THE AZTEC April 2015 Issue

THE AZTEC

VOLUME LXXVII NUMBER VIII

IN THIS ISSUE: NEWS:

Prom • Science Field Day • FBLA • Earth Day • Blood Drive • Band/Orchestra Concert

VIEWPOINT:

Working Out • Gay Marriage • Prom Expectations • Board Position Hoarders • Citizenship Grades • College Rejection

FOCUS:

Throwback to Our Memories

FEATURES:

Furious 7 • Awkwardness • Hidden Places of MPK • Prom or Competition? • PowerSchool • College • Interships

SPORTS:

Athlete's Profile: Samantha Mendez • Boys' Tennis • Boys' Volleyball • Badminton • Baseball • Softball • Swim • Track & Field

Mark

Your calendar 4/24 Academic Pep Rally 4/24 Real Seniors Basketball Game 4/27 SBAC Schedule 4/28 SBAC Schedule 4/29 Collaboration Schedule 4/29 MKHS Alliance Meeting in Aztec Conference Room 7-8:30 pm 5/2 E-Waste Collection at Mark Keppel 5/3 E-Waste Collection at Mark Keppel 5/4-5/15 AP Testing 5/8 Choral Concert 7-10 pm 5/15 Minimum Day 5/15 Last Dance at Palm Court 7-10 pm 5/18-5/21 Closed Week 5/22 Finals Begin 5/25 Memorial Day Holiday 5/28 Minimum Day 5/30 Graduation

ALHAMBRA, CA 91801

April 22, 2015

Students partake in "A Royal Affair" JOANN KONG & KARLI CHENG Staff Writers Students attended the last formal dance of the year, prom at the Santa Anita Race Track's Sirona Restaurant from 7:30 to 11:30 p.m. on April 11.

The venue for prom this year was chosen by the Junior Class Council. The first desired location of prom was the Aquarium of the Pacific, but it was denied by school administrations. This year’s prom location was soon settled at the Santa Anita Race Track. The prom venue is within walking distance from Westfield Santa Anita, an indoor shopping mall within the vicinity of multiple restaurants such as the Cheesecake Factory.

The cost of prom tickets was $90 with ASB and $95 without ASB during Early Bird sales, and $100 with ASB and $105 without ASB after Early Bird sales were over. Ticket prices not only include entry, but also food, music, and photo booths. This year’s prom sold 402 tickets compared to last year’s total of 343 tickets. The total income from ticket sales was $39,900, compared to last years' $37,660 total income. Some believe that the promposals on Twitter may have helped increase ticket sales.

Junior Committee president Amanda Xaypraseuth considers this year a success as the Junior Council started with little to no money but was able to make prom happen. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, a book about the Roaring Twenties, inspired the "A Royal Affair" themed prom. Xaypraseuth said that the theme was agreed upon after reading the book in her English class.

The Junior Council has spent the year planning the dance and fundraising to cover the $20,650 cost of prom. Xaypraseuth also commented that she “really appreciated their [the Junior Council board members’] efforts.”

A buffet style dinner was served to the students which included a salad section, two choices of bread, an assortment of vegetables, mashed potatoes, curly marinara pasta with meatballs, and chicken.

For dessert, the students could choose from a selection of rectangular slices of pies and cakes as well as a variety of cookies. Near the DJ stand, a chocolate bar was set up, handing out glittery mason jars filled with sweets to the students.

Senior Jason Chang said, “The food was good enough for me as a vegetarian since I could

ers. Jason Chiou was the DJ for prom.

Chiou was recommended to Junior Committee by chemistry teacher, Mr. Huang.

Senior Annette Cai says that she thought the setting was really nice, especially with the dance floor being outside. She felt that even for those who did not dance, they could still enjoy the night.

Two photo booths and its props were set up for the students to use at one side of the restaurant while the professional photography was set up in a separate room at the other side of the restaurant. The photo booths were free, while Sanford Studios provided the professional photographs that were available through purchase.

Senior Eric Lo liked the fact that there were two separate photo booths as it made waiting for the booths much quicker and there were more opportunities to capture memories.

This year’s Prom Queen nominees were seniors Leyna Cedeno, Traci Chan, Maggie Chong, Bridget Ho, Arin Lee, Allyson Luong, Tammi Matsukiyo, Samantha Mendez, Rebekah De La Peña, and Meredith Lew Tan. Prom King nominees consisted of seniors Tommy Cho, Derek Chow, Steve Dinh, Nick Don, Alan Hu, Brandon Lam, Jimmy Lopez, Anthony Wong, and Chris Wu. The finalists for Prom King and Queen included seniors Traci Chan, Bridget Ho, Arin Lee, Allyson Luong, Tammi Matsukiyo, Derek Chow, Steve Dinh, Alan Hu, Brandon Lam, and Jimmy

COURTESY OF JUNIOR COMMITTEE Lopez. This year's Prom King and Seniors Tammi Matsukiyo and Steve Dinh are crowned prom queen and king.

Queen were announced near the end eat most of the stuff that was served.” of the dance to be seniors Steve Dinh and The dance floor was set up on a terrace Tammi Matsukiyo. outside and a level below the restaurant, Matsukiyo stated that after winning with the DJ and his flashing lights. The Prom Queen, she was in shock. “It was a dance also featured a smoke machine, blur but I was very happy for Steve when which sent out a stream of smoke from he was announced because I know he detime to time with the DJ overseeing ev- served it.” erything from a balcony above the danc-

Keppel hosts annual Science Field Day for middle school students YANG LU Staff Writer Keppel hosted the annual Science Field Day on April 11, featuring 20 competitions and a science fair evaluation for middle school competitors.

Six schools were in attendance, with a total of over 500 students, teachers, and volunteers.

The first place sweepstakes award, in recognition of best overall performance, went to Ynez, followed by Garvey for second place and Repetto for third place.

The day included contests patterned after Science Olympiad and a final team buzzer event named BECAP, which was designed to simulate Science Bowl.

New competitions this year included

Fossil-Lithic Earth, which focused on fossils and other geological subtopics, and Green Generation, which emphasized ecology and human impact on the environment.

The contests occurred in three phases, and competitors who did not have an event during a particular phase participated in an activity called Metric Mastery to enrich their experiences.

Though Keppel students were not eligible to compete, Ms. Hake, Science Field Day Coordinating Advisor, urged students to participate as volunteers.

Ms. Hake said, “Two things: one, it promotes what we offer here at Keppel, we try to mimic out competitive teams, and two, I think if you are a science person, you should take advantage of all these

opportunities to be, specifically, scienceoriented.”

United Sciences Club President, Senior Jason Chang, emphasized the community impact of Science Field Day. Chang said, “I believe that Science Field Day is the best way to get kids interested in science. It’s been nice that Science Field Day is a yearly event again.”

Volunteering in Science Field Day was recorded for United Sciences Club hours and demonstrated active interest in fields of science, which was advantageous to Keppel students interested in joining the competitive science teams.

United Sciences member and one of the event organizers, senior Benjamin Chu said, "It [the event] was exciting, stressful, but a little rewarding in the end."

FBLA competes in state competition at Hyatt Regency TAMMY LEE Staff Writer Future Business Leaders of America competitors went to the State Leadership Conference at the Hyatt Regency in Santa Clara on April 9 to 12 for the state competition.

Awards were given out to senior Denisse Barajas for 9th place in Accounting, junior Yang Lu for 8th place in Job Interview, and junior Andrew Pham for 5th in Personal Finance.

FBLA competitors are those who have a business class and show an interest in competing with other schools. Students may choose an event to compete inincluding job interview, impromptu speaking, accounting, international business, and many more. However, if more than three students choose an individual event, the teachers administer a run-off test. This is where they compete with each other to distinguish who are the strongest three competitors. These competitors then go to the official competition which is the Section Leadership Conference.

To prepare for the competitions, participants go over the criteria in their category they have chosen to compete in. Students would borrow books lent by their business teachers Mrs. Fillpot and Mrs. Baca. They also research online practice tests. Business teachers offer help if the students believe it is necessary. Teachers would also help by giving out practice tests to take at

CHRISTIE HUI Staff Writer

FBLA competitors with their awards at their state competition.

home.

On February 21 at Gabrielino High School, competitors participated in speaking events such as job interviews and impromptu speaking. The participants competed students from schools in the East Los Angeles region. Those who placed in the top 5 proceed to State Leadership Conference. On February 28 at Six Flags Magic Mountain which is the main event, held the written events and the awards ceremony. For this competition, Senior Denisse Barajas placed first in Accounting 1 and senior Kirk Hum placed fourth in

ASB holds third blood drive of school year

BRIAN CHEN Asst. Viewpoint Editor, Web Editor

The third blood drive of the 2014 – 2015 school year was run by ASB for the Red Cross Organization on Friday,April 11 in the Old Gym. This was the first year that Mark Keppel held three blood drives in a single school year and ASB plans on continuing to hold three blood drives in the forthcoming school year.

According to ASB advisor Ms. Carmona, the blood drive was overall unsuccessful. Nineteen students and 3 staff members participated, whereas approximately 60 students donated blood in the previous blood drives in October and January.

The high number of absence of seniors on the day may have contributed to the blood drive’s lack of success.

Ms. Carmona said, “We tried to change

Keppel’s environmental science classes celebrate Earth Day

COURTESY OF MS. BACA

Economics. After the sectionals, they will move on to State Leadership Conference.

At the State Leadership Conference, the biggest competitor is Homestead High School.

President of Future Business Leaders of America, senior Kimberly Thai, encourages her fellow competitors by stating, “I would like to say that the admiration I have for the state competitors and advisers is beyond words. They're taking valuable time from their lives and personally investing into this organization to represent Mark Keppel.”

Environmental classes celebrated Earth Day on April 18th and will be celebrating today, April 22nd.

On April 18th, Ms. Eggerman’s AP Environmental Science (APES) classes taught the general public about over packaging. On April 22nd, which marks the official date for Earth Day, both APES and regular environmental science students will be creating posters to teach people Earth Day concepts and to raise awareness about Earth Day. The posters will be hung in the Keppel hallways.

For the first event taking place on April 18th, APES students presented posters at Barnes Park at the Earth Day Festival.

All students are required to help get the booth ready and some students will have shifts during the festival. There were 18 APES groups that presented. This is the fifth year that APES has worked at the Earth Day Festival.

On Wednesday, April 22nd, APES and regular environmental science students will bring attention to environmental issues such as endangered species, climate change, and ozone loss from the posters they will create and hang.

Ms. Eggerman hopes that students learn “how their actions affect the environment and that things can be changed.”

“Some Enchanted Evening” recognizes band and orchestra seniors in final concert

the date, but were unable to.”

Eligible students could sign up for the blood drive by picking up a form from student bank, ASB members, Red Cross Club members, and the business and activities office. Students had to be at least 16 years old with parent consent or 17 and older to participate in the blood drive.

The blood drive was run by ASB volunteers and Red Cross members. Donors were provided with treats such as cookies, chips, and water, as well as a free t-shirt.

Mark Keppel High School won the Bronze Award last year and was recognized at the Pacific Palms Resort for donating 101 units of blood. Next year, the Alhambra Unified School District is hosting a contest called “The Cup of Life.”

The school that donates the most blood in the school year gets to hold onto the trophy. ASB highly encourages any student age 16 and over to consider donating their blood in the future.

BRANDON CHUNG Historian The Mark Keppel High School Band will be performing their annual concert, Some Enchanted Evening, at Barnes Park on Saturday, April 25.

“I just want to have one last concert because it’s my fourth year,” said senior Saul Aleman. “I’m looking [forward] to ending with a bang.”

This year’s concert is themed “British Invasion” and will feature songs by the Beatles and music from James bond soundtracks, played by the band. Orchestra will be playing songs from the Peter Pan musical, accompanied by cast members who will be singing.

The concert is also a final acknowledgement of the band and orchestra seniors.

During intermission each senior is called up to the stage, where they will receive a certificate and take a picture with Dr. Bartlett as well as their parents.

This year marks the 10-year anniver-

sary of Some Enchanted Evening, which will be performed in the amphitheatre of Barnes Park. The concert will begin at 6:00 and end at around 8. Tickets will be sold by any band or orchestra member, and can also be purchased at the door.

According to Band Director Dr. Bartlett, the concert is meant to raise money for the music program as well as to showcase the efforts of both band and orchestra.

“It provides a service to the community through music and gives the students a new audience to play to,” said Dr. Bartlett. Some Enchanted Evening was first conceived ten years ago, when present-day Mayor Mitchell Ing approached Dr. Bartlett about performing a benefit concert for the music program after watching a benefit concert from Arcadia High School.

Dr. Bartlett is very excited for this year’s concert. “I’m very proud of my students and all they’ve achieved this year,” she said. “[They’ve] really improved their music skills.”

The Aztec 2014-2015

Amber Batchelor Editor-in-Chief

Brian Yeo Sports Editor

Vivian To Co-Asst. Editor-inChief, Focus Editor

Aren Lim Business Manager

Darwin Tse Co-Asst. Editor-inChief, Viewpoint Editor Sarah McCormick News Editor Bonnie Grace Wong A&E/Features Editor

Cory Mak Co-Photographer, Asst.

Cartoonist

Brian Chen Asst. Viewpoint Editor, Web Editor Alexander Beaumont Asst. Features Editor Carmen Ma Asst. A&E Editor

Brandon Chung Historian

Emily Mu Asst. Sports Editor

Karen Ip Co-Copy Editor, Asst.

Focus Editor

Sally Chen Asst. Business Manager

Lydia Xie Co-Copy Editor, Asst.

News Editor

Edlyn Wong Head Cartoonist

Alex Dea Staff Writer

Selina Huang Staff Writer

Yang Lu Staff Writer

Bradley Dea Staff Writer

Christie Hui Staff Writer

Carmen Ma Staff Writer

Victoria Ramirez Co-Photographer

Joann Kong Staff Writer

Maliah Pierribia Staff Writer

Rodolfo Arias Staff Writer

Eric Lam Staff Writer

Ingrid Rodriguez Staff Writer

Karli Cheng Staff Writer

Ida Lam Staff Writer

Stephanie Robles Staff Writer

Kristin Ching buranakit Staff Writer

Tammy Lee Staff Writer

Stephanie Tran Staff Writer

Jonathan Lou Staff Writer

The aztec is published monthly by the journalism class of mark keppel high school and is printed at merican foothill publishing co., inc. all newsprint used is 100% recycled. 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.

In defense of “board position hoarders” CARMEN MA Asst. A&E Editor Leadership positions are highly sought after, but difficult to obtain. This explains the frustration of the “rejects” when the same people are able to secure not one, but several board positions in clubs and other extracurricular activities. Some have even penned these elites as “board position hoarders.” While the success of some students understandably invoke jealousy in others, we must keep in mind that those who lead our clubs and extracurriculars did not just receive their positions by luck; one way or another, they earned their coveted roles.

Board positions are desirable because they look good on college applications, but what many do not think about are the obligations of a leader.

Junior Joy Li, who holds board positions in National Honor Society (NHS), California Scholarship Federation (CSF), United Sciences, and the junior class council, says, “There are few things about being a board member that are easy. Such things include going to board meetings and taking attendance. The most difficult tasks, personally, would

CARTOON BY EDLYN WONG

be organizing new events and how to improve upon the club from the previous year.” Thus, if the people are able, Li does not think that having the same leaders in many clubs and extracurriculars is a bad thing.

While some positions require interviews by teachers and executive board members, other positions call for a general election.

Therefore, obtaining these positions not only requires ability, but also popularity. Senior Julian Chan, who is Math Team Captain, Mu Alpha Theta President, United Sciences Vice President, and NHS Recording Secretary, agrees.

“To be honest, I think it’s more of who in the club knows your name.” said Chan.

While he rejects the notion of his own popularity, Chan does believe that, generally, “club members tend to vote for familiar names.” Chan’s opinion on whether the same leaders across several clubs and extracurriculars is objectionable depends on “how much the person has on his or her shoulders.” Chan believes that “with leadership, quality

could come at the price of quantity.”

The success of these few students may also be attributed to their strong and unique presence.

Senior Vincent Lin, Debate President and Captain, Student Advocates for Voter Empowerment (SAVE) President, Crown and Sceptre (C&S) President, United Sciences Fundraising Chair, and Politics Club Secretary, believes that “an outgoing personality and a willingness to take risks” help in securing leadership positions.

Along with an esteemed academic reputation, Lin’s sense of humor often makes him a favorable candidate for board positions.

Here is a case in point: Lin claims his motivation to lead is driven by his “freudian conceptions of attention-seeking” and that a difficult task required of his board positions is “making da monay” to fund the events of his clubs and extracurriculars.

Although the notion of a few select students “hoarding” board positions may be disheartening to some, note that this pack of students have definitely earned their influence in their extracurriculars.

Citizenship grades Being rejected is not are important too the end of the world

RODOLFO ARIAS Staff Writer

Citizenship grades do not reflect your academic ability, but your character. While many of us may be complacent with an S, or even an N, it’s important to remember that they represent the caliber of our character.

Because citizenship grades do not show up on our transcripts, many students feel that citizenship grades are not worth much.

According to Guidance Counselor Ms. Matsuo, “In terms of college acceptance, they don’t matter or even appear on transcripts.

You could get a ‘U’ in one of your classes and California Universities will still accept you.”

However the major private schools in California such as USC, can request to see them.

Ms. Matsuo added, “Private colleges can call up the school and ask to see the grades of students and then they might ask us how we see you and your behavior.”

However this isn’t usually an issue because students who apply to private school general seem to have high citizenship grades.

Something that isn’t widely known to students is that two N’s in any classes can equal into a U. This can result in not being able to participate in extracurricular activities. Student Athletic Director Mr. Trieu said, “We use citizenship grades to measure the sportsmanship of the students.”

He added, “We want our

student athletes to be quality citizens. They represent Mark Keppel, the community, and it’s important to stress the proper respect on and off the field.” In an athletic point of view, citizenship in very important and helps determine the player’s right to play.

Mr Trieu added, “One thing that is very important to remember with extracurriculars is that it’s a right not a privilege.”

On one hand citizenship grades don’t count as actual grades and don’t show up on transcripts, but with sports it’s almost as important as the skill needed to play the game. Mr. Chu, Volleyball Coach and English Teacher, is someone understands both sides of the coin. According to him, “education is much more than just getting good grades and getting into a good college, it’s about better yourself and being able to be a good person and do really good at life.” He added, “What’s a person with no personal integrity and no moral compass?”

To Mr. Chu, citizenship is extremely important and has to be the best thing to help represent the school, and the students’ values. He said, “I look for the same thing I look for in my classroom, people who will show me what kind of person they are.”

In retrospect, if you’re questioning whether or not citizenship is important, remember that being a good person is equally important as being a good student.

AREN LIM Buisness Manager Got rejected by your dream college? Sorry, but according to society, you are a complete failure and have no future. There is no use in sugarcoating rejection when you can do something about it: community college.

One of the worst parts of senior year is college applications.

Half of your senior year is spent just waiting for a response from colleges. As a senior myself, the emotional rollercoaster is no-

THE AZTEC/VICTORIA RAMIREZ College rejection is not the end of the world.

where near exciting. A true test of patience, self-confidence, inner strength, and willpower come into play, and soon enough your “beloved” senior year becomes an agonizing state of oblivion.

By now, almost every college has notified their applicants if they’ve been accepted or not.

Congratulations to those who did not get their dreams crushed.

However, for those that were less fortunate, you are probably reconsidering your reason to exist right about now.

There is no need to worry. Attending a brand name college doesn’t necessarily secure your future success. Community college is just as valid.

Community college seems almost ideal for students looking for an alternative to heading straight to a four-year institution.

Tuition for a community college is a fraction of any universities, - East Los Angeles College’s cost of tuition is approximately $1,828 per year. They are conveniently located almost everywhere, and they offer two year degrees. Also, your chances of transferring and getting accepted to a four-year institution are much higher.

College can be very expensive, and there are a lot of factors that lead up to the final cost. At some colleges, dorming can cost up to double your tuition. When it comes down to it, money plays

a big role in going to college.

“I know a lot of people who got into good colleges,” said senior Judy Wu, “but they just decided to go to a not-as-good-one to stay closer to home, or to save money.”

One thing Obama is doing to try to cure the education system is attempting to make community college tuition free. But in all honesty, is that even going to help?

Community college may be a valid option, but it is important to keep a realistic attitude. Impaction of classes is happening in community colleges right now, and some people who thought they could transfer out of a community college in two years end up transferring in three.

Senior Judy Wu said, “With Obama trying to make community college free, I think it is going to become very impacted in the future. There’s not a guaranteed chance that you’re going get all the classes you need to transfer.”

Still, community college remains a valid option. So what’s the next step from here?

Your life is obviously not over, and there is definitely a reason to be living at this period of time: bacon crusted pizza, your mom, and Netflix. Name brand colleges are not everything. Getting accepted to a certain college does not define who you are, unless you put it in your Instagram bio.

Don’t fall to the weight of peer pressure ERIC LAM Staff Writer

According to a new research by The Telegraph, almost 10 million women “feel depressed” because of the way Throughout life, we have always felt pressured to they look. The study finds that one in four women feel change ourselves to conform more to the general beauty their body image has held them back from having a fulstandards - guys with huge arms and a well-developed up- filling relationship. Like how men feel body image correper body, girls with a flat stomach and defined curves. lates with success in life, women too believe that having a This pressure good body image can get quite out will allow them of hand and can to have better recause eating dislationships and, orders and a lack ultimately, lead of self esteem. to having a better Many are exlife. pected to go to However, this the gym, feeling specific socithe pressure to etal pressure - to exercise. While work out - is acwe should strive tually very bento attain a figure eficial. Working that exemplifies out releases the health, we should chemicals and not stray away hormones like from the real goal serotonin that at hand: to be makes the perTHE AZTEC/VICTORIA RAMIREZ healthy. Going to Sophomore Raymond Deng deadlifts during his weightraining class. son working out the gym should be a health choice and should be done to feel better,but also more confident. Working out also please yourself, not because of the need to meet the stan- leads to a healthier life and reduces many fatal health dards of beauty that are set by society. issues like heart problems and high cholesterol because In a survey conducted by New Look, men were found exercise improves body metabolism and digestive health. to be less confident than women in their body image.

In the end, people should not feel pressured to work Thirty-five percent of men feel confident, and thirty-seven out. People need to look past the incentive of pleasing percent of women feel confident. Many men feel that it is others, and work out for themselves. Working out should necessary to work out and develop the type of body that is ultimately be a lifestyle choice and should only be done if so often shown in media. the person enjoys it.

Men often correlate body image with success in life as Mark Keppel alumnus Garrett Park, who works out well, and this holds merit. Women are more attracted to at least five times a week, says, “I do feel pressured to men with a more fit body type, and others will more likely workout, but I also really enjoy it. Ultimately, it’s up to the want to interact with someone who looks confident and fit. person - as long as they’re happy and as healthy as they It’s not just men who feel the pressure. can be, that’s all that should matter.”

Prom should have met your own expectations

LYDIA XIE Asst. News Editor & Co-Copy Editor Many stereotypical high school movies all include similar characteristics like destined couples, cliché cliques, and, of course, prom. Since the media has hyped up the idea of prom to the point where it’s ingrained in American culture, it’s difficult to not expect or anticpate anything for prom. From the creative promposals to the romantic aura of the actual venue, many students already have an idea of their own perfect prom. Whether their expectations are met or not, however, is a different story.

With movies centered on the idea of prom, it’s no surprise that a majority of seniors are attending this formal dance. However, prom shouldn’t be based on a Hollywood expectation. Instead, we should go into prom with an open mind and shape our own experience.

Prom Queen finalist and senior Allyson Luong initially didn’t plan to attend prom. She said, “As for prom, Derek and I didn’t [want] to go at first, but since it was senior year and a lot of our friends were going, we decided to attend.” She hoped that her prom experience would include “a beautiful night stroll” and good food. This year’s prom included a buffet table and self-serving drinks that weren’t particularly within walking distance if you sat near the dance floor or photo booths.

This year’s prom location also caused students to feel doubtful of how romantic a horse racing track location for prom could be. Senior Nicke Yu went into prom without having the highest expectations, but in hopes of making life-long memories. Fortunately, Yu’s prom experience met his few expectations. He said, “I didn’t really have many expectations going into prom. Prom did meet my expectations. The only thing I would have changed is the music.”

This year’s prom did meet a majority of the seniors’ expectations, although the company of friends seemed to contribute more to the actual enjoyment of prom rather than the food and venue. Hopefully, seniors had a fun and enjoyable time despite having to smell manure towards the end of the night.

Can someone not support gay marriage?

DARWIN TSE Asst. Editor-in-Chief/Viewpoint Editor This June, the Supreme Court will decide whether same-sex couples will be able to marry everywhere in America under the Constitution. While support for gay marriage has increased throughout the years, support is still far from unanimous. A 2015 survey from the Wall Street Journal found that 59 percent of Americans are in favor of gay marriage, but what about the other 41 percent that don’t support gay marriage? Does not supporting gay marriage make one homophobic?

There appears to be a stigma in our society that generalizes all non supporters of gay marriage as homophobes. The Catholic Church is one of the biggest victims of this generalization. According to a 2014 study from the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI), 58 percent of Americans perceive the Catholic Church to be unfriendly towards the LGBT community.

Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York admitted that Catholic leadership has fallen behind in the same-sex marriage debate, attributing the trend to the Church’s portrayal as “anti-gay.”

“I think maybe we’ve been out-marketed, sometimes,” said Dolan. “We’ve been caricatured as being anti-gay.”

Simply to put it, marriage is defined as between a man and a woman under the Catholic Church, so it is understandable why the Catholic Church may be seen as “unfriendly” toward the LGBT community.

However, a 2011 study from the PRRI found that 43 percent of Catholics favor al lowing same sex marriages and 31 percent of Catholics favor civil unions. Only 22 percent of Catholics say there should be no legal recognition of a gay couple’s relationship. Someone may not support gay marriage, but that does not necessarily

197 Keppel students were asked whether or not they agreed with gay marriage.

mean he or she is homophobic, or even oppose same sex relationships completely.

Pope Francis made world headlines when he stated, “Who am I to judge?” when discussing homosexual priests. This was seen as revolutionary as the Catholic Church had always been an opponent of homosexuality and condemned same sex marriage.

While the Catholic Church may be impervious in changing its views on same sex marriage, there are people that oppose the action of gay marriage, but not homosexuals themselves. Pope Francis has called for the church to open its doors to all, including homosexuals. This is not ho-

mophobia, which is defined as an irrational fear, hatred, or discrimination toward homosexuals. Looking past one’s sexuality as the determining factor for their worth is far different from outright malice and discrimination towards homosexuals. To some, the word marriage is the source of the problem, not the matter of homosexuals themselves.

Marriage has traditionally been defined between a man and a woman for centuries.

Gay marriage may seem like a no brainer to legalize everywhere, but the fight for the right of gay marriage - and gay rights in general - only began to surface in the

1960s. Yes, we should fight for change, but we also can’t expect everyone to agree on same-sex marriage after centuries of condemning homosexualitiy. The fact that churches are slowly becoming more accepting towards the LGBT community is still a remarkable step towards complete gay acceptance.

Gay marriage should be allowed, but it will take time for it to be completely deemed socially acceptable. Even if gay marriage is legalized in June, there will still be disagreement on same-sex marriage and prejudice towards the LGBT community. Change is the first step. Acceptance is the ultimate goal, but acceptance will take time.

“I guess victory would be greater representation in society, in leadership positions,” said Gay-Straight Alliance advisor Mr. Luong when asked when the gay rights movement would be won. “When we don’t have to talk about this as some sort of issue or controversy anymore, where it’s just an accepted everyday thing.”

Will religions that oppose homosexuality ever change their stance on whether homosexuality is wrong? Maybe never, and to some members of the LGBT community, religions such as the Catholic Church will always be unaccepting and unfriendly toward them because of this.

But the fact that gay acceptance is slowly increasing should show that not everyone is a homophobe and non-supporters of gay marriage should not be grouped with homophobes. For the actual ignorant bigots that exhibit malice towards homosexuals altogether, there is little hope in changing their views. Those that oppose gay marriage but have expressed acceptance toward gays can maybe one day learn to acknowledge the obligatory right for two of the same sexes to marry.

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SELINA HUANG Staff Writer Ms. Bennett began teaching in 1983 but did not start teaching at Keppel until September of 2010. She is currently teaching seniors and sophomores Government/Economics, SDAIE (Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English) World History, and SDAIE Government/Economics. When Ms. Bennett first began teaching, she enjoyed wearing pleated skirts and long-sleeved blouses with ruffles at the neck, white stockings, and black flats for school. Now, she likes just wearing a plain hoodie. Ms. Bennett says that her classrooms have become more informal because she only involves administration in discipline issues only for emergencies now.

Workload wise, she says that she assigns as much, or if not, more homework than she did when she first starting teaching. Compared to when she first started teaching, she noticed that more and more students are using electronics to communicate with each other. When asked to describe herself in three words, she included kind, loyal, and slothful. She said, “I am grateful to teach at Keppel and in the Alhambra Unified School District. I’ve seen what else is out there, and whether it seems that way to you or not, this is a pretty nice place. Really.”

Andrew C. Le

CORY MAK Chief Photographer

Ever since we arrived through the doors to high school, it is evident that we change over time, whether it be personality, appearance, or even lifestyle. We come in with the notion that we don’t need to wear uniform anymore like we did back in elementary school, yet the surroundings are so different that we really don’t stray too far from the colors of our elementary years, the size of the campus, the timing, and the lack of a recess. Some may think of it as phases, or different styles, but it is evident that everyone goes through that process, some just more intense than others.

When we were pre-high schoolers, we had uniform standards and strict rules placed upon us. Junior Sammy Chen said, “I stopped wearing uniform, but I stayed with the colors of the uniform like dark blue. As I went through the years, I started getting

more fashionable and ly with people, not qui coming in to high sch he was that awkward s after participating in s ally opened up and re close to students. He w really get to know the b Many students go can change either wit few months. Junior S has also gone through came into to high sch has learned to come o cepts her image for wh part of the cheer team. calmed down from the has had. “In the begin high school because e

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SALLY CHEN Asst. Business Manager

SALLY CHEN Asst. Business Manager

As a freshman, Duque was a quiet, innocent, and funny. “I think I was shy in the beginning because I came from Saint Stephens, a private school, and not that many people from my school came to Keppel for high school.” When she was a freshman, Duque thought of herself as a pushover, allowing people to order her around and let them take advantage of her. However, now she doesn’t let anyone take advantage of her.

As she started to make friends such as Alex Dea, Rudymarie Garcia, Jessie Garnica, and Melissa Aguilar, she became very outspoken and outgoing. Her friends said that the biggest change they have seen her go through, over the years, is now she speaks her mind. If it were not for her friends, she would not be enjoying high school as much as she is right now.

Duque feels that she has been inproving conpared to her freshman year. Duque’s main high school regret is “not trying her best in academics.” She feels that if she had tried harder, then her grades would have been better than they are now. Even thought Duque feels like she could have done better in academics, she would not change anything because “things happen for a reason and what’s done is done.” Duque also said, “I use to think in the moment, but I have learned to look at the big picture.” With this thought in mind, Duque sees herself hopefully becoming an ultrasound technician.

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Junior Patrick Chea started off his freshman year being more focused on academics than on socializing. After being at Keppel for a while, he became more acquainted with different kinds of people.

Looking back at freshman year, Chea would describe himself as “ambitious and curious”.

Chea believes that high school is not always as perfect as the alumni or media portrayed. However, Chea has done his best to adapt by continuing his pursuit of a better future for his friends, family, family, and himself.

Chea does not have any regrets regarding his high school life so far, and he does not plan on having any in the future. Although some of his endeavors did not pan out, he said, “I made an effort rather than living a life of ‘What if...?’” As a future senior, Chea wants to graduate knowing that he went through high school living his life to the fullest extent of his abilities. He wants to be able to attend many social gatherings such as school dances, in order to solidify his friendships one last time before college.

He believes that his school life may have been different without socializing with others. Now, he has amazing friends and is content with life. In particular, he would like to give a shout out to his Academic Decathlon teammates.

SALLY CHEN

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Mr. Chin: Fun and Easygoing SELINA HUANG Staff Writer

whelming because nothing was labeled or given to us as it is now, I had to learn from experience about what was what, where was what, and who was who.” When asked what she would’ve done differently while in high school, Shae responds, “I would’ve broken up with my partner earlier to really gain better control of my life, join more clubs, participate in more activities, and I definitely would’ve done Technical Theater much sooner because it was an experience of a lifetime getting to stage manage Peter Pan.” Overall, students go through changes in high school, and they shape who they become in the future. Although some changes may be big or a little crazier than others, everyone goes through a change—whether it is about looks, personalities, friends, hobbies, interests, or goals.

Mr. Chin has been teaching at Keppel for 11 years, and he is currently teaching juniors and seniors Psychology and AP Economics. When Mr. Chin first began teaching, there wasn’t as much technology involved as there is now, so it was harder to have access to materials and resources for the students. Mr. Chin says that he exerts about the same leniency as he did when he first started teaching, but he started being more consistent with enforcing the rules now. Mr. Chin said, “I don’t want to create a tense environment for students.” In order to do so, he makes seating charts for his students now because he wants them to be more comfortable and less distracted in class. When asked to describe himself, Mr. Chin said, “I think I’m pretty easygoing and fun.”

flash forward: sophomore catherine elizalde VICTORIA RAMIREZ Asst. Photographer Determined, outgoing, and intelligent is what sophomore Catherine Elizalde, wants to be described as when she becomes a senior. Ever since Catherine started her second year of high school, she believes that she has become more responsible in terms of things like school work.

She has also become more comfortable with the high school routine.

Joining the Aztec Singers is just one example of what she wants to accomplish before becoming a senior. However, she hasn’t had the opportunity to explore because of her classes. “I see myself as a very mature person,” said Catherine when asked how she sees herself in the next three years, “and on my way to Biola University.”

VIVIAN TO

THE AZTEC/ VIVIAN TO

freshman maurice rooks VICTORIA RAMIREZ Asst. Photographer Freshman Maurice Rooks, originally from Alhambra High School, transferred to Keppel near the beginning of this school year. Since this is his first year of high school, he hasn’t really had the opportunity to be involved in some of the clubs that Keppel has to offer.

Though, he does plan to become active in at least one during the next three years.

Being on both the track and football team, Rooks sees himself becoming one of Keppel’s star athletes by the time he reaches his senior year. Dance is also another sport that he wants to improve on and hopes to nail all the moves he wants to learn before graduating. However, it’s not all just about having fun for Rooks, being a great student and achieving good grades is also a part of his high school agenda. Overall, by the time Maurice reaches his senior year, he hopes to have had the best high school experience that he can.

THE AZTEC/ VICTORIA RAMIREZ

THE AZTEC/ VICTORIA RAMIREZ

Aca-awkward Discover the hidden gems of Monterey Park KRISTIN CHINGBURANAKIT Staff Writer

When people are feeling shy, can't make a conversation, unable to make friends, or feel anxious around others, these people might be considered as "socially awkward." Many high school students have the tendency to not speak up during class because they are afraid of being embarrassed and they would not know how to handle the situation. Without wanting to speak up, it is really difficult to meet new friends. For example, when junior Khrystalie Le meets someone new, she will "avoid eye contact at all times, say unlikely things, and hope that that person won't give [her] weird looks."

Students always have awkward moments when they see someone from school in a public place, such as the market. Sophomore Joanna Huynh mentions that when she sees someone from school, she would try to “avoid them. But I try avoiding public places altogether knowing that I might see someone from school.”

Teachers also have their awkward moments with students.

Physiology teacher Ms. Dhala says, "I have awkward moments with my students all the time, but I don't find it as awkward anymore! They ask me interesting questions, since it is a physiology class and the students are curious. But I rather have them ask me over their peers for an accurate answer."

There is a whole list of moments that are dreaded by everyone. For one, walking in the hallway and a person’s hand brushes the person next to them. Another one would be, when someone waves to a person and the person does not wave back. Although, the worst awkward moment that everyone has encountered at least once is running into someone in the hallway and side stepping back and forth.

Everyone has at least one, or more, awkward moments that will stick with them forever.

It’s mostly around the years of 13 to 16. At these ages, people are trying to understand all the changes that are going on with their body, emotional and mental statuses. Le confesses one of her most awkward moments, “I saw my friend’s mom at Subway and I was trying to avoid talking to her, since I don’t really know how to speak Vietnamese well.

She saw me and called me over and we had a nice conversation.

I had to go so I said, ‘okay, bye thank you’ I walked away and in my head I thought ‘why did I say thank you?’ So, dumb me, walked back in quickly and said, ‘I don’t know why I said thank you, that was really weird. Okay bye.’ I was embarrassed and scarred for the rest of my life.”

Even if you experience something that you might consider an “awkward moment”, don’t let it get to you and know that everyone is put into an uncomfortable situation during their life.

Awkward.

THE AZTEC/DARWIN TSE

EDLYN WONG Cartoonist With a population of 61, 000 individuals and a handful of recognizable parks, restaurants, and businesses, the city of Monterey Park has quite a few hidden gems.

It’s hard to know every nook and cranny of a city that measures up to eight square miles. Just up the hill on Orange Avenue, operated by the Los Angeles Astronomical Society, lies the Garvey Ranch Observatory. According to the LAAS website, “the observatory is also the home of an 8 inch refractor telescope and a library containing about 1,000 books and numerous magazines of various astronomy subjects.” Junior Vivian Tse who recently visited the observatory said, “I found the observatory through the Monterey Park newspaper. Many of us were first timers to see the planets through a telescope specifically used for observatories and that made us speechless.”

Just around the corner, next to ELAC, sits the Vincent Price Art

The feature film “Furious 7” was released on Friday, April 3rd. Fans all over the world came out to watch, topping the box office at $800 million in just two weeks.

“Furious 7” features everything a “Fast and Furious” fan would expect: Fast cars, hot girls in bikinis, witty jokes, and a lot of action. The cast features members from the original film such as Paul Walker, Jordana Brewster, Michelle Rodriguez, and Vin Diesel. Alongside them are members that joined later in the series such as Dwayne

“The Rock” Johnson, Ludacris, and Tyrese Gibson. One of the newest members joining the cast of “Furious 7” is Jason Statham.

A lot of hype was built up after Statham was featured in the postcredit scene of “Fast and Furious 6”. In “Furious 7” Statham plays an antagonist named Deckard Shaw who seeks revenge for his hospitalized brother.

Since the first film’s release in 2001, franchise has still implemented the same theme in every movie: family is everything. The Fast and Furious franchise portrays one of the most idealistic family and friend relationships amongst the characters in the story.

Museum (VPAM). Currently, the museum features three permanent exhibits including the art of the Ancient Americas, Modern Expressions, and Mexican Modernism, as well as showcasing a few temporary exhibitions.

VPAM provides an environment that showcases a range of interpretation, collection, and preservation of works that “illuminate the depth and diversity of artwork produced by people of the world, both contemporary and past.”

Life in the city can be quite exciting. Especially when you

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dedicate your day to the Monterey Park Golf Club who “strive to offer the number one Southern California golf experience.” This driving range offers a newly renovated nine-hole course for experienced players as well as newcomers. Besides the range, the facility is also home to a fully-stocked Pro Shop and the Cafe MPark, which provides a food and drink service to the driving range.

These destinations are near and dear to Monterey Park. Maybe they’ll become your next go-to hang out place!

Got interns?

Internships. The word may sound intimidating: long hours with little or no pay. “But I need it for college to list under ‘work experiences’!” you may bemoan.

“It’s so hard to find an internship as a high school student and in what I’m interested too!”

However, internships aren’t impossible to obtain and being an intern can have good benefits in the long run. Veronica Guevara Editor-in-Chief of Latino Bride & Groom and My Quince publications stated, “internships give students an overview of their specific majors. I think it... helps you in the long run to focus on major experiences in personal majors. It gives you a glimpse of the major and experience in the real world and helps you build

your resume.”

Many students want an internship to gain work experience, to strengthen their college applications, and to give them an idea about their college major. Some believe that they don’t have the time or the commitment, feel that they lack the necessary skills to be hired, or simply aren’t interested at the moment. “It just never crossed my mind to look for [an internship],” senior Cally Ma stated.

However, internships can be a beneficial experience because it can teach students invaluable skills and even open doors to more career opportunities in the future. Guevara also stated, “I look for how focused they are because when you meet someone for the first time, it’s hard to see who they are. I look for strong work ethic, a high GPA [which

shows] commitment to schooling [and] means more commitment to the internship, that they are eager to learn, hardworking, and a team player.”

Another reason why people do not hold an internship position is becuase they are not sure where to start looking for one at. The Career Center is one of the many places where job opportunities await. Many local internships are available for students who are interested in specific fields. Even if an internship is not available, students always have the option of contacting people in the community who have occupations that they’re interested in pursuing and requesting to shadow that individual for the day. There are many opportunities for internship-seekers that can give students many beenfits and help shape their futures.

One of the main cast members, Paul Walker, recently passed away on November 30, 2013, still leaving many friends, family, and fans in grief. After the ending of “Furious 7”, a tribute video is played in remembrance of Paul Walker. Senior Luis Garcia said, “It was very touching because it showed the brotherhood between Brian and Dominic but also between Paul and Vin. It really showed their friendship outside the acting.”

However, the question lingering in everyone’s head is: Does Paul Walker’s death call an end to the “Fast and Furious” series? Junior Joshua Chang said, “I really don't think that there will be a

Fast and Furious 8. Paul Walker was one of the main protagonists in the series and his involvement was what really made some movies make sense.” Chang also stated, “ However, I wouldn't be surprised to see a Furious 8, the series produces a lot of revenue.”

If you have not seen “Furious 7” yet, I highly encourage you to do so. The producers demonstrated

creativity in the scenarios the characters went through, and the action scenes will leave you speechless. For fans of the “Fast and Furious” franchise, you will truly enjoy this movie, for the producers recreated iconic scenes from previous installments that will have you fan-girling all the way home.

BONNIE WONG A&E/Features Editor

Zooming into theaters AREN LIM Business Manager

The Garvey Ranch Observatory is a good place to locally stargaze.

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PowerSchool: Your all-in-one go to for quick access to academics IDA LAM Staff Writer PowerSchool (family.ausd.us) is one of the most regularly visited sites. The site is a convenient, streamlined way to keep track of a student’s attendance, grades, and disciplinary records.

Mark Keppel’s Principal Ms. Cisneros said that PowerSchool was actually adopted in the district about eight years ago, and that its original purpose was to maintain students’ records.

“PowerSchool wasn’t for grading, but for enrollment information, student addresses, and log entries for discipline,” Ms. Cisneros said. As the website developed, the Alhambra Teachers’ Association and the district declared approximately three years ago that PowerSchool would also serve as the official attendance record keeping program.

Previously, different departments within the school would utilize their own record-keeping systems for grades. Students would only be updated with their current grades at certain times within the school year: semester warning notices, and quater and semester endings. According to Cisneros, PowerSchool has allowed students to check their grades at any time. Using the

This is where students are greeted with when they log in to Powerschool.

website also allows students to catch any mistakes that teachers may make. To keep students’ records up to date, the school board policy requires teachers to input grades regularly. School administrators are also able to review assignments that are inputted into the gradebooks, as well as the grades for every student.

Administrators like Ms. Cisneros can also monitor sudden changes in students’ grades.

When a usually well-achieving student has a sudden drop in grades, counselors are prompted to find the catalyst for the change in academics. This is usually caused by emotional problems or tragedies at home, according to

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Ms. Cisneros.

PowerSchool also gives parents an opportunity to be more involved in their child’s academics. Ms. Cisneros stated, “When I look at it, I can see how many times students log into PowerSchool. I can also see which parents are not looking at it.” This information can prompt administrators to hold workshops on how to access their child’s Parent Portal and be more informed about their child’s grades.

PowerSchool branched out to include features for keeping detailed student records, including students’ academics, citizenship, attendance, and other basic business components.

College 101: Be smart about your future ALEXANDER BEAUMONT Asst. Features Editor Every spring, over 9 million Americans will be receiving acceptance and rejection letters from universities all over the country, which can be a very stressful time for seniors.

With college acceptances delivered around mid- to late March, the period between submitting your application to receiving a letter of acceptance or rejection is one filled with anxiety. However, this may not always be the case.

For the class of 2018, the average acceptance rate for the UC system was 35.8% and 58.3%, according to the University of California website and a California College survey. Moreover, the average acceptance rate for colleges nationwide is around 67% or 2 out of every 3 applicants, according to a study done by the National Association for College Admissions.

But there’s more to getting into college than just an acceptance letter. Most all universities all over the US require an application to be filled out in order to apply to college. Applications can vary from school to school, but there are a couple basic steps when filling out an application, such as providing personal information, standardized test scores, high school transcript, personal statement, etc. The most impor-

tant part of applying is personal statement, which is an essay applicant writes about themselves and their lives. Senior Daisy Ramos agrees with this statement, saying, “I feel that the personal statement is the hardest because you have to find who you are and be able to write about that”.

Another very strenuous part of the process is the essays. Private schools and schools within the UC system require that students complete a number of essays. Many students, including senior Andre Liu, believe that this is the hardest part of the application process because “every school requires you to write a number of essays, and you have to write all the essays for all the different schools and edit them and make sure that they're complete before the deadline.”

There are even websites that have made applying to college much more effective. In California, the UC and CSU systems have streamlined their college applications, with each system having their own application sites. Students apply to CSU system schools at www.csumentor.edu and students apply to UC system schools at www.admissions.universityofcalifornia. edu. Students who are also applying to non-UC/CSU schools have the opportunity of sending

To go or not to go?

STEPHANIE TRAN Staff Writer Balancing a rigorous academic and social life, there may be a time in a student’s life where they must make a decision between the two.

This year, there were a few competitions that took place on the same day as prom for Keppel students. Competitions included FBLA, SkillsUSA, and Speech and Debate. Some students had to make a decision about which to attend, as most of these competitions lasted a few consecutive days and took place away from school.

If a student had choosen prom over the competition, the opportunity to gain useful experience of leadership and teamwork would have been passed. But, if a student had choosen the competition over prom, he or she may

have missed out on a cherished moment with friends and a once in a lifetime experience, especially for a senior.

An anonymous source said, "After much deliberation, I ultimately chose prom. Making this decision was undoubtedly one of the more difficult decisions I have ever had to make. Competition is my passion and drive, but I really had to focus on what my heart truly wanted in spite of what I was expected of me. I also received a lot of input from objective third parties including friends, family, and past competitors." A senior, the student explained that missing the prom would have left him or her feeling less closure from senior year.

It was important to take into consideration that competitions happen a few times during a school year, and prom takes place once a year.

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Seniors Speak: College Advice to Underclassmen KAREN IP & LYDIA XIE Asst. Focus & Asst. News & Copy Editors

“Be prepared and don’t delay anything. Last minute stuff is no good.” -Antoinette Nguyen COURTESY OF VANESSA MACH Senior Vanessa Mach poses with UCI’s mascot.

in their applications through the Common Application, an admissions site that allows students applying to over 400 colleges across America to use the same application for multiple schools.

“If you’re being driven by some kind of career aspiration, take up an activity or hobby that complements that goal. For example, if you want to be a photographer, take photos and create a website or IG account showcasing your work. With new technology and social media platforms of today, there are endless possibilities you can create for yourself”, said college advisor Ms. Yu on improving your application.

While applying to college may be stressful, know that your work will pay off when you receive your acceptance.

“Don’t procrastinate, and consider your options.”

-Narmeen Almomani “Try not to let senioritis get to you.” -Kimberly Tang “Try not to slack off even when you’re a senior because grades still matter.”

-Sophia Islam

Badminton on a winning streak

Boys’ volleyball hold 3-2 league record BRIAN YEO Sports Editor

The Aztec boys varsity volleyball team now holds a 3-2 record in the Almont League after a win against the Montebello Oilers on April 14 and a loss against the San Gabriel Matadors on April 16.

Going into their game against Montebello, the Aztecs had won two straight games over Schurr Alhambra. The Aztecs started well against the Oilers, winning the first set, 25-16.

After Montebello took the second set, 21-25, the Aztecs finished the game by winning two

sets in a row, 25-13 and 25-10.

Coach Francis Chu, on his team’s performance, said, “We played well, overall. We maintained our focus throughout the game.”

The Aztecs took a 3-1 league record and a three-win streak into San Gabriel but were not able to keep their momentum. They lost in straight sets, 16-25, 14-25, and 13-25.

“We didn’t perform as well as we should have,” said junior Timothy Tran. “We missed John Chhoa (a senior player on the team).”

The loss dropped the team to a 3-2 league record, which places them second in the league, com-

ing back from a 0-10 season last year. San Gabriel, who remains undefeated after beating Keppel, is the only team ahead of them.

The Aztecs, who have 5 games left in the season, are in position to claim a CIF berth if they can keep their performance up.

Tran, however, does not want the team to get ahead of itself, saying, “We can’t let this get into our heads. Our approach is to keep working hard.”

The Aztecs played a game against the Bell Gardens Lancers at home on Tuesday, April 21.

This game was a rematch of the first league game for Keppel this year, which the Aztecs lost 1-3.

Baseball makes a comeback after loss to Alhambra

Varsity player Feng Ou returns a volley during a singles match.

BRADLEY DEA Staff Writer The Mark Keppel badminton team, (5-1), defeated the Mayfield Senior School, (0-5), on Tuesday, March 31.

The Aztecs were able to take advantage of the relative inexperience of Mayfield by taking a quick 5-0 lead, winning the mixed doubles matches with pairs Kimberly Wong and Cuong Ta, Lawrence Chen and Felicia Lu, and Feng Ou and Jessica Lee. Mayfield was able to win a match by winning a girls doubles game despite hard smashes

by Yoon Noe. Noe and her partner, Amanda Chiu, were quickly able to recover by winning their second match, 21-18 and 21-17.

The other girls doubles team, Kimberly Wong and Felicia Lu, won both their matches and put the Aztecs up 8-1.

The team kept up their lead by sweeping the boys singles and boys doubles, winning all eight of the matches, making the score 16-1. Mayfield tried to make a

THE AZTEC/BRIAN YEO

comeback by winning two girls singles games, but Samantha Lee stopped the run by easily winning her singles matches.

The Aztecs were able to win with an end score of 18-3. Despite the blow-out win, captain Lawrence Chen believes the team needs to communicate more, improve their skills, and play stiffer competition to become better.

Coach Duong, said, “I think varsity is doing really well and were accepting of the fact that the other team wasn’t as good and didn’t show their full potential. They did really well but didn’t show their full potential because of the skill level of the other team. “ Ms. Duong believes the team needs to work on movement, rotation in games, and a more aggressive mindset by “making every shot count”. The Aztecs have begun the season playing in a league made up of San Gabriel, San Marino, and Alhambra. The goal of this season is to shut out the season and get to at least the first or second round of CIF.

Senior Keoni Young defends with a runner on base.

AMBER BATCHELOR Editor-in-Chief The varsity baseball team played a game against Alhambra High School on Tuesday, April 14 at Mark Keppel.

The Aztecs were off to a good start in the first inning; however, as the game continued, Keppel fell behind in the top of the second. Alhambra’s team was able to gain nine runs within the inning by pacing themselves and keeping the bases loaded.

Keppel was unable to make up for this inning, but they made sure to prevent Alhambra from scoring more than a few runs in the rest of

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the game.

Due to an illegal play from Alhambra, Keppel was able to score one run in the bottom of the third.

In the bottom of the fourth, captain Daniel De La Pena was able to get a run when senior, and one of the other captains, Keoni Young hit a sacrifice fly.

Despite Keppel’s attempts, Alhambra was able to gain five more runs throughout the game and the game ended with a final score of 2-14. Young remarked upon the game saying, “Besides that one inning it was a pretty good game, we were productive and still scored a few runs.”

Coach Macedo believes that

Keppel’s main fault in the game was that they “walked the guys they should’ve gotten out.”

The team overcame this loss on April 17th when they played against Alhambra again at Alhambra High School. The game ended with a win for Keppel with a final score of 3-2. This win occurred due Alhambra making an error, allowing Pena to get a hit that went underneath the third baseman and scored two runs.

Macedo mentions that the team “knows how to play baseball [correctly]. They have a great sense of what to do in certain situations and how to manufacture runs.”

not allow any more scores. In the seventh and final inning, with the Aztecs leading 9-3, Environmental charter loaded the bases with all their runners.

The Aztecs were able to escape the tight situation, however, by getting a third out and winning the game. Senior Samantha Mendez said about the game, “Our defense improved alot since everyone did our part but we could work on fixing some running errors on the bases.”

The Aztecs followed their victory by playing their first league game against Alhambra on Tuesday, April 14.

Unlike their game against Environmental Charter, the Aztecs were not able to get into a rhythm

offensively nor were they able to prevent Alhambra from scoring.

After scoring two runs in the first inning, the Aztecs could not post another run on the scoreboard and the game finished in a 2-12 loss for the Aztecs.

“This loss isn’t an indication for the rest of the league,” said Coach Jason Alexis, who is also the JV girls soccer coach. Alhambra played well, We’ll be ready for the next game at home.”

The loss against Alhambra and then against Montebello on April 16 means that the Aztecs have started the Almont League season with a 0-2 record.

Alexis is not discouraged, however, saying, “We’re a good team and this is a wake up call for us.”

Softball defeats Environmental SPORTS CALENDAR Charter; loses to Alhambra

Badminton: 4/23 @ San Marino 4/28 League Pre-Lims

Baseball: 4/24 vs. Montebello 4/28 @ San Gabriel

Softball: 4/23 @ Schurr 4/28 vs. Bell Gardens

Track & Field: 4/24 vs. Schurr 4/30 @ Bell Gardens

Boys Volleyball: 4/23 @ Schurr 4/28 @ Alhambra

Boys Tennis: 4/23 @ Schurr 4/28 @ Alhambra

Swim: 4/24 @ Mt. SAC Invite 5/6 League Pre-Lims

BRIAN YEO Sports Editor Mark Keppel’s girls varsity softball team played an interleague home game against Environmental Charter High School on Thursday, April 8. The Aztecs won by a large margin, 9-3.

Keppel shut out Environmental Charter for the first four innings, not allowing a single run to score.

As the Aztecs’ defense kept their opponents scoreless, the offense built a commanding lead.

The team scored multiple runs in the first inning and were winning by a couple runs when Environmental Charter scored 3 runs in the fifth inning.

Following the slip-up, the Aztec defense tightened up and did

Athlete’s Profile: Samantha Mendez EMILY MU Asst. Sports Editor Senior Samantha Mendez has been playing softball for 13 years.

She describes sports as being her life, after playing for such a long time. Mendez says she can’t imagine how her life would be if she never started playing softball.

During her career at Keppel, she has gone to CIF during her freshman year and earned MVP in her sophomore year.

Mendez says, “Without my team, I wouldn’t love playing like I do. I’ve made so many great memories with my teammates on and off the field.”

Mendez says she loves the feeling when you get a hit or make a play. In regards to the current season, she says, “Our team is very strong and we have a lot of heart.

The talent is all there we just need to put it together and I know we will have a successful season.

BRIAN YEO Sports Editor

I want myself and the team to play the best that we could every game.”

Mendez would love to play softball in college and is trying to get recruited to a 4-year university, but for now, she plans to go to California State UniversityNorthridge.

Mendez looks up to her sister, Vanessa, who also played softball her whole life and received a scholarship to play softball at Dakota Wesleyan University.

Along with her sister, Mendez’s support group consists of her parents. She says, “They always pushed me to play and they have always supported me at my games.”

She would also like to give shout-outs to her best friends Tara, Divina, Karen, her Aztec softball girls, and her boyfriend John for always supporting her at all her games.

THE AZTEC/VICTORIA RAMIREZ

Track & Field unable to catch Montebello

Seniors Audrey Salguero and Emerald Tse exchange the baton during the 4x100 relay.

MALIAH PERRIBIA Staff Writer Mark Keppel’s track team attended a dual meet at Montebello High School on Thursday, April 2 to compete against the Montebello Oilers. Both the boys’ and girls’ varsity teams lost their respective divisions, scoring

fewer team points than Montebello. However, Coach Kymm Snowden, remained positive, stating, “Overall, we competed well against Montebello. We aren’t at the peak yet, but we are making strides in the right direction.”

Among the team members, there were contradicting opinions on how the team performed. Captain Audrey Salguero said, “I think

Boys Tennis remains undefeated in league

COURTESY OF JOLAN CHAU

through weeks of hard work, we tried our best and it definitely showed.” Captain Ben Chu said, “We did our best, but it wasn’t enough, and we just have to keep working as a team.”

Chu, whose event is shot put and distance, stated that he probably didn’t do as well as he could have because he was injured.

He believes the team’s weak-

ness is due to their losing many seniors this season, and they are not an “extremely athletic team”, though they “put a lot of effort” in their meets and practices.

However, Salguero believes that the team’s weakness is that the school track isn’t “up to date.”

Keppel’s team runs on a dirt track whereas many other high schools have transitioned to rubber tracks.

Salguero thought that the throwing team could use improvement as they do not presently have a coach and have to train by themselves.

Snowden said that the team needs to improve the boys hurdling team, as they do not have any full-time hurdlers on their team yet.

The team has started this season by losing two track meets, the first one to Alhambra. Their third meet occurred on Thursday, April 16, against San Gabriel.

Coach Snowden’s said, “[My goal this season is] to send multiple athletes to CIF.” On Thursday, April 16, the varsity track team lost a dual meet to San Gabriel. Their next meet is at home against Schurr on April 23.

The Mark Keppel boys varsity tennis team is currently undefeated in the Almont League with a league record of 3-0 and an overall record of 9-3.

The Aztecs narrowly lost a non-league match against South Pasadena on Thursday, April 8.

The two teams, who share a interleague rivalry, tied in sets won; however, South Pasadena came away with the victory by winning more games than Keppel, 78-76.

The match was tension-filled throughout, with both teams exchanging sets and keeping the score close.. Though the Aztecs were able to keep score with South Pasadena for most of the match, it was not enough. The match ended with a score of 9-9, each team having won the same number of sets.

Unfortunately for the Aztecs, they lost by a narrow 2 game margin and conceded the match. After the defeat, the team’s captain, junior Jeffery Jen said, “I was proud of the way we kept our cool as players. We fought really hard.”

He added, “We learned that no matter what circumstances you’re put under, you don’t give up. You claw your way through.”

The Aztecs came back from their loss to South Pasadena by defeating Montebello, an Almont League rival. They swept all sets and finished 18-0. Though Montebello is currently winless in league play, the match was a strong victory for the Aztecs. On his team’s victory, Coach Mike Ten said, “The most positive thing is that everybody was in control; they didn’t run into technical problems with our game.”

After a 16-2 win against San Gabriel on April 16, boys tennis now has an 10-3 record this season and a 4-0 league record. Schurr, their league rival, is 3-1. Coach Ten said, “Schurr is our closest competitor so that is a key match.”

Having won 5 Almont League titles in a row, the team hopes to continue their success and win league this year. “We made it to the second round of CIF last year,” said Jen. “Hopefully, this year, we can make it further.”

Swim strives for first in Almont League AMBER BATCHELOR Editor-in-Chief With the varsity girls having a 7-year streak and the varsity boys having an 11-year streak of being league champions, the Aztecs aim to reclaim the league title again.

The varsity boys team currently has a league record of 3-1 while the varsity girls, junior varsity girls, and junior varsity boys have a league record of 4-0.

The team recently swam in a meet against Alhambra High School on Thursday, April 9th at

Barnes Park Pool.

Prior to the meet, the team had been working on their skills during practice. They hold morning weight training from 6:15 am7:15 am. They also have practice for three hours Monday-Friday.

Their practices consist of a 20 minute warm up, and they work on flip turns, dives, basic swimming, breathing techniques, stretching, and kicking. They conclude with a 10 minute cool down of any choice stroke.

Senior Erin Hang says she makes sure to put in 100% effort during these practices in order to

improve during meets.

Entering the pool on Thursday, the Aztecs felt better prepared than their competitors. Swim coach Ish Perez said, “Because we knew our team was well-prepared, we took a risk and allowed less experienced swimmers to play a bigger role and they didn’t crack under the pressure.”

Due to the Aztec’s effort in the meet, Mr. Perez also said that he was given an opportunity to bump some JV players to varsity for the meet.

The varsity girls won with a score of 41-125, and the varsity

boys followed with a score of 36133. The JV team also did well.

The JV girls had a final score of 26-125 and the JV boys finished with a score of 29-123.

Perez believes the team did well across the board. Senior and varsity captain Brandon Van, said, “The meet went exactly as planned; we trained hard over the years and we know what our opponents are capable of.”

As far as their plans for the rest of the season, the team is very confident about qualifying for CIF. Perez believes that Gabrielino High School would be the

Keppel boys’ biggest competitors in CIF. In order to ensure they stay at the top of their game, the Aztecs are working on staying positive both in and out of the pool. Perez said, “In every practice, I make sure they are constantly challenging each other and keeping each other on task.”

Van’s main goal is to keep camaraderie that the team has had throughout the years. He said, “Overall, we are one of the most well-bonded teams and we should do well for the rest of the year.”