The Matador - November 2014

Focus

“Life after San Gabriel” pg. 6-7

THE

Life & Art

Sports

sweaters and leggings” pg. 9

“Girls tennis team changes a decade of history” pg. 11

“All the fall things:

Matador

Volume 60, NUMBER 3

WEDNESDAY, november 5, 2014

S a n G a b r i e l H i gh S c h o o l

801 Ramona St., San Gabriel, CA 91776

www.thematadorsghs.com

Students vote in mock elections S i mon Fung

Sophomore Mandy Zhao participates in the mock election by voting behind a ballot box in the Multipurpose room.

In preparation for the California general election, Students Advocating for Voter Empowerment (SAVE) held a mock election on Oct. 30 with the assistance of Arsalyn Youth Forums. Seniors, juniors, sophomores, and select freshman classes participated in the mock election by casting votes for various offices in government, such as California Governor, State Attorney General, members of the California State Assembly and Senate, and congressperson for the House of Representatives.

For some students, the mock election was the first time that they went through the electoral process.

“I was not informed at all before this, so I think it’s a good experience for students, especially for seniors because they will be eighteen next year and they’re going to be voting, so it’s a good practice,” senior Zoey Su said.

Students were also able to vote on Proposition 46, which if passed would require drug testing for doctors, and Proposition 47, which would bring nonviolent felonies such as drug possession down to mere misdemeanors.

“I think that Proposition 47 would be really useful since some felonies would become misdemeanors, which makes their terms much less harm for minor crimes committed that do not involve violence, such as possession of drugs,” senior Andy Tran said.

By familiarizing students with the voting process, SAVE Adviser Eric Hendrickson hopes to see more students involved in the voting and government in the near future.

“We want to get students more connected with civic engagement. When I think of all my juniors, they could all be voting in sixteen months. Most of them will be sitting out this actual election,” Hendrickson said.

Hendrickson hope that future voters at San Gabriel will become educated voters by introducing students to the voting process.

Hendrickson also hopes to draw attention to political inactivity with this mock election, as voter turnouts in the state of California have been reaching record lows.

According to the office of the California Secretary of State, only a quarter of eligible voters participated in California’s primary elections in June. The office of the California Secretary of State found that only 25.2 percent of eligible voters throughout the state participated in the primary elections this June.

“I’m hoping that students feel that helplessness [when] they don’t know the issues,” Hendrickson said.

“I’m hoping that negative feeling will encourage them to get informed when the time comes to vote. We want to take uneducated voters and encourage them to be informed when voting.”

Preliminary results for the state general elections will be available today, Nov. 5th.

Photo by Sydney Trieu

TIME magazine cover stirs controversy over issue of teacher tenure Kri s t y Duong Upon the release of the cover of Time magazine’s Nov. 3 issue, teachers were spurred to action, taking offense to the cover line “Rotten Apples” which stated that bad teachers are the problem in education and that job protections are keeping them employed.

The issue is based on the ruling of Vergara v. California, which struck down Calif. laws regarding teacher tenure and other job protections. Many teachers’ unions denounced the ruling and appealed. Now they are awaiting a trial date.

Despite the attack on teacher tenure, the article featured in this issue of Time magazine, “Taking on Teacher Tenure,” notes that this reform movement is not being led by teachers’ unions but by wealthy businessmen and billionaires. The lead advocate for this “war on teacher tenure” is Silicon Valley entrepreneur David Welsh who believes that teacher tenure is protecting bad teachers, depriving students their constitutional right to a good education. However, many teachers disagree.

“I feel like a lot of people are scapegoating teachers as the problem with education, and most of the blame for lack of student progress is being placed upon teachers,” Robert Johnson, San Gabriel High School’s union segment director, said. “The solution that’s being offered outside of education, coming from the business community, is to make education more like a business model, and one of the solutions that the business community offers is to do away with teacher tenure.”

Educators from the Badass Teachers Association, an organization of teachers and civilians that participate in education activism, assert that “the cover uncritically situates the tech millionaires as saviors without revealing their own self-interest in the tenure fight, the creation of a nation of corporate-run franchise schools.”

Teacher tenure was created to protect “teachers’ creativity,” their freedom to teach the way they see best rather than just following a strict textbook, cookie cutter format, according to AP government teacher Raymond Gin. According to teacher union representative, Lorraine Tom, tenure “protects teachers with different or unorthodox views [and] their freedom to expose students to [those views].”

President of the American Federation of Teachers Randi Weingarten created an electronically organized campaign and got union presidents all over the country to sign the petition, gathering over 900,000 signatures opposing the article.

“The reason why the unions oppose the article is because of their misunderstanding of tenure,” President of Alhambra Teachers Association Roz Collier said. “Tenure is a due process right that says there has to be a cause for someone to be fired. It stops [things like] favoritism.”

One flaw that many critics find with this attack on teacher tenure is that it separates “good” teachers from “bad” teachers based on test scores. They use measures such as Race to the Top and No Child Left Behind to encourage the use of quantitative values to evaluate teacher performance. They ask how one can determine a teacher’s effectiveness through student test scores when students are not all the same.

“How can you measure, for example, ESL [students] with the same yardstick as AP students?” Gin said.

Other factors need to be taken into account when determining what is wrong with education are funding, resources, and testing. Students that lack funding for good resources may be just as disadvantaged as those who are taught by “bad” teachers. In addition, the question also arises to how effective our testing system is, especially with the introduction of Common Core. According to Time magazine, “teachers in Florida, Colorado, New York, Texas, and Tennessee have filed lawsuits against their states, alleging unfair testing expectations.”

However, at the same time, it cannot be denied that there are “rotten apples” in the education system that use teacher tenure as a shield to as Gin says, “see what they can get away with.”

“The tenure system can be seen from both sides,” senior Brian Choy said. “[On one hand], it protects teachers from unemployment [but, on the other hand], it keeps, as I describe, old outdated teachers who either need to adapt to changing times or find a new position.

We know there are teachers who deserve to stay, and we have had experience with ones we aren’t fond of, but you can’t generalize the tenure system as the reason why ‘bad’ teachers are allowed to stay.”

Ultimately, the battle here is between business and teachers unions, a battle that has been going on for at least a hundred years.

Illustration by Cassandra Chen

NEWS

THE MATADOR

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2014

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Ebola epidemic less prevalent in America than assumed S y d n e y Tri e u Though the Ebola epidemic has taken more than 4,900 lives and endangered at least 5,700 more in West Africa, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the disease is not an immediate threat to the United States.

With the first case of the epidemic originating in Guinea, Ebola is a virus with no specific treatment or vaccine. The severity of the Ebola outbreak is not to be taken lightly.

Diarrhea, vomiting, and excessive amounts of bleeding are just a few symptoms. Victims experience immense pain, and in the case of West Africa, die more often than not.

The current ebola outbreak is the largest epidemic in history.

“You have a very dangerous virus in three of the countries in the world that are least equipped to deal with it,” Daniel Bausch, Associate Professor of Tropical Medicine at Tulane University, said. “The scale of this outbreak has just outstripped the resources. That’s why it’s become so big.”

Despite the danger of Ebola, the disease is not a major concern within the United Sates. Out of around ten infected Ebola patients in the country, only one case–a man who had contracted the disease in West Africa–had been fatal.

At least five patients had been completely cured. Nina Pham and Amber Vinson, the Texan nurses who contracted

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

the disease after treating an infected patient, both recovered after about two weeks.

“The U.S. is overreacting,” school nurse Karen Carrillo said. “It’s hard to get [the disease here]. The disease spread in Africa because of their funeral practices. The contact with those who died from Ebola transferred bodily fluids and the disease with it. For ordinary people [in the United States], there’s nothing to worry about.”

In addition to different funeral practices, U.S. facilities are better built for biocontainment compared to those in West African countries.

Only health care workers who have been in direct contact

Graphic by Jennifer Thai

with the infected have acquired ebola.

“No one in the home of the person who died got Ebola,” Carrillo said. “It’s only the health care workers. Unless you have a relative from West Africa, the chances of you getting Ebola is slim. If you [look at] the statistics, things are okay in the United States.”

Despite the widespread panic of Ebola in the United States, the real danger lies in the epidemic in West Africa.

Although American citizens are not threatened by ebola, the disease is something to be considered seriously.

Those with questions or concerns regarding Ebola can feel free to contact the school nurse for more information.

Around San Gabriel Publications dominate Generation J Competition

Eleven staff members from The Matador and El Camino Real participated in Generation Journalism (Gen J) Day at the California State University of Northridge (CSUN). The staff members atended workshops led by professional journalists from The Wall Street Journal, Associated Press, and Univision.

Seniors Kaleen Luu and Kelsey Ko placed first and second place in Features, while junior Ileana Perez and senior Jennifer Thai placed third and won an honorable mention, respectively. In News, juniors Erin Truong and Amy Yee won first place and honorable mention, and senior Jazzmin Perez placed second in Photo Journalism. Junior Emmanuel Maresca will have his editorial cartoon featured in CSUN’s newspaper, as a special recognition.

The Matador Staff goes to Washington DC

As finalists of the National Scholastic Press Association’s (NSPA) Comic Panel/Strip and Design of the Year categories, junior Cassandra Chen and senior Kristy Duong will travel to Washington D.C. to attend the NSPA’s journalism convention and compete against other finalists.

The four-day convention will take place during Nov. 6-9, and will feature Bob Woodward as a keynote speaker.

Alhambra Latino Association hosts art contest

In accordance with their annual tradition of promoting the awareness of cultural heritages, the Alhambra Latino Association is hosting an art contest for all Alhambra Unified School District (AUSD) students. The theme of the contest is “December Holiday Traditions Around the World.” Entry forms are distributed at the Career Center and are due by Dec. 3.

Briefs written by Ying Chow

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THE MATADOR

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2014

NEWS

Money for clubs is not provided by ASB C h ri s t y De n g As the competition dates for sports teams and clubs draws near, the eyes of the treasury look to the Associated Student Body (ASB) for funding. However, funding for clubs at San Gabriel High School is based solely upon student donations, fundraising, or money from the school or district.

Academic clubs such as Speech and Debate and Academic Decathlon solicit funds through fundraisers, money from school administration, and student donations to pay for their competitions, club gear, and supplies.

Speech and Debate and Academic Decathlon are two clubs that undergo yearly competitions against other schools.

According to Academic Decathlon adviser Ted Olivos, the fee for transportation is paid with students’ own money. The district funds the club for supplies to

study and prepare for the competition.

The Speech and Debate team attends around ten or more competitions every year and the club members pay for their own transportation, which they share with other neighboring schools.

“Speech and Debate is made up through student donations,” Speech and Debate adviser Andrew Nguyen said. “Half is student donations, one-fourth is from the school, and one-fourth is from fundraisers, such as car washes or sales.”

Budgets for service clubs and interest clubs can increase through fundraising and money from students. Profit from these clubs usually contribute to funding for club gear or transportation for field trips.

Sports teams also rely on fundraising for their gear. ASB and athletics are responsible for entry fees, uniforms, and referees.

Cross country has recently received new uniforms that were funded by their jog-athon and contributions from the district.

ASB acquires their funds the same way that clubs do, with one exception.

ASB acquires money from the district and fundraisers, but also from events such as dances and sports games. Expenses from yearbooks, ASB cards, and gym clothes also factor into their budget. ASB spends their profit to benefit school events through decorations and planning, like renting out the gym for dances and DJ’s to play music. For sports games, they contribute to paying for officials to referee the games.

“Everything costs money,” ASB member Tina Sam said. “Nothing is cheap and we are very limited to what we use our money for.”

As of last year, ASB’s budget was around $110,000 and this year, their current budget is undetermined.

Ultimately, clubs on campus acquire funding from the administration, fundraisers, and money from the students.

BTA hosts holiday mixer Carolina Garcia

Business and Technology Academy (BTA) students were hosted and were a part of the Meet the Seniors event held on Oct. 31 in the Multipurpose room. The BTA juniors had the opportunity to introduce themselves to the seniors and acquaint themselves with them through a game of human bingo.

In the spirit of Halloween, every time a junior asked a yes or no question that applied to a senior, the juniors received a piece of candy.

The participants were “overjoyed” with the treats and were greatly benefited by the experience.

“I got a lot of candy,” junior Roxanne Arroye said. “ I also met and got to know a lot of seniors.”

The activity was not only meant for fun, but also as a way to introduce the BTA seniors to the juniors.

BTA members could also practice the proper handshake to use during an interview and give a chance for seniors to impart some of their wisdom.

Hide and Seek play premieres at Little Theatre Emmanuel Maresca

Photo by Sydney Trieu

Juniors Mary Tran and Caleb Ventura sing “Young and Beautiful” by Lana Del Rey during the spirit week.

MCA promotes breast cancer awareness through spirit week A m y Yee In honor of October’s National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Medical Careers Academy (MCA) hosted their second annual spirit week to raise awareness for the cause from Oct. 20-24, which encouraged students to dress up in themed outfits and partake in spirit games during lunch.

“As MCA, we reflect positivity to the school,” MCA teacher Cynthia Okimura said. “Students weren’t aware of the impact breast cancer can have.”

The spirit week schedule included days with themes such as Crazy Sock Day, Retro Day, Crazy Hair Day, Nerd Day, and PinkOut Day. Each spirit day was accompanied by a specific spirit game during lunch on the Pancake, which included activities such as the Pink Balloon Race, where participants had to pop pink balloons without using their hands; the Plastic Egg Race, where students raced with plastic eggs on spoons; Whipped Cream Madness, where the objective was to find a piece of gum in whipped cream; Prop Costume Race, where students participated in relay races with different props; and a PinkOut Contest, where the best dressed students in pink would win prizes. All spirit games with the exception of the PinkOut Contest were held in teams, and speakers would give information on breast cancer and asked students to come support by participating in the games.

“The games were funny,” sophomore Sandy Ip said.

“People also dressed up and that was good.”

Prior to hosting the spirit week, MCA students had been learning about breast cancer for a week and put aside a few days to plan the event.

“This was a huge success, students weren’t [as] aware before,” Okimura said. “It’ll be great to have more people participating next year.”

With the success of this year’s breast cancer awareness spirit week, Okimura hopes to continue the trend and host another one next year.

From the people who produced The Woman In Black and And Then There Were None, the San Gabriel Little Theatre presents their fall drama production Hide and Seek, directed by Patrick Posada.

Premiering today, this psychological thriller-genre follows the story of young, expectant mother Jennifer Crawford and her husband Richard. The couple has just moved into a long abandoned, eerie old farmhouse in the countryside. After seeing a silent little girl playing around their property and constant pestering from her unsettling neighbors, the Barts, Jennifer begins to question her own sanity.

The theater department has been hard at work producing this new play, and today audiences are expected to arrive with anticipation of this new theatrical production.

Director Patrick Posada welcomes guests this week for a night of entertainment and live performance.

“I hope people come to the play, it’s perfect for the autumn season!” Posada said.

As the first play of the 2014-15 school year, Hide and Seek is attracting the attention of SGHS Drama fans who are excited to see the upcoming show.

“I’m anxious to see they’re putting on this time. The theater is spectacular and I can’t wait! I’m a big fan!”

Guidance Technician Beda Ramirez said.

This play’s cast includes veteran actors sophomore Angelica Morquecho, senior Simon Yung, senior Jonathan

Photo by Tran Lam

Jonathan Hurtado rehearses the night before the play on the set of Hide and Seek in the Little Theatre.

Hurtado, and junior Emmanuel Maresca with new actors junior Emily Perez, junior Alberto Cervantes, freshman Brizeth Lomeli and Jelina Hendrickson.

Hide and Seek premiers today, Nov. 5 with a matinee showing at 3:30 p.m. at the Little Theatre and will run Thursday, Friday, and Saturday with shows starting at 6:00 p.m.

Tickets are $7 pre-sale and $8 at the door. Pre-sale tickets can be purchased at the Little Theatre or from any cast member. Refreshments will be available for purchase in the lobby before and during the show.

OPINIONS The ‘Trieu’th

Sydney Trieu The secret to the universe Happiness. Friendship. Family. 42.

There are an infinite amount of answers to match the infinite amount of times the question has been asked—what is the meaning of life, the secret to the universe and everything in it?

The truth is that no one really knows, but that does not mean no one has a shred of the whole answer.

Someone once asked me what I thought the meaning of life was. Very simply, I stated, “To be alive.”

Something like that is easier said than done though. In an everyday routine like school, it gets increasingly harder to figure out what “being alive” really means. Among schoolwork, homework, extracurricular activities, and sleep, who really has time to “live” anymore?

In my freshman year, I did everything that I was supposed to do. I got good grades, joined clubs, made new friends...

It seemed great—and on the outside, it was—but it was exhausting. I did all these things, but what for? For me? For my future?

If everything I did was supposed to matter, why did it seem so insignificant to me?

I lived my life at school day by day, week by week, month by month, hanging on until the next holiday or break. In a place that constantly changes and things are always happening, it was hard for me to balance what I wanted to do with what I had to do. I gave up trying to balance it altogether. I let the essence of school wash over me, and although I learned to stay afloat, I never swam for shore. I mean, I was not drowning. Everything could have been worse, but they also could have been much better. However, I was content with drifting at sea, happy enough with already staying afloat… It never crossed my mind that I still had other things I wanted to do. Biking.

Reading. Writing. Practicing piano.

Gaming. Things that used to be my escape, I forgot about entirely. Without those things, I was aimless. I mean, I was already happy enough to have free time.

Might as well use it to sleep and wake up just to repeat the cycle of work again.

I never realized how empty my dayto-day life was.

It was not until a friend encouraged me to read a book that she recommended that I figured it out. As I made my way through its pages, I stumbled upon the quote, “They do sometimes go crazy, these people, because the world is telling them not to want the things they want.

It can seem saner to give up—but then one goes insane from giving up.” In that moment, those words just clicked and embedded themselves in my mind. I came to the realization that even in these ever-cycling days, I could still find time to read, time to do something I wanted to do, and time to be alive. So I did.

Slowly, I began to immerse myself in books once more. I went back to gaming.

I spent weekends biking around the neighborhood. I was alive.

In the words of Ke$ha,“To live doesn’t mean you’re alive.” To me, that is what the meaning of life is. To be alive. We may live our lives just to get through the day, but that does not have to be it. There is so much more out there.

Maybe I am the only one who feels this way. Maybe not. But if I am not, that would make all the difference.

THE MATADOR WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2014

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Corporations need to leave education alone With the recent controversy over Time magazine’s November issue, one prominent issue has come back into the spotlight: the attack on teacher tenure.

However, this issue is just one aspect of a larger battle: the war between business and teachers unions.

Although ‘bad’ teachers are a problem that need to be dealt with in California’s schools, abolishing teacher tenures and layoff statutes is not the way to go.

It is true that ineffective teachers exist and impede the quality of education and that finding a way to correct that is entirely reasonable; however, abolishing teacher tenure will ultimately do more harm than good. While the amount of bad teachers will certainly lessen if teacher tenure is gone, the action will still have severe repercussions, as it will leave effective and innocent teachers at the mercy of the higher authorities who control their jobs.

Moreover, the plaintiffs of the Vergara v. California case had no obvious ties to education; as tech magnates in the

Silicon Valley, how qualified could they be to judge what is best for California’s education system? This whole attack on teacher tenure is highly suspect as wealthy businessmen are the ones pushing for it, not educators.

The way that teacher tenure is portrayed in media and to the public is that it guarantees employment forever.

However, this is not true. Tenure is a due process right that prevents teachers from being fired without a good reason. They are not invincible; if a teacher were to commit a felony, they can immediately be removed from their position.

The truth is that businesses are trying to privatize education, turning it into a business. The thing is that businessmen have more opportunities to express their ideas to the people as they are public figures that can go directly to the media.

Meanwhile, teachers do not have such luxury.

This battle between business and teachers unions can be directly seen in the recent election for State Superintendent of Public Instruction between Tom

Torlakson and Marshall Tuck. Torlakson, a former teacher backed by the teachers unions, is facing off against Tuck, a former software company executive and president of Green Dot Public Schools, a chain of Los Angeles charter schools, backed by billionaires. President of Alhambra Teachers Association Roz Collier believes that if Tuck wins the election, education is in for a change, possibly creating a class-based system and threatening teachers’ rights.

While some might argue that big business has much to offer for California’s education system, which is now severely under-budgeted, education needs to be left where it is - in the hands of the educators.

If too many foreign influences are present while students are learning, schooling will involve less school and become more and more diluted until it becomes little more than corporatesponsored brainwashing. Therefore, it is imperative that teacher unions remain as they are--free of the chains that come with big companies.

Illustration by Emmanuel Maresca

Lack of political awareness proves problematic S i mon Yung Political participation is reaching lows in California, and it may spell trouble for our generation and those to come. With multiple elections upcoming, it would be reasonable to think that students and faculty would be paying attention to many of the issues being put up to vote. These issues range from the race between incumbent Governor Jerry Brown and challenger Neel Kashkari to the various upcoming propositions, such as Proposition 1 which funds water projects, or Proposition 47, which if passed would reduce certain nonviolent felonies to mere misdemeanors.

Unfortunately, voter turnout for the gubernatorial election is predicted to be alarmingly low. According to the office of the California Secretary of State, voter turnout for the primary election this past June was approximately 25.2 percent, an all-time low in Illustration by Katherine Hoong

California’s history.

With a small amount of people voting and an even smaller amount of people paying attention to the workings of California’s politics, openings to pass inherently bad laws and gaps for political corruption to pop up begin to materialize. For example, former state Senator and candidate for California Secretary of State, Leland Yee, was suspended from office earlier this March after being arrested and indicted for various crimes.

Despite the multiple charges, Yee still managed to place third in the election for Secretary of State. This turn of events raises some serious questions regarding people’s knowledge on California’s political on goings.

Californians need to pay more attention to what goes on in our government. Although the legislation may seem mundane or of little importance to students and teenagers,laws and propositions passed now will affect students in the future, be it through financial aid for postgraduate education and civil services beyond college or school in general. *This article is abridged. To read the full article, please go online to thematadorsghs.com.

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OPINIONS

THE MATADOR WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2014

Students’ use of profanity is unnecessary Roland Fang Every day, the extreme use of swear words among students can be heard almost all the time when one is having a conversation with others. In a normal conversation, a student tends to use at least one word of profanity in every other sentence, or even in every sentence. Students are beginning to swear too much, especially when it is unnecessary. As students constantly use swear words in their every-day conversations, it shows that a weakening in language skills is beginning to take effect, as well as a decline in education.

The use of profanity means to use obscene or disrespectful language, which can often be interpreted by others as offensive and hurtful, especially when a student targets another directly using profanity. According to an article by Timothy Jay, a professor of psychology at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, the average adolescent uses roughly 80 to 90 swear words a day.

The most common swear word heard from students is the F-word, which could even possibly be the most frequently used word among San Gabriel students. Even in the classroom, profanity can be heard, like when a student chooses to turn a simple, common object such as a book into a ------- book.

According to Jay, when a student uses a swear word as an adjective for an object, it usually means that they cannot think of a better word to describe it, and that they believe using profanity accurately expresses their strong feelings.

H o w e v e r, students may be using words that do not really reflect what they are really trying to say.

With the constant use of swear words to describe something or someone, the poor vocabulary and the negative impact on the English language is evident. Nowadays, there are many adjectives that are not known to students, as they can just use the F-word instead.

Additionally, students have a tendency to

curse more when they are talking to someone who swears a lot. If they were speaking with someone who does not swear at all, there would be a high chance that not much profanity would be used in that conversation.

The high use of profanity heard from students is caused by many factors. Among them, popular culture, of course, plays a huge role. Swearing can be seen in movies, television shows, and books; one could influence people to follow their examples and swear as well. Another possible factor is hearing others excessively swear, especially from older siblings. Many younger siblings see their older siblings as role models, so if they hear them cursing, then they would follow their example.

Although the use of profanity can be seen as unnecessary, there is a possibility that if it is used in a satirical context, or used lightly with a combination of sophisticated vocabulary, it can instead be a complex expression of emotions and ideas. Unfortunately, this is not common for young people. It is clear that students and teenagers include far too many swear words in their everyday language, which could make them sound offensive and poorly educated. Even though the heavy use of profanity does not define an individual’s character, it can still be seen as a problem with today’s generation.

Illustration by Emmanuel Maresca

Ebola outbreaks meaningless hysteria among public T h o m as Wang Blood in the gums, blood in vomit, and blood in diarrhea are symptoms of Ebola hemorrhagic fever, which occur before death from internal and external bleeding. It is no wonder why Ebola has caused a national panic. In fact, it has caused a mandatory 21-day quarantine in New York City for health care workers who have had contact with patients with Ebola.

However, the fear of the Ebola epidemic is highly unwarranted.

There has been nine cases of Ebola in the United States so far. Only one person has died and the rest either recovered or are currently in treatment, according to the BBC. The chances of the number of Ebola cases increasing are unlikely.

The reason for Ebola not spreading rapidly when the first case of it set foot in the United States in August is because Ebola is not that infectious. In fact, one’s chances of getting Ebola are quite small.

This is because Ebola is transmitted through bodily fluid such as blood and feces. This makes Ebola’s infection rate about nine times less infectious than measles. In addition, Ebola cannot be spread until the symptom of it is apparent, so even if someone has Ebola,

Editors-in-Chief News Editors Opinions Editors Focus Editors Life and Art Editors Sports Editors Features Editors Copy Editors Photo Editor Artists Business Managers Website Editors Multimedia Editors Blogs Manager Adviser

Kristy Duong Rebecca Lei Erin Truong Amy Yee Carolina Garcia Amanda Molina Judy Tang Jennifer Thai Annie Huang Ileana Perez Carolina Loaisiga Justin Toyomitsu Cassandra Chen Chelsey Tran Roland Fang Angela Fong Chelsea Huynh Sydney Trieu Katherine Hoong Emmanuel Maresca Ying Chow Anthony Yang Hanfrey Deng Tran Lam Emmanuel Maresca Anthony Yang Vanessa Huang Jennifer Kim

The Matador Bullring How politically involved are you?

“

Not really involved, not at all actually.”

-Emily Phu , 9th grade

“

I’m in Extemp [in Speech and Debate] which is [about] politics in the United States and international affairs, so I’m very politically involved.”

-Calvin Phung, 10th grade

“

No. I dont pay much attention to that kind of stuff.”

-Dulce Castillas, 11th grade

Reporters: Alexandra Albarran, Hellgert Almontes, Stacy Chau, Christy Deng, Frank Lieu, Mario Mandujano, Kim Pham, Alondra Valdez, Thomas Wang, Simon Yung The Matador is a public forum for student expression and highly encourages responses in reaction to issues discussed in the paper. Submit comments as a letter to the editor, signed (anonymity is guaranteed if requested), to H-2, or Ms. Kim’s mailbox.

The Matador is published monthly by the journalism staff of San Gabriel High School. 1,600 copies per issue are published at American Foothill Publishing Co., Inc. The opinions and views expressed in The Matador do not necessarily reflect the beliefs of the school or the Alhambra School District. The Matador and the Alhambra Unified School District do not endorse the vendors advertised in this paper.

that does not mean that it will spread.

“There is no way Ebola is going touch anyone in California,” school nurse Karen Carrillo said. “Even the people in contact with [the infected] did not catch it.”

Despite this, hysteria regarding Ebola still runs deep in the United States. A teacher in Maine was forced to go on a 21-day paid leave because parents were concerned she might have Ebola because she was in a hotel 10 miles away from Texas Presyterian Hospital, where Ebola-patient Thomas Eric Duncan was treated.

Such volatile reactions are due to the intensive coverage Ebola receives in the United States. NBC News has around 600 articles about Ebola alone, while the entire situation can be easily explained in one. This is nothing more than fear mongering and people irrationally reacting to it. Yes, Ebola is a dangerous disease, but there is no need to worry about a killer that cannot even step off its front porch.

The idea of Ebola becoming the next Spanish Flu in the United States is preposterous. The United States is well equipped in fighting the disease, and the national panic it has stirred is certainly unwarranted.

“

I am not [very] politically involved, I don’t watch that much news.”

-Emannuel Rios, 12th grade Photos by Sydney Trieu / Border by Katherine Hoong

‘Mar’ching forward Mario Mandujano

Breaking past limits I lost my mother just five days before I turned four years old. She left behind five children and a very lost, miserable husband. The house we lived in was constructed of mere recycled material, luxurious, compared to the raw and littered streets of Guadalajara, Jalisco.

It wasn’t long until my father realized that properly supporting his five children by himself was a job that he didn’t have the capability to fulfill. This drove him to turn to his family in California to take us under their wing, which called for immigration to America.

Unsure of exactly how we managed to pass the border patrol, we successfully made it into the City of Angels. I was instantly introduced to alien surroundings. The biggest struggle, though, was adapting to the English language. It was tough learning in kindergarten due to my lack of understanding of what the teacher was saying. One day, I witnessed how happy my teacher was to receive a letter written to her by a student. I wanted to make her happy as well, so I went home, grabbed a piece of paper and a pen, and proceeded to draw a big letter ‘M’. I turned it in to my teacher thinking it was exactly what she had received the day before, but she wasn’t as pleased as she had been to see that I had literally written her a letter rather than a paragraph.

Years of motivation, determination, and eagerness were enough for my English to reach a satisfactory level; I was reading at a seventh grade level in second grade (in accordance to the Accelerated Reader program).

Growing up, I saw cholos at my house everyday, learned their ways, and was proud to have had them as an influence.

As an ignorant kid, I thought it was cool to say that I had these guys hanging out in my backyard and presumably had my back. Making that known meant that less guys would want to mess with me.

So, I went along with the ‘gang related’ persona I had created for my buddies in intermediate school.

Entering high school, I got a lot more seriously involved in my academics. I woke up to the reality that my actions and decisions as a teen in high school would strongly reflect my future self as an adult. I promised myself in dedication to my mother-that I would remain marijuana-free during the school year, and I have kept that promise quite well even today.

I soon became thankful for the 24-30 year olds in my life who were unemployed and still strongly dependent on their mothers because they made me realize that they weren’t who I wanted to be. I had a family who had given me all that they could and even as a child, my goal was to feed the mouths that have fed me. Following the steps of the cholos I was so fond of hanging around wasn’t going to make that goal achievable.

I cut the bad fruits from the tree, and though I am not quite the ideal figure myself, I can say that I have my life together with confidence. I am a young Mexican being driven by success and just starving for greater knowledge. I will be the father to advise his offspring not to walk through the wrong paths, not because I have experienced the outcome of doing so, but because I have experienced the outcome of not doing so.

FOCUS

THE MATADOR WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2014

6

7

THE MATADOR

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2014

SCholarships Alhambra latino association Alhambra Chamber of Commerce Alhambra Council PTA Alhambra Day Nursery Asian American Association of AUSD Gates Millennium Kiwanis International Tzu Chi Buddhist San gabriel high school PTSA Southern California Edison WestSanGabrielValleyAssociationofRealtors

All surveys conducted out of 500 students

Briefs by Kristy Duong, Angela Fong, Annie Huang, and Judy Tang; Illustration by Cassandra Chen.

Demystifying the application process For some high school seniors, college application season starts once the University of California and California State University applications open until January, when private university applications close.

But many applicants are confused by the entire process, with countless questions and a lot of confusion.

In o rd e r t o be eligible to apply for a CalState or UC, applicants must have completed and passed, with C’s or higher, the A-G required classes. These classes include four years of English, three years of math, three years of history, two years of laboratory science, two years of the same foreign language and one year of visual or performing arts. Check with the your counselors on the status of these courses to ensure that they have been completed, before starting applying.

The first steps are researching the majors specific to which colleges you want to apply to, planning schools based off of research, and trying to obtain fee waivers for free application submission. Browse school websites for requirements and platforms to apply through.

For UC schools, there is a UC portal to apply through and for California State Universities, a CSU mentor portal. UC schools require transcripts, personal statements and standardized test scores from either the SAT or ACT tests plus writing, while CSU schools require test scores and transcripts.

Requirements vary for private universities, both in and out of state. Many private universities have to be applied through the Common Application

Liberal arts v. research schools

and for some, the Universal Application. Most but not all private schools, require letters of recommendation from one or two teachers, counselor recommendations, test scores, transcripts, the application itself, and supplemental questions.

While filling out your application, save time by having transcripts and tax return forms nearby for easy access. Recommendation letters are not always required, so applicants should constantly check your schools’ admissions website; their requirements are listed.

Main concerns with financial aid arise with where applicants can apply for scholarships.

Generally, with or after acceptance notifications are sent out, accepted students receive financial aid packages that give different options regarding loans, work study programs, and scholarship opportunities. (See financial aid section.)

Personal statements for UC’s, often the most grueling part of the application process, consist of two essays based on prompts about individual growth and dreams and the world we come from.

Either reflective, narrative, exposition or a mix, statements should tell admissions officers who the applicants are, beyond the test scores and grades.

They give information about personal accomplishments and aspirations, which are unique for every applicant.

Transfer students from community colleges to four-year universities follow the same process, but requirements for first-year applicants and transfers differ in their requirements in that transfers need to have completed and passed a certain number of transferable college courses.

The primary goal of liberal arts colleges is undergraduate education. They are not as career-focused as research institutions.

These colleges are typically smaller schools, awarding most of their degrees in academic subjects such as arts and humanities, though they also cover the sciences and social sciences. Most liberal arts colleges also tend to be private, and only a few of them have graduate programs. They provide a solid foundation in core disciplines like English and philosophy and offer interdisciplinary programs. Classes are also usually smaller with professors solely dedicated to teaching, and the community tends to be more tight-knit. Some liberal arts schools around the area include the Claremont McKenna colleges and Occidental College.

Meanwhile, the primary goals of research institutions are researching, providing public service, and teaching both undergraduate and graduate students. Institutions are considered research universities based on the number of doctoral degrees awarded over a wide array of fields. These schools can be public or private, small or large. The professors are usually both teachers and researchers, so the amount of interaction between teacher and student may be limited. Classes also tend to be larger though they are often accompanied by smaller discussions. Some research institutions in the area include University of California, Los Angeles and Caltech.

Financial aid According to the 2014-15 San Gabriel High School profile, over 80 percent of San Gabriel students are on free or reducedprice lunch. As a result, at least 80 percent of the student body will be offered some sort of financial aid for their college tuitions. That seems like a pretty good deal considering there are colleges who claim to meet 100 percent of a student’s financial needs. That is where most students are misled. There are some questions that you should consider asking. What happens if I am part of the 20 percent who will not be offered financial aid, but I am unable to pay for my college tuition? What if I am still not able to pay for my tuition even with the amount of financial aid offered to me? How do I apply for financial aid?

According to U.S. News, only 62 out of 1,137 colleges and universities that submitted financial need data to U.S. News

claimed to cover full financial need of their students. However, schools that meet 100 percent of student need can use a combination of loans, scholarships, grants and work-study to fill the gap between the cost of attendance and the expected family contribution. Colleges do not fish out $60,000 out of their bank accounts to pay for your entire tuition. Surprise!

Some college applicants know the struggle of being in the middle class; they are often stuck between “financially stable” and “financially stable until college tuitions,” according to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the CSS/ Financial Aid Profile. The FAFSA and CSS profile are what helps colleges determine how much financial aid they should offer you, calculated by your tax numbers, assets, and family size. So what if, based on the information you provided, your financial needs cannot be fully met? That is where the merit aid comes in; the merit aid, or merit scholarships, is awarded to students on the basis of academic, athletic or artistic merit, in addition to special interests. Basically, merit scholarships are colleges’ rewards for your talent or ability, regardless of your financial standing. That being said, there are, after all, those who feel like they will not qualify for neither financial nor merit aid.

Remember, scholarships are free money. With just a few clicks on Google, thousands of scholarships are at your finger tips. The worst thing that can happen to you, besides getting scammed, is not applying. On the topic of getting scammed, we must all learn to identify scholarship frauds. The most important thing that you must know is that you should not pay money to get money. Application fees are the first warning sign of a scholarship fraud. There are tons of free, legitimate sites that you can look for scholarships on such as, Apiasf.org, FastWeb.com, Latinocollegedollars.org, and Scholarships.com.

Apart from that, you can stop by the Guidance Office to look for scholarships on the bulletin. In addition, undocumented students can consult csac.ca.gov/dream_act.asp for resources.

There are so many resources around you; you just have take advantage of them.

Declaring majors, minors

One of the most important decisions an incoming college student makes is regarding their educational focus, which is decided by their academic major and minor.

An academic major generally requires a number of courses that have been deemed necessary to graduate with a degree in a certain field, and demonstrates a student’s main area of study.

On the other hand, academic minors can either reflect a student’s side interest or supplement a major or career path, and require fewer courses than majors; they leave students with plenty of

FOCUS

knowledge but not necessarily any sort of formal or acknowledged expertise.

Not only can academic minors allow students to have an area of specialization in a general academic major, but also allow students to both satisfy personal passions and prepare for a career. The academic major and minor system helps to create well-rounded individuals with a wide range of knowledge.

For example, a medical student who is majoring in biology or chemistry may also a minor in the performing arts as a result of a personal interest.

Applying early action, decision Some private universities offer options of priority, early and regular action or decision; however, differences among these options are relatively few.

Priority applications are usually offered to high school juniors at the end of the school year until the end of summer before senior year starts. Juniors also have the chance to apply with guaranteed admissions that require a certain score and GPA. The only UC school that offers this opportunity is Riverside, in which incoming seniors with a weighted GPA of or over 3.9, SAT score of 1600, and ACT score over 23 receive guaranteed admission. The Questbridge program allows seniors to apply early decision to very selective schools and possibly receive a full scholarship.

Early decision acceptances are “binding,” meaning that the accepted student is “bound” to that school and has to withdraw all other applications he or she sent. Applicants are allowed to apply for early decision to only one university.

Early action is relatively similar to early decision, but is usually not binding. Depending on a specific school’s early action policy, applicants may do multiple early action applications.

Early admissions deadline application requirements are not any different from the regular admissions requirements, which are listed on the respective university’s website.

Regular decision applications give students time, as most deadlines are in January for non-UCs and Cal States.

The perks of applying under early decision or action are that applicants find out very soon, often in December, if they have been accepted or not, and that they finish writing personal statements and taking tests early. However, because deadlines are so early in the school year, there is less time for applicants to write, rewrite, and edit essays or gather the required documents.

A common myth is that applying early action or decision means competing with a smaller pool of people, increasing one’s chances of acceptance. This is not necessarily true; this may apply for some colleges but differ for others. It is best for applicants to speak to counselors and ask admissions officers in their immediate area for statistics and make the call early.

FOCUS

THE MATADOR WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2014

6

7

THE MATADOR

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2014

SCholarships Alhambra latino association Alhambra Chamber of Commerce Alhambra Council PTA Alhambra Day Nursery Asian American Association of AUSD Gates Millennium Kiwanis International Tzu Chi Buddhist San gabriel high school PTSA Southern California Edison WestSanGabrielValleyAssociationofRealtors

All surveys conducted out of 500 students

Briefs by Kristy Duong, Angela Fong, Annie Huang, and Judy Tang; Illustration by Cassandra Chen.

Demystifying the application process For some high school seniors, college application season starts once the University of California and California State University applications open until January, when private university applications close.

But many applicants are confused by the entire process, with countless questions and a lot of confusion.

In o rd e r t o be eligible to apply for a CalState or UC, applicants must have completed and passed, with C’s or higher, the A-G required classes. These classes include four years of English, three years of math, three years of history, two years of laboratory science, two years of the same foreign language and one year of visual or performing arts. Check with the your counselors on the status of these courses to ensure that they have been completed, before starting applying.

The first steps are researching the majors specific to which colleges you want to apply to, planning schools based off of research, and trying to obtain fee waivers for free application submission. Browse school websites for requirements and platforms to apply through.

For UC schools, there is a UC portal to apply through and for California State Universities, a CSU mentor portal. UC schools require transcripts, personal statements and standardized test scores from either the SAT or ACT tests plus writing, while CSU schools require test scores and transcripts.

Requirements vary for private universities, both in and out of state. Many private universities have to be applied through the Common Application

Liberal arts v. research schools

and for some, the Universal Application. Most but not all private schools, require letters of recommendation from one or two teachers, counselor recommendations, test scores, transcripts, the application itself, and supplemental questions.

While filling out your application, save time by having transcripts and tax return forms nearby for easy access. Recommendation letters are not always required, so applicants should constantly check your schools’ admissions website; their requirements are listed.

Main concerns with financial aid arise with where applicants can apply for scholarships.

Generally, with or after acceptance notifications are sent out, accepted students receive financial aid packages that give different options regarding loans, work study programs, and scholarship opportunities. (See financial aid section.)

Personal statements for UC’s, often the most grueling part of the application process, consist of two essays based on prompts about individual growth and dreams and the world we come from.

Either reflective, narrative, exposition or a mix, statements should tell admissions officers who the applicants are, beyond the test scores and grades.

They give information about personal accomplishments and aspirations, which are unique for every applicant.

Transfer students from community colleges to four-year universities follow the same process, but requirements for first-year applicants and transfers differ in their requirements in that transfers need to have completed and passed a certain number of transferable college courses.

The primary goal of liberal arts colleges is undergraduate education. They are not as career-focused as research institutions.

These colleges are typically smaller schools, awarding most of their degrees in academic subjects such as arts and humanities, though they also cover the sciences and social sciences. Most liberal arts colleges also tend to be private, and only a few of them have graduate programs. They provide a solid foundation in core disciplines like English and philosophy and offer interdisciplinary programs. Classes are also usually smaller with professors solely dedicated to teaching, and the community tends to be more tight-knit. Some liberal arts schools around the area include the Claremont McKenna colleges and Occidental College.

Meanwhile, the primary goals of research institutions are researching, providing public service, and teaching both undergraduate and graduate students. Institutions are considered research universities based on the number of doctoral degrees awarded over a wide array of fields. These schools can be public or private, small or large. The professors are usually both teachers and researchers, so the amount of interaction between teacher and student may be limited. Classes also tend to be larger though they are often accompanied by smaller discussions. Some research institutions in the area include University of California, Los Angeles and Caltech.

Financial aid According to the 2014-15 San Gabriel High School profile, over 80 percent of San Gabriel students are on free or reducedprice lunch. As a result, at least 80 percent of the student body will be offered some sort of financial aid for their college tuitions. That seems like a pretty good deal considering there are colleges who claim to meet 100 percent of a student’s financial needs. That is where most students are misled. There are some questions that you should consider asking. What happens if I am part of the 20 percent who will not be offered financial aid, but I am unable to pay for my college tuition? What if I am still not able to pay for my tuition even with the amount of financial aid offered to me? How do I apply for financial aid?

According to U.S. News, only 62 out of 1,137 colleges and universities that submitted financial need data to U.S. News

claimed to cover full financial need of their students. However, schools that meet 100 percent of student need can use a combination of loans, scholarships, grants and work-study to fill the gap between the cost of attendance and the expected family contribution. Colleges do not fish out $60,000 out of their bank accounts to pay for your entire tuition. Surprise!

Some college applicants know the struggle of being in the middle class; they are often stuck between “financially stable” and “financially stable until college tuitions,” according to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the CSS/ Financial Aid Profile. The FAFSA and CSS profile are what helps colleges determine how much financial aid they should offer you, calculated by your tax numbers, assets, and family size. So what if, based on the information you provided, your financial needs cannot be fully met? That is where the merit aid comes in; the merit aid, or merit scholarships, is awarded to students on the basis of academic, athletic or artistic merit, in addition to special interests. Basically, merit scholarships are colleges’ rewards for your talent or ability, regardless of your financial standing. That being said, there are, after all, those who feel like they will not qualify for neither financial nor merit aid.

Remember, scholarships are free money. With just a few clicks on Google, thousands of scholarships are at your finger tips. The worst thing that can happen to you, besides getting scammed, is not applying. On the topic of getting scammed, we must all learn to identify scholarship frauds. The most important thing that you must know is that you should not pay money to get money. Application fees are the first warning sign of a scholarship fraud. There are tons of free, legitimate sites that you can look for scholarships on such as, Apiasf.org, FastWeb.com, Latinocollegedollars.org, and Scholarships.com.

Apart from that, you can stop by the Guidance Office to look for scholarships on the bulletin. In addition, undocumented students can consult csac.ca.gov/dream_act.asp for resources.

There are so many resources around you; you just have take advantage of them.

Declaring majors, minors

One of the most important decisions an incoming college student makes is regarding their educational focus, which is decided by their academic major and minor.

An academic major generally requires a number of courses that have been deemed necessary to graduate with a degree in a certain field, and demonstrates a student’s main area of study.

On the other hand, academic minors can either reflect a student’s side interest or supplement a major or career path, and require fewer courses than majors; they leave students with plenty of

FOCUS

knowledge but not necessarily any sort of formal or acknowledged expertise.

Not only can academic minors allow students to have an area of specialization in a general academic major, but also allow students to both satisfy personal passions and prepare for a career. The academic major and minor system helps to create well-rounded individuals with a wide range of knowledge.

For example, a medical student who is majoring in biology or chemistry may also a minor in the performing arts as a result of a personal interest.

Applying early action, decision Some private universities offer options of priority, early and regular action or decision; however, differences among these options are relatively few.

Priority applications are usually offered to high school juniors at the end of the school year until the end of summer before senior year starts. Juniors also have the chance to apply with guaranteed admissions that require a certain score and GPA. The only UC school that offers this opportunity is Riverside, in which incoming seniors with a weighted GPA of or over 3.9, SAT score of 1600, and ACT score over 23 receive guaranteed admission. The Questbridge program allows seniors to apply early decision to very selective schools and possibly receive a full scholarship.

Early decision acceptances are “binding,” meaning that the accepted student is “bound” to that school and has to withdraw all other applications he or she sent. Applicants are allowed to apply for early decision to only one university.

Early action is relatively similar to early decision, but is usually not binding. Depending on a specific school’s early action policy, applicants may do multiple early action applications.

Early admissions deadline application requirements are not any different from the regular admissions requirements, which are listed on the respective university’s website.

Regular decision applications give students time, as most deadlines are in January for non-UCs and Cal States.

The perks of applying under early decision or action are that applicants find out very soon, often in December, if they have been accepted or not, and that they finish writing personal statements and taking tests early. However, because deadlines are so early in the school year, there is less time for applicants to write, rewrite, and edit essays or gather the required documents.

A common myth is that applying early action or decision means competing with a smaller pool of people, increasing one’s chances of acceptance. This is not necessarily true; this may apply for some colleges but differ for others. It is best for applicants to speak to counselors and ask admissions officers in their immediate area for statistics and make the call early.

LIFE &ART

THE MATADOR WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2014

Review: Blood of Olympus concludes Heroes of Olympus series T h o m a s Wang “Seven half-bloods shall answer the call, to storm or fire the world must fall, an oath to keep with a final breath, and foes bear arms to the Doors of Death” were the words that rang throughout The Heroes of Olympus series.

The Heroes of Olympus, a book series by Rick Riordan based on Greco-Roman mythology, is about seven heroes on a quest to save the world from destruction. It sounds cliché, and it is.

However, Riordan puts a spin on the classic fantasy story of heroes prophesied as the protectors of the world. Set in modern times, the seven heroes are teenage demigods, or offspring of a god and a human, and the evil force is the Earth itself, Gaea. In order to stop Gaea from destroying the world, the seven demigods set sail on the magical Argo II to sabotage her awakening.

The fifth and final book, The Blood of Olympus, details the final leg of the heroes’ quest, with time ticking against them.

The book starts off with the point of view Jason, the son of Jupiter, and his reconnaissance mission in the ghost-infested island of Ithaca. Right from the start, Riordan’s sarcastic and light-hearted prose is evident. From there, the crew of the Argo II make their way towards Athens, the resurrection site of Gaea.

Meanwhile, Reyna and Nico race to deliver the Athena Parthenos to Camp Half-Blood in New York City from Greece.

The book is filled with Riordan’s humor and light-hearted sarcasm. Along with the fast pace of his writing style, The Blood of Olympus makes an engrossing read. The book is also filled

with pop culture references to institutions such as Twitter. However, at times, his humor can come off as a bit forced due to the sheer amount of it. The protagonists are all likeable; they have their flaws, but also the qualities of the archetypical hero. Leo, a son of Hephaestus, is generally goofy, but when faced with adversity, he becomes incredibly resourceful. The protagonists may be rounded out and likeable, but the antagonists fall flat as characters. Most of the deities that the heroes face in combat are defined as being arrogant and easily outsmarted. In addition, they are usually each defined by one characteristic and the aforementioned traits. For example, Kymopleia, the goddess of sea storms, is characterized as destructive in nature, and that makes up all of her personality and the basis of her rationality.

Plot-wise, the book follows the “hero saves the day” fantasy. However, some events may seem questionable. Several times, coincidence and convenience save the heroes or advance their quests. For example, Leo miraculously invents something, which was coincidentally what he needed to advance his quest.

Scenes like this almost make the situation absurd. In addition, some readers may question the quality of the resolution.

The Blood of Olympus is not a perfect book, but it is an entertaining one. The unique setting and Riordan’s engrossing writing style will continue to please fans and, the questionable plot choices and flat characters do not take away from the entertainment value of the book. As the final book in the series, The Blood of Olympus wraps the stories of each character up in a definite end, whether or not the end was what was expected.

8

Photo courtesy CC/BY Rick Riordan

The Blood of Olympus is based on GrecoRoman mythology. The book is set in modern time, in which demigods, the offspring of the gods, attend camps to train for future battles that they will encounter.

The Matador Muse Photos by Sydney Trieu

The Matador Muse this month features a comic strip based on Alice in Wonderland, drawn by freshman Rau Wen, a student in the art class taught by Francesca Jung.

Art students find their inner muses in comic strips Chelsea Huynh Students in art teacher Francesca Jung’s drawing and painting classes designed and created their own comic strips as one of their many projects.

Because the comics were an open project, students were able to be creative with their work. The art students were required to come up with their own storyline and characters to create a colored 12-panel comic. To brainstorm and plan out their storyline and characters, they were provided a comic strip planning sheet. The students were then required to write out the dialogue of the characters.

Applying concepts such as values, lights and

darks, shading, and lines to their comic panels, the students were able to create their own unique and artistic comic art.

“All of them turned out pretty well,” Jung said.

“Some students took more time than others, [but] they were very successful overall and I really liked them.”

The students’ main objective was to communicate what they wrote on their planning sheets to their drawings. The comic strips varied in content based on the student’s imagination and brainstorming. Although most of their projects usually take one week to complete, this project took the art classes about two weeks to finish.

9

THE MATADOR WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2014

LIFE &ART

Review: El Deafo celebrates uniqueness of physically disabled individuals C arol i na Garci a

is extremely noticeable. Starting a new school is already extremely stressful. Exotic wires sticking out from Bell’s ears just make matters worse.

She quickly confronts challenges that make her reconsider who she is. Bell faces serious Cece Bell presents El Deafo, a graphic memoir that takes her readers on an adolescent question that many others face every day. Is fitting in more adventure that is sure to warm their hearts. Although it is a book for important than being yourself? What is real friendship? young readers, there are many lessons to be learned, and there are How does one hold on to the most precious things? many thoughts that will cause indecision about whether El Deafo Bell soon finds herself trapped in a bubble of isolation is really a children’s book. Cece Bell writes about her childhood from the other kids at school and in her neighborhood. and the struggles that she faced growing up deaf. While some The one thing Bell wants is a friend, and she soon finds worried about not having the latest fashion, Bell worried about herself conforming to other people’s requests in order to not having the right clothes to hide her gigantic hearing aid. obtain friendship.

Cece Bell lost her hearing as a result of meningitis; luckThe only way she can survive vicious “friends” and ily she is later able to hear once again with the help of curious spectators drawn by her hearing aid is with her her hearing aid. Her mom then announced that when super powers! Bell creates her double persona known as school starts she would have to begin using a Phonic El Deafo, what she longs to be. In a way the super hero El Ear, which would make a Deafo is what most people want to be, with the qualities huge difference because her of being brave, outspoken and in charge of their own teacher would speak through lives. Cece Bell is a relatable character because at many a microphone that connects moments, the reader will see themselves within her. The to it; resulting in a clearer and author celebrates the uniqueness that everyone has and better understanding of the teachreminds readers that being different is actually a positive er ’s lesson. The trait. Growing up is not as lonely when you have a super size of the Phonic hero by ones side.

Ear is tremendous The book provided for compared to tiny this review was contributed Cece and with

by Vroman’s book store. Vrocords coming man’s book store is California’s out; it oldest and largest independent Photo courtesy of CeceBell.com book store. It is also a sponsor of the Young Readers League. This program motives young readers to continue reading and exploring new worlds with events such as crafting competitions and pajama parties. El Deafo is the main theme of these activities. All children are welcomed to attend; information can be found on Vroman’s book store website.

All the fall things: sweaters and leggings The fall season at San Gabriel means a mix of both warm and chilly weather, with students dressing for the ever changing weather.

The fall color palette includes dark reds, yellows, and tan, as well as cream and darker blends of blue and green. The plaid and subtle floral patterns are also popular themes in typical autumn clothing. This opens up a variety of different types of accessories and layering patterns for both ladies and gentlemen to try out.

The rise in kimono fashion during the summer does not have to end just yet, because loose and flowy knit cardigans are in style! The knit fabric keeps you warm, but the batwing sleeves give your look just the right amount of femininity. Another popular outer layer is the oversized coat, like beige trench-coats or army green jackets. Neutral colors will contrast very well with darker colors like burgundy or navy, and eggshell white.

Flannel is a good casual look for both men and women. Classic, fashionable, and versatile, the top can be worn many different ways, including buttoned, open, sleeves rolled up, or tied at the waist. Another alternative is the chambray top, which is a denim button up, for a more formal look. To dress up an outfit even more, women can try cropped fisherman knit or fuzzy sweaters and men, cable-knit sweaters or leather jackets.

High waisted shorts were popular earlier this year and now so are high waisted jeans. Cropped sweaters and tops go very well with high waisted bottoms and definitely hug one’s natural body shape. Yoga leggings and printed harem pants are popular these days, and for men, shorts and pants in the darker shades of tan, olive, and grey.

Wi t h

Photos by Sydney Trieu

the colder weather comes sturdier and warmer shoes. When it comes to keeping your feet warm,yet cute, boots are the go-to. Chelsea boots, or short ankle boots, and oxfords are currently very trendy, especially the cut-out shoes. Combat boots are also a must-have for fall, and the varying shades of brown, black, and gray will complete your look. Fall favorites for shoes include Doc Martens and Ugg boots, which come around for fall and winter every year.

Accessorizing for fall is very simple: gold jewelry, scarves, and beanies. Knit circle scarves have always been popular around this time of year, but cotton ones are equally as warm and have a variety of prints to choose from. Knee high socks are also fashionable and allow ladies to wear cute skirts without freezing their legs off. Many San Gabriel students use Jansport and Herschel bags, which are definitely practical go-tos for a school backpack, but also in style are knapsack styles bags in tribal, leather, or burlap material.

For a more casual occasion, satchel style bags are retro, yet chic.

Many of these items can be worn throughout the year, so in a way, fall fashion items are great to recycle and mix and match with other pieces for both winter and summer.

-Judy Tang Sophomore Hue Truong (left) wears an oversized checked sweater, black skinny jeans, and Converse. Sophomore Fernando Gomez (right) sports a flannel button up with rolled up sleeves, faded denim, and Adidas.

Illustration by Annie Huang

SPORTS

10

THE MATADOR WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2014

2014-2015 Fall Sports Scoreboard BOYS FOOTBALL

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL

CO-ED CROSS COUNTRY

GIRLS TENNIS

VARSITY 10/10 @ Alhambra 10/17 @ Schurr 10/24 @ Montebello 10/31 vs. Mark Keppel

FRESHMAN 10/9 vs. Alhambra 10/16 vs. Schurr 10/23 vs. Montebello 10/30 @ Mark Keppel

VARSITY 10/23 @ Bell Gardens 10/28 vs. Mark Keppel 10/30 vs. Montebello

VARSITY 10/22 @ Legg Lake

VARSITY 10/14 @ Montebello W 10/16 vs. Alhambra W 10/21 @ Schurr W 10/28 vs. Mark Keppel L 10/31 Almont League Finals

17-1 10-8 11-7 9-9 1st

JV 10/14 @ Montebello 10/16 vs. Alhambra 10/21 @ Schurr 10/28 vs. Mark Keppel

12-6 15-3 12-6 13-5

38-8 55-0 44-0 14-6

L L L W

40-8 L 49-0 L 56-0 L W by default

Illustrations by Cassandra Chen

JV 10/23 @ Bell Gardens 10/28 vs. Mark Keppel 10/30 vs. Montebello FRESHMAN 10/30 vs. Montebello 11/1 vs. Gabrielino

3-2 3-0 3-1

L W W

2-1 3-0 2-1

L W W

2-1 3-0

L L

With four years of experience in football, senior Phillip Becerra remains dedicated to the sport he started playing as a freshman. Ever since then, he has never regretted giving the sport a try.

Prior to joining the team at school, Becerra had never played football.

Becerra’s unwavering love for football stemmed from a peer who encouraged him to join football a year before attend-

Photo by Carolina Loaisiga

Senior Phillip Becerra embraces varsity coach Joe Ledesma after Becerra’s interception during the Mark Keppel game on Friday.

FRESHMAN 10/22 @ Legg Lake

5th 6th

(G) (B)

2nd 2nd

L L L L

Athletes of the Month

Becerra matures with football Stacy Chau

JV 10/22 @ Legg Lake

(G) (B) No score No score

ing high school. When he became a freshman, he decided to join the Matador freshman football team. By his second year of playing football, he became skilled enough to join varsity.

Despite Becerra tearing his Achilles’ tendon during his sophomore year, he continued to play for the sake of alleviating personal stress, making his family proud, and for the moments in where he felt rewarded after long practices while he plays the game that he enjoys.

“My happiest moment [while playing football] would be my sophomore year when I had just began playing a game in varsity,” Becerra said. “We won 56-0 and it was exciting because it was my first time winning by so many points.”

Varsity coach Tony Gonzalez believes that Becerra is “one of the hardest workers in the team” and “the strength of [their] team “I think his hard work and leadership made this team grow,” Gonzalez said. “He gives kids a sense of direction during tough times by encouraging them.”

Becerra believes that as an experienced player, he possesses the ability to lead a team and analyze the areas in which the novice players are lacking in with confidence.

“We have a lot of people on the team with little to no experience before,” Becerra said. “I usually step up and try helping them out with some of the things I see them doing wrong.”

As a result, Becerra hopes to become a football coach in the future.

Chen runs over obstacles, toward success Vanessa Huang Moments before reaching the finish line for the cross country race, Yixin Chen spurts and passes her opponents to beat her personal record and to feel the glory of finally finishing the race. The feeling of finishing the race makes her feel proud after three-mile long race. Chen, a member of cross country does not run to win races or to beat her opponents or even to just collect trophies but to relieve herself from stress from school, grades, and classes. If Chen is having a horrible day at school or is not in a good mood, running may be the cure to relieve all of these things.

“Everyday, if I have a stress from school, during running, my stress will be released,” Chen said.

Before reaching to high school and joining track and cross country, Chen would run at the park for half an hour.

“During my freshmen year, someone asked me to join cross country, but I thought it was ridiculous because why would someone run for two hours,” Chen said. “But I was wrong because it’s very fun–you get experience [from cross country, and] it helps you relax. “ After dedicating her sophomore year to track as a distance runner, Chen transitioned to cross country because she wanted to continue distance running but track was not her strength. During Chen’s junior year, she injured herself due to the challenging practices that cross country runners had to endure.

“During junior year, I had a shin splint injury on my leg,” Chen said. “At first, the pain was only a bit and I thought it would go away so I didn’t go easy on myself.

But as the season progressed,the pain got

worse. I had no choice but to stop training with everyone.”

Eventually, Chen slowly healed from the injury and began to practice again for her upcoming senior year.

Junior and teammate Isabella Tam agrees that Yixin is dedicated to the sport and enjoys racing and practicing.

“I feel like everybody is really important, but she’s important because even though she’s quiet, she gives out a really positive vibe. She’s never negative and she brings happiness to

Photo by Carolina Loaisiga

Senior Yixin Chen jogs around the track at her daily practices to prepare for the teams upcoming final league meet on Nov. 6 at Legg Lake.

Cross Country receives much-anticipated new uniforms K at heri ne H oong

Photo courtesy of Alissa So

Senior Vincent Huynh sprints to the finish line at Bell Gardens Invitational.

As a new season for cross country approached along with newcomers and new drills, so did the arrivals of new, red, vibrant uniforms.

The 2014-’15 Cross Country team finally received brand new uniforms after years of waiting. Setting aside their old uniforms which were a white tank top that had “San Gabriel” printed in red with blue shorts, the runners now don a tight-fitting red uniform.

Keeping San Gabriel’s red and blue tradition, the front of the red tank top has “SGHS” printed in blue and the sides are white with two red diagonal stripes. Matching with the top, the red shorts also have stripes on the side. With a full set of uniforms, the intimidating red color of the outfits was just as significant.

“With red uniforms, it is easy to spot our team during racing because no other team has red,” Steve Morales, the head coach of Cross Country, said.

The uniforms are made of spandex, which is a smooth and flexible material that allows the runners to move freely, and the cost of each uniform was around 30 dollars.

In order to pay for their uniforms, the Cross Country team started raising money during the summer with a BBQ in Almansor Park and also held a jog-a-thon during September where the runners’ fellow classmates donated money for every lap they ran.

“I feel great about them,” junior Isabella Tam said, “besides looking fresh, by raising money for these new uniforms has brought [the team] together.”

The runners were especially excited about the new uniforms because it had been almost ten years since they had a new uniform.

Although they had replacement uniforms here and there, they have not had a full-set uniform until now.

Runners are ecstatic about the uniforms and it has transferred over to the team’s overall improvement in league.

11

THE MATADOR WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2014

SPORTS

Matador football rejoices upon first win of season C arol i na Loai si ga

Photo by Carolina Loaisiga

The Matadors line up against the Aztecs’ defense as they prepare to score, despite the rain pouring on the field. The team takes the offensive and ends the game with a score of 14-6.

San Gabriel’s football team suited up as football players in lieu of traditional costumes this past Friday on Halloween to take on the Mark Keppel Aztecs in what turned out to be more of a treat for the Matadors than a trick.

Beginning the first quarter, the Matadors proved to be resistant against the Aztecs’ offensive work that constantly threatened to score the first touchdown of the night. The Matadors’ defensive line put up a fight for numerous plays, stopping the Aztecs’ plan to obtain the lead. The first quarter ended with no points for either team.

As the rain threatened to pour down, so did the Matadors in the second quarter. The offensive team kept pushing the Aztecs’ defense play after play, until quarterback senior Javier Bobadilla tossed a short ball to running back senior Joseph Cesena who quickly dodged an Aztec defense to race to the end zone. The Matadors had the first touchdown of the night, and led the game with the score of 7-0 into the third quarter.

The third quarter was a constant battle between the

Aztecs’ offensive line and the Matadors’ defensive side, which included seniors Phillip Becerra, Isaac Medina and juniors Milton Pereza, Gustavo Enciso and Gerardo Aguirre.

The Matadors came out triumphant and still remained with a winning score of 7 to 0.

“I think [that] throughout the night we were confident we were the better team, and that led us to coming out on top,” Aguirre said.

The fourth quarter arrived like a ghost, quiet at first, and then shouting for attention. As the Matadors were on their third down, quarterback Bobadilla threw a long pass to running back senior Ricardo Contreras to obtain first down with seven yards. After several plays and with only two minutes remaining, quarterback Bobadilla handed off the ball to Contreras for the second touchdown of the night. They now had advantage of 14 to 0 lead.

The Matadors scored due to a combined effort from running back junior Alex Garcia and seniors Contreras and Cesena.

The Matadors took home the sweet treat of a 14 to 6 victory against the Aztecs. Support the Matadors on their last game against Bell Gardens on Nov. 7.

Girls tennis team changes a decade of history Angela Fong Joyful cheers filled the air as San Gabriel’s girls varsity tennis team members realized that they had won their match against Mark Keppel–something that had not happened in ten years.

“It was incredible. When we tallied the points and realized that we had won, everyone started screaming and some people were crying because Keppel’s varsity had been undefeated for so long. It was just an amazing feeling to know that we were the team to beat them,” senior Jessica Kou said.

However, despite their success in the first half of tennis season, San Gabriel had a slightly more difficult time the second time they played Mark Keppel and lost by one match point, resulting in a three-way tie for first place between Alhambra, Mark Keppel, and San Gabriel.

“Everyone was pretty disappointed when we lost against Keppel in the second half of season, especially since it was by such a slight margin,” Kou said. “Even so, we were all still really happy because after working

so hard, we finally won [1st place], even if we do have the share the title.”

Immediately after the last Almont League match, San Gabriel proceeded with individual matches at the Almont League championship finals, with seeded doubles teams junior Shirley Dam and senior Sharon Lac who later placed 4th in the overall tournament, seniors Angela Fong and Jessica Kou, and seniors Hui Fu and Michelle Hau. The seeded singles players consisted of senior Sharon Cao and juniors Kelly Chu, who later placed 3rd, and Amy Yee. After the Almont League finals, the team continued to practice to prepare for their first CIF Division IV playoffs match against the Arlington Lions on Tues., which they won handily with a score of 11-7. Their next match will take place against the Quartz Hill Rebels on Nov. 5.

“I’m excited to see what the future holds for us,” junior Sylvia Diep said. “We’ve been practicing all year for this. That championship title cost us blood, sweat, and tears. We’re ready to take the next step. Now, it’s our time to shine.”

Photo courtesy of Jessica Kou

The varsity tennis girls and their coach Steve Akiyama stand in position to take a memorable shot holding the first place plaque.

After ending the second set with a score of 25-13, juniors Gabriela Gonzalez and Julia Vuong set their eyes on the ball and prepare for their next and last set agaisnt the Aztecs, ready to walk out of the arena with a victory.

Photo by Justin Toyomitsu

Matador volleyball aces Aztecs J ust i n Toyomitsu The Matadors have clashed against the Aztecs in almost every sport this month, and now volleyball. The varsity volleyball team dominated the Mark Keppel Aztecs on Oct. 28, winning all three sets at the Matador Arena after school.

The first set was rough for the Matadors, who were unable to catch up until mid-set.

Both teams consistently struggled to score, but the Matadors gradually advanced their score.

Regardless of the struggle, the Matadors were able to break a six-point lead before ending the set with a score of 25-19.

The second set was a frustrating set for the audience and the Matadors. The referee’s miscalls and disputes with the coaches were upsetting for everyone. However, despite the frustration, the game went smoothly for the Matadors, increasing their lead by a large margin. It was as if the Aztecs already acknowledged their defeat for the second set. The set ended with a score of 25-13, as the Matadors increased the

difference by 12 points.

The game entered the third set with the Matadors only needing victory for one more set to win the game. Though the victor was almost clear, the Aztecs made a comeback with more spirit and power than they did during the previous set. The Aztecs did not give up till the end and still hungered for victory; their plays made it evident. Thoughtfully using up two time-outs, the Aztecs showed that they as serious about winning as the Matadors were, and continued to pressure the team. However, the Matadors managed to come out ahead, winning the set with a score of 25-18. “[Though] we were down [during] the first set, we stuck together, and it made us strong as a team,” senior varsity volleyball player Ivy Pham said. “I believe the Mark Keppel game made us closer as a team overall.”

Despite their struggles, the Matadors won the game three sets to zero against the Mark Keppel Aztecs: 25-19, 25-13, and 25-18. The Matadors ended the match with shouts of joy and celebration upon their victory.

FEATURES

12

THE MATADOR WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2014

Tell Me

what’s the

WORD. Famous Hallway quotes, Volume Sixty-eight

“Did you know that if you plant an egg in the ground, it’ll become an eggplant?”

- Student attempting to sound philosophical.

“I hate reading vampire books-because my neck is sensitive!”

- Student commenting on preferable book genres.

“He must be Asian.

He has blue eyes though.

Maybe he’s Thailandnese!”

- Student wondering about the ethnicity of a cashier and confusing the title of Thai people.

“Does Facebook work in South Carolina?”

- Student questioning his friend’s impending move.

“It’s like zero period P.E.” - Student describing how 50 degree weather is like.

“You’re shady--like a tree.”

- Student joking with a friend in class.

“Mr. Whitman saw me using my phone but didn’t confiscate it. It was amazing.”

- Student in awe at Mr. Whitman’s uncharacteristic behavior.

All quotes overheard

by The Matador Staff.

Profiles by Alexandra Albarran, Stacy Chau, Christy Deng, Hanfrey Deng, and Simon Yung Graphics by Stacy Chau and Christy Deng; Photos by Stacy Chau and Sydney Trieu