March 2021

volume 68 - issue 6 Arcadia High School 180 Campus Dr, Arcadia, CA 91006 arcadiaquill.com

THE

march 2021

ARCADIA QUILL

est. 1952

@arcadiaquill quote of the month: “Here comes the sun, and I say, it’s all right.”

- The Beatles

PUMPKIN VS. ORANGE: BATTLE OF THE BEST ORANGE CONSUMABLE PLANT

By ROBINSON LEE

processes to turn oranges into their iconic orange color, though it does not ripen the fruit at

Student Life Editor all. Nonetheless, the color orange has popularly portrayed oranges in all other mediums of One of the most popular articles on our website has been “Taro vs. Ube: Battle of the Best Purple Sweet Potato,” with many people looking for information on both of these plants. This article will serve as a follow-up to that article as we have received a nicely worded recommendation from one of our readers that we should compare pumpkins and oranges due to their similarities as orange consumable plants. These two staples of Western cuisine have found their way into the hearts and stomachs of many Americans, so let’s conduct a thorough evaluation of each of these orange consumable plants.

Origin: Orange: Despite the prominence of domestic oranges in states like California and Florida, oranges did not originate from the United States or Europe. What is commonly known as the orange is more specifically the “sweet orange,” which is not a wild fruit but a hybrid between two citrus fruits—the pomelo and the mandarin orange. This hybrid originated from a vast region including Southern China, Northeast India, and Myanmar, with the earliest known record of this orange being from Chinese literature dating back to 314 BCE. Moors during the Middle Ages developed orange orchards which spread throughout Iberia and eventually became a staple in European fruit. The Spanish then introduced them to the Americas and imported them to their various missions.

Pumpkin: In contrast to oranges, the pumpkin is a plant native to the Americas. Before the arrival of European explorers, Indigenous Americans in Mexico and Central America grew them for thousands of years before the cultivation of corn and beans. It is estimated that pumpkins have been used as early as 7500 BCE. Terminology-wise, “pumpkin” has no certain scientific meaning but is used to describe orange winter squash in the U.S. and U.K., with Australians and New Zealanders using pumpkin to refer to all winter squashes. For this article, we will be using the American definition of pumpkin.

Color: Orange: When it comes to color, oranges are pretty straightforward. When not ripe, they are wholly green. When ripe and ready to eat, they will be orange, possibly with some green spots. Often these green spots turn orange in a process known as degreening. Degreening uses a combination of temperature and chemical

RETURNING TO SCHOOLS OPINION: Online school has felt PROS AND CONS PG. 6-7 like a fever dream.

The days blurred together and some of us might have lost our social skills. The idea of returning back to school may sound exciting after a long year of isolation.

However, is returning to school a truly ethiPhoto courtesy of NEWSROOM.EDU cal and safe idea?

food outside of the fruit itself. Orange-colored sherbet, candy, or Gatorade is often perceived as tasting like an orange compared to any other orange-colored fruit or vegetable. Did I mention enough that oranges are orange?

Pumpkin: Pumpkin is also defined popularly by its orange color. However, there are a few exceptions to orange being the defining characteristic of all pumpkins. Like oranges, pumpkins start green when unripe. Unlike oranges though, pumpkins can be eaten when not fully orange. Another exception is the white pumpkin and the blue pumpkin which both originate from being selectively bred for their colors. Given that these pumpkin colors are naturally rare, the pumpkin has been continuously defined as orange.

Compatibility: Orange: Oranges are notable for their great versatility. Oranges go well with other fruits, and their juices can be used to add a tangy flavor to salads or smoothies. I would personally recommend putting oranges in jello as the combination of gelatin and orange flavor makes a deliciously sweet snack.

Pumpkin: Pumpkins also have a versatility that allows them to be used in confections and even eaten as an entree. Pumpkin pie is what most people think of when referring to pumpkin baked goods, but using pumpkins to make cookies, bread, or cake is also a delightful option. On the savory side, pumpkins can also be used to create stews or thick soups. A combination of beef, potatoes, and pumpkin along with some salt and spices goes a long way to make a delicious stew.

The Verdict: Initially, I started this article thinking that oranges would be the winner between the two considering their popularity, while the pumpkin was just an autumn seasonal decoration. However, the pumpkin’s diverse uses in decorations and foods has convinced me that the pumpkin is deeply underrated compared to its fellow citrus counterpart.

Nonetheless, both orange consumable plants are delightful in their culinary uses and should be valued highly in the repertoire of any chief, amateur or professional. I would like to thank the reader who recommended that we address this incredibly important question comparing the pumpkin and the orange, as these plants have more value to them than just the color orange. Please like, share, and subscribe, and let me know in the comments how many times you counted the word orange. Happy April Fools’!

rlee@arcadiaquill.com Graphic courtesy of ABBY CHOY

WHAT’S INSIDE

ENGINEERING IN QUARANSPORTS RESUME AT THE SPORTS: AHS PG. 16-17 TINE PG. 10-11 FEATURES: From socially-distanced track meets to virtual math competitions, athletic and academic endeavors at AHS have taken a very different turn since the start of the pandemic.

Arcadia’s Engineering Design and Development class (EDD) has been no exception.

“We designed everything on paper with no actual construction. All the students worked and communicated over Discord, which made it really easy for the class to function in a socially-distanced manner.”

Photo courtesy of WIKIWAND.COM

After the most unpredictable year in history due to the COVID-19 pandemic, AHS sports teams are finally back. With girls volleyball, water polo, cross country, football, and other season one sports resuming their practice schedules and playing regular games, athletes at AHS are overjoyed to be playing the sports they love.

in this issue: policy 2 | editorial 3 | news 4 | opinion 6 | features 8 | student life 10 | center spread 12 | arts & entertainment 14 | sports 16 | campus focus 18

02

POLICY

arcadiaquill.com

MARCH 2021

the

arcadia quill Social Media & Comments Social media will be used to promote appropriate media, to promote published content, and to engage with Arcadia and Arcadia High School’s community. The Editorial Board reserves the right to remove comments deemed inappropriate, offensive, or threatening. The information posted on social media platforms (i.e. Instagram) will be held to the same standards as all other reporting in terms of information gathering and fact-checking.

Bylines If more than one person works on a story or an editor has to rewrite a significant portion of a story (as determined by the editor), all names of contributing writers will be listed on the byline of the article. All articles, graphics, photos, and other media, with the exception of staff photos, will be bylined with the photographer or contributor’s name.

All bylined writers will be held accountable for their work and the information contained within.

Corrections Policy Corrections will be printed when brought to the attention of the staff. Original stories will carry bylines but additional contributors to a story will be listed on the byline.

Plagiarism Plagiarism of any form will not be tolerated. Story ideas and article content are to remain completely original with the exception of the use of outside graphics/images/quotes, which are to be duly credited.

Quotes Quotes are representative of a single opinion; they do not represent the beliefs of the student body and staff. Quotes are to be written in past tense with the correct style guide format.

Editorial Policy The Arcadia Quill will not print anything in our publication (online or print) that is deemed libelous, obscene, or otherwise offensive or inappropriate, in accordance with the Supreme Court’s justified standards. Rights are reserved to postpone, edit or withhold from publication anything submitted which does not meet the specifications.

Unsigned editorials represent the view of The Arcadia Quill Editorial Board. It does not necessarily represent the view of other Arcadia Quill staff members. The Arcadia Quill refuses to print criticism which is not constructive and not supported by fact or evidence. The editors and adviser will make the final decision on all material appearing in The Arcadia Quill.

The Arcadia Quill will not intentionally invade the privacy of any person or publish facts and quotes given off the record. Opinions will be clearly marked and found on the editorial pages or as designated on other pages (i.e.- front page). Signed opinion articles and commentary are the expressed opinions of the author and not of The Arcadia Quill and its editorial board, adviser, or Arcadia High School’s faculty or school board.

Staff members are guided by the Canons of Journalism of the American Society of Newspaper Editors, a code of ethics which outlines the principles of responsibility, fairness, and accuracy.

general editorial staff board Editors in Chief: Cassidy Chhay, Margaret Lin, and Jocelyn Thao News Editors: Leslie Chen and Rebecca Tao Opinion Editors: Emma Chen and Michelle Lee Features Editors: Abby Choy and Anya Yang Student Life Editors: Robinson Lee and Tanya Lee Arts & Entertainment Editors: Ariana Parizadeh and Jenny Qiu Sports Editors: Enzo Goebel and Zoe Lin Campus Focus Editors: Melody Lui and Ashley Zhao Design Editor: Kate De Prima Photography Editor: Kylie Ha Publicity Manager: Becky Chen

Staff Writers: Saket Akalamkam, Emily Banuelos, Brandon Chan, Catherine Chan, Amanda Chang, Angela Chien, Lilian Chong, Jorge Espinoza-Gonzalez, Vritti Godani, Joy Herrera, Merrick Hua, Shirley Huang, Logan Johnson, Siddharth Karthikeya, Kate Larrick, Bryan Lim, Linda Qiu, Kaytalie Shang, Ashley Sioeng, Maggie Sun, Lorin Teng, Avari Wang, Greg Wang, Janell Wang, Stephanie Wang, Chloe Wong, Kailani Yamashiro, Sean Yang, Madison Yee, and Pamina Yung Design Staff: Catherine Chan, Amanda Chang, Angela Chien, Kate Larrick, Linda Qiu, Kaytalie Shang, Audrey Siong, Lorin Teng, and Avari Wang Photography Staff: Emily Banuelos, Lilian Chong, Logan Johnson, Janell Wang, Kailani Yamashiro, Madison Yee, and Pamina Yung Adviser: Mrs. Lesley Lee

MARCH 2021

EDITORIAL

arcadiaquill.com

3

Let’s Keep Moving A

lot

is

going

on

in

our

world

right

now,

and

it’s

okay

to

feel

overwhelmed.

Having passed the day marking one year since the quarantine started, it’s undeniable we’ve come a long way. On Mar. 25, California announced that all residents 16 and above will be eligible for vaccines starting Apr. 15. As of Mar. 15, Los Angeles County is in the substantial risk “red tier”—whereas it had previously been in the widespread risk “purple tier”—and some key sectors have begun to reopen. Even Arcadia Unified School District is planning to reopen schools by mid-April. These are sure steps that the world around us is getting better.

We’re making progress with COVID-19, but we’re still in the middle of a pandemic. The unemployment rate is not as high as it was last year, but it’s still higher than pre-pandemic levels. Racial injustice remains; violence against Asian Americans has surged almost 150% compared to previous years. There is also no denying the mental strain the pandemic has put on people all over the world with therapists and mental health facilities overburdened with the escalating need for services.

With all of the ups and downs and tosses and turns, it can be exhausting to get a grasp on everything going on. Life can feel like a massive question mark, with no certainty of where things will go. It’s easy to feel lost and exhausted, and that is totally okay. It’s okay to take things at your own pace, but we shouldn’t stop where we are.

After all, time stops for no one. It’s easy to get caught up in the chaos of the moment, but we need to remember that someday, somehow, things will move past our present circumstances. Things are changing constantly, but some things are changing for the better, and we might be able to treat our experiences as an opportunity for growth. For example, learning and working remotely have taken a massive leap forward. Although we hope that nothing as drastic as another pandemic will occur soon, procedures for another lockdown wouldn’t feel as drastic and new. Some of these procedures may be used even without a worldwide crisis; numerous companies are planning to adopt remote or hybrid work models for the future. We can be assured that through the adversity and challenges we face, a new beginning will emerge.

The feeling of being overwhelmed is universal, and everybody is feeling the pressure of uncertainty. So give yourself a little grace during this time and be kind to yourself. Focus on each day as it comes by and what you can get done at the moment. Think of the small things that bring you happiness and treasure them. Work at your own pace and give yourself room to relax and breathe. Talk to your friends if you want some interaction, but don’t feel guilty for wanting some time on your own.

What’s important is that you keep going. We will get through this together, but we need to keep moving forward.

Graphics courtesy of PNGTREE.COM

04

NEWS

arcadiaquill.com

GOVERNOR NEWSOM PUSHES TO REOPEN SCHOOLS

By SEAN YANG

MARCH 2021

CHINA AND RUSSIA TEAM UP TO BUILD LUNAR SPACE STATION

By BRYAN LIM

Staff Writer

Staff Writer

A year of distance learning has flown by and with it comes the reopening of schools. Governor Newsom has been pushing to reopen schools to at least some degree and it seems like it is finally happening. With the help of a $2 billion fund, it seems like some schools will finally be reopening again.

The number of cases have dropped to the point where students will once again be able to attend school safely. However a proposal that allows local education officials to decide whether to reopen or not is expected to go through on Thursday, Mar. 4. Parents will also be able to choose whether or not they want their students to go back to school or continue distance learning.

“I look forward after that vote on Thursday to quickly signing this and moving forward to celebrate the reopening for in-person instruction of schools all up and down the state of California,” said Governor Newsom.

The $2 billion fund is being used to persuade students to go back to in-person learning as schools that are able to push all elementary grades back into in-person learning, as well as either a middle or high school grade, will be able to get funding.

Even though plans of school reopening are quickly taking place, there are complications regarding vaccinations of school officials and students. 10% of weekly vaccine doses have now been set aside for school staff in order to get everyone vaccinated quickly. Even though vaccinations are still occurring, the California Teachers Association has stated that it is not important for all teaching officials to be vaccinated for in-person school to resume. This was a mandate that was demanded by the association during the legislation process.

In order to make sure that guidelines are followed after school reopens, a “Safe Schools for All Team” is being implemented that will conduct regular safety checks. This is just another example of the financial incentives being provided to persuade more schools to reopen.

Additionally, if a school does not reopen when they meet the proper requirements, they will be losing out on their share of the $2 billion fund. Every day that the school remains in virtual learning, they will forfeit more and more of the potential money they can gain. This will certainly be the deciding factor when school administrators are deciding whether or not to reopen.

“Now the pressure lands at every schoolhouse door,” said lobbyist Kevin Gordon.

Russia and China have decided to team up and agreed on Mar. 9 to create a lunar space station that will be open to all countries. The lunar space station will be created on the moon’s surface and/or in orbit of the moon. The lunar space station will be built out of complex research and experimental facilities that will be used for research on self-operating technologies.

“China and Russia will use their accumulated experience in space science, research and development… to jointly develop a road map for the construction of an international lunar scientific research station (ILRS),” China’s National Space Administration said.

The two space stations have announced an agreement to develop the International Lunar Research Station, also known as the ILRS. The two countries have also planned to create a data center for the exploration of space as a whole together. They plan on cooperating in the future on their space projects such as China’s Chang’e-7 and Russia’s Luna 27 missions.

“We plan to promote cooperation on the creation of an open-access ILRS… with the goal of strengthening research cooperation and promoting the exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes in the interests of all mankind,” Roscosmos, Russian Space Agency said.

In recent years, Russia has been struggling with space exploration and projects, such as multiple probe launch failures. China also became the first country to send an unmanned probe to the moon and sent their first satellites in 1970.

If the lunar space station succeeds, it has the potential to find ways to commercially exploit the moon and change the geopolitics of space exploration itself. In recent years, China has made big advances in terms of space exploration and sent many astronauts and probes into space from the moon to Mars.

“China has created an ideological narrative about its lunar base that offers its advanced space capacity as an asset to those who want to join in an alternative mechanism of lunar exploration and exploitation of resources,” Namrata Goswami, an independent analyst, said.

In conclusion, China and Russia cooperating shows the world’s potential when we put our minds to a goal we all want to achieve. It also can reveal space’s greatest mysteries and many possibilities beneath it. Hopefully, in the near future, the lunar space station will be built to further space research and exploration.

syang@arcadiaquill.com Photo by APNEWS.COM

blim@arcadiaquill@gmail.com Photo by NBCNEWS.COM

By LINDA QIU Staff Writer

HISTORIC MEETING BETWEEN POPE FRANCIS AND IRAQ’S TOP SHIITE CLERIC

Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani and Pope Francis, each the highest religious authority among their followers, met on Mar. 6 during the Pope’s tour of Iraq. The visit was highly symbolic and aimed to signal to Shiite Muslim leaders that Christians should be respected.

Pope Francis’ three-day visit to northern Iraq from Mar. 5 to Mar. 7 is the first-ever papal trip to Iraq. On the second day, he toured the ruins of Ur, traditionally believed to be the birthplace of religious figure Abraham, and met Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, a notable spiritual authority for many Shiite Muslims.

“As a Shia Muslim, I do not consider Pope Francis to be just an authority for Catholic Christians but for all humanity. And the same is true for Grand Ayatollah Sistani,” said Iraqi Shiite religious leader Sayyed Jawad Mohammed Taqi Al-Khoi of the private meeting between the two prominent figures.

Both religions “share theological similarities when it comes to the use of intellect and reasoning, but moreover, Ayatollah Sistani and Pope Francis also share similar personalities as individuals when it comes to their piety and humility,” he added.

Christians in Iraq face extreme violence and discrimination, and the Iraq population is weighed down by turmoil, economic difficulties, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Iraq’s Christians anticipated Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani’s meeting with Pope Francis, hoping that the

show of solidarity from Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani will ease discrimination from Shiite militiamen against their community and help solidify their place in the region.

The meeting, located in the holy city of Najaf, was private and not recorded. During their talk, Ayatollah al-Sistani stressed that Christian citizens deserve to live in “security and peace,” with full constitutional rights, just like Iraqis. He discussed oppression, injustice, and religious and intellectual persecution, and expressed concern about the situation of displaced people in northern Iraq, “particularly the Palestinian people in the occupied territories,” according to a statement released by his office.

In return, Pope Francis thanked Ayatollah al-Sistani and the Shiite community for speaking up in defense of the most vulnerable.

“Let us affirm that God is merciful and that the greatest blasphemy is to profane his name by hating our brothers and sisters. Hostility, extremism, and violence are not born of a religious heart: They are betrayals of religion,” the pope said in Ur after the meeting, surrounded by Christians, Muslims, and members of many Iraq minorities. “We believers cannot be silent when terrorism abuses religion.”

Iraqis showed a positive response to the rendezvous, and the prime minister declared Mar. 6 the “National Day of Tolerance and Coexistence” in Iraq.

lqiu@arcadiaquill.com Photo by NYTIMES.COM

MARCH 2021

NEWS

news.arcadiaquill.com

05

TEXAS MOVES TO LIFT MASK MANDATES

By JOY HERRERA Staff Writer The state of Texas has been hit hard by lockdowns due to the coronavirus. Many Republican legislators are eager to reopen completely, and the Texas Governor Greg Abbott has furthered this pursuit by announcing that on Mar. 10 he will end the state’s mask mandates and allow businesses to operate at 100% capacity.

According to The New York Times, this announcement comes after federal health officials have cautioned against the move. Abbott’s rationale seems to be that although the coronavirus is still in Texas, lowered case numbers, as well as vaccinations, are enough to move closer to normality. However, many top medical officials have stated that the lowered numbers in Texas may be artificial. The storm that plagued the state has caused people to take fewer COVID-19 tests, which has impacted numbers.

“People and businesses don’t need the state telling them how to operate,” said Governor Abbott.

Private businesses have stated that they will take their cues from the Center for Disease Control (CDC). Many large brands have announced that they will continue to enforce masks within stores and encourage customers to maintain six feet of distance. However, this may not be enough to stop the spread if people choose to gather in public spaces.

Texas has a population of around 29 million people, and of them, 5 million have been vaccinated. This number is not enough for herd immunity, and those who have received the vaccine are clustered in more urban areas. Furthermore, of these 5 million, a large percentage has not yet received the second dose of the vaccine which improves effectiveness. Texas is averaging around 7,000 new cases of coronavirus a day, and over 200 people are dying each

day of the virus. This is around 15% lower than numbers in February but could increase after repairs from the storm are completed.

Another concern over the relaxing of restrictions is of new variants which are becoming more prominent in Texas. The vaccine is not tailored for new variants of COVID-19, and many variants are more contagious, which is a concern as citizens can now go without masks.

After the first wave of coronavirus hit, Texas attempted to reopen in a move that many said was too soon. Reopening after the first wave did seem to result in a surge of cases at the height of the summer. The Biden administration has urged Texas to proceed with caution for any reopening attempts. Furthermore, the CDC still suggests that people continue wearing masks and limiting the size of any gatherings of people.

These warnings do not seem to have been effective as several states, including Mississippi, have followed Texas’ example by announcing that they would also lift county mask mandates and business capacity restrictions.

Mississippi has experienced a sharp decline in cases and deaths but this trend of states pulling back restrictions abruptly does not seem like a positive one. 11 states have never had a statewide mask mandate, and after Governor Abbott’s announcement, it seems like five more states will be joining as well despite health officials’ advice.

Lack of caution at the beginning of the pandemic was a large part of why the United States is still experiencing difficulties nearly a year later. The United States must help citizens economically; however, coronavirus is a threat to more than just businesses. Coronavirus is a threat to people’s lives.

jherrera@arcadiaquill.com Photos by CNN.COM

ATLANTA SHOOTING

By BRANDON CHAN Staff Writer

shootings.

On Tuesday morning, Long purchased the firearm from Big Woods Goods, a sporting store in Cherokee Country. He was known to be an avid hunter, and in 2019 he even ran away from his home with his girlfriend (a missing persons report was filed).

However, there is controversy over whether or not Long should be charged with a hate crime.

“He apparently has an issue, what he considers a sex addiction, and sees these locations as something that allows him to go to these places, and it’s a temptation for him that he wanted to eliminate,” Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Capt. Jay Baker said.

Another Georgia sheriff also stated that the shooter was only having a “bad day” and thus, lashed out.

Other high-ranking officials and politicians such as Vice President Kamala Harris have said that Asian American incidents all across the country should be the first priority right now.

“The investigation is ongoing, we don’t yet know, we’re not yet clear about the motive,” said Vice President Kamala Harris,“But I do want to say to our Asian American community that we stand with you and understand how this has frightened and shocked and outraged all people.”

Recently, news of Asian Americans being verbally harassed and physically assaulted have risen. Some of these incidents are due to the rising xenophobia toward people of color or acts of pure malice.

On Mar. 16, a shooting occurred at Young’s Asian Massage Parlor, located about 30 miles north of Atlanta. At around 5 p.m., the police arrived at the scene of the crime and found five wounded people. Two were fatally shot and the other three were taken to a local hospital, two of which later died in the hospital.

“We don’t know if this incident is racially motivated, but you have to understand the deep-seated fear that our community is experiencing,” said Cynthia Choi, one of the cofounders of Stop AAPI Hate, a recently formed group that follows violence and harassment against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

Roughly an hour later after the shooting at Young’s Asian Massage Parlor, another two shootings took place across the street from one another. They were at the Gold Spa and Aromatherapy Spa. These two shootings left four more people dead.

That same night, Robert Aaron Long, resident of Woodstock, Georgia, was taken into custody in Crisp County. The Atlanta Police Department said that they had found a 9mm firearm in his car. He was charged by authori- bchan@arcadiaquill.com Photos by VOX.COM and CNN.COM ties with eight counts of murder in all three

06

OPINION

By MADISON YEE Staff Writer After Texas Governor Greg Abbott confirmed he would lift the statewide mask and occupancy mandates on Mar. 2, both Texans and outsiders have experienced some mixed emotions. While many have taken these restrictions for granted and have seen these guidelines as an inconvenience when it comes to the public’s health, it is crucial to follow coronavirus precautions, whether it is avoiding large gatherings, maintaining social distancing, or wearing a mask at all times.

This executive order took effect on Mar. 10, allowing businesses to open at 100% capacity without enforcing COVID-19 mask mandates.

“It’s time to reopen Texas 100%… Everybody who wants to work should have that opportunity. Every business that wants to be open,

By AMANDA CHANG Staff Writer So many questions have arisen since the announcement that AUSD elementary students and middle/high schoolers will return to campus on Apr. 12 and Apr. 19, respectively. What are some of the things that families and students might gain from returning to in-person classes?

Elementary students will be able to learn social skills that are necessary for everyday life.

Children cannot easily learn how to share, sit still, listen to others, be respectful, and be kind to others if they are sitting in their own homes on mute during school. With in-person school, it will be easier for them to grow and learn lessons that they will apply throughout their lives.

Additionally, going back to school is beneficial for mental health. There have been studies showing that depression and anxiety have increased during the pandemic. Going to campus will be a nice change of pace and scenery for families, and for 5th, 8th, and 12th graders, it will be a chance to gain closure for their final year at their respective schools.

In-person school will also allow students to spend time with their peers. When in virtual class, there are few chances to socialize in a free setting. Besides better communication between peers, there will be better communication from teachers to students as well. Kids who have had difficulties paying attention or understanding their teachers will have an easier time learning in person. Students who do not have as many resources at home will be able to access the resources they need at school.

should be open,” Abbott said.

Although it is true that vaccines are slowly being distributed, the majority of people still have yet to receive them, and many are skeptical about the effects of the vaccine. Even with the urge of exercising “personal vigilance” to navigate the pandemic, many people have still continued to disregard these precautions. Not to mention, the Texas coronavirus infections and deaths have gradually risen again; Texas has the third-highest state toll in the U.S. You would think Texas would be more cautious, but it has become the largest U.S. state to get rid of the mask mandate.

“We appreciate the challenges governors face in making all the decisions they face, and we recognize that a lot of these are theirs to make. But the president has been very clear that we will save a lot of lives if the first 100 days—50,000 lives, that’s the estimate if everybody wears a mask. And so we think it’s criti-

Parents who need to work will not have to worry about working from home or finding childcare services if they need to work outside.

I know from personal experience that my mom has to constantly monitor my younger siblings during class. Parents now have an option that allows their kids to learn outside the house. After school, parents will not necessarily have to pick their kids up right away either. According to AUSD’s roadmap for reopening, AUSD will be providing free after school care for students that choose to return on campus.

As for satefy concerns, Mr. Fox, the President of the Arcadia Teachers Association, has said face masks, shields and sanitizer will be provided for those returning to campus. The air conditioning in classrooms has been upgraded to ensure better ventilation and filtration. Although Mr. Fox does not completely support the return to campus, he supports the families and teachers who will be returning.

“We know people in Arcadia. Our students have lost family members. Our teachers have lost family members. But you can’t just brush that off, it’s a serious thing. The emotional toll on teachers and families is legitimate. And then you have the littlest children that are not in school and parents see them struggling. That’s serious too. So I just want to urge everybody to respect the fact that we’re all in this together, that every single one of us cares about kids, and we want to do the right thing and the best thing,” said Mr. Fox.

achang@arcadiaquill.com Graphic courtesy of FONTSPACE.COM

arcadiaquill.com

cal, particularly now as we’re starting to see an increase in cases in Texas, which we’ve seen over the last week, and particularly as we have plans now to vaccinate the country. Now’s not the time to do this,” said White House senior adviser for COVID-19 response Andy Slavitt.

These enforced rules of wearing a mask at all times have been essential components to decreasing the spread of the pandemic, so how will this new approach keep everyone safe? The simple answer to this question is that it won’t.

Without safety measures strictly set in place, not only does this endanger people around the world, but it also puts our own lives at risk.

“It seems irresponsible to indicate to people that somehow it’s now safe to not wear masks because everyone from our local health authority, Dr. Escott, to scientists, you know, at the national level are saying that we need to keep wearing masks to stop COVID from having another surge,” Travis County Judge Andy

By CATHERINE CHAN Staff Writer Online school has felt like a fever dream.

The days blurred together and some of us might have lost our social skills. The idea of returning back to school may sound exciting after a long year of isolation. However, is returning to school a truly ethical and safe idea?

To begin, students will be disadvantaged when returning to in-person school while our state is only just moving toward the orange tier.

While our district is putting tremendous effort into reopening schools and vaccinating staff, our safety as students cannot be guaranteed. As of now, there are still no vaccines available for those who are 16-years-old or under. With about three-fourths of the student body unable to be vaccinated, the many risks outweigh the benefits of going back to in-person school.

Even with social distancing and all safety precautions implemented, none of us have control over where people go or who they interact with. It is impossible to control what students do where there is no supervision, such as bathrooms, and people are bound to let their guard down. Because of this, there may be a lack of consensus on how seriously safety precautions will be enforced. If a student is caught violating the protocols, it could already be too late as they could easily catch and transmit the virus.

Students’ families are also at risk. What if a student carries the disease home to their grandparents, or believes that they do? Returning to schools is contrary to the famous “better safe than sorry” proverb. The consequences are

MARCH 2021

Brown said.

With the highly contagious variants and elements of the coronavirus, many health officials have tried convincing Texans to be wary of Abbott’s announcement, as the virus has not completely vanished yet. Even if some restraints have been removed, it is still greatly important to try your best to avoid any ways of transmitting the virus. Despite these warnings, Abbott has said that the state was “in a far better position now.”

There need to be steps to improvement, and currently, we are walking backward as Texas has injected false beliefs and ideas of the virus. So all I ask is for Texas to please, keep your mandates and lower the COVID-19 counts to save the tens of thousands of lives that will be lost without it. myee@arcadiaquill.com Graphic Courtesy of COSMOPOLITAN.COM

and FONTSPACE.COM

now putting yourself and others at risk.

Another aspect is the heavy burden that students must carry if they are returning. Parents can help contain a student’s fears concerning the virus at home. But a dystopian school environment strict protocols could be stressful for a student. With many students looking forward to socializing during the school day, interaction is paramount to the learning experience.

Students may be disappointed when they can’t have those normal interactions on campus.

Finally, it will be an equity nightmare.

With a fraction of the class in school and the remaining online, students will have an unfair playing field. A student with unreliable Wi-Fi who chooses to stay online due to concerns with the pandemic will be disadvantaged. It is also uncertain how big our school’s bandwidth is ormany users can be online simultaneously.

Addtionally, with the option for families to opt out, disadvantaged students and families are at an even higher health risk. The students whose families can’t afford to keep them at home, and desperately need child care, will be forced to send their children to school. This means that students will be sent to school, and will bring the virus home to their families, who may also be less able to seek medical care.

The return to school only brings danger to students and their families. Regardless if teachers are vaccinated or how safe the environment may be, there are still a multitude of problems that need to be resolved.

cchan@arcadiaquill.com Graphic courtesy of FONTSPACE.COM

opinion.arcadiaquill@gmail.com

OPINION

07

We Need Election Reform Now!

MARCH 2021

By JOY HERRERA Staff Writer Despite priding itself for being “by the people and for the people,” the United States government has never extended the vote to all its citizens. The 2020 general election was a test of the U.S. election system as states struggled with the highest voter turnout that we have seen in years, along with the pandemic.

This has made politicians on both sides of the spectrum move to change the voting system in ways that could prove to be either disastrous or extraordinary.

The most influential piece of voting rights legislation in the United States is the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which was passed after African American activists rallied for greater access to the vote and forced Congress’s hand with the Selma to Montgomery marches. This piece of legislation enforced accessibility standards to the states at the federal level and allowed the federal government to stop voter discrimination on the basis of race.

However, in 2013, the Supreme Court ruled in the landmark case Shelby County vs.

Holder that a portion of this act was unconstitutional. Since then, this key piece of legislation has been limited, with prominent federal lawmakers concurring that its oversight was not needed. States have reacted to the increased freedom by passing law after law limiting the vote in the name of security. On the contrary, I would argue that election security should not be the greatest factor at play when we decide our voting systems. Voting security is often used as an excuse to impose harsh restrictions on marginalized communities.

It is clear to me that we need election reform, and we need it now. In states across the country, lawmakers who are primarily Republican are moving to suppress voter turnout. In Arizona, Republican lawmakers have passed laws banning the counting of provisional ballots cast in the wrong precinct and the collection of absentee ballots by anyone but a family member or caregiver. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the law was not necessary to prevent ballot fraud but would make it more difficult for minorities in rural areas to vote.

Now, this case is up in the Supreme Court as Brnovich vs. Democratic National Committee. The Supreme Court has to decide whether these laws are constitutional, and in doing so, will put yet another part of the Voting Rights Act up to scrutiny. This time, it is Section Two, which bans practices that result in racial inequality, that will come under review. The Supreme Court is now more conservative, and it looks like the justices are leaning towards a ruling which will curtail the Voting Rights Act yet again.

The Supreme Court has ruled consistently in recent years to uphold limiting the vote, and this is because the Constitution does not explicitly affirm the right to vote. It is up to lawmakers and the people to hold the government accountable for its voting practices.

Our system of government was never meant to allow voting for all. In fact, it wasn’t even meant to include voting for all white men; only landed, wealthy, educated, white men were supposed to be able to vote. I believe that if voting and democracy are supposed to be part of our values, as a country, then we need an affirmative right to vote in the Constitution.

However, I know that the road to a constitutional

amendment is a long one, and I believe that while this must be the end goal, even incremental change is monumental towards allowing Americans to decide the fate of America. On Mar. 7, President Biden signed an executive order aiming to improve accessibility for voter registration. This executive order was a way to commemorate Bloody Sunday, a tragic incident where civil rights activists were beaten by state troopers for marching for voting rights.

Furthermore, the House of Representatives recently passed a piece of legislation called the For the People Act or House Resolution 1 (H.R. 1). This piece of legislation aims to overhaul America’s voting systems. It mandates that all states allow no-excuse mail voting, makes Election Day a federal holiday, grants suffrage to felons who have completed their sentences, and overhauls campaign financing, among other things. House Democrats see this as one of the only ways to prevent massive voter suppression attempts like the one that came out of Arizona.

Although it has passed in the House, its fate is unclear in the Senate. It would need a 60-vote majority to clear the Senate with the filibuster. This seems very unlikely as Republicans are staunchly opposed to the bill, which they perceive as a partisan attempt to gain power.

Pieces of legislation like H.R. 1 are pivotal in getting people out to the vote. Still, there has been pushback from Republican politicians in response

to attempts to reform voting. They believe that this will weaken voting security and give Democrats an unfair advantage, in many cases, against all evidence to the contrary.

So I have to ask, why is it so controversial to expand voting rights? I believe it is because it can be advantageous for certain groups to maintain the status quo. Nonetheless, this point of view is detrimental to the lives of many, and for America to be democratic, citizens need to be fairly represented.

Our government can not represent the people if it is not elected by the people. Election reform is a vital part of creating a society that can handle the challenges of the modern age and create a more equitable life for its citizens.

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FEATURES

By CATHERINE CHAN Staff Writer With the freedom of quarantine and online school, what is stopping you from trying out the lifestyle of a billionaire?

To be exact, with the freedom of quarantine and online school gradually coming to an end, you should certainly experience what it is like to wake up as a billionaire before you lose the opportunity to do so.

This is a morning routine that has gone viral on social media, specifically Youtube, and claims to be the habits of some of the world’s most successful people. Essentially, by learning the morning routines of billionaires such as Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, or Jeff Bezos, we are adopting the healthy habits of these incredibly successful individuals.

Although these may seem like some habits that are very good to have, it can also appear as to being very time-consuming.

There may be habits that you fully support, and there definitely will be habits that you find outright unrealistic to have for your day to day routine. Either way, there is no harm in giving these famous morning routines a try. Take it from myself, someone who tried to adopt these habits in the beginning of quarantine as a result of having complete boredom each day with nothing better to do. The structure and discipline required in this detailed morning routine can create positive momentum to have a productive day.

It is said by the Youtube channel, Be Inspired, that “people… pick up their phone,

the first thing, and they start reacting and driving distraction… as opposed to proactively spending time with self-care and self-love.”

Without further ado, let’s step in and take a look at what a billionaire does each morning!

1. Recall Your Dreams While a typical person would begin their day by staring at their screens for the first few hours they are awake, the first thing that a typical billionaire does when they wake up is to recall their dreams. The importance of knowing your subconscious by recalling your dreams is substantial information to understanding yourself and your own visions.

2. Make Your Bed You might be wondering, what is so special about this step everyone does for billionaires to feel the need to gatekeep it? Well, making your bed once you get out of it is important to do right away and it is indeed a success habit because it sets up your positive momentum for the rest of the day. Making your bed as one of the first few things you do in the morning can significantly contribute to your mindset and can allow for a more productive one.

3. Water It is a fact that everyone wakes up dehydrated because you lose many hours in the night of consuming water because we are sleeping. It is paramount to relinquish your thirst and hydrate yourself early in the morning. If a cup is not right next to you on your bed table, take the extra effort to walk to your kitchen and pour yourself a tall glass of water.

4. Breathing In the step, the key is to focus on your

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breathing and use any technique that you find comfortable for you. Some techniques include box breathing, alpha breathing, and Wim Hof’s method. Giving yourself time to meditate properly is important so that you are able to have a cleared mind and release any remaining troubles from the previous day.

5. Make a Move Although this step may seem daunting, it can become much simpler than working out.

By doing small movements such as jumping in place, jumping-jacks, or stretching, you wake up your body and get your heart rate beating normally. This process can take as little time as one or two minutes in your morning routine.

6. Cold Shower Cold showers are a great way to wake yourself up if you are still feeling tired from the previous steps from this routine. A cold shower includes benefits such as resetting your nervous system and reducing inflammation. A study by the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine concluded that cold showers have another benefit. This other benefit is that these showers have a positive effect on people who suffer from depression because the cold temperature sends more electrical impulses to the brain, which can help alleviate depression.

7. Journaling An interesting fact is that the hobby of journaling has become increasingly more popular. I have seen many social media posts of aesthetically pleasing pages under the “#journaling” and have adopted this habit myself. Simply, write out your thoughts and communicate in your journal with yourself.

MARCH 2021

8. To-Do List It is important to set goals for each day.

These goals do not have to be anything ambitious or big, it is all up to yourself. They can simple three goals about getting work done or about running certain errands. Setting attainable goals each day allow you to feel proud and accomplished of yourself.

9. To-Feel List Similar to the To-Do list step, this step requires you to write down certain feelings you want to feel throughout the day. You can design it to feel grateful or to feel excited and even motivated. Having a To-Feel list will help prompt your mindset as well in the write direction.

10. Read As the final step of the “1 billion dollar morning routine,” taking time to read will train your brain on analyzing and allow for full function for the rest of the day. This step not only brings more knowledge but it also improves brain connectivity and reduces stress.

The “1 billion dollar morning routine” is set to redirect your mindset and health each morning for you to spend the rest of the day at your full potential. Ultimately, creating healthy habits is one of the most influential steps in a billionaire’s success and can change your performance throughout the day, significantly.

cchan@arcadiaquill.com Graphics courtesy of 1001FONTS.COM and DREAMSTIME.COM

THE SANTA ANITA MALL THEN VS. NOW

By SIDDHARTH KARTHIKEYA Staff Writer A lot of things have changed in Arcadia over quarantine. These changes impacted several integral parts of Arcadia that make it the beautiful city it is. But perhaps the most notable changes of all stem from the place every Arcadian has visited at least once, the mall.

As COVID begins to die out, things are starting to go back to normal. Or whatever normal once was. The Westfield Santa Anita mall, for example, has been open for quite some time now. But so much has changed that it’s hard to recognize it as the great Arcadian building it once was.

If you were to visit the mall a little more than a year ago, it wouldn’t mat-

ter what time you went because the place would be always bustling with shoppers and employees. It would be a nightmare to find a spot to park, even though parking infrastructure spanned for miles and getting into the Bed Bath and Beyond without brushing shoulders with at least seven strangers would be a feat close to impossible to accomplish.

But these days, parking spots are available everywhere, shoppers are sparse, and overcrowded Bed Bath and Beyonds are a thing of the past.

While it may seem depressing to see the once great mall in such a dilapidated state, it comes with good intentions, as the path to rebuilding it’s strong foothold in Arcadian society is one that is long and strenuous.

Determined to get back on the road to recovery, the mall has taken several steps

to ensuring employee and shopper safety.

Employees are required to report symptoms of COVID immediately, everyone on mall grounds must wear masks, common areas are regularly disinfected, sanitizers are made readily available, and signs for social distancing/general cleanliness are posted throughout the premises.

In addition to all of this, there is no more indoor seating available at the food court. Because of the close proximity inside the food court, and inability for customers to eat while keeping their masks on, the whole indoor dining idea has been scrapped. Customers are still able to purchase food obviously, but they must leave mall grounds before digging in.

Smaller shops inside the mall, such as PacSun, have begun to limit the amount of people allowed inside at a certain time.

This in turn reduces the risk of spread, as those inside are given ample space to spread apart and social distance.

If you wish to skip the line in stores adopting similar limits to the amount of people allowed inside, you can do so by downloading their mobile app from the app store or play store.

So all in all, the mall isn’t looking too great right now because there’s still a ways to go before it gets back to the great state it was once in. So until then, all we can do is wait.

skarthikeya@arcadiaquill.com Graphic courtesy of 1001FONTS.COM Photo courtesy of BISNOW.COM

features.arcadiaquill@gmail.com

MARCH 2021

FEATURES

By MADISON YEE

By JANELL WANG Staff Writer

experienced a vision of spreading Christianity to Ireland, making him more determined to do so. Saint Patrick was later able to successfully escape from his enslavement, making his way back to Britain and studied his priesthood in France. Eventually, he became a bishop and traveled back to Ireland to spread his teachings.

Saint Patrick later died in Saul, Ireland and is believed to be buried in the town of Downpatrick. Some myths associated with this holiday include the four-leaf clover. While this clover may represent luck, Saint Patrick actually used the three-leaf clover as part of his teachings. Another myth involves Saint Patrick chasing out all the snakes in Ireland. This is not true as snakes do not live in Ireland during that time.

Some of the traditions celebrated on this holiday include obviously wearing green. It’s said that wearing green will bring good luck and that it’ll make you invisible to leprechauns who’ll pinch anyone not donning the color.

People also gather to watch parades of Irish dancers and music, along with eating foods like cabbage and corned beef.

Today, this holiday has spread and is celebrated all around the world.

St. Patrick’s Day is coming up this year and it’s on March 17. This Irish religious holiday is celebrated worldwide and commemorates the death anniversary of Saint Patrick. On this day, people celebrate through parades, dancing, drinking, eating, and wearing a whole ton of green. Saint Patrick is known as the patron saint of Ireland and is credited with bringing Christianity to said country.

Born in the fourth century and in Roman Britain, Saint Patrick came from a wealthy family. Much of what happened in his life is vague and lost to history with much debate surrounding it as a result. His family were all in one way or another involved in the Church with relatively high social standing at the time. His mother, Conchessa was a relative of Saint Martin of Tours and his father, Calphurnius was a deacon. Saint Patrick’s grandfather, Pontius, was also a part of the clergy.

When Saint Patrick was 16-yearsold, he was kidnapped by pirates who brought him to Ireland and sold him as a slave. His master, Milchu was a high Druidist priest, a Pagan religion that held huge influence over the country. jwang@arcadiaquill.com Graphics courtesy of DAFONT.COM, During his six years of enslavement, PNGTREE.COM, and Saint Patrick became more deeply inTOUGHTHINGSFIRST.COM volved in Christianity. He apparently

Staff Writer In a world of evolving technology and brand tactics, sustainability has become an important factor for consumers when investing in new products. The demand for “green” ingredients and items has additionally become the key to positive public relations and brand images— making companies feel the need to partake in this. Yet, with the new mantra of “nature friendly,” there have also been misleading advertisements from companies who might appear to be more sustainable than they truly are.

Also known as “greenwashing,” this term has brought up the reality of many favorite brands who are not genuinely environmentally friendly. This happens when a firm makes misleading claims about environmental benefits in terms of a product, service, technology, etc.

“A firm is deemed to be greenwashing if they spend large amounts of time and money in advertising and marketing their “green” goods or services rather than using that time and money in actually implementing environmentally friendly practices,” as stated by the Corporate Finance Institute.

An example of this phenomenon might be a restaurant who uses photos of fresh food and lush nature scenes to depict that they have “healthy and organic” food, when in truth they are actually using processed food that is held in unsustainable packaging. Or, beauty products that might use vague descriptions like, “naturally-derived” could mean that

09

there are also other toxic chemicals involved. When there isn’t research done, some simple words that are slapped on labels might give the wrong impression to consumers who assume that they are sustainable, even though they actually aren’t.

“The prevalence of greenwashing has skyrocketed in recent years. More and more firms have been combining poor environmental performance with positive communication about environmental performance,” said Magali Delmas, a professor of management at the University of California, Los Angeles.

A consulting firm, TerraChoice studied greenwashing and later discovered that 95% of items marketed as “eco-friendly” had been guilty of partaking in one or more of the “seven sins of greenwashing.”

This leads to the question of what these seven sins are. First and foremost, there is the sin of the hidden trade off.

Following is the sin of no-proof, the sin of vagueness, the sin of irrelevance, the sin of lesser of two evils, the sin of fibber, and the sin of worshipping false labels.

To save yourself from being persuaded into following brands that are greenwashing, the best thing to do is to educate yourself and others on trustworthy certifications, environmental issues, and the sins of greenwashing to do the proper research when purchasing items. myee@arcadiaquill.com Graphics courtesy of DAFONT.COM, MEDIUM.COM, and PNGTREE.COM

10

STUDENT LIFE

By SEAN YANG Staff Writer Arcadia High School’s Esports Club has already hosted many tournaments in different games, and their most recent and ongoing tournament takes place in the game “Valorant”. Advised by Mr. Zachary Baroni and led by founder senior Michelle Gao, the club continues to grow bigger and bigger as members look forward to joining tournaments hosted by the club.

“Valorant” is a first-person shooter game where teams of five face each other on several different maps. Teams can select different agents in order to face the opposing side. The game is developed and updated by Riot Games, a company primarily famous for its multiplayer online battle arena game “League of Legends”.

Tournaments are first announced on the club’s social media pages as well as its Discord server. After sign-up for the tournament is full, the club holds live drawings for the brackets to determine that the match-ups are fair. After that, all participants will join a custom lobby ten minutes prior to the start of the game to choose their side, which is determined by a coin flip.

Tournaments led by the club are extremely organized as an official bracket is created; prizes from famous tech companies are distributed to the top finishers of a tourney.

“All of the prizes are sponsored either by Cyberpower PC or Seasonic. Cyberpower PC has sponsored the Arcadia Esports Club since two years ago, while Seasonic is a new sponsor we got last semester,” said Michelle.

By GREG WANG Staff Writer

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MARCH 2021

After the winners are determined, the club officers will send the prize packages to the winners’ addresses. To ensure that they have gotten their rewards, the officers have winners send a photo of themselves with the prizes. Photo collages of the three teams are posted on the official club Instagram page as well.

Among other things, this is the club’s second time holding a “Valorant” tournament as “Valorant” has been the most popular tournament. Originally, the club had held a “Valorant” tournament during first semester, but after experiencing an influx of members during the second semester, it is holding another one due to popular demand.

“Out of all the tournaments we’ve hosted so far, ‘Valorant’ has been the most popular one.

We decided to host a second ‘Valorant’ tournament for those who didn’t know about the Esports club before,” said Michelle.

Currently, the sign-ups for the tournament are full, and no future tournaments have been announced as the officers are focused on making the current “Valorant” tournament a success.

However, the club will host casual tournaments monthly and competitive tournaments for prizes every quarter semester. Although they have not yet decided what the next tournament’s game will be, the officers are always taking requests from members. Be sure to check out the Arcadia Esports Club on Instagram or Discord!

syang@arcadiaquill.com Graphic courtesy of THEGAMER.COM

be more in touch with others.”

“The new EDI Commissioner position will be dedicated to inclusive, diverse, and nondiscriminatory practices for our student body,” added Elena. “If the amendment passes during the special election on Mar. 4 and 5, the EDI Commissioner will be elected by the upcoming spring elections in order to make sure there is a position in ASB dedicated towards Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion as promptly as possible.”

However, not all students are happy about the new amendments.

“While I sympathize with the attempt to be closer with students on campus, I vehemently disagree with the Spirit Commissioners’ role as basically being the representatives of other organizations on campus, especially media organizations,” said senior Lawrence Sung.

Lawrence called the move “contradictory to the democratic nature of ASB” since it was “reminiscent of state corporatism”, as the position of Spirit Commissioner merges third parties into the government. He also expressed his belief that the media and government must remain separate. As an alternative, he suggested that ASB should frequently meet with the unrepresented groups through the Publicity Commissioner or other relevant ASB officials, and to establish a channel of communication where outside organizations could send in their concerns and issues. However, Lawrence agreed that the addition of an EDI Commissioner was a good and necessary move.

The EDI amendments were approved through a vote on Mar. 4 and 5, with the other amendments being voted on during Spring 2021 elections. For now voting will be open to all grades except seniors.

ASB recently publicized three brand new amendments to the ASB Constitution. The three proposed amendments would make changes to ASB’s structure, removing some positions in favor of new ones.

The first amendment would remove the current Link Crew Commissioner, as space needs to be made for the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Commissioner.

The second amendment creates the position of EDI Commissioner and lists its responsibilities. The proposed EDI Commissioner would serve as a liaison between the EDI committee and ASB and plan EDI related events. The amendment would take effect during the Spring 2021 elections, as opposed to the first amendment, which would take effect in the following year’s elections.

The third and final amendment would remove the Pep Commissioners and replace them with Spirit Commissioners, who would have broader powers than the Pep Commissioners. Jurisdiction of Pep Squad would fall to the Athletics Commissioner, and the Spirit Commissioners would represent all organizations that aren’t currently represented. Examples of such organizations would be Apache News, The Arcadia Quill, and Senior Men and Women. The changes proposed by this amendment would take effect after the Spring 2022 elections.

However, before the amendments reach the students for voting, they first had to be written and reviewed by ASB. “I helped write the language of the amendment itself, though the process of its creation was largely a group effort,” said Senior President Nathan Kuo. “The ASB executive council spent just over two months brainstorming the best possible ways to introduce the EDI Commissioner into ASB.” ASB members spent a great deal of time thinking of how to incorporate the position into ASB — whether they should replace an existing position, add an extra executive council member, and what the position itself would entail.

“My job as vice president is to administrate the election process, such as publicizing the amendments and proposals via social media and on official channels, looking over the written amendment drafts, and creating the official election ballot where students vote on the amendment via Election Runner in student emails,” said Vice President senior Elena Chan.

A special election will be held to make a decision on the amendments.

When asked about their opinions on the amendments, both Elena and Nathan had similar opinions. “I think the amendments allow for effective representation more than ever before,” said Nathan. “For many years, ASB has only been affiliated with certain groups on campus, and the gwang@arcadiaquill.com Graphic courtesy of PIKPNG.COM introduction of positions like the Spirit Commissioner, would allow student body members to

STUDENT LIFE 11 LAUSD Defunds Engineering in Quarantine School Policing

MARCH 2021

studentlife.arcadiaquill@gmail.com

By JOY HERRERA

Staff Writer

This plan includes hiring more counselors, updating the curriculum, and pushing for more inclusion. A part of the funds will also be allocated to hire “climate coaches” who will work to create an inclusive environment and address implicit biases. This plan was passed by the board of education as a direct result of the push by members of the Los Angeles community.

“We would not be at this point, though it is delayed admittedly, without the community’s leadership. I’m glad that the plan’s development also provided an opportunity for more engagement with our students, families and the broader community,” stated the LAUSD Board of Education’s president, Kelly Gonez.

According to The Los Angeles Times, a survey commissioned by LAUSD reflects an overall positive view of police officers in schools with over half of students and parents believing that they make schools safer. However, when this survey is broken down into demographics it is clear that African American students do not reflect these trends. Only 35% of African American students said they felt safe with officers on campus. Black student leaders were instrumental in bringing this vote to the board of education, and several community groups have praised this move from Black Lives Matter to Students Deserve.

Police officers will remain in schools, but this restriction on the number of officers opens the door for new opportunities for equity among students.

The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) is responsible for educating around 650,000 students, and in the wake of the protests inspired by the killing of George Floyd, school administrators have moved to make changes in regards to school safety.

On Feb. 16, the LAUSD Board of Education voted to ban the use of pepper spray on students and diverted millions of dollars to benefit students of color. Students and teachers alike across the country are worried about the presence of armed police officers in schools. These steps were implemented to help students rather than punitively punishing them.

Across the nation, schools are grappling with how best to address the concerns of the over-policing of primarily Latino and Black students. Other school districts across the country have led the way for LAUSD to make this move. Minneapolis Public Schools was one of the first districts to take action against police officers in school. Minneapolis moved to replace many of the police officers in schools with “Safety and Security specialists” which are people directly employed by the school district to balance both safety and equity.

The vote by the LAUSD Board of Education moves to cut the district’s police officers by about a third. This leaves about 211 officers still in schools. While Los Angeles County is still in quarantine, administrators have time to think about how best to use the approximately $25 million previously used to fund policing in schools to best support students.The district is working to create a jherrera@arcadiaquill.com Photo by USATODAY.COM plan to promote Black student achievement.

By CHLOE WONG

Staff Writer

From socially-distanced track meets to virtual math competitions, athletic and academic endeavors at AHS have taken a very different turn since the start of the pandemic.

Arcadia’s Engineering Design and Development class (EDD) has been no exception. As one of the most involved extracurriculars at AHS, whether that means not having access to the same resources or finding it difficult to communicate with peers, the engineering team has had to adapt to the pandemic’s new parameters. And as with most activities from pre-COVID times, things are a lot less handson.

Take, for example, what would happen in a normal school year. Usually, EDD students participate in the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) Invention Challenge, a contest where students construct a machine that can accomplish tasks such as throwing rolls of toilet paper and moving ping pong balls. During the first semester of the school year, EDD members typically go to college campuses or the JPL headquarters to compete. Then, during the second semester, the engineering team participates in the For Inspiration and Recognition of Science Technology (FIRST) robotics competition. Students stay late after school every day for up to six weeks while they build a robot with the ability to complete tasks like shooting basketballs through hoops. Depending on how the team performs, they may place at regionals.

But amidst the pandemic, this time around was a little different. Instead of participating in the JPL competition, EDD students took a swing at the Real World Design Challenge (RWDC), an annual competition that provides high school students the chance to apply their engineering skills to real-world

problems.

“We designed everything on paper with no actual construction,” said senior Ethan Wong. “All the students worked and communicated over Discord, which made it really easy for the class to function in a sociallydistanced manner.”

This year, three Arcadia EDD teams claimed the top three spots in California, meaning that as the second-semester approaches, those winning teams are continuing to prepare for international competition.

EDD students will also participate in socially-distanced competitions run by FIRST. There are three main competitions that students can enter: they can design an original product, come up with ideas for FIRST robotics competitions, or simply compile videos of past years’ robots to compete virtually.

“Being on the engineering team was pretty strange this year,” Ethan added. “Not participating in physical competitions or going to campuses is bizarre, but overall, I think that the competitions were still interesting and engaging. I do prefer in-person competitions, so hopefully, we’ll get back to that soon.”

As COVID-19 case numbers fluctuate from day to day, there’s no telling when Arcadia’s student engineers will resume their usual way of competing. But EDD’s sweeping success at competition proves that academic teams don’t necessarily need to be in-person to succeed; that hard work, motivation, and innovative thinking are often enough to secure victory.

cwong@arcadiaquill.com Graphics courtesy of LINKEDIN.COM, PINTREST.COM SIERRALOBO.COM, and FIRSTINSPIRES.ORG

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WOMEN’S

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MARCH 2020

MARCH 2020

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HISTORY MONTH

By ASHLEY ZHAO Campus Focus Editor Observed annually in the month of March, Women’s History Month originated as a way to celebrate and reflect on the contributions of women throughout history like Sojourner Truth, Claudette Colvin, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg who have helped shape this country into the place of greater equality and acceptance it is today.

When it first came about, the event was a weeklong celebration dedicated to recognizing women’s contributions to culture, history, and society by the school district of Sonoma, CA, in 1978. In dozens of schools presentations were held, hundreds of students took part in the “Real Women” essay contest, and a parade was held in downtown Santa Rosa. The idea truly came into fruition after several years, where in 1980, Congress authorized and requested President Jimmy Carter to proclaim the week of Mar. 8, 1982 as National Women’s History Week. During the next five years, Congress would pass joint resolutions to designate a week in March as Women’s History Week, and would eventually designate the entire month as Women’s History Month after being petitioned by the National Women’s History Project.

As we celebrate this month, it’s vital that we take the time to recognize the women who have trail-blazed the fight for all forms of equality long since the founding of the U.S. In 1776, Abigail Adams wrote in a letter to her husband, John Adams, to “remember the ladies and be more generous and favorable to them than your ancestors” and not to “put such unlimited power into the hands of the husbands.” If no emphasis was to be placed on women, Adams proclaimed she was “determined to foment a rebellion” and would not have herself or any other woman “bound by any laws in which we have no voice or representation.”

In 1851, former slave turned abolitionist and women’s rights activist Sojourner Truth delivered her iconic “Ain’t I a Woman?” speech, asking her audience, “And ain’t I a woman? Look at me! Look at my arm! I have ploughed and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me!” On May 15, 1869, Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Canton coordinated the woman’s suffrage movement and founded the National Woman Suffrage Association, which garnered support for the cause and eventually had states grant women the right to vote starting in 1910.

Almost a century later, 15-year-old Claudette Colvin refused to give up her seat for a white passenger on a segregated bus, becoming the first to do so on Mar. 2, 1955 with Rosa Parks doing so nine months later and helping launch the Civil Rights Movement. In 1993, Ruth Bader Ginsburg was nominated to the Supreme Court of the U.S, where she not only fought for the women who were oppressed, but for the men discriminated against as well. On Jan. 20 of this year, Kamala Harris was sworn in as the first woman of color to hold the position of vice president of the U.S., saying how while she may “be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last.”

Even as March comes to an end, we must continue to remember not only the women throughout history that have allowed us to stand where we are today, but we must also build upon the foundation these women have provided to us by continuing to fight against sexism, racism, femicide, and other inequalities. Whether it be a hug, words of thanks, or small gifts, make sure to show your gratitude to any women special in your life throughout this month!

azhao@arcadiaquill.com Graphics courtesy of 1001FONTS.COM

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A&E

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MARCH 2021

MOVIES TO WATCH DURING

WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH

By CHLOE WONG Staff Writer Every March, the world celebrates Women’s History Month by recognizing women from both the past and the present while simultaneously raising awareness for feminist endeavors in the future. It’s a time to celebrate women’s stories, tales, trials, and tribulations. Whether such women are contemporary, historical, or entirely fictional, Women’s History Month provides the perfect opportunity to watch movies and shows celebrating women’s accomplishments through time. If you’ve got the time to spare in quarantine, here are three streaming movies that are perfect for honoring Women’s History Month this March.

Hidden Figures: Directed by Theodore Melfi and produced by Fox 2000 Pictures, Chernin Entertainment, and Levantine Films, Hidden Figures tells the stories of the African American women who contributed to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) during the global conflict between the United States and Soviet Union known as the space race. Hidden Figures is a film focused on race, sexism, and intersectional feminism.

Its protagonists—Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson—are all shown as facing prejudice due to being Black women. The film portrays the racial bias these women face, not only from their white male counterparts but from their white

By AMANDA CHANG Staff Writer To All the Boys—a Netflix movie series based off the popular romance book trilogy of the same name by Jenny Han—recently released its final installment, To All the Boys: Always and Forever.

Both the books and movie adaptations follow Lara Jean Song-Covey, a girl who writes letters to all her crushes but never sends them until her younger sister decides to do so on her behalf without Lara Jean’s knowledge. Because of this, chaos follows Lara Jean both at home and a t school. “‘It’s called To All the Boys… It’s been about the boys. From Day 1. We get it,’” said Lana Condor, the actress that portrays Lara Jean in the Netflix adaptations, in an interview with The New York Times.

female coworkers, who ostensibly should understand, at least, the plight of sexism. Hidden Figures provides an interesting commentary on the overshadowed minds behind the first moon landing and an underlying commentary on intersectional feminism. Hidden Figures is available to rent on Amazon Prime.

Knock Down the House: Directed by Rachel Lears and produced as a Netflix Original, Knock Down the House is a documentary focusing on the 2018 Congressional campaigns of four American women. Originally premiering at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival, Knock Down the House finds its protagonists in Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Cori Bush, Amy Vilela, and Paula Jean

Swearengin. Running for Congressional seats in New York, Missouri, Nevada, and West Virginia, respectively, each of these women ran grassroots Congress campaigns against longstanding incumbents. Knock Down the House is a fascinating depiction of four working-class women’s battles to one of the highest levels of government, portraying each of the steps and struggles these regular American women faced along the way. Whether it was following the four struggling to raise funds for a campaign or debating rank-and-file politicians, Knock Down the House is current, relevant, and a movie for our time.

Although three out of the four focus candidates

lost their primary elections, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez went on to win both the primary and general elections, making her the youngest Congresswoman in history. Knock Down the House is available for streaming on Netflix.

Dolly Parton: Here I Am: Dolly Parton is one of those rare celebrities, who, to inject some personal bias, can be considered a true national treasure. Whether Parton is vocally supporting the rights of the oppressed or beginning a children’s reading program, when you think of a Southern country singer, you’ll usually think of her. Dolly Parton: Here I Am is a 2019 Netflix documentary that tells the story of a rural girl from the Appalachians who would go on to rule Nashville, Hollywood, and the hearts of many Americans. Dolly Parton: Here I A7m is a testament to the singer’s talent, work ethic, and ability to rise through the fray to secure herself a place as an icon of American pop culture.

Whether women are observing the inauguration of the first female vice president in America or marching against endemic femicide in Mexico, the fight for equality, as continues. It continues through the representation of women in media and government. It continues through their presence in culture. It continues through protest and legislation. It continues through the stories we tell.

cwong@arcadiaquill.com Graphics courtesy of PINTEREST.COM

In the interview with The New York Times, Condor revealed that, for the last installment of the To All the Boys movie trilogy, she pushed to have Lara Jean be more independent and care less about the boys.

“I wanted nothing more than to finish it in a way that I would be super proud of Lara Jean. So I was just hellbent; I was constantly talking to the director and the producers and writers and everyone like, ‘You guys, we need to show her stepping into the world as a young woman choosing herself for the first time,’” said Condor.

In both versions of the story,

Lara Jean decides to choose herself and go to a different university than she and her boyfriend, Peter, had originally planned. This choice makes their relationship long-distance instead of the more stable, short-distance they had hoped for. However, in the book, Peter’s mom makes a decision—that she forces onto Lara Jean to execute—for their relationship that was not included in the movie. Instead of Peter’s mom making a decision that Lara Jean ultimately follows through with, in the movie, Lara Jean stands by her decision to choose herself when she is forced with a tough decision between her dreams of a stable relationship with Peter and the university that is best for her.

“She’s come a long way from the hopeless romantic who wrote down her feelings in sweeping love letters rather than acting on them,” said The New York Times.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Condor revealed that she is “very happy” with Lara Jean’s ending in the final movie of the Netflix series. She also said that her director, Michael Fimognari, was pleased with it, too.

“That was so important to [Michael Fimognari] that it was really tight on just Lara Jean in this new world because he wanted to make sure that the ending was like, ‘[Lara Jean is] a woman now and she can go out and do anything she wants and achieve anything that she wants,’” said Condor.

achang@arcadiaquill.com Graphics courtesy of SHUTTERSTOCK.COM and 1001FONTS.COM

A&E

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MARCH 2021

By BRANDON CHAN Staff Writer Madison Beer’s debut album, Life Support, dropped at midnight on Feb. 26 after a year and a half in the making. It consists of 17 songs including “The Beginning”, “Good in Goodbye”, “Default”, “Follow The White Rabbit”, “Effortlessly”, “Stay Numb And Carry On”, “Blue”, “Interlude”, “Homesick”, “Selfish”, “Sour Times”, “BOYSH*T”, “Baby”, “Stained Glass”, “Emotional Bruises”, “Everything Happens For A Reason”, and “Channel Surfing/The End”. Of these songs, “Selfish” is currently doing the best in terms of streams and number of listeners.

She discussed how some of these songs, such as “Selfish” and “Effortlessly”, came from emotional places which allowed her to pour all of her heart into her music. “‘Selfish’ was the first of the emotional, vulnerable songs, but then ‘Effortlessly’ was just a tough day. That day was pretty close [to] around the time that I was really suicidal and pretty much 5150’d,” said Beer in an interview with MTV. “I was just in a horrible place, and I remember I couldn’t even form a sentence. I just think back to that time, and… Sorry, I’m trying not to cry. It was a lot for me.”

By GREGORY WANG Staff Writer The ongoing pandemic has forced changes in the way schools do things, which has affected many school organizations. Performing Arts groups have been hit hard by the pandemic, as the option to practice in person is no longer available. Without this option, our school’s orchestra has sought new methods to practice and perform chamber music.

“Contrary to previous years, our chamber music experience has been mostly online,” said senior Charisse Liu. “Usually, we form groups and practice in person, but that wasn’t an option this year. We chose groups online by just messaging friends, and we practiced in Zoom breakout rooms in lieu of in-person practice.

For our final product, instead of a live performance, we had to record a video to share with the class.”

“Orchestra has been doing chamber music this year mostly virtually with the small groups practicing over a call with one person muting while the others play along,” added senior Matt Reale. “Once the groups are ready to perform,

While she has always been talented, her musical talent was often overlooked by the general public because of her stunning appearance on social media. Many people knew who she was for her looks, not her music. As a result, she began to post more music content on her Instagram.

“For a long time I really did feel like people were [focused on my online presence, which] I didn’t value as much, and I feel like I was guilty of it,” said Beer in the same MTV interview. “I was the one feeding the beast of social media and growing my following, but that’s because I was hopeful that, one day, I would have a big enough following that I’d be able to push my music. So now I feel like it’s kind of paid off, and it’s great, but I feel like for a while it was a bit of a double-edged sword.”

Beer hopes for her album to allow people of all ages to be able to dance and sing to all of her songs.

“I think that we live in a w o r l d that’s very fabricated,” Beer said in a SPIN interview. “And people don’t really show the real sides. And I hope that this gives people a little bit of insight into my life and tells my story the way that I wanted to.”

You can stream her album on Spotify or Apple Music.

By PAMINA YUNG Staff Writer

bchan@arcadiaquill.com Graphics courtesy of 1001FONTS.COM

In a nation of 2.7 million people, Lithuania’s National Opera and Ballet Theatre (LNOBT) in Vilnius, Lithuania, gets approximately 150,000 visitors a year. However, that statistic has drastically changed since all public performances were canceled starting in October 2020 due to COVID-19.

On Feb. 7, the company posted a minute-long show clip on the trendy social media app, TikTok, gathering millions of views. In the video, a group of seven singers formed a magnificent choir and sang a sea shanty, a type of traditional folk song commonly accompanied by rhythmic labor aboard an argosy and often referred to as a chantey or maritime work song.

“Our secret is simple-we got lucky,” said Gediminas Seduikis, a director at LNOBT. “We fired an email to all our singers with the idea, and some of them showed up at the agreed time to sing. That someone else liked the result is pure luck.”

Soon after the first video blew up, the theatre recorded and posted another performance on Feb. 20, but this time, of its dancers.

the groups either meet in person and play together socially distanced with masks, or the players record their part with a metronome playing by themselves.

Then, one or two people edit all the audio and video together into one final video.”

Matt also noted that most, if not all, of the groups chose the virtual option, as people did not want to risk getting infected.

The in person method would also be difficult due to the hassle attached to transporting large instruments from one place to another.

The change in format for practicing a n d performing chamber music has brought new experiences with it as well.

“I think that orchestra is doing the best we can under these circumstances, but I also miss interacting with my fellow string players in person,” said Charisse. “The chamber music unit was always a fun unit due to my growing relationships with my peers while practicing with them. Though it’s not the same, I have managed to forge closer friendships with my chamber group.”

“I am glad that the orchestra was still able to perform in chamber groups this year despite COVID, and that

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The dance TikTok, slightly shorter than the sea shanty TikTok, presented an eye-catching thespian theme, following the TikTok “silhouette” trend, with the dancers gliding on the floor of the opera house foyer with freestanding door frames lined in an array. Meanwhile, vibrant scarlet lighting created dramatic shadows of the ballerinas and their tutus.

“Our advantage is that we can do simple things of very high quality,” said Seduikis.

“Many similar TikTok videos are filmed in a toilet. And here we are, on a national opera stage, with five megastar ballerinas, 60 kilowatts of lighting, and all the professional staff.”

During quarantine, TikTok has become a platform for all kinds of occupations to showcase their skills and talents. The rising social media app has allowed dancers to make creative entertainment and establish a community that is immersive in art and shattering stereotypes.

LNOBT has taken this to the next level.

“It’s opera competing against ballet. Everyone can’t wait to see who gets more views,” said Jonas Sakalauskas, the general manager of the theatre.

pyung@arcadiaquill.com Graphics courtesy of 123FREEVECTOR.COM and 1001FONTS.COM

this is a smart way to go about it,” said Matt.

“One of the best parts of chamber groups is hearing all the diverse pieces that the groups choose or arrange and hearing it come together. While it was nice to hear the final products of all the videos playing together, it does not beat playing together in person. Being able to play along with each other and react to how everything is going in real time is an experience you don’t get when recording separately.

I completely understand why we have to play online, but I still miss the experiences of the concerts that make orchestra feel like orchestra.” Matt also added that remote learning made the orchestra feel less like an orchestra, but more like solo practice instead.

As the year continues, orchestra will no doubt be faced with many challenges. Orchestra will continue to overcome these challenges and adapt to a constantly changing environment.

gwang@arcadiaquill.com Graphics courtesy of PINTEREST.COM and 1001FONTS.COM

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SPORTS

Soccer: Athlete Features

Olivia Wong

By AMANDA CHANG

arcadiaquill.com

Staff Writer

takes. She noted that, on the field, if you make a mistake, it is okay because the ball will still come. There will be another chance to redeem yourself and push yourself harder.

One of Olivia’s proudest moments was during her freshman year when she scored her first goal on the Varsity team. She said that because she normally plays defense, she does not usually score.

Olivia remembers exactly what happened.

“It was just incredible… at that moment I realized how far I had come on my soccer journey, as a person, where I was on the team, and how being on that team changed me. I loved that and it really showed me the power of good teammates and their influence on me,” she said.

Although Olivia will be graduating this year, soccer will always be a passion of hers and will follow her throughout her life.

For those who are thinking about trying soccer, Olivia encourages them to “try new things. There is no harm in trying new things… just try to have some fun; you don’t need to be the best and if you do decide you love it, try and be the best that you can be, because that is enough.”

The captain of the Girls Varsity Soccer team, senior Olivia Wong, really loves soccer.

Soccer “is a pretty big part of my life. I love it. It’s such a great outlet to express myself in a physical way because I get to play, I get to do what I love, I get to make new friends… and it really opened me up to new opportunities and new people to meet,” said Olivia.

Olivia started playing soccer when she was a little 6-year-old girl, trying something new, and played in the American Youth Soccer Organization. She has loved soccer ever since.

Besides being the captain, Olivia also plays outside-back defense for her team. Most weeks, she practices about six days a week. During the lockdown, she would practice by herself in her backyard or at the park, and more recently, she has begun to practice with her teammates.

Olivia doesn’t only employ her soccer practice on the field; she applies the lessons and skills she has learned from it to everyday life as well. For example, the team-building and patience she has acquired throughout the years are helpful when she is in the classroom achang@arcadiaquill.com or working on a group project.

Photo courtesy of OLIVIA WONG Another lesson that Olivia has learned Graphic courtesy of CLIPARTS.COM from soccer is that it is okay to make mis-

MARCH 2021

Tyler Ross

By SEAN YANG

Staff Writer

Soccer is a daunting sport that few can find success in as it takes both stamina and speed in order to keep up with the game. One athlete that has gained praise from AHS’ Head Coach Zachary Baroni is Tyler Ross.

Tyler’s introduction to the sport is similar to many other soccer players. His parents signed him up for the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) when he was 6-yearsold and he has played soccer ever since. Tyler later developed an interest in playing on the high school soccer team during his visits to his sister’s soccer games.

Ty l e r ’s early start in soccer allowed him to make the AHS Boys Varsity Soccer team his freshman year. However, he had played football the semester before, and it made it difficult to integrate into the team since he had missed soccer in the preseason. During this time, his teammates had already practiced and bonded with each other as a team.

“I had to make up for the time lost when all of my teammates were already practicing,” said Tyler.

Eventually with hard work and dedication, the coach noticed Tyler and he was able to earn a starting spot for the rest of the sea-

son.

Even though Tyler dedicates a lot of his time to soccer practice, he is still able to balance both the sport and his schoolwork by using good time management. To help with time management, Tyler writes down his assignments in an agenda so that he is able to properly manage his schedule based on how much work he has. He also manages his time efficiently by getting his work done either before games or after the game.

“If I don’t have good time management, I have to prepare for a long night ahead of me,” said Tyler.

The most important thing to Tyler is that he helps fulfill his role on the team to the best of his ability. No matter whether he is a player who only gets in during practice, ends up sitting on the bench, or starting a game, Tyler tries his best. One goal he wants to achieve this year is to sweep the team’s rival, Crescenta Valley High School, as well as winning the entire league.

Tyler is proof that even if you don’t make it at first, success can still be found if you work hard!

syang@arcadiaquill.com Photo courtesy of TYLER ROSS Graphic courtesy of NIKE.COM

SPORTS

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MARCH 2021

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SPORTS RESUME AHS’ FIRST CROSS COUNTRY MEET AT AHS

By SIDDHARTH KARTHIKEYA

By JORGE ESPINOZA-GONZALEZ

Staff Writer

Staff Writer

After the most unpredictable year in history due to the COVID-19 pandemic, AHS sports teams are finally back.

With girls volleyball, water polo, cross country, football, and other season one sports resuming their practice schedules and playing regular games, athletes at AHS are overjoyed to be playing the sports they love.

Season two sports, like baseball, softball, soccer, tennis, and more, have also been cleared to begin their respective seasons on Mar. 20, 2021.

So what are the safety protocols in measure to make sure that athletes are playing safe?

According to the new school policy, masks are mandatory for everyone on campus unless exertion is involved. This is the most simple, yet most important safety precaution as no mask means no sports. Also, athletes must also go through daily temperature checks and screenings to assess whether or not they are infected.

For the AHS Baseball team, daily Google forms are sent out where players conduct selfassessments on whether or not they have any symptoms of COVID before stepping foot onto the field.

However, in the case an athlete still manages to become infected, there is a general plan of action required to be taken.

“Each scenario is different and it depends when that exposure was relative to team exposure. Worst case scenario the entire team is quarantined,” said Athletic Director Milia Protic.

Unfortunately for the AHS football team, the worst case scenario has already become a reality. After a positive test of COVID-19 on the Boys Varsity Football team, football operations were forced to come to a standstill. This event ended up delaying an already postponed season, forcing players to stay at home for a minimum 2-week quarantine and cancelling games that had been planned on those dates. Since the positive player had come into contact with teammates, the administration was left with no choice but to quarantine the whole team.

But that’s not the only reason why season one sports have struggled.

The Girls Volleyball team, who are almost done with their season, were another one of the AHS sports teams that was severely impacted by COVID. With the rise of infections and fearing the risk of further spread, the county pushed back the date on the opening of indoor gyms, leaving the Girls Varsity Volleyball team with nowhere to practice in the middle of their season.

“The closure of the gyms has impacted us by not allowing us to grow in our skills and as a team. Also, we didn’t get to meet new people and actually bond with them,” says Varsity Volleyball Player Ashley Huston.

Because of this, the team has been forced to relocate their practices mid-season off campus where COVID regulations are lighter, resulting in a disadvantage due to the lack of facilities.

Thankfully though, there’s light at the end of the tunnel, as season two sports are looking more promising. As the administration, coaches, and players do their best to prepare for the worst, there is still hope for the latter half of AHS athletic teams with their own seasons starting Mar. 20. Although dates are bound to change with the unpredictability of COVID-19, currently things are looking strong for season two sports, and hopefully things will go better this time around.

Since March of 2020, we have been quarantined at home. No more gatherings. No more school. No more sports. But recently, the cases of the virus have been decreasing. As fewer and fewer cases are reported, some of the restrictions are being lifted or eased. One of them being sports.

As a result, our Boys and Girls Cross Country (XC) teams, many of whom have been training on their own since this time last year, had their first meet of the season. The meet took place on Mar. 6, and it was a great way to start off the season. The XC meet was between Pasadena High School (PHS) and AHS. “It had been a year since our team had competed, so we were happy to finally race another team,” said the Boys Cross Country Coach Chris Lee. “I’m definitely glad to be back racing competitively,” said Quinn Hettich, one of runners on the Boys Cross Country team, “[the race] made me feel like months of training completely by myself weren’t for nothing.”

The race was held on the track at Crescenta Valley High School. While PHS had the 1st place winners on the boys’ and girls’ sides, AHS placed 2-6 overall.

The top three runners from the AHS Girls Cross Country team were: Katarina Weisinger at 13:10 minutes, Samantha Wong at 13:23 minutes, and Catherine Chen at 16:22 minutes.

The top three from the AHS Boys Cross Country team were: Will Kelley at 10:00 minutes, Mathew Ho at 10:05 minutes, and Brandon Chang at 10:20 minutes.

This XC meet showed that sports can still occur during a pandemic. One of the biggest changes that had to be made to the traditional XC meets which are typically quite large was in regard to the spectators. This season the XC coaches decided that there would be no spectators.

“We streamed it on our team Facebook page… spectators are not allowed yet,” said Coach Lee. “The lack of spectators made the track feel empty,” added Quinn.

The runners were faced with changes in terms of the format of the competition as well.

For example, the racers had to run a two-mile race instead of their typical three. In addition, the runners had to run with their masks on.

“I’m glad major precautions were made to ensure COVID safety among the athletes,” said Quinn.

In short, although it may not have been like races prior to COVID-19, this was the first step to starting up sports again. The XC meet was a success in terms of both the final placements and the overall morale. AHS athletes are now able to get back to the grind, not only showing dedication and love of their sport, but also exemplifying that sports are still possible.

jgonzalez@arcadiaquill.com Graphic courtesy of WIKIWAND.COM

skarthikeya@arcadiaquill.com Graphic courtesy of FREEDESIGNFILE.COM

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CAMPUS FOCUS

Is there any spring cleaning that you would like to do in your life?

“I feel like COVID-19 changed myself as a person both negatively and positively. I haven’t met up with any of my friends since quarantine started, so I haven’t really talked to anyone outside of my family in person which made me kinda antisocial. But during quarantine, I also had more free time that I spent learning new hobbies and strengthening relationships with my family members.” Daphne Huang, 9

“COVID-19 has really affected my relationship with my friends. Honestly I haven’t talked to a lot of my friends since quarantine started, mainly since it’s so hard to keep in touch with people when everything’s online. I think COVID-19 has affected my growth from social relationships and such.” - Anncine Lin, 11

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MARCH 2021

With this new change in season, are there any positive changes you would like to make to your life for the spring?

“With the change of the season, a positive change I’d like to make would be pursuing my hobbies because I haven’t spent a lot of time on them.” Valerie Chow, 9

“With the change of season I also want to have a change in my mindset. Although I;ve been feeling a bit burnt out, I plan on taking a step back and starting over.

I want to be more positive and excited when taking on opportunities rather than just seeing them as another thing to do on a check list. I also hope to be more optimistic and cheerful in everything I do.” - Marcus Ledesma, 12

“With this new change in season, I would love to be more productive. Such as not procrastinating, using my time wisely, and being more organized.”- Reanna Chan, 10

How has Covid-19 affected your ability to grow/bloom as a person this year?

“I love spring cleaning, it allows me to get rid of the things that I don’t really need/ use anymore in my life both physically and mentally. It reminds me that there’s always time to start fresh again and just feel at peace.”

- Allen Lin, 12

The Start of Spring The groundhog in February may have seen his shadow and signified several more weeks of winter, but the beginning of March indicates a new arrival of warmth and season. Blossoming trees and greener grass contrasted with the barren winter days usually associates spring with revival and youth. Especially with spring cleaning being a well-known term used to tidy up one’s space during this season we asked Arcadia students how they would clean up this spring.

Graphics courtesy of CLIPARTKEY.COM SKUNKANDTAVERN.COM