OPINIONS “Lack of school dance participation diminishes high school
FOCUS
FEATURES
Inside the heart of
#SQUADGOALS”
“ City of Angels:
Los Angeles” pg.
“San Gabriel pg. 12
THE MATADOR experience” pg. 4
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SAN GABRIEL HIGH/MARCH 16, 2017/ VOLUME 62 / ISSUE 7
WWW.THEMATADORSGHS.US/801 S. RAMONA ST., SAN GABRIEL, CA 91776
Math department offers weekly SBAC tutoring
Los Renombrados award judging process explained
Photo by Tom Cheah
Students practice SBAC sample math problems on computers. Tom Cheah In an effort to better prepare students for Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) testing, the math department has begun to offer tutoring sessions throughout the month of March. Since last year, California has adopted a new academic assessment system, known as the California Assessment of Students Performance and Progress (CAASPP), which administers tests that align with the Common Core State Standards. The largest part of the CAASPP is the Smarter Balanced Assessments, which are computer-based tests that are created by SBAC. Upon hearing feedback from students last year, the math department formed a team consisting of Amanda Blackwood, Abel Bourbois, Kadriye Kanik, Sheree Mar, Nicolas Nguyen, Kevin Nong, and Leah Ulloa to help expose students to SBAC testing material and prepare them for the test. Tutoring sessions began on the first week of March and occur twice week after school; each session is an hour long. “The main goal is to get students more exposed to the new testing environment and types of testing material,” Nguyen, who chairs the math department, said. “The second goal is to emphasize certain types of questions that aren’t traditional math test questions, such as the ‘select all that apply’ and ‘justify your answer’ questions.” Nguyen stated that “students often struggle with the navigation of the software itself” and with the vocabulary of test questions. “Unfamiliarity with the testing environment could distract [students] from the content itself,” Nguyen said. “We want to let our students see what they’re walking into and know what to expect, so it’s a fair game for them. We feel that it’s only fair for them to know what they’re going to get tested on.” The tutoring sessions are not mandatory, but “a lot of students still come.” For next year, Nguyen hopes to make the sessions more accommodating to students’ schedules so that more students can attend. For Mar, a typical tutoring session consists of students working on sample test problems on packets or computers. After students attempt the problems, she goes over the answers with the entire class. “I think students are getting better because they are understanding the different types of problems,” Mar said. Mar stated that students from other sessions have been struggling with trigonometry and geometry and that she will be changing her lesson plans to meet the students’ needs. “When we get there, I will probably go over general trigonometry lessons and a few main geometric concepts,” Mar said. Junior Valerie Montelon attends Bourbois’s tutoring sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays and said that “the tutoring has been helpful.” “It’s really helpful to review and see how the computer reacts to the answer,” Montelon said. “I’m feeling a little bit more confident because now I know how [the test] looks like and what to expect. I’m glad they are offering the review.” SBAC tutoring will continue to March 24, and juniors will be taking the SBAC test in April.
Photo by Sunny Chen
2016 Los Renombrados winner Quoc Ho receives his award on the football field. Shirley Dinh and Vivian Wong Los Renombrados (LR), a tradition unique to San Gabriel High School, is an honor society that recognizes seniors who are academically and actively involved in the school community. To be eligible to receive the award, seniors are required to have a grade-point average of at least 3.0, have been a student at San Gabriel for at least five semesters, have no behavior contracts, and have no suspensions. The school generates a list of seniors with these qualifications, and every teacher on campus may vote for 15 seniors from the list. After every teacher votes for the students, a total of 50 semi-finalists are selected based on the number of votes they receive. These nominees are then invited to fill out and submit a formal application online.
The formal application includes three short answer responses. Once the applications are submitted, each finalist’s name is changed to a special identification number to create a blind voting process instead. The LR committee votes for 15 to 25 finalists based on their application. Traditionally, the LR voting committee consists of teachers and staff from each department who serve on the committee for two years before rotating out. However, some teachers have served on the committee for more than two consecutive years. Assistant Principal of Business and Activities Matthew Dultz said that “some [judges] have done this several times and that the [two-years term] are renewed, mainly because of the investment they have in the kids.” “I’m told that there used to be a two-year term limit rule,” chemistry teacher Ryan Wong said. ”I don’t know if that is enforced anymore because I noticed that there are teachers that have been on the committee for much longer than two years. I’m pretty sure that the spirit of the term limit was to invite fresh perspectives to the decisionmaking.” Although the LR tradition started in 1958, there are currently no official documents containing LR rules or by-laws since changes and updates have been made to the process as new administrators come aboard and time has passed. After the committee reads the applications, the top 4 percent of the graduating senior class are picked to receive the LR award. “After that, we tell the 50 semi-finalists whether they made it or not,” Dultz said. Because the judging process involves teachers advocating for certain types of students, bias among teachers has been alleged, despite the blind application process. “As for bias, I know the committee members are to be impartial, and they certainly try their best in doing so,” Wong said. “I think bias can be avoided by looking solely on the merits on each application without knowing who each person is.” Controversy also exists among students who believe the judging process is unfair to those who demonstrate academic excellence. “I think it is slightly unfair simply because they are trying to diversify LR,” a senior said. “In some ways, it is affirmative action. However, I do understand why they do it. It is to encourage others. I really wouldn’t fault the LR committee on doing this, but at the same time, I feel for those people who are well qualified, but don’t make it.”
AUSD votes in new Superintendent Thomas Wang Current Assistant Superintendent of Business Services Denise Jaramillo will become the new superintendent of the Alhambra Unified School District (AUSD). The AUSD Board voted for Jaramillo, 5-0, at the March 14 school board meeting. In light of Superintendent Laura Tellez-Gagliano’s retirement this year, Jaramillo will become superintendent starting on July 1. Along with TellezGagliano’s retirement, Assistant Superintendent
of Human Resources Marsha Gilbert will also retire after the school year. Replacements for Gilbert and Jaramillo’s positions as assistant superintendent of human resources and assistant superintendent of business services, respectively, are currently unknown. “I think there was a sigh of relief for the teachers [when Jaramillo became superintendent],” Larry Kanow, who recently retired as a science teacher and volleyball coach from San Gabriel last year, said. “[Jaramillo] has a good reputation of being fair, and I know she is very bright,”
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THE MATADOR
THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 2017
Publications places first in Super Sweepstakes, advances to state
NEWS
MESA triumphs at MESA Day competition
Photo courtesy of Nicolas Nguyen
MESA Photo by Sunny Chen
Senior Sunny Chen won second place in feature photography C hri st i na Lov Taking home many trophies and accolades, the Matador Newspaper and El Camino Real Yearbook competed in the Eastern Los Angeles County Journalism Education Association (ELAJEA) Regional Write-off Competition hosted at Schurr High School on March 4. The teams together won first place in Super Sweepstakes, second place in News Sweepstakes, second place in Novice News Sweepstakes, and second place in Yearbook Sweepstakes. Publications members competed in a variety of events, such as novice news, news, sports, features, editorials, editorial cartooning, critical review, news layout, yearbook copy, yearbook design, news photography, and feature photography. While each event had its own rules and activities, members also had to compete against other high schools, such as Walnut, Diamond Bar, Temple, and Wilson. From the Matador Newspaper, senior Thomas Wang placed first and junior Carlos Carrillo placed sixth in editorials; sophomore Selina Han placed second, senior Sydney Trieu placed fourth, and senior Uyen Sy placed ninth in features; senior Shirley Dinh placed fourth in news; junior Michele Thai placed fifth in sports; junior Kathy Quach placed second, junior Joanne Chau placed third, junior Christina Lov placed 13th, and junior Andy Yung placed 15th in novice news; junior Jennifer Cheung placed third in editorial cartooning; senior Kim Pham placed first and senior Eva Hernandez placed 10th in critical review; senior Kelly Ho placed second in news layout; and senior Sunny Chen placed second in feature photography. From El Camino Real Yearbook, senior Victoria Vu and junior Sydney Tran placed first and senior Angelica Morquecho and junior Patricia Lipana placed sixth as teams in yearbook copy; juniors Jacob Rodriguez and Nicole Nguyen placed third and senior Gilbert Gallegos and junior Khang Ho placed fourth as teams in yearbook design; senior Chi Hoang placed first in news photography; junior Leo Yue placed eighth in feature photography; and senior Brandon Lau placed fourth in critical review. Publications members who placed at regionals qualified for and will compete at state competition hosted by the Southern California Journalism Education Association on March 25 at Rancho Dominguez Prep High School.
members
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competition. Tom Cheah
After months of project preparation, the Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement (MESA) club began its competition season, winning 54 medals at the MESA Day preliminary competition. With their projects ready, 66 San Gabriel MESA members competed against MESA members from other high schools at California State University, Los Angeles in a wide variety of events, ranging from mathematics to balsa wood airplanes. “Our students represented our school well, regardless of whether they placed or not,” MESA adviser Nicolas Nguyen said. “Students placing is a bonus. Students who didn’t place have definitely gained more experience and have learned a thing or two, so they can improve their projects for next year.” San Gabriel MESA members swept 11th grade Solo Math and 12th grade Team Math Quest, winning first, second, and third place for both events. “It’s reassuring that we are doing something correctly in our math department,” Nguyen said. “I’m very proud of our students. Their performances also reflect on the work that our teachers put in to get them prepared.” Nguyen stated that he “hopes for students to see math and science in action” and to learn “how to advocate for themselves” during competitions. This year, MESA piloted a new event called Rube Goldberg. The overall goal of the project is to the construct a device that utilizes four different actions and three different types of energy to accurately land a small vinyl kick ball on a target. “[The competition] was quite nerve-racking because sometimes when our project would work consistently and the weather was to our liking, we would have to wait for other groups,” senior Jamie Yang, whose team placed second in the pilot event, said. “By the time it was our turn, nothing was [in] our favor.” Yang stated that the “judges weren’t really familiar with the event, so there were a lot of inconsistencies.” “I am quite happy about my results because our project [had] some parts that just don’t work sometimes,” Yang said. “My group and I plan on just fixing the little things. I want us to be confident that our project will work every time.” The day before the competition freshman Chingying Li found herself in a situation where her balsa wood airplane landed on top of the MS-building. “I was testing my airplane after school next to the library and E-building,” Li said. “Unfortunately, the plane landed on the roof of the MS-building. I asked for help, but no one had a ladder.” Despite this setback, Li went home and built a new airplane, improving on her previous airplane’s model. “It was great that I finished up on time,” Li said. “I actually changed my blueprints a little bit because my previous airplane was kind of unbalanced.” Her airplane sustained flight for 24 seconds at the competition, winning her first place for the event. To prepare for the regional competition, Li plans to “make more designs, build more than one airplane, and test which one will the best one for regionals.” “I hope [to] have a longer flight time, to do better than how I did for MESA day, and to place,” Li said. MESA members who have placed in MESA Day will be competing in the regional competition on April 15.
Prom preview showcases tomorrow
Photo courtesy of JCC
Thomas Wang Originally stated to be on March 16, Prom Preview was moved to Friday, March 17 due to an Alhambra Unified School District cabinet meeting according to Junior Class Council (JCC) member Kelvin Huynh. Hosted by JCC, the preview will continue the tradition of showcasing the “dos and don’ts” of prom. In a video, a dramatization of a “promposal” will be showcased along with the reveal of the prom venue. The preview will be held in the Matador Arena during lunch. Only juniors and seniors are permitted to enter and must bring their student IDs. “I want everyone [attending Prom Preview] to enjoy the video,” JCC member Ricky Jiao said. “I want more people to be inspired to go to prom.”
NEWS THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 2017
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THE MATADOR
Youth KPD provides opprotunity K-pop dance
Open House experiences low tur nout
Photo by Carlos Carillo
The quad during Open House hosts various club fundraisers in the background. C ar los Car illo Photo by Michelle Ho
Freshman twin sisters Ahyoung and Sunhi Nguyen strike a dance pose. J oanne C hau As South Korean pop music, also known as K-pop, finds its place in modern American pop-culture, more students are being captivated with the upbeat choreography that goes along with the lead singles. The Youth K-pop Dance (KPD) Club at San Gabriel High School offers students the opportunity to be a part of a dance team that specializes in K-pop music and dance moves. The club was started by freshmen sisters Ahyoung and Sunhi Nguyen, who aspire to bring more acceptance to the K-pop culture. Since K-pop is a relatively foreign interest, the Nguyen sisters wish to make students more comfortable in displaying their passions. “We have been thinking about this club since middle school,” Vice President and dance leader Sunhi said. “We’ve both been passionate about dancing to K-pop music since we were 8 years-old. This club will allow shy people to express their love for K-pop and learn how to move their body to the music.” Due to its diverse nature in regards of music genre, the Youth KPD would like to include students of all genders and skill level in dancing. This way, students would be able to unite and connect based on their love for K-pop. “Since it is in a language other than English, we can just do things differently,” president Ahyoung said. “We want it to be co-gender, where boys and girls can dance together. If you have a passion for something, then just do it.” With this club, the Nguyen sisters aim to influence the school in becoming more open to accepting this different culture. They plan on organizing dance routines for school pep rallies in the next school year. Dances would be choreographed to boy groups like BTS, Big Bang, and EXO. Auditions will be held to determine who is fit for the club. Meeting will take place in E-208 during lunch, with the days to be determined.
A night typically bustling with parents and students meeting with teachers and attending workshops, the spring Open House on March 8 seemed to have a lower attendance than usual even though many new changes were implemented. Despite having a more open layout with many teachers in classrooms rather than crammed into the gyms, the turnout was still noticeably lower than in years past, something history teacher Eric Hendrickson experienced firsthand. “I was disappointed with the turnout this time as I only had two parents show up,” Hendrickson said. “I don’t know if it was because it wasn’t advertised enough or if parents just didn’t have a direct connection to it.” Principal Debbie Stone also acknowledged that attendance was less than ideal but was confident about the changes that were made. “In the fall we specifically have parent conferences where parents can talk to teachers and pick up report cards,” Stone said. “In the spring we go for something different; this year instead of distributing report cards we went paperless with computers to let parents check grades through PowerSchool.”
However, Stone recognized that attendance may have been higher had report cards been physically handed out. “Each year we have to coordinate the Open House with the grading cycle,” Stone said. “When we evaluate the performance we will definitely reconsider giving out paper report cards in the spring.” In spite of the low attendance, the Open House did offer many useful resources for those who did visit. In addition to parent-teacher conferences, many displays were available for parents and students alike to absorb, most notably with the social studies department in the MPR. The department displayed studentwork on various boards in the MPR alongside their third annual Student Political Survey results which gave insight into the political leanings of the student body. The Open House was also accompanied by a showcase of extracurricular activities, most notably a performance by the San Gabriel Marching Band, an appearance not commonly made at Open House in years past. Coupled with various parent information meetings such as a WASC survey workshop and an eighth-grade parent orientation, the spring Open House aimed to offer a broader, more comprehensive overlook of the school’s inner workings than its predecessors.
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THE MATADOR
THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 2017
No longer “yung” & dumb
Andy Yung Beacon in the dark As I step out into the open world where everyone is held accountable for their actions and the morals and rules of society burrow themselves into their consciousness, turning them into precepts to live by, the vast ocean of people along with their ideals and perspectives clash with each other in an everlasting blight. It seemed to me that all the good in the world would just disappear and allow the bad to overtake and settle. But I asked myself, was it necessarily all bad? Ever since I was young, I have always been in the crossfire between arguments— either joining my siblings’ side or my parents’ side. I couldn’t always choose, but I was a rather good child back in the day. But the times have changed. Whenever tensions arise between two people that I know, I tend to listen to both sides regardless of affiliation. However, when there are problems that associate with me, I overthink and go into a state of depression for a period of time before breaking out. Reading in between the lines has caused me to doubt a lot of people, including myself. One of my previous experiences with this was back in freshman year, when I thought that I could finally change and become a different kind of person compared to who I was back in middle school. Having high hopes for myself, I thought, “Maybe I could get into a relationship.” I was dead wrong. I may or may not still regret that decision, but what was more important was the fact that it was my first time trying to do something out of my comfort zone. Being the person that I am, getting “friend zoned” wasn’t a good start to high school. I started to think about all the reasons why I failed; it took me about a month and a half to get over it, but my entire high school career suffered from it. The person cut off all prior communication by the end of the first month of school, making the situation even worse. Now that I’m a junior, I can set my past aside and move on, but abandoning all the grudges and embarrassing moments that were built up throughout the years is not an easy task. Remembering all my artwork—all the cringe-worthy styles and things I have said about them—I can say for sure that they are what makes me who I am today. I can use them as past experiences to make myself a stronger person and improve as an artist who went into hiatus and couldn’t climb back up because I didn’t know what to do with my life anymore. No seriously, save me. But there have been people in my life who have been there for me and have made a huge difference compared to if I had to deal with all my problems alone. Without them, I doubt I would even be here today—let alone if I would even be living. Regardless if they were a prodigy programmer in their last year of high school, a starving college student from the other side of the world, or an engineer who works from 1 a.m. to 7 p.m. for a company under Boeing, they all have been there for me and I am proud to call them my friends. As the days go by and the years gradually pass, I can slowly develop an understanding of the reason behind the “bad” in the world. With what I know and experienced firsthand, I can finally bring myself to say, “There is more to the truth that meets the eye, but the lies are there to teach you a lesson.”
Editorial
OPINIONS
District should be required to provide basic school supplies In the United States, students have access to a free public education where parents expect their children to have a quality education while not needing to spend an absurd amount of money. However, this is not what we find at San Gabriel High School (SGHS). School classrooms lack the adequate materials needed in order to provide a satisfactory education. Science classrooms lack lab materials, forcing students to form ridiculously large groups; English and math classrooms are running out of basic supplies that would make learning easier. All of these are grounds for a Williams complaint, a formal complaint that schools must investigate which can be filed by anyone (for more information on how to file a Williams complaint, visit http://www.ausd.us/apps/pages/ index.jsp?uREC_ID=144772&type=d&pREC_ID=279138). Districts are supposed to effectively distribute the money they received in order to provide students with an education. The California State Education Code addresses this issue. The Assembly Bill No.1575 chapter 776 states that all supplies, materials, and equipment needed to participate in public educational activities shall be provided to pupils free of charge. Schools, according to this law, have the responsibility not only to provide instruction, but also the materials. The Alhambra Unified School District (AUSD) decides how to distribute money depending on the amount of students each school has. SGHS receives approximately $80 per student for classroom materials. Although this may appear to be an appropriate sum, it is not enough to cover the needs of the students. All departments require an annual renewal of supplies. For example, the science
department needs new pigs, cats, and shark fetuses for dissection each year along with chemicals. The art department needs new brushes and paint, and classes like woodshop need a constant renewal of wood. The language and math departments need materials for projects. All these needs must be met by the school with the resources made available to them by the AUSD. Apart from all these materials needed, inflation has increased. According to a science department teacher, the price for dissection specimens has doubled in the past ten years. During the 2014-15 school year, AUSD spent a total of $177 million. In a 2014 interview with the Alhambra Source with former AUSD Director of Fiscal Services Nicole Lash, Lash stated that 83 percent of the district’s budget was allocated for employee salaries and benefits. This is understandable, but certain staff members are being overpaid. Superintendent Laura A. Tellez is paid over $230,000 for her base salary according to Transparent California for 2015, which edges out the salary of the vice president of the United States. Is AUSD providing enough money to the schools in its district? SGHS administrators make do with a difficult budget, not because there is not enough money, but because the school district is not providing enough resources for administrators to do their job or for teachers to educate students to their parents’ expectation. Teaching goes beyond a long class lecture; teachers need the resources and materials to do their job effectively and supply students with the education needed in order for them to be successful in society.
Low dance participation diminishes high school experience K i m Ta Join a club. Take part in a sport. Now, attend a dance. But above all, create memorable memories. Despite the longstanding tradition of school dances in the Matador Arena and gymnasiums, the recent cancellation of the Sadies dance contradicts the experience every high school student should have. The high school experience is a four-year period of growth before adulthood. High school is a place focused on academics and extracurriculars; with the abundant number of classes and clubs that San Gabriel offers, students are limited in the opportunity to attend school dances. Between procrastination and academics, school dances become an outlier. Common reactions are that the dances are boring with people just sitting around, and if no one in your squad is going, there is no incentive to go. Also, the cost of the dances and additional cost of food at the dances bother some students. “I think that everyone needs to have their own opinion about school dances and not listen to the rumors they hear around school,” Associated Student Body (ASB) President senior Sydney Nomura said. “They will not truly know how Illustration by Vincent Maresca
our dances are without going to one in the first place. Also, students should turn in a contract even if they’re not 100 percent sure that they are going.” Sometimes the theme of the dance affects student enthusiasm toward it. “I could say that we could have better themes and more [appeal] to the students’ interests,” junior Henry Nguyen said. “We need to persuade more people to go and put up posters around the school. Lastly, the tickets could also be a problem to some people since they do not like using money. Overall, it still depends on the people who want to go because they are interested to go.” A S B Vi c e P re s i d e n t junior Roxanne Fong said that ASB does consider students’ opinions. “ To i n c r e a s e t h e number of participants at school dances, I think it’s important to reach out and get hold of the opinions of other students when it comes to dance ideas and incorporate it into the dances we, host,” Fong said. “That way we can appeal to most students because we listen to their voices and what they want to see at dances.” A school dance is a great way to relieve the weight of academics, sports, and extracurriculars have on the student’s time. High school is only four years, and it should be enjoyed.
Opinions should be based off of facts, reasoning, not emotions Thomas Wang When Barack Obama was still president, the Birther movement came to fruition when a group of people claimed that Obama was born in Kenya and therefore became president illegally. Despite the fact that Obama was able to brandish a birth certificate from Hawaii, the movement still continued throughout his presidency. As ridiculous and short-sighted as it seems, these uninformed opinions are not unique to prejudiced conservatives; uninformed opinions seep through every corner of the world. The perils of having an uninformed opinion cannot be overstated. It can be as harmless as being wrong. However, when enough people hold the same opinion, large movements that can affect everyday life can occur. For example, the antivaccination movement has led to outbreaks in once-eradicated measles and other disease because people cannot accept the science behind vaccines. They assume vaccines are the cause of deformities and autism in children, even when there are no studies that support this case. This danger is further compounded as the unwillingness to vaccinate children put people who are allergic to vaccines at risk.
To willingly reject facts and rush into a conclusion is folly. Not only can it lead to personal impediment to progress, but it can also to the detriment of others. None should have to suffer just because someone is too lazy to load up a search engine and refuses to accept truth. It is not possible to have informed opinions on 100 percent of all subjects matters. However, having a mindset that minimizes uninformed opinions is crucial. The key to that is to have an open mind and to not rely only on snap judgement. When researching about a topic, it is better to understand both sides of the story and realize the merits and detriments to all sides, whether it is politics or health. One should not use their emotions or fear mongering as the basis of their opinion. Facts should be the guiding tools to all opinions. Even then, having an informed opinion is not enough. Being open minded to new ideas and facts are crucial. As seen in the sciences, theories and information are constantly being added and be revised. One should take a leaf out of the scientific method and root their opinions by understanding the facts and changing said opinions when convincing evidence is brought up. However, Obama’s birthplace in Hawaii is sadly not an opinion but an irrefutable fact. Sorry Birthers.
OPINIONS THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 2017
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THE MATADOR
Metro transportation should be commonly used C h e l sea Li The Metro Transportation has worked on projects for the Los Angeles County to ease the congested traffic and bring affordable resources to people since 1993. However, there has been a decline in ridership over the years that should not have occurred. Although the number of passengers has reduced, Metro continues to open more lines and rails, making it easier to travel from one place to another. The Blue Line exists from Downtown Los Angeles (LA) to Long Beach and the Red Line to North Hollywood. The Purple Line travels from Downtown LA to the Wilshire district, Koreatown, and the Expo Line to Santa Monica. The Green Line opens along the 105 Freeway and transfers to the Los Angeles International Airport. The Gold Line goes from East LA to Azusa. Not only Metro rails exist, but also lines, buses, and transitways for the public. Public transportation is an inexpensive and feasible source when trying to commute around LA, especially with abundant types of transfers. The fare prices are also reasonable, at $1.75 per ride and are lower if a rider is a senior, student, or disabled. With such easy access, one would assume that many people use the public transportation. “The popularity and relative affordability of ridesharing services like Uber and Lyft have certainly made using public transit a less appealing option,” Devon McReynolds wrote in his article, “Metro Has Spent Billions On Rail, But No One’s Riding.” According to the American Public Transportation Association, public transportation
reduces harmful harmful CO2 emissions by 37 million metric tons and the growth in miles for vehicle travels. Since there is a lack in the usage of the Metro Transportation, it puts a strain on our government’s financial status. Their partnership with the LA County as a federal investment guarantees a certain amount of ridership if it were to open a new line. When the number does not reach the total claimed, the government compensates Metro with the rest of the bill. A low rate of passengers results in a higher coverage from Los Angeles. According to <www.publictransportation.org>, “for every dollar communities invest in public transportation, approximately $4 is generated in economic returns. Public transportation is a $57 billion industry that puts people to work—directly employing nearly 400,000 people and creating hundreds of thousands of private sector jobs.” A high rate of usage on public transits leads to less air pollution and carbon dioxide emissions compared to each individual driving their cars. People who use public transportations are more likely to save money on gas, reducing our economy’s dependence on foreign fuel. Some people think that taking the bus or riding the underground subway is not the safest with strangers. Passengers may act unfriendly towards others, causing a disruptive and unpleasant ride. However, we experience these kinds of discomforts at least once in our daily lives. Careless drivers around school or suspicious people loitering on the street cause the same uneasy feeling. Therefore, taking the public transit is not as dangerous and should not hinder people from taking advantage of it. Illustration by Jennifer Cheung
Vogue fails at celebrating diversity in diversity issue Ki m P ham One of the most visible advocates for visibility, particularly for girls and women in tech, is Karlie Kloss, a supermodel and selfproclaimed tech nerd with a background in coding. Her brand as a liaison and entrepreneur who seamlessly lives and breathes the culture of tech and fashion has expanded to include partnerships that attempt to promote women in industries that tend to suppress them. To the shock of many, Kloss recently came under fire for posing in Yellowface in Vogue’s Diversity issue. Kloss was shot in Japan by Mikael Jansson and styled by Phyllis Posnick for the spread. In the photo series, Kloss poses in traditional Japanese kimonos, bath houses, and scenery, while the few Asian actors in the shoot, including a sumo wrestler and a server, serve as props to highlight and celebrate Kloss’s figure as a celebration of Japanese culture. Cultural appropriation disguised under the word “diversity” has a long standing history in this country. Vogue has a history of publishing tone-deaf fashion editorials, the latest incident being model Lara Stone in blackface for French Vogue. But one would
MATADOR
Editors-in-Chief News Editors
Opinions Editors Focus Editors Life and Art Editors Sports Editors Features Editors Copy Editors Photo Editors Artist Business Managers Website Editors Multimedia Editors Blogs Manager Community Editors Adviser
Sydney Trieu Thomas Wang Joanne Chau Nathan Ta Sunny Chen Eileen Ong Karina Matias Kim Pham Lu Yue Wang Jennifer Cheung Jessica Tran Uyen Sy Kim Ta Michele Thai Selina Han Kelly Ho Shirley Dinh Eva Hernandez Andy Yung Sunny Chen Michelle Ho Vincent Maresca Anny Li Wu Christina Lov Tom Cheah Kathy Quach Kevin Contreras Michelle Ho Vivian Wong Carlos Carillo Virginia Situ Jennifer Kim
Reporters: Nian Capilli, Lucas Jorgensen, Chelsea Li, Vincent Maresca, Kayla Tang 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.
think that designing an entire issue around “diversity” would have stopped this editorial before it even started. Apparently not. It is bigger than the Yellowface we see in the forthcoming Vogue issue. It is part of a greater conversation that needs to be had about white women and white culture taking wrongful ownership of women of color’s past and current sorrows, celebrations, and victories. Sophomore Carrie Nguyen is bothered by the entertainment industry’s repeated failures in attempting to represent a diverse range of faces. “There’s been enough incidents of Yellowface to realize that this was a stupid idea from the start,” Nguyen said. “I have no idea what [Karlie Kloss] was thinking when she decided model for them. Of course people are going to be mad at her.” Since the release of the issue, Kloss has tweeted that she is “truly sorry for participating in a shoot that was not culturally sensitive.” Vogue has yet to release an apology, making it clear that diversity, not inclusivity, is a priority simply in its potential to profit and erase centuries of oppression and silenced voices. Vogue’s silence further fuels a long standing history of fashion and its reluctance to open doors and make room for stories that demand conversations about its relationship to underrepresented communities.
The Matador Bullring What are your plans for spring break?
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I’ll probably go out with my friends once or twice during the week, and if not, I’m going to stay home and sleep and play games.” -Joshua Cheng, 9th grade
I’m going to Arizona to ride quads with my relatives.” -Antonio Huerta, 10th grade
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I’m going to Mexico with my grandma and brother.” -Leslie Delgado, 11th grade
I’m probably going to visit colleges with my family.“ -Anita Li, 12th grade
Photos by Sunny Chen
Keep “ho”lding on
Kelly Ho
Finding happiness Throughout high school, I was frequently asked, “How are you always so happy and full of energy?” The answer should be clear, but to be honest, I often ask myself the same question. For four years, I attended school with a large smile on my face. I greeted all my peers and teachers with loud, boisterous hellos, and I never hesitated to chat cheerfully with strangers, speak out loud in class, and laugh obnoxiously at my own jokes. But how did I do it? And why? The way I acted never aligned with how I truly felt. As I smiled and laughed with my friends, my mind was filled with negativity—I hated myself. In terms of academics and personality, I constantly reminded myself that I was incompetent, unworthy of friendship, and too obnoxious and annoying. I stayed awake late into the night for weeks on end, consumed by fears that my teachers, peers, and parents never truly liked me. Alongside my friends, who excelled in every class and received love by all our peers, I felt like the black sheep. For the longest time, I was lost and alone. At school, in fear of overwhelming my peers, I pushed myself to constantly be lively and happy. At home, I didn’t want to worry my parents, who were struggling with their health and making ends meet, so I stayed quiet. Instead of searching for my self-worth and trusting in others, I built a persona that I soon couldn’t escape—it became a part of who I was. Acting loud and energetic rather than allowing myself to reflect on my unhappiness grew instinctive. I drowned out the noises in my mind with smiles, laughter, and obnoxiously bad puns. For me, this cheerful, confident person wasn’t a facade—I was coping with my fears and negativity in the only way I knew how. I poured myself into everything I did, hoping to lose myself and the thoughts that consumed me. I was convinced that as long as I could provide relief and entertainment to those around me, I would be okay. However, overcompensating in this way can only last for so long. Instead of pressing “Stop” on the noises in my head, each day, I merely pressed “Pause.” I left my fears and lack of confidence unresolved; at night, those thoughts returned and caught up with me. I found myself breaking down when I was alone, losing hours of sleep, and fighting for motivation to do well in school. I constantly worried about whether or not I had said anything too obnoxious or inappropriate to my friends and teachers. During my sophomore year, I went to the nurse frequently because the stress would lead me to forget where I was and what I was doing. This act of running away from my insecurities with feigned happiness was a toxic cycle that left me in a condition far worse than when I had first begun. Eventually, time allowed me to realize the damage I had done to myself. In reality, I was the only barrier to my happiness. I thought that self-validation through those around me would make me happy, but all I needed to do was accept and love myself. I can’t say that I’m truly there yet, but I’m working on it! For example, I’m pretty proud of my puns—even when they’re “bad.” I also love my exquisite music taste; one that includes High School Musical and Jesse McCartney. So… I guess I still don’t really have an answer to the question I was frequently asked. However, there’s one thing I know for sure: happiness is possible. And soon enough, I will find it. One step at a time.
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THE MATADOR
THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 2017
Ee exhibits talent through music
LIFE & ART Matador Muse If Pain Had a Face
Photo courtesy of Leo Yue
Ee plays “Elegy for R.E.M.” during the Lilo & Stitch-themed talent show at San Gabriel. Jennifer Cheung Gliding his fingers across the keys, junior Jerome Ee performs a piano piece for the school talent show. Ee has been playing the piano ever since he was five years old, continuing his hobby when he moved to the United States from Malaysia in 2014. “I was technically forced into [playing piano] at first,” Ee said. “After moving here, I felt that piano was the only thing that I liked.” Since all of Ee’s siblings played piano, he followed in their footsteps. Involuntarily placed into a piano program by his parents, he did not enjoy playing the instrument until he stopped learning for two years. After his family relocated to the U.S. and he adjusted to his new environment, he found comfort in his pastime, which “remained the same” even though everything else changed. Ee continues to play the piano today, sometimes for his family. He finds it difficult to balance his musical hobby with varsity volleyball activities.
“When I play volleyball, I’m supposed to penetrate my hands and stiffen them up,” Ee said. “But when I play piano, my fingers should be soft and play freely.” Additionally, he currently has a broken thumb, making the task of doing any activity strenuous. Broken thumb aside, he enjoys covering popular songs and composing his own music. Ee finds the piano calming and soothing. “Sometimes, you feel really stressed out,” Ee said. “But when you start playing, you can put all the stress into the notes.” One achievement Ee would like to accomplish is to play Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Flight of the Bumblebee,” a fast-paced interlude which involves rigorous movements from the right hand. Although Ee wants to become an optometrist, being a pianist is his backup plan. He plans to continue playing the piano and learn more techniques to improve himself. “Piano is the queen of music,” Ee said. “If you know how to play piano, you can easily learn how to play other instruments.”
Factory Tea Bar offers new split cups
Photo by Nian Capili
(Left) green apple green tea with lychee jelly and (right) boba milk tea. Nian Capili I’ve been going to Factory Tea Bar (FTB) in San Gabriel since freshman year, enjoying their snacks, boba teas, and atmosphere. Recently, I came across a post on Instagram about FTB selling new split cups and thought, “How interesting, this looks pretty cool, but it doesn’t seem that much of a big deal to me.” The split cup is self explanatory; it’s about an average 16 ounce cup
split in half. I briefly arrived around 5 p.m. and noticed a decent amount of people who were working or socializing. I ordered the split cup and was able to get two different drinks, milk tea with boba and green apple green tea with lychee jelly. This cup cost me $7.55, which is unreasonably high. It was quite peaceful and relaxing as I waited for my order, with a dimmed setting, mellow music, and comfortable furniture. I am familiar with FTB’s boba teas and snacks, so giving the split cup a try wasn’t really a thrill for me personally. The split cup is convenient, giving people who can’t decide an opportunity for the best of both worlds. Not only is this satisfying for people who want both flavors, but it is also great for sharing with buying just one cup for two. Despite the price, I personally thought the split cup was satisfying since I was able to get not one, but two flavors in my interest.
If Pain had a face, I’d imagine it would have a gray face; ashen and depressed. The irises of its eyes would be pale, as if it was blind, and the whites would be bloodshot. It would be short— no, tall, and all skin and bones, hair greasy and slicked to cover its eyes. Like a goth teenager. Its fingers would look fragile, thin and bony. If it touched you, even the slightest bit of pressure between its fingers and your skin, you’d bleed out. I should know what Pain looks like. I’ve held it in my arms, looked into its eyes, loved it, embraced it in my soul. But the more I think about it, the more I believe that Pain looks different to each person. For me, Pain looks like you. And I regret now ever having loved you. But, just like drugs, I don’t think I’ll ever truly stop loving you, or the pain you cause me. -Eva Hernandez, 12
She Kills Monsters exhilarates audience
Photo by Vivian Wong
Performers from left to right: seniors Janell Gonzalez and Edwin Vizcanio, freshman Stephanie Nguyen, and juniors Brizeth Lomeli and Amy Pabon. Vivian Wong Monsters. Dungeons. Dragons. After watching the school play preview during fourth period just last week, I was eager to watch the whole production from start to finish. On March 10, the cast of She Kills Monsters presented their first show. For my final thoughts, it was just how I imagined it to be—spectacular. The play combines geek culture with a high school setting. The main character Agnes, played by junior Brizeth Lomeli, embarks on a journey in order to discover the truth about herself and her late sister Tilly, played by freshman Stephanie Nguyen. While Agnes goes on a Dungeons and Dragons adventure, she learns how to fight off monsters and gradually uncovers the hidden secrets of her sister’s life. As the lights dimmed, the words “She Kills Monsters”
were shown boldly on the ceiling. Moments later, the bright and luminous lights focused on the stage. The large rock monument set, crafted by the drama tech class using paper mache, was beautifully constructed. The different textures and shadows created a somewhat realistic setting—as if I were actually in a movie scene. The plot of the play itself was invigorating and touched upon subjects that I did not expect at all. It takes the audience through a ride of emotions from grief to joy. It is comical and portrays the highs and lows of Agnes’ journey. I felt the thrill and shock as I followed Agnes’ adventure. Overall, I think everyone should consider watching the play because it is both captivating and humorous. The remaining shows will run from March 16 at 4 p.m. and March 17 and 18 at 7 p.m. in the auditorium. Tickets for the March 16 show are $6, while tickets for the March 17 and 18 shows are $9 and $7 with ASB. Tickets can also be purchased at the door for $12.
LIFE & ART Advertisement
THE MATADOR
THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 2017
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THE MATADOR
SPORTS
THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 2017
2017 Spring Sports Scoreboard BOYS BASEBALL*
BOYS TENNIS*
BOYS VOLLEYBALL
VARSITY 3/6 vs South Pasadena 3/10 vs Gabrielino 3/13 vs Alhambra
5-2 5-0 3-1
L W W
VARSITY 3/2 @ Temple City 3/8 vs Wilson 3/9 vs La Salle
18-0 N/A N/A
VARSITY *2/28 vs Burbank *3/2 @ Damien *3/7 @ Temple City
3-2 3-2 3-0
L W W
JV 2/28 @ South Pasadena 3/10 vs Gabrielino 3/13 @ Alhambra
7-2 8-2 34-0
L L L
JV 2/28 @ Rosemead 3/2 vs Temple City 3/8 vs Wilson
N/A N/A N/A
JV *2/28 vs Burbank 3/4 @ Carson
2-1 2-0
W W
FRESHMAN *2/28 vs Burbank
2-0
L
CO-ED SWIM VARSITY *3/7 vs Duarte 3/9 vs Gabrielino JV *3/7 vs Duarte 3/9 vs Gabrielino
L
GIRLS SOFTBALL* (B) 126-14 W (G) 103-58 W (B) 127-43 L (G) 120-47 L (B) Won by default (G) 117-31 W
CO-ED BADMINTON VARSITY 3/13 vs Mayfield
18-3
W
JV No games yet
TRACK AND FIELD*
VARSITY 2/28 @ Mountain View 3/2 vs Azusa 3/9 vs El Monte 3/10 @ Glenn
8-2 8-3 9-8 10-2
JV 2/28 @ Mountain View
15-15 T
VARSITY 3/2 @ El Monte
L L L L
3/9 vs Temple City FRESHMAN 3/2 @ El Monte 3/9 vs Temple City
(B) 112-41 L (G) 104-50 L
(B) 72-54 (G) 66-59
L L
(B) 64-57 (G) 70-55
L W
(B) 77-33 (G) 53-50
W W
(B) 61-26 (G) 56-48
W W
*All preseason games
2017 Spring Sports Preview Boys baseball bats to become CIF champions N i an C apili
Photo by Michelle Ho
Junior Alec Lucero gets in position and prepares to pitch the baseball towards his teammate during practice.
Summary: As the spring season commences, the boys baseball team are more than prepared to accomplish their goals and win in the Almont League with their head coach, Ralph Olguin, who will guide the team to their ambitions. Despite last year’s brief victories, the Matadors seek to redeem themselves and conquer this upcoming season with a sturdy team chemistry. Strengths: The Matadors hold skillful qualities that benefit them on the field like their pitching and hitting. As long as the team plays together and the players have each other’s backs, they will rise to the occasion with triumph. “I think we need to play more like a family. That’s
what we need to work on,” senior Alejandro Licea said. Key Players: There are some players who are reliable on the field like the pitchers, senior Ronoldo Correa, Licea, captain senior Michael Hernandez, and more, that benefit the squad. Other than that, there are not necessarily any key players to carry the team. As long as everyone plays together with all their hard effort, then the Matadors can obtain multiple victories. Comments: Overall, the players all together want to win more games in order to win league as season begins. “I’ve been waiting since my freshman year to win league,” Hernandez said. “My main goal is to beat Alhambra. We haven’t beat them in 10 years, so that’s going to end this year.”
Boys tennis hits off strong with new season Chelsea Li Summary: Varsity boys tennis kicks off the season with two remaining seniors, captain Christopher Ly and Benson Lu, freshman Richard Phung, and five other juniors. Tennis coach Steve Akiyama looks forward to making the playoffs and CIF individual sectionals. “SG is at a disadvantage [because] we don’t have tournament players and players who take private lessons. [It] makes it more satisfying to accomplish the previous goals,” Akiyama said. “This is a very inexperienced team. They have all the skills but have trouble knowing when to hit certain spots and be in better position to make a play.” Strengths: “[San Gabriel] is always known for strong doubles, and this year is no different. [Lu] and [Phung]
have a very good chance of winning league and making it to CIF individual sectionals,” Akiyama said. Coach Akiyama believes that his players have more sportsmanship that any other team they have played so far, as he preaches integrity to all the tennis players. “Live by it or go play some other sport,”Akiyama said. Key Players: “The key players are singles player junior Chris Chiang and doubles players captain Christopher Ly, Benson Lu, juniors Anson Lai and James Choy, and freshman Richard Phung,” Akiyama said. Comments: “I am looking forward to playing against Mark Keppel because they keep winning [in] the Almont League. It will give the underclassmen a learning experience,” Ly said. “[Coach Akiyama’s] advice for the team is to do their best because that is all that he really asks for.”
Photo by Michelle Ho
Junior Joey Nguyen practices his forehand swing during a volley against a teammate.
Boys volleyball spikes against opponents S unny C hen Summary: Many people are wondering how the boys volleyball team will perform this season under the new Head Coach Josh Anderson. Anderson is not the only addition to the team, however; the six returning varsity members have had to lead and learn how to play alongside nine new teammates. Strengths: “We pass the ball really well,” Anderson said. “We’re undersized compared to a lot of teams, but if you can’t pass the ball, you can’t hit the ball. We also have three really good pin hitters. Photo by Michelle Ho Ethan Chan, Jarett Tan, and David Hoang are all Senior Jonathan Situ goes up for a block as junior returning [hitters], so that definitely helps as well.” Matthew Chow spikes the ball to the other side. Key Players: There are four returning starters
who have helped the team significantly with their leadership and experience. The three previously mentioned hitters have all stepped up to the plate so far. As for passers, returning seniors Raymond Yip and Derick Lee have developed a unique partnership that has developed after years of playing alongside each other on the court and are able to play to each other ’s weaknesses. Comments: “It’s good that we went up from Division III to Division II, but the ultimate goal that everyone has is to win league and then advance in CIF for as long as we can,” Anderson said. “Even though we moved up a division, if we pass the ball well, we play great defense, and we keep the ball in play, then we can play [against] anyone.”
SPORTS
THE MATADOR
THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 2017
Badminton smashes birdie towards victory Uyen Sy Summary: Under alumnus Jordan Tien’s first year of coaching, the San Gabriel co-ed badminton team strives to maintain their title as the Almont League champions for the spring season. Tien, however, remains humble and only hopes that his team will not place last in league. Co-captain senior Emily Truong commented that she “really [hopes] to win league for the third time in a row because other than volleyball, badminton is the only sports team that has won the championship back-to-back.” Strengths: To captain senior Mandy Zhao, dedication is the team’s greatest strength. Badminton plays a prominent role in each player’s life, and many of them strive to improve themselves and the team as a whole. Everyone on the team is willing to lend a hand and correct mistakes they
see their teammates make, she said. Key Players: Tien refuses to name his key players as he strongly believes that naming them is equivalent to saying he only needs two people on his team to win. To Tien, everyone on his team is a key player because if one person is missing, the team will not have a full lineup to compete in a match. Despite the fact that there is still a lot of room for improvement, the badminton team emphasizes on the importance of teamwork. Zhao states that they need to improve their skills individually, but most crucially work on their teamwork because most of their members this year are new. Comments: “We expect to face a lot of struggles this season because many of our skilled teammates graduated last year, but we will have to figure that out as a team and keep up our legacy,” Truong said.
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Photo by Michelle Ho
Junior Carrie Tu catches the birdie from her opponent t o s e r v e f o r t h e n e x t ro u n d a s h e r p a r t n e r o b s e r v e s .
Swim dives into season with high hopes L u cas J orge n s e n
Photo courtesy of Matthew Chau
Va r s i t y f r e s h m a n C a l v i n K a n g l a u n c h e s w i t h a d i v e into freestyle stroke to prepare for a future meet.
Summary: After weeks and weeks of hard work and training, the San Gabriel swim team is finally ready to begin their season. Several weeks have been spent getting ready to start off this season in ship-shape condition and swim smoothly to victory at any and all meets this year. Lead by new captains this year, the team is learning how to improve their performance in the pool. “Overall I think our captains are uplifting,” sophomore Jonathan Fontenot said. “They show school spirit, especially at meets.” Strengths: Each member of the swim team has been preparing and getting pumped for the season to start so now it is just a matter of delivery. Throughout practice, the team has been growing, learning, and guiding each other on how to become better a swimmer. Each member has set a goal to beat their individual time in every meet and to enjoy doing so.
“The season for swim will be an experience for all of us, [whether] it will be good or bad,” freshman Julia Liang said. “This is a chance for us all to keep learning and improve ourselves.” Key players: Needless to say, the swim team is full of great swimmers and each of them is a valuable part of the team. However, in this sea of talent, there are certain players whose contributions to the team are exceptional. In this case, the especially gifted swimmers are freshman Kai Alcayde and sophomores David Gomez and Ronald Young. Comments: Varsity captain senior Winnie Liang commented that “this swim season can be challenging and new for some, but it is an opportunity to showcase all of our hard work.” For coach Tammy Cognetta, she seeks to see great improvement like she does every year from her swimmers. “I’m happy about our improvement from the beginning of the year,” Cognetta said.
Girls softball pitches ball to championship Michele Thai Summary: Spring season has finally arrived, and San Gabriel’s girls softball team is ready to kick off their season. With three senior captains— Marissa Cordova, Melissa Cordova, and Mariah Serna—the Lady Matadors hope to improve and perform better than past years. “We want to make CIF, but I think just going as far as possible [is good enough],” Melissa said. Strengths: “This season, I think our fielding and our teamwork will be our strengths,” junior Julie Leyva said. Not only will the team’s power come from fielding and teamwork but also from veteran players. Those veteran players hope to lead their team to victory as they have had past experience being in varsity.
Key Players: The team has four key veteran members that have been on the varsity team since their freshman year. This includes the three captains and Leyva. Their dedication to the team is hoped to inspire their fellow players to give their all against any opponent they may face and to persevere through tough times. “[I think] Melissa, Marissa, and [Leyva] will outshine this season,” Serna said. Comments: The captains hope this season will be better than the last as this is their final season of their high school career. No matter the outcome, the whole experience is more than they can ask for. “My goal is to just bond with them more than I have ever had,” Marissa said. “Overall, I think we’ll [make] top three because I know the other teams and their strengths, but I think our team can go pretty far.”
Photo by Michelle Ho
Senior Chloe Salazar practices her softball throwing and c a t c h i n g s k i l l s d u r i n g w a r m - u p s w i t h a n o t h e r p l a y e r.
Track and Field sprints to meet new season K ayl a Tang
Photo courtesy of Jeffrey Le
Sophomore Sylvia Son pushes with perseverance as she sprints to pass the baton to her teammate.
Summary: Track and field kicked off the spring season with a meet against Temple City High School on March 9. “This season, I’m really looking forward to placing first in all four of my events and hopefully making it to CIF finals,” senior Sherrie Viraphandeth, head captain of sprints and four-year member, said. Strengths: Despite the off-days everyone may have, San Gabriel’s track team never ceases to fail in “getting their head in the game” and pulling through at the end of the day. “My goal for the team is to build a strong family and make sure their mentality is positive throughout the season, all while winning of course,” Viraphandeth said. Key Players: Seniors Daniel Tran and David Auyeung, along with sophomore Vanessa Hoang and freshman Sally Pham, are some team members to watch out for on the track this season.
“Tran and Hoang have both shown vast improvements in their running over the years, while Auyeung’s positive mentality encourages the rest of the team to be the best they can be,” Viraphandeth said. “Pham, although less experienced than most of her teammates, has proven to hold high potential and a continuous drive to do better.” As for hurdle, captain four-year member Daniel Tran said that “all captains in every division stand out in their own unique ways, but one trait each captain shares as a whole is their dedication to track and field, along with leadership qualities as well.” Comments: “If you fail, get back up,” Viraphandeth said. “Just like how I always tell my runners to walk it off after a hard run and keep going strong. Track is not only a physical sport but a mental sport as well.” Adding onto Viraphandeth’s words of wisdom to her team, Tran said to “work to beat yourself, not the other people”and that “only then will you surpass others.”
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THE MATADOR
THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 2017
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FEATURES
Sophomore boys build friendship through volleyball
Article by Selina Ha
Photo by Selina Han
r r ic k R u ih u a G u a n, Je ( Le f t t o r ig h t) nd Br ya n L am , a , u u L n i v l a C Ee , ch. Uno dur ing lun Pa t r i c k M a p l ay
Brought together by their passion for volleyball, sophomores Jerrick Ee, Ruihua Guan, Bryan Lam, Calvin Luu, Patrick Ma, and Collin Phan now spend every lunch break together talking, laughing, and playing Uno. “I’ve known this group from the beginning of freshman year,” Luu said. “I met them when I first joined the school volleyball team and ever since then, I’ve been hanging out with them from that day forward.” The sophomores believe that their friendship is built upon the similarities they share regarding their ambitions, personalities, and morals. They spend time together talking about volleyball, school, and the personal problems they face. “My favorite thing about this group is how closely connected we are to one another,” Luu said. ”We all want to achieve the same goals in life. One of them is to have fun but still do whatever is necessary to excel in school and performance.” Despite not spending a lot of time together outside of school and volleyball practice, they have created many memorable moments with each other
during team bonding and the classes they have together. “Back in November, we would always have practice in the evening, and we were brutes who got hungry and had to get food before it started,” Ee said. “I remember walking from school to 7-Eleven countless times, just so that we could save a couple of dollars with the two for $2 deal. We filled ourselves all the time, and suffered together during practice because we never really got the chance to rest.” Ee regards the time he spends with his friends on and off the court as very valuable because they get the opportunity to bond—both as teammates and as casual friends. The sophomores believe that their passion for volleyball will continue to support their friendship throughout the rest of high school. “Even though we might have some rough times here and there, I believe that we will be able to shrug them off at the end of each day and move on,” Ee said. “It might seem optimistic as drama occurs quite often in high school, but this group will make it through as a whole.”
Article by Sydney Trieu
ENglish teachers Munch their way to cAMARADERIE Four English teachers walk into a classroom. They each take a seat at their designated desks and pull out their lunches, ready to begin the daily routine. Sometimes, other teachers join them, but the main quartet is always the same: Catherine Burkhart, Karen Johnston, Virginia Parra, and Jordan Vogel. Dubbed the “Team Mom,” Johnston holds the lunchtime meetups in her classroom, P-107. “It started casually,” Johnston said. “Everyone is welcome. Ms. Hunt comes by, and so have Ms. Larsen and Ms. Daniels. But [Burkhart, Parra, Vogel, and I] are probably the most consistent.” Since then, they have fostered a sense of camaraderie. Newer teachers Parra and Vogel, who have both taught for less than 10 years, found a safety net within the group when they started teaching; Burkhart and Johnston guided them with their 18 and 33 years of teaching experience, respectively. “In the beginning, [my struggle] was always feeling like I was doing something wrong,” Parra said. “Often, [students] don’t tell you ‘That was a great lesson’—you just don’t know. So being able to go to the adults and share that experience, especially as a new teacher, definitely helped.” Vogel said that when he worked at different
schools, very few teachers had lunch together and stayed in their classrooms “like a little box.” Now, he appreciates “not always being by [himself].” “They’ve taught me a ton in little off-the-cuff things,” Vogel said. “More than formal trainings or textbooks I’ve read, it’s the casual conversations about things they’re doing where I think, ‘Wow that’s cool, I can try that,’ that have been really helpful for me.” But the bond between the four goes beyond the classroom, as they also discuss their personal lives— laughing and crying “through the tough times,” as Parra said—together. “We’re able to talk about our lives and acknowledge that those exist,” Burkhart said. “Sometimes, teachers forget that our own lives are a huge part of who we are, so this gives us the opportunity to share all of that.” Johnston said that she “depends on every one of them” and that they are “people [she] can count on.” “[Having lunch together] makes coming to work more fun because you think, ‘We’re going to see each other,’ just like how students want to see their friends,” Johnston said. “So even when it’s rough or we don’t want to come to school, I know it’s going to be okay.”
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Senior squad breaks gender norms
Article by Jessica Tran
orio
Photo courtesy of Sofia Lib
are z,Xiad an i e Va lesque z, Em ily Alv (Le ft to right) Jacquelin hle y Arce, an d Flo res, Sofia Lib ori o, As Or teg a, Cu ah ute mo c ter a pep ra lly. af e for a gro up pic tur Da nie lle Mora les po se
Layout graphic by Kelly Ho
Photo by Sydney Tri
(L ef t to righ t) Cath er ine Bu rk ha rt, K aren Jo h n s o n, V i rg i n i a Pa r ra , a n d Jo rd an Vo ge l have lu nch in Jo hn st on’s cl as sroo m.
It is uncommon to find a male in a squad of females, but in seniors Ashley Arce, Emily Alvarez, Cuahutemoc Flores, Sofia Liborio, Danielle Morales, Xiadani Ortega, and Jacqueline Valesquez’s case, they chose to not conform to society’s beliefs. “Sometimes [being in a group mostly consisted of girls] is a little weird because they talk about girl topics,” Flores said. “I try to be funny and try to contribute.” Liborio added that Flores usually pretends to relate to his female friends’ dilemmas. “They’re all like ‘oh our cramps hurt’, and I [respond], ‘I need to take Advil,’” Flores said. The group started during their freshmen year of high school. Early on, it was a crowd of people, but gradually over the years, the crowd thinned to become its current members now. “We weren’t really connected at that point,” Flores said. “We just sat at the table [together].” Although the friends have contrasting personalities, the group was somehow able to mesh well together. “Since we’re so different from each other, it makes everyone unique,” Alvarez said. “For example, I’m a bit more serious [as well as] Ashley, but there’s Cuahutemoc and [Jacqueline, who are] really funny.” Alvarez mentioned that attending school on a daily basis helped them in terms of friendship.
Having a progressive loss in friendship did not concern the squad and did not stop their everyday hangouts. They can be found at Alvarez or Valesquez’s house, The Habit, Benten Ramen, the AMC at Atlantic Square, or even Six Flags. Their most cherished memory together is their annual tradition of hosting Secret Santa during Christmas break. “We say it’s Secret Santa, but we always end up getting everyone presents just so that no one feels left out,” Alvarez said. “So all of my money goes towards this [tradition].” Flores and Liborio believe that their group will still continue to be friends after high school. “We’d all see each other during the holidays,” Flores said. “[Although] we’d all have our careers [by then], we will make time for each other.”