February 2018

Volume 65, Issue 6

February 2018

Arcadia High School 180 Campus Drive, Arcadia, CA

THE APACHE

The World Is Our Campus

Letter from the Editors: February is a time of finding strength through love. Whether that love be romantic, platonic, or familial, we hope that you can grow from receiving it.

Amber, Kaitlyn, and Julia

sadies returns to Arcadia

BLAST TO THE PAST Students attend an after school decorating opportunity to win points for their classes and prepare AHS for Super Week and Sadies.

By JEREMY DU AND CYNTHIA LIN Staff Writer

Many of us at AHS are familiar with the annual school dances: Homecoming, Spring Fling, and Prom.

In actuality, there is another school dance that occurs in place of the Spring Fling dance once every four years—Sadie Hawkins, also known as Sadies. However, this school year has broken this pattern, as Sadies has made a comeback two years early!

Graphic courtesy of YOUTUBE.COM

NEWS pg. 2 Youtube’s New Policies: With constant content uploaded to the site, moderators call for additional regulations.

ASB ICC President junior Matthew Chen explained that “this year, ASB will be hosting a Sadies with the theme ‘Blast to the Past.’ Essentially, it encompasses all previous decades ranging from the 50’s to the 90’s. Leading up to the dance, ASB will be hosting a Super Week to enthuse students and provide opportunities to show their school spirit.”

When asked about why Sadies is occurring earlier than usual this year, he shared that “the previous Sadies generated a lot of excitement and spirit from the whole campus,” leading ASB to host it again.

OPINION pg. 5 Should DACA be preserved?: DACA is a point of contention for many, with solid cases both for and against.

YES: “Currently, there are about 800,000 young undocumented immigrants who are in the program...They all have dreams and ambitions like any American kid.”

NO: “DACA will bring government benefits and welfare to these immigrants, which places a burden on tax-paying citizens.”

ASB Senior Class Treasurer Stephanie Yen explained similarly that, “Sadies has just been more popular and it has higher attendance than Spring Fling, so we thought that people would enjoy this dance for this year even if we weren’t technically supposed to have it.”

The introduction of Super Week to Sadies this year sets it apart from previous AHS Sadies dances.

Super Week, a new version of the traditional Spirit Week, is set to occur the week of the dance. It will feature competition between the grade levels, with a point system

to determine the winning class.

There are three ways for students to help their class gain points. The first way is to attend decorating sessions for their respective class, where they will work with their peers to personalize the part of the school campus the class was designated.

The second way is by participating in lunch spirit activities, where classes can score up to 80 points.

Lastly, dressing up for each themed day of Super Week and posting photos on Instagram Stories can allow students to help their class gain additional points. The winning class will gain additional funding for a future bonding event!

Sophomore Kitty Chien noted that the “Blast to the Past” dance theme “really speaks to [her] because it’s retro and something different from current societal life.

The upcoming Sadies dance is “one of the few opportunities [that she and her friends] can experience at school while having fun.”

Junior Sean Ye exclaimed, “I just absolutely love it...The decades theme is a game changer.”

Senior Shawn Lin expressed that he enjoyed the themes, as they are “broad enough to provide students with diverse and creative outfits, but also specific enough to have distinction between each costume.”

Make the best of your school year by participating in Super Week and attending Sadies! Show off your class pride and join in on the festivities that ASB has to offer.

Whether you go alone, with a partner, or with a group of friends, the event is bound to be a lot of fun. jdu@apachepowwow.net clin@apachepowwow.net Photos by JULIA LIN and KAITLYN LIAO

Also in this issue:

Graphic courtesy of TRENDOLIZER.COM

CALENDAR pg. 18 Disneyland’s Additions: In 2018 and 2019, California Adventure will feature new changes, such as Pixar Pier.

STUDENT LIFE pg. 8-9 Dealing with Rejection: While rejections come with disappointment, they also serve to strengthen one’s mentality.

PERFORMING ARTS pg. 14-15 Orchestra Benefit Dinner: Students and staff met to host the 24th annual event full of food and live entertainment.

ACADEMICS pg. 16-17 Exchange Students: French and Chinese exchange students visited campus to observe and participate in class activities.

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February 2018

2018 State of the Union Address “This in fact is our new American moment. There has never been a better time to start living the American Dream...if you work hard, if you believe in yourself if you believe in America, then you can dream anything, you can be anything, and together, we can achieve anything.”

,

-President Donald Trump

By ALYSSA RAVE Staff Writer

On Jan. 28, President Trump delivered his first State of the Union address to Congress. The uniform speech was roughly an hour and 20 minutes, recapping what he had done in office and his plans for the next 12 months.

President Trump opened his speech by addressing his audience and referencing his slogan, “Make America great again.” He first recounted headlines that had occurred during his time in office, touching on how “strangers shielded strangers from a hail of gunfire on the Las Vegas Strip” and how Americans had helped each other in the “aftermath of a devastating hurricane.”

After citing some heroic names that joined him for his speech, President Trump began reporting what he had done in his first year, reviewing the policies he had put in place and his fulfilled promises. Among the discussed subjects, President Trump reported he had created “2.4 million jobs,” oversaw the stock market gaining “$8 trillion in value,” “repealed the core of” the Affordable Care Act, and helped “unemployment claims” reach a “45-year low.”

Some main points during the first portion of the speech included the large tax cuts coming into effect and how he “eliminated more regulations in [his] first year than any administration in history.”

Taking time to outline the actions taken about climate change and what the tax reform bill meant for the American people, President Trump made his first proposition around 40 minutes into the address.

For the second portion of the address, The President requested Congress raise “at least $1.5 trillion” for an investment to better the country’s infrastructure. In addition to the funding request, President Trump also encouraged Congress to back his immigration regulations. His views on immigration have been an extremely controversial part of his presidency, including his stance on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, known as DACA. In regards to the economy, President Trump proclaimed that “the state of [the] Union is strong,” and credited the American people for its triumph.

Although the Russia investigation was not mentioned, plans for solidifying international affairs were. The President hopes to soon “modernize and rebuild [the] nuclear arsenal” to “deter any acts of aggression,” as well as eliminate the terror of ISIS. Despite focusing on covering his personal successes in office, President Trump did take the time to acknowledge the continuous struggles of “everyone still recovering in Texas, Florida, Louisiana, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, California, and everywhere else,” stating that his administration is working so that they may “pull through together.”

The next State of the Union speech will be broadcasted next January. arave@apachepowwow.net Photo courtesy of C-SPAN.ORG Graphics courtesy of CNN.COM

By ROSELIND ZENG Staff Writer

YouTube, undoubtedly one of the largest and most influential video platforms on the Internet, is now creating new policies to discourage its content creators from uploading controversial content onto the site. This shift comes as no surprise after vlogger Logan Paul documented his distasteful discovery of a corpse in Japan’s suicide forest on his channel in December 2017.

Now under close examination from advertisers as well as the general public, the website has resorted to a temporary fix through algorithms, which aim to single out content that is not “advertiser-friendly” and decrease revenue on said videos as a deterrent for creators. However, many top YouTube personalities have spoken out about the faults they have found within this system—how their content has been falsely flagged, and their incomes are suffering immensely as a result.

As frustration washes over, the words “demonetization” and “ad-pocalypse” are on the tips of many tongues. In order to remedy the yellow demonetization icon, YouTubers must resort to making appeals on each individual flagged piece. Yet, the appeals are then handed off to more machines and algorithms. This leads to the issue of whether content creators are willing to conform and give up some parts of their free speech, just for the sake of paying their bills.

This scenario comes as a result of the two separate “ad-pocalypses”. During the first phase, terrorist groups took advantage of the large amounts of Internet traffic on the site to promote terror-related videos to the public. In the second incident, YouTuber Felix

‘PewDiePie’ Kjellberg created an anti-Semitic satire video by hiring men through Fiverr to hold up offensive signs. In response, many of the large enterprises who depended on YouTube as an advertisement opportunity have backed out, as they were unwilling to have any correlation between their brand and unsavory content.

In the meantime, YouTube’s Chief Executive, Susan Wojcicki, has confirmed in a blog post that she wants to “strengthen the trust that [the] community places in YouTube through open and frequent communication.” YouTuber John “Totalbiscuit” Bain broke down the situation, pointing out the crucial underlying problem: YouTube has “an unholy amount of video uploaded to their service every minute. They don’t have enough people to monitor all of it, and they have no interest in monitoring all of it… so the solution is, ‘Let’s get a machine to do it.’” Bain’s solution is the same as Wojcicki’s: an agreement on the transparency between the platform and its users.

Wojcicki’s vague comments added further tension to an already intense situation, for those whose livelihoods are on the line. However, she included information about how the company is “working on a more accurate solution” involving more human moderators to review videos. Lastly, she wanted to reiterate the importance of having “policies in place that allow [YouTube] to respond appropriately.” rzeng@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of APPNAMA.COM and REDBUBBLE.COM

February 2018

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s t a f f Editors

By CHRISTINE LAW Staff Writer

Every year, North Korea convenes a parade to celebrate the anniversary of its military’s founding. For the last 40 years, the country held this celebration on April 25. However, North Korea’s state news agency Korean Central News Agency announced that this year’s date was changed to Feb. 8 to mark the 70th anniversary of North Korea’s military establishment, which was created on Feb. 8, 1948. This is significant as it took place one day before the 2018 Winter Olympics at PyeongChang, South Korea. Athletes participating in the Olympics also attended its opening ceremony on Feb. 9.

The Winter Olympics, or PyeongChang 2018, will host athletes from countries all over the world. This includes Australia, Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, the U.S., and more. North Korea’s acceptance of their Olympics invitation is surprising to many as it had last rejected the opportunity to attend the last Olympics in South Korea 30 years ago.

Furthermore, North Korea’s agreement of attendance to the Winter Olympics indicates that communication between the two Koreas occurred, which had been strained in the past.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un announced the country’s attendance at the 2018 Winter Olympics in his new year speech, which many saw as an attempt to mend diplomatic tensions. South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in also proposed closer relations with North

Korea by having the same Korean flag during the Olympics and by forming a female hockey team comprised of athletes from both countries.

However, with Pyongyang’s military parade, many fear North Korea’s underlying motives. Reports from an analyst group, 38 North, surfaced and revealed that North Korea’s parade would be a large-scale one as about 12,000 troops were gathered at a parade training facility. Usually, it displays its troop, missiles, and other military weapons during the parade.

Some also believe North Korea’s date change for its military parade is politically motivated. Professor of Busan University Robert Kelly voiced his opinions that “even though South Korea can have all these foreigners come to its country, this big peaceful exciting event with all this global attention—you know everybody still has to pay attention” to the North.

Many officials have also voiced their opposition to North Korea’s actions. U.S. Secretary of State Steve Goldstein commented, “We would prefer that this parade not occur. The Olympic Games are about the athletes and nothing should be occurring which interfere with that.” Even so, North Korea showed no signs of withdrawal in its actions.

Editors-in-Chief News Editors Opinion Editors Performing Arts Editors Student Life Editors Features Editors Sports Editors Academics Editors Center Spread Editor Calendar Editor Campus Focus Editor Photography Editors Webmaster Design Editors Advertisement Editor

Writers

News Staff

Opinion Staff

Performing Arts Staff

Student Life Staff

Features Staff

claw@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of FLEAGOR.COM and ROMANREADS.COM Sports Staff Academics Staff Calendar Staff

By CYNTHIA LIN Staff Writer

Amazon, along with two other large companies, JP Morgan and Berkshire Hathaway, recently announced its plan to start a healthcare firm. Its aim is to provide healthcare at a reasonable cost and also to extend this plan not only to its employees and their families but to all Americans as well.

The new healthcare firm promises no profit-making incentives and provides a reasonable price. In this way, it will be able to provide affordable healthcare to their employees and eventually all Americans if all goes well. The companies wish to boast a healthcare program in which technology will be utilized to predict and diagnose disease and disorders. Furthermore, they wish to introduce a healthcare data book in which patient medical histories and personalized data will be available easily at any given time. However, many are cautious that this may allow Amazon to disrupt healthcare programs like how it has affected retail stores. JP Morgan, Berkshire Hathaway, and Amazon are the three largest private employers in the U.S. with over 500,000 staff members. To assure the public, the three firms stated that they

would provide a “simplified, high-quality and transparent healthcare”. To further assure the public, chairman and chief executive of JP Morgan Chase Jamie Dimon stated that “Our people want transparency, knowledge, and control when it comes to managing their healthcare,” and that their “goal is to create solutions that benefit U.S. employees, their families and, potentially, all Americans.”

However, when revealing to the world that they were about to form their own health industry, stocks of the healthcare industry fell as predicted.

Furthermore, many are skeptical because this concept of ‘disrupting’ the healthcare industry is not new— several companies have tried this before but have ultimately failed in the end. So how do the actions of three extremely large firms affect us, the people? Due to the three companies venturing into the healthcare sector of America, cost of medical insurance policies could increase by 25% this year and double by 2016 according to the U.S. Congressional Budget Office. clin@apachepowwow.net Graphic courtesy of MILLIMAN.COM

Amber Chong, Kaitlyn Liao, and Julia Lin Vivian Kwang and Kristen Tran Reiko Inoue and Maggie Wong Frances Cheung and Jocelyn Liao Brandon Chen and Paul Lee Camille Marquez and Veronica Yu Collin Gaja and Andrew Muliadi Tiffany Liang and Sarah Wang Andrea Liu Trinity Chhay and Maruko Myint Andrew Wang Kristen Chan Elyse Yao Sandi Khine and Christy Qiu Tiffany Chen

Campus Focus Staff Center Spread Staff Design Staff

Adviser

Aaron Chan, Emily Chen, Crystal Chin, Jeremy Du, Michelle Lee, Moriah Chang, Nathan Guo, Jocelyn Hu, Conner Hua, Martha Kelly, Christine Law, Kaitlin Lee, Michelle Lee, Justin Liao, Cynthia Lin, Noelle Natividad, Alyssa Rave, Kaitlyn Tran, Cindy Tse, Rachel Lee, Anabell Xu, Roselind Zeng Sage Guzman, Martha Kelley, Kaitlin Lee, Michelle Lee, Tanya Lee, Margaret Lin, Kayli Mak, Noelle Natividad, Rukan Saif, Natalie Samadi, Nicole Soong, Cammie Wei, Braden Wong, Anabell Xu Sage Guzman, Ashley Lee, Tanya Lee, Margaret Lin, Jasmine Oang, Rukan Saif, Kali Tam, Tracy Xia Justin Chen, Cassidy Chhay, Jeremy Du, Ashley Lee, Michelle Lee, Cynthia Lin, Ariana Parizadeh, Ian Sutliff, Braden Wong Moriah Chang, Nathan Guo, Grace Hong, Jocelyn Hu, Kaitlin Lee, Ashley Lee, Justin Liao, Noelle Natividad, Ganga Prasanth, Alyssa Rave, Natalie Samadi, Nicole Soong, Cindy Tse, Elaine Vuong, Christie Wang, Caitlin Wang, Bradford Yau, Kobe Yu Justin Chen, Justin Cun, Martha Kelley, Jasmine Oang, Ian Sutliff, Christie Wang, Bradford Yau, Ben Yeh Josie Chen, Jolene Huey, Kayli Mak, Ariana Parizadeh, Ganga Prasanth, Ian Sutliff, Roselind Zeng Justin Chen, Josie Chen, Emily Chen, Shu Min Chen, Cassidy Chhay, Jocelyn Chin, Crystal Chin, Jeremy Du, Ryan Fann, Grace Hong, Jolene Huey, Christine Law, Rachel Lee, Tanya Lee, Margaret Lin, Cynthia Lin, Jasmine Oang, Jenny Qiu, Alyssa Rave, Natalie Samadi, Nicole Soong, Kali Tam, Jocelyn Thao, Kaitlyn Tran, Caitlin Wang, Christie Wang, Tracy Xia, Roselind Zeng Justin Cun Conner Hua Shu Min Chen, Josie Chen, Tiffany Chen, Crystal Chin, Ryan Fann, Grace Hong, Jocelyn Hu, Conner Hua, Kaitlyn Tran, Martha Kelley, Ariana Parizadeh, Kali Tam, Caitlin Wang Aaron Chan, Emily Chen, Justin Chen, Cassidy Chhay, Jocelyn Chin, Ganga Prasanth, Jenny Qiu, Natalie Samadi, Nicole Soong, Kali Tam, Jocelyn Thao, Elaine Vuong, Cammie Wei, Tracy Xia, Kobe Yu Mrs. Lee

Publication Information: The Apache Pow Wow is a student publication distributed monthly throughout the school year. The paper has been continuously published since Arcadia High School opened in 1952. Unsigned articles appearing on the opinion page reflect the opinion of The Apache Pow Wow editorial board. A student’s work does not represent the views of Arcadia High School or the Arcadia Unified School District. Address letters to the editor to: The Apache Pow Wow, 180 W. Campus Drive, Arcadia, CA 91007. To place an advertisement in the newspaper, email ads.powwow@gmail.com. Advertisement rates vary from $25 for a side strip advertisement to $100 for a full-page advertisement, with square, popup, and advertisement insert options available.

Photo courtesy of EARTHPORM.COM

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February 2018

what is

LOVE?

By MARGARET LIN Staff Writer

Recently, a line spoken by the character Ambra Vidal from Dan Brown’s Origin (which everyone needs to read) keeps popping into my head: “Love is a private thing. The world does not need to know.” Maybe because it’s around Valentine’s Day, but there seem to be more people posting about their relationships on social media. Couples who normally stay off social media suddenly decide to post pictures of themselves, and people who normally gush about their partners all the time…gush even more. Not that there’s anything wrong with wanting to show appreciation for someone one is involved with, especially given the time of year, but I often wonder why people take their relationships to social media.

Of course, most people probably post about their relationships because they wish to celebrate and commemorate them or they genuinely want to let the world know what a wonderful person their partner is. However, given that one is thanking a person they hold dear to their heart, one would expect that it be done privately. There’s no need to broadcast it to several hundred people in addition to that one person. In posting thanks for the world to see, the intimacy in the act is essentially stripped away, as everyone also has access to it. In addition, letting everyone see something that’s supposed to be intimate dilutes the specialness of it because it’s no longer something exclusive to a single person.

One can’t help but sometimes think that people who post about their relationships do it to flaunt them, even if they do so subconsciously. Think of it this way: one would expect that people would want to keep their intimate relationships… well, intimate, right? By definition, intimate means private and personal. Social media, on the other hand, serves as a platform for people to share information. Once a relationship is brought to social media, it’s meant to be viewed by the public and is no longer private.

This subconscious attention-seeking behavior is not restricted to romantic relationships.

Many of us have probably seen people thanking their parents on Mother’s or Father’s Day, their grandparents on their grandparents’ birthdays, or close friends on social media. The first two instances are a little nonsensical because in any other social media platform aside from Facebook, the chances that older social media users will see the post drop dramatically. Thus, there’s no point in thanking older relatives on social media, given they probably won’t see it, so one is essentially thanking thin air. The latter is more reasonable, as many people our age use more than one social media platform, but as mentioned before, letting others butt in on what could otherwise be a meaningful exchange between two people in a close relationship takes away the specialness of it.

Intimacy is special in that it’s meant to be personal. In this day and age where people have an urge to alert the world to anything special in their possession, intimacy is something that cannot be shared. When others are allowed in an intimate relationship of any kind, the intimacy of it is dissolved, the way an inside joke is no longer an inside joke once explained. Intimacy can’t be confirmed through the validation of others; the only way intimacy can develop is through the strengthening of personal connections with the people we’re close with or have yet to be. mlin@apachepowwow.net Graphic courtesy of DAFONT.COM and GOALCAST.COM

By KAYLI MAK Staff Writer

The concept of love is no simple thing. At least, that’s what it’s become. After decades of sappy movies, romantic fairy tales, slightly overdone love songs, and the resulting expectations of splashy love, people have created this unrealistic fantasy, thinking that all of their dreams will come true the moment they find true love.

What do you think of when you think of “love”? Handsome knights with British accents riding clean white horses through thorny forests? Moonlit makeout sessions among prickly pine cones?

Or, do you imagine the classic high school confession? A teenager approaches another teenager with the sole intention of professing their undying love. Rather, like many people, do you consider love “too complicated to explain”?

Is that what love is?

No. That is an illusion.

So, what is love?

Does it really have to be so difficult to explain?

Perhaps people are overthinking what is really an inherent aspect of the human existence: emotional attachment.

Love is affection. It’s fondness. The word “love” alone doesn’t necessarily imply the involvement of melodramatic sighs of longing or clutching despairingly at your chest as your crush walks by in the hallway. Pop culture and our inner desires have built this delusion around a simple word.

It is no longer just a feeling or something that binds people. It’s a discordant mixture of feelings and impractical romantic scenarios played out in the daydreaming minds of hormonal teenagers.

With all the buzz surrounding Valentine’s Day, the concept of love seems to be infectious.

Everyone wants a piece of it. The situation has come to the point that I can’t read a chapter of my biology textbook without being disturbed by couples doing rather unsavory things in public. What was supposed to be my academic high school experience is being overrun by an infestation of people trying to chase “love” to, well, the other side of campus.

I’m sure that on some level, we realize that all those scenarios that we dream about are somewhat starry-eyed. After all, that understanding is the womb from which all of those relatable memes are birthed. While this may be true, the fantasies that we’ve created about love are not likely to go away. So, even though love is not a package deal containing all of your hopes and dreams, relationships are still a large part of our lives, and we should strive to understand what they really mean to us. kmak@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of VECTEEZY.COM

February 2018

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By NOELLE NATIVIDAD Staff Writer

The saying goes, “Fake it ‘til you make it”, but there’s a step further that no one seems to know. To everyone looking to break barriers, climb mountains, or simply just take a step forward in their journey of self-improvement, I challenge you to “fake it ‘til you become it”.

Amy Cuddy, an American social psychologist, shares in her TED Talk the experiences she’s had with self-actualization. She recounts studies in which positive self-talk has positively influenced the outcomes, and how successful high-achievers are typically optimistic. While everything that she shared is relevant, the most impactful concept in my mind was embodying an alter ego, until it actually weaves itself into the fabric of me.

This confident persona that we can project actually has the capacity to change our personalities, because, let’s face it, as high schoolers, we’ve got a lot of molding and shaping to do

before we become our true selves.

I have always been good at pushing myself. I’ve been competitive where it counts, laid back where it doesn’t, and innately self-motivated to a point where I need very little outside support to get myself going. However, the small hitch in my plan for world domination (that’s a joke, guys), was that I’ve never been good at expressing myself verbally to people. No matter how much I try to shake her, the base of who I am is an introverted, reserved kid. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely adore that part of me, but it tends to get in the way.

Concept: a small, insecure girl with the biggest possible dreams for herself. That’s where the pretending comes in, and it’s the good kind, I promise.

I was in sixth grade when I noticed that I was unnaturally optimistic. It was a sort of coping method that I used so that I could do things I felt were impossible.

Through the years, it progressed, and I started signing up for interviews and joining programs that made me get up in front of people and talk. Slowly, I was beginning to relax when I talked to strangers because of my friendly personality.

I also started noticing that my optimism was the key. I learned that you have to believe

for the best possible outcome to get it, and you have to give your dreams worth before anybody else will even think to. Ever since sixth grade, I have been slowly morphing the more “negative” aspects of who I am. Frankly, I don’t want them, and the only way to slowly phase them out is to overpower them with positive aspects instead.

You are not a solid mass of unchanging emotions and thoughts. You are fluid and changing and nothing about who you are is decided—truthfully it might never be wholly set.

If you don’t like something, change it, and if you want to be more of something, pretend you already are. It’s really not even a matter of getting other people to believe you are something or not; it’s convincing your own self that you already are what you want to be. Take a page from your five-year-old self and stop living in the “real” world. Pretend you already are your best possible self. nnatividad@apachepowwow.net Graphic courtesy of REDBUBBLE.COM

Should DACA be preserved?

Deferred Action of Childhood Arrivals (DACA) was introduced by the Obama administration in 2012 as a temporary measure to protect illegal immigrants brought here as children, the Dreamers, from deportation, and gives its recipients a range of benefits, including being allowed to remain in the country, obtain work permits, and pursue higher education. President Trump ended the program last year and called on Congress to create a replacement. The future of DACA and its Dreamers remains uncertain as leaders debate over the issue.

By KAITLIN LEE

yes Staff Writer

The Trump Administration has begun to abolish DACA, giving Congress only a short amount of time to find a replacement for it.

This rescindment has stirred anger and protest among the program’s supporters, and for a good reason. Dismantling DACA will not only harm the economy but also the futures of DACA recipients, the Dreamers.

First off, undocumented immigrants actually help rather than hurt the economy. According to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, undocumented immigrants contribute $11.6 billion to the U.S. per year. Dreamers greatly help the economy, as nine out of ten recipients of DACA have jobs and are working for U.S. companies such as Microsoft and Apple.

They’re young, meaning that they help mitigate the issue of an aging workforce. And most of all, according to a 2017 study by the Center of American Progress and FWD.com, rescinding DACA would cause a loss of $460.3 billion in the gross domestic budget and cut contributions to Medicare and Social Security by $24.6 billion in over a decade. Therefore, it is clear that if we undo DACA, it will snowball into economic hardship for Americans because of the lack of undocumented immigrants who so greatly help and support our country.

Also, let’s talk about the Dreamers themselves. Currently, there are about 800,000 young undocumented immigrants who are in the pro-

gram, and about 1.7 million more who are eligible to apply. They all have dreams and ambitions like any American kid, and one of the greatest benefits of DACA is that they are more likely to achieve those dreams.

A less tangible but still important benefit of DACA is that it relieves the mental stress many illegal immigrants have because of the fear of being deported and forced to go back to a country that threatens their lives or the language of which they don’t even know. It’s cruel to deport a group of people to their birth countries when usually the main reason they left their countries was to escape a dangerous situation which they had no control or influence over. If the U.S. is supposed to be a country of opportunity, why are we denying opportunity to those who need it most?

Because of its influence on the economy and the lives of so many, repealing DACA would lead to a dramatic and horrible impact on American society. This country benefits from having Dreamers. Of course, it would be great to offer an easier way for illegal immigrants to achieve citizenship, but for now, we must focus on simply supporting the recipients that contribute so much to society with DACA instead of cruelly deporting them to a country where they have no future.

Therefore, in order to keep America great, we need to keep DACA. klee@apachepowwow.net Pictures courtesy of NYTIMES.COM

By MICHELLE LEE

UPDATE: As of Monday, Feb. 26, the Supreme Court required the Trump administration to maintain protections for the Dreamers while legal challenges move forward.

no Staff Writer

When we think about DACA, what usually comes to mind first is that it protects the futures of minors brought to the U.S. illegally by allowing them to get jobs and integrate into society.

There are obvious benefits to the policy. However, the negative aspects of DACA are often overlooked.

The most obvious problem is that the policy itself is illegal. When DACA was officially passed in 2012 by the Obama Administration, it was through executive order, not Congress.

Obama essentially changed immigration policy single-handedly, which directly contradicts the Constitution. According to the Constitution, Congress has complete control over immigration laws, and the president’s authority is delegated by Congress, which rejected the bills proposing the program. Obama contradicted his own statements as well by passing the program. In 2011, he acknowledged that he could not “just bypass Congress and change the law” himself. DACA was unlawfully implemented and is a direct violation of “the supreme law of the land”.

When considering the program, not just the effects it has on immigrants must be taken into consideration, but also the effects it has on existing American citizens and the country.

DACA will bring government benefits and welfare to these immigrants, which places a burden on tax-paying citizens. It is unfair to require

taxpayers to provide for those who are not citizens. The fact remains that even if these minors go to American schools and hold jobs, there is no guarantee that they will become citizens because the program simply does not offer that extension. That is not to say that we should not help these immigrants at all. It is still important to care for those who are seeking better lives in a new country, but putting a strain on existing citizens is not the solution. After all, a government’s duty is to protect its own people as well.

Lastly, but most importantly, is that all these problems will continue to exist unless changes are made. As long as DACA is providing for illegal immigrants, more and more people will be incentivized to enter the U.S. illegally, exacerbating the problems in a neverending cycle. The first step in controlling illegal immigration is to reduce the protection that is offered to these immigrants and instead promote legal ways to attain citizenship.

Despite all the problems inherent to DACA, it is not morally correct to neglect these people. DACA might not be the best way to help them, but there are other ways. President Trump has expressed sympathy for Dreamers and is working on a way to protect minors already in the U.S. while discouraging further illegal immigration. What’s clear now is that our government is working on a solution, one that hopefully benefits both citizens and Dreamers seeking a new life in America. mlee@apachepowwow.net

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By GRACE HONG

February 2018

Staff Writer

We naturally assume that our pets are smart simply because they’re our pets. However, there are some scientific ways to assess pets and determine their intelligence. Read this article for ways to find out just how smart your pet may be.

Dogs: Figuring things out quickly Does your dog seem to always pick up on what you’re saying? Do they always find the treats you’re hiding? If your dog catches on to things quicker than other dogs, this is a sign that your dog is smart.

Learning quickly Have you tried training your dog to do the basic things such as sitting, shaking paws, or rolling over? Did they seem to learn insanely fast? If you find that your dog learns tasks quickly, this is another sign of your dog’s intelligence.

Trying to communicate When dogs want to go outside or need to use the loo, they usually try to communicate with their owners. Whether this be through barking or whining, attempts at communicating with humans are a sure sign that your pet is clever.

Hidden treats If you want to test your dog’s intelligence at home, try getting three plastic cups and placing a treat under one of them. Walk around the cups for a bit to distract them, then stand aside and tell your dog to find the treat. Do they find the treat right away?

Problem-solving Knocking something off a table or prying

open the refrigerator door is not something people usually love about dogs. However, these are signs of your dog having good problem-solving skills.

Cats: Survival skills Would you trust your cat alone at home for a night or a weekend with food, water, and a litter box? If your answer is yes, this means you trust that your cat has strong survival abilities.

Your cat would most likely be able to fend for itself if necessary.

Memory Does your cat always start meowing when it’s time for their meal? Try putting some food under a piece of paper while they’re watching you, and see if they remember the treat is there.

Showing unhappiness Cats generally make it clear when they’re unhappy. When you get them a new rug or change the location of their litter box, do they notice changes? If your cat is prone to changes and shows they notice and are unhappy with them, chances are they are aware of what goes on around them.

Watching a nature show In order to test your cat, try watching a nature show that has birds. Watch to see if your cat watches the birds intently. They are demonstrating that they understand what is being shown on the screen.

Although there aren’t many definitive ways to determine your pet’s intelligence, these give you an idea of how smart your pet is. See if your cat or dog possesses any of these traits or is able to do any of these tests today!

ghong@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of STICKPNG.COM, S3AMAZONAWS.COM, and 1001FONTS.COM

By ALYSSA RAVE

Staff Writer

Presidents’ Day falls on Feb. 19, which is great way to honor past U.S. leaders. The past 44 U.S. presidents have left behind a legacy. Let’s take a look at some of the achievements made by some of the most controversial and beloved presidents, whether they be beneficial or not.

George Washington was, and still is, an American favorite. Despite Washington being unhappy about becoming president, practically everyone begged and rallied for him to take the position. He was a household name for defeating the British, and he is still a household name for serving as the first president of the U.S. Abraham Lincoln, our 16th presidents, is remembered for the Emancipation Proclamation and the Gettysburg Address. Although some regarded him as unfit for presidency, Lincoln ultimately won most of the country over with his speeches. His status in history was further solidified when he became the first president to be assassinated in 1865.

Stephen Grover Cleveland is the man responsible for the slightly incorrect count of presidents. Cleveland served as president during two non-consecutive terms, elected as the 22nd and then the 24th president of the U.S. in the 1800’s. Since he is only one individual, but served as another count for president later in life, some remain distraught over saying there have been 45 presidents in U.S. history,

arguing that Cleveland should only be counted as one.

Harry S. Truman was the 33rd president of the U.S. and is known for making the controversial decision of dropping the atomic bomb on Japan during WWII. However, at that time, his foreign policy was considered a great success with citizens, making him a president that one either loves or hates.

George W. Bush served as the 43rd president and is infamous for declaring war on Afghanistan and Iraq after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Many Americans felt that he did not handle the economy wisely, and disapproved of his administration.

Barack Obama left office as one of the most historic presidents of all time. Besides being the first African American to become elected, Obama made great progress in the quest for equality for all Americans. Obama made healthcare more affordable for the lower class, supported people regardless of gender, ethnicity, or sexual orientation, and focused on creating an accepting environment for all Americans to live in.

These presidents are only a select few of famous Presidential figures. Between the other 48 presidents, there are plenty more famed occurrences. Franklin D. Roosevelt is another prime example of a president that left more than office accomplishments behind. Here’s to the next historical president!

arave@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of CLIPARTPNG.COM, PINTEREST.COM, and 1001FONTS.COM

February 2018

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By KAITLIN LEE

Staff Writer

Every February, the stories and history of African Americans are celebrated, as this month is widely accepted as Black History Month. During this time, stories of influential, powerful, and inspiring African Americans are shared and put in the spotlight. But, exactly how was this month-long holiday created? And why is it celebrated by countries like the U.S. and Canada?

In 1926, a historian named Carter G. Woodson and the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History created a precursor to Black History Month called “Negro History Week”. The second week of February was chosen because it went along with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass.

Initially, the main focus of the event was to put more focus on educating about black Americans and their accomplishments. With the exception of two states, every state celebrated the event and Department of Education officials introduced and popularized it within schools and among teachers.

The week was met with an overwhelmingly positive response from blacks and progressive whites, prompting more interest from teachers, which helped create Black History clubs.

Then, in 1969, black educators and the Black United Students from Kent University

By MORIAH CHANG

first proposed Black History Month, and six years later, the themed month was being celebrated all across the country. President Gerald Ford recognized its significance, urging Americans to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”

Nowadays, Black History Month is a time to learn about amazing Black Americans who have changed history, whether it be by pushing the limits of science, like George Washington Carver, striving for race equality, like Rosa Parks, or leading the U.S., like President Barack Obama. Black History Month is about uplifting black Americans as well, who, even in this modern age, are still oppressed and discriminated against, and are constantly met with unfair stereotypes and assumptions because of what society has dictated. “By reliving and remembering history, we create awareness of the struggles and challenges that African Americans overcame in this country,” stated Regina Edmondson, the assistant director of the office of student life at Community College of Aurora.

So, remember to celebrate the great feats and achievements of the African Americans who inspired, are inspiring, and will continue to inspire. klee@apachepowwow.net Graphic courtesy of GOLDSTAR.COM

Staff Writer

Self-driving cars, virtual reality, smart cities, and programmed robots will all be powered by 5G networks someday in the near future. 5G networks promise to create new surgical procedures, safer means of transportation, and instant communication for users. The Trump administration is even considering a government-funded 5G public utility, though there’s no reason to believe that will occur. This is because a publicly-financed 5G project would cost hundreds of billions of dollars and would be unlike anything the government has taken on since it sent people to the moon.

Despite that, 5G is on its way whether the government supports it or not. Major Internet companies are far along in their 5G network development and the first networks will become fully-functioning by the next few years. Like every new generation of wireless network technology, 5G will give peoples’ phones faster connections, around ten times faster than 4G. That’s enough to play 8K video or even download a 2D movie in approximately 30 seconds, as opposed to six minutes on 4G. The extra capacity it creates will make phone service more reliable, allowing more devices to connect to the network at the same time.

However, 5G benefits much more than just smartphones. Sensors, thermostats, cars, robots, and other types of new and intuitive technology will all be able to connect to 5G one day. The 4G networks today don’t have the bandwidth for the vast amounts of data that all those devices can transmit. 5G networks will also reduce lag between devices and the servers they communicate with. For driverless cars, that means uninterrupted communication between a car and other vehicles, data centers, and outside sensors.

To accomplish all that, 5G will need to travel over super high-frequency airwaves. Higher frequencies bring faster speeds and more bandwidth, but they can’t travel through walls, windows or rooftops, and they get considerably weaker over long distances. That means wireless companies will need to install thousands or perhaps millions of miniature cell towers on top of every lamp post, on the side of buildings, inside every home, and even in every room.

This is why 5G will complement 4G rather than outright replace it. In buildings and in crowded areas, 5G might provide a speed boost, but when you’re driving down the highway, 4G could be your only option, at least until the technology progresses.

With 5G coming out in the near future, one can look forward to it becoming the lifeblood of the new economy.

NETWORK

mchang@apachepowwow.net Graphic courtesy of COBHAM.COM

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By ASHLEY LEE

theapachepowwow.net

Staff Writer

After nine long months of school, summer break rolls in, welcoming a nice three months off.

The ideal, stereotypical summer consists of riding waves at the beach, kicking back and relaxing to a new movie, all while avoiding summer homework and other responsibilities. Although it is wished to be in this manner, summer break for high school students can mean a multitude of even greater tasks: planning and getting ahead for the next academic year, visiting potential colleges, participating in summer programs, or taking summer school. Most often, students engage in one of these activities, helping to prepare for what’s ahead.

One of the most popular pursued summer plans is college summer programs. Each summer, many students attend these programs to gain college-life experience while immersing themselves in a challenging college curriculum. They have many options to choose from, ranging from college-credit courses to research-based courses. Students are able to take college-level courses and earn college credit they can use in the future. They also have the option of taking high school level courses at a college campus so that they can get ahead in their high school studies. The wide range of programs, ranging from science, technology, engineering, math, arts, leadership, and more allow students to discover potential majors and fields. Many students can also choose to pursue highly rigorous research courses where they participate in hands-on research studies to gain further experience and cultivate their passions in such fields.

However, with such a wide array of options, students must also consider the rigorous application processes. These programs are highly popular across the U.S., with thousands of students applying per year. Depending on the quality and popularity of the program, acceptance rates can be as tough as those of college admissions. Applicants must carefully consider their options and are highly suggested to apply for multiple programs, just in case results do not go as planned.

Many of these applications are composed of questions derived from the Common Application.

As applicants answer these questions, they can also start looking into the college application process.

Since the prompts for the 2018-2019 personal statements have already been released, juniors can begin to prepare their responses for their college applications. For those applying to colleges this upcoming fall, you can begin looking into them on the Common Application website.

Good luck to all students applying to programs this year! We wish you the best of luck in all your endeavors.

February 2018

Summer Plans

alee@apachepowwow.net Graphic courtesy of AFREMOV.COM

DATING IN

HIGH SCHOOL

By ARIANA PARIZADEH

Staff Writer

We’ve all seen the movies where the dashing, young star basketball player with abs wins over the intelligent, yet elegant math nerd who plays hard to get. This, among hundreds of other romantic classics, has set our standards soaring—until we actually get to high school to be humbled by the lack of gorgeous athletes with abs chasing after us. That one person you have feelings for might not be a part-time model or be headed to Stanford next year, but something about them gives you those gushy feelings inside that don’t seem to be going away anytime soon. And if you’re lucky enough, they may feel the same way towards you. But is dating in high school the right option?

There are many pros and cons to having a relationship in high school. One of the most common cons is that it’s distracting. At this young age, many believe that we should be focused on working hard to create successful lives for ourselves later on, and depending on the person, one may get too caught up in the relationship and the needs for one’s boyfriend/girlfriend. Others, especially, fear that they won’t be able to handle the heartbreak that comes after the relationship. And lastly, some students believe that they should only date with the intention to marry.

However, along with the cons come many pros. One is that with dating in high school, one can gain dating experience for the right time to search for a spouse. And although heartbreak may occur, as humans, we need to experience it at a young age to learn and grow. Chances are, no matter when you start dating, you will most certainly have your heart broken at one point or another, and it will be agonizing. But the sooner you learn, the wiser you will become and the better you’ll be able to handle it as an adult. Therefore, dating without the intention of marrying isn’t necessarily useless.

Dating in high school isn’t for everyone as we all have our own characteristics and differences.

Most students are still discovering who they are and what they want to do in the future. It allows the heart to open up and possibly find “the one”. However, the time commitment may distract intentions of good grades and eventually going off to college. College may also make it difficult to continue the relationship two people are going far from each other.

In the end, knowing whether to start dating in high school is the right option or not is based solely on your personal opinion and what you feel is best for yourself. aparizadeh@apachepowwow.net Graphic courtesy of AFREMOV.COM

February 2018

9

studentlife.powwow@gmail.com

By CYNTHIA LIN Staff Writer

The Official

AP

Study Guide The Pros and Cons of Taking APs

High schoolers are not required to take AP classes, but many students may be wondering whether they should or shouldn’t. What exactly are AP classes? AP classes are Advanced Placement classes which are much harder and more rigorous than the average high school curriculum. There are numerous AP courses offered at AHS, including Chemistry, Physics C, Biology, Human Geography, Spanish, and more. When asked about what they thought about AP courses, junior Ryan Wang believed that “some of these classes are extremely difficult, so unless you feel that you are comfortable with this level of rigor, then I recommend not to take them.” Senior Helen Gu believed that “AP classes are a great way to dive in-depth into topics that are of interest to students. Since the course-work is so intensive, I feel that I have learned to manage my time and develop valuable study skills that I can use in the future.” Helen then went on to say that “within these classes, you are often surrounded by a group of extremely motivated students who can help you improve. I do wish that the courses could be paced more evenly to give students a chance to really absorb the material and to allow for further exploration into the subjects beyond the scope of the course.” Junior Albert Yeung stated that “the classes are so hard and the tests are pretty hard” and recommends to “prepare for it by either taking a prep class beforehand or reading up on the subject.” Furthermore, junior Sean Ye thinks that “they are a good opportunity to learn a lot and save a lot of money despite the stressful AP exam at the end.”

In this way, AP courses are basically college-level classes in high school. With this in mind, AP courses provide students good experiences in academics and a headstart on what college life will be like. Furthermore, these rigorous classes require quite a lot of homework and studying, which can be demanding for most students. However, the academic rigor of AP courses will definitely be useful later on. Colleges will require the same amount, if not more work, and taking an AP class will help prepare you for it.

Furthermore, some colleges offer college credit to students who pass the AP exams. Usually, this means a score of three to five out of five on the exam. Getting college credits from taking AP exams and passing them allows students to save a lot more money because college classes cost a lot. In addition, taking AP classes “may give you an edge in terms of being accepted” according to fastweb.com.

Because of the academic rigor of AP classes, missing them will have a large impact on both your grade and status in class. They are extremely fast-paced and may cover a lot of material in just one day. In missing just one class, you could be getting behind, which may lead to more self-studying and a lesser understanding of materials. In addition, AP exams and classes may be quite difficult depending on the course. It is recommended to take preparatory classes before taking an AP course. For example, taking regular biology before taking AP Biology is both required and helpful. Becoming prepared for the class and exam is very important. clin@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of COLLEGEBOARD.COM and WIKIPEDIA.COM

By CASSIDY CHHAY

Staff Writer

We as humans are raised to get accustomed to disappointment and make impulsive decisions based on our fear of being rejected. Rejection is a daily part of our lives and it hurts. In fact, it hurts a lot. Sadly, no matter how smoothly you think your life is going, you are destined to run into rejection.

Freshman Lulan Yu’s story of rejection began “in 7th grade when applying for WEB.” She was really confident at first and didn’t prepare herself “for the possibility of rejection, so [she] went into the interview unprepared.” When she got rejected she was really upset, but she learned not to underestimate the possibility of rejection. She said, “My next interview ended up being two years later applying for DCI. I felt confident about my interview.” Because of prior failure, she has built resilience to rejection and came back stronger than ever. Her interview was successful and she was accepted.

Sophomore Michelle Bocanegra said that she was on a soccer team when she was younger, and they would have “little games for practice and split up the teams [into] two.” Her fellow teammates would not want her on their team. However, the rejection fueled her desire to get better at soccer. Over the years, she went from being picked last to being picked first.

Usually, when you hear the word “rejection”, you instantly think about a love interest. For example, freshman Lana Park told a guy that she “liked him and he laughed.” He asked if she was serious because he liked someone else, so she “just threw wood chips at him and ran away.”

Of course, there are much simpler kinds of rejection, like when you ask a store employee to help you and they turn you down instantly or when you want to pet someone else’s dog, but the dog just walks away from you.

Despite all, there are many ways to deal with rejection. Mentally strong people tend to acknowledge their emotions instead of denying them.

They admit that they are feeling sad, embarrassed, disappointed, or discouraged. Trying to minimize that pain and saying that it is no big deal will only prolong it. The best way to deal with uncomfortable emotions is to face them head-on.

Another important way to face rejection is to know that it is not definitive. Your opinion about yourself, or one incident, should not define who you are. Your self-worth does not depend on others and how they think of you. Just because someone else thinks negatively about you, doesn’t make their beliefs true. cchhay@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of BBC.COM and SHOISE.COM

REJECTION

10

A MONTH

theapachepowwow.net

February 2018

By CONNER HUA Staff Writer 我爱你 (In translation: I love you). One of the first phrases I ever learned when I was taught Mandarin was the phrase 我爱你. As time would tell, “I love you,” would come to play a huge role in my life, especially as February rolls around. The month of February is commonly known for the one holiday we love and cherish, Valentine’s Day. However, there is so much more to this month that often gets overshadowed by a day of chocolate, bouquets of roses, crying over marriage proposal videos. This is February through the Chinese phrase 我爱你.

1. 我 (In translation: me or I) What many people unfortunately fail to remember about February is the fact that it’s Black History Month. Black History Month is an annual recognition and celebration of achievements made by African Americans and their central role in U.S. history. It originated in 1915, shortly after the Thirteenth Amendment was passed. The Association for the Study of African American Life and History, sponsored a national Negro history week to celebrate the birthdays of former President Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, a champion of social reform for African-Americans. In 1976, President Ford recognized Black History Month, and every president since has designated February as Black History Month. As we can see throughout our history, blacks have been severely undercut and underserved by divisive politics and racial prejudice. However, we can take Black History Month and the character, 我, to show signs of hope. 我 means I or me, so let’s celebrate this month by empowering ourselves. Let this month and every single month that follows serve as reminders to love yourself above all, because if you don’t empower yourself, no one else will.

February 2018

centerspread.powwow@gmail.com

OF LOVE

2. 爱 (In translation: love) After a big fight, the boy and girl are shown on split screens not knowing what to do without one another.

They are walking in the rain holding an umbrella when they look up and make eye contact across the busy street. Their eyes light up as they realize that all along, they have loved each other and only each other and will continue to, for the rest of their lives. That’s right. We all know it. The classic, cheesy, heteronormative love story. February is often remembered singularly for Valentine’s Day. It originated as a Christian feast day, meant to honor Saint Valentine who was sent cards by his lover during his incarceration. Over time, Valentine’s Day has evolved into the holiday we know now. While Valentine’s Day often faces extreme criticism due to its singular day of love, extravagance, and over-emphasis on cheesy romance, I see Valentine’s Day as an important holiday for us to celebrate. It is crucial for us as a nation to dedicate a day to just celebrate love, not only for our significant others, but for all. Let’s take Valentine’s Day and the character, 爱, as a reminder that love will always persist over hate and use Valentine’s Day as an outlet to express our love.

3. 你 (In translation: you). I was being shaken out of my sleep gently. As I opened my eyes to the world around me, it was pitch black. I was helped into my favorite onesie with the bumps on the feet. I snuggled into the car seat as my family began the six-hour drive up to San Francisco to visit my relatives for Chinese New Year. A holiday celebrated by millions across the world, Chinese New Year originated from the first day of the Lunar Calendar, used by farmers in ancient China to determine harvest times. 2018 is the Year of the Dog, which is determined by a 12-year cycle of Chinese zodiac animals. Traditionally, Chinese New Year celebrates a core value of Chinese and Confucian ideology, family. Many people who celebrate Chinese New Year visit their families and spend quality time. Thus, 你, or you, can be taken to mean that we should celebrate the ones around us, the most. Sometimes, life will knock you down, but knowing that you have others around you will always lead you back onto your path.

February is a pretty overshadowed month, but there’s so much more to it than just Valentine’s Day. Black History Month and Chinese New Year are just the tip of the iceberg. No matter your ethnicity or nationality, I think everyone can take a few lessons from the Chinese phrase “我爱你” for February holidays or life in general. At the end of the day, 我爱你 simply translates to: I. Love. You. chua@apachepowwow.net Graphic by ANDREA LIU

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February 2018

February 2018

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By KALI TAM

Staff Writer

On Saturday, Feb. 24, Orchestra hosted its 24th annual Orchestra Benefit Dinner and Concert at the Arcadia Masonic Center.

This year, the theme for the Benefit Dinner was “Strings Ole!”, and the event’s line up consisted of delicious food, fun themes, silent bids, and, most importantly, live entertainment.

As one of the largest and main fundraisers for Orchestra every year, the Orchestra Benefit Dinner is an extremely important event; all proceeds and funds from ticket sales and bids are placed into the music program, which allow for buying new musical instruments, hiring instructors, and other equipment. To start off the wonderful night, guests were served by a special dinner catering service and were even provided with pre-dinner entertainment by a few selected students who had previously auditioned in order to perform their additional pieces. Afterwards, the guests were given the opportunity to join in on the traditional silent auction, which allowed them to bid on a variety of items that were donated by donors, sponsors, parents, and the Arcadia Music Club. These silent auctions are usually composed of many unique and remarkable products, such as musical instruments, gift certificates, special services for music lessons, tickets to various events, and much more. Once all the guests had finished their fulfilling meal, the string ensembles of Orchestra 1, Orchestra 2, and Orchestra 3 played pieces that were related to the theme, “Strings Ole!” As part of the annual tradition, an exceptional renowned guest performer, Vadim Brunell, was invited to take part and perform during this dinner. Then, to end the night on a high note, all 300 students from the three ensembles (Orchestra 1, 2, and 3) came together to perform an amazing piece that they had been practicing and memorizing for a while, specifically for this event.

The Benefit Dinner and Concert is always considered one of the most popular orchestral events of the year for both the performers and audience, since it is completely different from usual concerts. Orchestra 2 sophomore, Sally Cha, says that she “loves the fancy vibe that is presented at the venue and the feeling of being able to perform alongside her friends.” The Dinner is a product of “several months of planning, which is needed in order for [the orchestra members] to prepare music and decorations related to the theme,” says Orchestra Council Historian sophomore Tiffany Hu. She adds that this spectacular night “allows the community to have a chance to support the performing arts while [the orchestra] shows the community the hard work and effort [that they have] put in.”

Our orchestra program has worked extremely hard all year to perfect their performance for this prestigious event, so we congratulate them for successfully bringing the audience a night filled with music, food, and fun. If you missed out on their performance at this year’s Benefit Dinner, make sure you check them out in the future. ktam@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of KBDGE.ORG, PNGTREE.COM, REDBUBBLE.COM, and 1001FONTS.COM

By TRACY XIA

Staff Writer

Step Afrika! is a non-profit dance company that tours both nationally and internationally. Founded in 1994, this group specializes in the African tradition of stepping, a type of percussive dance. This form of dance uses the body to create rhythms with footsteps, clapping, and speaking that originates from a combination of military drills and African dance, but also draws inspiration from other forms of dancing, such as gymnastics, and other various cultures.

At its very beginning, stepping was a fraternity and sorority tradition from the early 20th century; stepping was generally used by these organizations as a “crossing over” ritual for new members. However, the dance became more popular in pop culture with the establishment of professional competitions and performances, film appearances, and features in commercials for companies, such as Foot Locker. Stepping has also made its debut at formal events, including former President Bill Clinton’s presidential inauguration and the 1996 Summer Olympics hosted in Atlanta,

Georgia.

On Feb. 9, Step Afrika! performed “The Migration: Reflections on Jacob Lawrence” at the Valley Performing Arts Center in Northridge. In 1941, painter and storyteller Jacob Lawrence created a collection of 60 paintings titled the “Migration Series”, documenting the migration of African American families from the north to the south in order to escape poverty, discrimination, and sharecropping in the early 1900s. These African Americans settled in urban cities in hopes of a better future and more opportunities. Lawrence’s paintings inspired the Step Afrika! performances, which share an identical theme and story. In each performance, various artistic elements are included, such as tap dance and the South African gumboot dance, enhancing the stories alongside stepping.

The incorporation of stepping is especially crucial to the performances as it is representative of pure and concrete African American culture.

The performances end with hopeful and positive outlooks for the families’ futures.

As a dance company, Step Afrika! strives to spread cultural awareness and promote teamwork through stepping. The group regularly

hosts workshops and have performed at various theaters and schools globally. Step Afrika! has received numerous excellency awards and was named Washington D.C.’s cultural ambassador in 2009. Currently, the dance company features 15 talented performers and 1 artistic director. All performers have received higher education at different universities, which help enhance the company’s goals of promoting academic success. To help spread the art of stepping to many others, Step Afrika! also offers summer camps for qualified dance students of all ages. On a broader scale, the dance company gives all students a chance to experience stepping with inschool programs offered to kindergarten to 12th grade and college students. Step Afrika! is a unique and valuable resource to both American culture and the arts. Be sure to check them out, as they have planned unique performances until this May! txia@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of GOODFREEART.COM, PINART.COM, and 1001FONTS.COM

February 2018

February 2018

By TANYA LEE

15

arcadiaperformingarts@gmail.com

Staff Writer

“Yesterday”. “Hey Jude”. “Here Comes The Sun”. These are some of the Beatles’ most popular songs, which were performed, along with many more, at the recent tribute concert.

On Feb. 17, A Hard Day’s Knights performed at the Performing Arts Center (PAC) in Tribute to the Beatles, opened by the Longley Way Elementary School Glee Club.

The Beatles have had an extremely long history, even in their formation. In March 1957, John Lennon, who was 16-years-old at the time, formed a music group with several friends from his high school. Later that year, 15-year-old Paul McCartney joined as a rhythm guitarist.

George Harrison, who was also 15-years-old and initially considered “too young”, persisted and joined as the lead guitarist the year after that. After they tried many names such as the

Quarrymen, the Beatals, and the Silver Beetles, they finally settled for The Beatles in July 1960.

They originally enlisted Pete Best as a drummer, but during their first recording session in 1962, they received complaints about Best’s poor drumming. Thus, they replaced him with Ringo Starr, forming the final lineup that we’re familiar with.

In 1963, their massive popularity emerged in the form of “Beatlemania”, which continued past the group’s break-up in 1970, even though they stopped performing in public in 1966.

They earned the name “the Fab Four” as Beatlemania grew and spread. Over the years, they released many different and innovative recordings. However, in 1970, McCartney expressed dissatisfaction with producer Phil Spector’s approach on the album Let It Be, but his demands for adjustments to be made weren’t met. Thus, he left the group and at the end of the year, filed suit for the dissolution of the Beatles’ contrac-

TRIBUTE TO tual partnership. Legal disputes continued long after the break-up, but the dissolution was finally formalized when Lennon signed the paperwork four years later.

The Beatles were an extremely prolific band and produced a great deal of music. The exact number is hard to determine due to the fact that they released different material in different nations, but over the course of their career, the Beatles have released a total of 23 studio albums and five live albums. Their “core catalogue”, consisting of music from 19621970, comes in at a whopping total of 217 songs or over 10 hours of music.

The Beatles had a major part to play in the evolution of music during the late 20th century.

Robert Greenfield, a former associate editor of the Rolling Stones compared them to Picasso, stating that both were artists who “broke through the constraints of their time period” and came up with something “unique and original.”

By JASMINE OANG

Staff Writer

The Power Of Song, a non-profit organization, aims to educate and train today’s youth about the Civil Rights Movement and social justice issues. And they do so through various forms of the arts. The group incorporates singing, theater, art and much more throughout its productions and other works.

Co-founded by singer, songwriter, and scriptwriter September Penn, the organization brings together rising artists, performers, and unique talents. The organization has produced numerous pieces of original work. These pieces include: “Sounds of the Civil Rights Movement: The Power of Song” and “The Cardboard Stories”, which share the stories of many unique and unfortunate homeless individuals. Having hosted multiple galleries across the nation, including a gallery in Pasadena and Stanford University, the organization has grown beyond a mere project. According to its website, its “primary focus is to promote community service and non-violent exchanges and change.” The group even has a blog on its website where it continuously writes about the performing arts, various social/political issues, and the struggles of being African American in today’s society.

On Feb. 18, The Power of Song Inc. shared the history and stories of those behind the Civil Rights Movement at the Alex Theatre in Glendale, California. Demonstrating the power of music, the production not only connected the history of the movement with music, but also addressed

They marked the beginning of a new era, and have inspired musicians worldwide. They also contributed to the development of an antiestablishment cultural phenomenon during the ‘60s and became an icon of this movement, spurring movements such as women’s liberation, gay liberation, and environmentalism.

A Hard Day’s Knights is just one of many Beatles tribute acts. In their performances, tribute act Woodie and the Longboards perform some of the Beatles’ best hits. In addition to A Hard Day’s Knights, Woodie and The Longboards also perform in tributes to the Eagles and the Beach Boys.

Unfortunately, they won’t be performing any Beatles tributes anytime soon. However, you can check out their website and explore the different performances they have to offer. tlee@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of ETSY.COM

multiple modern conflicts and issues. For a small ticket fee of $4.50, the audience was presented with a lesser known side of the Civil Rights Movement. Music and songs, both big influences during the Civil Rights Movement, are usually seldom touched upon in history textbooks and lectures compared to the widely known “I Have A Dream” speech. For many, they are still an unknown subject and most are unaware that the “We Shall Overcome” was the motivational anthem of the Civil Rights Movement. Sponsored by St. Petersburg College, “Sounds of the Civil Rights Movement: The Power of Song”, written and directed

by Penn, served as the kick-off event for the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service in St. Petersburg, Florida. Hoping to inspire citizens to participate in community service and encourage a nonviolent viewpoint of protest, Penn stated, “I think it’s even more relevant today given the current racial climate,” during an onstage interview after the group’s last performance at the Hollywood Palladium earlier in January. Expanding its influence on current racial problems, the production not only focuses on racial prejudice against African Americans, but also showcases people of all ages, backgrounds, and race to “bring together different groups.” A unique and ratifying piece, The Power Of Song is just beginning to project its voice and the voices of countless others. joang@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of FG-A.COM and POWEROFSONG.COM

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academics.powwow@gmail.com

February 2018

By KAYLI MAK Staff Writer Recently, We the People: the Citizen and the Constitution (otherwise known as Gov Team or Constitution Team) competed and placed third at Regionals.

Gov Team is led by Ms. Megan Leahy; it is a 30-member group composed of six fiveperson units with each one focusing on a particular feature of the Constitution, the American system of government. These parts include the Framers’ intent, political theory, the relationships between the branches of governments, the Bill of Rights and the Civil Rights Amendments, and modern-day challenges.

During the tournament, participants analyzed and evaluated their respective portions of the U.S. Constitution. In doing this, each unit prepared three responses about their particular subject and answered a set of free response questions that was given beforehand by the judges. According to senior Frank Lee, a Gov Team member, the team prepared for these events by doing “a lot of personal research on GOV LOVE Gov Team poses with its adviser Ms. Leahy at Regionals. [their] own to bring up during [their] competition”.

Senior Estelle Rai elaborated, “My unit, which focuses on the freedoms protected in the Bill of Rights, specifically prepared by reading Supreme Court justices’ concurring and dissent— ing opinions, specific pieces of legislation, and also general case law.” She and Frank also exBy JOLENE HUEY

“We are so grateful to have had this opportunity to be more civically engaged and learn about our founding document.”

Estelle Rai

plained that, in general, the units studied Pew Research Center surveys, texts written by philosophers, court cases, and other documents.

Going into Regionals, Frank described the team members as feeling confident, having “studied a vast variety of topics that were relevant,” which “contributed to [their] belief that they could qualify for Nationals.” Similarly, Estelle remarked that they were nervous, but also “excited to apply all [their] research and hours of hard work to the tournament” and to bond with the team. They hoped to both compete well and have a good time.

When asked about their placement, Estelle said, “Obviously, we were a little disappointed that we didn’t win the tournament, but we are so grateful to have had this opportunity to be more civically engaged and learn about our founding document.” Frank also agreed that the results were unexpected, but the event was a good bonding experience and it helped them to realize the importance of the education that they gained from the program.

All in all, Gov Team worked hard and did an amazing job, and we wish them luck in their future endeavors! kmak@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of DAFONT.COM Photo courtesy of MEGAN LEAHY Staff Writer

On Saturday, Jan. 27, a group of students in Science Bowl (SB) boarded a bus; their destination was the NASA Jet Propulsion Labratory (JPL). Five of the students were to compete in the Regional Science Bowl Competition, which involved round robin and double elimination formats. They were ready to spend the entire day testing their science knowledge and quick problem-solving skills.

The Regional Science Bowl Competition is made up of teams of four students and one substitute. AHS’ team, led by Mrs. Cherryl Mynster, consisted of Team Captain sophomore Bryan Hsu, juniors Will Shue and Taesung Hwang, and seniors Daniel Peng and Regina Wang. Other members of SB also traveled to JPL to support the team. At the competition, teams answered questions on a wide range of science topics including biology, chemistry, physics, energy, math, and astronomy.

During the competition, there were two types of questions: toss-ups and bonuses. Buzzers were used to determine who got to answer first for toss-ups. The first team to answer a toss-up correctly got to answer the bonus. Toss-ups were worth four points while bonuses were worth ten. The team with the most points at the end of the round won, with rounds being 16 minutes long. AHS SB was one of the eight teams that advanced to the final round.

SB prepared for competition by studying effectively. Meetings were held on Sundays and Fridays, where team members completed practice rounds to simulate the real contest. When asked about preparation, junior Aaron Liu established that members “also researched [their] respective topics in [their] free time.” As for the types of questions the team encountered, Bryan said that the “team was pretty well prepared for the types of questions they [were] asked” and that he is “proud of the time and effort our team spent on practicing for the kinds of questions we encountered.”

After a tough ten rounds that ran through the morning and afternoon, AHS SB earned 3rd place at Regionals! Unfortunately, only the top team from Regionals moves on to Nationals. However, Bryan believes that the team “faced harder competition than last year in getting to that 3rd place spot,” and they definitely achieved an amazing feat. Regarding how he believes the team can improve for next year, Bryan stated that “we’ll have three members who have played in Regionals remaining and so I think that will improve our speed and idea of what we’ll face next year. Also, we now know which topics we need to continue to study for next year.”

Congratulations to SB on a 3rd place finish at Regionals, and good luck to them in their future competitions! jhuey@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of DAFONT.COM and FREEPIK.COM

February 2018

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academics.powwow@gmail.com

By GANGA PRASANTH Staff Writer Greetings to our international guests from two different countries: France and China! You may have had some of these kids surprise you with pop-up visits into your classes. The Chinese exchange students left AHS on Feb. 2, but a couple dozen of French exchange students stayed a couple weeks longer until Feb. 14 and were joined by another group of middle school Chinese exchange students!

The educational system in France is very different from what we know of in America.

For instance, one French student in Mr. Bill Chapman’s Geometry class claimed that his own math curriculum consisted of “a mix of many different types of math.” What he meant was that math in French schools not only consists of geometry, but a mix of algebra, statistics, and even calculus! In fact, many countries are known to teach their students like this instead of teaching in different math “steps”.

Compared to the American educational system, the French system is slightly different.

The school days are longer, as most students are at school from 8:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.

The teaching methods also differ, as education revolves around passing a rigorous content exam, which will guarantee a good career for the future. School is less based on extracurricular activities, and more for learning the

INTERNATIONAL LINKS Link Crew leaders juniors Jaquelyne Lee and Matthew Nguyen help their Chinese exchange students write positive notes at Wellness Week. content as it is presented so you’ll be ready for the future.

The education system is just as unique in China. Instead of students leaving and going to their next class, it’s typical of instructors to switch classrooms instead. As for entering

high school, each student is required to take an entrance exam in order to attend their desired high school. In America, it is our right to go to high school, but the Chinese system treats high school virtually like college. This system is created to give everyone an equal opportu-

nity and offer people a decent education, but many westerners believe that it isn’t right for the system to disregard classes in the arts and physical education.

Meanwhile, America offers a more broad range of subjects for students to learn from and gives out more educational rights than most countries do. Because of this, students have more open career opportunities. Now, more advanced countries are slowly following our Western system, but there is still a lot of change to be seen.

Thanks to our Link Crew and French program students, our international guests were able to feel welcomed at AHS. Next time AHS hosts visitors, make sure greet them kindly and don’t be afraid to ask any questions you may have! “Please use the French [and Chinese] kids in your classroom to discuss differences in delivery of content or structure of the classroom etc. as much as you would like,” says AHS French teacher Madame Vaughan. “They are here to practice their English and get out of their comfort zones!” Au revoir, and zai jian! gprasanth@apachepowwow.net Photo courtesy of LINK CREW Graphics courtesy of CREATIVEMARKET. COM, PINART.COM, and PIXABAY.COM

WHAT THEY ARE AND WHY YOU SHOULD EAT THEM

By JOSIE CHEN Staff Writer The students of AHS are required to use their brain energy on a day to day basis, from solving difficult problems in math class, to thinking through processes in science, to putting an essay together in English, and to switching between two different languages. As a result, many students often feel mentally drained and burnt out after a long day of school.

Luckily, there are certain foods known as brain foods that can majorly benefit their health.

First of all, what are brain foods and how do they help?

Brain foods are specific “superfoods” that have a surplus amount of nutrition and are much more effective for one’s health compared to other foods. They can be eaten to gain energy and help fight against illnesses, aiding in the maintenance of the brain

until an old age. Brain foods can also be consumed to aid in cognitive ability, powering your body to perform tasks at a higher level.

An example of a brain food is avocados.

Avocados are naturally high in their fat content, but the fats are the healthy kind, known as monounsaturated fats. In addition, they help to balance out your blood sugar levels and increase concentration and memorization. Avocados are also filled with vitamin B and C, two nutrients that need to be consumed daily.

Blueberries are a brain food that are deliciously sweet, yet provide tons of nutritional benefits. To begin with, blueberries are packed with vitamin C, vitamin K, and fiber, making them an extremely antioxidant-rich food. As a result, blueberries are especially effective in

preventing degeneration of the brain that leads to diseases such as Alzheimer’s and dementia, and stress build-up. Another bonus to eating blueberries is their easy accessibility. They can be prepared in a variety of ways to suit your taste such as mixing them with a fruit smoothie or placing it in a salad.

F i n a l l y, salmon is one of the most beneficial foods out there. Not only can salmon be eaten in a multitude of ways such as raw in sushi, or marinated and cooked, but also salmon is filled with omega-3 fatty acids that will improve memory and keep it functioning smoothly.

Salmon can also help to fight against ADHD

by improving concentration, and prevent cancer and tumors due to its high amount of healthy fatty acids. Furthermore, it is a great food to eat for its anti-inflammatory purposes. However, one should be careful when consuming salmon too often as the fish is known to contain mercury and the bacteria in raw sushi can be dangerous to the human immune system when consumed in large amounts.

Overall, brain foods come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and tastes, but each one has its own specific benefits to help improve brain function and health and a whole. Change up your eating routine and try some new brain foods! jchen@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy CANSTOCKPHOTO.COM, CREATIVEMARKET. COM, and PINTEREST.COM

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February Scores

SENIOR NIGHT

By CHRISTIE WANG

Staff Writer

Although students are typically happier as the year draws closer and closer to the end, it is always bittersweet to see seniors leave their high school careers behind when they go to college. This is exactly what happened this month when seniors said goodbye to their high school teammates for the last time.

Recalling the past season, Senior Erin Wong from Girls Soccer Varsity said, “For the team, our goal was to win Pacific League Champs to maintain our winning streak. I think

Girls Varsity Basketball Arcadia v. Herbert Hoover HS (56-19) Arcadia v. Glendale HS (35-37) Arcadia v. Crescenta Valley HS (57-47) Arcadia v. Summit HS (43-48)

THE FINAL SHOT Girls Varsity Basketball celebrates its match against Burbank.

Staff Writer

Arcadia v. Herbert Hoover HS (5-0) Arcadia v. Pasadena HS (3-0) Arcadia v. Crescenta Valley HS (4-0) Arcadia v. Notre Dame HS (0-2)

Graphics courtesy of ALL-FREE-DOWNLOAD.COM and CLIPARTING.COM

we all aim to improve our game on the field, whether it be personal or team improvements.

For me, I wanted to work on my speed and positioning of the ball so I can better support my teammates. Also, I really hoped to have fun and make the most of my time left playing soccer with some of my best friends.” Co-Captain Chip Yen from Girls Varsity Soccer said, “Our goal for our team for this season was to win Pacific League, and my personal goal was to run more often so I can be more in shape for games.” She also said, “I really love my sports, and I can see myself participating in college sports in the future, but I just don’t know how it fits into everything yet. Since I’m not sure if I’m going to play in college, I want to go out on a high note for my senior year and try to reach my full potential now.” Suffice to say, the Lady Apaches of soccer stayed true to their goals, becoming League Champions for the 7th year in a row!

As for the Boys Varsity Basketball team, its season and record ended with a sufficient record of 10-11. However, the boys played their best despite losing their Senior Night game against Crescenta Valley High School.

But although these student athletes may have played high school, some of them may

A FINISHER Girls Varsity Soccer celebrates its succesful season in its final home game against Herbert Hoover High School. not continue to pursue their sports in college or the future. For these students, Senior Night is a goodbye both to their teammates and to their sport. And for all, Senior Night is one of both the sweetest and saddest moments for seniors. cwang@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of 1001FONTS.COM Photos courtesy of AUSD

chi and landed in a haunting 4th place. Many have questioned White’s return due to multiple injuries in 2017, including an injury requiring 62 stitches and a month off from training.

The Olympics are the place where only However, White proved his ambition and skill the best of the best from each country meet to by scoring a perfect score at the U.S. compete. This year, the U.S. has a full Grand Prix in January and claiming roster of experienced veterans and his spot on the team. With his expephenomenal newbies headed to Pyrience and immense training White eongchang for the Winter Olympics. was able to claim the gold medal for Figure skating is one of the Team USA on the Men’s Half Pipe. most popular sports in the Winter On the other hand, Olympic Olympics. This year, 18-year-old newbie, Chloe Kim, is ready for Nathan Chen, a phenomenal men’s her first Olympics. At 13-years-old, singles figure skater, will be heading Kim qualified for the 2014 Sochi to his first Olympics. He’s famous Winter Olympics. The four-time Xfor competing with five different Games champion is eager to claim a quad jumps, making him the only medal. Kim, who began snowboardskater with such moves in his arseing at the young age of 4-years-old, nal and allowing him to take home is now 17-years-old and already a the bronze medal in figure skating. crowd favorite. The California naNot only is Chen imprestive has been able to bring home the sively skilled, but he also has exgold, making her one of the few on perience competing against former Team USA able to win a gold medal.

Olympians, even beating 2014 So, be on the lookout for gold medalist Yuzuru Hanyu of THE GAMES HAVE BEGUN Team USA walks into the opening these athletes! To support all our Japan to first place at the Ros- ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang amazing athletes, you can downtelecom Cup last year. With his load the Pyeongchang 2018 app skills, Chen was able to compete with some of the best in the world. jump for women. Nagasu will definitely make and stay updated or watch YouTube as Another figure skater to watch out for is AHS proud of her accomplishments regardless. there are many uploads of videos of speAnother popular event at the Winter Olym- cific athletes and events after the games.

Adam Rippon. Rippon made headlines earlier in the year as the first openly gay U.S. pics is the snowboarding competition. Everyone athlete to compete in the Winter Olympics. will be looking at snowboarder Shaun White. joang@apachepowwow.net At 28, Rippon, who began skating at the After years of dominating the snowboarding Graphics courtesy late age of 10, is the oldest American fig- competition and winning multiple gold medals, THEFASHIONISTO.COM and ure skating Olympic rookie since 1936. White fell at the 2014 Winter Olympics in So1001FONTS.COM

By JASMINE OANG

Girls Varsity Soccer

February 2018

Aside from Chen and Rippon, Mirai Nagasu is a notable competitor who also happens to be a former Apache. Out of all her competitors in Pyeongchang, Nagasu is the only one that can confidently land the triple axel, the most difficult

February 2018

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theapachepowwow.net

A Good Run

By BRADFORD YAU

passes”, preventing them from scoring the way they could have. However, this didn’t bring the players’ spirits down as sophomore Yumin Ha And just like that, the season is over! Girls mentioned how her favorite memories with her Varsity Water Polo has had a great season this team are always the first games of the season. year, finishing with a record of 9 But, on Nov. 30, the girls wins and 10 losses, and 3-3 in played against Hoover High league play. Though it was a losSchool and Palisades High School ing record, let’s not overlook the (PHS), taking a close defeat from great season that the girls had.

PHS after struggling to regain the They just missed CIF, lead in another “intense game”, and they were on pace to beand ending with a score of 6-7. coming one of the best. Let’s Yet, this served as a learning take a look at what the girls opportunity for everyone on the did throughout the season. team, leading the team to realize it On an average day, the team needed to slow things down and conditions throughout sixth pemake sure everyone is in their posiriod and works on its offense tions before making passes, serving and defense skills afterwards. as a valuable lesson for the girls for To target its weaker points and the rest of the Water Polo season. strengthen its overall technique, As an effect of both of the team tries to hold productheir losses, players are learntive practices by going over ing quickly with greater hopes ball-handling skills, doing shootof reaching CIF this year. ing drills, and holding scrimOverall, the players appear mages after school. Through all to be improving constantly and its hard work, the team focuses GAINING THE ADVANTAGE The girls win their long and hard are becoming more attentive toon making switches between fought League Finals game against Glendale. Utilizing their excellent wards correcting their mistakes players when needed, making communication and passing, they ended the game 12-7. in a full team effort. In the end, good passes, and being aware the girls performed extremeof what is going on during the game. High School on Nov. 21, players attempted to byau@apachepowwow.net More importantly, all the effort and put up a fight, but ended up losing 4-11 due shared struggle amongst the players al- to a lack of communication and some trouble Graphics courtesy of 1001FONTS.COM lows the team to bond over its experi- passing. Overall, the group had many “bad Photo courtesy of AUSD Staff Writer

By JUSTIN CUN Staff Writer

The Apaches have finally approached the end of the season carrying an overall record of 12-8-1. To briefly recap, Boys Varsity Soccer started this season with absolute dominance.

They were able to easily defeat rivaling powerhouses like John Burroughs and John Muir High School, leading with either two or more goals.

The team had an impenetrable defense that was, as Senior Alexander Williams commented, “quite spot on”. Not having to worry about getting scored on, the midfielders, wings, and strikers were able to focus on offense. “It totally boosted the confidence of our offense,” Alexander added with a smile. The boys have unarguably offset the winter season with an onslaught.

Since the last evaluation of its progress, the team faced a couple of issues. In the beginning of the month, the boys had a minor slump, losing three consecutive games against Pasadena, Crescenta Valley, and Glendale High School. Despite these initial losses, the boys recovered swiftly, turning it around with three consecutive wins thereafter.

But it cannot be forgotten that the team has a myriad of strengths that can supersede its flaws. “Specifically,” Ishmam added, “our [team’s] greatest strength is our team chemistry.

A lot of us have been playing with each other

ences as a whole and in the end, helps strengthen its communication skills as well.

Even though it did well in its recent tournament, the team has also had its fair share of losses; during its first game against Monrovia

since we were kids and it really helps when we are on the field.” Sophomore Gabriel Yang also chimed in that the team’s recent games were exclusively guided by “the drive and determination to win.”

Additionally, Gabriel observed that the team’s determination allowed it to “perfect [its] touches and team plays, [allowing them to] connect balls from the defense to the offense, which ultimately transGOAL!!! The boys play a heated game against Pasadena lated into goals.” Through and wins 3-2. Defending their 2nd place title in the League a tough season of wins and losses, the boys have finished the regular season with a remarkable son, Boys Varsity Soccer ended with a record record of 11 wins, 7 losses, and 1 tie, qualifying of 6-10-6. The boys were apprehensive of their for CIF for the first time in a couple of years. mistakes and attempted to seek improvement.

In their first round of CIF, the boys By capitalizing on their team chemistry and won their Wildcard game by a stunning last- physical capabilities, the boys are able to defeat minute goal by Alex Yen. Unfortunately, the competition with ease. With a longing taste their CIF run was cut short, losing in the sec- for victory, our Boys Varsity Soccer is more than ond round to St. Paula with a score of 0-1. prepared to thrive next season. Best of luck!

Comparing the team’s previous season with the current one, it’s largely apparent that jcun@apachepowwow.net there was an immense improvement both staGraphics courtesy of 1001FONTS.COM tistically and physically. In the 2016-2017 seaPhoto courtesy of AUSD

February Scores

Boys Varsity Soccer Arcadia v. Herbert Hoover HS (2-1) Arcadia v, Pasadena HS (3-2) Arcadia v. Crescenta Valley HS (1-2) Arcadia v. Arroyo HS (1-0) Arcadia v. Santa Paula HS (0-1)

Girls Varsity Water Polo Arcadia v. Crescenta Valley HS (7-19) Arcadia v. Glendale HS (12-7) Arcadia v. Valencia HS (0-13)

Graphics courtesy of ISTOCK.COM, CLKER.COM, and CLIPARTING.COM

CALENDAR Longterm Ways to stay 20

theapachepowwow.net

February 2018

By JOSIE CHEN

fit

Staff Writer

Everyone knows that changing your lifestyle to become more healthy is no easy task. You miss eating your favorite foods, have to skip out on dessert, and feel exhausted after working out. As a result, many people often give up quickly on trying to live a healthy lifestyle. Fortunately, there are a few simple ways to integrate a healthier lifestyle into your everyday life.

First of all, shift your perspective from thinking that being fit is short-term to long-term. Instead of believing that you only have to eat healthily and work out for a short period of time, and then resume back to your normal lifestyle, understand that becoming and staying fit is a long-term process that should become a part of your daily life. People who change their lifestyle temporarily and then return to their normal lives are unable to reach their health goals. The period of extensive restriction causes an increase in the urge for unhealthy foods, ultimately leading to a negative result. It is also important to be realistic about your goals, rather than setting unreachable achievements that will take a huge toll on your health.

In addition, learn to incorporate healthier foods into your daily life. Becoming committed to a healthy diet does not have to be an immediate drastic change, and in fact, it should not be, as it will not be maintainable over a long period of time. Another important point to be mindful of is to not restrict anything. If your favorite foods or snacks are extremely unhealthy, learn to adjust slowly over time and cut it out little by little. Cutting out all unhealthy foods suddenly will only make you want to eat them more. The trick is to make a healthy lifestyle the new norm and eventually not want to eat the unhealthy foods at all.

Finally, figure out how to enjoy your new lifestyle. Do not force yourself into anything you dislike, and instead try to change things slowly, one at a time. Some examples of these simple alternatives to become healthier include swapping out your salad-dressing for a low-calorie one, eating lean meat instead of your normal protein, and blending greens and fruits together to make a smoothie rather than just eating a salad. You can also find alternatives for basic exercises, such as going on hikes instead of a run, biking to nearby places, and walking around the neighborhood whenever free. Overall, incorporate a healthy lifestyle into your day to day life slowly over time, allowing your body and mind to adjust. Be patient with yourself and you will end up successful.

jchen@apachepowwow.net Graphic courtesy of FREEPIK.COM

By RACHEL LEE Staff Writer Disneyland, commonly known as the Happiest Place on Earth, has many magical plans in store for 2018 and 2019! Exclusively announced at Disneyland’s D23 Expo at the Ana-

heim Convention Center in 2017, these exciting arrivals are projected to draw even larger crowds to Anaheim’s Disneyland in the near future.

Launching Apr. 13 this year, Disneyland’s first-ever Pixar Fest will incorporate the beloved “Pixar Play” Parade, a new “Paint the Night” parade, “Together Forever”, a Pixarthemed nighttime firework spectacular, as well as a Pixar Shorts Film Festival in California Adventure! Featuring iconic Pixar elements such as the Pixar lamp, characters from Up, Inside Out, Cars, Monsters Inc., and Toy Story, Pixar Fest will take place at the new Pixar Pier.

Pixar Pier, projected to open in Summer 2018, has transformed from Paradise Pier to incorporate four new neighborhoods to the seaside boardwalk. California Adventure’s “California Screamin’” roller coaster is currently reconstructing to become the “Incredicoaster”, in reference to Disney’s The Incredibles and The Incredibles 2 releasing June 15 this year.

“Toy Story Mania!” will be surrounded by a

Toy Story-inspired neighborhood, as well as a new Inside Out-inspired neighborhood on the west side of the boardwalk. Additionally, all the boardwalk midway games will be altered to reflect the iconic Pixar characters!

Disneyland California Adventure’s new Guardians of the Galaxy ride will be incorporated in a large-scale expansion to a Marvel Land.

Attractions will be inspired by The Avengers and Spiderman, which has been featured in Universal Studios’ Islands of Adventure. More information about a projected Marvel Land is yet to be released.

Opening in 2019, Disneyland will expand to incorporate a 14-acre Star Wars land alongside Marvel Land. Deemed as the “most ambitious land [that has been] built to date”, the Star Wars land will be the largest expansion ever in Disney history. Inspired by the “Outer Rim on the edge of the Unknown Regions”, guests will be immersed in an idyllic terrain flush with lush vegetation, with architecture and landscape inspired by the films themselves. Two major rides, a simulator Millenium Falcon in which guests pilot, and a “First Order vs. Resistance” ride is described as “intense and historic” by Walt Disney’s Parks and Resorts Chairman Bob Chapek. Chapek promises that Star Wars Land will definitely be unlike anything guests have ever seen before.

Disneyland’s exciting new arrivals are projected to draw large crowds as the anticipation over what’s in store for Disneyland increases.

rlee@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of REDBUBBLE.COM, SHOPDISNEY.COM, and 1001FONTS.COM

February 2018

CALENDAR

calendareditor.powwow@gmail.com

By GRACE HONG

By ALYSSA RAVE Staff Writer

When people think of Chinese New Year one thing comes to mind: red envelopes. Why red envelopes? That’s because they contain money. However, it’s not the money that matters, it’s the envelope that matters. The envelopes are red because red is known as a lucky and prosperous color. They’re also considered symbols of luck and are given to children by the people who make money (unless they’re single) and elders for Chinese New Year. It’s an ancient tradition that started a very long time ago.

One tale that often gets told on why people give red envelopes is the tale of a demon named Sui. In the legend, there was a demon named Sui who would come out every New Year’s Eve to scare sleeping children. The children would be too scared to do anything, develop high fever, and go crazy. To prevent Sui from touching the children, parents had to stay up the whole night with the children to keep Sui away.

There was one New Year’s Eve in an official’s house where the parents decided to come up with a method to keep Sui away. They gave their child eight coins to play with so he could stay awake and therefore the demon wouldn’t come. The coins were wrapped in a red paper, and the child played with them until he got really tired. Then, the parents put the coins under the pillow. When Sui came came and tried to scare the child, the coins emitted a white light, and instead of scaring the child, Sui was scared! The coins turned out to be eight fairies who were protecting the child. Since then, the red envelope has been a symbol for protecting children and bringing them good luck.

The rules of red envelopes are actually rather complicated. In tradition, people with jobs have to give red envelopes unless they aren’t married. They tend to be given within families

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mostly to children. However, parents and elders will still give their children red envelope money even if they’re grown up to show their love and blessings for their children.

It’s typical for adults to give red envelopes to whatever children they meet in the Chinese New Year period. Despite popular belief, red envelopes aren’t just for Chinese New Year. They can actually be given any time of the year for special occasions such as weddings and birthdays.

There are also more rules that come with giving a red envelope. Most people will use crisp dollar bills instead of old tattered ones because it is distasteful. Also, coins aren’t supposed to be put in envelopes along with any amount of money that contains the number “4”.

Four in Chinese is a symbolic death which is not what someone will want during this time.

The number 8 is actually much luckier than the number 4. Envelopes should be prepared in advance in case of encountering people.

There aren’t as many rules for receiving red envelopes, but these rules are very important. Never ever take a red envelope using just one hand. It is very rude and shows a lack of manners. Another rule is that people should give thanks to the giver of the red envelope. These are very basic manners and are considered to be polite. The last and most important rule is to not open the envelope immediately after receiving it. Red envelopes should be opened in private.

The red envelope symbolizes luck and blessings for a prosperous new year. Remember that it’s not the money that matters; it’s the envelope and the thought that went into giving the envelope. Happy Chinese New Year!

ghong@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of CANSTOCKPHOTO.COM, PIXABAY.COM, STOCKUNLIMITED.COM

Staff Writer Getting the perfect gift for someone can be beyond difficult, accounting for the closeness of the friendship and his or her interests. However, there’s an easy way to figure out what to give them, and it doesn’t involve breaking the bank.

More often than not, people recommend giving homemade items, valued because “it’s the thought that counts”. However, even gifts regarded as impersonal have the ability to be justified to the recipient. In a worst-case scenario, a gift card to someone’s favorite store is better than a random Visa gift card.

To ensure that the gift receiver understands why you gave them a specific gift, always give them a card with it. When you provide a card, you don’t leave room for misinterpretation of the present.

For athletic friends, purchase things that’ll help preserve the things they use a lot. Sneaker balls for runners and hat molds for golfers are good examples of helpful presents. Detergent or baby powder can certainly be funny, useful gifts, but if they don’t share your sense of humor, there’s a good chance it’ll be an awkward and sad exchange.

Artsy buddies, however, will use anything and everything you give them related to their craft.

Make sure you know what their favorite form of art is before you gift them sup-

plies. For these friends, take your time researching the gift you want to get them. For instance, if you want to get a friend that practices calligraphy more pens, ask around for recommendations and search reviews for different kinds online. The more time you devote to finding the perfect gift, the higher the chance you’ll have of finding it. Spending time looking for a nice gift for someone won’t always mean the gift will be likable, but when it comes to creative chums, it almost always does.

If you have cronies who don’t necessarily fit into a classification because they like everything or they don’t like to do anything, this paragraph is for them. For these kind of friends, you’ll have to put your observation skills to the test. Pay attention to what colors they wear, the videos they watch, even the trash in their backpack! A snack they tend to eat a lot, coupled with a sweet picture of the both of you, comes off as heartfelt and delightful. Add a card to increase the effect!

Hopefully, you’ll be able to become the best gift giver you could possibly be. And remember, don’t get too bogged down with your choice of gift; focus instead on the bond and the good feelings that come with giving and receiving gifts. Good luck!

arave@apachepowwow.net Graphics courtesy of MY-BOOKS.COM

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cf.powwow@gmail.com

By JUSTIN CUN

February 2018

Staff Writer

Eclipses and other phenomenons of the night have amazed mankind since the beginning of time.

Whether these events are seen as natural occurrences or religious omens, most can agree that these incidents are marvels to observe. Luckily, February was filled with seven amazing sky events, including a partial solar eclipse. The list included: Zodiacal Lights from Feb. 2-16, Alpha Centaurids on Feb. 8, Moon Meets Saturn on Feb. 11, Mars and Antares on Feb. 12, Partial Solar Eclipse on Feb. 15, Moon Hits a Bull’s Eye on Feb. 23, and Moon Meets Regulus on Feb. 28. These amazing celestial feats don’t come often, marking this February in particular an extraordinary month.

“Why are blue moons called blue moons if they’re actually red?”

—Thomas Nguyen, 12

“There’s something amazing about watching the stars and the moon at night, because every time I do, I feel at peace with myself. It’s a very relaxing hobby.”

—Catherine Esguerra, 11

Graphics courtesy of IMAGES.TEMPLATE.NET Photos by KRISTEN CHAN