2008 january

The World is Our Campus Volume 56, Issue 5

Arcadia High School 180 Campus Drive, Arcadia, CA

January 2008

Notable Apache Newsmakers

In this issue:

Photos Courtesy of google.com & ERICA WIN

FEATURES pg. 10 Star News: Different teachers on campus look like celebrities.

Photos Courtesy of LABIB DAMOUNI, HANNAH GALLAHER, & ASSOCIATED PRESS

ARCADIA SHINES Three Apaches have already made waves this year: Freshman Mirai Nagasu, Senior Bonnie Cao, and Coach Janice Clark have made Arcadia proud through their extraordinary achievements.

Photo Courtesy of LPA MCCARTHY

CENTER SPREAD pg. 12-13 Arcadia High is Geting a Facelift: What will Arcadia High look like in 2012?

Photos by A. JOHNSON and J. HERNANDEZ

SPORTS pg. 18 All Area Athletes: Pasadena Star News announces 1st team All-Area Athletes.

By LISA CHANG & EMILY REUTER Editorial Staff

From athletics to academics, teachers and students alike have already kicked off the New Year with a bang, outshining other schools with their unique talents.

Freshman Mirai Nagasu has already dominated the women’s figure skating scene in 2008. She made headlines on Sat., Jan. 26 when she won the U.S. women’s national figure skating title in St. Paul, Minnesota. She became the second-youngest senior national champion, behind Olympic gold-medalist Tara Lipinski.

Skating for her first time in the senior circuit, Mirai stunned the world on Jan. 24 with a near flawless short program performance. Her score of 70.23 was the second highest score ever accomplished by an American woman, giving her a 12.65 lead over the former world champion, Kimmie Meissner and a more than a five point lead over the second place skater. Later, on Saturday, she went on to perform the free skate with flair, charm, and personality. Although she finished third in the event, her cumulative score of 190.41 was enough to earn her the national championship. Despite winning the title, an

International Skating Union rule states that Mirai is too young to compete as a senior in the 2008 World Championships. “I’m not necessarily disappointed, because I don’t think I’m ready for it,” she said. “I want to get more experience and be more ready when I do go.” With that attitude and her amazing talent, flexibility and strong jumps, we can guarantee that Nagasu will remain in the headlines throughout her promising career.

Another amazing Apache is Bonnie Cao, a bright and talented senior who was recently given the opportunity to appear on Jeopardy, a widely popular quiz-style game show. When she heard that she had been chosen, Bonnie said, “I think it’s the closest I’ve ever gotten to hyperventilating.”

Being a contestant on the show was an amazing event for Bonnie that left her with unforgettable memories. Filming from 5 a.m. to the evening, she said, “it was probably one of the most exciting and tiring experiences ever.” On the set she was surrounded by geniuses, her only freshman opponent “had already written five books on Ancient Rome,” and Bonnie described her relationship with other contestants as “a really humbling experience.” For all you Jeopardy fans who wonder what it would be like to actually play the game, Bonnie revealed some secret information about the show. She said, “the questions themselves really aren’t that hard - the hard part is buzzing in first.” She also shared that “they film [two] weeks’ worth of shows in two days.” Although exposing

the results of the show is strictly forbidden since the show airs on Feb. 15, we can count on the fact that Bonnie tried her best to represent our school.

For Bonnie, Jeopardy “was an amazing experience” that she “wouldn’t trade for the world.”

After leading Boys Water Polo through an amazing season, Coach Janice Clark was named Coach of the Year by the Pasadena Star News.

Upon hearing news of her award, she “was surprised because [her team] did not win [their] division of CIF, and another team in the Star News area did win their division.” This does not mean, however, that Coach Clark is not deserving of this prestigious honor. After coaching sixteen seasons of Boys Water Polo, she continues to inspire her team through a relationship of “mutual respect between team members and coaches.” She said that she “is not bombastic or a yeller,” but a calm leader who created a team that was “not only competitive, but also [had] a fun and enjoyable season.” Collecting wins and creating a fun atmosphere, Coach Clark led her team to victory through effective coaching methods that gained her deserved recognition as Coach of the Year for Boys Water Polo.

Representing AHS, they reflect our school’s diverse talents through their amazing feats—giving us something to truly rave about. Their remarkable achievements and perseverance of these outstanding Arcadians make us proud to be Apaches.

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NEWS

NEWS BRIEFS

1/30 Finals for semester (Periods 5, 2) - minimum day 1/31 Finals for semester (Periods 4, 6) - minimum day

2/1 Finals for semester (Periods 3, 1) - minimum day & end of first semester 2/4 Grad Night meeting, 7 p.m. in the cafeteria 2/4-3/14 AEF Drivers Education - 7 a.m. - 7:53 a.m. - AHS Room C-2 - Cost: $150.00 2/7 Professional Development Day (Late start) 2/10 Chinese New Year Party - 6:30 pm - Arcadia Community Center - Cost: $40 per ticket 2/15 Holiday - No School 2/18 Presidents Holiday - No School 2/23 Orchestra Benefit Dinner “Mardi Gras Magic” - 5:30 p.m. - Arcadia Community Center Compiled by the PTSA

Guide to the 2008 Presidential Election

By CHRIS LIANG Staff Writer

As our nation teeters on the brink of a new era, there is a choice every American citizen must make. Activism or apathy? Many analysts say that the upcoming presidential election is the most open, most unpredictable, in decades. Huge voter turnouts in both the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary show that this country is ready for a fresh beginning. And in this political climate, the results of civic activism can be profound, and the ramifications of apathy, drastic. In the midst of the longest presidential selection process in the world, use the following guide to help make sense of the dates, political jargon

Santa Anita Races Canceled

By CHRISTINE XU

Staff Writer

Five inches of heavy rain on Friday, Jan. 4, and Saturday, Jan. 5, forced Santa Anita Park to cancel two full cards of racing because its new track, the Cushion track, malfunctioned and failed to drain the rain properly. This resulted in a debate over what would become of the track’s drainage issues.

The track has not postponed two consecutive races since Jan.11-12, 1995, which meant the track, the horsemen, and the state (the state receives taxes from the wagering) all had to make up for lost revenue. Track officials had been dreading this day for months since the installation of the synthetic track in August, as a drainage problem arose right after the track was completed, and three weeks of renovation failed to repair the track. In addition, the construction

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January 2008

AAUW Leia Morning Performance

By VICTORIA BIAN & CHLOE YUAN

Staff Writers

On Jan. 14, the American Association University of Women (AAUW) invited wellknown actress and playwright Leia Morning to perform her series, “This Land, My Story: Great Americans Speak,” at the Arcadia Church of Good Shepherd. The performance was a montage of full-costume and prop reenactments of three of the greatest women in American history, Shoshone woman Sacagawea, abolitionist Sojourner Truth, and astronaut Christa McAuliffe.

According to Ms. Morning, the performance was essentially the celebration of strong American women. Through the portrayals of these distinguished females of history, Morning hoped to allow the audience, particularly women, to be encouraged to have a sense of confidence and pride in their own accomplishments and have the ability to achieve greatness alike to the women that she portrays. The play has been performed since 1991 when, as a teacher and actress, Ms. Morning saw failures and candidates to help foster the sense of activism that is the cornerstone of our republic.

Change, change, change. The word is seemingly unavoidable this election season, seen on almost every political banner, sign, and bumper sticker. With so many candidates offering a new America, it’s important to know the mechanics of change—policy. Between top-tier Democrats Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and John Edwards, there is a common misconception that they are almost homogenous in their plans for the country. Besides their unanimous criticism of the Bush Administration, their views on issues such as universal healthcare and the “War on Terror” have very little in common. Republican candidates Rudy Giuliani, Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney, John McCain present contrasting plans for the future of the nation, many rejecting the notion of universal healthcare and pledging commitment to the conflict in Iraq.

of the reenactments of such strong historical characters and felt inspired to set the bar for the accuracy of these portrayals. “I believed that if I failed, I would alone suffer the consequences of failure and if I triumphed, I Photo by VICTORIA BIAN would be sole- AAUW Leia Morning plays the dramatic role of Sojourner ly credited,” Truth as she reenacts her famous speech, “Ain’t I A Woman?” said Ms. Morning. In wanting to be able to have control of the sic, prose and drama. She received her masters artistic medium, Ms. Morning decided upon and doctorate degrees from Stanford and her the creation of her one-woman production. “I bachelors from USC. Ms. Morning had also hope to continue doing these plays. Life is so been the director of Arcadia High School’s boring until I get on stage with the lights on ADD production. and experience the exhilarating rush,” said Ms. Similar programs are available on the Morning. Ms. Morning has received recogni- second Monday of every month from Septemtion from her wide background in dance, mu- ber to June at the same church and are part of the 2008 Educational Campaign for AAUW. Admittance is free and open to the public, but Both the Lazarus-like rebirth of McCain’s donations are welcomed. Aside from dealing campaign and Hillary Clinton’s comeback after with modern issues concerning women, these the New Hampshire primary prove two things programs also strive to promote equal opporabout the ’08 election: the only certainty is untunity for women both nationally and internacertainty and the power of the voter to shape tionally. Instead of a cultural performance for the country has never been so defined. the upcoming February, the AAUW is hosting The states use two main methods to count a Greek-themed luncheon at the same location votes: the caucus and the primary. Caucuses for sixteen dollars per person. The luncheon differ from the traditional ballot-in-box elecwill include catered mid-western food as well tion process and have more in common with as the award-winning Greek dancing team that town meetings, where voters gather to debate has won the state championship for the last and discuss policy, before choosing a canditwo years. date. Primaries, however, follow the convenThe AAUW, which directs fellowships and tional process, where voters privately cast gives out community service grants, strives to their ballots. provide education and information for women.

This election fiasco culminates on Feb. 5, They contribute to scholarships for women and aptly dubbed ‘Super Duper Tuesday,’ when 24 host various projects that contribute to making states, including California, are scheduled to women’s lives better.

In order to join AAUW, hold their primaries or caucuses, almost surely one must have a four-year college degree assodeciding which candidates will win their parciate and pay a yearly fee of $87. Joining now, ties’ nominations. however, will only require half the fee.

costs totaled to $11 million and the failed rento find that the live races were canceled. Instead of live racing, they had the opportunity to watch ovation added another million to the track’s simulcast racing. For the inconvenience, they reexpenses. The two stakes races—the $100,000 ceived any-day redemption rain checks for their Santa Ysabel for 3-year-old fillies and the money. $150,000 San Pasqual Handicap (the first prep The Califor the Santa Anita fornia Horse Racing Board Handicap)—were called held a teleoff after the showers. conference on Jockey John Sadler was Tuesday, Jan. at Santa Anita before the 8, to determine decision to postpone: where the two “It looked really wet and gooey. Kind of like canceled races were to be held. sludge, unfortunately.

Ron Charles, So I understand why Photo by ASHLEY JOHNSON president they didn’t race today.” of Jockey Mike Smith said DAMAGED Races at the Santa Anita Park Santa Anita a horse is susceptible has been cancelled due to the rain water. Park, formulated a soluto injury if its hooves “are sinking in about one inch at one point, tion for the track’s problems by proposing that Santa Anita’s license to race at other venues be then suddenly four inches” with such a soft amended so that some or all of the racing events and unstable surface. An estimated crowd of are relocated to Hollywood Park in Inglewood if several thousand showed up on Saturday only

the rain doesn’t let up. Charles’s other options were to install a completely new surface (like the famed Tapeta Footings track that Golden Gate uses) or continue to ride on the unstable track and only use the Hollywood Park track when necessary, which could be disastrous.

There was no need for any extreme measures, however; the synthetic material of the Cushion Track was tested in labs located in Australia and USC to find a solution for the drainage troubles.

Consequently, Santa Anita, in cooperation with Australian synthetic company Pro-Ride, will reformulate the existing Cushion Track surface with a polymer binder that will permit the track to drain water more efficiently.

“We are now in the process of developing a timeline for acquiring the necessary polymer and fiber,” Charles said. “It is estimated that it will take 10 to 12 days to produce the binder.

The material will be mixed into the track surface without having to remove or displace the track. It is our intent to schedule the application so as to minimize any disruption to training or racing.”

January 2008

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Bell Schedule Arcadia Police Protest Changed

in Public Work services, Administrative Services, and Development Services. “A loss of officers will likely lead Staff Writers to a less safe environment for Arcadia residents.” said senior Sunnie Kwok. In On Thursday, Nov. 29 2007, the addition, programs such as DARE and Police Department began protesting for other city funded organizations are temhigher pay and better benefits after its porarily suspended due to a shortage of last contract expired. Nearly 50 officers police officers. The city offered various benefits, including have been seeking a signing bonus of support from citi$3,000 to $10,000 zens by picketing on Foothills Blvd. and a paid vacaand Santa Anita tion starting at 120 hours a year Ave. “It is unsetin order to accomtling to think that a city like Arcadia… modate the needs of prospective would undergo an issue like these popolicemen. After months of negotilice strikes. Crime Photo by ASHLEY JOHNSON ation in which the rates haven’t risen significantly, so it SUPPORT Local homes post City Council and just shows me that signs to help the Arcadia police. the APD discussed Arcadia’s relative various pay raises, security compromised–at least not right a compromise between the Arcadia Police Officer’s Association and Arcadia away.” said senior Anthony Yoon.

Officers have been collaborating City Council was reached on Jan 11, with the Arcadia City Council to deter- 2008. The new contract, which spans mine a more suitable salary, since Ar- from Oct. 11, 2007 to 2011, provides a cadia police is among the lowest paid 24.44% salary increase and additional police force in the San Gabriel Valley. pay for programs that require specialIn the past two years, the APD has lost ized attention. “Now that a compromise 12 officers to better job offers in neigh- has been reached, our community and boring cities and now has 15 vacant our schools will definitely benefit from spaces on the force. Current openings more officers and a safer environment,” on the police force include positions said Sunnie Kwok.

NEWS

By JENNIFER CHANG & ALLISON ZHENG

By RACHEL CHEONG & KRISTEN MURAKAMI Staff Writers

Beginning second semester, students can get an extra hour of sleep on Professional Development Days because school will start at 9:20 a.m. instead of the usual 8 a.m. Although most students may think that this was a random change, it was actually proposed over a year ago by the School Site Leadership Team (SSLT).

The SSLT, which is composed of AHS students and teachers, devised a series of two plans in order to allocate the necessary time for teachers to work with each other to create a standard curriculum for each subject. This idea of a unified curriculum aims for more consistency in lesson plans for all subjects, ensuring that students of a particular class are learning the same material at the same pace.

The first pilot, which is an early release at 1:40 p.m. on Professional Development Days held on Mondays is currently enacted. The second proposal, which calls for a late start, will be piloted on Thursdays during the second semester. These proposals evolved from the plans of neighboring school districts, such as those of San Marino High School.

For students who have concerns or conflicts with the new schedules, there are alternatives available. Zero period will continue as usual at 7 a.m. in the morning. The cafeteria will be open, as usual, serving breakfast and the “The Zone” at AHS Library will also be accessible. By conducting these trial schedules five days of each semester, the SSLT can oversee both the benefits and flaws and make a decision to implement one of the schedules in the following years.

Professional Development Schedule:

(Thurs.- 2/7, 3/6, 4/3, 5/1, and 5/22) Start- End (Duration) Period 1 9:20 a.m.-10:04 a.m. (0:44) Period 2 10:11 a.m.-10:55 a.m. (0:44) Period 3 11:02 a.m.-11:46 a.m. (0:44) Lunch 11:46 a.m.-12:27 p.m. (0:41) Period 4 12:34 p.m.-1:18 p.m. (0:44) Period 5 1:25 p.m.-2:09 p.m. (0:44) Period 6 2:16 p.m.-3:00 p.m. (0:44)

Survey Shows: Vorak + Mynster Chemistry

Staff Editors

Editors-in-Chief News Editors Opinion Editors Entertainment Editors Student Life Editor Features Editors Sports Editor Academics Editors

Front Page Editor Center Spread Editor Calendar Editor Campus Focus Editor Advertisement Editors Executive Copy Editors Photography/Graphics Editors Webmaster Fundraising Chair

Kyle Jacobsen and Hanan Kamal Lisa Chang and Jay Zhang Iris Jong and Gretl Lam Veronica Lim and Emily Rueter Mimi Kamal Cora Ormseth and Lily Wong Laura Kelly Melissa Chen and Jacqueline Yue Poonam Mantha Elaine Chang Daphne Tan Mitalee Khilnani Kayla Pang and Ivy Yang Celeste Cheung and Christine Xu Roya Falatoonzadeh and Jennifer Hang Minda Wang Hannah Mathews-Ward

Staff Writers News Staff

Opinion Staff

Entertainment Staff Student Life Staff

By RACHEL CHEONG & KRISTEN MURAKAMI

was determined to carry out his plan and insisted on staying there. The couple stood in front of the well for about 45 Staff Writers minutes, waiting for the crowds to disWith Valentine’s Day just around perse. Once the area was unoccupied, the corner, it is the perfect time for a they tossed their coins and made their wedding engagement. Sparks have ig- wishes. Having previously discussed nited between AHS teachers, Mr. Ray the topic of marriage, Mr. Mynster asked, “Are you seriMynster and Ms. Cherryl ous about marriage?”

Vorak, like the chemical Ms. Vorak smiled and reaction of burning magreplied, “Yeah, I’m nesium strips. Mr. Mynserious.” After hearster, who is not only a track ing these words, Mr. coach but also a statistics Mynster boldly withand computer science drew the stunning enteacher, has been at AHS for gagement ring from his seven years. Ms. Vorak, an pocket and said, “Well, AP and Honors chemistry if you are that serious, teacher, has worked at AHS then you are going to for six years. Although the need to wear this ring.” two have been colleagues Ms. Vorak, surprised for several years, they and shocked, happily met only three years ago accepted the proposal. in 2005 and started dating “It was truly a romanin Oct. 2007. They got to tic moment under the know each other better afmoonlight,” said Ms. ter sharing the same conferVorak. Dreams really ence period, and by playing do come true at the haptennis together, a passion they both share.

Photos by ASHLEY JOHNSON piest place on earth.

The wedding, As the sun began to & Graphics Courtesy of Google set, Mr. Mynster guided LOVEBIRDS Vorak and which is going to take Ms. Vorak to the wishing Mynster pose for the camera. place in the summer, is being planned. Alwell, where he planned to propose to her. However, his plans did though they are unsure about the details not go accordingly because the wishing of their upcoming wedding, both Mr. well was crowded with people. Despite Mynster and Ms. Vorak agree that “the the unexpected obstacle, Mr. Mynster wedding will be after summer school.”

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Features Staff

Sports Staff

Academics Staff Calendar Staff Campus Focus Staff Advertisement Staff Copy Editing Staff

Center Spread Fundraising Staff

Photo Staff

Adviser

Victoria Bian, Jennifer Chang, Celeste Cheung, Jennifer Hang, Janhvi Joshi, Akhila Rao, Christine Xu, Allison Zheng Tiffany Chang, Aisha Elmasri, Arthur Huang, Kathleen Kao, Yan Man Brianna Beckman, Roya Falatoonzadeh, Angela Meng Michael Chen, Joanna Chuang, Jenny Lin, Scott Lyou, Parvin Shakib, Angela Shen, David Sun Rachel Cheong, Kristen Murakami, Christine Pao, Linda Wang, Erica Win, Chloe Yuan Hannah Gallaher, James Hernandez, Christine Howard, Mitalee Khilnani, Frank Lam, Hannah Mathews-Ward, Minda Wang, Gregory Zajac Kevin Kim, Grace Kwong, Tracy Lee, Daphne Tan Victoria Bian, Veronica Lim Sarah Lin Michael Chen, Chris Liang, David Sun Melissa Chen, Cindy Huynh, Grace Kwong, Tracy Lee, Yan Man, Kristen Murakami Chris Liang Brianna Beckman, James Hernandez, Christine Howard, Ashley Johnson, Janhvi Joshi, Poonam Mantha, Akhila Rao Ashley Johnson, Hannah Gallaher

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. All others represent those of their respective authors. Address letters to the editor to: AHS Apache Pow Wow, 180 W. Campus Drive, Arcadia, CA 91007. To place an advertisement in the newspaper, call (626) 821-8370. Advertisement rates vary from $30 for a business card advertisement to $380 for a full-page black and white advertisement, with quarter-page, half-page, and advertisement insert options available.

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Opinion

Sucks Most to be a Senior

By KATHLEEN KAO & CHRISTINE PAO Staff Writers

Sure, we have some perks. We can go off campus. We have the seniority status. We’re almost done with high school. But these privileges pale in comparison to what we have to suffer through as seniors. College is right around the corner for us, and the stress we undergo leaves us no time to make fun of the freshmen, or even to spare them a passing glance in the hallways. During first semester, weighed down by the overwhelming prospect of college, seniors must scramble to juggle AP classes, extracurricular activities, last-minute SATs, and application deadlines. You freshmen think you have it rough? Just wait three years, and you’ll see a whole new side of “rough.”

And it’s not like we seniors have it easy at lunch. Not all of us go off campus. In fact, the off-campus privilege is excessively glorified.

We have to race against the clock, struggle against traffic, and oftentimes we don’t even have time to eat our lunches. Sometimes, it’s just easier to stay at school, and most of the time, that’s exactly what many of the seniors do.

It’s hard enough to concentrate and work hard at the end of the year for freshmen,

sophomores, and juniors alike. But multiply your unwillingness to work by fifty-million, and behold—Senioritis. Seniors must valiantly fight to retain some shred of diligence, but we are destined to succumb to it. It only makes it harder for us to maintain our grades, which, contrary to popular belief, still matter to us. Colleges can rescind our acceptances, so unlike what most people think, seniors don’t have the luxury of slacking off: the glorified life of a senior, which involves sleeping past second period, showing up late for one class, ditching the rest, and partying all night, is just that- an extremely exaggerated myth.

To add to all the disadvantages of being seniors, we must deal with leaving our friends soon and saying goodbye to the comfort and sanctity of our homes to start our own lives. All we can look forward to are impossibly difficult classes in college. Most of us aren’t ready for that kind of independence. Most of us are soon to be wrenched away from our parents, thrown into a new, unfamiliar world, and left to make our own decisions. It may sound liberating, but to most, it’s like being kicked to the curb.

All the privileges we have do not compensate for the struggles we must deal with right now and in the near future. Senior year isn’t great. It sucks. But that’s just something for everyone else to look forward to.

The Resolution Paradox Graphic by GRETL LAM

Tick TOCK Waiting for the clock to strike midnight before

beginning your new lifestyle? Something’s not quite right...

By IRIS JONG Opinion Editor

Contrary to popular belief, the arrival of the new year does not, in fact, guarantee instant success when it comes to fulfilling resolutions.

Making an impressive litany of resolutions for the new year is rather like “preparing” for a looming task- and by preparing, I mean going through a set of pre-working rituals: listing and assessing every little approaching chore, assignment, or action, compiling a master todo list (something that will, naturally, make for maximum efficiency later on), organizing one’s workspace… See where I’m going?

Making resolutions now and telling yourself that you’ll begin to live The Ideal Life once the new year comes around is the very equivalent of spending two hours loitering around, waiting for inspiration to strike until beginning whatever you must complete. And this sort of thing is, essentially, utterly pointless.

Especially when most resolutions can be easily deemed “unrealistic” (and sometimes even that’s a farstretch). Not to cast a pessimistic pall over everyone’s endeavors of self-improvement, but those tasks that we leave off until a later date are almost always undesirable. There must be a reason they’ve been cast off for the near (or, perhaps, far) future, after all. No, it’s not because January 1 is the official date for self-improve-

TCID:

ment to begin- we have no real concern for this tradition. It’s the fact that this particular custom, happily for us, involves forestalling and dilly-dallying, two of our favorite things.

Let us, for instance, examine the popularity of dieting/weight-loss-related resolutions. The assumption is that the arrival of a new year signifies a new beginning, one that is naturally accompanied by a refreshing worldview, hardened resolve, and full-blown motivation. The resolution-maker supposes that, although past attempts to diet have all spluttered out within six days, this time, the outcome will be different. Why? It’s obvious, really- it’s a new year, and that means change, for the better. And so, the resolution-maker contentedly awaits four months to begin. Yet attempts to diet falter soon after the year arrives; the resolution-maker is unable to stick to eating only food of the tasteless variety. And the reason is clear: the resolution-maker never really had the desire, the intense personal resolve, to see this particular goal through.

So, what? No more resolutions? Simply give up now and live the rest of our lives unimproved, unreformed? Of course not. There do exist worthwhile resolutions- they are usually the ones that we would be willing to begin any time of the year. It’s when you have absolutely no problem waiting a few months before setting out to achieve your reforms that you might want to question the validity and/or feasibility of said reforms…

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January 2008

Step Aside Big Brother.

Here comes Small Brother.

By KATHLEEN KAO Staff Writer

So last week, I lost all faith in America’s determination to slim down. I’ve yet to see drastic changes in the country’s diet—we’re still the fattest nation in the world, and with good reason. None of the overweight people are thwarting the weight issue—they’re merely slowing it down with yo-yo diet fads. So they’re imposing extra taxes on fatty foods now? Who minds a few extra cents? And are they restricting calories in school food? Students will just bring in their own junk. It’s no longer a matter of how strict the rules are.

Honestly, the government should completely lop off the top of the food pyramid, make it a food trapezoid, and as the coup de gracé, make America an entirely fat-free nation. That’s right: no more oil, lard, or sugaranything that features the word “fat” on its nutrition labels would be illegal. Government officials, of course, would need to set good examples, because the public would only attempt to lose weight if it had exemplum leaders.

Monkey see, monkey do, right? Which is why installing anorexic models as political leaders is a crucial part of my brilliant plan. If you think about it, it makes perfect sense. If the masses would only follow political leaders like they follow glitzy, ditzy Hollywood stars, part one of my plan would already be complete.

Putting part two of my ingenious design into action would be much more difficult. I acknowledge that putting this plan into action would result in rebellion. People would be smuggling Snickers bars, hoarding ho-hos, dealing Fun Dip like they deal crack. This is where my Small Brother regime would come in. There would be a Ministry of Indulgence, a Ministry of Couch Potatoes, and a Ministry of Nourishment. Homes would be strictly monitored and any person thinking about fat would be sent to the Ministry of Nourishment

to be whacked, or tortured- or both. Everyone would need to do rigorous morning exercises, including a three-mile run and four-hundred push ups. And absolutely no exceptions for anyone- not the ladies, or the elderly, or the young. After all, Americans have proven that they have no self-control whatsoever- they need a regime to force them into healthy living.

Since we’ve been complaining that it’s industries like McDonald’s and Burger King (not the people themselves) that are making people fat, let’s just have the government regulate our diets, and perhaps, in the glorious future of the Small Brother regime, our lifestyles as well. Heaven forbid we voluntarily exercise. Heaven forbid we watch what we shovel into our mouths. Heaven forbid we listen to the doctors’ warnings that we’re smothering our arteries with fat. What do they know?

They’re all quacks anyway. Let’s just have the government watch things for us. They can replace fast-food restaurants with celery stick stands, and meat with disguised tofu. Perhaps the government can change history by replacing the Thanksgiving feast in Plymouth with groups of Indians teaching Americans how to count calories and cut back on carbs. We can even change St. Nick into a muscle builder with a slate of rock hard abs, and leave a stack of energy bars out for him on Christmas Eve. The point is that Americans can’t be trusted with their own bodies, and since they’ve proven again and again that they have inadequate willpower, the government must step in.

We can’t blame the fast-food industries- that’s like murdering someone with a gun and saying that the bullet killed the victim, not the person who pulled the trigger. Exactly who decided to put it in their own mouths? To save America from a future of morbid obesity and a population that can’t walk a flight of stairs without gasping for breath, we must quickly establish my regime and wage our war against obesity.

Doesn’t this government system sound much better than voluntarily dieting ourselves?

Down with fat. Long live Small Brother.

Graphic by DANIEL YAMANE

PRopaganda- Er, Positive Reinforcement

Down with fat! Hail the Small Brother regime, which will send you on your way to amazing slimness and eternal fitness!

January 2008

Opinion

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5

The Ups and Downs of Our Competitive Culture

The Competitive Edge Your Best Competitor

By YAN MAN Staff Writer

“Hey- what did you get on that test?”

“Mmmm… I got a 77%.”

Ha! I beat you! I knew I was better than you, chump!

But of course, we don’t say that last part.

Out loud, anyway. Instead, we just mumble something sympathetic and try to slink away unnoticed. But on the inside, more often than not, we gloat unrestrainedly, gleeful at our own high score and proud of our accomplishment, made ever sweeter by the complete defeat of our competitors.

We love the competition in all facets of our education: the comparisons of our grades, the pleasure of knowing that we have bested someone in some assignment or exam. It may be because we go to AHS, where academics are highly valued, but it’s also a universal impulse; students are a nosy, inquisitive bunch, intent on knowing everyone else’s scores to gauge their own marks. And wanting to beat everyone else doesn’t make us bad people, no matter what some teachers will tell you, no matter how crude it appears. Competition within academics is a necessary evil, one that is beneficial to the learning process.

Where would we be without academic competition? Does it not bring out the best in individuals, kindling motivation that would otherwise be dormant? Some of the great-

est inventions have been direct byproducts of competition: we might still be walking around with candles at night if it weren’t for Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse, and their intellectual duels over the most efficient ways to harness electricity.

Imagine life without competition, academic or otherwise: no curved scores in classes, no awards for scoring highest among your peers, no fuzzy feeling inside because you beat that kid who talks trash to you. You would just putter through life, never feeling that burning desire to improve because, well, there’s no one to beat but yourself. And if you do achieve a new personal record, all you get is a pat on the back and a “good job,” in addition to the s a m e burden of a new bar of standards being set- but only by you. You would only measure the success of your own scores based on your own, old scores. Where would the motivation to improve come from? Whom is there for you to outscore by ten points on the next math test, to receive all of your justified gloating? And I know you all want to, because no matter how righteous or pure we are as individuals, we love winning, and it’s this love that makes us try harder than we thought humanly possible.

And how do you win? From competitions, of course. After all, which feels better? Getting a 95% on a test, or getting 95% on your test while that one annoying dude who sits behind you gets a 94%? Yes, that’s what I thought. In the words of eBay: It’s better when you win it.

“Imagine life without competition, academic or otherwise: no curved scores in classes, no fuzzy feeling inside because you beat that kid who talks trash to you...”

By ALLEN CHEN Guest Writer

It was Luther Vandross who crooned that “a chair is still a chair, even if there’s no one sitting there.” Well, after four years of high school, it is my ultimate contention that an A is still an A. There is no doubt as to the fact that we at AHS live in a highly competitive world. When teachers post up grades, once you’ve battled your way through a crazed, grade-mongering crowd of peers, you know you’ll endure several extra seconds of neck-straining so you can compare your own scores to those of the rest of your classmates: it’s simply in our nature to do so.

It’s not always a bad thing either, because sometimes seeing your peers excel in the class motivates you, as it tells you that yes, it is possible to get a high grade in the class. But there comes a point when academic competition just goes too far. You’re comparing test scores with your classmates... and suddenly, your 90% doesn’t seem all that praiseworthy, compared to a 93% or a 97%.

You begin doubting your own intelligence, and you start to stress out. You sign up for tutoring and you stay after school to work out math problems with your teacher, but you have psyched yourself out so much that you end up getting a worse grade on your next test. But it doesn’t have to come to that, my dear student.

A 90% is perfectly fine. In fact, it’s more than average, because you didn’t just pass—you

succeeded. We go through high school with this misconception that a B is simply unacceptable when, in fact, it’s above average.

So do not worry about being in competition with your peers. The ultimate contender in this match is yourself. As long as you’ve met your own standards and your own goals, who really cares about what other people score, about what other people may think? How can what they score possibly affect you? You have done your best, and that is all anyone can ask for. And the fact is, in ten years, no one will care about the fact that you got a B- on that math test; what will matter, however, is the fact that you did your best in high school, and that is something to truly be proud of.

And instead of being threatened by what your classmates score, be challenged by it. Win or lose, as long as you strive to become better, it is all worth it in the long run.

And honestly, how sad is it when you need a grade to validate the way you feel about yourself? That you need to beat someone else’s score to feel content? We shouldn’t center our lives around academics—they are not an accurate indication of the people we are and the people we will become. Don’t even worry about that guy who’s none too subtly shoving his 103% in your face: at least you live a well-rounded life.

Revel in the fact that you do not need a number marked in red pen to tell you how you feel about yourself. If anything, feel sorry for him.

An A is still an A, at the end of the day. Move over, Luther Vandross.

“How sad is it when you need a grade to validate the way you feel about yourself? That you need to beat someone else’s score to feel content?”

The Road Not Taken and the Road Forgotten

Graphic by IRIS JONG

the perfect path So many

Graphic by GRETL LAM

By ARTHUR HUANG Staff Writer

He sighs and looks again, leaning on the battered cane. He ponders and deliberates, weighing the pros against the cons. To go left. Or right? To one side is the path welltrodden, the autumn leaves packed into the soil, obvious signs of wear inviting his tired shoes. But on the other side is another, one with a pathway much less obvious, the weeds and flowers growing through the underbrush and the inches of freshly fallen leaves promising to crunch under his feet, his footprints left behind, undisturbed for others to follow.

But wait. There is one more possible road.

Straight down the middle. But… there is no

path there. Only more trees and more undergrowth and more fallen branches, the woods so dense he can’t see the other side. While there is light, some hint of a destination at the end of the other two paths, there is only darkness and uncertainty down here. There is no path here. No path… yet. Dare he make his own?

Dare he venture into the darkness unknown?

He sighs again and thinks some more.

Does the destination matter more than the journey, or is the journey more meaningful?

Can he gather the courage and take the risk and really make his own path down the uncertain center, even though there is no definite destination, no guarantee of an end, of anything at all? Ah, but wait, that mystery is part of the splendor. What lies on the other end could be wonderful, beautiful- El Dorado,

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everything he dares dream of and more. Or there could be simply nothing; he could stray off and simply vanish, be mauled by a bear, or lose himself in his own madness, without anyone ever finding out. There could be fantastic glory or there could be a horrific debacle. The journey holds a promise of intrigue, of risk.

He knows not what he wants. But he likes what he sees, drops of enticement glimmering on the trees along all three possibilities. He stands immobile, lost in his own thoughts and oblivious to time, as the seconds of the world become eternities in his eyes. An epiphany hits, and he snaps back into this world with a glint of slight shock and amusement in his eyes, awakening to a sky dark with the impending threat of a storm. He laughs, in salutation, in triumph and realization. Picks up

possibilities, so many choices- is there a right one? Does it truly matter in the grand scheme of life? his cane, shakes off some stray leaves that have fallen, quiet like a secret, on his shoulders during his ponderings, and walks on.

The man made up his mind, eventually.

But which path he took, which decisive choice he finally committed to, matters not to him anymore. That was simply a dilemma of the moment, and after he chose his road and trod it, he forgot about the other potential paths and what they could have contained. That was his epiphany, the futility of worrying over what might have been, what could have been. The realization that no matter what path he took, he would walk each step and never look back. The present is too precious, the future too unpredictable, the passing time too fleeting for the hypothetical. The roads not taken, they turned out to be the roads most forgotten.

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Opinion

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January 2008

The Class of Renovate To Keep On Giving Parking Lot Drama

By ALLEN CHEN Guest Writer

7:20 on a sunny Thursday morning—the cars begin to fill up the parking lot. The students all have intense looks of determination on their faces as they race out of their cars, glaring each other down as they vie for a common goal. It will be a day of drama. A day of tears. Some will get what they want, and others will not. Not a momentous event by any means, but it is certainly an important day: it’s the first day of parking permit sales.

Construction around the campus began over winter break, and the first people impacted by the multitudinous changes were the students and staff. The B-Lot closed and A-Lot shrank, rendering 100 spaces unavailable. It is the beginning of a five-year construction plan, something our school takes great pride in. In fact, the administration loved the idea so much they decided they really couldn’t wait until summer vacation to begin a project that won’t even affect us. Don’t you worry, though, because in five years, there will be a brand new multimedia center. Now all your troubles will go away.

It only gets worse. Parking permits sold out during lunch on the very first day of sales, which was limited to ASB cardholders only.

And thus, hundreds of students were left

without a parking space, and are now forced to park on the street—which fills up just as quickly as the lot itself. And because of the marvelous two-hour parking zones and police officers who have nothing better to do, in-between periods, students desperately attempting to move their cars are a common sight in the streets. Way to go, administration.

Our friends at Diamond Bar High School don’t need to worry about this problem: they have parking lots dedicated entirely to the seniors. If you ask me, seniors here should be given priority over juniors. I’m sure the school would even have made more money if first-day sales were seniors only, instead of ASB Cardholders only. Isn’t that something you like, administration? Money?

Speaking of which, what is with the price of parking permits? It’s one of those moments in life when you have to ask: Seriously? But at the end of the day, if this parking situation is what we have to deal with, then so be it— there is nothing we as students can do about it.

I have been able to get a parking spot every day since construction started, and so I have no reason to complain; however, when I see my classmates struggling to find parking each day, or when I see them parking on a street that requires a ten-minute walk to campus, I sympathize for them. After all, we are the Class of 2008, not the Class of Renovate.

The Arbitrariness of Twenty-One

That Three-Year Wait

By YAN MAN

myself, or my family, I am not bound by silly rules that say I can only work for so-and-so Staff Writer hours for so-and-so days a week. If I want to work seventy-hour weeks, by God, no one can I’ve just recently turned seventeen years keep me from doing so. And of course, I am old, and it’s wonderful. Just great. Now I granted all the civil rights and liberties given can watch R-rated movies (legitimately) but, to the adults in this country. I am no longer practically speaking, that’s pretty much it. an entity under my parents’ control; I am fiWhich is why I’ve already got my eighnally my own person, literally and legally. teenth birthday circled, in bright red, on my But the biggest thing about eighteen is calendar at home. Why? Because turning eighthat I am at the ripe age for a draft. At eighteen, teen signals an enormous shift in one’s life.

I am a soldierEighteen has “At eighteen, I am no longer an entity in waiting-to-beand always will be desigmy parents’ control and responsibility; I am s u m m o n e d . nated as that finally my own person, literally and legally.” If the government feels that age when we the army is lacking in voluntary recruits, I are no longer considered mere children, but may find myself called to duty. At eighteen, rather trustworthy adults, with the full powI would be trusted, in times of war, to handle ers and rights endowed to citizens of America. a large collection of deadly weapons. I would Let me imagine what life will be like have to fight for my country, and perhaps die when I turn eighteen. At eighteen, I am for my country. I would be forced to sacrifice considered an adult. I am no longer bound everything that I’ve worked for throughout by arbitrary rules, and I am able to enmy whole life to help our country to victory. joy many of the privileges that I could But when we win that war, and we’re only have imagined having a year before. all off celebrating, not a drop of that celFor one thing, I can vote. I have been ebratory beer can touch my lips. I have all granted my voice in government and the pothe rights of a citizen, I’m able to buy cigadium to speak from is my ballot; if I don’t rettes and lottery tickets, I’m able to reprelike you, Governor Schwarzenegger, I’ll just sent myself in court and in life, I’m able to vote you out next election. I have a stake in get myself a job, I can be forced to fight and the nation’s future, and I am an integral part die for America. I am, essentially, considered of our society. I am also able to get a real job. an adult. But I can’t be trusted with alcohol?

If I feel like getting a full time job to support

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Graphics by IRIS JONG

i f o n ly. . . T h o u g h m o s t of us are guilty of excessive selfishness, there may yet be hope... in the form of unconditional generosity and boundless love.

By TIFFANY CHANG Staff Writer

Years have gone by, and one by one, the books on my shelf have been replaced— Wayside Stories by AP literature, Rainbow Fish by Princeton Review. It seems that we have outgrown the childhood fantasies of princesses and fairies, of dragons and witches. Instead of catching dreams and bottling nightmares with The Big Friendly Giant, we battle with Shakespeare’s language and his star-crossed lovers; instead of adventuring with Clifford the Big Red Dog, we relentlessly burn through AP prep material. I suppose this is all part of growing up— that at one point or another, we’re forced to abandon those fantasy lands and enter the realm of texts with substance and underlying meaning on every page. But one remnant of my past that remains fixed on my shelf, however childish you may deem it, is The Giving Tree.

The story, revolving around a boy and tree, is simple, the font large and the pages void of color; but ever since I was young, something special about it has mesmerized me. It is the very embodiment of unconditional love, of giving without return. The way the tree sacrifices itself little by little, from vines to apples to branches to, eventually, its very own existence, becoming nothing but a stump, is inspiring. From then on, I have aspired— even when I believed I had given it my all, could do no more, could help no others— to always remember the story of The Giving Tree— to garner an incandescent generosity and harbor compassion so palpable as to continue touching the lives around me. At the same time, I relished the idea of someone, or something, who would give unconditionally back to me. Someone who would be my companion. Someone who would be my unwavering support through the trials and tribulations of everyday life.

Someone who, if I were to fall, would keep me from hitting rock bottom. Always. Forever. Regardless of how times might change.

But this is what I believed when I was

a kid. Now when I read the book, influenced and calloused by the situations both witnessed and experienced in my lifetime, I am clouded with doubt. It is hard for me to believe that anyone, or anything, in this world might be as the tree is, so unbearably generous, giving without seeking. It is so easy for me to believe, however, that people in this world are as the boy is, so intolerably greedy and selfish, asking for more and more and more but never satisfied. People use others for their own advantage every day, whether for homework or lunch, or even to get at another person.

Most of us, choleric ninety-eight percent of the time but saccharinely sweet when we need money or desire the newest electronic gadget, will leech off whomever we can to achieve our wants. And so I begin to reconsider the story of The Giving Tree. I begin to envision life as a vicious, never-ending cycle of taking without giving anything in return, of returning only when in need of something more, of leaving only after personal fulfillment. And to think of the pitiable tree, subject to such use and abuse, always giving without reciprocation or even appreciation from the boy.

But then I look a little closer. “And the tree was happy,” it reads. The tree was happy.

So maybe I am wrong. Maybe the story is as it was when I first read it: a story of unconditional love and relentless generosity. Maybe I need to trust in the goodness of humankind again. Maybe I secretly want to return to my childhood past and have faith that the story is not just a foolish fancy, but a soon-to-be reality. Maybe if I were to see less role-playing of the boy and more of the tree, you could help me to believe. Maybe this is my plea for reassurance. Maybe it’s what I desperately want— need. Maybe, if I see others randomly surprising friends with a little something when they are down; not simply walking by a person lying on the cold street; tipping a bit extra for an underpaid worker; donating old clothes, toys, or books; donating new ones too; volunteering not for hours, but to actually help the less fortunate... then maybe, just maybe.

January 2008

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PROFILE

JOSEPH LIAO

By ANGELA MENG

January 2008

Strike Cancels Golden Globes

By BRIANNA BECKMAN Staff Writer

Staff Writer

It isn’t surprising that the infamous writers’ strike has continued to pose a major problem on our favorite television shows. Many of the programs we once enjoyed have been reduced to nothing more than droning re-runs, which are, unless you enjoy watching episodes from a few years back, monotonous and downright frustrating. One would assume that the plight over a few extra cents per DVD would necessitate an easy fix, but evidently, that’s not the case

here. The 65th annual Golden Globes Awards ceremony was cancelled, and we bring an end to yet another week of incessant picketing by furious writers.

Over the years, we’ve pretty much grown accustomed to flipping on the television set and watching our favorites celebrities strut down the red carpet in their glamorous and frequently overstated attire, then later as they graciously take the stage and accept their awards on this special occasion. This year, however, with the threat of pickets from both the Writers Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild, as well as the promise of no-shows on the stars’ behalf, it wasn’t the typical red carpet-black tie event

Photo Courtesy of JOSEPH LIAO

In the hip-pop world, you might know him as “The King,” but in school, Junior Joseph Liao is just another cut-throat student working towards his medical degree.

At only 16, Joseph has received several awards, from winning small competitions, such as the South Korea Hip-Pop Competition to placing in big ones, such as the latest U.S. Competition, in which Joseph placed first.

Joseph’s success in professional hippop dancing has not stopped him from pursuing his other dreams, and he confesses that,“I am not pursuing dancing as a future career because I have always dreamed of becoming a doctor. Competition within the entertainment business is also quite extreme, so it is one ambition and stress that I do not need during my junior year.” And stress he has, the 16 year-old dancer also competes at Rubik’s Cube competitions, plays club water polo, models, volunteers at Methodist hospital and church, and plays the piano and violin. When asked how he copes with stress, Joseph chuckled and admitted “I put homework and school-related tasks before everything else,” he says,“which is why I always carry my textbooks and homework around! Even if I am the only person who brings work to do in between practices.”

When asked how he broke into the dancing world, “The King” modestly replied,“I just began picking up moves with friends here and there who were quite great at dancing. I tried them and found dancing to be fun.” Well, Joseph has definitely come far from the rookie dancer he once was. His recent win at a US competition over winter break in New York has ‘crowned’ him “King of U.S.” for hip-hop/break dancing.

Joseph admits that some of the most exciting aspects of professional dancing are the chance to “meet people of all sorts (including celebrities!)” and knowing that his “life is not mundane everyday since there are always events to look forward to and new people to meet.”

Joseph has done several commercials, been honored in newspapers, and been on television. This multi-talented star’s long term goals are “to go to UCSD, become a doctor, get married, and have beautiful children. Typical isn’t it?”

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Photo Courtesy of google.com

WrItEr’S StrIKING Writers still going strong, despite the long three months the strike has already lasted.

we’re used to seeing. Also, writers naturally refused to fabricate a script for show hosts and presenters to use between award presentations.

So, instead, the charming awards dinner was substituted with a conference, during which the winners were announced individually.

The cancellation of the Golden Globes was finalized when writers refused to grant an agreement permitting the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, an association comprised of journalists who cover the American film industry, and Dick Clark Productions to proceed with the show. To put it simply, making accommodations with the Hollywood Foreign Press Association clearly wasn’t an option. President Jorge Camara said in a statement before the occasion that “we are all very disappointed that our traditional awards ceremony will not take place this year and that millions of viewers worldwide will be deprived of seeing their favorite stars.”

Unbeknownst to many, the cancellation of the Golden Globes was single handedly an enormous blow to the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which happens to be a nonprofit organization. Last year, it received an estimated six million dollars from the ceremony’s network license fee, as well as dinner table sales and other extravagancies. In the past, the Association’s massive takings offered financial assistance to film education programs and other institutes. But this year, it clearly didn’t bring in anything. And while NBC didn’t have to forfeit the five million dollars necessary to finance the live telecast, the company also didn’t make the 15-29 million dollars that it had frequently received in recent years. By and large, it pretty much goes without saying that this wasn’t a positive thing, economically speaking. There’s no word yet on whether or not the Oscars will face the same fate as the Golden Globes. We’ll simply have to wait and see.

Blast from the Past: Dark City Movie Review

By CHRIS LIANG Staff Writer

Alex Proyas’ dystopia in Dark City stands at the pinnacle of visionary achievement for any film, lest one shot in 1998. Every ounce of the nameless city oozes hopelessness, from the dark and black alleyways to the dim and ominous lighting. It is a metropolis of shadows and perpetual darkness. The detail is so rich that most any still frame can be made into a promotional poster. I can go on for hours about Dark City’s skyline and urban landscape but there is a review to be written, and I digress.

The film begins with an unassuming man, John Murdoch (Rufus Sewell), waking up in a hotel bathtub with a dead prostitute, a bloody knife in his room, and no memory as to how he got there. The phone rings and a breathy voice warns Murdoch to run, as there are men coming to get him. The pursuers are not men but Strangers, aliens on the brink of extinction, searching for the one thing they believe will save their race: the human soul. On the stoke of midnight everyday, the Strangers freeze the city and replace the memories and change the lives of a few select inhabitants to study what is it that makes us human. Realities are changed, poor men suddenly become rich, and John Murdoch becomes a serial killer of

prostitutes. His forged memory, however, is incomplete and fragmented from a failed experiment, and the film follows his search for the truth whilst being pursued by the Strangers.

Similarities to The Matrix are obvious: humans being kept in a state of ignorance, a single individual who discovers the nature of his surroundings and the falsities of his existence, so on. However, such similarities are superficial. While The Matrix is a study in style, Dark City is all substance. At its core, it questions what makes us human. If someone who has never killed is told he is a murderer, will he be inclined to take a life? If memories of romance and courtship are artificial, is love still real? Dark City begs such questions, and forces the viewer to contemplate the very basic fabric of existence. Does our nature depend on experiences or innate qualities? In The Matrix, characters are painted in broad stokes of good and evil, and the antagonists are merely a plot device. This is not so with Dark City. While the Strangers may appear evil and twisted, we must remember, theirs’ is a fight for survival and in the end, they have our sympathy.

Such is the nature of this film: there is nothing thrown in for effect or show, every detail carries a message.

With movies like Die Hard and Hitman clogging up the theaters these days, Dark City stands out as art.

Photo Courtesy of movieprop.com

DarK cItY Starring rufus Sewell, Kiefer Sutherland, and Jennifer connelly, Dark City is a thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

January 2008

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entertainment

Enter the World of Warcraft

By LOGAN POLUMBO Guest Writer

World of Warcraft (WoW) is a massive multiplayer online role-playing game. It is also the most popular massive multiplayer online role-playing game out there, boasting over nine million players worldwide. The popularity of WoW may be due to its seamless world that requires little loading, and its simple yet fun game play.

Players can create a character from a choice of ten races, two of which come with WoW’s first (and currently only) expansion pack. The races are split into two factions: The Alliance, comprised of Night Elves, Humans, Dwarves, Gnomes, and Draenai, and The Horde, comprised of Orcs, Tauren, Trolls, Undead, and Blood elves. Players also choose their characters’ looks, gender, and class, which determines the talents and abilities that they can use.

When in WoW, a player can do basically anything. Players can fight monsters alone, or join with up to 39 other players to take down enemies. They can also fight other players in player versus player battlegrounds and arenas.

If a player wants to, they can even fish, cook, and explore the expansive world. Many players make friends with other players online, join guilds (otherwise known as clans), and participate in the in game economy. Leveling a character is one of the major activities in WoW. Characters get the opportunity to discover many new areas, and items while leveling their characters

up to 60 (normal level cap) or 70 if the player owns the expansion. Players also get to ride certain animals, based on the characters’ faction, called “mounts” to enhance their speed.

Another major part of WoW is to group up with four other players and take on instanced dungeons (instances). WoW has dozens of instances for any level characters. The hardest instances are usually the ones that require the level cap to enter, unless the player has the expansion, which allows them to change any expansion instance from normal difficulty to “heroic” difficulty.

The most challenging of all dungeons in the game are called raids. Raid dungeons require anywhere from 10 to 40 players to successfully complete. Raids are usually considered “end game” content, but most do not stay that way, because WoW receives a newer harder raid every six months via a game patch.

An important aspect of WoW is its player vs player (PvP) combat. The aforementioned PvP battlegrounds and arenas are the main zones of PvP combat; although, “world PvP” is common as well. The PvP battlegrounds all have different game styles. There is a capture the flag battleground (10 players), resources battleground where players hold nodes to gain resources (15 players), a mix of both capture the flag and resources (15 players), and a VIP style game, where teams have to kill the enemy leader (40 players).

PvP arenas are the more competitive, and less played zones. Teams of two, three, or five play in a team elimination style game, where

Underground: Matt and Kim

By DEREK LOUIE Guest Writer

Tired of the “soft rock” scene? Do The Fray and Coldplay’s slow and mellow beats make you feel as depressed as their dilapidated songs? Well have no fear! There’s hope yet.

Introducing: Matt and Kim, wonder-twins of the underground music circuit.

A wiry kid and his keyboard. An irregularly muscular girl and her drum set. Who ever would have suspected that this Brooklyn couple would become the Sunny and Cher of the 21st century?

Matt and Kim play a very special blend of dance-rock, which I fell in love with when I discovered them opening for another band at the Grove of Anaheim back in September.

Although some live performances can be disappointing and listless for audience members as they watching snob artists “go through the motions,” with Matt and Kim it’s all there.

As down-to-Earth as they can be, Matt and Kim still drive their own van to each one of their shows, and set up their own equipment—no sound crew under payroll. Matt is quite a stage presence: he talks and makes introductions to his audience between songs. Kim’s smile could charm even the most hardened criminal into dancing.

By their third song Matt and Kim had a crowd of over 1000 people dancing wildly to a band that only three people in the audience knew about prior to the show. By the end of their set, the very people who booed the band on stage were begging for an encore.

Unfortunately, they are taking this year off

to write a new album. Next year, however, if you ever stumble upon a venue where Matt and Kim are playing, I would highly suggest buying tickets. You won’t regret it.

As far as what the band sounds like, dancerock captures it exquisitely. Kim’s heavy drum beats and Matt’s base line melody create a sound that makes dancing contagious. The band regularly hosts dance parties with up to 350 of their closest friends: their fans.

It also lives under the philosophy “Shows should be just like a big party. Why else would you go to a concert?” And it shows in their music. Some of the songs that highlight their philosophy are “Yea Yeah,” “Silver Tiles,” and “Jesse Jane,” all of which are just 12 keystrokes away.

This band is a definite jewel. It is the find of your freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior year. Give them a listen, and you’ll be smiling the whole time; it is exactly what the doctor prescribed before finals. Matt and Kim is truly an experience which will make you want to dance and punch and feel giddy, all at the same time.

Photo Courtesy of mattandkimmusic.com

the first team to eliminate the enemy team wins.

These arenas are so competitive that they helped propel WoW into competitive eSports (“electronic sports”), which is the name for competitive gaming played at a professional level.

World of Warcraft can be a very addictive game to some players. This may be because WoW can be used as a way to “exit” reality for a while, a way to easily get rid of stress and pressure. Also when a player gets their character to level up or get a new item they’ve been trying to get, it makes them feel good inside. I know this from personal experience, because I was addicted to WoW for over two and a half years.

Clive Thompson, an author for Wired magazine reveals the power of WoW’s addictive qualities “as [he] warns [his] son about the college-degree-wrecking appeal of World of Warcraft.”

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Download This:

“Love Song” -Sara Bareilles “Closer” -Joshua Radin

“Slow Me Down” -Emmy Rossum “Colorblind” -Counting Crows “Falling Slowly” -Glen Hansard ft. Marketa Irglova Want to share your favorite songs?

Email them to: powwow.ent@gmail.com

Photo Courtesy of wow.com

Warcraft Players eagerly traverse through the vast World of Azeroth on their trusty mounts.

Make a Date for the Movies of 2008

By ERICA WIN Staff Writer

With television series and award shows suddenly stopping in a halt thanks to the Writer’s Strike, we’re all grateful one category hasn’t been entirely affected by it: movies. Though the new year seems like it has barely started, some highly anticipated movies are already in theatres while others are just around the corner.

Atonement, a British romance starring Keira Knightley and James McAvoy, is the ideal date movie. Separated forcibly because of a misunderstanding after declaring their love for each other, Cecilia and Robbie attempt to find each other in the midst of World War II. Though it seems like the usual chick flick movie, it has been reviewed by both girls and guys alike as a “good movie.” The film has also been constantly praised by the experts themselves for its cinematography and has achieved seven nominations for Golden Globes, guaranteeing audiences that it will not be a disappointment.

If you are just itching to go out for a fun night out with your friends, the movie 27 Dresses, starring the well-loved doctor, Katherine Heigl, from Grey’s Anatomy, has been well received across the nation as the perfect movie for a girl’s night out.

Also starring the hottie James Marsden, the movie revolves around Heigl’s character who has served her duty of being a bridesmaid 27 times. She wrestles with the idea of standing by her sister’s side as her sibling marries the man she’s secretly in love with, all the while being pestered by an annoying reporter interested in her story. This romantic comedy seems like a good date movie as well as a fun way to spend quality time to catch up with those that have drifted away as school has forced a social hiatus in our life yet again.

Cloverfield is also another newcomer to theaters, and is said to be about five young New Yorkers throwing a friend’s farewell party when a monster as big as a skyscraper comes upon the city. Shot from a perspective of one of the character’s video camera, the film is a document of their attempt to weather the most surreal and horrifying event of their lives. This movie is perfect for those guys out there who want to act all macho in front of the girls they’ve been crushing on and comfort them as the movie is classified as a thriller.

With all the excitement that has been oozing out of this movie, it seems like a fun way to kick off the much awaited three day weekend. Beware though, the movie is shot with a handheld camera, and the shaking screen has caused motion sickness for some viewers.

10

FEATURES

Top 5 Things to Look for in 2008

theapachepowwow.com

Star News: Celebrity Look-Alikes

By ERICA WIN

Staff Writer

MS. LIZA TEDFORD (left) Ms.

Tedford has been teaching at AHS for 15 years as the teacher for all dance classes.

By JENNY LIN

Staff Writer

1. The Sixth Generation iPod: The sixth generation iPod will be released this month.

The iPod is rumored to have an iPhonish touchscreen as well as a larger drive capacity and better-quality screen.

2. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull: It has been 19 years since Indiana Jones was last on the big screen. Now back and better than before, we meet up with Professor Jones who journeys to the jungles in Peru and ancient Mayan ruins. With Steven Spielberg directing, George Lucas producing, and Cate Blanchett, Shia LeBouf, and Harrison Ford starring in this movie, this is one of 2008’s most anticipated films. It is coming to theatres on May 22.

3. Beijing Olympic Games 2008: The Summer Olympics will take place in China, which has become increasingly powerful and influential over the past few years. Korean superstar Rain (Bi) is rumored to perform at the opening event, which will be on Aug. 8.

4. Presidential Elections: They’ve been campaigning since the beginning of time. With Hillary Clinton back in first place and Obama in second, will our next president be a woman?

An African-American? Or will we still have a Republican as our next president?

5. Jamie Lynn Spears’ Baby: Jamie Lynn is just 16 years old and pregnant. The news of her pregnancy was a complete surprise to the country and it has increased the ratings of her show, Zoey 101. Now the world is waiting for Jamie Lynn Spears to give birth to her firstborn. Her friends and family describe her as a down-to-earth country girl. Should we believe them? Or should we assume that she’ll turn out like her older sister?

Senior Kickoff

By LILY WONG Features Editor

The first ever Senior Kickoff was hosted on Jan. 12, 2008 by the Senior Council. With a 300-plus student attendance, the dance certainly prompted a surprise turnout.

“The Senior Kickoff was definitely a great and fun way to mingle with your fellow seniors, especially since it was convenient and free, too,” said senior Cindy Huynh.

Spending months to plan the Kickoff, Senior Council also spent an entire day preparing for the night to come. The students arrived on school campus at 2 p.m. on the day of the event and began to blow up hundreds of balloons as decorations, and was the last group to leave campus at 1 a.m.

“Even though we put an enormous amount of time and effort into setting up for the Senior Kickoff, it was so fulfilling to throw such a huge yet free event for all the seniors to celebrate our graduating year,” said Senior Treasurer Calvin Hsiao.

Hopefully in years to come, future councils will transform this kickoff into an annual event.

January 2008

Ms. Tedford

AMY JO JOHNSON Johnson is

best known for being the first pink power ranger, Kimberly Hart, as well as Julie Emrick from CW’s Felicity.

Photo by ERICA WIN

Photo Courtesy of google.com

MR. KEVIN FOX (right) Mr. Fox has been teaching at AHS for 11 years as the AP Government, Dev. of Civ. A teacher as well as the advisor of the U.S. Constitution team.

Mr. Fox

HUGH LAURIE Laurie is currently the star of the popular TV show House.

Photo Courtesy of google.com

Photo by ERICA WIN

MS. NICOLE TUCKER (left) Ms. Tucker has been teaching at AHS for seven years as the AP Junior English, AP Literature, and Creative Writing teacher.

Ms. Tucker

ELLEN POMPEO Pompeo is fa-

mous for her role as Meredith Grey on the TV drama Grey’s Anatomy.

Photo by ERICA WIN

Photo Courtesy of google.com

MR. KEVIN SHERRILL (right) Mr. Sherrill has been teaching at AHS for eight years as the band and percussion teacher.

Mr. Sherrill

EMILIO ESTEVEZ Estevez is most recognized for his role in The Mighty Ducks. He was briefly married to Paula Abdul.

Photo Courtesy of google.com

Photo by ERICA WIN

MS.

SANDY McLAUGHLIN

(left) Ms. McLaughlin has been with the AHS counseling staff for seven years.

Ms. McLaughlin

COURTNEY COX ARQUETTE

Cox Arquette is most known for her role as Monica on the hit sitcom Friends.

Photo by ERICA WIN

Photo Courtesy of google.com

MR. MIKE PASQUA (right) Mr. Pasqua teaches both AP Comparative Government and Economics.

Mr. Pasqua

DR. PHIL Famous for his own TV show, Dr. Phil, he is known to help almost anyone with his or her problems and issues.

Photo Courtesy of google.com Photo Courtesy of ahsleoclub.org

FEATURES

theapachepowwow.com

January 2008

11

Anything Else Besides Valentine’s Day? Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday Bubble Gum Day

3 Super Bowl XLII

4 Dump Your Significant Jerk Day

International Pancake Day

10

11 Satisfied Staying Single Day

Darwin Day

17 My Way Day

24

Man Day

Academy Awards

5

Saturday 1

2 Groundhog Day

6

7 Wave All Your Fingers at Your Neighbor Day

8 Laugh and Get Rich Day

Corvette Day

12

13 Get a Different Name Day

14 National Call-In Single Day

15 National Gumdrop Day

16 Do a Grouch a Favor Day

18 Presidents Day

19 Chocolate Mint Day

20 Northern Hemisphere Hoodie Hoo Day

21 22 Single Tasking George WashDay ington’s Birthday

23 Clam Chowder Day

25

26 For Pete’s Sake Day

27 Inconvenience Yourself Day

28 National Tooth Fairy Day

National Girls and Women in Sports Day

9

29 Leap Year Day

Graphic by CORA ORMSETH

Chinese New Year’s Family of Twelve

By CORA ORMSETH Features Editor

Celebrations ringing in 2008 continue as Chinese New Year welcomes the year of the rat on Feb. 7.

Several different tales exist concerning the origin of the 12 zodiac animals, but the gist of them all is that the rat was the first–- first in a race. Sly and cunning, the rat tricked the cat into finishing last in the race, which explains why the cat is absent on the zodiac calendar and why cats supposedly harbor such a murderous grudge against rats today.

Each zodiac animal represents a distinct personality. Rats are said to be ambitious, perfectionistic, hardworking, shrewd, and charis-

matic.

They can also be manipulative, power-hungry, controlling, vengeful, and greedy (especially when it comes to money).

As the first of the 12 zodiac animals, rats are typically the pioneers, entrepreneurs, and leaders of society.

Job matches for people born in the year of the rat include psychiatrists, spies, politicians, lawyers, actors,

Photo Courtesy of google.com

Love is in the Air

and marriage. The following day, Feb. 15, began the Feast of Lupercalia.

In the past, it was proper for boys and Staff Writers girls to be strictly segregated. However, the exception to this custom was on Valentine’s From decadent chocolates to bouquets Day when boys and girls would interact only of flowers, there is no doubt that Valentine’s during the festival. Through the process of Day will soon arrive. Couples celebrate their drawing names, the boys devotion and love for one and girls would be paired another on this special together according to their day, but the origin of this “destiny” and would reromantic holiday actually main so for the duration derived from a violent and of the festival. Often, the disruptive past. pair of children would fall During the time of in love and even marry. the Roman Empire, ValThe history of Valentine’s Day was a grand entine’s Day sprung from event that lasted for two days. The first day, Feb. Photo by ASHLEY JOHNSON ancient Roman traditions.

14, was initially held in HAPPY COUPLE Seniors Jake According to the Roman honor of Juno, who was Melton and Kassandra Zamanis legend, in the third century, Emperor Claudius II deemed to be the Queen of look foward to Valentine’s Day. outlawed the marriage of all Roman Gods and Godyoung men, claiming that their families hinder desses. Juno was also the Goddess of women

By RACHEL CHEONG & KRISTEN MURAKAMI

engineers, and detectives.

The zodiac calendar operates in 12-year cycles, so previous rat years can be calculated by subtracting multiples of 12 from 2008: 1996, 1984, 1972, and so on.

Famous individuals born in the year of the rat include writer William Shakespeare, composer Wolfgang Mozart, President George Washington, actors Marlon Brando, Antonio Banderas, Cameron Diaz, and Jude Law.

their ability to serve the Roman Empire.

Valentine, a forthright priest, was outraged by this injustice and secretly conducted wedding ceremonies for young couples.

St. Valentine was eventually imprisoned by Claudius II and his troops.

It is said that Valentine was the first person to send a Valentine greeting. While in prison, Valentine fell in love with a young girl who visited him during his confinement.

It is alleged that he wrote her love letters, which he signed “From your Valentine,” a popular expression that is still in use today.

It’s no surprise that by the Middle Ages, Valentine was one of the most popular saints in England and France. His martyrdom inspired all to love.

AHS students, both singles and couples alike, should look forward to Valentine’s Day with excitement.

Senior Jessica Mao “plan[s] on going up to the mountains with [her] boyfriend to look at the stars” and junior Daniel Kim believes that Valentine’s Day should be a day to “make one girl, any girl, happy because every girl should have a smile on Valentine’s Day.”

By CORA ORMSETH & LILY WONG Features Editors

February is known primarily for Valentine’s Day, but the month is also host to a number of less publicized celebrations that few are familiar with.

Some say February is the month of love, but three holidays beg to differ: Dump Your Significant Jerk Day on Feb. 4, Satisfied Staying Single Day on Feb. 11, and National CallIn Single Day on Feb. 14.

Residents of sunny southern California are probably unfamiliar with the observance of Northern Hemisphere Hoodie Hoo Day. But other people who reside in the Northern Hemisphere are sick of the cold and dark. By the time February comes around, they run outside at noon on Feb. 20 and shout “Hoodie Hoo!” to chase away winter and welcome spring.

Most students in high school have lost their baby teeth long ago and have–- hopefully– long since stopped believing in the Tooth Fairy. But celebrate the magical fairy anyway on National Tooth Fairy Day on Feb. 28. And most special of all, enjoy the extra day that comes only once every four years on Feb. 29.

Shopping 101

By LINDA WANG

Staff Writer

As the Santa Anita mall undergoes construction, it becomes even more difficult to find parking spaces. Every weekend and shopping season, customers have to drive around the parking lot for half an hour to find a parking space.

Many people don’t notice that besides the mall, there are several other great retail stores to shop at, such as thrift stores. Some students don’t go to thrift shops because of the cheap prices they offer, but these stores have great clothes and accessories.

Marshall’s offers a variety of clothes, trendy shoes, and home decorations for the whole family. Shoppers can often find designer clothes for cheap prices. Students will be surprised to find out how much fashionable clothes it has.

The Burlington Coat Factory on Duarte Rd. has a large assortment of current, highquality, designer and name-brand merchandise at prices up to 60% less than those of other department stores. The prices are reasonable and affordable for students. Many do not realize the treasures outside of the mall.

Suburban Martini is a unique boutique with a shot of pop culture located in Old Town Monrovia. The specially decorated store provides a unique atmosphere. Prices are not expensive like certain department stores.

Students will find the perfect clothes that fit them.

Goodwill offers good-quality clothes, shoes, and home decorations all for awesome prices. When shopping at Goodwill, students help fund Goodwill services that prepare people for job success. More than 83% of Goodwill’s total revenue is used to fund education, career services, and other critical community programs.

12

Campus Renovation

theapachepowwow.com

January 2008

Arcadia High is Getting a Facelift

By SARAH LIN

Staff Writer

Over the next six years, Arcadia High School will be facing a number of renovations. Construction is being paid for by the Measure I school facilities bond from Nov. 2006. The project, which began in the summer of 2007 with the infrastructure of buildings, will add a variety of new components to the high school.

AUSD’s administrative offices are currently located in all areas of Arcadia, with the main office located beside Arcadia High School. Twenty-two thousand square feet will be put aside for the new administrative offices, and the space for the current administration building will be converted into space for new Arcadia High School facilities.

The new buildings will, for the most part, all be indoors and much more environmentally friendly, boasting solar lights meant to lessen electricity. This coming spring will witness 21 portable classrooms being set up in the parking lot, in preparation for the renovation of G Hall. While the placement of the portables will interfere with both student and staff parking, there will still be enough room for all those with spring parking permits. Over the summer, the administration building will be bulldozed and construction on the new one will begin.

Classrooms are what will be completed first and foremost, in hopes of allowing all teachers to have their own classrooms. Every classroom in the high school will also be outfitted with new teaching technology: a SmartBoard, surround sound systems, and built-in projectors. With the help of better resources and support in classrooms, new classes will be developed in the future and added to the curriculum.

Principal David Vannasdall expressed his hope that the new “buildings and facilities will match the amazing programs at our school.” Despite the fact that the completed renovations will not be seen by the current freshman through senior classes, future Arcadia High School students are sure to benefit greatly from the new additions.

Campus of the Future

The bottom black and white image is an aerial snapshot of the current campus. The image on top is an aerial projection of the new campus. Additions and modifications to the campus have been highlighted in color.

New Rally Court and Science building

Grap

H LIN

ARA

yS hic b

Science Building

A science building will be constructed in place of the current Dance Studio and Ceramics Lab. The two-story science building will contain 16 of the 24 total new classrooms, and all science classes excluding two of them will be held there. Ms. Cheryl Vorak hopes that the new construction of the new science building will provide students “with classrooms that have lab stations with a modern design, updated with the latest technology.”

Performing Arts Center

This is the depiction of the Performing Arts Center. All performing arts programs will be located under the same roof.

Changes to the Campus Performing Arts Center Student Service Center Cafeteria Rally Court Science Building G Row

L

T ca ea

January 2008

theapachepowwow.com

Campus Renovation 13

N

Moved

View from Campus Drive

The new Ceramics Lab will be in G Row.

Performing Arts Center

The district office lot space will be made into a Performing Arts Center, complete with a twelve hundred-person capacity theater, a dance studio, a black box theater, and an orchestra room.

Cafeteria

The new cafeteria will be triple or quadruple the size of the current one, complete with fooseball tables and other activities.

Library

A student lounge will be built in the library, which will double in size with the removal of the L Row classrooms and staff lounges. Meant as a place for students to work, eat and speak without the restraints found in a library, the lounge will include vending machines and tables to study on.

Student Support Center

As for the space where the current administrative buildings are, it will be used to build up a two-story Student Support Center; the first floor will contain the offices for the principal, deans, counselors, health and ASB, and the second story will contain two digital photography labs, a publications lab for the Pow Wow and the Arcadian, a graphics lab and a photography lab. A visitor parking lot will be placed in front of the Student Support Center.

Graphics Courtesy of LPA MCCARTHY

Lunch Area

The new lunch area will be expanded to include two large pavilions and a new cafeteria. There will be more open space for students to sit and eat their lunches.

1.

Student Support Center 2. Science Building 3. Performing Arts Center

14

STUDENT LIFE

theapachepowwow.com

January 2008

FOOTHILLS v. DANA v. FIRST AVE. Compiled By MICHAEL CHEN, JOANNA CHUANG, JENNY LIN, & KAYLA PANG Staff Writers

1. As the last school built, Foothills is the newest. Have you ever heard of the phrase “save the best for last?”

2. Instead of running around our school for our miles, we have a track to run on.

3. An indoor gym will be making its addition to our school sometime between 2010 and 2011.

4. We don’t need to go all the way up to the mountains for Outdoor Science School to go on a high ropes course; we have one on campus.

5. Our mascot is a man who is confident with himself enough to wear a skirt.

6. We appreciate the animals that cause our random lockdowns because it displays how prepared our school is.

7. Our band is able to practice on a private street adjacent to our school.

8. During lunchtime, our whole quad is reserved for the eighth graders. A quad is definitely much bigger than an oak tree.

9. Our journalism class publishes newspapers during the school year.

10. We are proud to represent Arcadia!

The three middle schools have faced off. Here are the top 10 reasons they believe they are better. Read from left to right, one number at a time.

Thank you to Mariners Candice Yip, Shannon Xue, Isabelle Evangelista, Nadine Tran, Belle Chuang, Sarah Chau, and Wenny Lin, Spartans Melanie Chen, and Brenda Gee, and Highlanders Stephen Huang, Brandon Pang, Stephen Lee, Aileen Ju, Jason Luu, and Brian Mak for contributing.

1. Our school was the second school to be built (53 years old).

Have you heard the saying, “First is the worst, Second is the best...”

2. We may not have a track, but we don’t have any stairs to trip over, either.

3. Dana uses its money to be the most technologically advanced middle school instead of wasting money on construction. We have our own wireless network.

4. Sixth graders get to go to Outdoor Science School. And, there’s Project Adventure for all grade levels.

5. Mariners have guns. Guns beat spears and uh…skirts.

6. Dana is so safe that lockdowns don’t happen. But even then, we are still prepared.

7. The last two drum majors at AHS came from Dana (Dean Lee and Alan Riley). Mr. England, the orchestra director, taught at Dana first. The orchestra concert masters, Calvin Hsiao and Jack Ching, are also from Dana.

8. Dana has an oak tree reserved for eighth graders at lunch.

9. Dana is the only middle school that offers Spanish I. 10. We are proud to represent Arcadia!

1. First Ave was the first middle school built in Arcadia. We were the ones who set an example for Dana and Foothills.

2. First Avenue has its own auditorium. Yes, with seats.

3. We have underground classrooms.

4. Seventh graders get to go to Outdoor Science School and eighth graders get to go to Knott’s Berry farm.

5. Spartans have been superior since the beginning of time. In history, we’re known to be brave and well-disciplined soldiers.

Mariners, on the other hand, have the profession of navigating boats, and Scottish warriors? Never heard of them.

6. Our school is haunted. Haunted stories have nothing on us; we are fearless.

7. Our band is awesome; enough said. We are so good that we have way too many first place and sweepstakes trophies to count. Plus, we have the privilege of practicing in the Santa Anita Park.

8. Our eighth graders have a “stage” that they get to sit on. They also have the ability to exercise their “eighth grade priorities” by getting first pick for basketball courts.

9. First Avenue offers the most electives. Additionally, students are allowed two per trimester.

10. We are proud to represent Arcadia!

New Spirit and Chanteurs

The Spaghetti Dinner

By JENNY LIN

By VICTORIA BIAN Staff Writer

Staff Writer

With the marching band season coming to an end, the Band and Color Guard members hosted the 41st annual Spaghetti Dinner and Recognition Show.

The Spaghetti Dinner was held on Jan.19 starting at 4 p.m.

The dinner, which consisted of pasta, salad, and bread, was made by the Music Club Volunteers and was served in the cafeteria.

The performances, which showed at 5 pm, 7 pm, and 9 pm, took place in the North Gym. The Band and Color Guard brought warmth and excitement to a cold winter day.

Band and Color Guard made their grand entrance to the cadence of Varsity Percussion’s drums, and then they played “Turn the Beat Around.” After their dynamic entrance, seniors Tuba player Albert Want, Baritone player Mitchell Dyche, and Flut-

Competitions at the Brea Olinda Festival will be held on Feb. 2 for New Spirit, and Feb. 9 for Chanteurs. It will be the first competition of the year for New Spirit and the third competition of the year for Chanteurs. The annual state-wide competition at Brea Olinda High School is a single day event that consists of over 11 schools competing, including rivals John Burroughs High School and Burbank High School.

Last year, AHS dominated the competition with New Spirit winning Sweepstakes, the Outstanding Musicianship award, and the Showmanship award and Chanteurs taking third place and the Outstanding Musicianship Award. According to senior Shaylyn Richcreek, Publicity Commissioner of Chanteurs, “We tend to sing much better than the other groups so we score higher and can win the Musicianship award.”

“We did really well last year, and I hope with all the effort and practice we’ve done this year, hopefully both Chanteurs and New Spirit will be able to do even better this year,” said senior Nicole Tan, Vice President of New Spirit. Tickets will be available for $10 for both performances.

PHOTO OF THE MONTH

This is My Escape Photo Contest Winner: Serena Hua There isn’t a secret door, no magic spell, just the love of it.

Because my musical escape has become my life...

Second place: Elizabeth Hartshorn Third place: Kathlyn Dino Find this month’s top three winners’ color photographs and more details at www.theapachepowwow.com.

The next month’s theme is “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” E-mail submissions to powwowphotos@gmail.com.

Photo by BRIANNA BECKMAN

PERFORMANCE Band students play “The Star Spangled Banner.”

ist Connie Peterson took their turns leading “The Star Spangled Banner.” As the last one to play the national anthem, Connie Peterson said, “It’s such a senior band member privelege that when I was up there, it really hit me that it was my last year in band.”

Band continued the show by playing “Romeo and Juliet” songs composed by Tchaikovsky, Bernstein, and Prokofiev. They also played “Quejada” and their parade march “Purple Carnival.”

Drum Major Dean Lean then led the drill downs for all grades. A drill down, according to sophomore Cherry Wong, is “basically when the Drum Major gives you a command and you have to execute it correctly. If you mess up, then you fall out on your honor.” Freshman Jeffrey Xiao, junior Nathan Wai, and senior Michael Green were the winners of the drill downs.

Following the drill downs, the audiences were given a preview of second semester. Drum Major Dean Lee showed off his baton skills to two songs, which were “Lovestoned” and “Batman Begins.” At the 9 pm show, Dean Lee was forced to wear a Transformer helmet, Sombrero, orange dress, and had to replace his baton with a mop. Varsity Percussion also gave a preview for their 2nd semester indoor performances. They performed two songs, both composed by Kevin Sherrill and Tony Nunez.

Afterwards, a slideshow compiled by seniors Historians Ryan Choi and Vicky Mo was shown to the audience to show all the hard work and fun that Band and Color Guard members experienced during marching season. Also, Mr. Tom Landes and Mr. Kevin Sherrill, the Percussion Advisor, were given an LCD TV for their office and four tickets to see the Broadway show Wicked in order to thank them for the time and effort that they both have put in for this past marching season.

Besides being a Spaghetti Dinner, it was also a Recognition Show, where people who have contributed their time and energy were thanked. During all three shows, Mr. Tom Landes recognized the people who have contributed to Band’s great season. Among those thanked were the administratorses, and Lisa Fairbanks, who was in charge of the Band uniforms. Lastly, he thanked the Arcadia Music Club members, and all the parents who sacrificed their time in making the 07-08 band season another wonderful season.

Photos Courtesy of NEW SPIRIT & CHANTEURS

PERFORMERS New Spirit (above) and Chanteurs (below) will be competing on Feb. 9.

January 2008

STUDENT LIFE 15

theapachepowwow.com

What Working Students Have to Say...

PROFILE LILY YIN

By JENNY LIN

By KAYLA PANG

Staff Writer Staff Writer

As a promising virtuoso outside of school, Lily Yin’s passion to perform has been blooming since her first lessons.

With a propensity for non-profit Photo Courtesy of L. YIN organizations aiming to promote the Chinese culture, Lily invests numerous hours into the America Chinese Dance Association (ACDA), Dream Dance Contemporary Arts, Mandarin Orange Performing Arts (MOPA), and the Shin Dance Academy. This past summer, the ACDA, known for its “prestigious cultural programs in Southern California,” hosted a “Beijing Dance Performance and Cultural Exchange” program to celebrate its 20th anniversary. Under the training of the artistic directors of ACDA, “Dance Theater,” and Disneyland, Lily and the rest of ACDA members danced their hearts out at the Gong-Ran Theatre in Beijing, China. Lily says, “It was a great experience because we had the opportunity to meet with professional dance groups in China.”

Recently, Lily was recruited into Dream Dance Contemporary Arts and Mandarin Orange Performing Arts (MOPA). With MOPA, Lily performed at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion for L.A. County’s holiday celebration, which was broadcasted live on KCET. Moreover, Lily is deeply rooted in ABC Girls, a subsection of the String and Bamboo Orchestra. ABC Girls, a high school female ensemble of eight, juxtaposes traditional Chinese elements to display a unique combination of classical and modern performing styles. With this program, Lily specializes in the piano, violin, flute, Chinese zither, and the bamboo flute.

The latest performance with the ABC Girls was at the Kodak Theatre on Jan. 15.

In addition to dancing and music, Lily Yin, who has recently turned 16, faced a career decision after the Riverside AQuettes, her synchronized swimming team, won the National Championship title in 2006. She fluctuated between public school and home school–recreational synchronized swimming and junior national synchronized swimming–and eventually sided with AHS. With rehearsals, practices, and performances consuming up her weekend, Lily reserves time for school and friends only on the weekdays. Living by the words “no pain, no gain,” Lily performs with her head held high knowing that she is “capable of accomplishing anything that she sets her mind to.”

Look at the person to your right. Now look at the person to your left. Imagine them as workers in the real world. Seem a little strange?

Well, out of 3,600 students at AHS, only some of them manage to find time in their busy lives to work.

These students work because, according to senior Crystal Shen, she “needed the extra money to put towards college funds,” and for junior Danielle Houde, she wanted “to raise money for a trip to Paris.”

“When I was a little kid, I thought that lifeguarding was a really glamorous job,” said junior Yoshie Manaka, who worked as a lifeguard and swimming instructor at the Arcadia City Pool and the Sierra Madre City Pool for the past two summers.

Even though working may seem exciting, especially for teenagers, many of them learn that it is extremely time-consuming and that dealing with the general public is never easy.

Crystal Shen works as a tutor and teacher’s aide at Alpha Education Center and learned “about

people in general, such as what kind of people are out there and how to deal with them.” For senior Ruby Chen, who has been working at Office Depot for five months, “smile when you’re angry” became a motto of hers after learning how to deal with different types of customers. Senior Gigi Wong, who has been teaching first graders at First Avenue Chinese School for the past two years, shed some tears because of the complaints and criticisms that she had received from parents. Nevertheless, she learned

Photo Courtesy of GIGI WONG

AT WORK Senior Gigi Wong (upper left) poses with her first graders.

from that incident and said, “I can relate better to teachers. I can put myself in my teacher’s shoes.”

Experiencing the real world may change a person and it may not. “It’s nothing like I imagined,” said Ruby Chen. For most working students, the addiction and desire for money increases after they get a job. “I’m addicted to money now,” said Yoshie. For Danielle, who has been working at Beard Papa’s for two months in order to make enough money for a trip to Paris, she became “less shy” and learned how to “deal with problems better.” However, according to Crystal, “It doesn’t feel much different. Being a student is much like a full time job anyway, so it’s like the billionth time working.”

Through the ups and downs of working, student workers always manage to find a speck of fun and enjoyment that would soon become their most favorite part of working. For Danielle, “making friends” is her favorite part of working. Seeing that the parents and children are satisfied with her as a teacher is enough to make Gigi love her job. But no matter what, senior Eric Wilm, who has been an employee at Albertson’s for a couple months, said that getting paid is the best part of working.

Profile on Jack Salisbury ALUMNUS STANFORD

By IRIS JONG

Staff Writer

A former student and member of The Pow Wow staff, Jack Salisbury currently attends Stanford University, holding the position of Managing Editor (ME) of Sports on the staff of The Stanford Daily. It is an impressive feat, especially considering that Jack is currently a sophomore; he himself finds it “kind of crazy that I’m the ME of Sports in just my sophomore year...if you told me that I’d be in this position a year ago I wouldn’t have believed you.” What led to this accomplishment? It was, according to him, “nothing more than good, hard work.”

And hard work he knows well, especially now that he’s in a position with such responsibility and accountability. With a circulation of 10,000, The Stanford Daily is published every weekday of the academic school year. This,

for Jack, translates to a massive time commitment of at least thirty-five hours at The Stanford Daily office, not to mention the time it takes to complete duties such as interviewing, replying to emails, and making phone calls. He manages a staff of over 40 writers, assigning stories and managing content, copy-editing, and writing headlines and captions. Time commitment is not Jack’s only concern; there is also “the pressure we feel as the reputable publication that we are… with my position comes a lot of responsibility to uphold that reputation.”

Nevertheless, Jack appreciates the “bigtime nature” of working on The Stanford Daily, the fact that his job combines his interests in writing and sports. As one of those people who “immediately flip to the Sports Section when they pick up the Los Angeles Times,” he feels that “sports are about the players, their stories, the energy and the emotion… they’re something that most of us can relate to.” But the “most fulfilling thing about the job is hearing compli-

Orchesis Dance Day

By VICTORIA BIAN & ANGELA SHEN

Staff Writers

On Feb. 2, the Orchesis Dance Company will be hosting its annual Orchesis Dance Day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Students from kindergarten to eighth grade from around the Arcadia Unified School District are welcome to attend and learn dances choreographed by the members of Orchesis. The one-day event is not only a fundraiser to promote the dance company’s May Show, but also, according to Mrs. Liza Tedford, the adviser of Orchesis, it is “an opportunity to share our passion for dance in a fun and entertaining way.”

At the beginning of the day, stuPhoto by ASHLEY JOHNSON dents will be paired up with Orchesis ORCHESIS STUDENTS The Orchesis members, who will teach them their own choreography. After a day filled Dance Day will be held on Feb. 2.

with dancing and games, the children will be invited to perform the dances they learned in front of their parents. The performances will also be recorded and broadcasted on the Arcadia community channel. “Every little kid needs a hero to look up to, and so they get to have this day to interact with older kids and get the chance to be inspired,” said Mrs. Tedford.

Orchesis Dance Day, which has been held each year for at least the past 10 years, was inspired by Mrs. Tedford’s past experiences with pep clinics, during the time she advised pep squad.

The participation fee of $30 covers the cost of a t-shirt, while the rest of the proceeds go towards benefiting Orchesis Dance Company. “Dance Day is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for younger students to participate in a dance class and interact with high school dancers at the same time,” said Orchesis dancer senior Melody Chen.

Orchesis Dance Day may be cancelled if not enough people enroll.

ments and words of praise from people around campus.” One particular moment stands out for him: “When Stanford beat USC in probably the greatest upset of all time, the editor-in-chief and myself took a great personal pride in the paper.

We stayed until 4 a.m. that Sunday night working on the paper, and it looked great. People have told me that they loved that paper; a lot of them have been hanging it on their walls… it’s something that I was glad I was able to be a part of.”

Fro-Yo Madness

By DAVID SUN

Staff Writer

Arcadia has four yogurt joints to choose from, its latest addition being the Céfiore within the Pavilion’s plaza on Baldwin Avenue. Céfiore’s grand opening contest was on Jan. 18.

Junior Janice Ma said, “I didn’t even end up lining up, I just freeloaded off my friends.”

However, with its delicious toppings and four different base yogurts, and 20% discount, the line was very much worth the wait.

To add to the grand opening, a tri-school yogurt buying competition consisting of students from Arcadia High School, Monrovia High School, and Temple City High School was held.

The basic rule was that the school that bought the most “fro-yo” would take home 10% of its purchases, as well as a 20% discount for 30 days.

Arcadia clearly won without contest, as the box in which students put their receipts displayed an overflowing Arcadia box, a modest amount of support for Temple City, and a whopping two Monrovia receipts.

Another event consisted of a frozen yogurt eating contest in which contestants ate, and in some cases snorted, family-sized yogurt portions.

However, such acts were not done just for the entertainment of the crowd, as one participant walked off with a brand new iPod, the other with a Nintendo DS.

16

STUDENT LIFE

theapachepowwow.com

January 2008

Students Help Victims of Hurricane Katrina of.”

By JOANNA CHUANG & ANGELA SHEN Staff Writers

In the summer of 2005, many of us watched the effects of Hurricane Katrina on our television screens, sympathizing with victims of the disaster. Many did their part to help the victims by donating goods and money, but a group of teenagers from Lake Avenue Church went the extra mile by physically helping the victims in New Orleans. The project began in the summer of 2006 and the volunteers, some of which are students of AHS, returned this past summer to finish up the work. These students include seniors Dusty Gibbs, Eliza Haney, Rafik Wahbi, and Danielle La Brie; juniors Scott Fairbanks, Paul Bump, Aaron Case and Tiffany Chang; sophomore Kenzo Perkins; and freshmen Stevie Gibbs and Mark Torstenbo.

From July 29 to Aug. 6 2007, the group helped rebuild lost homes for members of New Life Church in the suburbs of New Orleans, and offered spiritual guidance to those who had been traumatized. Although all the students went for a united purpose, they had different inspirations. While junior Paul Bump believed

Photo Courtesy of ELIZA HANEY

KICKING DOWN A DOOR Se-

nior Dusty Gibbs forces her way through a jammed door. the opportunity would help him “to become more worldly, to understand where other people come from economically and politically,” senior Dusty Gibbs said, “It sounded like a lot of fun, and something special I could be a part

Though the project was finished last year, the experience has placed a lasting effect upon the members by teaching them valuable life lessons. “I feel so much more fortunate, and sometimes I reflect back on the experience and realize how much I take for granted,” Paul said, while Dusty said “This was the best experience of my life. It made me more aware and sensitive to problems that arise in the world. It has made me more selfless.” This trip was also filled with unforgettable memories; one of Scott’s most memorable experiences was “seeing the happiness on the faces of those we got a chance to help.” According to Tiffany, “The people down there are so genuine, hospitable, and so full of spirit that even just being around them, I feel so alive.” Eliza said that “We went to spend time with an amazing group of people, (and) in the process, we rebuilt homes together.”

The tiring work of constructing houses from scratch did not discourage the team. “If the church plans another trip to Louisiana, I would sign up again in an instant,” said Scott.

In a letter home, Paul wrote, “In the end this was an awesome experience; I was able to realize how fortunate I was and that helping others is one of the most rewarding experiences

The 2008 RYLA Winners Announced

By CHLOE YUAN Staff Writer

Every year, Rotary International, the world’s first service club organization with more than 1.2 million members, hosts the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA). This year, six junior girls and five junior boys from AHS were chosen to participate in Rotary’s expense-free leadership training program on Feb. 22-24 in Idyllwild, California.

The participants selected are juniors Annie Gardea, Laura Kelly, Courtney Lee, Samantha Miller, Devon Sakai, Cathy Wang, Sean Maroongroge, Kevin Mori, Derek Ouyang, Matt Schroyer, and Charlie Tsouvalas.

Alternates for the girls include Lisa Kalemkarian, Vedrana Brkic, Tania Bhatia, Chloe Yuan, and Pauline Yang, while the alternates for the boys are Johnny Davis, Justin Chu, David Liu, and George Cavallo.

Aside from free meals and sleeping cabins, RYLA will provide activities such as seminars, networking opportunities, and workshops about the elements of community, global citizenship, and conflict management. Topics of career professions such as human relations and business will be discussed there to help students gain exposure to options regarding their futures. Junior Cathy Wang said she is “looking forward to making new friends and meeting new people.”

The application process consisted of two

rounds. The first round had a written application. The second and final round had an interview. At the interview, students were asked questions ranging from the political world today to personal role models. In reaction to her experience with her RYLA interview, Annie Gardea said, that “she felt good about it because there were no long, awkward pauses.”

Reflecting upon the experience from last year, senior Poonam Mantha said “one of the best things I’ve ever seen in my life was Kathy Buckley, who was one of the many inspirational speakers present at the camp. She was a deaf comedian who spoke about overcoming obstacles in life. Kathy Buckley was hilarous and worth the whole trip.”

Photo by ASHLEY JOHNSON

CLOCK This technological device does more than tell time.

New Clocks Installed

By JOANNA CHUANG Staff Writer

The morning back from winter break, many staff members and students were struck with confusion by the addition of the digital clocks featured in white boxes. Rumors quickly spread that there are built-in cameras hidden in these innovative devices, allowing the administration to overlook every classroom during school hours.

With the technology’s trend of “the smaller, the better” now on the rage, others had thought that this stylish machine served as a source of air conditioning or was another high-tech gadget for the classes.

These rumors and beliefs are all proved to be wrong as Scott Bramley, AUSD Coordinator of Technology and Information Services, revealed that this device actually serves as the school’s bell, clock, and speaker system. This change was caused by many reasons, one of which was the school’s old bells and clocks. The old bell system and clocks had issues, since they used an old wiring system and it was difficult to acquire the outdated replacement parts. Another reason is that the area that previously ran the school’s bell system will be demolished.

These devices hold benefits as the louder speakers are able to project to all students and staff members indoors and outdoors. The more reliable speakers also hold the convenience and the possibility of projecting to the middle schools, elementary schools, and all district sites in the future as well.

By MICHAEL CHEN 1- What does Ash Borrow from Misty?

2- How many fingers does Jynx have?

3- What substance are Ponyta’s hooves ten times as tough as?

Every month, the Pow Wow will find a student from each grade level to fight off random questions. They’ll each be graded and their an-

swers will be published right here. Think you could handle these? Send an email to ads@ theapachepowwow.com with the subject line “Three Lives” with your name and grade.

Key X = incorrect C = correct

XINRUI CHEN freshman

AARON TSE sophomore

MAY LEE junior

JASPER LYNN senior

Staff Writer

C 1- Her bike X 2- Six X 3- Iron

C 1- Her bike X 2- Three X 3- Steel

Score:1/3

Score: 1/3

X 1- Togepi?

Haha, I don’t watch Pokemon!

C 2- Five?

C 3- Diamonds

X 1- Doesn’t he borrow a Pokemon?

C 2- Ten, five on each hand C 3- Isn’t it diamonds?

Score: 2/3

Score: 2/3

Photos by MICHAEL CHEN

Trivia Challenge Questions: Pokemon Edition

January 2008

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18

SPORTS

theapachepowwow.com

January 2008

Pasadena Star News First Team All-Area Athletes

By GREGORY ZAJAC Staff Writer

A traditional League finals ceremony includes the honoring of the first and the second all-league teams – the players that would make the best and the second best team out of the entire league. After the fall sports season came to a close, the Pasadena Star News chose players that would make the first and second best teams for the Pasadena area. And those teams include many Apaches. Eight seniors and three juniors from Arcadia High School are honored as firstteam and second-team all-area athletes.

Senior Wesley Yao has been playing water polo since his freshman year, and started swim-

learn from your mistakes.”

Senior Kevan Walker grew up watching his dad coach college football stars, and has wanted to be a part of the game ever since. He likes to sing in his cousin’s recording studio in his spare time, in addition to the “normal” teenage pastimes. He is glad that through the firstteam all-area awards, some of the individuals that make Arcadia’s teams great are finally being recognized. Hard work, dedication, and lessons handed down from his father helped form his athletic career, and he wants to leave these words behind: “If things start to get a little rough down the road, don’t lose sight of your goal. Just keep working.”

Senior Stephanie Stillman was looking

said that our athletic program is a “high-level program that produces many high-level athletes.” He encourages his teammates by telling them, “Even if you’re struggling and having a hard time, one day you will eventually reach your goal. So hang in there.”

Senior Robbie Pusic is only the latest in a long family line of water polo players. He likes to cool down from a strenuous workout in the pool by reading and playing golf. Teamwork and being mentally prepared to win are big in his mind, and the application of these principles by other Apaches has made Arcadia turn some heads this year. His advice to athletes having a little trouble is to “stick with it. Even if you’re not the best player at some point, you got to

that weight lifting and partying are the spice of life. Doing what his coach told him to do and giving his best every day at practice has helped him and others bring Arcadia sports back to what they used to be. Playing center and defensive lineman, he tells the other guys on the line to “eat a lot” to improve their athletic ability.

Junior Todd Golper was playing flag football long before he started tackling. This fullback and tight-end also enjoys basketball, guitar, hanging out with his friends, and a relaxed game of ultimate frisbee on the beach.

He believes that many Apaches made the allarea team because of a general desire to work hard, win, and compete with the best. With one year of football to go, he would like others to

Photos by ASHLEY JOHNSON & JAHNVI JOSHI

ming long before that. His personal vice is playing too many video games, and is glad he’s been able to represent Arcadia among the many great teams in the area. He has had to get used to the pain of losing weekends to games and staying in the pool long after his non-athletic peers have gone home. His words of wisdom to pass on to the next generation of athletes are, “Whenever you do something, always give 100%. The only security in life is that you’re getting better every day.”

Junior Caitlyn Ward started playing tennis with her parents before she started swinging her racket for AHS. Ambidextrous, and committed to putting her limited time into orchestra, as well as her sport, she thanks practice and hard work for where she is. The most valuable lesson she’s learned from 11 years of tennis is to “never give up, even if you lose, because you can always

forward to making kills on the volleyball court her freshman year. A self declared “competitive eater,” she noted that while some schools are only really good at one or two sports, Arcadia has a more well-rounded athletic program. Hard work, sacrifice, and playing beside other great players is a formula for success in her book, and as a veteran of both softball and soccer, she says, “You never know what you’re going to be good at, so try everything.”

Senior Kris Romero was pulled out of his P.E. class in his freshman year and was told to run for Cross Country. He’s been known to randomly start singing, wherever he is, whoever he’s with; a perfect quirk for a Senior Men and Women vice-president. He was surprised at being chosen for the first-team after what was, in his opinion, a rough end to his season. Sure that “great things are coming for the Apaches,” he

role play and be supporting cast. One man can’t make a movie.”

Junior Renaud Poizat had to be convinced that he had talent by his future coach and teammates before he would run for Cross Country.

Oozing French pride from every pore, he said his many passions include, “french fries, french toast, and bon-bons” and is convinced that his being named an all-area runner is proof of the superiority of the French people. He’s had to withstand being teased by his teammates, and learn to balance his athletic and academic lives to remain competitive. He believes Arcadia has “an extremely talented field of youthful athletes, dedicated to the cardinal and gold,” and tells other aspiring athletes to “never surrender.”

Senior Lars Guillermo, who loved football from the day he set foot on the all-weather turf, is an ardent believer that food is delicious, and

remember that “working hard pays off, and to be humble with success.”

Senior Donnie Fields actually missed football season his sophomore year, but was quick to make up the lost time. Not only does he play the real stuff, but he also plays virtual football in the form of Madden ‘08. Playing on both offense and defense really helped him and many of his teammates gain a better grasp of the game. His advice: “Never give up, keep going, and get rich or die trying.”

Last but not least, senior Ryan Ernst was quick to get on the cross country starting line as a freshman. As a lover of movies, he is glad that the media and the public are now recognizing Arcadia’s athletic prowess. He prescribes hard work and dedication to all the younger runners and athletes, reminding them that “the little things matter.”

Girls Varsity Basketball Shoots for Victory

By CHRISTINE HOWARD Staff Writer

The Lady Apache Varsity Basketball team is struggling through its season, winning a couple games in tournaments but having some trouble playing against the teams in its league.

The Lady Apaches are currently 4-19 overall, including tournaments, and 1-7 in league.

The Ladies have played all the teams in their league and will now replay them to finish out the last half of league play. They are currently seventh place in overall standings, above Pasadena who is currently in eighth place, and are eighth in league.

The girls have been working hard and practicing several hours a day. They have to be at school bright and early to practice during zero period and then stay long after school for even more practice. They also have lengthy Saturday morning practices. It seems that the girls’ hard work is starting to show as they won their first league game against Glendale on Jan. 15. The girls are going to try and keep up their confidence and continue to work hard.

When asked how she thought the season has gone so far, senior center Ellen Lu said, “It’s been a bit rocky, but we have a lot of de-

There are definitely some talented girls on termination and I think towards the end of the season we’ll pull out some wins. We’re com- the Lady Apache team, especially senior center Brittany petitive; we just Chew. She need to find that is fourth for extra zest to pull rebounds in us through.” the Pacific The Lady League, and Apaches travfirst for scoreled to Arroyo ing, threeHigh School in pointers, El Monte to parrebounds, ticipate in the Arand steals royo tournament on her team. with back-to-back She also games from Dec. averages 11-15. They won about elevone game against en points a Pioneer High game, acSchool from WhitPhoto by CHRISTINE HOWARD cording to tier, with a final score of 37-26. GIRLS BASKETBALL Senior Bianca Hillier sprints M a x P r e p s . com. Chew The Apaches then down the court while playing Crescenta Valley. is definitely traveled to Ayala High School in Chino Hills for another round of an all- around player, and greatly contributed to consecutive games from December 26-31. The the Apache win against Glendale.

On Jan. 15, the Glendale Dynamiters faced Ladies won two games against Eisenhower High School from Rialto with a final score of 41-33 off against our own Lady Apaches. The score and against St. Monica High School from Santa was close the entire game, and by the end of the first half it was impossible to determine which Monica with a final score of 51-49.

team would be victorious. But after a long pep talk from Coach Young, the Apaches came out strong and began dominating the court. They finally pulled together as a team and demonstrated their own personal abilities. Though the Dynamiters fought back, the Apaches stayed strong and won with a final score of 33-28.

The team gets along really well, as senior guard Dayna Lee said, “We’re like a family.

There are fourteen sisters, our dad is Coach Donald [Young], our grandpa is Caesar [assistant coach] and then there’s our Uncle Franklin [the other assistant coach].”

The team’s most memorable moment involved one of their assistant coach’s signature move: the “Frank booty shake”. Ellen Lu said, “The most memorable moments are when Frank does his booty shake. It makes everyone laugh and brings comic relief when we’re really stressed out.”

So far, the Lady Apache season has been pretty rocky, but as Brittany Chew says, the friendships they made are more important than the record they ended up with. “We may not end the season with a great record, but overall I think we’ll grow as people. We’ve made good memories and when, in the future, we look back at this season we won’t remember the games as much as we’ll remember the relationships.”

January 2008

theapachepowwow.com

SPORTS 19

Girls Varsity Soccer Looking Strong PROFILE

By AISHA ELMASRI

slightest clue of the team’s ability and to their pleasure they beat them 6-0. Arcadia then expectedly beat Hoover 5-0 and John Muir 8-0.

Burroughs, said to be one of this year’s favorites to win league, were narrowly defeated

by Arcadia with a 1-0 win. Within the first five minutes, junior Emily Rueter stole the ball from

roughs came in strong during the second half and made it evident that they were not going to lose without putting up a fight. However, Arcadia’s defense stayed strong and they left Burroughs triNow that the season is nearly over, Girls umphantly with a win that definitely set the stanSoccer has made it evident that they have comdard for the remaining season. Arcadia would not pletely transformed themselves. Winning league be defined by their unfortunate loss to Pasadena. and securing a spot in CIF is their number one With their game against Crescenta priority. The team consists mainly of seniors Valley right around the corner, the girls who realize that it is their last chance to fully feel much apprehension. CV has always avenge the rival schools they’ve been combeen Arcadia’s greatest rival, and they peting against for the last four years. The haven’t beaten them at CV’s home field team’s motivation to win combined with the in several years. After a number of pracall around chemistry has created a force to be tices and pep talks, the girls went in with reckoned with. one thing on their mind: defeating their The girls’ hard practicing sessions paid rivals. Within the first 10 minutes of the off almost immediately when they particigame, junior Emily Rueter had a one on pated in the Mater Dei Invitational Premier one with the keeper and passed into the Tournament, performing spectacularly and right corner of the goal. Shortly afterexceeding everyone’s expectations. The ward, freshman Chloe Torres chipped girls beat Los Alamitos 1-0, and then later a ball that flew over the keeper’s head defeated El Camino Real 2-0. They had an and landed in the left upper corner. With unfortunate loss to Aliso Niguel 3-2 (ranked their 2-0 lead, Arcadia went on cruise #4 in CIF Div 1). Despite the narrow loss, control. However, a reality check came they were able to pull through and make it shortly afterward when CV scored off to the semi finals against Mater Dei (ranked a free kick. The girls did not allow any #1 CIF Div I), which was the first time in 4 more silly mistakes, and by the end of years Arcadia had made it that far. They lost the game, they left their rivals’ school the game 2-0, but that does not reflect the Photo Courtesy of BRITTANY QUIRING girls’ performance. The girls have proved GIRLS SOCCER Junior Emily Rueter and junior victoriously, the final score being 2-1.

Glendale High School was the that they have the capability to be a strong Ann Marie Tangora strategically maneuver around their team’s next victim, losing 2-0 to our opponent for teams at higher levels. opponent.

Arcadia girls. Arcadia is now in second Leaving the tournament with high hopes for the season, the girls over estimated their the opposing teams’ defense and took a solid shot place after Pasadena on account of another loss ability by sluggishly losing to Pasadena in their into the left lower corner of the net. Senior Cal- to them, 2-0. The girls are disappointed with the first league game. Working extremely hard since lista Houssos happened to get the last touch and loss, but all they can do now is count on doing that regrettable loss, the girls’ long practice ses- together they scored the first goal of the game. better in the future. The girls will play each school sions and Saturday running days have definitely Throughout the rest of the first half, Arcadia’ s de- once more before the end of the season, hoping upped their game. With Burbank right around the fense was forced to stay on their toes in order to that their motivation and work ethic will pay off corner, the girls went into the game without the restrain the opposing forwards’ aggression. Bur- this season.

Staff Writer

Boys Varsity Soccer Speeds Forward

By GREGORY ZAJAC Staff Writer

Boys Soccer finished its first round of league games and is currently facing each of its league rivals for the second time. Second place in the Pacific League as of now, the boys’ record is currently 8-8-2 overall and 4-3-2 in league, and head Varsity Coach Jason Franz is confident his team is prepared for what’s next. He said, “Everybody is kind of settled into their roles, and everybody knows what’s expected of them, and what our strengths and weaknesses are.”

Forwards Will Blalock and Sergio Valdez returned to the field (after being out for eight weeks) in time to play in their team’s first league game against Pasadena High School.

The Apaches had trouble finding footing on Pasadena’s muddy field and conceded 1-3. The boys then played Muir on their home field in a game that early on appeared to be an Arcadia win, but the Mustangs scored on a penalty kick and another goal in the last few minutes, which tied the game with a score of 2-2. Coach Franz said the return of Will and Sergio “gives us a bit more depth.”

During winter break, when most Apaches were catching up on sleep, Boys Soccer played three games in the Marina Holiday Classic, one league game against Burbank, and their annual Alumni game. The Varsity squad lost to Fullerton 0-3 and Saugas 0-1 in the first two rounds of the tournament, but they came back to win against San Bernardino 3-0 in the third round.

They also walked away from the Burbank game succeed in getting the ball in the net. The game with a win 2-0, and then the Alumni bested their closed 0-1. old teammates, many of whom were from the With only two more weeks of league play year the team made it to CIF finals. before CIF playoffs start, Coach Franz is beginUpon the boys’ return to school, they tied ning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. He with Hoover 1-1 and lost to Burroughs 0-2. believes that passion is going to prevail over any Center midfielder Dillion Short said that the other obstacles that may appear towards the end team really needed a boost and that “we need to of the season, as his team, made up of mostly work together and find a way to mesh and understand each other more.”

The team was about to get the boost it needed in its next three games. Wins 3-0 and 2-0 against Crescenta Valley and Glendale finished up the first round of league play, and a game against Muir, this time with a win of 1-0, kicked off the second.

Coach Franz said the win was crucial, “but we took it at a big cost because Eric Guo got a red card” in a call disputed by the coach, Athletic Director Mike Gordon, and one of Photo by GREGORY ZAJAC the referees. Eric, a key player in the Apache offensive line- BOYS SOCCER Captain senior Eric Guo skillfully up, would be suspended from fights off a tough Burroughs defense. the next game for allegedly punching an athlete on the other team. seniors, “have a lot to play for.” He said, “This Arcadia then played Pasadena, without its is their last chance to play for the high school, star player. Pasadena scored on a throw in, but so they play with a lot of heart and a lot of pasdespite a close attempt at a header into the goal sion. If you have a lot of heart and passion, you and several drives for it, the Apaches did not will win more games than you’re gonna lose.”

ERIC GUO

By FRANK LAM Staff Writer

Photo by ASHLEY JOHNSON

From the start of the sixth period until 4:45 p.m. everyday, soccer practice is in session for Eric Guo. Since starting to play soccer at the age of five, the senior currently plays as the attacking center in the midfield for Varsity Boys Soccer. During the club soccer season in the summer, however, Eric plays as both midfield and sweeper, positions that are normally held towards the back.

As Eric’s Varsity Coach since his sophomore year, Coach Jason Franz describes Eric as “not only a good soccer player, but a very well rounded and respected person by everyone on campus. He is not only respected for being a good soccer player, but for the person that he is inside. We’re all lucky to just have him go to our high school.” It would come to no surprise to Coach Franz if Eric also becomes an all-league player at the end of the season this year because “he has been an allleague player during both his sophomore and junior years at AHS.” Both on and off the soccer field, Eric looks to the Brazilian soccer player Kaka for inspiration. His reason for it is because “even though Kaka is so good at what he does, he doesn’t take credit for any of it. He gives all credit to God instead.” During the four games that Eric has played so far, he has already made five goals.

Although the team did not have a very great beginning to their season, Eric feels that since “[we] have been improving a lot more recently and are starting to click together on the field much more now,” CIF is definitely within reach this year. As captain of the Varsity team, Eric believes that his “biggest strength to the team is trying to keep everyone in line.” When people begin to lose their focus, he tries “to motivate them to look at the bright side rather than just giving up.” He does all of this “while trying to score a few goals for the team.”

When asked to describe what he loved best about soccer, Eric said, “The feeling that you get when you practice everyday with your teammates playing the sport you all love.” Besides being one of the top soccer players at AHS, Eric also attends church every Friday and Sunday, plays the cello for orchestra, and attends A.L.L.I.E.S. club meetings every Wednesday in the North Gym. Although his senior year is already halfway complete and the end of the season draws nearer and nearer, soccer season will still continue for Eric through college. He has already signed and committed himself to play soccer for the University of Pennsylvania in their Division I soccer program after he graduates this year.

20

ACADEMICS

Update on Academic Teams

Compiled by MELISSA CHEN Academics Editor

Academic Decathlon: Members of Academic Decathlon (AD) competed in part one (Speech, Essay, and Interview) of their regional competition last Saturday at the USC Galen Center. This week, they are busy preparing for the second segment of their competition, which will consist of seven 30-minute multiple choice tests assessing the team’s knowledge in Art, Music, Language/Literature, Math, Science, Social Science, and Economics. The awards banquet will be held on Feb. 7 at Quiet Canyon Country Club.

Constitution Team: Constitution Team is preparing for their State competition starting on Feb. 6 at the Capitol Building in Sacramento.

Math Team: Math Team recently placed first at its Bay Math League Competition Meet II on Jan. 16. The next competition is the Bay Math League Competition Meet III, which will be held at West High School in Torrance on March 12.

Ocean Sciences Bowl: OSB is currently studying for its regional competition, The Surf Bowl, at University of Southern California on Feb. 9.

theapachepowwow.com

January 2008

Hey Baby, I Less Than Three You ;) Compiled by TRACY LEE & JACQUELINE YUE Staff Writers

With the loveliest holiday of the year coming up, here are 45 deliciously cheesy pick-up lines just for the nerd. From calculus to chemistry to Harry Potter, these witty lines test your knowledge, melt your [girl’s] heart, or just leave you in peals of laughter. However, use them at your discretion!

1. I don’t have a library card, but do you mind if I check you out?

14. If I were sine squared and you were cosine squared, together we would be one.

31. Baby, you’re so gneiss I’ll never take you for granite.

15. You have nicer legs than an isosceles right triangle.

32. I must be trippin’ because only acid rain could show me a hallucination as gorgeous as you.

16. I wish I could take your derivative so I could lie tangent to your curves.

17. My love for you is like a concave up function because it is always increasing.

2. I’m a fermata….hold me.

18. You and I would add up better than a Riemann Sum.

3. You’re like a dictionary; you add meaning to my life.

19. I think you could be an integral part of my project life cycle.

4. Baby, if you were words on a page, you’d be what they call fine print!

20. How can I know so many hundreds of digits of pi and not the seven digits of your phone number?

5. If I were an enzyme, I’d be DNA helicase so I could unzip your genes.

6. Is the room shrinking? Because you’re getting hotter by the second!

7. You’re like an exothermic reaction: You spread your hotness everywhere!

8. I wish I were adenine because then I could get paired with U. 9. I just noticed from across the room that you’re missing a valence electron. I think that we would complement each other nicely.

10. Are you the square root of two? Because my love for you is irrational!

33. Baby, I know my chemistry, and you’ve got one significant figure.

34. You must be a lanthanide because you are definitely a rare earth element.

35. You’re hotter than a bunsen burner set to full power.

36. You’re so cool, I’ve got to measure you in Kelvin.

37. We may not be in Professor Flitwick’s class, but you still are charming.

21. I am equivalent to the empty set when you are not with me.

38. Being without you is like being under the Cruciatus Curse.

22. I don’t like my current girlfriend. Mind if I do a you-substitution?

39. If I was to look into the Mirror of Erised, I would see the two of us together.

23. You fascinate me more than the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus.

40. Did you survive Avada Kedavra? ’Cause you’re drop dead gorgeous.

24. Hey...nice asymptote.

41. You don’t even have to say “Luminos Maxima” to turn me on!

25. You had me at “Hello World.”

26. Baby, you are as mysterious as the random reboot problems I’m having with my Linux server.

27. You’ve stolen the ASCII to my heart.

42. Without you, I feel like I’m in Azkaban and dementors are sucking away my soul.

43. Are you using the Confundus charm or are you just naturally mind blowing?

Quiz Bowl: Quiz Bowl placed first at its Winter Tournament at UCLA last Saturday. Members will host the “Arcadia Invitation Carnal Embrace II” at AHS on Feb. 16.

11. What’s your sine? It must be pi/2 because you’re the one.

28. Your beauty rivals the graphics of Doom 3.

44. You must be magical because I’ve fallen under your spell.

12. Baby, let me be your integral so I can be the area under your curves.

29. You must be Windows 95 because you’ve got me so unstable.

45. If you were a Dementor, I’d become a criminal just to get your kiss.

Science Bowl: Science Bowl is currently focused on studying for the Science Bowl Regional Competition on Feb. 20 at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The team holds roughly bi-weekly meetings to simulate competition environment. It also divided into two study groups: astrology and biology, and chemistry and earth science.

13. Our love is like dividing by zero…it cannot be defined.

30. You must be gravity, baby, because you’re the only thing keeping me here.

Photo Courtesy of google.com

Science Olympiad: Science Olympiad is preparing for its regional competition on March 15 at Cal State Los Angeles. The team meets at least once a week on Thursdays to study.

Speech and Debate: The Debate team recently competed at Spring Debate hosted by San Gabriel High School. The scheduled La Mirada Invitational that was to be hosted at La Mirada High School was canceled due to bad weather and concerns about student safety.

Speech and Debate is hosting Spring Varsity on Feb. 2. The team is also selling schoolwide compatibility test grams for Valentine’s Day. The survey portion for the gram is available and free for all students, but the results will be available during Valentine’s week at C-3 for $4.

Speak Softly, but Carry a Buzzer

By JACQUELINE YUE

rival Rancho Bernardo A’s (whom Arcadia had its one loss to). Consequently, there was a tieAcademics Editor breaker match onstage, in which Arcadia nar“The highest-paid female athlete of 2006—” rowly beat Rancho Bernardo 335-290 and thus BUZZ. “Maria Sharapova.” secured its first complete victory this year. “It’s Junior Sean Maroongroge, nicknamed not often that we get to entertain spectators, “Honey Ryder” in accordance to Team A’s “Bond much less other competitors,” said Sean.

Girls” theme, leaned back “We’ve just proven in his chair with a grin. He “I hope we will be able that [Rancho Bernardo is] had just powered the tosand not impossible to use our momentum from mortal sup—translated from Quiz to defeat, and we’ll conBowl (QB) jargon, he the win at the UCLA Winter tinue to do that in future earned 15 points instead Invitational to run riot at the games,” said junior Derek of the regular 10 because Sun. State Championships” he had correctly answered Co-captain Neiman -Neiman Tan the question so soon. And “Plenty O’Toole” Tan in explanation to the suragreed. “I was optimistic prised looks his response garnered from several that we could at the very least attain second members of both teams, he explained, “She’s a place, with a good chance at winning the entire tennis star.” tournament. Obviously, I am satisfied with the That match—Arcadia’s Team A versus Ar- results. Our regular Team A has only played on cadia’s Team C, contributed to Team A’s over- two occasions, and I find this win and the potenall record of 10-1 on Jan. 26 at UCLA Winter tial for future success incredibly exciting.”

Invitational. Arcadia’s record equaled long-time Team B, sporting the theme “steak and a

side salad,” finished 6-5. “One game that was memorable was the match between us and Carlsbad,” said junior Justin “Porterhouse” Chu. “It was down to the last tossup when our team answered it correctly, which gave us the win.”

“I had the best game of my life against Rancho Alamitos B, when I scored over 70 points to beat them,” said sophomore Alex Wang of Team C, which finished 2-9.

Sophomore Tim Zheng, a new member this year, said, “I have improved very much, but I would like to be able to play more aggressively” in reference to the fact that quick reactions and a certain degree of boldness are just as important as knowledge when producing a QB champion.

He added, “Our first tourney [at UCLA] was very hard for me, but this second tourney was indeed very fun.”

Currently scheduled as the next tournament is the Southern California State Championship at UC Irvine on March 1. “I hope we will be able to use our momentum from the win at the UCLA Winter Invitational to run riot at the State Championships,” said Neiman.

January 2008

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ACADEMICS

A Carefully Calculated Victory

By KEVIN KIM Staff Writer

On Wednesday Jan. 16, Arcadia’s Math Team competed again in the Bay Math League Competition at Long Beach Poly for the second tournament out of a four meet consortium.

Arcadia’s Math Team went up against 10 other schools, also facing San Marino’s powerhouse team that placed first at the previous meet. This time, however, Arcadia managed to compensate for their former third-place finish, beating San Marino by a crucial 10 points. Finally, for the first time in two years, Arcadia’s Math Team managed to defeat its rival that placed second at this meet.

Math Team adviser Ms. Kerry King was very excited for Arcadia’s victory and said, “I am ecstatic that we kicked San Marino’s butt.

Overall I am very proud of our team for beating San Marino, something we haven’t done in a long time.”

This competition remained the same structure as the first, consisting of five rounds in total and each individual competing in three of the five. First off were 10-minute rounds of 9th through 12th grade and research math, ranging from Geometry to Calculus. This second meet assigned 9th grade math to properties of quadrilaterals, 10th grade math to factoring, 11th grade math to trigonometry, 12th grade math to calculus-related rates, and research math to binomial and geometric distributions. The final round was a team competition, which all the members in each team worked together to solve intense problems from each topic.

Team A for Meet II, composed of seniors Hannah Kim, Thomas Lam, Charles Lee, Ray-

College Profile: Ann Arbor

By GRACE KWONG Staff Writer

Photo Courtesy of CLIFF WU

HOW VERY PRECISE Math team members enjoy a moment’s respite after solving a series of questions. mond Wu, Aubrey Yang, juniors Bryan Chang, Derek Ouyang, Cliff Wu, and sophomores Sam Wang and Jason Jong dominated the competition with an overall score of 259 out of 325.

“It’s an awesome feeling to have gotten first place against a lot of quality schools” said Cliff Wu. Team B for Meet II was made up of seniors Arthur Huang and Solomon Wang, juniors Jack Ching, Nathan Nandi, Christine Shen, Stephanie Tai, and Andy Yu, sophomore Eddie Xue, and freshman Kristi Kwon. Team B competed

man down; thus they did not have a complete score, but because of Team A’s spectacular performance, this hindrance did not affect Arcadia’s first place victory.

“We rocked the competition: AHS was the school with the most senior perfect papers…

Dethroning San Marino with a double-digit lead over them at Meet II was a grand accomplishment” said captain Solomon Wang.

Congratulations to Arcadia’s stunning victory over San Marino and best of luck to their next competition on March 12.

Arguing all the Way to the Top

during Speech Follies. However, Arcadia still dominates in the Debate League, winning eight trophies during Spring Debate.

Staff Writer Though AHS debaters participate in a wide Arcadia’s Speech and Debate team parvariety of debating events, Parli and Public Foticipated in Spring Debate at San Gabriel High rum are particularly popular events.

School from Jan. 11-12. All members—Varsity, Parli, the “improvisational” debate, inJV, and Novice—were allowed to compete. volves quick, logical reasoning; the prompt is “It was a learning process and we got to given during the tournament, requiring debaters show our competito rely heavtive and aggresily on their sive sides,” said improvisaRuchi Gadodia, tional skills. who competed in Given only Parliamentary De20 minutes bate (dubbed “parto construct li”). Junior Arvia arguments, Sutandi, who also Parli debatcompeted in Parli, ers argue said, “Spring De(in teams of bate was for the two) on the most part an enside they joyable event and are given. a good opportuniTopics can ty to really explore range from the extent of your somewhat talent.” ludicrous Ms. Novak, Photo by JENNIFER HANG topics (e.g. the Speech and De- JUST SPEECHY Junior Lani Luo, sophomore this house bate coach, said, Krystal Valladeres, and seniors Victoria Bian and would fol“I’m very proud of Angie Huang grin before disappearing into their low the yelthese hardworking competition classrooms. low brick students.” road) to Arcadia generally has most of its particimore serious, traditional topics (e.g. this house pants in individual events (IE), which are the believes that the environment should come more traditional speeches like those presented first).

By GRACE KWONG

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Public Forum: the “factual” debate. Because public forum relies heavily on facts and data, most debaters do extensive research on world affairs. Debaters articulate their thoughts clearly and, moreover, concisely because constructive speeches are fast paced. A previous resolution was, “In the United States, public opinion polls positively affect the election process.”

Congratulations to the winners of the Spring Debate.

S p r i n g

Novice Parliamentary Debate: Roudi Duan & Rayla Hylbom Kevin Wang & Winston Chang Aaron Tse & Polly Wu Francine Tran & Krystal Valladeres

D e Novice Public Forum: b Bryant Irawan and Rose Guo a t e Novice Congress: Kevin Wang (3rd) R e Varsity Congress: s u Justin Lu (7th) l Angie Huang (10th) t s Novice LD: Winston Chang

The University of Michigan—Ann Arbor is often called a “Public Ivy,” a term coined for public colleges that offer the same benefits and rigors of the Ivy Leagues. The college, located in the suburbs of Ann Arbor, Michigan, has also garnered considerable success in other areas such as student activism and athletics. US News and World Report ranks Ann Arbor as the 25th-best national university, just below University of California—Los Angeles (UCLA) and ahead of University of Southern California (USC).

Popular majors at Ann Arbot include engineering, social sciences, and psychology.

Of particular note, however, is Ann Arbor’s medical center, which merges the school’s hospitals and promotes research. Ann Arbor also devotes its financial resources to a comprehensive library system. With approximately 19 individual libraries and eight million volumes, Ann Arbor’s library system is considered one of the best in the U.S. Famous alumni include Arthur Miller, a famous playwright who wrote both The Crucible and The Death of a Salesman, and Lucy Liu, an actress who played Alex Munday in the Charlie’s Angels films.

Ann Arbor’s athletic programs include a variety of sports. Its football, basketball, and ice hockey teams have been doing particularly well. Ann Arbor graduates have even performed admirably in the Olympics, netting 54 gold, 27 silver, and 35 bronze medals.

Many Ann Arbor students participate in its “living-learning communities,” a type of residential system that aims to blend academic rigor with residential life.

For most, however, life for one student can be vastly different than life for another because Ann Arbor offers a diverse range of activities. Many students participate in political groups that allow them to cultivate and express ideas of their own. The Michigan Marching Band, composed of 350 students, encourages students to perform at every home game and participate in at least one awaygame every year. Ann Arbor also promotes interest and dedication in journalism with its many publications; its most prominent newspaper, The Michigan Daily, publishes five days a week during the school year.

Admission details: -Middle 50 percent of first year students: Critical Reading: 580-690 Math: 630-730 -ACT Composite: 27-31 -Out-of-state tuition and fees (living on campus): $31, 301

Photo Courtesy of google.com

LIFE IN MICHIGAN Ann Arbor’s buildings are wreathed by trees.

22 CALENDAR The World of Women on the XY axis

By CHRISTINE PAO and KATHLEEN KAO

theapachepowwow.com

January 2008

Confessions of a Teenage Glutton

By VERONICA LIM Staff Writer Located just down the street from AHS on First Ave., Bentoya offers Japanese cuisine at a price that won’t break your wallet. With outdoor seating available Photo by D.Tan and a wide parking lot, Bentoya is conveniently close enough to school that any senior eager for a change in scenery can easily make it in time to have a bite before lunch runs out.

Benyota’s selection of food is limited—you won’t find any toro tartare or swordfish—but they do offer a variety of more common dishes like teriyaki chicken or beef and eel bowls. Their food comes in fast-food style plastic or styrofoam containers, and while this bare-bones presentation isn’t eye candy, after four long hours at school, it’s more than enough for me.

Although it isn’t the best food I’ve ever eaten, Bentoya delivers for the price. Their lack in variety is made up for by their quick and easy service. Whatever Bentoya lacks in taste or aesthetics, it makes up for in time and cost.

Overall Rating: 3/5 stars Quality: 3/5 stars Price: 5/5 stars Service: 3/5 stars

Bitter about Love

By DANIEL HSU THE KISSING! THE HUGGING! IT’S

You know what I hate? TAKEN OVER OUR SCHOOL! I

Public Displays of Affection

CAN’T EVEN GO TO THE RESTROOM ANYMORE WITHOUT BUMPING INTO ONE OF THESE PUNKS! IT’S

DRIVING ME CRAZY

Not getting any? shut up

January 2008

theapachepowwow.com

ADVertisements 23 The arcadian

buy a yearbook for $90 in the ASB office today

You can purchase a personal ad for you and your friends!

1/8th page: $85 1/4th page: $150 1/2 page: $250 Full Page: $450 go to H-7 or email arcadianads@yahoo.com

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CAMPUS FOCUS

January 2008

Rose Parade 2008

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“The Rose Parade is a signature event for Arcadia High School because it is one of the few events that have not only local coverage, but also statewide coverage, national coverage, and worldwide coverage. The practices were designed to have everyone build the necessary strength to march the two and a half hour, five and a half miles without a problem.

Since everyone made it without a problem, the Rose Parade was a success. I believe that Band never fails to give its very best effort in everything and we hope that we will be seen giving our best effort.”

-Mr. Tom Landes-

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Photos Courtesy of ARCADIA MUSIC CLUB