October 2015

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Venus: The Final Frontier?

By ANDREW WANG

Staff Writer

With the discovery of water on Mars, it only seems to be a matter of time before the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) moves on to other planets. Within the next decade, NASA has decided to launch missions to Venus and several other asteroids.

Out of 27 proposals submitted, two of the proposals to Venus and three of the proposals to travel to asteroids were selected. Although these types of Discovery-class missions are selected every year, these have been the only ones chosen since 2010. Since these missions will take huge amounts of time and be costly, NASA may decide to launch two missions instead of one. All of the finalist missions are robotic.

Of the two proposals involving Venus, which has not been visited by a U.S. spacecraft in more than 20 years, the first plan wants to use a radar orbiter to map the surface of the heavily clouded planet. The mis-

sion titled VERITAS, would create high quality maps of Venus which would be far better than the ones astronomers have now.

The other proposal suggests dropping a probe through Venus’ atmosphere while taking measurements on its descent.

The three proposed asteroid missions have very different targets and goals. One suggests targeting an asteroid called Psyche, a metal asteroid. Another proposes a visit to four asteroids that orbit near Jupiter. Little is known about these asteroids, which could be much further distance in the solar system than expected. The last proposal suggests making a special infrared telescope that would detect nearby asteroid threats to Earth, helping NASA identify and prepare against asteroids.

Whichever option NASA chooses will definitely be beneficial to astronomy and would certainly lead us closer to manned missions to other planets. The time for space exploration is now for awe-inspiring breakthroughs. awang@apachepowwow.com Photo by GOSPELHERALD.COM

October 2015

Auto Know This Scandal

By KIMBERLY LO Staff Writer

Volkswagen’s goal for itself in the car industry was to get to the top of the global competition. However, to accomplish this, it resorted to tricking emissions tests through defeat devices. In late September of this year, Volkswagen admitted to having put software in their cars that were used to cheat the emissions tests. This software was installed in 11 million cars; an estimated half a million of the cars were sold to customers in the U.S. Previously, testing in labs was used to determine how a vehicle performed, and it was not strange that there was a difference between testing the cars in labs and driving them on the road. However, the issue brought up was the discrepancies between the lab and road emissions of diesel. When the nonprofit International Council on Clean Transportation came up with the idea of testing cars on the road, the group collaborated with the state of California to run tests. It was expected that American cars would have much less polution than European cars because of America’s stricter standards. However, when testing Volkswagens against BMWs, it became clear that this was not the case. People were confused because the cars functioned perfectly when they were

placed on a dynamometer. Yet on the road, the Volkswagens clearly had many troubling issues.

When Volkswagen was first questioned about this strange occurance, it claimed that there were many possible reasons for such results. Regulators finally discovered the missing link while testing in the lab. By changing the parameters to make the car function like it was moving on the road, the car began performing in the lab just as it had been performing on the road.

It turns out that Volkswagen had been installing defeat devices since the 2009 models. On Sept.

3, Volkswagen finally conceded to having used the devices to alter the emissions tests results.

Volkswagen is not planning on selling diesel vehicles in the U.S. as chief executive Michael Horn has apologized for Volkswagen’s actions in his speech to Congress on Oct. 8. klo@apachepowwow.com Graphic courtesy of WALLFEST.COM Photo courtesy of VW.COM

Race To The Presidency: Democratic Debate

By ANDREW LIM, ANDREW MULIADI, & ANDREW WANG Staff Writers

On Tuesday Oct. 13, at the Wynn Resort in Las Vegas, five democratic presidential candidates debated head-to-head on both national and international matters. Amongst the five candidates were former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley, former Virginia Senator Jim Webb, and former Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee. All with considerable experience in politics, the candidates shared their opinions and views while hoping to persuade the citizens of America for their vote.

Of all the topics discussed on Tuesday night, the one that sparked the most media attention, next to Clinton’s emails, was the issue of race. Although it was quickly swept off with simple replies, the issue of race is still a highly important and controversial topic. The candidates were asked blatantly, “Do black lives matter, or do all lives matter?” Immediately, almost all the candidates responded by supporting the Black Lives Matter movement. Webb was the only one to say that “white culture” and discrimination of white people were not acceptable, leading to his support of the statement that “all lives matter.”

Former CIA computer employee, Edward Snowden, and the controversy over his information leaking was also brought into de-

bate that night. The candidates were thrown an unexpected surprise when they were asked if Snowden should be regarded as a traitor or an American hero for releasing information on the National Security Agency’s mass domestic surveillance program. Again, almost all the candidates took the stance of naming Snowden as a traitor to America and the people. Only Chafee believed that the “American government was acting illegally” and that Snowden should not be charged for his “whistle blowing.” However, these responses all seemed a little hesitant since each candidate knew they would be judged on their responses to this sensitive topic.

Another big issue that struck the floor was the legalization of marijuana. Only Clinton and Sanders took a stand to confer the topic. Correspondent Juan Carlos Lopez directed the question at Sanders first: “Senator Sanders, right here in Nevada, there will be a measure to legalize recreational marijuana on the 2016 ballot. If you were a Nevada resident, how would you vote?” In a candid manner, Sanders said that he would vote yes. According to him, too many lives have been devastated

due to “non-violent offenses.” Likewise, Clinton approved of the use of medical marijuana, although she mentioned that “we need to do a lot more research so that we know exactly how we’re going to help people for whom medical marijuana provides relief.” Clinton asserted that “we have got to stop imprisoning people who use marijuana. Therefore, we need more states, cities, and the federal government to begin to address this.” This change would result in the reduction of the prison populace due to the absence of nonviolent offenders Sanders took the spotlight during the de- bate

when he mentioned the controversy and issue of income inequality among Americans.

He firmly stated that “it is wrong, today, in a rigged economy, that 57% of all new income is going to the top 1%.” Other candidates followed up with exactly how much America’s wealth is controlled by the richest Americans. Sanders explained “that it is immoral and wrong that the top one-tenth of 1% in this country own almost 90%—almost—own almost as much wealth as the bottom 90%.”

Similarly to the issue of income inequality, the Democratic candidates touched upon the topic of college affordability. Universally, all candidates agreed the price of admission and simply the price of college is too high. Both Clinton and Sanders highly criticized the incredibly high costs of affording college and called for broader reformations and changes to the system.

O’Malley joined in on the issue, declaring the necessity to “make college a debt-free option for all families instead of saddling our kids with lifetime crushing debt.”

At the end of the debate, all the candidates gave closing remarks in which they repeated their introductions, asserted their firmest positions, and added more information regarding their campaign. alim@apachepowwow.com, amuliadiapachepowwow.com, awang@apachepowwow.

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October 2015

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Changing the Education System

By MICHAEL TSENG Staff Writer

On Oct. 8, AHS had the honor of hosting a lecture held by world renowned science teacher Paul Andersen. Mr. Andersen held this lecture in hopes of helping parents and students learn how to study for success and prepare them for the new academic world filled with new technology. As one of the finalists for the National Teacher of the Year, Mr. Andersen shared his thoughts and ideas on how to adapt to the ever changing academic system.

Throughout the presentation, he

discussed how students could effectively learn.“If it is easy, then you are not learning. If it is hard, you might be learning, it depends on how you study.” He explained that people need to manage their time wisely and do a whole variety of different problems. Students also need to be able to take time in between to relax themselves.

As a former AP Biology teacher in Montana, Mr. Andersen found that there were students who did not understand the topics he taught. Because of this, he created the website, Bozeman Science, an online video database filled with concepts as an attempt to teach students who had trouble understanding. He encouraged his students who were struggling to use it as an extra resource.

As the creator of the website, Andersen has experienced firsthand how technology can influence a student’s learning c a p a b i l i t y.

During the lecture, he explained how students needed to hone their reading comprehension skills and practice.

He explained that students need to be able to make a claim and have the ability to provide evidence to back it up.

With his introduction of technology into his own classes, he realized that technology would soon play a big part in the academic world. According to Mr. Andersen, “Technology allows us to be more human. It can help people spread ideas and spend more time on learning.”

Finally, Mr. Andersen shared how parents could help students learn effectively in competitive academics.

“Parents need to understand how kids learn and what they learn,” he stated.

Students need to be given four things in order to learn effectively: time, autonomy, sleep, and vote. Students also need to be given a sufficient amount of time so they can manage all their activities and still be given enough sleep.

They need to be given autonomy, which means that they can be independent and handle their own studies. And finally, they need to be able to vote, so they can choose what they actually want to learn.

mtseng@apachepowwow.com Photo by MICHAEL TSENG

Childhood Dreams Come True

By JOCELYN HU Staff Writer

Starting Nov. 16, the Season of the Force, a Star Wars experience, will begin in Disneyland Park. Disney also plans to create Star Wars-themed land, which Disney’s Bob Iger announced on Sept.

24 during Disney’s D23 Expo meeting.

The Disney Committee plans to create a Star Wars Land at both Walt Disney World and Disneyland; each will be made up of approximately 14 acres.

This event will be the largest single-land expansion at Disneyland, and will be considered a “major project.”

The exact location of this attraction has not yet been decided, but the three options are north toward Ball Road in a backstage area of the park, east toward Toontown, or west toward the Rivers of America. Despite the rumors, it has been confirmed that Toontown will not be taken over by Star Wars Land.

At both Star War Lands, there will be a cantina where fans can run into the beasts of Star Wars. Many humans, aliens, and droids will be inhabitants of this experience, including characters from the Star Wars saga and the upcoming film The Force Awakens. Disney is “currently casting roles” for characters

in the new attractions. The two main attractions in Star Wars Land will be a ride where visitors can control the Millennium Falcon “on a secret mission” and another where riders are dropped into a battle between the First Order and the resistance.

Construction will start in 2016, and Star Wars Land will stretch toward the Rivers of America in the west. On Jan. 10 of next year, the Disney Railroad

will close, along with attractions near Rivers of America, including “Fantasmic!”, Mark Twain Riverboat and Sailing Ship Columbia, Pirate’s Lair on Tom Sawyer Island, and the Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes. It’s possible that the back of Critter Country will also connect to this new land. Riverboats and locomotive trains will not be running through outer space, so Disney has to find a way to shield the new land

from river and train traffic somehow.

The Rivers of America will be completely drained, so Disney plans to add coffer dams. That way the river will still flow near the Frontierland and New Orleans Square riverbanks. Once the construction ends, the river will be 25% shorter than its original length. Disney Park plans to finish forming Star Wars Land by April 2017, and it promised a freshened “Fantasmic!” show to reopen in July 2017.

Disneyland has also been thinking of making a hybrid version of Walt Disney World’s Fastpass+ in 2016. A Fastpass+ reservation will be at the center in each park. It will handle a day of visitors without Fastpass reservations.

The new Fastpass+ will include radio-frequency identification technology, Annual Passes, and ticket stock, plus a different smartphone app instead of using Walt Disney World’s MagicBands. With all of these upcoming changes, Disneyland is bound to be even more exciting. Visitors will definitely enjoy a change of scenery in the park’s atmosphere. Let’s look forward to the new year and the new land! jhu@apachepowwow.com

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s t 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 Editor Photography Editors Executive Copy Editors Fundraising Chairs Webmaster

Victoria Yu and Erika Zheng Yoko Chan Justin Tang and Emily Wu Amber Chong and Tiffany Liu Jacqueline Chang and Katie Huang Briana Shen and Terri Shi Michelle Fang and Jessie Hui Charles Xu and Pearl Yang Simone Chu and Veronica Yu Elaine Chung Kristen Tran Andrew Wang Tiffany Chen and Chelsea Cheng Ryan Fann and Debbie Moon Michelle Gu and Hafsah Umerani Julia Lin and Flora Ung Elyse Yao

Writers

News Staff

Aaron Chan, Cassandra Gonzales, Michelle Gu, Jocelyn Hu, Vivian Kwang, Eileen Lee, Eric Chen, Erin Li, Yanhui Li, Andrew Lim, Tiffany Liu, Kimberly Lo, Joshua Ma, Andrew Muliadi, Cristian Nalbandian, Noelle Natividad, Chloe O’Connor, Ha Eun Park, Emily Quach, Christina Read, Terri Shi, Kayli Temple, Victoria Tovmasyan, Michael Tseng, Faisal Umerani, Andrew Wang Elaine Chung, Christy Kang, Tiffany Liu, Victoria Yu,

Opinion Staff

Erika Zheng Elaine Chung, Michelle Fang, Jessie Hui, Christy Kang,

Features Staff

Christine Law, Yanhui Li, Cristian Nalbandian, Noelle Natividad, Danielle Santoyo, Briana Shen, Justin Tang, Kayli Temple, Cindy Tse, Faisal Umerani, Hafsah Umerani, Andrew Wang, Victoria Yu, Erika Zheng Eric Chen, Chelsea Cheng, Cassandra Gonzales, Jocelyn

Performing Arts Staff

Hu, Katie Huang, Thomas Hui, Eileen Lee, Nadine Templeton, Tiffany Tsui Eric Chen, Eileen Lee, Noelle Natividad, Chloe

Student Life Staff

O’Connor, Terri Shi, Justin Tang, Tiffany Tsui, Hafsah Umerani, Titus Wu, Victoria Yu Katie Huang, Thomas Hui, Eileen Lee, Kimberly Lo,

Sports Staff

Joshua Ma, Danielle Santoyo Chelsea Cheng, Jocelyn Hu, Kimberly Lo, Noelle Na-

Academics Staff

tividad, Briana Shen, Terri Shi, Nadine Templeton, Faisal Umerani, Katie Wen

Calendar Staff

Chelsea Cheng, Elaine Chung, Michelle Fang, Michelle Gu, Jessie Hui, Vivian Kwang, Christine Law, Danielle Santoyo, Kayli Temple, Cindy Tse, Katie Wen, Erika Zheng

Campus Focus Staff

Titus Wu

Center Spread Staff

Christy Kang

Advertisements Staff

Yoko Chan, Eric Chen, Justin Cun, Cassandra Gonzales, Thomas Hui, Christy Kang, Eileen Lee, Kyle Wang, Titus Wu, Timothy Yen

Photo Staff

Aaron Chan, Yoko Chan, Katie Huang, Thomas Hui, Joshua Ma, Nadine Templeton, Titus Wu

Copy Editing Staff

Aaron Chan, Justin Cun, Christine Law, Ellie Lee, David Llacuna, Christina Read, Pourobee Saha, Cindy Tse, Kyle Wang, Katie Wen, Maggie Wong, Elyse Yao, Kelly Yeh

Web Staff

Aaron Chan, Christine Law, Chloe O’Connor, Katie Wen, Maggie Wong

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.

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October 2015

Who Is The New Speaker Of The House?

By CRISTIAN NALBANDIAN and CHRISTINA READ

Staff Writers

John Boehner recently resigned from his position as Speaker of the House following heavy pressure from his Republican party followers to take a bigger stand defending their conservative goals—especially during recent controversy over an impending government shutdown and the funding of Planned Parenthood.

Boehner, who has served as Speaker of the House since 2011, stressed that this was not just a personal decision—he believes this choice is “not about [him]. It’s about the people, it’s about the institution.” The resignation was still an emotional event for many, however. Even Boehner himself shed a few tears during the announcement, along with several other Congressmen and Congresswomen.

This decision came during a time both tumultuous and hopeful for the former Speaker. The Pope addressed Congress and visited Boehner personally just one day earlier, an event Boehner identified as “wonderful” and as the culmination of his 20-year long dream for a pope to speak before Congress. At the same time, Boehner was facing enormous pressure from his fellow Republicans to block a bill which provided funding for Planned Parenthood—a nonprofit which provides reproductive health and maternal health services.

Boehner has been pressured since the beginning of his almost six-year career as Speak-

er to push harder for Republican policies. But despite being repeatedly criticized for not being conservative enough, Boehner was praised

by Obama for being “somebody who understands that in government and in governance you don’t get 100% of what you want,” and

by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell as “someone who understood the art of compromise.” He will clearly be missed by many.

Thanks to Boehner’s resignation, several Speaker of the House hopefuls may now be battling in a tight race for the newly open position—and things are getting heated. Kevin McCarthy, a Speaker candidate, resigned just days after announcing his campaign and hours before his nomination acceptance. Another possible Republican candidate, Paul Ryan, has expressed his reluctance to run for the position; unless he has the full consensus of his party, Ryan has said, he will refuse to operate as its leader. These dramatic turns have led the Republican party into even greater turmoil, and are just more examples of the dissatisfaction of the Conservative party towards its moderate members. With McCarthy’s dropped nomination, new candidates such as Chaffetz and even Ryan may soon be the new face of the party.

Chaffetz and Ryan have both been very critical of Obama’s liberal Democratic administration, emphasizing its failure to produce economic growth and job opportunities.

They point out that the climate change initiative Obama set forth has slowed economic growth—a main talking point of the Republican

Exploring New Worlds

By KAYLI TEMPLE Staff Writer

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to visit far off places in just a click of a button? Google’s new educational tool, Google Expeditions, does just that. The program is designed to allow students to see different parts of the world through the wonders of virtual reality, a cardboard box, and a smart phone. Google is aiming to further develop this new found technology by offering the Google Expeditions program to schools for free. However, it is highly likely that in the future the company will start charging for said program if demand runs high.

Te a c h e r s all across the nation have already begun trying out “Google’s new toy” in the classroom, and many of them have given positive feedback toward the gadget. Besides not having to pay ridiculous amounts of money on class funded field trips, Google Expeditions also allow for students to become immersed in their present topics, unlike the traditional classroom supplements of PowerPoints and worksheets. Teachers also consider Expeditions to be a handy dandy improvement to classroom supplies, since most children and teens nowadays have access to handheld technology. The only considerable downside teachers would acknowledge is if

their students damaged the smart phone, but even then, the cardboard box encasing the device would protect it from further damage.

Since its first release, there have been over hundreds of virtual field trips scheduled with Google Expeditions. Because of its popularity, the company has ambitions of expanding the project in the near future due to the mass amounts of positive feedback. One significant idea that the corporation came up with was virtual college tours. This is deemed as important due to the fact that many of us both dread and anticipate the concept of going off to universities in places we have never been. Google Expeditions would solve that problem years before we would even have to face it.

Google Inc. has appreciably helped pave a road where both hand-held technology and learning can coexist in a classroom without students becoming engrossed or preoccupied in outside matters, such as browsing social media, beating high scores, or texting friends. Although Google’s idea isn’t new, simulations have been used in the past and still are used today; thus it is truly a sound improvement in technological history. ktemple@apachepowwow.com Photo courtesy of MINDEF.GOV

Party. While Chaffetz is neutral on the climate change issue, he naturally leans more towards a conservative view because of his base voters, who don’t support the climate change initiative as much as Democrats. Ryan, meanwhile, has strong beliefs on the economic side and has proposed a governmental budget plan which would shrink the government to its lowest level since 1950 by cutting back on many social programs, including public transportation, healthcare, and education—all of which the Obama administration has strengthened.

Both Congressmen have also identified themselves as pro-life due to moral and religious beliefs—an indicator of their positions in the debate over Planned Parenthood. Ryan has expressed strong views on the issue, saying he is “never going to not vote pro-life.”

Likewise, Chaffetz participated in a heated argument with members of Planned Parenthood over an unconfirmed video showing the sale of fetuses at a Planned Parenthood clinic. The board member and leader of the Committee of Oversight and Government Reform later presented antiabortion information that immediately was recognized as false information by the Planned Parenthood Committee.

Overall, it is clear the resignation of Boehner will have a profound impact on both the Republican party and the House as a whole.

Whether by Chaffetz, Ryan, or an entirely different candi-

date, Boehner and his moderate beliefs will soon be replaced by another Congressman.

cnalbandian@apachepowwow.com cread@apachepowwow.com Photo courtesy of CONSERVATIVEHIDEOUT.COM

Vaccinating Children

By YANHUI LI Staff Writer

The issue of vaccinations for children has been a long-standing debate between supporters and detractors. Some parents choose not to vaccinate their children either for religious reasons or fears of side effects. Others, however, argue that by vaccinating their children, not only are they preventing deadly diseases, but they are also protecting those around them.

New research shows that there may now be one more reason for parents to vaccinate their kids.

Childhood strokes are extremely rare, affecting approximately 3 to 13 children in 100,000. Unlike adult strokes, childhood strokes are largely genetic, and it’s hard to tell who is at risk. Recently, Dr. Heather Fullerton of the University of California, San Francisco, confirmed that infections may trigger strokes in children who are at risk.

After comparing children who had had ischemic strokes to children who had not, scientists found that children with infections were six times more likely to have a stroke that week. They also discovered that children who were up to date with their immunizations had a lower chance of developing a stroke. They were up to seven times less likely to experience a stroke than their under vaccinated peers.

Scientists are uncertain as to why the link between childhood strokes and vaccinations exists, but Fullerton told Live Science that this may be because vaccines prevent major infections, and therefore prevent the damage that infections and inflammation can have on blood vessels. In addition, parents who vaccinate their children tend to be more enthusiastic about their children’s healthcare.

Many children who suffered from strokes early on will feel the effects for their entire lives. According to Fullerton, about half of all childhood strokes occur to seemingly healthy children, so there is no way to predict the onset of the disease. No one is sure why infections can lead to strokes in healthy children, but if there is something we can take away from this, it’s that there is now one more reason for parents to vaccinate their children. As Fullerton said, “This is another example of a pretty morbid disease that vaccines can help prevent.”

Vaccines are beneficial for adults as well.

In 2013, the Journal of the American Medical Association published a study showing that adults who got the flu shot have a lower risk of a stroke, heart attack, and other major cardiovascular diseases. Jose Biller of the Loyola University Medical Center said that some recent studies even show that annual flu shots provide an even greater protection from these diseases and strokes. yli@apachepowwow.com

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October 2015

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OPINION Save A Life, Adopt A Dog

By MAGGIE WONG Staff Writer

There’s some slow, sappy instrumental music coming from the television, and on the screen are sad, puppy dog eyes looking at you. It’s those commercials again, the ones that tug at your heart strings and want you to give all you own to the shelter organizations. While you shouldn’t give everything to them, you should definitely consider adopting an animal.

I’ve wanted a dog ever since I could remember, and I promised myself that the only place I’d get one from would be an animal shelter. My dog, Watson, is a Corgi mix I got from the North Central Shelter in Los Angeles. The total cost came out to be less than $100. He acts like a regular dog, occasionally gets into trouble, and won’t think twice about climbing into your lap even though he’s too big to fit.

Strangers on the street occasionally stop us to tell us how cute or ask us what breed he is. All in all, he’s just your average dog who enjoys playing fetch and eating.

Of course, I definitely could’ve gotten a fancy purebred dog from a breeder, but what would be the point? I didn’t care about how “pure” his bloodline was, or how well his ancestors scored in competitions. I just wanted a dog, not a trophy. There was no reason for me to spend hundreds of dollars for a purebred dog when I could’ve gotten one just as good at the shelter.

I think there’s sort of a stigma surrounding shelter animals, that they’re undesirable or not as good as purebreds.

But there is no scientific fact to back that up. Instead, mixed breeds are actually less prone to breed-specific diseases and genetic disorders, because of their mixed lineage. The recessive genes are the defects, and they show up the most in purebreds because both the mother and father carry the recessive gene. Mixed breeds have a wider gene pool, and therefore are less likely to get these disorders. For purebreds, you need parents with the same genes to create a purebred animal. That leads to a lot of inbreeding (mating two animals who are related). While this does happen in nature and doesn’t affect the offspring much, they do have an even bigger chance of inheriting bad genes. Generally speaking, mutts are healthier than purebreds.

By adopting a shelter dog, you’re saving a life. The truth is, shelters don’t have enough room for all the unwanted animals in the world, especially the dogs. They have limited space, and when they start to overflow, they have no choice but to euthanize the animals that have been there the longest. Imagine being taken off the street, given a kennel to sleep in, food to eat, and have that all taken away from you because no one wanted you. Some animal rescuers go around taking in the animals with the highest kill rate, but they can only take in so many. The only solution to this problem is just for everyone to adopt at animal shelters.

If you plan on entering your dog in show-dog competitions, or absolutely need a purebred, then by all means, get one from a breeder. You’ll at least be providing an animal with a loving home. But if you’re just looking for a pet as a companion, don’t waste your time with breeders. Instead, take a trip to your local shelter, and find your forever pet there. You might be surprised at who you end up taking up.

Adopting an animal from a shelter will not only save you money at the time of adoption, it will also save you money in the future, because you won’t have as many vet bills.

You’ll still get a happy, healthy friend from a shelter, so why not give your local shelter a try the next time you’re looking for a pet? mwong@apachepowwow.com

Graphic courtesy of BACKGROUNDS.PICABOO.COM

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October 2015

The Mango Tree: a Short Story

By YANHUI LI Staff Writer

2144 C.E. I’ve always been quite proud of the human race. I mean, look at what we’ve done. In the past hundred years, we’ve cured cancer and Alzheimer’s. Everyone owns a self-driving car, and rockets have been authorized for travel. Our society looks toward tomorrow; why dwell on the past when there’s a bright future ahead of us?

So you can see why I was caught off-guard when my granddaughter asked me, “What’s a tree?”

“Well, it’s a plant...” I drifted off. How was I supposed to describe something that my granddaughter had probably never even seen?

“What do trees do?” she pressed on.

“They give us oxygen…” But even as I said the words, my heart broke a little, because my granddaughter was diagnosed with PRD only a few weeks ago. It means she has to carry an

oxygen tank around everywhere she goes. PRD is a respiratory disorder that only began appearing about ten years ago, when the oxygen level in the air dropped drastically.

“Trees used to grow in bunches called forests,” I told her, and I thought of the camping trips my parents used to take me on. “There was a forest called the Amazon that was over half the size of the United States.”

My granddaughter fingered her oxygen tank. “What happened to it?”

That was a good question. How did we manage to get rid of a rainforest that size? It must have been gradual, but we would’ve had to be blind to not realize what we were doing until it was too late.

Once it was gone, it was gone forever. And when the Amazon died, all its animals died with it.

It saddens me to think that my granddaughter will never see a toucan or a jaguar.

I suppose it’s in our nature to take everything for granted; we don’t appreciate what we have until it’s gone. I still remember that when I was a little girl, I could still hear the birds chirping in the suburbs. Now, all that’s left is silence.

They were showing a nature documentary on television and for the first time, I took a good look at what we’d done.

Beyond the end of the road, there was nothing but a dust barren yellow landscape for as far as the eye could see.

Saturday morning, I walk down to the marketplace like I do every day, passing brightly colored displays of neo-apples, neo-berries, and neo-peaches. Since fruits are no longer picked from trees, they are available year-round. I breathe in the fresh scent of the neo-roses. They must have switched manufacturers.

For as long as I can remember, the neo-roses at the marketplace have always smelled of chemicals.

It doesn’t take me long to notice the poor old woman crouched in the corner, dressed in rags. I buy a sack of neooranges at the nearest booth and offer it to her.

“Thank you,” she says gratefully, taking the sack of oranges from me. “You’re very kind.”

I smile. “You’re welcome.”

My eyes automatically dart to the object in her hands.

“What is that?” I ask.

Her eyes widen. “This?” She moves her fingers to reveal an oblong yellow fruit. “It’s a pre-mango.”

I have to stifle a gasp. These days, pre-fruits are almost impossible to come by. It’s said that back then, all they had were pre-fruits. Nowadays, a machine can produce hundreds of neo-fruits every minute, but in the past, people waited an entire year for the trees to flower and the fruits to develop. I can’t remember the last time I tasted a pre-fruit; it must have been at least fifty years ago.

“You can have it if you want,” she says, offering me the pre-mango. When I start to say no, she adds, “Think of it as a token of gratitude. Maybe you can even plant the seed after you’re done with it.”

I don’t know what I feel when I weigh the pre-mango in my hand, promising myself that this time I will do the right thing. Maybe there’s still hope.

I’ll plant the seed, so maybe someday, my granddaughter can breathe again. I’ll bury it in the ground and water it like they did in the old days.

And I will wait.

I will wait by the mango tree, where the view is always greener. yli@apachepowwow.com

Graphic by SUNNY WU

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October 2015

By CHRISTY KANG Staff Writer

“I’m dreaming of a white Christmas just like the ones I used to know…”

I started playing “White Christmas” on my Spotify, humming to the beloved holiday tune. Bing Crosby’s baritone voice was overpowered by the eruption of one person’s strong resentment in the computer lab.

“NO! Why are you playing Christmas songs so early! Turn it off!”

I was shocked, not only by people’s sincere disapproval of my choice of music and chastise for being a poor “DJ-of-theDay”, but also for playing Christmas music “too early.”

As someone who started listening to Christmas songs in July, I had no idea why the timing was off. Christmas songs represent happy holiday times: coming together with friends and family, we can celebrate and relax without worries about school.

The songs remind me of the upcoming holiday season, and immediately improve my mood. To me, because of their ability to calm people down, Christmas songs are acceptable year-round.

However, a lot of people objected to my reasoning, claiming that my logic is very subjective.

Many people complain that playing Christmas music too early makes them feel like they are neglecting Halloween and

OPINION Thanksgiving, two very major holidays.

(When I objected to them by saying there is no such thing as “Halloween and Thanksgiving music”, I was shunned viciously.)

Others expressed their fear of getting sick of Christmas music even before Christmas if they start hearing the music too soon.

This is understandable as it is indeed two months away from the actual holiday.

A few people had personal reasons for disliking Christmas songs. When I asked one of my senior friends for her rage toward the songs, she explained that listening to them reminds her of how close holidays have come, and how little time she has left to write the college applications.

I have to admit that these reasons are valid. Christmas songs can trigger holiday stresses like worrying about money, traveling, college applications—and become rather boring and annoying.

However, I still endorse playing Christmas music before Halloween or Thanksgiving. It evokes happy memories such as gift exchanges with friends, family gatherings, and lack of homework. Moreover, traditional songs sung by the great artists from the 40s and 50s put a smile on my face. Most importantly, the holiday season only truly begins with the familiar tunes of Christmas songs.

Although there are some people who disapprove of early Christmas music, I know that there are many supporters out there who agree with me.

ckang@apachepowwow.com

Graphic courtesy of YOUTUBE.COM

By ELYSE YAO

7

Down With Romance

By SIMONE CHU

Academics Editor

It never fails. There’s a girl, there’s a guy, and no matter what the setting—a zombie apocalypse, a theme park full of freshly released dinosaurs, Transformers on the rampage— they make eye contact, the music swells, and lo and behold, there’s yet another unnecessary heterosexual romance unfolding on screen. I can’t be the only one who cringes when I see it.

I mean, I paid money to watch action... but not that kind of action. Maybe I’m just squeamish, but to me, there is no experience more uncomfortable than that of watching two characters suck each others’ faces off on the big screen.

I can stomach a romance when that’s the actual focus of the plot, but when it comes to the action and adventure movies? No thank you. I’d like to have a few words with whoever decided that a rushed romance would make Jurassic World a better movie. The movie was spectacular enough with its amazing special effects and charismatic cast; there was no reason at all to throw a whirlwind romance in there.

What is it with Hollywood and the emphasis on romantic relationships? What about the friendships? The family support? My favorite part of The Maze Runner movie was the friendship; there was no real romance thrown onto the screen, which was great, considering that there was no real time for a romance to develop. You’d think that when you’re busy running for your life, you wouldn’t really have a lot of time to work out those fluttery feelings in your chest, but Jurassic World’s characters apparently had time to fall in love while the theme park fell to pieces around them. Seriously, what is up with that?

Strong relationships make a compelling story, it’s true, but we have to remember that friendships and family relationships are just as important, too.

schu@apachepowwow.com

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What Do You Want to Be When You Grow up?

Webmaster

“What do you want to do when you grow up?”

I’ve heard this question too many times. My answer has always been, “I don’t know.”

It seems we’re expected to have our lives planned out from day one. What are you going to do? What do you want to be?

What’s your life goal? Looking back on how many times I’ve been asked these questions, I can’t help but wonder, “Do you really expect a child to know this?” And yet, clear in my memories are tiny little hands, each clamoring to be higher than the others. Clear are the high-pitched, childish voices, “A doctor! An engineer! A teacher! A vet!” The answers are many. Then there is always the comedian, who pipes up, “A millionaire!” or, the class favorite: “A hobo!” A symphony of gleeful little laughs. In these moments, I’ve always remained silent, and scribbled some random occupation on the paper the teachers order us to fill out.

It’s different every time. But that’s okay too.

The eager little voices around me mature through the years.

Their answers mature, too. “My mom told me I should be a doctor… I’m not so sure.” Or, “I’m pretty interested in marine biology.” People like me increase in number, too. “I have no idea” becomes a common answer. And yet there are people who remain

determined to pursue the life they envisioned so many years ago.

They can spell out their entire life plan: their occupations, their schools, their ideal family. By the time they’re freshmen, they’ve already entered every team, club, and class they deem necessary for their dream future. I remember staring at them in awe, thinking, “How do they do that? I have no clue what I’m doing with my life.” But that’s okay, too.

But I have something else. While their plans are meticulous, almost like blueprints, mine are sprawled out like the papers on my desk, threatening to fly off and send my room into chaos at the slightest gust. But that’s okay, too. I have another kind of freedom, driven instead by curiosity and experimentation.

I won’t live that

kind of cookie-cutter life, planning everything out like I’m sure my parents wish I would. I can try everything I want to. I can fall, and get back up, without throwing some carefully written life plan into disarray. There’s a certain joy, a wonderful mystery, to the limitless life I lead. There are pitfalls, of course; I don’t have a perfect strategy guide that can guide me past all the obstacles with ease. But that’s okay too.

I’m not a machine. I don’t believe in a pre-programmed set of code, of fate, of destiny, of a life preordained by the powers that be. (If that were true, I’d be the almighty overlord of my middle school delusions, wouldn’t I?) I never knew where I wanted to go in life, and I still don’t quite know. But that’s okay, too.

I won’t be defined by some “dream life”, or a mere occupation. Instead, I’ll be me: my successes, shortcomings, experiences, quirks, and just about everything else, rolled up into a little two-letter word. This is my journey, and no one knows where it will lead. I’ll see new things, explore new places, and roam wherever my path takes me. Through the path I’ve forged, I’ll slowly uncover what I want in life—who I really want myself to be.

And if I don’t? Well, that’s okay, too; it’d be quite the interesting adventure, wouldn’t it? eyao@apachepowwow.com

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8

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October 2015

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12

TRICK OR TREAT “My jjjj wackiest costume would have to be in 4th grade when I wore a hippie wig with a clown costume and a light saber. When people saw me, [they] looked so confused and burst out —Alvin Tran, 9 laughing.”

“One time I dressed up as Ryan Higa in his bumblebee dance crew. Also, one time I was Marceline from

Adventure Time and I even sewed my own pillow guitar.”

—Sydney Cheung, 12

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October 2015

By CHRISTY KANG

It is the end of many AHS classroom decorated with oran jack-o-lanterns, sku skeletons, ushering of Halloween. It Halloween without of dressing up, and part in the festivitie of creative costume students prefer tra spooky Hallowee dressing up as a wit and other students “ u n c o nve n t i o n a l” dressing up as a Sta or even as Sriracha on the person, he choose to go solo alone or organize a g event. Dressing up i component of Hal there are bound to interesting costume this year!

“I went as a cat one year, and my mom did a great job with the makeup. I had whiskers and a cat nose and mouth. The dress was leopard print, and I had matching cat ears and a tail. I think I looked a lot like my own cat. Most —Aubrie importantly, my Weissbuch, 10 bag was full of candies!”

October 2015

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LOOKING BACK

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“I wore an Obama mask once.

People booed at me on the streets, and some people said ‘Preach, my —Cass Tao, 12 brother.’”

Staff Writer

October, and ms are already nge LED lights, ulls, and even g in the spirit wouldn’t be t the tradition students take es by thinking e ideas. Some aditional and n costumes, tch or Dracula, s prefer more ” costumes, arbucks drinks a. Depending e or she may and dress up group costume is an essential lloween, and o be plenty of es on campus

“One year I was a race car driver, but I couldn’t find a race car helmet so I wore an astronaut one. Lots of people thought I was a boy because I had the helmet on and they couldn’t see —Alena me.”

Hinojosa, 12

“I dressed up as a Starbucks drink one year. My friend and I were matching drinks and it was one of my best —Tiffany Halloweens!”

Zhu, 9

ckang@apachepowwow.com Photos by AARON CHAN, RYAN FANN, VIVIAN KWANG, and DANIELLE SANTOYO Graphics courtesy of BESTWALLPAPERHD.COM

14

PERFORMING ARTS BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

By CASSANDRA GONZALES Staff Writer

Disney’s Beauty and the Beast is returning to Los Angeles’ Pantages Theater. According to the Pantages Theater website, “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast features the animated film’s Academy Award-winning score with music by Alan Menken and lyrics by the late Howard Ashman, with additional songs with music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Tim Rice. The book is written by Linda Woolverton.” Menken has produced scores for numerous Disney movies such as The Little Mermaid, Pocahontas, Hercules, and Tangled. The musical will include all of the songs from the original movie such as “Be Our Guest” and the title track. The play is directed by Rob Roth and choreographed by Matt West. Director Rob Roth stated, “As a director, it is rare to have the opportunity to revisit your work fifteen years later. Hopefully I’ve grown and developed as an artist, along with my collaborators, and we can bring fifteen years of experience to this new production.”

Beauty and the Beast tells the timeless story of Belle, a smart and beautiful young woman from a provincial town. She encounters the Beast, who is really a prince trapped in a curse placed by an enchantress. The Beast must learn to love and be loved in order to break the curse and return to his former self. Unfortunately, time is limited. The Beast must learn his lesson soon or he will be doomed for eternity.

The musical features Sam Hartley as the Beast and Brooke Quintana as Belle. Gaston will be played by Christiaan Smith-Kotlarek, and Ryan N. Phillips will play the role of Lumiere. Hartley has previously played the roles Frederick in Young Frankenstein, Enjolras in Les Misérables, and the Wolf/Cinderella’s Prince in Into the Woods. Quintana has also previously played other previous roles such as Eponine in Les Misérables, Diana Morales in A Chorus Line, and Trix in The Drowsy Chaperone.

The renowned musical will be at Pantages Theater from Friday, Nov. 13 to Sunday, Nov. 22. Showtimes vary each day, with the earliest showing starting at 1 p.m. and the latest starting at 8 p.m. Make sure to check Hollywood Pantages’ website for each day’s individual showtime. The running time is two hours and thirty minutes with one fifteen minute intermission. Ticket pricing ranges from $29 to $135. The musical is recommended for all ages. However, no one under the age of three will be admitted to the theater.

Beauty and the Beast has become an international success as the musical has played to over 35 million people worldwide in 21 countries since its premiere in 1994. Don’t miss out on a great opportunity to watch such an esteemed musical! Disney’s Beauty and the Beast is a great way to start off fall break, so take all your family and friends to see this timeless musical. cgonzales@apachepowwow.com Graphic courtesy of FANPOP.COM

HOMECOMING ASSEMBLY

By THOMAS HUI Staff Writer

AHS’ recent popular Homecoming assembly allowed members of various performing arts groups to finally be able to show their skills to the debut of AHS students. Members from Orchesis, Pep Flags, Pep Song, Senior Men and Women (SMW), and Pep Cheer speak of their recent experiences, from the thrill of the stage to the excitement of their first Homecoming assembly.

Orchesis recently showed their newest work: a play describing the interaction between the darkness and light of the show industry. Senior Orchesis member Kylie Guo stated, “It was very fun to work with all the talented members!” As the dance company continues to grow, it begins to attract more and more younger members. This year will be the second year that sophomores are allowed in Orchesis, as previously it was granted only to junior and senior members of AHS. Kylie said, “It has been an amazing three years in Orchesis, and an amazing four years in the dance program here at Arcadia.”

As many AHS students are aware, the biggest attraction of Homecoming comes from the SMW dance. They worked hard the entire summer in order to create an amazing dance for the rest of the school. Senior Woman Melissa Guo stated, “I love to shake it off! Shout out to Taylor Swift!” Melissa is a very large Taylor Swift fanatic, so it was very exciting for her to be able to express her love for the pop artist in The Apache Pow Wow. In addition, ASB members are hard at work in creating the Homecoming assembly to be one to remember.

In addition to creating the dances, ASB members must also work hard to create the spirit of AHS in decorations around the school. Senior Christina Wang stated, “We have to get up early to prepare to school for the eventful day.” As early as before dawn, council members have to arrive at school, blow up thousands of red and yellow balloons, and then hang up numerous streamers, balloons, and banners to prepare for the entire student body.

Christina continued, “My favorite part is chalking up the entire school!”

Be sure to thank all these hard workers next time you see them!

thui@apachepowwow.com

Graphic courtesy of IMAGEBASKET.NET

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October 2015

DRAMA TEACHER’S ASSOCIATION OF CALIFORNIA

By POUROBEE SAHA Staff Writer

The Drama Teachers Association of Southern California (DTASC) is an organization based on fostering the talents of theater students and advisors. Through the use of workshops to share resources, the corporation has created a network that fosters an environment which supports commitment to the art and diverse performance opportunities.

There are two annual competitions held by DTASC every school year, and both host over 77 of the surrounding high schools and their drama departments. One of these is held each October, usually on the last Saturday of the month. Known as the Fall Festival, it encompasses a broad variety of subject matter and plays. Contestants have a wide variety of categories to choose from and compete in. All small groups must perform in a time span of five minutes or less, while larger groups can take up to eight minutes. If performers pass their time limit, they are automatically disqualified. There are also other strict rules, involving dress code and content of the scenes. Not only must all clothing be solid colored and appropriate, but all logos or patterns are also banned.

No props of any type are allowed, although performers may use chairs to enhance their scenes. This year, the categories are: Tech Theater, Audition Monologue, Non-American Playwrights, Meet My Crazy Family, Ripped From the Headlines, Large Group Dramatic, Large Group Comedic, and Open Musical. The content of the categories range from students writing their own script to costume and makeup.

The other competition occurs around April, and revolves completely around Shakespeare and his works. This year, the featured plays are Macbeth and Tempest. Categories include Teach Theater, Audition Monologue, The Way the Madness Lies, Shakespeare’s Musical, Sibs From Another Crib, Shakespeare’s Lesser Plays, Large Group Dramatic, and Large Group Comedic. All the same rules apply as from the Fall Festival, but there are further restrictions for certain groups. Another great aspect of DTASC is their annual scholarship giveaway, where students are chosen to be recipients based on an audition.

AHS is renowned for its stellar theater program, which competes at DTASC every year. Advanced Drama Department (ADD) tends to take home many awards, and last year won first place in the category ‘The Play’s the Thing!’ at the annual Shakespeare Festival. It will soon be competing at the Fall Festival on Oct. 24, and have been preparing intensely for their scenes. The competition will be held at Los Angeles High School of the Arts, and is a whole day affair. ADD students must get to school by 6:30 a.m. and don’t return till 9:00 p.m. that night. Later on, the Shakespeare Festival will be on Apr. 16, 2016. We have students competing in every category, and hope to take home a few awards; best of luck to ADD at DTASC 2015-2016!

psaha@apachepowwow.com

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October 2015

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PERFORMING ARTS

15

By EILEEN LEE Staff Writer

On Saturday, Sept. 25, Arcadia was visited by 626’s most popular web celebrities— Wong Fu Productions. They were here for the premiere of their new movie—Everything Before Us, a romantic drama centering around two couples’ relationships as affected by their Department of Emotional Integrity (DEI) scores. The film was released online in early June, but this was the first time that a screening had been held for an audience. The night kicked off with two members of the team, Philip Wang and Wesley Chan, along with AHS alumni Christine Chen, introducing their movie and thanking the fans and AHS for their support.

In an exclusive interview, Wong Fu expressed that this project encompassed “all the ideas they’ve had throughout the year” and was built off a background of their short films and own experiences, “showing growth in [Wong Fu’s] own understanding of relationships.” The fans had received the film well, both throughout the 626 area, and nationally. According to Wong Fu, it’s impact ranged through each fan’s “lens that they viewed the movie with,” from love of the story being told, to being aware of a new generation of independently produced films that can be shown online instead of the theater, allowing it to “go straight to the fans.”

Another prominent feature of the film and Wong Fu Productions in general is that the majority of the cast and crew are all Asian American, highlighting a minority in the film industry.

This presence has brought attention to the works of Wong Fu and it’s impact has inspired many Asian Americans interested in the field. They described that while their intent was not “make a statement about being Asian American,” they unintentionally portray how the

life of an American born Chinese is still very normal, despite the perception of someone not from that community. One of the male leads, Brandon SooHoo, is a Temple City High School alumnus, and with AHS alumni Christine Chen, understand the struggle of the competitive school district. Chen, who originally studied special events, shared advice for all high schoolers to “not worry so much, as life will unfold the way it’s supposed to.”

After the film, there was a short question and answer session joined by fellow producers, a few cast members, and Wong Fu themselves. Popular questions regarding future projects for the movie was discussed, including a sequel to the movie, or bringing back old favorites—such as lip syncing pop songs. They hope to continue to produce web series, feature films, and even movies—although those require a lot of time.

Wong Fu has also recently released their self titled app that provides readers with the most up to date information and newest videos. Although still in the developing process, Wong Fu hopes for it to become bigger than it is now in the near future.

The event concluded with the highly anticipated meet and greet, where fans had a chance to interact directly with the cast and crew to take pictures, receive autographs, and exchange a few words. It was a night full of excitement and surprises, and allowed fans to experience firsthand one of Wong Fu’s most successful projects. elee@apachepowwow.com

Photo courtesy of INDIEGOGO.COM Graphics courtesy of WONGFUPRODUCTIONS.COM

TASTE OF ARCADIA’S WORLD LINE

HAUNTED HALLWAYS

By JOCELYN HU

By VICTORIA TOVMASYAN

WORLD LINE

Staff Writer

Staff Writer

Every year, Arcadia hosts its recognized event, “A Taste of Arcadia”. It is a combined Culinary Contest and business showcase, and this year, it brought in an audience of 1,500. Here’s the fun part: our high school’s World Drum Line was invited to perform for the people at the event. Not only was this a great experience for our drummers, it was also a fantastic way to gain recognition from more of the community.

For its gig, the line marched around the event campus playing cadences, and to the crowd’s surprise, the field show. Junior Daniel Sanchez, a quad-bearer, stated that, “It was pretty obvious to see that [the audience] had never heard the style of music that [we played]. Many of them looked very intrigued by our ability to play more than just the cadences that are heard in parades and seen in movies.” The line was satisfied to see that the members of the event were reacting well to the lesser recognized side of drum line, which broadcasts its difficult field show music.

The drummers were definitely glad to see people react so positively to the field show version of drum line. In fact, center snare junior AJ Ocampo recalled how the line “could visibly see the energy throughout the crowd, the joy was infectious. It’s always great to see people enjoy what we do because it brings more purpose into our music.” Clearly, the drummers were able to both raise awareness of their hobby and entertain the audience, a win-win scenario.

Overall, our high school drummers deserve an A+ this year. They gained experience while educating people about something they had most likely never seen or heard. Maybe we’ll see World Line featured again at next year’s “A Taste of Arcadia”!

This year, AHS’ annual Haunted Hallways took place on Oct. 9 and Oct. 10, from 8:00 to 11:00 p.m. Presale tickets were sold at $8 for regular tickets, $10 for VIP, and tickets were $10 and $15 at the door. They could have also been purchased from any pep squad member or Ms. Erickson in room J-210.

Pep Squad had definitely put lots of effort into making this event happen and spent a lot of time planning, decorating, and preparing the school halls and rooms.

Due to Staff Development Day, there was no school on Oct. 9. Pep Squad had decided to make good use of this time for decorating and setting up. The pep members arrived at 8 a.m. and finished their work at around 12 p.m. Materials they used to decorate were either rented or recycled from past years.

This year’s Haunted Hallways took place in G-Hall and E-Hall. It featured five different areas, each with its own theme. The number of volunteers assigned into each room depended on how big the room was. For example, all the clowns belonged to the insane asylum room this year.

Compared to last year’s Haunted Hallways, many changes were made; the only two rooms that remained the same were the baby doll and scarecrow rooms. According to Pep Squad member sophomore Sunny Huang, “Where the insane asylum was last year is going to be a crazy/ gory birthday party now, and the skeleton room will be a mask room.” Last year’s dark and clown rooms will just be an entire mental hospital, starting with a waiting room, a surgery area, and the mental asylum. No more clowns will be roaming around halls this year; the whole last hallway will be part of the insane asylum. Overall, the sections became broader; there are usually more sections, and one whole hallway has a specific topic, instead of mixing genres this year.”

When Haunted Hallways was over, Pep Squad was in charge of taking everything down and restoring it all to its original place once again.

vtovmasyan@apachepowwow.com

Graphic courtesy of ARCADIACHAMBERS.COM

jhu@apachepowwow.com

Graphic courtesy of WALLPAPERINFINITE.COM

16

STUDENT LIFE

Solar Chimney

By KYLE WANG

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October 2015

October TV: Horror Edition

By MICHELLE GU and ELLIE LEE

Staff Writer

Executive Copy Editor, Staff Writer

Many AHS students spend their free time studying for standardized tests, volunteering at the library, and hanging out with friends. During the summer, we may go to AEF summer school in order to take an extra AP class the following school year, or do some kind of internship to explore our interests in possible future careers. However, not many of us have the ability to develop a way to improve the performance of solar chimneys like senior Aaron Togelang.

If this is your first time hearing of a solar chimney, it is a way to provide airflow to buildings by converting sunlight into airflow.

It is usually used in modern homes to provide extra ventilation and air circulation. Aaron stated, “The research I did focused on finding an inexpensive way to improve [the solar chimney’s] performance.”

For many, the main subject associates October with is Halloween. Most holidays give out a homey and loving atmosphere, whereas Halloween brings fright and chills. To celebrate Halloween, many thrill-themed shows, such as American Horror Story (AHS), The Walking Dead, Code Black, and Scream Queens will premiere their new season this month. What are these shows about and what are some fellow Apaches’ feedback? Freshman Rachel Yin said the allure of these horror themed shows is that “the characters are very strange in a sense that makes you interested yet scared of them.”

The Walking Dead is an amazing TV show that has taken the cliquey zombie films to a whole another level. At first, it had a rough start in 2010, beginning with just 5.35 million views for the season one premiere. For its season five premiere in 2014, it tripled its premiere views with 17.3 million views. The Walking Dead centers on the show’s lead character, sheriff’s deputy Rick Grimes. Grimes is forced to face a world filled with zombies after waking up from a prolonged coma. Grimes reunites with his family and becomes the leader of a group he forms with other survivors. Together they struggle to survive and adapt to this chaotic world filled with zombies. However, Zombies aren’t even the main danger. Grimes and his group will also have to face some humans who are even more dangerous than the zombies themselves. Junior Christine Wang loves The Walking Dead because “it has numerous amounts of plot twists that keep [her] on [her] toes.” Christine finds every moment of The Walking Dead super thrilling and she’s “especially excited to watch the new season where the characters enter a new safe zone.”

From the creators of AHS comes a new horror comedy anthology series, Scream Queens. Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Ian Brennan started its world premiere at the 2015 Comic-Con, and it aired on FOX television on Sept. 22. The first season centers on a string of murders that happens at the Kappa Kappa Tau Sorority House exactly two decades after Wallace University is rocked by a mysterious death. A modern take on the classic whodunit murder mystery, Scream Queens features a killer cast (excuse the pun), with Chanel (Emma Roberts) as the resident mean girl and Zayday (Keke Palmer) who absolutely slays the screen with her nonconformist sorority attitude.

And then there’s Hester (Lea Michele), a morbid weird girl who desperately wants to be Chanel, legacy sorority girl Grace (Sklyer Samuels), and one deadly Red Devil killer on the loose. It also gets bonus points for casting Ariana Grande and Joe Jonas on the show. Even if campy horror and a side

Through their research, Aaron and his team found a more efficient and cost-effective way to improve the efficiency of the solar chimney. Called the “Amusement Park Method”, the team experimented with increasing the distance that air has to flow through to the solar collector, which is where solar energy is used to warm the air. This results in the air having a higher temperature, generating more airflow since the air is more buoyant. After testing out its new method, the team found the results astounding: while increasing the cost by just 3.1%, the solar chimney generated 55% more wind power!

“I did the research at Jisan Research Institute, an afterschool program that teaches students about scientific thought and research.

I joined the research team through that program,” said Aaron. After working on the experiment for more than a year, the results of the group’s work have all been composed into a scientific paper titled “Low Cost Solar Chimney Performance-Improving Enhancement”.

This summer, in August, Aaron had the opportunity to present his team’s findings at the 2015 International Conference and Exhibition on Clean Energy in Ottawa, Canada. Aaron plans to pursue a career in aeronautical engineering. His contribution to AHS’ Solar Cup and Vex Robotics Team as well as his research at Jisan is further proof that he will be a great addition to the field. At 17, he has already made such a big contribution to the field of engineering! kwang@apachepowwow.com

Graphic courtesy of 123RF.COM Photos courtesy of FACEBOOK.COM and JISAN.ORG

of gore isn’t your thing, Scream Queens is definitely worth a watch just because there is nothing else like it on television. Literally.

With the aging Grey’s Anatomy already on season 11, it seems only natural for a new medical drama to take over. Which brings us to the world of Code Black, an emergency room that gets so many patients in one go that the staff is forced to call a “Code Black”. For unknown reasons, the medical staff seem to treat this as a sign of honor contrary to the real life scenario. The leader in the chaos is the strong, infallible Luis Guzman and Residency Director, Dr. Rorish (Marcia Gay Harden) who frequently butts heads with his more ethical counterpart Raza Jaffrey. (“You’re the doctor they want,” Rorish sneers at him. “I’m the doctor they need”) With its quick cuts, yelling and close calls, Code Black seems like it could be likeable, but the unrealistic situations and overdone plot should make some viewers pass it for something else.

Returning this season is ABC’s How To Get Away With Murder, which like its title suggests, is just what happens. Lawyer Annalise Keating (Viola Davis) with her team of undergraduates dubbed the “Keating Five” are on their way to covering up the murder of her husband and fight their worst enemy within themselves. Spoilers are easy to come by with this show so we won’t give away too much. However, this is a must see if you want action and edge-of-your-seat episodes.

Halloween is just around the corner and so are these heart racing TV shows! Turn on your TV and watch their season premieres or binge watch their completed seasons. These shows will sure give you a good scare and help you get into the Halloween spirit. mgu@apachepowwow.com, elee@apachepowwow.com

Photos courtesy of EXSTREAMIST.COM, FOX.COM, SUBSCENE.COM, and THEPOLITICALSCIENCE.COM Graphics courtesy of CLIPARTHUT.COM, DECALSNSTICKERS.COM, and SIHOUETTESFREE.COM

October 2015

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STUDENT LIFE

17

DIY Fall Recipes & Pumpkin Spice Latte

By HA EUN PARK and NADINE TEMPLETON

Staff Writers

Fall is finally here and you know what that means! Everything fall-themed from scents to decor! Here are some fun fall recipes that anyone can make and enjoy without having to be a master baker.

Nothing screams fall more than the classic pumpkin bread. It’s easier to whip up than you’d think!

From Food Network Kitchen, you’ll need: 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 cup butter, softened 2 teaspoons baking soda 2 cups pumpkin puree 2 teaspoons salt 4 eggs, beaten 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 2 cups whole wheat flour 2 cups white sugar Once you have all your ingredients ready, butter the two 9x5 inch loaf pans. Tired of always waiting for your oven to heat up? Get a head start and preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (or 175 degrees Celsius). In a large bowl combine the white flour, whole wheat flour, sugar, baking powder and baking soda. In a separate bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, eggs and salt. Add flour to the mixture and blend in the softened butter or margarine one tablespoon at a time. Divide the mixture between two pans. Bake the pumpkin bread for about 45 minutes until it’s golden or the cake tester comes out clean!

If you’re feeling slightly more adventurous, try putting together a scrumptious apple tart. It’s quick and easy to bake but it’ll look like you spent hours cooking it and years in culinary school.

From Allrecipes, you’ll need: 3 whole apples (cored, halved and sliced, but not peeled) Nonstick cooking spray 1 cup brown sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt Juice of 1/2 a lemon 1/4 cup chopped pecans 1 whole sheet puffed pastry, cut in half caramel sauce for serving (store bought) Start by preheating your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking pan with parchment paper or spray with nonstick spray. Place the puffed pastry rectangles onto the pan. Add the sugar, salt and lemon juice to the apples and stir to combine. Let the mixture sit for a few minutes.

Arrange the apple slices on the pastry rectangles in a straight line, overlapping as you go. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the pastry is puffed and golden brown. Lastly, remove the pastries from the pan immediately and place on a serving platter. Serve with caramel sauce and chopped pecans.

It’s no shocker when Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL) is a favorite beverage during the fall time. During the cozy nights or afternoons, there is always a craving to drink a toasty latte with a pinch of sweet pumpkin spice added to it. Unfortunately, Starbucks isn’t exactly a daily trip for most of us. With a few simple ingredients and instructions, you can make these lattes and drink them all night long until you turn into a pumpkin.

From Food Network Kitchen, you’ll need: (most of these can already be found in your pantry, however, you can get all of them at a local grocery store like Pavilions or Trader Joe’s) 1 cup of milk 2 tablespoons of pure pumpkin puree (check Pavilions or Ralphs!)

1 tablespoon of sugar 1/4 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice (again, you might need to look for this at Pavilions or any other local grocery store) 1/4 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract 1/4 cup of hot espresso or strong brewed coffee Whipped cream for the frothy topping In a microwave safe bowl, combine your milk, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, sugar, and vanilla extract. Cover the bowl with saran wrap and vent with a small hole. Microwave for one to two minutes until the milk is hot. Now whisk and whisk vigorously, not so the mixture spills all over you, but until it’s foamy. The whisking should take no longer than 30 seconds. Pour the coffee into your favorite mug and pour on the foamed milk mixture as well.

To make the drink even prettier, sprinkle pumpkin spice on the foam. Now sip your homemade pumpkin latte and let the fall flavors melt in your mouth. Starbucks who?

With multiple dessert recipes, be creative and experiment with new flavors. Enjoy the fall season and happy baking everyone!

hpark@apachepowwow.com, ntempleton@apachepowwow.com

Photos courtesy of AMERICASTESTKITCHEN.COM , JUSTEVERYDAYME.COM, and RICK.COM Graphics courtesy of NFSWALLPAPER.COM and WORDPRESS.COM

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Boys Water Polo

Athletic Profile: Holly Lung

By KIMBERLY LO Staff Writer

By JUSTIN CUN Staff Writer

AQUATIC FORCE In a recent game against Burbank High School, freshman Aramis Kelkelyan analyzed the field to find an opportunity to score.

Boys Varsity Water Polo has played to a 10-8 overall record and is currently tied for 3rd place in League—a major improvement from last season. With a combination of hard work and camaraderie, the boys are primed for a successful season.

The Boys Varsity Water Polo team has been practicing rigorously this season. Its practices range from laps around the pool to other intense conditioning workouts. Most of these practices continue after school, and the team often hits the weight room as well. “Although it’s my first year in water polo, I’m already enjoying everything we’re doing,” said sophomore Nathan Nguyen. In most sports teams, players feel as if they’re family, and the Boys Varsity Water Polo team is no exception. “The first few days [of

Junior Holly Lung is an outstanding cross country runner at AHS who was recently named SoCal Prep Legends Girls Athlete of the Week.

This honor is fitting, as Holly and her team have experienced great successes this month. Recently, at the Stanford Invitational (SI) held at Palo Alto, Holly and her fellow Apache runners put all their efforts together to earn the coveted seeded division title. Holly individually placed 4th at the SI, running a 5km race in 17:43!

At the Woodbridge Invitational, she placed 8th, and at the Pacific League multi-dual meet which took place at Crescenta Valley Park, she placed 3rd. In addition, at the Mt. San Antonio College Girls Team Sweepstakes race on Oct. 24, Holly took the gold with a time of 17:17.

Holly remembers how she was first inspired to start what would be —and currently is—an extremely successful running career. Holly first began running when she was in eighth grade because her “PE teacher told [her that she] had the potential to be pretty fast.” Roughly three years from when she started running in eighth grade, Holly has developed

Staff Writer

practice] were awkward, but over time, we all began to know each other better, and I feel more comfortable talking to my teammates now than I did at the beginning,” said Nathan.

The main objective of the team is to reach playoffs, and according to freshman Matthew Gao, this is a feasible goal. Practice isn’t the only aspect that is relevant in winning games; rather, it’s the encouragement and support that also drive these players to pursue their goals and accomplish them. “I know we have a chance at playoffs. It’s not because we practice everyday but rather, it’s because we all have each others’ backs and support one another,” claimed Matthew.

After its defeats, the Boys Varsity Water Polo team always tries to identify its mistakes and improve to try and win its next game. There is no wasted moment in the pool, so the boys are always improving. “Even when we lose games, I know that in the end, we’re getting the experiences we need and we’re learning what we have to improve on as a team and as individuals,” said Nathan. Matthew also added, “Losing is acceptable, but only if we’re learning from our mistakes, so we prevent future ones.”

All in all, we wish the best of luck to the Boys Varsity Water Polo team! jcun@apachepowwow.com Photos by NADINE TEMPLETON

into a superb runner who is leading her team to great results at each of its meets. Holly has big goals that she is actively working toward. Currently, Holly’s goal for herself is to be one of the top 15 ranked individuals for the state championship. She hopes that the “team can place in the top 3 so [it] can move on to Nike Cross Nationals (NXN). NXN is where the best teams

LEADING THE PACK Junior Holly Lung looks forward to another successful cross country season. in the entire country compete, and Nike gives them a load of free stuff!”

SI took place on Sept. 26 at the Stanford Golf Course in Palo Alto, where the girls team placed 1st and the boys team placed a close 2nd.

Holly had an exciting and memorable

time at the invitational, recounting, “at SI, there were white robes in the hotel rooms, and everyone took hilarious pictures in them! We even started the hashtag #robechallenge2k15!

It’s so much fun when everyone gets really into it.” Not only did Holly and the Girls Varsity Cross Country team earn exceptional results at SI, but they also had fun moments and unforgettable experiences that ultimately brought the team together and cemented team chemistry.

Currently, Holly is a junior, and for the future she aspires to “get signed to run for a good college.”

In addition, she hopes that “running can open more doors to potential colleges” after high school. As for her thoughts on the cross country season so far, Holly thought that “this season has been really good so far.” She is happy with the times and places she has been getting, and has also seen herself improve in her speed workouts! Overall, Holly is excitedly anticipating the rest of the season.

Congratulations to Holly for her achievements in the cross country season thus far and good luck to her in her future endeavors! klo@apachepowwow.com

Photo by AARON CHAN

Heart of a Hall of Famer

By ANDREW LIM

RELENTLESS UNIT Sophomore Sebastian Petcu executed a strong pass to his team to easily advance into enemy territory.

October 2015

Alumnus Bruce Matthews, inducted into the The Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2007, recently interacted with our very own AHS athletes as part of the “Heart of a Hall of Famer” program. The “Heart of a Hall of Famer” is a series that allows students to be given an opportunity to learn first-hand of what it took beyond athletic ability and skill for legendary football players and sports heroes to achieve success, whether it be in a game, in a practice session, or in life.

Some of AHS’ best athletes attended this question-and-answer session with Matthews on Oct. 21. When asked what quality impacted Matthews the most in his life, he quickly responded that integrity was the most crucial trait to him, going as far as to say, “I don’t think there is any higher quality a person can have.” Building off of this well-put answer, Matthews applied the concept to school and education, as he believed such a quality can positively impact everyone. The interaction with the retired football legend proved to be engaging as he answered every question with a touch of his own personal background and experience.

Matthews recounted his own

high school career by saying he was that “shy kid” despite being taller than everyone else. He specifically mentioned that “taking that opportunity to make [himself] uncomfortable [by stepping] out of [his] comfort zone” really made him “grow as a

HERO OF THE GAME Bruce Matthews accepted his Hall of Fame induction in 2007 and came to guide AHS atheltes to success person.” Matthews again emphasized that never settling will lead to selfimprovement and growth as a person.

Standing upon his belief, Matthews asserted that he “grew as a person” by looking back into his past memories of high school.

The session carried on with Mat-

thews answering multiple questions from various student athletes at different schools. Junior Eden Hardy of the Girls Varsity Soccer team asked Matthews about recruiting from colleges and universities. The retired football player responded, “It was interesting. Back in the day, [recruitment] started basically in your junior year.” He elaborated and described a conversation with his father when Matthews was accepted into the University of Southern California. Matthews echoed his father’s words and said, “You want to go there and play against the best to really see where you stand.” Essentially, Matthews advised our athletes to go to the most competitive schools to judge their abilities against other elite players.

At the end of the informative session, Matthews bade farewell to the audience amidst a round of applause. The program taught the student athletes how an individual’s convictions can lead to new opportunities and goals, as is evident by Matthews’ life. The question and answer session was definitely an interesting experience that gave some of our best athletes insight into the realm of professional sports. alim@apachepowwow.com

Photo courtesy of USATODAY.NET

October 2015

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Football Surges After Homecoming Victory

By TRINITY CHHAY & DANIELLE SANTOYO Staff Writers

The biggest game of the year has always been the Homecoming game. This year AHS played against Pasadena High School (PHS) and dominated in a 38-7 win. Indeed, this game has been one of the many highlights of the Varsity Football team which has propelled itself into competition for League champion, sporting a 3-2 League record currently.

As the first quarter began on a cool October night, everyone stood for the Pledge of Allegiance while Chanteurs sang the National anthem. The kickoff was awarded to PHS, but the Apache defense stifled the Pasadena offense for the majority of the first quarter. Pasadena was unable to press forward, and called for the first timeout a minute into the game, caught off-guard by the strong AHS defense. As Pep Squad continued to rally the audience, Arcadia covered more yardage during its first possession. After a series of fumbles with both Arcadia and Pasadena reaching for the ball, AHS came out on top and gained massive yardage. Running back senior Bradley Mills blitzes down the field for 50 yards and scored the first touchdown, eliciting a roaring cheer from the home crowd. The score began at 8-0, with AHS taking the lead by the end of the first quarter after the touchdown.

Once the second quarter began, Pasadena’s offensive broke into AHS territory. Finally, after another great performance by the Apache defense, PHS managed to score off of a kickoff, which made the score 8-7 going into an amazing halftime performance by our performing arts programs.

As the third quarter began in a tightly contested game with our Apaches in the lead, everyone watched in anticipation for a game changing play. “This was the most exciting game I’ve seen so far at AHS. It’s the best I have seen our team play so far,” stated sophomore Cameron Keene. There were vigorous attempts to gain the lead by the PHS Bulldogs, but there was no stopping the Apaches as the boys PUMPED UP The Apaches’ charged excitement is reflected by their continued to score touchdown after touchdown to make the score 21-7. Finally, another successful kick cheering, enthusiastic audience as they rush onto the field, ready to tackle their opponents. left the Apaches to a total lead of 24-7 at the end of the third quarter.

As the fourth quarter began with the Apaches sporting a sizable lead against the Bulldogs, the boys ran yet another touchdown into the end zone and completed another field goal, bringing AHS up to a 31-7 lead. As acknowledged by sophomore Emily Reale, “The game was great to watch. You can tell the team itself has progressed in its plays and skills.” Tight end senior Menno Heinrichs stated, “It feels great to be apart of the team, as we all try to help each other out and try to the best of our abilities. All of us have improved over this season, in our teamwork and plays. It really showed at the Homecoming game. I’m proud to be a part of the team.” Indeed, the Apaches gave multiple reasons to be proud in the game. When

PUNTING TO VICTORY Senior Justin Mascorro reaches back for a hard kick to MAD DASH TOUCHDOWN Senior Bradley Mills turns on the jets and races the enemy territory, ready to let his defense dominate the opposing team. down the field for yet another touchdown in the Homecoming game win.

AHS reached the end zone yet again, it seemed as though only the time limit could stop the Apaches, as the team rolled to a stunning 38-7 victory. The manager of the Varsity Football team, junior Sofia Masuda, commented, “I was very happy we won our Homecoming game, and since last year, we didn’t win, it really pumped up our school spirit. I’m happy to help the guys on the team. It’s a fun and interesting experience.” Great job Apaches!

This Homecoming win was an extension of an amazing winning streak which started off with its game against Maranatha High School, in which our Apaches won by a score of 2120 in a nail biter. The winning streak continued into the Apaches’ second match against Glendale High School which ended in an Apache win of 42-0! In that game, the Arcadia offense and defense absolutely dominated over the course of the whole game. The third win in the streak was the Homecoming game against PHS on our home turf, which resulted in a 38-7 win for us. The fourth consecutive win AHS added to its streak was against John Muir High School, a historically tough team to beat. It was a defensive slugfest, but in the end, Arcadia VICTORY LAP After a decisive win, the Apaches congratulate came out on top with a winning score of 8-7! Senior Cesar Haro gave his thoughts on this impressive winning streak. “I believe we have executed pretty well, and we’ve been working really well as a team. We are on a their contenders as they triumphantly file off the turf. winning streak because we have been playing hard and have been giving it 110% when we play.” Freshman Jahlique Stephens added, “We’ve won four games in a row because we executed well, we played hard, and we worked together. We communicate with each other, we play as a team, and we keep our heads in the game.”

A recent pivotal game was against League competition John Burroughs High School (JBHS), which took place at our own home turf at the AHS Salter Stadium. During the first quarter, AHS made the first score with a touchdown one minute into the game. Although our Apache defensive and offensive teams were strong, JBHS scored two touchdowns, making the score 7-14. The quarter ended with the score in JBHS’ favor, at 7-26 after a couple more touchdowns. Our determined Apaches attempted a comeback during the second quarter, closing the deficit to 17-26. With relentless attempts to gain yardage, the boys’ persistence paid off. In the third quarter, our Apaches raised their performance and cut the score from 17-26 to 31-33! At the start of the fourth quarter, our Apaches fought hard to secure a dramatic lead of 34-33. But in the last 9 seconds of the game, JBHS made its last touchdown to win the game with a score of 34-39. Unfortunately, AHS dropped another game against Burbank High School in its last home game of the season. Nevertheless, Arcadia’s four-game winning streak demonstrated its ability to compete with the best teams in the League and its promising future.

Great job to the Varsity Football team! tchhay@apachepowwow.com dsantoyo@apachepowwow.com Photos by RYAN FANN, DEBBIE MOON, & TITUS WU

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ACADEMICS

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October 2015

all about that bot

By TITUS WU

Staff Writer

changes have been made to the team since the beginning of the school year. “We’ve changed the level of involvement from the seniors; there’s more training, more communication, and more work,” said Aaron, referring to the lack of effort from seniors last year. “Because of all this, we have been able to actually consistently be on schedule,” a marvelous achievement, as in the world of engineering and constant technical problems, engineers tend to slack behind.

Currently, Robotics Team is working months ahead in preparation for the JPL Invention Challenge, which will take place Nov. 21. “This competition varies from year to year,” said Co-Captain senior Andrew Ortegaray, and for this upcoming year, the aim is to create “a device that can autonomously launch balls into goals from approximately a

20-foot distance.”

The entire team is split into three groups, each building its own device and forming ideas for the competition. For William’s group, it was a flywheel design combined with a revolver-like loading system. “We’re going to have four fairly large wheels arranged in stacks of two which will be attached some motors so that they spin fast enough to launch a roughly 7 in diameter ball,” said William. “The robot is also supposed to launch all three with one trigger action, so we’re planning on having a revolver-like loading system for the balls, but arranged vertically so that the

While most teams have only just recruited new members, AHS’s Robotics Team is already preparing hard for its next competition.

Also known as the school’s Engineering and Design Development course, the Robotics Team is “a team devoted to the pursuing and promotion of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics,” said Co-Captain senior Aaron Togelang.

In addition to competitions, the class also includes large engineering projects that focus on design, building, and teamwork, and is designed for students interested in pursuing a Science, Tech, Engineering, and Math (STEM) major.

Indeed, for junior William Wang, the team was a further opportunity to explore “his interest in engineering,” but he also emphasized on it being “essentially a student-run class” that made it appealing for him.

Fundamental changes have been CHIEF ENGINEERS Left: senior Co-Captain Aaron Togelang; right: senior Co-Captain Andrew Ortegaray.

balls will drop down and roll with some initial speed into the flywheel.”

William noted, however, that all of it was in the prototype stage— meaning it is not yet the final product. Along the way, many mistakes will be committed. “It can be challenging at times,” said William, “but in the end, it’s incredibly rewarding to build something with your team.”

Despite all the efforts put into building now, many of the members had aspiring goals. For Andrew, it “was to win the JPL Challenge and all the later competitions” and improve significantly from last year’s team. Others wished for a more keen understanding of their own craft.

For the team in general, however, Andrew had one phrase to describe it all—“I have nothing but high expectations.” twu@apachepowwow.com

Graphic courtesy of TATTLY.COM Photos by TITUS WU

Sullivan University Teaches Family Care

By KIMBERLY LO

Staff Writer

Sullivan University is a private college in Louisville, Kentucky that was founded in 1962. It is composed of roughly 6,000 students. If working with young children seems interesting to you, then Sullivan University’s Early Childhood Education program may be something to check out!

This program is ideal for people who want to work with children and help educate them. In addition, people who could benefit from this program include those who want to be involved with managing a child development center, owning a child development center, or working as a nanny.

In this program, students learn how to teach children, execute safety practices, as-

sist with child development, establish a center for child development, communicate with families, foster positive environments for learning, and follow standards of education.

The program includes 18 months of learning, which adds up to 94 credit hours from classes. Courses such as Introduction to Child Care, Child Care Professional Development, and Child Care Administration are related to taking care of children.

Other classes students will also take include Computer Applications, Public Speaking, Family Systems, Information Literacy, and College Mathematics. In these classes, students can gain a well-developed idea of how to best lead children in their development.

After finishing this program, graduates will be more knowledge-

able about how to run a business, how to take care of children, and how to supervise employees. From Noblesville, Indiana, Early Childhood Education program graduate Erika Pouch exclaimed, “I have been a nanny on and off since I graduated in 2004 and having a degree definitely sets you apart from others applying for the same position. I was also able to earn a position as an assistant director at an ECE center because I had a degree!”

A special benefit of this program is that completion will earn one a Kentucky Director Credential as well as 300 hours of working with families. Furthermore, this program is linked with another program of

Sullivan University’s. Sullivan University’s Hire a Nanny program allows graduates from the Early Childhood Education program may be matched up with employers.

To find out more about this program or about early childhood education, check out this program or other websites such as the International Nanny Association or the National Association for the Education of Young Children. klo@apachepowwow.com

Graphic courtesy of HARDINCHAMBER.COM Photo courtesy of BROKENSIDEWALK.COM

October 2015

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ACADEMICS Psychological Phenomena

By ANDREW LIM

21 Staff Writer

The human mind is an amazing tool. It can calculate problems, retain, create, and relate several pieces of information. The list can go almost indefinitely. However, the very same mind perplexes psychologists. Studies and research have focused relentlessly on how people perceive the way things are or why people commit to certain actions, despite it feeling as if it has the opposite effect. Several psychological phenomena plague everyone on a daily basis, yet scientists have not found explanations as to why such phenomena occur. Regardless, studies and research conclude that being aware of such phenomena can provide a better understanding of oneself and overall provide a path to self-improvement.

The Focusing Effect: This psychological phenomenon is the simple aspect of focusing much more attention on certain factors, to the point of absolutely dismissing other factors or believing they aren’t present. Psychologists posed a simple question to their test subjects: “How much happier is a Californian than a Midwesterner?” Despite the absurdity of the question, most test subjects replied that a Californian is much happier than a Midwesterner. When asked to elaborate, they simply replied that California has sunny weather and the easy-going lifestyle of residents; however, happiness for the Californian and the Midwesterner has no difference. Psychologists noticed that the test subjects were focusing on the weather and lifestyle of each area as test subjects failed to realize that the Midwest has significantly lower crime rates and earthquakes. The failed recognition of several other factors proved that the Focusing Effect can come into being easily.

The Paradox of Choice: You’d think that the more choices a person has, the more satisfied the person would be after he or she makes said choice, due to the amount of options and paths he or she can take. Once again, that’s not always the case. Psychologists, Mark Lepper and Sheena Iyengar, proved this enigmatic paradox through a simple experiment. Lepper and Iyengar conducted an experiment in a common everyday supermarket. At a store, the psychologists set up a showcase of a variety of different jams and taste samples. During one test they provided only six options while in another they provided 24. During the experiment, they observed that the test with the fewer amount of samples gave off the effect for the Paradox of Choice. Approximately 30% of the customers purchased the jam from the fewer samples, significantly greater than the measly 3% of customers in the second scenario. Though the experiment with the jams seems incredibly crude and simple, the experiment itself shows how much and frequent the Paradox of Choice has implemented itself into the daily lives of everyone.

The Pratfall Effect: Perfect Grades. Perfect Look. Perfect SAT Score. Perfect Everything. The Pratfall Effect absolutely blows the idea of “being perfect to become more likeable” out of the water and into the trash can. To put it simply, a person is more likable if they aren’t perfect. Psychologist Elliot Aronson proved this theory with an experiment wherein he asked participants to listen to recordings, including one that has a person spilling coffee all over the place. Aronson then asked his participants to rate each recording by their likability. Long story short, the coffee recording was triumphant. After conducting the same experiment a numerous amount of times, the coffee recording remained triumphant. Thus, the Pratfall Effect was soon widely accepted and seemingly dominates people’s daily lives.

The Pygmalion Effect: Simply put, greater expectations call for greater performance. The natural drive of wanting an object or achievement can allow the person to succeed in achieving his or her goal. A test conducted by psychologist, Robert Rosenthal, follows first and second graders of an elementary school. He had the children take an assessment and led the teachers to believe certain students were capable of greater achievement. At the end of the year, he had the children retake the same type of assessment and the children that were thought to be capable of greater achievement did much better than the children that didn’t. Rosenthal led to the conclusion that the teachers offered more opportunities and attention to the special group, which allowed the students to fare better in the test. To put it simply with Rosenthal’s words: “What one person expects of another can come to serve as a self-fulfilling prophecy.”

These are just a few of the many psychological phenomena that appear in our daily lives, and being conscious of them can help with self-improvement in behavior and thought processes. alim@apachepowwow.com

Graphic courtesy of COGEXCEL.ORG

History Bowl

By JOCELYN HU

Staff Writer

If you’re fascinated with history or just like playing with buzzers, History Bowl (HB) may have be the right academic team for you! Members on this team bond, learn, and also compete together.

HB tryouts were held on Oct. 2 after school and during lunch. The tryouts included two stages: a written test and a buzzer round. Those who scored high on the written test made it to the buzzer round, where selections were made. Over 100 people apply each year, but only 20 to 30 are selected to enter the buzzer round. Those who can answer the last eight or more questions have automatic admission. The top ten finalists are the only ones accepted.

Although membership is competitive, it is a lot of fun being on the team.

Those who join add on to their knowledge of history while learning new competition techniques and practicing their buzzer skills. According to HB member sophomore Sean Lee, “History Bowl puts a new, more competitive spin on a subject most people tend to dislike. People stay in HB because they have a passion for historical knowledge and enjoy being tested on it. It’s a skill acquired after much studying and practice, but it is fun to compete against others and learn more about the world, both past and present, as HB commences.

The advantage in getting into HB includes an accumulation of present day and historical knowledge, improved memory and identification of facts, and speed in being able to answer even the most challenging questions. It makes students even better.”

HB covers the broad subject of history. It stretches across all regions around the world and covers all time periods. As such, members need to be well acquainted with the background on current issues and well versed in international subjects and the understanding of culture. These people love history “because they are fascinated with how things in the world came to be, and how such clues cue us into how the future will be shaped,” said Sean.

As a team, HB members become a family. They share their love of history and bond after each tournament by eating dinner together. During meetings after school on Fridays, members of this academic team gather to practice. Based on their level of skill, members are put into different groups and compete against one another. They buzz in, answer the toss-ups, and gain points for correct answers just as they would in a real round. Although this team is more time consuming compared to other activities, all the members feel that their time and effort is worth it. jhu@apachepowwow.com

Graphic courtesy of VALDOSTA.EDU

By KATIE WEN

Balancing Act Staff Writer

There always seems to be a tug-of-war between work and fun. For AHS students, the struggle is between schoolwork and “life”. Many students are part of various extracurricular activities, such as sports, academic teams, and volunteer programs.

The main question is: How do you balance having time for all your activities?

Freshmen are only beginning their high school careers. After three years of a middle school workload, freshmen still have a lot to learn in order to adapt to the more difficult workload of high school courses. According to freshman Kenna Gao, “the workload this year is different since we already have tons of homework,” while during the start of middle school “everyone was just chilling.”

Many freshmen realize that not only is the quantity of work going up, but also so is the quality. One “significant difference is that some of my homework now requires me to write a lot more, which takes up more time,” reflected freshman Janine Liu. Some say that transitioning from freshman year to sophomore year is even more challenging compared to the eighth grade to ninth grade transition. The workload is definitely much heavier, since sophomores can now take AP classes.

According to sophomore Johnny Wen, his AP Biology homework “con-

sumes about three hours each weekday.”

In order to not drown in homework, Johnny advises freshmen to “study every subject as intently as [they] can, and make sure to always plan ahead.”

Juniors are probably at the busiest phase of their high school career. Studying for APs, reviewing for standardized tests, and trying to keep up with all their other extracurriculars can make anyone go crazy.

“Last year seemed so easy if I compare it to now,” said junior Allison Ou, while looking back on her sophomore year.

A different story goes for the seniors, however. Although most say that they have already lived through “the busiest year of high school”, seniors carry a special burden: college applications. One can take the SAT or ACT as many times as they want, but college apps are a one-timeonly deal. As they finish up their classes and carry on with sports and other extracurricular activities, seniors have to start deciding where to go after high school.

So how do you balance all aspects of your life without neglecting any?

“Think about whether certain classes are truly necessary,” advises junior Sai Kottapalli. “Although college apps are in the limelight, in hindsight think about whether you personally can handle it.” kwen@apachepowwow.com Graphic courtesy of CLKER.COM

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October 2015

October 2015

CALENDAR

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By VIVIAN KWANG

Staff Writer

1. You’d used to have to dance to get your treats.

And you thought asking for treats was tricky. Experts found that trick-or-treating was a form of European practice known as “mumming” in which costumewearing participants would go door-to-door performing choreographed dances in exchange for treats.

2. Jack-o-lanterns were once made out of turnips, beets, and potatoes—not pumpkins.

The jack-o-lantern was influenced by an old Irish tale about a man named Stingy Jack. The tale starts with a clever man named Jack who tricked the Devil several times. He gambled with the Devil and told him that when he died, the Devil would not be able to claim his soul. When Jack finally died, God decided that he wasn’t fit for heaven, but the Devil couldn’t claim his soul either. As a result, Jack was sent off to roam Earth with only a burning coal for light. He put the coal into a turnip as a lantern. Based on this myth, the Irish carved scary faces in turnips, beets, and potatoes to ward off Stingy Jack or other evil spirits that might lurk on Earth.

3. Halloween used to be a great day to find your soulmate.

In some parts of Ireland, people celebrated Halloween by playing romantic fortune-telling games. These games allegedly predicted who they would marry and when.

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By ANDREW WANG

Staff Writer

All around AHS there seems to be a familiar chill in the air, one that makes students shiver in their boots. Haunted house posters are posted all across the halls along with the spiderwebs strewn across the bushes in C-Hall. That’s right, Apaches, Halloween is here! Halloween, one of the many traditions we celebrate at AHS, is a time of spooky scary skeletons and other creepy shenanigans.

Although this holiday is full of fun, it can be a little pricey for some of us. However before dressing as another tablecloth ghost to save money this year, here are some tips that can save you some cash on this spooky day.

1. Swap Costumes AHS is full of students. Each student has some sort of Halloween costume that is probably your size. As that old Winnie-the-Pooh costume in the corner of your closet that you use every year starts to feel cliché and old, try finding some friends and switch costumes with them this year. If your current friends don’t have any costumes that are preferred, then this is a great time to make new friendships and swap costumes. This makes each year a different and exciting Halloween with many new memories.

2. Buy Costumes That Fit Your Wardrobe Want to dress like Spiderman and save a few bucks? Why not dress like the friendly neighborhood Spiderman’s other half, Peter Parker.

With a simple graphic tee with the Spider man logo printed on the chest, you can dress as a nerdy Peter Parker, with a button up shirt, while “hiding” your secret identity underneath. Later on you can integrate those button up shirts into your wardrobe.

3. Reuse Old Costumes Although this seems obvious, the Halloween costume you wore last year is not the “old costume” that is being referred to here. As a tiny fifth grader you remember roaming the streets at night with that Buzz Lightyear costume, with proper parental supervision of course, and going door to door adding a surplus of candy to your growing stockpile. This time, take that tiny costume out of storage and, although this may be hard for some due to the memories it holds, cut up the costume to add to a mimic version that you could easily make out of a plain T-shirt. awang@apachepowwow.com Graphics courtesy of 1001FONTS.COM and JAPANLOVER.ME

4. Halloween symbols aren’t random.

Black cats, spiders, and bats are all Halloween symbols because of their spooky history and connections to Wiccans. All three were thought to be the familiars of witches in the Middle Ages, and are often associated with bad luck.

5. Candy corn was originally called “chicken feed”.

Because of its yellowish, triangular appearance, people labeled them as “chicken feed”. Chicken feed is almost similar or identical to candy corn in shape and size.

6. Black cats are known to be bad luck, but not in England.

Black cats get a bad rep during Halloween because they were believed to bring bad luck. They were also believed to be subordinates who protected their master’s dark powers. Meanwhile, the British believes white cats bring bad luck and that black cats bring good luck.

7. The tradition of wearing masks on Halloween.

This tradition comes from the Welsh and Celtic cultures that claim the dead visit the living on Oct. 31. The masks are intended to keep the spirits of the dead from recognizing the living.

Halloween Word Search

By KYLE WANG

vkwang@apachepowwow.com Graphics courtesy of 1001FONTS.COM, BECUO.COM, and INDIEGROUND.IT.COM

F T S O H G E Y S N

O P S S G R M C H O

Y C D K I E A R A Z

Y Z T P L R V E U R

GHOST OCTOBER SPIDER

N K M O E S C D N K

W A O C B M D I T O

HAUNTED PUMPKIN SPOOKY

V I R O A E L P E Z

H O K S P J R S D N

W L K W Y S R X S H

P U M P K I N L U T

MASK SCARECROW VAMPIRE

kwang@apachepowwow.com Graphics courtesy of BECUO.COM and MISSKATECUTTABLES.COM