THE AZTEC VOLUME LXXX NUMBER VI
VIEWPOINT PG 3-4 Should you date your best friend?
News in Brief Learn about part-time jobs and internships The Career Fair will be held at MKHS on Thursday, February 22nd, from 2 to 5 p.m. Career speakers from over 50 companies will attend. The fair will feature free workshops and mock interviews. Visit the College and Career Center for more information. Theatre company presents "The 25th annual putnam county spelling bee" This year's spring musical, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, will begin showing on March 1st. Theatre Company will be collaborating with the Aztec Orchestra to put on the show.
Senior grad nite to be held at disney California adventure park The senior Grad Nite will be held on Tuesday, June 5th at Disney California Adventure. Tickets are $110. Seniors can purchase their tickets during lunch in Palm Court every Thursday until February 22nd.
Your calendar 2/16- Collaboration Schedule 2/19- Pupil Free Day 2/21- PTSA Meeting 7-9 p.m. in the cafeteria 2/28- Collaboration Schedule; Alliance Meeting 7-9 p.m in cafeteria
February 15, 2018
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Academic Decathlon places second in LA County JOYCE LEE Staff Writer Keppel’s Academic Decathlon team placed second at the annual LA County Academic Decathlon. The competition took place on January 27th and February 3rd at El Rancho High School. Notable awards include the team placing second in SuperQuiz, senior Jason Luc winning top individual scorer in the Varsity, and coach Mr. Tran being awarded Coach of the Year. Keppel’s junior team also placed second in their own division. The main team’s overall score was 55,071. The Acadec team consists of three members from each of the three sections, Honor, Scholastic, and Varsity, to make a total of nine members. Students are divided into the sections based on their GPA. Traditionally, Keppel chooses the top three scorers from each section to form a team. On this year’s win, Mr. Tran says, “[The] team made a great effort. What’s nice is having the state finals to look forward to, so their reward is six more weeks of studying.” Despite intense studying, this competition is especially memorable as it is the last for the current Acadec seniors. Luc says, ”I feel like I’ve learned to communicate and open up to people. I’ll definitely miss all the people I’ve met through Acadec, both my teammates and [friends] from other competing schools.” Each year, the team focuses on a specific topic, announced by United States Academic Decathlon, for the competition. This year, the theme is Africa. Students have to
THE AZTEC/ KEVIN LIU The Academic Decathlon team poses with their trophies and medals. From left to right: Paul Zhang (9), Stanley Lin (12), Brandon Kishishita (12), Angelica Ruiz (12), Cristina Ruiz (12), Aurora Zeng (11), Elizabeth Lee (11), Jason Luc (12), Keven Som (12), and coach Mr. Tran.
study seven objective subjects in addition to preparing an essay, a speech, and an interview. Senior Brandon Kishishita feels that Music was one of the harder subjects, as he had to spend more time studying it. While the team usually consists of upperclassmen, this year, freshman Paul Zhang was able to compete for Keppel. “It’s unusual, but every year, there’s surprises,” comments Mr. Tran. Zhang himself says, “Being a freshman may have actually [allowed] me to have more time to study for tests.” In fact, his score qualified him as the fourth top
scoring individual in the Scholastic section and made him the highest scoring freshman in the history of Keppel’s Acadec team. To prepare for competition, the team began practicing their speeches much earlier than previous years. Noncompeting students also helped out by tutoring competitors or giving advice on speeches and interviews. These new strategies, according to Mr. Tran, worked out in favor for the team. In regards to the current team, Mr. Tran jokes, “They are more playful [than previous years]! I must’ve done something wrong.”
MK Chinese Restaurant celebrates Lunar New Year JASMINE MA Staff Writer Keppel’s Mandarin class will be hosting a Mandarin Restaurant on Thursday, February 15th during lunch in the auditorium foyer. The restaurant is a celebration for Chinese New Year. Keppel’s staff, teachers, and administrators are invited to attend this event. The entrance fee is $10 and the money earned will be used to cover the costs of food and decorations. The restaurant will serve a different variety of Chinese foods such as chow mein, fried rice, chow fun, traditional steamed vegetables, egg tarts, and almond cookies. Entertainment will include calligraphy performances by past students and traditional Chinese music. A photobooth will be available for guests to take pictures.
Mandarin teacher Mr. Lien, who is in charge of the restaurant, says, “The main purpose of the restaurant is to give students a chance to use what they have learned in class and apply it to real-life scenarios.” All students in Mr. Lien’s fourth period Mandarin class were interviewed for their job assignments to ensure that they [students] were qualified for the job. The manager and assistant managers were interviewed by Mr. Lien and his previous students, while the remaining students were interviewed by the newly selected managers. Possible jobs for the restaurant included manager, assistant manager, kitchen crew, cleanup crew, waiter/waitress, and... continued on page 5
THE AZTEC/ CALLISTA LIU Restuarant managers Jessica Ni (11), April Yeung (11), Queenie Xu (11) pose with teacher Mr. Lien.
Monterey Park holds annual Lunar New Year Festival IZABELLA COFRESSI Staff Writer The Lunar New Year, or Chinese New Year, typically falls on the new moon, which occurs anywhere between January 21st and February 20th. This year, the annual Monterey Park Lunar New Year Festival was held on Saturday, February 3rd and Sunday, February 4th. The festival took place in the downtown Monterey Park area on Garvey Avenue. A variety of entertainment options were present at the festival. The event showcased fifteen performances, including the Lion and Dragon Dance, Chinese music, and folk dances. There was also a carnival zone for children, traditional dough sculptures, and Chinese calligraphy. Over 250 merchant booths and organizations were featured, including over 40 booths dedicated to traditional Asian and international cuisine. There were also vendors who sold miscellaneous items, such as clothes, light-up balloons, and even massage chairs. Sophomore Suzy Lack feels the festival was a great experience. Lack says, “This is my second year going to the festival and I still really enjoy it. My personal favorite [part of the festival is experiencing] all the different foods they have there.” The City of Monterey Park hosted their first Chinese New Year Parade in 1992 under the theme “The World Welcomes the Chinese New Year,” with the help of the City of Alhambra. This event expressed an official recognition of the Chinese culture that had been impacting the city for over a decade before. Junior Kevin Lam is also fond of the annual tradition. “The festival’s pretty great, especially if you just want to get out of your house. I like that they do it every year, and I hope they keep doing it,” Lam said.
COURTESY OF CHRISTINA CHU Aztec Singers pose with their trophy at Brea Olinda High School.
Aztec Singers compete at first choir competition of the year HANNAH WON Staff Writer The Aztec Singers placed third at their first choir competition this year at Brea Olinda High School on February 3rd. Members of the Aztec Singers who wanted to participate in competition devoted themselves to almost-daily practice with lengths varying from one to two hours. Members of Esprit, who do not have the choir class, are required to attend practice for choreography and vocals in order to compete. The Aztec Singers modeled their skit and stage after the musical Dear Evan Hansen. Initially performed and given critical acclaim, the Aztec Singers attempted to replicate Broadway success at the competition. The choir performed songs like “Waving Through a Window” composed by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul and “Dream On” by Aerosmith. Senior Brenden Cheng says,”The story behind our show set is about the journey of an outcast who meets a friend that helps build his confidence, and as a result, he evolves into a star who will never ‘throw his shot away.’” Freshman Gordon Wu, who plays the outcast Evan
Hansen, states, “My character gets rejected by everyone, and the friend [of the outcast] helps me find out who I am as a person.” Cheng co-starred with Wu in the competition as the friend and supporter, Connor Murphy. Choir director Mr. Azeltine helped the team by correcting vocals, teaching members how to sing each word, and gave constant reminders to enunciate the word. In addition, he guided the competitor’s choreography to make it come alive. Despite coming in third, Mr. Azeltine says, “[The Choir] did well and they’re going to get better each day. We keyed the set around [the outcast] that grows and triumphs in something.” “Since it was our first competition this year, we made many mistakes,” states sophomore Julie Huynh. “But I can speak for everyone in the choir [when I say] that we had more fun than we expected, despite not doing so well in our division.” Aztec Singers hope to do improve themselves by the next competition on March 10th at Hart High School in Santa Clarita and look forward to performing with greater passion and vigor than before.
Math Team maintains winning streak at Westmont competition JASLYNN DIEP Staff Writer
COURTESY OF EMILY ZHOU Upperclassmen team members Kenny Chang (12), Emily Zhou (11), Fuxiang Yang (11), and Elvis Liu (12) hold up their first place awards for the written exam.
Keppel’s Math Team competed at Westmont College in Santa Barbara on February 3rd. The upperclassmen team placed 1st in the written exam, 2nd in the College Bowl, and 2nd overall. To prepare for the competition, members on the team attended weekly study sessions after school in which students train in “buzzer rounds” to hasten their speed of responding to the problems. Contestants were given 20 seconds to answer the questions on the day of the competition for “buzzer rounds.” Practice typically lasted for about an hour on collaboration days and Fridays. Sophomore Colette Han, who joined the team this year, says, “As it was my first competition, I was a bit overwhelmed by the intensity of the competition overall, but I didn’t let my nervousness get in the
way of my concentration as I tried to stay relaxed the entire time. However, there were some times when I blanked out on a particular question that I did not know the answer to.” Overall, the math competition was a learning experience for Han to figure out what she struggled on the most and what skills she needed to improve on. Han plans to develop more strategies with her teammates that will guide them for other future competitions. Junior Emily Zhou, who has been on the team since her freshman year, says, “I had a lot of fun at the competition at Westmont [since] we did pretty well overall. I look forward to going again next year.” Members on the team have worked diligently since the start of the school year, dedicating most of their time afterschool reviewing for concepts that would most likely appear on competition problems. At second place, the Math Team has maintained a top spot in the county after their first place win last year.
The Aztec 2017-2018 Timothy Chuman
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Maggie Luu
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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 Mr. Yankowsky in room A236 or sent to theaztecsubmit@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.
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Viewpoint 3 Should Lunar New Year be an offical holiday? MAGGIE LUU Staff Writer
Aftermath of Hurricane Maria
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Do we get over world issues too quickly? VIVIAN LUK Asst. Viewpoint Editor Mass consumption is evident in every aspect of society: resources, material goods, and even the news outlets. Pressured to entertain the masses, news outlets have sensationalized world issues, creating a public frenzy that drive up ratings. However, these issues are still relevant and demand solutions even after the initial hysteria dies down. For example, four months after Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico is still struggling to get back on its feet. In the first weeks following the disaster, updates were plastered across news outlets and relief efforts were plentiful. However, as media coverage dwindled, so did donations. Sophomore Selina Martinez points out, “People easily forget about global issues. With a little reminder [from the media], people could be [more]motivated to continue [striving] to make a difference.” These small reminders make
all the difference to those aching for aid. Math teacher Ms. Sinisi feels differently, saying, “It is not possible to maintain a high level of concern for every key event, so people tend to gravitate towards issues they are personally connected with. There is so much happening all the time that it is hard to keep up, let alone be able to help. People cannot stand for every issue, so they pick their battles.” In this sense, it is a personal responsibility to stay educated about global issues, and not the media’s obligation to educate. With so many ongoing issues, people tend to have a heightened concern for issues that hit close to home. Martinez, whose friend was evacuated from Puerto Rico, says, “I have become more connected to the tragedy than most people. Through my friend, I am able to see [the impact of the hurricane] on a level that is not often present-
ed by the media.” Since the establishment of social media, news travels faster than it ever has. After a tragedy, it is common to see a flurry of posts expressing empathy for those affected. While these posts are shared with good intent, it has desensitized people to world issues, reducing concerns to the limits of a simple photo. Ms. Sinisi says, “‘Pray for’ posts get a lot of likes on social media, but liking a photo does not accomplish anything. I like the sentiment behind the photo, but if [one] really [wants] to contribute to the cause, [they should] donate money or time.” While it true that a single person simply does not have the capacity to worry about the world, it is essential to spread and maintain awareness about global issues in the effort to help those in need.
Chinese New Year, also known as Lunar New Year, is an important Chinese holiday. Many Asian countries and foreign regions such as China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Australia, and the United States celebrate this holiday. It is traditionally a time to honor deities and ancestors, thus the importance of Chinese New Year in Asian communities, such as the one in Mark Keppel, is undeniable. The prevalence of the holiday is evident, which begs the question: is Lunar New Year significant enough to be considered as a federal holiday? Junior Stephanie Luu and Mandarin teacher Mr. Lien certainly agree with the notion. Luu says that since holidays such as Easter are celebrated, then “the widely popular Chinese New Year should be [treated] the same.” Mr. Lien says, “It should be a day just like any other holiday where people pay tribute.” Due to the holiday not being federally recognized, there is a buildup of frustration in Chinese communities, which is bringing greater attention to Lunar New Year. “We have so many Asian immigrants in California alone; it makes up a huge [part of the] population, [so Lunar New Year] should be recognized,” says math teacher Ms. Lee. “It is important to Chinese [citizens but] in my opinion, it’s for anyone who wants to celebrate it.” One of the reasons Lunar New Year is so important to Chinese communities is because it is a time of reunion between friends and family. Often, family members that are far away deliberately come home to spend the holiday with their relatives. Home and family are the principle focuses; many of the traditions are meant to bring good luck to the household and long life to family members. With Lunar New Year having such a big impact on the Chinese communities, why is it not an official holiday? “It is not something that the mainstream [media] have accepted yet,” says Mr. Lien. “It is like Cinco de Mayo; it takes awhile for people to come to terms with the country’s or the main culture’s holiday. We still have a long way to go.” Despite feeling this way, Mr. Lien adds that he felt like more people, especially in the area, are “becoming more aware of the holiday” and is hopeful for the future of Lunar New Year. If Monterey Park were to implement Lunar New Year into their list of city holidays, it would be a great victory. However, it would be huge if the White House were to recognize America’s cultural diversity by acknowledging Lunar New Year as a federal holiday. The acceptance of the holiday would make waves of cultural integration in the country, opening more opportunities and strengthening cultural acceptance and diversity.
Hiding behind the screen SARENA SCOTT Staff Writer Dating in real life could be difficult for some people. But, in this age of technology, there is another way in which people can communicate and build relationshipsthrough the internet. Recently, dating through social media websites is gaining popularity, especially among high school students. Dating through social media is a way of getting to know someone without meeting them in person. People show their identity through pictures and describe themselves through messages. Individuals do not meet until both parties are ready. Dating through social media can be dangerous because people may not know who they are really talking to. It is hard to uncover the what the person behind the screen is really thinking because he or she only puts what they want other people to see. They won’t tell you
their faults, and in more extreme cases, even their true identity. This leads to unwanted situations called “catfishing”, which is the act of luring someone into a relationship under a false persona.
...I can cut that negative relationship out forever and not meet them. -Joyce Yang (11) Junior Lucy Tan says,“It is not a good idea to date through social media because you never know who you are talking to. I tend to like the facial expressions that are made when describe my true self.” However, there are also positive aspects of dating through social media. “I [would] love to start to date [through social media] because before meeting the person, it
can show their [malicious] intentions and if I spot their intentions before, then I can cut that negative relationship out forever and not meet them.” junior Joyce Yang says. In addition, hiding one’s identity can act as an escape route, which can be a great thing if a person is socially awkward. There are two sides on dating through social media because it allows users to date at their own pace or they could be talking to someone who is untruthful which is really dangerous. Social media takes up a large part of teenagers’ lives, especially in this day and age. Despite this, dating through social media websites should not be the main source of dating. People should not depend on dating through a screen, but rather in real life.
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Yes
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FEBRUARY 15, 2018
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Sadies?
The Snapchat story
WILLIAM DANG NGUYEN Staff Writer
JAMIE CHAU Copy Editor/ Historian
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The 2017-2018 school year is the second consecutive year Mark Keppel High School is Sadies-less. Unlike last year where Sadies was canceled, Sadies was not an option for Mark Keppel students at all this year. Sadies is a dance where the girls ask the guys. According to Assistant Principal and Business and Activities Manager Ms. Perez, Sadies is “not profitable,” which is why they had to cancel it last year. This year, the dance’s funds are going to the Powder Puff football game, where Cheer plays football while the football team cheers. The senior girls will play against junior girls as the football team cheers them on.
Viewpoint 4
Sadies is an important high school experience that should be available to every student, whether or not he/she decides to go. It is where girls feel confident enough to ask the boys, instead of waiting to be asked. Senior Arely Vargas says, “I was looking forwards to Sadies this year, since I’ve never been to one. [And] I’m really disappointment to hear [that] we won’t have one [again]. I would definitely go if it were brought back. Keppel should have one next year [because] it’s a really cool opportunity for girls to gain confidence.” For those ready to leave high school, missing out on Sadies is devastating. However, to some students, the loss of Sadies is just another
pebble down the road. Although the purpose of Sadies is to give girls confidence, it might just do the opposite. Junior Victoria Yip says, “ [Asking someone] is something [that] I don’t feel comfortable with, and rejection is not [a] very good [feeling.]” To some, Sadies is not considered a “main” school dance next to prom and homecoming. Sophomore Sophia Jones says, “I like Sadies and think [that] the idea is sweet, but I don’t consider it as important as Homecoming or Prom. So, no. I don’t think that it should be back.” Whether or not Sadies should make its comeback, its disappearance means a lost opportunity to make high school memories.
Be in the moment. That is why Snapchat was created. Founded in 2011, the social media platform prides itself on allowing users to connect with others through pictures and videos that can be taken and sent on the spot. However, throughout the years, various popular features on the app have been discontinued, often stirring up strong opinions from users. And now, in the early months of 2018, Snapchat is receiving the most criticism yet on its new update. The general opinion on the update is that Snapchat is now difficult to navigate and hard to understand, but there is a particular emphasis on the change in location of the Snapchat Stories. Traditionally, Snapchat had distinct pages for personal Snaps with friends, Stories from friends, and publishers. Now, everything friend-related is squished on to one side, and publishers have their own page. The only feature separating the two is the Snapchat camera. “I watch less stories now because I don’t see who’s posting,” says junior Jordan La. “I dislike where the stories are located.” However, some still think that Snapchat’s stories rule over other social media platforms that exercise the feature. “I would still prefer using Snapchat stories because I feel like Snapchat was the first company to use it. Instagram is where I post my more memorable moments and Snapchat is more fun,” says senior Eileen Wang. Changes to Snapchat were necessary, but the ones that were made were useless.“I think they are fixing things that weren’t broken,” said Wang.”They should have made an update that allows your to send your streaks with one button.” It’s unclear what Snapchat will do to address the public dissent, but for now, users are hopeful that it could be improved or restored to its old ways. “Snapchat should fix the lag between viewing stories, and should also prioritize your friend list first. The overall layout looks cluttered and unorganized,” says senior Hilary Luong.
Editorial: Dating your best friend Do it! A best friend is someone who has seen you at your best and your worst, someone who will have your back no matter what. However, this definition is almost identical to the one of a significant other. Some may say that your significant other cannot be your best friend--you’re too emotionally involved to maintain the platonic aspects of a friendship. Others would beg to differ because your significant other should be the person you are closest to. Andy To, who has been with his girlfriend for almost a year now, defines a best friend as “your closest friend. The one you do everything with and tell your deepest secrets to. You [two] have this indescribable bond.” “If I consider [my girlfriend] as my best friend, that means I can’t have a best friend because you can only have one best friend.” To also mentioned that he would not have intimate relationships with his best friend, which is one of the main differences between a significant other and a best friend. Furthermore, your best friend should be able to serve a third opinion. If you need to talk to someone or get a third opinion on your relationship, your best friend should provide you with said information. A best friend is someone who you can tell anything to and there are certain things you cannot tell your significant other, such as complaints about them. Generally, the thing that sets your significant other apart from everyone else is that you are attracted to them. You should not merge something on that level of importance with another facet.
In addition, some people tend to act differently around their significant other than around friends. The comparison between the two is prominent. It can be hard to view your significant other as your best friend because you may constantly think of them as the person you like while spending time with them. Most importantly, if you lose your best friend at the end of a relationship, you will have no shoulder to cry on to get over the break up. You won’t even have a shoulder to cry on for losing your best friend. While the people involved in a relationship should indeed maintain a tight relationship, there should be a line that separates the two ideas. Regardless of whether your significant other is your best friend or not, they should still be someone you’re involved with romantically and close to.
Don’t Do it! Your best friend’s in one corner and your significant other’s in another, but can both be there for you? A best friend is someone you are supposed to share some of the greatest intimacy with; coincidentally, this may also be your significant other. “I think that your significant other is bound to eventually be your best friend no matter what, due to all the time you spend with each other,” says senior Yazmin Yang. But if your significant other eventually becomes your best friend, why are people so hesitant to date best friends? “When you’re friends it’s kind of hard and awkward to move to the next level,” says senior Nam Truong. “[But if we do enter a relationship] I would treat her the exact same way I would treat anybody. We [don’t] have to change the way we act to-
THE AZTEC/AURORA ZENG
wards one another.” A common fear among dating a best friend is the aftermath of the relationship, if it fails. Fears that two individuals who get together may not be able to reignite their former friendship if they break up prevent people from seeing their best friends as possible candidates. “If your friendship can be broken up that easily, then why are you considered ‘best friends’?” replies Truong. “Why are you willing to become girlfriend [or boyfriend] with them in the first place?” And while the definition of a “best friend” implies that there can only be one, that is not the case. “I don’t think [you can only have one best friend] because there can be best friends for different situations, [like] hobbies,” says senior Thomas Wang. Wang is currently in a relationship with fellow marching band member Tina Yan. “[Tina and I] became good friends through spending a lot of time together at band events. She’s my only [female] best friend. Gradually we got closer and closer, and then we started dating after the school year,” says senior Thomas Wang. “If you like your best friend romantically, go for it.” Despite the claims of awkwardness, the next level of “significant other” isn’t that far from the status of “best friend.” And if one fears the negative consequences of confessing, remember that best friends are your greatest confidants. The word “best” isn’t just there to compliment the friend; it means that they’re willing to maintain a two-way relationship through thick and thin.
February 15, 2018 continued from page 1 ...decoration committee. All students in Mr. Lien’s fourth period Mandarin class were interviewed for their job assignments to ensure that they were qualified for the job. The manager and assistant managers were interviewed by Mr. Lien and his previous students, while the remaining students were interviewed by the newly selected managers. The managers of the restaurant are juniors Jessica Ni, Queenie Xu, and April Yeung. Assigned committee heads within the group of students will make sure that the class did not run into any difficulties. Junior Emily Han says, “I enjoy working with my peers and applying what I learned in class to a real-world experience, such as working in a restaurant. I love how this restaurant introduces and allows customers to experience the Chinese traditions that goes on during Chinese New Year.” Junior Jessica Ni says, “I really enjoy working in the restaurant because I love seeing how everyone comes together to make the restaurant happen. Although there’s a lot of work, I learned new forms of communication and teamwork strategies that I am not used to on a daily basis. This restaurant was an incredible experience since it allowed me to get out of my comfort zone.”
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Christine Le has the biggest heart and she is the sweetest person you’ll ever meet. Thank you for always being there BFFL -Pearl
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February 15, 2018 The 15:17 to Paris: A Review ANGELA CHEN Asst. Editor-in-Chief
Mask designed by Rejuvenique to “shock” a person’s face with electrical currents to remove wrinkles.
Failure has come to Los Angeles
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LINDSAY KUNG Staff Writer
Failure has come to Downtown Los Angeles; and for once, that’s a really good thing. The Museum of Failure, a traveling pop-culture show displaying commercial products and services that consumers rank as epic fails, will be hosted at downtown L.A.’s A+D (Architecture and Design) museum until February 18th, for an admission fee of $18. With a collection of over 100 items, the event covers a range of failures: from Coca-Cola’s BlaK coffee beverage to the Rejuvenique Ultimate Facial Toning System, a face mask that electrocutes you to prevent wrinkling. There’s also a section devoted to Donald Trump, including Trump Ice bottled water, Trump: The Game, and a book from the obsolete Trump University. The board game sold 800,000 copies – short of the manufacturer’s
hopes for sales of 2 million units. As a finishing touch, there’s even a bottle of the short-lived Trump vodka, marketed with the slogan “success distilled.” Although the museum focuses on the idea of failure, the museum is actually anchored by a very positive ideology. The museum posits failure as the essential foil to innovation and that even perfectly good ideas sometimes get defeated. Sophomore Jessica Lam says that these failed products in the museum “serve a great purpose in telling that even great companies could make mistakes.” For Lam, she feels that the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 should belong in the Museum of Failure. “Many owners experienced disastrous problems this phone… [like] causing an explosion.” Senior Felicia Lu also feels that the
museum is a good way to learn from our mistakes. “A failed innovation will only make room for more growth in a future idea and each mistake that is made will propel towards one that is potentially brilliant.” Like Lam, Lu too believes that there is one product that most definitely belongs at the museum: sporks. “By the time the spork reaches your mouth [when you drink soup], you only get like 0.0002 mL of soup… Sporks are one of the worst ideas that has ever graced the planet in this day and age.” Lam also voiced his opinion on this common belief. “For many companies, a failure comes from abysmal sales, poor features, or unfinished products, but I think that a company fails when it doesn’t learn from the mistakes it makes.”
Clint Eastwood’s latest flick, The 15:17 to Paris, opened in theatres on February 9th and takes an unconventional approach to the biographical movie genre. The true-to-life account of three American men who rescued a Paris-bound passenger train from terrorists back in 2015, stars the actual heroes of Thalys train attack - Spencer Stone, Anthony Sadler and Alek Skarlatos. In an interview with Fox 5 DC, the heroes shared their thoughts on being a part of their own movie. Spencer Stone stated, “[Playing yourself in a movie] kind of [feels] weird because it feels like you have to pick and choose… what parts of yourself you want to share [with] millions of people.” The unique directorial decision to cast Stone, Sadler, and Skarlatos as the main characters in The 15:17 to Paris should be applauded, and other directors looking to offer a sense of realism in their movies should look to Eastwood’s example. However, it can be argued that 15:17 Paris falls short as a good movie, precisely because of this decision. Whatever sense of authenticity this creative action was supposed to invoke is lost to the audience through awkward, almost amateur-like acting from main leads. The pacing was slow, to the point where people may be falling asleep at critical plot points. On the other hand, casting real-life heroes to play themselves in movies is virtually unheard of in mainstream movie culture, and hopefully, this movie sets a precedence for similar movies further down the line. “Eastwood wants to try new things,” French teacher Ms. Smith says. “It’s not necessary to use [the actual heroes], but if it’s successful, Hollywood should try it more.” Despite its relatively disappointing impression, it grossed about $15 million domestically and was ranked third in U.S. box office sales in its opening weekend. It had a 45% audience approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, but only 23% of the critics on Rotten Tomatoes approved of the movie itself.
Bringing back the Past’s Shadows VINCENT BAGABALDO Asst. News Editor Thirteen years after its release, innovative action-adventure game Shadow of the Colossus remains in people’s hearts as a classic. Now, fans and newcomers alike can experience 2005’s Game of the Year in 2018’s jaw-dropping graphics with the release of its PS4 remake. Bluepoint Games and SIE Japan Studio, the developers for the game, were tasked with rebuilding this classic from the ground-up. The results were well-received, garnering scores like 9.7 out of 10 on IGN and 92 out of 100 on Metacritic, a site which averages critic scores. With a visually-striking presentation, a moving soundtrack, and a morally ambiguous storyline, this game provides players with a monumental gaming experience. The game has players killing 16 giant colossi for a sealed demon in exchange for its help in reviving a deceased girl. The colossi vary from being giant, lumbering humanoids to gargantuan, airbourne eels. To slay a colossus, players must track down, climb up, and repeatedly stab their massive victims. As the player goes about their bloody quest, they may question their righteousness, thinking to themselves: “Is this the right thing to do?” Essentially, it boils down to the player to interpret the morality of their actions. With new games coming out, how will a remake keep up with upcoming titles like Monster Hunter: World or The Last of Us Part 2? Junior Ryan Lu says, “New games, in my opinion, do better just because it doesn’t repeat itself, and it offers more content to digest than remakes do, however, there are some exceptions such as Kingdom Hearts 1.5.” As for the importance of remakes themselves, video game design teacher Ms. Fillpot says, “When it comes to remakes, some classic games should be left alone to preserve the essence of it while other games can benefit from the updated graphics of today’s day and age.”
The Labo’s many forms include pianos, RC Car controllers, handlebars, doll-houses, and fishing rods.
COURTESY OF NINTENDO
Cardboard: The future of fun EVAN WOO Asst. Focus Editor Nintendo ignited the world’s imagination and inner child with the announcement of the innovative Labo, a do-it-yourself kit that allows users to build whimsical add-ons like mech suits, drum sets, pianoes, steering wheels, and doll-houses that can be used to control games on the Nintendo Switch console. The contents of this versatile kit include tape, strings, and cardboard. “They sure know how to make people buy cardboard, it makes it quite a unique way to sell electronics,” says sophomore Jonathan Luu. Each project varies in difficulty, with
the more complex ones like the fishing rod requiring an estimated two hours to build. Despite being composed of common, household materials, the Labo has a high price tag of around $80. Is it worth the money? The unique feature of cardboard is its flexibility and ability to be recycled. Its durability, on the other hand, is not a strong feature of cardboard. This is especially important since the Labo is targeted towards younger audiences. “At younger ages, children are starting to learn how to play appropri-
ately with technology, and they can learn that cardboard isn’t as durable as plastic,” says Mrs. Martinez, the child development teacher, “I think it will be a better way to introduce children to technology rather than just giving them a tablet, and it goes into a more physical play which I think children are starting to lose.” With its expected release in April of this year, the Labo will bring creativity and technology closer together. “Imagination and creativity is worth it,” says Mrs. Martinez.
sports 11 the aztec Undefeated Lady Aztecs advance to CIF
February 15, 2018
CHRISTINE LE Staff Writer
Senior Allison Nishimura prepares to shoot a freethrow.
The Lady Aztecs finished off league play undefeated as they beat the Schurr Lady Spartans last Friday, putting their overall record at 26-3. According to senior Jocelyn Song, one of the team captains, improvements have been made since their last game against Schurr. “We let ourselves go towards the end during the second half, because of that, for this game, we were more prepared to stay on top of the scoreboard and keep them down.” The Lady Aztecs fought hard throughout the entire game as they took a 22-5 lead in the first quarter. They were able to use their defense as an advantage which can be attributed to the team’s dedication to improve their defense during practice. Captain Vanessa Aguirre, junior, says, “We definitely worked on our defense even more after the last game against Schurr, seeing that it was one of the things we needed to enhance.” There will always be plenty of room for adjustments and other little things, so Coach Jose Herrera has a mindset laid out for them through every single game. “We have to make sure we execute our game plan. If we execute our game plan and nobody else’s game plan, it’ll be lopsided,” Despite their previous victory against Schurr, that game did not end as planned, so Coach Jose Herrera made sure that this game wouldn’t be like the last. “We started
THE AZTEC/ TIMOTHY CHUMAN
out hot, and then after that, we just slowed down in the second half and so because of that, we made small little goals that have transitioned into dividends that carried out through the last four games,” says Herrera. Junior Catherine Dea also expressed her thoughts on their previous home game against Schurr. “Our previous game against them was a little shaky, but this game we’re going to come out strong.” Dea said. Although there were weaknesses during the first game, it didn’t stop the Lady Aztecs from improving and using their strengths as advantages. “One of our strengths is running a lot and so we use that to wear our opponents out,” says Song. Coach Jose Herrera also explained why some wins differentiate from others. “There’s games we’ve won big, but the ones that I always look at are the close ones when we have our backs against the walls. How are we going to react?” Despite their successful season, senior Sally Smith describes how the Lady Aztecs stay so humble through it all. “There’s no other way to act, so don’t take anything for granted, don’t look into the future too much, just focus on each game and on each practice. Everything can taken away from you so it all comes out to us.” With this humble mindset, the Lady Aztecs now look to continue their regular season success into CIF as they take on Cypress High School on Thursday.
Eagles soar to franchise’s first title WENDY YUAN Staff Writer The 52nd Super Bowl aired on Sunday, February 4, 2018. The Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots went head to head for the second time since 2005 at the U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. After 51 seasons, the win surprisingly went to the Philadelphia Eagles, the underdog of the game. It came down to one last play, and it was all in Tom Brady’s hands. If the New England quarterback could throw a pass for a touchdown and the Patriots could follow it up with a two-point conversion, the game would have gone into overtime. However, the Philadelphia Eagles surrounded Rob Gronkowski, the receiver, without any opening and knocked the ball to the ground.
Sophomore AJ Escobar says, “[Although] both of the teams played very well, it was crazy to see how the Eagles progressed,” Football Coach Tuttle says, “ The aggressive play calling by the Philadelphia Eagles coach was what interested me the most. This year there was a lot more offensive plays and it was more tightly contested whereas last year there was a definite winner,” Patriot fans are furious and disappointed over the lost of the game- to the point where LeGarrette Blount had to respond. He tweeted that he is using his block button constantly and that he doesn’t need fans who will yell and curse at him. Nonetheless, the outcome of the Super Bowl was unexpected and it definitely kept the game interesting.
Winter Sports SCoreboard * team or members in the team have advanced to CIF.
Overall League
Boys basketball* 22-7 8-2 Boys Soccer 3-15-2 2-7-1 GIrls Basketball* 24-3 10-0 Girls Soccer* 5-16-1 4-5-1 Girls Water polo*
12-10
1-3
Wrestling* 2-4 0-3
COURTESY OF GOOGLE IMAGES
Winter Olympics Medalists Shawn White
Gold Medal
Men’s Snowboard Halfpipe
Redmond Gerard
Gold Medal
Men’s Snowboard Slopestyle
Chloe Kim
Gold Medal
Woman’s Snowboard Halfpipe
Jamie Anderson
Gold Medal
Woman’s Snowboard Slopestyle
Chris Mazdzer
Silver Medal
Men’s Singles (Luge)
Arielle Gold
Bronze Medal
Women’s Halfpipe
Nathan Chen Bronze Medal Adam Rippon Mirai Nagasu Alexa/Chris Knierim Alex/Maia Shibutani Bradie Tennell
Figure Skating (Team event)
*Last updated on February 14, 8:06 pm
12 sports
February 15, 2018
the aztec
Boys basketball seeks redemption in CIF SAMANTHA HERNANDEZ Asst. Sports Editor The Varsity boys basketball team faced off against Schurr on Friday night in their last league game for the season. The Aztecs had clinched the league championship in their win over Alhambra, so despite losing to the Spartans, the Aztecs finished with a league record of 8-2 and are now in position for a deep CIF run. The Aztecs held a lead throughout the first half and went into halftime with a 3024 lead, but after halftime, the Spartans adapted to their playstyle and changed their strategies. Sophomore Diego Bustillo says, “Schurr adjusted offensively by making their main key players make more shots from the outside.” Along with the offensive adjustments, sophomore Michael Granados says, “We lost our lead when we lost our composure and panicked, which allowed them to go on a run.” By the end of the third quarter, the Spartans had taken a 50-41 lead. Despite the Spartans leading in the fourth quarter, the Aztecs still gave their best to regain their lead. However, fouls in favor of the Spartans left the Aztecs without enough time to come back, giving the the Spartans a 64-53 win. In spite of their loss, the boys are refusing to let their second league loss shake them. Junior Esteban Rodriguez says, “The loss just gives us more fuel heading into CIF,” The boys are finding further motivation from last year’s season. “We have a bit of a chip on our shoulders from last year.
THE AZTEC/ CALLISTA LIU
Athlete’s Profile: Zoe Atkins ALEX HUA Photographer
THE AZTEC/ TIMOTHY CHUMAN
We are all very determined to redeem ourselves,” says Granados. Last year, Varsity boys basketball made CIF playoffs, but lost against Saugus, bringing their season to an end.
“The loss just gives us more fuel heading into CIF.” -Esteban Rodriguez
As they head into CIF this season, the team has looked to make improvements in order to make a
deeper playoff run this year. Rodriguez says, “Our goal is to get as far as possible in CIF, as long as we stay focused and play our game, we’re going to be a tough team,” The primary way the boys have prepared for the CIF match is by having a positive mentality and keeping their focus on the game. “We’ve prepared mainly by playing good competition and playing in a big environment. We feel prepared mentally and have decided to take it one game at a time,” says Bustillo.
Goal achieved by Girls Soccer WESLEY ZENG Sports Editor/Business Manager On Tuesday, February 13, the Girls Soccer team played against Pacifica Christian from the San Joaquin league. Although the game seemed that it would end as a tie, the Lady Aztecs were unable to defend against a last minute kick, and lost the match 2-1. The game began with the first point to Pacifica as the girls soccer team lost control of the ball. Even though Keppel’s opponents had the initial lead,
the Lady Aztecs were able to score a point. Junior Jessica Basallo managed to kick the ball into the back of the net just as Pacifica’s goalie had lunged to block it. The game continued as a tie between the two teams until Pacifica scored a quick kick in the last few minutes due to miscommunicated defense. The team ended their previous season with a final league score of 8-3, allowing them to play in CIF. Similar to this year, the girls had also lost the game to Katella, with a close match of 1-0.
Despite the lost, the team feels very accomplished to be able to have advanced all the way to the CIF playoffs. Junior Anna Yang says, “we are still a young, inexperienced team compared to other teams.” Yang explains that becoming one of the teams to make it into CIF is a huge step foward. However, she believes the team still has a long way to go. “As soccer continues to develop in Mark Keppel, we will continue learning and make improvements along the way.”
Senior Zoe Atkins has been playing in the Girls Water Polo team for four years in Mark Keppel and has been on the Varsity for three of those four years. As captain of the team, Atkins has the responsibility of balancing and learning plays as well as keeping up with school work. Practicing three hours a day, time management is a major skill she had to learn. After playing water polo for many years now, Atkins says that “once you get used to the rhythm of going home and doing your homework and going straight to sleep, you try not to waste any time.” Having a busy life of playing water polo and doing well in school, Atkins still puts in time for doing the stuff she loves. Whenever she has free time, Atkins talks about how she “loves to watch shows and movies.” Like many other teens, she loves to have fun, but when it comes to school and sports, she takes it very seriously. This being her last year, she wants to make it one of the most memorable ones. She says she hopes to spend her last year “spending as much time with my friends as possible.” Atkins says that since her last water polo season is coming to an end, she says that one of the things she will miss the most is “definitely all of my teammates.” Although she will longer play water polo for Keppel after this year, she says, “if I find a club where I can play, I would definitely continues water polo.” Despite the season coming to an end, Atkins and the rest of the team will have a chance to continue playing. The water polo team will play Santa Ana High School for the last first round of the CIF playoff run. Both Atkins and her team are hoping to go as deep into the playoffs as possible.
Sports Calendar baseball On 2/24 versus Pasadena Poly at Pasedena On 2/28 versus Bassett at Bassett On 3/1 versus El Monte at Mark Keppel On 3/2 versus Gabrielino at Gabrielino On 3/6 versus Dominguez at Mark Keppel
Softball On 3/1 versus Pasedena Poly at Mark Keppel On 3/6 versus Ganesha at Mark Keppel On 3/8 versus San Juan Hills at San Juan On 3/15 versus La Salle at La Salle
Boys Tennis On 2/21 versus Arroyo at Mark Keppel On 2/26 versus El Rancho at El Rancho On 2/28 versus Cerritos at Cerritos On 3/1 versus El Monte at El Monte On 3/2 versus Rosemead at Mark Keppel
Swimming On 3/1 versus San Marino at Barnes Park On 3/9 versus Mt. San Antonio at Mt. SAC On 3/10 versus Mt. San Antonio at Mt. SAC On 3/14 versus Schurr at Schurr
Boys Volleyball On 2/28 versus Los Altos at Mark Keppel On 3/1 versus Sante Fe at Sante Fe On 3/6 versus Temple City at Temple City On 3/8 versus San Marino at San Marino On 3/15 versus San Gabriel at Mark Keppel
Track & Field On 3/1 versus El Monte at Mark Keppel On 3/9 at Rosemead