Volume LVIX, Issue 1
15325 East Los Robles Avenue, Hacienda Heights, CA 91745
September 2019
Students Come Together as One to Help Teacher By Kimberly Gonzalez Hearts are broken, thoughtful messages are shared, and sympathetic posts are up on social media to aware people of the upsetting news and possibly do what they can to help. On August 17, a post was shared by Senior Chris Kissling that started as the post that began all the reposts and sharing of the devastating news that math teacher, Daisy Salcedo was given the news that her young baby boy, Genesis-Liam has a rare cancer known as Anaplastic Ependypymoma Grade III . “The brain tumor can be caused by cells that line the ventricle in the brain”, according to St. Judes research hospital. Most childhood ependymomas are found in the hindbrain, which is sometimes called the posterior fossa. The posterior fossa is the lower part of the brain which controls functions, such as balance and movement, and vital functions, such as breathing and blood pressure. The brain tumor was surgically removed but will require radiation therapy Monday through Friday for six weeks.
Salcedo family staying strong and hopeful during Genesis-Liam’s treatment. Photo by https://www.gofundme.com/f/4smh33-little-warrior “After surgery, most people with anaplastic ependymoma receive radiation therapy, even if it looks like the whole tumor was removed. This is because the cells of an anaplastic ependymoma can grow quickly, and ra-
diation therapy can reduce the chances that the tumor comes back (recurs).” According to NIHS. Genesis-Liam must also have to take his seizure medicine everyday for the rest of his life. He will also be get-
ting MRI exams for further treatment and examination. But, this is very expensive and will continue to be for the little fighter, which is why Abigail Rosales and Marissa Barbra have decided to create a fundraiser, and
many more to come, in order to involve the school and have everyone come together for Ms. Salcedo. Rosales said, “This situation breaks my heart because I know that Ms, Salcedo is an amazing teacher and mother who does not deserve to go through this. I want to be able to do as much as I can to help her out because she has done so much for me.” There has been a go fund me created in order for anyone who can, donate to lend a helping hand to warrior Genesis-Liam. The page has now managed to receive more than $6,000 dollars with a goal of $12,000. It has been said by many of her students that she is an inspiring teacher. In return, she is getting the love and care she always gives to her students through this very tough situation. “Ms. Salcedo is more than a great teacher, she is a true conqueror, an amazing friend, and the BEST mother. Her son gets these traits, he is a fighter and a conqueror just like his mother.” Said Rosales. This situation is very heartbreaking for the many students she has impacted and more.But with love and kindness we can help her and her family push through this.
5-Star Upgrade Captures Conqueror Attention By Danielle Porras To try engaging with their students Los Altos High School has decided to use technology to their benefit. This year, the school has found a way to interact better with students by using the 5-Star app. The app has been promoted by many schools across the nation and uses new ways to encourage students to participate in more school events. The positive testimonies received by 5-Star caught the attention of LAHS and was soon quickly embraced by administration. "This was actually brought to our attention by Mr. Reeder from ASB, he went to a conference and some of the people at the conference were sharing this program," Pena said. "They were excited
about it, they had been using it at their schools." Staff then looked closely into the app’s features, “We did some research and there are hundreds, if not thousands of schools that are using it across the country." Pena added, "This is a pretty exciting app." The app is now being used by many students all over campus to vote, take surveys, or earn points for joining in on spirit activities. This app also includes announcements on upcoming events, information on student behavior, and a new point reward system. The app has been quickly embraced by the student body and staff. Senior class president Christopher Kissling spoke on how the app is very useful to the student body, "I think it's awesome because if you turn on your post notifications you
can get every event, every spirit week, every fundraiser on your phone. I love it, it's pretty good and works fast." 5-Star is quickly becoming popular and is being embraced by the Conquerors, contrary to effects past apps have held on students. Although Los Altos has tried using different apps in the past to try engaging with their student body more, the apps used in the past did not seem as advanced as 5-Star. They lacked the features needed to keep up with our busy staffulty and Conquerors. "This one is much different than Superfan. Superfan was very limited in the fact that you couldn't take surveys couldn't vote, there weren't really features where students can take a poll or anything like that." Said Pena According the Apple app store, Superfan is far more
Los Altos updates it’s student engagement app. favorable according and its 3-star rating versus that of 5-Star which only has 1.9 stars. However, it appears that in the eyes of Los Altos High School students,5-Star is preferred. Pena added, even though Los Altos have only been using this app for a short period, it has already surpassed for-
mer apps the school has used in the past. Pena said, "With 5-Star, in the morning when students are tardy we can actually scan their IDs. With this one [5-Star] you can really scan IDs, it is quick, it is efficient, it'll give us reports of students who are tardy in the morning. That's another useful tool for us."
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Novermber 2018
LA FOCUS
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Mission Statement The 2019-2020 Journalism team strives to provide the school and the comunity with reliable and factual information that encourages thoughful coversations and discourse. On this diverse campus, we hope to report and respect the various viewpoints of all members of our community. We believe this to be an imperative role, as the students of Los Altos are to be future leaders and deserve to be informed. We hold this duty with the utmost respect and responsibility and view ourselves as representatives of our campus.
Staff Editors-In-Chief: Lucy Argaez Danielle Porras
Student Journalists: Adrian Banuelos Clarissa Banuelos Natalie Contreras David Galaviz Kimberly Gonzalez Stacey Medina Rebecca Rangel Lorena Rivas Elias Robles Ismael Torres
Contributing Graphic Designer: Andrwo Kodous
Adviser:
Adriana Guzman
Media & Contact For even more content including up-to-date articles and videos visit our website: The-conqueror.org For any comments, questions, ideas, or concerns contact us through our email: 2019lahsjournalism@gmail.com Journalism proudly contributes to LA Conqueror Athletics: @LAConqAthletics Losaltosathletics.org
The next Coffe With The Principal will be held on September 25.
Graphic by Lucy Argaez
Coffee With The Principal And How It Helps By Ismael Torres Coffee with the principal in an apprenticeship program that helps parents to have the opportunity to talk with the principal and talk about school issues, their children or how to use digital pages to see student performance. It is also to meet other parents and share the progress of the school. The director of LAHS Mr. Hess said; "Coffee with the principal has the function of helping parents guide their children, such as knowing how to enter Aeries to verify grades, Google's classroom
and other programs to help parents, among others” said Mr. Hess The event continued every year because the LAHS teacher, Mr. Garcia told the principal Mr. Hess, that "It would be a good idea to have a meeting with parents to explain the new form of teaching that has become very practical" As he said, it is new and would be a good way to help parents understand the new teaching method, and that parents no longer have problems with all this new method of digital teaching. Junior Jorge Pineda says, “When we go to coffee with
the principal, my parents and they learn about how they can see my grades in Aeries, and they talk about how the school progress with their child, the atmosphere was friendly and very nice” said the student. Also, one of the things that it helps parents with their child is that this program has helped many parents to not fear that their children have problems. “I feel good now because all my questions and those of my parents are solved, and help me and my parents to see my progress on school, as well as my academic performance,” said Pineda.
Journalism Staff Photo 2019-2020
September 2019
FEATURES
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Conquerors Unite For Genesis-Liam By Rebecca Rangel Genesis-Liam Salcedo, Daisy Salcedo’s son, has been struck by tragedy. Her son has recently been diagnosed with brain cancer. This heartbreaking news inspired people to take action. Some students decided to start a fundraiser to spread awareness and raise money for the cause. Renaissance member, Monica Ochoa took the mission upon herself to help Daisy Salcedo by, “Making grey ribbons and are passing them out to students and parents at the school who donate towards Genesis- Liam,” said Ochoa. Jaclyn Ho has been helping by gathering donations, “The fundraiser I was doing for Mrs. Salcedo’s son was gathering donations at the volleyball game. We had a bucket with all the information and went around
Photo of Daisy Salcedo and son at St. Jude Hospital. Photo courtesy of Daisy Salcedo https://www.instagram.com asking people to help with the cause,” said Ho. Both of these fundraisers were opportunities for the community to get involved and help by donating to the family in their time of need. The ribbons offer multiple ways to help. “The grey ribbons are to help spread awareness and
motivate others to donate as well,” said Ochoa. Besides just spreading awareness and raising money, the community should be making sure Daisy. Salcedo feels cared for and cared about. The students and staff on campus must keep the Salcedo family in their thoughts. Daisy Salce-
do was an impactful teacher. She should know how people feel about her and be able to tell by how much help Los Altos can bring. “I wanted to help Mrs. Salcedo because she was my sophomore math teacher and was extremely helpful to me throughout the year. Also, I believe no one should go through this alone and we are one Conqueror family that should help others,” said Ho. As a way of repaying Daisy Salcedo for all her help and all she has done, people can use this as an opportunity to show Daisy Salcedo how much she has meant to them and the impact she has made. As a whole, people should do their part, whether they had Daisy Salcedo as a teacher or not. A member of the Conqueror family deserves help from the rest of the community.
Teachers End Phone Distractions, Students React By David Galaviz With technology getting advanced enough to where students can scroll through Twitter on their watch. Many people are starting or have been addicted to their phones. To stop them from getting distracted in class, teachers are pushing them towards putting their phones up in front and “locked away”. A report from a DScout study shows that an average person touches their phones 2,617 times a day. It’s clear to teachers that students can have a lack of selfcontrol and having to implement something that’s going to stop them from interacting with their phones is important. In classes like video production where phones are an essential tool when helping with recording video or audio. Students are still abusing the easy access to their phones. Many teachers, like Adam Garcia, are suggesting students put their phone in pouch holder that’s usually in front or next to the teacher. “The temptation of answering the phone when it vibrates when its on your desk or in your pocket is too easy... too tempting. Staying away from their phones help prepare students for the work-
force where they can’t have their phone on while working.” said Garcia. It’s not only teachers who agree that students should put their phones away. Sophomore Cecilia Rico sides with teachers when it comes to students who are controlled by their phones. “Honestly I think it helps because some students really are obsessed with their phones and swear they can’t spend a second without it and will do the most just to hide it so it’s better to get rid of it altogether…” said Rico. In Estban Hernandez’s English 2 class, he decided to do something different. Instead
of making the students put their phone in front of the class. Hernandez allows students to keep their phones on the desks, as long as they’re tied in a black sock. “I want students to appreciate the present moment, phones distract them from that. I want them to get the most out of their time in this class which requires being present- physically and mentally.” said Hernadez. With methods like Garcia’s, students have said they feel uncomfortable being without their phone and worrying about it getting stolen or breaking. Sophomore Matthew Carillo doesn’t like run-
ning the risk of something happening to his phone. “I have a lot of stuff on my phone like photos, contacts, messages… I don’t want anything happening to it and not being able to get it back, when the iCloud backup seems glitchy and unreliable.” said Matthew. When a person gets to attached to their phone, it can be addicting and hard to let go. That’s why it’s always good to put down the phone. “So you can control your phone and it doesn’t control you.” said Hernandez.
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United Cheerleaders Will Never Be Defeated By Lorena Rivas Before trying out to be a cheerleader I thought that being in cheerleading wasn’t a big deal, I thought it was going to be easy. I was wrong I saw it wasn’t an easy thing to do; you need to put in a lot of time and effort. In the beginning, everything was complicated and hard to do, mainly because I had never been a cheerleader before. Thankfully all the cheerleaders have a good heart, they are kind and I say this because if I ever had any complications, there is always a cheerleader who is there to help me. Sophomore Daisy Villa Torres said, “I started cheering last year at Los Altos. At first I was scared because I had never done cheerleading but when I started going to practices I began to gain confidence throughout the help of my teammates and I felt more comfortable and happier to begin cheerleading.” It all started by trying something new and as time goes by, the experience becomes better when we are surrounded by teammates who are there to help and make you feel comfortable. Soleil Espinoza said, “My experience as a cheerleader has been great I’ve learned numerous life skills I also have met many close friends through cheer and gained many friendships.” Helping each other creates a strong and nice relationship with all cheerleaders, as Villa Torres said, “My favorite things about being a cheerleader are the bonds you create with your teammates”.
Immigrant Families Still Being Held In Detention Centers At The Border By Adrian Banuelos Immigrant families are being incarcerated and held in detention centers for illegally crossing the border to the United States. Most of these families are taking asylum at the border, and they are coming from Central America. Sophomore Isabel Gomez said, “This is such a sad situation to see little kids have to be separated from their families in these detention
centers. No one should be going through this, especially because all of these families are trying to find a better life. There is a reason to why most of these families fled their countries because of all of the corruption in their own countries.” Gomez also said, “My family is from Mexico, and some of my family members had to actually legally apply for citizenship. Most of them were able to get citizenship in the United States, and now
times have changed because it is way harder to apply for citizenship.” At these detention centers were these families are being held at, are crowded, dirty, and overall unsanitary. Sophomore Dominik Diaz, “Most of these families are coming to the United States to find better job opportunities, so that their kids could live a better life than they did. They are wanting to live the American dream, but they are not being given the
chance to do so.” At the moment the US is under pressure because the government is still deciding if these migrant families should become American citizens, or deported to their Central America countries. Even though the U.S. knows that these Central America countries are dangerous to live in, the United States will still send back all of these people.
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September 2019
FEATURE
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Rocks-N-Box Lamps Creating A Brighter Future By Lucy Argaez Fresh clean air being purified through the classroom as students walk through the door, the lamp commanding the attention of students as mesmerizing lights bring a hush over the room. The idea for Rocks-N-Box salt lamps came from similar products, but David Avila wanted to do more. He saw an opportunity and went for it. David Avila said, “I came across them, I bought them myself, but they were a lot bigger and they were expensive. So, I wanted more…so I just said you know what, I could just make them myself. I bought the material, I made them myself, then I showed some friends they were like ‘aww cool how much?’ That gave me the idea to start making them to sell them.”
Avila’s salt lamp works as both a humidifier and air purifier, it cleans the air while producing a calming effect. It also has other health benefits that would improve the quality of everyday life. It helps with asthma and other respiratory issues. Along with helping you breathe easier, the lamp has other health benefits. “You get more oxygen, so you get a clearer mind, you get better sleep, anything that comes with breathing cleaner oxygen. You could even go as far as saying that it is healing.” said Avila. Making the lamps is about a three-week process. It undergoes several stages before hitting the market. The lamps are made in quantities but there is a waiting period depending on when they are bought For Avila the lamps are not just about money he hopes
to go further and create a brand, while also helping consumers of the product. He hopes to crate a lasting brand, that will continue to live on. “This is something that I really want to build and make something where twenty years from now it is still running as a brand.”
In a partnership with Journalism, Avila will be donating a lamp every month to be raffled off, in order to help raise money for Daisy Salcedo and her child Genesis-Liam. The raffle tickets will be sold at five dollars each. “I want to help Daisy out. She has a lot of worry in her mind and thought the money
raised from the raffle could help relieve some stress and so she can focus her thought on her son. I hope that we can all come together as a community and raise enough money to really help her out and show her that we have her back,” said Avila.
September 2019
NEWS
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Heat Wave Burns Through September, Affecting Dogs’ Health By Rebecca Rangel Dogs of all breeds and sizes are affected by the heat waves. From mood changes to sudden intolerance. Energetic dogs may turn lazy and anxious. Happy dogs turn depressed and snappy. One dog, Kaitlyn, had a particularly difficult time with the recent climate jump. “She doesn’t get to be outside as often. Huskies are known for being very hyper and they need a lot of activity. But when it’s too hot I can’t take her out because the pavement is too hot for her paws and also her fur makes it even worse for her to be in the heat,” her owner Maggie Ramirez. Dogs are experiencing many behavioral changes. Their routines have to be broken and the things they look forward to are taken away from them. For a dog, who does not understand that these actions are for his or her’s own safety, this is heart breaking. Dog owner Jessica Rangel said, “My dog thinks we’re punishing him because we can’t take him on walks any-
Tips from Petfinder.com to keep pets safe. more. He spends most of the day inside. He looks so sad when we leave and he has to stay behind.” These pets are also going through mood swings and attitude changes. The animals are full of energy from the lack of physical activity. They are cooped up in their houses all day and they can’t
even get out to release any energy. “He gets so anxious. He barks at every person and every single thing that passes by. He’s nervous and he doesn’t act like himself anymore,” Rangel said. The heat had also set back plans that had been made from a long time before.
Previously made plans to breed or do anything physical that had been scheduled in advance had to be shifted around. “We had to wait till it was later in the evening and some days we couldn’t even try because it was too hot all day,” Ramirez said. Across the board, dogs are
Graphic by David Galaviz being harmed by the hot weather. No dog is safe from the harsh physical and mental effects of the high temperatures. Owners must be aware and keep their furry loved ones safe from the heat.
Students Excited for Disney’s New Streaming Service
Lady and the Tramp’s new opening title from their Youtube trailer.
By David Galaviz Disney plans on November 12 to release its new streaming app. A one stop shop for all Disney fanatics expected to be filled with over 7,000 television shows and 500 movies from fan favourite studios like Marvel Studios or Pixar. The app has been anticipated ever since the idea had been announced. With trailers for the new Star Wars series called “The Mandalorian” and the new Lady and the Tramp real life adapta-
tions making viewers even more excited. With the promise of new shows and old classics, Disney+ is expected to be a huge hit. Sophomore Christine Castro isn’t feeling the hype of the new app. She uses the popular streaming app Netflix, and believes that there isn’t that much competition. “I’m actually not that excited… I don’t think I’ll be making the switch from Netflix to Disney+. I think Netflix has more variety than Netflix…” Castro said.
Bringing up a valid point. Netflix is known for having many genres to choose from. Of course having family friendly movies and shows, but as well as having darker shows. Series like Dark Mirror or Narcos, darker and aimed towards adults. “Disney had more like child movies and is directed towards kids,” Castro said. The choice of movies isn’t the only thing people are looking at when considering switching from Netflix. Both apps are paid streaming ser-
vices, with different prices. Netflix’s highest price is being increased to $15.99 per month. While Disney+ is only $7 per month but unlike Netflix, they offer a yearly plan of $70, revealing an obvious price gap. Sophomore Derek Aguilar isn’t convinced with the low price. He believes that it makes sense to pay more for Netflix because there’s more to watch. “Disney+ is not going to be able to compete with Netflix. It’s only going to be featuring things that they own. Even
Image by www.disneyplus.com
though Disney is pulling their movies from Netflix, most of the things people watch on it are not Disney related,” Aguilar.said. Last year, Netflix subscribers were mostly watching Orange is the New Black and Bojack Horseman, shows owned by Lionsgate. The other popular ones being streamed were Netflix originals like On My Block and 13 Reasons Why. “To be honest it wouldn’t be Netflix missing Disney, more like Disney missing Netflix.” said Aguilar.
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September 2019
REVIEWS
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Del Rey’s New Album Showcases Artistic Growth By Elias Robles Lana Del Rey recently released her sixth studio album, Norman F***ing Rockwell!, on August 30, impressing fans and first-time listeners with her emotional lyrics and soft, alluring voice. The new album is filled with the sounds of soft rock, psychedelic rock, and piano ballads, while also referencing multiple classic rock artists. NFR! unveils a whole other layer to Del Rey’s artistry and elevates her work as a song-writer, showing she’s more than just her pre-existing vintage aesthetic that attracts the attention of everyone. Senior Amara Overmyer said, “This album is a lot more mature than her past works. The subject matter deals a lot more with happiness, love, and approaching life differently than her past albums do since a lot of them are focused on heartbreak, sadness and pain.” The title itself of the album references Norman Rockwell, an American artist known for depicting the idea of the American dream. The use
Photo courtesy of LanaDelRey.com of “f**king” in his name is a way for Del Rey to mock the faulty concept of the highlighted American lifestyle. The album is filled with 14 tracks, featuring six leading tracks: “Mariners apartment complex”, “Venice b***h”, “hope is a dangerous thing for a woman like me to have - but I have it”, “Doin’ time”,
“F**k it, I love you”, and “The greatest.” Previously teased tracks such as “California” and “Bartender” were also featured on NFR!. “Listeners notices not just a change in her songs’ maturity but in her maturity herself. You can hear her own personal growth through the way that she writes her al-
bums,” said Overmyer. Del Rey’s new music brings out a similar-sounding, yet new side to her musical abilities. The beautiful yet simple instrumentals accompanies and compliments her pleasing voice. Sophomore Adrian Lopez said, “Compared to her other albums that were a lot more
trap-influenced and focused more on beats, this album had a slower approach, having a lot of instrumentals. Her songwriting has improved too, as a lot of people can relate to what she sings about. There was a lot of imagery about California itself in the lyrics.” Along with the release of her album, Del Rey also held a pop-up event in Los Angeles’s Chinatown to sell her new merchandise in her surf shop themed temporary store. With hour-long lines filling Chinatown, it was a sure success. “The shop was like a garage shop. It was themed like a surf shop, where they sold her merch. There was also a lawn area where workers were giving out hot dogs and soda. It had a bunch of photo ops, like roses spelling out different things. It was very interactive overall,” said Lopez. The artist is now heading on a world concert tour for global fans to appreciate her enchanting voice live. “The Norman F***ing Rockwell” tour visits Los Angeles at the Hollywood Bowl on October 10.
“IT Chapter 2“ Releases With Many Excited to Watch By Natalie Contreras Grasping onto their seats awaiting any second for a jump scare, fans of the film “ IT” written by Stephen King rejoiced as the new movie “IT chapter two” released on September 6, 2019. “IT Chapter Two” is a horror, thriller, and a supernatural film that leaves you on the edge of your seat every second. The movie starts off with each of the seven children from the first movie now grown up into mature late 30-year-old adults, twenty seven years after the ending in the original movie. Each of the seven characters starts off with different occupations and are no longer friends. The characters are forced to return and reunite back to Derry, Maine and fight off the evil clown named pennywise once again due to his return. The amazing cast included James McAvoy, Bill Hader, Jessica Chastain. Additionally, Isaiah Mustafa, James Ransone, Jay Ryan, and Andy Bean who represented the seven older characters from IT. Junior Natalia Lopez says, “ I personally liked the movie. I felt that I was on edge the
entire time and the selection of actors really brought the film to life.” The film was a mix of both horrifying and comedic series of events where there was no resting point throughout the three-hour long journey of continuous fear. Junior Ariana Felix says, “The movie was good in my opinion. The scene where each of the characters came together to fight Pennywise was my favorite to watch” The film had many emotions that included fear, glee, humor, and sadness, which caused a lot of feel good moments. “ The mixture of comedy and horror brought calmness and chaos that repeated throughout the movie” says Lopez. Scenes included series of flashbacks with the young characters to explain more in depth of where they grew up. It is recommended if before hand future movie watchers rewatch or read a synopsis due to the unclear explanation of which character is which. “It Chapter Two” is a great movie to watch with older friends or family if you want both a scare and a laugh, but also take into consid-
Photo courtesy of ItTheMovie.com eration that the film is three hours long and that there are parts in the movie that maybe hard to watch due to multiple triggering scenes that occur throughout it.
The rated R movie includes gory scenes of stabbings, blood, and children being eaten. Although many love parts in the movie such as these,
future watchers must keep in mind that Triggering scenes for example flashing lights, abuse, strong language, homophobia, and suicide are to be taken into account.
September 2019
REVIEWS
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Popeyes New Sandwich Stirs A Chicken War By Kimberly Gonzalez The aroma of delicious, fresh, and golden crispy chicken slowly progresses towards you like a romance movie where all is slow and magical. It’s the new Popeyes chicken sandwich, a new rival to Chick- Fil-a. In early August, it was announced that Popeyes would release the newest add on to their menu and in that moment social media and meme addicts began their drama that it was going to be a competition of who’s chicken sandwich would be the best. Ironically enough, the new sandwich happens to be very similar to the Chick-fil-a following with a simple recipe; fried chicken fillet, brioche bun, mayonnaise, and pickles. Yet, despite the long waiting and commotion, it manages to sell out within the first few days. The chicken war first started between Chick-fil-a and Burger King. Chick-fil-a won the war by a massive 91 percent of the vote. On the other hand, there was another
Popeyes highly sought after sandwich, now sold out at most locations.
Advertisement by Popeyes
come one of the most popular meme topics of 2019. “Between the two chicken sandwiches, it was very difficult to choose which one was better and despite all the memes online, I would rather wait in line again for a long time for the taste of the Popeye’s new chicken sandwich.” Said Hernandez As of right now, the war has remained calm and social media meme outlets have silenced ever since Popeyes ran out of their chicken sandwich. It is only a matter of time of who will be claimed the winner. “The whole war thing on social media is so pointless to me. I mean Chick-Fil-a is still more popular for it’s amazing taste and the only reason Popeyes is so busy is merely because of the chicken sandwich.” Said Blacklock And now it is up to the customers to decide which of the two winners will win the majority of votes and claim the victory between this ongoing chicken war.
war between Popeyes and McDonalds and Popeyes took the win with an 86 percent vote. Senior Phoenix Hernandez said, “The line was surprisingly longer than expected, but the freshness of the pickles and the overall taste was definitely worth the wait. I could feel how much more
dense the Popeyes chicken sandwich bun is compared to Chick-fil-a’s.” Some may think Popeyes will win the fight and others, dedicated customers to Chick-fil-a, try to explain that that is not the case. Senior Zoe Blacklock said, “It tastes so good, it doesn’t make me feel gross like oth-
interact with their favorite singers. “My highlights were just seeing certain groups I never thought I’d see like Stray Kids and groups that I’ve liked for a long time like Seventeen. Also, moments with my friends really stuck out. The event is special to me because it gives me bonding time with my closest friends,” said Lopez. In addition to the main events, mini-concerts such as Klub Kcon, a K-pop dance party featuring various performances, and Kcon Rookies, an event to get to know new and rising K-pop groups, were held leading up to the M-Countdown Concert. The two-night concert at the Staples Center presented some of the top acts in the K-pop industry, including major groups such as Seventeen and Mamamoo. The crowd’s excitement for these major groups was felt throughout all the performances, accompanied by the near sold-out crowd, booming music, and intense lighting that completed the experience. Sophomore Ada Vo said, “The crowd was very fun to hear, to watch, and to just be a part of. They were extremely enthusiastic this ear, most likely because a lot of the
Rookie girl group Loona performs at KCON, showcasing their hit songs “Butterfly” and “Hi High.” Photo by Newsbeezer
er fast food places do and it’s actually chicken. I choose Chick-fil-a because the taste is just so addicting.” Comments like these are roaming around social media posts and comments continue to fill the comment section arguing whose chicken sandwich is best. The whole ordeal has managed to be-
Korean Culture Convention Travels To Los Angeles By Elias Robles With another summer comes another Kcon and the unforgettable memories that come with the annual Korean culture event. The annual convention and concert brought K-pop fans and more together for another successful event. Held from August 15 to 18, the 4-day event showcased different aspects of Korean culture, from skincare to food, to most notably, K-pop. Fans of the rapidly growing music genre gathered for a chance to meet their favorite performers and see them perform on stage, all while experiencing the rest that Kcon has to offer. Sophomore Isabella Lopez said, “It was really enjoyable and I felt really comfortable. It’s nice being somewhere filled with people that enjoy the same thing that I do.” The convention held at the Los Angeles Convention Center was filled with booths advertising different products, from food items to skincare, to K-pop merchandise. Events such as Hi-touches, where fans high five performers, and Audience Engagements, which are interactive showcases of the idols, allowed fans to meet and
artists this time around were very popular. They screamed every lyric they knew and cheered for every idol that appeared. There was no holding back.” Newer, yet just as popular groups, were featured at the concerts as well, through their hit songs and special cover stages. One of the most anticipated acts of the event was the 12 member girl group Loona, notable for their strong fanbase on social media sites such as Twitter, where there is an abundance of “Stan Loona” posts.
Unfortunately, multiple performers canceled their appearances on the weekend of Kcon due to visa issues. Groups such as Oneus and Everglow, and solo artist Chung Ha, were not able to make the event due to last-second conflicts, leaving fans devastated. However, that didn’t kill their excitement for other groups such as Ateez and Itzy. The event not only gave amazing performances and experiences but also fans the chance to see performers who they don’t usually have the chance to see. Most of these
groups rarely perform in the U.S., so Kcon provides them a platform to showcase their talents to international fans. “I cried a lot during the performances. Just hearing their voices and seeing them dance on stage hit me really hard. I genuinely look up to these idols and my day is always brightened because of them. It was, and still is, so unreal knowing that they mean so much to me and they were on stage, doing what they love doing as a career and making so many people happy,” said Vo.
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September 2019
SPORTS
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Spirit Week Leading to the Big Rivalry Game
Conquerors take home the wheel for the last time as a 50 year rivalry against Wilson comes to an end with a final score of 64-16.
By Clarissa Banuelos All schools have a different way of promoting school spirit throughout the students and faculty. When it comes down to the big game against a rivalry school, the school likes to go all out. Since Wilson is our rivalry school we decided to go head to head with them seeing which school had more school spirit. In doing so, both schools had the same dress out attire to see which
school would have more participants. On Monday, the school went with camouflage to start off. On Tuesday, the students dressed out in neon colors. On Wednesday, the schools did college attire. On Thursday, they did tourist wear. Lastly, on Friday, the school ended with a big bang by having a blue out. Since Los Altos’ primary colors that represent the school are blue and red, blue was chosen to be the color we
would represent as we headed into the game. Not only did we outnumber Wilson with school spirit, however the school gained confidence and enthusiasm. Senior Marco Lopez said, “Competing against Wilson to see who would win the title for school with more spirit, brought more energy to the school.” Bringing energy to the school helped the football players gain confidence to play their best on the field.
The Lady Conqueror Rundown:
The Spikes Have Never Been Higher
Madison Vargas about to spike and conquer another point for the team. Photo by Ismael Torres
By Lucy Argaez In the last week the girls’ volleyball team had three non-league matches. They defeated all three teams they went up against. The first team they went up against
was Mayfair and they won 3-0. The second match they won 3-0 against Bishop Amat. The final non-league match won by the lady conquerors 3-0 was against Whittier Christian. The team beat
El Rancho 2-1. The Lady Conquerors were defeated by Brentwood School 2-1, and St. Lucy’s 2-0. The girls beat Walnut 2-0. Go support the girls today at West Covina High School tonight at 5:30pm.
“I knew it was going to be a good game once I saw how many kids participated in the school spirit week,''said Lopez. Sophomore Joshua Muniz said, “ I was excited when I heard that we would be competing against Wilson to see which school had more school spirit because it brought the energy level to another level which pumped everybody up.” Once everybody found out that they would be compet-
Photo by Lucy Argaez ing against Wilson another type of competition arose. They wanted to represent their school and show whats waiting for them on Friday. “My favorite day was friday because it was exciting to see most of the school dressed out in the color blue especially since Wilson was the color red,'' said Muniz. The last rivalry game was one to remember as everybody participated in the last school spirit week competing against Wilson.
Once “UP”on A Homecoming Theme Begins In The Heights By Stacy Medina With homecoming rapidly approaching, many recent events have been based upon the annual-dance that is thoroughly enjoyed every year. The theme was announced as the Disney movie “Up” and the court nominations for all grade levels were finalized. Freshman Caryssa Cavanias said, "Since this is my first year going to homecoming, getting to know the theme ahead of time was really cool because it was something I had been anticipating for a long time. Being a part of freshman leadership and dance production has made homecoming something I'm really looking forward to. Since I'm in leadership, I know the work it takes to get events like these planned and I'm excited to see the results." ASB has been working since summer to get the homecoming rally and dance prepared for the school year. The rally will take place Friday, September 20th. The Homecoming Game will also
take place on September 20 at 7pm against Northview High School. Sophomore Isabela Valentin was nominated to court. "I decided to run for Homecoming this year because I had wanted to but I was nervous and this year I felt more comfortable with the sophomore class as a whole," said Valentin. With this newfound courage, Valentin was successful in getting chosen. Additionally, Valentin is extremely well-rounded and a great student. "I think I as representative overall qualities that both a leader and a class representative should have because I am becoming more involved with the campus through ASB and soccer,” Said Valentin. To further promote the dance, on Saturday September 21 ASB had the actual DJ for homecoming come to school during lunch to play a sample playlist. This was meant to further excite the school about attending the dance that will be held at the Planes of Fame Air Museum in Chino California.