March 2015 issue

Opinions “Senior expenses dent students’ wallets” pg. 4

THE

Life & Art “Get Lit highlights student poets” pg. 9

Matador

Volume 60, NUMBER 7

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 2015

Features

“Run, Robert, Run!” pg. 12

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

Speech and debate team competes, wins accolades, advances to State

Photo courtesy of Roy Conli Photo by Kelly Ho

From left: Roy Conli raises his Oscar triumphantly with colleagues Chris Williams and Don Hall.

San Gabriel alumnus Roy Conli wins Oscar Annie Huang “You should not be afraid to dream, and you should not be afraid to chase that dream,” were among the inspirational words alumnus and producer of the Academy Award-winning film, Big Hero 6, Roy Conli said.

Conli graduated from San Gabriel with the class of 1972, along with math teacher Nadyne Lapi.

With an an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, Big Hero 6 is the first Disney animated film to feature Marvel characters, or according to Conli, “Disney animation with DNA from Marvel.” The film premiered on Oct. 23, 2014 at the Tokyo International Film Festival, featuring the emotional relationship behind the origin of a team of superheros and the lovable learning robot, Baymax.

Conli attributes part of his success to a former theater teacher at San Gabriel, Dennis Reed, who passed away during the making of this film; Conli explained that, pertaining to Reed, one of the major themes of Big Hero 6 is that those who go before us are not lost, they live on through us. “[Reed] set me on a course for making sure that the work that I’m involved with is always the best,” Conli said. “It was he that was [the] key of inspiration for us all. He set a bar so phenomenal that I can’t celebrate that aspect of my education at San Gabriel High enough.”

Although Conli has never taken a formal film course, he studied theater and history at Cal Poly Pomona. Conli recalls that one of the...

continued on page 3

Kelly Ho After months of rigorous practice and preparation, the Matador speech and debate team bustled their way onto the campus of California State University, Long Beach for one of the most important tournaments of the year—State Qualifiers—on Feb. 28. Students competed in their respective events in hopes of qualifying for the state championships in April.

Out of 15 competitors, eight broke into the semi-final round: senior Eric Hong in Oratorical Interpretation (OI), juniors Carolina Garcia in OI, Andy Le in Dramatic Interpretation (DI), Kenny Yeung in Foreign Extemp (FX), sophomores Tom Cheah in FX, Dion Jiao and Joy Portinga in DI, and freshman Elaine Tran in DI. After the semi-final round, five advanced to the finals: Garcia, Hong, Le, Portinga, and Tran. Four of these finalists placed between first to sixth place and qualified for the state championships: Garcia, Hong, Le, and Portinga.

Results from the tournament allowed the team to bring back their third sweepstakes trophy this year, a feat that Coach Andrew Nguyen did not expect considering the shift in team size that occurred in the past two years, where the team went from four active members to 54. continued on page 2

San Gabriel FBLA defeats two-time champion Gabrielino High School Ju s t i n To y o m i t s u Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) students, returning from their annual section competition at Six Flags Magic Mountain, stepped into the San Gabriel parking lot holding shiny wooden plaques after their success at competition on Feb. 28.

Out of the 102 San Gabriel students, 77 won plaques in 30 events, ultimately winning the sweepstakes with a lead of 32 plaques over second place winner Gabrielino High School. “[Our chapter] did extremely well this

year, since we took first against two-time champion Gabrielino High School,” adviser Qui Nguy said. “I think this is the first year [we’ve ever] taken first place in sweepstakes and in the Alhambra Unified School District in general.”

The events varied from Insurance and Risk Management to Job Interview, and tested the students’ knowledge in various business-related subjects. “[Since part of the park] burned down, the competition was unorthodox this year,” senior Brian Choy said. “We had to go through the back side of Magic Moments Theater

and sat there with a clipboard during the test-off with 100 questions, one hour for each event.”

Choy, who won first place in Cyber Security and second place for Computer Problem Solving, expressed his happiness during the award ceremony.

“At first I didn’t think I would be called [for Computer Problem Solving], since I took it [because] I needed a second event and I didn’t expect to place, but I did and I was really surprised,” Choy said. “The second was Cyber Security, but this one I studied really hard on, and I felt really suc-

cessful when I was called up for first [place].”

During the months prior to competition, students prepared by attending three mandatory study sessions after school and learning the material through self-study.

“We have packets and books from Mr. Nguy to study from,” FBLA president senior Michelle Lok explained.

Students who placed in the top five for their events are eligible to advance to the three-day State Leadership Conference in Santa Clara on April 9-12, where they will compete among contenders from all around California.

Photo courtesy of Nelson Luong/El Camino Real

NEWS

THE MATADOR

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 2015

2

Speech and debate team advances to State

Choreo conquers national competition

“I admit I was initially concerned because only six members of our team have more than two years of experience,” Nguyen said. “Students with [only one year] of experience qualifying to state is a phenomenal feat, [so] I felt amazed and ecstatic that we [qualified] four junior varsity. I am always blown away at the quality of work and dedication our members put into the team.”

For the speech and debaters, every tournament reflects their overall performances in their events.

Because of this, many are often surprised when they break into a semi-final and/or a final round. Such a case proved to be true for sophomore Joy Portinga, who placed sixth in Dramatic Interpretation and qualified for the state championships.

“Since I had not been doing well at all the other tournaments, I decided not to expect anything out of myself and [competed] to grow as a [speaker],” Portinga said. “Every time I [advanced to the next round], I felt really giddy and excited to find out I had a chance to make it to the state championships.”

Among those that placed at the State Qualifiers, junior Andy Le placed first in Dramatic Interpretation and emerged as the DI champion. “[Before the tournament], I felt a bit pressured because it was one of the last big tournaments of the year. I always wanted to go to the state championships, so I [told myself] it was now or never,” Le said. “After the finals round, I wasn’t sure what I was going to get. In my mind, I was thinking at most I would be fourth. When I got first, I cried. I was extremely proud knowing that I finally [achieved] something to show my family what potential I have.

The state qualifiers will spend the next few weeks preparing for the State Championships in Murrieta on April 17-19.

Choreo placed first in the 25th annual Street Dance USA National competition, which was held at Mark Keppel High School on Feb. 14, for their hip hop routine.

In order to participate in the competition, Choreo members first had to pass an audition. Senior Amber Dykeman, juniors Ashley Espinoza-Alvarez, Penelope Hernandez, Kathleen Ha, Esmeralda Martinez, Cassandra Rodriguez, and sophomores Ivy Ly, Mia Rodriguez, and Sharon Lee all made the cut danced their way to first place.

Choreo started working on their routine in Nov. 2014 while preparing for pep rallies. With four months of hard work and preparation, San Gabriel competed against three other teams and won a title for being the Most Enthusiastic team in the competition.

“It felt amazing,” sophomore Sharon Lee said. “Hearing our school name be called by the announcer definitely

K at heri ne H oong

continued from page 1

Youth Summit motivates students Ke l l y H o Students from local elementary, middle, and high schools residing in the San Gabriel Valley (SGV) area gathered at Garvey Intermediate School for the 6th annual SGV Youth Summit on March 9. With the goal of uniting youth and addressing youth leadership, education, and empowerment, the event offered various workshops and booths, educating students and parents alike.

By tradition, summit leaders center the annual event around a universal theme.

During the summit’s opening assembly, Garvey School District Board President Henry Lo introduced this year ’s theme, “Young and Powerful,” a concept emphasizing the importance of renewing confidence and motivating youth in SGV. “You have the power to be bold and audacious. Find a better you and experience things you’ve never done before. All of you who are young and powerful, take advantage of today and fill your minds with knowledge; focus your ambition and energy in the direction of improvement,” Lo said. “Today we

have many leaders here who want to welcome you, encourage you, and share with you their [advice]. They are here because they believe in you, your success, and our community’s success. Be young, be powerful, be beautiful.”

Posters promoting the annual youth summit were posted throughout the campus of San Gabriel prior to the event. Results from such advertisement were positive, as many Matadors were in attendance. Most evident of the attendees was the Matador football team, whose players made up most of the students in attendance. Sophomore Bryk Li, a varsity football player, was amongst the group. “[A majority] of the varsity team went to go and represent our school. We went to meet the younger kids in middle school and [told them about] our football team,” Li said. “Overall, it was a useful and fun experience. They taught us [about] new websites and useful ways to get money for college. We also learned how to do yoga, which was pretty hard.”

Although not confirmed, the SGV Youth Summit is expected to be held again next year.

More pictures and information can be found on their community Facebook page “San Gabriel Valley Youth Summit.”

Photo by Sydney Trieu

Sophomores San Vu, Georgianna Chan, and Eva Fong laugh together while enjoying the festivities and food provided by the organizers of the San Gabriel Valley Youth Summit.

surprised us since we had a stiff competition.”

The competition featured four guest judges: Dennis Danehy, Cheyenne, Bliss, and Miss Lady Lexx–all professional dancers and performers. Contenders were judged on three main categories: routine, execution, and showmanship. With a score of 264 points, the judges complimented the girls for their energy and fabulous facial expressions. The judges were also floored by their execution of the routine.

“It was a big accomplishment for our team because it’s the first time we won first place in a national competition, but we still need to work hard for our future competitions,” Choreo coach Rosalee Cabral said.

After returning victorious from Street Dance USA, the Choreo team plans to participate in the Sharp Competition with their routine featuring pom-poms at Sierra Vista High School on March 15. They also plan take their hip hop routine to the Sharp International 2015 competition to compete for the West Coast Championship at Six Flags on April 11.

Photo courtesy of Choreo

Matador Band, Colorguard march towards success at annual Camellia Parade competition

Photo courtesy of Staff

Matador Marching band members parade through the streets of Temple City decked out in their colorful uniforms for the annual Camellia Parade.

R ebecca Lei Matador Marching Band members marched out onto Temple City streets on the morning of Feb. 21 as part of the 5,000 participants in the annual Temple City Camellia Parade. The parade, one of the many competitions that the band participates in throughout the year, has been established for nearly 75 years; the event attracts nearly 20,000 visitors annually.

This year, students played their way to a multitude of accolades, with the band claiming first place in the Class AA Band category and the Colorguard placing second in the Auxiliary category.

Head drum major and senior Aydin Hau led the band as they paraded down their route. Upon learning of their success, Hau expressed his pride at having headed the band.

“After losing the first place title at our last parade by two-tenths of a point, I feel as though this success was [extremely] overdue,” Hau said. “[We] really stepped up our game to compensate for [our previous loss]. I’m especially proud of our accomplishment, since it was [the] last time that I would lead the band in my drum major uniform.”

For many of the band members, a sense of collective achievement accompanied performing in the parade. Although initially nervous, first-year band member and horn player Mina Lam felt that being one of the “links” in a chain helped her soothe nerves and let the music come through.

“You get lost in the sea of band uniforms and instruments, and suddenly, you feel like you’ve always been there,” Lam said. “When you’re in a block and in sync with everyone, the music surrounds you. You feel like a part of something [bigger]. You’re lost in this crowd of music, and you can play your heart out.”

With the completion of the parade, band members will now prepare for their festival, set to occur at Montebello High School on April 1.

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THE MATADOR

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 2015

San Gabriel alumnus Roy Conli wins Oscar continued from page 1

...best experiences in his life was working at the American Conservatory Theater (ACT) in San Francisco, where he had transitioned from wanting to become a performer to a producer. It was also there that San Fransokyo, the futuristic city in Big Hero 6, was inspired.

After he left the A C T, C o n l i w o r k e d with a group of people to reopen the Pasadena Playhouse. Eventually, he got his Master ’s Degree in Directing at Boston University. After graduation, he ran a theater called the Camden Shakespeare Festival in Maine for two years before he moved back to Los Angeles to work at the Mark Taper Forum, where Disney discovered him.

Conli began working for Disney in 1993, producing films like Tangled, Treasure Planet, and Hunchback of Notre Dame. According to Conli, the Big Hero 6 project was started when Don Hall, one of Conli’s directors, wanted to explore the idea of doing

an animated feature using Marvel characters. After Hall found the Big Hero 6 comics, he and Conli decided to use them as an inspiration, rather than an adaptation.

B e f o re t h e y s t a r t e d writing the story, they had put in a massive amount of research on Tokyo, Japan to explore the elements needed to produce a world, characters, and storyboard that were suitable for the emotional, comedic, and action-packed film.

In addition, they had a research trip to Harvard, MIT, and Carnegie Mellon to get an idea of how they wanted design Baymax.

Eventually, they discovered the field of soft robotics, which was being developed for healthcare purposes.

“Baymax’s job is to heal Hiro, [and because of that] he is the genesis for the team of Big Hero 6,” Conli explained.

Not only do the characters possess Japanese animation features, but the film also includes a lively soundtrack, featuring names like Fall Out Boy and

30 Seconds to Mars.

For anyone who is interested in film, theater, or performing arts, Conli re c o m m e n d s s p e n d i n g as much time reading as possible, as well as getting exposure to history and literature. “Stories all share certain similarities,” Conli said. “The better you know the structural aspect of stories that you need to know to build a story, the more you can restructure and experiment [with] different ways of telling a story.”

Moreover, Conli claims that he is extremely fortunate to be working with the right teams of people, people who contribute to his record of Pulitzer and Tony Award-winning plays.

Conli explained something his former teacher, Dennis Reed, had taught him was that “by working with people who are better than you, you [become] better.”

Lastly, he urges everyone to set their sights high, because in his experience, he has found that every time he has fought for something he really wanted, he has succeeded.

NEWS

San Gabriel hosts Celebration of Learning, presents work to visitors Tr an Lam Parents viewed students’ work and discussed grades and performances with teachers at the Celebration of Learning on Feb. 25.

As parents entered the quad area, the Matador Marching Band performed several songs in order to liven up the mood in the first half hour of the event.

With the displayed student work, parents could see what type of projects and assignments were completed throughout the school year.

Teachers from the world language and history departments were present in the MultiPurpose Room (MPR). Parents could look around the MPR, talk to teachers, and view student video projects, essays, artwork, and even cardboard cutouts of presidents.

Math department teachers occupied the cafeteria area. Geometry and Algebra II teacher Nicolas Nguyen displayed his 3-D printer, a video of a flying homemade plane, and various functioning cardboard airplanes constructed by MESA students.

In addition to the presentations and parent-teacher discussions, clubs such as Future Business Leaders of America, Junior Class Council, Cheer, and Colorguard hosted a food fair for attendees. At 6 p.m., the Advanced Placement (AP) Parent Meeting was held in the auditorium for parents and students who wanted to learn more about AP testing.

“I think this event was a really good opportunity for the parents to see what their kids have been doing and what they’ve been going through, especially with AP classes,” junior Koby Khauv said. “I think it was a good way to show the parents how difficult a class could be.”

Overall, the event helped enlighten parents about the work that their children complete and gave them a taste of the classes that their children are taking.

MESA competes, advances to regionals C arol i na Garci a Photo by Sydney Trieu

Parents and students interact with history teacher Henry Osborne in the MPR.

Science Olympiad competitors make olympic effort during annual tournament, places in two categories Th omas Wang

Photo courtesy of Nicolas Nguyen

MESA students pose in front of San Gabriel’s campus ground after the competition.

The 59 competitors shuffled into the bus early in the morning on March 7, careful not to damage their projects. They never imagined that they would be taking home most of the awards later that day. Fifty-five medals and 20 ribbons were earned by San Gabriel students at the Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement (MESA) day preliminaries.

San Gabriel received 21 medals in the math portion of the competition–the categories were Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, Trigonometry/Pre-Calculus, and Calculus. There were also teams of three that were separated into two sections for Team Math Quest. The first, category A, consisted of Algebra 1 and Geometry; category B held all higher levels of math.

“The team worked hard all year long,” adviser Nicolas Nguyen said. “The results showed the effort that San Gabriel MESA brought in this year.”

One of the defining successes of this year’s MESA day was the EggXpress event. The project requires students to make a safe domain for eggs to be dropped into from a fivestory building; the objective is to have as many unbroken eggs as possible. San Gabriel’s MESA club had not placed in this event in the past four years. However, two teams took second and third place this year.

Freshman Cindy Chau and her partner sophomore Aaron Ly placed second.

“My partner and I were really surprised; I’m glad that our hard work paid off,” Chau said.

The prosthetic arm is among the seven project competitions, where students construct a prosthetic arm with a budget of 40 dollars. The team must present an academic poster and complete a series of challenges with their arm; these challenges include moving objects from one area to another, and screwing in nuts and bolts in the preliminary round.

Of the five teams that San Gabriel brought to the competition, three made it to the top three. The team consisting of freshmen Janet Nguyen, Lu Yue Wang, and Lillian Zhou placed first overall.

“We were overwhelmed; I didn’t think that we would win,” Wang said.”Hard work and team work helped us get [first place].”

Ribbons were also awarded; six were given to San Gabriel for creative mousetrap car design, and 14 in the prosthetic arm category for their academic poster and the device’s performance.

All competitors who placed will advance to the regional competition held at the University of Southern California on April 25. If one of the three prosthetic arm teams that San Gabriel will be sending receives first place at regionals, the team will then advance to state.

The San Gabriel High School Science Olympiad team placed in two events in the yearly competition.

On Feb. 28, the team competed at the Annual Science Olympiad at Occidental College, where they competed in 23 different events that tested students in different branches of science, whether it is studying a discipline of science or building a structure. “[There] is a lot of self-studying,” adviser David Whitman said. “We have reference CDs, sample tests, and DVDs for the construction events. It is almost a one semester elective.”

Junior Lillian Nguyen and Debbie Vong earned medals for placing fifth in Scrambler by building an Egg Transport Vehicle.

Junior Anthony Huynh and Jia Mao placed second in Bungee Drop, an event in which students are supposed create a miniature bungee cord.

“We were pretty shocked when we got second place because this was the first time that we did this event,” Huynh said. “What was even more shocking was that [our bungee] landed one centimeter off the ground on our second trial.”

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and continuing into San Gabriel, Nguyen has participated in Science Olympiad for five years.

However, this was the first time she received a medal.

“Winning this event during my hectic junior year felt sweet, but not satisfying,” Nguyen said. “There are more things I can do to improve. Last year was my first time doing a building event and losing in it at the same time. It was bitter, but exhilarating, because learning from your mistakes and improving has a unique taste that is indescribable.”

Despite receiving medals in two events, the team placed twenty-eighth overall. Meanwhile, many neighboring high schools placed higher than San Gabriel, including Mark Keppel who placed seventh overall. In order to further improve, Whitman plans to expand the Science Olympiad team by recruiting more underclassmen.

“We could do better,” Whitman said. “[Next year], many members are coming back. I need some freshmen and sophomores on the team next year.”

By next year, Whitman wants the team to place in the top 15 schools, and members such as Huynh share the same sentiment. In order to do so, Huynh and others plan on starting their projects earlier to accomplish this goal.

OPINIONS Need “más” sleep Thomas Wang

“Mind over matter” My friends think I’m part gangster for my diction, part psycho for my sleeping habits (or lack thereof), and most importantly, a full nerd for my grades.

Yes, I have a 4.5 GPA as a sophomore, and I haven’t gone a day in high school without a reminder of my academic prowess from my peers because I’m truly superior in GPA and intelligence. I’m on my way to some Ivy League university and a six figure income.

They say. They say. They say. All I have gotten from my academic endeavors is that education sucks. Period. From the sleepless nights to midnight delusions, I have pumped countless hours into my education just to see a decimal on a piece of paper. But when I take a step back and look at myself, I ask: Why do I even try?

The answer, of course, is the numbers.

It has been engraved in my head that the difference between a 4.7 and a 4.0 GPA is Stanford or a state college, life or death.

We have been programmed to believe that high school is where we find out what we are going to do for the rest of our lives.

In four years. When we are 17. Before we even know how to drive. I don’t even understand this world anymore.

Due to this score system, the win-atall-cost mentality has been adopted by many students, including me. Dropping one percent in a class feels like the end of the world, not only because my grades took a blow but also because I fell behind my peers. School is just another competition, a game about playing the numbers. Reaching the top is the reward with all the prestige and bragging rights.

It is five AP classes or nothing.

I was taught that high school will either make or break your future, so I persisted. The expectations that I set for myself were astronomical, but unhealthy.

Whether I got those two questions correct on a test would make or break my day. My obsession with getting an A manifested as, I would consider anything under a 95 percent in the class to be academically unsatisfactory.

However, once high school is over, what is left? College is only one of the many paths someone can take. Even after college, we are left to fend for ourselves in the “real” world. In all the hours spent on memorizing trigonometry identities or all the names of the czars, what did we really learn from that? For me, I learned that Russia was autocratic, that trigonometry was confusing, and that I knew nothing about how to live a life outside of school.

In reality, school has taught me how to live a certain way. We are taught, and we take tests. Multiply that by 180 days, and that makes a school year. These tests will decide education.

In the fog of all the state-imposed tests and group projects, my public education taught me that we live in a world where students are just digits to a quota. Over our head is a value, and depending on how hard we strive in this system, that value determines who we are.

Whether we reject this system or embrace it, high school is a phase in our lives where the numbers do matter. They have been so ingrained in my mindset; I have slaved for a decimal. In all my years counting the numbers, I have become another statistic. But the thing is, I will continue this path of gaming education because it’s the only path I know.

THE MATADOR WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 2015

4

Editorial

Senior year expenses dent students’ wallets Hey, are you going to grad night?

Did you get your cap and gown? Did you buy a yearbook yet?

Have you ever noticed how expensive it is to be a senior? As the their final year in high school, many students see it as their last chance to do everything.

Dances, trips, banquets—they can no longer say they will wait until senior year because it is senior year.

However, as one begins to add up that total cost of senior year, it becomes quite costly for the average high school student.

Senior portraits $60 Panoramic picture $23 or $25 Cap and gown $45 or $60 Grad night $100 or $115 Yearbook $100 Prom ticket $95 (estimated) Prom pictures $30-$50 Prom dresses/tuxes $100+ Corsages/Boutonnières $20+ Banquets $20-30 per club Club gear $5-$30 per item AP Exams $5 or $90 per test Sure, it depends on what you pick and choose to do, but you are looking at least $600 if you plan to try and get the full senior experience, and this cost

does not even factor in what may have already been spent on college applications or standardized tests earlier in the fall. Since many students do not have jobs, it is a little much to expect students to be able to pay these prices upfront, especially with at least 80 percent of the school population on free or reduced lunch. With the price of everything so high, many students have had to decide between empty wallets or opting out of part of the senior experience.

One example of this is senior portraits. This year, only half of the 564 member senior class had their senior portraits taken, likely due to the doubled cost of senior portraits. In comparison, 431 seniors took their portraits in 2011 when the price was about $30.

The cost of portraits may seem small compared to something like college tuition or even a car, but for adolescents who measure the value of money by the number of Cup Noodles they can purchase with it, that is enough for at least half a year’s supply of instant ramen.

Though students have the option of whether or not to buy a yearbook, there is not much of a choice when it comes to items like the cap and gown. With no cap and gown, students are not allowed to cross the stage during graduation. It

is a bit ridiculous to spend somewhere between $45 to $60 for a gown one will wear only once. However, according to AP Government teacher Raymond Gin, it would be more of a hassle for administration to lend out gowns and track them down after graduation.

Though the cost of senior year is high for the average high school student, others will say that it is worth the memories made and the memories preserved. However, should students not be able to get have a full senior experience that is economical? True, there are other dances, but they are not really a replacement for prom, and index photos are not really a replacement for senior portraits. Though some costs cannot be avoided, there should be more options for those who cannot afford such expenses.

Illustration by Kelly Ho

Illustration by Emmanuel Maresca

School fails to prepare students for outside world A nt hony Yang High school is the prelude to adulthood. We learn about the atom and slavery in the United States, but how much knowledge do we pick up that is functional in the adult world?

Buzzfeed uploaded a video called “Adult Things You Didn’t Learn In College” on Feb. 12. A group of college seniors were quizzed on topics about managing finances. The video made me wonder if high school or even university prepares us for the real world.

Most high school students are, at most, four years away from graduating high school and going about their separate ways. According to the United States Census Bureau, about 26 percent of Americans have neither attended nor finished university. With that in mind, high school is the best place to learn how to function in our future adult lives. Although San Gabriel High School’s Business and Technological Academy offers the Global Business and Finance class, which teaches skills needed for money management and taxes, this course is not mandatory, leaving most students out of the loop. These skills are essential to function in adult life, but since courses pertaining to these subjects are not mandatory at San Gabriel High School, students have no other way to seek knowledge about these skills other than the Internet where the information may or may not be helpful.

Since at 18 when most people begin to work or live away from their parents, it is important for high school students to have some concept of money management. Since we are merely high school students, the amount of necessary expenses is miniscule compared to what most adults have to deal with.

Most young adults work minimum-wage jobs with paychecks amounting to a few hundred dollars, which can seem like big bucks for those working for the first time, though in reality, the privilege of making money bears responsibility, as university loans, utilities, and groceries can easily make that money disappear.

In order to be hired for either a minimum-wage job or a lucrative job requiring a university degree, résumés are essential

to inform potential employers of one’s credentials. Companies need to learn about prospective employees; one of the ways they do that is reviewing résumés. Unfortunately, in a survey of 165 juniors and seniors, only 25 students know how to write a résumé.

Since most young Americans make more than $1,000 a year, high school should teach students how to file tax returns. Since BTA’s Global Business and Finance class is not mandatory, this results in some students being inept on the subject of tax returns. In a survey of 165 juniors and seniors, only 32 students know the deadline to file for a tax return. The lack of knowledge about this topic can result in dire consequences–either an invasive audit or arrest.

Among my peers, it is common to hear “An accountant can do it for me.” While I understand their mindsets, not everything goes according to plan. Once most of us settle in our careers, sometimes we may not be able to afford an accountant to handle our finances, since there are other expenses to keep in mind.

Many administrators often tell us that we are in school to learn.

In order to prepare for adulthood, classes teaching about finance should be mandatory, or school assemblies should be made about the topic. While we learn academics to get into university, most of us do not learn the skills we need to know after we get out of high school.

5

OPINIONS

THE MATADOR WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 2015

What exactly do adolescents owe their parents?

A n n i e Huang When you turn 18, you can cast your vote in elections, change your name, take all of your belongings out of your parents’ house, and move to Switzerland. And if by any miraculous chance you end up not having to pay for your college tuition or your living expenses in Switzerland, you will probably never have to see your parents again.

If you decide to do those exact things, however, some may call you selfish, disrespectful, or even ungrateful. “After raising you and feeding you for 18 years, don’t you feel like you at least owe them something?” What those people say, as they knit 36-inch scarves with their eyebrows and throw you a variety of disapproving looks.

People want to become parents because they want to, not because they expect to be rewarded with a yacht and a retirement mansion in Miami after paying double that amount from just raising a child. Of course, parents deserve the same kind of respect as every other human being. If they treat you well and with respect, then they deserve to be treated the same way. If they treat you with kindness, they deserve to receive the same amount of kindness from you. That is called human morality, not some kind of debt in which you feel like you owe them for the rest of your life.

Young adults should not feel like they have to “respect” their parents’ wishes, wishes that their parents impose on their life decisions. They do not owe their parents love if their parents treat them like dirt. They do not owe their parents respect if their parents fail to respect them. They do not owe their parents obedience if their parents’ demands are actively harmful to them.

They do not owe their parents gratitude for “having given them life” if their parents then went on to make that life unbearable for them. They do not owe their parents an important life decision for every new phone that their parents have bought for them. Most importantly, they do not owe their parents gratitude for having “made sacrifices” for them if their parents exploit their choice to give birth to them as a way of guilt–tripping them into doing whatever they want.

They are not an investment, a piece of property, or an economic deficit. As a result, they do not owe their parents anything.

As human beings, we should feel compelled to give back to people whom we love, instead of feeling like we owe our lives to the people who gave us life. We did not ask to be born; our parents should understand that it is their duty to clothe us, feed us, and shelter us the moment they decide to give birth to a new commitment. Even so, they are not legally bound to love us, nor are we legally bound to give back to them. But the moment that they make it their purpose to provide us with warmth, comfort, and security as an act of unconditional love, not an obligation, we will grow up to understand that we owe it to ourselves to become the good people that they raised us to be.

Matador

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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 Simon Yung Sydney Trieu Katherine Hoong Emmanuel Maresca Ying Chow Anthony Yang Hanfrey Deng Tran Lam Emmanuel Maresca Anthony Yang Vanessa Huang Jennifer Kim

Reporters: Hellgert Almontes, Stacy Chau, Christy Deng, Kelly Ho, Frank Lieu, Mario Mandujano, Kim Pham, Thomas Wang 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 J.E.J Print 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.

Il ean a Perez From the moment a child is born until the moment he or she departs and leaves home, his or her parents have given them their unconditional love, support, money, food, and other luxuries along the way. The big question is: how much does the child owe his or her parents in return for everything they have been given?

The answer is simple—children owe their parents their unconditional love, time, and support. From the time children are born, parents do everything they can to ensure that their kids live happy, struggle-free lives. Thus, when they finally grow up and can fend for themselves, it is only right that children help their parents out, care for them, and always be there for them, right?

According to <money. cnn.com>, it costs approximately $245,000 to raise a child, not including college fees. However, it is not the quarter of a million dollars that children should repay, but rather, something much more meaningful—although it would not hurt to spend money on them every once in a while, just like parents usually do for their children.

Parents are obligated to look after their children and make sure they have everything they need. Since it is their job, it could seem like the child does not owe them anything; after all, when someone chooses to become a parent, he or she should know that he or she will have to dedicate an enormous amount of time, money, and effort towards raising that child, though that is not necessarily the case.

Children have to remember that just like how they are a gift, a miracle, irreplaceable, their parents are the same.

Parents are irreplaceable and must be looked after, cared for, and appreciated, even if they mess up along the way. After all, everyone makes mistakes, and parents tend to forgive because of their unconditional love. Unconditional love should be mutual for both the kids and parents; neither should be deprived of simple things, like love or time, even as they age.

Similar to how parents are obligated to look after their children, the children have an obligation as well. As parents age, their kids should look after them, spend quality time with them, and make sure they understand how loved and appreciated they are. It is not money nor luxurious items that children owe their parents, but their time and unconditional love.

As time goes by and both parents and children age, the need for their company, love, time, and words increases. In the end, it is those bonding moments that will repay parents for absolutely everything.

Illustration by Kelly Ho

The Matador Bullring

In what ways does high school prepare you for life after high school?

“

It prepares you by giving you the opportunity to take AP classes and join clubs that help you connect.”

-Elaine Tran, 9th grade

“ “

It prepares you by teaching you the basics of life.”

-Mark Bingochea, 10th grade

“

High school prepares us for our future, like our jobs.”

-Brittany Nguyen, 11th grade

It prepares you with AP classes for college, and the counselors help you [to] succeed.“ -Cris Gamino, 12th grade Photos by Sydney Trieu/Border by Katherine Hoong

“THAI”red of u

Jennifer Thai “Walking and looking forward” As I roamed the cursor atop the submit button, a click away from completing my college applications, I came to the realization that my high school achievements were lacking.

No public services, no extraordinary accomplishments—only blank, white spaces and regrets. It was my four years of high school represented on one page.

“I could have done more, but I didn’t.

I should have done more, but I didn’t.

Nothing was all I did.” These were my thoughts as I finally clicked the button.

First came denial, then anger, and finally regret.

I blamed time. I instantly blamed all those Korean dramas and variety shows that took hours of my life away, my old computer that used to take five minutes to start up, and every other object that could not defend itself against my accusations.

But by the end of the day, there was nothing else to blame—to hate—but my own decisions and myself. I was ashamed, yet all I did was run away from both the reality that I had to face and the fact that I could no longer do anything to change it. I felt like I had lost control over my life.

It was silly how my stubborn pride was still standing strong under my embarrassment. Pride and fear overshadowed my intentions to express how I felt. When I thought I had no one to talk to about my problems, the reality was that it was myself who created a barrier that I thought would protect me. This barrier, however, only further isolated me.

The day after I submitted my applications, I cut everything. I stopped using my computer and turned to my only comforts—my bed and pillow. I slept the day away, hoping it would transform into a Romeo to sweep me off my feet and take me away. It soon became a routine— wearing a mask, consciously avoiding topics regarding my grades and my future, eating dinner, doing homework, and sleeping. It was, pitifully, my sweet escape.

Looking back, I realized that I was drowning in my own expectations. I lacked the ability to take a step back and look at the situation as a whole.

I regretted not doing the things that I had always wanted to do, but I have never regretted the things that I have accomplished in my high school career.

If I could redo my high school years all over again, there would be no doubt that I would still join journalism, that I would still run for Focus editor, that I would still spend my nights designing the Focus page, that I would still spend my four years in Art Club, and that I would still spend all my Wednesdays with all my beloved Art Club minions. I realized that I would still do these mediocre things that are part of my routine.

Although, at times, my conscience has tempted me to stay in the past, my indecisive self has managed to decide that it is time to move on from the past.

As Jackie Joyner-Kersee once said, “It is better to look ahead and prepare than to look back and regret.”

I learned from my experiences. I keep these experiences, not by throwing them away in a box and keeping them locked up, but rather, by treasuring them in a memory book that I can reflect on. My regrets are my one-of-a-kind, personally experienced life lessons that cannot be bought or taught.

With what I have learned, I can continue my journey to become a better person.

FOCUS

THE MATADOR WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 2015

6

Lucretia Mott

Susan B. Anthony

Women fight for rights throughout history S i mon Yung It is hard to believe that over a century ago, women were subjected to both political and social discrimination. Now, women have mostly broken free from the shackles of oppression and have become significantly prominent in many professions and various walks of life. This feminine fusillade of freedom did not occur overnight, however. Women everywhere have had to hold the line against endless assaults on their rights as citizens and individuals. Countless women have sallied forth and charged into the fray that is the fight for feminism, and it is appropriate that these mighty mavericks are acknowledged.

The origins of the women’s rights movement in the United States can be found in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The movement can be divided into two distinct subgroups: first-wave feminism and second-wave feminism. The first-wave movement’s objectives were mainly removing legal obstacles that restricted women, such as restrictions on voting and property ownership.

This movement was a time of abolitionism and women’s suffrage in the United States. As such, this era was home to individuals such as Lucretia Mott, Susan B. Anthony, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, all highly-renowned advocates of abolition and women’s suffrage in the nineteenth century. While first-wave feminism managed to secure substantial rights for women in the legal sense, equality in many other areas went neglected until the latter half of the twentieth century.

The 1900s saw significant advances for women regarding social rights. Western societies became increasingly accepting of women participating in activities that were formerly reserved Infographics by Jennifer Thai. Surveys conducted out of 200 students.

only for men. With the advent of the “Roaring Twenties” and the Prohibition era, women became much more prominent in social scenes, performing “scandalous” acts such as imbibing alcohol and cigarettes with their male cohorts. When the Second World War began, women began to take up occupations considered masculine, such as manufacturing and administration, as popularized by the icon “Rosie the Riveter.” Currently, with over 15 million children living with a single mother according to the 2010 Census, it is increasingly common for women to “wear the pants,” both figuratively and literally.

One of the most popular critiques from women’s rights activists involves the wage gap between men and women who hold similar occupations. According to the Institution for Women’s Policy Research, women made approximately 78 cents compared to every dollar earned by their male counterparts, which accounts for a 22 percent wage gap in 2013. With efforts underway in many states and municipalities attempting to rectify underpaid workers across both genders, it would not be surprising if the gap is closed within the next few years.

The advancement of women’s rights can be seen now with the prevalence of very influential women in many facets of life. The popularity of women’s sports has skyrocketed with the likes of Serena and Venus Williams, both considered to be the best female tennis players in history.

Political powerhouses such as First Lady Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton have made headlines consistently with their accomplishments in recent years; Obama with her “Let’s Move!” campaign combatting childhood obesity and Clinton’s work as Secretary of State, to name a few.

While women’s rights have come a long way from what they were over a century ago, the fight for equality is far from over. Although women are now much more legally-empowered, there is much progress to be made for women in the social sense.

“Women are still not trained to believe that they have to be able to take care of themselves in society,” former Herstory adviser Valerie Larsen said. “Women are still are still expected to be submissive and to be the lesser sex and depend on the man, and I think that needs to be broken.”

7

THE MATADOR

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 2015

FOCUS

#DearMe is a YouTube campaign created to empower young girls and women towards becoming more confident, happy, and satisfied with themselves. #dearme , Be more confident and take risks.

Lilian Ngo, 9th

#dearme , Don’t abuse girls. they’re precious!

Daniel phan, 10th

#dearme , Do not be discouraged if you fail because everything will be ok!

Asia Ramirez, 11th

#dearme , Treat a women as if she were your mom.

Arturo Ayala, 12th

The #DearMe videos are in the form of letters from older and experienced women, writing to their younger selves with words of wisdom and advice.

Serena Williams

Hillary Clinton

Celebrities campaign for equality

A my Yee

The Oscars. Some people watch it for the theatrical performances, some people watch it for the awards, and some people watch it to hear the acceptance speeches. At the 87th Academy Awards ceremony held on Feb. 22, there was one actress who utilized her acceptance speech to speak out against the social and economic problems women in the United States face everyday.

Actress Patricia Arquette, who won Best Supporting Actress for Boyhood, used her Oscar acceptance speech to advocate for her personal beliefs and values.

“To every woman who gave birth, to every taxpayer and citizen of this nation: we have fought for everybody else’s equal rights. It’s our time to have wage equality once and for all, and equal rights for women in the United States of America,” Arquette said in her speech, advocating for equal rights and pay for women.

Her speech was met with applause and brought to light the issue of gender equality and the empowerment of women.

Arquette has not been the first female celebrity to advocate for women’s rights; British actress Emma Watson, Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), successfully raised awareness for the equal treatment of both women and men through HeForShe, a global solidarity campaign for gender equality started by UN Women.

Watson’s HeForShe campaign speech on Sept. 20, 2014 was fueled by her own path to feminism and has accumulated over 11 million views on social media.

Feminism, a term that has been misinterpreted over the years as something only empowering women, is actually a movement that strives to undo the rigid patriarchy system ingrained in most cultures. Feminism seeks to instill the idea that both genders are equal and deserve to be treated as such because gender discrimination is still rampant in most countries. “[I think that] there shouldn’t be discrimination against [any gender] to begin with,” junior Caleb Ventura said. “Feminism [is a good idea], but [not] when it’s over the top—like how some girls say ‘I hate men!’—but you shouldn’t hate anybody.”

There is also confusion between the two definitions of feminism, where one side sees it only as “bashing on men” and the other, “a movement for equality.”

“Feminism should work for both genders. I get that males have had the [upper hand] in many societies, but people need to understand that feminism is equality for everyone; it’s not about women [putting down men],” junior Raven Tsan said.

According to UN Women’s official site <http://www.unwomen.org/en>, “Gender is not only a basic human right, but its achievements have socio-economic ramifications.” In the world today, gender discrimination remains in every society; women are underrepresented in the workforce, face occupational and wage gaps due to their gender, and still do not have the same rights to their male counterparts in many countries, such as a path to basic education and healthcare.

But hopefully with awareness, equality for both genders can be found.

Illustrations by Emmanuel Maresca. Quotes gathered by Ying Chow.

Photos by Gage, Scewing, Soerfm, Library of Congress, CC/BY. Brief by Judy Tang.

LIFE &ART

THE MATADOR WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 2015

Restaurant Review: Big E’s Teriyaki & Burgers Mari o Mand uj ano

Photos by Mario Mandujano

Address: 2111 S. San Gabriel Blvd.

Rosemead, CA 91770 Price: Under $10 Matador Rating:

Conveniently located on the corner of San Gabriel Blvd. and Potrero Grande Dr., Big E’s Teriyaki & Burgers offers original cuisine, such as their top seller, the Big ‘E’ Burger, a delicious burger consisting of teriyaki, avocado and bacon topped with their homemade Thousand-Island spread and teriyaki sauce or the Big ‘E’ Style Fries created by owner Eddie Ruiz himself. The dish is packed with the highly complimentary flavors of crinkle french fries, teriyaki, bacon, and Ruiz’s homemade sauces. Both menu items, along with all others, are listed at affordable prices.

Big E’s first opened its doors three years ago and has since been a popular spot for young locals and San Gabriel High School students. The time I entered with intentions of reviewing the restaurant was not my first visit. I cannot count how many times I have found myself walking through the doors of the hyped-up place, trying to satisfy my craving for their famous Big ‘E’ Style Fries. Every time I approach the register ready to order, I encounter a variety of delicious meals to choose from and am also welcomed with courteous, speedy service as well as a large, clean environment to enjoy my food in, including two back-to-back flat screen televisions. I tend to buy a drink and enjoy the perk of unlimited free refills for the remainder of my visit. It is no wonder that the business has seen much success over the years and is expected to see double the current sales next year, seeing as it provides cuisine of local unmatched quality, primarily due to its originality. There has not been a time when I did not leave the restaurant feeling stuffed and satisfied, and I can nearly guarantee the same experience to all first-timers.

To all those food enthusiasts that are always up to try something new, Big E’s would be an ideal place to check out. Although the place gets busy, one is unlikely to experience long wait times, since their service is quick, making a visit to this place just that much better.

Talent show features individuality Ki m P h a m Decked out in colorful stage lights and cartoonish cutout trees, houses, and characters from the beloved Charlie Brown series, the dimly-lit auditorium was packed with supportive friends, family members, and students looking for some entertainment on March 6. Classical pianists, soulful renditions, vibrant dance routines, intense drumming, and a stand up comedian; “A Charlie Brown Talent Show” was successful in finding some of San Gabriel High School’s hidden gems and polishing up some of the ones already unearthed.

The show, which was entirely put together by ASB students, consisted of 22 acts, lasting from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Junior Manuel Lemos and freshman Ezra Banlaoi hosted the show while keeping the crowd entertained with clever puns. The night’s acts were primarily made of singers, but senior Aydin Hau took home third place with his skillful guitar rendition of “My Heart Will Go On” by Celine Dion and second place winner senior Mark Zamudio electrified the crowd with his head bang-worthy performance on the drums. Sophomore Kiana Saucedo ultimately won first place with her fun stage presence and spunky cover of “I Wish,” by Cher Lloyd.

Zamudio described his passion for playing in front of a crowd and how he felt about

winning second place.

“When I was playing, I felt like I was in my garage practicing like I always do. I love having the opportunity to perform by myself, because I get to do whatever I want and simply have fun,” Zamudio said. “I wasn’t expecting to win at all; I just wanted to perform and show everyone my talent. I was really happy that I did get second place, because my mom was super proud of me, which is what really mattered.”

In between performances, “commercial breaks” were taken to advertise for the yearbook, toga dance, and prom. ASB students entertained audience members by showing them the “do’s and don’ts” of asking someone to prom and how to make a toga in “3 easy steps!” Other performances featured a variety of different talents, including senior Amber Dykeman’s ‘50s inspired dance routine and seniors Cindi Yu, Jenny Trang, and Kim Luong’s upbeat K-pop dance routine.

Senior Rigoberto Saldivar had audience members in an uproar of laughter from his stand-up comedy act, telling stories about his experience on the wrestling team and refusing to take Zumba classes with his dad. Junior Grace Li performed a song in Chinese and junior Noah Rodriguez played “River Flows In You,” by Yiruma on his flute.

ASB students ended the night by reenacting the iconic Charlie Brown Christmas Special dance scene.

Photo by Kim Pham

From left to right: Amber Huynh, Koby Khauv, and Justine Pham.

Dressed from head to toe in animal onesies and accessorized with sunglasses, Huynh, Khauv, and Pham sing and dance to Bruno Mars’s “The Lazy Song.”

8

Matadors React What are your thoughts on Big E’s? “[I like Big E’s because] the teriyaki sauce from the fries is really good.”

-Andrew Duran, senior

“[I like] Big E’s because it is clean, and their tables do not have any ketchup stains.”

-Nicholas Nguyen, junior

“Their teriyaki french fries are so good.

[Big E’s] is really good because they put teriyaki sauce in it and deli beef and melted cheese with Sriracha sauce.”

-May Lo, junior

"I really like the Big E's fries; it is the best thing ever. I cannot remember what was in it, that is how good the fries are."

-David Romero, sophomore

“[I like it because] it is not crowded and the food is good.”

-Janet Wong, junior Quotes compiled by Stacy Chau

9

THE MATADOR WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 2015

Play Review: The Odd Couple J ud y Tang Eighties love ballads and oldies filled the Little Theater-turned restaurantstyle seating as the delicious three-course meal of salad, pasta, and dessert cupcake arrived at every attendee’s plate. Peepo Productions did a lovely job setting the mood and time in history as the 80s music and old-fashioned furniture set took viewers to a time far beyond their own.

Peepo Production’s The Odd Couple: Female Version captures the comedic banter and conflict of two friends, Florence and Olive, whose ties exist only in their mutual love for the board game, Trivial Pursuit, played with their other girl friends, Sylvie, Vera, Renee, and Mickey.

After an ending to her 14-year long marriage, neat freak Florence turns to unkempt Olive for consolation and receives an invitation to live with the divorced and lonely Olive. Two weeks later, Olive can no longer stand how Florence has changed her life and turns to setting them both up on a double date with the Costazuela neighbors, Manolo and Jesus.

Sophomore Angelica Morquecho’s rendition of Florence is very memorable, as she is able to pull off Florence as an awkward woman, at the very edge with her emotions and obsessed with cleanliness, and also without casting her as a whiny and annoying character.

Despite the few moments of misspoken lines, senior Simon Yung’s and junior Emmanuel Maresca’s accents and comedic delivery of lines make up for other moments of disclarity. Maresca’s and Yung’s embodiment of Latino men is exceptional, as not only were the accents well done, but also the conversational flow of both their scenes.

While every actor performed very well, most notable is freshman Brizeth Lomeli, who plays Olive. Her punchline deliveries were nothing but spot-on and timely, exact and natural, without coming off as either forced or at times, even scripted. Lomeli’s costuming and stage presence give off nothing but Olive’s character, fun-loving personality, and snarky wit.

Peepo Production’s set design is very well done; the furniture, props, and lighting exude a classic and older time period, which fits well with the time in which The Odd Couple was written. An aspect of the production that I find noteworthy is the costuming. Each performer’s garments are one-of-a-kind, yet suited very well for each specific actor.

The Odd Couple: Female Version is definitely a must-see, but probably for a more mature audience. Most jokes and references are to topics that most young audiences would not understand; thus, punchlines left hanging are regarded as awkward and out-of-the-blue. Still, Peepo’s dinner theater is the experience to have and performance to watch.

Illustration by Emmanuel Maresca

LIFE &ART

Get Lit highlights student poets K ri sty Duong

Desiree Pacheco, and Ambar Stern, and junior Lillian Liu. “At first, I just did this because it was an Thirty-five poets poured their hearts out at the auditorium stage at San Gabriel High School’s assignment, but as I got a chance to perform, third annual Get Lit Poetry Slam on Feb. 18 and 20. I felt like [I found something I was good at],” Get Lit is a nonprofit program founded in 2006 Huang said. “I don’t know how I feel about [this whole competition experience in Los Angeles that promotes yet], but I’m excited for the teen literacy through classic process.” and spoken word poetry. At The competition progressthe slam, students recited es from a classroom competiclassic poems along with tion to a school competition poems they wrote in reto a selection of six members sponse to the classics. Poets who represent the school at were judged on the level of the Los Angeles competidifficulty of their classic potion. At this next stage of the ems, dramatic appropriatecompetition, students will not ness, voice and articulation, only perform their individual confidence/stage presence, classic and response poems, writing quality of their rebut also write poems together sponse poems, and the conto be performed in groups of nection between the classic two or three. and response poems. They English teacher Katy Buralso received an accuracy khart believes that this proscore for their classic poem gram is beneficial to both recitations. The judges inteachers and students in sevcluded teachers Andrew eral ways as it allows her Bitterolf, Ted Brock, Katy to focus on her passion for Burkhart, Erik Miller, and Photo by Kristy Duong poetry and “the success and Jordan Vogel, and alumnus Poet Ambar Stern recites her poem. confidence [students develop Eric Andrade. “[My experience with Get Lit] has been amaz- during the program] spill over to other areas ing because I’m able to express myself in ways I of class.”

“This curriculum provides me an oppordidn’t know I could express myself,” poet Justine Salazar said. “I chose my poem because it’s some- tunity to get to know my students on a comthing that’s been affecting me for a long time and pletely different level than any other thing I’ve I never really got over it, so instead of just letting taught,” Burkhart said. “I get to be involved in it eat me inside, I decided to let it out in a positive a curriculum that is relevant to students’ lives [and] real life. After we finish the program, I outlet.”

This year, students from both Burkhart’s and find that my students [become more engaged Vogel’s English classes participated in the poetry in class].”

Seniors Kristy Duong, Annie Huang, Kelsey slam. The slam was divided into two nights to accommodate the number of poets, and winners Ko, Desiree Pacheco, and Ambar Stern, and were named on each day. On the first night, the junior Justine Salazar will be representing San top poets were seniors Annie Huang and Robert Gabriel’s Get Lit team on May 1 at the Los AnLam, and junior Justine Salazar, and on the second geles Theatre Center, where they will compete night, the top poets were seniors Kristy Duong, against students from over 40 other schools.

SPORTS

THE MATADOR WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 2015

2015 Spring Sports Previews

10

Girls Softball

Boys Baseball

Pitching to reach success

Batting for CIF M a ri o M a n d u j a n o

Carolina Loaisiga

Captains: Co-captains and seniors Darian Meave and Christopher Melgar will be leading the boys baseball team this season. Despite the loss of several star senior players after the last season, Meave maintains confidence in the ability of the underclassmen in the team.

Comments: “We have lost some good players, but our current players can more than make up for that,” Meave said.

Expectations: The team expects to participate in the final stage of CIF competition at Dodger Stadium and exit as victors of the championship.

“If we all do what needs to be done, reaching that objective should be no problem,” Melgar said.

Head Coach Jesus Peinado also holds the same expectations and trains the players extensively with rigorous conditioning to prepare the team. The team awaits the season with a positive attitude to achieve their number one goal: finishing the season as CIF champions.

Photo by Sydney Trieu

Senior Cesar Guzman prepares to throw the baseball to his teammate while warming up during practice.

Photo by Sydney Trieu

Sophomore Sache Gonzalez practices her throwing form in order to prepare for the upcoming spring season.

Badminton

With the arrival of new head coaches, the San Gabriel softball team also has new goals to achieve a spectacular start for the Almont League spring season.

New Head Coaches Vanezza Martin Del Campo and John Martinez have high expectations for the girls, both individually and as a team to finish the upcoming season as successfully as possible.

Expectations: “I hope to lead these girls to [the] Almont League championships and show the other schools what San Gabriel has this year,” Del Campo said.

Key players: The key players include returning members seniors Star Bojorquez and Jacqueline Llamas, junior Jazmine Cabrera, and sophomores Marissa Cordova and Melissa Cordova.

Comments: “The girls this year have a lot of potential, and I expect [them] to show their hard work out on the field during games,” Del Campo said.

Along with Del Campo, Martinez hopes to make this spring softball season one of the best ones that San Gabriel has to witness.

Making a raquet on journey to championships F ra n k L i eu It is almost springtime, and the birdies are coming back for their annual visit to the courts. After flying to the CIF semi-finals last year, Coach Ryan Wong leads this year’s varsity badminton squad with the goal of matching, or even exceeding, last year’s efforts.

Captains: The captains are seniors An Huynh and Phan Phu. Key Players: After getting first place in mixed and second place in doubles at the CIF semi-finals against Wilson High School, junior Annie Wu has faith that she will do better than she did last year, despite losing her partner who graduated

Senior Bin Chen and junior Wesley Lam await their opponents’ next move during one of the practice games amongst teammates.

The team will face Webb High School for their next match on March 17.

last year. Wu is one of the few returning female badminton players from last year’s varsity team hoping to qualify to the CIF competition once more.

As the only returning male player in the badminton program, senior Brian Wong expects to dominate his opponents. Placing 11 out of 15 for singles, Wong intends to go farther than last year’s CIF placing. Despite a knee injury that prevented Wong from practicing for some time, he continues to perfect his stance to ensure that he keeps his footing on par throughout the season.

Comments: ”This year we’re going to do better because we’ve been training harder,” Wong said. “Individually, I think I have done pretty [well].”

Photo by Sydney Trieu

Track and Field

Co-ed Swim

Diving under victory, past obstacles I l e a n a P e re z

Captains: The girls co-captains are seniors Stella Liang and Ambar Stern, With new improvements and drills and the boys co-captains are Zhuang and this year, the swim team hopes to im- senior Eric Hong.

Key players: prove and hopeWhile everyone fully make it to plays an imporCIF this season. tant role on the Expectations: team, the capSwim season tains believe starts off with juniors Magaly high expectaAguirre, Kentions this year. neth Bui, Kelly Under new Giang, Kelvin coach, Priscilla Huang, and Cam, stricter Abel Kobayasa n d m o re i n hi, and sophotense workouts more Valeria have been impleDuran will be Photo courtesy of Jeff Wat mented in order the key swimto prepare the Junior Jeff Wat prepares to dive into the mers this seaswimmers for the season ahead pool in a meet against La Salle on March 7. son.

With the new changes, the swim team of them. “[The changes] give us a more prom- hopes that their swimmers make it to CIF ising future,” co-captain and senior and that everyone beats their personal time each meet.

Frankie Zhuang said.

Boy Tennis

Team serves to CIF Angela Fong Summary: After the success the girls varsity tennis team had in the previous months, the San Gabriel boys varsity tennis team is hard at work to reclaim the spotlight as well.

“Since summer practice, some [players] have improved greatly, [while] others still need to work harder,” Coach Steve Akiyama said.

Captains: The captain is senior James Nguyen, the oldest

Dashing towards goals, over struggles Tr an Lam Speed, stamina, determination—all are ingredients to making a track and field team successful. This year’s team has been training hard for the past four months, preparing to dominate the playing field and aiming to snatch back the Almont League Championship title.

The team is led by Head Captains seniors Tran Lam and Anthony Valverde. Head Coach Steve Morales expressed his high expectations for the runners.

“I feel confident this year. We’ve got really good runners,” Morales said.

There are now three new additional coaches: Joben Mutuc (sprints), Ernesto Zuniga (throws), and Kenneth Ng (jumps).

“This year’s team is pretty committed and focused,” Valverde said. “I feel [as if] everyone seems to be trying and improving too.”

The key athletes include hurdler Valverde, sprinters seniors Phillip Lin, Janette Nguyen, and Davin Vuong, distance runner junior Allen Au Yeung; throwers senior Henry Vivar and sophomore Alwin Lee.

member on the team.

Key Players: According to Akiyama, key players senior James Nguyen and juniors Caleb Santos, Leo Liu, Chris Ly, and Michael Vong must play well in order for the team to be successful.

Comments: “Being the only senior on the team, my goal is to help the team improve so they can contend for the CIF title,” Nguyen said.

“This team should do well this season, but even better next season. Maybe they can [even] match the girls team and win league [championships],” Akiyama said.

Photo courtesy of Roman Hernandez

Sophomore Eva Hernandez races the 1600m (one mile) on the track against the Rosemead Panthers and Mark Keppel Aztecs at the Rosemead Invitational.

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THE MATADOR

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 2015

Boys Volleyball

Spiking towards bright future J us t i n To y o m i t s u Captain: “No captain,” Coach Chris Kwan said.

“Everybody has their roles; everybody is a key player,” Kwan said. “We’re going to find out who our leader is [going to be].”

Key Players: The team’s starters are seniors outside hitter Tony Tran, libero Brandon Cheung and middle hitter David Gonzalez, junior setter Peter Ma, and sophomores outside hitter Jarett Tan and opposite hitter David Hoang.

“These guys have the ability, but it’s up to them [to win],” Kwan said. “If they mature and grow, we will get better. There are a lot of expectations for the team by

the general public, so we have a lot to prove out there.”

Expectations: “Our goal this year is to make it even further in CIF than we did last year,” Tran said. “With hard work and dedication, I believe that we are capable of making it to CIF finals this year.”

Summary: There is a lot to expect from this year’s boys varsity team. The team is feeling strong and confident about their chances in CIF. Through their continued efforts to improve, they have formed a strong bond amongst themselves and trust each other on the court.

“Without a good setter, the team will fail, and same goes with every other position too,” Tran said. “Teamwork is important.”

Photo by Stacy Chau

The boys volleyball team practices for their upcoming game to remain as the undefeated champions in the Almont League and obtain their ticket to the CIF playoffs.

SPORTS

Lunch Champions munch rivals C arol i na L oaisiga

against a senior team.

“It was fun playing with my friends and Ten teams. Four trophies. Two ultiwinning games against senior teams,” freshmate winners. The annual three-on-three man Jesse Hernandez said. “We practiced basketball tournament commenced on hard to win our trophy in the end.”

March 2 at the small gym during lunch Senior Isaac Medina, a member of the where ten teams Blippers team, gave their all to reflects back obtain a place on the games among the top during lunch four teams and time with his to obtain a shiny friends. trophy repre“My favorite senting the hard part was when work and time my team was these athletes down zero to six gave to the tourand out of nonament. where we came Physical edback and won,” ucation teacher Medina said.

Carla FujimoThe top four t o o rg a n i z e d teams battled the teams and it out with an event to proovertime, leadmote healthy ing to Fujimoto Photo by Sydney Trieu lifestyles and having to call to encourage out the last students to par- Senior Matthew Casas beats senior Oscar twenty seconds ticipate in sports Lopez during a break away to shoot the of the game to events for enter- basketball into the net to obtain the lead. ensure that the tainment. teams would “Basketball is one of the sports where finish in time and have a set winner. you experience teamwork,” Fujimoto said.

“I enjoy watching the boys play and A sole freshmen squad, the Angels, compete against each other,“ Fujimoto said. was the star of the tournament, beating The tournament resulted in two first place two senior teams to gain a spot in the winners, the SG Ballers and SG Varsity, and top four teams, ultimately leading to two second place winners, the Angels and a second place title after a tough game the Purple Team.

FEATURES

12

THE MATADOR WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 2015

Tell Me

what’s the

WORD. Famous Hallway quotes, Volume Seventy

“Did you fall from heaven? Because so did Satan.”

- Student trying out his own version of a pick-up line.

“What is that?

Drug money or the price of college?”

- Student freaking out over college tuition.

“How are you going to get to Mar’s? By spaceship?”

- Student making a pun with teacher’s name.

“In this group, you’re like the pinky toe: tiny and useless.”

- Student jokingly naming a friend’s part in their friend group.

“I stepped into some liquid. Let me smell it on my already sweaty sock.”

- Student making fun of friend for stepping in pee.

“My booger came out skin colored.

I’m so relieved. My body is working.”

- Student says while complaining about her thick theater makeup.

“They found me!”

- Teacher after hearing a police siren.

All quotes overheard

by The Matador Staff.

Run, Robert, Run! Ka t heri ne H oong With mud crawling, wall climbing, fire-jumping, and spear-throwing, obstacle races have been pushing racers past their limits. Spartan Racer, senior Robert Lam, courageously faces the obstacles head on and completed five races in the past year.

The Spartan Race, founded by Joe De Sena in 2010, hosts its courses all over the U.S. and challenges participants to overcome physical obstacles.

Varying in difficulty, a series of four races are also available to the runners: the Sprint, the Super, the Beast, and the Ultra Beast.

Not only has Lam participated in five races in 2013-15, but also won medals as he finished each of them. His first race was the Spartan Sprint in Dec. 2013, which consisted of three miles of obstacle racing. However, Lam said that he could not have made it through most of the obstacles without the help of his fellow racers who lifted him over the eight foot wall obstacles.

Although the courses were exhausting, Lam was not discouraged and decided to sign up for the eight-mile “Super Spartan” and the 13-mile “Spartan Beast.” Known as second hardest race, the Spartan Beast was held on Sept. 13, 2014, a scorching day which hit 104 degrees.

Regardless of the heat, Lam persevered

through the uphill race and completed all the courses, including fire-jumping.

“It [felt] incredible when I jumped over the pyre of flaming coals because I realized that it was the toughest challenge I’d taken on to date,” Lam said.

By participating in a Sprint, Super, and Beast, Lam completed the Trifecta where at the completion of each race, a medal shaped as a pie piece is rewarded so that after finishing all three races, each medal is pieced together to form a pie.

“Spartan races are really fun. There’s this overwhelming sense of motivation that you get every time you cross the finish line,” Lam said.

“But it’s more about meeting people just like you and crossing the finish line with them.”

Despite the difficulty of the races, Lam plans to participate in Spartan Sprints in the future and said that he wants to “try to run as many [races as he] can this year.”

Lam also encourages people to try obstacle racing because getting to experience the irreplaceable camaraderie with other racers who are willing to help you is worth the run.

Volunteers color country with dye Chr isty Deng

At normal runs or marathons, one expects to see sweaty people racing down a course with water cups littered all over the ground and bystanders cheering on for them. However, at Run or Dye, instead of the regular runners and water cups on the ground, one element is added to make this event more unique: rainbows of colored starch.

Run or Dye is an organization that offers colorful five kilometer races across the country. It is known for its colorful starch, made from safe, plant-based powdered dye, which gets thrown around the air by the runners and volunteers who attend the event. The powder is meant to make the run less competitive and give it a more fun, happy vibe to it. Everyone who enters the event gets stained from head-to-toe with the colored dye.

Every year, San Gabriel High School’s Key Club volunteers at Run or Dye to hand out water cups and cheer on the runners.

“We had to motivate the runners and someone threw colored starch at me,” junior Chad Nguyen said. “At the end, we get to play with the leftover starch and that was fun.”

Everyone who attends Run or Dye is encouraged to wear white or light-colored clothing to showcase the colors thrown on them. People can come in costume as well.

The concept of throwing the rainbow-colored starch in the air is inspired by the Hindu holiday Holi, the celebration of love where people run through streets and dye everyone around them with various, vivid colors of starch.

The next Run or Dye event will be in Los Angeles during the spring. An official location has not been announced yet, but anyone can sign up at Run or Dye’s website, <runordye.com.>

Photo courtesy of Robert Lam

Revilla sprints, sashays to nirvana Vanessa H uang Music and leadership by day, running by night. Other than being a music and Associated Student Body (ASB) teacher, Cecilia Revilla has another passion—running. Though Revilla never took part in cross country, sports, or any extracurricular activities other than music in high school, Revilla has always enjoyed the feeling of running.

She finally became an avid marathon participant when she discovered the Disneyland halfmarathon back in 2011. With the half-marathon averaging 13.1 miles, the course extends from Disneyland Resort to Anaheim City.

“What really attracted me first was the California Disneyland marathon, where you run through Disneyland and the Anaheim stadium,” Revilla said. “I really liked it.”

Since her first halfmarathon, Revilla has run in 14 races and accumulated dozens of medals in the past four years in races like the New Year’s Race in Los Angeles and the Hollywood half-marathon.

She has also participated in marathon races out of the area and state—San Francisco, Las Vegas, and Seattle.

“I love to go to different places like Las Vegas and run,” Revilla said. “They close down the streets, and you can run through.”

Participating in runs has been a great experience for Revilla, especially in San Francisco and Los Angeles, where she finds focus in the surrounding scenery.

“My most memorable experience was [when I ran] across the Golden Gate Bridge,” Revilla said.

“It is really beautiful; you run through San Francisco, and there’s a lot of hills.”

Revilla prepares for races by stretching, eating right, drinking a lot of water, and running five miles a day. She also takes spin classes that help her knees and endurance.

“It’s an intense workout,” Revilla said.

While exercising is one of the most important factors in running, Revilla believes there are also other components.

“The most important thing is legs and mental thinking and preparing yourself mentally; breathing is also very important as well,” Revilla said.

Revilla plans to continue running towards her dreams with two other marathons scheduled this year, and hopes that others enjoy running as much as she does.

Photo by Sydney Trieu

Photo by Matthew Diep/El Camino Real