THE AZTEC VOLUME LXXVIII NUMBER VIII VIEWPOINT PG 4-5
April 14, 2016 FOCUS PG 6-7 Life after Keppel
The business of higher education
theaztecnews.com SPORTS PG 11-12 Track and field improves with specialized training
News in Brief Culinary holds grand re-opening event for remodeled kitchen Thanks to a grant, Ms. Bradford was able to have her kitchen remodeled with new stoves, refrigerators, and other cooking equipment. Keppel Dance Team and All Male win first place national championships at MDDT U.S.A competition The Mark Keppel Dance Team and All Male competed at the 49th Annual Miss Dance Drill Team U.S.A competition on April 1st and April 2nd. The competition was held at the Bren Events Center located on the UC Irvine campus. Annual Academic Pep Rally to honor high achieving students The annual Academic Pep Rally (APR) will take place on Friday, April 22. The pep rally will honor high achieving students in sports and academics. This years' theme for the rally will be "Inside Out.
Your calendar 4/14 Drama Boosters Meeting 7-8:30 p.m. in A114 4/16 Prom 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. at Disneyland 4/19 School Site Council Meeting 1:45-2:45 p.m. in Aztec Conference Room 4/27 Collaboration Schedule 4/27 MKHS Alliance Meeting 7-9 p.m. in Cafeteria 5/3 School Site Council Meeting 1:45-2:45 p.m. in Aztec Conference Room 5/11 Collaboration Schedule 5/12 Drama Boosters Meeting 7-8:30 p.m. in A114 5/13 Minimum Day
THE AZTEC/BRANDON CHUNG
Seniors Vanessa Yepez, Kara Chuang, Lily Tsan, Leanne Duong, Poching Lao, Jason Yan, Ethan Lam, Alvin Pan, Jason Gomez, and Johnny Medina are announced as prom finalists at the prom fashion show.
Seniors to "Dance Like There's No Midnight" BRANDON CHUNG Historian/Copy Editor
This year's prom will take place on Saturday, April 16, at the Disneyland hotel in Anaheim, from 7 to 11 p.m. The theme this year is “Dance Like There's No Midnight.” According to Junior class president Janet Chung, the inspiration came from the Disney movie Cinderella. “We were debating between Tangled or other Disney movies, just because the location was
going to be at Disney Hotel,” Chung said in an interview for the online broadcast Behind The Spear. “We wanted a blue-silverish scheme, so then we came around to Cinderella and they [ASB] were like ‘yeah, there’s a lot of really cute centerpieces that would incorporate into the entire decoration [color scheme] and everything.’” Ticket prices were $85 for early bird with ASB, and $90 without. Regular ticket sales, which began on March 21, are $95 with ASB and $100 without. Tickets were
available for purchase until Friday, April 8. The finalists for prom king and queen were announced on Friday, March 11, at the prom fashion show in Palm Court. The prom king nominees were Jason Gomez, Eric Lam, Jason Yan, Ethan Lam, Alvin Pan, Jeffery Jen, Kyle Tse, Jacob Soto, Nelson Muronaka, and Johnny Medina. The prom queen nominees were Kara Chuang, Karli Cheng, Poching Lao, Leanne Duong, Lily Tsan, Joy Li, Stephanie Yin, Jenelle Burlynn, Anastasia Lothringen,
and Vanessa Yepez. The finalists were Jason Yan, Ethan Lam, Jason Gomez, Johnny Medina, Alvin Pan, Poching Lao, Leanne Duong, Kara Chuang, Vanessa Yepez, and Lily Tsan. This year, Chung also encourages juniors to attend prom as well as seniors. “I also encourage juniors to go just because if you like the venue this year or you know a ton of seniors or you just wanna go to have fun with your friends, it [attending prom] is definitely something to consider,” said Chung.
Drum and guitar students perform in concerts ERIC TAM Asst. Viewpoint Editor This Friday, Keppel’s guitar classes will perform in this year’s Guitar Heroes Show from 7 to 9 p.m. Tickets can be bought for $7 at the door on the day of the show. Students will perform various songs, including hard rock song Smoke on the Water by Deep Purple, The Beatles’ folk song Blackbird, folk-pop song House of the Rising Sun by The Animals, and much more. Junior Catalina Tran will be singing Smoke on the Water, and junior Amber Mak will be singing the classic pop song I Wanna Hold Your Hand by The Beatles.
When asked about her passion for singing onstage, Mak said, “I was inspired to sing for the concert by another classmate [who is] also singing. [She] told me how fun it is to perform onstage... The experience is what feels most rewarding.” Also, last Friday, April 8, Mark Keppel’s world drumming classes participated in this year’s Drum Show in the auditorium from 7 to 9 p.m. Drumming classes performed cultural melodies and pop songs including traditional Andean music, Irish folk melody King of the Bodhran, Finnish song Aleleloila, Japanese Taiko, hit pop song Uptown Funk, and many other songs.
THE AZTEC/VICTORIA RAMIREZ
Sophomores Jocelyn Song, Melissa Lim, Sally Smith, and Kira Hum perform in the drum show.
New electives to be offered in upcoming school years
VIVIAN TO Editor-in-Chief/Focus Editor
Beginning next school year, Keppel will offer an AP Computer Science course for students and a new mandatory freshman elective. According to the course description, students taking AP Computer Science will “embrace problem solving, hardware, algorithms, and perspectives that help people utilize computers to address real-world problems in contemporary life.” Mr. Carr, Physics and Computer Programming teacher, will be instructing this course and added that “students will be learning the basics of object-oriented programming using java programming language.” Currently, nine students have selected this course during class registration, and students in Mr. Carr’s regular computer programming class have also expressed interest in taking AP Computer Science next year. For students who complete the class, Mr. Carr hopes that they “will be able to gain a foundation in understanding the way computer programs are put together using any modern programming language.” This year marks Mr. Carr’s second year of teaching regular Computer Programming. He noted the differences between the two courses; the regular class is more hands-on, intended for students with an interest in making simple internet program for net browsers, while the AP course is more focused on the philosophy of object programming. A new freshman elective available next year is called “Get Focused, Stay Focused.” Beginning 2017-2018 school year, this course will be a graduation requirement. In this class, students will be developing a 10-year plan for their life and career and will go through three types of classes to increase interest in other options. AP of Instruction, Dr. Marissa Meyka, said, “[This will] expose [students] to a variety of careers and implement common core standards for students to be college ready.”
COURTESY OF JOHNNY WRIGHT Junior Ivy Duong, seniors Melissa Zepeda, Alexander Beaumont, junior Dana Gil, seniors Michelle Martinez, Amanda Xaypresuth, Rosen Huynh, and junior Angir Chen win first in the Tri-City Poetry Slam.
Keppel places first in Tri-City Poetry Slam
SARAH McCORMICK News Editor Keppel’s team won first place in the the Tri-City Poetry Slam, which took place on April 7 in the Keppel auditorium from 4 to 6 p.m. The Tri-City Poetry Slam is a poetry reciting competition between Alhambra, San Gabriel, and Mark Keppel. This is Keppel’s first year participating in the competition, after the curriculum for the poetry slam was introduced to the school by English teacher and Speak Now Aztec Poets (SNAP) club advisor Ms. Burkhart. The competition consisted of six rounds, four regular rounds and two shortie rounds. In each round, the three schools took turns sending individuals or groups
from their teams to recite classical poems and a classical response poem. Shortie rounds had a shorter time limit per round. Each team consisted of six members from each school, with at least two alternates. Keppel’s team included seniors Alexander Beaumont, Michelle Martinez, Melissa Zepeda, Amanda Xaypreseuth, Rosen Huynh and junior Dana Gil. Alternates were juniors Angie Chen and Ivy Duong. Martinez said, “I think I did well. I was confident in my poem, and my teammates really motivated me to [do] my best in my performance.” Judges for the competition were teachers Ms. Sinisi and Ms. Bradley from Keppel, Ms. Parra and Mr. Miller from San Gabriel, and Mr. Valinhas from Alhambra. ELA specialist from the district, Ms. Proud, helped to tabulate scores.
“At this level of the competition, there is no set rubric for what a good performance looks like,” said Ms. Burkhart. “It’s really about what a good performance feels like.” In order to qualify for this comeptition, students had to be in a class where the poetry curriculum was being run, or they could be in SNAP. After the curriculum is run in the classroom, students who perform the best are chosen to participate in the qualifying slam which took place in January. The top students from the qualifying slam made up the Tri-City Slam team. Keppel’s poetry slam team will also be competing in the Los Angeles Classic Slam on April 29 at the Los Angeles Theater Center. Finals for the Los Angeles Classic Slam will take place at the Orpheum Theater on April 30 at 7:00 p.m.
Monterey Park hosts 19th annual Cherry Blossom Festival ANGELA CHEN Asst. Focus Editor
The 19th annual Cherry Blossom Festival, hosted by the City of Monterey Park and the 2016 Cherry Blossom Festival Committee, will again celebrate Japanese and Japanese-American culture this year. Festival hours will be 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 16 and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, April 17. The festival will be held in Barnes Park, and entry will be free to the general public. The Cherry Blossom Festival will consist of a wide variety of performances ranging from tea ceremonies to Polynesian dancers. Keppel’s Aztec Singers and Pep Band will be also be performing at the event. Band Director Dr. Bartlett stated, “Thanks to the organizers of the Cher-
ry Blossom Festival, especially Gary Kanemoto, the band has been invited to perform and to fulfill our program motto, ‘Service Through Music’ each year... Our drumline will be performing a Taiko-style drum arrangement. Taiko is a traditional Japanese style of drumming.” The Exhibit Hall will include numerous Japanese artistic displays such as origami, ikebana (the art of Japanese flower arrangement), and items of historical significance. Booths selling traditional Japanese trinkets and products will also be available at the festival. Dishes that will be served at the Cherry Blossom Festival include mochi, chicken teriyaki, and takoyaki, which is a popular Japanese street food made of octopus. The Senior Committee will be selling chicken curry at the festival. The festival is held in celebration and
reverence of Japanese cherry blossoms, or sakura. Sakura are often depicted in Japanese songs, drawings, and in other artistic forms. A popular tradition in Japan is the communal viewing of the cherry blossoms in parks, shrines, and temples, known as hanami, at the beginning of the spring season. For many Japanese families the flower-viewing gatherings are an important family past time and way of bonding with one another. Masayume Japanese Culture Club President, junior Mina Tran, stated, “[I think the reason why people are attracted to this festival] is because it is held in such a convenient location, so many people are able to access it. It also supports local artists and food vendors. It allows people to get connected with Japanese culture, and get together as a community.”
The Aztec 2015-2016
Bonnie Wong Editor-in-Chief/ Asst. A&E/Features Editor Vivian To Editor-in-Chief/ Focus Editor Darwin Tse Asst. Editor-in-Chief/ Web Editor Sarah McCormick News Editor
Alexander Beaumont A&E/Features Editor Brian Yeo Viewpoint Editor Eric Lam Sports Editor Karli Cheng Business Manager Victoria Ramirez Chief Photographer Brandon Chung Historian/Copy Editor
Rodolfo Arias Photographer
Sophie Wong Asst. News Editor
Kevin Kuang Staff Writer
Angela Chen Asst. Focus Editor
Jalien Casey Staff Writer
Kenneth Liu Staff Writer
Aurora Zeng Cartoonist
Cristina Gonzalez Asst. A&E/Features Editor
Dianne Do Staff Writer
Shanae To Staff Writer
Wesley Zeng Asst. Business Manager
Anita Huang Asst. Web Editor
Noelle Frasher Staff Writer
Babyruth Torres Staff Writer
Kristin Chingburanakit Photographer
Anthony Jian Asst. Sports Editor
Yang Lu Copy Editor/Business Manager Edlyn Wong Head Cartoonist
Eric Tam Asst. Viewpoint Editor
Arodi Garcia Staff Writer Cole Kim 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 A225 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
How to Get a Prom Date 101 BRANDON CHUNG Historian/Copy Editor For guys, getting a prom date isn’t as easy as one would think. For starters, there are only so many guys that are available: some of them have guaranteed dates (a.k.a. the girlfriend), or have otherwise established that they’re going with a friend on a purely platonic level. Other guys are simply not going.For those that remain...well, let me just say that your “friends” aren’t really your friends during this time of year. It’s like a warzone: guys are scrambling around left and right, trying to find a partner; more often than not, competition over certain girls is fierce. But I’ve rambled on long enough. Let’s get on to the point: How to Get a Prom Date, Guy’s Edition. 1. Make a list of people you’d like to go with. Before prom season, the general mindset is “I have friends who I can go to prom with, so I’ll just choose from that circle.” Come prom season, though, I can guarantee you that your mind is gonna go blank and you will be going around in circles, wondering “who can I go with to prom?” Thinking about people beforehand gives you more time to think of ways to ask. 2. Narrow down that list. Who do you think you’d have the most fun with? I mean, every one of your friends is fun to hang out with in her own way, but who would be the top candidates?
3. Mark your territory. I don’t mean pee on the person, since that would result in a definite “NO” from whomever it is you plan to ask. What I mean is to ask the person beforehand, in private, if they would like to go to prom with you. Never ask over text or Facebook Messenger. This makes you look like you’re not really serious about asking that person. If you plan to ask someone who goes to another school, though, it’s
okay to ask via text, especially if that person isn’t someone you see all that often. 4. Have a backup. This one is pretty important, because even the best plans can go wrong, and someone may come in and steal yo’ girl. Even if you think you’re set on asking someone, it’s good to have someone else to ask just in case, because you don’t know how many other people have their eye on the same girl.
BONNIE GRACE WONG Editor-in-Chief Prom is known as “a girl’s second most important night” (the first being her wedding). With these expectations, there’s no doubt that girls want to have a perfect dress, hairstyle, and even date for their special night. As prom season rolls around, many girls anxiously await their turn for a
THE AZTEC/ VICTORIA RAMIREZ
poster unveiling and colorful bouquet in the form of an elaborate promposal. For girls who are already in relationships, their significant others are almost always expected to ask. This group of girls just might be the luckiest because they don’t have to stress over finding someone to go with since they’ve pretty much secured themselves a date for the dance. For every-
one else, though, finding a date is often a difficut task. Grabbing a group of friends for a good time is always an option. Some girls choose to go with friends because they do not want to search high and low for a person or because they just feel comfortable in their friend groups. Another option is to coordinate a date with your best guy friend. If you both don’t have anyone in mind, you can go through the process of taking photos together, color coordinating your outfits, and having a fun time because you can be comfortable around each other. However, if you’re a girl who wants to get asked by that special someone, then dropping subtle hints, letting his friends know about your intentions, or even asking him yourself might be the best method to “prom farm.” Communication is vital if this is the route you’re choosing. The miscommunication between potential prom dates may lead to awkward moments. However, if things don’t always go according to plan, you can always go out with a couple of friends. Hopefully, one of your friends may be willing to accompany you for the night and have a great time together. All in all, finding a date for prom requires active planning unless you are 1) willing to go with anyone who decides to ask you or 2) satisfied going stag. Don’t wait until the last minute and definitely don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Diversification is necessary for any investment.
The effects of saltiness
(Watch out for too much NaCl) DARWIN TSE Web Editor/Asst. Editor-in-Chief After a long day at school, junior Terence Tong likes to relax with a session of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO), an online first-person shooter video game. He has been defending a corner for minutes. He stops watching for just one second to pull out a grenade and peeks around the corner, only to find a member of the enemy team right in front of him. The enemy proceeds to shoot and kill Tong. He vents his frustration on his teammates because he has been watching the wall “for a really long time.” Tong is salty. “Whenever I play CS:GO, I get salty,” said Tong. To calm himself down, Tong yells at other people and trash talks the enemy team, although he does not know why he feels compelled to do so. According to the top definition on Urban Dictionary, salty is to be pissed or upset. Senior Mollie Pirkle knows the feeling
of being salty, recalling feeling salty when she was rejected from colleges. “I put so much time into writing essays for [and] I have to pay over $50 to apply only to get rejected,” said Pirkle. “I also get salty when I go eat and the person behind me gets their food first.” Like Tong, Pirkle also has her own way of dissolving her salt. “I vent it out and then I throw shade and I feel better. Napping helps too,” stated Pirkle. However, these feelings of frustration are usually geared towards things that are trivial or inconsequential. Losing one round of CS:GO doesn’t equate to a loss and getting rejected from a dream college can sting, but your second and third choices are great schools either way. You don’t get salty when your dog dies or when someone burglarizes your house. When feeling the emotions that come with salt, remember that you are being salty for something that is insignificant in the long run. You should not let the salt evolve into more intense feelings of anger.
THE AZTEC/ EDLYN WONG
Repo r t : S e ni o r s w i l l be s ic k o n Fr i d a y CRISTINA GONZALEZ Asst. A&E/Features Editor Friday, April 15, marks Keppel’s Senior Ditch Day. 74% of the 200 surveyed seniors say they will be participating, whether it be to prep for prom on the following day, to stay at home and do absolutely nothing, to go out with friends, or to do anything else except attending school. This tradition is extremely popular and anticipated. In other cities, Ditch Day varies anywhere from the day after Halloween to the day after the Super Bowl, and even Cinco de Mayo. However, with different cities come different prevention tactics. For example, other schools even go as far as dispatching police officers to bring students back to school as it could potentially lead to a significant loss in school funding.
Some students, on the other hand, don't have any other option but to be at school. Both Swim and Baseball have games scheduled for April 15, and Baseball’s participation requirements only allow a max of two periods missed on a game day. Varsity Baseball player, Jacob Soto, said that “I will be in class, and not take advantage of the two periods I could possibly miss, since there is not really a point if I have to be back here for both our game and the guitar heroes show.” When asked if his game is worth missing the school tradition, he answered, “Yes, because we are playing Alhambra so we need the whole team together in order to come out on top.” Ditch Day overall is a day that provides the majority of seniors with an unofficial day off to do anything they see fit, and it is definitely a day I will look forward to next year.
The business of higher education BRIAN YEO Viewpoint Editor If recent Facebook updates are any indication, high school seniors are in the midst of deciding which college to attend next year. If lucky, some of these seniors have multiple options to compare before the May 1 deadline. A variety of factors— prestige, size, location, strength in certain fields of study, parental suggestion—play into making this important decision, but one particular factor may be the most important: cost. The median cost of tuition for private U.S. colleges in 2015-16 was $32,405. For public universities, it was $9,410 for in-state students and $23,893 for out-ofstate students (via collegedata.com). These costs are sans the price of room & board, which often doubles the price of college for students who are lives on campus. For the upcoming school year, it will cost upwards of $71,000 to attend New York University and $69,000 to attend USC. Since 1975, total cost of private college attendance has risen 270%. Comparatively, the median household income in America is $51,579 (U.S. Census Bureau) and has only risen 40% since 1979 (Congressional Budget Office). Clearly, the cost of a college education has come to dwarf the ability of Americans to pay for it. Higher education is a business. Colleges and related services take advantage of the perception, and often reality, that a degree is often necessary to gain meaningful jobs in most professional sectors. Even looking aside from the colleges themselves, there is money to be made. College Board charges about $50 dollars for every SAT test and $12-30 to send scores to colleges, even electronically. College applications can cost around $80 a college. During a standard college application season, students not eligible for financial aid may shell out north of $1,000. All of these costs can be taxing on seniors and their families. In some cases, it can even prevent students from attending the college of their dreams. Senior Joy Li, who is choosing between a more expensive Ivy League school (Dartmouth) and a cheaper public option (UC Berkeley), said, “[Cost] is the most important deciding factor in terms of my college decisions and limits me the most in making my choice.” Financial aid is meant to help students, but unfortuntely, aid is not always enough to cover every students’ needs. Neither are scholarships which, except for a select few very competitive ones, only give out $100$2,000 dollars, causing only a small dent in a potential $60,000 a year cost. Schools that do give adequate needbased aid, usually top-tier private universities, calculate how much a student should pay based off their EFC, Expected Family Contribution. However, if the student’s family is not willing to pay the tuition, then the student is stuck with the burden and often is forced to turn to loans. To their credit, most colleges are very accomodating to low-income families, with schools like Stanford and many Ivy Leagues charging $0 if a student’s family makes less than a certain amount. However, this leaves students from middle class families who do have money but not enough to pay $30k to $60k a year in a precarious position. Of course, the students going to Stanford or Harvard are in the tiny minority. In fact, less than one percent of college students attend schools like these with less than 10% acceptance rates. Almost
half of all college students attend a community college, and of the ones at traditional four-year universities, more than 75% go to schools with acceptance rates greater than 50% and only 4% of sutdents go to schools wiht acceptance rates under 25%. Community college is an especially good option for students who do not want to take on debt for a college education. Spending two years at a community college then transferring to a CSU or UC for two more years can cut a college graduates’ debt by almost half. For those intent on entering a four-year university, Cal States and UCs charge less tuition for in-state students. But when applying to public universities, students are at the mercy of the institution. Rather than keep the burden of payment on the students, most of whom have no money to their name and often leave college in mountains of debt, perhaps some responsibility lies in the government and the colleges themselves. Public funding for college education has been rising, thanks to the Pell Grant program and recent increases in the budget, to $81 billion dollars in 2015 (New York Times). However, the argument could always be made that education should be subsidized more. President Obama has said on several occasions his intentions to make community college free for the first two years. Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders is running on a platform of free college education for everyone. But public funding is not at the root of the problem. While teaching faculty sizes and salaries have remained largely stagnant at most universities, the number and salaries of administrative positions have increased at high rates. It is not uncommon for multiple administrators at every university to boast seven-figure salaries. It may be time for these administrators to move their coffers from their pockets to their students’. College education costs keep rising, and there may come a point where students will say no more.
Signs posted outside of SBAC testing rooms, highlighting the importance of these tests.
THE AZTEC/VICTORIA RAMIREZ
SBAC Block Schedule brings unfamiliarity COLE KIM Staff Writer Recently, changes in the school schedule have affected Mark Keppel students due to SBAC testing. For about half of this month, between April 11 and April 22, eleventh grade students will be taking the SBAC test. To accommodate for testing time, all students will have longer, 2-hour periods on certain days, which have unofficially been named “blocked scheduling.” Meanwhile, students of other grades aren’t affected much by the block schedule, and even see it in a positive light. The first week of the schedule has periods 1, 3, and 5, each two hours, on Monday (April 11) and Wednesday (April 13). Periods 2, 4, and 6, similarly, will be on the Tuesday and Thursday of that week. Friday remains a regular schedule. During the second week, only Tuesday (April 19) and Wednesday (April 20) are block schedule, and during the third week, only Monday (April 25) and Tuesday (April 26) are block schedule. While it may be confusing as block schedule is not listed on Mark Keppel’s 2015-2016 bell schedules papers, the order of periods is a simple odd-even-odd-even-regular pattern for students and teachers. Stu-
dents may be unaccustomed to travelling beteween their first and and third periods instead of their first and second periods. This may leave less time to make a stop at a bathroom or locker. In addition, teachers that aren’t testing juniors are required to have a longer lesson plan, even though they normally do not work with two-hour long sessions. However, the opposite may occur. Students might have closer periods and teachers could see the schedule as an opportunity to do something entertaining or fun with the extended time. For sophomore Cristian Diaz, the new schedule isn’t that bad. “I don't get to see my friends as much, but then again, I get to spend more time with my teachers in order to learn and study more,” he said. Having three periods mean more time in class without additional eight minute passing periods in between. Freshman Michael Yuen states that “It [the schedule] doesn’t really affect me; it’s just a schedule that we have to follow.” While the new schedule is different, most students do not find themselves very affected by it. Whether or not you like the schedule, just remember it is not that bad. You might have a grueling two hours of a class you despise, but you probably won’t have that class the next day.
LIFE AFTER KEP THE AZTEC/ EDLYN WONG
Yes, community college is a real education
A wealth of experience: working post graduation
ARODI GARCIA Staff Writer
SOPHIE WONG Asst. News Editor
Some people might not think about attending community college, but once graduation comes around, many students realize that it may be a better alternative for several reasons. Sophomore Joline Kwok says, “It’s a good option for people who want to save money and don’t have the grades for a four year college. They [also] have the opportunity to transfer later.” Throughout high school, some students may make mistakes but want to move forward in life. Senior Andrea Gallardo said, “I don’t have the grades to go to a UC but I’m okay with community college because it’s a lot less expensive.” Money is a major factor as to why people decide to take the community college route. Senior Amber Pacheco said, “I’ll be attending East Los Angeles College. My plan is to take advantage of all the community outreach and scholarship programs that offer grants and opportunities to gain real life career experience.” The expenses to attend a private university is about $66,000, to attend a UC costs about $32,600, a Cal State ranges between $18,000-26,000, and a community college is about $11,000. Several students decide to attend community college to transfer afterwards. Pacheco is familiar with the transferring process and said, “My mom attended East Los Angeles College and then transferred into Cal State L.A., and now, she has her bachelor’s degree in psychology.” One important factor in your college decisions is to do research. History teacher. Mr. Tom, attended Pasadena City College at first because it was less expensive and he later transferred into UCLA. Mr. Tom said, “As long as I didn’t waste time and did my homework [research] on where to transfer, it wasn’t too bad. It’s doable as long as you’re responsible.” Contacting the university you wish to attend is also a good idea to ensure you are taking all the necessary classes to transfer. It is unfortunate that community colleges suffer from such a negative stereotype. However, you should not feel inferior towards your fellow peers. Mr. Tom said, “[Negativity] should not be the outlook. I got a lot of benefits out of [community college].” First of all, it is less expensive and has smaller classes, which means you can get more attention from professors. It is also a great way to explore interests without the high fees when students are not sure what to major in. Everybody has to start somewhere, and although you might not have been able to go to the college of your choice in the very beginning, you can still try your best to get there after attending community college.
The journey following high school involves many independent decisions. Between getting a job and going to college, getting a job might not be the first thing that comes to mind for many students. Many students may not realize that maintaining a career before heading to college sharpens a variety of skills. Because going to college can be expensive, students may decide to work first to earn some money that can be put towards their expenses before they head to college. Getting a job after exiting high school has many benefits. This path can be a direct route for students to enter the workforce right after high school. College consultant Ms. Yu states that it will open up many opportunities as well as help develop new skills. “You’ll learn about money management and communication skills. For people who don’t know which career path to take, it gives them time to think about it more before they invest in a school that costs a lot of money,” Ms. Yu said. With this time, students are able to explore the outside world and be confident when they are ready to head to college. Auto Technology teacher Mr. Horton says that the time can be used to explore other subjects to see if they spark interest. “If you are a Auto Tech student who isn’t sure about pursuing a career, participate at internships so you can try it out. Trade schools are also a place where you can focus on one subject that you’re interested in,” said Mr. Horton. By getting a job, students can also learn the value of a dollar. In high school, most students do not have to pay for their own expenses. By working, they have the added responsibility and reward of managing their own finances and money, another vital skill. After graduation, junior Cristian De La Cruz says he plans to live on his own because his mother will go back to Mexico. To do so, he wants to work and study to become a paramedic. “It proves to myself I can do something I really want even if it’s not as glamorous as becoming a lawyer or going to a university.” All in all, the skills developed while working can help later in the future. The choice of getting a job first may make all the difference. Cruz said, “Everyone has their own path, and I feel that going to college could have been something I would have done, but it’s not something that I see myself really enjoying. I put myself through something difficult I see myself doing better.”
PPEL NOW WHAT?
From diploma to combat
For love:
Some people think that not going to a “brand-name” college right after high school may be the end of their lives, but others realize that there are many possibilities out there that lead to an equally successful future.
Communication outweighs the distance
KARLI CHENG Business Manager
WESLEY ZENG Asst. Business Manager
When we think of the next step after high school, college often comes to mind. In some cases, going into the military is also a route graduates can take. Being in the military offers great opportunities such as free tuition for college, benefits for family, and honor to serve the country. One of the benefits is immediate employment and possible tuition waiver. For the first two years in the military, Privates earn approximately $18,378. Depending on the assignment, rank, and experience, soldiers can make as much as $70,000 a year. The process of getting into the military isn’t as easy as one may think. There are different departments including the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, and Coast Guard. For the Navy, the process begins with a recruiter to see whether a student qualifies. Then the prospect takes the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) exam, which is highly suggested to find a fitting job. After the ASVAB, the student is required to take a medical screening and if the screening goes well, the student is offered a contract. Class of 2013 alumni Johnny Nguyen decided to join the Navy because he “felt like [he] wasn’t learning enough in college [because] it was just hitting the books and studying” Nguyen is currently in the Delayed Entry Program and is preparing mentally for boot camp. It consists of physical training at least twice a week. Nguyen suggests incoming recruits to study for the ASVAB. “Think of it as the SAT, ...which pretty much determines the rest of your military career.” He also said, “Join the Navy; you get to travel.” Each branch of the military has a slightly different system. For example, Marine prospects still meet with a recruiter but then they get processed as poolees. They then train until they meet the prerequisites for bootcamp. The next step is going to the Military Entrance Processing Station or MEPS, where they get processed in the system. Then, they become Marines. Class of 2012 alumni Gene Kao Jr. has been serving for the Marine Corps for three years and eight months. Kao decided to join the military because he wanted to improve himself. However, college was not the first idea that popped into his head when he was graduating. Kao said, “I wanted to find a challenge and boy did I find one.” Kao would advise anyone who has plans for joining the military to “be kind to whomever you speak to, no matter their status or rank.”
Couples who go to different colleges after high school may not realize the struggle that comes with this choice. As a result, a new problem arises: long distance relationships. According to statisticbrain.com, 40% of the 14 million couples who claimed they were in a long distance relationship broke up after an average of 4.5 months. Many of the breakups resulted from unexpected changes in their relationship. Keppel’s psychologist, Jenny Lin, said, “[The] most important thing [in a relationship] is to communicate and be honest with each other. When you know where each person stands, you will be better prepared to handle the challenges in the relationship.” Often one person may feel jealous, lonely, or uncertain about the future of his or her relationship. This might be the result of a lack of spending quality time with each other or communication problems. Although there are many problems that may occur, Lin has solutions to fix the difficulties that couples may experience. She said, “[They should] try to communicate on a regular basis, schedule quality time for each other, be honest with each other, [and] make efforts to show the person how much you care about them.” Senior Jose Lara said, “The hardest obstacle a long distance couple can have is pursuing dreams that were meant to be done together.” Lara thinks that long distance relationships can work out but only when both people can support each other. He believes what matters is the shared experiences that bring couples closer. Lara plans to be a firefighter while his one and a half year girlfriend, Mariah Puente, plans to be a teacher. Alumni Karen Ip explained the process of going through a long distance relationship. Ip is currently a freshman studying in UC Riverside while her boyfriend, Julian Chan, is studying at UC Berkeley. They have been in a relationship for five years and six months. She said, “What makes these relationships the hardest would be the definitely be the distance. Sometimes, the...load that we each have in our respective course work definitely plays a role in creating more obstacles in the relationship since the schedules can conflict.” Her advice to future Keppel alumni couples is to “definitely make an effort to keep in contact with your significant other. Don’t hesitate to ask him or her to webcam or at least talk on the phone on a weekly basis, maintaining the connection and communicating is a key to keeping the relationship altogether.”
The Boss: In theaters now NOELLE FRASHER Staff Writer
First Lady Michelle Obama’s new single is aimed at raising funds for girls without education.
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First Lady’s New Single: This is for my Girls SHANAE TO Staff Writer First Lady and mother of two, Michelle Obama, released her first charity single, titled “This is For My Girls,” on March 16. This inspiring anthem is meant to empower young women worldwide to seek a better future. The song features Hollywood starstudded female artists, including Kelly Rowland, Janelle Monae, Kelly Clarkson, Zendaya, and Missy Elliot. The song has received ongoing support from celebrities and many other campaigns like USAID. It was executively produced by AOL MAKERS and is currently on iTunes for $1.29. All U.S.
benefits and proceeds go directly to the White House’s #62milliongirls and Let Girls Learn campaigns to support the millions of adolescent girls without access to education. All the artists agreed to waive their royalties and fees in support of this campaign. Lyrics were written by Diane Warren, an eight-time Academy Award nominee who has worked with top artists including Lady Gaga and Big Sean. She explains how this track “Is kind of like ‘We Are The World’ meets ‘Lady Marmalade’ with these strong voice and these strong women”. Michelle Obama and Missy Elliot made this announcement on the SXSW Music Keynote in Austin, Texas.
Pokemon Sun and Moon ANITA HUANG Asst. Web Editor As Pokémon celebrates the 20 years since the launch of its first game, the media franchise is expected to release its seventh generation of the popular role-playing video game, Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon and a mobile game, Pokémon GO, for smartphones. Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon will be released for the Nintendo 3DS late 2016. Not only will the games be in English and Japanese, but they will also support seven other languages: French, Spanish, German, Italian, Korean, and traditional and simplified Chinese. Pokémon GO for mobile devices will also be released later in the year. There will be various updates to the characters, Pokémon, and other concepts of the Pokémon universe. Moreover, the game will enable Pokémon to travel alongside the player or to ride vehicles. Connecting with past games, Pokémon Sun and Moon may be capable of receiving data from the game series’ first games: Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow. Nintendo’s collaborative partner and developer of Pokémon GO, Niantic, has started field tests in Japan on March 17. Unlike any other Pokémon games, Pokemon GO will require the player to travel between the virtual world and the real world. To encounter certain types of Pokémon, the player will have to be at a particular region. For example, a water-type Pokémon would only be found near bodies of water. In addition, trainers can purchase Poké Balls and other items at Poké Stops, which are located at real world points of interest, such as museums, monuments,
On April 8, comedy The Boss starring Melissa McCarthy was released across the United States. Wealthy CEO Michelle Darnell (Melissa McCarthy) is an investment master and tutor, touring the United States and giving financial advice to all those who pay to see her. Being one of the wealthiest women in the United States, Darnell doesn’t have much to worry about until she gets caught by a rival investor for insider trading, when she is sentenced to 5 months in prison. After serving her time, she realizes that all her possessions were seized, so she turns to her trusting, ex-assistant, Claire Rawlins (Kristen Bell). Darnell then proceeds to live with Rawlins and her young daughter, Rachel, as she tries to put her life back together. While attending one of Rachel’s Dandelion’s meetings, Darnell sees an opportunity to create a new franchise to get back on her feet and rebuild her fortune. Her new company is called Darnell’s Darlings, which is a rival club to the Dandelions that gives back to the young women it raises. The idea came from Darnell’s thought to sell Claire’s secret recipe brownies in the masses. After a few missteps and miscommunication issues, the company reaches
The Jungle Book remake promises better graphics
KRISTIN CHINGBURANAKIT Asst. Photographer
COURTESY OF GOOGLE IMAGES Title screen for Pokémon’s new game, Pokémon Sun and Moon.
and other historical landmarks. Pokémon eggs can also be obtained through Poké Stops and will only hatch after the player has walked a certain amount of steps. Not only does Pokémon GO enable interactions with the physical environment, but also among players. After the player has made enough progress in the game, he or she has a choice of choosing between three teams. Teams can claim Pokémon gyms, which also requires the players to be at certain location of the real world, or fight the inhabitants in order to take over proprietary rights. Senior Ryan Chan said, “I like how [Pokémon GO] is able to tie in the imaginations to the real world like a pseudo experience. Everyone has their phones with them anyways and they can easily launch the app.”
startling success, and both Rawlins and Darnell have a brownie empire. While The Boss received poor reviews from various movie critic sites, many Keppel students are eager to see the film. Junior Alyssa Marquez claims to be a fan of McCarthy and her previous work. She stated, “I saw her [McCarthy] in … The Heat and The Hangover Part 3. When I saw her play these roles, I was surprised with how funny she actually was. Her humor is very amusing and witty.” Freshman Victor Acevedo agreed, “She [McCarthy] has a very relatable humor and I think that’s what makes her so popular. The way she makes people laugh is very similar to the way normal people make [others] laugh, so I think she’s pretty fun to watch.” Both Marquez and Acevedo are planning to watch The Boss with friends and family. Acevedo stated, “I’m a huge fan of anything Melissa’s in, so I’m definitely going to watch this. I like the basic story line, a big-shot falling down below the bottom. It seems pretty hilarious, honestly.” To date, The Boss has earned a total of $21.8 million dollars in its opening weekend, and currently tied with Batman Vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice in terms of revenue. The Boss is showing in theaters everywhere, so if you’re interested, go out and buy a ticket.
One of the bear necessities of life is to see Disney’s new movie, “The Jungle Book.” Directed by Jon Favreau, this movie is coming to theaters on April 15. This is a remake of the 1967 animated version by Wolfgang Reitherman and the last animated film Walt Disney personally supervised, according to The Hollywood Reporter, Todd McCarthy. Forbes states that the movie made its debut in India on April 8 and made a surprising $1.6 million in box offices. If this rate continues, it will be ranked the second highest opening Hollywood film in India, behind Avengers: Age of Ultron. Senior Ismael Padilla said, “I have been a fan of the Jungle Book ever since I was young,” he added. “I have a feeling that this version will turn out great with its great animation quality.” Fun fact: the ending credits proclaims that the whole movie was shot in a 12 story warehouse that overlooks the 110 freeway in downtown Los Angeles. Computer-generated imagery (CGI) was used to help create the animals in the movie, making movements more realistic and smooth. Many critics commented on the realism of the jungle and animals, which was influenced by Avatar, directed by James Cameron. Junior Joanna Huynh mentioned that “I don't see a lot of people hyping this movie up but the songs in this movie are very catchy and can lighten up the, what
looks to be very serious, mood.” A review by Sam Adams stated that “this version differs from the original in which there are several actors of African descent,” including Idris Elba as the villainous tiger, Shere Khan, and Lupita Nyong'o as the wolf, Raksha. The voice actors fit in very well with their character; for example, Scarlett Johansson’s voice is eerie and frightening, which is what a giant serpent may be perceived to sound. Also, Christopher Walken’s voice is bright and delightful, which fits the giant orangutan. When you get the chance, go and watch The Jungle Book. It might blow your mind with the realistic graphics!
COURTESY OF GOOGLE IMAGES Poster for Disney’s remake of The Jungle Book, out April 15th.
Driver’s Licenses: Worth the struggle as a teen? KENNETH LIU Staff Writer Junior year marks the year of driving. At the age of 16, teenagers may start taking the behind-the-wheel test to get their driver’s license. In one study, the American Automobile Association found that 44% of the teenagers got their license at
the age of 16. Now, one question remains: why do teenagers want their license so early? Perhaps to get it over with quickly? Or to go anywhere they like without their parents having to worry? Junior Anthony Gabrie got his driver’s license in early March of this year at the West Hollywood DMV. He now drives to school everyday. Gabrie said, “I wanted to
get my license so that I no longer have to rely on someone else because when I did, I felt like an inconvenience.” Now that he has his license, Gabrie can hang out with his friends at anytime as long as he gets his parents permission. The flexibility and freedom that comes with driving is also a motivating factor for students. According to a study
from the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, only 24.5% of 16-year-olds had a license in 2014, a 47% decrease from 1983, when 46.2 percent did. Although it seems that a good amount of students drive at Keppel, judging from the full parking lot, statistics show that the overall number of teenagers getting their licenses early have decreased.
Affordable vs. High-End Makeup: Worth the Splurge? DIANNE DO Staff Writer The cosmetic industry closed at a whopping $59 billion in revenue in 2014, according to Statisa. Brands like MAC, Kat Von D, and NARS are exclusive brands sold at department or beauty specialty stores, which charge high prices. Products like these can range from $20 for mascara to $90 for a tube of lipstick; in comparison, drugstore brands like Maybelline and Elf are priced from $1 to $30. While there is a significant difference in price for these products, the question is whether or not to spend the extra cash just to have a certain name printed on a tube. HIGH-END MAKEUP When it comes to designer brands, you usually pay the extra dime for a few reasons: brand name, fragrance, better applicators, packaging, and color pay off. Ingredients do not usually have an effect on pricing. Senior ShanShan Zhuo prefers
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the quality of high-end makeup because it lasts longer and has more variety. However, it is up to you if you want the brand name plastered across the tube. Nevertheless, there are other difference as well. Fragrance designer brands outshine the drugstore dupes with added formulas to enhance smell and application. Designer applicators are usually more expensive because they are far more durable and might just make all the difference on how the product will look on your skin. From
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the product interior to the overall look, packaging does not go unnoticed. Flashy tubes and fancy packaging could make all the difference in price. For example, Christian Louboutin’s lipstick collection products are priced at $90 per tube. Aside from packaging, color payoff is an important factor in pricing because of the color pigmentation. Expensive products tend to have a better color payoff that, in turn, last longer than the drugstore brands.
Book Review: Lady Midnight AURORA ZENG Cartoonist Lady Midnight is the first book in Cassandra Clare’s new trilogy, The Dark Artifices, and part of her third series of books set in the “Shadowhunter” world, following The Mortal Instruments and its prequel The Infernal Devices. The series revolve around half human, half angels called Shadowhunters who protect the normal world from demons. Lady Midnight is set in Los Angeles five years after The Mortal Instruments. The book follows reckless seventeenyear-old Shadowhunter, Emma Carstairs, and her parabatai (platonic soulmate) Julian Blackthorn as they form a secret deal with crafty faeries to find out the real cause of Emma’s parents’ deaths in exchange for the return of Julian’s older brother, Mark. The risks, however, are high. The Shadowhunting world is at odds with the faeries, who aided in a war five years previously that nearly decimated the Shadowhunter population. Contact with the fey is prohibited, and to go against the Shadowhunter government is deadly. In contrast to the other two series, the storyline of Lady Midnight is much darker. I personally enjoyed the added suspense. It kept me hooked to the plot; contrastingly, The Mortal Instruments, admittedly, bored me. Clare has done an outstanding job creating a whole new set of unique characters, as always. While Emma’s personality is girly, sarcastic, and fierce, Julian is more caring and gentle,
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Cover page for Cassandra Clare’s novel, Lady Midnight.
developed from spending the last third of his life raising his four younger siblings. He’s is perhaps my new favorite of Clare’s main male protagonists, managing to rank higher on my list than Clare’s previous male protagonists (who are all deemed very swoon-worthy). After reading Lady Midnight, I would not hesitate to say that The Dark Artifices is so far my favorite out of the three series Clare has written. The suspense of this book made it hard for me to put it down, and if there was an award for the largest number of plot twists in a single book, Lady Midnight would win. With a timeframe set closer to our current time, Clare ties more technology usage into this book, as well as acknowledging mental disorders through her
characters Ty and Arthur Blackthorn. Previous characters from The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices make appearances throughout the book, something I really enjoyed. Character relationships are well written and developed, especially between the younger Blackthorn siblings and Mark, as he is not the older brother they remember. I loved reading about Emma and Julian’s not-so-platonic relationship the most romantic love between parabatai is strictly forbidden by Shadowhunter law, but the two end up falling for each other anyway. However, Clare likes to pull huge plot twists on the main couple’s relationship at the end of the first books of each series, and Lady Midnight is no exception. Although Lady Midnight is intended to be read after Clare’s other two series, readers will still be able to figure out her universe and enjoy this book without doing so. However, I personally would not recommend this; if you are planning to read her other two series, reading Lady Midnight first would drop huge spoilers for the other series. In addition, seeing references to past books added to the thrill of reading Lady Midnight, and one would not pick up on these references without reading The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices first. All in all, Lady Midnight is absolutely a must read. If you did not enjoy The Mortal Instruments, then Lady Midnight (as well as The Infernal Devices) would change your mind about Clare’s writing for sure. Don’t be afraid of the book’s thickness; every single page is worth it.
DRUGSTORE MAKEUP All of these factor seem to make designer cosmetics the better investment, but drugstore products also have advantages. If you want to test out colors or practice before you buy the higher priced products, drugstore makeup still does the job, depending on how well you apply the product. Perhaps the magic is in the hands of the artist. Drugstore brands have applicators that, in some cases, are preferable over the designer brands. In my opinion, I like both because I don’t need the $50 foundation when I can get the 2-in-1 full coverage for $11 that works just as well. Senior Sydne Kaku prefers drugstore makeup because the price is cheaper and the products can give the same results as high end makeup without spending what some might believe are “crazy” prices. Ultimately, comparing products and doing some research will definitely benefit you, saving some hard-earned cash.
Festival of Books unites booklovers from across the Southland BRANDON CHUNG Historian/Copy Editor The Los Angeles Festival of Books took place this year on Saturday, April 9, and Sunday, April 10, at the University of Southern California. The festival, which is held annually at USC, is the largest book festival in the country. An estimated 160,000 people attended the two-day event, despite showers on Saturday (which, for any book lover, is never a good thing). Numerous stalls were placed all over the university’s campus, ranging from vendors selling used books for remarkably cheap prices, to institutes like Vroman’s Bookstore in Pasadena and Kinokuniya Books, a bookstore based in Little Tokyo, LA. Other stalls housed advertisers for small publishing companies, people giving out free books, and workers handing out free yogurt from Chobani. In addition to the galore of books, a number of authors appeared at the festival. Over 600 authors made an appearance at the festival. To read more, be sure to visit our website at theaztec.com.
The girls swim team leaps off into the water in their game against Montebello.
Junior Andy Xiang throws the ball up and lines up a serve.
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Boys tennis sweeps Montebello ANTHONY JIAN Asst. Sports Editor On April 12, the Mark Keppel Varsity Tennis defeated Montebello with a sweep of 18-0. Currently, the team has a record of 9-3 overall and are ranked 1st in Almont League with a record of 3-0 league. According Varsity tennis Coach Ten, there are 8 remaining games left in this season, which ends in the
first week of May, before CIF competition. Other than that, the underclassmen, which are Juniors and sophomores, need to improve on playing better in Tennis. In this game, Coach Ten was pleased with performances by juniors Alex Lam and Samson Truong. Truong said, “I am satisfied with today’s results but personally I think I need some improvement.”
Notable players also include Austin Lu, Alex Lam, and Jourdyn Lau, who all swept their matches. Doubles Cody Wong and Jeffrey Jen, Andy Xiang and Bryan Chan, and Timothy Wang and Samson Truong also went undefeated. The team plays their next conference game against San Gabriel on Thursday April 14 at home.
Swim victorious against Montebello
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In preparation for league and CIF, Mark Keppel’s swim team has been pushing themselves. They have won all of their meets this season thus far ,including their recent victory to Montebello on Thursday, April 7. The meet ended in a victory with scores of 140-12 Boy’s Varsity and 13212 Girl’s Varsity. Team captains Mia Ching and Caitlyn Gonzalez said, “I’m glad things are going great so far this season and we’re both really proud of our teams for working so hard.” Captains Abraham Wei, Stanley Yu and David Song, added, “It’s satisfying to see our hard work coming into fruition.”
The meet seemed very one sided with Keppel dominating the competition from the beginning and eventually winning. Four year swimmer, senior Lauren Ramirez, said, “Even though we might have the advantage from the beginning we cannot ease up on pressure, we need to prove ourselves to our opponent no matter what.” The general consensus among the swim team was that Montebello was not exactly the most challenging school that they faced. During one of the relay races however, Keppel was disqualified because their players were unready, leading to a closed lane. Even with this disqualification, team morality still remained strong as swimmers continued to cheer on their teammates and ensure their victory in their events.
Senior Terrance Sy is on course to return the ball against Montebello as Kevin Cheung (12) and the team back him up.
The team runs laps for practice as they prepare to go up against Alhambra on April 15.
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Baseball driven after facing defeat ERIC LAM Sports Editor
The Mark Keppel Varsity baseball team went up against Alhambra in a conference game on April 12, Tuesday, and suffered a loss with a score of 2-11 Currently holding an overall record of 2-3, they look to come back and finish the rest of the season strong. Senior Edmundo Fernandez, #23, said, “We started off the game really good, doing everything right. Then
we gave up before the game was even over. The other team didn’t do anything well - we should have beat them, [but instead] we handed them the game.” The Aztecs face off against the Moors once again this upcoming Friday on April 15 at home, and Fernandez is confident that this game will not end in a defeat. Fernandez says, “We will definitely get getter by Fri-
day and beat Alhambra.” The team will be facing off against Alhambra in such quick succession because they face off against each team twice. The 9 point loss against the Moors seems to have given the team a drive and a very valuable learning experience. Fernandez stated, “We learned to not give up and point fingers at people because it’s a team sport. ”
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Boys volleyball defeats Oilers 3-1 WESLEY ZENG Asst. Business Manager Coach Chu said before the game “They got a little more size on us… if we don’t care of the ball they’ll take advantage of that… as long as we execute like we practiced, it should be okay”. The game started off with the Aztecs scoring the first few points and later on winning the set. They carried their momentum to set 2, winning with the score 25-14. However, on the third set, Montebello had caught up to Keppel’s score and won the set 23-25. On set 4, the Aztecs were unable to catch up to the Oilers score and lost 21-25. On the final set, Keppel’s team was ahead and gradually kept gaining points until they won 15-7.
“When a disturbance happens during the game, we just stand there,” said senior Timothy Tran. Coach Chu and senior Kevin Cheung both agree that focusing on the game was the main issue they had. Tran explains, “We had won the first two games and so our focus started lighting up.” Cheung also believed it was how they played physically that led to the close win instead of securing it at 3 sets. “[We could’ve done better] on offense… hitting and setting [the ball]” said Cheung. “ My sets were pretty bad today… that’s something I should definitely work on.” This win puts their overall record at 4-6, with their next game against San Gabriel on Friday April 15.
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Athlete’s Profile: Lawrence Chen
EDLYN WONG Cartoonist Senior badminton captain and half-time assistant coach, Lawrence Chen, has been playing on the court for ten years. He found an interest in badminton from his dad, who exposed him to it at a young age. Chen started playing at the age of eight and started taking lessons at ten years old. Through badminton, Chen gained both leadership and communication skills, saying that “badminton has helped [him] grow a lot as a person.” When asked about his goals regarding the badminton team this year, Chen replied, “Hopefully this year we go one place better than the other. We had a close match last year so I hope we can have one last push to get first.” He also expressed his hopes for his fellow teammates. “I am hoping that our players get medals for individual CIF and league finals,” Chen adds. Outside of badminton, Chen also enjoys drawing and painting, gaming, and does volunteer work in and out of school. Since his high school career is coming to an end, he hopes to continue badminton even after he graduates. Chen would like to give a big thank you to Coach Duong for sticking with him for the last two years, and another shout out to his team.
Freshman Noelle Frasher looks to take the lead against the runners of opponnent school Montebello High.
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Track and field improves with specialized training YANG LU Copy Editor / Business Manager The Keppel girls frosh division track and field team won the Wednesday, April 6, meet against the Montebello Oilers, 2-0. The boys division also saw improvement but ended the meet with a loss, 0-2. In boys varsity division, senior Armando Sandoval won the 200-meter sprint, junior Kobe To won the triple jump and the 100-meter sprint, and sophomore Yuuki Muanpho won the 400-meter sprint. In girls frosh division, sophomore Penelopi Trieu won the mile, the 100-meter sprint, and
the 4x4 100-meter relay, and sophomore Misaki Taira won long jump and triple jump. “I’ve some great kids; they are running really hard,” said Coach Gerson. “In ten years, they have never been 2-0, not even in varsity or frosh.” Since Keppel does not currently have a junior varsity division, the team registers as frosh. Senior Joshua Chang, a three-year track member, said that the team improved significantly after the game against Alhambra two weeks ago. “Ev-
eryone’s hyped up, even the coach was all hyped up,” Chang said. He credited the improvements to Coach Gerson’s specialized training for the sprinters in addition to the long distance runners. The team was reorganized, and members competed against each other for their preferred position on the team. “It keeps the competition,” according to Chang. “That definitely motivated people to work harder.” He is glad that the team now stands a chance at meets and that there is hope for his senior year to end without a losing streak.
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The softball team practice pitching and receiving during practice. Sophomore Kevin Chen (19) warms up as they prepare to face off against Mayfield.
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Badminton looks to finish off season strong ANTHONY JIAN Asst. Sports Editor On April 12th, the Aztec badminton team faced off against Mayfield at a home game. The team came out with a victory with a 19-2 score. Currently the team is ranked 3rd in Almont League with 4 wins and 3 loss. According to Advisor Ms. Duong, there are only 3 remaining games in this season. Sophomore Kevin Chen’s said, “[It] was an easy going game. Students in Mayfield have no prior background of Badminton or didn’t have proper training as we do.” Senior Kim-
berly Wong also commented, “We have been constantly practicing with each other a lot and got to know more each of our partner’s play. We were able to cover for our partner better. “ Advisor Ms. Duong said, “I think kids did a great job this year. Kids need to mentally prepare themselves for the game. I’m confident that we’ll make into CIF Division 2 in this season.” Senior Kimberly Wong says, “We should try harder and have better communications with each other. Compared to last year, this year’s practice routine is more organized.” Wong also states that she hopes they will win their next upcoming games.
Softball suffers defeat against Dons BABYRUTH TORRES Staff Writer The MKHS softball team lost their game against the El Rancho Dons on April 5, 2016, with a score of 5-24. Their overall record this season now stands at 4-8. The first inning ended in a score of 2-3, with the Aztecs putting up a strong fight. In the second inning the Dons were able to score 9 points while the Aztecs were only able to score once, putting them at a 7 point deficit (5-12). The Dons proved to be even stronger opponents thereafter, managing to
score 12 more points on the Aztecs. At the end of the game the players were disappointed but will definitely learn more from their match against El Rancho. Junior Summer French said, “It was hard losing ….but if we all work as a team and keep trying even if we are losing we can get better.” Their game against Alhambra on April 13 also ended in a defeat, although with a much closer score of 9-8. With this game, their overall season record comes out to 4-9. The team’s next upcoming game is a conference game against Montebello, away, on Thursday, April 14.