The Aztec - January 2016 Issue

THE AZTEC VOLUME LXXVIII NUMBER V

IN THIS ISSUE

VIEWPOINT PG 3 Lack of parking lot spaces driving students mad

FOCUS PG 4-5 Superheroes

A&E PG 6 Suicide Forest brings horror to theaters

January 14, 2016

theaztecnews.com

Keppel welcomes new Former principal French teacher Ms. Higgins Jacinth “Jas” Cisneros not returning to Keppel VIVIAN TO Editor-in-Chief/Focus Editor

BONNIE WONG Editor-in-Chief/ Asst. A&E/Features Editor Jacinth “Jas” Cisneros will not be returning to serve as principal of Mark Keppel High School after the Alhambra Unified School District (AUSD) meeting on January 5. The board members approved Cisneros’ reassignment to a district-level position with a 4-1 vote.

The Keppel Alliance urged parents to attend the meeting on to show their support for Cisneros’ return. An email sent out by Sharon Woo, Alliance President, advocated for parent participation in the process of returning Cisneros to Keppel. The e-mail listed three actions that people could take, including attending the Janu-

ary 5 board meeting, signing an online petition, and emailing the five AUSD school board members. Since the first meeting discussing Cisneros’ position on December 8, 2015, over 1,000 student, parents, and faculty signed petitions in favor of Cisneros’ return to Keppel. The online petition has gained 318 signatures at the time of this article’s publication.

At the meeting, various individuals spoke in favor of Cisneros’ return to Keppel, highlighting the numerous projects that she has spearheaded as principal and emphasizing her dedication to the students and school.

PTSA Committee Member Denise Tso said, “It would be a waste of [Cisneros’] time and talents to be sent to the district [to work].”

Due to Ms. Verner's commitment to family, Keppel welcomes Ms. Erin Higgins as the new French teacher.

Ms. Higgins has taught English to 9th and 10th graders, SAT Prep, College Prep, Art History, and French at Alliance William and Carol Ouchi High School for seven years and at Camino Nuevo Charter Academy for two years, making this year her tenth year teaching.

Ms. Higgins studied at the University of Illinois before moving to California to open her own tutoring company, where she mostly teaches French and writing. She also helps seniors with college applications and ESL [English Second Language] students. Ms. Higgins recently graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles with a doctorate in education back in December. She missed teaching at a high school, so she decided

THE AZTEC/VICTORIA RAMIREZ New French teacher Ms. Higgins poses for a picture.

to teach at Keppel.

So far, she has had a smooth transition coming to Keppel.

Since finals are over, she felt that it is “great to start off fresh with the students.”

(Continued on page 2)

SPORTS PG 8

Girls soccer continues winning streak

Seniors Amanda Xaypraseuth, Alexander Beaumont, Melissa Zepeda, and Michelle Martinez are announced as winners of the Poetry Slam.

Your calendar 1/18 School Holiday 1/19 School Site Council Meeting 1:45-2:45 pm in Aztec Conference Room 1/20 MKHS PTSA Meeting 7-9 pm in Cafeteria 1/22 Minimum Day Schedule 1/27 Collaboration Schedule 1/27 MKHS Alliance Meeting 7-9 pm in Cafeteria 2/2 English Learner Advisory Council Meeting 6:30-7 pm 2/3 Collaboration Schedule 2/8 School Holiday

COURTESY OF MS. ARZATE

Students participate in first annual Get Lit Classic Slam poetry contest ANTHONY JIAN Staff Writer The Get Lit Classic Slam qualifying round took place this past Tuesday, January 12th. Seniors Michelle Martinez won 1st place, Alexander Beaumont and Melissa Zepeda tied for 2nd place, and Amanda Xaypraseuth won 4th place.

Held by English teacher Dorothy Burkhart, The Get Lit Classic Slam is an event which helps students to see themselves as powerful people with powerful voices.

According to Ms. Burkhart, “This event is about taking a classic poem, [and using] it to find your own story.”

Students from all five of Ms. Burkhart's English classes were required to present a classic poem and an original reponse poem.

From a panel of judges, the top three students had the opportunity to participate in Get Lit. Martinez said, "I had stage fright and I finally conquered that fear through poetry and Get Lit." Students were given about 10

weeks to prepare their classic and response poems. Out of the 25 students who participated in this event, six will represent Mark Keppel at the Get Lit Clasic Slam at the Los Angeles Theater Center, which take place from April 28-30. Over 40 schools from Los Angeles County will compete.

Tuesday's winners will occupy the top four spots on Keppel's team. The final two team winners are to be determined.

Students from San Gabriel High School and Alhambra

High School will also compete at the Classic Slam, which will take place in April.

There were five judges for this event, including Mr. Yankowsky, Ms. Brown, Ms. Bradley, Ms. Burkhart, and Ms. Arzate.

Senior Melissa Zepeda said, “[I've] always liked poetry [and] we never had a poetry club. This is my last year, which motivates me to participate in this event.”

Ms. Arzate said that she was surprised by all of the passionate poets because she has never really seen this side of Keppel.

(Continued from page 1) When it comes to teaching, Ms. Higgins thinks “that learning about the world, about people and different cultures really promotes tolerance and respect for others and differences.” She loves “opening students’ eyes to the world and sparking students’ curiosity.”

Much like many students, Ms. Higgins began learning French when she was a freshman in high school up to her last year in college, where she also studied abroad for one year in Montpellier in Southern France.

She said, “It was hard living with a family [who] spoke only French and German, so I was kind of forced to communicate [in French].” She also felt that “learning to take notes and really listen to the professors was a little bit of a culture shock,” but she loved the experience and was even able to travel to over 27 countries every weekend during her stay.

Outside of school, Ms. Higgins enjoys going to the beach with her dog, cheerleading, choreographing, singing, playing the flute, reading and collecting old books, traveling, and watching movies. One thing that most people may not know about Ms. Higgins is that one of her ancestors, James Hoban, was an Irish architect who designed the White House.

Overall, Ms. Higgins said, “I just love it here so far; I’m really happy, and I’m excited to work with the students for the rest of the year.”

One of the decorated floats displayed at the Rose Parade float viewing.

Keppel students, staff participate in Rose Parade SOPHIE WONG Staff Writer

Early on the morning of January 1, Honda presented the 127th annual Rose Parade at Pasadena to start off the New Year. The 5.5 miles route down Colorado Boulevard featured 42 floral floats, 18 marching bands, and 19 equestrian units.

This year’s theme, Find Your Adventure, was chosen by the Pasadena Tournament of Roses and U.S National Park Service’s special partnership.

Many of Keppel’s Key Club members volunteered in float decorating. Some of these participants includes junior Hannah Wong, the California-Nevada-Hawaii District Sergeant at Arms Coordinator, and Andy Lau, MKHS Key Club Sopho-

Calculus Airband displays student talent

DARWIN TSE Asst. Editor-in-Chief/Web Editor

Calculus Airband will be today, January 14, at 3:00 p.m. The annual show consists of dance routines performed by AP Calculus AB students and musical performances by band and orchestra. Tickets are $7 presale and $10 at the door. Proceeds will go towards band.

Calculus Airband first began over 20 years ago, where former student Dr. Daniel Kamei would rap in front of former AP Calculus AB teacher Ms. Kimura’s class as a fun performance. Class performances turned into shows at the auditorium, now with singing and dancing. When Ms. Ling began teaching Calculus AB, the tradition continued to flourish and evolve.

Ms. Ling separated her three classes into six “rings” or groups. A designated

THE AZTEC/VICTORIA RAMIREZ

“ring leader” was in charge of organizing the routine and ensuring that other members of the ring learned the dance routines.

“Getting the synchronization down was the hardest,” said ring leader and senior Ariel Wong. “Overall, we practiced about 15 hours.”

Because of how much time the Calculus students spend together, many students feel that they have gotten closer.

“I definitely got a lot more comfortable with everyone in my Calculus ring,” said junior Daniel Lu. “I got closer to many of them through practicing routines together or talking about life.”

Aside from the six rings, ensembles from band and orchestra will be playing mashups of popular pop songs between the dance performances.

more Representative. Both partakers have had experience decorating floats in the past. Wong volunteered for four days, approximately 45 hours.

“It’s nice to see that you make a difference although it doesn’t seem like much.

Knowing that you contributed to something everyone sees is very cool. I will most likely do this again because I get to bond with friends I do not usually see,” Wong stated. Both Wong and Lau explained that the tasks are neither simple nor difficult.

The various duties ranged from garbage duty to collecting and cutting flowers. “It was a nice experience, and I highly recommend trying it out. I was very satisfied with the outcome,” Lau said.

Senior Bonnie Wong also participated in the Rose Parade, as a member of the

Girl Scouts, and held the Mayor’s Trophy banner for the City of Los Angeles float during the parade.

Keppel Key Club Kiwanis advisor and member of the Monterey Park Kiwanis, Ms. Bennett also volunteered for multiple shifts to sign in and feed volunteers during parade decoration. Ms. Bennett worked from 6:45 a.m. to sign in volunteers as well as helped in preparing 500600 lunches and 350-500 dinners for the float decorators.

The attacks in San Bernardino triggered more security in the area during the Rose Parade. According to scpr.org, temporary surveillance cameras were installed along the parade route. Federal personnel employed explosive-detection methods such as bomb-sniffing dogs and devices that

Winterfest to raise money for clubs WESLEY ZENG Asst. Business Manager The third annual Winterfest will occur outside the old gym on Friday, January 22, from 6-9 p.m. Winterfest is an event for students and the community to gather together to fundraise for clubs, school related organizations, and sports teams.

Each club is allowed to have one booth costing $10.

Food selection was determined by a raffle at an all-clubs meeting held by ASB. Each club is allowed to sell one drink or food item. This is to ensure that all clubs will have a fair chance of sales and to ensure a variety of food. “[We had] 200 paying customers the first year… [and] about 125 last year,” said ASB advisor Ms. Carmona. She explained how this year’s Winterfest will be

occurring the same night as a home basketball game. She had also suggested to “bring 10 to 20 bucks… to sample a few [of the food booths].” Booths prices will range from $1-$5.

In addition to the food booths, ASB will be having a photo booth for students to take pictures. Props will be provided, and each photo will cost $1. Also, the Lion Dance club will be performing, and music will be playing throughout the whole event. Yearbooks will also be sold at Winterfest.

“It may help publicize some group[s],” says CSF club president and senior Kyle Tse, explaining how smaller clubs can advertise themselves.

This event will be free admission, and Keppel students are encouraged to bring family and friends.

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

Yang Lu Copy Editor/Business Manager Edlyn Wong Head Cartoonist Aurora Zeng Cartoonist Wesley Zeng Asst. Business Manager Kristin Chingburanakit Photographer

Rodolfo Arias Photographer

Cristina Gonzalez Staff Writer

Eric Tam Staff Writer

Angela Chen Asst. Focus Editor

Anita Huang Staff Writer

Shanae To Staff Writer

Celeste Arambula Staff Writer

Anthony Jian Staff Writer

Babyruth Torres Staff Writer

Dianne Do Staff Writer

Cole Kim Staff Writer

Sophie Wong Staff Writer

Noelle Frasher Staff Writer

Kevin Kuang Staff Writer

Arodi Garcia Staff Writer

Kenneth Liu 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

Lack of parking spaces driving students mad KEVIN KUANG Staff Writer Many Mark Keppel student drivers are finding themselves exhausted from early alarms as they have to wake up extra early to get a parking spot in the Mark Keppel lot.

Due to Keppel’s small student parking lot, which has approximately 45 spots, students are forced to wake before the sun rises or else they have to park on streets farther away.

When a sample of student drivers were asked what time they get to school, most participants responded that they routinely arrived between 7:057:20 a.m. Senior Elaine Ha said that she gets “mad and annoyed”

when she doesn’t get parking. “I have to park across the street or on Rural,” Ha said.

When they don’t get parking, many students park on Sierra Vista Street or under the freeway, which can be dangerous and unsafe. The area is not monitored, which makes it vulnerable to damages and theft.

There are possible solutions to resolve this issue. Although Mark Keppel does not have the luxury of a massive parking lot, it does have a parking lot in the back.

However, this area is restricted for school teachers, principals, and staff members.

Although it would seem unreasonable to ask the school to allow all student drivers to park in the lot freely, the school may

compromise and allow students the park in the lot after school employees have secured a spot in the backlot on a first-come firstserve basis. Another solution, which may result in negative feedback, is charging for parking.

This option can limit the number of drivers occupying the parking lot.

Whatever the solution is, something must be done. Every year, the parking lot fills up more quickly as more students receive their driver’s license.

When the school year started, the lot filled up by 7:25a.m. Now, second semester, the lot fills up by 7:15a.m. That’s a dramatic change that costs student drivers ten minutes of much-needed rest.

THE AZTEC/ KRISTIN CHINGBURANAKIT The parking lot becomes crowded as too many drivers attempt to leave after school.

Rave Culture: Please rave responsibly

BONNIE WONG Editor-in-Chief/ Asst. A&E/Features Editor

Dimly-lit Instagram photos populated with costumed teenagers and the occasional fanny pack may not sound like anything out of the ordinary, but upon further inspection reveal a lot about a hidden culture saved for late night weekends.

Music festivals such as Electric Zoo and Nocturnal Wonderland are marked by their Electronic Dance Music (EDM), heavy crowds, dancing, and drugs. Early forms began as underground movements where people would gather and dance to different types of electronic music. From there, the scene shifted from Acid House Parties in the ‘80s in Chicago to House Music in London, Genre Creation in the United Kingdom, and finally to the U.S. where its newer form took shape to the event that is known today.

Many from the younger generation have taken up “raving” as their hobby of choice. The culture has evolved from being solely about music to embodying fashion and entertainment technology.

Millennials are catching on. From YouTube videos of the festivals, raves appear to be fun, brightly-colored events centered on music where people can socialize with friends with line-ups featuring their favorite DJs. Jamie Huang, senior,

Ravers rejoice at Escape Halloween, a rave event.

who has attended music festivals in the past said, “I really like the atmosphere because everyone is really friendly with each other. When the lights and music on the set come out it feels like you’re not in reality.”

Indeed, critics say that Millennials are saving the music industry, which is estimated to be worth $6.2 billion a year (International Music Summit Business Report). Huang says tickets she has purchased have been between $60-$180.

Yet a darker side to these events is prevalent. Huang says she has not used drugs but has witnessed someone who suffered a seizure. “I can see why parents wouldn’t allow [their children] to go because people say they die from drugs there, but it’s honestly [the person’s] choice...Other people go there for fun and the music but those people shouldn’t ruin the festivals for everyone.” The U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services reported that emergency room visits doubled among people under 21 due to the psychoactive drug MDMA. As of February 2013, 14 people from the Los Angeles area have died as a result of drug intoxication and overdose, one being under the age of 18.

Regardless, Huang believes that “everyone should give it a try instead of judging it from the news. It’s a different experience [especially] if you enjoy being with people.”

COURTESY OF @ESCAPEHALLOWEEN ON INSTAGRAM

New wave of Senioritis hits Keppel The effects of senioritis on students.

DIANNE DO Staff Writer

This is the second semester of the school year, which means that senioritis is hitting Keppel seniors. Senioritis is known to be a “crippling disease” that strikes high school seniors. Symptoms include laziness and an excessive wearing of sweatpants.

Senioritis also features a lack of studying, repeated absences, and a generally dismissive attitude. The only known cure is graduation (Urban Dictionary).

Senior Nevin Chow agreed that seniors, who have finished applying to colleges tend to slack off during second semester. Students may be more relaxed academically, thinking that their fates have already been sealed. Although this may seem true, colleges might look at second semester grades

THE AZTEC/ AURORA ZENG

after admission to make sure students are completely giving up.

Many seniors possess the attitude that teachers should cut them some slack. These students may argue that teachers should be more lenient-to an extent-because seniors have worked diligently for almost four years and have just about run out of fuel.

At the same time, it is the responsibility of the seniors to maintain grades and to continue learning. Slacking off is okay to a point, but eventually absences and overdue assignments start to pile up, and some seniors may find themselves overwhelmed.

However, Chow said that seniors should “embrace it.” He believed that once senioritis has taken affect, the best course of action may be welcoming it. School is important, but so is enjoying the final moments of the high school experience.

TUTORING IN YOUR HOME Algebra 1 and 2, Geometry, Pre-Calculus, AP Calculus, AP Chemistry, SAT UC Berkeley Graduate Roy Wu (626) 818-2657

Which SUPERHERO Are You? ARODI GARCIA Staff Writer

Spider-man

If you are known for your sense of humor and have a strong sense of responsibility, then you have traits similar to those of Spider-Man. Spider-Man cracks jokes to relieve the stress of a situation, or to hide how scared he really is during a crisis.

However, whenever a life is in danger, he will take the current situation seriously.

Although hated and persecuted by the public, he swore to protect and still attempts to do the right thing.

BATMAN VS SUPERMAN ERIC TAM Staff Writer In recent years, moviegoers all across the world have been facing an onslaught of over-the-top Marvel superhero productions. However, despite this action movie renaissance, two heroes of the DC Universe remain iconic: the brooding dark knight, Batman, and the man of steel, Superman. These two comic book icons have a treasured place in entertainment history.

For the first time, Batman and Superman will clash on the big screen in Zack Snyder’s film Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. The film will release in the U. S. on March 25, 2016. Henry Cavill will be returning as Superman. Cavill previously starred in the 2013 Superman film, Man of Steel. Ben Affleck will star as Batman. The controversial casting of Affleck came as a surprise to fans. Affleck is known for both directing and starring in 2012’s Argo, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture.

Superman’s first appearance was in the April 1938 issue of Action Comics, one of the first commercial comic book series. He was born on the planet Krypton, home to an alien species that is humanoid but has immense physical power beyond human comparison. At the time of Krypton’s destruction, Superman, named Kal-El on Krypton, was just an infant. He survived his home planet’s destruction in an escape pod. The pod made its way to Earth, where he was found and raised as Clark Kent. He lives a normal human existence as a reporter for The Daily Planet, a newspaper. Meanwhile, in secrecy, he also acts as Superman, who saves people from unknown dangers. With supernatural abilities like laser vision and the ability to fly, Superman does the impossible.

VOICES: I

SUPERPOW Senior Joseph Caldera

“I choose super-speed because in an instant, everything happens, and you can do sneaky stuff when you’re fast.

I also like running in general.”

Freshman Bry

THE AZTEC/ VICTOR

evil's never KENNETH LIU Staff Writer

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Both Superman and Batman have relatively murky universes in comparison to their Marvel counterparts. The comics of these two heroes are often gruesome and cynical, with a reliance on much darker humor. In the United States, these two superheroes have become culturally immortal, and their impact on pop culture is deeply felt throughout many generations.

Pictures Courtesy of Marvel and DC Universe. Cartoon by Edlyn Wong.

SUPE THE AZTEC/ VICTORIA RAMIREZ

The origin story of Batman may be more well-known. The Dark Knight movie trilogy concluded only four years ago with the 2012 film The Dark Knight Rises.

A young Bruce Wayne witnessed the death of his billionaire parents, Thomas and Martha Wayne, at the hands of a gunman. Despite tremendous affluence, Bruce’s father was a virtuous and charitable man, who raised Bruce to be just as selfless and caring towards all. Bruce was deeply troubled by his father’s death. As an adult, Bruce uses his wealth to become the vigilante superhero Batman. Using the most advanced technology that his money can buy, Batman seeks to bring justice to Gotham, a metropolitan megacity riddled by crimes.

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100 students were polled about which of the two superheroes they liked better.

In every superhero series, one supervillain always pose the greatest threat.

In the Superman comics, S meets his nemesis, Lex Lutho extremely intelligent scientis as one of the most intelligen the world. Instead, he uses hi ic mind as his weapon. His e include destroying cities, bra innocent people, and specifica his own parents. Lex ’s main achieve world domination. Sophomore Matthew H “Lex Luthor isn’t just Superman’s greatest enemy, he’s of the greatest enemies of the entire DC Universe. years, Lex has fluctuated between being a corrupt bus a mad scientist, and a world-conquering supervillain. E trying to conquer the world, he always proves as an ob Superman, always trying to kill him.”

In the Batman series, Bruce Wayne witnesses th death of his parents as a child, which motivates him to and mentally train himself. Bruce wears a mask and su his identity and creates a bat-inspired persona to figh the city of Gotham.

Later in the story, Batman is introduced to the Joke comes his greatest archenemy. The Joker is a mastermin with a clown-like appearance. He is depicted as a sma and psychopathic killer who murders for his own am The Joker has no real goal but to create havoc and m

You are incredibly smart, but sometimes your rage may get the better of you.

His anger causes him to bypass rational thought and go straight into smash mode, in which he destroys everything in his path, especially the things that make him angry. The angrier he is, the stronger he gets.

batman

Perhaps you are extraordinarily intelligent and hardworking in trying to attain excellence in everything you do. In addition, you may have a tendency to be a little too intense and humorless, but you still value justice. Batman suits you.

Witnessing the death of his parents motivated Batman to eliminate criminals from Gotham City. His moral code refrains from killing because that will make him no better than the criminals that he put behind bars. He believes, deep down, that all people can be good.

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IF YOU COULD HAVE ANY

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Campus "Super" visors ANITA HUANG Staff Writer

Junior Alanah Etheridge

“Mind control because I can get people to do things that I want them to do.”

Sophomore Ashley Rock THE AZTEC/ DARWIN TSE

“I will want to have shapeshifting because you can change into anything, [such as] objects, another version of yourself, other people, or animals.”

“If I want someone to be happy, they will happy. [I would want to have this superpower because] I like it when other people are happy.”

THE AZTEC/ VICTORIA RAMIREZ

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Voices by Angela Chen

RIA RAMIREZ

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If you are extremely kind, generous, and talented at pretty much everything you do, then you may identify with Superman.

Superman is a very moral person who believes in preserving lives.

In the comic, Superman/Batman #3, Batman once said, “In many ways, Clark is the most human of us all. Then...he shoots fire from the skies, and it is difficult not to think of him as a god. And how fortunate we all are that it does not occur to him.”

everyone around him. In fact, he does not even have goals to kill Batman, but instead, wants to keep him alive so that he can “play” his psychopathic “games” with Batman. Freshman Zachary Norman said, “I think the most despicable villain in the Batman series is Joker. His atrocities are done for no other reason than to cause harm.”

Not all heroes have the mentality of Superman and Batman who fight for justice and protecting the innocent. In the upcoming movie, Deadpool, Wade Wilson is diagnosed with cancer and offers to be a test subject for a possible cure by Canada’s Department K. The success of the experiment gives Wade a new ability, the ability to regenerate destroyed tissue at a superhuman rate. In the movie trailer, it is debatable whether or not Deadpool is considered a hero or an anti-hero. He is depicted as a violent and carefree person, but it is not said what his main goal is and whether or not he fights for justice. Senior Philly Lui believes that Deadpool is neither a hero nor an anti-hero. He said, “I think he is a simple man trying to live his life, but something always gets in the way.” He also said that he is looking forward to seeing the movie when it comes out on February 12.

High school is a place of learning, but it may also be a place of misconduct. Therefore, campus supervisors serve to ensure student safety.

Like superheroes, campus supervisors are full of tenacity and dedication to the school. Not everyone may exhibit proper behavior, but to keep these behaviors to a minimum, campus supervisors act as superheroes to save, guide, and protect the students and the school.

From the hallways to the parking lot, the campus supervisors watch over the students. Although they can be demanding at times, campus supervisors execute specific instructions from the administration to best serve the students.

Keppel employs seven campus supervisors: Rick Rodriguez, Anthony Granados, Antonette Rodriguez, Alicia Van Zandt, Larry

Landless, Pete Gomez, and Eddie Gerardo. They patrol the school to keep all students and staff safe.

Senior Jacky Leng said, “Without the campus supervisors, I feel like the school wouldn’t feel as safe as it would be if they were here to watch over the students.”

Regardless of weather or circumstance, the campus supervisors continue to make sure that the campus is safe. If a student were to get hurt, they would be able to perform first aid and use their “super powers” to contact the nurse via telepathy [a.k.a. walkie talkie] and transport the student for further care.

Campus supervisor Rick Rodriguez said, “I am very grateful about my job. I’ve worked at all three schools of the Alhambra Unified School District and I like Mark Keppel the best. It has the best students and they are well-mannered.”

The heroes among us AURORA ZENG Cartoonist Perhaps the iconic Superman is the first to come to mind when hearing the word “superhero.” However, upon deeper reflection, a superhero doesn’t have to be someone with supernatural powers. In fact, superheroes can be just ordinary people. The question is, what makes a someone a superhero?

Sophomore Leslie Soto defines a superhero as anyone with a positive motive to help and support others or take extra steps to be their best.

She considers her father a superhero, stating, “Even if he is having a bad day, he pulls through [to support us at home] because he knows he has a responsibility.”

Senior Jimmy Chong has a similar view: he sees superheroes as people with admirable traits.

He reveals that the superhero in his life is his mother, who works constantly to “patch her family and do everything from bills to housework alone.” He feels that every mother who “raise[s]

their children the right way” deserves the title of a superhero. “Mothers can take a heck lot,” Chong said.

According to Patricia Harned, the director of Character Development and Research at Ethics Resource Center in Washington D.C., making mistakes in the past does not make someone less of a superhero. She stated that being a superhero is the sum of life, and mistakes can be just as important as long as they teach valuable lessons.

However, making mistakes is inevitable. Even heroic figures like Martin Luther King, Jr. have made mistakes in the past.

Superheroes are not limited to just the characters that we have come to know in comic books or movies. Instead, superheroes are all around us: our friends, our teachers, ad our families can all be considered as superheroes. Likewise, simple acts of kindness and support can make you a superhero, too.

Afterschool comes to Keppel COLE KIM Staff Writer

A certain app has resurfaced on the app stores of iTunes and Google Play: the Afterschool App. It’s an anonymous posting app, similar to Ask.fm and Yik Yak, with the special feature of posting it only to the group of the school you go to.

Upon opening, the user is greeted with the app’s tiger-faced beach model mascot.

The app soons loads into the school the user is registered with or prompts to verify that they go to one. As soon as you’re verified, you’re granted access to any and all posts written by anonymous people at your school. Each post is paired with a GIF picture and a report, like, and comment button.

The app is new to Keppel, but was released in October 2014 by Cory Levy and Michael Callahan of One, a social media startup. They are aware of the app’s main problem: anonymous cyberbullying. In Ohio, there was even a gun threat posted within the app. There are many petitions and tweets to take the app down, signed by school administrators, parents, and some students, for good reason. Sophomore Cristian Diaz said, “Since any and all posts are anonymous, you have the ability to say anything.” Eventually, the app was put under temporary removal from the app and play stores.

Released again in April 2015, the app was updated with increased security features. Keyword search programs could pick up a wider list of keywords. TechCrunch. com reported that “if the AfterSchool reviewer notices that a member posts a dire message indicating possible self-harm, the

app will immediately ask the user if they would like to chat with someone.” Parents and users are also able to restrict content such as profanity, and the app store version has an age requirement of 17 and up.

Even if the app has improved safety, the fact remains that teens can say whatever they want. However, this feature is why people love the app. Diaz adds that he likes the app “because the posts are anonymous.”

Taking away anonymity is taking away the app’s point. It’s also easier to share your feelings when others don’t know your identity. Recode.com states that “Ultimately, [Callahan] hopes students will start to police themselves.”

THE AZTEC/ VICTORIA RAMIREZ Afterschool’s startup page, featuring a tiger-faced beach model.

Holmes locked on to the small screen NOELLE FRASHER Staff Writer On Friday, January 1, PBS aired the Sherlock Christmas special, Sherlock: The Abominable Bride. Set in the Victorian period, most of the episode takes place in Holmes’ mind palace and follows where it left off in the previous episode.

A man in London is mysteriously murdered by his wife, who supposedly committed suicide hours before. However, what Sherlock does not realize is that the woman, who is dressed in her old wedding gown, faked her death so that she can kill him. After the successful murder, the woman then kills herself. Rumors that spread through London inspire other wives to mimic the “Abominable Bride” crime. After several murders, the police department assigns Holmes and Watson to the case.

As Holmes inspects the dead body of the original “Abominable Bride” for clues, he is attacked by her corpse. A man then attempts to fight Holmes after he escapes the corpse, stating that Holmes is stuck in his “mind palace.” In order to test this, Sherlock kills himself and wakes up on an airplane. It is then that Watson explains to Holmes that he was in a drug induced hallucination after overdosing on cocaine.

Sherlock fan, freshman Alexandra Carmona, stated that although this was not

the best episode, it was intriguing. Carmona said, “It was interesting for the story to ‘rewind’ into its original time period.” Senior Joshua Kasanjian agreed that this special was entertaining, stating, “ I liked how the special had many references to the previous seasons. It was also very funny, and tied everything together nicely.” However, Carmona stated that she disliked the fact that majority of the episode took place in Holmes’ “mind palace,” thus not advancing the series.

This rendition of the original Sherlock Holmes story is one of many in the cinematic world. When questioned why the story was gaining popularity, Kasanjian explained. “The iteration of the Sherlock Holmes story is popular because it shows how Sherlock and Watson are in today’s modern world, while still retaining aspects of the original stories.” Carmona agreed, stating, “These stories are popular because of the timelessness of the characters and situations. Regardless of the time or place, the concept of ‘deductive reasoning’ stays a novel idea. Besides the fact that the cases and their solutions are still very interesting today, the characters (Sherlock and Watson) remain as a famous duo of literature and make the stories recognizable.”

Although the special aired on January 1, fans can still watch the new episode online on PBS starting on January 11.

Main character Sara Prince (played by Natalie Dormer) in The Forest.

COURTESY OF GOOGLE IMAGES

“Suicide Forest” brings screams to theaters ANGELA CHEN Asst. Focus Editor

Located at the base of Mt. Fuji, Aokigahara Forest is something straight out of a horror movie. The 13.5 square mile forest is known as Jukai, or the Sea of Trees, by the locals due to its dense topography. The forest is completely devoid of animal life, and the closely-knit trees prevent wind and sunlight from penetrating the forest floor. Deposits of magnetic iron in the earth render compasses useless; combined with the eternal twilight, it’s the perfect place to get lost.

This is primarily the reason why Aokigahara is infamous for being the second most popular suicide destination in the world, the first being the Golden Gate Bridge. Over 247 accounts of attempted suicide were recorded in Aokigahara in 2010 alone. Positive signs and helpful messages that say, “Your life is a precious gift from your parents,” are posted periodically near the entrance of the forest

and within it in an effort to deter those intent on ending their lives to seek help.

In addition to the infamy associated with the forest, Aokigahara is also believed by many locals to be haunted, not only by the suicide victims entombed within, but also by yurei, the vengeful demons of Japanese mythology. This, combined with its naturally eerie atmosphere, spawned the recent supernatural-horror film The Forest, directed by Jason Zada, that opened on January 8th. The movie is centered around American woman Sara (played by Natalie Dormer) who travels to Japan in search of her twin sister, who had entered the forest. Accompanied by a journalist, Sara enters the forest, only to be tormented by the angry spirits of the people who had taken their lives there.

Sophomore Andy Tran said, “I’m going to watch the movie when it comes out. The fact it’s based on a true story piqued my interest... [However] I do not believe the actual forest is haunted. I do not believe in the supernatural.”

Keppel’s Korner Reads: The 5th Wave BRANDON CHUNG Historian/Copy Editor

The 5th Wave is the first book in a trilogy by Rick Yancey about humanity on the brink of destruction by alien forces, and a single girl’s quest to stop them.

The novel opens with a human survivor named Cassie, who recalls surviving the first four “waves,” caused by aliens, called “The Others.” (No, they’re not the White Walkers from A Game Of Thrones, although I admit I think that’d be kind of cool).

Each wave is a cataclysmic event designed to systematically weaken humanity, until they are gone from the face of the planet.

The First Wave: a global power outage.

Everything, from homes to airplanes, are rendered powerless. The Second Wave is a series of massive tidal waves caused by The Others by dropping enormous rods onto the Earth’s fault lines, wiping out almost half of Earth’s population. (That’s about three billion people, folks). The Third Wave is a deadly virus that kills off nearly all of Earth’s remaining survivors, while the Fourth Wave is the revelation that some “human” survivors are actually aliens working to systematically eliminate the few survivors that are left. Cassie now stands at the dawn of the Fifth Wave, with two goals in mind: rescue her brother from the aliens, and destroy them in the process.

I have seriously mixed feelings about this one. In the first half I was flying through it, devouring all the information about humanity’s demise and the grand finale of the Fourth Wave. I thoroughly enjoyed Cassie’s story about her family’s fight to stay alive, and her realization of what the Fourth Wave really was. And then something happened. Maybe it’s because I accidentally left the book in my locker over spring break. Whatever the case, after

THE AZTEC/ VICTORIA RAMIREZ Cover to The 5th Wave, by Rick Yancey.

the first half it got really...boring. Almost half of the second half features Cassie lying in some dude’s spare bedroom, a guy she doesn’t even know. Later on, when it’s revealed what The Others are, and what the Fifth Wave is, it feels anticlimactic. Like going all the way to the top of a roller coaster, and then it getting jammed right before you start the plunge. I honestly expected the big reveal to have more of a dramatic flair to it, a big “this is what the aliens are and what the Fifth Wave is, you’re all doomed” sort of thing. Instead it was more like “yeah, this is what The Others are. That’s what the Fifth Wave is.

What do the aliens want? Stay tuned for the second novel.”

Nonetheless, it was still a decent read.

For all you sci-fi lovers out there, give this book a shot. Maybe you’ll like it more than I did.

Girls basketball achieves overwhelming victory against Oilers ERIC LAM & KARLI CHENG Sports Editor & Business Manager

THE AZTEC/ KARLI CHENG

Senior Brianne Woo (5) looks to assist her teammates in a play.

The girls varsity basketball team defeated the Oilers in a landslide victory on January 12, coming out with a convincing score of 75-17.

This puts their record at a 10-7.

The Aztecs started the game off strong on both the offensive and defensive fronts, and simply just did not let up. With a strong showing from the starters and even the first and second strings in both fronts the Oilers found themselves simply overwhelmed and unable to do much aside from a few pass breaks and offensive rebounds. Senior Kaitlyn Lee #12 said, “We hustled and played hard the whole game.

We had many steals that lead to easy

buckets.” Senior Brianne Wong #5 said, “We had some amazing passes that took the opponent by surprise.” Despite being defeated by 58 points, the Oilers continued to show effort throughout the course of the game.

With such a convincing win, the girls seem confident about ther upcoming season. Lee said, “I definitely feel confident that we can go undefeated during the season. If we continue to [play] like we did yesterday, I believe we can make it far.” Wong added, “Given how hard we work, we should be able to beat all the teams in league.”

The girls varsity team play their next game on January 15 against San Gabriel High School, away, with their following home game on Tuesday, January 19, against Alhambra High School.

Girls soccer successful against Alhambra Moors YANG LU Copy Editor & Business Manager

In girls soccer, the Keppel Lady Aztecs won their game on January 12 against the Alhambra Moors with a score of 1-0.

After a few near misses on both sides, the Lady Aztecs and Moors were tied at halftime. However, moments into the second half, Stephanie managed to score, giving the lady Aztecs the lead. The Lady Aztecs successfully maintained their lead until the finishing whistle.

Coach Steve Shahin, who has about ten years of coaching experience across a wide age group, called for the team to emphasis defense after scoring. He stated that “Physically, we [the team] are in good shape; mentally, I think we still have a step or two to go.” Coach Shahin believes that success only comes with dedication and concentration. “We

keep talking about having confidence as a player,” he said. “Confidence sometimes come from being focused and playing smart.” Coach Shahin strives to help the team improve its skills, and invites the student body to attend soccer games. He trusts that the audience would be entertained and impressed by the plays, athletes, and talent at the games.

Junior Tatiana Garnett is one of the two captains, along with Senior Kara Chuang. Beyond her performance on the field as a center mid player, Garnett also provides her team with leadership.

With confidence in the abilities of her team, she said, “we [the team] all love soccer, we all play hard, and so they [the teammates] make it a lot easier to captain over.” During games, Garnett values the communication between teammates to coordinate movements and plays. Ultimately, she is proud of her teammates’ commitment and hard work, hoping to break into California Interscholastic Federation.

Junior Kavian Jalali (11) has his eyes on the ball as he prepares to defend against the opponent.

THE AZTEC/ RODOLFO ARIAS

Boys soccer kicks off against Moors RODOLFO ARIAS Photographer On Tuesday, January 12, the Mark Keppel boys soccer team played against the Alhambra Moors. The game resulted in a loss with a final score of 0-2.

The Moors scored on the Aztecs within the first five minutes. Not going down without a fight, Aztecs amped up defensive strategies. Senior Joshua Chang, goalie, managed to stop all goal attempts by the Moors until the second half of the game.

Chang attributed his success to strong conditioning. “Our team’s strength lies in our endurance. We’ve conditioned with cross country from the summer up until the start of preseason for soccer, so we know how to push ourselves through physical fatigue,” he said.

Although Keppel improved and strengthened offense, the Moors defense proved difficult to penetrate.

As the game carried on, the Aztecs made multiple attempts to score a goal, but the Moors proved to be too cohesive to get through.

Aside from this setback, the current soccer season has ushered in a new coach, Gerson Justiniano, who was the school’s track coach previously. When asked about the coach’s insight, Captain Kavian Jalali said that the coach is very passionate about the sport, and the coach aspires to bring the team up in rankings, matching what he’s achieved in previous schools.

The team members all seem to have a strong respect for their coach, and they are dedicated to be successful in the upcoming games. The next game will be January 14 at Montebello High School.

Senior Kara Chuang (4) prepares to toss the ball into play.

THE AZTEC/ YANG LU

THE AZTEC/ RODOLFO ARIAS

Athlete’s Profile: Kara Chuang EDLYN WONG Head Cartoonist Senior soccer center defense, occasional “left bench,” and team captain Kara Chuang has been playing on the field for 8 years. To Chuang, soccer isn’t just a game - it creates a family. Through the team, she has formed some of her closest friendships. “I basically grew up on the soccer field, and devoted every weekend to playing the sport,” said Chuang. “Overall, it’s just an amazing activity and I wish it was appreciated more.”

Chuang expressed excitement about start the start of the season. She said, “We don’t even have to win games. But I do hope that we end the season knowing that no matter what our league record is, we gave it 110% and left it all on the field.”

She hopes that her teammates will continue to grow closer, which improves confidence and performance on the field.

Aside from soccer, Chuang has also been involved in Girl Scouts for 13 years, is currently a board member of both NHS and the Theatre Company, and is starring as Penny in the school’s spring play. She is a member of CSF and Crown & Sceptre. Outside of school, Chuang takes part in the Team America Rocketry Challenge and the LA Orienteering Club.

Chuang would like to give a shout out to her best friend, co-captain, and twin, Tatiana Garnett.

“Without her, I would literally be nothing,” she said.

Senior Ethan Lam (2) defends against the opponent as Sophomore Josiah Ojiri (25) starts to drive the ball in.

THE AZTEC/ KARLI CHENG

Boys basketball wins against the Montebello Oilers ERIC LAM Sports Editor The boys basketball team played against the Montebello Oilers on January 12, coming out victorious with a score of 52-44.

In the first quarter the Aztecs quickly gained a lead with a combination of strong defense and great offense from senior Nelson Muranaka #21, who ended up making five of seven shots in the first quarter. The Aztecs did well in keeping the Oilers away from the basket, preventing the Oilers from scoring easy points while the Aztecs played at a pace the Oilers could hardly keep up with.

Starting the second quarter with an eight point lead (14-6) and the same tight defense in the first quarter, the Oilers found themselves again unable to get close enough to the basket. The Aztecs were also good at contesting the ball heavily - the Oilers found themselves with

many turnovers.

The third quarter started with another eight point lead for the Aztecs at 25-17, but the Oilers increased focus and kept up their defense to push the Aztecs further away from the basket than the ideal shooting range. However, while the Oilers played more tightly, they failed to keep up with the Aztecs. Although the Oilers seemed to be poised to make a moderate comeback, the Aztecs managed to close up the third quarter with a thirteen point lead, putting the score at 39-26.

As the final quarter kicked off, the Aztecs started aggressively, seemingly determined to close out the game.

However, the Oilers gained momentum with a few good plays and left the Aztecs looking a bit sluggish in the first half of the quarter. At one point, it seemed possible for the Oil-

ers to tie up the game - an impressive three pointer by the Oiler’s leading scorer put the score at 48-42 with about two minutes left on the clock.

Despite this development, the Aztecs maintained the lead and ended the game at 52-44.

With this win, the boys basketball team is at a record of 10-7. Senior Matthew Tan #5 said, “Initially, I was nervous, but after a few plays I started to feel in the zone. We played solid defense and played accordingly to the opponent’s strengths and weakness. However, our opponents were very strong which made it hard for us to get to our spots on the court.” Tan also added that “the goal is to go undefeated and win league championship.”

The team plays their next home game on January 19 against Alhambra.

Sports Calendar Girls Soccer

1/14 Montebello @ Home 1/19 San Gabriel @ Home 1/21 Schurr @ Away 1/26 Bell Gardens @ Home 1/28 Alhambra @ Home

Senior Michelle Martinez (7) plays defense while senior Jessenia Barbarena (10) and sophomore Zoe Atkins (2) look on.

THE AZTEC/ CRISTINA GONZALEZ

Girls water polo experiences defeat against Oilers CRISTINA GONZALEZ Staff Writer Keppel’s Varsity Girls Water Polo team scored two goals against the opposing team from Montebello High School on Wednesday, January 13.

The game ended with final standings at 2-18.

Even though Keppel lost the game, the team’s defense improved as the game went on. In the first half of the game, Montebello made 11 shots, while Keppel scored 0. Then, in the second half, Montebello scored 9 more points, and Keppel’s offense succeeded with 2 scored points. The senior Jessenia Barbarena scored the first point, and Zoe Atkins made the second goal.

Senior Caitlyn Gonzales is proud of the team’s increase in defense as the game progressed.

However, she feels that the team can try to “make more shots and work on accuracy” as well as “try to improve reaction time.”

In accordance with their teammate, Juniors Vienna Tan and Elizabeth Melendrez agree that their “defense improved as the game went on,’ and they think the team could try “being more open for the ball” while also working to improve the accuracy of their attempted shots.

Although they did not beat Montebello, the team is proud of what it did accomplish and of its hard work as the game continued. The team is ready to continue improvement for its next game.

Girls Basketball

1/15 San Gabriel @ Away 1/19 Alhambra @ Home 1/22 Schurr @ Home 1/26 Bell Gardens @ Away 1/28 Montebello @ Home

Girls Water Polo

1/15 Alhambra @ Home 1/21 El Rancho @ Away 1/25 Cabrillo @ Home 1/27 Schurr @ Away 1/29 Whittier @ Home

Boys Soccer

1/14 Montebello @ Away 1/19 San Gabriel @ Away 1/21 Schurr @ Home 1/26 Bell Gardens @ Away 1/28 Alhambra @ Away

Boys Basketball

1/15 San Gabriel @ Away 1/19 Alhambra @ Home 1/22 Schurr @ Home 1/26 Bell Gardens @ Away 1/28 Montebello @ Home

Wrestling

1/20 Schurr @ Home 1/27 Bell Gardens @ Home