September 2022

The Arcadia Quill

Congratulations to the 11 Class of 2023 National Merit Semifnalists!

By SOPHIA LI Sports Editor

The National Merit Scholarship Corpo ration (NMSC) program, founded in 1995, receives around 1.5 million yearly applicants. Arcadia High School (AHS) congratulates 11 exceptional seniors– Ian Chan, Kevin Hu, Cassie Kao, Weber Lin, Tin Nguyen, Carolyn Sun, Ashley Te, Nathan Vuong, Avari Wang, Phoebe Wang, and Stephanie Wang – for their outstanding achievements in becoming National Merit Semifnalists.

This prestigious academic competition for recognition and scholarships entices ju niors across the U.S. to join, as some 50,000 students annually, with the highest PSAT/ NMSQT Selection index scores receive the honor of becoming a Commended Student or a Semifnalist. NMSC provides scholarships with around 340 business organizations and institutions that honor the nation’s scholas tic champions, in pursuit of academic excel lence.

On Sept. 14, the NMSC’s 68th annual program announced its Class of 2023 list of semifnalist high school students. These outstanding students will advance in the National Merit Scholarship Program, where they will compete for a share of about 7,520 scholarships worth almost $28 million.

AHS continues its 29-year streak of hav ing a double-digit number of students in the National Merit Scholarship Program. These excellent students listed above are among the top 1%, if not less than 1%, of the nation. In the last 29 years, the NMSC has honored and recognized 671 AHS students, and these students listed above have accomplished an amazing feat and added their name to that list.

“I am absolutely thrilled and honored to be recognized as a national merit scholar,” senior Phoebe Wang stated. “I’ve always been proud and diligent concerning my aca demics, so I feel fulflled that my efforts have borne fruit. I’m glad to be able to represent Arcadia on a national level and I’m im mensely grateful for all the support I’ve got

End Supreme Court Life Tenure

ten from teachers, friends, and family.”

“I feel very lucky! And really proud,” se nior Carolyn Sun shared. “Mainly I was just really excited to tell my grandpa; it makes me really happy to tell him good news. He gets so proud of me, and that makes me so happy. I’m super proud of everyone else who made it as a Semifnalist!”

Not only does Sun feel excited about her accomplishments and shared them with her loved ones, but the process has been an enjoy able one as well.

“I’m grateful to meet so many hardworking peers, and I really think that’s been instrumental in everything I’ve learned participating in vari ous events with them. It’s been super cool to see many of my friends share this accomplishment as well!” Sun said.

To qualify, students take the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, which helps the organization gauge the top 1% of high school students who may ad vance into the next round. To become a Final ist, a Semifnalist and a high school offcial will submit a detailed scholarship application, which includes the Semifnalist’s participation in school and service activities, academic re cord, leadership, and honors/awards received. Students must also write an essay and be rec ommended by a high school offcial, as well as take a second test, the ACT or SAT, to confrm their skill.

Studying for the PSAT is no easy feat, but Phoebe Wang and semifnalist Weber Lin have

a few words of advice for upcoming students from their own learning journey.

Studying for the PSAT, a test very similar to the SAT, proved to be benefcial for Wang: “Most of my studying for the PSAT came from SAT practice, actually. I’ve always been pretty strong in math, so it was more English that was more diffcult for me since it can be greatly af fected by your general knowledge. Overall, I used many prep books and Khan Academy to brush up on those skills,” Phoebe Wang ex plained.

“I would suggest utilizing the SAT Black book. Give yourself two months to read all eight hundred pages, and what really helps is that on the College Board website they have several exams to practice with,” Lin shared. “What I don’t recommend is buying Princeton Review or whatever they’re marketing because the questions don’t really match with what’s written on the PSAT or SAT so the best thing you can do is search up past tests!”

In terms of the application and being rec ommended by a high school offcial, Sun is thankful for all the support she received along the way at AHS: “My counselor, Ms. An, has been super helpful and supportive. I’m really grateful to her, and the rest of the counseling department. They celebrated us so warmly, en couraged us to be proud of ourselves, and made us feel super deserving of being semifnalists!”

In a pool of more than 16,000 Semifnalists, around 15,000 are expected to become a Final ist, which will allow them to be selected to win

Athlete Feature: Amanda Le

a National Merit Scholarship.

As far as the scholarships go, there are three main types: National Merit $2500 Scholarships, corporate-sponsored merit scholarship awards, and college-sponsored merit scholarships.

Every fnalist competes for the National Merit $2500 Scholarship, which is awarded on a state representational basis. College ad mission and high school counselors select students without the consideration of family circumstances, college of choice, or major/ career plans.

Corporate-sponsored merit scholarships are awarded by sponsors who pick certain students who are family of employers, resi dents of a community close to the organiza tion, or students with career plans the sponsor wants to encourage.

Lastly, college-sponsored merit scholar ships are given through college admission of fcers when a student has been accepted into a college, and has already let NMSC know of the deadlines of their college/university.

In short, becoming a National Merit Scholarship fnalist, and even semifnalist, is something one should be immensely proud of. It takes years of hard work, dedication, and diligence to one’s education for one to achieve such a high level of mastery.

Wang refects on her accomplishments in a sincere note: “Being a fnalist has sev eral benefts and is truly a privilege I hope to have. On an honest note, the scholarship and title itself are tangible rewards. But, I think it’s very fulflling and uplifting in other ways, too — consider pride, confdence, and rein forcement of diligence. My family has been very proud that I have received this honor and I am too.”

Last but not least, let’s wish our fellow Apache students the best of luck as they are notifed of their results between April and July. Keep an eye out for the winners and provide everybody with your support!

The Coquette Craze

When Hygiene Meets Sustainability

Fang’26 argues a

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The official student newspaper of Arcadia High School since 1952

Trinnh’25 features Girls Frosh/

Volleyball Team’s sophomore Amanda

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Dai’23 dives deep in ex plaining pop culture’s obsession with

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GENERAL STAFF

POLICY + EDI

The Arcadia Quill acknowledges the systemic inequities persistent in our country and community, and therefore we maintain a dedication towards equity, diversity, and in clusion. As a student-led organization, we strive to inspire high school students to use their voices to discuss issues that afect them in conjunction with our goal to provide a space of journalistic integrity and professionalism. We expect ourselves to be inclusive and respectful of everyone regardless of identity—including but not limited to race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnic identity, immigration status, socioeconomic status, ability, and religious belief. We strive to put our values into action by doing the follow ing: Highlighting the stories and experiences of students from backgrounds that have historically faced inequality. Assessing how The Arcadia Quill can improve by taking steps to avoid contributing to cultural appropriation and systemic injustice. Working to educate our staf on the impact of systemic inequality, and equipping them with tools on how to advance equity, diversity, and inclusion within their own means. Following standards set by Arcadia Unifed School District to confront systemic injustice includ ing racial inequity.

We hold ourselves to high standards in advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion. If you have any questions or concerns regarding these eforts by The Arcadia Quill, please email eic.arcadiaquill@gmail.com.

Social Media & Comments

Social media will be used to promote appropriate media, to promote published content, and to engage with Arcadia and Arcadia High School’s community. The Editorial Board reserves the right to remove comments deemed inappropriate, ofensive, or threaten ing. The information posted on social media platforms (i.e. Instagram) will be held to the same standards as all other reporting in terms of information gathering and factchecking.

Bylines

EDITORIAL BOARD

EICs: Catherine Chan, Lilian Chong, Enzo Goebel

Campus Focus: Michelle So

News: Stephanie Wang and Madison Yee

Opinion: Ashley Chan and Chloe Wong

Features: Darin Buenaluz and Pamina Yung

Arts & Entertainment: Anna Odell and Maryam Sadeghifard

Sports: Sophia Li and Sohana Sahni

Media: Amanda Chang

Publicity: Vritti Godani

Advisor: Mrs. Lesley Lee

If more than one person works on a story or an editor has to rewrite a signifcant por tion of a story (as determined by the editor), all names of contributing writers will be listed on the byline of the article. All articles, graphics, photos, and other media, with the exception of staf photos, will be bylined with the photographer or contributor’s name. All bylined writers will be held accountable for their work and the information contained within.

Editorial Policy

The Arcadia Quill will not print anything in our publication (online or print) that is deemed libelous, obscene, or otherwise ofensive or inappropriate, in accordance with the Supreme Court’s justifed standards. Rights are reserved to postpone, edit or with hold from publication anything submitted which does not meet the specifcations. Unsigned editorials represent the view of The Arcadia Quill Editorial Board. It does not necessarily represent the view of other Quill staf members. The Arcadia Quill refuses to print criticism which is not constructive and not supported by fact or evidence. The editors and adviser will make the fnal decision on all material appearing in The Arca dia Quill.

The Arcadia Quill will not intentionally invade the privacy of any person or publish facts and quotes given of the record. Opinions will be clearly marked and found on the editorial pages or as designated on other pages (i.e.- front page). Signed opinion articles and commentary are the expressed opinions of the author and not of The Arcadia Quill and its editorial board, adviser, or Arcadia High School’s faculty or school board. Staf members are guided by the Canons of Journalism of the American Society of Newspaper Editors, a code of ethics which outlines the principles of responsibility, fair ness, and accuracy.

Corrections Policy

Corrections will be printed when brought to the attention of the staf. Original stories will carry bylines but additional contributors to a story will be listed on the byline.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism of any form will not be tolerated. Story ideas and article content are to re main completely original with the exception of the use of outside graphics/images/ quotes, which are to be duly credited.

Quotes

Quotes are representative of a single opinion; they do not represent the beliefs of the student body and staf. Quotes are to be written in past tense with the correct style guide format.

Staf Writers: Ryan Chai, Nathan Chen, Niyah (Elliot) Davis, Harini Devaguptapu, Juliette Fang, Jose Gama, Eleanor Gladson-Pang, Michelle Ho, Michael Hum Amish Jha, Annie Jiang, Emily Lee, Caroline Li, Lisa Li, Justina Liu, Zhilin Liu, Samantha Luan, Victoria Thalia Mair, Emmaline Pan, Breeanna Pham, Ava Shaw, Sofa Payan Siegrit, Clarissa Suryapranata, Kaitlynn Trinnh, Ziming (Sarah) Wang, Kathy Wong, Lin Zhang

Designers: Lauryn Chao, Skye Escobed, Veronica Meyers, Ainsley Najafzadeh, Katrina Reghitto, Lorin Teng, Vanessa Valentino, May Wang, Olivia Zheng

By BREEANNA PHAM Staff Writer

Homecoming is just around the corner! Along with that comes the question, “What’s this year’s theme?” Well, this year’s homecoming theme is… Everlasting!

While coming up with this year’s theme, ASB Council constructed various great ideas, from Through the Looking Glass to Painting the Path, but ultimately, they landed on the theme Everlasting. Throughout the process, ASB discussed potential ideas to fnd the best ft for the venue. Homecoming this year is being held at the Skirball Cultural Center located in Los Angeles, California. This location has a breathtaking view of a pond surrounding a platform, with lily pads foating above the surface, which inspired the amazing theme created by ASB.

The theme Everlasting was also inspired by the Impressionist Art Movement of the 1800s, during which there was a radical rebellion in France against the “traditional” ways of life. At the time, ways of life

HOMECOMING REVEAL

could be characterized as rigid due to the strict mannerisms one had to withhold. However, Impressionist art completely opposed what was learned throughout society, which was shown through the inclusion of vibrant colors, the Impressionist arts’ unrefned nature (almost giving the art an “unfnished” look), and the loose yet visible brushstrokes. These characteristics represented the desire to be freed of the rigid societal norms that they were born into and had no choice but to live by. Nonetheless, the art style at the time gave artists the freedom to express the wrongs of society and what couldn’t be shown.

As best said by Christina Xu, ASB Senior President, “Everlasting encourages students to create memories this year that will last a lifetime. Impressionist art was characterized by its freedom and subjective interpretation. We want students to live life according to no one’s standards—to live life the way they see ft.”

bpham@arcadiaquill.com

ARCADIA’S GENERAL

MUNICIPAL ELECTION

By JULIETTE FANG Staff Writer

In Arcadia, every even-numbered year means general municipal election time. These elections are used to vote on many aspects of city government, including new taxes, laws, and City Council members. On Aug. 23, the information for this year’s election was posted on the City of Arcadia’s website.

This year, general municipal elections will be held on Nov. 8, and will determine the outcome of three city measures. The frst measure, Measure CA, pertains to Arcadia’s city charter, a list of powers the government in Arcadia has. The city plans on adding amendments to it, which hasn’t been done since 1998. This will affect the date of elections in the future, establish a new City Prosecutor, fll vacant positions, and rotate the mayor every 9.5 months, which can be viewed on the Chart Review Committee report. All of these changes have been reviewed and approved by the Charter Review Committee, with input from the public.

Measure CA will also elect City Council members for Districts 2, 3, and 5. The ballot for District 5 will include First Avenue Middle School’s former music director, Mr. Michael Danielson, appointed in March, 2022. Mr. D, as he is known around Arcadia, has been an active participant in Arcadia Unifed School District for 36 years and was a Los Angeles County Teacher of the Year in 2020.

The second measure, Measure HT, plans on raising the maximum rate of Arcadia’s Transient Occupancy Tax (or the “Hotel Tax”) from 10% to 12% starting in 2023. This tax, which will be charged to hotel guests, is forecasted to bring in an additional approximate

$730,000 every year. The third measure, Measure SW, also affects taxes. If the state of California approves sports betting, it will establish a tax on sports wagering, creatively named the “Sports Wagering Tax.” This will tax 5% on all gross revenue earned through wagering, producing an estimated $1,000,000 every year. All of the additional funds from both taxes will be used for city services, including park construction, maintenance, street repair, and public safety response.

The current Mayor of Arcadia, Tom Beck, encourages the taxes and remarked, “The hotel tax would be paid mostly by visitors to Arcadia. The gambling tax would only be paid by those who gamble on sports,” in an offcial press release.

So how can Arcadia’s citizens vote? First, people must register to vote on the California Voter Registration website by Oct. 24. Then they can vote through mail, in person, or visit a mobile voting center, which will be announced 40 days before election day. By early October, Arcadians should receive a ballot by mail and must submit them to Voting Centers by Nov. 8, 2022. Citizens who have questions about voting can email the City Clerk at CityClerk@ ArcadiaCA.gov.

“We encourage all residents to be informed about these measures and to participate in the upcoming election,” stated Dominic Lazaretto, Arcadia’s City Manager, in an informational video about the ballot measures. Although many of us here at Arcadia High School are not yet old enough to vote, it is crucial that we stay informed about our government and be active participants in our community.

jfang@arcadiaquill.com

Courtesy of ARCADIA CITY COUNCIL

Courtesy of ASB

California Passes a Plan Aiming to Prohibit the sale of Gasoline Cars

By CAROLINE LI Staff Writer

State regulators on the California Air Re sources Board have taken the frst step in reduc ing the number of gas-powered cars on Califor nia streets, with a plan to prohibit the sale of gas-based vehicles altogether by 2035. Voted in on Aug. 25, their proposal aims to cut emissions 40% by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality (having no net release of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere) by 2045. By 2026, the plan outlines that 35% of all new vehicle sales will be those of either hybrid cars, fully battery-powered cars, or fully fuel cell-powered cars; by 2030, that number will rise to 68%. Manufacturers who don’t fulfll this requirement will be forced to pay a $20,000 fne or buy credits from manu facturers who have sold more than required

The LA Times’ staff writer Hayley Smith writes that this dramatic shift from a fossil fuel-dominated economy to a renewable one calls for major infrastructure changes. Accord ing to Smith, experts predict that the demand for electricity will double in the years that follow, and that California will need to install

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transition to renewable energy sources for automobiles.

“As I was voting, I said, this is per haps the most important action I have taken in my life,” commented Daniel Sperling, a member of the California Air Resources Board, in an appearance on PBS NewsHour.

Similar plans in the past have proven ef fective, the most successful being Califor nia’s cap-and-trade program of 2006, where companies held “pollution credits” that could be bought or sold in controlled amounts to keep emissions from rising to unsafe levels.

Despite critics, California’s plan to shelve fossil fuels for good is a light on the horizon for many hopeful environmentalists. By implementing strategies that will drive America toward a no-emissions society, Cali fornia is one step closer to ensuring a carbonneutral future for later generations; this plan could very well aid in breaking the cycle of human exploitation and protecting the plan et’s natural resources for centuries to come.

cli@arcadiaquill.com

Westfeld Santa Anita Mall Sells for $537.5 Million

By EMMALINE PAN Staff Writer

Arcadia’s Westfeld Santa Anita Mall re cently sold for $537.5 million, making it the largest mall transaction in the U.S. since 2018.

The sale was announced on Aug. 25 by the mall’s own er, Paris-based mall company Unibail-Rodamco-Westfeld (URW), centered around the “radical reduction of its fnancial exposure to the US.” URW has yet to disclose the identity of the buyer but has stated that the new owner is a com mercial real estate inves tor who owns other assets in Southern California.

As one of the world’s largest prop erty owners, URC owns multiple malls and other assets in Europe and the United States with a collective value of approximately $55 bil

of which were recently sold by the company in its plan to unload its assets in the United States.

Westfeld Santa Anita was opened in 1974 and is about 1.5 million square feet and is 96% leased, with 130 stores, ranging from clothing stores like Lululemon, Zara, and PacSun, to restaurants like the Cheesecake Fac tory, Chipotle, and Chick-fl-a. It currently has 23 buildings and is located next to the famed Santa Anita Race Track. Westfeld Santa Anita is considered the most popular of the Westfeld chain. Other shopping cen ters in the chain include West feld Century City and West feld Topanga & The Village.

The West

feld Santa Anita Mall has been an important establishment in Arcadia, especially for Arcadia High School (AHS) students, who visit the shop ping center frequently. No signifcant changes have been announced for the mall yet, but AHS students have expressed interest in the transac tion and how this could potentially affect them.

Sophomore Elizabeth Lee said, “I didn’t know about this whole thing at all – it will be pretty interesting though, to see what the new owners are gonna do with the place and if the stores or the layout are going to change.”

When asked about what changes she hoped to see implemented, Lee responded, “I spend a lot of time at the mall – it’s where my friends and I go whenever we want to hang out locally. It gets a little boring some times, so I would like to see some differ ent stores and maybe some new structures.”

Arcadia’s Westfeld Santa Ani ta Mall has remained an important and iconic part of the city since its founding, and it is hoped that the new owners will continue to improve the establishment.

epan@arcadiaquill.com

Photo courtesy of Amanda Chang

Photo courtesy of UNSPLASH.COM

lion. Some of its other assets include the former Promenade Mall in San Fernando Valley, Califor nia, and Palisade at Westfeld UTC in San Diego,

END SUPREME COURT LIFE TENURE

By JULIETTE FANG Staff Writer

Ever since its establishment in 1789, the Supreme Court has served as the highest court in the United States, interpreting hundreds of thousands of laws. Its nine Justices are the in dividuals responsible for hearing arguments and making the decisions on how laws should be interpreted. Unique amongst U.S. govern ment offcials, Justices have life tenure instead of a limited term. Rather than having a cer tain number of years to serve as government offcials (like the president having four years per term), Justices’ terms only end when they pass away or voluntarily step down. Recently, however, life tenure has arisen as a problem since powerful government offcials, such as Senate leaders or presidents, have repeatedly tried to take advantage of this system. This is why the most benefcial route for the Supreme Court to take is to implement term limits.

So why does life tenure even exist? When it was frst introduced, life tenure was supposed to protect the judges from the pres sures of different political parties. However, over time, judges gained more power and gave government offcials more of an incen tive to sway them to their side. The Justices’ increase in power can be attributed to the increase in life expectancy over time, which then increases the length of their terms. When the Supreme Court was founded in the late 18th century, the average person could expect to live to the ripe old age of 38. Therefore, life

selected) so that Justices favoring their political party are appointed. Since Justices have longer lifespans (and therefore longer terms) it gives them an increase of power. Having the major ity of them favoring a certain party also means more legal power for that political party. Presi dents may be more inclined to pick a judge that follows their political ideology to a greater de gree and is more guaranteed to act on their own beliefs rather than following the rules of the Constitution and law.

For instance, in 2016, Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell infamously delayed President Barack Obama’s nomination of a new Supreme Court Justice for ten months, claim ing that the nomination would be too close to the end of Obama’s presidential term. Then, in 2020 (during the year when Republican Donald Trump was elected as president), Trump imme diately rushed to nominate Republican Judge Amy Coney Barrett after the death of Democrat Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. This appointment by Trump was to secure another Republican Justice on the Supreme Court, therefore allow ing the Republican party to have more power over the judicial branch of the government.

Having a limited number of years per term would solve the problem of not only placing less pressure to nominate a Justice, but would also lower the incentive for politicians to try and sway the nomination in their favor, rather than choosing someone who is objectively bet ter for the job. By making the nominations for Justices more regular, it gives each president and their supporters a fairer chance at nomi nating a judge of their choice.

Another concern with life tenure is

that Justices are more in danger of becoming out of touch with the ideals of the current popu lation. The older a judge gets, the more likely it is that they will fnd the problems that the current generation faces as less relatable. If the Justices are updated more regularly by enacting a term limit, it can ensure that the current nine are more likely to refect the wants and needs of the general public of the time.

Although there is tremendous support for term limits, from both Democrats and Repub licans, some still oppose it. Most of this op position comes from conservatives that worry that introducing limited terms would cause too many upheavals in the law. This is an invalid concern because any change in the government, not just to life tenure, is guaranteed to make a difference, and so, the fear of too many major changes occurring all at once is unfounded. Another concern is with how constitutional this system is because limited terms are not ad dressed in the Constitution. However, neither is life tenure. Instead, the Constitution states that federal judges and Justices “shall hold their of fces during good behavior.”

Despite some opposition, term limits for Justices is a real possibility. Already, several proposals have been made in Washington D.C. to institute this system. Most recently, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) proposed the frst Senate bill that suggests an 18 year term limit, so that a president could be able to nominate a Justice every two years. There have also been other proposals made in the House of Repre sentatives that have similar ideas for term limits.

Moreover,

a recent poll from the Associated PressNORC Center for Public Affairs Research has found that most of the general public agrees with the bills that propose term limits. It found that two-thirds of Americans agree that Justices should have term limits; more specifcally, 82% of Democrats and 57% of Republicans agreed. This is partially because of a record low amount of confdence and support for the Supreme Court’s decisions, especially concerning the recent overturning of Roe vs. Wade. As of 2022, only 25% of Americans showed approval of the Supreme Court, according to a recent survey made by Gallup.

A commission formed by President Biden to examine changes that should be made to the Supreme Court recently released a fnal report that had also supported term limits. Should term limits be introduced, they recommended that it should be instituted through a constitu tional amendment change. The commission is still awaiting a response from President Biden on the report.

“The United States is the only major constitutional democracy in the world that has neither a retirement age nor a fxed term limit for its high court justices. Among the world’s democracies, at least 27 have term limits for their constitutional courts. And those that do not have term limits, such as the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom, typically im pose age limits,” stated the report.

In today’s political environment, it is be coming even more important that the people of the U.S. have faith in our judicial system. Placing term limits on the Supreme Court is not guaranteed to fx all of the issues in our government, but it’s a signifcant step forward to better refecting the ideals of the public, re ducing par tisan politics, and ensuring the fair appoint ment of the people who guarantee justice under law for everyone in America.

jfang@arca diaquill.com

Photo Cour tesy of COMMONS. WIKIMEDIA. ORG

Justice for Indigenous Women

By AVA SHAW Staff Writer

In this modern day and age, our soci ety is more aware than ever. Many social issues once seen as taboo or swept under the rug have come to the forefront—think mental health awareness and feminism. Not only that, but light has been shed on our country’s systemic racism, a problem so devastating, yet so deeply engraved into the laws and structure of our society. As an example, African-Americans are dispro portionately affected by police brutality. Unfortunately, bias in media has erased another issue entirely: the cases of missing and murdered Indigenous women.

In 2021, a staggering 521,705 of the nation’s population went missing. People tend to become fxated on the bizarre cir cumstances surrounding one’s absence, especially when it comes to Anglo-Ameri cans. One recent and notable case is that of California teenager Kiely Rodni, who went missing after attending a party at a camp ground. For Rodni, an extensive effort to fnd her was put in by several police depart ments and volunteers; mass sweeps around the area were common.

Of course, not all missing persons cases can have extensive news coverage or massive search teams similar to that of Rodni, but it is important to recognize how frequently Indigenous females are left

to be taken lightly, as seen by the ongoing threat of violence against Native Ameri can women. Indigenous females are more than ten times more likely to be murdered than all other ethnicities. More than four

2016. No arrests have been made in connec tion to her death and her murder remains a mystery. However, Sherry Wounded Foot’s death is not the only neglected case: there are thousands of innocent Native women neglected just like her.

A blind eye has been turned on the vulnerable community of Native Ameri can women and girls. This is not to say that missing individuals like Kiely Rodni should not have been provided with such resources. However, attention must be brought to the American government’s fail ure to protect Indigenous females. Drawing from the fact that marginalized cases are mainly those of Native Americans, injus tice can be widely attributed to the longlasting jurisdictional conficts between various levels of government.

Ethnic background should never dic tate an individual’s worth in the eyes of the law, in the media, or in society itself. This deep-rooted issue of systematic rac ism surely cannot be solved by this article, but even one new person being aware is a step in the right direction.

ashaw@arcadiaquill.com

PENNIES SHOULD STAY IN OUR CURRENCY

By EMILY LEE Staff Writer

Do pennies really make a difference?

Although many agree the extinction of pen nies is necessary, pennies provide benefts that help people fnancially in need. The preservation of pennies will keep costs down for consumer products that may beneft low-income households. Pennies may also encourage others to donate to char ity or organizations to help people within reach. With an eco nomic perspec tive, pennies are more cost effec tive than nickels. Thus, pennies should be kept as our one-cent cur rency.

“‘The alterna tive to the penny is rounding to the nickel, and that’s something that will neg atively impact working families every time they buy a gallon of gas or a gallon of milk,’” stated Mark Weller, Executive Di

rector of the pro-penny group Americans for Common Cents.

Based on the U.S. Federal Reserve, minorities are most-likely to pay by cash instead of credit-card. Raymond Lombra, Professor of Economics at Pennsylvania State University, agrees the impact of the removal of pennies will “be regressive, af fecting the poor and other disadvantaged people groups disproportionately.”

Rounding charges alone would exceed over $600 million.

As the removal of pennies becomes favorable for almost all households, the one-cent currency must remain con stant.

The donation of leftover change to a non-proft organi zation is undoubtedly another positive of the penny. Oftentimes, pen nies are easy to ask for and to give. Hence, children have an opportunity to ask for donations that aren’t too much to ask.

Consequently, the existence of pen nies has provided a great opportunity for

charities to earn money and support an im portant cause. For example, USC’s Penny Harvest program opened an opportunity for children to choose the organization to donate the money earned. This offered children the chance to gain signifcant leadership abilities and engagement of the community.

Although many may argue pennies cost more to make than their actual value, it is not the only coin with such high expenses. In fact, pennies have lost the least amount from duction.

Com pared to nick els, it would cost $10.9 million more to manu facture nickels rather than pennies.

The one-cent piece should remain a type of currency of the U.S. The benefts of pennies will continue to provide a posi

tive impact on today’s economy, as well as charitable organizations. Thus, the infu ence of pennies should be furthered and should not be stopped.

elee@arcadiaquill.com

Graphics courtesy of CLEANPNG.com, KINDPNG.com and PNGTREE.com

Photo by Lorie Shaull.

arcadiaquill.com

WHEN HYGIENE MEETS

SUSTAINABILITY

By MICHELLE SO

Campus Focus Editor

There are many things that I have learned from working as a hospital volunteer. For one, hospitals are sterile spaces: spotless, dirtless, and bleached. Visitor protocols are strict, and the admissions desk abides by them almost ro botically.

“Please wait in line.”

Take their temperature. Hand them a mask (if maskless).

“Please stay six feet away from others. Thank you.”

It’s a rhythmic routine, one born from caution, that extends throughout the hospital. Depending on the nature of the visit, some doc tors may adorn a pair of nitrile gloves when they enter patient rooms. The sound, so rub bery, so sharp, goes something like this. Eee (the stretching of the gloves), psh (the putting on of the gloves), and thwack (the satisfactory tug and release of the gloves). And so, each day, it goes eee, psh, thwack. Eee, psh, thwack. For the rest of eternity.

Now, there is something that I forgot to add. And it goes like this: thud. The sound of a closing trash can. Thud. It’s so subtle that if you don’t listen for it, you might almost miss it. But that thud is the root of a major problem, and one I intend to discuss.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) describes the various

to protect oneself from infectious material. Once used exclusively in medical settings, PPE is now an international household staple.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, face masks have become es sential. Gloves, once optional, are the new standards for food preparation and the beauty industry. These items protect us and the people around us from invisible dan gers. Like the controlled environment of a hospital, they give us peace of mind with one wear and one toss. Howev er, that peace of mind comes at the cost of the environment.

The model of sin gle-use plastics focuses on the human craving for efciency rather than on the long-term efects of all that waste. Gloves and medical gowns are mostly plastic. And masks, though partially cotton, are surrounded with a polypropylene layer that con tributes to microplastics. From current research, that plastic probably won’t break down during our lifetime. It sits around in landflls, occa sionally getting out into nature where it isn’t supposed to be. So, as the world cycles through all this PPE, which is usually also packaged with plastic, mountains of trash miles high are emerging. And, there’s nothing we can do about it except wait, maybe cover it with some dirt, and wait some more.

To give a true scale of how enormous this problem is, the British Dental Journal stated in an article that “if each individual in the UK wore

a single-use face mask every day for one year, 66,000 tonnes of unrecyclable plastic waste would be generated.”

That statistic represents the UK alone, yet the unsustainable practice of single-use PPE is global. Unlike plastic bags, straws, or bottles, masks and gloves aren’t things we can just cut out of our lives. Born out of a necessity for steril ity, they help us yet only hurt the plan et. What, then, is the solution to this dilemma?

There are several ways to balance our sustainability with maintain ing personal hygiene. One is the devel opment of “eco-friendly” PPE. These in

Although these breakthroughs give us hope for the future, the technology is still im proving and costs, as well as feasibility, won’t be legitimate until years later.

However, refning our indi vidual habits can actually re duce environmental damage, the frst of which is reusing whenever possible. Though most medical-grade masks are labeled as disposable, they can be reused if done properly.

An article by Joanne Chen from The New York Times on reusing masks. “Personally, to keep track, I have fve masks on rotation and seven brown paper bags marked with the days of week, lined up on my window sill,” wrote Chen. “I place my mask in the appropriately labeled bag between uses during the day and at the end of it. After a week

has passed, I either take the mask out to wear or move it to an eighth bag marked ‘Ready to Use.’”

This method efectively allows masks to be worn several times on end. Plus, the virus cannot proliferate without a host, so trapping contaminated masks in bags efectively kills them out.

It’s worth mentioning that cloth masks, the most environmentally friendly method, were used early in the pandemic when PPE was re served for frontline workers. Since then, have shown contagious variants of COVID-19.

As for gloves, it’s best only to use them when necessary and reason really need to be wear ing and changing out gloves every time you go grocery shopping or riding the metro? The an swer is no. I cannot tell you the number of times I have witnessed gloved individuals reach onto public surfaces, pause, and bring that gloved hand to their face to scratch at an eye or rub at

“You can make that mistake with or with out gloves on,” said Penn State’s Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics . “In some cases, wearing gloves gives people a false sense of security, or a sense that they can safely touch things with reduced risk.”

In reality, washing your hands is the best form of protection against infec tious agents.

Individual acts of sustainability can go a long way. As we all soldier through this pandemic, stay ing mindful of our needs versus our wants can ensure that we arrive at a greener Earth on the other

mso@arcadiaquill.com

Graphics courtesy of FREEPIK.COM and AngDiz

US Open Highlights SERENA WILLIAMS

By Mengyao (Lisa) Li Staff Writer

Inside the Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens, New York, with incessant cheers from the crowd, American tennis player Ser ena Williams, who had once been ranked No.1 by the Women’s Tennis Association, de feated Danka Kovinic of Montenegro in the U.S. Open match on Aug. 29 with a score of 6-3. Despite her triumph, many had specu lated that this tournament is likely to be the last of her 27-year-old tennis career due to her seniority.

Williams started her professional tennis career when she was 14-years-old, one year after her sister, Venus Williams. Both of them were known for their extremely powerful and aggressive strikes. When the Williams sisters had frst caught the eyes of the tennis fans, most people predicted that her sister, Venus, would be the frst to win a Grand Slam, a glo rious feat in which a tennis player wins all four major championships in the same calen dar season. However, it was Serena who later, in 1999, won her frst Grand Slam title when she was only 17-years-old. During the dura tion of her career, Williams has won a total of 23 Grand Slam titles, the most recent one being in 2017. With her unique style, Wil liams revolutionized tennis by making it a sport synonymous with extreme strength and athleticism.

In addition to this, she had also been a frm advocate for women’s rights. After suf fering racist insults in Indian Wells, Cali fornia, in 2001, Williams began a 14-year boycott of a marquee tennis tournament.

Moreover, she observed for years that “male players can misbehave while women are de nied the right to express frustration.” Thus, she has been praised by many for exposing the “double standard” in the tennis industry which has systematically disadvantaged fe male players. Overall, her impact on the feld of tennis is immense.

Earlier this year, due to her one-yearlong hiatus from injuries, Williams had been unseeded and unranked. The 2022 U.S. Open tournament was her frst competition after her career gap, dur ing which she had initially struggled with her movement and timing. Wil liams was defeated during her last match with 19-yearold Emma Raducanu, last year’s champion of the U.S. Open women’s singles. Thus, it wouldn’t be shocking if she had lost match with Kov who was ranked at that time.

However, when she walked onto the court, the spectators welcomed her the heartiest tion, which encouraged subsequent “I think walked out, the

ception was really overwhelming. It was loud, and I could feel it in my chest. It was a really good feeling; it’s a feeling I’ll never forget,” said Williams in her press conference follow ing the match.

During the game, Williams was at a disadvantage as she faced 10 break ing points from her opponent, Kovinic. Despite this, she car ried on frmly as she won the game with a score of 1-0. She then in creased the margin by winning another round as the score went up to 2-0. The audi ence erupted in applause, which motivated her with hope and joy. However, victory did not come so easily. After the initial 2-0, Williams three straight during which she doublefaulted. At one point, she and Ko vinic were tied with three games each, but as got more to the rhythm of the compe

tition, Kovinic proved to be no match for her.

During the last game, Williams sent a backhand so close to the baseline that Kov inic requested a challenge. The result favored Williams, and thus the match ended in tri umph, with her being the victor and a fnal score of 6-3.

This match was both a great delight and a source of nostalgia for many of Williams’ old fans. Matthew Futterman, a veteran sports journalist for The New York Times, expressed many others’ feelings in his article titled, “Serena Williams Reaches Second Round of U.S. Open on Night of Tributes.”

Futterman commented that throughout the game, there were “glimpses of the power and athleticism that had made Williams a boundary-breaking force.”

Williams’ daughter, Olympia, welcomed the victory wearing an identical black dress and white beads interwoven in her hair, which many believed is intended to pay homage to her mother’s style in 1999 when she frst won the Grand Slam title.

As for the reporters who asked Williams whether or not she’s retiring after the U.S. Open tournament, she responded in her postmatch conference with an enigmatic smile.

“Yeah, I’ve been pretty vague about [re tirement], right? I’m going to stay vague be cause you never know,” said Williams.

Her determination exhibits her passion and devotion for tennis, and her return to the tournament has symbolized the continuation of her tennis career.

mli@arcadiaquill.com

Photo by FLICKR.COM

Frosh/Soph Volleyball Tournament

By Michelle Ho Staff Writer

Arcadia’s Girls Frosh/Soph Volleyball team competed in a tournament held at Cres centa Valley High School on Sept. 10, and managed to reach semifnals!

In their frst match, the team had a rocky start to the frst set against El Camino High School (ECRHS), beginning with a score of 0-6 in favor of the opposing team. However, our team wasn’t deterred and worked even harder to catch up. After an uphill battle, the girls evened out the score at 16-16, where ECRHS made an unforced error: hitting the ball out and putting Arcadia in the lead at 17-16. Encouraged by the lead in scores, the Arcadia team enthusiastically cheered each other on.

“We had to overcome not really know ing each other at frst,” refected freshman Minna Tan, a setter for Arcadia’s Girls Vol leyball team. “But we had an awesome team bonding, and now we’ve got chemistry!”

The teammates high-fved and praised each other’s play, creating a united and wellcoordinated front against the opposing team.

The rest of the frst set remained closely tied, and the game reached deuce at 24-24. The Arcadia girls turned up the heat and won 26-24 with a spectacular service ace. The girls cheered and hugged each other, celebrating their hard-earned victory in the frst set. Coach Joseph Rios reminded the girls of their strate gies and congratulated them. The team had a couple minutes to rest before the second set began.

Fueled with adrenaline and excitement, the Apaches turned the tables on ECRHS, kicking off the set with an amazing start of 6-0. From then on, there was no stopping the team as they continued to produce several well-coordinated spikes and another service ace. The girls reached match point at 24-6, and won the whole match at 25-8.

“In the frst set, we were losing at the beginning and ended the game with a close win,” admitted freshman Serena Guo, a setter

for the team.

“But in the second set, we started off strong and gained momentum which I think was really important in order to keep control of the set. We managed to bring back our energy and keep it throughout the entire game.”

The team went outside to take a break, where they had a few snacks and drinks to refuel their energy for the long day of games ahead. With at least 2 more games ahead of them, the girls were determined to keep up the spirit and made sure that their nerves didn’t get to their head; in any sport, mental strength is equally as important as physical.

“It’s my frst tournament so I think that sets it apart from others to come. I think it’s different from normal school matches because now we’re competing for a title rather than competing just for the win,” said Sofa Perez, the defense specialist on the team.

With the prize of winning in mind, the Arcadia team worked hard in the next few matches, winning 2-0 against Orange Vista High School, and 2-0 against La Cañada High

School. In the semi-fnals, a single set is played to determine the winner. Despite their best efforts, the Arcadia Volleyball team was defeated in the semi-fnals 20-25 by Chami nade High School.

Even with a loss in the semi fnals, the Arcadia Girls’ Volleyball team still played incredibly well and should be proud of them selves, as reaching the semi-fnals in this tournament is not easy work.

Varsity head coach Stephen Bernabe refected on the team’s performance, say ing, “I think the team did really well…and [now] they need to work on their serve and receive.”

This team of freshmen and sophomores show incredible potential and skill early on in their career, and will no doubt be winning many tournaments to come. Amazing job girls for reaching the semi fnals, and good luck in the future!

mho@arcadiaquill.com

Photo by COMMONS.WIKIMEDIA.ORG

By KATHY WONG

The Arcadia Girls and Boys Cross Country teams had their top 10 runners on both teams compete from Friday, Sept. 9 to Sunday, Sept. 11 in San Francisco, at the Lowell Invitational. The runners looked forward to this trip as they were thoroughly prepared and ready to run.

This three-day trip started out with the Girls team leaving at 5 a.m. and the Boys team leaving at 9 a.m. on Friday morning. The boys team ran for a bit and warmed up a bit before leaving for San Francisco.

On Saturday, both teams raced the Lowell Invitational at Golden Gate Park, with the race being a 2.78-mile distance running course. The course included many downhills with occasional uphills, but it was mostly fat. The weather was perfect, and the runners had an advantage as the cool air and the slight breeze made it an ideal environment for running fast.

The course had one big loop around specifc areas of the park, and the environment was surrounded by concrete, grass, and dirt.

The Varsity Girls team placed 6th out of 24 teams, and the JV Girls team placed 5th out of 15 teams. The Varsity Boys team placed 10th

TRIP TO SAN FRANCISCO

ARCADIA GIRLS AND BOYS VARSITY CROSS COUNTRY Staff Writer

out of 34 teams, and the JV Boys team placed 3rd out of 19 teams. There may have been teams from all over the state in the race, but the AHS Cross Country teams proved that no one could stop them, and placed top 10 in all their races. With the continuous effort and hard work put into each practice from both cross-country teams, it looks like their hard work paid off!

After a long day of races, both teams went back to the hotel to rest and got ready to sightsee at the Golden Gate Bridge. Not only was it a great bonding event for the teams, but it was also a good opportunity to get a closer look at it and admire the view.

The Arcadia Girls and Boys Varsity teams then went to Fisherman’s Wharf, where they ate dinner at Boudin, and the majority of the runners ate clam chowder. After a fulflling and delicious dinner, both teams decided to do some late-night bowling and then headed back home on Sunday morning.

Overall, the cross-country race at San Francisco was a success for the Girls and Boys varsity teams, and a good opportunity to rest and relax from school! Congratulations to the Varsity and JV Girls and Boys on their amazing races!

kwong@arcadiaquillt Photo courtesy of SOPHIA LI

SPORTSsports.arcadiaquill@gmail.comSEPTEMBER 2022 11 ATHLETE FEATURE: AMANDA LE

By KAITLYNN TRINH

Staff Writer

With over 800 million players and 900 million fans globally, volleyball has been gaining its popularity in the sports industry. Sophomore Amanda Le has been a part of the Arcadia High School (AHS) Frosh and Soph Volleyball team since freshman year, playing the position of defensive specialist. A defensive specialist defends in the back row and is responsible for receiving serves. Alongside being on AHS’ volleyball team, she’s also a part of an outside volleyball club, Forza 1.

Le initially did not take an interest in volleyball. Although her older brother played volleyball, so she naturally would attend his games quite often. Soon, she sparked an interest in the sport after realizing how much ambition her brother possessed and how his team was intertwined; everyone relied on each other.

“From then on, he became my biggest inspiration to play volleyball,” Le says.

She began to practice volleyball in her own time and eventually tried out for the AHS Frosh/Soph Volleyball team.

However, pursuing a sport alongside academics and extracurriculars can be a challenge for many athletes. The sport, undoubtedly, consumes a moderate amount of Le’s time during the volleyball season. Interestingly, Le is currently not signifcantly affected by the addition of a sport to her schedule because practice normally does not last long.

“Managing my schedule with volleyball

isn’t typically that hard. Yeah, I do have homework slightly later, but it’s normally not that late,” says Le.

With just the frst part of the season fnished, there is still so much to experience and learn with the remaining time. Some of the best aspects of this sport are the memories created, the newly fourished friendships, and the bonding.

Le mentions, “My favorite memory from volleyball is one of the tournaments I attended during my outside club season. We won all our games that season and I played alongside some of my best friends; we had a ton of fun.”

Sports can be a burden for some people, but Le regards volleyball as comforting.

“Volleyball is defnitely a safe space for me. It’s [a place] where I can just forget about all my problems and allow myself [to fnd] some relief on the court.” Le remarks. Le also refected on meeting some of her closest friends because of volleyball, stating that she’s “so thankful.”

Although Le adores volleyball, she is unsure if she can participate in all four years of her high school career.

“It’ll be hard to balance volleyball because of [future] extracurriculars [I want to pursue], but volleyball will defnitely be a top priority,” said Le.

Since the start of the school year, Arcadia’s Frosh/Soph Volleyball team has maintained their remarkable win streak. Good luck to the Frosh/Soph Volleyball team, and keep up the excellent work!

Photo courtesy of KAITYLYNN TRINH