The Matador - September 2014 Issue by The Matador

Focus

Life & Art

“Crunches, not crunch” pg. 6-7

THE

Features

“Secret Society takes San Gabriel” pg. 8

“New faculty ‘post’ campus greetings” pg. 12

Matador

Volume 60, Number 1

WEDNESDaY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2014

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

801 Ramona St., San Gabriel, CA 91776

www.thematadorsghs.com

San Gabriel welcomes new administrators Jocelyn Castro, Robby Jung become new Assistant Principals of Student Services K ri s t y Du o n g With the departures of Timothy Hopper and Janet Perales at the end of the last school year, Jocelyn Castro became one of the new Assistant Principals of Student Services upon the start of the school year. As a new assistant principal, Castro hopes to continue to “enhance the positive environment” that currently exists at San Gabriel High School and to “ensure the safety of the staff and students.” Some students may have noticed these efforts in the stricter enforcement of school policies such as with the requirement of hall passes to access classroom areas during lunch and during passing periods or the tardy sweeps in the morning. “There are 14 administrators and campus supervisors and 2300 students,” Castro said. “We want to know you guys are safe, and if anything happens, there is an adult there to help you. We don’t want to wait until something happens.” Additionally, Castro wants the Student Services office to become a place that can appeal to the emotional side of students rather than simply being a place where punishments are dealt or where students are lectured. “We want all the offices to be able

Tr an Lam

to help with everything [whether it is social, academic, or emotional],” Castro said. “So sometimes, we just want to see what’s going on and to make sure everything is okay.” Currently, Castro is getting her master ’s degree in School Leadership at the University of Southern California (USC) to learn how to better help the school. However, she initially majored in natural science at Loyola Marymount University (LMU) in Los Angeles and went on to work at Alhambra High School as a biology teacher and ASB adviser for nine years. When the position of assistant principal became available, she decided to take it, hoping to further assist students. Now, with her introduction to San Gabriel High School, she has been welcomed into the Matador family.

Administration mandates fingerprinting for visitors F ra n k L i e u a n d M a ri o Mand uj ano Fingerprinting identification is now required for all people who have contact with high school students in the Alhambra Unified School District , including all the employees working for the district. “It’s a necessary inconvenience for people,” Assistant Principal of Business and Activities Chris Takeshita said. “A necessary tool, just by looking at the things that have happened in the past.” The district adopted this new policy this year in an effort to decrease the possibility of any dangerous threats on campus. Even though there were “no specific events that led up to this resort,” schools are taking initiative in protecting their students. If an individual may have had a tainted background, the school may reject the entrance of such a person in order to protect the students of the school. The acceptance of the individual is based on the crime, whether it is a felony or non-felony. “If there is a crime of some sort on a person’s record, that is serious,” Takeshita said. “We don’t want that individual around our kids.” Anyone wishing to enter the school and contact students must get fingeprinted and pay a fee of 50 dollars. “It’s a policy that we find in other school districts,” Assistant Principal of Student Services Robby Jung said. While many may consider the price to be too overwhelming, Takeshita disagrees. “Can you put a price on a child’s safety?” Takeshita said.

Wanting to take on a new challenge, Robby Jung has become one of the new Assistant Principals of Student Services at San Gabriel High School after working as a coordinator, a teacher, a basketball coach, and a professional musician. Jung began as a music major over ten years ago at UCLA and played the bass guitar. However, when his younger brother began to struggle with school due to a lack of resources and support at home, Jung became motivated to help students who were in a similar situation to that of his brother’s. “At that point, I said I wanted to help students,” Jung said. “I wanted to make sure that no student who came across me would lack in any resource.” Thus, he switched his major to English and later taught English at Dorsey High School, Locke High School, and Diamond Bar High School. Afterward, he started managing the English Learning program and events such as the CAHSEE testing and the CST. When he became the principal of the Diamond Bar High School’s summer program, he realized he wanted to continue leading both teachers and students, so he took the opportunity to become an assistant principal at San Gabriel. “Getting to be the assistant principal here is just a natural growth step. It was rewarding because it’s exactly what my

brother would have needed,” Jung said. He feels that working here is different from working at Diamond Bar. He is able to work with students a lot more now and emphasizes his priority to them and their safety. “My office is a place where they can come if they need anything. Being a teenager has its challenges with school and family life. I want to be there to support the students, and that’s why our office is named student services,” Jung said. He believes it is “challenging and fun” to help students overcome their problems. “I really enjoy watching students grow through problems and do really well now,” Jung said. Ever since he set his mind to working in the education system and helping students, Jung has never looked back. Photos by Sydney Trieu

New staff brings new rules for safety C arol i na Loai si ga and Il eana Perez The arrival of new assistant principals have brought along new polices that are being enforced by campus supervisors throughout San Gabriel High School. These policies include the requirement of hall passes to access classrooms during lunch and passing periods. Newly-hired campus supervisor Andrew Contreras explained the new implemented hall pass policy. “It is just a pass issued by your teachers to know you are going to do a lunchroom activity in that certain class,” Contreras said. Although many people disagree with the new rule, Contreras believes that the school will benefit greatly from the policy. “At the end of the day, the passes are for everybody’s safety, to keep control where the kids are at and to make sure everybody is in a safe area,” Contreras said. Even though these new rules are enforced for safety purposes, certain students and staff members feel they were not thought out thoroughly. They feel as if the new rules do not consider that students may forget to get a pass. Spanish teacher Sonia Schecter believes that this new rule could harm students, as it would be more

difficult for them to seek academic assistance and raise their grades. “I just feel that the system prevents my students from coming to my room to get help,” Schecter said. In addition to the issue of not being able to visit teachers freely during lunch, students are worried it will affect their club meetings. Many are not sure if they are allowed to go to meetings without having to have a pass. “I understand why there are these new policies,” junior Lillian Liu said. “They prevent loitering around classrooms without proper supervision, which is good, but they are also very restricting for students. We can’t visit teachers or classrooms freely if there’s something we need to discuss with them.” Some staff members also feel that requiring passes in order to go to certain buildings during lunch will not always ensure safety. They believe there is no guarantee that students are actually going to the class they claim they are going to. The whole process of “mistrust” is a form of communication that campus supervisors think can be remedied with hall passes. “The kids are free to go [in and out of the buildings],” Schecter said. “And there are no supervisors, besides the teacher inside the classroom.” Although the intentions for these new rules are to keep students as safe as possible during school hours, some students and staff feel the rules should be reconsidered because of these issues.

NEWS

THE MATADOR

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2014

Students take new integrated math classes H anf rey Deng

Illustration by Cassandra Chen

Collaboration reverses schedule Yi n g C h o w Reverse collaboration has replaced the previous collaboration schedule. Students are required to be in class by 8 a.m. instead of the usual 9 a.m. but sixth period ends earlier at 2:03 p.m. Principal Jim Schofield and the Curriculum Council, which consists of all school department chairs, decided to change the schedule due to the excessive tardies that occurred last year. According to Schofield, Wednesday “by far had the most tardies out of any day of the week.” The administrators believe that by keeping the arrival time consistent, students will not be confused as to whether there is collaboration or not and, therefore, will be tardy less often. “It’s easier if we keep everybody coming here at the same time. [Tardiness] was a big factor as well in that decision,” Schofield said. The purpose of collaboration is mainly for teachers to discuss their lesson plans and share their different teaching techniques. The teachers could share their own thoughts and help each other find solutions that can work with different students. According to Schofield, it benefits teachers to talk about how students were doing and what methods are the most effective on them. “The whole idea is to make our classrooms better for students,” Schofield said. Whether or not the new collaboration schedule will be permanent is still being decided, but the staff members find that more students are coming to school on time. Schofield says that the new Wednesday schedule is being tested out and analyzed to see if it works before making a decision for the next year. “I personally like the new collaboration schedule because it gives me time to [play tennis] and to do my homework,” sophomore Emily Dong said. “I think it’s better than the old schedule because I used to almost be late every time there was collaboration and it’s not as confusing because you just go to school at the same time everyday.”

Traditional freshman math courses such as Geometry or Algebra II have been replaced by the new Integrated Math classes. Integrated Math is structured as a three-year course, starting from the ninth grade. Students cover Geometry, Algebra, and Trigonometry/Precalculus in the program. Additionally, as the students advance into Integrated Math II or III, they will focus less on Geometry and Algebra and more on Trigonometry/Precalculus. As a side note, students enrolled in the Integrated Math Accelerated will also cover some Calculus material. The introduction of the Integrated Math courses resulted from the school district’s desire to better prepare students for the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) test, which is taken in junior year. The SBAC, which is coupled with the new Common Core changes, is a one-time test that tests the cumulative knowledge students gradually attain throughout high school. As a result of the Integrated Math, current and future freshmen will no longer be enrolling in the Geometry, Algebra II, or Trigonometry/Precalculus classes. However,

freshmen who took Geometry as eighth graders will continue with the traditional single subject math classes. There are a few significant differences between Integrated Math and the older, single subject math classes. For one, Integrated Math places much more focus on graphs and their respective mathematical properties. The class also requires students to utilize the Internet to complete some assignments. In addition each student receives a consumable textbook, which they then use to write notes in or to study math examples. Lu Ann Haslam, chairperson of the math department, thinks it is “revolutionary.” “It’s pretty great,” Haslam said. “I do think it’s the best way of learning.” A major change in student learning is the addition of online material. Integrated Math students use the computer lab twice a week to access online material, which includes lessons and math problems. Freshman Nadia Ochoa thinks Integrated Math is “easier.” “I’m not sure if it’s better,” Ochoa said. “I’m not sure if it’s going to advance me or anything. The [teaching methods] are very similar to each other.” The new course will become a permanent addition to school classes, which aims to prepare students for the introduction of Common Core.

AP US History changes, AP Environmental added Rol and Fang Starting this school year, students have the opportunity to take an alternative science course, AP Environmental Science. Furthermore, eleventh graders can also choose to take the remodeled AP United States History course. T h e n e w A P E n v i ro n m e n t a l Science course allows students to learn about nature through laboratory investigations. Science teacher David Whitman was given the chance to teach the new AP course for the first time. “I think the curiosity of the students is what I’m really looking forward to,” Whitman said. “[In this class], I want the students to have fun and have more opportunities to do science projects.” Students who appreciate the environment and the beauty of nature can now choose to take this class as an alternative to the other AP science courses offered at San Gabriel. So far, many students enjoy the class and like what they are learning about. “I wasn’t interested in any of the other science courses listed, but AP Environmental Science just appealed to me,” junior Laura Huynh said. “I think the class is fun, and we do a lot of labs.” The class allows students to participate in laboratory research in

order to apply critical thinking skills about the environment. Along with the addition of AP Environmental Science class, there have also been changes to the AP U.S. History course. According to the College Board, these changes were implemented because “teachers and professors participating in the AP U.S. History program expressed strong concerns that the previous course prevented students from examining topics of local interest in depth and sacrificed opportunities for students to engage in writing.” The remodeled course is designed to teach students how to organize history into nine specific time periods. Unlike the previous AP U.S. History course that utilized 28 time periods, the new one splits U.S. history into nine time periods to teach students how to think critically and interpret American history through key concepts. Furthermore, the course and the AP exam will now include more current events. History teacher Eric Hendrickson, who teaches AP U.S. History every year, offers his view on the redesigning. “Overall, the changes are better, but they are hard to get used to,” Hendrickson said. “It’s designed to help students become better critical thinkers, with less emphasis on actual learning. I like how the essay writing is

Photo by Sydney Trieu

AP Environmental Science teacher David Whitman stands in front of student projects. now similar to AP World History, but I don’t like the new rubric.” The changes to AP U.S. History also affect the way that students learn American history with the incorporation of seven new themes. “I don’t really like the changes to AP U.S. History because of the new themes,” junior Kevin Lam said. Ultimately, the addition of AP Environmental Science and the redesigning of AP U.S. History will provide a brand new learning experience for both the students and the teachers.

september 2014 1

Labor Day

7 14 21 28

Make Up Senior Portraits

Homecoming Rally

English Benchmark

Collaboration

UC Personal Statement Workshop/ Make Up Senior Portraits

18 25

31 October Dates

Collaboration

English Benchmark

Make Up Senior Portraits

MoMa Admission Football Game

Minimum Day/ Homecoming Game/Dance

10/1 - Back to School Night 10/16 - College Fair

For more articles from The Matador, please visit us online at thematador.sghs.com.

THE MATADOR

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2014

Homecoming changes stir controversy C h e l s e y Tra n New policies are being instituted with the new school year. Among them are the removal of the clause in the Homecoming court application requiring applicants to be sponsored by a school club, the date change of the Homecoming dance to the night of the Homecoming game instead of the night after the game; and the requirement of Assistant Principal Chris Takeshita’s signature on court applications. Rumors have been circulating in past years but now, San Gabriel is finally changing the day of the Homecoming dance to match the day of the Homecoming game. Traditionally, the game and dance are on the same night; however, San Gabriel had been hosting the dance on the night after the game. The administrators changed this in hopes that more students would attend the football game, and the dance after. “We want to try something different,” Takeshita said. “We understand that it is difficult for some students to come back on Saturday.” San Gabriel High School receives students from the Garvey School District. Some of these students live as far as 15 minutes away. However, the date change is just a test run for now and changes will be made in response to how many students attend this year’s game and dance. Nevertheless, while the change may benefit the students who have a hard time returning to school, the students involved in the football game will not be able to attend most of the dance should they wish to. This includes the football team, Cheer, Choreo, Drill, Band, and the ASB members in charge of the halftime show. The Homecoming Dance will begin at 7:30 p.m. and end at 11:30 p.m. The Homecoming Game will begin at 7 p.m. and end at around 9 p.m. “My main concern is that band kids won’t have time to shower or change,” Band Director Tammy Cognetta said. “They get really sweaty.” Senior football player Isaac Medina said that he would have attended the dance if it was on a Saturday like in the past but because it is not, he will not. “I’d be exhausted. I would want to enjoy the whole dance,” Medina said.

Students who are not a part of the event will not be able to attend the dance nor the game from start to finish. One reason for the changes to the club sponsorship of court applicants and the day of the dance is that other high schools in the district, Mark Keppel High School and Alhambra High School, also adhere to these policies. In regards to the change to the club sponsorship, the issue was raised that if a senior with the qualifying GPA did not want to join a club but wants to run for court, they would not be able to. The club sponsorship requirement change will apply to all dance courts. “I like it because it gives everyone a chance [to run],” senior Jacky Chiang said. “[However], I’d rather go to the dance the day after with everybody.” In the past, students wishing to run for court of any dance needed a club to sponsor their nomination. Clubs with multiple people who want their sponsorship would put the students to a vote within the club. This change also draws some discontent. “It’s discouraging. The past years’ [candidates] didn’t have to go through the crazy competition,” senior Henry Tran said. “We should have sponsors [because] it lowers the competition. If [people who want to run] aren’t in a club, they have no chance anyway because nobody knows them.” There is also the argument that letting the clubs vote for their own is part of the fun because it encourages teamwork and allows the club to back their candidate, not unlike the Democratic and Republican parties when electing high officials. The main reason for this change is the belief among San Gabriel’s policy makers that club sponsorship should not be a precursor to someone running for court. Those who oppose the changes argue for tradition while supporters of these changes hope to raise student involvement. Whether these changes will become a new tradition will be determined by the results of this trial run. This year, the homecoming dance and game will be on Sept. 26. Court applications are due on Sept. 10 at no later than 12:50 p.m.

NEWS

Construction causes traffic blockage, endangers San Gabriel students Emmanuel Maresca and Simon Yung Construction along Mission Road is causing congestion for both vehicles and pedestrians alike near San Gabriel High School. Crews are currently working on a railroad underpass in order to alleviate future traffic congestion in the area. In addition, new sewer lines will be installed under San Gabriel. At the present time, the construction only seems to be increasing traffic in the area and creating even more confusion–and by extension, possible danger for pedestrians attempting to cross, whether their purpose be to hang out with friends or return home after school. “The construction near the school is difficult coming home because you would have to walk around it, [and] sometimes it feels unsafe walking across the railroad tracks because [there’s] limited space for a pedestrian,” sophomore Chloe Salazar said. “While crossing Mission, students are unsure where and when they must cross since there are different roads closed at different times.” Often, traffic signals are prone to sudden failure and do not respond to the pedestrian crossing button, leaving

many students anxious as to when it is safe for them to cross the street. For those who drive or are driven to school in general, the construction’s impact is minimal. “The construction isn’t really that big of a bother for me since all my mom needs to do is to make right turn.” senior Jonathan Hurtado said. Drivers are not as greatly impacted as pedestrians are, as vehicles can get around the construction. Parents driving from northwest of San Gabriel High should not be inconvenienced by ongoing construction. “It’s really annoying to walk to school since I have to make two unnecessary crossings because they close one crosswalk,” Hurtado said. The ongoing construction should not affect drivers, but walking students coming to school from the south of San Gabriel High School will experience minor annoyances. Road closures will occur intermittently on Ramona Street, Mission Road, and McGroarty Street. Closures are expected to end summer 2015. Students and parents alike should remain cautious while crossing roads leading to or from school.

Drought sweeps across state, affects San Gabriel High School Sydney Tr ieu With water reserves depleting at almost irreversible rates, California is finally witnessing the toll of its drought, from the lakes and reservoirs to San Gabriel High School’s own campus. Although droughts are not something new to the state, they are now a matter of urgent concern. All of California was considered to be in a state of drought as of Aug. 28, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Though many water conservation acts have come and gone, questions still loom: What is actually being done to save water? What is going to happen to the dying plant life around campus? “[The school] cut off three and a half minutes of water [from the sprinklers],” Plant Foreman Steve Ballesteros said. “I don’t know what we can do about the [dying] grasses. The state’s telling us to [reserve the water].” The plants around the school are non-native to California and need much more water than can be supplied. This is especially emphasized, due to the fact that San Gabriel High School has one of the largest campuses in Southern California, which results in a great deal of water used to keep the plants green and healthy. “I find it disturbing that [the administration] insists on having large swaths of grass and non-native plants that require lots of irrigation,” Environmental Club Adviser Henry Osborne said. “We should be leading this area in planting and landscape in a responsible drought-tolerant manner. We should be educating our students who will be citizens and homeowners one day on the proper, more sustainable way of landscaping, but instead of that, we insist on [keeping things the way they are now].” However, things are easier said than done. If changes are to come, they definitely will not be coming anytime soon. “It would be easier [if more native plants were on campus], but the issue is that it’s a district-wide decision,” Ballesteros said. “It’s millions of dollars when you’re getting plants for the whole district-- 13 elementary schools and three high schools. But, if it rains, [the district] would’ve already spent millions of dollars on these plants, and it wasn’t necessary.” Though school policies are not something that cannot be easily changed, teachers and students across campus have played their own part in conserving water. Osborne and his wife have “been aware that [they have] been living in a near desert” and “have been doing things for years to reduce water.” “When we bought our house, we tore out the front grass, the roses, and a few other bushes, and planted California native plants which are, by their very nature, drought-resistant,” Osborne said. “We don’t use a dishwasher [and] try to only wash full loads of clothes.” Freshman Jenny Luu also said that she takes five or six showers a week instead of seven in order to save water. Osborne urges students to watch what they are watering, such as grass and plants that end up splurging into the water supply. Instead of using hoses to clean sidewalks or walkways, he says, sweeping dirt and dust away with brooms would be more conservative. With these conservation methods in place, California may recover from the effects of the drought sooner than expected.

OPINIONS Hell-o world Hellgert Almontes Writing my way through life Everything I sea is like alphebat suop, i see letterz in the wroug pleces d worbz that aren’t in the oxfarb dictionery, you wouldn’t even be able to make zense of it if you could sea what I shaw. A laugnage that only I could reed and write. Pages of words are Christmas lights constantly flickering, shifting like the Earth’s tectonic plates, with letters floating away like driftwood. Words are anagrams and numbers are computer coding that I can’t understand. Ever since I learned to read, I had problems with letters; I could never seem to read words correctly. My first grade teacher noticed I was having difficulty with reading and spelling and told my mom about the issues. I was pulled out of class. A man told me I would be taking a “special” test, and I was never told the results. I didn’t know what was wrong with me. The letters just kept on shifting. Every time I asked my mom what was wrong with me she told me that I was a “slow learner” and that I needed more time to comprehend and process written information. I put so much effort and time into trying to read and be normal; however, I was never as good as my other classmates. My issue with shifting letters took a toll on my spelling. Spelling errors covered my paper like paint on a canvas. Every word I wrote had different spellings. I was pulled out of class every day to receive help in a separate class room and my mom made me read anything from highway signs to book pages. Over time, the number of letters that drifted and rearranged decreased. I could finally make sense of things, and I didn’t have to ask my classmates what the pages were saying. I was finally able to read independently. “Why do letters move when I read?” I asked my mom out of curiosity. “When you were in first grade, you were diagnosed with dyslexia,” she said. “I never told you because it would have discouraged you from attempting to overcome your obstacles.” Writing was such an obstacle. I hated writing the most. My spelling was weak, and every time I asked how to spell a word the teacher always had the same response whenever I asked for help. “Enunciate the words. Sound it out,” my teachers said. It didn’t help at all because the words would always come out exactly how they sounded like. If I wanted to spell dyslexia, I would spell dezlecia instead. I grew up hating writing. “I love you,” my mom said to me everyday before school. I would always freeze and try to respond by saying “I love you too,” but no matter how hard I tried, the words would never come out of my mouth. I wasn’t able to tell her through words how much she meant to me, but ironically, I was finally able to tell her through written language. Writing gave me the power to express my emotions and gave me the voice I never had. As a sophomore, I still deal with dyslexia, and despite this, I love to write. I’m proud to say that I write for The Matador newspaper. The thing that I had the most trouble with helped me the most. It was the only way I could express myself. It was never a disability or a disorder; it was just an obstacle.

THE MATADOR WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2014

New polices inconvenience students but maintain safety Tardy sweeps, hall passes,campus restrictions,visitor fingerprinting requirements, stricter policies- all bothersome things that students noticed upon their return to San Gabriel High School in the fall. The question is: why? Though these policies may be considered excessive and inconvenient, they are imperative in ensuring the safety of the students attending San Gabriel High School. In light of recent dangerous school shootings, such as the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary in the winter of 2012 and past shootings such as one at Columbine High School, it seems that it is “better to be safe than sorry.” In fact, these “excessive Illustration by Emmanuel Maresca and inconvenient” practices keep students safe, both directly and indirectly. Besides the fact that frequent patrolling makes it difficult for trespassers to interact with and endanger students, the school’s reputation will discourage outsiders from attempting any stunts. By exercising stricter security measures and projecting a more secure school image, potentially dangerous intruders are less likely to come onto campus. Moreover, increased security means a faster reaction time. Just recently, two students were stopped from possibly committing a mass shooting and endangering the lives of hundreds of innocent

students at South Pasadena High School in August. While the threat was technically phoned in by a third-party, it was the school’s excellent, first-rate campus security that eliminated the threat immediately before any harm could be done. Similarly, San Gabriel’s extensive (and sometimes offputting) security procedures exist to protect the students; where students see an annoying blue line used to indicate a boundary, administrators see the literal lives of students on the line. Even if these inconveniences force students to pull out passes to get into the P-Building, the threat of an outside force remains all too real. Looking at both sides, dead students and a news headline blows some mild annoyances out of the water. The probability of an incident like the Sandy Hook shooting is quite low, but these extra steps could mean that students will be able to be carried off in buses, not ambulances. In the end, safety should be valued more than convenience. Not being able to hang out in the band room due to lack of a pass pales in comparison to the imminent threat of death by an outside aggressor, and there is no reason why the school should not take precautions to prevent that.

More sleep benefits student performance Thomas Wang Doctors recommend that teenagers should receive around eight to nine hours of sleep–something that almost never happens for the average teen. This could be due to a heavy daily workload, distractions,or recreation. This, coupled by the fact that most schools start before 8 a.m., causes many students to be sleep deprived in the morning. However, students’ sleeping habits may not be under their control. Biology may be the answer to why teens are not receiving the recommended amount of sleep. According to the National Sleep Foundation, circadian rhythms,the body’s internal clock that regulates various bodily functions such as the timing of sleepiness, make it difficult for most teens to sleep before 11 p.m. To do the math, high school students are better off waking up around 8 a.m. In addition, zero periods may add to the sleep deficit. “Because of zero period, I feel like my school days have gotten increasingly longer,” sophomore Kelly Ho said. High schools should push the start of their school day to no earlier than 8:30 a.m. Not only does this allow students to have an optimal amount of sleep, but this

also benefits the well-being of the students. Sleep deprivation can cause anxiety, depression, and other negative health effects. According to the Wall Street Journals, car accidents fluctuated up to 70 percent among teens in areas where the start of school days were pushed back. Each minute more of sleep could keep students from these negative effects and, in the most extreme cases, lives could be saved. “[A later school day] has been known for years as the best for teenagers,” School Nurse Karen Carrillo said. “The brain is in heavy reconstruction during puberty, so hormones make the brain stay up later and wake up later.” S c h o o l s b e n e f i t f ro m a l a t e r start. Studies from the University of Minnesota have shown that testing scores rose in South Washington County School District after moving the school starting time to 8:35 a.m. If one district can improve, then others can too. Starting school later is a win-win situation. The students get more sleep and the schools get better test results. Even if the delay allows for only 25 minutes of extra sleep, each minute matters.

Illustration by Emmanuel Maresca

Both parties involved in Ferguson debate are at fault C hel sey Tran On Aug. 9, Officer Darren Wilson of the Ferguson, Missouri police department shot and killed unarmed 18-year-old Michael Brown, sparking riots and headlines that plagued the media for weeks after. There are many controversial issues connected to this event; however, the most inflammatory detail is the fact that Officer Wilson is white, while Brown is African-American and was unarmed at the time of the shooting. In any case, both sides were wronged in this situation. It has been repeated and reprinted over and over again that although the city is two-thirds African American, the local policy makers and enforcers are mostly white. Nevertheless, everyone has the right to apply and become a police officer or run for city council. If the citizens feel as if those keeping order in the city should be more like the people that live in the city, then the citizens should do something about it; they are the voters, after all. The officer and the victim’s ethnicity should not have been emphasized so much in this. While the racial divisions are a big issue in the town, the fact that both parties are trying to draw sympathy from it is just wrong. The fact that Brown was unarmed should have been the big issue. The fact that his body stayed in the streets for four hours should have been just as important. There is no victory in this matter. Brown was shot even though he was unarmed. The body stayed on the street for hours after the

shooting. People protested, which led to violent riots and looting of innocent business owners because they suspected racial profiling and racist police brutality. The police then arrived, armed with military weapons, which was completely unnecessary, in order to deal with rowdy civilians. At the root of everything, nothing about the shooting has been confirmed beyond a reasonable doubt. Although Brown’s shooting is a mistake on Wilson’s part, justifiable or otherwise, the events that followed are the fault of both the supporters of Brown and the supporters of Wilson. *This article is abridged. To read the full article, please go online to thematadorsghs.com.

OPINIONS

THE MATADOR WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2014

ALS Ice Bucket Challenge raises controversy Mari o Mandujano

A n t h o n y Yang

Throughout social media, a trend called the ALS Accosiation Fill a bucket with water and ice, then have someone film you as it Ice Bucket Challenge has been gaining popularity. Participants is dumped over your head. Laugh hysterically. Then nominate three take the challenge of dumping a bucket full of ice water in order people to do the same and post the video on social media. This social to spread awareness for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis,a crippling media trend known as the “Ice Bucket Challenge” has been the hot disease that targets the nerve cells in the brain. While people topic of conversations all over the nation, but is it what people say it is . participating in the challenge are given grief for wasting water The challenge was created to spread awareness of the amyotrophic and straying away from the original intent of the challenge, I lateral sclerosis disease which affects the nerve cells in the brain and find the challenge to be a fun way to spread awareness for ALS. spinal cord that control voluntary muscle movements. But how many The focus shifted to ALS when golfer Chris Kennedy of the challenge participants knew that? The fact of the matter is that participated in the challenge and proceeded to challenge his this challenge was meant to spread awareness of this disease, yet cousin Jeanette Senerchia, whose husband had been suffering people are hardly even mentioning it in their videos. It is a trend that from ALS for 11 years. Boston College baseball player Pete Frates lost its purpose, as people are participating also suffers from ALS and is known for his advocacy of ALS. simply for the fun of it. Frates tweeted about the Ice Bucket Challenge. Due to his This trend was not only intended to connections to professional athletes and his followers, ALS shine light upon the unknown disease began to be associated with the Ice Bucket trend. that has been hidden in the shadows, The challenge has sparked controversy because it but but also to urge people to donate is straying away from the main point of the challenge t o the ALS Association, which funds by doing it for fun instead of spreading awareness research on the disease. Despite the of ALS and not bothering to donate at all. While ignorance of people about the the first part is true, the challenge has led me to disease, there have been some significant research ALS and figure out what it is. Thanks donations. Due to the popularity of the to the Ice Bucket Challenge, I know what ALS i c e bucket challenge, ALSA has confirmed to have is. The trend is also encouraging people to acquired over $100 million in donations spread awareness and donate while doing between late July and late August. That something fun on the side. According to the is a major incline compared to the $2 ALS Association, donations totaled up to million ALSA raised during the same over $100 million, compared to last year’s, time period last year. But how is this $2 million. money being used? Another reason for the controversy, Some critics looked more closely especially in California, is that at ALSA’s 2013 tax returns and noted the waste of water is contributing to the that their CEO, Jane H. Gilbert, was severe drought. Before California’s drought, given a salary of over $300,000 and their southern California did not have enough least paid leadership position of the water in the first place due to the arid climate. association, Director of State Advocacy, I am sure we have wasted large quantities Kathi Kromer, was paid over $100,000 of water without even knowing it by taking that year. In fact the total costs of labor long showers, unnecessarily flushing toilets, were around $12.5 million. Only 27 and leaving water faucets running. To say that percent of the money goes towards the Ice Bucket Challenge should be condemned research and no major advances or funds is hypocritical. have been made despite the amount of Since the overt waste of water is money they have collected. Illustration by Emmanuel Maresca bothersome, people just need to do the challenge with water We can now look at moral and that will actually be put to use, or water that has already been environmental dilemmas. First of all, people participating in this used. Singaporean YouTube filmmakers Night Owl Cinematics trend are wasting clean water. Some may be thinking that “one bucket conducted the challenge while conserving as much water as will not make a difference,” but when we multiply one bucket by 80 possible. thousand, it becomes a problem. California is currently witnessing the “We used swimming pool water [so there’s] no wastage of worst drought in its history, yet Californians take part in this activity. water,” Night Owl Cinematics commented on their video. If Californian participants visited the ALSA official site, they would Overall, the Ice Bucket Challenge seems like a fun way to find that the Association itself advises to use water more wisely. promote awareness of the crippling Lou Gehrig’s disease. While It is right to recognize and salute those who have donated to this critics only focus on how it is done for fun, everybody should cause with righteous intentions. In fact, ALSA is to be blamed for any realize that the challenge is successful in spreading awareness corruption within the way this money is being spent. Water should and garnering donations. preserved for wiser and more productive use.

Editors-in-Chief News Editors Opinions Editors Focus Editors Life and Art Editors Sports Editors Features Editors Copy Editors Photo Editor Artists

Business Managers Website Editors Multimedia Editors Blogs Manager Adviser

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

Reporters: Alexandra Albarran, Hellgert Almontes, Stacy Chau, Christy Deng, Frank Lieu, Mario Mandujano, Kim Pham, Alondra Valdez, Thomas Wang, Simon Yung The Matador is a public forum for student expression and highly encourages responses in reaction to issues discussed in the paper. Submit comments as a letter to the editor, signed (anonymity is guaranteed if requested), to H-2, or Ms. Kim’s mailbox. The Matador is published monthly by the journalism staff of San Gabriel High School. 1,600 copies per issue are published at American Foothill Publishing Co., Inc. The opinions and views expressed in The Matador do not necessarily reflect the beliefs of the school or the Alhambra School District. The Matador and the Alhambra Unified School District do not endorse the vendors advertised in this paper.

The Matador Bullring What is your stance on the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge?

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I don’t think the Ice Bucket Challenge benefits anyone because people are doing it as an excuse to dump ice and water on their heads.” -Matthew Chow, 9th grade

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I think the Ice Bucket Challenge is the most idiotic and wasteful idea. Awareness can be spread in different ways.” - Victoria Le, 10th grade

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It is a great idea to spread awareness of ALS so that people can make donations, but not many people are grasping the concept of it and just doing it for fun.” - Zachary Puentes, 11th grade

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I think it’s really idiotic because even though it’s only one bucket, it adds up, and it’s contributing to the drought immensely. The majority [are] doing it to join the bandwagon.” - Beth Rangel, 12th grade Photos by Sydney Trieu and Stacy Chau

Lamborghini

Tran Lam Cross Crountry 4 life As I sprinted toward the finishing line, sweat abundantly dripped from my forehead and my leg muscles tightened immensely, but I didn’t care. I just wanted to cross that line as fast as possible. I could still hear the cheers from the crowd beside me screaming from the top of their lungs “Keep going!” and “You’re almost there! Come on, let’s go!” There were 20 meters left, then 10, then five, and finally, zero meters. I abruptly stopped after I had crossed the line. I didn’t feel excited, elated, or fulfilled. Instead, my speech slurred, my vision blurred, and my head spun as I tried walking back to my team’s area. I was scared to death since this had never happened to me before. I felt worried about my delirious state and disappointed that I didn’t beat my personal record in my very last cross country race of junior year. I wanted to give up on my goal of beating my record. At that point, I filled my head with negative thoughts such as, “You didn’t even run your best,” and “You nearly passed out after running. Are you sure this is the sport for you?” It was impossible for me to get rid of the Little Devil Me that stood on the side of my shoulder. I didn’t even feel motivated enough to run track and field during the spring season anymore, and I didn’t. However, after the school year had ended, I suddenly had a revelation that motivated me to try even harder in cross country and track and field my senior year. I knew that cross country has changed my life for the better. I’ve learned what hard work, persistency, and diligence really meant through it, so why should I give up now? I should continue to learn and grow from it. So this summer, I trained intensely and attended every single cross country practice, no matter how sore and exhausted I was. Starting from the bottom again was really challenging since I had not ran in a couple months, but I knew I had to be patient and had to keep pushing myself at every practice. My teammates were truly motivating. Their enthusiasm and dedication influenced me to change my mind set on the sport. It’s not only about running, but also about having fun and building bonds with fellow teammates, because that is what makes a good team and a successful season, to me at least. As t h e summer p rog ressed, I gradually dropped the anchor of my dark past behind me and moved on. My goal had completely changed. It isn’t about beating my personal record anymore, but about having an amazing season with my teammates. I wanted to lead and help them because that’s what makes cross country enjoyable for me. Ultimately, I became the head captain of cross country. At that point, I was more motivated to be the best captain I can be for them, so in that way, I can show my gratitude to them for having faith in my leadership abilities. Now, that Little Devil Me has disappeared completely, and I am more fervent than ever to excel this season! Not only had cross country left a positive impact on me, but my teammates also did. What truly matters now is what I want and will do now: lead the cross country team toward success and run my races the best that I can.

FOCUS

THE MATADOR

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2014

THE MATADOR

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2014

FOCUS

Compiled by Alexandra Albarran Source: cbsnews.com

Frank Lieu and Carolina Loaisiga

C h ri s t y De n g People thrive for a group of friends and want close relationships with others, much like the strong bond among Monica, Chandler, Joey, Rachel, Ross, and Phoebe in the television show Friends. R e s e a rc h e r s d i s c o v e re d t h a t t h e

presence of friends and close, tightknit friendships can actually promote a healthy life. According to research done at Brigham Young University, longevity of life can be increased by as much as 50 percent by building strong social relationships with others. Friends can help boost one’s selfesteem by more than 15 percent, influence one to stay fit, and overall, make one a happier and healthier person through love and support. “Friends give me support,” junior Vi Dam said. “I go to them when I’m stressing out about things like family and school. They keep me entertained and we’ve built a strong connection with one another.” The importance of friendships is evident among all the students at San Gabriel High School. A strong connection between friends can result in quality sleep, decrease the chance of getting sick, and encourage a healthy

mind. It can also reduce the risk of Alzheimer ’s by 70 percent, prevent depression, and promote better health during old age. “Having friends means you have people to support you and be there for you in your time of need,” freshman Ivan Dang said. “Friends are like a second family. You can depend on them to be there for you; they make us who we are. They make us happy when we’re sad and laugh when we’re feeling down.” It is rare to see someone left alone during lunch when students come out to eat and spend time with their friends. Making new friends is not a difficult skill to accomplish. Reaching out to someone who is lonely is not only beneficial to oneself, but it can also brighten someone’s day by letting them know that they have made a new friend, a new person to share and confide in, a new person to connect

with. “Talking to people and making new friends help you grow to be a more people-orientated person,” sophomore Dion Jiao said. “It’s always important to learn to communicate with others, whether you need help on something or whatnot. Besides, having new friends just gets you more exposed to other types of people. It’s also nice to have people to share feelings and talk with about problems or something.” A simple “hello” can make someone else’s day a tint brighter. Friends allow one to share feelings and thoughts, work on school assignments, and spend quality time together, by bonding and making memories. In this way, people are able to express themselves better and forge relationships with family and peers alike, which is healthy for both the mind and soul.

“Fat” is a politically incorrect word to describe an overweight person. It may offend many big people when they hear the word “fat,” but that is because America has attached a negative connotation to that word. Many associate “obese” with being fat, but the reality is that “obese” is simply a medical term; it means unhealthy, but not necessarily fat. However, many obese people refute this social norm and see their bodies and health as not a problem. Some start to consider themselves full of happiness. That is not all false, considering how many people may think of chocolate cakes, red velvet cupcakes, or other edible delights as something along the lines of happiness. However, studies show that America is consuming too much “happiness,” which translates to a greater intake of unhealthy foods. As more and more Americans become bigger and bigger, being diagnosed as obese is becoming increasingly normal for the U.S. According to the Food Research and Action Center, more than two-thirds of the adults living in the United States are overweight or obese, which is approximately 69 percent. About 32 percent of kids in America are overweight and obese. Many parents and doctors may be concerned over the health of these adults and kids with weight problems and issues, and they have every right to be. Teenagers may be asked by health specialists and nutrition experts to cut down on junk food, and start a new “healthy” diet instead. Specialists may also ask them to contemplate going through a surgery procedure to remove all the excess fat. They may ask them to go outdoors, put on a headband and some jogging shoes, and exercise. Physical education teacher Michele Buchicchio believes that exercise and good nutrition will lessen the chance of being diagnosed with obesity. “Diet and exercise are key,” Buchicchio said. “Teen years are especially important because that is when you establish good habits; metabolism is easier to burn when you are a teen.” However, being obese does not only affect your health style and personal life, but also your wallet. Statistics from the Huffington Post show that men spend an additional $1,152 in medical expenses and women spend $3,613 also paying for medical expenses for obesity. Obesity is also blamed for the deaths and shortened life spans in America and around the world. Medscape reports that one out of five people die of obesity related causes, and according to CNN, obesity can shorten a person’s life by two to four years, and being very obese can shorten it by eight to ten years.

Photo by Judy Tang

FOCUS

THE MATADOR

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2014

THE MATADOR

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2014

FOCUS

Compiled by Alexandra Albarran Source: cbsnews.com

Frank Lieu and Carolina Loaisiga

Photo by Judy Tang

LIFE &ART

THE MATADOR WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2014

Autumn arrives with new, varied television series

Photo by Seatttleglobalist.com

Photo by Favrce1fan93 CC/BY

Fresh Off the Boat

The Flash

The ABC TV network picked up the family comedy Fresh Off the Boat, based on celebrity chef Eddie Huang’s memoir by the same name, for the fall lineup. The show follows an Asian-American family as they acclimatize themselves to American culture. Young Eddie moves with his immigrant parents and two brothers from Washington D.C.’s Chinatown to suburban Orlando, Florida in the ‘90s to open a cowboy themed steakhouse. The show follows the family as they figure out how to live in a strange new environment in hopes of accomplishing the “American Dream,” and possibly sue a few people along the way because as they say, “It’s the American way, right?” It addresses some of the common struggles of families trying to integrate their cultures with a different country’s in a comedic way. The premiere date will be announced soon.

Barry Allen, played by Grant Gustin, is a CSI investigator determined to uncover the truth behind his mother’s mysterious death. The botched public unveiling of S.T.A.R. Labs’s invention causes a storm, during which Allen is struck by lightning. He awakens 9 months later, only to find that he has acquired the ability to run at the speed of light. However, he soon discovers that not everyone who received powers from the storm is using their powers conscientiously. Allen becomes The Flash and sets out to save innocent lives. Gustin can be seen in Glee playing Warbler, Sebastian Smythe. “I’m interested to see how or even if this show will follow the comic book storyline. I’m also a little wary because the CW has a tendency to cancel shows midway or after a few seasons,” senior Kelvin Cao said. The Flash will premiere on the CW on Oct. 7.

THE MATADOR MUSE E DIFFERENC MAKING A

n this as a place o Everyone h Earth difference You made a don’t ugh you even tho know it laugh e someone If you mad difference you made a smile e someone If you mad e c en r diffe you made a ow n k st ju die Before you rence fe ade a dif you that m e’s life in someon S

T ALMONTE BY HELLGER

To have your artwork, poem, song lyrics, or any other form of work appear on The Matador Muse, send it to sghsmatador@gmail.com

Photo by imdb.com

Manhattan Love Story

For all of the romantics, closeted or otherwise, ABC TV network’s comedy Manhattan Love Story follows a new couple as they begin dating. It features the couple’s unfiltered thoughts as they go through their first encounters and dates. This show begins to answer questions some people may have about what the opposite gender could be thinking during a variety of awkward, or even some seemingly normal, situations. From the trailer, it can be assumed that if there were any questions about whether or not your date is listening to your stories when they are clearly looking at you, the answer is no. Analeigh Tipton, who plays one of the main characters, Dana, also starred in Crazy, Stupid, Love. This series premieres Sept. 30. Briefs written by Chelsey Tran

Secret Society takes San Gabriel C arol ina Loaisiga

Alvarez is one of the few people on campus who has yet to form an opinion on the rise “Be brave, be strong... as strong as of Secret Society. “I have never seen the posters around Stonewall Jackson.” “Biology isn’t that hard. It’s the only time when mulitplica- so I don’t know what you’re referring to.” tion is the same as division.” These are Alvarez said. As well as encouraging students, the puns that students at San Gabriel High School may encounter throughout the “Secret Society” seems to love playing pranks and creschools hallway. ating scavenger They are distribhunts for classes uted secretly and around campus. signed by “The SeThe journalism cret Society.” staff was the first The “Secret Soclass to go on a ciety” posted flyscavenger hunt. ers around school The mysterious sporting puns and puzzle had evjokes in hopes eryone scratchof lightening a ing their heads, gloomy day or wondering who even giving people this so-called something to talk “Secret Society” about with friends. is. Junior Ruby Leal The scavsupports whomenger hunt beever is behind this gan with a note grand action and suggesting that encourages more journalists might students to act like want to “check this. Photo by Sydney Trieu for bugs in H2.” “More people The search conshould know The Secret Society put up posters similar sisted of five about this because to this one around San Gabriel in attempt mysterious hidan individual or to uplift the spirit of the students. dent notes, all group of persons are taking their time to show their skills with funky and mysterious conversations, all neatly wrapped around with spider and spread happiness,” Leal said. The flyers include chemistry, math, and rings. The journalism staff launched an inEnglish jokes. They were posted at the vestigation. Junior Cassandra Chen was among the beginning of the year to lighten the sour mood of students starting school. “I felt observers who watched the scene from amused and happy; it made me feel better afar. “It was funny because one letter could while walking to math class,” Leal said. Whoever started the posters definitely bring chaos to the whole classroom,” Chen did not want to take all the glory, choosing said. Whether or not students at San Gabriel instead to remain a secret society. They are anonymous and will remain that way un- have seen the posters of Secret Society, they til somebody catches them in the act. Al- have impacted most students by turning though many students have seen the post- their days around with a simple smile. A ers posted around E, L, and P buildings, small act of kindness goes a long way, and others have not, and it is a shame that they due to the good hearts of the people in the are missing out on such wonderful, yet society, school has become a bit more bearslightly terrible puns. Sophomore Crystal able, pun by pun.

THE MATADOR WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2014

LIFE &ART

How fads go viral on Internet

ing of snap judgements. However, big ideas need to be compatible with another thing-- simplicity. The Harlem Shake, Nyan Cat, Psy’s “Gangnam When things go viral, they tend to have a sudStyle”, and the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge-- all of these den burst in popularity, but end up dying out just as have one thing in common: extreme, unsurmounted quickly. They are not sustainable ideas, but instead are popularity. memorable and easily shared with others. Something Through the vastness of the Internet, such trends long and complex might be just as interesting as someare relayed quickly and efficiently. A girl trying to curl thing short and simple, but would be harder to convey her hair, only to burn it off, rakes in millions of views and explain. In order to be passed along effectively, on YouTube. Twerking videos are uploaded by the ideas have to be memorably simple. hundreds and spread “Think of the cinnalike wildfire. Cats with mon challenge. It’s really Pop-Tart bodies end up easy and anyone could getting 10-hour tribdo it,” junior Hawk Wang utes to their music. said. “It’s fun watching Although the Interyour friends do stupid net may be the mothstuff.” erlode of ideas, the Lastly, how selfless an reason why these ideas idea is definitely drives its get popular is another popularity. Not all trends story altogether. fall under the selflessAccording to ness category, but some Forbes, virality stems do-- the ALS Ice Bucket from these basic traits: Challenge is a prime exbig, simple, and selfample of such. Its success less. “Anyone can start comes from the need to something. [Things] act for a noble cause. A begin trending espeselfless cause evokes emcially if celebrities or pathy and, coupled with well-known people simple actions, makes join the bandwagon, the concept appealing to and it gets crazy after Photo by Mahahahaneapneap CC/BY most people. The idea that,” freshman Lisa that anyone can do someNyan Cat, an animated cat with a Pop-Tart thing simple for a noble Hong said. First and foremost, body and never-ending rainbow tail created by cause tends to give trends what matters is how Christopher Torres, became extremely popular popularity points. big the concept is. If it on the Web among many other Internet trends. In the end, despite the does not attract attenglory of popularity, all tion, it will not be popular. It is as simple as that. If things are left behind, archived in the history of the ideas are promoted by famous names, it is even better. Internet. LOLcats, memes, the art of twerking, and the Bigger, more openly broadcasted ideas are less likely to Ice Bucket Challenge-- whatever trend or fad it may be, escape notice and easily make it past the first screen- no matter how viral, shall come to pass. S y d n e y Tri e u

SAN GABRIEL

REACTS

What do you think about the celebrity iCloud hacking? “It’s just unbelievable why that a group of people would do that kind of thing. It makes me feel more insecure.”

-Christine Nguyen, freshman

“It’s frightening how we put our trust into these Apple programs and products. I say we should find an alternative form of saving our files and pictures. That way we won’t risk the chance of being hacked.”

-Georgette Mora, sophomore

“I think the iCloud hacking is dumb, and Apple should do a better job with their security. They’re a big company, they should be better than that. If I pay $600 for an iPhone, I expect a lot more from them.”

-Amber Huynh, junior

“Honestly, it is the celebrities’ faults for having those types of pictures up on iCloud and on their phones. Not only did they take the pictures, but they uploaded them. Nowadays, nothing is private because sooner or later, someone will hack something and exploit your information for their personal use.”

-Brandon Vasquez, senior

Commentary

Miley Cyrus attempts to raise awareness for homelessness members for help when he was in need of help? Jesse Helt was not really “homeless”— he was an aspiring model with a home in Oregon who was on the run from Miley Cyrus took the spotlight yet again at this year’s the police. It seems awfully suspicious how Helt is in a state Video Music Awards ceremony when she took a serious of homelessness, yet he wants to be a model. First of all, he turn from her previous controversial performance with is not in a stable enough, financial state to even be a model. Robin Thicke. The modeling industry is hard to get in to, but how is Helt Cyrus’s “Wrecking Ball” won best video, but she degoing to pursue his modeling career if he does not have the cided to use her winning opportunity to raise awareness money to take high quality photos to submit in a portfolio? about homelessness in Los Angeles. Her date, Jesse Helt, Since he was not successful as a model, he should have a 22-year-old homeless man, went onstage to not only acfound a temporary job at least to cept Cyrus’s trophy, but also to make a speech “on behalf support himself. of the 1.6 million runaways and homeless youth in the In addition, he is wanted by United States.” the police. His modeling pho“I have survived in shelters all over this city,” Helt tos would have exposed himself said. “The music industry will make over to the police. His background $7 billion this year, and outside these story is not so believable. doors are 54,000 human beings who He may not have been the have no place to call home. right person to choose to spread Jesse Helt lived on the awareness about homelessness streets of Hollywood before at the awards ceremony, but at meeting Miley Cyrus at My the same time, people should Friend’s Place, a shelter in Los not be so quick to judge Angeles. He was allegedly homeless others because everyone because he wanted to achieve his makes mistakes. In fact, it dream of being a model. However, his should not come as a surstory captured the attention of not only prise that many homeless the audience, but also his probation people made bad decisions officers. According to the poin their lives and struggle to get their lice, he was under probation lives back in order. In fact, many for criminal mischief and prisoners who are released from trespass charges in Oregon, prison end up on the streets because but because he violated the they have to start their life anew after terms of his probation, he was their time in jail. To survive on their own, warranted for arrest. However, homeless people might have resorted to doing instead of turning himself in to illegal things in order to tend to their basic the authorities, Helt fled to Los needs, like stealing or joining gangs. Angeles. Nevertheless, amidst all of Helt’s exposed background Helt’s drama on the media, there story makes his “homeless” is still Miley Cyrus’s call for action status questionable. Many people in helping the homeless through donawho are homeless have no jobs, homes, or Illustration by Annie Huang tions at My Friend’s Place. family. As a result, they have no choice but to “Now is just the beginning for me, Cyrus said concernlive out on the streets and do whatever it takes to survive. ing her homeless campaign. “We gotta start somewhere.” Helt, however, lived with his family back in Oregon and Cyrus believes that after all the crazy events that occurred had a decent job as a cashier. He had a home and a famlast year, it is important to remember what matters. The ily who was there to support him, but he chose to run purpose of Helt’s speech was not to pry into Helt’s life, but away from his mistakes rather than to make up for it. The Cyrus’s attempts to raise awareness about homelessness. suspicious thing is, how come Helt did not ask his family Chelsea Huynh

Photo by MyCanon CC/BY

What are your thoughts on Nicki Minaj’s Anaconda music video? “I can’t say I’m surprised since it is Nicki Minaj. It’s not a very good example but I think they would already know that the video is probably just for fun.”

- Eva Ma, freshman

“I think it’s weird and funny at the same time like in the beginning where they’re twerking in the jungle. But I don’t think it’s a good example for people who watch it, like girls.”

- Jazilyn Rodriguez, freshman

“I believe that she’s oversexualizing females, and that can perpetuate into how we see females.”

-Hawk Wang, junior

“It’s too provocative. I feel like there’s no point in having butts throughout the whole video. It’s just gross.” -Samantha Suarez, senior Quotes complied by Stacy Chau and Katherine Hoong

SPORTS

THE MATADOR WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2014

2014-15 Fall Season Sports Previews

Varsity Boys Football A l o n d ra Va l d e z Summary: Head Coach Joe Ledesma now leads San Gabriel’s football team. This year, students are hoping for the football team to do better and win more games. Qualities: The teams captains this year are seniors Phillip Beccera, Isaac Medina, Anthony Gutierrez and Joseph Cesena. Key players include juniors Alex Garcia, Gerardo Aguirre, and Luis Jimenez. The team improved over the summer, and their strength lie within their hard work they put in. “We expect to work hard everyday and be prepared to play,” Ledesma said.

San Gabriel’s defensive line is focused and prepared to stop the Glendale Dynamiters during Friday’s home game as Glendale threatens to proceed.

Ledesma is hoping for the team to improve so that they will be able to go to league championship. Comments: Senior Anthony Gutierrez is not expecting to win all the games, but he wants to win at least some of them. “I have seen a lot of improvement compared to last year,” Gutierrez said. “We all like each other and get along with each other as a team.” Junior Luis Jimenez has seen some improvement throughout the summer. “I expect a lot this year,” junior Luis Jimenez said. “Right now we are doing our best and giving it our all.” “I’m aiming for a league championship, but I think we can at least make first round or second round,” Jimenez said.

Photo by Carolina Loaisiga

Varsity Girls Tennis

Summary: Following their colorful trail of success in the past, the San Gabriel varsity girls volleyball team is looking to tack on another Almont League championship to the list. “Our goal is to improve each day and to achieve success by working as a team,” Coach Larry Kanow said. “We’re aiming to win [1st place] and advance in the playoffs to the CIF finals!” Captains: Seniors Jaleen Lujan and Ivy Pham are the varsity girls volleyball co-captains. Key Players: According to Kanow, many of the varsity volleyball players graduated last year, so the team

Illustrations by Cassandra Chen

Thomas Wang Summary: The San Gabriel girls varsity tennis team seems to have a bright future ahead of them. “Singles are stronger this year,” Coach Steve Akiyama, said. “Doubles also have the potential to be stronger this year. We are a bit deeper.” In addition, this year’s team seems to have more cohesion compared to last year, as “they were trying to put the letter ‘I’ in team.” Captains: The captain for singles is senior Sharon Cao and senior Hui Fu captain for doubles. Key Players: Sharon Cao, Hui Fu, and Michelle Hau are returning members with plenty of experience, and Shirley Dam has improved the most over the summer according to Akiyama. Comments: “Like every year, we’re trying to win league,”Akiyama said. “This year we have a good mix of returning girls and JV.” “I believe that our team has a lot of potential and that we will do well this season,” singles captain Sharon Cao said. “I believe that this year’s tennis team seems to possess a strong foundation,” senior Michelle Hau said. “Skills that can be depended upon, a coach that can consistently provide for the best of practices and guidance, and a solid drive and motivation to improve, as well as win league this year.”

Varsity Girls Volleyball Reb e c c a L e i

Photo by Rebecca Lei

Junior Kelly Chu, a singles player, serves the ball with precision across the court to warm up and prepare for her upcoming game against San Marino.

Hill promoted to full time Athletic Director

is relying on returning varsity players: senior Jaleen Lujan and juniors Joanna Che, Gabriela Gonzalez, Julia Vuong, and Vicki Wu. Comments: In order to add to the trail of success, it seems that the team has a long road ahead of them. “The new players are going to have to contribute, especially on defense, if we are to be successful,” Kanow said. Key player junior Joanna Che believes effort and success comes from within the players will to work hard every single game and practice. “I think we’ll do well this year if we put in our best efforts and have the mentality to win,” Che said. The team is ready to work and exceed their coach’s goals for season.

Fr ank Lieu and Justin Toyomitsu

Photo by Sydney Trieu

Sophomore Vicki Ong tries to send a direct hit to junior Joanna Che as she too jumps in attempt to block the shot.

Despite rumors of retiring after her ninth year working as the athletic director of San Gabriel High, Patricia Hill was promoted to the full-time athletic director this year. “I was going to retire last year, and I tried to retire last year, but they talked me into staying,” Hill said. As a full time athletic director, Hill was selected to ensure Title IX, in which the number of female and male athletes maintain a balanced ratio, providing gender equality among all high school sports. “My assumption is that because of title IX, and because there are a lot of things we do for athletics, they decided to create a full time position,” Hill said. “This is the first time that I know of that there actually was a full time position where [you] don’t have to teach [at the same time].” Furthermore, her job includes finding, hiring, and taking care of the coaches while coming out to supporting the school teams. “Part of my responsibility is to make things even,” Hill said. “As athletic director I have to deal with 60 different coaches [and] make sure all the coaches know when they fundraise.”

New football coach brings ‘equation’ to team C a ro l i n a L o a i s i g a With football season right around the corner, new Head Coach Joe Ledesma, takes on the challenge of helping the team to achieve its goal of earning a league championship title. Lesdema was the offensive coordinator for two years for California High School’s football team. He has 23 years of experience as a football coach across various schools, such as Garvey Ranch High School and Chino Hills High School. “There is a lot to take care of being head coach,” Lesdema said. “The problem is that I taught English at Chino Hills and then came to San Gabriel to coach football, so it can be a challenge at times.” Lesdema has high expectations from everybody on the team this year and expects all the players to pull their own weight. “The strength of this team is in the people who are sticking it out, the ones [who] have shown a lot of character and have the ability to turn this program around,” Ledesma said. Ledesma knows that the team has a long way to go, but with hard work, he believes that the players will shine and accomplish his goal of helping the team earn a league championship title. “We have to learn how to work on ourselves, to gain the ability to concentrate, and that is how we are going to better our confidence,” Ledesma said. Ledesma introduced a new “equation” to the team that he believes will help them win games. The equation consists of knowledge, the ability

Photo by Justin Toyomitsu

Full time athletic director Patricia Hill concentrates on managing team schedules and rosters for the upcoming fall games. Photo by Carolina Loaisiga

Coach Joe Ledesma looks forward to this year’s season with high hopes and expectations for every player on the team. Ledesma is ready for Almont League to start so the team can show how hard they have worked. to understand the plays, plus concentration, the ability to focus on the plays, which all ties to confidence. Lesdema wants to prove that knowledge and concentration are all keys to success. With his new title of head coach, Ledesma is excited for this season’s games and hopes for the best.

THE MATADOR WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2014

Tell Me

what’s the

WORD.

Famous Hallway quotes, Volume Sixty-six

“Big Dean. Little Dean.” - Teacher answering student’s question about new assistant principals’ names. “What? Key club doesn’t make keys? I thought that’s what its all about!” - Student thinking about clubs to join. “Why is a building called a building if it is already built?” - Student trying to be philosophical.

FEATURES

Giang interns with cadavers C h e l s e a H uynh and K i m P ham Senior Amy Giang knows what it is like to cut cadavers. Real human organs, that is. Hoping to pursue a degree in pharmacology, the senior decided to attend a pre-medical program at the University of California, Irvine during the summer to better prepare her for work in the medical field–-an experience that led her to work with practicing surgeons. Science teacher Amy Wu recommended Giang to sign up for the pre-medical program during her junior year, and Giang happily accepted the opportunity. The program required Giang to fill out an application as well as write a short essay in order to apply for a scholarship. The University of California, Irvine pre-medical program offered up to thirty scholarships for its applicants, and Giang became one of the few to win the scholarship, which also included room and board. “I didn’t want to bother my parents driving me up to Irvine and back every single day,” Giang said. “I’m glad I got the whole experience without having to bother my parents.” The pre-medical program offered hands-on training from activities such as

clinical case studies, robotic surgery, and lectures from the faculty. Giang got the chance to experience what it would be like as a doctor; she diagnosed her “patients” and was able to participate in a white coat ceremony. Giang received her very own white coat, which she wore every day. Her favorite part of the program was the cadaver lab, where she got to examine human organs and parts. “ B a s i c a l l y, what I did there was what I see as hands-on training.” Giang said. “I actually got to touch a [real] brain, lung and heart.”

Through the program, Giang was able to talk to many medical students as well as the physician guest speakers. Giang also had the opportunity to learn how to use the Da Vinci surgical device, a machine designed to expand surgeons’ capabilities in a minimally invasive way. “The machine would be doing surgery on the human and the surgeon was in the machine, so it [was] sort of like a video game,” Giang explained. “I got to practice, but not with a human of course!” Overall, Giang gained a lot of insight and early exposure to the medical field from the pre-medical program, describing her experience at the university as “amazing.” In the future, she plans on developing her interest in the medical field by becoming either a pharmacologist or a cardiologist. To expand her medical knowledge, she got involved in the Medical Careers Academy (MCA) and took extra science classes at San Gabriel High School. Furthermore, she got an internship this summer at a chiropractor’s office to prepare herself in becoming a pharmacologist. Giang’s goal is to utilize her skills in the medical field to help others by researching medicine, finding a way to stop viruses from spreading, and possibly even discovering a cure for cancer. Giang will be a cut ahead of the rest of her class when fall arrives and college starts. Photo by Stacy Chau

“Put away your phone or your iPhone will become my phone.” - Teacher warning student about phones in class. “It’s almost funny.” - Student reading what’s the word. “Who’s Ebola?” - Student wondering about recent news. “Get off me bus!” - Student quoting Vine to rush friend off of bus. “I like the Magna Carta, the album I mean.” - Student commenting on teacher’s question about the Magna Carta, the document. “Where does Pad Thai come from?” - Student wondering about popular Thai dish.

All quotes overheard by The Matador Staff.

Conflict Mediation acquires new office in Student Services K at heri ne H oong With their new motto “Peace out!”, Conflict Mediation starts their year off with a new office in Student Services. Although not well-known as a class in the past few years, Conflict Mediation now has more recognition as a crucial part of San Gabriel High School. Not to be confused with Peer Counseling which focuses on oneon-one guidance, Conflict Mediation is comprised of mediators who try to help two or more disputants resolve their situation. The program provides students an opportunity to resolve problems such as disputes, rumors, relationship difficulties, and harassment without getting administrators involved. A mediator’s main goal is to guide the students toward a solution which seems fair to both sides while making sure that a physical fight does not occur. With many benefits to the school community, the importance of Conflict Mediation has been recognized and the mediators now have their own office in Students Services. By resolving disputes before they get out of hand, suspensions and detentions can be reduced significantly before fists get involved. Although the numbers of mediations have been slightly low in the past years, Catherine Burkhart, the adviser and teacher, sets a new goal for her pupils. “I want Conflict Mediation to

do at least 8 mediations a month in order to increase the good work we do here on campus,” Burkhart said. Before students are full-fledged mediators, they are required to undergo training in order to gain experience. Students that have participated in Conflict Mediation for at least three years will be able to receive a cord for their achievements. However, mediation skills and a cord are not all a student can get out of Conflict Mediation. The class also helps students try to understand why people act a certain way and how to understand themselves as well as the people around them. Students are often given free time in order to get to know themselves, as well as their peers. However, this year Conflict Mediation will shift towards a slightly new direction in order to become more like an actual class with homework and classwork. “I want this class to be a place where people feel safe and comfortable,” Burkhart said, “But I also want it to have substance, so as long as students feel like they can be relaxed but also be focused on the purpose of what Conflict Mediation is, that’s fine for me.” With their new office, mediators will be able to provide a carefree environment and help encourage students to break out of their shells while avoiding conflict- and the doors are always open to those requiring assistance.

Big Brother, Big Sister connects students Justin Toyomitsu In an effort to improve students’ social skills, Peer Counseling and Conflict Mediation started the Big Brother, Big Sister (BBBS) program to give students a chance to pair up with a “little” and interact. Every Friday, the students go to Roosevelt Elementary School during lunch, where they will have about an hour and a half to have fun with their paired little. “This year marks our tenth year running the program,” said BBBS Adviser Riley Mason. “The program started back in 2005 and was a pilot program [that was] Photo by Matthew Diep funded for Junior Wendy Le spends time with her “little two years, sister” at Roosevelt Elementary School. b u t t h e y continued to fund us [even] after [the] two years [were over].” Peer Counseling students are required to partcipate in the program, but it is also open for other students to participate. Students that are interested must first get permission from their fifth period teacher to be excused every Friday. “I loved being a part of BBBS,” senior Peer Assistant Cindi Yu said. “I really enjoyed building a relationship and spending time with someone who was willing to share aspects of her life with me.” Mason hopes to expand the program and get more students interested in participating. “Through BBBS, I learned that everyone, especially young children, wants someone to talk to sometimes,” Yu said. “I’m glad I was able to provide that comfort to my ‘little sister’.”

FEATURES

THE MATADOR WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2014

New faculty ‘post’ campus greetings

Briefs compiled by Alexandra Albarran, Ying Chow, Carolina Garcia, Vanessa Huang, Chelsea Huynh, Carolina Loaisiga, Jennifer Thai, Erin Truong, and Amy Yee Graphics by Christy Deng Illustrations by Emmanuel Maresca Photos by Sydney Trieu