OPINIONS “Racism on
college campuses justifies mass protest” p.4
FOCUS
“‘Be a Man’: What does that mean?” p. 6-7
FEATURES
“It’s lookin’ a lot like Christmas”
p.11
THE MATADOR
SAN GABRIEL HIGH/DECEMBER 10, 2015/ VOLUME 61 / ISSUE 4
WWW.THEMATADORSGHS.COM/801 S. RAMONA ST., SAN GABRIEL CA 91776
English teacher returns from administrative leave F ra n k L i e u The adviser of San Gabriel’s Publications Media, Jennifer Kim, returned to campus on Dec. 7 after being placed on administrative leave for four months. Kim’s publications students expressed mixed feelings about her leave of absence and her subsequecent return. “Even though it took way too long for [Kim] to come back, I’m just happy that she finally did.” senior yearbook photo editor Alissa So said. Focus Editor Emannuel Maresca also said that this incident was “inconvient.” “I felt like administration completely disregarded student needs,” Maresca said. “They did more harm than good.” However, some students described Kim’s return to H2 was like “a weight has finally fallen off [their] shoulders.” “Without [Kim], it felt like a a constant trainwreck of incident after incident, event after event,” Co-Editor-in-Chief of the Matador, Erin Truong said. “But now that she’s back, [The Matador] can get this train back on track
and continue producing a spectacular paper.” According to the students, the first four months without Kim had been filled with hardships and inconsistent newspaper and yearbook deadlines. Charis Luu, who had been assigned to supervise publication deadlines, was estatic about Kim’s return. “I’m just glad that she’s back,” Luu said. “I know she runs a great program and now things can finally go back to normal.” Kim has not seen the school campus since Aug. 2, when the District suspended her indefinitely. During Kim’s absence, the District assigned a full-time substitute teacher, Christina Kan, to teach Kim’s English classes as well as supervise her publications students. The students guided Kan through the process of producing the newspaper and the yearbook. “I really appreciate how hard the students worked and tried to help me during this whole process.” Kan said. “I felt very welcomed.” Kan intends to carry out her English lesson plans until the end of the semester and allow Kim to start fresh next year.
Photo by Sunny Chen
Jennifer Kim assists journalism student Chelsea Huynh with her article during a deadline. During her leave, Kim was restricted with communicating with current students of San Gabriel High School, which prompted her to feel “very isolated.” “Fortunately, many alumni reached out
Winter pep rally encourages student body
Photo by Sydney Trieu
Varsity cheer poses during their performance. K i m Ta With fall pep rally and Homecoming pep rally over, it is hard to believe that the winter pep rally was the third pep rally of this year. However, with finals approaching in less than one week, the winter pep rally united the Matadors in school spirit. As students scrambled to find seats, Marching Band greeted them with instrumental music. Associative Student Body (ASB) Vice President senior Villar Nguyen first instructed students to do the pledge of allegiance of America and the national anthem. Once everyone settled down in their seats, the sport teams and performances were presented accordingly. Boys basketball was the first to introduce their 2015-16 team followed by a performance by Marching Band. Junior Alejandro Litea stated and explained his favorite performance of the pep rally. “[I liked] band because they had some cool songs.” Litea said.
Up next was a performance by Colorguard. As the song “Hello” played, the audience showed support with waves and flashlights swaying back and forth. Later on was girls soccer turn to introduce their 2015-16 team to the Matadors, followed by a performance by cheer. Once cheer performed, the wrestling team was up next, and then ASB setted up a spirit game. After a perfomance by drill, the girls basketball captains presented their 2015-16 team. Finally, Choreo took center stage to dance and then boys soccer introduce their team for this school year. “I felt a little nervous but once the music turned on I felt less nervous.” fellow member of Choreo, sophomore Selena Farris said. “I felt a lot more confident and I also felt like I did it more full out.” With the winter pep rally nearly over, the students sang along to the Alma Mater played by Marching Band. In the end, the Matadors were dismissed and filed out of the Matador Arena awaiting for the weekend, finals, and spring pep rally.
Photo by Sunny Chen
Drill members cheer with the Matador mascot as the alma mater plays in the background.
to me and were very supportive,” Kim said about her time off. She also adopted two cats, Ellie and Roger, to keep her company. She will resume full-time teaching next semester.
Khevin DeVaughn returns to San Gabriel
Photo by Sunny Chen
Kelly Ho With physiology teacher Amy Wu’s return to the classroom, Mark Keppel’s previous Assistant Principal of Business and Activities, Khevin DeVaughn, has transferred to San Gabriel to serve as its acting Assistant Principal of Student Employee Welfare. In his previous position, DeVaughn served as Mark Keppel’s Assistant Principal of Business and Activities. DeVaughn expressed that his new position allows him to be more interactive with students on campus. “At Mark Keppel, there was a lot to do in the office and behind the desk. As [Assistant Principal of Student Employee Welfare], I can get out and really get to see the kids,” DeVaughn said. “I enjoy getting to see students succeed and taking a part in their success.” While Devaughn may not be familiar to current students, he is not new to the campus, having served as San Gabriel’s Assistant Principal of Student Employee Welfare from 2005 to 2009. In his reclaimed position, he ensures student discipline, safety, and security, as well as assist students in becoming more successful academically and behaviorally. “I’m here to help and offer support to students, and I hope that they will view me that way,” DeVaughn said. “I will do the best that I can to help whenever they need it and challenge them to be successful.” Students can seek support and guidance from DeVaughn at the Student Welfare office, located at the end of the administrative office complex near the South Parking Lot.
NEWS
THE MATADOR
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015
San Bernardino mass shooting kills 14, injures 21
Photo by Tom Tingle/ The Republic CC/BY
Citizens of San Bernardino held a vigil in the San Manuel Stadium on Dec. 3 to mourn the14 lives lost during the mass shooting from the previous day To m C h e a h In a mass shooting during a Christmas holiday party in San Bernardino, which is located about 60 miles east of Los Angeles, 14 people were killed and 21 were injured, most of them county employees. Armed with two semiautomatic rifles and two semiautomatic handguns, 28-year-old Syed Rizwan Farook and his 27-year-old wife, Tashfeen Malik, opened fire in the Inland Regional Center, an institution that cares for patients with disabilities. They fled the scene in a black sport-utility vehicle (SUV) quickly afterwards. The San Bernardino Police Department received a tip that provided information about Farook and his whereabouts. Police officers began a
surveillance mission to track down the shooters and the black SUV. Near a town center in Redlands, they found a black SUV leaving and quickly pursued it. Soon after, the suspects opened fire on their pursuers, causing the police to return fire. Both Farook and Malik were killed in the shootout. “The casualties are a tragedy,” San Bernardino Police Chief Jarrod Burguan said. “Our hearts go out to them. But the fact that so many people did escape is remarkable.” Following the events, law e n f o rc e m e n t o ff i c i a l s b e g a n a n investigation on the crime scene and shooters’ home. They discovered three pipe bombs and four high-capacity rifle magazines left behind at the scene. At the shooters’ home in Redlands, they found 12 pipe bombs and over
T h e M a t a d o r re c e i v e s recognition from NSPA
4,500 rounds of ammunition, causing officials to believe that the massacre was only a part of a larger plot. Government administrators have yet to determine the motive of the massacre; however, they have suspected it to be an act of terrorism, but are hesitant to officially proclaim it without evidence. FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) officials have classified their investigation of the crime as an investigation of a terrorist attack. On Dec. 5, the Islamic State produced an online audio broadcast and claimed that the shooters belonged to its group. In an Oval Office address, President Barack Obama attempted to reassure Americans across the nation. “The threat from terrorism is real, but we will overcome it,” Obama said. Investigators believe that Farook and Malik planned the attack as the background checks have revealed that the couple practiced targeting at shooting ranges. A few hours before the attack, Malik was found to have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State on a Facebook post. “As the investigation has progressed, we have learned and believe that both subjects were radicalized and have been for quite some time,” assistant of director of the FBI’s Los Angeles field office David Bowdich said. FBI officials will continue to investigate the issue to shed more light on possible motives and gain valuable information for the future. They hope to determine the shooters’ ties to the Islamic State and any potential plots for further attacks on the United States.
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Finals schedule adjusted to accommodate classes Sydney Tr ieu The finals schedule for the 2015-2016 school year has been revised. Exams for periods one and four will be held on Monday, Dec. 14; periods zero, two, and five will take place on Tuesday, Dec. 15, and periods zero, three, and six on Wednesday, Dec. 16. The change was made to accommodate those with double-blocked classes, where students attend the same class for two consecutive periods. “When [these students have] finals, they stay in the same class for four hours, which is difficult for both the students and the teachers,” Principal Debbie Stone said. “We wanted to alleviate these challenges during finals.” Georgia Daniels, who teaches one of these classes, expressed her thoughts on the schedule change. “In some ways, it’s easier because four hours is a really long time, but I was getting used to it,” Daniels said. “I planned some fun activities and intense writing experiences [to last for four hours], but [the change] doesn’t make too much of a difference.” Robert Huynh, teacher of three double-blocked classes, shares the same sentiment as Daniels. “In past years, it was difficult to come up with finals that would last for four hours,” Huynh said. “It’s a lot easier because I can break [the final] up into two two-hour blocks. My students are used to two hours in my class anyway, so it’s just a part of their routine.” Junior Jamie Yang expressed that she found the schedule change favorable. “I like it because it divides my schedule up so my finals are equally distributed in difficulty,” Yang said. However, other students, like senior Mason Tran, do not agree with the change. “I don’t like [the schedule change] because it’s really convoluted and confusing,” Tran said. This schedule will continue to stay in effect for second semester finals.
Student explore UCI campus, experience new environment
Photo by Sunny Chen
Chelsea Huynh The Matador newspaper received various awards at the Fall National High School Journalism Convention that was held in Orlando, Fla. on Nov. 14. Senior Emmanuel Maresca, the Focus Editor of The Matador, placed third nationally for the 2015 Design of the Year newsmagazine cover for his design of last year’s senior issue cover. He also received honorable mention for Cartooning. Alumnus Trisha Vasquez, who was part of the El Camino Real yearbook staff, placed fifth in Story of the Year for her profiles on foster teens and parents at San Gabriel High School. The Matador staff also received the 2015 Courage in Student Journalism Award for exercising their First Amendment rights against censorship. The 2015 Courage in Student Journalism Award is sponsored by the Kent State University Center for Scholastic Journalism and co-sponsored by the Student Press Law Center and the National Scholastic Press Association. Juniors Kelly Ho, Thomas Wang, and Sydney Trieu, and alumni Rebecca Lei and Simon Yung were notably recognized for their bravery and leadership in confronting censorship of The Matador newspaper. Last year, the convention was held at Washington D.C. There, current Editor-in-Chief Cassandra Chen placed fourth in Cartooning, and alumnus Editorin-Chief Kristy Duong placed honorable mention in Design of the Year Newspaper Page One.
Photo courtesy of Elizabeth An
San Gabriel High School students pose for a group photo in front of a gushing UCI water fountain. J essi ca Tran University of California, Irvine (UCI), located in Orange County, hosted a trip that gave 36 San Gabriel High School students the opportunity to experience life on a college campus. This trip took place Thursday, Dec. 3. Students going on the trip were advised to come to school at 7 a.m. so they could take the school bus to the university. They arrived at the university at about 10:30 am, as UCI is about two hours away from San Gabriel. Students were guided around the school and introduced to the different buildings that the university held. “I didn’t know what UC to go to; my teacher told me to not go to one that [I] hadn’t seen before,” senior Margaret Abuede said. “I went to [Cal State] Fullerton and didn’t
like the campus. [At UCI], I saw [a] water fountain and an engineering building that were really pretty.” Other schools from the San Gabriel area were also given the chance to tour the UCI campus. Later in the day, tour guides taught the students the cheer of UCI’s mascot, the Anteater. “[The tour] was very informational. [I] learned about [Irvine’s] non-impacted majors,” senior Lisa Li said. “[The] campus is really nice and futuristic, better than other campuses.“ On the trip, students were introduced to the concept of non-impacted and impacted major, of which impacted ones are very competitive to get into. Students arrived back at school by 3 p.m. The students who attended this trip had the opportunity to have a sneak preview of campus life.
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THE MATADOR
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015
Latina Academic Alliance members inspired by visit to LA Times building
Students showcase talents at audition
Photo by Sydney Trieu
Senior Teola Cooper leaves her audition smiling after showcasing her dance routine. Photo Courtsey of Luann Haslam
Latina Academic Alliance poses for a picture inside the printing room during their tour of the LA Times building. Il eana P erez Members of the Latino Academic Alliance had the opportunity to visit the Los Angeles (LA) Times building on Dec. 2. When the students arrived at the LA Times editorial building, they were taken on a tour, beginning with the tour guide telling the students some history about the newspaper and city. The students were taken to various rooms and important places throughout the building, such as the area where they film interviews, the newsroom, and the sports newsroom. Additionally, the students were shown various photographs taken by LA Times photographers, pieces which won the Pulitzer prize, the evolution of cameras used by the LA Times, and how older papers are stored. The tour concluded with the students visiting the section where the food blog and articles were updated, and a room where photographs were taken. “I really enjoyed the trip because not only did I learn about how the newspaper is made, but also some of the history,” senior Denise Bedoy said. “My favorite part was looking at all the photographs that [were] taken over the years. It’s amazing how some photographers get really close up to take pictures in dangerous situations.” Once the tour was over, the students were directed to the cafeteria where they purchased their lunch and waited to be taken to the printing building. At the printing building, the students were able to see what the paper the LA Times uses to print the newspaper looks like and learned where the paper comes from. Then, the students were taken to the area where the actual printing machines are and were able to see the ink, newspapers, and the machines in action. Additionally, the students had the opportunity to see how the newspapers are packaged once they are printed. The tour concluded with the tour guide encouraging the students to write more and reminding them that writing is an important and useful skill. “[The printing building was] kind of extraordinary how everything just worked in its own way,” sophomore Miguel Quintana said. “There was machines going from the roof to the floor.” The students who attended this trip had the opportunity to experience the newsmaking process and learn the history behind the newspaper. The members of the Latino Academic Alliance hope to have similar experiences in the future.
NEWS
S hi rl ey Dinh Students who wanted to showcase their talents and special skills recently tried out for San Gabriel High School’s annual talent show. The participants were chosen to be in the talent show by the school’s Associated Student Body (ASB). Some factors ASB looked for in a contestant included preparedness, a promising performance, and the enjoyment of being on stage. “A lot of times, I encourage the kids to do something different than just stand there and sing along with the soundtrack,” visual and performing arts teacher Cecilia Revilla said. “I think it takes a lot of courage to audition and that’s good.” Many students excitedly showcased their variety of talents, like senior Teola Cooper, who expressed herself through dance at the auditions. “I thought it would be a good idea to express
how I [felt] even though it was really nerveracking,” Cooper said, “but I can say that I accomplished something and that I did it.” Sophomore Henry Gip tried out for the talent show with only his guitar after playing it for three years. “It feels a little bit scary, but I want to see what [level of] skill I have in terms of playing the guitar,” Gip said. Having participated in the talent show last year, sophomore Anni Zhong sang her way into this year’s audition again. “I’ve always liked to sing, but I [once] moved on from singing,” Zhong said. “However, I thought that if I moved on, I would be wasting a talent.” Junior Kiana Saucedo, who participated and won last year’s talent show, also tried out again this year. “I am comfortable with singing and dancing on stage,” Saucedo said. Meanwhile, other students like juniors Grace Li and Eva Hernandez, and senior Isabella Tam decided to try out for the talent show as a group. “My friends wanted to try out and they were nervous to go by themselves, so I’m trying out with them,” Li said. “I’m singing, Isabella is playing the piano, and Eva will be playing the drums.” The contestants will be given contracts and also have the option of selling tickets to the talent show. The contestant who sells the most tickets will be able to choose which part of the program they want to participate in. Other students will be able to see these contestants compete in the talent show in the Auditorium on Jan. 29.
ISIS activity expands internationally Ed ward R iver a On an international scale, the Islamic State (ISIL) has proved to be a threat to all of its native and host countries such as Iraq and Syria, but recently ISIS has expanded their terror to France, Lebanon, Russia, and Turkey. Time: 7:30 p.m. The Bataclan Concert Hall is being situated. A football game between France and Germany gets heated as President Hollande watches intently. The Paris night is alive on a Friday evening on Nov 13. Time: 8:30 p.m. 130 dead. International tragedy. No one, however, suspected anything since the Islamic State terrorist group headed by Abdelhamid Abaaoud held inconspicuity by reentering Europe from Syria via Greece two months earlier, taking advantage of the confusion of the migrant crisis and the continent’s passport-free Schengen system. Afterward, utilizing everyday privileges (i.e hotels, rental cars, etc.), the terrorist cells executed their plan using guerilla military technology, assault rifles and suicide belts to attack at seven different locales, including the Stade de France and Bataclan Concert Hall, by exploding themselves near heavily populated areas and attacking a handful of local cafes and bars, leaving them in shambles torn by the immeasurable bullets fired from passing ISIL militants. Hundreds died. Many more injured. Paris “The City of Light” enveloped by darkness and pandemonium. The French, of course, blame their diminutive neighbor Belgium, likely to avoid having to face its own failures, by asserting their incompetence on the fact that Abaaoud lived in Brussel, capital of Belgium, before the bombings. France, on the other hand, to counter their border issue, killed ringleader Abdelhamid Abaaoud in a shootout with police in St. Denis north of Paris just a few weeks ago, adding to the total body count of the terrorists: nine dead, but two still at large. Two weeks after the massacre, a memorial was held at the historic Les Invalides complex and 2,600 people attended, including the President, but instead of Hollande giving into sadness, he decided to declare war with ISIL and has since then increased air strikes over IS targets in Syria. As France begins to take stronger action in the dismemberment of ISIS, Hollande specifically calls upon allies both neighboring and overseas to improve intelligence and data sharing.
Possibly linked, a couple thousand miles to the southeast of Paris, France lies a small community in Beirut in ruin. On Nov. 13 in a Shia majority residential area of southern Beirut protected by the Islamic group Hezbollah, two suicide bombs went off, killing 41 people and injuring 200 others. The presence of Hezbollah, however, is likely what brought upon the strikes as retaliation for the fact that major advances backed by Hezbollah were taking place in Syria against ISIL and alNusra. In response to the attacks, the Lebanese military court charged 26 people with the crime and 23 were convicted, which ended in a major repossession of weapons. Abdul-Salam Hendawi (Abu Abdo), the ISIL figure responsible for the Beirut incident, was later killed in an operation by Hezbollah and Syrian security agents in an ambush in an ISIL-held area in Syria’s central province of Horns, but the fact still remains that the terrorist group successfully transferred two suicide bombers from the Syrian city of Raqqa to Lebanon, which only proves the increasing international border problem. Only a few weeks ago on Nov. 24, a Russian warplane was shot down near the Turkish border, and the question remains whether it was justified or simply a ploy to deter Russian military from entering Syria, thus designating Turkey as part of the secret accomplices of terrorists in Syria, which has now led to new strained political relationships and sanctions between them. Turkey, however, remains adamant that the Russian warplane was in clear violation of territory and after multiple warnings and fail of acknowledgement, it was justified to defend their borders. Russia, on the other hand, claimed they were solely in Syrian territory and infiltrating and destroying various insurgent groups along the Turkish border aiding President Bashar al-Assad in the Syrian Civil War. Therefore, out of retaliation to the death of their pilots, Russia has put in place trading sanctions on certain agricultural products which are to go in effect next year, and an immediate ban to all charter flights to Turkey as of Dec. 1. All around the world, from the “City of Light” Paris, France to the small city Beirut, Lebanon to the beef between Turkey and Russia, the never ending Syrian War continues to influence international affairs. All research compiled from BBC, Reuters, Washington Journal, and Al Jazeera.
OPINIONS “Mar”ching forward Mario Mandujano Sweat and blood My life since early in my sophomore year has consisted of ‘could have’ scenarios. I could have been a prominent basketball player for the school’s team. I could have gone out more with my friends. I could have spent more time with my kid brother. I could have joined Speech and Debate. It seems that now, three fourths of my high school career is filled to the brim with regret for not doing what would have made the golden years of my life memorable. Late in my freshman year, my father suffered from a hernia due to how strenuous his job was, which in consequence brought me face-to-face with the necessity of finding a job of my own. It was not hard to find one at a restaurant my father’s friend had opened. I started working under the table as a busboy in mid-September, 2013 and was given a fixed weekend schedule due to school. Working six hours a night from Friday to Sunday with a petty wage held me back from trying out for football because the games coincided with one of my work days, and joining Speech and Debate because I could not afford the fancy attire that was required for events. I learned what it was like to have bills to pay at the age of 15. The luxuries most kids my age had their parents pay for were under my own expense, and it felt amazing. I got a taste of what it was to be independent--not having to ask for the things I wanted. Which also meant that my father stressed less about being incapable of providing me with the materialistic items I desired because instead, I provided them for myself. Though I have not gotten rich with the amount of money I make, I have been able to make ends meet. Washing dishes and delivering pizzas also reminded me of what I did not want to do for a living in the future. I did what I had to do to make my money, while also doing what I had to do to have proper grades in school. I feel determined to avoid making a living off a job that involves mopping at the end of the night. Working since my early teenage years made me realize that making a dollar is not easy; it came with the price of all the sacrifices I made, which taught me to be more considerate with how I spend my time and money. I am actually thankful for having to work at such an early age. Though I have attended some parties throughout my years, having a job kept me away from that life. It kept me in the gym and out of the streets. It shed a light on the importance of obtaining knowledge and wisdom, and darkened the way to drugs and bad habits. A strong work ethic is a lesson that is not necessarily taught in school. It is a quality that is achieved from the tough circumstances the universe sometimes challenges a person to live under. I am driven by my struggles to succeed as a young man with potential growing up in the ghetto. Not having been born in the States has also given me a lot to prove wrong since the very beginning. I will always be industrious, but I will never lose sight of the level of success I want to reach, a level which surpasses the shallow standard of a large salary and emphasizes how many young men like me I could inspire.
THE MATADOR
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015
4
Editorial
Parents view of college is limited Attending college after high school is often considered an accomplishment. Studying a major and graduating with a degree are supposed to be beneficial to a student’s future. Obtaining a degree, which represents all the hard work one has put in to have a chance at being successful, is the ultimate goal many parents want for their children. For first-generation students, striving to make their parents proud, to have a stable career, and to be happy, is crucial. Parents of first-generation children usually have no higher education experience or any in-depth knowledge about the process. These parents are the ones encouraging their kids to aim for prestigious, elite colleges such as Stanford or Harvard or, in the case of those residing in California, top schools like the University of California, Los Angeles or University of California, Berkeley. This puts stress on many students, since acceptance to these top schools is quite difficult. The knowledge of the variety of
colleges spread across the nation is so limited to parents of first-generation children that some even become closeminded about it. They are merely choosing colleges for the name, since they are unfamiliar with the schools that do not appear on Forbes’s list of top colleges or are not a part of the University of California (UC) system. There are various aspects to choosing the perfect college, and the name of the school should never be considered as an important factor. There are over 4,800 college campuses around America. The possibilities are almost endless when choosing a good school that fits a student’s preference. Some San Gabriel High School students have been accepted to colleges they have dreamt of attending. However, because of their parents’ perspectives, they were told to attend a school their parents were more familiar with instead. The fact that students with so much potential had to turn away from the school they wished to go to due to their families’ restrictive mindsets is
disheartening. At San Gabriel, most of the students are first-generation with parents who immigrated to America. The problem with families possessing little to no knowledge about college is evergrowing within the student population. What students should do to educate their families is to clearly set their goals, talk to them more about college, or set up meetings with counselors, who can help parents better understand the process. Due to this, colleges have set up programs specifically for first-generation students to help ease the transition from high school to college and help them understand what the college experience is like. These programs also offer education for parents who are in the dark when it comes to higher education. It does not matter if the college a student wants to attend is not on an online list of renowned colleges. In the end, choosing a good school is ultimately the student’s choice.
Illustration by Emmanuel Maresca
Racism on college campuses justifies mass protests K i m P ham After weeks of student protests, which included a hunger strike and the boycott of the football team, University of Missouri president Tim Wolfe resigned on complaints of his handling of the escalating racial tension and incidences in the last few months. Within days, Dean Mary Spellman of Claremont McKenna College in California voluntarily resigned afters protests sparked over her response to an email about racial bias on campus, writing that she promised to better serve minority students who “don’t fit the CMC mold.” President Tom Rochon of Ithaca College in New York has also been demanded to resign after students staged a walkout over his inadequacy in handling several racist incidents, including one where an African-American graduate was repeatedly called a “savage” by two white male alumni. It is hard to call this a post-racial society when there are still cases of full-grown adults screaming racial slurs and fraternities promoting culturally insensitive costume parties. Although it may seem like it, these racial college campus protests are far from simply being a new trend in social issues. These protests are a continuation of years of activism around inequality, reminiscent of issues such as that of 1969, when Cornell University’s Afro-American Society fought against disciplining black students who had advocated for an Africana Studies and Research Center. The outburst of tension in Missouri and Claremont, considering that one is a public school in a state where the Ferguson riots took place while the other is a prestigious private school in the expectedly liberal state of California, only proves one thing: racism, although not to the extent as it once was, is still very much alive. Everywhere. University of Missouri student Alanna Diggs expresses the struggle of schools lacking in support of fighting these racist incidences. “It was not an overdramatic reaction by a couple of angry black students, but a moment built up over time,” said Diggs. “Many of us behind the scenes have been suffering and struggling
with administration and students while trying to deal with class and work. The movement is not over. This is the beginning.” Ironically, the University of Missouri’s motto is “Salus populi suprema lex esto,” a Latin phrase roughly translated to “Let the good of the people be the supreme law.” It sounds like a strange motto for a place of education, but makes sense in any environment where people of various cultures and backgrounds must coexist. Stepping outside the bubble of a hometown and meeting different people is an important aspect of being a college student, so how can the “good of the people” be a priority in an atmosphere of oppression? The struggle with neglection on campus is no longer on getting rid of Jim Crow laws, but rather the twisted conception that taking offense to racial slurs is considered “not being able to take a joke.” Although sometimes subtle, it is imperative that schools are serious about acknowledging the ignorance in assuming that a predominantly black neighborhood is an unsafe one and that all Asians are from China. Senior Adriana Gutierrez voiced her concerns on being a minority in college in the upcoming year. “I think it’s ridiculous that racism is still an issue in the twenty-first century,” said Gutierrez. “The last thing I need is people making offensive comments [about] what they think they know about my culture when I’m trying to get an education.” Ousting inactive leaders may be a step towards the right direction, but it is nowhere near the finish line. College campuses must be active in promoting an atmosphere where diversity is embraced and issues can be resolved through open-minded conversations. Wolfe, although now officially resigned, has taken full responsibility for his inaction. “I ask everybody — from students to faculty to staff to my friends, everybody — use my resignation to heal and to start talking again. To make the changes necessary, let’s focus on changing what we can change today and in the future, and not what we can’t change, which is what happened in the past.” Illustration by Lu Yue Wang
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015 OPINIONS 5 French policies provoke terrorism THE MATADOR
All about “Yee”
A n t h o n y Ya n g The Paris attacks are the fourth set of successful mass Islamic terrorist attacks in France this year. Despite the presence of Muslims in other parts of the West, Islamic extremist attacks are more infrequent, so what makes France stand out as such a vulnerable target? It is quite simple: government policies and Islamophobia contribute to France’s vulnerability to Islamic terrorism. France has been bombing Syria and Iraq since 2014, which has killed over 1000 Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) troops. As ISIS claimed responsibility for the Paris attacks, France’s president, Francois Hollande says that France will respond with more bombings in the region. The French government does not seem to understand there will consequences of military operations suffered by the aggressing country. “The horrific attacks in Paris on Friday have, predictably, led to much over-reaction and demands that we do more of the exact things that radicalize people and make them want to attack us,” Ron Paul, former United States congressman, said in his blog column.
France also has an issue with anti-Muslim sentiment. Unfortunately, the anti-Muslim attitudes are present in the labor force. A study done by Stanford political scientist, David Laitin, yielded disturbing results; Muslims whom are prospective entrants in the labor force are two and a half times less likely to be considered for a job interview than their Christian counterparts. With difficulty finding work, some are pushed to live in banlieues. The term translates to “suburb,” but has become associated with poor and crime-ridden neighborhoods in France. Youth unemployment in some banlieues hover above 40 percent. In a study done by French political scientist Gilles Kepel, Muslim residents of these banlieues are cut off from society because they often feel rejected by the people, inhibiting the youth from integrating into French society and causing them to identify more with Islam rather than their nationality. As a result, ISIS tries to
recruit vulnerable young residents of these banlieues, promising them money, houses, and jobs, things that are hard to come by for them in France. “One of the reasons for the strong role of Islam is that the [French Republic] has withdrawn,” warned Claude Dilain, former mayor of ClichySous-Bois, a Parisian banlieue, said. “Those who feel abandoned seek another identity, and Islam satisfies that well.” There are many solutions to minimize France’s vulnerability to Islamic terrorism; France’s foreign policy in regards t o the Middle East should be the first and easiest thing to reform by ending airstrikes in the region. However, France also needs to make a social effort to embrace Muslims in their society. This article is abridged. Read more at https:// thematador.us/ Illustration by Cassandra Chen
Social media ignores third world tragedies A m y Ye e On Nov. 13, a series of coordinated terrorist attacks occurred in Paris and Saint Denis, targeting six locations in those cities and leaving over 130 people dead. Now, the laws of the universe dictate that people will turn to the Internet to express their outrage as a response to those actions, and more s o than ever, on social media sites. Less than 24 hours after the attack, there was a movement on Facebook to show solidarity with France. “Change your profile picture to support France and the people of Paris. Try now,” the post advertised. I was unassuming at first. I didn’t notice the post until I spotted my newsfeed flooded with three vertical lines of red, white, and blue. Upon further inspection, it was a temporary filter
one could apply to change a profile picture to the colors of the French national flag. We stand together. #JeSuisParis was the post Facebook uploaded after the Islamic terrorist group Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) attacks. Now, there’s absolutely no problem with spreading support and creating something to unify people in the face of tragedy, but the overshadowing p ro b l e m t h e re , however, is the lack of attention t h e We s t e r n world attributes to other acts of terrorism by ISIS in other countries that are far more frequent. For example, suicide bombings in Beirut, Lebanon on Nov. 12—the day right before the Paris attacks—also killed and wounded citizens, but where is the Facebook option to
MATADOR
Editors-in-Chief
Managing Editors 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
Cassandra Chen Erin Truong Carolina Garcia Amy Yee Nathan Ta Sydney Trieu Carolina Garcia Amanda Molina Christy Deng Emmanuel Maresca Ileana Perez Kim Pham Frank Lieu Carolina Loaisiga Kelly Ho Amy Yee Ying Chow Eva Fong Chelsea Huynh Sunny Chen Eva Fong Kim Ta Lu Yue Wang Katherine Hoong Jessica Tran Stacy Chau Thomas Wang Tom Cheah Anthony Yang Katherine Hoong Jennifer Kim
Reporters: Hellgert Almontes, Shirley Dinh, Manny Ibarra, Susan Lam, Mario Mandujano, Edward Rivera, Uyen Sy, Britney Ting, Vivian Wong The Matador is published monthly by the journalism class of San Gabriel High School. 1,600 copies per issue are published at J. E. J Print Inc. The Matador is a public forum for student expression and highly encourages responses in reaction to issues discussed in the paper. The opinions expressed are those of the writers, not the faculty or administration. Articles without bylines are the opinion of the staff. Submit comments as a letter to the editor, signed (anonymity is guaranteed if requested), to H-2, or Ms. Kim’s mailbox.
change your profile picture with a filter to the Lebanon flag to show support for the people of Lebanon? And let’s not forget about the ongoing conflict in Syria every day, for the tens of thousands of civilians who’ve been killed in the ongoing Syrian Civil War. This just isn’t only happening on Facebook, but on other social media sites such as Twitter. Where is the #prayforlebanon hashtag to accompany the #prayforfrance one? Users have been expressing about the one-sided Western coverage of such terrorism issues, lamenting on the “Westernization” of these events. “Sooo many French flag colored photos on Facebook right now. The solidarity sentiment is a good one, but what about Beirut and Baghdad?” user Den Mother Saz tweeted on Twitter. From their perspective, it’s like saying the attack on France is more important, that other tragic events in third world countries don’t matter, or that they don’t carry the same significant impact as first-world countries. Illustration by Lu Yue Wang
The Matador Bullring
What is an experience that you have had with racism or stereotypes?
“
In the first grade, this man said that my mom couldn’t drive. It really bothered me.” -Jihua Che, 9th grade
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High expectations are always expected because I’m ‘Asian.’ Math is actually my worst subject. ‘I thought Asians are supposed to be good at math,’ people would say.” -Michele Liu, 10th grade
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At a store, the owner kept looking at me. She paid no mind to my friend. I want to say it was because they were both Asian. She assumed I was there to steal. She even called an employee to watch me.” -Vanessa Duenas, 11th grade
I was working with my dad; he does landscaping. I was in work clothes as I approached my lawn mower. An old lady, Caucasian, was getting out of her car. When she saw me walking by, she gasped and quickly went back in. She locked it.” -Omar Viegas, 12th grade
Photos by Sunny Chen and Jazmin Campos/El Camino Real
Amy Yee Written in the background The first time I went ice skating, I had clung to the walls for a good hour until my right arm was sore because I absolutely refused to let go. Maybe it was because I was afraid of falling flat on my back, or the embarrassment that would come after. But no matter—for the sake of this story, I’ll use this experience as a metaphor for being too afraid to tackle the unknown and the problems that would come with it. I held onto that notion for the longest time and sooner or later, that fear manifested into my present habit of shielding away from the world. I was a girl molded by expectations, stitched together by opinions, and painted in all the ashes of my own potential dreams and hopes. It started out as simple rants on paper, but somewhere along the lines those words bled into something else. I made up characters in my head, all bearing demons akin to my own. I gave them names and backgrounds; later, their own stories, their own voices. I had them choose their own futures and make their own decisions-something I never really got around to doing. I let my mind soar in the moments I was locked inside my room, escaping into a fantasy world where my mind was free even though my physical body wasn’t. I wove my story with words, one where I could finally live on paper, and in those moments, I took my first breaths. In doing so, I learned to live again. I was the dark-eyed warrior who wrestled with her demons. I was the girl who sailed through storms, saying, a smooth sea never made an experienced sailor. I was the girl who had stars in her eyes and steel in her hands, the one who built and destroyed whole empires. Writing has built me up into some who’s fearless because I knew I’d always have a safety net to fall back on when everything just became too much. They say the reader lives a thousand lifetimes. The writer, in my opinion, experiences every one of those lifetimes, sets them on fire, and re-lives them time and time again. I was looking for salvation in all the wrong places—in my parents, friends, peers, strangers, my room, under my bed, at the stranger in the mirror where my reflection was supposed to be. Everywhere else except the place where it was all along. I suppose I can continue to live in this carefully constructed world of mine, made up of stories, but I know that I’m going to have to face the gray world out there with even blacker realities with the thought that at least I’ll have a chance to color some of it in someday. I’ll write one last story with a girl who lived a thousand lifetimes. She’ll have flowers in her hair and stardust in her bones and a heart forged in steel. There’s my friends and family, but in the very end and beginning, there’s writing—my three non-negotiables in life. So it’s okay. One day I’ll learn to tackle my problems head-on instead of burying them six feet under. Maybe one day I’ll get so lost that I’ll finally find myself. Maybe one day I’ll learn to fight my demons with a sword instead of a pen and let written words bleed into reality. And maybe, just maybe, one day there’ll be a bright and dark-eyed girl who managed to raise her hopes and dreams from the ashes. Either way, I’ll bring my ice skates along.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015 8 LIFE & ART Upcoming, returning artists drop pop albums THE MATADOR
Here by Alessia Cara
Purpose by Justin Bieber After his long music break and rebellious behavior, popstar Justin Bieber made a strong comeback in his career with the release of his fourth album, Purpose, on Nov. 13. After watching his impressive song covers on YouTube, Bieber was discovered and signed by his manager, Scooter Braun, at the age of 12. Through social media, many of his fans, known as Beliebers, as well as critics, witnessed Bieber’s fame growing rapidly with his career. However, in 2014, Bieber hit a turbulent road and started to act out, unhappy with media scrutiny. He was involved with the law several times for crimes such as driving recklessly, egging houses, and driving under influence. Bieber invested three years in creating Purpose, pouring out his feelings from past love relationships and apologizing for his poor behavior. The heartfelt album consists of 14 songs in the standard version and 19 songs in the deluxe version. From his radiant song Sorry to his soulful ballad Love Yourself, Purpose presents a version of Bieber at his most vulnerable and honest time. The once- reckless Bieber continues to better himself as a person and hopes to inspire others through his music to find their purpose.
Alessia Cara went from a regular teenager putting up YouTube videos to instantly becoming popular with her single titled Here. Here is a mix of hip-hop and jazz which makes it a perfect debut for her album. The track relates to many people because it speaks for a majority of teenagers who are uncomfortable in party environments. Here differs from other songs because of its uncommon perception about social events, which drew everyone to Cara and her outstanding vocals. On Nov. 13, the singer released her first album, Know-ItAll, which includes 10 songs, with an additional three on the deluxe version. It follows her Extended Play (EP) Four Pink Walls, a preview of Know-It-All which was released months before her debut album. The title of her album comes from a line in her song Seventeen, which reads, “I’m a know-it-all, I don’t know enough.” Each song on the album varies from love and jealousy to body image and her own personal experiences, making it intimate and genuine. Her descriptive lyrics are simple, yet powered with emotions that touch upon different topics. With her captivating music, she could easily be one of the generation’s greatest upcoming artists.
Photos courtesy of Wikipedia
YouTube creates new music app “I think it’d be better because [advertisements] will bother me,” freshman Mike Hernandez said. When I accepted the trial at the start of Whether it is pop, rock, or classical music that you listen to, YouTube is a place where the application, I encountered a personalized station with songs based on what tons of music videos are found. It has been ten years since YouTube came I listened to. There were also numerous about in 2005 and since then, millions of stations for genres such as hip hop and videos have been posted and viewed world- pop music that allowed me to explore wide. YouTube went on to create a platform new songs and artists. As I played around with the applifor gamers, YouTube Gaming where gamers can unite for live streams, tutorials, and cation, I saw sections of music videos divided into categories such “Trending videos from gaming YouTubers. Then Now,” “YouTube Music Today,” YouTube Kids came out, an apand “New Music.” plication just for kids ages Similar to Spotify, 8 and under, where kids i Tu n e s M u s i c , a n d are able to view eduSoundCloud, Youcational videos along Tube Music allows with entertainment its users to listen videos. to music without Now there is the application YouTube Music, being opened. an application Along with that where you can enfunction, there is joy your favorite a switch to audio songs and discover mode next to the a variety of new search button. Aumusic. dio mode gives the Junior Richard Ma users an option of not explained why he would viewing a music video; innot use YouTube Music for stead, they can just listen to the his music purposes. “ P ro b a b l y n o t , b e - Illustration by Lu Yue Wang music. Freshmen Selena Viramotes cause I listen to pretty underrated music. I use Pandora and described her usage of the new applicaSoundCloud and it’s really rare that a playl- tion. “I think it’s cool because you get to ist actually knows what I want to listen to because I listen to like everything. I don’t multi-task,” Viramotes said. “[When really have a favorite music type,” Ma said. I’m doing my chores], I can just switch With the application comes YouTube Red, to audio mode and not have YouTube on a subscription for $12.99 a month; however, the whole time.” In one year, YouTube has made three there is a free 14-day trial given once you open the application. This trial will allow new applications and the future is someyou to listen offline and nonstop with no thing to hope for. YouTube Music is available for iPhones and Android devices. advertisements. Ki m Ta
Made in the A.M. by One Direction A good album is one that starts off with a bang; a song that gets one moving, makes heads bop, and puts instant smiles on faces. For One Direction’s latest album, Made in the A.M., the quartet does just that; their first track titled Hey Angel intrigued listeners with its use of psychedelic guitars to create a hypnotic and mesmeric sound. Made in the A.M. is the English-Irish band’s fifth and final album before their year-long hiatus. It is the only album so far without Zayn Malik, who left the band back in March 2015. Now left with Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Harry Styles, and Louis Tomlinson, the new album proves that the band is still strong; possibly even stronger without one member. Unlike their last four albums, which were more popcentric and consisted of cheesy songs about letting girls know that they are beautiful or chasing girls that they want, their newest album contains songs with meaningful lyrics that are not just the typical love songs. Songs such as Never Enough, What A Feeling, and Temporary Fix will definitely intrigue the ones who were not fans before. The music delivered will either make one cry or extremely happy; there is no inbetween. Briefs compiled by Uyen Sy, Christy Deng, and Vivian Wong
The Matador Muse
Illustration by Lu Yue Wang
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THE MATADOR
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015
LIFE & ART
Production explores family values, feminism
2015 POP CULTURE TRENDS
M a n n y I b a rr a
truly brought their characters to life. Not only were the people performing on task, but the whole team, San Gabriel High School students brought “The House from makeup to stage crew, did an amazing job in of Bernarda Alba” to life, directed by drama teacher Patrick this performance. The play was very meaningful, which the writer Posada. The performance shared a bit of the 1963 Spanish culture, which could be viewed in the setting, personality, attempted to point out. It really emphasized feminist topics in society and also gave us an opportunity and beliefs in the script. After her second husband died, Bernarda is left alone to to see the progress that we have made in solving manage the hacienda and be a mother to her five daughters. these problems. “This play is so inDue to old customs, she entense. It’s so different forces an eight-year period from any other play of mourning, trapping her that people usually do daughters at home. Her in high school because daughters slowly reach their it’s about serious topics limit with the pain of their [like] female oppression, father passing away and religion, and sexuality,” their overly-strict mother. senior Betty Zamora, Soon, tension builds up who played Bernarda, and they take it out on each said. other. Bernarda believed Angustias, the oldest women should be kept daugther, inherited a huge and belonged at home. fortune when her father, “The House of Bernarda Bernarda’s first husband, Alba” is a play that not passed away. Living in a only entertains people, small village, word spreads Photo by Stacy Chau but gets them thinking out fast, and a suitor came to about the idea hidden ask for her hand. Shockingly Bernarda, approves. The role of housemaids are taken on by sophomore in the show. Even with such a Martirio, mad with an- Brizeth Lomeli and senior Tina Sam in “The House great play, it would ger, reveals that the young- of Bernarda Alba.” not have been possible est daughter, Adela, has without the talented being seeing Angustia’s fiance, Pepe. Bernarda, who is ashamed of Adela for bring- people that put their time and effort into it. The ing disgrace to her family, goes out with a rifle and attempts students got a great experience from this play as to kill Pepe but misses. Adela, crushed from not being able well as a great message that made them think and to be with the man she loves and not knowing that Pepe is gives thanks to the improvments in modern society. It was a big success, with all the people involved, alive, goes to her room and hangs herself. The play was amazing; the actors did a great job, not and it is wonderful to have seen such a brilliant only performing but captivating the audience with their interpretation of “The House of Bernarda Alba” in emotions flowing on stage. Their hard work paid off as they San Gabriel High School.
Last film in Hunger Games series premieres scene ends, the screen vividly displays the words, “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay—Part 2.” Another aspect of the movie that I like is the It all started back in 2012, the first time that the suspense, the “What will happen?” then “What just world saw District 12’s Tribute, Katniss Everdeen, as happened?” I was jumping up and down with joy and other the girl on fire. Now, the Hunger Games trilogy has made its final stop into theaters on Nov. 20. “All good times with fear. The typical creature that pops out of nowhere things must come to an end,” is a common quote, and in the dark to give up a heart attack. Or the scene it applies to the Hunger Games trilogy. From the trilogy release beginning in 2008 and the where a tough life-changing decision is made by a character that either satisfy you or movie releases in 2012, there have been dozens of shock you. deaths, three Games held, As the movie was wrapping the first time the Games up, I thought to myself, “Wow, ended with two victors, what a long movie.” But at the and a love triangle. As an very end, the movie finished 11 year old, my first imwith a scene with Everdeen and pression was, “The HunMellark. ger Games? Is there food When I was watching the in this ‘game?’” And so, I movie, I wondered “what if,” bought the complete set of what if the world became the books back in 2008; unforHunger Games. Panem and the tunately, I failed to finish Districts had no choice but to reading all three books. give up their freedom to PresiFast forward to Nov. dent Snow. And if this could 25, 2015. I sat for 2 hours take place, who would be the and 17 minutes, not inKatniss Everdeen. cluding the previews and In my opinion, I would think advertisements before the that with President Snow gone, movie started, and in my the city of Panem would finally opinion, the movie was be peaceful, and so throughout worth it. the movie I was literally on In a review of the movie the edge of my seat to find out by Joe Morganstern in President Snow’s fate. Wall Street Journal, “The According to a review of the action in “Mockingjay— movie by the New York Times Part 2” is slow to gather, even though “MockingPhoto courtesy of Wikipedia by Manohla Dargis, “Katniss is the right heroine for these jay—Part 1” was all about setting the stage for the neo-feminist times.” decisive battle.” Overall, this movie had a really well-thought In my opinion, I admire the movie because of its many aspects. The action packed scenes appeals to out storyline, great acting by Jennifer Lawrence as me, since there are a number of violence that soon Katniss Everdeen, Josh Hutcherson as Peeta Mellark, and Liam Hemsworth as Gale Hawthorne, amazing decides the fate of Panem. In the beginning, Peeta Mellark appears in a scenery and costumes from every scene, great camera contained room with Katniss Everdeen looking over angles when the key events took place, the special him. Primrose Everdeen, Katniss’s sister, enters with effects that makes this movie stand out from all the specific instructions to get something out of him. othr movies in the Hunger Games trilogy. I would Afterwards, Mellark grows hysterical and shouts that give “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay—Part 2” a Katniss Everdeen should be killed. Right after this 4.5 out of 5. Ki m Ta
June 19
June 19
Pixar released Inside Out on June 19, a box office hit that has attracted viewers for over three months. Inside Out delves into the world of Riley and shows that Riley’s thoughts are controlled by a panel of animate feelings who are in a power struggle when Riley moves from Minneapolis to San Francisco.
July 13
After releasing “Back to Back,” Drake released “Hotline Bling” on July 13 as another non-album single. His song became a success, reaching number two on Billboard’s Hot 100 list. Drake eventually released a music video on Oct. 26, which consists of a compilation of clips of Drake dancing in various rooms.
November 20
After a hiatus since 2013, Adele makes a comeback with the release of her new single and music video, “Hello,” and album, “25,” on Nov. 20. The “Hello” music video has been a viral sensation, breaking the Vevo record for the most views within the 24-hour frame, garnering over 27.7 million views.
To begin the year, Directioners were in an uproar when One Direction band member, Zayn Malik, left the group in March 25. Malik stated that he left the group to take a break from music due to overwhelming stress. One Direction is still together as a group of four.
June 21
Taylor Swift never ceases to amaze. Swift withheld her album from Apple Music in protest of Apple’s policy of not paying artists their royalties during a user’s free trial. Swift decided to write a letter of complaint. Apple responded by changing their policies to compensate artists during the free trial.
July 15
With Harper Lee’s popular book To Kill a Mockingbird, Lee has released a rewrite, Go Set a Watchman, on July 15. While To Kill A Mockingbird depicted Atticus Finch as a Civil Rights advocate, the rewrite depicts him as a racist who believed African Americans must earn their rights.
Briefs complied by Anthony Yang Photos courtesy of Wikipedia
SPORTS
THE MATADOR
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015
10
2015-2016 Winter Sports Preview GIRLS BASKETBALL
Photo courtesy of Melissa Quach
BOYS BASKETBALL Fr ank Lieu
The girls varsity basketball team poses for a team picture after their annual game against basketball alumni on Nov. 25. The girls basketball team prepares for their upcoming tournaments and games against Almont League teams. Vi vi an Wong
Summary: As the winter season progresses, so too does girls varsity basketball. With many new and returning members, the team is more determined than ever to place first in league. “Our goal this year is to make it to [the] second round of CIF and to beat Keppel,” senior captain Melissa Quach said. “They always get first place in league, but we actually feel like this is the year where we can beat them.” Strengths: Although some of the team’s members are fairly young and inexperienced, with 10 upperclassmen juniors and four underclassmen, this year’s team has been the most athletic team as a whole compared to previous years. “We have a six-footer,” Quach said. In addition, there are nine returners from last year. Key Players: Everyone on the team plays a crucial role. However, the starters normally rotate amongst seniors Melissa Quach, Serena Tran, and Yamilett Castro, junior Jennifer Yan, and sophomores Christine Nguyen and Xue Fu. Comments: Although the team is prepared for their season, they hope to develop their skills even more before season arrives. “I’m looking forawrd to see improvements from all the players,” junior Rebecca Chan said.
GIRLS WRESTLING M a ri o M a n d u j a n o Summary: This winter season features a new girls wrestling team, something that has not occurred at San Gabriel in 15 years. Head Coach Alex Cabral understands the difficulty of competing as a newly-formed team; however, he says that “the team will see success if they continue to train everyday at practice.” Strengths: Senior varsity and veteran wrestler Penelope Hernandez highlights the many strengths of the newly-founded girls team, such as the respect that team members
have for each other. “We really try to push and motivate one another with strong encouragement,” Hernandez said. Key players: “Newcomers sophomore Lilian Zhang, junior Mina Lam and senior captain Penelope Hernandez are the wrestlers to look out for this new season,” Cabral said. Comments: “I feel like I have accomplished a lot and I have met a lot of people that have made an impact in my three years in wrestling,” Hernandez said about her last season.
Photo by Sunny Chen
At after school practice, Sophomore Lilian Nguyen, a first year member for the wrestling team, prepares to wrestle against her opponent, freshman David Gomez, who is also a first year member. This practice is to prepare the team for the upcoming tour naments, league, and California Interscholastic Foundation (CIF) matches.
Photo by Stacy Chau
Senior varsity member Joshua Giron prepares to shoot the ball through the basket for a free throw during the teams afterschool practices.
Summary: As the days lose their warmth and the beds fill with blankets, one thing is for sure: it is officially basketball season. Despite last year’s shortcomings, the Matadors will once again try to prove that they can compete with the Almont League’s elite basketball teams. Strengths: This year ’s squad is fairly balanced in terms of experience and athleticism. The Matador offense has evolved to fast paced plays, which include various different cuts and slashes. With new upgrades at the wing and guard position, San Gabriel will be able to keep fresh legs on the court with players that can play multiple roles on the offensive end. Key Players: Players to look for are sophomore Jarett Tan , who is the team’s first scoring option, as well as junior Preston Sayavong, Nick Miyamoto, and sophomore Andrew Canizal. Comments: “We definitely have the opportunity to make CIF this year,” varsity captain Boris Huang said. “We just have to go into every game with a mindset of playing as a team.”
BOYS WRESTLING H ellger t Almontes Summary: With the first San Gabriel wrestling tournaments on Dec. 11, wrestlers rush to prepare for their first matches of the season. Lead by Head Coach Alex Cabral, the team faces various challenges, such as having an abundance first year athletes, but that does not seem to be an issue to the team because they have the heart and effort to compete. Strengths: The team’s strengths this year are the experienced returning members and their abilities within league and potential in the postseason. One weakness the team possess is the high number of first year wrestlers, but they are willing to work hard despite their inexperience. Key players: Key wrestlers to look out for are senior Juan Sandoval and Milton Peraza, both of whom had performed well during the postseason. Comments: “I hope to leave the members with a drive and sense of accomplishment that they were able to complete a wrestling season,” Cabral said.
Photo by Sunny Chen
Senior Milton Peraza and freshman Dustin Huynh prepare to wrestle in a mock match during practice to develop their moves for the team’s upcoming tournament on Dec. 11.
GIRLS SOCCER
BOYS SOCCER Chelsea Huynh Summary: With new and eager recruits, the boys soccer team aims to play their hearts out and compete head to head against rival teams. Though the majority of this year’s team consists of underclassmen, their strong team bond, hard work, and potential for growth makes up for their lack of experience playing on the field. Strengths: The strengths of the team are the forwards. Playing as more of a offensive side, the team’s forwards possess the traits of talented soccer forwards — agility, speed, power, and precision. Head Coach Gabriel Garcia hopes that the seniors will step up to help the freshmen. Key Players: The key players who are expected to carry the team forward include senior midfielder James Coe, junior forward and team captain Hector Hernandez, junior forward Victor Duran, and sophomore goalkeeper Gerardo Salina.
Photo by Sunny Chen
C arolina Loaisiga
Photo courtesy of Jazmin Campos
Junior Hector Hernandez celebrates a goal with Head Coach Gabriel Garcia. Comments: “Our goals are to compete with [rival teams] and show them what we’re made of,” Garcia said. Garcia has high expectations for the team and hopes the team finish their season strong.
Summary: As the upcoming games start to arrive one after the other, the San Gabriel girls soccer team is ready to start their season strong under the lead of new Head Coach Albert Fernandez. “We graduated a lot of seniors last year; this year we are [inexperienced] in positions, especially the offense, but we are learning to play more as a team,” Fernandez said. Fernandez’s expectations are to work hard and compete for playing time. He also expects the team to be productive in school and in the community, and for the players to be [women] of character, and strive to
Junior captain and defender Crystal Alvarez shoots the ball toward the open net with a powerful kick during an after school practice to get ready for the teams upcoming tournament and game agaisnt Duarte on Dec 16.
win more games this year. Strengths: Fernandez highlights the team chemistry and the conditioning the team has had with summer training. “We are more mentally strong and we are more athletic because of the off season training,” Fernandez said. He also comments that “the team has been playing more like a team this year.” Key Players: One of the key players is senior midfielder Annie Wu. Comments: “Our main goal this year is to study, practice, and play like our former Coach Monica always taught us to play. We want to show the passion and determination she showed while coaching this team,” Fernandez said.
11
THE MATADOR
Tell Me
what’s the
WORD. Famous Hallway quotes, Volume Seventy-two
“I pray more in Calculus class than I do in church.” -Student after taking a math test. “A dog that is indifferent is called a cat.” -Teacher trying to reason with students. “Do Chinese people even love each other?” -Student on about student relationships.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015
FEATURES
Posada connects theater, culture with ‘The House of Bernada Alba’ C a rol i na Garci a Velvet drapes cover a small hallway that leads to a room filled with bright lights and numerous chairs facing the stage of the little theatre. Patrick Posada, visual arts teacher and play director, can almost always be found in the little theatre either instructing his drama class or directing a play. Posada has directed over 60 plays at San Gabriel and is adding to that number with his most recent play “The House of Bernarda Alba.” The play is unique from other plays that Posada has directed in that “The House of Bernarda Alba” is an all-female play and is a Spanish script translated into English. “I chose this play [because] I wanted to give our students the opportunity to see a culture different from their own,” Posada said. “Even though we are different, we have a lot of commonalities.” His choice to have an all female cast was largely influenced by the controversy that arose in Hollywood. Actresses have been speaking out on equal pay for the equal work that they do compared to that of men. Posada wanted to highlight equal rights
for women in this play by casting all female roles. The cast and crew worked hard to put up the play in less than three months. They faced schedule conflicts because so many of the cast members had other activities to attend to besides rehearsal. The play was filled with a cast who is involved in sports, leadership positions and other after school activities. “Doing the play involved so much time and so much hard work,” senior Betty Zamora said. “I had to run everywhere to get to rehearsal on time.” However, the hardships were well worth the result, which turned out to be a beautiful performance that the audience greatly enjoyed. The audience was left amazed by the work that the cast and crew were able to accomplish with the direction of Posada. His goal was to introduce theatre to those who have never been exposed to it and he did a tremendous job doing so. “Everyone should go to the theatre [and] use their imagination to transport to another era,” Posada said. “Everything is so quick, attention spans are getting shorter so it’s great for our students to come and have a relationship with the play.”
“Biology, more like BYEology.” -Student joking in science class.
All quotes overheard by The Matador Staff.
Photo courtesy of Kimberly Wong/El Camino Real
The cast of “The House of Bernada Alba” poses for one last group picture.
Graphic by Christy Deng
Hano finds new world in gymnastics Mar io Mandujano
She lands double back flips in layout position with a simultaneous 180 degree turn on the second flip. The stunt is only one of many feats senior Felicia Hano can perform in her gymnastic routines. Since a young age, Hano has had a passion for gymnastics. She has perfected her flexibility, balance, and control. Starting from the age of three, Hano had achieved many awards and accomplishments for what used to be just a hobby. Hano believed her interest in gymnastics began when she saw gymnasts on television. Her mother later enrolled her in classes, which intensified her passion for gymnastics. “When I do gymnastics, I get an overwhelming feeling of accomplishment,” Hano said. “Being able to do a stunt I never thought I could do before is one of the greatest feelings in the world.” Though gymnastics initially started as a hobby for Hano, she later began to participate in several major competitions and won a numerous amount of medals, such as two gold medals in the 2012 & 2013 Junior Olympic National Championships and was part of Team USA that received a team gold medal in the 2014 Pan American Championship, which was hosted in Canada. Hano describes the feeling of being able to participate in these competitions as “a satisfying experience.” “I love competing because I am a competitive person. The competitions taught me how to stay calm in stressful situations,” Hano said. She also gained the opportunity to travel around the nation and to other countries. Hano has traveled to Texas for a national team training camp and various other states for competitions, like New York and Chicago. In addition, she also had the opportunity to compete in Russia as part of the USA Team for the World Age Group Game Championships. Her talent was quickly recognized; Hano was offered a full athletic scholarship from University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and is ready to sign her National Letter of Intent in April to pursue a major in criminal justice, while being a collegiate student athlete. “I feel blessed to have a scholarship, but I worked extremely hard for it, and I know I deserve it,” Hano said. Competing in the Olympics was at one point an option for Hano, but she sustained an unfortunate ankle injury earlier in July while warming up. Four major ligaments in that section of her foot were torn, and on Oct. 12, she underwent successful reconstructive surgery and now awaits the go-ahead to continue training in what she loves most. Hano is currently on the road to recovery and is starting to take “baby steps” in order to help her ease back into her normal routine. Photo courtesy of Felicia Hano
FEATURES
THE MATADOR
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015
12
Students celebrate winter holidays in different ways Mari o Mand uj ano
This time of year, families gather to celebrate the season according to their culture and traditions. At San Gabriel, a diverse student body contributes to a broad array of celebrations. Some students, like senior Raj Singh, do not celebrate Christmas as it is known in the Western world. “[Christmas] is more popular and accepted in the Western world than it is in Indian culture,” Singh said. “We [Sikhs] do have a small celebration at our church, and that is only because we live in the West and must become accustomed and adapt to [the West’s] customs and culture.” Throughout December, Mexican and Hispanic communities perform “posadas,” or dramatized reenactments of the Virgin Mary and her husband Joseph’s search for lodging on Jesus’s birthday. The “Christ” is certainly emphasized and alive in the word “Christmas” for most traditional Hispanic families. The celebration runs from Dec. 25, Jesus’s biblical birthday, to Jan. 6, when the three wise men greeted the baby Jesus with gifts. On both days, families hold feasts with traditional foods and beverages, as well as exchange gifts.
Junior Barbara Aguilar shared her Peruvian Christmas traditions. “Like most other cultures that celebrate Christmas, we gather with family, and we hold a feast,” Aguilar said. Meals often consist of turkey, salads, a traditional sweet bread called “panettone,” and sometimes tamales. “Before the feasting though, we gather around the nativity scene and pray,” Aguilar said. “Towards the end of the night, we salute each other with hugs, and kisses, and thank-you’s for the presents.” Aguilar added that in Peru, people also celebrate Christmas by lighting fireworks at midnight, and families watch on their rooftops. Senior Malinda Lo stated that her family does not practice Christmas in a spiritual sense. “From personal experience, I have observed that those from most of Asia and not from any branch of the Christian religion do not celebrate Christmas traditionally apart from the secular, American form of celebrating, such as decorating with a Christmas tree and exchanging gifts,” Lo said. Many spend this time of year with family and loved ones; regardless of one’s religious affiliations, the spirit of Christmas spreads kindness and the delight of giving.
Clubs give back to community with holiday services B ri t n e y Ti ng Christmas time is almost here, and people everywhere are celebrating it in their own style. San Gabriel High School’s clubs, for example, are holding various drives to provide items and necessities for those who need it. Educating the Community (ETC) conducted a toy drive on behalf of the Los Angeles Children’s Hospital. Requested items included Play-Doh, coloring books and utensils, soft dolls, playing cards, and craft kits. The hospital plans to distribute the toys to patients who have been in the hospital for an extended period of time. “Most people go shopping for holiday gifts [during Christmas], but [ETC] decided to give to those who are less fortunate than us,” sophomore Emily Su, president of ETC, said. “We hope that our love will reach the heart of those who need it the most and put a smile on their faces.” Interact also held holiday drives of their own. One of them, the Holiday Toy Drive, collected toys for children in need. The club expanded this event to the public by setting up a table at the Alhambra Farmers Market. The other drive was conducted in partnership with the Guadalupe Homeless Project, a homeless shelter. Requested items included clothing, toiletries, and razors, along with other necessities needed to keep warm during the
upcoming cold winter months. “We’re working with an older group, LA5 Rotary Club. There’ll be a City of Angel Celebration on Saturday [to pass the donated toys out],” sophomore Jerome J-Ee, liaison between Interact and its sponsor club, said. “It’s one of the best ways to actually help people directly.” #HashtagLunchbag is hosting a donation drive for LA Mission, a homeless shelter. Clothes, blankets, and toiletries are currently being accepted in A204. “It’s getting colder, and when we saw on [LA Mission’s] website that [the organization] needed a lot of donations, we just wanted to help them,” junior Sandy Ip, president of #HashtagLunchbag, said. Christmas time is a time of holiday spirit and cheer, and the clubs of San Gabriel are making sure that everyone is able to enjoy it despite the hardships they may face. The services held by ETC and Interact are over, but ETC has expressed that they would nevertheless welcome any additional donations in room P106. #HashtagLunchbag’s drive ends on Dec. 17.
Illustration by Lu Yue Wang, Graphic by Kelly Ho