October 2014 by The Apache Pow Wow

World Is Our Campus TheThe World Is Our Campus Volume 62, Issue 2

October 2014

Arcadia High School 180 Campus Drive, Arcadia, CA

Changing Education at its Core

In this issue:

Photo courtesy of BLOGSPOT.COM

OPINION pg. 4 Self-acceptance: The faults we possess inherently don’t subtract from who we are as a person.

Photo courtesy of Ryan Foran

NEW STATE ASSESSMENT AUSD hopes to revamp the way that students are tested through the in-

corporation of new technology and teaching practices into the classroom. By SUKANYA MUKHERJEE Photo courtesy of CREEPYLA.COM

PERFORMING ARTS pg. 8 Frightful Fun : Tired of trick-ortreating? Check out these events taking place in LA this Halloween.

Photo by BEN GEISBERG

SPORTS pg. 16 Homecoming 2K14: Get a recap of the Homecoming Game and accompanying festivities that took place. Have a question, comment, or concern about The Apache Pow Wow? Email the Editors-in-Chief at eic.powwow@gmail.com Find us online at arcadiapowwow.wordpress.com

Staff Writer The days of scantrons and STAR booklets are gone, and have now been replaced with the Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBA). Chromebooks are being dispersed throughout the AUSD and minimum days have been added to students’ schedules. As new procedures and standards are introduced, the effects of Common Core can be felt by both teachers and students. The SBA, the new standardized test in California, is the first standardized test that is completed using computers. After the administration of the SBA field test last year, the AUSD has added 3,600 Chromebooks— which amounts to 100 class sets—to “further support its technology in the classroom,” according to the district. Aside from enhancing the classroom experience, Chromebooks were also implemented to help familiarize students with the new testing format of the SBA. In addition to the new Chromebooks, seven minimum days have been added to the school year in order to give teachers time to collaborate and discuss these new Common Core state standards. During these minimum days, teachers form into groups of roughly eight to ten people to learn about different aspects of Common Core and how to implement

technology and innovative teaching methods to support the new Common Core standards. At first glance, Common Core can be perceived as a new set of standards that outlines the skills each student should master by the end of each grade level. Serving as a Common Core coach this year, Ms. Ashley Novak stated that it is much more than a new set of standards; it is instead “a whole transformation of the way that we learn, a transformation of who we are as teachers and who we are as learners. Students,” she emphasized, “are given more of a leadership role than ever before.” As students grow up in a technology-based world, many view Common Core as a step forward to integrate the advances of the 21st century into the classroom. For junior Tina Fann, the integration of Common Core is an interesting change. Tina “likes turning in assignments to Google Classroom,” an application on Google Chrome, because it “saves paper, and [she] can see the grade once [her] teachers have reviewed it.” The best part, she joked, is that “all of [her] assignments are in [her] student drive so [she] doesn’t have to worry about losing anything!” As for the SBA, Tina confessed that she’s “never taken a test on a computer before,” but is still “curious to see how it will work out at the end of the year.” Traditionally, teachers lecture in class and assign students homework to complete at home. For Mr. Peter Vo and Mr. Jorge Munoz, Common Core has influenced them to “flip” their

classrooms in their AP Environmental Science classes. This means students listen to lectures in the form of PowerPoints with their teachers’ voice-overs at home, while doing labs, and any other activities in class. But, with this being the first year of implementation for Common Core, there are some aspects to improve upon. Common Core encourages more open ended labs, and, with students creating their own labs, “it’s been harder to grade—there used to be a definite correct answer,” but now “anything you say, as long as it can be supported, can be the answer,” said Mr. Vo. In the Math Department, Ms. Kerry King is “a little frustrated with Common Core” because while it “was originally said to require fewer standards that would allow us to go into more indepth in the material” in Algebra 2, “that’s not true.” Ms. King hopes to work in subject groups to further understand what Common Core means for the Math Department and its curriculum. While there are disagreements about procedures, Dr. Brent Forsee stated that he believes “the concept behind it is pure” and that Common Core will prepare students to “solve real world problems.” Of course, Common Core is still a work in progress, but its success will depend on the collaboration of teachers and students, and on what Common Core evolves into in the future. smukherjee@apachepowwow.com

NEWS

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October 2014

bEWARE OF VIRUS.

By ERIC CHEN & KIMBERLY LO Staff Writers

The highly infectious and fatal Ebola virus has made its way to the U.S. through a man named Thomas Eric Duncan. The man reportedly claimed that he had just returned from the infected areas of West Africa, but was not “feeling any symptoms” while on the plane ride to America. Ebola, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cannot be transmitted by a person not yet displaying any symptoms. Therefore, it is highly plausible that Duncan did not spread the disease to anyone while on the plane ride to the U.S... or, at least, we hope not. Duncan did not immediately head to the hospital once he reached Dallas, Texas. It took him d a y s before he finally realized his health problems and visited the doctor. During this time period, he could have infected countless people, or so CDC infers. Duncan was sent back home from his first visit to the doctor, because his condition was deemed not too serious. As the days passed, he infected more people and eventually began to feel

more serious symptoms of his illness. At last, he returned to the hospital one more time and was finally taken to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). He died on Oct. 8. Precautions have been taken to ensure the virus’ containment in Dallas; those who had been in contact with Duncan were monitored for any symptoms of Ebola and quarantined. Unfortunately, the Ebola virus is not the only deadly disease that Americans have to worry about. The West Nile Virus (WNV) and Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) have also been developing in the U.S. On Sept. 25, mosquitoes in Temple City tested positive for the WNV. In addition, over this summer, WNV was detected in three California cities: Temple City, La Verne, and Walnut. People are usually infected with WNV through bites from mosquitos, which have typically been infected with WNV after drinking from infected birds. About 70% to 80% of people with WNV do not exhibit symptoms. Fortunately, WNV is life threatening to less than 1% of people who are infected. Even so, WNV is a disease that can affect victims greatly. California has had 375 cases of humans testing positive for WNV. On Oct. 1, it was reported that the San Gabriel Valley has had three mosquitoes, seven dead birds, and three chickens that tested positive for WNV; furthermore, there have been six human cases recorded. As of now, there are no available treatments if one

does contract WNV. Mosquitoes are more active at dusk and dawn, so be careful when going outside during those times. The most reliable and safest form of prevention is to avoid mosquito bites. Apply insect repellent, wear more clothes with longer sleeves, and stay away from mosquitoes. EV-D68 is another disease currently affecting Americans nationwide. It is a non-polio enterovirus, and this year the rate of people infected has been much higher than previous years. In particular, more children are feeling more serious effects of EV-D68, and some have been hospitalized or have passed away as a result. Non-polio enteroviruses are commonplace; according to CDC, they cause millions of infections in the U.S. a n nu- ally. Younger children may be more susceptible to these viruses because their body s y s t e m s a r e not be immune to the viruses yet. People who are affected may experience effects including heart infection or becoming paralyzed. According to the CDC, “from mid-August to October 10, 2014, CDC or state public health

bend-iphone 6 7.1 millimeters in thickness, better autofocus, and iPad style landscape mode. Staff Writer Depending on what you prefer, overall the iPhone 6 is just an improved version of the The Apple family continues to grow as iPhone 5S, but the iPhone 6 Plus is more like the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus become the a smaller version of a tablet (phablet, phone top must-have piece of technology in Oc- plus tablet), with more upgraded features. tober. Apple announced the iPhone release The only main downfall of the new phone date on Sept. 10. Pre-orders started on Sept. is the metal that they are made of. The iPhone 5 12 and in store sales started on Sept. 19. and 5S also bend, but it is less likely to happen The iPhone 6 is a 4.7-inch length phone; because they are made of on the other hand, the iPhone 6 Plus is a 5.5thicker layinch phone that had everyone b e ers of malieving that bigger chined metis better. Although al, whereas everyone had high the iPhone 6 expectations of and 6 Plus is the new iPhones, made of half we all knew that the amount there were going of machined to be some flaws. metal used The iPhone 6 to make features, a 4.7-inch an iPhone iPhone 6, a 1334 x 5 or 5S. 750 retina screen This type display, improved of metal is LTE and Wi-Fi iPhone evolution From left to right: iPhone aluminum. 5s, iPhone 6, and the iPhone 6 Plus. The iPhone family speed, a higher Generally continues to grow in both number and size. storage caaluminum pacity of 128G, and 6.9 millimeters is quite versatile, it’s light and strong, but thick. The IPhone 6 Plus features, a in this case, there weren’t enough layers of 5.5-inch phone, a the aluminum to fully keep the phone from 1920 x 1080 retina bending under high amounts of pressure. screen display, imAlthough the youngest member of proved LTE and Wi- the Apple Family may not be perFi speed, a higher fect, it sure is the most improved. storage capacity kliao@apachepowwow.com of 128GB, longer Photo courtesy of ZDNET.COM lasting battery life,

By KAITLYN LIAO

laboratories have confirmed a total of 691 people in 46 states and the Districct of Columbia with respiratory illness caused by EV-D68.” Symptoms include fevers, body aches, coughs, and having trouble breathing. EV-D68 is usually spread when people touch surfaces that infected people coughed on, sneezed on, or touched. Because there are no treatments that will specifically help people recover from EV-D68, people can only take medications or in serious cases be hospitalized. Moreover, since EV-D68 is similar to other respiratory viruses, it’s not easy to distinguish the cases that are caused by EV-D68. Helpful ways to prevent infection are to wash hands often, avoid touching the face with dirty hands, cover coughs, and disinfect surfaces. Be careful, and make sure to take the necessary precautions to stay safe.

klo@apachepowwow.com echen@apachepowwow.com Graphics courtesy of BUSINESS-CLIPART. COM and CLIPARTBEST.COM

“Sway” By SUKANYA MUKHERJEE Staff Writer

Microsoft has just gotten up to speed. For ten years, Word, PowerPoint and Excel have been staples in our everyday lives but Sway, Microsoft’s new application for creating and sharing documents across devices, is an innovative new addition to the family. Sway offers users the ability to instantly create professional, sophisticated presentations viewable on any Web browser or device. Images and text boxes are automatically rearranged on the page when added, leaving the user with minimal work and a clean-cut presentation. As Microsoft puts it, “You’re always done.” Choose from a pre-designed layout, or cycle between layouts like slide show. Drag and drop sources from Facebook, YouTube or other websites without even leaving the Sway application. Sway’s efficiency also allows users to work anytime from their mobile devices. People can upload photos and text from smartphones and have a sharp and refined presentation ready to go for that afternoon meeting. Gone are the hours spent formatting a basic PowerPoint presentation---with

Sway, users can start canvassing their ideas immediately on any device whenever inspiration strikes. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella says Sway, which models after Apple’s cloud system fits the “mobile-first, cloud-first world”. Sway also will not only serve the needs of students and professionals but also preserve family moments and provide an accessible, easy to use platform for anyone. Sway will soon be available to the public and Microsoft has promised that Sway will not require an Office 365 subscription. Clean-cut, innovative and cloudbased, Sway may be the next big thing for Microsoft. smukherjee@apachepowwow.com Graphics courtesy of ZDNET.COM

October 2014

NEWS

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Raising the Minimum Wage By VERONICA YU Staff Writer

The Los Angeles City Council is currently taking action to raise the hourly pay for employees in the city. 10,000 hotel workers in Los Angeles have already had their hourly pay raised to $15.37 on average. The city council also wants to raise the hourly pay from the standard California minimum wage of $9 an hour. For workers, that would be an increase of $3,200 annually. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti proposed a plan to raise the hourly pay to $13.25, which would impact about 567,000 workers, who would receive the raise by 2017. Many advocates believe that the minimum wage should be raised even higher. Some City Council members believe that the wage could still be pushed higher to $15.25 by 2019. A study showed that 97% of the people who would be most affected by the wage raise would be people over the age of 20. Though some people believe this will actually hurt the economy, since businesses would have to spend more money to pay their workers more, the workers would have better performances, which would bring in more

profit. If the minimum wage is increased, the Los Angeles City Council hopes that the economy will benefit, be-

cause more earnings often lead to more spending. 26 states and the District of Columbia have already raised their hourly pay over the federal’s staqndard wage of $7.25 an hour. People believe that the government should take more action to raise the minimum wage, since individual states have already initiated their

own raises. When the Obama Adminstration proposed to raise the minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10, there were many violent outbreaks and riots led by fast food workers who believe they deserve even higher. The fast food workers’ actions raised more awareness to the issue of wage inequality. Several large cities in California have already raised their minimum wage and are starting to take action to care for the peoples’ needs. The wage raise could greatly benefit Los Angeles workers and give them extra money to spend in their daily lives. The change in hourly pay will definitely help many struggling families and bring attention to the wage inequality throughout the nation. vyu@apachepowwow.com Photos courtesy of ONEDOLLABILL.INFO, COMMONS.WIKIMEDIA.ORG, and THECOINSPOT.COM

More Metro for More Mileage By EILEEN LEE Staff Writer

Construction on the 1.9-mile, $1.4 billion Metro rail line in downtown Los Angeles began on Sept. 30 during a groundbreaking ceremony in Little Tokyo. The ceremony initiated the operation of a new “Regional Connector”, which serves to link the Metro Blue and Expo lines to the Gold line. All three lines are currently scattered throughout L.A., with them all currently terminating at Flower and 7th. According to Metro officials, the primary goal is to enable passengers to take a single trip across the country. They revealed that the entire process is expected to be completed at the earliest by 2020. The construction will bring drastic changes to the Metro lines in downtown L.A. The Regional Connector will provide one-seat rides be-

tween Santa Monica and Long Beach, which provides convenience for tourists. It will also add new train stops at various locations: Second Place/Hope Street in Bunker Hill, Second Street/Broadway in the Historic Core, and First Street/Central Avenue in Little Tokyo. Anthony Foxx, the U.S. Transportation Secretary, stated, “Transportation is about more than getting from one point to another, it’s about getting from where you are to a better life.” At the ceremony, Foxx not only attended to mark the construction of the Regional Connector, but also attended to celebrate the Regional Connector as well as to reveal some crucial information regarding financial supports and future plans of the L.A. subway system. During the

event, Foxx announced that a $1.7 million grant from the FTA’s Ladders of Opportunity Initiative would be given for the Metro’s development. The funds will specifically be used to improve the conditions regarding the city’s public facilities: four bus stops on Cesar Chavez Av e n u e near Union Station, sidewalks in the area, bike parking areas, and bikeshare areas. Foxx also mentioned that Regional Connector Constructors, a joint venture of Skanska USA Civil West California District Inc. and Traylor Bros. Inc., was awarded with a $927.2 million design and construction contract. County transportation officials willingly funded the program to build the downtown subway and reach its main goals of improvement in transportation. Los Angeles is currently undergoing three other construction regarding the Metro system as well: the 13.7km Crenshaw/LAX Line, the 10.6km second phase of the Expo line to Santa Monica town center, and the 18.5km Gold Line Foothill Extension. elee@apachepowwow.com

Photo courtesy of METROTRANSIT.ORG

s t a f f Editors

Editors-in-Chief Managing Editor News Editors Opinion Editors Performing Arts Editors Student Life Editors Features Editors Sports Editors Academics Editors Center Spread Editor Calendar Editor Campus Focus Editor Advertisement Editors Photography Editors Executive Copy Editors Fundraising Chairs

Katrina Chao and Stanley Shaw Belle Zheng Simone Chu and Terri Shi Victoria Yu and Erika Zheng Amelia Jin and Briana Shen Daniel Jenn and Justin Tang Elaine Chung and Lily Ling Allan Gao and Charles Xu Helen Lee and Tiffany Liu Josh Bay Rose Li Flora Ung Derek Lee and Belle Zheng Ben Geisberg and Millie Wong Michelle Gu and Hafsah Umerani Yoko Chan and Chelsea Cheng

Writers

News Staff Eric Chen, Amber Chong, Jessie Hui, Katie Huang, Michelle Huang, Eileen Lee, Kaitlyn Liao, Andrew Lim, Julia Lin, Kimberly Lo, Sukanya Mukherjee, Emily Quach, Kristen Tran, Michael Tseng, Shawn Xing, Veronica Yu, Roy Zhang Opinion Staff Niki Chi, Amber Chong, Teddy Chu, Ben Geisberg, Julia Lin, Andrew Muliadi, Sukanya Mukherjee, Millie Wong, Titus Wu, Veronica Yu Performing Arts Staff Jacqueline Chang, Eric Chen, William Hsu, Katie Huang, Celine Lee, Eileen Lee, Ellie Lee, Erin Li Student Life Staff Eric Chen, Tiffany Chen, Eileen Lee, Ellie Lee, Andrew Lim, Andrea Liu, Emily Schube, Kristie Sun, Tiffany Tsui, Emily Wu, Sunny Wu, Shawn Xing, Gary Zhu Freatures Staff Tiffany Chen, Katie Huang, Michelle Huang, Celine Lee, Julia Lin, Cristian Nalbandian, Emily Schube, Cathleen Shen, Sunny Wu, Pearl Yang, Elyse Yao, Veronica Yu, Gary Zhu Sports Staff Ryan Fann, William Hsu, Peter Ju, Ellie Lee, Erin Li, Rose Li, Andrew Muliadi, Christina Read, Brendan Tran, Kyle Wang, Titus Wu, Shawn Xing, Pearl Yang Academics Staff Tiffany Chen, Brittanie Gaja, Katie Huang, Derek Lee, Andrea Liu, Kimberly Lo, Andrew Wang, Sunny Wu, Elyse Yao Calendar Staff Jacqueline Chang, Brittanie Gaja, Jessie Hui, Peter Ju, Kaitlyn Liao, Andrew Lim, Kimberly Lo, Debbie Moon, Emily Quach, Cathleen Shen, Kristen Tran, Andrew Wang, Kyle Wang, Emily Photo Staff Wu, Sunny Wu, Pearl Yang, Elyse Yao Campus Focus Staff Emily Quach Center Spread Staff Madeline Lee Advertisement Staff Jacqueline Chang, Teddy Chu, Ryan Fann, William Hsu, Michelle Huang, Peter Ju, Andrea Liu, Andrew Muliudi, Tiffany Tsui, Kyle Wang, Emily Wu, Elyse Yao Photo Staff Teddy Chu, Ryan Fann, Brittanie Gaja, Derek Lee, Debbie Moon, Stanley Shaw, Cathleen Shen, Kristen Tran, Titus Wu Copy-Editing Staff Ryan Fang, Jessie Hui, Madeline Lee, Debbie Moon, Christina Read, Emily Schube, Andrew Wang, Kyle Wang, Elyse Yao, Veronica Yu, Gary Zhu Adviser Mr. Johnny Lee

Publication Information: The Apache Pow Wow is a student publication distributed monthly throughout the school year. The paper has been continuously published since Arcadia High School opened in 1952. Unsigned articles appearing on the opinion page reflect the opinion of The Apache Pow Wow editorial board. A student’s work does not represent the views of Arcadia High School or the Arcadia Unified School District. Address letters to the editor to: The Apache Pow Wow, 180 W. Campus Drive, Arcadia, CA 91007. To place an advertisement in the newspaper, email ads.powwow@gmail.com. Advertisement rates vary from $30 for a business card advertisement to $250 for a full-page black and white advertisement, with quarter-page, half-page, and advertisement insert options available. Graphic courtesy of SHAMBHALA.COM

Opinion

Trying New Things By LAUREN TRAJANO Staff Writer

My mother told me a decision needed to be made. What was I going to do with my life? Should I be a teacher’s aide? For years and years, I’d been left in the dark. I simply knew I wanted to leave a lasting mark. But what was the perfect job for me? What should I be? My ideas were in a haze. My thoughts went up in a blaze. I tried my best to pick a major I wanted, making sure that my choice wasn’t going to be taunted. But my brain just scattered into bits. How could I find a career that fits? Then I received a text. It showed me what to do next. It was my friend on the phone. Of course, she wasn’t home. “Do you want to volunteer at the hospital with me?” she inquired. I asked her what getting the job required. “Oh a simple application is all you need,” she replied. “Sure! It’ll be fun!” I lied.

We soon arrived at our assigned department, Which looked a lot like an apartment. The patients surrounded a little bed that held a boy with a bandage around his head. A cake was set in front of him. It read, “Happy Birthday Tim!” As the group gathered around the little lad, I found myself no longer mad. After we finished our song, young Timmy couldn’t wait for long. He took a deep breath and blew out his candles. Afterward, he received two mugs with awesome handles. I looked at tiny Tim And wanted to help him. He deserves to have someone knocking on his door; Someone who is willing to run the hospital floor. It’s a nurse he needs... Someone who does good deeds. And so now I have an idea for a career. It’s nursing loud and clear. By trying my hand at volunteering, I uncovered the passion I was previously missing. If there’s anything I learned it’s this: Always shoot for trying a new thing because you never know what wonders it might bring. ltrajano@apachepowwow.com Graphic courtesy of EMOJI.COM

October 2014

Trick or Treating Through the Years

By SUKANYA MUKHERJEE Staff Writer

Oct. 31, 2004 “We have to go to that house! They are giving out candy apples! Please?” I whined, my seven-year-old voice hitching up an octave. Sighing exasperatedly, my mom grabbed the tip of my purple tail—I was dressed as the Cheshire Cat, the smiling cat—what’s not to love? As we walked toward it, the house lit up like a Christmas tree at the end of the street. The sounds of whooping children could be heard from a mile away. “She gave me two. Ha!” A triumphant kid yelped past me. “This is the last house, Eve. I have to get up for work tomorrow.” I nodded enthusiastically, my tail waving back and forth. There was always next year. And the next, and the next , and the next… Oct. 31, 2011 “Why aren’t you wearing your witch costume?” my mom asked while I applied black eye shadow. “I’m too old for a costume, mom,” I tersely replied, my words echoing my friend’s words during lunch today. The truth was that I kind of wanted to wear the black robe and keep my broomstick by my side. However, Carla had said that freshmen were too old to wear costumes. “Just wear the hat, that’s what all the upperclassmen do.” I stared at the hat in my mirror. My black jeans and hoodie didn’t compliment the crooked witch hat very well. Were 14-year-olds really too old to wear a costumes? “You can always come with me and Ruby, Eve,” my mom said. I stared at my baby sister clad as a clown staring looking up at me with wide eyes. “I’m going with my friends this year,” I hesitated. It was the first year I would be going without Mom and Ruby, but I was a high schooler now and this would

Who was I kidding? I’ve never been volunteering. I’ve never been to the ER in my life Or the maternity unit to meet a man with his pregnant wife. I didn’t know what the job entailed; What challenges would be unveiled. When I arrived at the hospital on my first day, I was greeted by my friend Kay. “Oh, I’m so glad you could make it!” she would cheer. I tried my best not to sneer.

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be the first year I was not going with my mom and Ruby. It was time to leave the nest! Well, for a night anyway. Plus, I didn’t want Carla and her friends to think I was a baby for not showing up. I remember that I walked past the house that gave out the candy apples wistfully on my way to Carla’s house. I suppressed the urge to run forward along with the other kids, rushing to see who could fill up their buckets the quickest. How old was too old to go trick-ortreating? Was there a rule written down somewhere that I didn’t know about? Who decided what was cool? Oct. 31, 2014 “We have to go to that house!” Ruby tugged my hand. I ran with her toward the house that passed out candy apples, breathing heavily when we got there. Maybe I was getting too old for this. It was my senior year. Some of my friends had bailed on me this year because of college apps. That’s why you start early, folks. Carla was throwing a party down the street, where only people she invited could attend. And I was here with my little sister, debating which one of us had received a bigger apple. I think we’re pretty cool. As I watched Ruby ahead of me, swinging her candy filled bucket jovially, I’m reminded of my innocence, my childhood and I wonder if I’ve lost it. At 17 going on 18, I must have somewhere down the line believed Halloween wasn’t magical anymore, when I stopped seeing the point in dressing up anymore. Then again, tonight was magical. Laughing along with Ruby, running from house to house, watching her imitate Cheshire Cat’s purr… perhaps at times I can wade myself back to the old shore of childhood. “Ruby,” I pulled her tail. It was my old Cheshire Cat costume. “Don’t let anyone tell you you’re too old for trick-or-treating.”

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Graphics courtesy of GALLERYHIP.COM and WALLSK.COM

The Missing Button By NIKI CHI Staff Writer

Rewind back to when you were just a kid. Back then, you had time to do the things you liked: drawing, sleeping, or watching television at 9 a.m. on Cartoon Network. This was when life was a lot easier, when people could actually dedicate themselves to their hobbies. Personally, I loved hanging around the local Arcadia Public Library. The wide array of children’s books and the friendly staff just made it a great place to be at. I could borrow as many books as I was allowed to and read for hours on end daily. Whether they were educational or simply for fun, all of them promoted the same concept—implementing a moral value. An influential childhood book that has shaped how I currently feel about my life today would be Corduroy by Don Freeman. Although it is a picture book, I still see this tale as a story promoting self acceptance. In the book, Corduroy is a teddy bear on sale at a local department store. A young girl is attracted by Corduroy’s cute nature, but is denied the purchase by her mother simply because the bear is missing a single button on his overalls. The following night, Corduroy gets up and runs around the department store in a desperate attempt to find a replacement button. Although he fails, the next day, the young girl comes back with her own money and purchases Corduroy. Most people would would simply see this book as a heartwarming tale about a stuffed plush finally finding a home. However, I interpreted it as a tale of acceptance by the people around you. Even if you aren’t perfect, even if you’re missing a button, it doesn’t make you any worse than the other bears on the shelf. There will be plenty of people out there who will accept your flaws. What one lacks within can be made up for by all the great accomplishments an individual could possibly achieve. The girl took no shame in buying Corduroy. His difference did not appall her, but instead, was a factor that actually attracted her. And that’s just how life is. Being different and missing certain characteristics doesn’t make an individual any less than someone else . Everyone has something he or she excels in, whether that be the arts or the sciences. It’s really about finding what suits you, what makes you the individual that you are, and what defines you from the rest of society.

While it’s certainly impossible to simply ignore all the selfconscious feelings within, it’s still important to at least maintain the concept that self-acceptance is necessary to be happy with life. Sometimes, people make comments that often just feel as if they stabbed swords in your gut. Whether or not they were said in offense, there’s really just no way of controlling what others can say. So the best advice that I can really give is, “Just forget about it.” Let the compliments stick and let the criticisms fly. If people don’t have any positive feedback, then just forget they said anything at all. There’s no point in letting rude commentary get to the core of a happy nature. And that is just one of the most important and critical values people need to learn today. Because if you can’t learn to love yourself, then how can you possibly expect anyone else nchi@apachepowwow.com around you Graphics by SUNNY WU to do the same?

October 2014

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Opinion

The Dash Before The Finish Line By TEDDY CHU Staff Writer

Seniors, let’s face it: college application season has begun its final stretch and I’m sure there are some (including me) who finally are beginning to feel the pressure. Time seems to be flying by faster and faster as I get older; it seems like no more than two months ago was I learning to navigate the halls as a freshman. I’ve come to realize that the one, and possibly the only, constant in life is the fact that time will continue to progress at the same rate no matter how prepared anybody is for it. Personally, these first couple months back at school have hit me harder than any other segment of time at school. There just isn’t enough time in the day to balance homework, work, extracurriculars, studying, and applications. Time has definitely been ticking away as I idle around, wondering what to write or how I should go about concluding an essay or two. The shadow of deadlines looms more and more every day, as if it is watching me from over my shoulder, at every word I haven’t written yet. These words aren’t only missing from my college essays; there is always a healthy stack of textbooks and loose papers next to my laptop as well. As much as I’d like to think that I’m making progress, it seems that as every school day ends I’m coming home with more work than the last. I’ve seen it in others as well; many a time will I text my friends asking to take a break only to find that they’ve been sitting in Panera Bread or

By JULIA LIN

Starbucks working on either college essays or school work and don’t plan on leaving any time soon. It’s understandable that working at a place other than home is more productive; home offers too many distractions, and most importantly, a nice, comfy bed. To my fellow seniors who are also now realizing how close to due these applications are, try to worry less and sleep more. Sleep has unfortunately become more and more of a rare occurrence for me because of how much is on my plate. With all the writing and working going on, I’m starting to really miss nap time in school. When I do manage to drag myself into bed, more often than not I find myself staring at the ceiling coming to another sudden realization that I’ve been walking in circles all day. This constant cycle of work has really worn me out; it almost

feels like I’m just going through the movements and thinking

has become one of them. But, alas, the world keeps on spinning and I’m going to have to spin my way around this cycle even faster if I ever want to get out of it. What I’ve come to find is that perhaps the best way to move that quickly is to get to bed just as quickly. Start setting bed times for yourself; discipline your phone usage so that you’re not distracted even while trying to fall asleep. A well rested you proves for a bested tomorrow, so maybe consider hitting the sack instead of hitting the books the next time you find youself awake at midnight. Enough sleep will not only allow for a lot more ideas to flow through your head for college apps, but for everything else as well. And to all of you who haven’t had the wonderful opportunity of sleepless nights and trudging through mornings supported only by tea and coffee, here are some tips. Firstly, remember that sleep is one of the most valuable

gifts you can give yourself. Don’t overexert yourself over the course of one day; when you feel tired after finishing a good amount of work, hop in bed. Power nap if that works for you, just as long as you’re getting to bed at a good hour and giving your body proper time to recuperate. I know based on the last paragraph I shouldn’t really be the one telling you this, but I could have had a lot more sleepless nights this month had I forgotten about just how valuable sleep is. While it is valuable, keep in mind that your friends are going to be rivaling sleep in importance. You guys are all in this together (no, not a musical), so don’t forget to keep in touch with others. While there are times where you just need to sit yourself in a room and crank out an essay or two, there are also days where you can go sit around at a café with friends or go out to the mall to talk. I’ve found myself up early watching the sunrise (on days I’ve managed to get to bed at a good time, of course) with a few friends just to take in the fact that I’m not struggling alone in this stretch of time. As fast as time flies and as fast as words fly onto my paper, my friends will be flying out just as quickly. Remember who supported you through your tough times and celebrated together during good times, and don’t forget to do the same. Although I’m finding time to be the only constant in this world, I’m beginning to find friendship as the next closest thing.

they only exaggerate or downplay the faults in their arguments because they dislike the other bandwagon so intensely. If you want to climb onto a sports bandwagon, let me introduce to you the college rivalry between University of Southern California (USC) and University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Rabid USC Sports Fans vs. Equally Rabid UCLA Sports Fans: “USC all the way! We’re better because...um...because...our mascots are Trojans!” cheer the riders on the USC bandwagon, decked out in red and gold. “Nah bro, it’s all about UCLA! Our school colors are blue and blue is the color of the sky so we’re, like, sent from the heavens!” refute the UCLA bandwagoners. Neither vehicle advances towards the finish line; their arguments are too dull-witted. A majority of the time, these sports fans don’t even use specific examples to explain how their favorite sports team is the best. In fact, they barely even know football or basketball language. What’s a line of scrimmage? An amoeba defense? Completely foreign. Or do you prefer moping around with a group of people? Unite with the Government Naysayers instead, and revolutionize good ol’ ‘Murica by nitpicking anything and everything! Government Naysayers: “The government is hiding the existence of aliens from us. I blame the gov-

ernment for my nasty case of dandruff, but even more so for that spider in the corner of my bedroom. The government is Illuminati, I swear!” cry the paranoid conspiracy theorists. They don’t have to race against anyone, because, well, the government officials are too rich to care. Okay, okay. Maybe the above was a bit drastic, but it is a fair example of the government-hating bandwagon. A large portion of people who blame the government probably don’t even know how it really works, (those kids that mention the government in every sentence, I’m looking at you!) but still feel the need to seem knowledgeable to their peers. The government cannot oversee every little detail in this country, so before you blame the authorities in power for all your problems, think twice, because you actually sound more stupid shifting your problems onto a scapegoat. Debates are better without a flurry of condescending jabs and useless babbling. We should focus on broaching issues we genuinely understand and want to discuss thoroughly, instead of attempting to sound superior to others. Just so you know, you’ve probably already hopped on my bandwagon while reading this article. I win this race, suckers.

tchu@apachepowwow.com Graphics courtesy of DISTRICT.NET and IMIG1.COM

The Great Bandwagon Race Staff Writer

All aboard the bandwagon, where there’s tons of fun to be had. Don’t like it? Join the anti-bandwagon then, and jeer with your teammates at the other troupe! As the two bandwagons race towards the boundless track, hoping to cross the endline of winning their debate first, they spit arguments at each other to fuel their vehicles. Are you ready for some competition? Race...start! Junk Food Addicts vs. Healthy-Living Freaks: The healthy-living freaks brandish their sharpened carrots, ready for war on their chariots made out of whole wheat and nonGMO products. “Your junk food is inferior in quality to our fresh, organic produce. Junk food is the end of civilization. There are so many better alternatives, like baked sweet potato fries. Regular fries are sodden with oil. Imagine your arteries being clogged by pieces of animal fat. You’re all

barbaric.” “Sweet potato fries? Gross. If I’m going to eat fries, I want them to be unhealthy. They’re called FRIES for a reason. You don’t bake fries. We’re all gonna die anyway, so what’s the use of eating healthy? I’ll tell ya. None. And fresh produce is just way too expensive,” hiss the junk food addicts, fingers slicked with bacon grease and Cheeto powder. Their slippery fingers make it difficult to hold the reins, and they slowly fall behind the healthy-living freaks, who stick out their tongues in mockery. Ever heard the phrase “enjoy everything in moderation”? Well, these two sides sure haven’t. It’s common to come across these bandwagoners who try to cram their beliefs (no pun intended) down your throat. Junk Food Addicts and HealthyL i v i n g Freaks are two extremes of of the spectrum. Most likely,

jlin@apachepowwow.com Graphic by BRITTANIE GAJA Graphic courtesy of CLIPART.COM

Features

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October 2014

By EMILY SCHUBE Staff Writer

The month of October calls for sweet treats, creative costumes, plump pumpkins, and, of course, scary movies. Now Halloween is not just about , or the Ghostbusters, but thrilling and terrifying films. Unlike Charlie Brown and the Great Pumpkin, here are some popular, frightening, hiding-behind-the-pillow movies that are perfect for Halloween. Beware, this article may contain spoilers. When a Stranger Calls This movie is perfectly frightening for all babysitters out there, whether it is the original version or the remake. The main character, Jill Johnson, is hired to take care of the children of a physician and his wife while they depart for the evening. Late at night, a stranger calls the house and torments Jill by demanding, “Have you checked the children, have you checked

the children?” This will teach nannies and sitters out there to carefully watch their kids, because every suspenseful moment will have you re-checking every closet. The Woman in Black There is always one house in a town that everyone fears, and in this movie, Arthur Kipps becomes the unlucky guy when he has to stay in it. Sent from his work at a law firm to investigate the documents of the house, he learns that a vengeful ghost harasses the children of a small town. It becomes his duty to save the townspeople and their children by making peace with the spirit. This movie will most likely raise your electric bill, since you will want to leave every light on in your house. Plus, you get to see Daniel Radcliffe in a post-Harry Potter role. Insidious: Chapter 1 & 2 If you have ever felt like your dreams were real, then you are not alone. In this film, a boy named Dalton Lambert had an accident

that caused him to fall into a coma for several months. After discovering that there was more to this coma, Mr. and Mrs. Lambert do whatever they can to bring their son back to reality and prevent demonic spirits from taking over Dalton’s body. The sequel ties in perfectly with the first, and will continue to convince you to sleep with one eye open. MAMA Mothers are always there to look after and care for their children, even if they are not their own children. This horror movie portrays two young children abandoned in a cabin in the woods for five years, until their uncle finds them. Without any nurturing, their uncle and his girlfriend struggle to learn what really happened to the girls, if they were really alone, and if they brought anything with them. The Grudge Ever wanted to be a nurse? Well, your mind might change after watching this movie. A nurse, Karen Davis, arrives at a home in Tokyo, only to discover that a supernatural curse is killing people. Although in danger herself, Karen battles to save her life and future victims. Make sure that you do not bite your nails off when watching this frightening film. The Ring The saying “it’s killing me” is taken literally in this eerie film when a reporter, Rachel Keller, investigates the death of her niece. Realizing that a cursed video tape is murdering its viewers, Rachel battles against the curse and attempts to prevent more killings from occurring. Be careful what you watch, because like this movie, it could scare you to death!

The Skeleton Key Magic and magicians can create a fun and entertaining atmosphere, but in this movie, it’s the complete opposite. A young caretaker travels to a house in Louisiana to care for an ill and shocked man. After receiving a key to all the rooms in the house, her curiosity unlocks the secrets and voodoo magic that had caused the man to have a stroke; this movie will make your heart pound with fright. Drag Me to Hell People usually try to avoid creepy old ladies, but a courageous loan-officer at a bank, Christine Brown, is willing to help everyone. However, after angering the lady, she is cursed and evil forces seek to send her soul to hell. But before Christine is taken, she battles against demons to save her soul. This movie will curse butterflies into your stomach and will leave you shaking like a tree. All of these movies are outstanding, and will add thrill and horror to your night. But, be warned that some of these films may not be suitable for all viewers. Test your bravery with these movies, if they won’t scare your pants off. So, lock your doors, squeeze your pillows, bury yourself in blankets, shut your eyes, and enjoy a very scary Halloween. eschube@apachepowwow.com

Photos courtesy of BEHANCE.NET, CBSFILMS.COM, FANPOP.COM, and WICKEDHORROR.COM

A Song to Remember

New Stress Detecting App By VERONICA YU Staff Writer

You always hear of people complaining about just how stressed out they are, but now you can really know with the new Studentlife app that can measure stress levels. This app was used to track 48 college students on their regular routines, including what activities they had, and how social they were. Researchers from Dartmouth College, who conducted the study, found that as the students got deeper into the school year, their stress levels rose while all their other bodily activities fell. The researchers looked at the students’ GPAs to see how their activities affected their grades and how they were feeling. They found that students who slept more, surrounded themselves with more people, and were more active and physical were not as likely to be depressed, since they were less lonely and felt better about themselves. By using phone sensors, the app could tell what the person was doing all the time. They could tell a person’s sleep habits, where they were, how physically active they were, and if they were surrounded by other people. The students were given a survey when they had important deadlines to meet and at the start and end of the semester. The researchers connected the students’ GPAs to their activities and found that better grades were connected with less physical activity, night time activity, and time spent

with other people. Also, they found that class attendance did not dramatically affect the students’ GPAs. This app is a great way to gauge students’ emotional well-being, and how their activities and stress level affect their GPAs. Students can share this app’s data with their families and doctors so that they can monitor and be alerted if they see any great changes in stress levels and help the student if he or she is going through a hard time. All in all, the Studentlife app is a helpful assessment for determining one’s stress levels. Through this app, one can be more aware of his or her everyday activities, and can seek help when necessary. vyu@apachepowwow.com

Graphic courtesy of BEHANCE.NET

By MICHELLE HUANG Staff Writer

Perhaps you’ve already noticed, but each year you hear a set of songs that repeat over and over again on the radio. Chances are, these are the songs that are “in” at the time, and rank high on the Billboard Hot 100. Let’s rewind to 2011. Not that long ago, but if you think about the most popular music back then, you would probably think of songs like “Party Rock Anthem” by LMFAO, right? There’s actually more than that. Music is pretty timeless; so many people don’t think about how old a song is. But many songs are actually older than you would think. “Rolling in the Deep” by Adele, “Grenade” by Bruno Mars, and “Firework” by Katy Perry topped the charts in 2011. I know, it seems like so long ago,but unsurprisingly, some of these songs still play frequently on the radio. Jump one year to 2012. Before Psy’s “Gangnam Style” went viral on YouTube in September, there was Gotye and Kimbra’s “Somebody That I Used to

Know” and Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe”. These two songs dominated the charts alongside hits from Maroon 5, Ellie Goulding, and Rihanna. Come 2013. Macklemore was indisputably the breakout sensation of the year. “Thrift Shop” not only became #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, but it also ended up winning two Grammy Awards with its jazzy saxophone beat. There was also “Blurred Lines” by Robin Thicke, which was performed at the Video Music Awards. Baauer’s “Harlem Shake” gave us a break from lyrical music with its catchy electric beat. In 2012, the most popular song was “Gangnam Style”. In 2013, it was “Thrift Shop”. But what about 2014? Well, in July, Pharrell’s “Happy” was named the most played song on the radio for a while, but since then it has lost its appeal and dropped. The music industry is one of the most versatile platforms out there, so who knows what song or artist may emerge on the music scene next? mhuang@apachepowwow.com Graphic courtesy of PANCHER.COM

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October 2014

Poppin’ Tags

By PEARL YANG

Putting that Pumpkin to Use

Staff Writer

By AMBER CHONG Staff Writer

Once Halloween has come and gone, what will you do with all your carved jack-o-lanterns and festive centerpieces? You’ve already shelled out the cash for your pumpkin, so there’s no point in throwing it out when there are so many creative possibilities for this bright, hardy fruit. Here are a few tips for putting your post-Halloween pumpkins to use.

As fall makes its inevitable arrival, many are looking to clean out clothes that are no longer of value to them in exchange for cozier layers. Often times, however, shopping can prove to be a hassle and a damper to your funds. Fear not, because thrifting is an affordable and convenient way to enhance your wardrobe with vintage and retro counterparts. Approach your favorite thrift shops while remembering some tips: 1. Be patient. In the clutter and mess of things, thrift shopping can be overwhelming. Don’t expect too much and be patient as you skim through the racks. Eventually some hidden treasures will reveal themselves. 2. Set goals for your overall trip. Keep a lookout for special items that you could see being a staple in your wardrobe and set a budget for yourself. With all the great bargains, it’s easy to buy clothes that we don’t need, or as some people would say, “a hunk of junk”. 3. Stay open-minded. Often times the best things are right in front of us. Although clothes are labeled by size and gender, items can be adjusted for a tighter fit by tying them or rolling up sleeves. Contemplate whether an item can be fixed or used for later. In the occasion that you don’t like the fitting form of a piece, consider using its fabric for future creative projects. Thrift shopping can be accessed in one of two ways: online and in stores. Some local departments include Goodwill on 17 Las Tunas Dr., and Savers on 16 E Live Oak Ave. Online stores include Tradesy, Poshmark, a buying and selling fashion community, and Etsy, among others.

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Now that you know what to do with your pumpkins after Oct. 31, don’t toss them out ever again! These seasonal crops have so many purposes, so put them to use! Remember that food applications are best for uncarved pumpkins; once a pumpkin has been carved and has sat out for 24 hours, it is unsafe to eat.

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Graphics courtesy of FLICKR.COM, PINKDOTS.COM, and WOOKMARK.COM Photo courtesy of MAMASKITCHEN.COM

How to Survive Being Stranded in the Wilderness, or Worse By ELYSE YAO Staff Writer

What would you do in the case of a zombie apocalypse? Or, more realistically, what would you do if you were suddenly stranded for several days in the wilderness, a war zone, or a crash site? Anyting can happen, so listen up carefully. Always remember to keep your wits about you. If there’s danger, get away from it as soon as you can. What if there’s a zombie dragging itself towards you? Quit the damsel-in-distress act and run! If you’re facing a wild animal, never run or try to play dead. Instead, make yourself look as big as possible and slowly back away. Throw whatever you have on hand, and make as much noise as you can. If the animal does attack, block its mouth and aim for the snout or eyes, disabling it. If you manage to get away, climb a tree or find better cover, then treat your injuries. Once you’re no longer in immediate danger, tend to any injuries. If you know you might be doing something dangerous, make sure to bring a first aid kit just in case! Even without one, you can make do. Clean any open wounds and keep an eye out for infection. Should the bleeding not stop, resort to a tourniquet as a last resort. To make one, tighten an inch-wide strip of cloth or a belt just above the injury until the bleeding stops. Stretch out your leg to fix a dislocated knee, and roll on the ground to fix a dislocated shoulder. Treat burns with cold water or honey; clean out the injury and be sure not to pop any blisters.

Next, your main concern is shelter from the wind and cold. If there are no natural shelters, such as an rocky overhang or a small cave, you can build a simple lean-to. Break two thick, medium-length branches, cross them into an x-shape, and tie them together using cord, cloth strips, or rope. Look for a thick, sturdy branch and plant it firmly in the ground, then lean the crossed branches against it. Find more branches, leaning them against the sides of the shelter and leaning one side open for the entrance. Then, you can layer leaves, tarp, or other insulation on top of these branches. Be careful! These shelters are easily flammable. After you’ve made sure your basic survival needs are covered, it’s time to find water. You can find water by following grazing animals or mosquitoes, running a cloth through grass to collect dew, and listening for a river or other water source. Never drink from stagnant water, and never drink any water before boiling it because it’s most likely crawling with microbes and parasites. To build a fire, get together a pile of tinder, such as paper, dead leaves, or sticks. Avoid anything wet. You can use a water bottle or far-sighted glasses to focus sunlight onto the pile, or rub two sticks together, to start a fire. Make sure not to build a fire where it could potentially spread to the entire forest! Boil water in empty water bottles or cans, or make a bowl with closely woven cloth or leather. If you don’t succeed at building a fire, you can also dig a pit or find a hollowed out stone to pour water and drop sun-heated stones into.

After water comes food. If you know how to hunt, then you have an advantage; if not, acorns, pine bark, pine nuts, cattails, and the seeds/base of grass are basic survival staples. If you come across berries, exercise caution. While red and yellow berries are usually dangerous, purple and blue ones are usually safe. On the other hand, avoid all mushrooms; even the most innocuous-looking ones can bring instant death. Finally, look for rescuers. Try following a river downstream, looking for human footprints, or lights in the distance. If you see a helicopter, hold your arms out in a “Y” shape or shine light at it using a mirror or flashlight. If you hear rescuers, call out to them, but keep your tone low; higher tones tend to get mistaken for animal noises. If you can, stay out of any dangerous areas or situations; check the news to see what’s going on around you and avoid camping or hiking areas notorious for wild animal attacks and landslides. Just in case, prepare an emergency kit with a compass, flashlight, rations, flares, first aid supplies, and other necessities. Pocket knives and ropes can be incredibly useful, if you can manage to find and pack a few. Make sure you know where your emergency kit is, and create a survival plan. If you are caught unprepared, though, these tips could save your life. Be sure to remember them the next time you go out into the wild, or when the zombie horde arises! eyao@apachepowwow.com

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PERFORMING ARTS

Orchesis: Leaders of Tomorrow By KYLE WANG Staff Writer

Last spring, many students auditioned to be in the Intermediate Dance group of the 2014-2015 school year. Naturally, a good number of those accepted were freshmen who had previous dance experience. The audition process is both competitive and rigorous, as requirements include the ability to perform basic “across the floor” techniques and short combinations. Therefore, those who made it in definitely deserve praise. In this class, students learn many warm-ups and dance to jazz, ballet, and choreography. Techniques learned in this class will help those who plan to join Orchesis the following year with the audition process. Many of these dancers are already very talented, and most of them already specialize in at least one type of dance. “I am better at styles like jazz and lyrical vs. hip hop. Overall, my favorite things to do are any types of turn combos including ones that involve turning jumps such as axles,” said freshmen Katherine Shu. Despite the name of the class, not everything taught is about dance. At the beginning of the year, students take nutrition lessons in class to stay in good shape and health. There are also many written assignments throughout the year on dance history and culture. Typically, people would think that after taking Intermediate Dance, one

would most likely have to move onto Orchesis the next year. This is not the case at all. Orchesis is a semi-professional dance group that has several dance shows throughout the year. Unlike Intermediate Dance, Orchesis requires many hours of commitment outside of school, even after spending two periods every day practicing during school. On the other hand, Intermediate Dance is for those who are good at dancing, but want to have time to commit to other extracurricular activities as well. Nevertheless, students in Intermediate Dance are still given the opportunity to perform. In fact, there is a mandatory performance outside of school each semester: the Charity Dance Show and the Spring Dance Recital. Currently, the class is getting ready for the Charity Dance Show, but there is still a long way to go before the Spring Dance Recital approaches. All in all, if you have several years of dance experience or just have a cool “jam” to a certain song, this could be the right class for you. Not only will this class prepare you for the rigors of Orchesis, but it will also allow you to make new friends and bond with people who have the same kind of passion for dancing that you have and better every year. kwang@apachepowwow.com

Graphic courtesy of POLYVORE.COM

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October 2014

“Spook”tacular Time in LA By JACQUELINE CHANG Staff Writer

Los Angeles is always keeping things interesting by hosting great, lively events each month. In fact, its activities seem to be increasing in intensity this October. Halloween for LA is really a month-long affair, and below are several of the unforgettable performing arts events that LA offers during this spooky holiday. Get ready to let your inner ghoul shine. Haunted Play presents Delusion: Lies Within The Haunted Play is an annual Halloween event that takes place from Sept. 26 through Nov. 2 in the Historic West Adams District of LA. It is an interactive play designed by Hollywood stuntman Jon Braver to give each individual a uniquely terrifying experience. Groups of about 10 people are taken through the play at 15 minute intervals. The entire show includes the check-in process, waiting, and the actual performance which lasts for approximately two to three hours. Screamfest Horror Film Festival 2014 This festival is one of the biggest and longest running horror film festivals in the U.S. It takes place annually at the Regal Cinemas Theater in LA. Live in downtown Los Angeles, the festival showcases new work from independent filmmakers of the horror genre as well. Screamfest is known for discovering and premiering Paranormal Activity, and this 10-day festival generally features about 20 films. This event has now become one of the most highly anticipated horror film festivals in the country. 9th Annual Dusk-to-Dawn Horrorthon The Annual Dusk-to-Dawn Horrorthon will be held on Oct. 25 this year at the Aero

Theatre in Santa Monica. For the 9th year running, American Cinematheque will be hosting a nightlong marathon of seven ‘70s and ‘80s movies, ranging from amusing and perversely sophisticated guilty pleasures to iconic favorites. This movie screening schedule is as follows: Creepshow, Gargoyles, The Thing, The Night of a Thousand Cats, The Deadly Spawn, Basket, Case, and Zombie Holocaust. Spend all night at the Aero Theatre’s annual Horrorthon, complete with all-night snacks, energy drinks, and coffee so you won’t doze off. If you manage to make it through the all-nighter, welcome the morning with breakfast on the docks of Santa Monica Beach. Samhain: A Celtic Halloween Samhain (pronounced sow-in) is a Celtic Halloween, and a festival celebrating it takes place in North Hollywood at the Mayflower Club on Nov. 2. It combines the ancient tales of Halloween and a celebration of the Celtic New Year in a spectacular extravaganza told through traditional song, story, dance, and music. You’ll hear stories of the true origins of the Jack O’ Lantern, eerie encounters, and the origins of All Hallows’ Eve, told with traditional Celtic tunes and high energy Irish dances. This event will bewitch your feet and keep your toes tapping all night long. Halloween for 2014 is full of excitement. Besides those listed above, a wide variety of performing arts events are offered month-long in LA for people of all ages. Instead of trickor-treating, do something different this year and take part in one of these activities. jchang@apachepowwow.com

Graphic courtesy of OFFICIALPSDS.COM

By WILLIAM HSU Staff Writer

Our Advanced Drama Department is one of the most decorated organizations on campus, putting on performances that bring us to laughter and reduce us to tears. But the scripts and the staging are only half of the story. For every man reading lines on stage, there is another designing a set; for every woman taking a bow, there is another assembling a costume. These are the men and women of stagecraft. And with stories inspiring in their own right, they now take center stage. Stagecraft is, in itself, a potpourri of various skills and trades. With jobs ranging from set, prop, and costume design to lighting, sound, and stage management, the program welcomes a mélange of students. Senior Alex Tan, a veteran of stagecraft, appreciates the program for “teaching students the essential qualities of working in groups” and the “sense of professionalism that prepares students for jobs in the future.” Alex also loves the competitive aspect of the course, in particular the technical competitions placed by the Drama Teachers Association of Southern California, having won twice already for his ability to “create [his] own costumes from scratch” on the fly. For junior Dorcas Tao, stagecraft is so much more than just another elective. After joining the program her freshmen year, she quickly fell in love with working alongside the drama department. Looking back at her career in the program, Dorcas recalls her favorite production, The Drowsy Chaperone, for “having the chance to pick out beautiful prohibition era costumes and props and work out a perfect soundtrack for the drama department to work with.” Beyond her job of building and painting sets, Dorcas also enjoys the opportunity to “really build a family with the people [she works] and [spends] time with,” explaining that “they are the real reason [she comes] back every year.” The drama department’s upcoming production of Alice in Wonderland has a unique twist to it, courtesy of the hardworking members of stagecraft. Transplanting the story from the fairy-tale world of Lewis Carroll to the neo-noir edginess of steampunk, the team is working painstakingly to revitalize the age-old story of a girl and a rabbit hole. Spearheaded by the brilliant minds of Mr. Steven Volpe and Mr. Keith De Luca, the production revolves around an elegant central structure—built and decorated by the meticulous members of prop design—all while an array of student managers organize a complex system of mood lighting and ambient music. The costumes are a particularly difficult challenge; the eccentric style of the play calls for what Dorcas describes as “the edgy, punk feel of gears and goggles” while still retaining “the classy elegance of the original story.” The men and women of stagecraft, who build the worlds our stories live in, are the unsung heroes of theater and drama. Their contributions to storytelling, spanning from the outfits for our most beloved characters to the beautiful set pieces that we fall in love with, pull us deep into their worlds of fantasy. whsu@apachepowwow.com

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October 2014

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October 2014

HAUNTED HALLWAYS 11

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By MADELINE LEE

Staff Writer

The leaves have fallen, pumpkin spice lattes are back at Starbucks, and daylight savings is merely days away. Autumn, the season of “sweater weather”, is finally upon us. At AHS, this can only mean one thing: Haunted Hallways. Pep Squad’s annual scare-fest featured its classic black curtains that opened up to a hallway of scarecrows in which volunteers threw their gardening hoes against the cement rhythmically. The black light going off made it difficult to tell in the following room which skeletons were real or fake, resulting in a good fright as some began to move around. The seemingly endless maze was also filled with everyone’s favorite—clowns—while featuring the ever-so-popular mental asylum in which “patients” that were screaming or clawing at bars enhanced the super creepy vibe. Senior Casey Huang, an annual Haunted Hallways patron, stated that “it was definitely a good and entertaining scare that [he] would not have wanted to miss out on.” Freshman Sarah Lee echoed these sentiments by saying, “I’m a chicken so it was really scary. I bonded so much with my friends and I will definitely go again [next year].” Be sure not to miss out on this event next year. Have a safe and happy Halloween!

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Photos courtesy of JOSH BAY and MILLIE WONG Graphics courtesy of BLOGSPOT.COM

Student Life

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Volunteers Give Back to the Community By SHAWN XING Staff Writer

While many other high schools require their students to volunteer for a certain number of hours as part of graduation requirements, AHS does not. Nonetheless, many students at AHS are still extremely involved in community service on a monthly or even weekly basis. Whether the service takes place in a hospital, at an animal shelter, or at a food bank, students are giving back to their community in their own unique ways. Junior Eric Chen has been volunteering at the local Methodist Hospital for about a year now. Working at Methodist Hospital’s Central Services for a minimum of 9 hours a month, Eric constantly restocks supplies, runs errands between departments, and works with and builds various devices used in the hospital. He explained that his “motivation for volunteering was sparked by [his] passion to help the community, as the community has done so much for [him] in the past.” He described that community service is more than just gaining volunteer hours to put on college applications; it’s “doing something that will help others that are in need of assistance.” Eric suggests

that other students can start their volunteering experiences by joining a club at school. Sophomore Adriana Chan volunteers through a different medium, Leo Club. As an officer for the club, she participates in various volunteer opportunities outside of school. Her first volunteering site was at a wilderness camp when she was a freshman. Adriana claimed that this “very first opportunity for volunteering fueled [her] to continue volunteering throughout high school.” She remembers the joy she brought to the kids and remembers thinking that she wanted to give back to the community as often as she could. Currently, she makes it a goal to volunteer in the community for at least a few hours a month. A few of her community service involvements include Rose Parade float decorating, volunteering at the Kidspace Children’s Museum, and helping at a Thanksgiving Can Drive at the Arboretum. According to Adriana, convenient locations to volunteer would be ones offered by clubs at school, as well as the Arcadia Recreation Center. She added that her involvements with community service “involve helping

children and the less fortunate, which inspires you to continually do more for the community.” Similarly, senior Sean Yueh also volunteers through an AHS club, Key Club. Sean has been volunteering for four consecutive years on a weekly basis at local events within Arcadia and nearby cities, and other times traveling even further. According to Sean, performing community services “gives [him] the encouragement” to know that he “can make a difference.” Although he recognizes that he is only one person, he believes that “it is the little things that can add up. Knowing that [he] can help others in need or improve the community” really brings him joy. He stated that Key Club is definitely a great place to start if students are looking for ways to volunteer, as the club provides members with opportunities to volunteer almost every weekend. Many students at AHS often volunteer in unique ways at a variety of places. However, the motivation behind participating in community service seems to be similar across the board: to give back to the community. sxing@apachepowwow.com Graphics courtesy of SILHOUETTEDESIGNS.COM Photos by CATHLEEN SHEN and TEDDY CHU

Hilarious, Horror-filled, and Haunted Traditions By EMILY SCHUBE Staff Writer

It’s time for Halloween! The month of October is a busy one for AHS, for we have Pep Squad’s Haunted House, Pow Wow’s candy apple sale, and the competitive costume contests. AHS’ spooky customs are always entertaining, but what do students actually enjoy doing on this frightening holiday?

“I usually go trick or treating with my family, but this year I am going with my friends around Arcadia, and will maybe scare some people.” —Serena Rosas, 9

“I pass out candy [and] help my cousins make their costumes.” —Hugh Cheon, 10

“I usually dress up [as] something weird; like when I was a freshman, I was a ketchup bottle. I go trick or treating, maybe go to a Halloween party, and eat candy, [because] you are never too old to eat candy.” —Bryant Tran, 11

I went to Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Night [instead], and no, I wasn’t scared.” —Eden Ritholz, 10.

“I went to go to the Haunted House, here [at AHS], and might go trick or treating with my friends. Some people say that high schoolers are too old for that, but I don’t think so.” —Nicole Bocanegra, 9

“Past years, I go trick or treating, obviously for candy. This year, I’m going on a road trip with family.” —Hannah Kim, 11

“I go to parties with friends, [and then we] go trick or treating, even though we are seniors.” —Michelle Centes, 12

Whether your night consists of lounging lazily, accompanying yelling youngsters, becoming petrified participants, or being a spooky spectator, this month is full of fun. Have a Happy Halloween! eschube@apachepowwow.com

Graphic courtesy of EOFDREAMS.COM

October 2014

Sugary Smackdown By EMILY WU Staff Writer

Halloween is just around the corner, and we all know what that means—candy, and lots of it! We all know by now that candy is unhealthy, but it’s hard to resist our sugar cravings. This leads to one alternative: picking healthier candy. Throughout the course of the month, AHS students have been asked to guess which candy is the healthier choice. 1. Pixy Stix vs Smarties “I think Pixy Stixs are healthier,” responded junior Michelle Wan. However, Smarties are the “smarter” choice! One roll contains only 25 calories, 0 grams of fat, and 5 grams of sugar. Better yet, there are more than 20 pieces in each roll, which means the amount of sugar and calories in each roll is minimal. They also take longer to eat, so your sweet tooth will be satisfied for a longer time. 2. Peanut M&M’S vs Skittles “I’m guessing it’s Peanut M&M’s because they have peanuts in them,” answered freshman Ivan Peng. Sorry Skittles lovers, Ivan is right! Peanut M&Ms contain more fiber and protein than Skittles. They are also low on the glycemic index, which means they release sugar slowly into the bloodstream. This keeps the consumer satisfied for a longer period of time. Skittles, on the other hand, will spike one’s blood sugar and leave the consumer craving for more. A package of Skittles contains 47 grams of sugar, which is the sugar equivalent of almost 5 Krispy Kreme doughnuts. 3. Dum Dum Lollipops vs Starburst “I’m going to have to say Starburst is the better choice,” guessed sophomore William Chuang. It’s a good guess, but Dum Dums are actually the way to go, as they are portion-controlled. These lollipops contain less sugar than Starbursts candies and take longer to finish. Starbursts also stick to teeth more easily, which can increase the chance of developing cavities. 4. Butterfingers vs Special Dark Hershey’s Kisses “I would say Special Dark Hershey’s Kisses are healthier,” replied senior Tiffany Shum. Move over Butterfingers, Special Dark Hershey’s Kisses are the clear winner! When you’re in need of a chocolate fix, choose Special Dark Hershey’s Kisses. These small portions will satisfy your chocolate needs in just a few bites. Plus, dark chocolate is a great source of antioxidants and has been shown to have health benefits. Nobody expects you to stop eating your favorite chocolate bar or remove candy altogether from your diet, but it is always good to keep these alternatives in mind when Halloween comes along. Not only will these candy hacks benefit your health, but they will also keep your sweet tooth satisfied for a longer time! ewu@apachepowwow.com

Graphic courtesy of JBHMOSAIC.COM

October 2014

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ACADEMICS

14 Nursing at UC Irvine By LAUREN TRAJANO

Staff Writer

The University of California, Irvine (UCI) is a large public research university located in the affluent suburban city of Irvine, CA. It offers over 80 undergraduate majors, including the popular Nursing Science. UCI believes that Nursing is interdisciplinary and collaborative in its Art and Science programs. Therefore, its Nursing Science major promotes the application of knowledge from the biological, social, behavioral, and bio-medical sciences. The university promotes the idea that professional nurses must address the needs of a variety individuals, families, and groups from diverse backgrounds. Because of this, Nursing Science is comprised of health care classes that integrate the ideas of health promotion, wellness, intervention, treatment, rehabilitation, restoration, and palliation in response to illness. The Nursing Science program at UCI is unique because it offers a set curriculum to its incoming freshman interested in pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. The general education courses are incorporated into the curriculum, which guarantees that students enrolled in UCI’s nursing science program get the classes they need in order to graduate. These classes make up the bulk of a prospective nursing student’s freshman year at UCI. Students begin with two years of basic science prerequisite courses and the UCI General Education requirements before completing the upper-level Nursing Science courses in their junior and senior years. Freshman applicants who wish to be considered for the major must be admitted to UCI. In addition to academic history, volunteer experience in a healthcare setting, leadership activities, honors/awards, and an essay are important factors in admission selection. Admission into the Nursing Science Program at UC Irvine is highly selective with a 4% acceptance rate. Last fall, UCI received over 1,963 freshman applicants pursuing to major in nursing and only admitted 86 people. The number of students in the major is small because of the availability of clinical placements. Due to the increasing number of applicants, it is strongly recommended that prospective students research other nursing programs as well. The number of admitted students every year may vary and is based on admission patterns from previous years. To remain competitive in the applicant pool, students are encouraged to score a minimum of 550 in each of the three areas on the SAT test. Known for its excellence in the Health Sciences system, UCI has one of the most competitive nursing programs in California. Their specialized nursing science program allows students to master nursing principles and gain experience in the world of health and medicine.

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Graphic courtesy of BLOGSPOT.COM

By SUNNY WU Staff Writer

Over the years, several types of schools have been created. If you had a choice to go to any type of school, which type would it be? How would you select between a Magnet school and a Charter school? Charter and Magnet Schools Charter schools and Magnet schools were a newly introduced type of public school in the early 1990’s. They were independently operated public schools started by parents, teachers, community organizations, or for-profit companies. These schools must stick to the basic curricular requirements of the state but are free from many of the regulations that apply to conventional public schools. They usually challenge standard education practices and specialize in particular areas or adopt a coresubject approach. These schools provide smaller classes and offer more individual attention than conventional public schools. Magnet schools are free public schools that are highly competitive and selective. They’re renowned for their special programs and high academic standards, specializing in a particular area, such as science or the arts. Students who apply to these schools are required

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to go through a rigorous testing and application process. Some magnet schools have boarding facilities to allow students from other communities to attend. In addition, magnet schools promote diversity. Private Schools Private schools rely on tuition payments and funds from nonpublic sources such as religious organizations, grants, and charitable donations. Private schools select from a

pool of students who apply to them for admission and they are grouped together as coed or single gender. Independent schools are private, including such famous schools as Andover or Exeter. These schools draw their funds from tuition payments and charitable contributions rather than money from taxes or church funds. They may be associated with a religious instittion but

By ELYSE YAO Staff Writer

Halloween is one of those holidays that never gets old—especially not for college students eager for a reprieve from studies! Colleges across the nation sport crazy events and stunts to welcome the Halloween spirit every year. Schools like Harvey Mudd, Carleton College, Ohio University, Georgetown University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and University of Conneticut, pride themselves on their quirky Halloween traditions. The quirky traditions of each school make Halloween fantastic night of fun, partying, and freedom from studies. Welcome in Halloween and cherish the holiday as much as the students of these colleges will!

Night of Ghouls Each year, Carleton College is infested with creepy ghouls on Halloween who have wandered in from a nearby haunted house. Meanwhile, at midnight, Carleton’s student orchestra gather in the school’s gothic-style chapel. Dressed in spectacular costumes, they provide the soundtrack for the night’s hauntings, serenading the school and its lumbering spooky “guests”.

Temporary Werewolves Far away at Georgetown University, where parts of the movie The Exorcist were filmed, students gather to watch movies. Laden with popcorn and refreshments, they spend a night watching The Exorcist, Halloween, and other spooky movies. Then, near midnight, they head to the cemetery to howl at the moon together.

Block Party Ohio University is hit by almost 30,000 party-goers each year who crowd the streets, shutting down much of Athens for the day. At 7:00 p.m. on the Saturday nearest to Halloween, students pour out into the streets to prepare for the biggest block party ever with costume contests, live music, and food. They are joined by the city’s other residents for a night of partying in the streets. Barbeque Night At Harvey Mudd, the smoky aroma of barbecue wafts into the air as, following an annual tradition, students barbecue hundreds of pounds of meat to celebrate the beginning of Halloween and mark the start of a night of partying and costumed fun.

October 2014

they cannot receive funds or governance from them. Parochial schools are church-related private schools most commonly owned and operated by Catholic parishes. The majority of private schools in the United States are parochial schools. The academic curriculum at these schools are supplemented with required daily religious instruction and prayer. Home Schools Your home is your campus. A growing number of children are educated at home by parents, private tutors, or through online programs. A few of these home schooled students attend school part time, but most do not. Some homeschooling families join other homeschooling families to share resources and learn in a group setting. Most parents who choose homeschooling want to give their children religious or moral instruction. Other families are worried about some of the dangers of public schools or are unhappy with the quality of instruction in public schools. However, states must regulate home schools and set requirements, so homework is still a must! Comparing and contrasting all of these schools may be overwhelming, but it is vital to know which type of school can benefit your future! swu@apachepowwow.com Graphic courtesy of BLOGSPOT.COM

Pumpkin Drop At Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a school famous for its sciencebacked jokes, pranks, and activities, the members of the First West hall in the Eastern Dorm organize one of the school’s quirkiest Halloween traditions. As their peers watch, freezing but excited, students drop frozen pumpkins from the roof, creating bright sparks and loud explosions to start Halloween with a boom.

Night of the Living Canoes Meanwhile, the University of Connecticut sports its traditional cardboard canoe races; to celebrate Halloween, students dressed in Halloween costumes garnish their cardboard creations with spooky Halloween designs. Competitors don’t just have to aim for the best-working canoe; the coolest costumes, spookiest canoe designs and the most spectacular capsizes will all win students prizes.

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Graphics by COLLEGELOGOS.COM

October 2014

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ACADEMICS

It’s Time for Speech and Debate By SUKANYA MUKHERJEE Staff Writer

Black suits, shiny shoes and legal pads have come back into style! Here commence the late evenings spent talking to trees, hours spent watching your hand gestures in a mirror, and the group warm ups chanting “Betty Botter bought some butter!” in military style. Speech and Debate season is in full swing. Icebreakers, on Sept. 25, was the first tournament in which a novice speaker (a member who is new on the team) was allowed to pair up with a Junior Varsity (JV) member or Varsity member for a light, fun-filled partner tournament judged by their own peers. AHS was filled with jittery novices dressed to impress for Package Deal, the second tournament of the year, on Oct. 4. Package Deal kicks it up a notch for novices, serving as the first tournament where they are completely on their own to compete in four events without any prior preparation. Trying to get into the swing of things, novices grapple with the first rush of posting, where student speaker numbers and rooms are listed, a signal indicating the beginning of the first round, and the sheer fear of speaking in front of a JV or Varsity member judge, alone. Designed to get the newcomers’ feet wet, Package Deal incorporates impromptu speaking, a sampling of a humorous

By BRITTANIE GAJA Staff Writer

Ah, scholarships; they’re a blessing for those who seek financial assistance. However, students are often required to write scrupulous essays or maintain outstanding grade point averages to meet scholarship requirements. Doesn’t seem very fun to do considering the amount of supplements you already have to write. Well, have no fear! There are scholarships that don’t require you to rack your brain. All they need is a bit of spunk, imagination, duct tape, and some Noxious Traps.

interpretation or a dramatic interpretation, an extemporaneous round based on a current event and wraps up the day with a Congressstyle debate session, where students, or shall I say senators, have a mock congress session on a current issue today. Despite the first-time nerves (well, these never go away) and the rush of new experiences, there were a few novices who got it right, and swept through the tournament earning a score of 1 in all of their rounds, indicating that they were the best speaker in of that round, or the most convincing senator in a congress round–sometimes even both. Freshman Stella Cho, sophomore Celine Lee, junior Joseph Yang and junior Yiming Ye earned trophies for the speech portion of the day. Joseph and Stella excelled even further, earning trophies for the Congress portion as well. Planning on doing a variety of events from Oratorical Interpretation to Parliamentary Debate to determine his strengths, Joseph knows that “this is just the beginning. There will be plenty of stronger, better competitors down the line, so I’ll definitely work even harder from now on,” and that is exactly the kind of attitude that will carry the team far. Good luck speechies!

By KIMBERLY LO Staff Writer

How much do you know about your brain? The brain is an essential organ, and without it no one would be able to function. It is what allows people to walk around, eat, talk to others, play, and live life. Here are some myths that may sound logical, but are not true. Brains are often depicted in movies and novels as having a bland color such as white, gray, or yellow. However, in addition to gray, brains also have hints of black, red, and white. In the science-fiction movie Lucy, a normal human becomes a superwoman. People are said to only use about 10% of their brains, and Lucy attains her powers through a substance that enhances her mental abilities beyond the typical 10%. As a result, she gains the abilities to control other people’s movements and can over-

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Doodle 4 Google Calling all artists! If you have more of a creative streak than an academic one, then you’re in for a treat! This year, 11-year-old Audrey Zhang won a $30,000 college scholarship and a $50,000 Google for Education technology grant for her school. She had entered the 7th annual Doodle 4 Google contest. Entry for the contest is simple enough: participants need only to fill out the entry form and submit their doodle along with a 50-word statement. Doodle requirements are easy to understand as well: make it PG and applicable to the contest’s theme. The contest is judged on a state and national level with the grand prize being a $30,000 college scholarship, available for students K through 12. Information for the 2015 Doodle 4 Google has yet to be announced, but keep your eyes peeled and pens armed. Official rules and information can be found on their official website.

League of Legends varsity athletic scholarship Fellow summoners and gamers, believe it or not, but there is now an athletic scholarship for eSports, or to be more specific, for the popular multi-player online game, League of Legends (LoL). LoL is one of the world’s most popular online games with more than 27 million players online per day. In fact, the U.S. has begun recognizing eSport players as professional athletes by offering them athletic visas to enter the country. This has raised controversy over the past several months, but people are beginning to understand and appreciate the skills needed to succeed in games like LoL. Last month, Robert Morris University Illinois (RMU) began accepting LoL players into its athletic department. Students who qualify will receive up to 50 percent of tuition and rooming costs. If you have a passion for video gaming, then this may potentially interest you. It’s a fairly new scholarship and definitely one that you may want to keep an eye on!

come obstacles. According to Scientific American writer Robynne Boyd, around 65% of Americans believe that only 10% of the brain is utilized. While the myth suggests

that 90% of people’s brains are just empty and unused, in reality the brain is very active. The Michael J. Fox Foundation confirms this, saying that “neurologists at the Mayo Clinic confirm that almost all of our brains are active at all times.” While some parts of the brain may be more active than other parts, the brain is always working throughout every area. How does the brain react to decapitation? The guillotine used to be the preferred and relatively neater way to execute people; in 1793 Charlotte Corday’s head was witnessed to still have moving eyes after being chopped from her body. Nevertheless, it is believed that reactions such as Charlotte’s may be a result of muscle reflexes rather than voluntary movement. Moreover, after a brain’s connection to the heart is severed, it lacks oxygen and would enter a coma. Some people believe that specific activities will greatly benefit the brain. Occasionally, people suggest listening to specific genres or types of music to help stimulate the brain. Classical music is a popular genre that people commonly say will help people’s brain development. Unfortunately, only listening to Mozart music will not help a person ace his or her next test. While many beliefs about the brain are not accurate, we can still find the true answers for our hypotheses to further our knowledge and prove that the brain is still an amazing organ. After all, we still have yet to learn about all the wonders of the brain. klo@apachepowwow.com

Graphic courtesy of THINKMAN.COM

Nicholas A. Virgilio Memorial Haiku Competition Unlock your inner Shakespeare and get in touch with your poetic side. This competition is available for students grades 7 through 12. The competition was founded by the Sacred Heart Church in Camden, New Jersey and sponsored by the Nick Virgilio Haiku Association in memory of Nicholas A. Virgilio, a charter member of the Haiku Society of America, who died in 1989. Students are able to submit up to a maximum of three haikus. Only six haikus will be selected to win $50, published in their journal, Frogpond,, and the winning authors will receive a year subscription to Frogpond. Though it may not have a large reward to give, this scholarship definitely seems fun and worth a shot! DUCK® BRAND DUCT TAPE “STUCK AT PROM®” SCHOLARSHIP CONTEST Okay, so you may not be the best tailor in the school, but if you know how to get yourself stuck in sticky situations, then this may be the scholarship for you! Beginning in 2008 as well as making an appearance in Season 11 of Lifetime’s Project Runway, the Duck Brand Duck Tape “Stuck at Prom” competition offers a creative and fun opportunity for high school students ages 14 and up. Limited to one entry, students must create an entire prom attire using Duck Brand Duct Tape. Entries are then judged based on originality, workmanship, use of colors, accessories, and use of duct tape. First place winners receive a $10,000 scholarship as well as $5000 for their school. If you want to be spontaneous at prom and have a knack for sticking things together, then by all means give it a shot! bgaja@apachepowwow.com Graphics courtesy of CLIPARTBEST.COM, IMGUR.COM, and ISTOCKPHOTO.NET

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October 2014

By ELLIE LEE and PEARL YANG Staff Writers

October is a busy and eventful month for AHS. Not only is it the one month of the year when we can come to school decked out in costume and begin the commencement of all our clubs, but it is also when the AHS Varsity Football team continues its annual tradition of hosting a Homecoming game! This year, our Football team faced off against the Glendale High School (GHS) Nitros on Oct. 3. Before the game, the bleachers were buzzing with tense excitement—students donned bright Spirit Shirts, parents were dressed in colorful attire, and alumni reminisced among themselves. At 6:30 p.m., Principal Dr. Brent Forsee walked out onto the turf of Salter Stadium to rededicate the arena in honor of former AHS Head Football coach Dick Salter, who passed away on June 6. Among the audience to hear the principal’s speech were alumni Bruce Matthews, an NFL (National Football League) Hall of Famer; and Mike Lansford, a former NFL placekicker for the Los Angeles Rams. Once a student of Salter’s AHS, Matthews asserted that he was “honored to be here for the rededication of Salter Stadium.” He then added that “Dick was not only a man of integrity, but also enjoyed working hard and having fun.” In addition, Tim Salter, the son of Dick Salter, came to represent the Salter family. He expressed his gratitude, saying that AHS was a “special, special place… it was like a home away from home for my father. I am honored to be here today.” Following a short address from Athletic Director Ryan Press, Dr. Forsee presented Tim Salter with a family portrait of the Salters on behalf of AHS as a remembrance of Coach Salter’s genius and inspiration on the football field. Next, Band played a flawless “Alma Mater”, to which the spectators on the bleachers stood up and sang. A stunning rendition of the National Anthem ended with a spectacular fireworks display. After the lineups for both AHS and GHS teams were announced, the game started with the conventional coin toss. Unfortunately, AHS lost in the coin toss against Glendale, and following a quick, rallying speech from their respective coaches, both teams ran onto the field at 6:55 p.m. The first quarter passed uneventfully, with neither team scoring. However, in the second quarter, AHS broke into Nitro territory and scored the first touchdown of the game with an astonishing 28 yard run by junior Bradley Mills! This put Arcadia in the lead, updating the scoreboard to 6-0. Next, AHS received Glendale’s kickoff, but sadly, Glendale intercepted its play and scored a touchdown and an extra point by kicking the football through the uprights of Arcadia’s goalpost. Soon after, time in the second quarter ran out, leaving the score at 6-7. An impressive halftime show was performed by the AHS Color Guard and Marching Band. They executed a fascinating presentation of “Follow The Leader”; the Marching Band constantly assembled into new formations while Colorguard danced gracefully to music. After the Color Guard and Marching Band’s performance, ASB introduced the 2014 Homecoming Royalty. I didn’t think this would happen. I’m thankful for my friends,” while senior Kelly Hui answered with, “I feel surreal. I’m really thankful for all my friends that support me and I want to say great job to everyone that participated.” Ending the presentation of this year’s Homecoming Royalty, another glamorous firework show lit up the night sky at 8:10 p.m. to conclude the halftime show. The Apaches ran onto the football field, pumped up and energized to start the second half of the game. AHS kicked off to the Nitros, but it rapidly advanced into Apache territory and scored a 42-yard touchdown. GHS went for an extra point; the ball spiraled straight through the uprights of our goal post, making the score 6-14. Arcadia failed to progress into Nitro ground again, handing the ball over to Glendale, who scored yet another touchdown and cashed in a single-point conversion at 8:38 p.m. AHS was now in possession of the ball, but struggled to get past Glendale’s defensive players. The third quarter ended at 8:44 p.m., with a 14 point explosion from Glendale. At the start of the fourth quarter, GHS charged into the AHS end zone one more time and scored a single-point conversion. To reciprocate, the Apaches scored a second touchdown and earned a two-point conversion in the final minute of the game. The timer on the scoreboard ran out soon after, displaying an upsetting final score: Arcadia: 14, Glendale: 28. The Arcadia Boys Varsity Football team trudged off the grounds after a hasty team huddle, dejected with its overall performance; however, Coach Andrew Policky stayed in the stadium to discuss his post-game contemplations with the other football instructors. Coach Policky indicated his disappointment with the team’s conduct: “We definitely didn’t perform our best today [compared to other games], and we have a lot to clean up. Our movements on the field are riddled with mistakes...we’re sloppy.” However, he also had some positive notes to make about the team: “Our quarterback, Nico Hillier, is healthy again, and he’s back on the field… and we definitely have some good, skilled players who are playing hard. My goal for the team now is to take every game one at a time.” Despite our Varsity Football team’s loss to GHS, this year’s Homecoming game served as a useful learning experience that the team will hopefully utilize and reflect upon in order to improve its conduct at future competitions. No pain, no gain! Remember, you can gain more from losses than from success—you just have to learn from your mistakes. Best of luck for the rest of the football season, boys!

a t

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Photos by BRITTANIE GAJA

17 Splashing Away Problems Slicing and Dicing Through League

October 2014

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By SHAWN XING Staff Writer

Juggling a ball between teammates and blocking opponents while swimming is no easy task; yet, the Girls Varsity Water Polo team managed to make it to CIF last year. Last year’s big win signaled a comeback for the team, as the last time the team made CIF was about seven years ago. However, in order to match up to last year’s success, this year the team will need to train at least twice as hard as it must accommodate practices around AHS’ swimming pool renovation. Junior Jenny Yu attributes last year’s success mainly to “the strenuous training and the strong bond between the players.” According to Jenny, the girls had nearly three extra hours of practice during the week, which she believes helped the team make CIF. Outside of team practices, the girls also put in time individually to improve. The team had fifteen seniors last year that were mostly four year members, so the mentorship of the seniors was definitely another contributing factor that led the team to success, Jenny explained. Additionally, senior Nicole Sargent added that “during lunch, [the girls] would even have team bonding meetings and meditation sessions,” in order to truly dedicate themselves to succeeding as a team. This year, due to the swimming pool renovation, the water polo team does not have aquatic facilities to use for practice at AHS. The players acknowledge that the situation with the swimming pool poses difficulties, but they still manage to stay optimistic about their competitive season. Senior Laura Chun asserted that “the lack of a pool is really hard for the

players. Every day we have to drive 30 minutes to go to John Muir High School (JMHS) to practice.” Yet, she exclaimed that “it’s worth it. I can’t wait till the pool is done. I’ve heard it’s going to be amazing in the years to come. We will have an amazing facility to train at.” Sophomore Colleen Cook explained that “to make CIF again, [the girls] have got to work harder than ever before.” Nicole admitted that “it will be difficult keeping the team united and encouraged,” but the team is “determined to use the new location to its advantage. Longer bus rides to practice and home should bond the team through this frustrating situation.” Rather than giving up, the water polo team is making the most out of the situation and it does not plan on letting the lack of a convenient training facility at AHS hinder its season. Although the team has not yet practiced in AHS’ pool, it remains optimistic and is planning for this year’s success. With only three remaining players from last year, Nicole explained that it is crucial to create new bonds and feel comfortable with the new team members. According to Jenny, continuing the spirit from last year is key, as it will be difficult to adjust to the new practice conditions. This experience may benefit the girls during the season, though, as they learn to adapt to new surroundings. With every game and practice at JMHS, Girls Water Polo will be seasoned veterans when it comes to away games. With the ultimate goal of winning CIF in mind, the girls are well prepared to take the next step. Good luck girls! sxing@apachepowwow.com

By LAUREN TRAJANO Staff Writer

Staying relentless throughout each game, the Girls Varsity Tennis team is breezing through the season with style, as the team hopes to win League as well as CIF this year. With great leadership from returning players and brilliant plays from new recruits, the team boasts tremendous talent, establishing a force to be reckoned with. With a 3-0 record in League, the girls have dominated the other teams and have proven to everyone their amazing capabilities on the court. According to senior Mintra Janopas, “everyone has contributed to make a better season” through long practices which required dedication and resilience. Going into every match with a confident and positive attitude, the girls continue to prove themselves with each game. Mintra claims that “the addition of new players” has made the team much stronger and “our bond with each other” has only improved over time. Senior Allison Limfat adores the “unique and empowering people” that surround her during daily practices and reveals that it’s just nice “to have a laugh or joke around” with her teammates while playing the game they all love. Certainly, the girls have

not only gotten closer as a team but also as friends. Besides the special connection each of the girls have with one another, Allison observed that this year’s team has “definitely had a more seri-

Advantage Arcadia Sophomore Vivian Bai prepares for a return.

ous and competitive attitude towards the game than any other year,” with every player expressing hard individual effort and spirit. This, plus the guidance of its coach, is what led to such a successful season for Girls Tennis so far. To continually progress through-

out the season, the girls are currently working on growing exponentially as players. Mintra states, “We try to learn from our mistakes and make adjustments to make sure our season ends in success.” But to the girls, the most important thing is not their scores at the end of each game, but the fact that they put in their best efforts and played wholeheartedly as a team. Senior Vivian Wang believes that although the girls are expected to “work really hard at practice,” the girls simply have to “try their best” in every match they take part in; Allison wants the girls to “savor each other’s company” before parting ways. This team chemistry has proven to be effective as Girls Tennis won seven sets in singles and five sets in doubles against Burbank High school (BHS) on Oct. 14. Our Apaches hope to obtain the League Championship for themselves instead of sharing the title with BHS like last year. Showcasing their excellence, the girls are expected to finish strong. Battling through each game, their unparalleled hard work, dedication, and devotion will pay off with a great season. ltrajano@apachepowwow.com Photo by MILLICENT WONG Photo courtesy of PROCORM.COM

“Impossible is Nothing” By BRENDAN TRAN Staff Writer

Photo courtesy of SWIM.COM

There is no doubt that our Apache athletes work hard to achieve greatness. But why do they do it? Let’s see what some of our fellow Apache athletes have to say about what motivates them. The journey is far better than the destination. The hours of labor make victory all the sweeter. Earning a win is far more fulfilling than being handed one. The more I effort I put forth, the more valuable the success is. — Oliver Artiga, 12, Boys Varsity Cross Country I feel I’m motivated to play hard because in order for a team to reach its full potential, all the individual players have to work as hard as they can. The football team is a second family to me and that motivates me to work harder; everyone wants his or her family to be proud. — Samuel Iovine, 12, Varsity Football What motivates me is being the best I can possibly be, and knowing that I can accomplish what others can only dream of. — Isaiah Rodriguez, 12, Boys Varsity Water Polo My teammates motivate me to work harder. Whenever you play a team sport, you play for your teammates, not just yourself. In an individual sport, competition motivates me, making me want to always do my best. — Kelly Dopke, 12, Girls Varsity Volleyball

Amphibious Athletes Senior Laura Chen strains for a throw.

With the combination of hard work and motivation, there’s no doubt that our athletes will dominate their competition once again! Be sure to come out and watch our teams display their talent and skill this fall! btran@apachepowwow.com Photo courtesy of BOKS-KLUB-PREMIUM.HR

CALENDAR

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October 2014

Halloween Party Recipes By PEARL YANG

Staff Writer

Whenever you’re hosting any type of party, food is no doubt a deciding factor for its success. Since it’s Halloween, why not put a creative spin on some classic party grub? Here are some yummy variations for spooky gatherings that are sure to leave your guests shivering with satisfaction! 1. Pumpkin Cheese Balls You Need: -Softened cream cheese -Finely grated cheddar cheese -Smoked paprika -1 pinch cayenne pepper -½ tsp. garlic powder -Crackers (Wheat Thins are good) -Whole green onions How To: Beat together cream cheese, cayenne, and garlic powder. Stir in cheddar, then refrigerate for two hours. Roll into 1-inch balls, coat with paprika, and make side indentations with a knife to make a pumpkin shape. Slice green onion into 1-inch segments (green parts only), and stick into tops of the cheese balls to create “stems”. Refrigerate and place on crackers before serving. 2. Cheddar Witch Fingers You Need: -5 tablespoons unsalted butter -4 ounces shredded cheddar cheese -3/4 cup all-purpose flour -2 tablespoons cornmeal -1 large egg -Sliced almonds -Black food coloring gel How To: Combine butter, cheese, flour, and cornmeal in a bowl. Mix until mixture has the texture of wet sand. Using a fork, mash in egg until dough holds together. Pour into a pan and roll into a rectangle about 8 inches wide and 10 inches long. Freeze for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, combine food coloring with water. Use a small paintbrush to paint color onto almonds. Then, remove dough from freezer and preheat oven to 350º. Cut the dough into 1/2-inch wide strips. Place strips on an ungreased cookie sheet and gently press the almonds into the dough. Bake for 15 minutes, then cool and serve. 3. Spider Deviled Eggs You Need: -Hard-boiled eggs -Mayonnaise -White vinegar -Salt and pepper (to taste) -Whole black olives How To: Peel off shell of hard-boiled eggs. Cut each egg in half vertically, then scoop out yolks and place in large bowl. Add mayonnaise, vinegar, salt, and pepper to bowl; mix. Fill each egg half with ½ tbsp. of filling. Cut each olive in half and place, flat side down, in center of the egg filling. Cut the rest of the olives into vertical slices and place around the olive in the center to make spider legs before serving. pyang@apachepowwow.com

Graphics courtesy of CLKER.COM

By PETER JU

So You Had A Bad Day? Staff Writer

If you need a little comfort and optimism from being in a rough patch, this movie is for you. Directed by Miguel Arteta, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day stars a hearty family of six: There’s the mom and the dad, Ben and Kelly Cooper, the older brother Dylan, the second youngest brother Alexander, the sister Emily, and the baby Trevor. Upon first watching the trailer, I thought it would be one of those shallow, childish movies with unrealistic situations and a cheesy resolution, but I was proven completely wrong. To begin, I liked how the film established Alexander’s streak of unfortunate luck when the family members were chattering excitedly at the breakfast table about how their day was going to be fantastic, with Alexander just sitting there silently since every day was terrible for him. Later that day, Alexander’s day continues to deteriorate, though not to his surprise. He trips and falls on his way to the car, an embarrassing picture of him is forwarded to everyone in school, and he accidentally burns his lab

partner’s notebook. Worse, no one is attending his birthday party tomorrow because a “cooler” kid has one that same day. During all of this, everyone else in his family is enjoying their pleasant day. Just as I lost hope for our protagonist, the best part of the movie occurs: a miraculous transition from a bad day for Alexander and a good day for his family to the complete opposite the very next day. This movie teaches us that no matter how bad things are, they will always get better. The dad reiterates throughout the movie to look at things positively no matter how negative the situation is, because there is always a chance that the situation will change. While Alexander moped about his bad days, everyone else spread positivity, showing the young boy how hardships should be handled. Even though Emily wakes up with a cold on the day of her performance in a play, she still gives her best. Even though Dylan sees a huge zit on his forehead in the morning and his girlfriend won’t call him back, he maintains confidence. Even though Trevor urinates all over the floor of the house, Ben and Kelly laugh it off and continue about their busy tasks after cleaning it up. The day cannot be worse for the usually-fortunate family members, yet they still show optimism, and that resulted in a happy ending.

Positivity wins when Alexander’s birthday party ends up with a full-house attendance thanks to a stroke of pure luck. Seeing the joy on the faces of Alexander and the rest of his family was a very touching moment, and I felt the impact of familial love and optimism. In all honesty, I was extremely satisfied with all aspects of the film, and the only thing that disappointed me was its short length. The characters are interesting and lovable, and a mere 82 minutes left me thirsting for more on the quirky and hilarious family. However, the immense inundation of hope that the movie imparts on even those who are feeling a little under the weather makes up for its lack of length, and even though the movie was adapted from a children’s book, I highly recommend this to viewers of all ages because of its relatability and entertainment. All in all, I give this movie four and half stars out of five. Whether it’s a laugh you need or a comforting pick-me-up after a stressful day, I urge everyone to buy a ticket and watch this right away! pju@apachepowwow.com Graphics courtesy of BECUO.COM, BLOGSPOT.COM, GALLERYHIP.COM, MOMMYGAGA.COM, MOVIEHOLE.NET, PIXAYBAY.COM, SCREENSLAM.COM, TIDYCELEBS. COM, VARIETY.COM, and VIXENVARSITY.COM

October 2014

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CAMPUS FOCUS By: Emily Quach Trick-or-treat! These are the magical words that allow us to fill our buckets with sweet treats. As we get older, we’re not able to go trick or treating often, but those who have their inner child still do! However, if you don’t have the time to go trick-or-treating, you can pass out the candy. Here are some students’ opinions on trick-or-treating and handing out candy.

Trick-or-treating makes me feel like a kid again. I’d rather be out and about than to stay at home passing out candy. —Casey Huang, 12

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October 2014

Happy Halloween !

Although it’s great to be the inspiration of a kid’s happiness by passing out candy, I like trick-or-treating better. You can hang with friends and not be ashamed to act like a little kid again. —Vivian Huang, 10

GRAPHIC COURTESY OF GOPIXPIC.COM PHOTOS BY EMILY QUACH