January 2010

Volume 58, Issue 5

January y 2010

Arcadia High School 180 Campus Drive, Arcadia, CA

On Task With WASC

In this issue:

Graphic by CHERRY MO

OPINION pg. 5 Whiteout Generation: Our generation has grown too accustomed to covering up our mistakes.

Photo by KAYLA PANG WESTERN ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES While the rest of us sleep in on late start days, administrators,

teachers, and selected students and parents participate in monthly accreditation meetings.

By ALEX ETHRIDGE Staff Writer

Photo courtesy of IDEALFAMILYVACATIONS.COM

FEATURES pg. 11 Theme Park Steals: Three deals for theme park adventures.

Photo by ELLIOTT LEE

CENTER SPREAD pg. 12-13 Advanced Drama Department: Meet the cast of this month’s Brighton Beach Memoirs.

While the rest of the students slept soundly in their comfy beds in this month’s late start morning, storms were brewing in the classrooms across the AHS campus— brainstorms to be exact. The minds working behind the scenes for the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) group gathered for the first of many meetings on Wednesday, Jan. 13, to find out how to make our great school even better.

WASC is an organization that makes all public schools go through a rigorous self-study every six years to determine what type of accreditation the school will receive.

A great school will receive an accreditation of six years, which allows them to continue teaching without mandatory assessments for another six years, while other schools of a lower caliber may require more evaluations over a shorter time period. Schools are asked to analyze various aspects of their performance, such as broadening culture in classrooms and increasing efficiency of testing, to ascertain which methods work well and which need to be improved.

“The theme of the self-study is ‘Focus on Learning,’” said History teacher Mr. Kev-

in Fox, who heads the board involved in the self-study. “We are asked to highlight all the great and successful things we do to help students learn and achieve, but more importantly, the self-study is about identifying things we could be doing better.”

Assembled to discuss the pros and cons of things such as progress reports and tardy sweeps is a board comprised of our very own teachers, administrators, parents, and students.

This diverse board will meet on every future late start morning of this year in different committees dedicated to analyzing specific parts of AHS’s school environment. Each committee discusses things that need to be improved on within its domain, and members discuss possible solutions. The participation from faculty, parents, and students ensures that all perspectives are considered in the decision making.

“Are there sub-groups of students that could be doing better? Are there better ways to help students achieve their fullest potential?”

Mr. Fox replied in response to these question about the goals of the committees, “All of these questions and many more go into the discussion teachers, administrators, students, and parents are having.”

The students chosen to represent the student body’s interests at WASC meetings were nominated by a small leader group comprised of juniors Jonathan Ma, Justine Lee, Winnie

Hui, and Alex Ethridge. Nominees for student representatives were selected based on factors such as diverse ethnicities, extracurriculars, academic achievement, and school involvement in order to equally represent the majority of student groups on campus.

Wednesday’s meeting was a great success in terms of introductions and beginning the self-study process. Junior Elaine Hsiang, a nominee for the position of student representative, said, “When I first walked into the meeting, I thought WASC was something I wouldn’t really be able to help with or be interested in, but after listening to Mr. Fox and Mr. [John] Tung explain the committees’ goals and actions, I was genuinely intrigued.” The students at the meeting were excited to offer their opinions, and eagerly participated in the Focus Group discussions. Junior Ashley Golinski said, “It was great brainstorming with the teachers to try to improve each aspect of our school, and also interesting to personally experience their dedication.”

The end result of the committees’ discussions will be an extensive report and guide called a Single Plan for Student Achievement.

This plan will include specific goals and steps for AHS to reach and take over the next six years. aethridge@apachepowwow.com

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NEWS s t a f f Editors

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

Jennifer Hang and Kayla Pang Joanna Chuang Michelle Chien and Christine Xu Eleana Chiang and Cora Ormseth Melissa Ma and Sammi Wong Velinda Liao and Kate Trinh Elaine Tsui and Emily Yang Kristie Tom and Victoria Tran Jenny Lin and Joe Tian Lauren Wong Melanie Yuen Alwyna Lau Michelle Mak and Bonnie Tam Debbie Jong and Joanna Shen Elliott Lee Carl Trigilio Emily Litvack and Laureen Ma

apachepowwow.com

Airways Start the New Year Off With(out) a Bang

By RAPHAEL LU Staff Writer

On Christmas Day, passengers flying from Amsterdam to Detroit on Flight 253 were waiting for their plane to arrive.

No one paid attention to a certain 23year-old Nigerian man onboard. During the flight, passengers heard a loud “bang” followed by the sight of that man on fire.

Apparently, he had attempted to set off a bomb, but, fortunately, the detonator was found defective. This man was later identified as Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab of Nigeria, who had confirmed ties to the terrorist group, al-Qaeda.

Passengers and crew quickly reacted and were able to apprehend the man.

In light of this incident, questions have sparked. How did he manage to get the bomb on board? What happened with airport security? The Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano, believes he was able to

Writers News Staff Andrew Chang, Ashley Chi, Evan Delgado, Alex Ethridge, Andrew Lin, Raphael Lu, Justin Park, Jasmine Wu Opinion Staff Andrew Chang, Tiffany Gu, Derek Ha, Kaitlyn Jeong, Nuria Mathog Performing Arts Staff Katherine Bay, Eileen Chow, Pamela Huynh, Hana Rudolph, Christina Zhou Student Life Staff Debbie Jong, Lena Kalemkiarian, Esther Lin, Anna Naran, Jade Shao, Rhiannon Yee Features Staff Katherine Bay, Theresa Lee, Amy Leong, Jenny Li, Ryan Liu, Joanna Shen Sports Staff Katherine Bay, Alex Ethridge, Andrew Lin, Regina Liu, Rhiannon Yee Academics Staff Christopher Chen, Sally Chung, Derek Ha, Joanna Liao, Oishee Shemontee, Nancy Xiao Center Spread Staff Emily Litvack Calendar Staff Beverly Chen, Eileen Chow, Theresa Lee, Cherry Mo Campus Focus Staff Emily Litvack Advertisement Staff Kevin Liu, Raphael Lu, Shannon Ng, Nancy Xiao, Kevin Yuan Photo Staff Evan Delgado, Maurice Ip Copy Editing Staff Ashley Chi, Lena Kalemkiarian, Joanna Liao, Regina Liu, Hana Rudolph, Oishee Shemontee, Nancy Xiao Fundraising Staff Katherine Bay, Beverly Chen, Sally Chung, Maurice Ip, Kaitlyn Jeong, Theresa Lee, Jenny Li, Regina Liu, Ryan Liu, Raphael Lu, Michelle Mak, Anna Naran, Shannon Ng, Oishee Shemontee, Nancy Xiao Web Staff Sally Chung, Alex Ethridge, Elliott Lee, Andrew Lin, Ryan Liu, Emily Litvack, Nuria Mathog, Lauren Wong, Sammi Wong Adviser Mr. Johnny Lee

Publication Information: The Apache Pow Wow is a student publication distributed monthly throughout the school year. The paper has been continuously published since Arcadia High School opened in 1952. Unsigned articles appearing on the opinion page reflect the opinion of The Apache Pow Wow editorial board. A student’s work does not represent the views of Arcadia High School or the Arcadia Unified School District. Address letters to the editor to: AHS Apache Pow Wow, 180 W. Campus Drive, Arcadia, CA 91007. To place an advertisement in the newspaper, call (626) 821-8370 ext. 1148. Advertisement rates vary from $30 for a business card advertisement to $300 for a full-page black and white advertisement, with quarter-page, half-page, and advertisement insert options available.

Graphic courtesy of WIVENHOE.GOV

January 2010

get on the plane due to the “lack of timely action taken beforehand by intelligence agencies…that received reliable information months before…that a Nigerian was in Yemen…being trained to carry out an assault.”

Not long after, an entire airport in California was shut down due to a “suspicious” luggage bag. When the bag was wiped down, traces of TNT were detected, though further testing revealed that what appeared to be parts of another terrorist attempt were only bottles of harmless honey. What could have been a simple confiscation turned into a complete shutdown of airport operations. It has been speculated that airport security might have jumped to conclusions and assumed it was another attack. Many would say the steps taken were reasonable, but others say that this was a violation of privacy and a drastic reaction to the Christmas incident.

As passengers tediously waited for their luggage to arrive from the carousel, h o u n d s raced to th the scene bom squad with a bomb following behind, apparently on a scent.

The culprit: a “marker bag,” used to indicate that all bags have been unloaded from the airplane. After a close examination, the bag was deemed harmless.

As authorities continue scratching their heads, some people can’t help feeling angry about these extreme measures.

But senior Andy Liang thinks otherwise. He stated, “We go through all these long lines and pat downs and ‘random’ searches. For what? If taking your shoes off and metal detectors aren’t enough, then we definitely need something new.

I heard talks about full body scanners.

Let’s get them...It’s a small price to pay for the safety of our people.” To put passengers’ minds at ease, American airports have tightened security in the last few years. However, this scare may have led some airports to become a little paranoid.

Ever since 9/11, airports have buckled down on security, but in turn, may have caused trouble.

Now, weeks after the attempted bombing, we can’t fear that this is an omen of bad security and more terror to come. Americans are asking the big question—will they ever be safe? We can only hope that our security does its job. rlu@apachepowwow.com Graphic courtesy of SCE.CARLETON.GOV

In Memoriam: Agustin Roberto “Bobby” Salcedo and his community, and even students at AHS have felt the loss. “Even though I didn’t know Mr. Salcedo personally, I knew that his influence as a school board member and assistant high school principal profoundly impacted the students, parents, and teachers who knew and worked with him...although he may not be alive now, his spirit will

has become a strategic point of interest for battling drug cartels. As the drug wars Staff Writer picked up, so did crime in general. Neighbors without work even began posing as In our own little bubble, we residents cartel members and extorting residents. of Arcadia sometimes forget the dangers Families have stopped visits, and one of the world, until something happens so store owner even moved his store from close to home. On New the public to his own home. Crime rates Year’s Eve, beloved El have topped last year’s state records, and Monte Assistant Prinmany residents believe that this is due to cipal Agustin Roberto the ineffectiveness of the Mexican gov“Bobby” Salcedo was ernment. It was unclear, but a common found in a ravine with theory is that the kidnapping bullet wounds in his and shooting were drug-rehead and chest while lated, although Salcedo was on vacation in Mexico. in no way linked to drugs in His entire family was in Mexico. shock, and his commuSalcedo was a valued nity was hit hard by the member of the community, loss. Salcedo had been dedicating his life to educadining with his wife and Photo courtesy of AP tion. It seems that he was simsome friends a day earA STAR EDUCATOR As ply in the wrong place at the lier when the restaurant a dedicated adminstrator, wrong time, dragged into the was stormed by gunmen.

Salcedo was recently elected drug wars of Mexico. “My reHe was taken along with to the school board. action to the incident is that it five other men, and killed Photo courtesy of LA TIMES shows how the world outside in an execution a day later. His brother continue to the MOURNING A TRAGEDY Arcadia, now named one of Carlos was horrified by the ordeal, as he impact America’s best places to raise had been text messaging his brother only educational Bobby Salcedo’s mother is world he consoled while his wife looks on children, holds danger and a few hours before the occurrence. imperfections, which we may Over 4,000 students, friends, fam- worked in,” during a vigil held in his honor. not find in Arcadia itself,” said ily members, and residents of El Monte said freshman sophomore Stephen Lee. attended Salcedo’s funeral. “Take Me Andrew Sun. In the words of El Monte The incident has come as a shock Out to the Ball Game” played over the Mayor Andre Quintero, Salcedo was “an as well as a tragedy, especially to people speakers to honor the die-hard Dodger absolute bright, shining star in our comwho have never felt the outreach of somefan. Students reminisced his acts of kind- munity,” Over the years, crime has spread thing so tragic and so near. An inspiration ness, including the time he set up a togaand a hero, Bobby Salcedo will be missed themed party for his students. He was like wildfire throughout Mexico, and by his friends, family, and the thousands recently elected to the school board and there is a large concentration in Duranwho admired his work as a public educawas finishing his doctorate in education go, the state of Mexico home to Gomez Palacio, the city that Salcedo had been tor. leadership at UCLA. All of his co-workers commented visiting. The high-industry district, from edelgado@apachepowwow.com on how dedicated he was to teaching which many goods are sent to the US,

By EVAN DELGADO

NEWS

apachepowwow.com

January 2010

Great Expectations: Ringing in the 2010 California Elections

By ALEX ETHRIDGE Staff Writer

2010 is already stacking up to be a great year for parties—political parties, that is. With Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger finishing up his term at the end of this year and a few seats in Senate left vacant, the entire nation is plunging headfirst back into the political frenzy we were so fond of a couple years ago in 2008.

In California, over 90 initiatives are fighter s ing to make November’s election, and while many y will fizzle out, dozens are likely to reach the ballot. Initiatives are procedures in which a number of voters propose an amendment and try to get voters to pass it.

Some are familiar, such h as legalizing same-sex marriage, while others are new, like outlawing divorce. Anyone can draft an initiative, and if it gets the required number of votes, it makes the election ballot. Each initiative needs more than a million dollars in funding to collect the necessary signatures: about 400,000 for a state amendment and 700,000 for a constitutional amendment.

The biggest battle is between business and labor, whose dueling propositions may cause turmoil for the nation. While there isn’t

any bloodshed yet, both are posed to attack.

Supporters of business interests, called antiunionists, advocate initiatives trying to ban deductions for unions’ political affairs and revamp pensions of public workers. These propositions would, if passed, harm the power and lifestyle of America’s working class, called unionists.

Instead of firing back, however, unionists are emulating Roosevelt’s motto of “speak softly but carry a big stick” by choosing initiatives that cancel billions in business tax breaks, raise

property taxes, and prevent corporate donations.

“Both are getting ready for battle,” commented Thad Kousser, a political science professor from Stanford University, “but if they rattle their sabers enough, it could [create] a truce.”

A truce is exactly what some government reformers are hoping for. Bob Hertzberg, cochairman of good-government group California Forward, said, “We think it’s in the best interests of California to stop the noise and focus on seri-

ous issues that affect all of us.” He has been trying to negotiate peace between the parties, and is pushing for initiatives that will relocate more power to state governments and reform the state’s budget process.

Other groups believe that the conflict is a good thing, and voters will want a small group of people to remake California’s government.

One thing is for sure—this year’s election will be like nothing California’s witnessed before.

Fred Kimball, owner of a Westlake Village firm tthat gathers initiative signatu tures, said, “It’s either a mild season or nuclear war—just depends on which domino falls.”

Whether or not Arcadia joins the party, students have something to say about this year’s political future. Senior Winsston Chang said,” I support the statewide movement for a California constitutional convention. [It] could potentially [ease] the financial harms of our budget crisis.” Another issue at hand is the Prop 8 decision. Junior Ray Chao said, “It’s a really controversial topic, and all the buzz about it will probably guarantee it a spot on the 2010 ballot.” aethridge@apachepowwow.com Graphics courtesy of POLYVORE.COM

The Digital Wars: Battle of the Billboards

Temple City’s

Wong Turn

By JASMINE WU Staff Writer

Two Temple City figures—former Mayor Judy Wong and former Mayor Cathe Wilson—were accused of wrongdoing by a developer, Randy Wang, who claimed that these two officials demanded bribes of him in exchange for their cooperation to move a long delayed $75 million building project forward.

Wilson and Wong are faced with ten felony charges—including bribery and perjury—all of which they pleaded not guilty to, and a maximum sentence of ten years in prison.

Earlier last year, Wilson had been voted out of her position in city council much to the relief of school board members. Mayor Fernando Vizcarra called it “an old, bad marriage,” because there was hardly any communication with the city council on their part.

In addition to being a councilwoman, Wong is advisor to the city’s new Youth Committee; this newly formed committee consists of 13 Temple City middle school and high school students and allows the students a chance to get involved in city politics by offering their input to studentrelated council discussions. “It’s a big disappointment to the youth group,” sophomore Amy Wang said. “Depending on the kids themselves, some may be influenced to think doing the easy thing is the right thing, and others may have simply lost respect for people in government positions.” jwu@apachepowwow.com

By JUSTIN PARK

nies said that the vocal group of neighborhood activists are a mere fraction compared to the people who appreciate the special qualities of the digital billboards.

Digital billboards have now become anScoffing at the companies, many of the other weapon in advertisers’ arsenals to perresidents in Westwood have taken matters into suade their customers to purchase an item. The their own hands and joined activist groups, Los Angeles city government struck deals with such as the Coalition to Ban Billboard Blight, two companies (Clear Channel and CBS), perwhich has so far challenged the validity of three mitting them to digitalize over 800 of their billbillboards in attempts to take them down. boards. Imagine living in a home bombarded And billboard opponents contend that by bright colors from a large digital billboard. digital billboards can become a factor in lowOne minute it flashes a commercial for H&M ering home values. “If you had a choice of buyintroducing its newest line of clothing, and the ing a home, would you buy a home that had next, it lights up a flickering advertisement for one of these things in your backyard?” said Disneyland’s spring ticket special. Many have Barbara Broide, president of the Westwood agreed that these flashing lights are a nuisance South of Santa Monica Blvd. Homeowners Asto society. sociation.

Many neighborhoods have become so fed Is it time to pull the plug on these billup with the billboards’ presence that homeownboards that have been abrading homeowners? ers have begun banding together to remove It seems the residents are winning the fight them. However, many protests against the city to take down these vexatious billboards. City government concerning this issue may be fuCouncil Presitile. It is dent of Los completeAngeles, Eric ly under Garcetti, has the city’s proposed that power to the billboards be decide to can moved away revoke the from residential permits for districts after the Clear a few weeks Channel when officials and CBS meet with the digital sign companies billboards. to work on new Despite Photo courtesy of TEXTUALLY.ORG proposals to the surpris-Graphic courtesy of FOTOSEARCH.COM deal with this ing amountt NOT SO EASY ON THE EYES increasing probof negativee Residents impacted by digital lem. n feedback, an billboards protest the distraction these spreads bring to the attorney forr jpark@apachepowcommunity. both compa-wow.com Staff Writer

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Believe It...

Or Not

By ANDREW LIN Staff Writer

1. This past Christmas, locals in Anchorage, Alaska, bought their pine trees garnished with something different: Pacific Chorus frogs. The frogs produce lovely croaking melodies, are about an inch long, and are brown with vivid green patterns that stretch along its sides—they’re quite cute.

In all seriousness, however, scientists discovered that the frogs are in fact an invasive species and at risk for carrying certain fungi and viruses. Local government officials are recommending that Alaskans do the local ecosystem a favor by killing them. Officials suggest rubbing Orajel on the frogs’ heads, which seeps into their amphibious brains and knocks them out dead, or placing the creatures in plastic bags and then freezing them.

2. A family in Albuquerque, New Mexico, is suing a local funeral home for sending their dead mother’s brain home in a bag of personal effects. The family made this ghastly discovery after tracing the source of the stink.

3. Last Dec. 30, 26-year-old Bayron Reyes Lopez of San Clemente was arrested for repeatedly beating, choking, and ultimately killing a stranger’s schnauzer dog and then proceeding to run through the streets naked.

4. It seems as if Arcadia isn’t the only host to the peacock phenomenon: the community of Longboat Key, Florida, has recently began a campaign to rid the neighborhood of their peacock infestation. Owners have been setting up traps and one has even been arrested for clubbing a peacock to death. That’ll get you a $1,000 fine here in Arcadia.

5. A man in Portland, Oregon, was recently arrested for surreptitiously cutting people’s hair on the public transit and is a suspect in a string of similar cases reported this past month. What’s more, the man has an outstanding warrant on him in King County, Washington, for allegedly gluing people’s hair. Go figure.

6. The owner of a Southern Californian toy store discovered a two-foot teddy bear stuffed with three large, vacuum-sealed bags of marijuana on Dec. 28.

7. On Jan. 5, a woman in Toledo, Ohio, knocked out a McDonald’s employee after being told that the establishment was completely sold-out of chicken nuggets. She also punched and shattered one of the restaurant’s drive-thru windows in the midst of her anger.

8. 45-year-old Rocky Flash the “Vampyre King” was sentenced to two years in prison for threatening to torture, dismember, decapitate, and impale a judge and his children. The Vampyre King’s threat was delivered shortly after the judge ordered him to stay a respectful distance away from a woman the King met on an internet dating website. Flash is the leader of an internet community called Vampyre Nation, which is devoted to securing blood for its patrons to drink. alin@apachepowwow.com

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OPINION

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January 2010

Metamorphosis: Earning Our Wings

By TIFFANY GU Staff Writer

The story of the caterpillar can be summed up as such: From birth until an undisclosed time, the caterpillar eats. And eats and eats, everything in sight, all the time, for what?

To roll himself into a cocoon, dark and moist, a time capsule of a different sort, a capsule of change. After a while, the caterpillar rips the cocoon from himself and emerges as something completely different—a beautiful butterfly. Yes, yes, you nod. What’s the point? We all know how caterpillars turn into butterflies, how they are humble and rather ugly, creepy, and crawly in the beginning but then go on to become something winged and extraordinary, the one insect that is not universally shrieked at. It’s a thing of beauty, this transformation, it really is. And as we are so easily mesmerized by the beautiful flap of the butterfly’s wings, I have just one question for you: D Does the catg to turn into a erpillar know that he is going beautiful butterfly?

Think about it for a moment.

Does the caterpillar think that his predetermined destiny is to simply eatt until the end of time? Is he aware of the things that happen afterwards—the cocoon, the evolution? Or is he unaware of the transformation

until he looks down at himself one day and realizes that he is no longer a measly worm-like thing? Or does the caterpillar eat and hold onto that will to survive, knowing that in thee future, his life on the ground und will be over soon and he willl be granted wings to Diso fly? Dis sregarding science and d the development of insect brains, ins, the life and changes of a caterpillar provide ample question and speculation, speculation lation that we can incorporate into our own lives lives. We are the caterpillars and our future selves are the butterflies or perhaps just even larger caterpillars, as we wonder whether we know what will happen then.

Most of the time, we find ourselves too preoccupied with whatever we’re doing —school, sports, music, clubs, friends, life, Internet—to really think about the biggest and most all-encompassing question of all: why?

Why do we do the things we do? We take the classes we take, some difficult, some AP, some just for the pure pleasure of learning for the most basic of goals: to graduate and find a m ffuture fu ture away from this place. It does indeed sseem se em that aat times we are just eating our way, speak, through our lives, blind to what the s to speak so ffuture fu tu ure hhas in store for us, wishing that we only kknew what life would be like in ten years so we would know if all this is worth it.

We know that there must be a reason for all this, a raison d’etre that exists beyond the

mundane daily drudgeries we face. ce. We think we’re doing all this to become butterfl we tterflies, to get into that dream college, ge, to find that perfect job and live ve a perfect life, but the thing is, thee brutal truth li is that we don’t know w this, any of this for sure, and wee can never know it. As much as we would all just love to believe that we are actually steering ourselves somewhere where in life, the simple fact is that wee are not. Life changes, circumstancess beyond our control shape us, and we are who we are and we will be who we will be.

At the Musee Mechanique in San Francisco, I found a curious machine. “Steer the ship of your future!” it claimed, with dozens ens of future life options lit up before me. From pirate to doctor, it seemed everything was as there, e and ndd I placed a quarter in. A moment later, ter “Nudist” flashed loudly before my eyes—my supposed destiny. I don’t know whether that will come ll co true, but I do know that if that is my fate, then so be it. The caterpillar is a metaphor or for us all, and we don’t know whether we’ll end up as butterflies or moths, so to speak, or whether we’ll remain forever a maggot.

Caterpillars don’t know thatt they are going to become butterflies and neither do we. The caterpillar strives to survive because the future is unknown, and only by clinging onto life can

we even hope to see the potential

beauty other on the oth her e side, in the future. th he futu ture All we can do tu is hope that we find that co- coon of ours and perhaps we will blossom into something worth remembering during our short stint of life. tgu@apachepowwow.com Graphic by BEVERLY CHEN

FROM LOWLY WORM TO BUTTERFLY Like caterpillars, we will undergo a metamorphosis whether we are aware of it or not.

Just So You Know, You Talk Too Much (No Offense!)

By DEREK HA Staff Writer

We humans are very, very talkative, perhaps more so than any other species. Each day, we encounter millions upon millions of words, phrases, and sentences as our minds try to wrap themselves around those countless permutations of the alphabet.

Pay closer attention, however, and you will notice that many of these words could have been omitted, if for no reason other than to make all our lives simpler. Our conversations are filled with vapid and clichéd filler phrases which serve no real purpose. Here are just a few examples:

” d l u o w u o Y “

“You would.” Why yes, a lot of people would do a lot of things.

I would be eating rice for dinner every day this week. My grandmother would be visiting her dentist tomorrow. She would be riding the bus to get there. Most people would wear pants when they venture out in public. “You would” is just so wonderfully convenient—it has no meaning at all, but it can be used under any circumstance if you try hard enough.

“Just so yo u

know”

“Just so you know.” Often used by those with just a tad too much attitude, these four words usually come

right before or after a revelation of some sort (i.e. “Just so you know, my ancestors were from Moldova”). That is, someone is telling another person something. That is, that other person, after hearing what the first person says, will know something that he did not know before. Do you see where I am going here?

” e s n e f f o o N “

“No offense.” At its worst, this phrase adds insult to injury. At its best, it means absolutely nothing. “No offense, but you smell bad.” Oh don’t worry—none taken! Seriously, it’s fine. Why on earth could anyone possibly, possibly, be offended by that?

“That’s the thing” “That’s the thing.”

What, precisely, is “the thing?” We often use this statement to refer to a subject that is already being discussed, so we actually add absolutely nothing to the

TCID:

conversation—unless, of course, we take to the habit of spontaneously jumping from topic to topic. In that case, a little more specificity might be helpful (i.e. “It is essential that we pass healthcare reform.” “That’s the thing: nectarines are delicious!”).

“That’s wh at she said”

“ T h a t ’s what she said.”

Once considered witty and creative, this quip has been hijacked and turned into a cheap attempt at humor which—more often than not—ends in miserable failure.

Similar to a nuclear weapon, “that’s what she said” must be deployed skillfully and cautiously. Many simply do not grasp the art of knowing when and how this phrase should be used, leaving many wondering out loud, “That’s what who said? Who is ‘she?’

Whaaaaaaa…?”

p!” a n s , h “O

“Oh, snap!”

What do you expect from something that originated from that horrendous show, That’s So Raven? This exclamation is used to express shock or surprise—snapping has very little to do with either. Sorry Raven, but just because you’re on TV doesn’t mean you can just take random words and redefine them as you wish.

These six are far from the only ones, and it is becoming far too easy to add new items to the list. The next time you are hanging out with your friends, just start mindlessly repeating the words, “Joe Biden is made of custard.” Before long, it will catch on as the new nonsensical phrase that everyone uses to sound clever.

And when that gets old, we will just come up with a new one! How does “giraffes get discounts at Olive Garden” or “my toenails live in Vancouver” sound?

These phrases may seem perfectly harmless at first, but they unnecessarily clutter up our lives and our lingo. Too often, we are distracted by the insignificant and as a result, overlook what is truly important. Simplifying our speech and our actions will not only make life easier, but allow us to refocus on what has been drowned out amidst all the chaos.

Until that happens, however, you know what they say—eggplants prefer silky vests! dha@apachepowwow.com

Graphic by BEVERLY CHEN

GIRAFFES GET DISCOUNTS AT OLIVE GARDEN So much to speak, so little to say.

January 2010

OPINION

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Generation X, Y, and Ctrl+Z

5

The World in Black and White

cultural phenomenon, but the thought and care that once went into the decision-making proStaff Writer cess has vaporized. Thirty years ago, if you We’re members of the whiteout generatook your SAT on crack, consequently earning tion, and that’s a mentality that no amount of a combined score of 600, that was certainly correction fluid can fix. Accustomed to the unfortunate, but there was nothing you could convenience of redoing, erasing, and deleting, really do about it. You screwed up, so you had we forget that our actions have gravity, that to deal with the consequences. Today, you can pressing backspace ultimately solves nothsit down with a SAT booklet and a #2 pencil ing. Choice becomes meaningless when we as many times as you want, confident that if have the power to rewrite it, the ability to bury you blow this test, it won’t really count. You our errors beneath flawless strips of white. always have a second chance...and a third The crime is committed in secret, all proof of chance...and an eighth chance…and however transgression neatly covered up. No evidence. many chances it takes to achieve those covNo witnesses. Therefore it never happened. eted digits (at least, as long as CollegeBoard Perhaps the word processor is to blame, continues to offer score choice). or perhaps it’s just Our problem is that we can’t deal with an inexfinality. We need the reassurance of an escape plicable hatch, a perpetual opportunity for editing and revision; we can’t handle the prospect of a permanent, unchangeable action that we might later come to regret.

Reality isn’t as forgiving as the backspace key, though. If it were, we’d simply open up Life.doc, scroll through it, and carefully erase those parts of our past we’re ashamed of: the promises we’ve broken, the lies we’ve told—all the memories we’d dearly like to wipe from our mental hard drives. It would take three simple steps—Click, Select All, Delete—to fling the incriminating text into the realms of cyberspace, never to be seen again.

Graphic by CHERRY MO But even then, those files OOPS! I DID IT AGAIN The original head- wouldn’t be completely gone. Oh no. line was deleted, but you’ll never know.

They’d be biding their time in the

Recycle Bin, waiting patiently for the autorecovery software (a.k.a. painful reminders) to suddenly summon their back-up versions to the screen. And maybe then, confronted with the truth, we’d finally have to come to terms with it.

We all have moments and thoughts we’d like to Ctrl + Z out of existence. I’ve certainly had my share of them; my pages are filled with thousands of cross-outs accumulated over the years. Some were serious matters, but as difficult as they were to face, I’ve learned and grown from them—and now I know better.

Others were childhood dreams, vague and ridiculous fantasies now replaced by my current ambitions—not because they were any less valid, but because I chose to stake my claim in other enterprises. I look back on my past mistakes with a mixture of tenderness and regret, but also a great deal of gratitude for the way they’ve shaped me. So I mark them and remember.

When the time comes for us to share the story of our lives, I imagine we’ll end up reading through a large pile of neatly typed, perfectly formatted manuscripts. The most honest and genuine tales of the bunch, though, are the stapled stacks of lined paper at the bottom, covered with cross-outs and scribbles in indelible black pen. Maybe they’re not the most visually appealing or the most well-written. But neither is life itself. It’s flawed and ugly and imperfect, but that’s what makes the end result so worthwhile—and what ultimately gives it meaning.

even though they are dead, are able to get a bird’s eye view of the world for the first time without actually being in a hungry bird’s beak dangling over the earth below.

PETA argues that if gutted lambs and kittens were being heaved over the crowd, people wouldn’t find it as amusing. Um, maybe that’s because lambs and kittens are way too heavy to throw and the fact that they are gutted means that the animals will drip all over the customer’s head, and that means complaints which are accompanied by the arrival of a poor soul

display to wrapping sheet?

Fish aren’t the only organisms weighing on PETA’s mind. It seems as if house flies are also able to tip the “scales of injustice,” as the LA Times put it. In the middle of a CNBC interview, President Obama was interrupted by a fly, and after several attempts to shoo it away, swatted it and swiftly brought it to its death.

Instead of focusing on how our commander-inchief calmly and coolly handled the situation in order to return to more serious matters or opening up a debate about whether President Obama leads a double life as a ninja so that he may perform radical stunts such as these during interviews, the media’s coverage is centered on PETA’s disapproval of the situation. They say that this incident only proves that everyone makes mistakes and that President Obama is only being human.

Because of this, I’m waiting for them to go and chase after the person who wrote the “Shoo Fly” song. I can just see it now: “It’s morally wrong, and yet they’re teaching children to treat smaller animals as lesser beings. It’s just not right.” Don’t worry; it’ll come along soon enough and you’ll know when it happens.

Although PETA may be overreacting to situations that aren’t really a big deal, there is a lesson to be learned: asdfkoija;lksjd foq;oweiur kdqhdlfnmskms x,009398dslfjxa; sijzxcvbnm.

Sorry, there was a spider on my keyboard.

Please don’t tell PETA.

We distinguish between objects through sight. Initially, this might seem the most obvious thing in the world, but if you really think about it—the only way we can even see is through our ability to know the differences between colors. That’s how I know that my pen is right next to me—because it’s blue and because I can see it against my black desk.

And if you look at it that way, the world wouldn’t be our world without the capability of visual comparison.

Now to the point—the importance of color distinction isn’t limited to our ability to see and make sense of objects. On a more important level, we ought to apply this concept to intellectual discourse and the way we look at the world. In other words, it would be asinine to see the world in black and white given the availability of our worldly spectrum.

The conceptualization of seeing the world in black and white can be awfully pervasive. Humans by nature are both good and bad, and so without a middle ground we can contend that it’s logically impossible to understand ourselves. From this premise, we can move on to see that the greatest mistakes in the world’s history were made through either lionization or demonization: Nazi Germany, the Red Scare, the Salem Witch Trials.

And let us not delude ourselves for a second that this crippling ideology is confined to the historical sphere of the past.

Take politics for example: we have the Republicans and the Democrats. It would be an overarching generalization to say that every member of a party is a close-minded bigot when it comes to the policies of an opposing party, and vice-versa—but with some people it wouldn’t be too far from the truth. We get it—that you didn’t vote for Obama and that you’re not pleased with his policies—but do you really have to insist that he’s a socialist and that every single facet of his policy is anti-America? And we also understand that Republican policy tends to favor the welfare of big business—but do you really have to insist that they’re against the very concept of a working family? The absolute stupidity of black-and-white arguments is a leading killer when it comes to the legitimacy of political arguments. The lengths to which we go to prove our beliefs in an ideal can sometimes destroy that ideal in and of itself: for when a country divides itself through bigotry and sophomoric name-calling, it forgets its initial hope for unity and freedom in solidarity.

So, please, please, let’s just remember that we have the power to compromise. Let’s not limit ourselves to two colors when the painting that is life requires so much more.

It is critical to remember our ability to understand the necessity of approaching everything, even our most hated enemies, with an open mind, and ultimately to add color to black and white and see the shades of grey which the world has to offer.

kjeong@apachepowwow.com

achang@apachepowwow.com

By NURIA MATHOG

nmathog@apachepowwow.com

There’s Something Fishy About PETA

By KAITLYN JEONG Staff Writer

First it was the flying fish. Then it was just the fly. PETA, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, has always spoken on behalf of those who could not speak for themselves: chimpanzees forced to smile in commercials, seals being clubbed to death, abused turkeys, you name it. In recent months, they’ve even taken it upon themselves to stand up for those who couldn’t speak for themselves even if they wanted to, namely Pike Place Market of Seattle’s dead fish and the lucky fly President Obama swatted (Lucky in what sense, you ask? that Well how many of you can say you’ve been slapped by the tes of President of the United States America?).

Seattle, Washington is known arbucks mainly for two things: Starbucks and guys in wet aprons heaving omers fish over the heads of customers TA’s at Pike Place Market. PETA’s y senior campaigner, Ashley main Byrne, says that PETA’s problem with the famous fish fish flingflingers is that she believes that “killing animals so you can toss their bodies around for amusement is just twisted.” Just imagine how those fish must feel, how much pain they must be in when they are tossed into the air, how much… oh wait, they’re dead. The customers and fishmongers both agree that the fish aren’t killed for entertainment; they’re killed for some good eatin’! Well, think of it this way: the fish,

“asdfkoija;lksjd q; foq;oweiur kdqhdlfnmskms x,00 x,009398dslfjxa; sijzxcvbnm.”

TCID:

with a bucket, mop, and a bright yellow CAUTION: SLIPPERY yel WHEN WET sign with a little WH stick figure that looks like it is about to fall down a flight of stairs.

It is understandable that PETA wants to protect all living creatures big and small and every size in between, but why are they speaking out for the feelings of dead fish that ultimately will end up being consumed? Isn’t the fact that the fish will be eaten more disrespectful than how the fish are transported from

By ANDREW CHANG Staff Writer

6

OPINION

Insert Text Here

By NURIA MATHOG Staff Writer

Texting is taking over the world; I am completely and utterly convinced of this. It’s everywhere, stealthily infiltrating society like some sort of technological plague. Walk into virtually any room, and it’ll be filled with people glued to their cellphone screens, any attempts to strike up a friendly conversation thwarted by noncommittal shrugs and irritated jerks of the head. Sometimes it gets so quiet that if it weren’t for the faint sound of the keypads, you’d think everyone there was dead.

It’s a pretty unnerving feeling. The eerie, telltale patches of light lurking beneath desks and the robotic “click click click” of hastily tapped keys will haunt me until my dying day.

Now, texting does have its advantages, I’ll grant you that. If, for whatever reason, I am unable to speak and need to contact someone immediately, I can just send off a quick message to a friend and retrieve the desired information in no time at all. Click, click, done. It’s fast, it’s efficient, and it’s convenient.

I have no qualms with the concept of texting. It isn’t an inherently evil practice, just a phenomenon that we’ve blown hopelessly out of proportion. When you’re incapable of setting your phone down for five minutes, you have a problem. When you act as though you’ll start bleeding profusely if severed from that connection, you have a problem. When you’d rather spend hours typing out a twentyminute conversation with your thumbs than have a real-life discussion with your friends, you have a problem. It’s a sad sign of our times that we actually needed to pass a law prohibiting texting while driving, that this has become a common enough practice to merit governmental intervention. Really, how much common sense does it take to avoid texting and operating a high-speed vehicle at the same time? Not only is it dangerous, but it’s grossly irresponsible. You’re putting the lives of your passengers and innocent bystanders at risk for a conversation that probably wasn’t all that important anyway.

But perhaps the most worrisome aspect of the texting phenomenon is how indifferent we’ve become to basic courtesy. We’re so self-absorbed in our little texting bubbles that the outside world effectively deteriorates into background noise and other useless distractions. Maybe we don’t realize the effect that our texting obsession has on others. Maybe we just don’t give a damn. At any rate, conscious or not, it’s downright rude. There is a time and a place for everything, and when people need your attention engaged, they expect you to listen. And no, that doesn’t entail absent-mindedly nodding “mhmm, mhmm,” as you gaze intently at the one-inch screen in your hand.

As a society, we’re becoming increasingly desensitized to this sort of blatant rudeness.

Our attitude today can be summed up with a nonchalant “Well, everyone does it, so it’s not a big deal,” as though this somehow justifies our behavior. Every time you blow someone off, you’re effectively saying that they are unimportant, that what they have to say couldn’t matter less. Regardless of whatever you’re typing into your cell phone, the real message you’re sending is “I don’t care.” nmathog@apachepowwow.com

TCID:

apachepowwow.com

January 2010

Life: Final Destination Unknown

By NURIA MATHOG Staff Writer

When I was a kid, my sole ambition in life was to be the first person on Mars. I daydreamed about manning my own spaceship, completing a decade-long journey to the famous red planet, and proudly planting the U.S. flag on Martian soil. I was certain that space exploration lay in my blood—at least, until I shared my designs with my first-grade desk partner, who promptly informed me that I was an idiot. My dreams are somewhat more practical now, and I tend to relate them to more objective listeners. But the message still hasn’t changed.

The great thing about America, I’m told, is its offer of unparalleled freedom, the promise that the only limit to what you can accomplish is your willingness to make it happen.

Feel like opening your own records shop?

Save up a bit of cash, make a few investments, and you’re all set. Dream about joining the bomb squad? Go ahead; no one’s stopping you. Want to sell homemade sodas by the side of the highway? Why not? Go for it. The window of opportunity never closes.

But while our futures are unhindered by legal restrictions, they remain fraught with social consequence. We are under extraordinary pressure to make one of the Three Choices: doctor, lawyer, or businessperson. A career in

any one of these areas is supposedly a golden ticket to prestige, money, and power—all the “important things” in life. As far as these options are concerned, though, I have no future whatsoever. The sight of blood makes me queasy; I freeze up while giving speeches; I can only sell my candy apples through a combination of self-purchasing and blackmail. I think I can safely assume that I’m doomed.

I’ve always wondered who sets the guidelines for success. Maybe there’s a group out there responsible for creating a worthiness grading scale, a set of criteria based on annual income, profession, and Porsche ownership. In spite of my shortcomings, I think of myself as a reasonably intelligent person—certainly not someone destined for failure. But according to the current social standard, I might as well start packing my bags right now.

Selecting a career may seem like an intensely individual decision, one that has minimal, if any, impact on others, but in reality it generates quite a ripple effect. Suppose that tomorrow, en route to my house, I am unexpectedly hit by a car. As I lie in the hospital, flitting in and out of consciousness, my indifferent doctor tosses me some morphine and leaves.

Later, when I file a lawsuit against the driver, I’m stuck with an attorney more concerned about his next paycheck (which he’ll receive regardless of the suit’s outcome) than upholding my rights on judicial grounds. When I return to work at Corporation A, I find out that my boss let the business slide, can no longer

afford to keep all his employees, and has fired me as a result.

A title, sans passion, is an empty word.

A diploma, without dedication, is a sheet of paper tacked to the wall. Simply having the name or the degree is not enough. Our future should not be determined by the unhappy medical students wishing they had pursued their real ambitions, but by those whose love for the subject shines through in a genuine and inspirational way. Look around, and you can easily pick out the next generation of pioneers.

The FBLA officer who has been following the stock market since she was twelve. The student who, after mastering AP Biology, hopes to someday master the art of saving lives. The brilliant debater who believes with all his heart that the U.S. Constitution is the best document ever written.

Maybe it’s time for us to redefine success. We’ve measured achievement in terms of social acceptability for so long that we’ve neglected the factors that really matter: sacrifice, determination, and a profound love for what you do. I admit that I’ve fallen into that trap as well. Sometimes I feel like cracking open a law book just so I won’t feel so left out. But regardless of my apparent conformity, you can be certain that when NASA starts recruiting for its first Mars mission, I’ll be first in line. nmathog@apachepowwow.com Graphic by BEVERLY CHEN

FOLLOW YOUR HEART An astronaut is not one of the Three Choices.

Kids These Days! Redefining Childhood

By DEREK HA Staff Writer

“I remember when getting high meant swinging on the playground; when the worst thing you could get from boys was cooties; race issues were who could run the fastest...”

I think I lost count of the number of times I have read that passage after around 300, and anyone who uses AIM can probably say the same as well. For those who are unenlightened, the excerpt printed above is the first half of a shamelessly sentimental and oddly touching paragraph about the loss of childhood innocence. The author remains anonymous, but if I were responsible for incorporating so many clichés into a relatively short passage, I wouldn’t want people to know my name either.

Despite its trite language, however, the quote has nevertheless found its way into the online profiles of weepy teenage girls everywhere.

Perhaps it’s indicative of how corrupted the concept of childhood has become when teenagers are willing to put up with horrible writing in order to protest this distortion.

Indeed, it would appear that a new era has dawned—an era that can no longer accommodate the simplicity and purity that was once so closely associated with childhood. Let us now turn our efforts to embodying the adolescent of 2010, of which there exists three main categories: 1. Brooding, antisocial nerd who spends most of the day doing the bare minimum to

maintain respectable grades or sitting in front of an electronic screen of some sort.

2. Materialistic and spoiled brat who is always following the latest technological or fashion craze, depending on your individual preferences (we value personal choice and freedom).

3. Morally corrupt little monster who violates basic standards of public behavior (i.e. not causing others to throw up by being overly affectionate in public) and talks back to par-

romance and that fourth graders are acquiring expensive laptops at an exponential rate (they probably need them to keep track of all their ever-so-important appointments, no doubt).

In fact, my suggestion would be to run home right now and stow away those old photographs of you as an innocent kid. No use clinging onto relics of an obsolete mindset.

Things have changed—our culture has redefined the concept of childhood.

And on the off-chance that you still miss the old days? Well, at least you’ll have that crappy paragraph to keep you happy.

“I remember when getting high meant swinging on the playground; when the worst thing you could get from boys was cooties; race issues were who could run the fastest...” ents and teachers just for kicks.

But, you ask, what if I don’t fit any of the archetypes listed above?

Fret not—a good dose of peer pressure will whip you into shape in no time at all!

If you need extra help, just look to the many excellent role models around you—the couple making out and groping each other in the hallway at this very moment, for example. Or, you can visit one of the elementary schools in your surrounding area and observe that nowadays, even the prepubescent are actively seeking

dha@apachepowwow.com

Graphic by BEVERLY CHEN

THE HAPPY GOLDEN DAYS Times have certainly changed.

January 2010

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8

PERFORMING ARTS

Now Yu See Her, Now Yu Don’t

By PAMELA HUYNH & CHRISTINA ZHOU Staff Writers

She’s been Pep Flags Captain for three years, leading her cheery ensemble through games and competitions. But while this will be the last year for senior Anna Yu to hold that position, the wonderful memories more than make up for the sadness in leaving.

Anna originally joined Pep Flags as a freshman, never expecting to become the head of the group for the next year and the years following. And while leading unwilling and doubtful upperclassmen was difficult as a sophomore, Anna looked forward positively and confidently dealt with the situation. Constant pep talks, carefully peppered with sensible and useful advice, finally brought the team together.

Since then, Anna has become the ideal leader. She and many of her current teammates agree that “everything gets

Photo courtesy of ANNA YU

NEVER BEEN FLAGGED DOWN Anna Yu flags her way to the top through her dedication in the past three years as Pep Flags captain. easier with experience”—including giving words of advice. Her advice keeps “everyone motivated and striving to be the best they can [be],” enabling the team’s spirits to stay high and energetic.

Which is, of course, important for a pep team.

Pep Flags now has high hopes for the next couple of months, as it begins to compete at events in and around Southern California. With a routine choregraphed by a collaborative team effort, the group will first exhibit its talent at the USA Regionals on Jan. 24. Two weeks later, Pep Flags will also compete at the SHARP Tournament on Feb. 13. And, if successful at the January regionals, Pep Flags may just have the chance to move on to Nationals on Mar. 26.

It will be hard for Pep Flags to imagine a group without their devoted captain Anna Yu. But even if she may not officially be there to encourage them on, Anna’s legacy will continue past her graduation. phuynh@apachepowwow.com czhou@apachepowwow.com

apachepowwow.com

January 2010

A Night with Music & Oodles of Noodles remarked on how excited she was to perform the field show music because “it’s been a while Staff Writer since [they’ve] performed the show...playing If one of your New Year’s resolutions in- the music makes [her] nostalgic, thinking about cluded being able to enjoy an appetizing spa- the season and how it will be unforgettable.” ghetti dinner and receiving performances from In the background, a slideshow filled with some of AHS’ performing groups at an afford- pictures of this past season was played as able price, then there was no need to look any Band performed “Can You Feel the Love further. The 2009-2010 Spaghetti Dinner perfor- Tonight.” On top of performing a duet on mance at the the trumpet and the French AHS Cafhorn for field show, senior Pep eteria and Band leaders Casey Young North Gym and Michael Kallin led Pep featured a Band in an additional performultitude of mance of Michael Jackson’s Marching “Thriller.” Along with their Band, Colfield show performance with orguard, Band, Percussion members and Peralso premiered a glimpse into cussion their 2010 indoor show, “Legtalents that end.” Using rifles, sabers, dance, dazzled the and swing flag, Colorguard, also Photos by ELLIOTT LEE impressed with their field show audience.

Mem- SPAGHETTI DINNER IS A performance. bers of the WINNER The dramatic conclusion Wednesday, Jan. 13, marked Marchthe offi cial Spaghetti Dinner reto the Marching Band and Colorguard ing Band, hearsal for all the Spaghetti Dinperformance impresses the crowd.

Colorguard, ner performers. From 6:00 to 9:00 and Percussion advertised sales for Spaghetti p.m., every performer was perfecting and polDinner tickets. For only $8, family and friends ishing his or her finalized performances in the were given the opportunity to catch a perfor- North Gym. Dedicated Colorguard members mance on Saturday, Jan. 16 from 4:00 to 10:30 also rehearsed during their class periods to make p.m. Upon arriving and presenting their Spa- their performance flawless. Percussion practice ghetti Dinner tickets, attendees were ushered schedules included Mondays from 3:00 to 6:00 into the AHS Cafeteria to receive their serving p.m., Wednesdays from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m., and of spaghetti. Afterwards, audience members 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. on Fridays. Band members proceeded to the North Gym to watch any one also devoted much of their time prepping the of the three shows at 5:00, 7:00, or 9:00 p.m.

Spaghetti Dinner music and drill downs. BeBand members proudly presented their per- cause of their numerous practices, senior Colformance, including songs “Star Spangled Ban- orguard Captain Katherine Chin was glad that ner,” “Shine Down,” “Can You Feel the Love they all “had an opportunity to perform the Tonight,” “Wonderful One,” their parade march shows and routines that [they had] been work“Rifle Regiment,” and their field show with ing on in the fall season, indoors where [their] “Opener,” “Spices, Perfumes, and Toxins,” and family and friends [were] able to witness all the “Closer.” Senior Band member Mandy Chan hard work that [they had] invested.”

By EILEEN CHOW

To many seniors, the Spaghetti Dinner symbolized the end of their AHS Band, Colorguard, or Percussion experience. According to Casey, the Spaghetti Dinner was a time “of celebrating the end of the season, reflecting on [their] achievements... [and] also a time for [their] friends and family to see [their] final product after a season of hard work and progress from the start of summer.” Recalling the memorable season, senior Band Historian Felicia Choi looked forward to “ending this season strong with this final performance.” Senior Jessica Chee, Colorguard squad leader, also reflected on her feelings, saying that because “this [was her] last Spaghetti Dinner, [she had hoped to] end the field show season strong [with] a perfect performance.” Positively acknowledging her last performance, senior Colorguard squad leader Janice Eo said she had “just [wanted to] have fun and show what [she had] been working on.”

With the last performance behind them, the seniors now pass the reins on to the underclassmen. A new season budding with the new year, we can only anticipate what new performances will be showcased in the future. echow@apachepowwow.com

January 2010

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PERFORMING ARTS

Leaders: New Year with New Promises Compiled by PAMELA HUYNH & CHRISTINA ZHOU Staff Writers

Resolutions: promises to the New Year that are usually dismissed in the midst of our busy lives. From losing weight to learning French, some goals are forgotten, but the Performing Arts leaders are dedicated to this year’s resolution and confident that their respective goals will be fulfilled.

Staff Writer

- Katherine Chin (Colorguard Captain)

re co lax “M m m y e a or Ne be e a w tte nd Ye -K r l to ar (S el ea l ’s on ly de ea re r f rn so g M Ca oc or ho lut pt k ne w ion ain xt I ) ye can is t ar. b o ” e-

- Israel Coleman (Band President)

“I want the orchestra to bond as a whole, not as Orchestra 1, Orchestra 2, and Orchestra 3, but as AHS’s Orchestra.”

- Julia Namkoong (Orchestra President)

“To be prepared for upcoming competitions so that we can finish this year strong and with lots of memories.”

- Hana Rudolph (New Spirit Vice President)

“This year, I plan to max out my abilities as a leader and do the best I can to set us up for success: winning a medal at the World Championships in Dayton, Ohio.”

Whenever we see the amazing plays performed by Advanced Drama Department (ADD), Theater II, or any theater class for that matter, we usually don’t think about the one who is responsible for putting the whole show together—the sole ringleader behind these performances. It’s time to give Mr. Steven Volpe his turn in the spotlight.

Before teaching at AHS, Mr. Volpe was a professional actor who appeared in various TV shows, films, and plays.

Amongst his impressive performances, Mr. Volpe appeared in TV shows such as “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Las Vegas,” and “Will and Grace.” Mr. Volpe said that he has “always been interested in Theatre Arts since a young age. This is a career [he] knew [he] wanted to get into since middle school.”

Mr. Volpe majored in both Theater Arts and English and spent two years teaching English Literature before moving on to Drama. Mr. Volpe received his very first teaching job at AHS; a new performing arts center was being built, and Mr. Volpe was invited by the principal to start a dynamic drama program. While attending college, Mr. Volpe worked as a substitute teacher for AHS for three years.

The different interactions with the students “helped shape [his] path of becoming [a] teacher.”

Mr. Volpe feels that his responsibilities as a drama teacher include inspiring “creativity, organizational skills, performance, technique, and etiquette” within students. He juggles five different drama-related classes, consisting Photo courtesy of STEVEN VOLPE

- Daniel Zaki (Percussion Snare Leader)

ions petit , I m o t c ortantly g a e nnin ost imp ne of th n i “W t m s year o u B ” ure! e thi son. for s [to] mak r. Max M hope ears for y best ho sident) rel C e -Lau teurs Pr n a h C (

ADD Extraordinaire

By EILEEN CHOW

“I really want to obtain more community service.”

“I just want to be fresh, young, and cool.”

9

Orc “I w hes ant is s to s how ell s!” out a -K ll th rist e (Or i che n Kim sis u Pre ra sid ent )

“One of my resolutions for ADD is [to] research and be wellprepared for the upcoming auditions for the musical, Bat Boy.” - Brittany Chu (ADD Vice President)

A NEW DIRECTION The ADD Director inspires his students through his artful dedication by broadening their dramatic horizons. of two periods of Theater I, one period of Theater II and ADD each, and one stagecraft class. Learning how to build sets and props, create costumes, make posters, increase publicity, and properly work lighting are some key points that students touch upon in Mr. Volpe’s drama classes. Mr. Volpe finds it “rewarding to share [the] gift of art with students and to help them, guide them, and see their own interpretations.”

Not only does Mr. Volpe help students achieve their full theater potential, but he also patiently teaches them all the various aspects of drama. His effort, passion, and dedication are put solely into what he loves doing the most—teaching theater arts. echow@apachepowwow.com

Graphics courtesy of TWOPEASINABUCKET.COM and photos by ELLIOTT LEE and courtesy of their respective owners.

10

FEATURES

Four Secrets of Food Pursued

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January 2010

New Movies for the New Year

By RYAN LIU

Staff Writer

By KATHERINE BAY

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ryanliu@apachepowwow.com Graphic courtesy of ALASKAAERIAL.COM and photos courtesy of WHATSNEXTBLOG.COM

Chill Out; Stress-Free is the Way to Be! Executive Copy Editor

As January draws to a close, the impending doom of two-hour finals begins to loom frighteningly in the near future. After almost five months of projects, essays, and math assignments done, you find your grade teetering on the borderline, not solid enough to offer you the luxury of neglecting the final. You wait anxiously in your plastic, static-producing chair, the chair that’s been faithfully beneath you through times of both ecstasy and nail-biting terror. The moment has arrived, the moment that will either send a surprise in your mailbox or scar your transcript for life. The opportunity is right before your eyes; it’s up to only you to seize it. Stressed out? Losing hope for reaching that coveted A? Here are a few ways for you to calm your nerves so you can face finals week with newfound confidence and peace of mind.

Give in to your dark side. Infused with tryptophan, dark chocolate is the perfect remedy to a stressed mind. Tryptophan is a vital amino acid that triggers the production of serotonin, a neuro-chemical that relaxes the mind and body. To avoid sugar rushes and burnouts, select chocolates rich in cocoa solid but low in sugar to maximize healthfulness while still maintaining deliciousness. The slight bitterness of chocolate complemented with its heavenly sweetness will surely bring you relaxation. Other tryptophan-rich foods include nuts, cheddar cheese, and the beloved turkey.

Pick up a broom. Cleaning has been known to reduce stress levels simply because it serves as a creative outlet for frustration.

are great methods if Though seeing papers scatcatbasis. Scalp massages ar you’re waiting in line, stuck in traffic, or tered all over the floor simply too lazy to get off your chair. (No and the midnight snack from two days ago sitworries, we’ve all been there.) ting nauseatingly on Pet a furry friend. The therapeutic use of petting aniyour desk does seem to mals as a sstress-relieving techcause more stress, cleannique has grown increasingly ing the clutter will not popular. Petting a cat or dog for only distract you from Pett ten minutes ca can lower blood presthe anxieties of reality sure and calm your inner being. but also make a difference Pets help combat loneliness and you can recognize imcom depression, aas they appreciate mediately. Furthermore, you unconditionally, unlike your cleaning morphs into scavunconditi parents if you enging for hidden objectss yo did fail that last quiz. Similar to cleaning, playing that you lost days, weeks,, with pets can als also serve as emotionor months back. It’s always ys al outlets to your daily frustrations. Unlike a pleasant surprise when your people who are often ccapricious in actions, iPod turns up from beneath ath the pets will wholeheartedly devote their atheap of clothes you’ve been wholehearte tention to you. Colleges nationwide provide meaning to wash for days—or s—or was it therapeutic dogs for stude students to pet before fiweeks? The end results of cleaning will nals week to aid in relaxation. definitely leave you with satisfaction atisfaction and relaxati Quality bonding time with your special friend will peace. not only relieve your stress, but Massage your scalp. PET POWER Man’s also make their day as well.

When snacks are out of best friend is now Though the anxieties of reach and you find your- stress’s worst enemy. school are often overwhelming, self glued to a certain spot, there are always the little things you can do to a scalp massage is one of the best relaxation make your day flow more smoothly. So clean techniques. Head massages not only rejuveyour room and take your dog for a walk to prenate inactive brain cells that make you alert pare yourself for finals. Then afterwards, you but are also known to relieve a person from can reward yourself with a relaxing scalp masstress and headaches at rapid speed. The best sage. With the right tricks, the week will go by technique to perform a relaxing massage is to just as smoothly as the melted chocolate slidplace your thumbs on your head behind your ing down your throat. ears while moving your scalp with the palm of your hands. Some people, with practice, jshen@apachepowwow.com find massages absolutely necessary on a daily M

By JOANNA SHEN

of ABOUT.CO

While we Americans know we live in a country with a very high rate of obesity, most of us don’t know that the past of some of our most renowned foods is masked behind their scrumptious appearances. How some of America’s popular foods first appeared on our plates is a mystery to many, so here is the history of some grub we love to wolf down on a regular basis. From mac and cheese to Jell-O to even hot dogs, here are some fun food facts to sink your teeth into.

As the comfort food of the century, macaroni and cheese actually started out as simple noodles with a topping of real cheese, not the powdered cheese that comes in many mac and cheese boxes found in the pasta aisle at the local grocery store. Thomas Jefferson was not only a founding father of our country, but also was the father of macaroni in our country; he introduced America to the first pasta machine when he returned from France, which started the pasta-making frenzy in the US. He is also known for being the first to serve macaroni and cheese at the White House.

Microwave popcorn is the perfect accompaniment to a movie, whether you’re watching a hilarious romantic comedy or an action-packed thriller. In 1946, Dr. Percy Spencer experimented with a tube that makes magnetic currents and creates heat, a device usually found in microwave ovens. When he noticed that a chocolate bar suddenly melted when near the tube, he experimented by putting popcorn kernels near the heat output, and voilà! Microwave popcorn was created.

With rumors such as “gelatin is made from crushed animal bones and horse tongue,” we have become skeptical about the jelly-like dessert. The truth is, gelatin itself is derived from a protein called collagen, usually taken from cow or pig bones, hooves, and connective tissues. Throughout the Middle Ages, many people also took collagen from sources like deer antlers, calves’ feet, and even calves’ knuckles. Even in ancient Greek civilizations, the Greeks used gelatin for functional purposes, such as to preserve food. Jell-O was a more recent concoction, created when May Wait, a woman from New York, thought of the idea to add sugar and flavoring to gelatin.

Sausage was invented way back in the ninth century B.C., and it was even mentioned in, believe it or not, Homer’s The Odyssey. And yes, freshmen, useful things actually came out of this epic. The sausage has evolved much since Homer’s time into many different forms, including the hot dog. In Germany, the frankfurter was created in 1484, which is why we call many fatty, juicy sausages “franks.”

Now that you know where these foods came from, as you eat them, keep in mind their long histories. Although one of the top New Year’s resolutions is to lose weight, we Americans are known for our “healthy” appetites. Well, what the heck. Cheers to living to eat, and remember where your American food came from before it lands in your mouth.

Photo courtesy

Staff Writer

Ah, New Year’s, a time for fresh beginnings, new resolutions, and new movies. Because of last year’s recession, critics thought the movie industry would be in a slump, but they were wrong. With people rece getting more and more stressed about making money, they started seeing movies as an escape from realgett hit our theaters this year? This is a ity. Some of last year’s hits were Star Trek and 2012, but what will compilation of the most anticipated movies of the year: com Iron Man 2: With Iron Man’s unexpected gross of $585,133,287, the he film had one of the biggest opening weekends of last year.

Although some of the cast members from the first movie are gone, Iron Man Alth Ma 2 is still anticipated to be a great film. In the ending of the last movie, the protagonist Tony Stark reveals that he is actually Iron Man, creating the plot line of the sequel, in which the government and public pressure him to give his machinery to the military. The movie is going to be released on May 7.

Shrek Forever After: The last installment of the popular Shrek movie saga will feature the main cast along with a variety of new characters.

The movie starts with Shrek as a new family man who signs autographs, but sometimes he just wants to go back to the good cha old ogre days. He then gets thrown into an alternate universe in which everyone he knows is different; his wife is wanted, Donkey doesn’t know him, and Puss in Boots is an obese cat. This movie will be released on May 21. doe Toy Story 3: It’s been over a decade since the last chapter in the Toy Story epic was released, but that hasn’t stopped people from wanting more, especially since the newest film will be in IMAX 3-D this time. Andy’s all grown up now and going to college. He wan must mus choose what to do with his toys; he ends up deciding to leave them in the basement, but all goes wrong when they’re accidentally thrown out. They end up in a daycare center where there are overly active children playing with them. The toys try to escape, but it thro becomes a little problematic when Buzz starts malfunctioning. The movie is scheduled for release on June 18. bec Eclipse: Twilight has become an international success, which is why after the first movie, Summit Entertainment approved the production of the next three movies. All of the cast members will return for Eclipse except Rachelle Lefevre as Victoria, who will now prod be pplayed by Bryce Howard. In this movie, Bella is forced to choose between her love for Edward and her friendship with Jacob; the problem is that it might ignite a fight between the vampires and the werewolves. The movie is set to be released on June 30. prob The Social Network: You might be wondering how the creation of Facebook could be made into a movie; well, surprisingly enough, Jesse Eisenberg, Justin Timberlake, and many more have all signed up with Columbia Pictures to make the movie. It is a eno drama-comedy that revolves around the creation of the most-used social networking site. The movie will be released on Oct. 15. dram Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows: Part I: The final installment of the popular Harry Potter series involves Harry, Ron, and Hermione dropping out of Hogwarts to destroy the secret to Voldemort’s power, the Horcruxes. Since the original book was too long, Her the producers decided to cut it in half, with the first segment hitting theaters on Nov. 19 and the second next year.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader: For some reason, the Pevensie children can’t stop accidentally getting ggett g into Narnia. First a wardrobe, then a train, now they fall into a painting. Once they get to Narnia, their friend Prince Caspian X joins tthem on a mysterious mission to Long Island. Featuring two of the Pevensie siblings from the first movie, the film comes out on Dec. 10.

Last year’s movie industry ended with a big bang with the release of Avatar and Sherlock Holmes, but which 2010 movies can top them? Whatever happens this year looks like a fresh start to the movie industry.

January 2010

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Resolution Solutions

By JENNY LI

Stafff Writer

So another New Year’s has come me and gone. Like every year, you and millions llions of others have created a list of New w Year’s resolutions, resolutions that you promised yourself you would stick with for the h whole h l year. This year you say to yourself you’re not going to give up before January is over like all the previous years. But who are you kidding; you know you’re going to struggle with the task. You’re going to be like one of those people who promised themselves they’re going to lose weight—swarm the local gym in January and then mysteriously drop out by February. To help you stick with those resolutions, here’s a guideline to help you stay committed!

1. Set Reasonable Goals First and foremost, make sure your goals are not impossible to accomplish.

Don’t say you’re going to make a certain super hot Korean star your boyfriend (I’ve tried; it doesn’t work)—only in your dreams will that happen. Don’t say you’re going to lose 50 pounds when you weigh 130 pounds—are you trying to become anorexic? And don’t say you’re not going to procrastinate—it’s just something that’s programmed into our teenage brains. If you establish impossible goals for yourself, that’s just self-sabotage. On the other hand, you should still strive to challenge yourself.

Pick a resolution that is within your reach and at the same time something you need to actually work hard on to accomplish.

2. Game Plan Now that you’ve come up with your list of resolutions, it’s time to plan out a schedule. Which goals are you going to tackle first? Maybe you’ll arrange them

easiest to hardest or the from eas other way around. It’s all up to more planning that you you. The m do ahead of time, the easier it will be to achiev achieve your goals. Decide how you are going to make your goals come to life, lif and you will be betsuccess. ter prepared for succ 3. the W World 3 Let L t th l Know Don’t keep your goals secret. If you have resolutions, then you should share them with the world. Let your friends and family know what you’re aiming for and why. The more people know what you are up to and why, the more they can be a source of support when you need it the most. They can remind you when you stray off track or urge you on every step of the way. An even better idea is to find a friend with a similar resolution and work together to achieve your goals. You can both support each other and have fun while doing so.

4. Reward System Reward yourself! This is the last and most essential step when trying to complete your resolutions. If you’re going well and making progress, then go watch a movie, get a massage, or anything else you could possibly think of to reward yourself. You deserve it!

With all that said, this is just a helpful guide on how to stick to your New Year’s resolutions. What it really comes down to is whether you have the perseverance to accomplish them or not. What actions you decide to take will determine your outcome.

Accomplishing a goal, especially a hard one, is a very rewarding experience, and so I urge you all to strive for what you aim for. jli@apachepowwow.com Graphic courtesy of LOUISIANA.GOV and photo courtesy of DEVIANTART.NET

11

Making Movie Magic

By AMY LEONG Staff Writer

There is nothing like the films that keep you on the edge of your seat, the movies that have you laughing until tears run down your face, and of course, the cute, romantic ones that have your heart longing for more. But as we continue our late night movie marathons, there are so many things for us to reconsider, including the actors and the most awe-inspiring, behind-the-scenes features that will blow you away.

Not too long ago, 20th Century Fox came out with its one-of-a-kind smash hit, Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel.

Instead of living an average life in the forest, these furry creatures get to take on the rock star life, with a family, a home, and their high singing voices that catch audiences’ ears at the drop of a dime. However, considering the unique voices of the characters, vocal artists had to speak twice as slow to generate the high-pitched voices that were later sped up. This means that a song may even require uire them to hold a note for as long as 30 seconds. nds.

In addition, these artists have to over-enunnunciate their voices to emphasize vowels and consonants to make it easier to hear when their voices are sped up.

If you think straining your voice seems ems extremely exhausting, Charlie and the Chochocolate Factory brings exercise to a whole new level. For actor Deep Roy, that is. Playing ying the role of 165 Oompa Loompas, he was what www.dvdtimes.com said to be “the star of this feature” by learning to be a singer, nger, dancer, guitarist, and a drummer. Instead d of using more actors, director Tim Burton chose hose to reproduce Roy’s moves hundreds of times mes to create an army of workers in the impresressive musical songs that are seen throughughout the movie. Burton definitely created ed a

masterpiece with these astonishing effects, producing an incredible fantasy as well as a chocolate wonderland.

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith also takes us away with some thrilling numbers. For director George Lucas, it took about 300 people (including actors, directors, stunt producers, studio executives, extras, etc.) to produce a segment about one minute long in the film, as well as 910 artists and 70,441 hours. What’s more, the film became a popular sensation and “one of the most expansive sci-fi/fantasy universes ever created,” according to eHow contributing writer Shanika Chapman.

While George Lucas incorporates plenty of creativity, so does director Andy Fickman in the film She’s the Man. Starring Amanda Bynes as Viola Hastings, the film puts a twist on Shakespeare’s well-known play, Twelfth Night. If you paid close attention to the screen when Viola enters Illyria, there is a sign for auditions for the school play, What You Will, the subtitle of Twelfth Night. Illyria is also the name of the island in the original play that Viola ends up on after a dramatic shipwreck. In addition, Cesario is Viola’s pseudonym in the play, while Cesario’s is the name of the Italian restaurant in the movie. The movie also concludes with Shakespeare’s famous quote, “Be not afraid of greatness.”

As we look back at all those days sitting on the sofa snuggled up with a warm, cozy blanket, we finally realize that we were watching truly inspirational works of art.

But now it’s not only about watching for enjoyment, but also immersing yourself in all the behind-the-scenes effects and creative juices that flowed from the directors of these films. aleong@apachepowwow.com Graphic courtesy of MAINE.EDU

Three Thrilling Amusement Park Snags Up for Grabs

By JOANNA SHEN Executive Copy Editor

Carts thunder as they streak across colorful tracks of steel. Children shriek as bells begin to chime from the arcade nearby. The curious aroma of fried goods blended with roasted meats travels up noses. Ah, amusement parks, where thrill and exhilaration come alive.

Whether we are whipping through the air at the speed of light or cruising down canals in boats, we recognize amusement parks as not only stimulating, but also memorable. They provide fun and entertainment for people of all ages. Luckily, 2010 is a year for great deals at theme parks across Southern California.

Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World: Dubbed “Give a day, Get a Disney day,” Disneyland’s Cheers to Volunteers campaign is offering a one-day, one-theme park ticket absolutely free for people who volunteer a day of service to any participating organization in their communities. Jay Rasulo, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, stated, “In 2010, we want to recognize and add one more reason for celebration: the contributions people make to their communities every day.

We want to inspire 1 million volunteers—people who will invest time and energy to make their own communities and neighborhoods a better place.” Up and running since Jan. 1, Cheers to Volunteers allows any guest over the

agee of six to be a part of this fantic offer. Participants must pretastic gister through the Disneyland register bsite and then select from a list website of volunteering opportunities availe, ranging from soup kitchen server able, to tutor. There’s no better time to ake a dream come true for othmake ers while letting Disneyland ake a few come true ffor or you make as well.

Knott’s rry Farm: Berry A family farite in the vorite ange County Orange a, Knott’s area, rry Farm has Berry rtnered with partnered ange County Orange od Bank to ofFood fer you a chance to donate canned ods in exchange goods for $300 off regular mission. From admission. w until Jan. now 31, a donation of ccans ns twoo or more ca to assist needy milies in the families ange County Orange

area will allow you to enter the ppark for the no price of a Junior ($23.99). Kn Knott’s is also celebrat a in at ng Co C llege B Bo ow Days. If celebrating College Bowl re a fa fann of o one ooff the teams you aare competin i g in the h Poins competing Poinsettia Bowl, Fi Sugar Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, B Bowl, Rose Bowl, or BCS you can get in for $33.99 until Jan. 31 simply by wearing your team T colors. That is a o $20 for savings of every tticket purchase just for chased sele selecting a T-sh T-shirt right out of your o closet. own What better way to have fun and help the community than to participate in Knott’s Can Food Drive and to go during Knott Knott’s College Da Bowl Days?

Six Flags Magic Mountain and Universal

Studios Hollywood: Two of Southern California’s most popular theme parks now offer credit cards so you can continue making your regular purchases while racking up points for Six Flags and Universal Studios tickets. Six Flags Platinum MasterCard along with Universal Studio’s Universal American Express Card offer cardholders the opportunity to gain points when purchases are made. Points can then be exchanged for theme park tickets, cash back, popular gift cards, and more. Six Flags Platinum MasterCard holders are also given a 10% discount off food and merchandise at participating Six Flags locations. These opportunities allow shoppers to gain benefits and rack up points without skipping a beat in their daily routines.

With budgets tightening, it’s often difficult to find inexpensive ways to have fun. But luckily these few theme parks are making it just a bit easier to open the wallet. The start of 2010 comes with newfound excitement, surprises, and a whole year to jam-pack full of fun with these great deals. jshen@apachepowwow.com Photo courtesy of INSIDESOCAL.COM

SCREAMING FOR ROLLER COASTERS Bored? Take a ride on X2, courtesy of a Six Flags Platinum Mastercard.

12

lights, camera,

apachepowwow.com

By EMILY LITVACK Fundraising Co-Chair

Performed in the Little Theatre from Jan. 12 to 16, Neil Simon’s “Brighton Beach Memoirs” was Advanced Drama Department’s second play of the season. The dramatic comedy portrays the memoirs of a pubescent boy from a dysfunctional Jewish family in Brooklyn during the 1930s. The play is embellished with witty monologues and cheeky one-liners, but it is a deeply emotional exploration of the human condition. Director Mr. Steven Volpe said, “Throughout rehearsal, it has been a pleasure to watch all the performers grow into their roles as they explored and gained a further understanding of the characters they are portraying. I hope [everyone] enjoy[s] this production as much as I enjoyed directing it.”

Emily Litvack: Nick, you’re a sophomore and this is your first big role in an ADD play, if I remember correctly. Tell me about that experience.

Nick Munoz: Last year, I was in Theatre II and I was cast as an extra in “Little Shop of Horrors” so that was really my first experience in one of the Advanced Drama productions, but this was my first big role and it was also my first year as a member of ADD. It was honestly one of the most amazing experiences I could’ve gone through. I’m just incredibly happy that I went through it with the people that I did because the cast was so much fun to work with.

Emily: Tell me about your thoughts on the script.

Alexis Arredondo: Neil Simon is an amazing writer, and what’s awesome about him is that he crafts each character to have so much depth. In this play there’s only seven characters and they all are so complex, so I think it’s a representation of a real family.

Virginia Ma: I think what’s so special about it is that it relates to people. It focuses on the idea of love and family, which is important in all aspects of our lives. I think that’s what people can connect with.

The Cast

Nick Munoz

Alexis Arredondo

Virginia Ma

as

as

as

Eugene

Kate

Blanche

January 2010

January 2010

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Advanced drama 13 Emily: When I saw the play I kept thinking of how awkward I would feel performing such a mature script knowing my parents were in the audience! How did you guys feel about that?

Nick: (Laughs) As you can imagine, it was difficult to tell my parents what it was about, but they know I’m really not similar to my character Eugene so they were fine with it. I invited my whole family, actually. Even my grandma’s coming tonight!

Drew McDaniels: Actually, my parents didn’t even know I was doing this; they came on opening night like everyone else! But as far as the awkwardness of the script goes, Mr. Volpe always told us that it’s only a big deal if we make it one so when we’re on stage we treat it like it’s a natural conversation.

The audience can loosen up that way, and the laughter gets louder from there, and the dramatic moments more intense. I think it’s a beautiful script.

Emily: Any funny backstage stories to share?

Alexis: Too many! Since things get really dramatic in the second act of the play, we do a lot of things backstage to keep our spirits up. Doing this everyday can be emotionally exhausting, so we’ll dance backstage.

Virginia: Yesterday when we were dancing I accidentally hit Alex in the face.

Kim Serrato: We laugh a lot at the things we do wrong in our performances, and we have little inside jokes here and there. Behind the scenes, we like to pretend that our characters are having affairs with each other. We try to make each other laugh, but then we have to tell each other to whisper and be quiet or the audience will hear us bust up laughing!

Emily: Anything else you guys would like to add?

Virginia: It means a lot to us when we see a full audience out there because that’s support and love, and people appreciating the months and months of work we put into this production. I hope everyone will come to our musical in March! elitvack@apachepowwow.com

Photos by ELLIOTT LEE and courtesy of WEB.MAC.COM/STEVENVOLPE1. Graphics courtesy of ASSETS.HULU.COM, CONTEMPORARYCLEANERS.COM, MADE-IN-CHINA.COM, STORE.GOT3D.COM, FARM1.STATIC.FLICKR.COM

Alex Rousset

Kim Serrato

Andrew McDaniels

Peter Eskander

as

as

as

as

Laurie

Nora

Stanley

Jack

14

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January 2010

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ACADEMICS

15

Our Overworked Student

By BEVERLY CHEN & NANCY XIAO Staff Writers

As the end of first semester nears and finals loom ahead, students are more overworked than ever. Whether it is for AP Calculus AB or Chemistry Honors, studying must and will be done. Still, as common as these overworked students are, do you ever feel a little uncomfortable with an exhausted student’s appearance?

Do you ever feel like they’re unjustifiably unattractive? It may be difficult to pinpoint exactly where the oddities lie. Is it in the abnormably

The Thick Glasses Perhaps the most stereotypical and instantly obvious way to recognize an overworked student: thick eye glasses. Teenagers are now sporting them – deeming these glasses quirky, eggy, an and stylish. I guess the overwo overworked students get the he last laugh.

The Unbalanced Arms When a person spends almost every minute of every day writing with his or her better arm, it is bound to be larger than the other. It happens to nearly all high school students is, but in the most severe cases, you will end up like this.

Long Socks Not only are these lengthy stockings practical, they are also fashionable. Nerds prevent their heels from scraping, keep their ankles warm, and hide unsightly leg hair. As for the cool side of long socks, how can anyone be uncool if they look like Michael Jackson?

large eye glasses, the long socks, or the large amount of grey hair? Here is the anatomy of a typical stressed–out, overworked student.

Take this knowledge to rid yourself of your apprehension towards their appearance. As for their behavior...you’re on your own. bchen@apachepowwow.com nxiao@apachepowwow.com Graphics courtesy of ABCTEACH.COM, COLLEGEBOARD.COM, CLIPARTPAL.COM, OGDENSBURGK12,.ORG, and SBR7957.K12.

SD.US

The Grey Hair The average age at which grey hair appears is 30, but these hard workers may have it already. It is most certainly not unattractive and should be respected.

Grey hair is not a sign of stress, but a physical manifestation of wisdom and hard work.

The Sore Back Sports-related injury? If you consider sitting for a long period of time while flipping through pages of the AP Calculus book a sport, then you bet.

ACADEMICS

16 Speech & Debate Springin’ Around At Spring Debate apachepowwow.com

January 2010

“Speech, for the most part, is about acting or preparation.”

Staff Writer Events offered at Spring Debate included Although winter break has passed (sigh…), Parliamentary Debate, in which two duos argue against each other many of us find our minds still with limited prepastuck in vacation mode and beration time, Student come victims of that omnipresCongress, in which ent, irresistible urge to slack “Senators” debate off and procrastinate. proposed legislation The hardworking memin a simulated sesbers of Speech and Debate sion of Congress, and team, however, have been Lincoln-Douglas Decareful not to fall into this trap bate, which consists even though their last tournaof two competitors ment, Fall Varsity, took place going head-to-head back in early December. For over a resolution that proof of their impressive dediwas given to them becation, just look at their perforforehand. mance at Spring Debate, which On Friday, firstwas held on Jan. 8 and 9 at Aryear members left royo High School. sixth period early to Debate tournaments are compete in the novintensely competitive, but they ice division of each offer a welcome respite from event. The competithe long, continuous rounds of Photo courtesy of STEPHENNIE TENG tion lasted well into Speech tournaments, a routine which can become painfully CONGRESS Mary Guyer and the evening, leaving boring at times.

Richard Li display their medals. many exhausted but gratified by the overall “I enjoy debate because it’s more academic and it challenges you to experience.

“I think our first-year members are showthink quickly,” said junior Bryant Irawan,

ing a lot of promise,” said junior Ray Chao, “Not the results were recorded. As expected, Arcajust in terms of tournament results, but also in dia was able to produce another strong showing, racking up an impressive six their dedication awards, including a first place finand enthusiasm ish in Varsity Parliamentary Debate for the team.” by seniors Winston Chang and JenThe next nifer Hang. morning at 8:00 Speech and Debate members a.m., it was will now turn their attention to the Junior VarSpring Varsity, which is to be held sity and Varsity on Jan. 30 at AHS, and, of course, members’ turn to the State Qualification Tournament put their debatcoming up in late February. ing skills to good Congratulations to all those use. The level of who participated in Spring Debate competition was and best of luck in your upcoming much higher, and tournaments! the debate resolutions were noSpring Debate Results ticeably harder.

Novice Congress Of course, it was Mary Guyer - 2nd nothing that ArRichard Li - 4th cadia’s talented Varsity Lincoln-Douglas Debate debaters couldn’t Photo courtesy of STEPHENNIE TENG Andrew Chang - 2nd handle!

Varsity Parliamentary Debate “It was a CHAMPION Winston Chang Winston Chang & Jennifer very long day be- and Jennifer Hang steal first!

Hang - 1st cause the rounds Amit Akula & Greg Chang - 2nd didn’t end until after four,” said junior Rachel Ray Chao & Carl Trigilio - 3rd Redberg, “but it gave everyone solid practice for upcoming tournaments.” dha@apachepowwow.com By sunset, all points were added up and

Quiz Bowl, Aiming High

To The Dead and The Week

By DEREK HA

By SALLY CHUNG

By SALLY CHUNG

Staff Writer

Staff Writer

Although Quiz Bowl (QB) had already qualified a team for the National Competition in Chicago, members had to keep their feet on the ground in order to compete in the New Trier’s Varsity Tournament (NTVT). On Jan. 9, QB headed off to UCLA for the all-day competition against schools such as Rancho Bernardo, La Jolla, Diamond Bar, Torrey Pines, and Hart High. The B team placed fifth in the competition overall while Arcadia’s A team placed seventh. It was especially difficult considering how many QB members were not able to attend the competition due to other events; but QB still managed to pull off what Co-captain Alex Hu believed was “a creditable performance, given what [they] had.” However, Arcadia also left the competition with some victorious individual wins. Alex from Arcadia’s B team placed fifth in individual scoring, while Jeff Xiao placed sixth.

Although this was an unexpectedly rocky start to 2010, QB was not discouraged. Instead,

AHS students frequently study SAT words, and failing is not part of their vocabulary. They can define clairvoyant or vindictant, but they can’t define the drastic paranoia that overcomes them during Dead Week. There are now ten words to explain this occurrence.

Photo courtesy of ALEX WANG

PREPPING Members Chung Chan and Alex Hu waiting for next round.

members made a resolution to improve. According to Alex, QB will build “on individual talent and weld the different teams to selfcontained units.” He confidently stated that his goal is for the teams “to each be able to cover all of the bases.” However, he also wanted the process of achieving these goals to be fun for the members. The desire to win reminded Alex of the joy of competing as he began to reminisce: “First, there are the opposing teams: the rivalry between the different schools is very intense but friendly – there’s an almost professional respect. Then, there are the competitions themselves: there is nothing quite like the thrill of racing to piece together clues and buzzing in quickly and correctly.”

QB’s idea of winning does not include a medal or a shiny trophy. Winning, to these members, means having fun experiences and gaining knowledge.

QB gave, and will continue to give, its members opportunities to grow, improve, and just have fun competing. With these three goals in mind, QB will continue to prosper…all the Photo courtesy of ALEX WANG way to Chicago!

TOP SCORER Jeff Xiao proves that QB can not only score, but also judge.

schung@apachepowwow.com

1. APocollaps – Arcadia’s very own apocalypse when Dead Week drives AP students to abandon after school hangouts in order to study.

“Forget about the Apocalypse prediction of 2012, we’ve got the APocollaps to worry about!”

2. Statusfrenzia – a disease with the following symptoms: A) the updating of Facebook statuses every two minutes to complain about finals and B) the feeling of obligation to check Facebook every three minutes just to see the blue thumb sticking up.

“I allowed my statusfrenzia to consume me as I updated, ‘APUSH sucks’ on Facebook.”

3. Crampage – an act of procrastination in which a reader skims pages at the last minute to cram information into his/her brain.

“After discovering that my biology test was tomorrow (thanks to my friend’s Facebook), I went on a crampage without sleep.”

4. iFail – a contagious and momentary mental sickness that corrupts students’ minds, causing them to believe they will fail the finals when most actually do well.

“My iFail is causing me to complain nonstop.”

5. PMS – Paranoia of Multiple choice Syndrome; anxiety that rises when students bub-

ble in the same letter on the scantron for three or more questions consecutively.

“James’s PMS caused him to lose precious time on the test.”

6. Slurush – a moment when a student’s brain remembers a lot of information at once (a brain rush), but cannot remember a specific fact (a brain fart).

“I had one more question on the test, but I couldn’t answer it due to my slurush.”

7. Studleech – a lazy classmate who clings to you on AIM and Facebook and feeds off of you for homework answers, class notes, and essay ideas.

“I tried to shake the studleech off by ignoring his comments on Facebook, but he finally leeched the answers off of me.”

8. Frenemy – a student who congratulates for your success, but is really scheming to one– up you.

“My friend turned into a frenemy when she rolled her eyes after I told her my grade.”

9. Cheatsy – unoriginal (originated from sites such as Sparknotes or Wikipedia), and cheesy.

“Koryn did not even read Mists of Avalon so she decided to just write a cheatsy essay.”

10. High–and–deprived – a state of being when students binge on sweets in order to cram for finals.

“Keep away from high–and–deprived students because, although they might act lighthearted and giddy, their intake of sugar hides that they are actually light–headed and queasy.” schung@apachepowwow.com Graphic courtesy of DAILYCLIPART.COM

January 2010

ACADEMICS

apachepowwow.com

Differentiating Themselves at the BML

By OISHEE SHEMONTEE Staff Writer

Quick−what’s the cube root of 125 multiplied by the square of 3? Before the rest of us can even touch our calculators, the members of Math Team would have answered it already (45). For these mathematicians, simple algebra is nothing compared to the complicated calculus problems they grapple with every Wednesday after school. Calculus isn’t the only thing they do, however. Math Team deals with everything from geometry to math that surpasses what regular high school classes cover. Members’ dedication to the field of mathematics leads to exemplary results, not only in their own individual math classes, but also at their tournaments.

Commitment is a key factor in the prosperity of any academic team, and Math Team is no exception. The members work hard in school to fully comprehend the complicated subjects.

Much of the material they learn is not covered in regular high school math classes, and as such, more individual study and practice are required from each member. Despite this added pressure, nobody has let the team down. The day before their second Bay Math League (BML) meet, Cocaptain senior Pallavi Bugga confidently stated, “The team is well-prepared, and they seemed to have grasped an understanding of many of the

topics that they will be tested on, as seen from practice tests and presentations.”

On Wednesday, Jan. 13, Math Team went to San Marino High School to co-host its first tournament of 2010, the second BML meet.

Photos by JOE TIAN

INTENSE The team takes the team round, hoping to retain its first place position.

A week prior to the competition, members took a written tryout test to qualify for Team A, B, or C, with ten members in each team. Although over 30 members of Math Team actually competed at San Marino, only the scores of the ten people on Team A

were counted toward the overall score.

The competition is scored based on the individual scores of those in Team A and the score in the team round. Each round of testing revolves around one of five topics. At this meet, the ninth grade level subject is quadrilaterals, polynomials and factoring for tenth grade, logarithms for eleventh, tangent lines and derivatives for twelfth, and a research subject on cyclic quadrilaterals. During the team round, all members poured their knowledge into one test, which was composed of a question from each topic. “There are many awesome people on the team,” commented Hank Lin, a sophomore on Team A. “We’re like 32 peas in a pod.”

Though Math Team came in third this competition, the 15 point lead from the first BML meet keeps the team in first place overall by three points. It seems that the members’ practice and hard work did pay off well in the long run. Math Team’s next BMLwill be on Mar. 17 at West Torrance, followed by Math Day at the Beach at Cal State Long Beach University on Mar 20.

Best of luck to Math Team for the rest of 2010! oshemontee@apachepowwow.com

New Semester, New Goals, New You

By JOANNA LIAO

photographic memory and fast-learning abil- the somewhat mysterious, legendary, and unatity, nerds have “learning the next few chapters” tainable feeling of love. With the heart filled by Staff Writer and “preparing early for the following school complex chemical formulas, these poor people With winter break long gone and finals year” as numbers three and four respectively. yearn for love. Their desire to feel the sensacoming up, second semester is right around the So scholarly, yet so aggressive, these educa- tion is unbearable although they hide it under corner! To most of us, second semester merely tion-craving people fight hard to be above the their vacant expressions and monotones. Study means another semester with two times the ef- rest. Information-greedy, these gluttons for dates with their mothers (and occasionally fort, homework, and exams. To the twinkling knowledge practically steal the attention from the lonely elderly neighbors down the street), and excited eyes of a diligent student, teachers. Hidden behind their in- these deprived and underprivileged people are however, second semester marks the nocent faces, this is merely greedy for friends. Unseemly appearances, less beginning of a brand-new academic another tactic for them to than nice personalities−it’s all good! They just adventure. How do I know, you be further enlightened. desperately need someone who can accompany ask? Well, it just happened that Number five on them. an eager and bright student lost the list is to succeed Well, there you have it: the new semeshis fairly detailed list of exin playing sports. If ter resolutions of a typical nerd released to the traordinary goals full of new only math and phys- world. Study a little harder, and push a little furambitions. Here is the list of ics were applied to ther to achieve higher grades. Steal a seat in the new semester resolutions that sports, nerds would front to learn a little more and even mentally was carelessly lost by the fellow be something beyond knock down the fellow competitors. Just don’t comrade and found its way into our imagination! With forget: an apple a day keeps the the hands of a staff writer. athletic bodies and toned doctor away. Then, The diligent students habitually muscles, nerds would look two apples a day become teacher’s pets due to their fanlike supermodels. keeps heart Graphic by BEVERLY CHEN tastic grades, so who would’ve Unfortunately, a disease at A SERIOUS JOB Grabbing a nerd can only guessed that number one on bay. Comthis list is to achieve teacher’s- front-row seat proves our diligence. determine a pany durpet status? Teachers insist that they are not bi- football player’s move in advance with ing those ased, but it is obvious that resisting the human permutations and combinations or use lonely instinct of focusing more attention on one who physics to evaluate the velocity and imhours of shares similar interests is impossible. pact of a baseball upon contact with the studying Number two is to claim a seat at the front bat. is highly of the class, not only because of the nerd’s rathNumber six on the list is to achieve a appreciated, er bad eyesights, but also to prove academic se- normal BMI (body mass index). Unhealthy regardless of riousness. The annoyance of assigned seats can eating caused by excessive schoolwork appearance. be easily dodged by a simple complaint of not causes a nerd to be either too scrawny and being able to see the board due to poor vision. undernourished or a bit too chunky and Graphic by CHERRY MO Already surpassing the IQ of a genius, these tubby. Along with unhealthy eating, the A DREAM Love is the only subject we nerds end up learning most from sitting in the amount of exercise they do in a week has cannot truly understand. front, therefore maintaining their seeminly un- been said to be three sit-ups per a year. A attainable status. healthy tip for those unhealthy nerds out there: According to normal people, nerds are an apple a day keeps the doctor away! jliao@apachepowwow.com Graphics courtesy of BLOGSPOT.COM seen as distasteful and eerie creatures that have Last but not least (in fact, this is probably and LIFEATCOLLEGE.COM abnormally overactive brains. Despite their the most difficult), a nerd wants to experience

17

College Profile: Emory University

By DEREK HA Staff Writer

Meet Dooley, the stovetop-hat-wearing skeleton who happens to be the unofficial mascot of Emory University. Each spring, he can be seen dropping into lectures or roaming around campus, all the while accompanied by his loyal troupe of bodyguards.

The Eagles (the school’s official mascot) will tell you, however, that skeleton sightings are not the only reason they attend Emory.

Founded in 1836, this private research university is situated in Atlanta, Georgia.

Once noted for its harsh academic environment and denunciation of intercollegiate sports as “evil,” Emory has become a vibrant college community and an excellent school.

Billed by the U.S. News as the best university in the Deep South and the 17th best in the country, Emory boasts renowned departments in business, natural sciences, political science, and art history.

Students are also attracted to Emory because of its emphasis on undergraduates.

LearnLink, an online community which serves students and faculty, allows easy access to past lectures, while online conferences provide one-on-one Q&A sessions with professors. This unique atmosphere of collaboration is reinforced by a student-toteacher ratio of only 7 to 1.

Outside of academics, there is never a shortage of activities that students can dive into. With over half a million inhabitants, Atlanta is rich in history, culture, and entertainment; it is one of only 13 cities hosting a professional team in baseball, football, basketball, and hockey. On campus, students partake in traditions such as Wonderful Wednesday, a biweekly day of festivities like kickball tournaments and stepdance performances.

Emory is very selective in admitting students, accepting around a quarter of applicants. The most important factors to the admissions office are difficulty of high school classes, GPA, test scores, essays and recommendations, and extracurricular activities.

Admission Statistics: SAT Scores: Critical Reading: 640-740 Math: 670-760 Writing: 650-740 Acceptance rate: 26.6% Tuition: $38,036 dha@apachepowwow.com

Photo courtesy of EMORY.EDU

AT EMORY Students can enjoy brand new facilities like this one.

STUDENT LIFE

18 PROFILE BLACK STUDENT UNION

By ANNA NARAN Staff Writer

Photo by ANNA NARAN

BSU Club members promote and celebrate African American culture.

Discrimination and segregation have existed throughout history. In particular, African Americans have had an exceptionally difficult fight for their civil rights. As we celebrated the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday on Jan. 18, we were reminded of the continuing journey of African Americans in their struggle for equality. The Black Student Union (BSU) focuses on assisting students with issues facing African Americans. Even though problems with discrimination have drastically decreased over the years, African Americans still face some negativity towards their culture.

This is where BSU comes in. Meeting every Wednesday in D-1 at around 12:30 p.m. during lunch, the club gathers to discuss a variety of topics.

The friendly atmosphere of BSU meetings allows for a safe and supportive place where students can speak about any problems that they are dealing with.

Whether their problems are racial or school-related, BSU is able to lend a hand and offer help and support. As one of the vice presidents of the club, junior Alex Ethridge shared that they have “club study sessions to help each other with subjects [they are] having trouble with.” The club’s adviser, Mr. Carter Spruill, mentioned that the club’s discussions vary from current events to setting up fundraisers and volunteer projects. He added that the club is open to students of any race.

BSU is currently planning a fashion and talent show to be held tentatively on Feb. 26 at Dana Middle School. Alex explained that the show is going to feature members of the club who will model “modern fashions from popular stores.”

During the show they will also have some members perform “pieces and speeches by prominent figures in African American history,” while others will perform musical numbers. Alex announced that UCLA’s step team is slated to perform as well.

For Martin Luther King Jr. Day, BSU and APN teamed together to construct a segment that aired on Jan. 15. They pieced together a tribute to the inspirational civil rights leader for the student body to enjoy.

Under the guidance of Mr. Spruill and President senior Ashley Ethridge, BSU provides support and awareness of the African American culture for AHS students. anaran@apachepowwow.com

apachepowwow.com

January 2010

We’re Students, Not Sardines while he hastened to rescue it. Another sophomore, Amy Leong, remembered being “pushed so hard that [she] almost fell in the muddy grass area beside the C-Hall classrooms.”

Students reported seeing their peers picking up other students and moving them out of their way to get through. Others, despite their best efforts to press forward, were beaten back

them before they were trampled upon. The utter chaos that reigned during the passing periods Executive Copy Editor that week often left students feeling frustrated.

Although several school officials monitored and You may recall the chaotic passing periods directed students through the mayhem, it was during the week of Dec. 15 to 19. With the new difficult for them to supervise the middle of the construction fencing erected outside the music crowds, where most of the hostility occurred. buildings and L-Row, many students had to The AHS staff is still learning from this exchange their daily route to class. Everyone conperience. Although they alerted verged in the main hallway students of the temporary fencwhere students, packed ing, they could not fully predict like sardines, pushed, such a problematic outcome. shoved, and squeezed their Fortunately, the fencing was disway through the torrent of mantled before school resumed people. on Jan. 4, thus minimizing the Senior Ellen Lai deamount of time students were scribed the entire experiinconvenienced by the blockence as “terrorizing” and ade. she felt “like a herded cow Mr. John Tung, Activities going through that mass of Director, anticipates similar bodies.” Ellen expressed situations in the years of refrustration that sometimes maining construction and hopes there were few authorthat we “will be much better ity figures monitoring the equipped to address the issues, hallways to ensure student having had the experience.” He safety. Instead, a food cart acknowledged that “the pains was stationed near the jamof construction never feel like a packed entrance to D-Hall, small sacrifice when we are exfurther worsening congesperiencing them first-hand,” and tion problems. While trying Photo by ELLIOTT LEE that the congestion and delays to squeeze through a throng often cause “great frustrations” of people, sophomore Rhi- HALLWAY MADNESS Students are stuck in traffic, hoping to annon Yee was shoved by reach their classrooms before the seven-minute passing period ends. to those involved. However, he a group of guys forcing their way through the by the surge of students pushing relentlessly added that “when all is completed, the people crowd. For Rhiannon, who is claustrophobic, in the opposite direction. At times, the traffic traveling in the hallways and using the rooms in the new buildings will hopefully not remember it was a traumatizing experience to be “pushed would even come to a complete standstill.

Some students had their wallets and other a week of severe crowding, but appreciate the around with no idea where [she] was going.”

Sophomore Amit Akula recalled his bag be- items stolen from their backpacks amid the con- comforts of the new facilities.” ing “thrown out of [his] hands by D-Hall traffic” fusion. One unfortunate boy dropped a stack djong@apachepowwow.com and then “moving quickly through the crowd” of papers and attempted fruitlessly to retrieve

By DEBBIE JONG

Crossing the QuestBridge to College

By ESTHER LIN Staff Writer

As the prospect of attending college looms ever so closely in the distance, seniors find themselves tight on money. The QuestBridge College Match Scholarship “matches” students to top private universities and colleges all over America and offers free tuition, room and board, and other expenses. This year, the class of 2010 had two students matched to one of their top schools. Senior Emily Yang was matched to Pomona College and senior Greg Chen was matched to the University of Chicago.

Searching for the best and brightest of seniors, QuestBridge releases its application in early August and has a deadline in late September.

Thus, Que QuestBridge seniors ddeal with the stress of the college application proce process before their classmates do. B Because the proce process consists of ess essays and rec-

ommendations that applicants must complete early in the school year, many students find themselves short on time. The process consists of two rounds, the first of which must be passed in order for an applicant to continue as a finalist.

However, with only 2-5% of applicants ending up matched, the chances are slim to none.

Emily and Greg checked their results and were shocked to see that their hard work and perseverance had paid off and guaranteed them a quality undergraduate education. Despite the stress involved, both agree that this is a process they would not hesitate to go through again.

In addition to the sudden “peace of mind” that comes with finishing college applications, Emily admitted, “I gained more confidence in myself because it was a highly competitive process and now I know I can make something of myself outside the Arcadia bubble.” Greg attributes much of his success to the support of Mr. Gerry Wang, Mr. Shengyan Zhang, and Mrs. Laurie McQuaid “for their assistance in the admissions process.” Furthermore, “this opportunity was definitely life-changing” and he is “very thankful for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

Going through QuestBridge was more than an

Photos by ESTHER LIN

MATCHED Seniors Emily Yang and Greg Chen are set to attend their top college choice.

academic growth for Greg, who has “learned to appreciate the presence of [his] family, teachers, friends, and everybody else who has helped [him] grow personally over the years.”

Both applicants enthusiastically encourage future seniors interested in QuestBridge to apply without hesitation. Even when not matched, applicants who have passed the first round are honored with the title of QuestBridge Finalist, which will give them many advantages when applying to their colleges via regular decision.

The way Emily sees it, “There really is nothing to lose, and with the prospect of having free tuition, room and board, books, travel expenses, and other necessities, it would only hurt not to apply.” Greg reminds all to not “think that you would be disadvantaged by your family background; dream big, urself, and push yourself, the sky iss the limit.” pachepowelin@apachepowwow.com Graphic courtesy of ETC.USF.EDU

January 2010

STUDENT LIFE 19

apachepowwow.com

Happy Feet, Happy Smiles

By RHIANNON YEE Staff Writer

Lily to this cause. She said, “A lot of charities out there do great things to put a smile on someone’s face such as [volunteering] in soup kitchens, [collecting] donations, and so on, but what really stood out to me about this cause is that it actually puts a literal smile on someone’s face and that seems really special to me—to be a part of a child’s smile.” Not only did FBLA put on a great dance, but they also contributed tremendously to a great cause, helping children lead happier and healthier lives.

As for those who were unable to attend this dance social, keep your calendars open for Friday, Jan. 22. Arcadia ’s Key Club and Interact Club are co-hosting their own charity social.

The ICE Dance is also at the Community Center and will last from 5:30 to 11:00 p.m. Tickets are on sale now for $20 each and profits will benefit Key Club and the White Mountain Apaches, so be sure to attend!

Olivia isn’t exactly sure why she loves acting. “Maybe I’m still discovering myself, so putting myself in another person’s perspective is really interesting,” she mused. However, acting is a tough career because “you get rejected a lot more than you are accepted,” Olivia explained.

Many times, she received numerous call-backs, but didn’t get the part in the end. Despite these setbacks, Olivia vows to never give

ia said. Each scene is shot multiple times and Olivia takes routine breaks between shoots.

Sometimes, when a scene is shot in an open area, passerbyers gather to watch the proceedings. “Even if I’m not the star of the show, that feeling—even if for a couple of seconds—really blows your mind,” Olivia said.

Olivia feels incredibly lucky to have had the opportunity to be an actress. However, she noted that no matter how much talent a person has, they “always need a little bit of luck” to be discovered. Olivia credits her mom for “never holding [her] back and always encouraging [her],” often driving her long distances to auditions that may last for only five minutes.

Aside from acting, Olivia is involved in Speech and Debate and Orchesis at AHS, and has been dancing at Li’s Dance Studio in Temple City for 11 years. During her free time, Olivia enjoys shopping, hanging out with her friends, and watching The Office.

Through the years she has noticed a huge change in her personality. In elementary school, Olivia used to be “the shiest person you ever met,” but her acting experiences have shaped her into the outgoing and fun-loving person that she is today. Olivia hopes to become a successful actress in the future, using her “voice and power to help out people in need.”

R

EE NY NO AN HI

Hanging out with friends? Check. Contributing to a good cause? Check. Having a great time? Check!

For those who attended Future Business Leaders of America’s (FBLA) Miles of Smiles Charity Dance Social, they were able to do all this and more.

FBLA hosted a dance to help babies and young children with cleft lip for their annual community service project.

The Miles of Smiles Charity Dance Social was held at the Arcadia Community Center on Friday, Jan. 8, from 7:00 to 11:00 p.m. The dance was held in a large room complete with a DJ, roomy dance floor, and even a disco ball. Tables were festooned with balloons and there were plenty of delicious snacks and refreshing drinks. Students danced all night to popular tunes spun

by an excellent DJ and lounged outside when they felt the need to take a break. Everyone seemed to be having a great time out on the dance floor since most of the tables were left empty. Sophomore Ph oto Wendy Wang said, “I s b thought the dance y was really fun and a good way to help the children pay for their surgeries.”

Close to the end of the night, FBLA Community Service Project Director, junior Lily Chen, announced that they raised $1,346, enough to pay for five surgeries. These surgeries cost about $250 and take about 45 minutes each. Unfortunately, some children cannot afford the operation and must live their entire lives with this painful defect. Some people with cleft lip who do not get it corrected have problems speaking and eating properly, become shunned from society, and are unable to get a good education or job. FBLA could really make a huge difference in children’s lives and that is what attracted

US Presidents

By ANNA NARAN Staff Writer

How well do you know your presidents?

With President’s Day around the corner, it’s time to take a stab at testing your presidential knowledge.

1. Who was the only president to not live in the White House?

George Washington.

2. Who was the tallest president?

Abraham Lincoln.

3. Which president is featured on the dime?

Franklin D. Roosevelt. anaran@apachepowwow.com Mr. Freese, Modern World History & Economics teacher C 1. I’m a history teacher so I have to get these right!

George Washington.

C 2. That’s easy...

Abraham Lincoln.

C 3. It’s Roosevelt!

Score: 3/3

ryee@apachepowwow.com

Nick Pulciano, Freshman X 1. Uhh...Obama?

C 2. Abraham Lincoln.

X 3. Thomas Jefferson? No, wait!

Score: 1/3

Behind the Scenes with Olivia Sui

By DEBBIE JONG

Executive Copy Editor

Junior Olivia Sui started acting when she was 11, back when she was still “very, very shy.” Listening to Radio Disney one day, she heard a commercial about auditions for the John Robert Powers modeling and acting school and decided to audition just for fun.

She was accepted by the school and enrolled in a ten-week session. Every Saturday, talent agencies held live auditions for the students, and Olivia prepared monologues in hopes of landing a role.

Olivia was discovered by Bonnie Liedtke, an agent who has represented actors such as Zac Efron, Taylor Lautner, and Leonardo DiCaprio. When Liedkte moved to the William Morris Agency in May 2007, she asked Olivia to move with her; however, Olivia was still young so she declined the offer.

Since then, Olivia has landed several acting jobs and is currently represented by Pamela Fisher from Don Buchwald & Associates, Inc. In 2005, Olivia was cast as Pirate Girl for the TV series Monk, and played Peggy in Weeds.

More recently, she appeared in a national Sprint commercial and on CSI as a Korean teenager.

Over the years, she has had the opportunity to work with award-winning actors and actresses such as Tony Shalhoub, William Petersen, Allie Grant, and Mary-Louise Parker, and directors Lev L. Spiro and Richard J. Lewis.

Photos courtesy of OLIVIA SUI

TRIPLE THREAT Olivia prepares for her speech, acts in CSI, and performs in Orchesis. up because she “take[s] acting seriously and [is] always motivated to keep on going” no matter what.

To prepare for her roles, Olivia first reads over her lines aloud (“cold reading”), analyzes the scene, and then decides how she should best react to the scenario. On filming days, Olivia hurries into her trailer or dressing room to prepare her makeup and wardrobe. Then she runs through the lines again before shooting begins.

When the cameras start rolling, “I give it my all and just become a different person,” Oliv-

djong@apachepowwow.com

Karly Kostelac, Sophomore X 1. J.F.K. C 2. Abraham Lincoln. Let’s just go with that!

X 3. Abraham Lincoln? No, Nixon.

Score: 1/3

Blake Luevano, Junior X 1. F.D.R. C 2. Abe. X 3. Is it Franklin?

Score: 1/3

Allison Du, Senior C 1. George Washington.

C 2. Abe Lincoln.

X 3. Jefferson? Is that right?

Score: 2/3 Photos by ANNA NARAN

SPORTS

20 PROFILE

Manny Rosas

apachepowwow.com

Girls Soccer Continues Kicking Grass

By REGINA LIU Staff Writer

By REGINA LIU Staff Writer

Photo by MAURICE IP

Generally, not much good can come from a bet. However, senior Manny Rosas’ situation proves to be different, seeing as how his entire soccer career started with a bet he made with his father in the seventh grade. Now, Manny can’t imagine what his life would be like without soccer.

From the very beginning, Manny’s experiences with soccer were filled with success. His first year playing soccer, he made the sectional team for AYSO, the highest level. That same year, the all-star team won league and nearly made it to state. Manny accredits his drive to continue playing soccer to his first experience with competitive soccer.

Manny’s success in soccer as a child was enough to encourage him to pursue the sport, but it’s likely that his obvious love for the sport plays a part in his continued successes nowadays. Attracted to its unpredictability, Manny loves soccer because “you have no idea what to expect from every game.” He also added, “Even the underdogs have been known to come out on top so it makes the thrill and importance of playing your best every game even higher and it makes everyone work harder. Plus it is also my get-away from everything around me and it allows my alter ego to come out that most people are not able to see.”

Currently in his sixth year of playing soccer, Manny has been appointed the position of captain of the Varsity Soccer team, a position that he takes very seriously. “Being the senior captain,” he said, “I have to always perform my best so my fellow teammates can pick up on my work ethic and … work harder too.” Manny describes the realization that all his teammates are working hard as “the best feeling in the world.”

The team demonstrated this early December when they went to Camp Goalz in San Diego and also during the game following their training at camp, a moment Manny describes as one of his proudest.

Furthermore, seeing as “[soccer] has become such a routine” for Manny, there’s no doubt it will serve as a prominent part of his life in his future, just as it has in the past and still does in the present. In fact, Manny’s plans for college include playing soccer for Pasadena City College, which he plans to attend for a year, and USC, where he hopes to transfer to in hopes of majoring in sports medicine. rliu@apachepowwow.com

January 2010

Myles admits, “but as the season goes on, we’re improving week by week.”

Similar to the first few days with the new assistant coach, the first few games can be described as rough. The Girls Varsity Soccer team lost their first two games against Hart High School and La Salle High School, though not by a large margin. However, the team won the following three games facing South Hills, Pasadena, and Hoover High School respectively by at least two points each match. In fact, the final score for the game of Dec. 16 against Hoover High School was 5-1. And not to mention, two days prior to that game, when facing Pasadena High School, AHS’s soccer team was able to prevent PHS from scoring a single point while scoring two points of their own.

With the promising new assistant coach to compliment the promising new year, the prospects for the remaining part of the season for Girls Varsity Photos by MAURICE IP Soccer could hardly From left to right: sophomore Hayley Greep sprints ahead to be brighter.

he could. “I don’t see him as an assistant. Everything we do, we do together. We make decisions together. He’s made my job easier this year by just being able to be here. He is someone I can trust and [he makes] the girls improve their skills even in my absence,” Coach Myles commented. He also added that he is “thrilled to have him [there] coaching.”

As the season commences, the overall season has improved as well as — and possibly because of — the coaching. “We’ve had a lot of injuries [and] some minor setbacks,” Coach

The new season has brought with it a few changes for the Arcadia Girls Varsity Soccer team. It’s normal for most teams to have a couple of new players every year, but in addition to welcoming new players this year, the soccer team has also welcomed a brand new assistant coach.

Receiving Carlos Guererro, the new assistant coach, was a bit “rough” at first, as observed by Coach Paul Myles. Being new to the team, Assistant Coach Guererro had to go through a couple of difficulties in order to set his tone and expectations for the girls. Fortunately, as of Jan. 8, Coach Myles believes, “[The girls] respond to him better now and they respect him a lot more.”

Moreover, Assistant Coach Guererro has not only earned himself a respected position on the team, GIRLS SOCCER but benefited the team the ball, junior Vania Robles cuts around her opponent, sophomore Jessica Mueller and fulfilled his duties prepares to launch the ball across the field, and senior Morgan Carpenter guards as assistant coach best the ball from an opposing Muir player.

rliu@apachepowwow.com

Girls Water Polo Struggles to Stay Afloat

By KATHERINE BAY Staff Writer

If a water polo game were scored on a scale of 1-10 based on teamwork, the Girls Varsity Water Polo team would receive 100 points.

However, that is not the case. Their scores are

team played against Poly again, hoping for successful retaliation to be made. Unfortunately, just like their last game, Poly struck again and smashed the team to pieces. This game was slightly better than the last because the Apaches only lost by 5 points instead of 16, ending the game with a score of 6-11.

As the first game of the 2010 year, Western proved to be a tough opponent for the Apaches on Jan. 7. As their losing streak con-

points as they did in the beginning of the season. Their concluding score was 7-15.

Since every little improvement counts, they took their progress to their next game against Connelly. As their strongest game of the season, the team held their heads up high and walked into this tournament feeling pumped and ready to win. The team played their absolute hardest, remembering all of their faults and blunders they have made throughout the course of the season and fixed them prior to the game, ending it with 12-2. Their losses actu-

Photos courtesy of THE ARCADIAN indeed a disappointment as they continue to be defeated game aftinued, it was ter game. As the season comes to no surprise as an end, the team puts their defithe team had cits aside. They had extremely yet another loss, memorable team bonding moGIRLS WATER POLO The Apaches quickly swim ally proved to be helpful in the long run, ments. As long as the team is happy to the ball, get it into their possession, and prepare to and proud, no defeat can change that. teaching the girls that winning is not repass it to a fellow teammate.

Senior Nancy Pulciano said, “I am ally everything. Although the Girls Varlooking forward to the friendships only pos- with a score of 1-14. Nancy then said, “Even sity Water Polo team took a little longer than sible to have with those who love the water.” though our success in winning is not so high, it usual to get back on track and roll with the The girls’ water polo season began on does not matter because the bond our team has punches, they have shown that improving does Dec. 3 against Poly Tech. Eager to test out the is a success.” The next day, the team traveled not necessarily always mean instantly turning a waters, they started off pretty rough. With a fi- to Garden Grove for their second tournament losing game into a winning game. nal score of 4-20, the girls definitely had some of the season. Although they lost to them, they improvements to be made. A week later, the improved because they did not lose by as many kbay@apachepowwow.com

SPORTS

21 Boys Basketball Shows Improvement From Last Year

January 2010

apachepowwow.com

By ANDREW LIN Staff Writer

While the rest of us were probably in bed, vegetating over winter break, the Boys Varsity Basketball team was out doing work.

The day after Christmas, mas, the team participated in the first round of the La Salle/Temple City Holiday Classic tournament and quickly defeated the St. Paul Swordsmen in a tidy 78-52. According to Coach Jay Ryan, winning the game rested ested on their ability to play “up-tempo.” mpo.” He explained, “We are probably the smallest team am in league, so we havee to really be scrappy,, play fundamental de-fense and be in great at rebounding position to make up for our lack ck of height.” As the team m proceeded through the tourournament, however, they ey fell short of a victory y in their games against st Keppel, 73-75, and nd Temple City, 60-66.

But the La Salle/Temple City Holiday Classicc was for practice anyway—when when the season began with their heir game

against Hoover, the Apaches won 68-67 and set a precedent for the rest of the year. “The game against Hoover was one that tested us on our execution of plays down the stretch,” said senior Ashiq Syed. “Being down 64-68 with 30 seconds left in the game is not exactly a position we wanted to be in, but we came out of a timeout determined to fintimeo ish ooff the game. And Kiran [Koneru] carried us to the [Kon win with a quick two wi aand then followed up a ddefensive stop with a three-point play to seal th tthe game.”

The team, howeever, will not always be able to count on a last minute miracle play las from junior Kiran Koneru.

Coach Ryan expressed his Coa concern over the events of conce Hoover game when he said, the Hoove “Our lack oof focus was evident in game. We drifted and we the Hoover ga didn’t defend well or share the basketball well and struggled the rest of the game.”

On Jan. 8, the Apaches squared off We tried and came up against Pasadena. W According to Coach Ryan, short 33-70. Accord

“They dictated the game offensively and dictated the he game defensively.

They spanked us, up and down the court.”

The majority rity of the team struggled as no single le person scored more than five points each, the lone exception being sophomore ophomore Taylor Lagace,, who scored 12 points. ts.

And so armed rmed with the lessons ssons they learned from om the Pasadena game, e, the Apaches stomped mped Burbank 78-62 2 on Jan. 11. Looking king back on the game, senior nior Captain Franky Yan reeflected, “Burbank iss known for being a physical, talented team m that brings nothing but competitiveness on the court, so it was a big g win for us to show them that hat we’re just as talented, if not more.”

On Jan. 13, the Apache Boys Basketball ball journeyed to Burbank and played John Burroughs onn its own turf.

We fought and d played hard,

but in th the end Burroughs scored a couple we did not, and the game ended in where w excruciatingly narrow 66-65. As Coach an excru said, “Our lack of consistency has reRyan said ally hurt us the last couple of weeks. We come out and played some really have com games and then have outings where good gam we have llost focus. If we can remedy that together as a team, we have a chance and play to to compete for a playoff spot this year.”

But time tim with the team isn’t all reviewing game plays and training in the weight Franky Yan then went on to describe room. Fran particularly fond memory, “We went to a particula UCSB to aattend a basketball camp, and there were teams from all across the United States, as well as Europe. Being in Santa Barbara put us in a beachy, relaxed surroundnot only pu also allowed us to bond off court. ing, but al we would go out and have team At night w dinners at local restaurants, and afterwards some of us would go shopping at State Street enjoy meeting ‘fee-fee’s,’ which is the or just enjo team’s term for attractive females. One of funniest moments was when one of our the funnies met a fine lady who was about to coaches m give him hher number, but our team swarmed her and so pprevented her from giving him her number.” alin@apachepowwow.com Photos by ELLIOTT LEE

Girls Basketball Dribbles Circles Around Opponents

By KATHERINE BAY Staff Writer

Back stronger than ever, the Girls Varsity Basketball team is ready to bounce back for another great season. Although it has been a very inconsistent season thus far, with an overall record of 5-7, the team has spunk and initiative, which are definite characteristics that a team needs to have in order to be successful. Their potential to be great will hopefully lead them to success.

Junior Danielle Lee said, “I look forward to bonding with my teammates and having a successful season to make it a memorable one for the seniors.”

The Girls Varsity Basketball team started off their first game of the season against Glendora on Dec. 2. At first, they began the game with a rocky start, as they strived to succeed. With a final score of 36-43, the team took this loss as a reality check, and began reevaluating their drawbacks that they had throughout the tough game.

With that, they learned from their mistakes and took their corrections to the next game against Cypress one week later. They dominated, beating the team by a whopping 11 points, ending the game with 52-41.

During one of their Arroyo Tournaments, they played against Downey on Dec. 15. Their winning streak continued

as they beat them with a score of 52-42.

Two days later, Notre Dame was their next opponent. Ending too soon, their time of victory ceased when the team had a brutal loss of 23 points with a final score of 29-52. The Girls Varsity Basketball team’s recuperation did not take its effect in time for its next game against Glendora again two days later.

On Dec. 19, the girls had yet another game against Glendora, hoping to attempt to take back the victory that was rightfully theirs to begin with. Unfortunately, their effort to beat them failed when they lost again, 33-56.

The team then trudged their way to Arroyo High to play against one of their easier opponents. With a final score of 4437, the Apaches were deemed successful again. This win was a great holiday present for the team. By this time in the season, it was apparent that the team had become quite inconsistent from win to loss to win.

La Salle was their next competitor on Dec. 28. This home game was very close, as the two teams were practically neck in neck. The Apaches lost by just a smidge with a score of 46-48. This frustrating loss hit them hard, and they struggled to focus on remaining more consistent with their playing.

Canyon was the team’s toughest competitor yet because they walked into the game full of confidence and left with their

biggest loss yet. With a total score of 39-67, the team took this loss as another learning experience to help themselves for future competitors like Canyon.

The following day on Dec. 30, the team traveled to Sun Valley, CA to compete against Village Christian. Even though they were playing in an unfamiliar environment, they seemed to have pulled off a great game with a score of 56-17. The team then scored 39-59 against Alhambra and 45-29 against Hoover.

Their game against Pasadena was another slim, intense game, with a score of 50-52, but “even though we ended up losing by only two points, I really felt like everyone on the team worked hard and my teammates were all cheering for each other on and off the court,” said junior Giselle Hillier. Their game against Burbank was another disappointing loss, with a score of 39-40.

The Lady Apaches continued their losing streak, suffering a 33-73 loss to Burroughs on Jan. 13. However, with these kinds of scores, the Girls Varsity Basketball team can only look forward to improvment.

Photos by ELLIOTT LEE

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Senior Madyson Cassidy, junior Danielle Lee, and junior Giselle kbay@apachepowwow.com Hillier take turns driving the ball into the hoop.

22

CALENDAR

January Word J U MB LE

apachepowwow.com

The True Meaning of Dead Week

By BEVERLY CHEN

Directions: Unscramble the given letters and write the answer in the boxes right below it. Then using the letters in the circles, unscramble the word for the solution of the puzzle. The answers are all words that have some relation to the month of January.

Pache’mon Adventures–Episode 4

By BEVERLY CHEN

123456789 Sudoku Check your answers at apachepowwow.com

Courtesy of WEBSUDOKU.COM

January 2010

January 2010

apachepowwow.com

CALENDAR

You Snooze, You Lose

Fitness Failure

By CHERRY MO

By CHERRY MO

23

Bean Sprouts: Even Meat-lovers Won’t Miss the Meat for Chinese places) and my jaw just drops at the size First Ave. and Huntington Drive.

Bean Sprouts is a traditional Chinese-style of the bowl, which is easily two times the size of my restaurant, but with a meat-free twist. Consisting of face. Looking at the dish alone, I would never have Staff Writer imitation meat replacements, the dishes are all for thought that it was beef-free. The salty and meaty Cheers to a new year, lower Westsiders; Glut- vegetarians. The inside area of this restaurant is not taste of regular beef noodle soups is thoroughly inton Girl here, back from a relaxing and rejuvenating particularly generous, given the fact that there are corporated into each mouth-watering bite. Apart from break. My resolution this year is to scour the streets only about a dozen or fewer tables. The décor the firm noodles, I especially like the crunchy bean sprouts and of Arcadia to find the best elite restaurants around consists of a small waterfall near the enpickled cabbage (it’s not town. But enough about me. With the new year just trance to the restroom and a sort of a starting, many of you are still trying to keep up with mini-bar off to the side. There was as weird as it sounds).

The only complaint I your new year’s resolutions—whether it be to get no wait time as I arrived rather straight A’s, early in the evening. have with this dish Throughout my meal, is that even though get into a the “beef” chunks good colthere were about two lege, or other customers, so mimick the texture of real beef, the even lose a there is no need to taste is still a quite a few pounds. worry about waiting What kind time or a noisy atmobit off. I can’t say the sphere. On the contrary, same for the Dan Dan of friend would I be the homely ambiance makes Rice dish though. It’s basically a plate of white rice if I suggesteating there a cozy experience. smothered with a layer ed a restauI order a simple Photo by GLUTTON GIRL of seasoned ground rant that noodle soup with vegserves food etarian beef flavor rec- GOT RICE? The Dan Dan Rice “beef” with a side packed with ommended by my veg- dish features white rice smothered helping of steamed etarian friend for normal vegetables. I take a carbs and Photo by GLUTTON GIRL meat-eaters like me. with a healthy portion of “beef.” bite of the rice and imifat? That’s why I chose SIMPLE YET MODERN Other items on the menu are typical Asian tation meat—and for all those carnivores out there, a vegetar- Customers enjoy dining in a clean dishes that can be found at classic Asian ca- it’s almost identical to real meat: mad props to Bean ian café for fes or at local Chinese joints, such as Udon Sprouts on knowing how to imitate meat exceptionand friendly atmosphere. this time of Noodle Soup or Taiwanese Chow Mein. I ally well. I really can’t tell the difference between year. Keeping away from meats is actually very ben- would say that the prices are just reasonably moder- this and an identical dish with real meat. eficial for your health and for your wallet. Spotted! ate; the dishes range from $6 to $8. My food arrives I must applaud Bean Sprouts for the vegetarian T arrives at Bean Sprouts, located on the corner of within a few minutes (unusually fast in my standards experience they provided (although it felt nothing

By GLUTTON GIRL

like one). After eating there, I can honestly say, from a meat-eater’s point of view, that the vegetarian lifestyle wouldn’t actually be too hard if I could just eat dishes like these. So for all you vegetarians out there, I would highly recommend this small Asian eatery for all your herbivore needs. And for all the rest of you, I would equally recommend Bean Sprouts for a delectable meal! And who am I? That’s a secret I’ll never tell! You know you love me, XOXO, Glutton Girl gluttongirl@apachepowwow.com

Photo by GLUTTON GIRL

I CAN’T BELIEVE IT’S NOT BEEF The beef noodle soup comes with chunks of imitation beef, cabbage, and bean sprouts.

24

CAMPUS FOCUS

apachepowwow.com

f turning of is ls a in f r o f y preparing ing a nerd o it t v y in e , k o e o h V “T class nd oo , AIM, a rizing all that your k o o b e c a F a to and summ Also, treat yourself , r e v o d n r. frie ss his semeste ; it makes the proce t d e r e v o c g has hile studyin ble.” w s k c a n s a some more enjoy Jacqueline Xu, 11 d n a s u io d less te

isten to l y l l a u s p “I u e and po v i t a n r e t al hich is a er) w ( c i s u m ss-reliev e r t s r o j ma lly cram a t o t e l i wh ming!” dwards, 9 - Clint E ““T Too helpp me studyy better, I would invite a bunch of friends over and have a studyy gr g oup. p Then aftf er a hard day off studyyingg, I would roast marshmallows in myy backyyard.”

- Ivana Ro, 10

“Something h that helps me prepare better for finals is that I rewrite the text in my own words and study off that.”

- Artine Arzani, 10

sts or big te f e r a p e “ To pr I study in my , or finals is is the best way sleep. Th very night I e o because en long hours t v put in se study.” Hang, 12 - Calvin

““It's It's hard to make studying y g fun so I wouldd tryy to do somethingg ffun un while studying, sttudying, y g like listeningg to myy iPod!” -Rayla Hylbom, 12

o ssible t io p s a f w “ If it tudying for ave s h make n, I would d n nals fu oke party a ea kara y study mat sing m th friends.” arial wi in Maddel - Jazm 9 Chan,

Photos by ELLIOTT LEE and ALWYNA LAU and Graphics by ALWYNA LAU and courtesy of THEGEMINIWEB.com, ARTISTROSTER.com, and WIKIPEDIA.COM

January 2010

I elax and two r I , s l a in t t before f , shower at leas h g i n e h A p, “T lay DOT get plenty of slee g p y l l a u s u , by havin feel fresh times to with my brother u-gi-oh!

Y t hang ou hts and playing den’s advice of n pillow fig d take Mr. Mo makes you feel t cards, an olonge because i because you c wearing xed taking a test ll good and e a more rel ent that you sm d feel confi some. “ d feel han iem, 11 L -Daniel