The Matador Feb 2015 by The Matador

Focus

Life & Art

“You & Me: High School Relationships” pg. 6-7

THE

Features

“Talent show preview” pg. 9

“MESA arms itself with prosthetics” pg. 11

Matador

Volume 60, NUMBER 6

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2015

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

Flour baby project teaches students about responsibility, childcare A my Yee

Photo by Sydney Trieu

Junior Giovanny Rivas takes care of his flour baby, Isaac, as a part of Medical Careers Academy’s project.

Smartphones become unable to access school Wi-Fi network F ra n k Li eu One of the things modern teenagers value most is their access to the Internet. However, not all students with smartphones have access to the Internet when abroad or at home due to parental or monetary constraints. With that in mind, San Gabriel High School has supplied students with free Wi-Fi access over the past couple years. Recently, students have discovered that access to the school’s Wi-Fi network has been restricted to laptops and staff electronics, leaving many disconnected and in the dark. “I think it’s pretty inconvenient,” junior David Tran said. “People would want to check their grades or do some research [with the Internet].” Phones can still recognize the school’s free Wi-Fi, but when students attempt to connect to “AUSD-STUDENT,” they find their smartphones are unable to connect and therefore cannot access the Internet. “With such a demand on the Internet network, e-mails and other basic [online tools] stop functioning,” Principal Jim Schofield said. With heavy usage of smartphones and Internet straining the network, the school’s free Wi-Fi seemed to slow down or terminate entirely for some devices. With so many people trying to use the Wi-Fi at a given time, the Internet system becomes severely congested, which means sending and receiving data to devices will slow or come to a standstill. Similar to a highway, an increase of cars and a limited number of lanes will cause problems to arise, as traffic jams and slowdowns will occur. The highway requires a period of “reconstruction,” which consists of adding more lanes to meet the demand for school Wi-Fi. This problem does not pertain to only San Gabriel; this issue has popped up throughout all schools in the Alhambra Unified program. “This is not just San Gabriel, its a district wide problem.” Schofield said. “Other schools are experiencing the same thing.” Only 39 percent of U.S. public schools have Wi-Fi networks in place. The idea of having Internet in schools has only been recently introduced and applied to students across the nation. “This is like test and adjust,” Schofield said. “[Campus Internet] is relatively a new idea. We were testing this idea, and now we are adjusting to make it better.” No date has been released yet regarding the return of the school’s free student Wi-Fi, but Schofield will provide students with an update and new information about this issue in the next lunch with the principal.

Junior Giovanny Rivas cooes lovingly to a mysterious bundle of clothes nestled in the crook of his arm. Upon further inspection, the bundle is actually a ten-pound flour sack dressed in baby clothes; Rivas is one of the many students participating in a Medical Careers Academy (MCA) project exclusive to its juniors. Pairs of students were required to take care of a flour sack “baby” for a week, beginning on Feb. 3 and ending on Feb. 8. “The goal of this project is [for students to realize] that the decisions they make now can affect their future,” MCA teacher Cynthia Okimura said. “This is first time MCA has ever done this.” The baby care routine revolved around the concept of “checkpoints” and a schedule, both of which were listed on an outline given to the students by Okimura. The pairs alternated between day and night shifts, treating the flour baby as if it were their own child The checkpoints were basically different tasks expected of parents undergoing the task of raising a child, such as changing the baby’s diaper, putting it to sleep, and feeding it. Pairs were to record themselves performing the task for at least two minutes as proof of its completion. “A lot of them are taking the project very seriously,

and that was what I was hoping for,” Okimura said. Throughout the activity, students had the opportunity to experience life as a parent, and were given information about the necessities, financial costs, and physical and emotional strain of raising a child. “I feel like this project gave us a realistic interpretation of teen parenting,” junior Megan Ma said. “Before this, [I didn’t know what it was like] and now I realize how difficult it is as a parent to maintain the life of a child.” Other students also voiced their opinions on feeling the toll of parenting, which they felt was physically taxing. “I began to understand how it felt to be a real parent,” Rivas said. “My arms would hurt from carrying the baby, but overall, it was an enlightening experience.” However, not all of MCA’s juniors shared the same sentiment; some felt that this activity should be assigned when students are older. “I think [learning about this is too early] and I think I [should be experiencing] this when I’m in my mid twenties,” junior Andy Thai said. “But I still think this was helpful for my future career in nursing.” By the end of the project, each pair of students will put on a presentation detailing their journey through parenthood, including a reflection about their feelings and thoughts regarding the project as a whole.

California community colleges soon to offer specialized degrees

Graphic by Christy Deng

S yd ney Tr ieu Fifteen community colleges in Calif. were chosen to be a part of a pilot program that would allow them to offer a four-year, bachelor’s degrees in specific fields. In this plan, tuition fees for such degrees in selected community colleges would total to around $10,000, roughly half of the tuition at California State Universities (CSUs), according to the Los Angeles Times. Signed into law by California Governor Jerry Brown, the bill was intended to fill the shortage of college-educated workers in America’s growing workforce. One of these colleges is Rio Hondo College, located just 20 minutes from Alhambra. This college will offer a Bachelor of Science degree in automotive technology, building on its already successful program, established in the Fall 2016 semester.

“People are lining up to get in as soon as the program opens,” John Frala, a professor of automotive technology at Rio Hondo College, said. “We have the heavy equipment and machinery needed to work in this field, and it’s very popular. The program is well thought-out.” Frala explained that most manufacturers require a degree for workers, and a bachelor’s is a great stepping stone for those who wish to work in those fields. “There are tons of unfilled jobs in mechanical engineering and related fields. The [automotive technology] program would give so many of those jobs to people who need them,” Frala said. At Santa Monica College, 30 minutes away from Alhambra, a similar program will be offered for interactive design, also known as user experience design. “There’s a great need for skill in user experience design, especially since we’re located in the heart of Silicon Beach,” Grace Smith, Santa Monica College’s public information officer, said. “People with these skills are in great demand for many jobs.” Lower-division classes will begin in the fall of 2015, and upper-division classes will follow in the fall of 2016. In addition to promoting community colleges, President Barack Obama announced in his State of the Union Address on Jan. 20 that he would propose a plan to make two years of community college free for those who were willing to work for it. The federal government would cover 75 percent of the costs, while the state would pay for the remaining 25 percent. Its aim, like the new bachelor’s degree programs, is to build the educational foundations needed support the growing workforce.

NEWS

THE MATADOR

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2015

Student Voice builds student-teacher relations “One student thought teachers should not make participation as a grade,” Wu said. “[The students] didn’t like being forced to participate. She said ‘If a teacher gives me points to talk to my group, it gives me a lot negative pressure that I don’t want.’ I [had] never thought about that, that’s an example where Mr. Nguyen and I thought, ‘We never knew that!’ And there’s a lot of those wow moments, [things] that are very obvious to the students, but not obvious to [the teachers] at all.” English teacher Riley Mason believed seeing the video was an “affirmation of things” that he does. “I’ve created that kind of climate in my class, where students can speak their opinions,” Mason said. “I would like for students to think, ‘I can give my opinion and it’s going to be heard.’ You think of the times when students just say, ‘I don’t want to talk, [since] nobody cares anyways,’ and I don’t want students to have that feeling.” Senior David Gonzalez was one of the 27 students chosen to be a part of the Student Voice project. He believed “teachers should have better student-teacher relationships so [teachers] can understand what [students] are going through and all the problems they are [experiencing].” “[I hope] teachers [will] be a little bit more understanding of students, so if [a student] is failing their test or not doing well in the class, they’ll [understand] the reason why,” Gonzalez said. “I hope the teacher [will understand] what their situation is and not just assume ‘this student is just failing that class because he doesn’t like school.’ I’m not trying to say ‘go easy’ on the student, but [to] understand their situation try to help them out [with] what they’re going through.” Freshman Angie Vuong felt “good” to be

H a n f re y De n g Expressing apprehension from being a minority in an Advanced Placement (AP) class, sharing family and personal hardships in students’ lives, and appreciating teachers for preparing students for college—these were some of the moments featured in the Student Voice video project. To strengthen their understanding of students, teachers watched and reflected upon a presentation known as the Student Voice project. The two-hour presentation after school during the minimum day on Jan. 29 gave teachers the opportunity to realize the subtle details in student lives that are not directly obvious to teachers. The Student Voice project, produced by science teacher Amy Wu and math teacher Nicolas Nguyen, consisted of a series of videos emphasizing the importance between student input and teacher response to form a communicative unit. The videos included condensed interviews from 27 students, detailing students’ opinions and observations of the San Gabriel environment. Wu stated that students were intentionally selected “based on [their] grade level, ethnicity, [and] involvement in school.” “[We included students] who are really involved in school and [students] who just come to school and go home,” Wu said. “We tried to get a wide variety of students for the interviews [for a wide range of opinions].” The teachers were shown four short videos, with topics such as student learning and student attitude and culture on campus. After each video, teachers reflected in groups and individually about how students learn and the qualities that constitute a good teacher.

Screenshot by Hanfrey Deng

Screenshot: Senior David Gonzalez speaks about hardships students undergo that teachers seldom hear about in an interview for the Student Voice project. able to participate in the Student Voice project, armed with the knowledge that teachers “wanted to hear about [her] opinion.” “One question would be how I thought teachers should teach,” Vuong said, “like what teaching styles teachers could use to help me learn better. Probably to have some hands on activities, because always having the teacher teaching can be pretty boring. Hopefully, teachers will use the videos to teach their classes better. ” Senior Jaleen Lujan thinks San Gabriel “should be more involved with criteria,” as “[students] need [to meet] to fulfill the A-G requirements.” “If I didn’t know what [classes] I should have taken, then I don’t think I would have done that well [in school],” Lujan said. “I asked [Ms. Wright] if I should take Chemistry Honors, and she told me I should take

an honor class because that’s a good A-G requirement and that I’ll get into a better college. [If I didn’t know about the A-G requirements], then I would have ended up in classes that wouldn’t have challenged me and pushed me to [reach] my [full] potential.” The production of the Student Voice project began last Sept., with English Language Department Coordinator Debbie Stone suggesting the idea. Math teacher Nicholas Nguyen and science teacher Amy Wu were interested and volunteered to make the project a reality. Assistant Principal of Student Services Jocelyn Castro also helped Wu and Nguyen because of her experience with a similar project at Alhambra High School. Students hope that teachers will continue to listen to student voices in order to build better relationships.

Periodic tardy sweeps by administration monitor student punctuality K el l y H o The tardy sweep, consisting of San Gabriel campus supervisors, swept up students from buildings E to P throughout the entire month of January. Administrators stationed at strategic points across campus anticipated students arriving after the tardy bell, and worked closely to round them up and reduce tardiness throughout the school. Prior to the introduction of tardy sweeps, Student Services had revised the attendance policy to monitor student punctuality. However, in an increased effort to encourage more timely arrivals, the tardy sweep system was implemented as a student intervention program in accordance to the new attendance policy. Students swept up by the administrators are required to report to the quad and show their school identification card for scanning. Afterwards, they are issued 30-minute detention, to be served at a later time, and are dismissed for class. For some students, the tardy sweep system is indication that there is a lack of time for students to get to class. Junior Andrew Ayala expressed his misgivings on the efficiency of such intervention. Photo by Kelly Ho College “It is not really fair. Even though we might be helping out in Administrators collected and College scanned late Fair class, they think we’re fooling around or walking really slow,” Ayala said. “[They think] we’re not trying to get to the next class, students’ IDs during a tardy sweep Fair on Jan. 28.

FEBRUARY 2015 1 8 15 22

Lincoln’s Birthday (No School)

President’s Day (No School)

Club Picture Day

Collaboration

Collaboration/ Celebration of Learning

Sadie Hawkins Dance

2nd period

Senior Panoramic Picture

7 14

Valentine’s Day

Temple City Parade

[and] they stop us and say we’re tardy, but the eight minutes [of passing period] are not enough.” Despite student concerns, the tardy sweep system has gained support from members of the faculty. Psychology teacher Mark Juarez gave his thoughts on the importance of arriving to class on time and the creation of tardy intervention programs like tardy sweeps. “You cannot learn if you are not in class. For a teacher, that is my main concern. The tardy sweeps are not the answer, but they are one response. We have to try all of them,” Juarez said. “For [our students], maybe tardy sweeps are what it takes to make that happen. You really have to do things like tardy sweeps. I do not think anyone enjoys them, but they are a necessary evil. Tardy sweeps have a short-term effect, and they need to combined with others, but I think they [serve as a useful tool].” At a tardy sweep during fifth period on Jan. 28, a mere three students were caught being late to class. Assistant Principal Jocelyn Castro feels that the tardy sweeps are effective in producing a higher rate of students attending class on time. “Eight minutes is plenty of time to get from point A to point B,” Castro said. “The tardy sweeps are meant to reemphasize [the importance of attending class on time to fully learn the material].” Tardy sweeps will continue to be conducted regularly until student tardiness is obsolete.

THE MATADOR

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2015

NEWS

Speech and debate team kicks off spring season Kelly Ho

Photo courtesy of Choreo

The Choreo team poses triumphantly with their first place trophy after the Sharp Regionals competition on Jan. 31 at Santa Fe High School.

Choreo team wins first place Yi ng C how The Choreo team danced its way into first place during the Sharp Regionals competition at Santa Fe High School on Jan. 31. Going against Serra High School and Vaas High School, two powerful rivals, the team was initially doubtful but was ultimately able to overcome and surpass its competitors’ performances. Thirteen Choreo members scored a total of 93.75 points, which surpassed all other scores achieved by San Gabriel’s Choreo teams from previous competitions, making it the highest that San Gabriel has ever received. The team received two trophies: one for most enthusiastic team and the other for placing first. The members were surprised, as they did not expect to hear that they had placed first in their first competition of the year. “Getting to where we were took a really long time,” Choreo captain Amber Dykeman said. “We had to practice every day of the week, which was really strenuous, but we had a group talk, which brought our attitudes up.” Under the supervision of Coach Rosalee Cabral, the girls practiced for months to perfect their hip hop routine. Cabral was pleased to see that the girls were improving and pushing themselves during the last week of practice. As the girls walked confidently onto the dance floor, they were greeted with cheers and applauses from friends, family, and the other teams. The team did their best on the dance floor, pouring their hearts into the routines that they had practiced for so long. “I’m really proud of them,” Cabral said. “I know they can accomplish so much. They just have to keep setting their minds to it. These girls are some of the hardest workers I know.” The girls’ hard work paid off at the competition. Dykeman said that not only did their commitment to Choreo bring them closer to the championships, it also brought them closer to one another. After regionals, Choreo will participate in the 14th Street Dance USA Championships on Feb. 14.

Arriving at 7:30 a.m. in suits and skirts, the Matador speech and debate team made their way into Arcadia High School for the annual Spring Varsity speech tournament on Jan. 31. After months of preparation, San Gabriel High speech and debate students participated in their respective events, such as Impromptu (IMP), Foreign Extemporaneous Speaking (FX), Original Oratory (OO), Humorous Interpretation (HI), Oratorical Interpretation (OI), and Dramatic Interpretation (DI). Nine students broke into the semifinal round: freshman Emily Su in OO, freshman Elaine Tran in DI, sophomore Tom Cheah in FX and IMP, sophomore Kelly Ho in IMP, sophomore Dion Jiao in DI, sophomore Calvin Phung in FX, and junior Eric Thai in DI, senior Eric Hong in OI and DI, senior Robert Lam in OI. Students in spontaneous events (IMP and FX) worked two hours every day after school with each other on delivering information about social issues and international news smoothly. In the days prior to Spring Varsity, students especially worked on their weaknesses. “I was surprised when I saw [that I broke into semifinals] because I always thought of myself as a poor speaker who [often] stumbled,” Phung

Photo courtesy of Leon Chan

The Matador speech and debate Spring Varsity competitors pose in rows, hoisting their hardwon sweepstakes trophy proudly in the air, with Coach Andrew Nguyen in the front row (left).

Measles outbreak causes worry in California E ri n Tru o ng A month into the new year, and a recent outbreak of measles has already surpassed one-sixth of the 644 cases seen nationwide during 2014, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) attributed the source of the outbreak to visitors or employees of Orange County’s Disneyland. The virus was spread throughout Dec. and Jan., and the CDC reported 107 cases in Calif. as of Feb. 9. Calif.’s relatively lax vaccination laws may be to blame for the increasing amount of infections. By law, Californian parents can excuse their children from receiving two doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, as health officials recommend, by citing religious or personal beliefs. A controversy in 1998 may have contributed to the parents’ suspicion of the vaccine. “[The paranoia surrounding the MMR] started off with a false study that connected the MMR with autism,” school nurse Karen Carrillo said. “Before the data was known to be false, it spread like a wildfire through the autism community, and a lot of parents were publicizing [the study] and were telling everyone that they knew was pregnant not to take the MMR.” Not immunizing can greatly endanger oneself and others, especially children under five. The measles virus is extremely deadly because of how quickly the disease can be spread, as according to the CDC, the virus can linger in a room for up to two hours. For infants, who lack an immune system between birth and age one, contracting the measles can lead to catching another disease, such as pneumonia, or even death. Although the United States possesses a system called “herd immunization,” in which an immunized majority protects an unprotected minority from contracting a disease, if enough people are unvaccinated, the chances of their catching and spreading the disease becomes

said. “I hope to improve and have [a stronger performance] at the next tournament.” The tournament was full of many firsts for the novice members of the speech and debate team. Freshman Elaine Tran advanced to her first final round in DI after months of working on her script My Mother’s Touch. “I tried not to [overpractice] at home so my speech would have a fresh feel,” Tran said. “I [also] got support and different advice from all the JV and varsity [for my speech].” In comparison to results at Spring Varsity from last year, the speech and debate team has improved greatly, bringing back their third sweepstakes trophy in two years. The recent success of the speech and debate team has not only astounded its current members but its graduates as well. Leon Chan, an alumnus from the class of 2013, commented on the growth he had seen in the team’s size and performance after judging in the tournament. “I think that the team has grown significantly. When I was here, the entire team was 20 people and we were [constantly trying to recruit members],” Chan said. “Winning a sweepstakes trophy was unheard of, but now, they have been getting them consistently.” Focus during practice will be shifted from varsity to novice in preparation for Spring Novice on Feb. 21.

much greater. According to Carrillo, the CDC has placed restrictions on the unimmunized in areas where measles cases have appeared to prevent such an event. However, she also said that the best preventive measure is immunization. “No one is actually immune [to measles,] but a person who has been vaccinated and who does make contact with [the virus] has an instant immune response,” Carrillo said. “People who are immunized are not going to be sick. They may catch a rash, but it will be resolved quickly.” Carrillo also noted that many children are not immunized in a timely manner. The MMR requires two doses, the first after a child’s first birthday and the second four weeks later. “But some parents are afraid to get it all on schedule,” Carrillo said. “They think it’s too many shots at once. So they slow down the process so it’s [spread out] over years instead of before [a child enters] kindergarten.” Pregnant women must be especially careful. Carrillo said that the developing child can “become disabled or have severe neurological problems” if it catches the measles while in the mother’s body. The CDC noted that the majority of people who contracted the disease were unvaccinated. It should be noted that the high number of outbreaks in the United States during 2014-15 was extremely unusual, as the CDC reported that between 2000-2013, the number of yearly cases was below 300. At the moment, a total of 17 states have reported cases of measles within their borders. Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and Washington D.C. altogether have reported 121 measles cases. Additional information and updates about the measles outbreak can be found on the CDPH website.

Campaign for underprivileged students gains worldwide support R ebecca Lei It took less than two weeks for the world to raise more than half a million dollars to dramatically alter the futures of the students of the Mott Hall Bridges Academy in Brownsville, Brooklyn–the poorest neighborhood with the highest crime rate in New York City. This crusade, hosted by “Humans of New York” creator Brandon Stanton through Indiegogo, began on Jan. 22 with the initial goal of raising $100,000 to give students a chance to step outside the slums on a trip to Harvard University. The trip, a brainchild of Stanton and principal Nadia Lopez, aims to inspire the students to aspire towards more than their humble beginnings. As of Feb. 9, more than 50 thousand donors worldwide have contributed monetary donations towards this undertaking; the fundraiser, which ended Feb. 10, has already set records for most donors on the Indiegogo site. Reactions toward the campaign have been overwhelmingly positive. Along with appreciation toward the fundraiser’s endeavor to inspire children, many believe that such trips should be implemented in elementary and junior high schools so that students may explore the option of attending college in the future. “For the students that are not sure whether they want to [pursue higher education], I think this will definitely motivate them and broaden their choices,” senior Thao Vi Phan said. “I think that [San Gabriel] could benefit from a trip like this, since more students want to stay closer to home, including me. Something like this could really help us decide whether [being far from home] is something we want to experience.” Lopez thanked contributors for their donations, stating, “We’re all going to Harvard!” *This article is abridged. To read the full article, visit thematadorsghs.com.

OPINIONS “Emm”y material” Emmanuel Maresca “Being me” I’ve done quite a bit of growing up since eighth grade, when I thought I knew who I was for sure. While going through high school, you change a lot, and you can never be sure who you’re going to be in just a few short years. I remember that when I was a freshman, I thought I was going to be into anime and love wearing tons of rave bracelets forever. Now, I look back, and I’m embarrassed. I used to spend hours looking at memes on the Internet. I even used to think I was straight! None of that is who I am today. Change is good. I’m proud every time I look back and think about how embarrassing I was last year because it means I’ve improved who I am. The same thing goes for when you remember who you used to be friends with. I look back on toxic relationships I’ve had, and I pride myself in having left toxic people behind. Changing and getting rid of stuff that you don’t like anymore shouldn’t be thought of as selfish. People tell me “You’re not the same anymore,” like it’s a bad thing. A bad kind of change in yourself would be if you’re doing it for someone else. That’s not cool, and you won’t be happy if you try to change who you are to make a certain person like you. Whenever you decide that you want to change who you are, people are quick to go up to your face and say “You’re fake.” Those people don’t know you! If I went around listening to stuff like that, I’d be so unhappy. I learned that the hard way. When I was a sophomore, I would hang around with a group of people who would ostracize me if I didn’t act according to what they wanted. It was really messed up, so I broke that off. For a while, I felt guilty and selfish, but the change was for my own good. I always look at myself and think about what I could do better. I look at my face in the mirror six times a day and imagine things I could do to make myself cuter. I could fix up my eyebrows or get a striking new haircut. It’s fun to think about changes. I feel like my own little project that I keep adding little bits to every day. Last year, I had long, luscious locks of hair that everyone in class would go crazy over. I started hating them because they made me look like I was a big, sweaty seventh grader. So I promptly went to the barber and shaved them off. I had people tell me I was a potato and that my head looked like a kiwi or something. I thought I looked really butch and tough. I really liked it, so I think I’m going to try to keep that style. Once upon a time, I thought I would never, ever have short hair because it wouldn’t look good on me, but growing up makes you think differently about things about yourself. It’s the same thing with body image. All my life, I wanted to be super skinny, and just recently, probably a few months ago, I woke up and realized I could never be skinny. I’m just not built that way, and that’s super cool. I had a boyfriend sophomore year that said directly to my face that I’d be “cuter as a skinny guy.” That really sucked it made me feel like I had to go through another change because someone close to me said so. Sure, I’ve lost a bit of weight since then, but I did it because I wanted to. I’ve made it my policy to change myself for no one other than me. People call me conceited for it, but changing who you are isn’t about anyone else. Change can be selfish, and that’s the best part.

THE MATADOR WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2015

Writer’s view

Ethnic gaps prevail in AP classes Mari o Mand uj ano

It is no secret that there is a lack of symmetry between Asian and Latino students in classrooms and in a number of other on-campus clubs; however, the gap between the largest ethnic groups at San Gabriel High School are even more staggering within its Advanced Placement (AP) classes. In a school consisting of 56.37 percent Asians and 40.46 percent Hispanics, the gap between the two could excusably prevail if the ratios were not so large. In three classes of AP Calculus AB and BC totaling 108 students, there are no Hispanic students, judging by last names. AP math courses are not the only classes in which this problem has been noted; similar situations exist in relatively every AP class the school has to offer. In the English Language AP class numbering 107 students, only 16 appeared to be of Hispanic descent, judging by last name. And in the AP Biology class consisting of 36 students, only four appeared to be Hispanic.

“We’ve had that imbalance for over 20 years; it is our district’s focus to fix it,” School Community Coordinator Beatriz Macias said. Still, if it has been in existence for over 20 years, what exactly has the district been doing to solve the issue? Programs have been made available specifically for Latinos to take advantage of in order to progress onto higher academic levels and balance the scale, including programs that involve free math summer school courses. Now, the next step would be getting students to apply for and attend such programs. The district, as well as the school and clubs such as the SGHS Latino Academic Alliance, is certainly implementing solutions; nevertheless, true progress cannot be seen until students themselves decide to take action. One can say that they wish to attend a prestigious college in pursuit of a successful career to make their parents proud, yet refuse to fulfill their role as the person responsible for achieving such goals. Perhaps it is the entire 15.91 percent population difference between the two

groups that causes the differences, but it remains difficult to offer a single reason as to why this is happening. The cause may have been provoked by the amount of effort exerted by students in classes prior to each new school year. Needless to say, the trend of inventing new excuses to justify avoiding AP classes and extracurricular clubs continues to grow. The imbalance within the biggest clubs on campus can be noted with just a glance at their meetings. As the only Hispanic cabinet member of the Interact service club, I could not help but notice the lack of heavy Latino involvement at the first meeting. Again, the excuses are endless. It seems as if students do not acknowledge the importance of being well-rounded. These inactive students either choose to be ignorant of these things or are simply not being informed. It is my belief that non-AP students are not being as informed about college credentials as those who are in AP classes. Solutions must be found to fix the imbalance in order to enlarge the diversity of students motivated to pursue a higher education.

Meninism receives mixed feelings Eri n Truong Hashtags and tempers flew as supposed men’s rights activists flocked under the garishly red banner of #meninism, overrunning social media sites with ignorant and offensive comments. The so-called meninists, under the false pretense of supporting downtrodden and exploited men, were skewered by disparaging feminists soon after their misogyny went mainstream. Though many meninists screamed misandry when feminists flocked to confront the underlying chauvinism of the movement, in reality, meninism is nothing but an expression of bigotry by entitled adolescents with more interest in fraternities than social justice. Don’t believe me? Think I am being too harsh? Then feel free to look up meninism on the social media site of your choice. Though the vast majority of meninism’s worst aspects have been obscured by posts from feminists criticizing the movement, if you wade deep enough, you’ll find yourself entrenched in an ocean of manure. Choice comments such as “real men have curves too!” and “when she looks good from behind, then she turns around” float around the data sea of the Internet, concrete proof that the vast majority of meninists are men who mistakenly attribute their physical unattractiveness and/or women for their lack of romantic prospects rather than their problematic personalities. Ironically, the tag was originally founded to support gender equality through satire and parody, much like the Twitter page #WomenAgainstFeminism. But within a few days of its conception, the tag was spammed by unironically cruel and insensitive comments before fading into obscurity. Now, it has resurfaced. Perhaps the worst thing about meninism is that it does nothing to help men. Not once has a self-proclaimed meninist attempted to raise awareness for men who have experienced rape, abuse, or gender inequality, but perhaps it’s for the best that it doesn’t. Feminism, despite the prefix “fem,” already encompasses gender equality in its doctrine. Although the movement’s main goal is greater women’s rights, feminists have also supported male victims in a way that supposed “men’s rights activists” do not. From challenging the poisonous standards of masculinity to actively raising awareness for victims, feminists have done more for men than meninists have. Although it can be argued that having a legitimate chapter in the feminist movement for men may further the cause of gender equality, feminism as is remains a potent force in the fight for men’s rights.

Kim Pham My first impression of the term “meninist” was hopeful. Male feminists: perhaps a group of men who finally recognize that gender equality is an issue for everyone? Not quite. Feminism has always been a woman’s struggle for equality, but at its core, it’s about the equal rights and opportunities for both men and women. While the meninist Twitter account is deeply unfunny and misogynistic, a handful of men who mock feminism do not speak for the entire movement. Male feminists have been sharing legitimate thoughts on female oppression on feminism.com, writing how they “are all opposed to all forms of misogynist behaviour and sexist attitudes.” Sounds lovely, right? That was, of course, until the @MeninistTweet twitter handle came swooping in with all the verbal grace and wit of a three-legged donkey. The meninist hashtag was originally from real male feminists and is now being used to advocate for men’s rights while criticizing women. The account is comprised of tweets ranging from poking fun at double standards such as “why can’t she open the door for me?” to more serious hashtags such as #WomenAgainstFeminism and #YesAllMen. Feminists can be misunderstood as women who hate men, who are also quick to blame any loss of a general benefit on their gender. These people give the women who actually work to promote equality, rather than use it as an excuse or build, a bad reputation. The same goes for the men who sit behind their computers to ridicule half of the human species. They give the term a poor stigma, which clouds the issues that both real male and female feminists are trying to eliminate. Feminism has gone beyond just women rising up in society. It means giving people the same opportunities and holding them accountable to the same standards. How can such a movement be effective if the other half of the population is not participating in the conversation? Although the meninist account unfortunately makes what is supposed to be an empowering word and movement uncomfortable, real meninists are needed when it comes to the pursuit of gender equality.

Illustration by Emmanuel Maresca

OPINIONS

THE MATADOR WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2015

Right to die with dignity is long overdue S i m on Yung On Jan. 21, California Senators Bill Monning and Lois Wolk proposed the “End of Life Option Act” at a press conference in Sacramento. According to an article by CalChannel.com, “This legislation would allow terminally ill adult California residents the opportunity to seek medical aid-in-dying medication when specified criteria are met, adding to the End of Life Care options that currently exist.” The philosopher John Locke defines natural rights as the rights to life, liberty, and property. It can be argued that the right to property extends to people’s own lives, and people should have the liberty to decide whether they wish to live with those terminal illnesses; seeing as the ability to end their lives prematurely could mean the difference between a peaceful death or insurmountable suffering over an unforeseen amount of time. To deny an individual the right to hasten their death and instead prolong their suffering is inhumane, to say the least. It is astounding how society can view euthanasia for pets to end their suffering as humane, yet in the same breath argue that quickening a loved one’s death to save them from undue pain is somehow cruel and immoral. Precedence for this type of legislation has already been established, as the state of Oregon passed their Death With Dignity Act in 1994. Several states including Washington, Vermont, and Montana have also followed suit with their own variations of the law, allowing physicians to prescribe lethal doses of medication to the terminally ill to circumvent the suffering that comes with

delaying their inevitable deaths. The Supreme Court of the United States has also ruled in favor of legislation concerning the right to die in Gonzales v. Oregon in 2006. With that in mind, it is fitting that California should also follow suit alongside Nevada, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, and several other states. Giving the terminally ill the option of kicking the proverbial bucket early is not just for the sake of those around them. It also provides them with autonomy and freedom of choice-just one out of an abundance of other freedoms that a debilitating disease may take away from them, which may or may not include their lives. Diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, often result in the victim slowly losing control of their body, starting with voluntary muscle movements and often leaving the person bedridden and fully conscious while their organs slowly shut down. This is often painful, both physically and psychologically. Allowing a victim to end his life earlier instead of suffering immensely will save him or her and their family an insurmountable amount of grief. While it is natural for people to want to save a dying person, one must take a look at both the benefits of keeping a loved one alive just a bit longer and the detriment of keeping a loved one in pain in order to put off what must eventually come. Prolonging a terminally ill person’s suffering in order to put off the pain of grieving is selfish, to say the least. Family and friends of a terminally ill individual should be obligated to ease the passing of their loved one. As painful as it is, that sometimes means letting them disembark into the dark a little earlier than nature intends them to.

Illustration by Katherine Hoong

Illustration by Kelly Ho

Matador

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

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

The Matador Bullring What plans do you have for Valentines Day?

“

Nothing. I don’t celebrate Valantine’s day.” -Bryan Alvarez, 9th grade

“

Spend time with my family and loved ones.” -Huong Phu, 10th grade

“

Hanging out with friends. It’s a normal day. Ladies, hit me up!” -Francisco Munoz, 11th grade

“

Alone!“ -Stella Liang, 12th grade

Photos by Sydney Trieu/Border by Katherine Hoong

“Duon”and out

Kristy Duong “Closed door” After sitting in front of a blank Word document for over two hours, trying to draft a column, I sighed, “Why is this so hard?” As I shuffled through the boundless volumes of long lost memories in the archives of my mind, I found countless experiences that I could have written about, yet the minute I reached for any of them, they receded back into their titanium safes and locked themselves back up, never to see the light of day again. In that moment, I finally understood how closed off I had become from the rest of the world. It’s not that I never noticed it before, but it just never really bothered me. I lived up to the stereotype of that quiet, awkward, reserved girl who would spend days hiding behind the bookshelves at the library. I savored the richness of the silence and the comfort of the solitude and began to develop an aversion to the noise that enveloped the rest of the world. You could say I lived in a bubble, watching the world from the safety of my own sphere and trying to lose myself in the lives of others in order to forget my own. I distanced myself from others, preferring the company of Robert Langdon and Douglas Spaulding to the people around me. Perhaps it sounds lonely, but it’s sometimes the ones who say the least who have the most to say, and for these characters who have nothing but tiny black letters printed on the pages of their books with which to tell their story, I will gladly be their listener. Unlike spoken word poet Sarah Kay who can walk around with her arms open to catch anything that falls from the sky, both good and bad, I walk around with my crossed in front of me, hoping to defend myself against anything that comes my way, good or bad. Yes, that probably means that I have missed out on many potential friendships and memories that could have been made, but I don’t mind because I found that the people who had the patience and persistence to pass through the walls that surrounded me, one-by-one, became the people I trust the most. Though I am weary to touch the cabinet that hides the reasons why I began to distance myself from society, experience has taught me to be cautious, but also open to the idea that not everyone carries malice in their hearts. O s c a r Wi l d e o n c e s a i d t h a t “experience is simply the name we give to our mistakes,” but I refute that because among the actual mistakes I have made in the past are decisions that I still stand by and respect my former self for making. Though I will not divulge all the details, I will say that sharp words, unrealistic expectations, and apathy are what will bring an end to humanity someday. The world will indeed end with a whimper rather than a bang. Therefore, I embrace that I am a wallflower. I am quiet because I want to see who is listening. I am awkward because I am still learning the elegant dance of social interaction. I am reserved because I look before I leap. And I know that when all is said and done, the ones who are willing to look beyond my demeanor are the ones who will stay, and to them, I say thank you.

FOCUS

THE MATADOR WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2015

THE MATADOR

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2015

FOCUS

Healthy relationships lead to positive emotional development K i m P ham Ah, teenage romance: the classic theme of several plays, movies, TV shows, and novels. It is hard to deny that there is an irresistible appeal in young love, or at least how it is portrayed in the media. Perfect Paul or Attractive Amy would come swooping in amidst times of insecurity, boredom, crisis, or just plain hormonal rage. First kisses, school dances, sneaking out late at night, and unconventional dates would ensue. As charming as it may sound, does the entertainment industry overshadow what healthy and unhealthy teenage relationships look like in reality? Although high school relationships can oftentimes be dismissed as superficial or fleeting, half of all teens report to having been in a dating relationship and nearly one-third of all teens say they have been in a serious relationship, according to the Teenage Research Unlimited survey in 2006. These early relationships play a pivotal role in the lives of adolescents and are important to developing the capacity for long-term, committed relationships in adulthood. The quality of adolescent romantic relationships can have long lasting effects on self-esteem and shape personal values regarding romance, intimate relationships, and sexuality. Being able to tell the difference between healthy, unhealthy, and abusive relationships can be difficult, since no two relationships are the same. According to a study conducted by researchers at the University of Albany’s Center for Women in Government and Civil Society, healthy adolescent romantic relationships are characterized by open communication, high levels of trust, and partners who are relatively close in age. Social epidemiologist and director of the Center for Research on Inner City Health Dr. Barbara Eccles created an infographic for <happify.com> illustrating that a crucial factor in healthy relationships is how partners respond to each other’s good news. Happy couples would show enthusiasm, ask questions, and congratulate their partners rather than be passively destructive about the news. Eccles’s research also shows that healthy teen relationships help both partners refine their sense of identity, develop interpersonal skills, and provide them with a source of emotional support. Just like relationships with family and friends, romantic relationships can facilitate the process of youths gaining a greater understanding of who they are and

Surveys conducted out of 220 students.

what they value. The emotional ups and downs associated with getting together and breaking up may also help to develop emotional resiliency and coping skills needed to handle difficulties later in life. The role of romantic relationships as a source of support and identity formation may be especially important to teens who keep their sexual orientation secret from family and friends in fear of oppression. Their romantic partners may be the only people with whom they feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and feelings about their sexual identity. Freshman Jenny Tang says that communication plays a key role in her relationship. “I feel like I’m in a healthy relationship because my boyfriend is my best friend and I can talk to him about anything,” Tang said. “I don’t have to worry about trying so hard because I can just be myself around him.” Junior Adrian Hernandez agrees that openness is important in maintaining a healthy relationship. “You have to be open and trust the person you’re with. If you don’t communicate or talk to each other about stuff, then all these problems are going to start building up and that’s not good for a relationship,” Hernandez said. While healthy romantic relationships have many potential benefits for youth, unhealthy relationships still remain a heavy issue since teen dating violence has affected 1.5 million high school students nationwide according to <dosomething.org>. A comparison conducted by the Clothesline Project shows rates between teens and adults which reveal that teens are at higher risk of intimate partner abuse, particularly females ages 16- 24, at a rate almost triple the national average. Gay, lesbian, and bisexual adolescents involved in same-sex dating are also just as likely to experience dating violence as much as heterosexual teens are. School psychologist Leticia Salazar strongly advises students in such situations to seek help from surrounding sources. “A lot of times, students are not seeking help and that’s the most important thing, whether it’s from someone on campus or at home. We are fortunate enough to be surrounded by counselors and teachers that want you to feel safe and secure here on campus,” Salazar said. “Keeping something as big as an abusive relationship to yourself, either physically or emotionally, is not normal.”

when my ex-boyfriend gave my boyfriend advice on how to treat me

The time I forgot my girlfriend’s name

#awkwardmoments

Someone who farts along with you

Someone who lets you sing whenever you want

justine salazar, 11th

#relationshipgoals

Calvin sied, 12th

When he ignores you while he hangs out with his friends

#redflag

Vion Troung, 9th

Arturo Ayala, 12th

#relationshipgoals

Essence Martinez, 10th

When you have to lose something to be in a relationship

#redflag

William La, 11th

Have a heart, give a heart Am y Yee Students Together Organizing Peace (STOP) club members dressed in their signature colorful tie-dye shirts and gathered at the quad during lunch on Feb.10, hosting “Have A Heart, Give A Heart,” an event meant to promote healthy relationships among students and to spread compassion among students on campus. February is the national teen dating violence awareness month, and STOP club members set up a table where students could pledge to stop violence by signing their names;

members also passed out Teen Relationship Violence fact sheets to educate others about the misconceptions about abuse and how to prevent it from happening. In addition, members offered pins with positive messages on them, such as “Peace Over Violence” and “All You Need Is Love.” 1 Billion Rising is an annual worldwide campaign meant to end violence against women, an issue that is extremely prevalent in modern society. The very first campaign was initiated on Feb. 14, 2012, due to the fact that one in three women will be abused or raped during her lifetime; with the current world population at seven bil-

lion, the number adds up to one billion women and girls. San Gabriel High School will be hosting its own 1 Billion Rising event on Feb. 13, the day before the actual global campaign, at the Pancake during lunch. It will be organized by the girls’ physical education classes and will feature performances, such as the 1 Billion Rising dance, from Choreo, Cheer, All-Male, and Colorguard; Associated Student Body (ASB) and Students Together Organizing Peace (STOP) club members will be there to support. Additional information about the cause will be presented through speeches and song.

Illustration by Cassandra Chen. Infographics by Jennifer Thai. List compiled by Annie Huang. Quotes gathered by Judy Tang.

FOCUS

THE MATADOR WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2015

THE MATADOR

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2015

FOCUS

Surveys conducted out of 220 students.

when my ex-boyfriend gave my boyfriend advice on how to treat me

The time I forgot my girlfriend’s name

#awkwardmoments

Someone who farts along with you

Someone who lets you sing whenever you want

justine salazar, 11th

#relationshipgoals

Calvin sied, 12th

When he ignores you while he hangs out with his friends

#redflag

Vion Troung, 9th

Arturo Ayala, 12th

#relationshipgoals

Essence Martinez, 10th

When you have to lose something to be in a relationship

#redflag

William La, 11th

Illustration by Cassandra Chen. Infographics by Jennifer Thai. List compiled by Annie Huang. Quotes gathered by Judy Tang.

LIFE &ART

THE MATADOR WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2015

Fall television shows return from mid-season hiatuses The Fosters

Photo courtesy of ABC

Grey’s Anatomy After a long mid-season hiatus, Grey’s Anatomy begins again when the team at Grey-Sloan is flooded with victims from multiple car accidents from a woman, assumed to be suicidal, but later revealed to be suffering from the symptoms of a pancreatic tumor. Amidst the chaos and bustle of the emergency room, the doctors are forced to deal with their own problems: Meredith tries to cope with Derek’s leaving for D.C., Arizona and Amelia tries to give hope to fetal surgeon Dr. Herman that her tumor may be operable, and Jackson and April dealing with news of their baby’s rare and life-threatening disease. Meredith’s flashbacks to her Post-it-vow with Derek push her to realize that although she needs Derek, she wishes for his success more, and the two promise to “make it work.” Dr. Herman finally gives in to Amelia’s surgery proposal, but only when the tumor will become inoperable. News of their baby’s disease push Jackson and April to heartwrenching breakdowns, ending “Grey’s” return with the familiar anxiety and curiosity for what is to come. Grey’s Anatomy airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. on ABC. -Judy Tang

The Fosters returns for its continuation of the second season with exciting new things for their viewers to look forward to. The Fosters is about a diverse family, Brandon (David Lambert), Jesus (Jake T. Austin), and Mariana (Cierra Ramirez), who are being raised by two mothers, Stef (Terri Polo) and Lena (Sherri Saum). The family fosters two kids, Callie (Maia Mitchell) and Jude (Hayden Byerly); and eventually adopts Jude though has trouble adopting Callie. This season, viewers can look forward to seeing what happens with Callie’s adoption, Jesus and Brandon’s relationship status, Mariana’s dance club, and Jude’s friendships, as well as other problems the four other kids, or the mothers are dealing with along the way. The Fosters is a family-fun show that accurately describes how it is to live with teenagers but, of course, with a little more drama. The Fosters premiered Jan. 19 and is on ABC Family Mondays at 8 p.m. -IleanaPerez

Photo courtesy of ABC

Food Review: Ice Cream Lab C h ri s t y Deng The concept of serving ice cream at a shop is simple: scoop it up in a waffle cone or cup and voila, the perfect dessert is born. However, the old-fashioned way of serving ice cream has changed, thanks to the creators of Ice Cream Lab. Ice Cream Lab was originally located in Beverly Hills and has expanded to Pasadena, with plans to open new locations in Little Tokyo and Westlake Village. At Ice Cream Lab, the popular dessert is created in a different way: made to order and frozen with liquid nitrogen. This new method of making ice cream promises a smoother and creamier texture and a fresher, better taste than the regular old ice cream scooped up from a bucket. As I walked into the original Ice Cream Lab in Beverly Hills, the blue theme of the store immediately surrounded me with a cool, calm atmosphere. A large menu presenting their flavors and prices was hung on the wall, and my eyes quickly skimmed over the pricing: $5 for a small cup, $7 for a medium-sized cup, and $12 for a pint-sized cup of ice cream. I was disheartened at the high prices, but I ordered a small “Labbuccino,” which is cappuccino ice cream topped with whipped cream, a chocolate syrup drizzle, and carob chips. Once I ordered, my server walked over to a line of strange, foreign machines that were going to aid him in making the ice cream. The process was entertaining and intriguing to watch. Just as he began freezing it with liquid nitrogen, clouds of fog and mist poured out through the sides of the machine, making it look like a complicated chemistry experiment. In a short and relieving amount of time, my ice cream was served. Just as I took the first bite, I envisioned a big burst of flavor that would leave my taste buds tingling, but reality did not reach my expectations. It tasted like regular ice cream from the local market, but it definitely had a creamier texture and fresher taste to it. It was also overwhelmingly sweet, which was probably why a large water dispenser was set inside the store. I was disappointed that I had spent money on an overpriced cup of ice cream when I could have used that money to get a larger cup of ice cream from the grocery store. Although the prices and the taste of the ice cream dissatisfied me, I appreciated the workers’ kind service. Ice Cream Lab guarantees that they serve smoother, creamier, fresher, and overall better ice cream. This is partially true, but it is not better than any other ice cream. It is too sweet for my taste, and it is not worth the expensive price. If you are an ice cream enthusiast, Ice Cream Lab is not the best place to go to, unless you enjoy spending your hard-earned money on an overpriced hype train ticket.

Photo courtesy of ABC

How to Get Away with Murder Gone is the montage of the party from the night of the bonfire, instead is replaced by a police interrogation of the team for Sam’s murder. Wes, Connor, Laurel, Micaela, and Asher provide lie after lie to the police. The team continues to help Annalise prove Rebecca’s innocence in the murder of Lila Stangard by proving Sam to be a suspect. Finally, Sam is confirmed to be the father of Lila’s baby, after which Annalise’s relationship with hyim spirals into a scandal. Husband of famous crime defense lawyer turns out to be father of dead girl’s unborn child. Worse, Annalise’s position of defending suspect Rebecca Sutter leaves her the talk of the town, an “animal” who stops at nothing to prove her client innocent, including throwing her own husband under the bus. Micaela, Connor, and Walsh are doubtful of Annalise’s loyalty. The big question is, how much does Annalise know about Sam’s murder and how far is she willing to go to save her students? How to Get Away with Murder airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. on ABC. -Judy Tang

The Matador Muse

Photo by Christy Deng

Photo courtesy of Yelp

Location: 616 S Fair Oaks Ave Pasadena, CA 91105 Phone: (626) 808-4874 Price: under $10 Type: Dessert

Matador Rating: Illustration submitted by Cassandra Chen

THE MATADOR WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2015

Pilot Review: Fresh Off the Boat Tra n L a m Asians barely have any presence in prime-time television; however, Fresh Off the Boat (FOTB) is making history on ABC–it is the first sitcom about an AsianAmerican family since All-American Girl, which premiered almost 20 years ago. FOTB is based on celebrity chef Eddie Huang’s memoir, which tells his story as an AsianAmerican trying to assimilate himself into American culture. Not only does this show explore Asian-American culture but also the struggles of an Asian-American family who moved from Washington D.C. to Orlando, Florida in order “to do better than ok,” according to Louis Huang, the father of the family. The show stars the family’s oldest son, Eddie Huang, who tells the story from his perspective. He loves hip-hop culture, wears t-shirts that feature African-American artists such as “The Notorious B.I.G,” and wants to eat Lunchables instead of his mom’s homemade lunch. This is where the show does well–it is relatable and gives insight into the perspective of kids such as Eddie, who just earnestly wishes to fit in with students at a predominantly white school. The plot realistically portrays how discrimination can affect minority groups such as AsianAmericans and its consequences, as Eddie is too embarrassed to eat his mom’s home-

cooked food at lunch tables without being made fun of. On the other hand, Louis, played by Randall Park, wants to attain the American Dream by moving his family to Florida and running his new Western-styled restaurant there. Although the restaurant is struggling, Louis still stays in Florida and tries his best to run a successful business. His wife Jessica, played by Constance Wu, is skeptical of his new business and the new move because she worries for her three sons’ inability to adapt to the change and, of course, financial issues that might surface from the restaurant’s failure. Again, the whole “moving to make a better life” for an Asian-American family is conventional but rarely ever portrayed in American television shows. With the combination of humor, realism, and cultural insight, FOTB is not only a good show but also an important one. It is uncommon to turn on the television to see the main cast comprised of all Asian-Americans and the plot to portray struggles of a whole new life. The show feels like “it’s about time” for American producers to put out the idea of portraying an Asian-American family onto the small screen. This will help to reach a broader audience and to also expand the diversity of what’s showing on television. FOTB will regularly air on ABC7 every Tuesdays at 8 p.m.

Photo courtesy of ABC

LIFE &ART

“A Charlie Brown Talent Show” R ebecca Lei Lights, camera, action. On Mar. 6, the San Gabriel auditorium will be host to a slew of talent show competitors, some vying for the surprise prize from the Associated Student Body (ASB), and some ready to captivate the crowd with their amazing and jaw-dropping talents. The show, which will be incorporating the theme of the Charlie Brown universe, will consist of 22 student performances–20 student acts, and 2 guest acts. Guest acts will feature students not currently attending San Gabriel. “The talent show is definitely one of the big ASB events of the year,” senior Kim Luong, a three-year member of ASB, said. “It takes a while for the creative juices to flow, and after we [come up with an] idea for the theme, [it takes] about a month to get everything ready for action. [ASB] works really hard to make sure that [the theme] is something that [the students] will enjoy.” Members of ASB decided that the best way to make sure that the night’s performances run without a hitch is to put on multiple rehearsals, where all of the participants practice their numbers in order. However, despite their strenuous and exhaustive preparations, Luong is still worried about the timing of the event; the talent show, which will be held Mar. 6, coincides with another event at San Gabriel–a showing of a Dinner Theater showing of The Odd Couple. “I hope everything goes smoothly,” Luong said. “Last year, we had to cancel the talent show because [there

was a scheduling conflict] with [the group that] was using the [San Gabriel] auditorium. It would be such a shame for all of [everyone’s] hard work to go to waste.” Nevertheless, both spectators and participants are excited for the event and anticipate that it will be an enjoyable competition. Senior Beth Rangel, who will be featured in one of the night’s performances with her partner, senior Stella Liang, expressed her excitement toward their impending performance. “[My partner and I] will be paying homage to our friend’s favorite song,” Rangel said. “Since [this is] our senior year, we thought it would be fun to try participating [in the show], so we practiced on the day before auditions. I’m really excited to perform, but I’m also really nervous!” This year, ASB will be bringing back their traditional dance portion of the show, which will be jointly choreographed by junior Esmeralda Martinez and senior Amie Truong; aside from that, the show’s commercial breaks will include short sketches featuring the student class councils. The skits will promote end-of-the-year events, such as prom. “I’m pumped up for the dance! It’s going to be full of spirit, and I hope everyone will love it,” Martinez said. “This is my first year in ASB and my first talent show, but I’m looking forward to making the show [a successful one].” Tickets for the talent show will be sold at the Student Bank for $5 with an ASB card and $8 without; prices at the door will be $8. The talent show will start at 5:30 p.m.

Movie Review: American Sniper J u d y Ta n g Racist. Sexist. Politically incorrect. The film American Sniper is a stunning war biopic based on a true story from start to finish, but it faces heavy controversy and political conversation from both Democrats and Republicans. The two-hour picture is made out to be an incredibly insensitive portrayal of the political events that led up to the events of Sept. 11, 2001. On the contrary, American Sniper reflects on a side of war and battle that Hollywood seldom features. Director Clint Eastwood takes the perspective of snipers, infantry, and insurgents as opposed to the overdone perspective of Holocaust survivor ones that we see all too often. Chris Kyle (Bradley Cooper), known as the deadliest marksman in military history, started out as a Texan with a such a strong passion and love for his country that he leaves rodeoing to enlist in the Navy SEALs. Leaving his newlywed wife for his first tour, Kyle becomes increasingly conflicted with his purpose for enlisting: fighting. While he expresses hate for the “savage terrorists” he must kill, he also hesitates to shoot at children and seemingly innocent people who were unfortunate enough to be caught in the threads of war. Eastwood sticks primarily to Kyle’s perspective and experience, which leads to why many feel American Sniper is so controversial or otherwise biased; it obviously must be, in order to tell the story of a frustrated soldier who calls the insurgents “evils” as he piles kill after kill, but internally wonders, then what makes him a hero? American Sniper also allows viewers to receive a better understanding of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as evidenced by the four returns Kyle makes, becoming increasingly distant every time. War is haunting for him, and Kyle struggles to be strong and claims to be fine, but cannot get the piercing bullets, pleas for mercy, and chaos of gunfire out of his head. This leads to a very real depiction of the disorder’s effect on family life as Kyle violently reacts to an incident at a birthday party. While not a strange occurrence for many military families, Cooper presents the horrors and embarrassment in a way that is almost alienating. This is

one of the most humanizing scenes of the film and is beautifully shot. Kyle struggles to make the transition from war to home and yet, is still haunted by anyone who calls him a “hero” and a steady stream of warzone sounds in the back of his mind as the soundtrack of the rest of his life. An unfortunate aspect of the film was the portrayal of Kyle’s family, especially of his wife Taya (Sienna Miller). After their marriage, her onscreen time is often her trying to get Kyle to “come back.” While family is an important part of Kyle’s life, Taya’s scenes are sometimes unsettling and filled with bland dialogue about how he’s “there, but not there,” leading many to see her as a rather passive character. A lovely touch is that Kyle’s children seem to age very quickly, startling viewers as to how quickly time has passed; Eastwood portrays Kyle as just as startled, unable to grasp the rate at which his children are growing, let alone how to be a father to them. The most important thing to take away from this film is that it by no means tries to make any political or social statement. American Sniper, an autobiographical film, takes Kyle’s journey and experience on the field and portrays it according to the true events. How Kyle’s fellow snipers and Navy SEALs acted, however racist or sexist, was meant to be so, because at that time, who were generally afraid for their lives and needed certain people (or even a whole race) to blame, people who could not completely understand just what the war was, people who could not even act in that way. Their speech, thought process, and actions led to much of the global conflict people face today; many Iraqi people are unjustly treated as a result of fear; snipers and marksmen are often seen as coldblooded killers. As a part of Kyle’s own therapy, he took veterans shooting as a part of counseling. He was murdered a little under two years ago at the hands of a psychologically disturbed veteran. The end of the film is completely silent, and white words trickle across a black screen, followed by real footage of Kyle’s funeral procession. Eastwood created a captivating two-hour picture of beautiful filmography that bade a well-deserved farewell to a man who simply loved his country.

Photo courtesy of Film Fan CC/BY

American Sniper, directed by Clint Eastwood, is based on the book of the same name–American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History.

SPORTS

THE MATADOR WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2015

2014-2015 Winter Sports Scoreboard BOYS SOCCER VARSITY 2/3 @ Bell Gardens 2/5 vs. Mark Keppel JV 2/3 @ Bell Gardens 2/5 vs. Mark Keppel

9-0 4-2 10-0 2-0

GIRLS SOCCER L W L W

VARSITY 2/3 vs. Bell Gardens 2/5 vs. Mark Keppel

2-0 1-0

L L

JV 2/3 vs. Bell Gardens 10/28 vs. Mark Keppel

6-0 6-0

L L

Franco moves to Mexico tions from friends and family about his decision to move, he has made it clear to them that this is the place where he Happiness has always been the most belongs. important factor to substitute teacher Ce“Many people don’t get it, but it is sar Franco. This is the main reason why something I get, and that is ultimately Franco plans to go to what matters. If it fulGuadalajara, Mexico fills me, then that is in May: to pursue his all that matters. I just own happiness in his want to be happy,” daily lifestyle. Franco said. “I feel like that is With a new lowhere I should be, and cation and a new I want to do this just perspective on life, because it is the place Franco hopes to fulfill where I feel happy,” his longtime dream Franco said. “I’ve alof living in Mexico ways told my friends and enjoying life. He and my parents that hopes to obtain a caI’m content here in reer within the educaAmerica, but I’m truly tional field in Mexico happy over there in and if not, a career Mexico.” that will satisfy him. Franco has been Franco leaves San dreaming of going to Gabriel High School Mexico ever since he with a few words of Photo by Carolina Loaisiga was in high school wisdom and a tearful when he traveled to goodbye to his soccer Mexico to visit his family during vaca- team. He enjoyed the six years he spent tions and drove around the country at San Gabriel, and will never forget the to see the scenery. He also returned to people he has met during his time. Mexico after college for a six month pe“You need to follow your dreams and riod with just enough money to survive you need to follow what makes you happy, and come back home. even if it is not what other people want of Franco describes how he appreciates you, but that is what you should do- what Mexico and his culture. Despite objec- makes you happy,” Franco said. Ca rol i n a L o a i s i g a

Wrestling

Pinning for the win at league finals H el l gert A l mont es On the defensive, senior Albert Espita sized up his opponent as soon as the Almont League Finals wrestling match commenced on Jan. 31 at Bell Gardens High School. Waiting for his opponent to make a mistake, Espitia struck and won the match. His opponent lost control as Espitia regained his balance and put his opponent face down on the mat with the head and arm throw (which is a move which a wrestler places his opponent in a headlock and throws his opponent using his hips). As his opponent laid on the mat, the match was now in his favor. Espitia then performed the half nelson (a move in which a wrestler passes his arm under the arm of an opponent and locks his hand on the opponent’s upper neck). As Espitia clenched his opponent, slowly and forcefully, he turned his opponent onto his back for the win. Espitia won second place in his 120-126 pound weight class at league finals and is moving on to CIF.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

BOYS BASKETBALL

VARSITY 2/3 vs. Mark Keppel 2/6 @ Schurr

74-47 L 61-55 W

VARSITY 2/3 vs. Mark Keppel 2/6 @ Schurr

59-35 58-41

L L

JV 2/3 vs. Mark Keppel

51-11 L

JV 2/6 vs. Schurr

58-56

Cheer goes to nationals just keep working hard, they will make it.” Varsity competed in the Novice Division in the “Show Cheer” category, which consists of a After qualifying at the regional competi- cheer and a dance portion, including stunting. tion at Yorba Linda High School, San Gabriel Stunting is the act of performing stunts, which High School’s varsity cheer team will be consists of cheerleaders tossing each other into advancing to the national competition hosted the air. They will be joined by a few girls from by the United Spirit Association, which will junior varsity cheer to help. “I feel like we’re just proving to everybody be held at the Anaheim Convention Center on Mar. 20. This will be the first time that that we can do it. Everybody doubts us,” seSan Gabriel’s cheerleaders have advanced nior co-captain Lourdes Areches said. In Show Cheer, the cheerleaders are scored to nationals in five years. “I think that they have a good chance,” on their stunts, synchrony, dance, routine, varsity cheer Coach Kirsten Nielsen said. facials, showmanship, and crowd encourage“They have brought the cheer team far, and ment. It is crucial that as many supporters as they have been working really hard. If they possible attend the competition for the crowd encouragement portion. Although varsity cheer’s routines are usually created by co-captains, seniors Elaine Arias and Areche, a choreographer was brought in to create the competition routine, which they have been practicing since October. The team practices daily from 3-5 p.m. “Cheer is a like a big family here. We’d like to spread that throughout the school to all Photo courtesy of Kirsten Nielsen the teams,” Nielsen said. C helsey Tr an

Boys Soccer

Shooting for victory on the home field Justin Toyomitsu Regardless of the empty stairs peering over the soccer field, the Matador varsity boys soccer team faced the Mark Keppel Aztecs on Feb. 5, winning their second game of the season with the score of 4-2. “It was a good game overall,” Coach Cesar Franco said. “Mark Keppel was a nice formative opponent for us, and though we underestimated them, we managed to persevere and get our victory that day.” In the first half of the game, the Matadors quickly took the lead of 1-0, scoring quickly with a fast pace. Following the first goal, the Matadors, without hesitation, ruthlessly scored yet another goal before halftime, pressuring the Aztecs. Entering the second half of the game, the Aztecs switched gears and slowly caught up with one goal and a referee penalty kick, regaining the two points they had lost. However, the Matadors came back with another two points, maintaining the score gap. In the end, the Matadors walked off the field with a stunning victory over the Aztecs.

Sophomore Hector Duran prepares to defend the ball against the attacking Mark Keppel Aztec.

Photo by Sydney Trieu

Illustrated by Emmanuel Maresca

THE MATADOR WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2015

FEATURES

Family business teaches Lopez to spice up life C h e l s e y Tra n A bit like Spiderman: photographer by day and web-slinging vigilante by night, students who work are learning by day and working by afternoon. Senior Oscar Lopez works for his family’s wholesale spice business. Based in Maywood, Calif., Bonaterra Products imports and exports spices, such as chilis, to businesses that repackage and resell them. Bonaterra Products has been in the family for three generations, starting with Lopez’s great-grandfather, who founded the company in Mexico. In Latin, “bona” means good and “terra” means earth, so the name of the company means “good earth.” On a typical day, Lopez gets out of school at 2 p.m. and arrives at the business’s warehouse at about 3 p.m. “I’ve been working with [my dad] since I was small, but since I’m older now, I have more responsibilities. I get to drive the truck, deliver merchandise, and when there’s not

a lot of work, I’m in charge of management like invoices, faxes, calling people, and making sure everything is organized,” Lopez said. Having grown up around the business, Lopez knows quite a bit about the products, particularly spices. He explains that the prices of spices are set by people and companies. The more there is of something, the less it costs and vice versa. According to Lopez, all spices have their different tastes and body features, and China, Chile, and the United States are the largest suppliers of chilis. “Mexico is not very well known anymore because of Obama. A lot of chilis aren’t that spicy anymore because they come from China now. Mexico and In-

dia are [at] about the same [place on the axis], but since China is a little bit more [north], the soil isn’t as enriching as it is lower south,” Lopez said. For a brief period when he was younger, he had not wanted to work in the spice business, but Lopez is now sure of what to do. “It gets stressful for [my dad], but I also see a lot of the positives that he’s had. We live a decent life [compared to] a lot of people in this community, and it’s worth the stress,” Lopez said. As the owner’s son, Lopez enjoys the perk of setting his own work hours. According to Lopez, he and his dad went into work on Monday at 10 a.m. “My favorite part is a tie between getting to meet a lot of people and seeing how their lives have been, and driving the forklift,” Lopez said.

Photo by Tran Lam

Lopez gets paid like in any other job, sometimes in cash and sometimes in objects like a smart watch. However, the lessons and vast amount of knowledge that he acquires could arguably be just as fulfilling. “[The one lesson I’ve learned through all of this] is not giving up because when the economy crashed, my dad had a hard time, but he didn’t give up because he knew he had a family and parents in Mexico to support,” Lopez said. “There were times when things were bad, but he found a way out of it. Now, he’s a lot stronger than he was before and I think I’ve matured a lot because of him.” Lopez plans to go right into working at Bonaterra Products after graduating high school. He plans to take online classes to study logistics and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) licensing. Lopez admires his dad for all that he has done, despite his lack of a formal college education. He hopes that one day, he’ll be able to do as much as his dad has.

MESA members arm themselves with prosthetics J ust i n Toyomi t su Entering the most challenging event, the high school Mathematics, Engineering, Science, Achievement (MESA) competition held at Cal State University, Los Angeles on March seventh, sophomores Tom Cheah, Calvin Phung, and Thomas Wang prepared their prosthetic arm as the day grew closer. With the help of adviser and geometry teacher Nicholas Nguyen, the team was able to put together a prosthetic arm, built with everyday tools and items. “When I talked to Thomas [about the event], we just picked the hardest one and went with that,” Phung said. The high school prosthetic arm section is graded in three parts: performance, technical paper or research paper, and an academic poster presentation; each section tests its functionality and the students’ capability to present their design’s unique aspects. “They’re creative but slow,” Nguyen said. “If I had to describe them with one word, it’s ‘hopeful.’” For performance, there are four physical tasks the arm must undergo: distance accuracy, which involves throwing bean bags into a Target Zone, object relocation, which times how long it takes to place and remove all objects from a specific container, dexterity, which records how many bolts and nuts the device can correctly place and secure, and design efficiency, which calculates the ratio of device performance to device mass. As for the technical paper and academic poster presentation, the team must present a five to 15 page report about the device’s design, along with an academic poster that includes data, charts, tables, photographs, and drawings. The team must also respond to the judges’ questions and are expected to professionally explain the device’s important features and qualities. “If our project doesn’t malfunction, our confidence on a scale of one to ten is a nine,” Wang said. The winner is chosen based on the total score of 450 points possible from the judges. Only one team from the Alhambra School District is able to advance to regionals, which will be held at the University of Southern California in March.

SkillsUSA showcases students’ skills Va n e s s a H uang and C hel sea H uynh Utilizing what they learned in class and preparing after school, wood shop students seniors Jesse Esquivel, Lander Tiet, and Brian Wong, juniors Milton Peraza and Justin Raimundo, and sophomore Victor Ortiz competed in SkillsUSA carpentry and cabinetmaking on Jan. 24 at Los Angeles Trade Tech. With their hopes, talents, and inspirations, the students assembled their projects with expert workmanship and accuracy. This year was Esquivel’s second year competing in cabinetmaking at SkillsUSA. Last year, when he first participated in the competition, miscalculations in his measurements ultimately landed Esquivel in third place. “Something I would’ve done better [my first year] probably would be doing my measurements right cause that would really come in handy. Because the frame of the cabinet that I was making was one-eighth of an inch apart, I got down to third place,” Esquivel said. Peraza, an experienced former contender for intro to woodworking and cabinetmaking, participated again in the event for cabinetmaking. Last year, he placed first in the event. “We all have to use certain machines and tools to build the cabinet frame,” Peraza said. “And what we did this year differently was we made the drawers from the blueprints and [found] out the measurements [of the cabinet].” While competing was one of the main events of SkillsUSA, chances for making new friends and learning something new about others came up. “I actually made new friends. I contacted them already, and they told me that they won first place and I might come in second. They don’t know yet. [They also said] that they were happy to see me so that made me enjoy the competition a little bit more,” Peraza said. Wong felt that it was a good experience to compete against other schools, learn how they organized their materials and how they built their creations. “Some students got all their materials and cut them all at once, and they built it at their own stations, while some people cut [their materials chronologically] pieces by piece and [put them] together,” Wong said. The region has grown exceptionally, and compared to previous years’, more students competed in the competition. However, unlike last year, San Gabriel did not participate in the carpentry event. Esquivel encourages anyone to compete in SkillsUSA because “it is a great experience.” The competition sparked his ambition to work with wood, and he plans on attending LA Trade Tech or Rio Hondo to be either a carpenter or a cabinet maker. Many Wood Tech students were interested in participating in SkillsUSA and as a result, teacher John Mason created the Skills club dedicated to preparing the students for the competition. Though results have not yet been released, Mason believes that they will do well.

*This article is abridged. To read the full article, visit thematadorsghs.com.

Photo by Sydney Trieu

Sophomores Calvin Phung, Thomas Wang, and Tom Cheah (left to right) stand with their prosthetic arm made of everyday materials, which they built together for a MESA event. The competition will be held in March at Cal State University, Los Angeles.

FEATURES

THE MATADOR WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2015

Tell Me

what’s the

WORD. Famous Hallway quotes, Volume Sixty-nine

“It’s so cute. I just want to grab it and throw it at a wall.” - Student commenting on a corgi. “I wonder if the school pays someone to step on all the fruit before they put it into boxes.”

Lunar New Year welcomed with luck, tradition K at heri ne H oong “Gong hei fat choy!” is a ubiquitous Cantonese greeting translating to “May you receive a good fortune and have a prosperous year!” The traditional phrase is commonly used during the Lunar New Year holiday which falls on Feb. 19 this year. Though many people recognize the event for the money given in red envelopes, the culture and traditions of the holiday are also just as imperative. Celebrated by the Vietnamese, Chinese, Koreans, Tibetans, and Mongolians, Lunar New Year originated from China and celebrates the coming of spring. Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, was a way to let Han Dynasty farmers know when to start their harvest. Each Chinese New Year progresses through one of the twelve astrological signs which consist of different animals holding auspicious meanings. According to the Chinese calendar, 2015 is the Year of the Sheep, meaning that those who were born under this zodiac (1919,

1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003) are in luck because 2015 will be a promising year for them. It may sound surreal, but luck is a major component of Lunar New Year because it is an incredibly crucial aspect to Asian cultures. Due to the belief that luck can make or break the year, those who celebrate Lunar New Year closely follow superstitions in order to preserve their good luck. During the 15-day celebration, families completely clean their houses and even buy new slippers in order to chase away the bad luck lingering around old objects from the previous year. Many people also light firecrackers in order to scare away bad spirits and eliminate any negative energy. After getting rid of the bad luck, many people visit temples to offer prayers to their ancestors and gods, believing that it will help them receive blessings. Families also wear red clothing and decorate their walls with red ornaments. Red is a crucial color during Lunar New Year because it represents good luck and abundance. Married couples are required to give money to their relatives in red envelopes, “lai see” in Can-

tonese or “hong bao” in Mandarin. Normally, the red envelopes are only given to children or unemployed or unmarried adults. “Although receiving money is a great part of Chinese New Year, the most important part is getting together with my family members and enjoying their company,” junior Candy Tu said. The distribution of red envelopes is often followed by family dinners and reunions where bickering is discouraged because it is believed that if the year starts with a happy family, it will end with a happy family. Although it originated from China, throughout the decades, Lunar New Year has spread far beyond Asia and is now celebrated all over the world. Graphic by Stacy Chau

- Student says while inspecting his lunch. “I hate it when boys say chick. Like what the heck, I’m not a bird!” - Student angry over a friend’s choice of words. “They call me legs, because I have two of them.” - Student conversing with his friend.

Photo by Vanessa Huang

“Valentine’s Day is a day completely made up by Hallmark to take people’s money.” - Teacher seeking to teach a life lesson. “You are all easily replaceable. My carpet is not. Remember kids, I do not really care about you, only my carpet.” - Teacher warning students against drinking anything but water at their desks.

All quotes overheard by The Matador Staff.

Graphics by Cassandra Chen