash of your favorite hot sauce kicks a hot chocolate into high gear. You can even drop in two slices of a fresh Habanero pepper into your cocoa and stir the flavor in. Cherries: Nearly everyone has that jar of Maraschino cherries sitting in their fridge, so drop two or three teaspoons of the juice into your drink, along with a cherry. Voilà! Now, buy a thermos and fill it up with your favorite recipe, or proudly serve it to your family and friends to drink around the Christmas tree.
Our generation’s idea of celebrating Christmas is watching “classic” holiday movies. However, when we think of “classics,” many of us turn to movies such as Elf or The Santa Clause. While they may be comedic, these fairly recent movies should not be counted as “true” Christmas classics. This Christmas, celebrate by watching original classics like Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, A Charlie Brown Christmas, and White Christmas! Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer: This movie combines the classic story of our beloved reindeer hero with a unique type of animation called claymation. It is a type of stop-animation in which a clay figure is recorded in a position and then slightly moved to be recorded again. The process repeats several times and when played back, the result is an animation. A Charlie Brown Christmas: If claymation is too old-school for you, then watch the cartoon classic, A Charlie Brown Christmas. In this story, Charlie Brown becomes annoyed with all of the overcommercialization of Christmas. He sees the Peanuts gang participating in the commercialization and does not understand why they are caught up in it. Charlie Brown confronts Lucy at her psychiatrist booth where she convinces Charlie Brown to become the director of their Christmas school play. Despite how hard he tries, Charlie Brown cannot get his cast to cooperate. He then comes up with the idea to buy a tree to get everyone in the mood for the play. After he and Linus buy a tree, they bring it down to the school auditorium where Charlie Brown
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is laughed at and ridiculed for his choice in trees. Confused and disappointed, he starts to wonder what Christmas actually means and attempts to decorate the tree. When he puts an ornament on it, the tree falls over, and Charlie Brown gives up because he thinks he has ruined everything. The Peanuts gang realize that it has been hard on Charlie Brown, so the members find his tree, brighten it up, and surprise Charlie Brown with it. All of the Peanuts gang then wish Charlie Brown a “Merry Christmas” and everyone sings “Hark! The Herald Angels Sings.” White Christmas: In case cartoons are not your cup of eggnog this Christmas, then watch White Christmas. The movie takes place after World War II, when two soldiers, Bob Wallace and Phil Davis, come back from the war and become successful entertainers. A couple years later, the two men decide to stay at an inn which they find out is owned by their Major General Tom Waverly. While staying there, Bob Wallace and Phil Davis discover that their general is having financial trouble in keeping the inn and that he tried rejoining the army, but was rejected. Bob Wallace and Phil Davis both decide to prove to their general that he has not been forgotten by putting on a memorable show. squon@apachepowwow.com Graphics courtesy of BLOSPOT.COM and TQUPICTURES.COM
December 2011
An Ode to Mistletoe
By VICTORIA NAKAGANEKU Staff Writer
‘Twas the time around Christmas, and up by the door Hung a sprig of green leaves with red berries galore. Though a parasitic plant that sucks life from trees, This little twig is for kissing, known more commonly. But what does it mean and what’s with the tradition? To find out the answer, just turn to a dictionAry and you’ll see that it’s from an old time span. It comes from Old English, this “misteltan”. When you translate this word from Anglo-Saxon, It becomes ‘dung’ for “mistel” and ‘twig’ for “tan”. How did mistletoe gets its name you might wonder? It comes from the way small seeds are transferred. From the feces of birds, the mistletoe spreads, Helping with biodiversity, or so it is said. But in mythical terms, mistletoe was seen as a threat, Killing Baldar and making his mother, Frigga, upset. It started with a dream that Baldar had seen, Where he would be killed by something unforeseen. Thus, Frigga appealed to all living creatures, To not harm her son with any of their features. Appealing to all that is, except for mistletoe, Who Frigga had believed too harmless for woe. But the evil god Loki found out this one flaw, And a poisonous arrow he created to draw, At the hand of Baldar’s brother to shoot and to kill Baldar, who died, the dream’s contents fulfilled. Poor Frigga cried, her tears turned the berries red. But the tears brought Baldar back from the dead! From then on and therefore, mistletoe became a sign, Of love over death and of Frigga’s kiss divine! For any who walked beneath its green leaves, Will be blessed by the goddess and goodwill receive. In addition to this Scandinavian tale, Is another tradition done by European males, Of the Victorian era that is, 19th century, When mistletoe was used as a superstitious belief. During Christmas, no unmarried girl could say no, When the mistletoe was hung and the lad stood below After the kiss, then a berry would be taken, When none left, all un-kissed would be forsaken, That is, for marriage that year, not for all eternity, At least until it was put up again next Christmas Eve. Typically a symbol of promise or admiration, The kissing tradition, today, is still a sensation. When a boy and girl meet under the mistletoe, A kiss must be exchanged; that’s how tradition goes. But if it’s too awkward or you don’t want it to occur, Then just step and away—don’t give in to pressure. A pat on the back, a hug, a handshake, Are just a few alternative mistletoe remakes. After all, mistletoe is just “dung-on-a-stick”, That is hung up during the visit of Ol’ Saint Nick. vnakaganeku@apachepowwow.com Graphic courtesy of BLOSPOT.COM
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SPORTS
sports@apachepowwow.com
December 2011
Indefatigable By KARINA LAIGO Staff Writer
By SPORTS STAFF Staff Writers
On the 12th day of sports my teammates gave to me: a page full of AHS’ athletic memories! Throughout the years, our fellow Apaches have brought home dozens of awards and championships that have given other schools a run for their money. Whether they’re tackling, spiking, passing, or swimming, all of the AHS sports teams show their fellow peers what it truly means to chant, “GO BIG RED!” Let us take a glimpse at what our sports teams have accomplished.
Years A-Swinging
In true Apache fashion, many of our athletes have been practicing their respective sports since their toddler days. One such person is senior Gwen Vahey. “I’ve been destroying the golf course for ten years,” the Girls Varsity Golf member laughed. “I used to go to the Santa Anita course with my dad when I was little, and now I go with my team.”
Players Swimming
Thought that Quidditch was the only sport with seven players? Think again! Our own Boys and Girls Water Polo teams play in sets of seven, with the following positions: left and right wings, left and right drivers, one set, one point, and a goalie. They have already finished off their season and are looking forward to another year of chasing that yellow ball around.
th of November
On Nov. 4, the Boys Varsity Football team achieved an Apache win by crushing Pasadena’s hopes for a victory with a score of 48-21. The team continued to demonstrate its superb skills out on the field this season, ending the year as league co-champions with Burroughs High School and with an impressive record of nine wins and only three losses.
Assisted Tackles
The number of assisted tackles Varsity football player senior Clarence Irvin made in the 2011-2012 season. An assisted tackle is made by the defensive team where a player, the assistant, tackles the opponent into another player’s arms. Clarence is our ASB President, so tackling another football player is nothing in comparison to planning the Winter Assembly!
Year Finals Streak
For the past nine years, Boys Varsity Cross Country team has made it to CIF Finals, which in itself is an incredible achievement reached only by hard work and perserverance. But what makes this even more remarkable is that the team has even been to the Nike Cross National Championships for the past three years.
Week Training Camp
The amount of weeks all boys in football have to survive summer training camp. It’s like “hell week”, only five weeks longer, filled with running, drills, and endless tackling under the scorching summer sun! The potential AHS running backs, tight ends, and quarterbacks take on practice after practice without any fail Why? Because they’re 100% pure grade Apaches!
Arcadia Sets
On Nov. 1, our AHS Girls Varsity Volleyball team finished off the season against Crescenta Valley with a score of 3-1. And finishing the season with 12 wins and only 2 losses, as well as defeating their competitors in their last game, only further supports the fact that our Girls Varsity Volleyball team is a powerful force amongst other high school teams.
th of November
On Nov. 11, our fellow Apaches pulled together another win for the AHS Varsity Football team. Against the fearsome Crescenta Valley players, AHS brutally defeated them with a score of 31-7. And being welcomed home like the mighty Apaches we all know and love, has given our AHS Varsity Football team another win that has brought it to the top.
th Place at Finals
This year, the Girls Varsity Cross Country team placed 8th at CIF Finals. After months of training and intense running, the girls not only achieved this remarkable accomplishment, but have also gained close ties of friendship through this experience that will last throughout high school and perhaps even after.
Points to Victory
On Sept. 29, in a Pacific League match against Glendale, the Girls Varsity Volleyball team won by maintaining a lead of five. Following several volleys with tied scoring, AHS called time-out.After, the team made a superb comeback with a five-point lead that Glendale could not overcome. The Lady Apaches then dominated, making this game AHS’ third win of its league season.
nd in Division
This year, our Boys Varsity Football team is 2nd place in its division, the Southern Section Division Southeast (VII). Only behind West Covina, they have an incredible rating of 29.8 and a record of 9-3. Next year, the boys will certainly beat West Covina to smithereens and bring AHS an even greater victory.
Coin Toss Decision
One coin toss which decided the fate of Boys Varsity Water Polo and whether it would attend CIF Championships as there was a three-way tie between Pasadena High School, Burbank High School and AHS. Unfortunately, chance was not on its side as it lost the coin toss, resulting in the end of a season filled with achievements and hard work.
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There’s nothing like running across the winner’s tape first, right? The Boys Varsity Cross Country team has felt that frequently this year. Despite the loss of last year’s seniors to graduation, these boys were still able to hold their own, showing no sign of slowing down. Taking control at Nationals, our boys placed 4th in the nation! Understanding how momentous this accomplishment is, senior Charlie Shen stated that he “was extremely proud to be wearing that Arcadian uniform on [his] chest.” Charlie placed 140th as an individual, even though he personally wanted to place higher. The fuel to make these boys run faster is the honor they bring to AHS, and bring they do! While coming in 4th wasn’t the goal the team had hoped to achieve, taking 4th place, for senior Ryan Vargas, was “a great finish for [the team] because [it] lost so many experienced runners like Ammar [Moussa], Allen [Leung], and Eric” Garibay of last year. Ryan and the other seniors experienced what their predecessors had before them: the underclassmen looking for guidance. “It was an unreal situation…I was looking up to the seniors for advice. This year it was them looking up to me for advice.” And while it was a new experience for Ryan, he took it head on, even though he “tried to remain calm but in reality...[he] was just as nervous as them.” The whole team looks up to its oldest runners for assistance, tips, and help as experience is the greatest teacher. Working to an impressive finish at the most prestigious nationwide meet doesn’t have a strict regiment, the boys just run. “It is actually an accumulation of the hundreds of miles during the summer,” Charlie explained. You really can’t dictate a schedule for pure hard work and dedication. But there was just a little added kick to the formula to successful cross country running, “the only thing is [that it] went out a little harder in repeats to kind of simulate the start of the race.” A repeat is just a constant redo of the miles one just ran, except pushing oneself a bit harder to get a faster time. Humbly, Charlie admitted that “the competition was fierce,” with flailing limbs and soft-spoken curses, yet our boys prevailed. “The pace of the race was extremely fast but as a runner you really enjoy the adrenaline rush,” said Ryan, who reveled in the heat of the race. Not only did AHS get 4th at Nationals, but the team was able to get some revenge on schools that had beaten it at State like “Trabuco Hills High School (THHS), because of a very poor performance on my end,” Ryan said. He continued, “so redeeming myself and having three guys from our team finish before [THHS] even got one [to finish] and completely destroying them at Nationals was a bit of redemption.” klaigo@apachepowwow.com Photo by VIVIAN CHAN
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ACADEMICS
By VIVIAN CHAN
academics@apachepowwow.com
December 2011
Winter Break To-Do List Staff Writer
Smell that? It’s the aroma of peppermint mocha and pumpkin spice lattes in red Starbucks holiday cups—or, in other words, ChristSophomores mas! Winter break is right around the corner, Now that you’re not at the botand what’s better than the golden opportunity Seniors tom of the food chain, you’re viewed as for us to take advantage to kick back, relax, It’s the last and final stretch! It’s not Jan. 1 a more responsible person. This means moree and…work? So before you go off screaming work, more responsibilities, and yes, even yet, but this is the grace period to perfect your en “blasphemy!” take a few minutes to read the more fun. Don’t forget the winter break homecollege applications right before they’re due. meremainder of this article to find out how you work though! For all you AP Bio-ers out there, I’m M Make sure to double check those forms and apJuniors should effectively maximize your productivity sure that you’d appreciate your break more if you pplications before you click that “submit” button. Finally! A two week vacation for over the next two weeks. A Additionally, now is a good time to start on your st. got all of your homework out of the way first. all your hard work. Unfortunately, with financial aid applications. Don’t wait until a couple nd Now this doesn’t mean that you can’t spend Freshmen all those AP classes comes an unfortunate ddays before those forms are due to fill them out! your winter break relaxing; it just means You’re a couple months into the workload. You may moan and groan about And if you missed your chance to visit colleges in that you’d have to spend at least a small school year and you should probably be your upcoming chemistry quiz the day you the summer, winter break is actually a great time portion of your break reviewing or used to the workload by now. Either way, come back or that reading assignment that you to get those visits in. Make sure to visit that reading that assigned book. make sure to keep up with your study habits as have for AP English, but deep down, you know dream school before deciding, because after they can quickly deteriorate, if given the chance. that the only thing you can do is to start early. Neiall, you’re going to be there for the next Those two weeks? An excellent time to make ther you nor your parents would appreciate it if four years of your life. sure that you’re on top of your game. Don’t start you were reading The Adventures of Huckleprocrastinating now, because this habit will beberry Finn or memorizing trends on the pevchan@apachepowwow.com come your archenemy for the next three years. riodic table on Christmas Eve, so hurry Photos courtesy of DAILYCLIPART.NET, Go ahead, go out and have a bit of fun, but up and get it over with. CHRISTMASWOW.COM, CRESTOCK. just remember to periodically do your COM, MASSDECORATION.COM and work throughout. DESIGNERORNAMENTS.COM
S&D at Fall Novice and Fall Varsity By ARIANA ARZANI Executive Copy Editor
getting help from the officers and event captains,” all of which greatly aided her success. As with all tournaments, speakers learned how to better prepare themselves and improve their speeches by watching other performers. Another award winner at Fall Novice was freshman Stacey Irawan, who received a Ribbon of Excellence for her Original Advocacy (OA) (a speech on a problem in society that can be solved by legislative action) on the lack of
Armed with their freshly pressed suits, passion-filled hearts, and emergency bag of cough drops tucked into their back pockets, AHS’ Speech and Debate (S&D) team performed at Fall Novice and Fall Varsity competitions on Nov. 19 and Dec. 10, respectively. Fall Novice took place at Gabrielino High School, while Fall Varsity was held at Arroyo High School. While every student performed his or her best Individual Events (IE), some rose above the rest and were awarded with trophies. The team was, as always, backed up by its dedicated coach, Ms. Ashley Novak, numerous officers, and countless hours of diligent practice. As with most competitions, however, some events called SPEECH AND DEBATE Whether they won or lost, all S&D for more prepara- enjoyed every step of the way. tion than others. At Fall Novice, while some took home the healthy food in impoverished regions. Stacey gold, everyone enjoyed themselves as they re- “was very excited by the award” and she was leased the anxiety built up from weeks of prepa- glad “to see [her] hard work pay off after countration. Freshman Sukanya Mukherjee, who was less hours of preparation.” awarded with the Most Valuable Player award, Sophomore Cheryl Chan, who also won spent months preparing and perfecting her for her OO on the topic of privacy, is not bespeech, an Original Oratory (OO) (a speech on ing fooled by the award, saying that “this win a problem in society not solvable by legislative will definitely make [her] work harder for Fall action) on children growing up too fast. “As a Varsity and [she] will continuously trying to imnovice with no previous experience, [Sukanya] prove [her] speech.” prepared by going to the workshops daily and Although Fall Novice is a strong tour-
nament with countless stars, Fall Varsity has much more tension and pressure as Varsity members rely solely on their performances to bring them to the top, as they did in numerous instances. Notably were the Original Interpretation speeches (published speeches delivered by the performers) given by seniors Wendy Huang, Amy Wen, and Amy Wang, who finished in 2rd, 3rd, and 4th place, respectively. Other winners include senior Amit Akula who placed 4th in National Extemporaneous (NX) (an impromptu speech delivered on issues concerning the U.S.), junior Evan Delgado who finished 7th in Foreign Extemporaneous (which is similar to NX, but concerns international issues), and senior Jason Ouyang who placed 4th in Original Prose and Poetry (a speech written by the performer). Junior Mary Guyer and sophomore Albert Gianatan placed 3rd and 4th respectively on their OA speeches. Mary’s speech regarded taxes in the U.S. while Albert’s speech was on the topic of world hunger. Both of these performers worked hard perfecting their speeches and were glad to see their diligent efforts pay off. Cheer and disappointment lingered in the hearts of many as members they returned home after both Fall Novice and Fall Varsity, but all who attended relished the remarkable team spirit that throbs through the entire S&D. 1st place winner for OO at Fall Novice and 2nd place winner at Fall Varsity, sophomore Neven Wang-Tomic remarked that “no matter how you performed, it’s comforting to know there is always someone who will give you a bear hug, win or lose.” aarzani@apachepowwow.com Photos courtesy of YUFEI WANG Graphic courtesy of 1SWEBDESIGNER.COM
By BELLE ZHENG Staff Writer
The holiday season’s almost here but you still don’t have a gift for your favorite nerdy friend! There is a wide variety of nerds and there is no one gift that can make them all happy. The “Mathlete” Your friend is a true lover of math. He or she is always checking their work twice to see what’s wrong and right. There are a wide variety of gifts to give including stylized calculators, decorated rulers, and even a T-shirt or a mug with his or her favorite formula printed on it. These things take a bit of time to find in stores so it is a better idea to browse multiple websites to find them. Some of them do not exist, so you may need to get one custom made. Star Warriors & Trekkies Do your friends always obsess about the force? Or do they constantly greet you with “live long and prosper”? If so, they may be a Star Wars or a Star Trek fan. Of course, there is already a wide variety of T-shirts featuring them that you can order online, but you want to get them a gift that is both cool and functional. A perfect gift to give is a cell phone or laptop skin! Not only do they protect their precious devices from the forces of evil, but are also good ways for them to show off their love of Spock. Bookworms Your best pals always have their eyes glued to a book, so it’s no wonder that English is their favorite subject! They may love books so much that they probably own an electronic reader, such as a Kindle or a NOOK. It’s time for you to remind them of the wonders of a book with paper pages and there’s no better time than now! A new book would be fantastic, but nothing complements a good book more than a bookmark. Instead of buying a bookmark, make one that comes from the heart! This will show how much you care about their love of books. bzheng@apachepowwow.com Photo courtesy of FEATUREPICS.COM
December 2011
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STUDENT LIFE
studentlife@apachepowwow.com
December 2011
Presents to Remember: Unique Gift-Giving 101
By HELEN LEE
Staff Writer
The days have shortened and the weather has become chillier. That can mean only one thing: Christmas is near! During this season, a tough question comes into mind for most AHS students: “What should I give for Christmas this year?” The usual teddy bear or box of candies is boring for both the giver and the receiver, and it is awkward to watch the person fake a smile, saying, “Thank you; this is what I always wanted.” So this year, many students are planning to get their siblings, friends, and teachers something a little more meaningful and a little more unusual.
Even though it is easy to finnd presents for friends, it is not easy deciding what gift iis best for family members. But for senior Timothy Ch Chang, he made plans to buy his parents a “fork pen” ffor their busy working schedule. “It will be convenient to get them a tool that has a pen on one side and a for fork on the other side so that they will be able to work and eat at the same time,” said Timothy. On the other hand, freshman Rachel Chiu wishes to buy her cousin a ninja turtle backpack. “My little cousin thinks that he is a superhero or a ninja turtle, so if he wears the ninja turtle backpack, he will feel as if he actually is a ninja,” said Rachel. Whether it is a fork pen for hardworking parents or a ninja turtle backpack for a little cousin full of imagination, these two students found just the presents to fit their family members’ personalities.
For those special friends that need a little more than a stuffed animal, some students are picking out gifts just to fit their tastes. And then there are others who take the idea of “taste” literally, such as freshman Joy Basinger, who plans on getting presents that will entice her friends’ taste buds. This year, Joy is planning to get her friend a figure or toy in the shape of bacon. She explained that her “friend loves to eat bacon, so there can be nothing better than to hug bacon before going to sleep.” Freshman Matthew Ho remembers buying his friend, who rarely brings a water bottle, dehydrated water capsules. “It is this really cool product that rehydrates water with a little bit of saliva or just regular water,” explained Matthew. Friends are the ones who do not care how weird you may be, so this Christmas, get yyour friend something g unique q to fit their character. During this time of year, students not only get busy trying to decide what to get their friends and family but also for their te teachers. For the teachers that cannot seem to find their pencil, tape, or sticky notes, sophomore Tiffany Kao recommends “The Butt Station Station” which is a blue figure sitting on the toilet holding a roll of tap. “Some of my teachers really need this because this holds every desk supply that he or she needs,” said Tiffany. Freshman Anna Chung recalls “getting [her] third grade teacher a huge cork as a gift.” Shee went on to describe that her teacher used to say, “Shut your cork,” when she wanted anted the class to quiet down, so to make her present meaningful, Anna bought her a cork for her Christmas present. It is may sound a little strange to give a cork to a teacher for Christmas, but after all, it is the thought that counts.
Sometimes, the best presents are the meaningful little things in life. Even though it may sound a bit strange to give someone a fork pen for Christmas, it is the thought that makes the holidays even better. hlee@apachepowwow.com Graphics courtesy of PREK-8.COM, FLICKR.COM, DREAMSTIME.COM, VILLAGELIFE.COM, AND IPHOTOS.COM
Diversity Week 2011 Recap By COURTNEY HANG Staff Writer
Every year, AHS celebrates Diversity Week, a week in December dedicated to educating students about the diverse population not only at AHS, but also around the world. This year, Diversity Week was the week of Dec. 5 to 9, with a wide variety of activities and performances planned. Diversity Week featured afterschool seminars every day excluding Friday, informing students of cultures and traditions around the globe, as well as lunchtime performances by talented groups around campus. On Nov. 9, the House of Representatives narrowed down the number of Diversity Week shirt designs, and the next day, the Diversity Week Committee chose the winning design, designed by senior Grace Kim. This year’s graphic was inspired by Grace’s “classmates, who have different cultural backgrounds. [Grace] liked the idea of sharing each other’s culture,” and decided to do so on a t-shirt. When Grace saw her friends wearing the shirt and saw it posted on the wall, she felt that “it was pretty amazing,” and she looks forward to seeing people wearing it throughout the year.
The lunch events this year included Pep Band on Monday, Senior Council’s Balloon Stomp activity on Tuesday, Korean Culture Club on Wednesday, Black Student Union on Thursday, and Cultural Percussion club on Friday. Some of the seminars planned for this year’s Diversity Week included Deaf Culture, Peer Pressure and Smoking, Feminist Theory, Interracial Dating, and many more interesting and educational topics. Wednesday also featured the World Fair, a convention held in the Cafeteria offering information on the many cultural groups at AHS. World Fair hosted booths from clubs like Black Student Union, Japanese Pop Revolution, Indian Club, and Taiwanese Club, allowing students to learn more about each culture’s traditions and lifestyles. Though it flew by, this year’s Diversity Week was a huge hit! Hopefully, you attended some seminars, watched some fantastic lunch performances, and had fun while learning to embrace the uniqueness of every individual so that we can stand together as one. Photos by ELLIOTT LEE and courtesy of ORENDA DUONG Graphic courtesy of ORENDA DUONG
Classic Heartwarming Movies By STANLEY SHAW Staff Writer
With winter break rapidly approaching, some students take a stroll down memory lane every year by popping a timeless classic into their DVD player or, in some cases, a VCR. Below are just a few flicks that students watch over the holidays. It’s a Wonderful Life revolves around a troubled Samaritan named George who does his best to help others enjoy their life at the expense of his own. Freshman Demi Cao remarked that “It’s a Wonderful Life is a movie that I feel emotionally attached to because it was a movie I always used to watch with my mother and father since I was a little girl. We made it a tradition to watch it every year [and] it never [fails] to bring the family together under a cozy blanket with a cup of hot cocoa!”
In Home Alone, a young boy named Kevin is left at home during the holidays and fends off robbers from invading his house. Freshman Kaiwen Zhou commented, “I love the movie Home Alone for the clever antics of the main character as he wards burglars away from his house and never ceases to make me laugh. It’s one of my favorite movies, and I watch it every Christmas season.”
Titanic is a tale of two lovers who become intertwined with one another while they are on RMS Titanic’s maiden voyage. Sophomore Brian Wang watches Titanic every year with his family, not just because the film is one of the best classics, but because it “unites [them] together and suppresses all the distractions from [their] daily lives.” With the beginning of the new year on the horizon, it’s time for students to reward their diligence. And what better way to spend it than to watch classical films?
DIVERSITY ON CAMPUS (left to right) Junior Leena Im performs as a part of Korean Club, Harold Keimei speaks, and AHS students get into the spirit.
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December 2011
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The Tale of the Last Morsel
All I Want For Christmas is My Two Front Teeth
By: Niki Chi
By: Rena Chen
The Reel Deel: Christmas Films
The Perfect Holiday Restaurant as well. It had a light, tangy taste, while still maintaining a certain thickness. It was love at first bite when I started on the Moffet’s Family Restaurant and Chicken mashed poptatoes. They had a perfectly nice, Pot Pie Shoppe is a soft, and creamy quaint restautex texture. They rant located w were seaat the corner so soned well, of a plaza, too too, with a dash of salt. s at 1409 S. The last Baldwin Ave. bite of my meal, the ssteamed vegin Arcadia. When I etable etables (something I am usually walked in, I nofet’s hesita ticed that Moffet’s hesitant to eat), was surprisingly seemed to have delicio been around for delicious. I actuquite a while. The ally eenjoyed my ctly peas and carrots decor is strictly for the first time. old-school; it aphing Moffet’s pears as if nothing or a serves traditional has changed for long time. comfo comfort food at ered its fine I ordered nest and does not the Chicken Pot disappoint. late, All in all, Moffet’s Pie Dinner Plate, me deserv which came deserves a 9/10. I with tomato woul would definitely com b i s q u e come back aga soup, a again and purer cha warm dinner chase a few of roll, and a side of their frozen pies PIES! If you are looking for a good old-fashioned mashed potatoes and pie shop, Moffet’s Family Restaurant and Chicken to take home. Mayvegetables. It was a Pot Pie Shoppe is just the place for you! be I’ll take Moffet’s huge helping of food up on that offer for that cost around $10. a dozen chicken pot When I dug into my pie, I got a mouth- pies—my belly will thank me. Until next time! ful of steamy deliciousness. It had an abun- And who am I? That’s a secret I’ll never tell. dance of meat and gravy, and it was a creamy, yummy kind of heaven. I’m glad they didn’t XOXO, skimp on either meat or gravy. The crust was Glutton Girl both crunchy and flaky, a perfect combination. It brought back fuzzy feelings of nostalgia and gluttongirl@apachepowwow.com Graphic courtesy of YELP.COM warmth. The tomato bisque soup was amazing
By GLUTTON GIRL
Staff Writer
hausted from laughing so hard.
By JOSH BAY Staff Writer
Christmas is a wonderful time of year to revisit some popular movies from the past and discover some new gems. Although there are many must-see movies around the Christmas season, here are my favorites. A Christmas Story: 5/5 Genre: Comedy, Family A Christmas Story revolves around Ralphie, an young boy growing up in the ‘40s who dreams of receiving a Red Rider BB gun for Christmas. However, Ralphie’s dream is cut short due to opposition from his parents, his teacher, and even good ol’ Santa Claus himself. Both warmly nostalgic and darkly humorous, A Christmas Story deserves its status as a holiday classic. If there is any problem with A Christmas Story, it’s that you may get ex-
It’s a Wonderful Life: 4.5/5 Genre: Drama, Family, Fantasy In the box office hit It’s a Wonderful Life, a kind, down-to-earth man named George Bailey spends his entire life giving up his big dreams for the good of his town, Bedford Falls. On Christmas Eve, he is broken and suicidal over the misplacement of an $8,000 loan and the machinations of the evil millionaire, Mr. Potter. As the movie continues, his guardian angel, Clarence, literally falls to Earth and shows him how his town, family, and friends would have turned out if he had never been born. It’s a Wonderful Life is a beautiful film, and is one of the few that you can watch again and again while still being touched by the heartwarming message. jbay@apachepowwow.com
Can You Spot the 8 Differences?
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