THE AZTEC VOLUME LXXVIV NUMBER VIII
April 18, 2019
FOCUS PG. 6-7 Paving your path to graduation
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A&E PG. 8-9
Wrapping up the eigth season of Game of Thrones
SPORTS PG. 10-12 Swim team readies for league finals, prepares to enter CIF
NEWS IN BRIEF Cap and Gown sales Extension The last day for cap and gown sales for seniors is Friday, April 19. Cap and gown distribution was moved to May 6 through May 10 after school. Senior one acts MKHS Theatre Company presents their 14th annual Senior One Acts on Thursday, April 18. The show will consist of short plays directed by Theatre Company seniors and feauturing Advanced and Honor drama students as actors and actresses. It will be held in the auditorium at 7 p.m., and admission is free. Everyone is invited. decision day 2019 Celebrate your post-high school plans on Friday, April 26, in the Aztec Arena. All graduating seniors are invited, but RSVP is required. The deadline to RSVP is April 23.
Joey Huynh (11) runs towards the finish line.
THE AZTEC/KEVIN LIU
Keppel’s 5K raises funds for school EMILY CHU Staff Writer MKHS Alliance hosted their second annual Fear the Spear 5K run on Saturday, April 13. A variety of school clubs and different programs collaborated to heighten this fundraising event and managed to draw a sizeable crowd. Senior Dylan Djoenadi says, “[Compared to last year’s event], I think this year of Fear the Spear will turn out better than last year’s since we already know what could go wrong. Last year, we didn’t delegate [the work] as
THE AZTEC/SOPHIE WONG From left to right: Nhan Quan (11), Hana Kikuchi (11), Thomas Nguyen (11), and Jessie Yu (11).
much as we should have. It would’ve been more efficient if we’d divided the leadership better.” Other obstacles were thrown their way at last year’s event, but the volunteers overcame it. Djoenadi intends for the Fear the Spear 5k to benefit the community by bringing people together for a fun, energetic event around the Monterey Park area. “There aren’t a lot of 5k runs around here,” he explains. Last year, Fear the Spear had around 55 volunteers and 66 participants; it raised a grand total of $1411. Djoenadi says that Fear the Spear, “benefits the school by
bringing funds to it. All of our proceeds are granted back to clubs and teams like band, CSF, Speech and Debate, etc. that have [all] participated in the 5K.” These clubs volunteer and put in the hours to make sure the event runs smoothly. Considering that this is only the second year of Fear the Spear, this event has potential to become an annual occurrence at Keppel. Djoenadi and others who contribute to the event have a goal to make Fear the Spear a cornerstone of the Monterey Park/Alhambra community, and of Mark Keppel High School as well.
SOPHIE WONG Editor-in-chief/News Editor
groups. “[The show] allows us to showcase a lot more variety of the percussion instruments that aren’t typically used when in an orchestra performance,” says freshman Justin Kamei, who is part of Orchestra Percussion. “Mallet percussion was especially featured in our performance as they played a heavy role in our pieces, whereas in a full band performance, they would just compliment the rest of the band,” adds sophomore and Drumline member Kristin Chang. For Kamei, the show brought new experiences, such as improvising on stage for the first time. “[It} was a really fun experience, because it gave me the opportunity to let myself play what I felt like playing. It was also very nerve wracking because I have not practiced anything I’m performing,” states Kamei.
Guitar, drums showcase talent Guitar students, Drumline, and Orchestra Percussion joined together on Friday, April 12 to put on the annual Guitar x Drum show. Both Guitar periods strummed to classical and pop songs, including ”Mercy” by Shawn Mendes, and “Shallow” by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper. Orchestra percussion showcased their improvisation skills, and Drumline demonstrated their wide range of instrumentation with “Curse of Tortuga.” While the Guitar x Drum show allows Guitar students to show off what they have learned throughout the year, Drumline and Orchestra Percussion are given an opportunity to perform in intimate groups compared to their normal, larger performance
THE AZTEC
2 NEWS
APRIL 18, 2019
Color Guard enters new era TIMOTHY CHUMAN Editor-in-Chief
Captain Chloe Lee (12) performs at Homecoming Rally.
THE AZTEC/TIMOTHY CHUMAN
Jade Li (11) performs at Homecoming Rally.
THE AZTEC/TIMOTHY CHUMAN
At the beginning of the 2019-2020 school year, Color Guard will be passing the baton to band’s current Auxiliary as the primary team for the school. The decision, made by administration and band director Mr. Lee, will bring an end to the Color Guard led by advisor Ms. Ramirez, while Auxiliary, or the Color Guard led by Mr. Lee, will assume full responsibilities. “When the situation was brought to me, I said ‘I will accept it for this year, but for next year, there cannot be [two teams].’ Color Guard needs to be reinstated the way it’s supposed to be, which is an auxiliary for band,” says Assistant Principal Mrs. Perez. The main point of contention was Color Guard’s decision to not participate in field shows, something traditionally required of the team. However, co-captains Chloe Lee and Ashley Sambo thought that participating in field shows could be detrimental to the overall well-being of their members. “Ashley and I thought about how our captains from the previous year handled field show, and it was clearly really stressful for everyone considering the fact that we had to do field shows, parades, school rallies, and it took a toll on a lot of our members’ grades and mental health,” says Lee. “We didn’t want to overwhelm our team with so many events, so we just decided not to do [field shows].” Consequently, Auxiliary was formed to fill that void, serving to complement band during field shows. Meanwhile, the old Color Guard continued to perform at rallies and other school events. “I think it’s best. There’s no reason why we should have two Color Guards at one school.
It just doesn’t make sense,” says Mrs. Perez. “I’m looking forward to it all working out and everybody working together to make sure that it is what it is supposed to be, instead of something separated which is what happened this year.” With four seniors on the 18 person team, the news is saddening for the remainder of the members who hoped to return to the old Color Guard, but they have continued to do their best and will give their final performance at the Academic Pep Rally on May 3rd; ending the year on a high note. “We were obviously really bummed out but now we’re just trying to live out our last few months as a team and trying to best execute the performances that we have left,” says Lee. Many of Color Guard’s members have been in the program for multiple years and performed in many grand events. “As a four-year member, I’m really proud of everyone. We put in so much practice into every single rally, every single parade in the past, and we managed to pull it all off and balance everything altogether,” says Lee. Auxiliary will now look to continue the legacy of Color Guard as they take over next year, and while they have nothing but respect for their predecessors, they are eager to flourish as a team. “We fully respect what the old Color Guard does and how they perform. We believe that they are unique in their own way and it shows by how amazing they did at the previous rallies,” says Auxiliary captain Matthew Huitron. “I can say that we are all excited to show what we got and the skill level we are at.” Likewise, as the school transitions from one Color Guard to another, the former have come to terms with reality and are ready to pass the baton.
Ms. Ng recognized nationally for her teaching VIVIAN LUK Copy Editor/Historian Keppel biology teacher Ms. Ng is the April Honoree for the nonprofit organization Honored, which aims to elevate the teaching profession by recognizing teachers across the country who have made an impact on their students’ lives. The award came as a shock to Ms. Ng, who was unaware she had even been nominated. She says, “I didn’t know until Ms. Castro ran into my room and said, ‘You have to check your email!’ Usually, I’m so busy [that] I don’t get to check it. Period 4 was coming in and I could read ‘Congratulations!’ and I was like ‘Congratulations about what?’” Ms. Ng’s distinction was the result of an essay submission to the organization by junior Sophia Dimas. Dimas’s essay fondly recounted her experiences as a freshman in Ms. Ng’s biology class. “I’m really grateful that a student that I had as a freshman, who is now currently a junior, still remembers the impact and the things that I’ve done to help her learn [biology],” says Ms. Ng. Part of what makes Ms. Ng so appealing in the minds of her students is the cheerful demeanor that she exudes
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in her interactions with others. She often pokes fun at her short stature, claiming that her autobiography would be
titled: “Good Things Come in Small Packages.” Her good sense of humor is further exemplified by her choice of one person to be for a week: talk show host and comedian Ellen Degeneres. Similarly, Ms. Ng would like to be able to pull pranks on people as well. “She’s having a lot of fun doing things that we would get in trouble for doing. Getting paid to do these things to make people laugh would be a cool thing for me,” she says. Ms. Ng’s upbeat attitude is also coupled with kindness and compassion for those around her. When presented a hypothetical situation in which she found a winning lottery ticket worth $10 million on the floor, Ms. Ng immediately responds, “I would probably ask to see if someone had lost their ticket, and if they did, then they have to claim it from me. I’ll give myself a month for them to claim it.” But the thoughtfulness eventually gives away to humor once again. She laughs, “If not, then it’s mine now! Finders keepers!”
THE AZTEC 2018-2019 Timothy Chuman
Editor-in-Chief/ Chief Photographer
Sophie Wong
Editor-in-Chief/ News Editor
Selina Martinez
Viewpoint Editor/ Asst. Editor-in-Chief/ Asst. News Editor
Maple Duong Viewpoint Editor/ Web Editor/ Asst. Focus Editor
Wesley Zeng
Aurora Zeng
Business Manager
Focus Editor
Vincent Bagabaldo A&E/Features Editor
Sports Editor/ Business Manager
Laura Chen Kevin Liu Copy Editor
Vivian Luk
Copy Editor/ Historian
Izabella Cofressi Photographer
Sdeyni Martinez
Joyce Lee Photographer
Quennie Zeng Staff Writer
Maggie Luu Photographer
Emily Chu Staff Writer
Staff Writer
The Aztec is published monthly by the journalism class of Mark Keppel High School and is printed by News publishers’ press. Opinions expressed are those of the writers, not of the faculty or administration. Articles without bylines are staff editorials, and reflect the opinion of the staff. Letters to the editor are welcome and are subject to editing. Letters can be given to Ms. Bradley in room A227 or sent to theaztecstaff@gmail.com. All letters must be signed, but on request, names will be withheld. We do not acknowledge unsigned letters. All internet graphics on The Aztec newspaper are the properties of their respective owners.
Alhambra, CA 91801
APRIL 18, 2019
THE AZTEC
VIEWPOINT 3
Is it right to censor opposing views on vaccinations? KEVIN LIU Copy Editor
COURTESY OF PINTEREST
Social nights or long commutes? LAURA CHEN Business Manager
Many people recognize entering college as one of the biggest and most important decisions of their life. Much time and thought, possibly beyond the four years of one’s high school career, is spent pondering on which college they plan to attend and what they wish their college experience to be like. One of the biggest contributing factors to the ideal college experience is dorming, but some beg to differ and believe that it is a better choice to commute to school from home. In some cases, universities require new students to live on campus during their first year. Many claim that it allows the students to gain the full “college experience” and helps them adjust to the drastic change of being a college student. “Dorming at college would help me meet new people, especially because some dorm mates would be strangers,” says senior Felicia Tani. In addition to the social aspect of college, convenience is also another determinant that students consider. “The college I will be attending is a couple hours from my house, so driving back and forth would cost me a lot more money compared to if I were to just dorm,” says senior Eric Xue. Even with a shorter commute time, some students prefer to dorm on campus since most necessities would be within walking distance. On the contrary, some students are more comfortable with the idea of staying home and being in a familiar environment. “I will definitely get homesick. I’ll miss the comfort of knowing that I have my parents at home,” says Xue. Other factors that contribute to this decision include free home-cooked meals and other house necessities that are already provided for. However, one of the major reasons as to why many decide to commute to school is the cost of dorming at college. Tani says, “The advantage to staying at home would definitely be the cut in costs. Dorms can cost $10,000+, depending on the college.” Ultimately, Xue and Tani believe that students should spend a great deal of time thinking about how to cover the financial aspects of this situation, but also keep in mind what they would enjoy. “To those who are deciding between dorming and staying home, do what makes you happy,” says Tani.
On the surface, censorship seems obvious; censor speech that harms other, but otherwise leave it alone. But the line blurs when it discusses speech with the potential to harm. In spite of this, modern society is normalized to various forms of restriction; for example, social media giants like Twitter do not allow people to post hate speech or create user profiles that directly incite hateful conduct. However, that policy encounters a blurred line when it comes speech that has the potential to be harmful, but is otherwise just something that someone says. In the modern world of social media and online discussion, two movements star at its core: the anti-vaccine movement and the flat earth movement. The surging prominence of the anti-vaccine movement and other conspiracy theorists like the flat earth movement have used the Internet to its fullest capacity to spread its ideas. Both movements challenge accepted facts as false, claiming that society has been duped into accepting that vaccines are effective and that the earth is flat. Given their challenge to widely accepted facts, few believed them at first, but now have since gained a significant voice. In the attempt to gain legitimacy, anti-vaccine group SafeMinds funded researchers from across the nation to investigate a possible link between autism and vaccination from deadly diseases from 2003-2013. In the final study, researchers from the University of Texas Southwestern School of Medicine, the University of Washington, the Johnson Center for Child Health & Development and other research institutions concluded that vaccines did not cause behavioral or physiological brain changes. SafeMinds con-
tinued to dispute the results, saying that it contradicted an earlier pilot study and that scientists cherry-picked data. Beyond interpretations beyond scientific interpretation, the anti-vaccine movement challenge extends into the well-being of individuals. Vaccines operate to fulfill the condition of herd immunity; the idea that once a certain percentage of the population has been vaccinated, all individuals of the population will be protected because the disease cannot spread, even if vulnerable individuals contracted it. However, if the number of vaccinated individuals does not reach the percentage
Given the consequences, censoring would probably be beneficial for the greater good. Without a platform for false “facts” to spread, societal norms can be preserved to both save lives and maintain order. However, freedom of speech is a double-edged blade. While it is inherently harmful to let the anti-vaccination movement persevere and potentially grow, discrimination of speech in the use of censorship is even more worrying, because it sets a precedence on what types of speech are allowed, how it is expressed, and who it can be limited to. In addition, censorship for the pure purpose of preventing the proliferation of online echo chambers can be a misguided attempt to enforce order. In a way, the anti-vaccine movement is a welcome challenge to societal norms. Given overwhelming scientific evidence, it is difficult if not outright impossible to disprove the efficacy of vaccines. However, the presence of mere fact will not convince individuals by itself. There needs to be vigorous communication between both sides that is not limited to insults, memes, or other COURTESY OF ASAP SCIENCE media. It can be easy to sucrequired for herd immunity, the entire cumb to such simplistic communication, community is now jeopardized because because a one-liner insult or a meme is the disease now has enough individuals much easier to come up with than a dethat it can infect and reproduce in. Even veloped argument. though herd immunity is lost, individuals There needs to be a willingness to go who received the vaccine will be less sus- beyond “you’re wrong and I’m right” and ceptible to the disease. However, it does move towards “let’s think about this critnot change the fact a population formerly ically and analyze arguments from both protected by herd immunity is now sus- sides.” Most importantly, communication ceptible. should not be about having someone conGiven the possible deadly side effects cede and admit defeat. It is teaching the of not vaccinating for deadly diseases, one process to question the evidence provided wonders if communication over media on a critical level. regarding the anti-vaccine and similar Censorship is not the answer. And is it movements should be allowed. Techni- time for people to realize that freedom of cally, it is not something regarded as hate speech goes beyond a right; it is a responspeech, inflammatory, or violence that is sibility on all parties to preserve order for usually censored by social media giants. the benefit of the greater good.
A change of pace in daily school routine IZABELLA COFRESSI Photographer
Here at Keppel, the school schedule typically consists of six classes every day. However, once the time comes for state testing, the school switches to block schedule, with three two-hour class blocks, with the exception of Friday being a minimum day. Some students like the schedule switch, while others do not. It begs the question: which schedule is more efficient for learning? For other high schools, block schedule is their normal day-to-day schedule. It is not hard to see the benefits of it, especially when reminded that students would have an extra day to do homework. In addition, this system ensures every student is given enough time to take tests and engage in activities that normally have to be done over two or more days. “This is my first year at Keppel, but having only three classes every day has slowed down the pace of school for me and I actually prefer it. Maybe students wouldn’t be so stressed if this was how
it was,” says freshman Daniel Kim, who believes block scheduling would be beneficial if it was year-round. It is especially eye-opening when considering the fact that every day, passing period is eight minutes between classes. This equals to forty minutes of the school day spent walking to your next class. In contrast, block schedule has a total of twenty-four minutes for commuting to your next class, increasing instructional time for teachers, making a huge difference over the course of a year. On the other hand, there are students who firmly believe that block schedule is not the way to go. “Having to sit and pay attention to a class for two hours starts to become difficult after a while, especially since teenagers have short attention spans.” says junior Cristina Porras. Only practicing a subject every other day could hinder the learning process instead of helping it, since there are some subjects that should be practiced every day, such as language and music classes. “Teenagers procrastinate, so an extra day to do home-
work isn’t true since most will still wait until the night before. The forty minutes we waste are not that bad since some teachers need time to settle in anyways. And most kids won’t remember what they learned two days ago, so there would probably be constant reviewing,” explains Porras. The debate between the two schedules strongly relies on a student’s personal work and learning habits, since everyone learns differently. Some students prefer a slower school day. “I do prefer a slower pace just so that I don’t have to be stressing too much,” Kim says. Others prefer the school’s current pace. “I feel I learn better with a little bit of information every day, not two hours worth every other day” Porras says.
4 VIEWPOINT
THE AZTEC
APRIL 18, 2019
One day won’t hurt, right? SOPHIE WONG Editor-in-Chief/ News Editor
The hallways will be a little less crowded, and the classrooms a little more quiet. A tradition followed by high school seniors nationwide, Senior Ditch Day celebrates the end of a journey. As the name suggests, seniors “take a break” from school to spend time with friends, commonly at the beach or amusement parks. Having had to turn down hangout invites and cancel plans to focus on academics for four years, seniors take this opportunity to make up those missed opportunities. Last year, only 43 unexcused absences in the senior class were recorded on Senior Ditch Day. While Senior Ditch Day should be a part of every seniors’ high school experience, it comes with a cost: pushing priorities away for a day. While Senior Ditch Day has never been officially publicly announced, teachers are well aware. In the past, they have placed exams and project deadlines on ditch day, but whether that is purposeful or pure fate, it will never be known. This obstacle seems easy to overcome, as most teachers allow makeup tests as long as there is a valid excuse of your absence. The tests, as well as
THE AZTEC/SOPHIE WONG
other responsibilities like club meetings and study sessions, tilt the scales. The one day of missing school does not seem like it will follow with consequences, but it can, especially for students with many previous absences. “Your attendance can affect your ability to graduate, and you should try to clear absences as much as possible,” says Dr. Marisa Palacios, As-
sistant Principal of Student Counseling. In addition, the missing assignments can become obstacles to meeting Freshman Conditions for those attending a University of California (UC) school, one of which states to maintain at least a 3.0-weighted senior year GPA in approved A-G courses. “Make sure you prioritize what you need to do at school to make sure that you’re en-
suring that you get into college,” adds Dr. Palacios. In the end, we are forced to choose between taking a hit on our grades, or a celebration that could be easily done on weekends. To what extent will we put a celebration above our responsibilities?
Overcoming the oceans between friends MAPLE DUONG Viewpoint Editor/ Web Editor
THE AZTEC/SELINA MARTINEZ
Wearing our money’s worth QUENNIE ZENG Staff Writer
At any high school, several sports, clubs, and teams have their own gear that members can essentially buy. However, these particular apparel come with hefty price tags that could otherwise be spent on other clothing. When it comes to the inside of a wallet, whether or not buying these clothing pieces are worth it lies in the back of our minds. Freshman Alyson Ramilliano personally believes that club apparel is worth the money, because she feels a sense of unity in her orchestra and speech and debate club. Ramilliano says, “When you buy club gear, you aren’t buying it for the sake of buying clothing to wear. It symbolizes unity and helps make everyone feel like a family.” Director of the Instrumental Music Program Mr. Lee also feels that the club apparel creates a strong bond between the students. “Since we perform a lot together and rehearse a lot together, [club clothing] gives [students] something physical to bond. They are proud to represent their ensembles with the clothes. It’s good for representing your group and feeling pride for what you do.” says Mr. Lee.
On the other hand, junior Kayton Truong does not think that club gear is worth the money. This particular year, he did not purchase CSF club gear. “Over the past two years, I have bought gear for basically every single club I was in, and it really adds up,” says Truong. Since he does not wear the club apparel enough to make it worth its cost, he does not see much need in buying club gear year after year. “Spending money to buy gear year after year, especially just for the purposes of function points, is pointless because I don’t get the chance to wear them all as much as I should,” says Truong. Whether you choose to buy club apparel is your own decision to make, but one thing is for sure; club apparel can essentially be worth the immense cost. Club gear can show a sense of family and unity within a group, and it allows the individual to feel like they are part of a tight-knit community. It forms bonds, distinguishes each club, and creates a more enthusiastic atmosphere. Having too much club apparel is also possible, but it is more enjoyable to feel the unity of being in a club rather than feeling excluded from it.
With the preparation of leaving homes for college and attending out-of-state universities, comes the situation of a long distance friendship. By definition, a long distance friendship is the relationship between friends who are geographically separated and lack constant face-to-face contact. The question comes into play: can a long distance friendship between a group of friends work? In some cases though, long distance friendships can be difficult to maintain due to various reasons, especially with the dawning of senior graduation and preparation for college dorming. “Distance is, obviously, something to worry about,” says sophomore Pragya Koirala. Junior Shane Nguyen agrees. “Along with possible different time zones, lack of common real experiences, and lack of face to face contact, the biggest problem is the conversation,” he says. “However, respect the distance if that is the case and do what makes you both happy.” Despite not having a large number of friends in other cities, Koirala understands how distance can play a large factor in whether or not relationships ultimately
work out. “Sure, people drift apart. But in a lot of cases, long distance friendships can work,” explains Koirala. There are a numerous amount of reasons as to why people would try and maintain their long distance friendships, one of them being sentiment. “It’s hard to let go of friends that you have good memories with,” says Nguyen. “But saying goodbye is a part of growing up. It’s important, too, to remember that goodbyes aren’t forever and you can always meet from time to time whenever possible.” As time passes, friendships evolve. “Moving forward in life is scary. But if you are guys are really passionate about keeping the friendship, you guys can wholeheartedly make it work,” Koirala says. Nguyen offers up some of the advice he has to offer to people who are attempting to go through with a long distance friendship. “Make time space in your schedule for him or her,” he says. Whether it be a separation between states or even oceans, the works of a long distance friendship all depends on the people involved. The act of moving away may or may not hinder a friendship, but despite all that, the status of a friendship does not change.
APRIL 18, 2019
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Is your GPA t WESLEY ZENG Sports Editor/Business Manager
With this year’s college admissions process com ing to a halt as seniors decide what college to com mit to, underclassmen begin to question how the should embark on the rest of years in high school. Of course, it is suggested that students should always strive toward academic excellence. Man people believe doing well in high school is the ke to showing institutions the capabilities of the stu dent. However, there are always cases that break thi traditional idea, as some students are able to ente highly competitive colleges despite not having th highest grades. Instead, they include in their appli cation the extracurriculars they were involved in. “The experience you earn from extracurricular really make the college essays much easier to writ and your statements much more impactful,” says se nior Angie Law. “I’ve been on Drill [team] for fou years, and half of my essays were about my team and what I did in it.” As many colleges look at an application holistical ly, extracurriculars seem necessary toward any good application. This begs the question of how to spend time toward “stacking up” on clubs and outside o
Poll: Which pr
AURORA ZENG Focus Editor
The boba shop effect
AP Biology teacher Ms. Hoang, who also likes to do work in a coffee shop setting, reminds students that this method may not always work for everyone. “The busyness of the [coffee shop] keeps Enter any spacious coffee or boba shop and, chances are, it’s me awake, but for some people, the environment being [busy] probably filled with the calming hum of studious teenagers looking makes it so that they can’t focus,” she says. For Ms. Hoang, housefor a productive afternoon. Many shops near Keppel, such as Hon- hold chores or the thought of taking a nap at home can be equally eyboba and Macchiato, have taken advantage of this study habit; as distracting. it’s common for stores The only unpleasant to offer free WiFi and experience I had was plenty of tables for stuworking on a group projdents. ect at a certain boba shop Most shops invite I visited often. We were students to come in there for three hours disand study. Senior Brycussing the project until an Duong, who works the staff implied they at TenRen’s in Atlanwanted us to leave by tic Times Square, says, saying there was anoth“We have plenty of er group waiting for the people that sit there, table. Granted, we were a order boba, and sit large group compared to there for a few hours. the size of the boba shop, You could probably but a table a third of the stay there the entire size of ours could have time the store’s open easily accommodated and [the store] probasaid group. (We finished bly won’t do anything.” the project at McDonDuong observes that ald’s, which worked fine.) most customers seem THE AZTEC/ AURORA ZENG Coffee and boba shops productive. “They chill Honeyboba on Atlantic Boulevard is a popular place to study. The boba shop features large tables for are a popular place for on their laptops and sip students to use. Recently, the store added French fries to their menu, which previously offered only students to study, but it’s drinks. boba,” he states. important to remember Called the “coffee shop effect,” research shows that people do that certain study habits do not always work for everyone. Seeing work better in this kind of environment. The University of Virgin- people come in and out of the store or noise from other tables ia’s Darden School of Business states that being in the presence can hinder someone’s ability to focus on their work, yet others will of others, even without interacting with them, provides a “sense appreciate the busy enof security” that encourages people to work harder. In addition, a vironment. Still, it is in research paper regarding the relationship between a work environ- a student’s best interest ment and cognitive thinking by Emily G. Nielsen from The Uni- to figure out the best versity of West Ontario suggests that the change of environment in way for them to study, a coffee shop provides a relaxing atmosphere compared to an office and perhaps that cup of or a classroom. Productivity is also contagious, according to Busi- boba can be given up for ness Insider. People work harder when others around them are, too. a more effective method. In my World History AP days, I was more productive when I worked outside. There were less distractions, and I could finish a chapter of notes in under two hours. Most coffee shops, even a cramped Starbucks, seemed to do the magic for me.
86 STUDENTS WERE POLLED.
Dual Enrollm SELINA MARTINEZ Asst. Editor-in-Chief
Among the various enrichment opportunit at Mark Keppel High School are free dual enro ment classes. After school and summer dual e rollment classes offer students the chance to ea college credits. Mark Keppel, in conjunction w the Alhambra Unified School District, offers n merous courses from Health and Fitness to Pu lic Speaking and Intro to Computer Informati Systems. Dissimilar to College Board’s AP Program, st dents enrolled in dual enrollment classes do n receive college credit based on a single end of t year exam. Rather, credit is obtained by passi the class made up of homework, classwork, a tests. Almost all dual enrollment classes at Kepp are UC/CSU transferable, meaning it’s guara teed that these state schools will accept the cred earned from these classes. For private universiti research should be done to verify if credits a transferable. “I took Health 11 last fall and am taking pub speaking right now,” says junior Linh Tran. “Bo
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class activities. “I think they should be a healthy balance. Just because someone is in a lot of extracurriculars and failing all their classes, it would not make them a likely choice for colleges,” says junior Sydney Jou, who is on the basketball team and ASB. Senior Raymond Tran agrees, he explains, “It doesn’t make sense to join a bunch of extracurriculars thinking it will help you in your college apps. You should be in extracurriculars that you actually like doing and ones that you’re not doing just for college.” Tran who was on the Zero Robotics and Science Olympiad teams, is going to MIT this fall. Admissions officers read over thousands of applications annually, so it can be hard to stand out. Many applicants can show their academic achievements, but GPA and test scores can only go so high. Because of this, extracurriculars allow applicants to bring life to their application. Officers are able to read applicants’ anecdotes and passionate experiences, all adding personality to the plain statistics of their grades. “Your sixth AP [class] doesn’t make your transcript that much more attractive. If you can sustain two or three advance class, I would suggest challenging yourself with an extracurricular instead of an AP that you don’t even care about,” says Law. Nonetheless, academics are not any less import-
ant. Many people who focus on only extracurriculars begin to fall behind in class, which can be dangerous if they don’t catch up. Students should ensure they have solid academics before devoting time to extracurriculars. Achieving high scores and meeting or exceeding academic standards is the most important step for college admission. Once students meet these standards, the problem falls in the hands of balancing both extracurriculars and academics. Sophomore Derrick Huang believes “people should focus as much time on extracurriculars as academics because it helps someone build character along with time management.” Extracurriculars offer a deeper look into student applications, but it should not shroud over the importance of academic achievement. “If you don’t like it, why would you do it? And college admissions officers know that,” explains Tran. Jou also believes in this view towards being involved in extracurriculars, stating, “It doesn’t need something they’re successful in, it just needs to be something they’re interested in or somewhat passionate about because then they can really try to work towards it and maybe find success through that.”
rep book brand do you prefer? Barron’s (49%) Princeton (38%) CliffNotes (6%) Crash Course (6%) collegeboard (1%)
ment: earning college credits
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classes are required general education classes in college and since many colleges accept dual enrollment, this is a good way to earn the credits early and [for] free.” Accumulating credits in high school is definitely favorable when entering college. In addition to saving money from bypassing having to pay for these required college courses, enough AP and dual enrollment credits could lead to the potential to graduate early. “Some of my students have taken enough college classes that they were sophomore standing in their first year of college. At the very least, taking just 3 dual enrollment classes is equivalent to one semester of college,” says college and career counselor Ms. An. Dual enrollment classes also allow students to explore potential majors. Ms. An says, “Many of our dual enrollment classes are in the areas pertaining to popular majors.” She adds that classes are true recognized college courses. “This is a great way for students to safely try out a college course taught by an actual college professor. All of our classes are taught by college professors.” This summer is the next opportunity students
will have to take dual enrollment classes. In addition to all the aforementioned benefits, students never know what other academic opportunities could present themselves from dual enrollment classes. “Some of our professors have been able to help students get internship opportunities and many are happy to write recommendation letters for students. In fact, one of the UC [personal insight question] prompts pertains to how the student has taken advantage of an educational opportunity. Many of my dual enrollment students have written about their dual enrollment classes for their college applications,” says Ms. An. Sign-ups for summer classes have already begun. A student does not have to be one hundred percent sure about taking a class in order to sign up. “If you aren’t sure about [taking a course] there is a 2 week period that allows you to drop the class without it having to be on your transcript,” advises Tran. To register for or to seek more information about dual enrollment classes, visit the career center.
from Student to Student:
High School Advice column If I get a C, is my life over? It depends on the class. You should really try to avoid C’s in classes related to your major, but it’s not the end of the world. Remember that learning should be the main priority in enrolling in a class, especially if it is related to your major. Do SAT classes actually help? If you have a large margin for improvement and you’re willing to put in the effort, SAT classes could be worth the money. Keppel’s free SAT classes provides helpful material, although the benefits will depend on the effort you put in. However, you don’t need to go to a specialized class to help you; simply practicing using a SAT workbook or using online resources regularly are effective too. What’s the best way to do community service during the summer? Start looking early for fixed volunteer positions, around April or May. If you’re looking for internships, you should start in the beginning of the year. Talk to upperclassmen who have volunteered before, because they may have valuable insight or knowledge about applications and deadlines for their previous positions. How many APs are advised? Only take what you can handle. Don’t overload yourself, especially if you’re taking science or math APs. Be realistic; if you’re genuinely confident you can handle the workload, try for around three APs at a time. Would it be better to opt for an easier class and get an A, or try for a more challenging class but with the knowledge that you might not get an A? Getting a B in an AP class can be better than getting an A in an easy class. Colleges can gauge what your potential is based on your test scores, and they can see if you truly tried in a hard class or if you took an easy one just for an A. That being said, don’t take any challenging classes if you’re not going to put in your best effort. However, don’t be intimidated by a class simply because you might not get a perfect grade. What time should I start researching colleges? If you already know what major you want to pursue, it would be helpful to know which college is good for your major. Otherwise, I wouldn’t worry too much until junior year, when you start thinking about applications. The career center offers in-school presentations from colleges that can help narrow your interest without making the trip to a college. Don’t get fixated on certain colleges, though. Remember to keep your options open. When should I start college applications? Depending on the college, you might not be able to access admissions logins until around August before senior year. However, UC personal insight questions and the Common Application personal statement have the same prompts every year, so you should read over the prompts early. Essays take time to develop; while it is ideal to finish them as soon as possible, they shouldn’t be rushed. No matter when you start, be mindful of deadlines and manage your time wisely. These answers are collective ideas based on personal experiences of our staff ’s seniors.
APRIL 18, 2019 THE AZTEC Final season of Game of Thrones snows in on fans 8 A&E
VINCENT BAGABALDO Features/ A&E Editor
Spring may be here but fans of the critically acclaimed television series Game of Thrones are fully aware that winter is upon us. The recent release of the season eight premiere on April 14 did stupendously well for HBO, bringing in a record breaking total of 17.4 million viewers who are infatuated with the fantasy production. This is no surprise to anyone since the last season racked up an average of 32.8 million viewers per episode in both television and internet platforms. Now what exactly is Game of Thrones? Those who are fortunate enough to be well versed in this series know that the show itself is imbued with captivating characters and a complex lore that catches the attention of those who dabble with the idea of knights and dragons. These elements are coupled with a wonderful share of twists and turns that will surely keep the viewer on the tips of their toes throughout the whole series. A rule of thumb for those
who are trying to get into the show is to not get attached to any of the characters. There may come a time where that very character will bite the dust. The show itself is fantastic, but what a lot of people do not know is that the show was derived from a series of books by George R.R. Martin titled A Song of Ice and Fire. The book series sold an astonishing number in the nation, totaling up to 45 million copies. Even more impressive are the 90 million copies sold worldwide. Senior Zoe Ng, a recent fan of the renowned series, dedicated two months to catch up with the show before the big premiere that was set last Sunday. Just like much of the entirety of Game of Thrones fans, Ng believes that the show is not like other shows but rather its story is “very interesting and unique.” Another stark difference between this show and others is the absurd amount of mature content. Just like its accompanied rating, which is Mature, Game of Thrones is not for the faint of heart. Granted, it does have its lighthearted moments, just
COURTESY OF GOOGLE IMAGES
as every other fantasy show, but those who abhor gore and nudity in television should stray away from it and stick with the book series, which is equally as good. With the show finishing up a good eight years of air time, the series finale starts off a little weak. Ng says, “The first episode was okay. Nothing dramatic really happened because everyone just reunited. There was
more talking than there was action. The dragon ride [scene] was also a little boring.” This, however, is not indicative of the whole season and looking at what the production crew has brought the general public so far, it’s safe to say that this season will wrap up the beloved series nicely.
Cashing in on token characters MAGGIE LUU Photographer From films like Hidden Figures to Netflix’s Queer Eye, it seems that Hollywood is invested in telling stories with diverse leads. However, there is some presence of strong stereotypes in television that are perpetuating harmful ideas such as distinctive personality traits and physical characteristics. A major trope that many producers use is the token minority character to give off the appearance of racial or sexual equality in television. Despite moving in the right direction, a lot of these characters regress into obvious stereotypes, which begs the question about whether having imperfect representation is better than having no representation. In UCLA’s 2018 Hollywood diversity report, it is documented that only 1.4 out of 10 lead actors in films are people of color. They also account for 20.2 percent of cable scripted leads in the 2015-16 television season. Even with this increased share of representation, shows such as The Simpsons contain portrayals of certain characters that are inaccurate and offensive. Characters like Apu, a convenience store
Apu Nahasapeemapetilon from The Simpsons
owner with a thick, goofy Indian accent, exist to provoke a laugh. In contrast, Netflix’s sitcom One Day at a Time features a multi-generational Cuban-American family and while the show has some relatable jokes, like Vicks Vaporub being a cure for anything, the show does not follow any harmful Latino stereotypes (e.g. being a gang member or a thug). Junior Keno Vilaysith feels that when it comes to token characters, they are more so used “as a source of comedic effect” and “getting views is just a byproduct.” Adding to that, senior Andy Torres believes that characters only perpetuate harmful stereotypes “depending on the context” of the work, stating, “If [a token character] is in a show like [Stanley from] The Office, it is [actually] trying to portray something meaningful like giving the culture a good image.” This discussion applies to the LGBT+ community as well. While there is an increase in representation for different sexual identities, the quality of the portrayals seem to fall short. It conveys a warped depiction of their lives like in The L Word, in which all the characters’ life conflicts only revolve around their sexualities. There are occasions in
Stanley Hudson from The Office
which film or TV series’s characters are disclosed to be non-heterosexual but is not explicitly displayed. For instance, actress Tessa Thompson who plays Valkyrie in Thor: Ragnarok confirms that the character does identify as bisexual. Sadly, the scene in the movie that made Valkyrie’s sexuality explicit was cut out. To contrast, recent films like Call Me by Your Name and Love, Simon, gained traction for their storylines in which a young teenager explores his sexual identity and the confusion that stems from it, all while falling in love. Unlike The L Word, these two pivotal pieces of comingof-age gay films separate themselves from the functionality of tokenism. Not only do they add the superficial layer of diversity in Hollywood, but they also provide actual depth to the characters. Despite how flawed and offensive some depictions might be, some people feel that there remains something powerful in seeing your own community or culture presented on screen. Vilaysith adds, “It’s better to have some representation, even if it’s negative, [because] many will stand up and reveal that not every one of [a] minority [group] is the same.”
Valkyri from Thor: Ragnarok
THE AZTEC/ VINCENT BAGABALDO Local AMC located on Atakantic Boulevard, Monterey Park
No more movie hopping EMILY CHU Staff Writer AMC movie theatres all around the world are implementing a new permanent system in which picking an seat before entering the theatre is mandatory. Since evidence of your assigned seating is being checked, “movie hopping” will not be possible anymore. Junior Karen Chin says, “This new system will definitely affect those who do decide they want to see another movie right after another while only paying for the price of one.“ Chin says that personally, she would not be willing to pay for the price of two tickets for two movies, even though she understands it is a fair rule. Agreeing with Chin, freshmen Justine Lee says, “Assigned seating will impact some people who frequently movie hop, but most people would still pay to watch it.” Assigned seating can be a good thing for some people. Lee explains, “For example, if you get stuck in line getting popcorn or something that prevents you from going into the theatre, it is reassuring to know that the seat you chose is still there.” With that being said, there are an abundance of people who prefer to movie hop, and this recent implementation bars those who would like to do so. But then again, rules are rules and what AMC decides to do is their business.
THE AZTEC
APRIL 18, 2019
A&E 9
Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame marks the end of an era VINCE BAGABALDO & JOYCE LEE Features/ A&E Editor & Photographer Whether you would like to believe in extraterrestrial forms or not, every single being that spans across the universe has definitely heard of the monumental cinematic events in the Marvel Universe that have transpired over the years; although Avengers: Endgame spells out the end of the franchise, it also marks the beginning of major profit for the company. The previous movie Age of Ultron made close to $260 million and Endgame is predicted to surpass $250 million. Additionally, there are multiple other movies that have enriched the Marvel timeline, such as Spiderman-Homecoming and Jon Favreau’s Iron Man, that jump started this incredible journey for the MCU. The massive appeal and hype of these movies can be comparable to other titles such as the Harry Potter series or Star Wars. Senior Samantha Hernandez says, “I expect Endgame to be long but worth every minute. I have high expectations because this is the end of something I spent my whole life watching.” Junior Edison Chung
says, “I just want a satisfying ending and I hope it isn’t the actual finale of the Avengers movies.” With long series like this comes the question of whether the creators are milking it for profit. Hernandez “doesn’t think the marketing around Endgame is necessarily milking, but reasonable since this is the last movie. It’s something that fans have waited for a long time to see.” Marvel’s multiple spin-offs have extenuated the series for almost a decade all while amassing legions of fans from all over the globe. Currently there are three phases, a group of movies, that the MCU has released over the years that follow the adventure of Earth’s mightiest heroes and the inevitable final battle that will arise in the upcoming movie, Avengers: Endgame. All those past movies have been leading up to this conclusion and fans are excited to see a supposed resolution to this “Thanos arc” in the story. The franchise itself is worth millions but longtime fans often question the creative direction of the Marvel franchise. Mrs. Castillo says, “I feel like anytime anything goes mainstream...it gets milked. You have cult favorites and they go
THE AZTEC/ TIMOTHY CHUMAN
mainstream...it gets watered down.” However, for the casual fan like herself, she says, “I like it for the escape value and I see the creativity.” Being a longtime fan of Star Wars, who watched both the old movies and the new reboots, she also explains that “[reboots] ruined what had been established.” For many, the Marvel universe is something special to them, as well as a way for
them to bond with others. At the end of the day, the Marvel Universe is something special that has been a source of entertainment for those around the world. Hernandez adds that “I do bond with my family. Whenever a new Marvel movie is released, my sister, cousin, and uncle go watch it no matter what. It’s just something we’ve always done.”
Who do you want to see revived in
Avengers: Endgame ? Students were asked to pick three heroes whom they thought deserved to be revived. Here are the results:
SPIDER-MAN 70.1%
DOCTOR STRANGE 42.1%
LOKI 37.1% PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE
GROOT 38.6%
BLACK PANTHER 35% 140 STUDENTS WERE POLLED
TOP 3 RUNNER-UPS
SCARLET WITCH 17.9%
STAR-LORD 17.9%
GAMORA 15.7%
10 SPORTS Softball struggles against Alhambra Moors
THE AZTEC
APRIL 18, 2019 Boys Tennis defeats Schurr; ties as first in league
LAURA CHEN Business Manager
VIVIAN LUK Copy Editor/ Historian
After losing against Bell Gardens by the closest gap this season three days prior, the Varsity Softball team faced the Alhambra Moors this past Tuesday. Unfortunately, the Aztecs were overpowered by the Moors and suffered another loss with the score of 1-11. Previously in the season, the Aztecs had faced the Moors before during an away game at Alhambra High School, but they lost, 2-13. Despite this, one of the captains, junior Fiona Zeman states that, “Since the last game against Alhambra we’ve improved a crazy amount. We’ve worked on our mentalities, hitting, and fielding, but it just didn’t show up in this game.” The Aztecs struggled during the game and specifically on their offense as they “had two outs and kept making errors,” says senior Samantha Hernandez. The Moors had the advantage in the sense that their players are more experienced out on the field. “Their girls do travel ball on top of playing high school ball so they have more experience with each other and the game than most of us do,” says Zeman. The members of this team are still relatively new and have to learn to adjust to play with each other to communicate better out on the field. “Softball can only be played as a team,” says Hernandez. Many of the players are also still discovering their own strengths. Amidst these challenges that the Aztecs face, they still have high hopes for the rest of the season. They wish to end the season on a high note. “We’re really hoping to win these next two games and are just going to continue to practice in order to eliminate the amount of errors on the field,” says
The Boys Tennis team dominated the courts against Schurr on Thursday, April 11 winning with a score of 16-2. Coach Ten attributes this win to the improvements that the doubles teams have made since their previous match against Schurr earlier this season. “Singles always won; it’s just that doubles weren’t doing as well. [During] the last couple of matches, we really concentrated on positioning and being more simple, as opposed to being extravagant, when we play,” he says. Of Keppel’s 16 winning sets, sophomore Brandan Ong was responsible for three of them. The singles player won all three of his sets with a score of 6-0, not allowing his opponents to win even a single game by physically and mentally draining them. “If they even had a chance to return my service, I would either hit the ball cross-court or down the line to throw my opponent off,” he explains. “On their service, I would draw my opponent towards the net with a slice drop shot, and [then] either hit the ball to the left side, right side, or lob the ball over them.” The Aztecs’ two losses were both tiebreaker sets among the doubles teams. Senior Ethan Lin and his partner Kyle Liu were able to turn around a 1-4 set into a 6-6 tiebreaker. They prolonged the set into a 7-9 game before eventually succumbing to fatigue and losing. Lin credits their tenacity to the encouragement they received from their teammates. “[It] helps keep me going and fighting hard because I don’t want to let them down. All of our team members have a responsibility, and it is to fight for every point,” he says. After their win against Schurr, the Aztecs are currently tied with the Matadors for first place in the Almont League standings. The Aztecs have been League champions for the last nine years, and their upcoming match against Alhambra on Tuesday, April 23 will determine whether or not they are able to maintain their longstanding place at the top. During Keppel’s last match with Alhambra, the Aztecs won 180. Coach Ten is confident that their upcoming game will produce another victory, cementing Keppel’s decade-long position as the Almont League champions. “When we do [win], it will be a historic thing for the boys. Ten consecutive years… that hasn’t been done before.”
THE AZTEC/ IZABELLA COFRESSI
Captain, junior Fiona Zeman pitches the ball toward the Lancers.
Hernandez. The same day, the girls also celebrated their senior night and honored the senior members from both the Mark Keppel and Alhambra team. Friends and family of both teams gathered to cheer on the members and recognized the girls’ commitment on their teams. Hernandez says, “The fact that I’m leaving hasn’t really hit me yet. This is probably the last time I actually play softball and I’m not ready to let go...I will definitely miss our underclassmen and hope they continue to work hard and use their talents.”
THE AZTEC
APRIL 18, 2019
SPORTS 11
Track & Field anticipates team’s best SOPHIE WONG Editor-in-Chief/ News Editor Track and Field faced the San Gabriel Matadors in an away meet last Thursday, April 11, and triumphed in many aspects of the meet, but were equally met with difficulties as well. Boys varsity dominated against the Matadors 101-24, while girls varsity could not outpace their opponents, losing 46-82. Unlike most sports, track-and-field is individual event based. Each meet consists of events in three categories—running, jumping, and throwing— which all happen simultaneously. The Boys Varsity team performed especially well in hurdles and jumps, which may have been the key to their success against the Matadors. Athletes in all levels also showed good results in the distance events. “They’re doing much better in that and overall I’m pretty pleased,” says Coach Shapiro. For many members of the team, the meet was one for the books, as they set a personal record (PR). Some PRs include senior Kevin Loi’s 6:26 time in the 1600m run, senior Samantha Nguyen’s 57 seconds in
Junior Crystal Nhan (left) leads the heat for the Girls 110m hurdles with senior Samantha Nguyen (right) following closely behind.
300m hurdles, senior Alvin Tu’s 42’8” in triple jump, and junior Chrystal Nhan’s 14’5” in long jump. The team faced bad luck with the weather and a string of injuries at the beginning of season, which affected the intensity and duration of their practice. Despite losing opportunities to practice, these obstacles proved to be a learning experience. After losing three consecutive times, the Boys
Junior Michelle Phu and sophomore Sabrina Vong play their Girls’ Doubles match.
Varsity team pulled themselves out of a slump with their previous win against Montebello and continued the trend with this win against the Matadors. “I think everybody’s starting to come together and be at a level where they’re ready to perform at their best for that final week of the season,” says Shapiro. “We did better than expected. A lot of people were able to get better marks and
THE AZTEC/ AURORA ZENG
Badminton loses to Titans by narrow gap AURORA ZENG Focus Editor After a close game, Mark Keppel’s Badminton Team lost 11-10 to San Marino at their home game on Monday, April 15th. Despite their narrow loss, the players are seeing improvement throughout the team despite their shortcomings earlier this season. While the end score was close, most individual events were not as tight in terms of score differences, with the exception of the final Doubles match. After a stressful last round, Keppel won the point and narrowed the gap between them and San Marino. This season, the team was not able to clock in as much practice time as previous years. The lack of preseason practice weakened the team, causing them to begin with a rocky start. Despite this, junior and captain Edison Chung believes the team is showing improvement. “Our first game against San Marino, we did pretty bad because it was one of our first games of the season,” he says. This Monday’s close game against the same opponent is a clear indicator of Badminton’s improve-
ment since the start of the season. Chung also notes that the team is playing more seriously now, and he is confident in winning their next games with more practice. “We need to be more consistent and make less careless errors,” Chung continues. Senior varsity player Jimmy Yufeng Li adds that the team has been practicing as many skill sets during practice as possible, including “clears, smashes, and drops.” Coach Richard Zheng agrees that the team could definitely use more practice. “This year, we had the more seasoned players train the new players. In turn, they lose their own practice time,” Zheng says. “Everybody’s working pretty hard. I feel sad that we can’t provide them with the [proper] training, especially because of our late start.” With the continued improvement, Chung hopes the team can make League Finals. Still, he also looks forward to next season as another chance to build a strong team. The past season has been a rebuilding season, as Chung states the team lost star seniors players two years ago. Despite this setback, Badminton has been working hard to boost their performance.
THE AZTEC/ SOPHIE WONG
times when we were going against San Gabriel,” says senior Eva Kha, one of the track captains. One advantage of San Gabriel’s field, Kha mentioned, is their rubber track. With three more meets left in the season, the team is hoping to improve their times and marks. Their next meet will be at home against Alhambra, on Thursday, April 18.
Senior Joshua Soto hits the ball before running to first base.
THE AZTEC/ KEVIN LIU
Baseball faces challenges against Oilers KEVIN LIU Copy Editor Boys Baseball lost their second-tolast home game against the Montebello Oilers, 11-0, on Friday, April 12th. Throughout the game, the Aztecs found difficulty stopping Montebello’s offense. However, it did not stop the Aztecs from giving their best. Player 31, sophomore Jesse Morales, caught a ball on the fly to try to stall the Oilers’ momentum, but could not stop them from scoring. Likewise, pitcher and senior Frankie Guzman attempted to stem the tide with fast pitches, but the Oilers could not be stopped. Despite the Aztecs’ best effort, the Oilers scored at least one run in each inning. In the first and third inning, the Oilers tallied three runs. On defense, their coordination between the outfield and first base in particular put a stop to many of the runs the Aztecs attempted. Looking back at the game, senior Jonathan Morales knows there are areas that the team can improve in.
“We can’t just pitch somebody that just throws fastballs,” says Morales. “We need to work as a team in general… [and] minimize our errors [in] each game, [in] every inning.” Coach Derek Moore looks to do better in future games, especially in their upcoming game against the San Gabriel Matadors. The Aztecs’ first win in Almont League was against the San Gabriel Matadors, who they beat with a final score of 10-4. “It’s [a lot of players’] first year,” says Morales. “There’s only a few of us who have been playing baseball [for a while].” Although there is a lack of experience among members, they are not lacking the drive to win. Since Friday’s game, the team has been diligently practicing to repeat their Almont League win against San Gabriel. They have mostly been focusing on fundamentals like footwork, throwing, and coordination. Baseball’s next game will be at San Gabriel High School on Tuesday, April 23rd.
THE AZTEC
12 SPORTS
APRIL 18, 2019
THE AZTEC/ TIMOTHY CHUMAN
Senior Ronald Young swims his lap across the pool, allowing his team to continue the relay.
THE AZTEC/ VINCENT BAGABALDO
Swim team triumphs over Matadors WESLEY ZENG Sports Editor/ Business Manager As the season enters the final weeks, the Swim team remains determined to keep their win streak intact. After the meet against San Gabriel last Thursday, Keppel’s swim team picked up another win to add to the boys’ 5-0 and the girls’ 4-1 league record. “Keppel swim team is one of the best swim teams in our division so I really have high hopes for our team,” says senior Fayez Vuong, who believes the team will continue this win streak. The meet was a beneficial experience for the team, as they were able to earn new personal records and see areas that needed work. “As we come closer to league, this
meet was a good indicator of what we need to improve on as a team,” says captain, senior Rachel Lee. The meet ended with varsity girls scoring 139-27 and varsity boys scoring 11847. Their win was due to more than pure skill. Junior Kyle Matsuda credits the fact that it was a home meet, as he says, “ [Keppel is] the only team that practices in a 50 meter instead of a 25.” The longer pool at Barnes Park leaves other schools at a disadvantage as they are not used to swimming the entire lap instead of the more familiar two laps of 25 meters. An overall factor to why the team has seen victory throughout the season is due to the members in their team. With outside programs such as Monterey Park
IZABELLA COFRESSI Photographer
Manta Rays (MPMR) that kids are able to join and strengthen their skill early on, Mark Keppel receives many swimmers who have prior experience before entering high school. Vuong believes that is one of the reasons that attribute to their success, explaining, “Club swimmers are swimmers who have more experience. That’s why our varsity team is really well built.” Moving toward the last league meet before their league finals, the team looks to push forward and do well as they always have. “As finals and our last meet approaches, we prepare by finding that balance of working hard in practice and studying whenever we have the opportunity to,” says Lee.
Volleyball gets redemption against Lancers MAPLE DUONG Viewpoint Editor/ Web Editor After their initial loss against Bell Gardens on March 19, the boys varsity volleyball team looked for redemption on the Lancer’s senior night, taking a 3-1 win against them on April 11. “We needed this win in order to try and win league,” explains sophomore Justin Vy. Therefore, the Aztecs drive to win increased ten-fold. They entered the first set strong, taking on various 3-point scoring runs, ultimately enabling them to end the set with a score of 25-18. In the second set, the Lancers and Aztecs exchanged points after both teams placed their best blockers near the net. Despite initial frustration by some players, the Aztecs prevailed, taking a 25-20 win against the Lancers. “I thought that [the tying] was more of a motivation to win, especially because we were so close,”
explains senior Joey Siu. However, the Lancers came back more aggressively during the third set, giving them a 25-22 win against the Aztecs. “The middle hitter was giving us some trouble. They had pretty good shots and we couldn’t find any way to stop them,” says Vy. “We watched the ball drop in front of us multiple times.” By taking advantage of their speed and dives, the Aztecs utilized teamwork and communication skills to win the fourth set by a score of 25-19. “What makes volleyball a great sport is that you rely a lot on your team,” explains Coach Francis Chu. “[Volleyball] definitely relies on individual people knowing what their responsibility are and playing in a system where everyone is doing their job.” Vy agrees. “Teamwork is the number one thing you need to play volleyball
Athlete’s Profile: Kirby Lam
with,” he explains, which is why the Aztecs chant the word “teamwork” various times before getting back into the sets. This game, in particular, was different than the other volleyball games the Aztecs had played. “The game plan for beating BG had a lot less to do with what we were running, and a lot more with stopping their two best hitters,” explains Coach Chu. The Aztecs will play their next league game against Schurr on Monday, April 22. Despite the win, Coach Chu claims that there is still a long way to go for the team. “There is a lot of volleyball left to play and now is not the time to slow down. The less time you have, the faster you have to go and the harder you have to work.”
Kirby Lam has been on the track team since he was a freshman. Surprisingly, it was not his first choice. “I actually tried out for badminton but got cut on the first day of tryouts. So then I went for track, which turned out better for me,” he says. Lam has many fond memories from track, but his favorite occurred during his junior year of high school in the Almont League Finals. “I jumped forty two feet in my triple jump, which was the farthest the record had been in a few years. I was also able to become league champion from that and go into CIF, so that was really cool,” explains Lam. Besides running track, Lam also enjoys reading books and writing poetry whenever he wants to de-stress, as well as playing with his rubix cube. He also accredits track with introducing him to many lifelong friends. “Most of the friends I have now, I met through track, so I formed a lot of lasting connections that I hope will continue after high school,” he says. Some advice that he would give to his freshman self would be to be more committed and put more effort than he gave when starting out. “I would do easier workouts and not try very hard in practice so I would definitely want to push myself more,” he says. After high school, Lam plans to attend Pomona College and major in Psychology. However, he is not sure if he will continue track after high school. “[Although] the track team at Pomona is in a state where I could probably enter it, I’m not sure. The commitment and the academic rigor is intense so I would have to learn to really balance that,” he says. Lam would like to give a shoutout to Coach Shapiro and Coach Vuong, who pushed him to his full potential. “They motivated me and I feel as though I would not have succeeded without their support,” Lam says.
SPORTS CALENDER BOYS TENNIS
Badminton On 4/19 versus San Gabriel at Mark Keppel On 4/25 versus Arcadia at Mark Keppel On 4/30 League Finals at San Gabriel Badminton Club On 5/1 League Finals at San Gabriel Badminton Club
On 4/18 versus Polytechnic at PCC On 4/23 versus Alhambra at Alhambra On 4/24 versus TBA at TBA
SWIM On 4/18 versus Alhambra at Barnes Park On 4/24 League Finals at Schurr On 4/25 League Finals at Schurr
boys volleyball Baseball On 4/23 versus San Gabriel at San Gabriel On 4/25 versus San Gabriel at Mark Keppel
On 4/22 versus Schurr at Mark Keppel On 4/24 versus Alhambra at Mark Keppel
Softball
On 4/22 versus Montebello at Montebello On 4/24 versus San Gabriel at San Gabriel
TRACK On 4/18 versus Alhambra at Mark Keppel On 4/23 League Finals at San Gabriel On 4/26 League Finals at San Gabriel