OPINIONS
“ Women on currency causes discussion” p.5
LIFE&ART
“Halloween maze returns with new theme” p.8
FEATURES
“New clubs provide students direction” p.11
THE MATADOR
SAN GABRIEL HIGH/OCTOBER 15, 2015/ VOLUME 61 / ISSUE 2
WWW.THEMATADORSGHS.COM/801 S. RAMONA ST., SAN GABRIEL CA 91776
MCA encourages breast cancer awareness on campus
Potential threat brooks lockdown Shir ley Dinh
Photo by Sunny Chen
Choreo poses after performing on the behalf of Breast Cancer Awareness Week. C a s s a n d ra C h e n From the prettiest of pink dresses to the plainest of pink shoes, students and faculty members alike dressed themselves in the color to promote Breast Cancer Awareness Week, hosted by the Medical Careers Academy (MCA) on Oct. 12-16. MCA established Breast Cancer Awareness Week at San Gabriel High School when counselor Solinet Wong was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012. Since October is National Breast Cancer Awareness month, Breast Cancer Awareness Week is held in the same month to promote awareness and prevention. MCA president and senior Justine Salazar said that MCA wanted to show high school students that even adolescents can develop breast cancer. “We hope all students see that [breast cancer] is a very serious disease and that they pay attention to [the] warning signs,” Salazar said. Throughout the week, MCA held informational rallies during lunch, sharing information such as the causes, treatments,
and preventions for breast cancer, as well as other statistics. Additionally, many speakers shared facts and personal experiences. MCA coordinator Amy Wu said that MCA hopes to continue the tradition annually. “[Breast cancer awareness week] definitely makes a difference,” Wu said. “Hopefully throughout the week, [the students] will [become] more knowledgeable [about breast cancer].” Junior Jonathan Lim believes that the week helps spread awareness. “[Breast Cancer Awareness Week] allows others to know that this is a serious condition and that people shouldn’t criticize others wearing pink to support a good cause,” Lim said. Friday will be “Pink Out Day,” where students and faculty are encouraged to dress in pink from head to toe. There will also be a competition to see who will be wearing the most pink. Guest speakers include math teacher Harmonie Bassette and retired English teacher Terri Waits-Smith.
Due to a possible threat on campus, San Gabriel High School was put on lockdown on Oct. 9. The lockdown occurred at the end of first period and ended toward the beginning of third period. During this time, all teachers were notified by an email which stated that there was a possible threat on campus in the form of graffiti on the wall of the B-building restroom. To ensure the school’s safety, the police were notified and a campus sweep was held. “When we get a possible threat, we call the police and that [was] when we went on lockdown as a precautionary measure,” Assistant Principal of Student Services Jocelyn Castro said. “We are lucky that we got so many responses from the police department and Alhambra.” With the Homecoming game being held the same day as the lockdown, more precautions were implemented in order to ensure the safety of everyone on campus. “We have increased security, just as a precaution,” Assistant Principal of Student
Services Robby Jung said. “We just want to take the extra step and show that our school and our district are committed to safety.” Some students were curious as to what the threat actually was and how it was handled. “Generally, I think that lockdowns are effective methods of protecting students from a dangerous situation,” junior Amy Hua said. “The fact that the police had to come to San Gabriel and investigated the graffiti for an entire hour makes me think that the threat must have been serious and it makes me curious and quite concerned about the message in the graffiti.” On the other hand, senior David Lo had a different opinion on the lockdown situation. “Honestly, the staff was overreacting because it was just graffiti,” Lo said. “ However, the school did a good job in ensuring our safety and the lockdown was handled maturely for an overreaction.” Students and staff were able to go about their normal day after the lockdown and enjoy the Homecoming football game later that day.
Photo by Erin Truong
Students in English teacher Cady Burkhart’s AP Literature class await further instructions from campus supervisers during the hour-long lockdown.
Bill removes CAHSEE graduation requirement, replacement high school exit exam pending Lu Yue Wang The California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) has been suspended due to its tested material not being in accordance with Common Core standards. On Oct. 7, Governor Jerry Brown signed Bill 172 to stop CAHSEE testing immediately, beginning with the class of 2016. This bill will also allow school districts to award diplomas to students who had failed the exit exam but satisfied all other graduation requirements. Those from classes that graduated in 2006 or after are eligible to receive their diploma; interested parties must contact their school district to see if they qualify. It is unknown how many students fully completed all other graduation criterias, but for those who did, this change would allow them to apply to college, join the military, and present them with more job opportunities. “I think that’s great. I knew some students who were one or two points off because they came to this country and had just learned English and they weren’t able to get that one little piece,” Assistant Principal of Instruction Jeannie Gutierrez said. “It’s exciting that they’ll be able to have their high school diploma.” This exam suspension will last for at least three years until the state develops a new high school exit exam to replace the CAHSEE. As a result, students who failed to pass the exam and who planned to retake it this school year will not be required to do so in order to graduate. As stated in Bill 172, “[This bill removes] the requirement that students pass the high school exit exam as a condition of receiving a diploma of graduation or a condition of graduation.” “It makes sense to me that [the] CAHSEE is going to be suspended because it is not connected with what we’re working on in this school with Common Core,” Gutierrez said. “I don’t think that the CAHSEE really reflected the English language learners and what students could do. I hope that [the new test will] paint a more accurate picture of what students learned.”
Students of San Gabriel have had mixed reactions about the removal. Sophomore Brianna Cabrera advocated the suspension, believing that the CAHSEE conflicted with Common Core curriculum. “I think that it’s good that they suspended it to take away some confusion. They should let us get used to Common Core a little more before they reintroduce the CAHSEE,” Cabrera said. Senior Terri Tang also supported the suspension and reform efforts. “I firmly believe that we should stop making it easier to graduate,” Tang said. “Sooner or later, a high school diploma will be worthless; if we set the bar too low, our students will have no chance competing in the most competitive colleges. [That’s why] I support the effort of reforming the CAHSEE.” Other students opposed the change. “I wished that it was not removed because those who had to take it over and over again did it for nothing,” senior Ashley Llamas said. Senior Caren Ly had similar views, saying that she was upset because she had to take it, and now the suspension has made her efforts unnecessary. Some students are staying neutral on the subject. “I feel indifferent. I know some students could care less about the test whereas others really worry. It [kind of] shows two ends of a spectrum. At least those who worried about not graduating because of the CAHSEE would be [let] off the hook,” senior Andy Le said. The California State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tom Torlakson, will consult with school board teachers, test specialists, school administrators, parents, and students in order to properly formulate a test to secede the CAHSEE. Torlarkson has already suggested forming a test based on the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC), SAT, and ACT.
NEWS
THE MATADOR
Speech and Debate team competes at first tournament
Photo by Sydney Trieu
The Speech and Debate team poses for a group photo after the tournament concludes. S y d n e y Tri e u Trailing behind a crowd of suits and formal attire, the new members of the Matador Speech and Debate team made their way to their first tournament of the year— Package Deal—on Oct. 10. The tournament, hosted at Arcadia High School, is exclusive to novice competitors. It features an unorthodox competing style; instead of having students compete in their respective chosen events, they are given the opportunity to deliver various types of speeches, ranging from Humorous or Dramatic Interpretation to Impromptu, extemporaneous speaking, and Congressional Debate. This allows new members to experience what it is like to compete in different events in a tournament setting. “I felt kind of nervous about how [the tournament] would go,” freshman Sam Houn said. “Some events were easy [and others] were hard, [but] I liked [trying] new events.” Freshman Angela Lu shared Houn’s sentiment as well; however, she felt that “[competing] was exhilarating.” “The best part [was] the experience of seeing other competitor’s [techniques],” Lu said. Coach Jessica Sandercock, who is new to San Gabriel High School’s Speech and Debate league, also had the chance to meet coaches from other schools at the tournament. “I heard from other coaches that [the San Gabriel Speech and Debate team] has a good rep, which [makes] me proud,” Sandercock said. “This tournament kicked off my enthusiasm for the year. I’m just looking forward to the rest of the season and seeing the junior varsity and varsity compete.” The team plans on competing at the Inter-district Tournament with the Alhambra and Mark Keppel Speech and Debate teams on Oct. 30 at Alhambra High School.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2015
Homecoming Rally presents nominated court S usan Lam Students visited Old Hollywood as they made their way into the Matador Stadium after third period. People gazed at the hard work ASB put into Straight Outta Hollywood. Posters of James Dean, Marilyn Monroe, and other classic stars lined the gates surrounding the field. An imitation of the Hollywood Walk of Fame ran along the track, featuring the names of those who made it into Homecoming court, and a mimicked Hollywood sign across the field faced the audience. “I thought that the Hollywood theme was pretty clever, and I really liked how ASB decorated everything,” sophomore Emily Phu said. “My favorite part was the Hollywood sign.” Choreo was first to perform with their candy-themed routine. Following Choreo, drill performed a captivating routine featuring illusions and stunts. Cheer performed an exciting routine to amp up the crowds, and Colorguard
executed a mesmerizing routine. At the end, Marching Band played “I am the Doctor” for their field show at the end of the rally. The Homecoming Rally also recognized the princesses and princes who were nominated into court by their peers. This year’s princesses included Diana Do, Amy Pham, Melissa Quach, Shayna Quach, Trista Rios, and Lian Zhang. The princes were Koby Khauv, Abel Kobayashi, Peter Ma, Villar Nguyen, Andrew Ruiz, and Kenny Yeung. Each nominee was accompanied down the red carpet as their speech was read to the school, expressing his or her gratitude. “Being nominated as a prince is an honor to me because it made me feel like that there [are] people who actually care enough to vote for me,” Kobayashi said. “Not only that, but I was able to share that experience with my whole family.” At the Homecoming game on the following Friday, Khauv and Pham were announced Homecoming King and Queen.
College Board and Khan Academy have collaborated to provide a way for low-income students, who may be unable to afford expensive SAT classes, to prepare for the redesigned SAT. The SAT is an assessment usually taken during one’s junior year. It is crucial to the college admission process, so much that a low SAT score may unbalance a high GPA and be the ultimate factor between one’s acceptance and denial to a college. SAT programs and other various classes offer students the chance to prepare for this test in advance by providing rigorous practice tests and studying methods. However, statistics reveal that nearly half the students taking the SAT were unprepared for it; as a result, they received a lower score than what they were actually capable of. This is due to the financial difficulty many students face, since poorer students are typically the ones unable to pay for SAT prep classes. Due to this inequity, Khan Academy has collaborated with College Board to provide a free online SAT prep course for everyone to study from. “For too long, there’s been a well-known imbalance between students who could afford test prep courses and those who couldn’t,” Khan Academy founder Sal Khan said on <www.collegeboard.com>. “We’re thrilled to collaborate closely with the College Board to level the playing field by making truly world-class test prep materials freely available to all students.” The prep will focus on the redesigned SAT,
“It was a big surprise because there were really other strong candidates, and it was just an overall honor to win,” Khauv said. Pham said that she felt like she was “top of the world” when she won. “I didn’t want to look out into the crowd because I knew I was going to get nervous, but hearing all the screaming and shouting my name gave me chills,” Pham said.
Photo by Sydney Trieu
Koby Khauv gets escorted by his father Henry Khauv at the Homecoming pep rally.
Republican presidential candidates face off on CNN Tom C heah Eleven Republican presidential candidates debated against each other and shook up the presidential election polls in the CNN debate. CNN changed its criteria for candidates in the debate, allowing Carly Fiorina to participate in the event. Any candidate who ranked in the top 10 in national polls between Aug 6. and Sept. 10 was included in the debate, which permitted 11 candidates to particpate. The primetime debaters included Donald Trump, Jeb Bush, Scott Walker, Ben Carson, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Mike Huckabee, Rand Paul, John Kasich, Chris Christie, and Carly Fiorina. Five candidates who did not meet the criteria debated in a smaller event two hours before the main debate. In the event, candidates replied to questions asked by the moderators, Jake Tapper, Dana Bash, and Hugh Hewitt. Other candidates, whom the questions were not directed toward, would be permitted to reply to previous answers if they were criticized or mentioned. From questions about Planned Parenthood to questions about foreign policy, candidates were given chances to exhibit their ideologies and criticize other candidates’ policies. Most notably, Fiorina clashed with frontrunner Trump in a reply to one of his previous comments, causing the audience to erupt in applause. In a prior interview with Rolling Stone Magazine, Trump
Khan Academy collaborates with College Board B ri t n e y T i n g
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which is set to release in March 2016, and includes full-length practice tests, short diagnostic quizzes, thousands of practice questions, explanatory videos, and personalized practice recommendations. Students can work at their own pace and build confidence in preparation for the SAT. Students who are still taking the old SAT also need not worry. In addition to the study material provided for the new SAT, Khan Academy has provided hundreds of practice problems from actual previous SAT exams and over 200 videos explaining those problems step-by-step. With the fact that nearly a quarter of students who take the SAT come from low-income families, school officials have expressed their support for the introduction of a more accessible way to prepare for exams. “It’s really unfair that some people are able to pay and do better on standardized tests, which can change what colleges people can go to,” Assistant Principal of Instruction Jeannie Gutierrez said. “To me, that’s really unfair, and I’m happy that [the collaboration between Khan Academy and College Board] exists now.” As the new SAT is coming out in March 2016, students will have a substantial amount of time to eplore Khan Academy’s newest offers and know what to expect when the time comes to take the test. Consequently, the rift between lowand high- income students, which has reflected itself repeatedly in standardized test scores in past years, will begin to close.
criticized Fiorina’s looks and claimed to be referring to her persona. “I think women all over this country heard very clearly what Mr. Trump said,” Fiorina said. One of her most powerful remarks came from her fierce stance against Planned Parenthood, which most of the candidates agreed on defunding. “I dare Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, to watch these tapes,” Fiorina said. “Watch a fully formed fetus on the table, its heart beating, its legs kicking, while someone says, ‘We have to keep it alive to harvest its brain.’ If we do not stand up and force President Obama to veto this bill, shame on us!” Fiorina’s calm demeanor, keen details on policies, and powerful replies rallied the audience and captured the attention of political analysts, which caused many to consider her as the winner of the debate. Following the debate, Fiorina’s popularity surged, capturing the attention mega donors, such as the billionaires Koch brothers. Fiorina’s campaign will benefit greatly from large donations as it currently depends upon young, lowpaid staff workers and low funds when compared to that of the other candidates. Along with Fiorina, Carson, Rubio, and Bush also gained favor in the presidential polls, while Trump fell in popularity. Currently, the frontrunning candidates are Trump, Carson, and Fiorina. The leading Republican presidential candidates will debate again on Oct. 28 in Boulder, Colo.
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THE MATADOR
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2015
Gay and Proud Supporters revived
Photo by Sydney Trieu
GAPS members pass out bracelets to LGBT+ allies. H e l l g e rt A l m o n t e s San Gabriel High School’s Gay and Proud Supporters (GAPS) club was temporarily disbanded two years ago due to the lack of an adviser. However, this year, the club has been reintroduced due to revived student interest.
“I went on maternity leave for one whole quarter and I tried to get somebody else to be the adviser of it, and the club just kinda fizzled out,” English teacher Cady Burkhart said. “When I came back it was a priority, but there’s been other priorities, but this club is important enough that we have to make it work.” GAPS recently celebrated National Coming Out Week, a week long gay pride event held from Oct. 6-10. The event celebrates students’ freedom to express their identities and orientations. Coming Out Week acknowledges the people who have been able to open up and tell the world about who they are, but there is a great percentage of people who are still afraid to come out. National Day of Silence remembers those who have not. “We gave out free pink wristbands with messages,” junior Mina Lam said. “On Friday, people with the bracelets came back and we cut them off to support National Coming Out Day.” The club welcomes everyone—students who are out and proud, students who are not able to speak out, and even people who are still questioning who they are. It is not just for gay students; it is also for straight allies.
Dark Act expands definition of ‘natural’ Je s s i c a Tra n The Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2015 was recently passed by the United States’ House of Representatives. The act, notoriously known as the ‘DARK Act,’ or Deny Americans the Right to Know, allows food companies the option of labeling their products as Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), an organism whose genome has been altered by genetic engineering. “Most scientists say that GMOs have no negative impact. Scientists say that there is nothing healthy about [GMOs],” history teacher Eric Hendrickson said. “I voted that GMOs should be labeled.” According to Environmental Working Group (EWG), more than 300 organizations, food industries, and social justice leaders are antiGMO advocates. However, multiple studies have shown that GMOs have no negative effects on the body or health. In other words, contrary
to the arguments of anti-GMO advocates, there is little evidence proving whether this process is unhealthy. In contrast, it has been shown that many U.S. students support mandatory GMO labeling in a public poll. “GMOs are different from [what is] natural or organic,” junior Maliyah Ong said. “We’ve been eating GMOs for so long that we do not know the effects of what a GMO can cause. Companies should label their products because we need to be cautious [about] what we consume.” According to civileats.com, the act will negate all existing GMO labeling laws. Additionally, the bill will give jurisdiction over non-GMO certification to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which does not possess the same rigor as independent certification programs. In other words, companies will be more likely to exclude all GMO labeling in their products. There is language in the bill that preempts state and local laws regarding the production of
GMO crops, not just labeling. This removes all citizens’ local control, according to Ken Roseboro, editor and publisher of The Organic & Non-GMO Report. The bill will also expand the definition of “natural” to include some genetically modified ingredients. Already, many unnatural foods such as highly processed foods are considered “natural;” there is no longer an official way to define the term. “Consumers, particularly the eight out of ten American families who buy organic products, want to know what is in their food,” Marni Karlin, director of legislative and legal affairs for Organic Trade Association, said. Because the definition of “natural” is not concrete, this gives the House of Representatives an opportunity to expand the definition of natural. This in turn has relieved states from requiring GMO labeling. The act discontinues thirty-six months from its ratification.
NEWS
Red Cross blood drive draws in donors Anthony Yang
The American Red Cross returns to San Gabriel High School on Oct. 13 to host the first blood drive of the year. The blood drive took place in the Small Gym from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. In order to find students willing to donate blood, San Gabriel Red Cross set up a table in the quad area where students could receive information about blood donation and sign up for the blood drive. “The American Red Cross gets most of their donated blood from high schools, so we’re just helping them out,” Red Cross Public Relations officer Valeria Duran said. On the day of the blood drive, students were summoned from their classes. Before donating blood, students were privately interviewed by the medical staff to gather information about their medical history. The prospective donor would be deemed fit or unfit to donate blood based on the information gathered by the medical staff. Students who want to donate blood have the option to have a double red blood cell donation. According to the American Red Cross, the procedure is done by machine, which draws the blood and separates it into two components, red blood cells and plasma. Since only the red blood cells are to be donated, the leftover component would be returned to the donor. The procedure usually takes 30 minutes longer than a regular blood donation. “The [red blood cell donation] went well… it felt like a blood test but longer,” senior Kevin Loc said. “I would [donate red blood cells] again. Now that I know that I’m a type O+, I know that I can help more people.” Students will have more opportunities to continue donating blood as San Gabriel High School will continue to host blood drives later in the school year. The date for the next blood drive has not yet been announced.
Photo by Sunny Chen
A San Gabriel High School student gets his blood drawn from a Red Cross employee.
College Board revamps PSAT for new 2016 SAT Tom Cheah College Board, the nonprofit organization that administers many standardized tests, revamped the Preliminary SAT (PSAT) in conjunction with the redesigned SAT. Its first administration of the refreshed test occurred on Oct. 14. The PSAT, which is also known as the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT), aims to prepare high school sophomores and juniors for the SAT and provide students a chance to earn college scholarships based on their test scores. Every year, about 3.5 million students take the PSAT. The pre-2015 PSAT tested students on critical reading, writing, and mathematics in a two hour and 10 minute long exam. In the old PSAT, College Board emphasized general reasoning skills and vocabulary in context; the scoring system penalized students for incorrect answers. In contrast, the redesigned PSAT tests students on evidence-based reading, writing and language, and math over the course of two hours and 45 minutes, an increase of 35 minutes from the old test. It focuses on the meaning of words in extended contexts and the impact of word choices throughout passages. The new PSAT features a scoring system that counts only correct answers and does not penalize students for wrong answers or guessing. With these changes, College Board aims to “focus on the knowledge, skills, and understandings that research has identified as most important for college and career readiness and success.” Within the new evidence-based reading and writing sections, passages will include charts,
pictures, and graphs to test students on the relations between passages and data. Students will also be asked to cite specific lines to justify their answers. Vocabulary will be tested through the context of passages, eliminating sentence completion type questions. In the new math sections, problems will be more related to real-life applications, such as in the context of businesses or the sciences. The previous focus on geometry will be shifted toward algebra and data analysis. “I think that asking more evidence-based questions is really important to preparing [students] for college,” English teacher Jessica Sandercock said. Sandercock also expressed how “it is better to test [students] on skills that [they are] going to need” than to test students on obscure vocabulary words. On Oct. 14, sophomores and juniors took the test in the Matador Arena and the Big Gym. “I think it’s a lot simpler,” junior Joshua Sycip said. “The structure was looser because there [wasn’t a] penalty for guessing.” Sycip remarked that he preferred the new PSAT over the old PSAT because the answer choices are “simpler” and the test is “less intimidating.” He hoped to see more interesting passages in future versions of the test. “Overall, I believe it’s a step in the right direction to make the test more accessible to everyone because people don’t need to be the smartest to score high,” Sycip said. PSAT test score results are typically mailed to the schools during mid to late December. Students can take the redesigned SAT, which resembles the new PSAT, starting on March 5.
OPINIONS “Ta”lk to you later
Nathan Ta Finding a home Be it thespian club, track and field, or whatever I’ve done so far in high school, I’ve been searching for a place I can call home at school for three years. The truth is that I can’t call any one of these groups my family. I was only a freshman when Mr. Posada thought I should audition for the school play. After two attempts, I finally got into the dinner play Le Dindon. I felt the excitement rush through me because I could finally say that I accomplished something on my own. It was a small part; I only had one scene with one line, but I was still excited that I had been a part of something big nonetheless. A couple of months into practice, I was called in early because Mr. Posada wanted to talk to me. I walked in nervously, wondering if I got kicked out because I wasn’t good enough. Turns out, I got a larger part because things weren’t working out with one of the actors. After only a few weeks of trying to learn my new part, it was show time. As I stepped onto the stage for the first time, everything was a giant blur because glasses weren’t allowed on stage. But when I said my punch line and everyone laughed, I felt a rush of joy thinking, “People actually like me.” After the performance was over, we went out to eat at IHOP and I got home at around 2 a.m. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to commit to any more plays, so as quickly as I found a family, I had to leave it. I also joined track and field during my freshman year because I wanted to join a sport so I could put something on my college application. What I found was so much more than a sport; I found a group of people who could relate to me. They were awkward kids who had no idea what they were doing in life, but really energetic at the same time, not caring what people thought of them because they knew they had each other. At first, I felt like I didn’t belong; I was much slower than the other runners, and I only had really short conversations with a few people. But as time progressed, I started talking more and more and slowly improved into being one of the top runners for the 400-meter dash. I’m still in track and field today, but something changed and I just don’t feel the same around them anymore. After looking for three years, I realized that I had found my family a long time ago. My family is the group of friends I have. They and I have become so close since sophomore year that we just call ourselves a family. We have a mom and seven children, including me. At first, I thought this was something that we would joke around with for a bit before giving up on the idea, but it has stuck until this day. We’ve been helping each other out with our problems, minor or major, and have each others’ backs no matter what happens. I remember when I would always feel super depressed everyday and felt like I couldn’t talk to anyone about it. I feel a lot safer with them than with my actual family. I don’t ever feel judged or ridiculed by them. I feel nothing but happiness when I’m with them. I can tell them anything and everything that’s wrong with me and they would just brush it off and focus on the good things about me. Honestly, if I could wish for one thing right now, it would be that this family stays together for the rest of my life.
THE MATADOR
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2015
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Editorial
Respect for students’ endeavors Pep rallies, dances, and fundraisers are the staples of a typical American high school. All around campus, one can find advertisements, new and old taped on walls, windows, and occasionally, even floors. It cannot be denied that administration, student leaders, and event coordinators tend to overhype these events. Additionally, many of their attempts to appeal to the student body often come off as extremely cheesy and overblown. But when one can easily find ripped and vandalized fliers just hours after they were put up, it becomes evident that students are more than just dismissive of dance props and posters—they are actively disrespectful of others’ efforts, and seem to target decorations and posters with thoughtless malice. For some bizarre reason or the other, when the Associated Student Body (ASB) members put up decorations or posters, someone will inevitably come along and rip them from the walls. Is this an action born of malice? Do the persuasive powers of Homecoming advertisements dissolve students’ self control? Or is there some kind of underground market for ASB’s banners that the majority of the school is
unaware of? Hours of effort go into creating posters and decorations; people that disregard that hard work and recklessly destroy property completely invalidate the effort that goes into them, disrespecting not only the organization responsible for creating them, but San Gabriel High School as whole, as their actions reflect on the entire student body, not just on themselves. The vandalization of advertisements and decorations is not the only example of the blatant disregard for others’ effort. During pep rallies, cruel, malicious remarks targeted at performers can be heard over the speakers’ cacophony. It is demoralizing. It is unseemly. Why do people continue to do this? This is not a phenomena restrained to certain areas or demographics within the school. Evidently, wisdom is not obtained by age, as each grade level has its own fair share of naysayers, all equally vocal about their “criticism” of performers and school activities. It is completely illogical. What is the point of spreading all this negativity, of disrespecting other students’ work? So the newest prom theme is cheesy. So you did
not want to come to the pep rally. So you do not care about some club’s fundraiser. Then that is your opinion, but what gives you the right to vandalize other students’ things or to insult their efforts? San Gabriel High School, undoubtedly, boasts a bankruptcy of school spirit. But does that necessarily mean that its students must exhibit an equal amount of inconsideration? Before acting, students ought to think more closely on how their actions might affect others. As many learned in kindergarten, the golden rule is to treat others as you would want to be treated; unless those vandalizing the property of others and insulting performers as they perform secretly wish to have the same actions done to themselves, they ought to reflect upon their urges before acting upon them.
Illustration by Lu Yue Wang
Facebook’s incoming dislike button is pointless Bri t ney Ti ng When Facebook is mentioned, one usually associates it with its famous, blue thumbs-up icon. This icon is utilized as the “like” button on the social media site, which users can press when they see a post, comment, or page they agree with or find positively interesting. In response to the demands of users, CEO of Facebook Mark Zuckerberg recently announced that Facebook was working on implementing a dislike button. However, this feature will be unnecessary, as although it could be an interesting addition, it is not vital to the function of Facebook. The purpose of the dislike button is to show empathy for something a person may not necessarily “like.” For example, it would not be appropriate to “like” a post about a close relative’s death. Instead, users could press the dislike button in order to show that they noticed the post, and that they care. With only the like button, the post may be ignored as viewers fear being insensitive by liking it. “Not every moment is a good moment,” Mark Zuckerberg said. According to The Washington Post. “If you share something that’s sad, like a refugee crisis that touches you or that a family member has passed away, it may not be comfortable to like that post.” A dislike button would certainly provide more options for self-expression. Users who see a post they somewhat disagree with, but do not want to get too involved by commenting on it, could simply use the dislike button. Users have been clamoring for this feature for ages as well, and so implementing this new option might result in a boost of popularity for Facebook. Another positive effect is that when a dislike button had not yet existed, some scammers introduced malware-infused plug-ins for unsuspecting users to download. An official button would render these scams useless. However, the usage of this button may also create a negative atmosphere to be associated with Facebook. The button is supposed to be pressed to show empathy, but many users will be sure to either misinterpret or misuse it and use it as a form of hate instead. Some people may argue that if a post is continually
disliked, the poster should just stop being so sensitive and move on with his or her life. After all, it is just something on the Internet and not everything on the Internet is true. However, instead of showing disagreement through the use of a button that has an ambiguous meaning attached to it, people could comment on why they dislike it or simply ignore it. Although adding a dislike button would allow people to show dissent without becoming too involved through the use of a comment, it is just as bad as when these same people tell the poster to move on with their life when too many dislikes congregate at a post since they are not giving a reason as to why they dislike it. Besides, when attempting to show empathy, a comment expressing condolences would go a much longer way than pressing a button. Facebook is usually used as a way to express positive feelings; adding a dislike button might even be useless. The effects of implementing a dislike button has its positive and negative elements. Because addition of a dislike button can serve the same purpose as commenting, Facebook does not need an even bigger boost in popularity. The inclusion of a dislike button is not essential to the function of Facebook. It is perfectly fine as is; Facebook should focus on other aspects of the website that actually need to be improved.
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THE MATADOR
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2015
OPINIONS
Women on currency causes discussion
A nt h ony Yang
E v a Fong In the near future, America will take a huge step forward in gender equality and recognizing females. In 2020, the U.S. government is planning to issue a redesigned $10 bill that will replace Alexander Hamilton and feature a woman instead. Though it is still undecided as to who she will be, the criteria for choosing a candidate is that she must represent American values and can no longer be living. It is exciting to see that America is finally attempting to decrease the gender disparity visible in many aspects of our society. Men and women alike have greatly contributed to American history, but most of the time, only men are lauded for their accomplishments. Most of the renowned historical women are usually recognized for accomplishments associated with expectations held of females, like taking care of or supporting a man. Even many of the women suggested by Republican candidates during a presidential debate were chosen for their caretaking roles, like Clara Barton, the founder of the American Red Cross, and Abigail Adams, who was nominated not for her support of women’s rights and the abolishment of slavery, but rather because of her role in supporting her husband, John Adams. “Our country wouldn’t be here without John Adams,” as Republican presidential candidate Chris Christie said, “and he wouldn’t have been able to do it without Abigail Adams.” Christie’s remark reflects the outlook of many conservative Republicans who feel that a woman’s value lies in her ability to support her husband. There is an obvious lack of support from Republican candidates for more progressive and “controversial” American women such as Sally Ride, a lesbian who was an accomplished scientist and the first female astronaut, or Rosa Parks, who was a trigger for the civil rights movement but on the board of Planned Parenthood, an organization that advocates contraception and abortion. Republicans’ support of women that reflect conservative standards can be attributed to the fact that their party consists of people that uphold more traditional values. The fact that they do not oppose the decree that the new face on the $10 bill has to be a woman’s is significant because it shows that they have moved away from the misogynistic values that have restricted women for so long. The decision to put a woman on the $10 bill has created an opportunity for women who have done much for our country to actually be recognized for their accomplishments. America is finally not exclusively featuring men on its currency, acknowledging that women have also contributed greatly to society. Though Republicans’ support of more conservative women who emphasize their own traditional values limits the number of candidates, having a woman on our currency, something that has not been done since the early 19th century, is definitely a step in the right direction.
The U.S. Treasury has announced that they will replace Alexander Hamilton with a woman on the $10 bill, which is celebrated by many people across the country as a landmark for equality of the sexes. Initially, Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill was targeted. The main reason for the replacement is to boot a murderous president from the currency. Hamilton was not exactly a cruel person, so why is this movement still continuing? The answer is simple — the advocates of the movement do not want just any accomplished figure on the $10 bill, they just want a woman to replace a man on the $10 bill. If we are doing this for equality, then why exclude men from being in the running for the replacement? Having a woman on our currency is not a bad thing at all. Su s an B. Anthony, Sacagawea, and Martha Washington appeared on our currency at some point in history, and the world was not engulfed by flames. However, the way the U.S. Treasury is choosing the replacement is very onesided. The candidate should be influential, but that is mainly a recommendation. The main requirement is that the candidate must be a woman and dead for at least two years. It is condescending to limit our o p t i o n s t o j u s t women. Both men and women have done great things in the past in which gender played almost no role. For example, Harriet Tubman is one of the contenders to be on the $10 bill. Tubman was an abolitionist who risked slavery and her life to rescue hundreds of slaves from the South. Another accomplished figure in the past was William Lloyd Garrison, an abolitionist who published many anti-slavery works in his newspaper, The Liberator. Both Garrison and Tubman are very influential figures, but despite their achievements, only one is eligible to be on the $10 bill, and that is because one is a woman and the other is not. I understand that women had limited roles in the past. However, the fact that there are women from that era who have had major influences on our history makes it more laudable. Think of it this way: even though they overcame their cultural barriers, we are just focusing on their gender. To all of the contenders for the $10 bill, it is like saying, “Sure you have done great things, but the only reason why you may be on our currency in the future is because you’re dead and a woman.” We do not need to pull out a sympathy card for the contenders, or in this case, a sympathy currency. People who are undeserving of being of our currency should be removed. If the U.S. Treasury wants to fix that, then fine. However, if they were to replace those kinds of people, it should be done based on the person’s actions and not on the person’s gender. Graphic by Lu Yue Wang
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The Matador Bullring
Cassandra Chen Erin Truong Carolina Garcia Amy Yee Nathan Ta Sydney Trieu Carolina Garcia Amanda Molina Christy Deng Emmanuel Maresca Ileana Perez Kim Pham Frank Lieu Carolina Loaisiga Kelly Ho Amy Yee Ying Chow Eva Fong Chelsea Huynh Sunny Chen Eva Fong Kim Ta Lu Yue Wang Katherine Hoong Jessica Tran Stacy Chau Thomas Wang Tom Cheah Anthony Yang Katherine Hoong Jennifer Kim
Reporters: Hellgert Almontes, Shirley Dinh, Manny Ibarra, Susan Lam, Mario Mandujano, Edward Rivera, Uyen Sy, Britney Ting, Vivian Wong The Matador is published monthly by the journalism class of San Gabriel High School. 1,600 copies per issue are published at J. E. J Print Inc. The Matador is a public forum for student expression and highly encourages responses in reaction to issues discussed in the paper. The opinions expressed are those of the writers, not the faculty or administration. Articles without bylines are the opinion of the staff. Submit comments as a letter to the editor, signed (anonymity is guaranteed if requested), to H-2, or Ms. Kim’s mailbox.
What do you think about Facebook’s plan to add a dislike button?
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I feel that implementing a dislike button would be a bad idea for the Facebook community. It will contribute to cyber-bullying.” -Payton Hong, 9th grade
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I get to dislike so many things now!” -Alina Hurtado, 10th grade
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I didn’t even know about that feature until just now. It sounds like a controversial implementation, but I suppose it’ll allow for more opinions.” -Timothy Jou, 11th grade
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I don’t think the dislike button should exist, because it’ll lower the self-esteem of others. Facebook should focus on other important things to update.“ -Justine Salazar, 12th grade Photos by Sunny Chen
“Huynh”ing life
Chelsea Huynh Ready for a challenge It’s been two months since school started, and I still hesitate when people ask me what grade I’m in. “I’m a junio — I mean, a senior,” I would awkwardly reply as their jaws drop in disbelief. I mean, who would blame them? I don’t look like a 17-year-old, and even I struggle to believe that I am only one year away from going to college and officially becoming an adult. I don’t exactly feel like I’ve grown up, nor do I feel like I’ve drastically changed in these past four years. Yet somehow, time always seems to go against one’s will and pushes one forward in life, even though one may be unprepared for what the future holds. In my case, I am not ready to step into adulthood. In the years leading up to high school, the thought of wearing a cap and gown for graduation was surreal because it felt so far away. Not to mention, high school seemed like a scary and difficult experience. In my child mind, graduating high school symbolized a young adult’s initiation into the “real world,” and I thought that as time passed, I would eventually decide what I wanted to do in life and be ready for this “initiation” — but that wasn’t the case. Over the years, my career goals and aspirations constantly changed— I jumped from wanting to become an entrepreneur, to being a teacher, and eventually a veterinarian, but when time came for me to make a decision, my mind went blank. Even though I spent my entire summer before my senior year researching colleges and different majors, I still had no clue what I wanted to do. I didn’t have a passion, and I didn’t hold any strong values or beliefs. As a result, I began doubting myself and comparing myself to other students, asking, “Will I ever get accepted into college? Am I going to live the rest of my life not knowing what I want to do?” I was envious of the ambitious students in my classes who knew exactly what they wanted to do while I was lost, the only solution to my problem being to fulfill my family’s dream for me to become a STEM major and get a job in the medical field. This problem extended into my personal life as well. If I couldn’t make a simple decision for myself, how was I ever going to be able to make other important decisions in my adulthood? And what would happen if I had to live independently in the real world? I wouldn’t know how to rent a house or even how to set up a checking account, whatever that was. However, I soon realized that I was thinking too far ahead of myself. My future won’t be determined by what I choose as a major, and I have only lived for 17 years. I still have many more opportunities to decide what I want to do in college, and with the many facilities and activities offered at different colleges, I am sure that I will be able to find something I enjoy and develop my own passions and interests. Life is not just about acheiving high grades and test scores; it is about what one does to accomplish their goals and ultimately, be happy. With the support of my family and loved ones, I know that I won’t be alone in my journey to adulthood. I am more than ready to take on new challenges that come my way when I begin a new chapter of my life in college.
LIFE & ART
THE MATADOR
Goosebumps series brings readers delight
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2015
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The Matador Muse
to walk out with it. However, what she does not expect is that the Mask will soon become part of her head. She then must find a way to Inside R. L. Stine’s mind, there are mumremove the Mask before midnight. mies roaming around, dummies chasing kids, Another classic Goosebumps book is “Night and spirits haunting their graves; all of those of the Living Dummy.” This book was so monsters are entertaining Stine with their popular that two sequels were written for the own adventures. Stine has given us countless original book. Slappy the Dummy is the star entrances into his world with every pubof the “Night of the Living lished Goosebumps book. Dummy” saga, and appears He has written over 60 in many of the other books. horror packed books and He is a ventriloquist dumearned a spot in television my that comes to life when popularity when Cartoon the words “Karru Marri Network hosted a televiOdonna Loma Molonu Karsion series based on his rano” are read aloud. The books. Short films based on words mean “You and I Goosebumps series have are one now,” and are usualso been created. ally found on a sheet of Stine is constantly depaper in his jacket pocket. livering chilling stories for Slappy then tries to make the series. One such story, the person who reads the “The Haunted Mask,” has words aloud serve him as gained p op u l a ri t y a n d a slave. In the end, he is earned its place as one of either sold, broken, or takes Stine’s best selling books. part in a surprise ending. For being one of the The Goosebumps franchise most popular books in includes books, TV shows the series, “The Haunted and now movies. On Oct. Mask” was chosen to be a 16, Goosebumps will prepart of a TV film producPhoto courtesy of Tim Jacobus miere as the franchise’s first tion. In the production, motion picture. there are hideous masks, spider scares, and In contrast to the TV shows, the motion acts of revenge. The story centers around Carly picture will actually feature the character of Beth Caldwell, who is tired of being tormented R.L. Stine in the film. Played by Jack Black, by a pair of boys at her school. She takes it Stine, along with his daughter Hannah Stine, upon herself to find the perfect Halloween join the protagonist Zach Cooper. They must costume in order to return the torment. She hurry to gather all of the escaped monsters finds a creepy looking store in her town. She from his Goosebumps series. It promises to lays her eyes on a mask that the shopkeeper is include the series’s most popular monsters. reluctant to sell, but her persistence allows her C a ro l i n a G a rc i a
$3 Ramen fest attracts customers B ri t n e y T i n g To the delight of ramen enthusiasts everywhere, Hakata Ramen Shinsengumi has announced that it will be holding its annual $3 ramen sale on Oct. 17 and 18 in celebration of its 10th anniversary. It is planning to open at 9:30 a.m. and sell 1000 bowls for each day of the sale. Some may wonder if the $3 ramen is actually worth the long lines and the questionable quality of the restaurant. Indeed, that was what I wondered as I neared the shop one afternoon. Although there was no discount that day, I saw that people were already crowding outside the front door, waiting for their turn to enter the restaurant. Fortunately, the line moved quickly, and soon a waitress was cheerfully guiding me through the ordering process, since it was my first time there. During the ordering process, customers are given a menu and a slip of paper to request their order. If they request ramen with their order, they must choose between a strong, normal, or soft type of noodle, along with the type of soup base and amount of oil. Appetizers, such as spam masubi or onigiri, and drinks, such as sake or tea, can be ordered as well. I asked for ramen with a side of soboro-don, and requested normal noodles with a strong soup base, and a regular amount of oil. The soboro-don, a rice dish accompanied with a layer of salt, seaweed, chicken, and eggs, was initially very ordinary until I tasted the salt and seaweed. The change provided a pleasant burst of flavor, and as a result I dug more eagerly into the dish. I was not disappointed with the ramen either, as the noodles had a nice texture and balanced well with the beef, red ginger, and diced green onions it came with. The soup was also delicious, but since I had ordered a strong soup base, I had to put it down as the taste became too overwhelming for me. One drawback is the high cost for the relatively small amount of noodles. It is $6.95 for noodles one can easily polish off in seven or eight slurps. However, customers did not seem to mind, as they were satisfied with the customer service they received and gladly exchanged a small portion size for it. A customer who was leaving even hugged the waitress like an old friend before exiting the door. Overall, eating at Hakata Ramen Shinsengumi was a very enjoyable experience. I will certainly look forward to the long lines that await on Oct. 17 and 18 to enjoy a bowl of $3 ramen.
Photos by Britney Ting
Location: 8450 Valley Blvd Suite 103, Rosemead, California 91770 Phone: (626) 572-8646 Cuisine: Japanese Price Range: $3-$10 Hours: Varies, always open at 9:30 a.m. Matador Rating:
Numbers “Reach for the stars” is mathematically translated to “2400 450 100 36 4.0” Numbers determine your qualification for what’s socially classified as ‘success’ You can either be rated #1, #999, or any number in between for your corresponding class You become 1 of those students, 1 of those graduates, and eventually 1 of those interns To the school system, you are but a number Several 1000s of dollars An increase or decrease in the overall average scores of standardized tests How many tardies you’ve had, how many absences, F’s, referrals, warnings, classes How many extra-curricular activities you can juggle while maintaining good grades To the school system, you are but a number If you actually thought, you’d get in the way of very important people Your ignorance is its power It knows that calculus couldn’t scare away hungry wolves It knows you don’t question authority -Mario Mandujano
Graphic by Vectorstock
Maze returns with new theme Kather ine Hoong With Halloween right around the corner, technical theater students begin setting up their Halloween maze. The Halloween maze, which is a tradition in the drama department, will be held during lunch in the Auditorium. Although the prices are similar, the concept of the Halloween maze this year will be completely different. In contrast to the previous years, the Halloween maze will not have as many drama club students playing as ghosts a n d zombies. Instead of tangible t e r ro r s s u c h as mummies and monsters, the theme will lean toward psychological terrors such as illusions. The new theme aims to scare the students on a psychological level with obstacles that confuse and surprise one’s senses. Not only are the scare factors changing, but the environment of the maze will also change in order to fit with the psychological terror theme. Patrick Posada, the teacher of the Theater Tech class, and his students are working hard to create the scariest maze possible.
Posada and his students began working on the maze during the beginning of October as they helped create the sets and props. “To the students who have not experienced the maze, I recommend that you should go in with friends,“senior Chris Em said. “It’s something fun and if you go through, you can see how hard your fellow stud e n t s tried in making s o m e thing extraordinary.” The maze will only be held on specific days from Oct. 15-30. During th e f ir st week of the Halloween maze on Oct. 15-16, the entrance fee will be $5 each person. After the first week, the price will be $7 on Oct. 22-23. During the final days of the maze which are Oct. 28-30, the entrance fee will be raised to a certain price which has not been revealed yet. Like the previous years, it is expected that students will swarm the auditorium in anticipation of the Halloween maze. Despite the change in theme, one thing that will not change is its ability to scare the daylight out of students. Illustration by Lu Yue Wang
9
THE MATADOR
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2015
SPORTS
2015-16 Fall Sports Scoreboard BOYS FOOTBALL
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
VARSITY 9/11 vs. Marshall 9/25 @ Temple City 10/9 vs. Alhambra FRESHMAN 9/11 vs. Marshall 9/25 vs. Temple City 10/9 @ Alhambra
VARSITY 10/1 vs. Schurr 10/6 @ Bell Gardens 10/8 vs. Mark Keppel 10/13 vs. Montebello
36-8 21-7 34-13
W L L
JV 10/1 10/6 10/8 10/13
36-34 W 28-14 L 14-6 W
vs. Schurr @ Bell Gardens @ Mark Keppel vs. Montebello
3-0 3-0 3-0 3-0 2-1 3-0 3-0 2-1
W W W W L W W W
CO-ED CROSS COUNTRY
GIRLS TENNIS
VARSITY 9/30 @ Legg Lake
VARSITY 10/1 @ Schurr 10/8 vs. Mark Keppel 10/13 vs. Montebello
13-5 9-9 11-7
L L W
JV 10/1 @ Schurr 10/8 vs. Mark Keppel 10/13 vs. Montebello
15-3 13-5 12-6
W L W
JV 9/30 @ Legg Lake FRESHMAN 9/30 @ Legg Lake
(G) (B)
6th 5th
(G) (B)
4th 2nd
(G) (B)
6th 3rd
Matadors struggle to gain victory against Moors N a t h a n Ta The football stadium was packed full of spectators as they cheered for the performances done by All Male, junior varsity cheer, Colorguard and Marching Band. After the performances, the crowd’s roar could be heard across the field as they welcomed the Matadors onto the field. The first quarter was off to a rough start for the Matadors when the Moors scored the first touchdown of the night at 8:49. Despite this the Matadors continued to apply pressure on the Moors’ offensive line. Senior middle linebacker Milton Peraza applied enough pressure to force and recover a fumble at 7:17. Unfortunately, the Moors regained control of the ball at 3:36 and were able to score another touchdown at 1:38, making the score 14-0 by the end of the quarter. Second quarter started with the Matadors in possession of the ball closing in on the Moors’ side of the field. After a series of out plays, Peraza scored the Matadors’ first touchdown of the night at 8:45, making the score 14-7. Unfortunately after this play, the Moors were able to slip through the Matador defense and score another touchdown
STEP 1
at 8:30 and making the final score of the first half 21-7. At 11:37 of the third quarter, the Moors gained an early touchdown to make the score 28-7. Even though they gave an early touchdown, the Matadors didn’t give up, as they continuously made strong offensive plays. At 11:06, senior running back Alex Garcia made a 15-yard dash and was stopped at the 30-yard line. However, even with the Matador offensive pressure, the Moors were able to regain possession of the ball. This was when the Matador defense started to shine. Senior defensive lineman Guillermo Ozorio was able to sack the Moor quarterback at the last 50 seconds of the third quarter, forcing a 10 yard loss for the Moors. The fourth quarter was a back and forth struggle until finally at 2:58, the Matadors defense gave in and the Moors scored their last touchdown of the night. Even though the game was decided, the Matadors held their heads high and made one final play. Garcia made a huge rush play, gaining 75 yards followed by a touchdown, ending the game 34-13 in favor of the Moors. Despite the loss the Matadors are ready for their next game against Schurr on Nov.16.
Photo by Stacy Chau
Quarterback sophomore Brandon Nguyen prepares to throw the ball while seniors Milton Peraza and Cristian Solis prevent the Alhambra Moors defense from advancing.
Workout of the Month: Formulated Ab Crunch
STEP 2
Emmanuel Maresca
This month’s workout is a formulated ab crunch. This is a core workout so it strengthens the abdominal area, similar to a crunch or curl. It requires a good balance to execute. This workout is meant to be done standing up because normal crunches may hurt and injure the back muscles. This can be used as an alternative to the regular crunch. The main purpose of this workout is to ensure a secure and strong abdomen. This workout will lead to leaner abdominal obliques and will encourage one to live a healthier life.
STEP 3
Step one. Put your hands behind your head. Straighten your back while taking deep breaths.
STEP 4
Step two. Lift one knee above your navel, which is the abdominal area. Hold for about five seconds. This will test your endurance while also stretching your muscles. Step three. Touch your elbow to your knee. Keeping your balance, hold this pose for ten seconds. This will stretch your back and thighs. Step four. Repeat step three with your other elbow. Hold for ten more seconds. This workout should strengthen your thighs and abs while also perfecting your balance. Photos by Sunny Chen
SPORTS
THE MATADOR
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2015
10
Gonzalez and Au Yeung stand out amongst athletes
Photo courtesy of Allen Au Yeung
Senior Allen Au Yeung sprints towards the end of the three mile course at a Pasadena City College invitational on Sept. 26 while his teammates cheer him on. J essi ca Tran He crosses the third mile mark exhausted, covered in sweat. With a relieved smile on his face, he finds out that his new personal record (PR) is 16 minutes and 54 seconds. Senior Allen Au Yeung, a third year cross country runner, is notorious for frequently breaking his personal records and going the extra mile whether it be doing extra pushups and running more than the required. Having previously run 100, 200, and 400 meters during track season, Au Yeung shortly switched over to long distance running due to cross country head coach Steve Morales’ instructions. “I saw potential in him and I knew that he was going to be a great distance runner,” Morales said. Au Yeung always loved running. Ever since he saw Usain Bolt run the 200 meters in the 2012 Olympics, he was inspired to run himself. Running has been a stress-reliever to Au Yeung as well as one of his passions. Au Yeung joined cross country to practice his favorite sport and build friendships and close relations. “Cross country has made me a much better person, from an arrogant man to a more calm and relaxed guy,” Au Yeung said. “My favorite [part of] cross country is that we are a family and we all get along well together.” Au Yeung’s teammates encourage him to push harder in practices and as a result, nourish his motivation in races. His favorite aspect of cross country is the family-like atmosphere and how well its members get along. “I have improved a lot ever since [I] first started,” Au Yeung said. “My captains motivated me every day at practice and my PR has been greatly improving.” Au Yeung’s motto that stands out to him is: “You only live once so give it all you got.” Au Yeung advises future runners to “never give up” and always work hard to achieve any goals that an athlete sets for himself. “Anyone can be great,” Au Yeung said. “A failure can beat the gifted genius through hard work and determination.” Au Yeung leaves high school with a multitde of personal records, a copious amount of medals, and a peerless reputation. After high school, Au Yeung plans to attend Pasadena City College and study computer programming. From there on, he plans to pursue track as a sport.
Cheerleading now an official sport Ca ro l i n a L o a i s i g a Controversial debates about whether cheerleading is a sport can now be settled, as cheerleading is now an official sport in California. Governor Jerry Brown signed state assembly Bill 949 on Oct. 7, legislation proposed by Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez of San Diego, coining it California High Schools Expanding Equality Respect and Safety (C.H.E.E.R.S.) Act, which now makes cheerleading an official sport throughout high schools. The changes will be implemented in the academic school year of 2017-2018. Governor Brown has collaborated with the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) to develop new policies for competetive cheer, especially regarding the safety of the cheerleaders. The truth is, according to a Los Angeles Times statistical article,
cheerleaders represent 60 percent of female atheletes’ injuries in high school. Senior captain cheerleader Karla Lucarelli expressed gratitude for this new law cementing that cheer is a sport because it validates all the hard work that high school cheerleaders have been through. “It feels good because we have been fighting for this [law], it is something that we have always wanted as cheerleaders because I feel like we have proved ourselves,” Lucarelli said. Now with proper guidelines and CIF rules, cheerleading can become a more competitive sport, allowing the participants of the sport to be taken more seriously. “This is the recognition we deserve, we [the cheerleaders] practice as hard as the other athletes,” Lucarelli said. Cheerleaders around California can now enjoy their admission to CIF sports knowing that the arguments surrounding cheer ’s validity as a sport has been settled.
Photo by Stacy Chau
During an after school practice session, senior Gabriela Gonzalez and her teammate leap up to the net to prevent a point from being scored. Carolina Loaisiga Four years ago as a freshman, Gabriela Gonzalez entered the gym to try out for volleyball and never turned back. Now, senior Gabriela Gonzalez leads her team to the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) quarterfinals. Gonzalez has been playing volleyball since that hot summer day as a freshman and continues to strive and practice long hours to become an even better volleyball player. Gonzalez has many people she looks up to, but one of her major inspirations is the team she plays with every Tuesday and Thursday, and practices with every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. “The team motivates me to do my best because I see all the effort that they put into it and I don’t want to leave them hanging,” Gonzalez said. “I want to help them achieve the goals we set for ourselves.” Gonzalez not only practices for two hours Monday through Friday, but also finds time on the weekends to go to a gym to work out on her form and technique and to perfect her game. This was one of the many reasons why Gonzalez received an honorable mention in the Almont League, surpassing a numerous amount of girls playing in the League. Gonzalez credits her hard work mentality and her determination to win to her coaches, especially head Coach Larry Kanow. “Kanow is a super great coach and he always reminds us to never settle,” Gonzalez said. “He says that as a player, you are not at a point where you can turn your hard work on and off. You need to be good; you need to be consistent.” Gonzalez, now a starting player and captain, is in charge of making all the big plays for the team and leading her them to victory and CIF finals. “Even when you are playing a team where you believe you can win, you have to stay at your level; it helps the team stay determined and focused,” Gonzalez said. Gonzalez reflects on her last year with bittersweet feelings and the hope to win CIF. “There is always going to be the experience, there is also the bond of the teams you play, and also having a new mentality from the one you started with,” Gonzalez said. Gonzalez plans to pursue a career in volleyball during her tenure at university.
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THE MATADOR
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2015
FEATURES
New clubs provide students with direction, point to avenues of opportunity Briefs compiled by Ying Chow, Christy Deng, Shirley Dinh, Ileana Perez, Lu Yue Wang, Vivian Wong, and Amy Yee Graphic by Kelly Ho
#HashtaGLunchbag EVERY OTHER FRIDAY IN A204
#HashtagLunchbag is for students interested in feeding and helping the homeless at Skid Row. The club will provide opportunities to personally hand out handmade lunch bags with encouragng notes to the homeless.
Homeless Outreach EVERY OTHER MONDAY IN L214
Homeless Outreach is for students interested in and have a passion for helping others in need. Created with a desire to promote the awareness of homelessness, the club is dedicated to serving homeless people and animals.
SGHS Filmmakers THURSDAYS IN THE LITTLE THEATER
SGHS Filmmakers is for students who enjoy filmmaking or are interested in learning the craft. The club will make films and teach inexperienced students how a film is made.
Computer Tech Matadors 15 MONDAY IN E2nts EVERY OTHER tad de stu for ors is
gy Ma Computer Technolo will teach cations. The club to pli ap r ute mp co design interested in w ho d uter programs an ghout the year. students about comp ou thr ld he be and make them. Contests will
Educate thE Community
EVERY OTHER TUESDAY IN P106
Educating the Community (ETC) is for students interested in learning about current problems that exist in the world. Each month, the club selects an issue to focus on and actively participates in related events.
the Giving Society
FIDM FASHION CLUB EVERY OTHER MONDAY IN B5
Named after the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, the FIDM Club is for students interested in fashion or beauty . Students will learn everything about the fashion industry, includ business, production, social media, and trend spotting. Club ing activities include hair styling, sketching, and designing.
Summoners of the rift
TUESDAYS & FRIDAYS IN S4
SotR is for students who play or enjoy League of Legends and would like to mingle with other players. Leaguers can unite and talk about their game strategies or just hang out with fellow fans.
Clue CLUB E111 SDAYS INnce ed in the WEDNEcom -focused club for students interest puter scie CLUE is a hack ate in hackathons, where coders STEM fields. Students will particip as coding sessions with mentors. or program within a time limit, as well to research with colleges and ents The club hopes to introduce stud computer and calculator coding. internships, and to teach students
Magnanimity
EVERY OTHER FRIDAY IN SA6
Magnanimity is for students interested in raising money and awareness through charity walks and fundraisers. The club holds about three services per month.
United CUltures EVERY OTHER WEDNESDAY IN P111
United Cultures is for students interested in embracing the traditions, literature, customs and food of different cultures. The club attends cultural festivals around the Los Angeles area and volunteers at cultural events.
Always Be CHecking FRIDAYS IN L202
ents interested Always Be Checking is for stud club plans on The ss. che n rica in playing Ame the next year. in with ents competing in tournam
MONDAYS IN P108
The Giving Society is is for students interested in giving back to their community. The club holds a certain theme every quarter and provides services relating to the theme during that time period.
Horizons students expand their knowledge at University of California, Los Angeles Stacy Chau Horizons students chattered excitedly amongst themselves as they boarded the bus bound for the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Horizons, formerly known as AVID, is a class that focuses on preparing students for college, and advisers Davina Dominguez and Virginia Parra join Horizons students on their journey to discovering what college has to offer. “We try to take Horizons students to various college campuses or activities in order to further promote our class mission of college and career readiness,” Parra said. “It [is] a good opportunity for students to get college information and to interact with other high school and college students.” The event, “I’m Going to College,” consisted of a two-hour long college fair where students had the opportunity to meet athletes and learn more about college. Additionally, students received autographs and learned about football game traditions that raise school
Photo courtesy of Davina Dominguez
Horizons students cheer for the University of California Los Angeles football players at the Pasadena Rose Bowl.
spirit. Shortly after the college fair, students watched a football game featuring UCLA against Arizona State University at the Pasadena Rose Bowl. Although UCLA did not win, the students were still in high spirits at the end of the day. “Getting the college experience and seeing how people are [in college] makes you want to go to college to experience the same thing,” Horizons senior William Dolloway said. Dominguez and Parra hope to encourage all students enrolled in Horizons to attend future college events. “We hope to get more exposure for our program and what we do so that more students can join, and we could build our program,” Parra said. Because many of the Horzions students are preparing for college admissions in the future, they plan on visiting other schools. The Horizons classes are currently looking forward to their upcoming field trip to the University of California, Riverside to broaden their knowledge of college.
FEATURES
THE MATADOR
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2015
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Homecoming 2015: Straight Outta Hollywood
Above: Homecoming King Koby Khauv and Queen Amy Pham playfully exchange their crowns and scepters. Top right: Senior and All-Male captain Kenny Ung leads his fellow performers through their Homecoming dance routine.
Above: The San Gabriel Matador football team powers through the Alhambra Moorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; defense. Left: Sophomore Ezra Banlaoi flings his flag into the air, silhouetted by the setting sun and accompanied by his Colorguard teammates. Bottom: The Matador Marching Band performs its routine as drum major and senior Emily Eng conducts.
Visit SGHS The Matador on Facebook for more pictures of the Homecoming pep rally and game. Photos by Stacy Chau and Sunny Chen. Photo courtesy of Alissa So/El Camino Real.